iPad + SLP

April/May 2013 Curated by: M.Ustik

 

 

 

Earth Day 2013: Monday, April 22nd

This  is  a  special  mini  Earth  Day  iPad  +  SLP  for  all  of  the  tree  huggers  out  there   like   me.     Teaching   children   about   biodiversity,   conservation,  recycling,   sustainability   and   other   earth   friendly   practices   are   so  important.     Being  mindful   of   the   use   of   our   natural   resource   is  more  important  now  than  ever  in  our  high  tech  world.    This  issue  focuses  on  low   and   high   tech   solutions   to   teach   students   about   being   good  stewards  of  our  land  and  resources.    We  all  need  to  take  a  break  from  technology  and  get  back  to  nature  to  establish  a  balance  so  why  not  use  technology  to  understand  that  natural  world  and  just  how  both  fragile  and  tough  it  can  be.  

Sustainability  IN  THIS  ISSUE:  Recycling  

Biodiversity  

Conservation  

Resources  

Ecology  

 

 

Biodiversity:  What  is  it?  Last month I was reading an article in the National Geographic magazine about snake venom. Yes, I said snake venom, and discovered that medication to treat blood clots and heart disease were derived from snake venom! This article said there are so many animals that we haven’t even discovered or even researched that could possibly hold the key to the cure to cancer, heart disease and many other neuromuscular and neurogenic diseases. But, there is a caveat, and that is we can only research them if they are still around…….enter biodiversity. Biodiversity is the life support system of our planet- we depend on it for the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Wetlands

filter pollutants from water, trees and plants reduce global warming by absorbing carbon, and bacteria and fungi break down organic material and fertilize the soil. It has been empirically shown

that native species richness is linked to the health of ecosystems, as is the quality of life for humans. Without a rich biodiversity, many animal species will become extinct.

Medicines originating from wild species, including penicillin, aspirin, taxol, and quinine, have saved millions

of lives and alleviated tremendous suffering. What’s more amazing is that 40% of all prescriptions are for medicines that

originated from plants and animals.

There are 80,000 species of edible plants known on Earth, but 90% of the world’s food comes from a mere 20 of these

species. Edible plant species, both those we know of and those we don’t, offer a tremendous resource of possibilities that could

greatly add to the security of our food. How many of these have high potential for commercial exploitation and for feeding the hungry? Breeding cultivars with their wild counterparts can also

confer resistance to diseases and increase crop yield.

The connections between biodiversity and our sustainable future appear closer and closer the more we look. We literally need to conserve biodiversity like our lives depend on it!

 

 

Oceans  Heart  of  the  Blue  Planet  

App  By  CEMEX  

 

Oceans:   Heart   of   the   Blue  Planet  App  The  abundance  of  water  on  the  Earth's  surface   is   an   exceptional   feature   that  distinguishes   our   "Blue   Planet"   from  others.  Beyond  the  species  that   inhabit  them,   the   oceans   are   essential   to   all  living  organisms  on  Earth.  Thanks  to  the  oceans,   clouds   and   rainfall   are  produced,  allowing  vital  water  to  reach  all   terrestrial   ecosystems   and   human  communities.      Therefore,   CEMEX   has  dedicated   the   19th   edition   of   its  Conservation   Book   Series,   entitled  Oceans:   Heart   of   Our   Blue   Planet,  to  raising  awareness  of  the  critical  importance   of   our   planet's  marine   ecosystems.   Together  with   the   printed   publication,  we’ve   released   the   first  electronic  edition  of  this  lavishly  illustrated   book.   We   aim   to   reach  broad  audiences   to   inspire  actions   that  help  maintain  healthy  oceans.  

This  interactive  book  app  has  amazing  pictures  from  oceans  all  over  the  world.      Features  of  this  book  include:  

 

•  Full-­‐screen  beautiful  photographs  by  some  of  the  world’s  most  recognized  photographers      •  Mapped  geo-­‐references  of  all  published  photos      •  Key  interactions  to  explain  particular  concepts  in  graphs      •  Horizontal  and  vertical  visualization      

 

 

Project Noah free

Project Noah is the best way to share your wildlife encounters and help document our planet's biodiversity. The Project Noah app has 3 modes: ✔ Spottings: Grab a photograph of a plant or animal that you find interesting or want to learn more about, select the appropriate category, confirm your location, add some descriptive tags, and submit it. If you need help identifying species, no problem, just select the check box and the community will suggest species IDs ✔ Location-based Field Guide: See what kinds of plants and animals have been spotted near you and learn more about them. Search through a map view, list view, or grid view of most recent spottings all based on your location. You can filter wildlife by categories so you can explore what you’re most interested in. ✔ Field Missions: We work with labs, environmental groups, and various organizations to help them gather important data for their research projects. Missions can range from photographing squirrels or mushrooms to tracking migrating birds or invasive species. Missions allow users to contribute to ongoing research projects, but they can also be for fun and exploration. How to Use this App: Grab the iPads and hit the great outdoors to find flora and fauna. By using this app students are turned into field scientists. Give them 15 minutes to find as many plants or animals as they can and then return to the classroom to share out. This app would be good to use in conjunction with a biome lesson.

 

 

CEMEX  Nature  App  CEMEX  Nature  App  This  book  celebrates  20  years  of  conservation  and  wild  life  photography.    The  photo  of  the  monarchs  is  just  one  of  the  many  stunning  photos  in  this  book  app.    It  celebrates  the  amazing  biodiversity  of  this  spinning  blue  and  green  orb  we  call  earth.      

App  Use  Ideas:   Have  the  students  pick  2  different  photos  from  the  app  and  write  a  paragraph  comparing/contrasting  the  biodiversity  of  each  

The  student  picks  a  picture  and  puts  it  into  the  Pic  Collage  app  and  makes  a  poster  about  the  importance  of  biodiversity  

 

 

National Wildlife Refuges: Chesapeake Bay -free By Networked Organisms

Explore 11 iconic National Wildlife Refuges of the Chesapeake Bay and share your wildlife encounters from each location. Features: • Overview of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the largest estuary in the United States. • Details including location, operating hours, and guides for

11 featured National Wildlife Refuges. • View all the plants and animals observed at each refuge with our digital field guide.

App Use Idea: Have the students pick 4 animals and 4 plants and research them to find out if they are located in their area where they live. Have the students then build a virtual corkboard using Corkulous with pictures of the animals and plants from the Chesapeake area and animals and plants from the area in which they live which would be comparable.

 

 

Animals Everywhere!

Crash of Rhinos HD - Animal Names free Learn the different male, female, young, and group names of hundreds of animals.

GeoDash: Wild Animal Adventure By National Geographic Society

Geo is on a mission and he needs your help! Join the curious robot as he explores Earth’s habitats, earning awesome animal abilities along the way. You’ll be able to leap like a poison frog, dig like an armadillo, climb like a baboon—even run like a cheetah! Every time you get a new ability, Geo gets a new look. As you explore, you’ll collect animal cards with pictures, cool facts, funny jokes, and really weird trivia.  

 

 

Had a bad day? Just got a little better after looking at his picture didn’t it?

 

 

Our Animal Friends Teach Us Kindness and Compassion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja0oOQ91tb4 This is a cute 4 minute video about different animals getting along together. Suryia the Orangutan and Roscoe the Dog- Friends at First Sight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3SbjjMChqw This video is about a rescued orangutan and rescued dog becoming best friends. It’s about 4 minutes long. Pip and Kate (a deer and dog) playing together http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmOMA6CqL68 A wild young doe and a dog playing with each other. These two were featured on the PBS show Nature (season 13) entitled “Animal Odd Couples” It is about different species forming friendships. PBS Nature “Animal Odd Couples” full episode. Temple Grandon is in the documentary talking about animal emotions. http://video.pbs.org/video/2300668052/ This is an excellent episode and can be shown in segments. App Use Ideas: Use any of the show what you know apps like Videolicious, Educreations, Book Magic, Scribble Press, etc. to have the students talk about cross species relationships.

 

Animal Friendship Videos

 

 

EUSE

ECYCLE R

Recycling Moo! Lite version = free Paid version = 99 cents Chimp scientists have brought you a Moo that can save the world from garbage by eating anything to make electricity! In this hilarious puzzle game that's fun for all ages, figure out what your Moo craves and avoid an allergic reaction! Easy to play, difficult to master! This app also teaches categorization, vocabulary and following directions in a indirect fun way.

 

 

Trash It! Trash Chaos

Free to $2.99 The evil queen is using the planet as a junkyard, and it’s up to the EcoFriends YoGome squad—and budding environmentalists—to save the earth. Trash Chaos teaches social responsibility and the benefits of recycling with interactive gameplay; kids

clean up trash by sweeping the garbage into the right recycling bin—plastic or organic—with their fingers. The first time kids log on, they are prompted to register and enter an email—there's an option to skip this and play as a guest.

LitterBug! - .99 cents This cute little app teaches preschoolers about recycling with cool music and colorful graphics.

 

 

'Vocabulary Builder' series is a great game for helping children become an independent vocabulary learners. The vocabulary items are categorized and put in context. With the beautiful and attractive graphics, children can learn vocabulary simply by dragging the correct word to the corresponding pictures. Children can tap the word to hear the word spoken if they are not able to read or recognize the word. 'OK' button allows children to do self-checking on their own. Vocabulary Builder 5 - Western Festivals: With 5 different types of vocabulary in contexts including Easter, Earth Day, Christmas, Halloween and New Years' Eve.  

Vocabulary Builders free

Happy Earth Day , Dear Planet – Interactive Sing Along Song - free  

An endearing interactive song to sing along with, in celebration of Earth Day. Earth Day inspires awareness and appreciation for our planet's natural resources and environment.  

 

 

When  you  have  students  use  apps  such  as  Pic  Collage,  Corkulous,  Little  Story  Maker,  Doodle  Buddy,  Pages,    Skitch,  Educreations  ,  Idea  Sketch,  etc.,  to  show  what  they  know  without  using  a  piece  of  paper,  you  are  saving  paper  thereby  saving  trees  and  conserving  nature  resources.    If  a  school  of  20  teachers  with  25  students  in  each  classroom  used  the  iPad  or  computer  for  an  assignment  once  a  day  instead  of  using  a  piece  of  paper  for  the  entire  year,  they  would  save  2,500  pieces  of  paper  per  week  which  is  80,000  pieces  of  paper  per  year!    That  is  equal  to  160  reams  of  paper  a  year!    And  that’s  just  one  assignment  a  day!    Imagine  what  4  a  day  could  save!  

Save  A  Tree……Use  Your  iPad  

 

 

Trash It on the Web! Interactive websites on recycling and sustainability

Recycle Roundup on National Geographic Kids

Kids can help Gus the Gorilla clean up the park and sort trash according to where it belongs. The more kids are able to throw away or recycle, the more points they get.

Ollie’s World

Ollie provides lots of fun information on everything related to environmental sustainability. The 4 Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink – are the main messages

throughout this website and there are fun games and activities for kids as well.

 

 

More great websites Meet The Greens

Meet The Greens is a creation of WGBH Public Television in Boston with a goal of getting kids to think about the world and how they can contribute to it through “informed choices and meaningful changes.” There are animated episodes of the Green family, games, activities and information on green living and sustainability. The “Light it Right” game is also available as a free app in iTunes.

MyGarbology

Created by NatureBridge, an environmental education non-profit, MyGarbology is a new site that teaches kids about recycling, waste management and conservation. The game features items that kids have to place in the appropriate waste/recycling bins

and then provides fun facts on what they’ve just discarded - did you know that Americans make enough plastic each year to shrink-wrap the state of Texas?

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldsR9cFyZWE  

Below is link to a really nice video about recycling through the reading of the book by Gail Gibbons called Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids

by Gail Gibbons. The video uses the text of the book with actual pictures. It would be a great to show either before or after reading

App Use Ideas: Using the Pic Collage app, have the students make a poster about 4 different materials that can be recycled with 4 pictures of each. Challenge them to get creative with their examples. The student with the most creative items for each material wins “the golden aluminum can” award! Have the students make a short video using pictures and the Videolicious app about the importance of recycling.

Literacy  Connections    

 

 

Book Magic - free Book Magic inspires creativity by allowing you to author, publish, and share your own books. Before long you may find yourself on top of the bestsellers list!Book Magic is

the ultimate platform for creating novels, books, magazines, photo albums, and brochures. You can then publish your book and share it with family and friends. Book Magic comes with numerous themes and hundreds of clipart images to get you started. Then add personal photos, designs, and stories to your pages. Publish and share your book with family and friends and even upload it for the world to see. Book Magic allows your creativity to come alive!  

This is my new favorite app to create a multipage book. It used to be the Scribble Press app but it’s not free anymore and it’s now $2.99, however the Book Magic app is free and does everything that the Scribble Press app does.

 

 

The 10 Native American Commandments

App  Use  Idea:  Using  the  Book  Magic  app,  have  the  students  create  a  book  illustrating  each  of  the  commandments  on  a  separate  page  with  the  commandment  and  an  explanation  of  what  it  means.  

 

 

Eco Innovators Sustainability Quiz free

Gamification is about using game design thinking in traditionally non-gaming situations. It’s increasingly being used in education as a powerful engagement tool. This app was developed using gamification as a way of overcoming some of the persistent myths about sustainability. The player is required to answer 3 multiple choice questions before unlocking a 30 second fun round where they have to collect as many recyclable items as possible. With 50 multiple choice questions covering a range of topics from eco footprints through to plastic bags and methane production, you will be able to test your knowledge and find out all the facts on how to make better environmental decisions.

App Use Idea: Students use this app as a way of learning about recycling and sustainability myths so it is best used as a teaching tool therefore it should used as a frontloading activity for students to play before a discussion on recycling takes place. The game can then be played again after the recycling lesson is completed and scores can be compared.

 

 

The Amazing Adventures of Eco Boy, Volume 2 .99 cents  

This is a book about Eco Boy. As plastic bottles pile around the city, a mean villain rises to spoil the fun. The fight to keep planet earth clean continues as a new hero joins in. The second volume examines the life cycle of plastic through a fight between good and evil. The book personifies the negative effect of piles of plastic bottles. The App offers a read-it-yourself option and a listening mode that was read by Roger Harrison and recorded professionally at DiGiLines Production Studio with the aim of enhancing the book’s experience.  App Use Idea: Using the Story Spine app have the students retell the story. This app is free. See icon on right.

 

 

Using QR Codes: Let’s Do This Thing!

What is a QR Code? So you may have heard that QR Codes are set to become the 'next big thing' but thinking to yourself, what is a QR Code!? QR or Quick Response Codes are a type of two-dimensional barcode that can be read using smartphones and dedicated QR reading devices, that link directly to text, emails, websites, phone numbers and more!

Where did they come from?

QR codes were invented in Japan to track Toyota car parts. They are huge in Japan and across the East, and are slowly beginning to become commonplace in the West. Soon enough you will see QR codes on product packaging, shop displays, printed and billboard advertisements as well as in emails and on websites.  

How do you scan a QR code? Download this free app called Scan. Open the app and place the iPad camera over the QR code so it is lined up inside the box and it will take you directly to the website or text will pop up on your screen.

Use the Scan app in the Earth Day Scavenger hunt on the next page.

 

 

Let’s Go On a QR Code Earth Day Scavenger Hunt!

Your job is to find the QR codes which your teacher has put on display around the area. Scan each QR code into your mobile device to get a challenge question. Record the correct answers to all of the *10* questions. The winner is the student with the most correct answers at the end of the time available. Use the internet to help you find the answers. Good luck!

Educators: Cut out the QR codes, tape them around the room and let the scavenger hunt begin!

Question #1: What are the 3 R’s? Reduce, reuse, recycle

Codes  for  the  students  to  scan:  

What  the  question  is:  

 

 

Question #2: Can foil wrappers go in the recycling bin? Yes, in the containers bin

Question #3: When is Earth Day? April 22nd

Question #4: Where did Earth Hour originate? Sydney, Australia

 

 

Question #5: What are 2 things you can do to lessen your impact on the environment? Recycle, turn off lights, collect rain water to water plants, etc……

Question #6: Can you still consume energy from an appliance that’s plugged in and turned off? Yes!

Question #7: Which is the better light bulb? Compact florescent or incandescent? Compact florescent

 

 

Question #8: Where can natural waste (fruit, veggies, etc) go: recycling, waste or compost? compost

Question #9: Name 2 things you can do to use less electricity. Various answers

Question #10: What is GOOS paper? Paper that is good on one side

 

 

EarthObserver .99 cents By Columbia University Explore your planet as never before with the mobility of EarthObserver. Use your fingertips to travel through terrestrial landscapes and across the ocean floor. Visit frozen icecaps, study geological maps, scout mountains to climb and trips on coastal waters and exploit a rich atlas of other earth and environmental imagery. EarthObserver brings to you the latest compilation of detailed ocean floor relief gathered by oceanographic research ships using modern swath mapping technologies, combined with land elevations from satellite stereo imagery. http://www.earth-observer.org/

Features: - World, North Polar, and South Polar views - Zoomable interface from global scale to street and harbor scale - Maps draped over topography with adjustable transparency - Tap any map for its digital or text values - The elevation anywhere - right at your finger tip - Geographic names for land and ocean features - Further educational content including data sources and suggested readings - Data streamed to your device via Wi-Fi or 3G network - Content cached locally after delivery so you can view it offline - Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions  

 

 

Sustainability is a word you’ve probably heard a lot about lately, from the local produce you buy to the hardwood or bamboo flooring you lay. Simply put it is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

Sustainability

Gro Memo Help the cute animals clear up their polluted homes. Pair up the beautifully animated cards showing animals in harmony with nature, and make the nasty trash disappear, bit by bit - but avoid the "bad" cards. As the forest and sea get cleaned up, the animals can be happy in their natural environments once again. GRO MEMO is not an ordinary memory game - it's an eco-educational game that teaches kids basic environmental knowledge and makes them aware of important sustainability issues in a fun and simple way. It is filled with fun characters, animations and beautiful illustrations in two different environments - the Forest and the Sea.  

 

 

Let’s Garden!

Growing a garden is a great way to teach sustainability. Here are some apps and ideas on how to use them.

Using the Doodle Buddy app, have the students draw a picture of a garden they would plant.

Bugs In the Garden .99 cents Quickly ID common North American bugs in your garden. Includes realistic illustrations and photos of both adults and larva (caterpillars and grubs). Gives quick advice on management and damage assessment.

 

 

Read-a-roo’s Fabulous Edible Garden! – free Learn where your food favorites come from by creating your very own online garden! With Read-a-roo’s all-new gardening game, you’ll upload your own picture or pick one of our own fun avatars to play with! Prepare the soil, dig the holes, pick your seeds and then PLANT! You’ll be ready

to grow your very own garden in no time! You’ll have fun watering, weeding and even picking away those pesky bugs who want to munch on your lunch! Then, at the end of the game, you’ll actually harvest what you’ve grown! There’s even cool videos to watch featuring Read-a-roo’s pal Miss Joy – she’ll show you how to grow your own plants, wherever you live!

Flower Garden - Grow Flowers and Send Bouquets - $2.99 Plant different types of seeds, water them, and watch them bloom in front of your eyes. Some flowers will bloom right away, while others will take a few minutes of care a day for over a week. Keep a healthy, vibrant garden right on your iPhone or iPod! Best of all, the flowers you grow in Flower Garden can be shared! Cut your most beautiful flowers to make a bouquet and send it to your loved ones. Flower Garden’s virtual bouquets are delivered with a personalized card and a note letting them know you took the time to grow the flowers just for them, making it all the more special.

 

 

Step away from the iPad and grow something……..

Plant any type of seeds and when they sprout, plant the entire cone in the ground!

 

 

Grandma’s Garden - .99 cents This is a great little gardening app for preschoolers and kindergarten students. Features are counting, matching veggies and coloring.

Mow It Free Draw your own pictures and crop circles! Touch to Mow - Shake to Grow - It's that simple! Draw your own designs, patterns, crop circles, or leave messages in the grass. You can even mow the entire field. Watch out for the occasional dandelion. Shake your device and the grass grows back.

Vocabulary Builder 3 - free 'Vocabulary Builder' series is a great game for helping children become an independent vocabulary learners. The vocabulary items are categorized and put in context. There are 3 categories: supermarket, animals in the garden and things in the garden.  

 

 

 

Happy Summer Break! Wishing everyone a wonderful summer break. This is the last eZine until September. I will be stepping away from the iPad for brief periods of time to garden, bicycle, boat, build things,

soak up summery goodness and recharge.

Thanks to everyone who subscribes to this eZine and also to those who have been guest contributors and who have given

valuable feedback!

Smiles, Melissa J