Every day we hear about great apps, good reads, cool infographics, wonderful project ideas and interesting conversations that we want to share with teachers, administrators, parents and students. We started “PAST It Around” to pass on links to information, tools and resources that may interest you. We don’t profess to have tried each and every app and may not have read every book. The intention is to quickly PAST It Around, and we hope you do the same! Evaluate and use as you choose.
We will update weekly so come back often. And we’ll post on Facebook, so Like Us, please! If you haven’t visited us on Pinterest, we’re building boards to share TPBL, STEM education and teacher tools. Let us know what you’d like to add to the conversation – we welcome your comments.
The Pythagorean Theorem
This video demonstrates the Pythagorean theorem, a² + b² = c² as a water demo. Also see an animated rearrangement and Lego exercise. Pretty cool and very visual.
See The Moon
NASA launched a new website on October 20, 2015 where you can see images of the full, sunlit side of the Earth every day. The images are taken by a NASA camera one million miles away on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR).
Learn To Code
Coding is not just for “geeks” anymore. You don’t need to become expert, but the basics of coding are important for you and your students. These 12 sites offer coding know-how for free.
WWII From Space
WWII From Space delivers World War II in a way you’ve never experienced it before. This two-hour History special uses an all-seeing CGI eye that offers a satellite view of the conflict, allowing you to experience it in a way that places key events and tipping points in a global perspective.
Automated Exit Ticket
FREE! Zeal joins a growing list of products hoping to take the pain out of administering and grading exit tickets. The Common Core-aligned question bank gives 15,000 (the number of questions) reasons for teachers to care, but students should, too, thanks to the ClassDojo-like engagement embedded in each exit ticket. When the joy of learning isn’t enough, students can earn coins, move up the leaderboard and use the coins to upgrade their own avatar.
Cool School Rap
The Cool School Rap is a downloadable educational comic series that breaks down science concepts for grades 4-8. Aligning with the new Common Core standards, The Cool School Rap guides students’ learning through word bubbles, illustrations, examples, and diagrams. The Cool School Rap also promotes inquiry in science with the incorporation of “Inquiry Ideas” within many individual comics and accompanying comics that are written in the packages.
Take A Field Trip
Field trips are a memorable way to engage students in experiential learning but they aren’t always practical. Google Expeditions can take your classroom around the world!
Money & Stuff
All kinds of fun tools and activities about money and math for kids, parents and teachers. PAST It Around!
14 things that are obsolete in 21st century schools
Saying that it has always been this way, doesn’t count as a legitimate justification to why it should stay that way. Teacher and administrators all over the world are doing amazing things, but some of the things we are still doing, despite all the new solutions, research and ideas out there is, to put it mildly, incredible. See one teacher’s list here. What do you think needs to be added? PAST It Around!
13 Apps & Sites to Find Informational Text
Students need to have a balance of literature and informational text. If you’re looking for sites that include nonfiction passages or high-interest articles a few worth exploring are here.
Restorative Justice
Teachers helping high school students build community circles. Meaningful experiences – please, PAST It Around.
Video of a pair of students at MetWest High School, an Oakland public school in Oakland, Calif., facilitate a community-building circle in their classroom.
Video of teacher Jean Klasovsky who shares Farragut High School’s story, a model for how schools can improve climate and discipline by using restorative justice practices such as peace circles and peer juries.
Interactive Classroom Collaboration
20 free tools can enable a variety of collaborative teaching and learning interactions and activities.
Docurated
101 Free (or Free-to-Try) Online Collaborative Learning Tools for Teachers and Educators. They offer tools for K-5, Middle & High School teachers, tutors and Special Ed teachers. Let us know if you find one you like. And PAST It Around!
Tiny House: A Community Project
A collaborative science project for Grades 6 – 12 that helps kids think about the world they live in. PAST It Around!
Very Cool Videos
The New York Times website posts some excellent videos related to science. Fun for the classroom – PAST It Around!
50 Ways to Integrate Technology
Lots of ideas – actually, 50 of them – to help teachers anchor technology in the classroom using free websites.
Teacher spends two days as a student and is shocked at what she learns
A teacher shadow students for two days and came away with great insight she is sharing with others. Very interesting learning experience – PAST It Around!
60 Apps to Teach STEAM
Apps for K – 12 that kids can use in the classroom or at home. Check it out…then PAST It Around!
A World of Project Ideas You Can Steal
Many of you have asked for problem/project ideas for STEM. Here is an article that should give you some great ideas! Check it out …. then PAST It Around!