This week I have had some of my classes do a "website exploration" on the Smithsonian website. Perhaps it's the fact that I am a currently a tech teacher or maybe it's just because I am a complete nerd, but I have been loving this website recently! It has links to the zoo and museums, a teacher and kid section and photos of current exhibitions. When we went to D.C. last summer, going to the American History Museum was one of my favorite things we did (oh how I'd love to go again, that museum was just. so. good.) It is great that even though you may not be able to go to D.C. they have made it so easy to explore the museums from your own living room!
Ok, ok I'll stop with my extreme nerdy-ness. But you don't have to take my word for it.
Go check it out yourself!
*Alright, as I was typing this I had an extreme flashback to Reading Rainbow. Check out the video below*
As if you needed further verification of the nerd that I am. You're welcome.
My 8th grade classes this week have been working on Halloween stories using the website storybird.com. This website allows it's users to make picture books by placing the work of certain artists in a template and putting words to their art. It's a very cute idea and my kids have had a really fun time with it! I've had a fun time reading their stories. The Storybird company can then make real books out of the stories that you make! I think this is such a cool idea. What a great idea for Christmas presents!
When looking for websites to include in my 8th grade class's web search, I found a very neat website that I thought I would share with you. For educators looking for interesting resources dealing with the upcoming election, the NY Times Learning Blog has some awesome ideas about how to encorporate the upcoming election into your lessons. The blog shares a link to The Living Room Candidate which has a collection of old campaign ads and provides summaries on past elections. The site also gives statistics on the outcome of each election and provides a color coded map that represents how each state voted.
I plan on using some of these fabulous ideas in my Computer Class for the older grades. What a neat and different way to teach about the upcoming election, while also learning about the past!
Okay, okay I'll tame down the nerd level here... but seriously, you should check it out.
