This month’s family fun ideas are dedicated to all things maker. A maker, of course, is anyone who makes something, and they are on the rise. From maker spaces, where collaborators young and old share equipment and expertise, to Hacker Scouts dedicated to solving problems through making, there are lots of opportunities for creative building … Continue reading
This is the time of year when I vacillate between being grateful to see the semester wind down and thinking about all the things I hope to do better next term. In case you, too, are in the mood for dreaming about next year’s exciting options (or for my Australian friends, embarking on a new … Continue reading
One of my long ago favorite Bill Cosby routines was one about the word “Oops” and times you would really hate to hear it. From your surgeon. Or your dentist. Or perhaps your plumber. But funny as that is, I have a new favorite reference for “Oops,” the book Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg. Beautiful … Continue reading
There is a meme for about everything today. Regardless of your social network of choice, sometimes-amusing graphics are everywhere. Why not use them to teach math? The font of all things meme, CHEEZburger, has a GraphJam section full of graph and diagram memes. Perhaps you are teaching pie charts. You could start with this. You … Continue reading
The American Museum of Natural History’s OLogy site, subtitled “The Museum’s Science Website for Kids” could also be labeled, “Catalog of Creative Scientific Investigations.” OLogy allows students to “Choose an OLogy,” from Anthropology to Zoology, and then explore resources in each area. There are interviews with scientists, interesting facts, polls to take, games to play, … Continue reading
Once in a while (OK, maybe more than once in a while) I find a blog post I really wish I’d written. Recently, while looking for resources suitable for silly family fun for April, I came across this 2011 post from The New York Times Education website, focusing on serious ways to teach comedy across … Continue reading
Imagine trying to learn how to drive a car from a book or from lectures given by expert drivers. You study diagrams showing the position of the accelerator, brake, and clutch pedals. You read about the process of releasing the clutch as the accelerator is depressed. You memorize the appropriate braking distances… When you have … Continue reading
Do you teach about electricity? Do you teach innovation? Either way, Richard Turere can help you. Just a few months ago, Richard was a quiet Masaai boy, living on the edge of Nairobi National Park, in Kenya. Frustrated by the lions attacking his family’s cattle, Richard decided to do something about it. Working with bits … Continue reading
April is National Poetry Month! Have you written a poem yet? There are Poetry Month activities that allow budding poets of all ages to exercise their creativity. Older students and bloggers might want to participate in NaPoWriMo.net’s write-a-poem-a-day challenge. Check the NaPoWriMo’s blog for prompts and examples throughout the month. Or try something simpler. One … Continue reading
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to hear a performance of The Silk Road Ensemble, an extraordinary group of musicians based in the Silk Road Project. As described by their website: The Silk Road Project is an internationally minded performing arts nonprofit with cultural and educational missions to promote innovation and learning through the arts. … Continue reading
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