Sunday, July 5, 2009

Robert Fitzroy (1805 - 1865) Was Born

Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy was the captain of HMS Beagle with during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality. He was an able surveyor and hydrographer and served as Governor of New Zealand from 1843 to 1845.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Tornado WebQuest
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will understand the follwing regarding tornadoes: Tornado terminology, Fujita scale, myths and mysteries, safety, webquest.
Grade Level: 5-8
Subject: Science / Meteorology
Materials: Computer with an Internet connection
Time Needed: One 50-minute class period
Provided by: The Educator's Reference Desk (Author: Louise Jaskoski)
Link: http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Meteorology/MET0058.html

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Independence Day - 4th of July - 2009

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: The American Flag
Objectives: Students will be able to name the number of stars, red stripes, white stripes, and name what each represents.
Grade Level: K-2
Subject: Social Studies / Arts
Materials: Construction paper, glue, real American flag, index cards
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: HotChalk (Author: Rebecca Croft)
Link: http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArtTheAmericanFlagAndItsSymbolsK2.htm

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646 - 1716) Was Born

Leibniz was a German philosopher and mathematician who wrote primarily in Latin and French.
He invented infinitesimal calculus independently of Newton, and his notation is the one in general use since then. He also invented the binary system, foundation of virtually all modern computer architectures.
He was, along with René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, one of the three greatest 17th-century rationalists philosophers. Leibniz also made major contributions to physics and technology, and anticipated notions that surfaced much later in biology, medicine, geology, probability theory, psychology, linguistics, and information science.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: The Cylinder Problem
Objectives: Write the volumes of the cylinders as a function of radius and, using derivatives, find the cylinder with the greatest volume, given a fixed perimeter.
Concepts: Cylinder, dimension, area, circumference, height, lateral surface area, volume.
Grade Level: 11-12
Subject: Mathematics / Calculus
Materials: 8 1/2" by 11" sheets of paper, tape, ruler, graph paper, fill material.
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: The Math Forum
Link: http://mathforum.org/brap/wrap2/calclesson.html

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sir Paul McCartney Was Born

Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles, alongside John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. McCartney and Lennon formed one of the most influential and successful songwriting partnerships and wrote some of the most popular music in rock and roll history.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Hey, Hey, It's the Beatles!
Objectives: Students will learn about the Beatles, and the contributions their music made to the the pop music that came afterward.
Grade Level: High School / College
Subject: Culture / Music
Materials: Access to the Internet; print materials about the Beatles; Beatles' CDs.
Time Needed: Two to five class periods
Provided by: National First Ladies' Library (Author: Averil McClelland, Kent State University)
Link: http://www.firstladies.org/curriculum/curriculum.aspx?Curriculum=1712

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Knud Rasmussen (1879–1933) Was Born

Knud Rasmussen was a Greenlandic polar explorer and anthropologist. He has been called the "father of Eskimology" and was the first to cross the Northwest Passage via dog sled. He remains well known in Greenland, Denmark and among Canadian Inuit.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Knud Rasmussen – “The Old and the New”
Objectives: Students will read “The Old and the New” from Knud Rasmussen’s Report of the Fifth Thule Expedition 1921-24 and will identify and debate the changes in Inuit life that came with the establishment of trading posts.
Concepts: Trading posts in the Arctic.
Grade Level: Middle School
Subject: Inuit Culture
Materials: Copies of “The Old and the New”
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: SILA – An Educational Website About Inuit Culture
Year: 2005
Link: http://www.sila.nu/pub/lessons/SILA_K.Rasmussen_Lesson1.pdf

Friday, June 5, 2009

World Environment Day 2009

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. WED is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with an international exposition through the week of June 5. WED agenda is to stimulate awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and public action.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Global Warming
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will:
  • Understand the greenhouse effect and global warming impacts
  • Analyze global warming diagrams
  • Complete a Venn Diagram that compares various points of view on global warming
    Grade Level: 9-12
    Subject: Environmental issues
    Materials: Access to the Internet
    Handouts: Global Warming Venn Diagram (PDF file); Global Warming Project Ideas (PDF file).
    Time Needed: Five 50-minute class periods
    Provided by: PBS (Author: Lisa Prososki)
    Year: 2008
    Link: http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/global-warming-lesson-plan.pdf
  • Sunday, May 31, 2009

    World No Tobacco Day 2009

    World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. The day aims to reduce the 5.4 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems. From 1988 the WHO has presented one or more World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Awards to organizations or individuals who have made exceptional contributions to reducing tobacco consumption. On May 31st, 2008 the WHO called for a complete ban on tobacco advertising; the organization said studies establish a relationship between exposure to cigarette advertisement and starting smoking.

    - Wikipedia

    Lesson Plan Information
    Title: Smoking: Pressures and Responsibilities
    Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will understand:
  • dangers of smoking
  • factors that influence decision making
  • advertising strategies that tobacco companies use
  • personal responsibilities regarding smoking
    Grade Level: 9-12
    Subject: Human Body
    Materials: Newspapers or magazines containing tobacco advertisements, access to the Internet.
    Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
    Provided by: Discovery Education (Author: Betsy Gallun)
    Link: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/smoking/
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