English/Language Arts
Explore writing with a prompt
When I was a kid… What a great prompt. Even with young students, you will get some great responses. Introduce the idea of memoir and have students choose a memory and write to the prompt "When I was a kid...."
Social Studies
Explore presidents - Theodore Roosevelt
Take this opportunity to look at one of our most environmentally aware US presidents - Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. If students google "US Presidents" they will get a chronological ribbon of presidents from our current 45th back to George Washington, our first. Click on number 26 to get a page of information about President Roosevelt.
Explore US History - White House traditions
Use this minute to take a look at some of the family and holiday traditions established by presidents of the United States. For Presidents who brought young children to the White House, Check out the White House Historical Society - a private institution founded by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy to preserve White House history - to find out more about the traditions and
Explore primary sources
Letters are often underused primary sources. They provide windows into a world we have not lived in or experienced, and as such are valuable tools for exploring historical time periods. Author Hollihan shares a snip from a letter written by President Roosevelt that helps set the historical record straight. The National Archives has digitized many primary sources from presidential collections. Take a look with your students as they investigate the value of primary documents.
STEM
Explore deforestation
Use this Minute to begin a class exploration of the definition and threats of deforestation. Have students investigate the World Wildlife Federation and National Geographic websites to read about how the problem is affecting the planet. Have students gather facts and compile potential consequences. After doing some background research, ask students to collaborate to propose potential short and long term solutions to reverse the affects of deforestation.
Research Skills
Explore triangulation of sources
Author Hollihan details a story and how it grew despite the absence of factual evidence - rather like a game of “telephone” or “whisper down the lane”. Younger students should play a game or two as an anticipatory set for explaining the journalistic standard of source triangulation.
Explore curated websites
Author Hollihan directs readers to two websites at the end of her article. Use this Minute to talk to your students about the advantage of curated websites offered by trusted sources. When students are using sites that have been posted by trusted sources, including teachers, the extensive work of site evaluation has been done for them . Triangulation, and the work that entails, is no longer a necessity. Students need to understand this advantage and have it pointed out to them.
Explore writing with a prompt
When I was a kid… What a great prompt. Even with young students, you will get some great responses. Introduce the idea of memoir and have students choose a memory and write to the prompt "When I was a kid...."
Social Studies
Explore presidents - Theodore Roosevelt
Take this opportunity to look at one of our most environmentally aware US presidents - Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. If students google "US Presidents" they will get a chronological ribbon of presidents from our current 45th back to George Washington, our first. Click on number 26 to get a page of information about President Roosevelt.
Explore US History - White House traditions
Use this minute to take a look at some of the family and holiday traditions established by presidents of the United States. For Presidents who brought young children to the White House, Check out the White House Historical Society - a private institution founded by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy to preserve White House history - to find out more about the traditions and
Explore primary sources
Letters are often underused primary sources. They provide windows into a world we have not lived in or experienced, and as such are valuable tools for exploring historical time periods. Author Hollihan shares a snip from a letter written by President Roosevelt that helps set the historical record straight. The National Archives has digitized many primary sources from presidential collections. Take a look with your students as they investigate the value of primary documents.
STEM
Explore deforestation
Use this Minute to begin a class exploration of the definition and threats of deforestation. Have students investigate the World Wildlife Federation and National Geographic websites to read about how the problem is affecting the planet. Have students gather facts and compile potential consequences. After doing some background research, ask students to collaborate to propose potential short and long term solutions to reverse the affects of deforestation.
Research Skills
Explore triangulation of sources
Author Hollihan details a story and how it grew despite the absence of factual evidence - rather like a game of “telephone” or “whisper down the lane”. Younger students should play a game or two as an anticipatory set for explaining the journalistic standard of source triangulation.
Explore curated websites
Author Hollihan directs readers to two websites at the end of her article. Use this Minute to talk to your students about the advantage of curated websites offered by trusted sources. When students are using sites that have been posted by trusted sources, including teachers, the extensive work of site evaluation has been done for them . Triangulation, and the work that entails, is no longer a necessity. Students need to understand this advantage and have it pointed out to them.
© Karen Sterling, 2017 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission