Science IS Interesting!

I've started listening to a NPR Podcast about "making science more interesting" and it's an enjoyable listen so I encourage you teachers to listen to it. Though I've not finished the entire podcast I'm left with a couple of thoughts at this point.

0. I like the statement that "a teacher's passion for a subject" is really what comes through to students and that (more than anything) is what will engage students.

1. It seems like more and more it's EXPECTED that teachers HAVE TO make their lessons interesting or they fail somehow as teachers.

Here's the link - have a listen and then please throw in your comments to this post.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200909253

Useful Webtools for Teachers

Here's a list of useful webtools for teachers. All of them are free of charge. (Some require you to create an account and log in, but the basic tools on these sites are free.) I know many of you already have lesson plans in place, while others may be looking for extra material to direct towards our students. I encourage you to investigate them and use as you see fit.

Library of Congress: Check out the teacher page. This one is completely free! A related site is on flickr (teacher override required) with historical photographs with no known copyrights making it a great source for students and teachers.

For Language Arts and History: shmoop It looks real cool and not just for you, but also with your students. Description: Oh, just look at the website for a good description... no point in me restating what they are all about.

With all those netbooks out there in out LA classes how about a web-based quiz program and instant grading system? Have the results emailed to you instantly. Give ClassMarker a try. Upgrades cost $24.95/year, but the entry-level quiz taker should be fine for most of us.

Concerned with plagiarism? Are kids just copying and pasting text from Google then calling it their own? Use the DOCCOP, a powerful engine that will flag plagiarized student work. Easy to use and totally free!

Lastly, just for students take a gander at these 15 tools. I like #10 etherpad, could be real cool with our netbooks! I've not tested if all of these are filtered from school, but you're only one click away from discovering that so just give it a try and pass them along to our students.