Photo Collection of All African Countries

An alphebetised photo collection of all 54 countries in Africa.

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Roald Dahl Science

Emma Vanstone has collected different science activities (apropriate for junior students and possible to adapt for older students) that relate to Roald Dahl and his books.

http://www.science-sparks.com/2015/09/11/roald-dahl-activity-ideas/

Scale of the Universe

'This amazing video illustrates the scale of over 100 items within the observable universe ranging from galaxies to insects, nebulae and stars to molecules and atoms.'

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Conductive Silver Ink Pen

'Circuit Scribe is a rollerball pen that writes with conductive silver ink. It makes creating circuits as easy as doodling.'

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Chernobyl/Pompeii

This headline and photo would be a great prompt for senior students:

Why the Chernobyl Nuclear Ruins Are a 20th-Century Pompeii

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT MAXWELL

Read full article here

Warped 2D Grids

"Made out of thousands of tiny little triangles, these delicately thatched composites strike a pleasing visual chord through their careful balance of negative and positive space. Created by LA-based artist Katy Ann Gilmore, the organic geometric images are realized through a variety of influences including mathematics, nature, and visual art. The tiny latched shapes spread outward until final pieces emerge, looking like hand-crafted topographic maps.

Gilmore studied mathematics and visual arts, and the experience gained in each field shines through in her unique style. Her layered, two-dimensional drawings explore the concept of perpendicular planes and the distortion of three-dimensional space. Some areas of the images recede where others spring forward, creating the illusion of a finely woven net gripping the land's curvature.

Gilmore’s breathtaking work was initially inspired by a curiosity for how 2D grids would look when warped in all directions, and how the fluctuation of empty space around physical objects affects our perception of solidity. Her work draws thousands of tiny elements together to form beautiful realizations of mathematical concepts through the application of an artistic eye."

mymodernmet

 

 

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2015

"The newly-launched Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards hopes that you’ll chuckle when you see one of their images. You aren’t laughing at them, rather, but with them—these lighthearted photos are meant to be hilarious. The unusual competition combines funny portraits of animals with technical proficiency to showcase works that’ll have you admiring nature’s beauty while smiling at its silliness." - http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/comedy-wildlife-photography-awards

 See the website here

Here are the finalists:

Winner: Julian Rad

Second Place: William Richardson

Third Place: Oliver Dreike

The bold and unusual Sweet Petite Acanthanura

"Sweet Petite Acanthanura

Almost every time I head out into the Dandenong Ranges (Melbourne, Australia) - at this time of year (autumn) - I find an Acanthanuraspringtail. They are usually active on the surface on the surface on wet, mossy, logs: diurnally. Perhaps they are out at night too but it’s more difficult taking pictures at in the dark especially at high magnifications. Mostly I find fully grown adults, stunning animals that they are.

This week I found a baby. At least I’m guessing it is likely the baby of the species I commonly see as a grown up in the area. It was about 2.5 mm long (1/10 inch) and very quick, foraging on the surface of the log, not cryptically like most collembola, but openly. Do the spines and colours scream ‘don’t eat me’ even for something this small?"

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See Before-and-After Photos of the Changing Environment

"Side-by-side comparisons reveal just how much glaciers, lakes, and snowpacks have been altered by nature and humans.

From the ice sheets of Greenland to the deserts of Arizona, many of the world’s landscapes
have been dramatically transformed as their climate grows warmer and drier. At the same 
time, water use and other human activities have altered many landscapes. NASA has 
accumulated striking photos that show just how much our surroundings have changed. 
Slide across each image to see before and after pictures."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151229-before-after-earth-features/

This is a great site to show relating to Change - you are able to slide across the images to show the contrast between the before and after images.

Magnets and Marbles

Here we have an incredible marble track which incorporate different sized magnets used to repel and attract in order to further the marble track.

This is great for discussions/examples of magnets and force.

Changes

 

Though very simple, this image can be a great strating off point for discussion of changes.

Global Fabric

 

 "Originally created as a batik fabric collage with the international children surrounding a globe, I have altered my original design to create this bright, unique, and colorful fabric of multicultural "paper dolls". Children from Mexico, Germany, France, Japan, Spain, United States, various African nations (among other continents and countries) are featured! This design would be adorable for use in a children's room, classroom, or for a quilt! Image copyright Amy Kuhl Cox 2009"

 http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/85976-international-paper-dolls-a-celebration-multiculturalism-by-amy_lou_who

Vivian Zapata's Diversity Artwork

 

A beautiful piece celebrating diversity by Vivian Zapata, 2005.

Home Furnishings Affect Tigers

 

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2YQb8S/vermontwoodsstudios.com/content/tiger-conservation

"Did you know...
...there are only about 3200 tigers left in the wild? This tiger subspecies, the Siberian Tiger-- the world's largest cat is literally on the brink of extinction with only about 400 individuals remaining in their natural habitat. If you can't stand the idea of letting these magnificent creatures disappear forever, there's something you can do about it. Consider where you and your friends, family and neighbors shop and what you buy. Avoid purchasing imported forest products that result in destroying the tigers' habitat. Here's why:

Siberian tigers live mainly in Russian forests which are now under assault by global timber conglomerates. Tiger habitat is beingsystematically decimated to provide illegal timber that's used to make cheap furniture, flooring and other forest products which are marketed mainly in the USA. In fact, up to 90% of the furniture you see for sale in our country is made of illegally harvested wood that is clear cut from ecologically sensitive habitats like this tiger's habitat."

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Fashion, Architecture and Photography Collide

Architect, visual artist and fashion illustrator Shamekh has created beautiful fashion illustrations where he cuts out part of the design and uses the backdrop of a photo to act as the pattern.

Farming Preschool Teaches Kids How to Grow Their Own Food

From Sara Barnes at My Modern Met

"In the age of convenience—instant digital technology and fast food—it can be hard for kids to feel connected to nature and to what they eat. With this in mind, Rome-based designers Edoardo Capuzzo Dolcetta, Gabriele Capobianco, Davide Troiana, and Jonathan Lazar have created an innovative way to introduce children to the outdoor environment. Their proposal—which recently won the AWR International Ideas Competition—is called Nursery Fields Forever, and it combines urban farming with a preschool education.

Nursery Fields Forever offers three approaches to learning: from nature; from technique; and from practice. Children will be taught to grow and harvest their own food, as well as interact with animals. These tasks, though small ones, can have a positive effect on kids' everyday lives. The hands-on method instills valuable social skills, teamwork, and promotes a healthy lifestyle from a young age. At the same time, students will also learn about the benefits of renewable energy—including wind turbines and solar arrays—that keep the school running.

“We think that kids should enjoy nature,” Dolcetta told Fast Company. “So we designed this strange school: No classrooms, but open spaces where vegetables grow inside and animals can come in too. It’s a mixing of the two things, school and nature.” With this model, children are engaged in learning that will inspire them to think differently. "A typical school has desks and chairs—in our school, there are not these things. And there's the freedom to stay inside or go outside."