Pages

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Scholastic Study Jams

I came across Study Jams recently and thought I'd pass along the site. It's by Scholastic and is a collection of over 200 learning resources. Study Jams are videos, slideshows and explanations for science and math that students can make new discoveries from. Each of the Jams includes a video/slide show, key vocabulary and even a test section. Students can pause and rewind as they need to and the test section allows checking for understanding and immediate feedback. You can use Study Jams as an anticipatory set (think interactive whiteboard) or as a 1 on 1 activity where students work at their own pace. 

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Spring Ahead, Fall Back

Daylight Saving Time ends this coming Saturday night or at 2am on Sunday morning. Remember you should turn your clocks back an hour before you go to bed. I've recently encountered some discussions on Daylight Saving Time and thought I'd pass the information along.  There is a nice BrainPop video on the topic but here's my recap...
  • Benjamin Franklin first introduced the idea that if people woke up earlier, they could save on candles.
  • The idea is for it to be darker in the morning when people are sleeping and lighter longer at night when people are still up and moving.
  • 1918- the US used various forms of Daylight Saving during times of war or energy crisis.
  • 1986- First Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, law passed that stated Daylight Saving Time would be.
  •  2007- Energy Policy Act changes the time frame. Expands it from the Second Sunday in March to the  First Sunday in November.
  • Many people also think it helps to save on energy costs, but that is still being studied under the new Energy Policy Act. There isn't enough data yet to conclude that it does indeed save on energy.
Here are some other resources that you might find useful on Daylight Saving Time-