Outdoor Pre-School

It’s not unusual for teachers to take their students outdoors to learn, but imagine if their classrooms were already outdoors. In Germany, there’s a preschool where its walls, toys, and tools for learning are entirely outside. Click below to watch!

 

If your classroom could be outdoors for the day, what would you study? What would you need to make the outdoor classroom work for you? Please leave your thoughts in the space below.

Reaching for the Sky

Two young sisters show that creative, problem solvers can accomplish anything, including the seemingly impossible. Watch how these girls started with a seed idea, then launched their imagination into the atmosphere. What were the keys to success for these children?

The Mystery of the Moving Stones

Scientists believe they have solved the mystery of the “slithering stones” of Death Valley (California). These volcanic rocks have been known to move by themselves across the riverbed. No one has recorded this movement until recently and researchers believe they have uncovered a possible explanation for this strange movement that leaves a trail behind the stones. Watch the time lapse video below, then click this link to a video story breaking down this phenomenon, to help us understand the stones’ “action.” After watching the video, Reply to the following: In your own words, what causes these stones to slither across this Death Valley riverbed?

Can They? Yes They Can.

This commercial from Microsoft shows the reality that girls today are unlikely to pursue or achieve in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and how this reality can motivate today’s girls to think about the possibilities in their future. In the Reply section below, please answer these two questions: Who is the intended audience of this video? What techniques or storytelling elements (pictures, music, editing, spoken words, body language, etc) does Microsoft use in this video to show that girls today should have reason to hope?

 

Making Mochi

Mochi is a Japanese delicacy made with a special grain of rice. It takes a highly skilled person to make mochi. This video introduces the audience to the traditional art and craft of making mochi. Watch as the master explains his lightning quick techniques for turning rice into a classic Japanese treat. After watching, use the Reply space below to answer this: How do you think someone becomes a master or an expert at anything?

Why We Give

Sometimes when we give to others, we receive even more in return. Watch this video. Try not to cry, then think of a time when you did a good deed or made a sacrifice for the benefit of someone else. Briefly write about this time. Try not to cry.

Healthy Communities

This video featuring cartoon birds on a wire sends a message about what makes up a healthy community of individuals. Watch the video. When you’re done watching respond to these questions. What does this cartoon say about communities that are healthy? Who is the antagonist in this video?

How Do You Define Sport?

How do you define sport or athlete? There are nearly 60 events in the Summer and Winter Olympics, but each year there are some that get people to stop and ask, “How is this a sport?” And then there’s another event that’s become very popular in competitive sports world — Sport (Cup) Stacking. Watch this video to learn about this fast growing sport! Then reply to this post with a response to the question — What makes cup stacking a sport?

Taylor Swift Inspires

With the Grammy Awards Show coming up later this month, a video featuring the acceptance speech of Taylor Swift from last year’s Grammys has been turned into an inspirational video. 

This video is meant to embolden girls. Why is this message targeting girls and not boys? How are boys supposed to feel about this video?