The Scout Report -- Volume 27, Number 9

The Scout Report -- Volume 27, Number 9
March 5, 2021
Volume 27, Number 9

General Interest

Theme: Children's Literature

Tech Tools

Revisited

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General Interest

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STEM Everyday Podcast
Science

Since its launch six years ago, the STEM Everyday podcast has produced nearly 200 episodes packed full of useful resources for STEM educators. Hosted by Chris Woods, a high school math teacher, education presenter, and author, the show "provides practical help for teachers to build a STEM culture," by highlighting knowledge from innovative members of the STEM community. Woods is driven by the principle that "STEM is everywhere," and this comes to life on the show thanks to guests from all backgrounds. The podcast may be particularly useful for educators looking for unique ways to get "non-science" oriented students interested in the vast possibilities that STEM subjects can create. For example, guests explore the STEM principles inherent to esports (Episode 162) and makerspaces (Episode 155). As the makerspaces expert, Liz Gallo, emphasizes: "a good STEM education teacher helps connect making and doing and creating and playing to real content." The show is also special in that it shares expertise from educators at all grade levels, from university professors to kindergarten teachers. Most episodes are approximately 30 minutes, and this brevity, combined with Woods's conversational tone, make STEM Everyday an easy and enjoyable listen. In addition to the link above, readers can tune in on most popular podcast platforms. [EMB]

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Canals
Social studies

Several of the University of Richmond's American Panorama maps have been featured in past issues of the Scout Report. Like its sister projects, Canals combines historical analysis with interactive imagery for a superb user experience. Canals were a vital part of the emergence of American markets, connecting ports and shaping trade channels. These waterways also influenced "American regionalism" by broadening the capacity for geographic areas to connect. On the map, users can choose one of the dozens of canals available. This selection reveals a synopsis of the canal's physical features and location, as well as its economic purpose. Plus, a scrollable map and timeline allow users to better understand the relationships between different canals. The map's data were largely pulled from Jeremy Attack's 19th Century Canals. A full list of sources is available by clicking the "About this Map" link in the top-left corner. Canals was created by several members of Richmond's Digital Scholarship Lab team, including Robert K. Nelson, Scott Nesbit, Edward L. Ayers, Justin Madron, Nathaniel Ayers, and Beaumont Smith. It is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. [EMB]

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Data Visualization Society
Social studies

Data visualization projects serve many purposes: a creative outlet, an information vessel, and often a combination of the two achieved by distilling complex information into fun, digestible infographics. The Scout Report frequently features top data visualizations; perhaps some of these annotations have sparked readers' interest in creating their own project. If so, the Data Visualization Society is a great resource. Currently free to join, the membership site is a one-stop shop for data viz publications, programs, and tools. Plus, there are resources for all experience levels. For example, those new to data visualization may value the Office Hours program (appropriately listed under the Programs tab). Hosted by experienced members, these sessions provide virtual support to those with questions on a specific project or those seeking more general support as they dive into data visualization work. Another wonderful offering is the Fireside Chats series (also under Programs), a Zoom-based meetup covering topics of interest to community members. Recordings of past sessions are also available. Additionally, readers may want to check out the Resources section, which includes a list of relevant books and, for experienced creators with an existing portfolio, a catalog of data visualization awards for which creators can apply. [EMB]

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Museum of disABILITY History: Virtual Museum
Social studies

The Museum of disABILITY History is on a mission to increase "the understanding, acceptance and independence of people with disabilities," and hopes to serve as "a platform for dialogue and discovery." Though the physical location in Buffalo, New York unfortunately closed in December 2020, readers from around the world can explore its exhibits online. Six topics are covered: media, medicine, society, New York, education, and advocacy. Users can simply click on the corresponding banner or link to explore each topic's many exhibits. For example, in the Media Wing, visitors will find a timeline of key publications and performances. In the Education Wing, readers can browse images of relevant people and places. Complementing the virtual museum is the Educational Resources section. Here, instructors will find a wealth of classroom tools that reflect and expand on the museum's exhibits. Lesson plans are created for a variety of ages, from pre-K through high school. The Museum of disABILITY History is connected to People Inc., a non-profit human services agency based in Western New York. In addition to People Inc., the museum received support from the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation. [EMB]

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DailyArt
Arts

DailyArt is an app developed by Zuzanna Stanska, an art historian who heads Moiseum (a company she founded in 2012 to help museums and cultural heritage institutions use technology). Once downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play, users have options to customize DailyArt to use any of its 16 languages and select a time of day (morning, afternoon, or evening) to get notified about content. Then, as the name suggests, users will receive a daily art image accompanied by a story. For example, a recent feature was Boy with a Basket of Fruit, a 16th-century painting by Caravaggio, and the accompanying story detailed the painting's provenance and acquisition. The free version of the app includes ads, and users are prompted frequently to upgrade to have ads removed and unlock more features. Despite this, DailyArt provides bite-size inspiration that is perfect for pandemic life. The app's website also links to the DailyArt Magazine, an online publication with additional art history stories and content. [DS]

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Theme: Children's Literature

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Lee and Low Books: Teacher Guides and Lesson Plans
Language Arts

Publishing books "about everyone, for everyone," Lee and Low Books is doing its part to diversify bookshelves. For the past 30 years, the company has prided itself on "publishing beautiful and authentic diverse books for young readers," but the work does not end there. Lee and Low also curates hundreds of lesson plans to accompany these books. Readers can browse these lessons at the link above, using the search bar to seek out a specific title or checking out one of the lesson collections at the bottom of the page (e.g., the "Trauma-Informed Collection" and "Bilingual Collection"). Lesson plans are available in PDF format and include basic book information (e.g., reading level and themes), a book summary, guiding questions, a vocabulary list, activities, and strategies for multilingual students. Plus, several lessons are accompanied by author interviews. These lesson plans may also be of interest to caregivers, as they include additional resources for inclusive conversations on topics such as gender identity, civil rights, and housing insecurity. Though the lessons are free, book prices and purchase options are listed next to each title for those interested in buying titles or those without access to library copies. [EMB]

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Elementari
Language Arts

Readers hoping to author their own children's literature piece, or to assist the young people in their lives in doing so, may want to explore Elementari. The platform serves as a creative computational outlet that allows anyone to "write and code interactive stories." Users new to the app will want to begin by exploring the options provided under the menu icon (in the top-left corner). In the Stories section, readers can browse existing books for inspiration. Other sections allow readers to browse some of the more than 10,000 illustrations available on the site and sift through the platform's many features. Before diving into one's own project, visitors may also want to check out the Curriculums section. Whether the app is being implemented in a classroom setting or just for fun, these lesson plans guide users through basic elements of both coding and writing. Additionally, readers will need to create and log in to an account to get started on their own creation. A basic plan is free, though users can upgrade to paid subscriptions for advanced features. Readers should note that the menu also has an option to switch between one of the seven available languages. [EMB]

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StoryPlace
Language Arts

Launched in 2000, StoryPlace is an award-winning literacy platform designed by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Though it has been around for a couple of decades, the platform's efforts to virtually recreate the experience of physically going to a library are especially welcome now. Caregivers of preschool age children will delight in the Literacy tools, Preschool Activity Library, and interactive storybooks available on the site. Many of these tools are designed to complement each other. For example, young readers can check out the online story Bananas for Lunch, proceed to the "Count the Bananas" activity, and conclude with the "Paper Bag Monkey Puppet" craft. Additionally, readers can tune in for live storytime events (noted on the Storytime Calendar page as well as highlighted on the home page under Upcoming Storytime Programs). The site and individual stories can be viewed in English and Spanish. StoryPlace is financially supported by Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. [EMB]

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Reading Time
Language Arts

A project of the Children's Book Council of Australia, Reading Time hosts news and reviews from the field of children's literature. On the site, readers will find author Interviews, a wide range of book Reviews, and other topical resources. New content is posted nearly every day, so there is always plenty to explore. The review team, led by editor Trisha Buckley, consists of teachers, librarians, academics, and parents, equally driven by a passion for children's literature. Reviews are geared towards adults who are searching for books for young readers. In addition to sorting content by the various tabs in the menu bar, readers may also want to use the search bar and the Themes and Curriculum word clouds in the top-right corner. Popular themes include family, friendship, and fantasy. A bit lower in that right-hand panel, readers will find a spot to sign up for Reading Time's newsletter. [EMB]

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Exploring Native American Activism and Environmental Justice
Social studies

Librarians or literature teachers looking for a reading activity suitable for remote or hybrid classrooms may enjoy this activity based on We Are Water Protectors. The activity begins with a video of Carole Lindstrom, the book's author, reading the story aloud. Following the video, readers will find a book summary, accompanying lesson plan ideas for grades pre-K-8, and additional resources. Lindstrom, who is "tribally enrolled with the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe," wrote the book to honor Indigenous activists who defend water against pipelines (particularly those at Standing Rock who fought against the Dakota Access Pipeline). The theme of environmental activism makes this lesson particularly suitable with Earth Day just around the corner. Michaela Goade, the book's illustrator, recently received the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal for her stunning illustrations. Goade, a member of the Tlingit and Haida tribes, is the first Native American to win the award for best children's picture story. This lesson plan is available on The Classroom Bookshelf, a children's literature blog hosted by School Library Journal (and featured in its entirety in the 12-14-2018 Scout Report). [EMB]

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Tech Tools

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Mechanical Soup
Science

MechanicalSoup is a Python library that allows programs to interact with websites. Rather than running a full web browser, it combines the Requests library for http sessions and the BeautifulSoup library for HTML document parsing. This approach consumes fewer resources than a full browser would and does not require the installation of additional external tools. However, it also lacks a Javascript environment; so, sites that require Javascript to function will not work. The MechanicalSoup tutorial presents two examples of automated interactions with websites. In the first example, data is posted to a demo online order form. In the second example, MechanicalSoup logs in to GitHub and views the list of commits against a specified project. Several additional examples are available in the MechanicalSoup GitHub repository. The MechanicalSoup documentation also provides a detailed reference to the API. The FAQ provides some information on use cases for which MecahnicalSoup is well suited, along with links to other tools that may be more appropriate for other use cases. MechanicalSoup requires Python to run and can be installed via the Python pip tool. [CRH]

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TortoiseHg
Science

TortoiseHg is a graphical frontend for the Mercurial distributed revision control system. It integrates with the system's file browser and provides context menu entries to manipulate files/folders under revision control. For example, users can right click on a managed folder and select context menu entries to pull new changes from upstream sources, commit their local modifications, push their changes upstream, and more. Using Mercurial's 'foreign VCS system' integrations, users can interact not just with Mercurial repositories, but also Perforce, Subversion, and Git repositories as well. The Quick Start Guide in the documentation provides a brief primer to get users up and running while the TortoiseHg in daily use section presents a detailed reference for common operations. In the Downloads section of the site, users can locate installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. [CRH]

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Revisited

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Storyline Online
Language Arts

Readers may remember Storyline Online from the 05-08-2020 Scout Report. The site continues to serve as a wonderful resource for librarians, educators, and caregivers, and as readers return to the site, they may want to check out the special collections highlighted on the home page (including a collection to "Celebrate Black stories and Black voices,").

Providing a sweet story for the kids in your life and a sweet break for the caregivers, Storytime Online is a win-win. A project of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, this award-winning site offers just what one would expect from the title: a virtual storytelling experience. The site curates videos of celebrities reading famous children's books, accompanied by animations that bring the books to life. For example, viewers can enjoy comedian Sarah Silverman reading A Tale of Two Beasts (a story about unlikely friendships and differing perspectives), and actor Chris Pine reading Clark the Shark (a story about a joyful fish who uses clever rhymes to control his enthusiasm). Stories are selected for all elementary school age levels (and tagged with the appropriate age level in the description). In addition to the animated videos, stories are accompanied by an activity guide that expands on themes presented in the books. On the All Books page, visitors can sort through the abundance of stories and filter by author, reader, title, or run time (most are under 10 minutes). While the whole site is widely and globally visited each year, the stories are an especially excellent resource for families looking to keep children entertained while sheltering in place. [EMB]

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