Dear Families,
St. Martin de Porres Academy continues to be unified by the hope that defines who we are as a community and all that we do. Grounded in hope, we continue to believe that, together, we can help shape a new generation of leaders, your children, who can be agents of change in our world. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The recent, senseless killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor were brutal acts of violence. These horrific events further underscore the need for racial justice and equality in our world. “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We stand with our students, alumni, family members, community partners, and supporters who identify with the lived experience of racial injustice.
Listed below are this week’s online resources, offered as an alternative to the darkness we may feel. They reflect the wonder of our world, the possibilities of nature, and the potential of one person to effect change.Lastly, we ask that a parent/guardian representative from each family completes the attached survey. Your honest feedback will help guide us as we finish out this school year and begin to plan for next year.
Much Love, Hope, and Continued Prayers,
Dr. O’Leary and Ms. Rivera
TED-Ed. https://ed.ted.com Discover hundreds of animated lessons, big ideas, or just interesting facts. Short talks on subjects (organized by subject and grade).
The Earth School: Join the 30 day challenge! Today, over 1.5 billion children are unable to go to school. Coronavirus’ impact goes beyond the health and economic crisis; it is also jeopardizing the education of students around the world. Teachers are scrambling to offer students lessons online and parents are desperate for activities that will keep their kids engaged and connected to the outside world. In response to this crisis, an unprecedented coalition of over fifty environmental and education experts are collaborating to launch The Earth School: 30 adventures for learners of all ages to discover, celebrate, and connect to nature.
These experts have been supported by over 30 organizations including National Geographic, WWF, and the BBC. Covering real world concepts like the t-shirts we wear, the water we drink, the trees in our forests or the food on our plates, each Quest will consist of a discovery video and fun quiz combined with a series of interactive resources – including additional content to watch, read, teach, do, and share, with age-adjusted exercises built into each lesson.
The team behind Earth School is thrilled that it can help solve three major problems right now:
· First, there are so many great environmental resources online that future environment experts don’t know where to begin. Earth School aggregates a wide span of lessons from trusted sources under a single platform.
· Secondly, young people (in fact, all people!) are stuck inside, more disconnected from nature than ever before. Earth School encourages young people to understand how nature and our ecosystems provide the foundations for a healthy planet, and healthy people.
· And finally, the team at Earth School aims to help the parents of students around the world, many of whom are taking on their children’s education for the first time. Locating quality lessons and activities online is no easy task; we hope to support them in this unfamiliar moment of global pause and provide the spark of inspiration that will connect young people to nature.
Week 1 The Nature of Our Stuff https://ed.ted.com/earth-school Note that each day/video includes additional resources for student to view/explore.
You’re likely wearing a shirt made from seeds, using a device made from rocks and the last meal you ate? It was probably made by bees. This week, we’ll learn how all the stuff we need and use comes from the Earth. We’ll also explore some small changes we can make that have huge, positive impacts on our planet. Each video is approximately 5 minutes and appropriate for all grades. Follow-up question for each day:
Day 1 Quest 1: The Food We Eat https://ed.ted.com/on/W9DQqiPl?theme_id=earth-school Follow-up question: The thought of eating bugs may make a lot of us queasy but what’s really unappetizing is the amount of land, resources, and pollution involved in growing the meat proteins we are accustomed to. Did this video make you feel any differently?
Day 2 Quest 2: The Clothes We Wear https://ed.ted.com/on/bcCRJEX9?theme_id=earth-school Follow-up question: Will you think differently about the next piece of clothing you buy? How?
Day 3 Quest 3: The Technology We Use https://ed.ted.com/on/uGlYK7C5?theme_id=earth-school Follow-up question: How do you think we can make people more aware of the cost of electronics and the terrible e-waste they produce?
Day 4 Quest 4: The Homes We Live In. https://ed.ted.com/on/6Eie2PIF?theme_id=earth-school Follow-up question: Throughout human history our idea of ‘home’ has changed from caves and shelters to suburban houses and city apartments and everything in between. But ‘home’, where we are spending all of our time right now, is also the center of our family life. What have you enjoyed most about spending extra time at home?
Day 5 Quest 5 : The Energy We Need. https://ed.ted.com/on/RyKzhIbP?theme_id=earth-school Follow-up question:Now that we’ve learned how energy supports most parts of our lives, how can we use energy more efficiently in your day-to-day life. What are some ways you can reduce your energy consumption?
· Extraterrestrial life in our solar system:https://ed.ted.com/lessons/there-may-be-extraterrestrial-life-in-our-solar-system-augusto-carballido#review (5 minutes all grades). Follow-up question:
· Binge Watching TV: What are the health risks of watching too much TV? (3 minutes, all grades)
https://ed.ted.com/best_of_web/tJXf06qY Follow-up question: What is an acceptab;le amount of screen time, according to the video?
· Sojourner Truth: (5 minutes, all grades) https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-electrifying-speeches-of-sojourner-truth-daina-ramey-berry Follow-up question: What causes did she champion and why were they controversial?
Smash Boom Bust: Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Cats versus Dogs. Pizza versus Tacos. Super Speed versus Super Strength. Who will be crowned the Smash Boom Best? Our debaters use facts and passion to make their case… teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way. All ages. Follow-up question: Sharks or skunks?
https://www.brainson.org/shows/2019/08/29/smash-boom-best-sharks-vs-skunks
PODCASTS
Greek Mythology: Greeking Out from National Geographic Kids
Oh, Muses! Hear our podcast and allow us to recall some of the greatest stories ever told. Stories of gods and goddesses, monsters, and heroes! Enjoy this kid-friendly retelling of classic ancient Greek myths for the whole family. 15 minutes, all grades. Follow-up question: What was the Golden Fleece?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/greeking-out-from-national-geographic-kids/id1483233279
But Why? In this special live episode we learn about space and space exploration with Jim Green, NASA’s Chief Scientist. 52 minutes, all grades. Follow-up question: What space exploration was launched last week?
Eleanor Amplified:
Buckle up! Eleanor Amplified is a radio adventure series for the whole family. Listen together as world-famous radio reporter Eleanor foils devious plots, outwits crafty villains, and goes after The Big Story. Eleanor’s pursuit of truth takes her into orbit, out to sea, through a scary jungle and even to the halls of Congress! Eleanor defends the very values you expect from high-quality journalism. The importance of access to information. Being inclusive of different points of view. Telling the truth, and more. Eleanor will spark laughter and conversation the whole family will enjoy, while preparing kids to appreciate journalism and make smart media choices in the future.
Episode 1: PILOT, Welcome to Union City! Our first episode finds Eleanor in a secret underground laboratory, and already in peril … (each episode is about 15 minutes, all grades) Follow-up question: What is an example of people not being open to alternate opinions?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-01-pilot-robot/id1125007560?i=1000393886560
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