NYT: The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction

Interesting read in the Times today...


http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/26/the-dark-side-of-young-adult-fiction?hp

NYT: Mapping America: Every City, Every Block

Excellent graphic in the NYTimes today looking at census data block by block!

http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/explorer?hp

Flickr: Faces of the American Civil War

An amazing collection of over 700 soldiers from the Civil War.

http://blog.flickr.net/en/2010/12/05/faces-of-the-amercian-civil-war/

NYT: Masters of Math, From Old Babylon

 While I am a bit of a math dunce, this is an amazing article and could be highly valuable for your math class!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/arts/design/27tablets.html

NYT: Night at the Museum

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/27/opinion/20101127_stevenson.html?hp

NPR: We Can't Walk Straight

 This is an amazing animated story from NPR.org about some experiments from the early 20th century looking into to our inability to walk or drive straight when we do not have a fixed point to guide us.

Outstanding!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2010/11/03/131050832/a-mystery-why-can-t-we-walk-straight?sc=fb&cc=fp

NYT: Finding the Right Tool to Tell a War Story

 This is an amazing collection of images.

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/finding-the-right-tool-to-tell-a-war-story/?hp

NY Times Video: Animators of Life

Excellent video highlighting advancements in biological animation.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/11/15/science/1248069334032/the-animators-of-life.html

Tony Horwitz: The 150-Year War

"But as we approach the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s election, on Nov. 6, and the long conflict that followed, it’s worth recalling other reasons that era endures. The Civil War isn’t just an adjunct to current events. It’s a national reserve of words, images and landscapes, a storehouse we can tap in lean times like these, when many Americans feel diminished, divided and starved for discourse more nourishing than cable rants and Twitter feeds."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/opinion/31Horwitz.html?_r=1

Now to post it on twitter...

Bristlecone Pines Trees in Trouble...After 4500 years.

Seeing Bristlecone Pines on a cross-country trip about 10 years ago was one of the most amazing things I have ever done.  Students are fascinated by them.  

Here is an article from the Times about a alien fungus that may kill them, after nearly four and half millenia:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/science/28pines.html?_r=1

Today, I used this article to compliment a book we are reading called "To Spoil the Sun".  In it, Europeans indirectly bring disease to a group of Cherokee living in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1500's.  Obviously, the majority of the Cherokee attribute the disease to an imbalance in the natural world and the result of several omens early in the book.

We discussed the plight of the Bristlecones as an example of an invasive species taking hold and upsetting the balance of nature.  The conversation got pretty deep (for 7th grade) as we agreed that there are spiritual, moral, and natural consequences/implications of cultures merging throughout the world.

Suggested Reading: "Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits"

I will be sharing this article with my students as we begin to talk about different ways to study!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=brain%20studying&st=cse

Oysters in the Chesapeake

The story features an intro that quoted from Captain John Smith's journal from the early 1600's.

Could be a good reference point to connect modern and historic Maryland/Virginia...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129452345

NYT: New Life No Longer Means New Name

Great article for those studying immigration in the Times today:


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/nyregion/26names.html?_r=1&hp

I have known a few people in the last decade or so who have changed their names back to the original names given up by their families at Ellis Island.

Arcade Fire Lyrics - Brain on Computers: Part Two

Here are the lyrics to two songs on Arcade Fire's new record, The Suburbs.  I think that they both parallel the sentiments of the articles, as well as, the shared experiences we, and our students, are having with our lives.

(Or maybe I just love Arcade Fire,)

The titles are links to videos of the songs played at MSG in New York earlier this month.

We Used To Wait:

I used to write
I used to write letters
I used to sign my name
I used to sleep at night
Before the flashing lights settled deep in my brain
But by the time we met
The times had already changed
So I never wrote a letter
I never took my true heart
I never wrote it down
So when the lights cut out
I was left standing in the wilderness downtown

Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last

It seems strange
How we used to wait for letters to arrive
But what's stranger still
Is how something so small can keep you alive
We used to wait
We used to waste hours just walkin around
We used to wait
All those wasted lives in the wilderness downtown

Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Still moving through the pain

I'm gonna write a letter to my true love
I'm gonna sign my name
Like a patient on a table
I Wanna walk again
Gonna move through the pain

Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last

Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Still moving through the pain

We used to wait for it
Now we're screaming
Sing the chorus again

I used to wait for it
Hear my voice screaming
Sing the chorus again

Wait for it

Sprawl II (Mountains Upon Mountains):

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
We run away, but we don't know why,
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

Your Brain on Computers: Times Series and Interview with Author

On the road with some gadgets...minus iPhone, external drive, and iPod.

Over the last two years, both my previous and current school have flirted with idea of having an "Unplugged Day".  I believe the thought was that students and teachers could revert to the days of limited distraction for a day or two. The scientists in the first article would definitely agree!

I am interested in how we can combat over-stimulation in our students. In large part, the premise of this blog is to find connections between the traditional ways they access the curriculum while providing them with an embedded experiences of what is happening right now. So, for me, pulling the plug would be tough.

Below are three articles from the "Your Brain on Computers" series in the New York Times followed by today's interview the author of the articles, Matt Richtel, on NPR's "Fresh Air".

These could be great readings for in-service, teacher training courses, or to share with students.

To be honest, I can easily answer "yes" to every question in the "Warnings of Tech Overload" graphic in the second article listed below.  I know that I am addicted to my phone, to news streams, twitter feeds, pitch-by-pitch baseball scores, and the weather where everyone I know lives.  I am convinced it has effected my sleep and ability to be entertained. However, I do feel more informed and connected to what interests me.

All of the articles provide excellent insights into the world we, and of course, our students, live in. 

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Outdoors and Out of Reach, Studying the Brain

Attached to Technology and Paying a Price

A Side Effect of Digital Devices: Brain Fatigue

 

Fresh Air!

New Library of Congress App for iPhone!

Through twitter I found out about the new app from the Library of Congress.

There are photos and audio from across the collection.  So far I think it is incredible!

Here are some screen shots:

WBUR: Irish Archeologists Search For Their Countrymen In Lowell

Here is another archetypical story for Making Class Relevant.  Here is the introduction:


Blame it on Indiana Jones and King Tut.

When we think archeology, we think relics of the distant past, guys in pith helmets traveling to far-off lands, and unearthing objects from a millennia of dirt and sand. In reality, archeology is often more recent and closer to home. It goes wherever the mystery is.

Exactly!  Students uncovering history!  The students profiled in this story were in our classrooms only a few years ago and now they are active historians.  This story is a great resource for those studying immigration, archeology, and the relevance of history.

Here is the link to the story and original audio:


http://www.wbur.org/2010/08/20/lowell-dig

What's on your hand? - Writing Brainstorm

So in 2010, this is type of lesson plan that will land you on Fox News or Drudge Report as more of an indoctrinator than an educator. However, I was struck by this image embedded in an article I had heard profiled on Fresh Air during an interview with it's author, Todd Purdum.

I was thinking that as a brainstorm for a personal essay, something we do early in the year as our first major writing piece, you could show the image, which is not biased at all but simply a list of the things on Obama's plate (or hand in this case) and ask the students to draw what is on their hands. Based on the sketch they do, they will be developing a list of writing areas to access later in the year and perhaps a nice artistic rendering of what is going on in their lives.

I think I am going to do it as one of my first journal writes.

The illustration is by Barry Blitt and appears in the September issue of Vanity Fair.

Digital History: A Incredible Source for Teachers

I have been using content from Digital History for the past four or five years.  The site is full of primary source materials.  Every time I visit the site, I find something new that can be used in my classroom.

This morning I found this transcription of an Eighth Grade test from 1895 (I think I may give this as a joke/reality check early in the year):

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/quizzes/8thgrade_test.cfm
 

Among my favorite resources contained on the site is this handout called "Toward Revolution".  Students find the information clear and helpful - every year it leads to incredible discussions and a natural path of inquiry to find out more.


http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/us6.cfm

While you should browse the site on your own, one last stop I will point out are the every-increasing collection of eXplorations.  These are self-contained, educator developed lessons about American history ranging from Columbus through Vietnam War:


http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/learning_history/

Enjoy! Let me know what you end up using in the comments below!

xtranormal: Text to Movie (Easy to use and completely awesome!)

This is a fantastic site that, with teacher supervision and specific directives, could yield amazingly entertaining and informative projects and lessons.

Basically, you are able to type dialogue into an series of easy to understand and use text boxes and "shoot" a movie scene. You can change the camera angles, languages, accents, and backgrounds. The site is free but it costs money to unlock extra characters and sets.  There are some Colonial America characters I might put some money into later in the year.

Here is a sample movie I made in about three minutes.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6960597/

You will need an account to make your own movies.  If I allow students to use the site, I will probably make a few class accounts for groups work.  Obviously, like nearly all web based content you will need to be careful about monitoring their navigation of the site.

*Come to think of it, every year our students make skits for a colonial fair.  This might be a good tool for them to use in order to get a sense of how their dialogue is working.  We'll see.

For now, enjoy... and in the words of Brian Regan, "Take Luck!"

NPR: Unearthed Ship In NYC Offers Clues Of Colonial Life

I will probably use this story as part of one of my first lessons this year.  This story exemplifies the premise of this blog  - it puts history into the news, reveals the work that historians and their students are doing, and therefore brings life 300 years ago directly into the classroom.

With stories like this, history simply stops being static, fixed, and seemingly irrelevant.
  

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129175643&sc=fb&cc=fp

From Newsweek: Lost in Electronica

Great read from Newsweek posted below. 

Do we fight it or join it?  How can we combat this reality in the classroom?  As teachers, we are always fighting against the powers of boredom. 

Reflection, discussion, writing, and high standards are probably a good start...

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/14/will-boredom-and-the-costs-of-constant-connection.html

NYT: Best Summer Reading Book is Any Book!

Interesting article about the benefits to students of reading anything at all during the summer.  As we have all seen, those two months, if spent doing nothing academic, can be brutal on our students' development and preparedness to return to the classroom.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/summer-must-read-for-kids-any-book/?ref=education

Great story on the biology behind teenage drama....

This was a fantastic story from NPR this morning.  The take-away for me was how Dr. Kastner suggested parents write about their experiences, regrets, and feelings about lapses in judgement.



http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129150658

Free Rice! Quiz for UN World Food Programme

Correct answers on this quiz translate to donations to UN World Food Programme:

http://freerice.com/index.php

The words are really challenging, especially for lower and middle school students, but it could get them into dictionaries and helping a cause at the same time.

I saw that there are different subjects (art, grammar, languages):


http://freerice.com/subjects.php?t=257476122332

Thanks to Oprah Mag (and my wife) for the tip!

Walden by Haiku

"Living on Earth" had an amazing story about Penn State-Altoona English and environmental studies professor, Ian Marshall's new book that reinterprets Walden in haiku form.  It was a great conversation and sounds like a super imaginative book.  The poems were really powerful.

This could lead a lesson/project where students reinterpret their favorite books or readings from the year.

Transcript and mp3 here:


http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=10-P13-00033&segmentID=7

Color Photos from the Great Depression (LOC)

The Library of Congress has a collection of nearly 1,600 color photos from the Great Depression.  I think that there is a chance students will connect to these photos in a more powerful way then many black and whit images of the same period.

It would be great to choose about 20 that are not dated in some obvious way, mix them with more modern depictions of poverty, or life in other countries (not sure yet....) and have them make guesses about the date, place, and circumstances of each photo.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/fsac/

Strange Fruit: Anniversary Of A Lynching (from NPR)

This is a radio piece commemorating the anniversary of the lynching that inspired the poem and song "Strange Fruit" made famous by Billie Holiday.

Obviously, teachers should preview this and determine whether it is appropriate for their students.  I always find it very powerful for my students to hear the voices of the people depicted in iconic images. In an increasingly desensitized world we need to do our best to bring gravity and authenticity to the our materials.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129025516

Teaching "Lord of the Flies" with the Times

The eighth grade at my school teaches Lord of the Flies, I am sure some this will be useful for them. 

Hopefully, it will be useful for you too!

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/teaching-the-lord-of-the-flies-with-the-new-york-times/?scp=1&sq=lord%20of%20the%20flies&st=cse

The New "Duet" - Discussion from NPR's Pop Off Series

There was a great discussion about what is now considered a duet in pop music.  The conversation about the songs referenced, three of which are in the top ten this summer,  naturally brought up issues of sexism and a male centered/exploitative nature of the songs. There was also the lesser relevant point about a duet being an actual conversation or narrative.

I could see using this to as part of an affective ed lesson about how women/men are portrayed in pop culture.

Here is a link to the Story

Plagiarism Article and Lesson Ideas for the Fall

There was a great article in the Times last week about plagiarism in the digital age.  I will be reading the article with my students in September before we write our first major paper.

It is funny, but at the same time as I want to bring in aspects of their experience outside of school to make the day, lessons, months enjoyable, we also need to put up a wall around academics, tradition, excellence, and the students ownership over their work.

Here is the article and the Learning Networks open thread for students 13 and over:


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/education/02cheat.html?scp=1&sq=plagiarism&st=cse



http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/are-you-part-of-generation-plagiarism/?scp=2&sq=plagiarism&st=cse

NYTimes: Photos and Reflections From Arctic Alaska

From The New York Times:

Photos and Reflections From Arctic Alaska
Steve Zack takes a photographic look back at his Wildlife Conservation Society expedition to Arctic Alaska.
http://nyti.ms/ahYL3w
Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://itunes.com/apps/nytimes

NY Times Interactive Features are amazing...

The Times has amazing interactive features, these three come to mind:

I use this as a September 11th lesson that teaches itself and also naturally leads into a discussion of why we save artifacts from history:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/10/nyregion/20080911-hangar-panos.html


Geography of a Recession:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/03/us/20090303_LEONHARDT.html


Anatomy of an Inaugural Speech:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/17/washington/20090117_ADDRESSES.html


Here is one that was inspired by the recent discovery of a ship at the World Trade Center site:


http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/07/22/opinion/20100722_Opinion_Archaeology.html?ref=archaeology_and_anthropology

New Exhibit at Smithsonian Air and Space Museum...

Here is the Times article I read about the exhibit. The pictures are completely gorgeous.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/arts/design/29museum.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Here is the link the Smithsonian site and images from the exhibition:

http://www.beyondexhibition.net/splash/flash/


http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal211/beyond.cfm

For example: To Kill a Mockingbird

The seventh grade at my school teaches "To Kill a Mockingbird" (thank god) so I will get to read it every year and get all choked up as I read the final chapter aloud to the students and they get to see their teacher cry (kind of...maybe).

Here are some of the links I shared with colleagues...

First is an episode of the Diane Rehm Show:

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-06-16/readers-review-kill-mockingbird-harper-lee


Three guests plus callers discuss the books lasting impact. Great for teachers, some clips great for students...

This is a story about parties planned for the 50th Anniversary of the Book, and how their will most likely be one person missing from the festivities:


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/books/25mock.html?scp=1&sq=mockingbird&st=cse


Of course, the New York Times Learning Network Blogs are outstanding resources:

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/50-years-of-to-kill-a-mockingbird/?scp=2&sq=mockingbird&st=cse


There are over 40 links on this site alone.

Welcome to my new blog, Making Class Revelant!

For as long as I have been teaching, I have been sending out daily e-mails to my co-workers about a great article I read or story I heard on NPR that had something to do with what they are teaching to their students.

The first time I experienced the power of how a news story could change the dynamics of a class was while I was students teaching in Oregon. I had developed a three week unit on Ancient China examining oracle bones, long held as the oldest evidence of character writing known to archeologists.

While the details of whole thing escape me years later, the connection was an article in a newspaper that changed and recast the dates of the information in the textbooks. Students saw that history was not fixed and ancient but that it was an active process, one they could be a part of discovering.

Everyday, I will be providing a link, or several links, to stories that will connect your students to what you are studying in class, or perhaps take their studies in a new direction. If you find a link that has helped you, share it with me.

I will be tagging all posts so that in time, we have a collection of stories and sites that span across the curriculum.