Sparx

alvin-yeslikethechipmunk:

i think i’ve had a teacher like this a couple times throughout my schooling career

i think i’ve had a teacher like this a couple times throughout my schooling career

08/4/11

Skype game gets kids excited about geography

For teachers looking to inject some excitement into their geography lesson, Skype might be the answer. Silvia Tolisano recently created a game she calls “Mystery Skype Call” that uses the video conferencing tool and some critical thinking to teach students geography in a new and exciting way.

Read more and see a video on the Spark blog…

08/4/11

Children’s Book for iPad Teaches Acceptance

At first glance, Pop It seems no different from the many other interactive children’s books “popping up” on the market for the iPad. But give the screen a shake and you’ll begin to see the bigger picture. The book features a child going through normal daily activities with his parents. By shaking the iPad, these parents can be changed from a homosexual couple, to a lesbian couple, to a heterosexual couple.

“It’s a metaphor for shaking from one perspective to another,” said artist and author Raghava KK in an interview with Mashable. “The relationship between parent and child does not change if they have two moms, two dads. I’m challenging the concept of family.”

Raghava hopes to use the concept to teach children to be open-minded about a variety of issues, including racial and ethnic biases. Eventually, he would like the project to be open-source and to allow users to create interpretations that address different biases that they deal with in their everyday lives. Continue reading this story on the Spark blog…

08/2/11

Check out these interesting articles on kids and technology!

Slideshow presents the evolution of kid’s computers (computerworlduk.com)

5 reasons why the iPad was made to keep parents sane (cnn.com)

10-year-old releases iPhone game with help from Make-a-Wish (geekwire.com)

The Netflix of baby clothes (plumgear.com)

Survey proves kids would rather be outside (guardian.co.uk)

Justin Bieber says, ‘Don’t text and drive’ (mnn.com)

Check out more news on kids and technology on the Spark blog!

07/29/11

Parenting forums?

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I’m looking for:

Active forums or message boards about:

-parenting

-teaching

-elementary education

-digital media learning

-kids and technology

Do any of you visit or know of any forums like this? If you do, I’d really appreciate you sending me a link!

Thanks in advance!

07/28/11

Although women make up nearly half of the world population, their presence in the sciences constitutes a vastly smaller percentage. Today, only twelve percent of engineers are female. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM for short) are all fields in which women are under-represented. This is precisely why this year’s Google Science Fair results are so exciting–all three top prizes were awarded to women.

The winning projects put the classic baking soda volcano to shame. Lauren Hodge, winner of the 13-14 age group, tested a variety of marinades and their effects on the carcinogens typically found in grilled chicken. Her findings showed that lemon juice and brown sugar sharply decreased carcinogen levels, while soy sauce actually increased them.

Naomi Shah, winner of the 15-16 age group, performed a study of 103 adult subjects where she was able to link the increase in two environmental pollutants to decreased lung function and asthma symptoms.

The grand prize was awarded to the winner of the 17-18 age group,Shree Bose of Fort Worth, Texas. Bose’s project focused on the chemotherapy drug cisplatin that is commonly taken by women with ovarian cancer. Bose discovered a protein known as AMPK that, when paired with the drug, stops cancer cells from becoming resistant to its effects. Bose shared her feelings in an interview with ABC:

“That perception that women can’t compete in science has been ingrained in this field for so long. It just shows that our world is changing and women are stepping forward in science, and I’m excited to be a small part of that.”

Weekly News Roundup: July 22

Check out these interesting articles on kids and technology!

—Parents will enjoy these iPhone and iPad apps (Parents.com)

—Mom’s Facebook Community Helps Diagnose Her Ailing Son (Mommyish.com)

—New regulations for food, beverage advertising toward children (Healthkey.com)

—Using touch screens and apps to treat autism (mercurynews.com)

—The Internet Is Making Your Kids Think Differently, Not Less (Mommyish.com)

—Teaching Angry Birds In School (neatorama.com)

—Infographic Shows Top and Bottom States for Science Education (livescience.com)

For the latest on kids and technology, visit the Spark blog!

07/22/11

07/21/11

9 Year Old Designs App for iPhone

When asked to create something, most nine year olds will grab crayons and construction paper. Ding Wen Lim of Singapore is much more likely to sit down at his computer.

The fourth grader started using the computer at age two and has since learned six programming languages. At age nine, he has already completed 20 programming projects. His latest, Doodle Kids, is a free drawing program for use on Apple’s iPhone.

Lim says, “I wrote the program for my younger sisters, who like to draw but I am happy that other people like it.” It seems this propensity for programming runs in the family, as Lim’s father, Lim Thye Chean, also writes iPhone applications.

He says, “He told me it was his wish to learn programming so I decided to teach him the basics. Every evening we check the statistics emailed to us (by iTunes) to see who has more downloads.” Read more on the Spark blog…

07/20/11

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

saraquael:

The Gay Blades | I’ll Leave My Heart in Pittsburgh

Honest jam about my hometown. G’night, Tumblar.

10 plays

07/19/11