Tweets of the Week

Lots of activity in the world of education.

It is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth! Let's check out his life, which was very Dickensian.

http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/

PBS has two productions of his currently available online to view, one enormously famous book, one almost unknown story. If you can't tell the difference between the two titles, read my previous blog.

This looks good and creepy. Its a mystery.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2216784370/

You can already buy this one.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Its rather gothic.



 Here is the other PBS Masterpiece presentation by Dickens:

Great Expectations.  Don't forget you can also read the stories.

Here is a lovely, long link about librarians and literacy. And such alliteration! You can get to know your librarian while you're checking out Great Expectations.

 http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/893928-312/all_aboard_implementing_common_core.html.csp?utm_source=ReadingRockets.org&utm_medium=Twitter#.T4yNCq4cm94.facebook

Developing the 'green corners' of the playground.

Living, teaching, and growing in the real world of nature. Kids needs to be outside! Using nature as a lesson plan.

http://www.edutopia.org/sustainable-schoolyard-design?fb_ref=.T4rzNMnV1JQ.like&fb_source=timeline

It is obvious that not all teachers have the resources (natural or otherwise) to have an outdoor playground. But we can interact with nature on some level.

 Here is a quote from the University of Michigan (and it has nothing to do with football, well, not exactly.)

http://www.davidwilliamsassociates.com/news/university-michigan-study-playgrounds-schools

"According to approximately 26 percent of the parents recently surveyed by the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, there is not enough playground space at schools for kids. Polling parents across the country, the study shows that more playgrounds in schools would make parents happy as well as help fight against childhood obesity.  One in every sixth child is affected by childhood obesity and taking a child to a outside to a park or recreation area to for them to spend time on a playground, that helps fight against childhood obesity."

Here is a link from Edutopia concerning the outdoor exposure kids are missing. Excellent CG on a video game is not enough.

http://www.edutopia.org/outdoor-education-nature-deficit-disorder?fb_ref=.T4rzX_UpQlQ.like&fb_source=timeline

"It's not just that the outdoors is uncool" to kids who prize gaming devices over games of catch, says Martin LeBlanc, national youth director of the Sierra Club. "It's that it doesn't exist for them."

That looks so inviting.

That is a very profound thought. Kids who never experience any natural setting. That's practically abuse.

In many areas when kids want to go outside, there is the question of air pollution and also street violence. Let's do something about these, too.

Here's a nice instructible about urban gardens for kids.

Sprouts for the sprouts.

http://forloveofchildren.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/urban-gardening-maximizing-use-of-small-spaces/

One more link. We learn through all modalities. The fine arts are important whether you play like Mozart or will be a da Vinci. If nothing else, its fun and a good emotional release.

Love those curls.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cafe-mcmullen/arts-education_b_1400142.html?ir=Arts&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008&ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Such a happy guy.

 Mona Lisa and those young gentlemen in all those portraits, you can just eat your hearts out!