Monthly Archives: May 2013

Learning Styles – a cautionary tale of sloth and complacency

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Thank you to Mrs. Blum for sharing the following article – another to make us all think

Learning Styles article

one paragraph reads………

“I offer the counter view: When it comes to processing information, everyone should be the same: A ‘learning chameleon’, able to adapt and use whatever skills are required to optimise the information to be processed. We should not be celebrating and promoting difference in learning styles, we should be challenging children to step beyond their comfort zone and confront their weaknesses. To do that we need to challenge ourselves and do some decent reading and thinking ourselves.”

credit to Pete Yeoman

Unit of Inquiry 6 – How we organise ourselves

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“Central Idea – Society is affected by its natural resources (or lack of them) and by how they are allocated and used.”

Question 1 – What is a natural resource?

Natural Resources Family Activities

© 1999-2013 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Source: BrainPop

Energy Saver

Remind your child that people convert fossil fuels into electricity or natural gas to power and heat homes. Fossil fuels, however, are non-renewable resources so it’s important to conserve them as much as possible. Find ways to cut down on your energy use. Together unplug appliances that you do not use often. Many appliances still use energy when they are turned off but still plugged into the wall socket: computers, TVs, DVDs and sound systems are notorious “energy vampires.” When getting around town, walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation instead of driving. Even cutting down one car trip will conserve fossil fuels and save money.

One Hundred Ways

Cut down on waste using reusable items. Together find an item in your home that you can reuse instead of throwing it away. Then brainstorm ways you can reuse the items. For example, a chipped cup can be used as a container for pens and pencils, a flower pot, a mixing receptacle for paint, a rain gauge, etc. Encourage your child to be creative!

Top Ways Kids Hide Their Online Behavior From Parents

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What Trouble?

Eight- to 12-year-old kids are not typically malicious, but they are curious. Kids innocently get into trouble online without thought of consequence. Young kids need to be protected from others, and from themselves.

Teens are another story. They know the truth and they can be mischievous. Teens are faster learners than their parents and they do know more overall about technology. They were born with it.

Unfortunately, there are teens that apply that advanced knowledge to hiding online behavior from parents.

A study last year revealed that nearly half of parents believe their teens tell them everything they do online, while 70 percent of teens revealed they have ways to avoid parental monitoring. In this fact lies the irony.

Teens trick their parents in the following ways:

  • 53 percent = number of teens that clear their browser history to keep web visits off the record
  • 46 percent = number of teens that close/minimize their browser when a parent walks near (to hide the web site)
  • 34 percent = number of teens that hide or delete instant messages or videos
  • 23 percent = number of teens that lie or omit discussing details with parents about online activity
  • 23 percent = number of teens that use a PC their parents don’t check
  • 21 percent = number of teens that use an Internet-enabled mobile device
  • 20 percent = number of teens that use privacy settings to make web content viewable only by friends
  • 20 percent = number of teens that use private browsing modes or proxy web sites (which are free)
  • 15 percent = number of teens that create a private email address unknown to their parents
  • 9 percent = number of teens that create a duplicate or fake social network profiles and share one of them with parents

Many of these tricks can be prevented or monitored.

Credit to: Posted by Jason Ohler on