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Fishbanks: A Renewable Resource Management Simulation

— Defra

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/simulations/fishbanks/Pages/fish-banks.aspx Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This is an online simulation game focuses on sustainable fishing. Students can manipulate variables (numbers of fishing boats, catch quotas) and see how those changes affect both the bottom line and the environment. Each change results in a year’s worth of data (up to 15 year’s worth), and then reactions from different stakeholders. The game can be played as one or as a group.

In the Classroom

The game could be helpful in showing students that "success" in a business that affects the environment can be measured in a number of ways: cash flow, environmental impact, community support. The game could be played cooperatively by groups of students on an interactive whiteboard, or could be played individually by students. Since it’s available on-line, students could be instructed to play the game at home or during study halls and then be prepared to share their individual data in group discussion. Requires FLASH!

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Tag(s): financial literacy, resources, fish, environment,

The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction

— National Institutes of Health

5-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://archives.drugabuse.gov/publications/brain-understanding-neurobiology-through-study-addiction Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Download this complete unit on addiction includes teacher materials, standards,(see the Curriculum Supplement Series main page for the link to state standards), complete student materials and web resources, and everything you need to teach about the the biology and effects of alcohol on the body, including the effects of drinking on driving ability. NIH has done an outstanding job of organizing everything for you. There are videos to make the content come alive, however they reside on YouTube. f your district blocks YouTube they may not be viewable. SThis unit also includes a section where students observe videos of impaired mice to compare those exposed to alcohol; so now you can do a "lab" without the real mice!

In the Classroom

Whether you choose to do the entire unit or feature the driving or mice observation exercises with a projector or interactive whiteboard, this unit is certain to have an impact on your middle school students. If possible, engage them actively by putting them to work on laptops or in a lab to do the observations.rn<br><br>rnUse this site during your drug unit or Red Ribbon Week as background information for students or student groups to make anti-drug multimedia presentations using any of the reviewed tools from the <a href="/content/edge.cfm">TeachersFirst Edge</a>.

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Tag(s): drugs and alcohol,

Encouraging English Expression through Script-based Improvisations

— Manette R. Berlinger

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Berlinger-ScriptImprov.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This site gives specific ideas for improving English for those students for whom English is a second language. It sets up the idea of a script and describes the lesson in detail, including how the author used the idea in her classroom.

In the Classroom

You may want to use this idea as it reads; however, it was used for a fairly large class. You can adapt this lesson for a much smaller group and customize the script to suit where you live and circumstances the students are likely to encounter in their lives in that area.

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Gun Control and Terrorism: Laws or Loopholes?

— PBS

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/gun.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Associated with the PBS news program NOW with Bill Moyers, this lesson plan focuses on the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution and the impact of the war on terror on gun laws. Although the main focus of the lesson plan is for students to view the original NOW report on this issue and discuss the implications of the program, there are a number of good resources referenced on the site to guide a more general discussion of this issue.

In the Classroom

One of the Extension activities contains links to a number of political cartoons about gun control and the current political environment. Using these cartoons as a springboard for discussion can make this topic more concrete for students. There is a nice summary of international gun control laws, as well as a summary of recent legislation related to gun control. The site makes a strong effort to offer a balanced discussion on this controversial topic.

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Tag(s): constitution, terrorism, constitution, terrorism,

CDLI Guidance Room

— Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.cdli.ca/guidance/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Part of a larger Canadian site designed to help secondary school students make career and educational decisions, this section is focused on career choice. There are a number of nice personality and abilities quizzes that offer career guidance. Some of the questionnaires are printable worksheets (requiring Acrobat Reader), and some are on-line and generate feedback automatically. One of the instruments generates a Myers-Briggs style personality type.

In the Classroom

College and career planning cause significant angst among high school students. While none of what is posted on the site will tell students what they ought to do or where they ought to go, they will certainly provide some good insight and can help open a dialogue about these important choices. These activities should not be limited to the guidance counselors, but can be used in other classroom contexts with high school students. Be sure to provide this link on your class website for families to explore together.

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Tag(s): psychology, careers,

Monetary Mania!

— International Monetary Fund

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/quiz/mm/eng/index.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Simple "quiz show" type game focused on international economic policy. Players choose a character who then answers questions in competition with two stock characters: a high school student and a college econ. major. As the game progresses, the three contestants’ scores accumulate. Each question is followed by an explanation of the answer and the context.

In the Classroom

Would make a good review game in an economics class, or a current events/current issues class. Very little in the "bells and whistles" department, but strong content and a reasonably entertaining overview of the issues.

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Tag(s): currency, money, money,

The Moonlit Road

— Craig Dominey

5-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://themoonlitroad.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Just in time for Halloween, you can introduce your students to real ghost stories originating in the American South. Historical origin of the stories provided on the story pages makes the stories even more compelling. Stories can be read or listened to in streaming audio. If your students get interested, they can return to this site again and again since the stories change monthly. Message boards making comments about each story are available for further student participation. The audio fiules require Real Player. Get it from the <a href="/tools.cfm ">TeachersFirst Toolbox page</a>.

In the Classroom

Reading these stories is a great jump off for an oral story telling project! If you have started to try podcasting, use this as the start of a new story collection on podcasts.

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Tag(s): halloween,

Reader’s Theatre Scripts and Plays

— Colleen Gallagher

K-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Full of scripts and related materials for reader’s theater, this site offers a wealth of information for the teacher who wants to use reader’s theater as a tool for reading or drama. Some of the links don’t work, but many do, and you can find actual scripts as well as other ideas for making reader’s theater a complete experience for students. There are also guidelines for setting up reader’s theatre, rubrics for evaluation, and ideas for use with a range of grades and reading levels. rn<br><br>rnEditor’s note: There is one group of links (to sites that start with "hometown.aol") that no longer work. Since this is only a small portion of the site, TeachersFirst continues to list the resource for its many GOOD links. Roll your mouse over the links before clicking and check the address in the gray bar at the bottom left of your screen. Don’t bother with the hometown.aol links.

In the Classroom

Mark this one in your favorites, then let student groups select from scripts to record their own audio podcasts or create a Thinglink, <a href="/single.cfm?id=13216">reviewed here,</a> of a tale, illustrated with a selection of copyright-safe images or student drawings. Or have students make a high-tech excerpt from a reader’s theater script by creating avatars to read each part using Voki, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10113">reviewed here</a>. Sequence the embedded conversation bits on a class wiki so viewers can enjoy the performance by clicking through them in order. These wiki excerpts could be used to "advertise" an upcoming performance or a featured literary piece.

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Tag(s): readers theater,

A Mathematics Fantasy - The Million $ Mission

— Cynthia Lanius

3-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/pro/richte.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This unique lesson comes in two versions - a one-page short version and a more in-depth version. Students are given the choice of $1,000,000 or one penny for the first day doubled everyday for 30 days. This lesson is sure to grab your students’ attention.

In the Classroom

This is a great math exercise for the first day of school (you might want to bring in a real penny for each student). Use your interactive whiteboard or projector and make this fun lesson a whole class project. Have students decide which side they want to be on ($1,000,000 or penny doubled) and let the fun begin! Check out the teacher’s notes page for additional ideas. Extend some of the activities by using a spreadsheet program to show an easy way to do the calculations for middle school students on computers.

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Tag(s): exponents, integers, multiplication, patterns, charts and graphs, exponents, graphing, multiplication, patterns,

NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: The United Nations and Reform

— PBS

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/the-united-nations-and-reform/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This site, connected to the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, looks at efforts and rationale for reform at the United Nations. There is an overview of the history of the United Nations, including a nice PDF handout for students. The second part focuses on some of the organizational challenges faced by the UN and asks whether the UN is addressing the issues it was designed for.

In the Classroom

The information provided is fairly dense, and the issues and discussion of reform are probably beyond the scope of a general history class. However, the historical information would be useful for a more general audience, and the questions related to reform would be suitable for an upper level class on civics, government or modern US history.

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Tag(s): united nations,
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