Media Specialists
January 1, 2014 - January 7, 2014

Find the latest educational resources from Iowa Public Television.

The Use of Soliloquy
Grades: 8-12

In this series of videos from Shakespeare Uncovered, students explore the use of soliloquy as a device to reveal character and advance plot. They consider how using soliloquy perhaps more truthfully exposes character than other devices like dialogue. In addition, students focus particularly on the famous soliloquy in Hamlet, "To be or not to be," and discuss how and why the topics of his speech are best explored through soliloquy.

Silent -e-

Grades: 1-3

The Electric Company aims to entertain children while simultaneously teaching four crucial areas of literacy that are challenging for struggling readers: decoding, vocabulary, comprehension of connected text and motivation. The goal for this resource group is silent -e-.

March on Washington

Grades: 3-13+

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was commemorated by teachers and students across the country

and around the world. Help your students appreciate the significance of this event, and its role in the larger Civil Rights Movement using this collection of digital content from PBS LearningMedia.

Adaptive Technology
Grade Range: 6-12

These media resources from Medal Quest and Design Squad help students explore how science, technology, engineering, and math support athletes with physical disabilities as they compete at elite levels. Use these standards-based resources to increase students' understanding of people with disabilities, broaden awareness of Paralympic sports, highlight the adaptive technologies used by Paralympic athletes, and showcase the engineering design process used to create these technologies.

An Attack on Syria- What Would You Do?
Grade Range: 7-13+

Use this lesson plan from PBS NewsHour Extra to teach your students about the Syrian situation. This comprehensive lesson includes background, articles, a jig-saw activity and simulation activity that puts the students in a decision-making position.

Think Garden: Cool Crops

Grade Range: 3-5

This video from KET's Think Garden collection explores the possibilities of gardening in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Learn about which vegetables like cool weather, and techniques to help plants grow in these conditions like raised beds and hoop houses. Also find out why cool crops are ideal for school gardens.

Fitness Bingo

Grade Range: K-5

This Kindergarten through 5th grade activity puts a spin on traditional bingo. Each student gets a fitness bingo card. Finding a new partner for each exercise, students will do the exercise then sign their partner's paper. Students will continue this until all spots have been filled. This lesson focuses on different exercises to move the whole body (psychomotor skills) as well as team work (affective skills).

School Day Fitness
Grade Range: K-2

This Kindergarten through 2nd grade Kids in Motion activity is an exciting and relatable fitness activity about something all children understand, the school day! In this activity, students will focus on bending, exercising and stretching. Using various psychomotor skills, students act out their morning from waking up, eating, brushing their teeth, meeting up with friends and getting to school! This lesson focuses largely on psychomotor skills.

Are You Stronger Than a 5th Grade Teacher? Lesson Plan
Grade Range: 3-5

This lesson is a spin-off of the popular television show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Students are chosen one by one to pick an exercise card that will also have a point value on it. Once a card is selected as a class, students perform that exercise for one minute to see if they can outlast their teacher. If the teacher falls first then the students get the points but if the teacher outlasts the students then he/she gets the points. This lesson concentrates mostly on the use of psychomotor skills.

Road to Statehood
Grade Range: 5-8

This video from West Virginia Public Broadcasting traces the events leading to statehood for West Virginia. The five lesson plans provide a guided viewing graphic organizer, primary source documents, maps, and activities to engage students in the study of the presidential election of 1860, the issues of the time, and individuals who played a role in the movement.

The African-American Migration Story
Grade Range: 7-13+

From the transatlantic slave trade to today's New Great Migration, learn about the major African-American migrations and how those movements changed the course of American history in this interactive resource from The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.

Music Break- Waving Flag
Grade Range: K-5

Use this fun and interactive Kindergarten through 5th grade activity to help students take a brain break. This allows students get their wiggles out while promoting exercise. Using the song "Waving Flag," there are multiple moves to go along with the music. This is an excellent way to get students moving but still use those cognitive skills.

Extreme By Design - Watch & Do Learning Episode 1: Being an Innovator

Grade Range: 4-12

Extreme By Design - Watch & Do is an interactive experience designed for 4th through 12th grade students, to be completed after watching the Extreme By Design documentary. Learning Episode 1 ("Being an Innovator") will help students think and act like innovators using the design thinking approach. Scenes from the documentary are used to illustrate concepts, and a protagonist acts as a guide who provides instructions and explanations to the students.

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