Tech Talk
November 2016 Technology Department Newsletter
I Am Thankful for You
Election 2016
- Edutopia has a great series of resources on the upcoming election. Take a look at the resources for grades K through 12.
- Student News Daily also has resources for educators and students on the upcoming election. Included are talking points great for classroom debates, comparison and contrast activities, or persuasive writing documents or arguments.
- TIME for Kids brings different "hot topics" of the current election to the forefront on its page. Included is an article on the likelihood of a race being rigged...something that students may overhear on media outlets.
MOCK ELECTIONS
- NewsELA Students Vote 2016 opened October 17 and will offer mock elections for students across the country.
- National Parent/Student Mock Election opened October 25 and closes November 3.
- C-SPAN Classroom Campaign 2016 offers election information, mock elections, and other political info on the Road to the White House 2016.
Discovery Education SOS: Did You Hear That?
- SOS: Did You Hear That? is a teaching strategy that encourages students to draw conclusions and create and describe mental images. Ask students, “What does autumn sound like?” Play Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Allegro: Autumn, a concerto that gives musical expression to the feeling of the fall season, and have students journal and draw representations of the music.
- Discovery Education also includes many other audio files that could be used for November historical and cultural dates including Harry S. Truman's victory speech (November 3), the Gettysburg Address (November 19), events surrounding the Kennedy assassination (November 22)...just to name a few. Check out the audio files by searching "audio" in your Advanced Search settings.
Literacy Through History
I Am Thankful Pumpkin
Holiday Traditions
Current Events
Hour of Code Workshop (Earned-Off Hours Eligible)
What is the Hour of Code?
The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Check out the tutorials and activities. This grassroots campaign is supported by over 400 partners and 200,000 educators worldwide.
When is the Hour of Code?
The Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2016 Computer Science Education Week will be December 5-11, but you can host an Hour of Code all year round. Computer Science Education Week is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906).
Saturday, Nov 5, 2016, 08:30 AM
Centennial High School, South Hurst Road, Burleson, TX, United States
3D Videos Providing Virtual Reality Experiences
YouTube has a dedicated channel for 3D videos. On their computer, users can scroll around using their mouse, but to enjoy the full virtual reality experience, they can place their smartphone in their VR viewer and choose the Cardboard mode. Some of the best videos have informative narrations. For example, from BBC News comes a 360-degree tour inside the Large Hadron Collider, “the world’s greatest physics experiment,” with a fascinating explanation. Cost: Free
Take the Challenge: Marshmallow Collaborative Project
Polar Bears International Fall Tundra Connections
SECOND SERIES: NOVEMBER 14-16
TAKE THE PLUNGE WITH POLAR BEARS!
Partner: Discovery Education
Panelists: Kyle Schutt, Julene Reed, Dr. Thea Bechshoft, Dr. Flavio Lehner
Arctic ABCs
Monday, November 14, 11:00 am-12:00 pm Central Time - REGISTER HERE
Target age: Content tailored to K-3, all ages welcome
P is for Polar Bear, U is for… Ulu? Let’s go through the alphabet, Arctic-style! We’ll have some fun, see some polar bears and other organisms that live in the Arctic regions, and learn some new words along the way!
Educator resources:
All About Polar Bears. For K-4 (PPT presentation)
Living Large Like a Polar Bear Unit Plan
Arctic Biodiversity Lesson Plan
Polar Bears for Kids
iTunes: All About Polar Bears
iTunes: Bears for Kids, Kids for Bears
Ice Bears in Your Backyard
Tuesday, November 15, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm Central Time - REGISTER HERE
Target age: Content tailored to 4th-8th grade, all ages welcome
Learn how water in your backyard is tied to polar bears in the Arctic! Help us understand the global world of ice and water and why its conservation is so important to all creatures, not just polar bears.
STEM on the Tundra: Cool Jobs!
Wednesday, November 16, 11:00 am–12:00 pm Central Time - REGISTER HERE
Target age: Content tailored to 4th-8th grade, all ages welcome
The daily choices we make impact our world. Tune in to see how different teams on the tundra are utilizing STEM skills to support a global conversation and make a positive impact for polar bears. We’ll learn why you don't need to be a scientist to practice the core values of STEM. And, we will see some cool jobs that you might not typically consider when you think about the tundra.
Monday, Nov 14, 2016, 11:00 AM
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Learning Technologies Coaches
- Kim Estes - CHS, BCHS, Kerr MS, The REALM
- Lindsay Foster - Brock ES, Frazier ES, Hajek ES, Taylor ES
- Matthew Kitchens - Academy ES, Clinkscale ES, Norwood ES, CrHS
- Heather Sanders - BHS, Hughes MS, STEAM MS
- Teresa Sumrall - Academy at Bransom, Academy at Mound, STEAM Academy at Stribling
Email: lindsay.foster@bisdmail.net
Website: http://bisdlearntech.com/
Location: 1160 Southwest Wilshire Boulevard, Burleson, TX, United States
Phone: 817-245-1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BISDLearnTech
Twitter: @BISDLearnTech