findingEducation’s Digital Teachers’ LoungeTips and insights from the findingEducation team.

Did you take the Quiztory last week? Now it’s time to check your answers:

1. How many sections was Palestine divided into following the United Nation’s General Assembly vote in 1947? Eight

2. In 2002, Congress passed which piece of legislation in response to the scandals at Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and other companies? Sarbanes-Oxley Act

3. When was the Eurotunnel completed? May 6, 1994

4. Which deputy prime minister led the assault on British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s leadership? Sir Geoffrey Howe

5. When did Hezbollah come into being in Lebanon? 1982

Subject: History, Other History, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History, World History
Tags: Quiztory, The Answer Sheet

Test your students’ knowledge of the notable events covered in findingDulcinea’s “On This Day” column this week with the Quiztory—a quiz on important events in history. A new Quiztory will run every Friday.

1. How many sections was Palestine divided into following the United Nation’s General Assembly vote in 1947?

2. In 2002, Congress passed which piece of legislation in response to the scandals at Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and other companies?

3. When was the Eurotunnel completed?

4. Which deputy prime minister led the assault on British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s leadership?

5. When did Hezbollah come into being in Lebanon?

What’s Coming Up?

Next week, “On This Day” will take a look at the start of the California Gold Rush, the deadly 1969 Altamont concert and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We’ll also examine the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the election of Lech Walesa in Poland, the U.N.’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the abdication of King Edward VIII.

Subject: History, Other History, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History, World History
Tags: Quiztory

Although forest kindergartens—kindergartens that require students to spend several hours outdoors each day—are common in Austria, Germany and Scandinavia, the concept is a new one in the United States.

The Waldorf School, a private school in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has taken the concept to heart, and opened a forest kindergarten in September. According to Liz Leyden, writing for The New York Times, the school requires students to spend three hours outside every day and focuses on nature-based, outdoor education. Students plant gardens, study animals and insects, and enjoy the fresh air. Sigrid D’Aleo, a teacher at the school, says the students have improved their motor skill development and social skills through “more imaginative play,” Leyden reports.

Play-Based Learning

Play-based learning has been implemented in Norway, Scotland and Australia. The concept makes environmentalism accessible to toddlers, while giving their brains a break from the rigors and monotony of the classroom. Play-based learning also incorporates aspects of the “green” trend. School gardens, for example, give students playtime outdoors, and provide lessons in horticulture and environmentalism.

Outdoor Playtime in Danger

Forest kindergarten is in stark contrast to research reported in May 2008 that showed that U.S. day care programs were not letting children play outside for surprising reasons. The research added to concerns over childhood obesity and inactivity. Researchers from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that children are kept indoors if they are wearing flip flops instead of sneakers, or are not wearing the appropriate clothing or coat for outdoor play.

Subject: Other, Uncategorized
Tags: Sites to Bookmark