Sylvia Earle interview
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Tag Archives: library
Decoding History – 39 Clues Reading Club
If you like a good adventure and aren’t afraid of learning some history, check out this virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Author David Baldacci, as part of the 39 Clues Reading Club, teamed up with historians to bring history to life. One of the video segments discusses the pottery of David Drake sometimes known as Dave the Potter. I have featured the award winning book Dave the Potter in school and previously shown students clips of PBS’s series History Detectives. Happy learning!
Watch Face Jug on PBS. See more from History Detectives.
2013 Inauguration headquarters
Curious about the 57th Inauguration? Ever wonder what happens when it falls on a Sunday? Get answers to your Inauguration questions on the senate website http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/. There is also video footage of the actual events.
International Space Station New Years Greetings
To support our virtual travels, Kindergarten and 1st grade students will listen to the New Years message from the International Space Station members. These short video clips allow students to get a better understanding of what life is like in space with zero gravity (note the somersaults!)
Colonial kitchen of Martha Washington
Starting in December, 4th grade students were asked to engage with Colonial NJ living. They will ultimately create a project to represent their learning. While the following video from Mount Vernon is not a NJ colonial experience, it does represent what early living was like.
Panoramic tour of Paris
This month my classes will again be traveling to Paris to compare our neighborhoods with those in other cities. We have been inspired to visit the Eiffel Tower after reading Madlenka’s Dog by Peter Sis. Madlenka lives in New York City where she dreams of having a dog of her own. With her imaginary dog she walks around her block meeting neighbors. Each neighbor imagines what her dog looks like and fondly remembers their own childhood dog.
Virtual tour of the Mayflower
Teaching Thanksgiving lessons can be so predictable… the Pilgrims and the Native Americans ate a feast together and that is why we have turkey, cranberries etc. This year I shared 2 stories with students and teachers. The first is the virtual tour of the Mayflower. Scholastic and the Plimoth Plantation do a nice job bringing history to life.
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/
Another great story is the one of Sarah Hale. I shared Thank you Sarah by Laurie Halsie Anderson with 2nd graders and all of them had never heard of the school teacher who requested that Thanksgiving be made a national holiday. She also was a writer and penned Mary Had a Little Lamb. To see her national holiday request letter to President Lincoln, visit the following link to the Library of Congress.
Simple electoral college explanation
Perfect Common Craft video on the electoral college this election season.
Make your own picture book with Culture Street
I just recently learned about a picture book maker that is free and has no login required. So, I tested it out and while it makes a short book (a front cover, 3 full page spreads and a back cover), it is perfect to not overwhelm a child. Culture Street is funded by the Arts Council England and their main site has additional activities for kids.
http://www.culturestreet.org.uk/activities/picturebookmaker/
Star Wars Reads Day at the Maplewood Library
This weekend the Maplewood Library is hosting a reading event with a Star Wars twist. Come out and celebrate the force!
Star Wars Reads Day flyer