National Geographic Asks: What's the Big Idea?

I spent part of my childhood overseas, so have been fascinated by geography and travel from a very young age.  It should come as no surprise then that one of the many blogs I follow is the wonderful National Geographic Education Blog.  A few days ago, they unveiled a program to help families and educators prepare for summer.  From creating a family tree to constructing a compost pile, National Geographic has put together a host of cool projects. As they say, we all know that the end of the school year doesn't mean the end of educating!

If you are looking for something to do with your kids this summer, check out the Ideas for...

indoor family fun:

Videos to Enrich the Mind

As I am a visual learner, and have a relatively short attention span, I have always loved educational videos. Schoolhouse Rock and I are old friends... and you all know how I love BrainPop.

This week, I discovered some neat new sources of educational videos on YouTube - to include Bill Nye the Science Guy and Schoolhouse Rock.  And I love the idea of Crash Course History and Biology.  Enjoy:

Crash Course History
This is a series of 37 fast-paced ten to twelve minute overviews of major concepts and themes in World History. These might be a fun way to kick-off or reinforce a unit in the Upper School.

Oh How I Love BrainPop

As a technology teacher, one of my all-time favorite sites is BrainPop.  BrainPop, BrainPop Jr and Brainpop Espanol offer hundreds of animated educational videos for children on a wide range of subjects.  Brainpop was the brainchild of an immunologist and pediatrician named Avraham Kadar, as a creative way to explain difficult concepts to young children.   Let me assure you, he has succeeded!

In the BrainPop movies, Tim and his robot side-kick Moby narrate the movies:

And in the BrainPop Jr. movies, a little girl named Annie narrates with Moby:

Many of the HTS teachers use these videos in the classroom, and our students LOVE them.

The link to BrainPop can be found here:

The link to BrainPop Jr. can be found here:

The link to BrainPop Espanol can be found here:

Our students never seem to get enough time to explore the subject areas that most fascinate them in the school setting, so this would be a great website to suggest on one of those summer days when the heat index is 110... like this week!

There are dozens of free videos each week, or you can sign up for a free trial, so your child can explore the website for a few days.  The home subscription for BrainPop Jr. is about $9 a month, and for BrainPop $10 a month.  I subscribed to BrainPop for a couple of years for my own children, as they were captivated by the site... let me assure you, it was money very well spent!

 I should mention that BrainPop also offers a variety of fascinating games and activities.

Globetrotting via Cyberspace!

I'd like to introduce a selection of websites that help you explore the world...
1. Google World Wonders Project

I found this new project to be so incredible.  This website allows students to explore palaces and castles, cities and towns, and archeological sites.  From the archaeological areas of Pompeii to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Google’s World Wonders Project aims to bring to life the wonders of the modern and ancient world.  Using Street View, 3D modeling and other Google technologies, Google has made these amazing sites accessible to everyone across the globe. With videos, photos and in-depth information, you can now explore the world wonders from your armchair just as if you were there. Check out the video below:

2. Free Rice - Geography

My students have played the Free Rice vocabulary games in class, but there is also a cool section devoted to geography.  It is possible to quiz yourself on World Landmarks, Flags of the World, World Capitals and  Identify Countries on a Map.  For each correct answer, you  earn 10 grains of rice to help end world hunger through the World Food Programme - how great is that?  Free Rice also offers a number of articles to help students understand the latest issues in the fight against hunger. Be sure to select the "Subjects" option at the top of the Free Rice home page to find the Geography options:

3. Toporopa

Wishing you could pack your bags to go to the Olympics this summer?  Intrigued by European monarchs or history? This site provides dozens of challenges to quiz students about all things European.  I found this site is particularly colorful and fun.  See how much you know!