When I look out my office window, there’s a pretty limited selection of wildlife. But always, even in a Michigan winter, there are birds. Birds are part of virtually every global ecosystem, and in urban landscapes they are one of the most visible evidences that even amidst concrete, the cycles of life continue. They also … Continue reading
Last week I wrote about my hope that helping students see the variety of historical perspectives—and the conflicts that ensued—might allow them to more readily navigate today’s often-gridlocked perspectives on multiple issues. One source for doing so was the Stanford History Education Group’s website, Reading Like a Historian. In the February 2017 issue of Educational … Continue reading
It takes very few conversations these days to understand it is very hard for individuals who view the world from one perspective to hear, understand, and appreciate an alternative point of view. Increasingly, we watch different news sources, read different publications, and have a hard time agreeing on what is “fact” versus what is “fake.” … Continue reading
I can’t decide if I should begin, “Oh my, is January half over?” or “Really? Is January only half over?” It seems the time since the all-too-short holidays has flown by, but I’m already pretty tired of sub-zero wind chills and, seemingly, half the people I know having the flu. Good grief. What should we … Continue reading
Recently, several friends posted a video on social media depicting a imagined text conversation among Harry Potter, Hermione, Ron, and others from the Harry Potter world. It is not a literary masterpiece but it did make me chuckle. One of the things I noticed was that without familiarity with the characters, the video was much … Continue reading
How can a photograph be transformed into a work of kindness? Sometimes, when it becomes a portrait. This is a time of year when many of us try to think about doing good. Perhaps that is why I was so intrigued to learn about the Memory Project—a chance to be creative, raise awareness, and do … Continue reading
Some books make me chuckle. Some make me chuckle over a period of years. Judi Barrett’s Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing is one of those. In the unlikely event that you are a preschool or primary teacher who is not already familiar with this book, it is time you became acquainted. If you know … Continue reading
Do you teach high school science? Do you like a capella music? Do your students? How about parodies? Amazingly clever lyrics? If you like any of these you really need to see the YouTube channel A Cappella Science. Like so many things, I was introduced to A Cappella Science via social media. Here’s one of … Continue reading
Do you know a young person who likes to build things? To help young builders move to the next level of thinking without the demand for high-tech gizmos or expensive materials, you might explore Engineer This! 10 Amazing Projects for Young Mechanical Engineers. In Engineer This!, Carole McBride and Francisco Gonzales have compiled projects including … Continue reading
Two of the key things creative scientists do are 1) Ask questions and 2) Gather data to try to answer the questions. This month, your students can gather with data-seekers around the world to help answer the question, “Is the earth flat?” Now, for those of you in globe-filled classrooms, that may seem a silly … Continue reading
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