Moving Into 21st Century Technologies

Falmouth Kids Global Climate Change Project

Introducing New Technologies to Grade 7 and 8 Students

The lessons began with the Falmouth Kids Global Climate Change Summer Institute and training from November Learning. Teachers learned about editing sound files, communicating using Skype, programs to record Skype conversations, and podcasts. The challenge was to take the training and create lessons for students to expose them to the exciting new technologies the teachers learned about.

Technology Lessons

Editing Sound Files with Audacity - The strategy for engaging students to learn about editing sound files involved their favorite music, cell phones, and making custom ring tones.

http://kidsgcci.pbwiki.com/f/Editing%20Sound%20Files%20with%20Audacity.doc

Podcasts and Other iTunes Store Resources – The goal of the podcast lesson was to expose students to what podcast are and to teach students how to access the huge library of resources available as digital media files.

http://kidsgcci.pbwiki.com/ficons/type_doc.jpg

Skype Activity – The objective of the Skype Activity was to expose students to a program that would allow students to communicate with anyone in the world that has an Internet connection. Skype has both an audio and video component as well as a text feature similar to Instant Messaging. Currently we only have the hardware to utilize the audio capabilities. We hope to add web cams at a later date. This lesson also provided an opportunity to teach students some of the safe Internet protocols for minors. Students were advised to keep their identity secure by not using any part of their last name or their picture. Students selected Skype names known only to their classmates and teacher and used likenesses that could not be matched to their real identity.

http://kidsgcci.pbwiki.com/ficons/type_doc.jpg

Climate Change Lessons and Resources

Lessons About Local Evidence of Climate Change

The Boston Globe has been a great source for examples of climate change that have been observed and documented locally. Lawrence School teachers have been following the series of articles the Globe publishes in their Health/Science section. The examples help to make climate change more relevant to the lives of our students if they can see evidence around them. The impact of changes to the Antarctic Peninsula or other far off places takes on greater significance to students when there are local effects too.

The link below is to a March 17, 2008 story about how trees are responding to warming temperatures in New England.

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/03/17/a_forest_of_change/

Climate Change can impact local economies too. In an October 1, 2007 front-page article, the Boston Globe chronicled the rivalry of blueberry growers in Maine and Quebec. Killing spring frosts in Quebec occur only half as often as in the 1950's. With the milder growing conditions, the blueberry growers of Quebec have the Maine growers uneasy about the competition from their neighbors to the north.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2007/10/01/as_frost_fades_berry_rivalry_heats/

Alaskan Fish May Set Off Geopolitical Dispute

Boston Globe, November 2, 2008

Alaskan Pollock is not only America’s biggest catch, it is also a fisheries management success story and a billion dollar industry. This rich fishery may soon become a Russian fishery as waters warm and the Pollock swim across international boundaries to higher latitudes in search of food and colder water.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/11/02/alaska_fish_may_set_off_geopolitical_dispute/