Mindshift Weblinks

Below are a few articles gleaned from the MindShift web site - which is all about teaching ideas, strategies, technology and so on.  It covers a huge range of ideas - and even though it is American, there may still be food for thought in some of the articles.  Please see the link to the main website below if you would like to browse the ideas and the site is also part of my  blog list on the main page of our blog itself.

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/

The links below are one that caught my attention enough to share with you - most of them are things that have cropped up in discussions in various places recently - especially the ones about Google, internet searching and taking notes - and how our brain appears to work with these tasks.  

Personally, I still write notes out longhand - mainly because I find that I tend to remember more.  And I find it harder to memorise things anywhere near as well as I used to - and I don't believe it is because I am getting old.  I think it is because our brain is no longer being hard wired to perform that task - Google and technology do that for us.  

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/02/08/how-has-google-affected-the-way-students-learn/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/08/18/taking-notes-is-the-pen-still-mightier-than-the-keyboard/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/04/03/internet-searches-may-make-you-think-youre-smarter-than-you-are/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/07/01/what-sports-teaches-kids-about-bigger-roles-in-life/

Enjoy your weekend - and be sure to include lots of reading.  Most research indicates that it relaxes your mind and lowers blood pressure.  Include a good cup of coffee in that prescription as well, and lots of time away from devices.

Samurai Sword Display

There is an awesome new display in the Library that is generating quite some interest with the staff and students.  Aside from providing the space to show it off, it isn't part of the Library - but definitely come and have a look.  It is certainly very impressive.The Year 8s did a great job.

SCALE SAMURAI SWORDS
Year 8 students have been studying feudal governments in Japan in SOSE classes (Studies of Society and Environment). As part of that work students became interested in the armour and weaponry of Japanese Samurai.

In their maths class some of the students produced replicas of Samurai swords.  They made full sized wooden models of the Katana (long sword), Wakizashi (short sword) and Tanto (dagger). The dimensions were based on internet information about average sizes for these weapons.
 Following this, the students calculated lengths of half sized and one third sized models. The models were mounted on boards and are displayed in the library for viewing.

Congratulations to Dylan, Jaken, Joseph, Maclloyd, Angus, Jackson, Nemiah, Rickane and Elvis for completing the work without injury