Thursday, October 23, 2014

Global Issues

Check-out Nobelityinschools.org for lessons and inspirational free DVD's and videolinks to Building Hope video. 

Monday, September 1, 2014

IB MYP Reads

Here are some of my favorites for IB MYP book titles about characters whose lives represent the intersection of labor, politics, rights and youth. Excerpts or whole novel can be used as text for inquiring into perspective as a concept or the global context of Fairness and Development. As most high-quality lit, they can represent and can be accessed through many other concepts and contexts, and are applicable across content areas. 

For younger readers, I like the historical fiction novel, Journey to Joberg, set in South Africa during Apartheid. I like Peet's The Keeper, a fantastic novel a about a journalist interviewing the goalie named El Gato. The Heavan Shop is about a girl's life as she lives and works, while affected by HIV, in Malawi - by Deborah Ellis. The Queen of Water by Laura Resau, is about class, workers' rights, and poverty, - about a young girl who is sent to work as a domestic servant in Ecuador. The House of the Scorpion is an award-winning novel, with a ton of positive reviews. It's set at U.S./Mexico border and is a sci-fi adventure story about worker drones harvesting poppy fields for the opium trade. Being from San Diego and having worked with a non-profit in TJ, I love border literature. This novel is definitely a unique perspective on the future of the border and the drug trade. For older or mature readers, my all time favorite novel is Devil's Highway by Urrea. Awesome border lit based on a true story about a group of immigrants who died when their Coyotes left them in the middle if the desert between Yuma and San Diego. 

What are your favorite reads for IB MYP students? 

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

IB Coordinators Bookshelf

Hmmmm...what should I read next? So many options at 
http://ibiologystephen.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/an-myp-coordinators-summer-reading/

PD activity for Stripling's Inquiry Method

Lead educators through this inquiry activity. Can substitute women's voting / suffragette topic if needed. 

http://condor.depaul.edu/tps/resources/PhasesStriplingModel.pdf

PD activity for Stripling's Inquiry Method

Lead educators through this inquiry activity. Can substitute women's voting / suffragette topic if needed. 

http://condor.depaul.edu/tps/resources/PhasesStriplingModel.pdf

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Organics and Politics

Compare a variety of texts looking at this question? 

What's behind my burger?

Cuba's organic revolution
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/apr/04/organics.food

Video: Food Inc. (available on NetFlix)

 Shin, Annys.   "Engineering a Safer Burger.  The Washington Post.   12 June 2008.

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/msm.asp#grg2YMzbyxQXX2mv.99

Claim: "every person on the planet can feed himself on 100sq. feet."http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/can-we-feed-our-world-without-monsanto

Monsanto's Discover Monsanto Webpage http://discover.monsanto.com/?gclid=CO-eyMCurMACFUiGfgod8i8Aug

Investment and Returns with Agricultural Research: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eb-economic-brief/eb10.aspx#.U_oY7Nm9Kc0

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Librarian K.C. Boyd Serves the Good Stuff

Read about Boyd and her commitment to knowing and serving not only her students, but also her families. If only every school could afford such an important position: I'm not sure how we can afford not to. 

http://www.slj.com/2014/08/librarians/chicago-public-school-librarian-k-c-boyd-the-heartbeat-of-her-school/