Strategy Share: Creating Podcasts in the Classroom

Student-created podcasts are a fun, creative way for students to learn and for teachers to assess content knowledge. In my experience, students have been completely engaged while they learned and reviewed information, practiced collaboration, conducted research, and presented their work to others. Continue reading Strategy Share: Creating Podcasts in the Classroom

Geography in the News: Rudolph and the Other Reindeer

By Neal Lineback and Mandy Lineback Gritzner, Geography in the NewsTM Across the United States, children and adults alike recognize Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as the leader of Santa Claus’ sleigh at Christmas. Reindeer first pulled St. Nicholas’ sleigh in a poem by Clement Clarke Moore appearing in a Troy, New York, newspaper just before Christmas, 1823. The poem titled “Twas the Night Before Christmas” … Continue reading Geography in the News: Rudolph and the Other Reindeer

Homesick Owls Confuse Airports with the Arctic

ENVIRONMENT Despite their renowned wisdom, snowy owls migrating south are mistaking airport runways for safe habitat, putting themselves, and air travelers, at risk. (National Geographic News) Use our resources to better understand animal migration patterns. Discussion Ideas The Nat Geo News article calls the influx of snowy owls to the U.S. Northeast and Great Lakes region an “irruption.” What is the difference between an irruption … Continue reading Homesick Owls Confuse Airports with the Arctic

Bringing Arctic Field Work to Students

This blog was written by Eleanor Kemp. Kemp has been a science teacher since 2001, and she currently teaches middle school at Kenwood Academy in Chicago. Back in January, when I found out that I would be heading to the Toolik Field Station in the Alaskan Arctic, I really had no idea what to expect. How would I contribute to the research National Geographic Explorer Amanda Koltz, … Continue reading Bringing Arctic Field Work to Students