Iowa Public Television
 Media Specialists
   DECEMBER 11 - 18, 2012
Find the latest educational resources from Iowa Public Television.
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Boosting Kids' Brain Power
Professional Development

brain power An Oxford University researcher will soon test whether applying an electric current to part of the brain can help children learn math, an effect previously demonstrated in adults. Parents are already lining up for access to the device. But is the technique safe? And is this an ethical way to improve a child's performance in school? Listen to this NOVA audio clip. 

 

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Paris the Luminous Years
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12

In the early decades of the twentieth century, a storm of modernism swept through the art worlds of the West, uprooting centuries of tradition in the visual arts, music, literature, dance, theater and beyond. The epicenter of this storm was Paris, France.

 

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Slime Mold Smarts 
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12

slime mold The slime mold Physarum polycephalum is a single cell without a brain, yet it can make surprisingly complicated decisions. In this animated video short, watch as a slime mold navigates through a maze and solves a civil engineering problem.

 

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Mark Twain's Watch
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12

mark twain An Oregon man has a watch that may have been a gift to his grandfather from Mark Twain. Help your students understand that history is more than memorizing facts and dates. The History Detectives follow the trail of these two adventurous men to discover if their paths could have ever crossed, to determine if the Mills family legend could be true. 

 

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Clear Skies 
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12

air traffic Support your History, Geography, and Science curriculum with this video which takes a close look at how policy and technology improvements in air traffic control systems can guide the future of air transportation. Then use the accompanying lesson plan to have students write proposals for improving the state of transportation in the United States.

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Analyzing Character Traits 
Grade Range: K-2, 3-5

brain powerIn this interactive, learn about the different types of characters in Cinderella, and determine which traits belong to the hero and villain.

 

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Video Writing Prompts: The Agony of Defeat
Grade Range: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

ski These prompts are tools for educators and students to use in the classroom to encourage creative writing. The topics covered in these clips are a variety of science related information bits that challenge a student to interpret what they see.

 

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Radio Martha 
Grade Range: K-2, 3-5

radio marthaIn this interactive white board game from Martha Speaks, students must match the pictures to words Martha is using during her radio talk show. Students will build vocabulary skills while learning synonyms and antonyms. 

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Telling a Visual Story of Waste
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12

trash
What kind of trash does America generate each year? Where does it go? What impact does our waste have on the environment? How can we reduce our trash output? This video features a landfill in South Jersey which examines the state of food waste in America today. Use the accompanying lesson plan to prepare students to visually track and document different kinds of trash in their community.  
 
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