With Liberty and Justice for All

On this day in 1870 (June 22), the Department of Justice was formed. Today's freebie is a lesson plan that helps students learn more about the application of justice in many situations, not just legal ones.

Title: Justice, Is It Fair?
Description: Presents a hypothethical problem which students will try to solve through critical thinking skills.
Suggested Grade: 5
Format: Online Lesson Plan
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Phyllis Muranaka
http//www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst10.txt

Suffering from Lack of Energy?

Doesn't that title sound like an infomercial that's selling some sort of product intended to boost your personal energy? The recent oil rig explosion and subsequent oil spill that is threatening wildlife gives rise to our use of petroleum in the US, and even the world--petroleum that is used for energy. This live-streaming video presents energy alternatives while exploring the vast amount of resources we exhaust daily--we are truly suffering from lack of energy.

Title: Heat
Description: A far-reaching investigation into America's energy landscape and what can be done to save our planet--and what it will take.
Suggested Grade: 7-Adult
Format: Live streaming video
Running Time: 120 minutes
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/view/

How do you pronounce Eyjafjallajokull?

Volcano, that's how! This volcano, located in Iceland, is making aviation history--and not in a good way. As of this writing, airlines have lost 100 million dollars because they cannot fly since volcanic ash coming from the volcano damages or even kills jet engines. If it were not for this disruption, it might be one fascinating event. Today's freebie is a site dedicated to volcanoes--which also features some great video of the eruption of this unpronouncable volcano.

Title: Volcano World
Description: An assortment of articles, pictures, movies, games, and links relating to volcanoes.
Suggested Grade: All ages
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: North Dakota and Oregon Space Grant Consortia
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/

Man cannot live on bread alone...

..and why would he want to when there are SO many good foods and good recipes that exist? On this day in 1930, the Twinkie was invented! Not a healthy food, but tasty nonetheless. Today's freebie is a site that has thousands and thousands of recipes. I have a large collection of cookbooks but I always find myself going to this site because the search engine makes it so easy to find just the recipe I need. Let the feast begin...

Title: All Recipes
Description: More recipes that you can possible imagine!
Suggested Grade: All ages
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Allrecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/

The Games People Play

Yes, it's that time of year again--March Madness--when basketball fans go wild following their favorite teams in the playoff. For me, it's my high school--the Randolph Rockets--who just yesterday won a state record 8th state championship (my boys were on five of those teams). As we celebrate the game, we remember that there are A LOT of other games peoples play. Today's freebie offers the rules for thousands of games--sports games, card games, board games, and more. Play on...

Title: RulesCentral.com
Description: Thousands of official rules for all types of sports and games.
Suggested Grade: All ages
Format: Web Site
Availability: All requesters
Source: RulesCentral.com
http://www.rulescentral.com

George Washington Carver--A Man with Vision

March is Black History Month. One of the countless African Americans who have contributed so very much is George Washington Carver--a scientist, botanist, educator and inventor. In addition to this work, his important accomplishments also include improvement of racial relations, mentoring children, poetry, painting, and religion. He is truly a man to be remembered during this month when we honor the accomplishments and contributions of EVERY African American.

Title: Carver's Boyhood
Description: Learn what forces shaped the life of this famous man.
Suggested Grade: All Ages
Format: VHS Videotape
Availability: Schools, libraries, homeschoolers, and nursing homes in the United States.
Terms: This excellent freeibe is for loan only. Borrower pays return postage. Return within 21 days after scheduled showing date via US Postal Service. Book 2-3 weeks in advance.
Source: George Washington Carver National Monument
5646 Carver Road
Diamond, MO 64840
Phone: 1-417-325-4151
Fax: 1-417-325-4231

It's More than Just a Game

This evening marks the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Athletes from countries far and wide will walk with their team and country flags with enormous pride as they compete for honors that not only recognize their personal achievement but their country as well. This freebie is all about these games which are far more than "just a game."

Title: Olympics Through Time
Description: Presents an overview of the Olympics and traces the history of these games.
Suggested Grade: 5-12
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Foundation of the Helennic World
http://www.fhw.gr/olympics/ancient/

Show Me the Money

On this day in history, the first paper money in America was issued by the colony of Massachusetts. Today's freebie is all about that commodity--money--whether it's paper or coin.

Title: The Money Story
Description: Media kit to help intermediate grade children learn what money is, how it's made, spent, saved and collected.
Availability: Schools, libraries, homeschoolers, and nursing homes in the continental United States.
Suggested Grade: 5-8
Order Number: 63
Format: VHS videotape or DVD, includes a teacher's guide.
Running Time: 33 minutes
Terms: ORDER VIA WEB SITE. Borrower pays return postage. Return the day after scheduled use via Parcel Post, library rate. Book at least 2 weeks before preferred show date, and include alternate date. Requests should include title and requester's name, address, and daytime phone number. Also state number of viewers.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
http://www.stls.frb.org/education/video_library.html

Are YOU Earthquake Proof?

The devastating earthquake in Haiti is something that will, and should, remain on our minds for quite some time. The horror that is currently being faced by the thousands upon thousands of people there is quite unimaginable. As I look at the faces of the people shown on TV, I am reminded that we are all God's children and these people who are suffering so greatly are someone's child, parent, wife, husband, etc. Is is with deep sorrow that we witness this tragic event. Today's freebie is a resource providing information and maps of earthquakes across the world. When viewing it, you will also see how many terrifying aftershocks the people of Haiti face moment to moment.

Title: The World-Wide Earthquake Locator
Description: An incredible resource that provides up-to-date information and detailed dynamic maps of earthquakes across the world within a maximum of 24 hours of their occurrence.
Suggested Grade: 4-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Bruce M. Gittings
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/quakes/quakes.html

The Speed of Sound

Tomorrow, January 6, marks an astounding 171 years since Samuel Morse provided the first demonstration of the electric telegraph. Who would have ever thought there could be something as a telephone, let alone a cell phone that we take with us whever we go. Find out more about the evolution of telecommunicatins with today's freebie.

Title: Through the Wires: A Century of Telecommunications
Description: Covers the era from Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham Bell, to the explosion of the Internet.
Suggested Grade: 4-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Farhana, David, and Tiana
http://library.thinkquest.org/27887/

Happy Birthday to Me

As I "complained" to my hubby about my upcoming birthday, he told me my birthday was the best, "after all, who else gets people to go out and celebrate with party hats and horns?" Yup, my birthday is New Year's Day. I would be marking my 29th birthday yet again, but since my oldest son turned 29 himself this year, I guess I can't do that anymore. Today's freebie presents information about a traditional 15th birthday celebration in Mexico, but actually contains even more of a story.

Title: Sweet 15
Description: The traditional 15th birthday celebration symbolically ushers a young Mexican girl into adulthood. When her father cancels the gala event, she accidentally uncovers her father's secret--he has never become a legal resident of the U. S.
Suggested Grade: 6-12
Format: VHS videotape
Running Time: 120 minutes
Availability: Schools, libraries, and nursing homes in the United States.
Terms: Borrowers must have a User's Agreement on file with this source--available by mail or via the Internet. Return postage is paid by borrower; return 12 days after showing. Book at least three weeks in advance. All borrowers are limited to a total of ten items per semester.
Order Number: SIHISPI-video
Source: Latin American Resource Center
Stone Center for Latin American Studies
Tulane University
100 Jones Hall
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: 1-504-862-3143
Fax: 1-504-865-6719

Pearl Harbor Day

Oftentimes while creating this blog, I Google "today in history." That is not something I have to do for today, a very notorious day in history. Today marks the 68th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While not the joyous celebration that anniversaries usually are, it is an anniversary we must never forgot. Today's freebie provides more information about a mess attendant who provided heroic service to his fellow shipmates.

Title: Black Pearl: The Story of Dorie Miller, the Hero of Pearl Harbor
Description: Learn about the contributions of this mess attendant stationed on the battleship Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Suggested Grade: 5-12
Format: Online Lesson Plan
Availability: All requesters
Source: Dionne Smith Jones
http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ll/curriculumsupport/aastudies/jones.html

It's a Whale of a Tale

On this day in 1851, the ever popular story of Moby Dick was published by Herman Melville. This time-enduring book is now in the public domain and you can read the entire story on-line!

Title: Power Moby-Dick
Description: Presents the entire tale of Moby Dick along with interesting points highlighted.
Suggested Grade: 6-Adult
Format: Complete book online
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Herman Melville (well he wrote the book, someone else put it online :)
http://www.powermobydick.com/

What Time Is It, Anyway?

One year ago I was standing in a cold rain at a bus stop in Galway, Ireland. I waited, and waited, and waited--that was when I first learned that Daylight Saving Time is not unique to the United States--the bus showed up one hour later! This freebie will help you learn about the history of daylight saving (or as some may say, daylight shifting), the standardization of time, and when regions around the globe spring ahead and fall back.

Title: Daylight Saving Time
Description: Information about the history of Daylight Saving Time. Also presents some incidents and anecdotes about the time change that are more interesting (and maybe less embarrassing) than mine.
Suggested Grade: 4-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html

Show Me the Money

On October 20, 1996, Congress signed into law the "Commemorative Coin Act of 1996." This law was responsible for the commemorative quarters so many people collect today. Coins were released five coins per year, in the order in which the States were admitted to the Union. In today's freebie, students explore the relationship between pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and learn more about US currency.

Title: Number Cents
Description: Six lessons about money.
Suggested Grade: 1-4
Format: Online Lesson Plans
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Grace M. Burton
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=U67

Who Wants to Be Famous for a Fire?

On the evening of October 8, 1871 the worst recorded forest fire in North American history raged through Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of dollars worth of property and timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives. As a student in Wisconsin we learned all about this tragic fire. Have you heard of it? Perhaps not as the Chicago Fire, allegedly started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow, happened the same night. Perhaps it's the interesting story about the start of THAT famous fire, but the tragic events in Peshtigo, which took a much higher toll on lives and resources, were eclipsed by the "Great Chicago Fire." This freebie will let you all about that lesser known fire.

Title: The Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871
Description: The most comprehensive source on the web for information about this fire.
Suggested Grade: 6-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Deana C. Hipke
http://www.peshtigofire.info/

Breast Cancer Awareness

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness month. About 192,370 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2009 (men can get it, too). The number of individuals known to be afflicted with breast cancer has actually increased in recent years, due to the ever-increasing awareness of breast cancer and its symptoms. Thanks to early detection, breast cancer is more easily and more successfully treated. Today's freebie provides questions and answers about breast health and breast cancer prevention.

Title: Questions and Answers About Breast Health and Breast Cancer
Description: Answers some of the most common questions about breast cancer prevention and detection and its treatment.
Suggested Grade: 5-Adult
Format: Brochure (may also be downloaded from web site)
Availability: Limit of 1 copy to schools, libraries, and homeschoolers in the United States and Canada.
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
Publication Orders
1759 R Street, N. W.
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 1-800-843-8114
Fax: 1-202-328-7226
http://www.aicr.org/

Seasons Change

I live directly across the street from the park. Nowhere is the changing of the seasons more apparent than when I look out my window and see the beautiful trees go through the changes that are the four seasons in Wisconsin. This morning, I noticed a lone tree that has started to change color indicating the imminent arrival of Fall. Today's freebie is a fabulous presentation, all ready for teachers to use, that explains the reasons the seasons change.

Title: The Reasons for Seasons
Description: A collection of sixty power point slides explaining the changing of the seasons.
Suggested Grade: 6-12
Format: Power Point Presentation
Availability: All requesters
Source: Edward M. Murphy
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/SST/resources/The%20Seasons.pdf#

Labor Day

Labor Day "officially" marks the end of summer. In our little community of under 2,000 residents it is a huge event--more than 10,000 enter our village for a parade, all sorts of activities in the park, and to consume 8 tons of FREE sweet corn--it's no wonder I like FREE stuff. (Did I mention that the park is right across the street?) Today's freebie, although brief, explains the history of "summer's last hurrah."

Title: Labor Day
Description: Provides the history, and links for more information, about this holiday.
Format: Online Article
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: KU Medical Center
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/national/laborday.html

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