Educational Links 10/17/18

Growing Up in the Library

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/growing-up-in-the-library?mbid=contentmarketing_facebook_citizennet_paid_culture_susan-orlean-growing-up-in-the-library_1-visit

Reflections on Situated Learning vs. The Traditional School System

https://catlintucker.com/2018/10/situated_learning/

Data Doesn't Have to Be a Dirty Word

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/work_in_progress/2018/10/data_doesnt_have_to_be_a_dirty.html?override=web

National Conversations Are Classroom Conversations

https://www.edutopia.org/article/national-conversations-are-classroom-conversations?utm_medium=socialflow&utm_source=facebook

USING “COMMON PLANNING TIME” EFFECTIVELY IN SCHOOLS

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2018/10/14/using-common-planning-time-effectively-in-schools/

HOW SCHOOL LEADERS CAN MOTIVATE INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATION: A TEACHER’S QUEST FOR PROGRESS

http://www.coolcatteacher.com/e376/

ADDitude Podcasts

https://www.additudemag.com/category/adhd-podcast/

Listen to ADDitude’s podcast series about all things ADHD — recognizing symptoms, researching treatment, raising children, living better with attention deficit, and much more — with leading experts in ADD / ADHD. 

The Victorian Writers

The Victorian Era is from 1837-1901, the years of Queen Victoria's Reign as Queen of England when the sun didn't set on the British Empire. However, the diversity of styles, themes, and very interesting personalities bely the monarchy's influence on the writer's minds.
How many British and American poets and writers do you recognize?


Where is Poe? Twain? or Robert Louis Stevenson? How about H.G. Wells? One of the Bronte sisters,
Dickens, Louis May Alcott, Kipling, Oscar Wilde. Emily Dickenson, Walt Whitman, Tennyson, who do I spy with my little eye?

Research Conversation: Edgar Allan Poe

We are starting our journey to a research paper with what I like to call a 'Research Conversation.'
Students take notes on documentaries, use the classroom Chromebooks for directed research on the topic, and use collaborative groups to compare notes and sources to create their own take on the subject-in this case Edgar Allan Poe. Since Poe was a writer, the information will include summaries of his work we discussed in class, including "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Cask of Amontillado'" and, of course, "The Raven." 

Here is a sample outline for an informal paper on a famous person created from 'Research Conversations.' 

• Introduction
• Early Life
• Difficulties
• Decisions
• Accomplishments
• Writer's assessment of the famous person's life

Educational Links 10/16/18

 Multiple Intelligences Theory: Widely Used, Yet Misunderstood

https://www.edutopia.org/article/multiple-intelligences-theory-widely-used-yet-misunderstood 

From Hotspots to School Bus Wi-Fi, Districts Seek Out Solutions to ‘Homework Gap’

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-10-15-from-hotspots-to-school-bus-wi-fi-districts-seek-out-solutions-to-homework-gap 

What's Next for the Every Student Succeeds Act: How You Can Help

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/experts-live-chats-webinars/2018/october/22/whats-next-for-the-every-student-succeeds-act-how-you-can-help 

 Best Buy Teacher Discounts: 11 Ways to Save

https://www.weareteachers.com/best-buy-teacher-discounts/ 

 5 Teaching Strategies for Getting Students to Focus 

http://www.teachhub.com/5-teaching-strategies-getting-students-focus 

 A crash course on trauma-informed teaching

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/trauma-informed-teaching/ 

 “OMG, So That’s Why I Do That?!”

https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/decoding-the-adhd-mind/ 

 “The ADHD world is curvilinear. Past, present, and future are never separate and distinct. Everything is now.” And that can complicate everyday life, work, and relationships. Here, Dr. William Dodson explains the neurological workings of the ADHD mind.

 

 

 

Teachable Moment: In Praise of First Ladies--As Different As They Are

This is totally non-political. In reading this post, I doubt you could tell who I plan to vote for or not; who I have voted for or not; or who I may have written in or plan on writing in. This has nothing to do with politics. This post is in praise of a small group of women who have served the country as First Lady, and we should take note.

Melania Trump visiting a school in Africa.

 Melanie Trump is the second naturalized citizen to be First Lady (the first being John Quincy Adams' wife Louisa from England.) Ms. Trump is from Slovenia. The emphasis of this First Lady involves helping children.

The "Be Best' platform will focus on three main issues facing today's children that Mrs. Trump said are of particular concern to her: physical and emotional well-being, social media use, and the opioid abuse. 

 “I feel strongly that as adults, we can and should be best at educating our children about the importance of a healthy and balanced life.”

http://www.letsmove.gov/

Michelle Obama, wife of the 44th president, Barrack Obama, has focused on helping kids be healthier through the Let's Move! program. Kids across America have learned to love healthy food through improved lunches. I recently had a second grader tell me how he loved squash. Cool. Check out the Let's Move! site--it is really special.

" I am determined to work with folks across this country to change the way a generation of kids thinks about food and nutrition." Michelle Obama

http://www.laurabushfoundation.com/

Laura Bush, wife of the 43rd president, George Bush, was a librarian--it follows that literacy would be her focus as First Lady. She has worked hard not only for Americans, but she has particularly declared the rights of girls for education worldwide.

Her foundation works for libraries in the USA.

"Once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open." Laura Bush

Center for Southern Folklore

Save America's Treasures

As First Lady and wife of the 42nd president Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton worked to begin Save America's Treasures--is a United States federal government initiative to preserve and protect historic buildings, arts, and published works.

  “The arts are not a luxury. They are an integral part of our lives as individuals and as a nation.” Hillary Clinton

 

Barbara Bush, wife of George H. Bush, 41st president, established Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, empowering children and their parents to succeed,
through  family literacy programs, young children are prepared to start school ready, and parents are given a second chance to improve their literacy skills. You may recall she is a children's book author, the proceeds went to Mrs. Bush's Literacy Campaign.

Millie's Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush

https://www.amazon.com/Millies-Book-Dictated-Barbara-Bush/dp/0688040330 

"I strongly believe that if every man, woman, and child could read, write and comprehend, we would be much closer to solving many of our nation's serious problems." Barbara Bush

Nancy Reagan, wife of  Ronald Reagan, the 40th president, was the First Lady through most of the 80s. She began the well-known program "Just Say No," an anti-drug program aimed at students.

 "Say yes to your life And when it comes to alcohol and drugs, just say no." Nancy Reagan

Rosalyn Carter, wife of the 39th President, Jimmy Carter, supported many causes, but
her prime interest was in the area of mental health, and assisting caregivers through The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force.



"I believe that one of the most important things to learn in life is that you can make a difference in your community no matter who you are or where you live." Rosalyn Carter


Betty Ford, wife of the 38th president, Gerald Ford, was remarkable in her candor about personal challenges. She supported recovering from substance abuse, as well as openly discussed her challenges with cancer and alcoholism. She established The Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction.

My makeup wasn't smeared, I wasn't disheveled, I behaved politely, and I never finished off a bottle, so how could I be alcoholic? Betty Ford

 

Pat Nixon, wife of the 37th President, Richard Nixon, as First Lady was enormously effective supporting volunteerism worldwide and, in fact, volunteered personally. She encouraged a "national recruitment program" to enlist thousands of volunteers to carry out a wide variety of community services. One of her missions was to inspect ten "Vest Pockets of Volunteerism" programs that addressed pressing social problems that fell outside of purview of legislation.

"Our success as a nation depends on our willingness to give generously of ourselves for the welfare and enrichment of the lives of others."

My makeup wasn't smeared, I wasn't disheveled, I behaved politely, and I never finished off a bottle, so how could I be alcoholic?
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/betty_ford.html

 

My makeup wasn't smeared, I wasn't disheveled, I behaved politely, and I never finished off a bottle, so how could I be alcoholic?
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/betty_ford.html

Lady Bird Johnson, wife of Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president, encouraged the beautification of the nation's capital through the planting of flowers, in particular, by starting the Society for a More Beautiful National Capital and she was instrumental in promoting the Highway Beautification Act, which was nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill.

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope."Lady Bird Johnson

 

 
Jackie Kennedy, wife of the 35th president, John F. Kennedy, is quite famous for supporting the Arts and renovating the White House. Her televised 'White House Tours' were quite a phenomena in the early 1960s. through her efforts, the White House was declared a museum.

"Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there. It would be sacrilege merely to redecorate it—a word I hate. It must be restored, and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship."

Is This Like Your Autumn Effect? If Its Not...

Autumn Effect at Argenteuil (1873) by Claude Monet

Tranquil Birdsong, 11 hours - Birds Chirping, nature sounds, natural sound of birds singing 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMWeQWGla0Y   

Go outside tomorrow...

Teachable Moment: Casey At The Bat

Gotta love the 'stache. Doesn't he play for the Royals?

All of the western hemisphere may enjoy this story, since we all love baseball (and maybe parts of Asia, as well.)

I  have my classes, baseball fans all, read and act out the poem with much hilarity. Here are links to cartoon (Disney), television (Faerie Tale Theatre) and the history of this poem. Then we relax on a reward day and watch a video,

“That ain’t my style,” said Casey

Walt Disney 1946 - Casey at the Bat HQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_at_the_Bat 

 

 

Thank you, Shelley DuVal

 Faerie Tale Theatre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faerie_Tale_Theatre 

 Tall Tales & Legends Full Episode (Casey at the Bat) 

http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi3685287449/ 

 

  This Bugs Bunny cartoon, besides being very funny, really plays on the extreme baseball metaphors. and figurative language. Check it out for a moment to relax, or as a reward.

That wascally wabbit.

Baseball Bugs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Bugs 

 

 

This poem is included in the curriculum for middle and high school in California.

The Origins of Casey at the Bat

http://www.booksonbaseball.com/2010/04/the-origins-of-casey-at-the-bat/

The Poem – The text is filled with references to baseball as it was in 1888, which in many ways is not far removed from today’s version. As a work, the poem encapsulates much of the appeal of baseball, including the involvement of the crowd.

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, “If only Casey could but get a whack at that–
We’d put up even money now, with Casey at the bat.”
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despisèd, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile lit Casey’s face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance flashed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped–
“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one!” the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;
“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted someone on the stand;
And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;
But Casey still ignored it and the umpire said, “Strike two!”
“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered “Fraud!”
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville–mighty Casey has struck out.