Character Education

Inspire Student Civic Engagement

November 16, 2012

Created in 2009 by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics recently partnered with EverFi on a new initiative, Commons – Digital Town Square, which is offered free to all K–12 schools. The focus of Commons – Digital Town Square is to provide schools with standards-based educational gaming, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with social components. Students who play iCivics games move along at their own pace; adaptive-pathing techniques as well as evidence-based practices help guide each student differently as he or she learns. In addition to the adaptive feature, Commons – Digital Town Square has a variety of media, including simulations and animations…

Spread Great Educators’ Great Ideas

November 16, 2012

TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. TED-Ed’s videos aim to capture and amplify the voices of the world’s greatest educators. Within the growing TED-Ed video library, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed platform. The “Flip This Video” button allows you to turn any useful educational video, not just TED’s, into a customized lesson that can be assigned to students or shared more widely. You can add context, questions and follow-up suggestions. You can distribute your…

Hack Your School Green

November 1, 2012

Sponsored by Youth Rock the Rebuild and Architecture for Humanity, the Guerrilla Green Sustainable Showdown invites teams of middle school and high school students across the United States to submit their ideas for making their school more eco-friendly. Ideas may range from a small change in a school garden to a new, crazy window system. However, this is not just an ideas competition; it is also an implementation initiative. Winning teams will be given cash to build or organize their ideas. The competition has three rounds. In round 1, The Elite Eight (best plan) will receive $1,000; in round 2, The Final Four (best implemented…

Inspire Students to Make a Collective Impact

November 1, 2012

WaysToHelp.org invites teens in the United States to apply for grants to fund their community service ideas across any one of these four issue areas: The Environment; Democracy & Equality; Health; Community. Applicants should summarize, in 5,000 words or less, how the project will involve others, who it will help, what effect it is expected to have, when it will start and how the funds will be used. Deadline: Grant requests are reviewed and responded to on a monthly basis. Click Here for More Information This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and inclusion here does not indicate…

American Honda Foundation Grants for STEM

October 11, 2012

The American Honda Foundation focuses on the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), the environment, job training, and literacy. It engages in grant making that reflects the basic tenets, beliefs and philosophies of Honda companies, which are characterized by the following qualities: imaginative, creative, youthful, scientific, humanistic, and innovative. Nonprofit charitable organizations classified as 501(c) (3) public charity by the Internal Revenue Service, or a public school district, private/public elementary and secondary schools are eligible. Organizations must provide two years of audited financial statements. Deadlines: May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1 Awards: Grant range is from…

Help Children Understand and Respect Diversity

April 15, 2011

Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along is an interactive online guide designed by the Urban Programs Resource Network at the University of Illinois to help children learn to manage conflicts peacefully while also having a lot of fun with Maria and her friends. The activities are designed primarily for third graders, but they can be used to entertain and educate youth from the second and fourth grades as well. The online guide is accessible in English, Spanish and Arabic. Click Here to Access Free Online Guide This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and inclusion here does not indicate an…

Educate Students About Software Piracy

March 10, 2011

First appearing in the 1992 video Don’t Copy That Floppy, Digital Protector (aka MC Double Def DP) rapped his way onto the computer screens of millions, sparking awareness of the growing problem of software piracy. His message, heard around the world, generated enormous buzz as innovative technology flourished. Almost two decades later, DP is back, bringing his message to a whole new generation. This time, he’s sparking heated exchanges all across cyberspace with his new song, Don’t Copy That 2. With driving beats and edgy lyrics, he once again hammers home his point: it’s not just a copy; it’s a crime. In an…

Reduce Bullying, Build Friendships

March 10, 2011

From the nonprofit Committee for Children, the research-based STEPS TO RESPECT program teaches elementary students to recognize, refuse and report bullying, be assertive and build friendships. The program’s lessons can help students feel safe and supported by the adults around them so that they can build stronger bonds to school and focus on academic achievement. The program’s resources include take-home letters,transparencies for lessons, evaluation tools, academic alignment charts, scope and sequence, review of research (PDF), success stories and a program information packet. Download a free sample lesson from Level 2 for grade 4 or 5. Click Here to Access Free Lesson This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and inclusion here does not…

A Little Birdie Told Me…

January 31, 2011

Storybirds are short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read, and print. Read them like books, play them like games, and send them like greeting cards. They’re curiously fun. Perfect for every content area and every grade level. Let your imagination run wild with the easy to use interface and the beautiful illustrations available for use! Sign up for free and you can be creating your own Storybird in no time! Use our free Class accounts to manage students without emails, create assignments, and build beautiful libraries. Web: http://storybird.com/ This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and…

Explore the Fight for Civil Rights

January 28, 2011

The online activities and background information on this Civil Rights site from the Library of Congress will help students explore the fight for voting rights as well as the racial history of the United States in sports and schools. Students study maps, baseball cards and political cartoons as well as pamphlets, legal documents, poetry, music and the personal correspondence and oral histories of the famous and the ordinary. Click Here to Access Free Resources This information is provided as a courtesy for BISD teachers and inclusion here does not indicate an endorsement by the district. It is important to thoroughly evaluate a website before using it with students. For help with this please contact the Learning Technologies Coach…