The Scout Report -- Volume 23, Number 5

From the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's OpenCourseWare series comes this extensive collection of materials for teaching and learning about mechanical engineering. These materials, which include syllabi, videos, slide presentations, course readings, lecture notes, exams, and more, were developed by MIT faculty for a variety of undergraduate and graduate classes taught at the university. For instance, in Engineering Math: Differential Equations and Linear Algebra visitors can view a series of 80-minute recorded lectures in which Dr. Gilbert Strang explains how to perform first-order and second-order equations. Here, visitors can also follow a link to a series of 55 shorter videos that Strang developed, along with Dr. Cleve Moler, for iTunes University. Meanwhile, in Advanced Fluid Mechanics, visitors can check out extensive class notes, problems sets, and accompanying videos for 11 different units. In total, twelve different courses are offered. Visitors may choose to browse individual courses for materials of interests or to download all materials pertaining to a single course as a ZIP file. [MMB]

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Photographs are powerful resources in K-12 classrooms, and can be used to help young learners engage with unfamiliar subjects and time periods, participate in critical discussions, and build their inference skills. Annenberg Learner offers a number of resources, developed by a group of photography and educational experts, for incorporating photographs into middle and high school social studies, language arts, or science classrooms. At the heart of this website are eleven curated collections of photographs relating to a number of themes, which instructors can find under the Collections tab. These themes include Change and Resistance: Civil Rights Movements Across the Nation; Genetics and Bioengineering: the Societal Impact of Mutations; and Immigration, Urbanization, and Identity: The Progressive Era Cities. Each of these collections is accompanied by a number of Learning Objectives, Essential Questions, and Learning Activities. In addition, this website features five videos designed to help instructors integrate photographs into their curriculum and a guide ("Focus In") of how teachers might model photograph analysis to young learners. [MMB]

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Developed by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, in collaboration with a number of educational experts from top universities around the U.S., Math, Science & Music is a remarkable collection of educational resources designed to engage learners of all ages with math, science, music, and the areas where these three disciplines intersect. As of this writing, this collection contains 10 teacher toolkits. In one toolkit, Music Cognition, visitors will find a series of video lectures about the links between music, psychology, and neuroscience. These lectures are led by jazz composer and Harvard Professor Vijay Iyer and neuroscientist Ed Large and could be incorporated into a number of high school and college classrooms. Another toolkit, Making Music Count, includes interactive lesson plans and classroom activities designed to help elementary and middle school students explore beats, ratios, and patterns in music. Additionally, Scratch Jazz is an interactive program that enables users to compose their own jazz tunes while learning coding skills. While these resources are aimed at educators, they will also appeal to any curious member of the general public. The highly interactive nature of these resources make them ideal for youth centers, museums, libraries, and other out-of-school learning environments. [MMB]

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The Florida Humanities Council offers a number of resources for teaching the rich, multifaceted history of the Sunshine State. While designed for Florida history teachers (along with "life-long learners and anyone interested in learning about Florida's history and heritage"), these resources center on a number of issues - including colonialism, slavery, and the Civil War - central to the history of the United States as a whole. In the Units section of this website, visitors will find two collections of scholarly essays. One collection addresses the Civil War in Florida, "the smallest tadpole in the dirty pool of secession." The other collection is about Spanish Colonial Florida. These essays are accompanied by primary documents, videos, and lesson plans. Meanwhile, in the Resources section of this website, visitors will find a collection of reliable resource lists about videos, books, and websites related to Spanish St. Augustine and the Civil Rights Movement in St. Augustine. [MMB]

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What is a globular protein? How did eighteenth century theologian Joseph Priestley contribute to the the field of chemistry? How are disposable diapers made, and what impact do they have on the environment? Readers can learn the answers to all of these questions and more via Chemistry Explained, an interactive encyclopedia of all things chemistry. Created by Advameg, a U.S. company that primarily develops reference websites, Chemistry Explained is organized alphabetically and features explanations of chemical compounds, genetic science terms, environmental science issues, and more. In addition, Chemistry Explained features a separate encyclopedia of chemical elements, providing diagrams and extensive information about each element's discovery, uses, ions, health effects, and more. This website provides a welcome resource for any science classroom as it enables learners to independently locate accessible and concise explanations while working on research or laboratory projects. Chemistry Explained also provides a useful study guide for students to use outside of the classroom and several resources to aid members of the general public in their understanding of new scientific developments and research. [MMB]

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Anna and Laura Tirocchi were two sisters who founded a successful dressmaking business in Providence, Rhode Island during the early twentieth century. The Tirocchi sisters distinguished themselves from other dressmakers by creating customized, ornate gowns from fabrics brought in from New York City and Europe. The Tirocchi Dressmakers Shop continued to operate until 1947, adapting their inventory and business practices as fashion styles changed and ready-made clothing appeared on the market. On this extensive website, created by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), visitors can learn more about the Tirocchi sisters, their shop, their employees (who were all primarily working-class Italian immigrants), and their customers (who represented Providence's elite classes). In addition, visitors can explore the evolution of fashion throughout the early twentieth century. Perhaps the highlight of this website is its Image Archive, where visitors can explore photographs, fashion illustrations, fabrics, and business cards. The Essays, authored by a variety of scholars, are also worth a look as they shine light on the history of fashion. Instructors can check out a handful of classroom activities and curricular ideas related to the collection in the For Teachers section. [MMB]

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Math drills are often used in classrooms to test for speed and accuracy in addition, subtraction, and multiplication. For educators and parents looking for a seemingly unlimited store of math drills, this website houses over 50,000 free math worksheets on a variety of topics. Users will find Algebra Worksheets, Patterning Worksheets, Powers of Ten Worksheets, and everything in between. Each topic features numerous subtopics and related sections to use once students advance to the next step. The Money Worksheets may be of special interest for international readers, as drills use American, Canadian, Australian, and other forms of currency. Worksheets may be printed, downloaded, or saved for future use, and many come with large-print options. The Most Popular Math Worksheets this Week are featured on the site's homepage. A Math-Drills.com Newsletter is also available and offers a great way for instructors to stay up-to-date on new worksheets and other math-related news. [CDR]

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Insects make up the most numerous and diverse forms of life on Earth. While not the most cuddly of creatures, they are essential to nearly every terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. For more than 125 years, the Entomological Society of America (ESA) has served the professional and scientific needs of those interested in insects and their impact on the world's populations. Here readers will find the official blog of the ESA, Entomology Today. Insect-related discoveries, news, and events are shared across three sections: Featured Articles, Insects in the News, and Entomology News. Readers will also find a link to the official website of the ESA as well as a listing of Entomology Job Opportunities. The material here will be of interest to anyone, from students to researchers to hobbyists. [CDR]

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This interactive map from NASA allows users to explore the geographic intricacies of Mars from the comfort of their computer. Visitors may explore Mars from both two- and three-dimensional perspectives, zoom in on areas of interest, or search for specific landmarks by name or by longitude and latitude. Those less familiar with the Red Planet may want to start by exploring Bookmarks, where nine spots of interest are highlighted. Bookmarks include Major Features (which includes major volcanic regions and valles on the planet); the landing site of the Curiosity Rover; and the path that fictional astronaut Mark Watney traveled in the novel (and movie), The Martian. These landmarks are accompanied by short descriptions. Meanwhile, the My Data tool allows users to overlay a variety of NASA data sets on the map. This website works best on Google Chrome 18.0+ or Firefox 40.0+. [MMB]

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Fans of stories with fantastical elements - from the Old English epic poem Beowulf to the Harry Potter series - will love this online exhibition from the University of Oxford's Bodleian Libraries. Here, visitors can explore items related to a number of classic works of magic and fantasy. For example, fans of the King Arthur legend can check out Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts related to the tale alongside a handwritten poem by author Susan Cooper, who authored the Dark is Rising sequence based on Arthurian legend. Meanwhile, those who have read Jorge Luis Borges's short story, "The Library of Babel," may appreciate items in the small exhibit, The Universe (Which Others Call the Library). This series highlights four rare and fantastical items in the Bodleian Libraries, including a 1492 Runic calendar. In Pure Northernness, lovers of C.S. Lewis's the Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe can explore other texts and images that portray the northern pole as a magical place. As a whole, this collection is delightful to browse while revealing a great deal about the history of fantasy literature. [MMB]

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Stuart Davis was an American modernist painter who created colorful, abstract still-life and landscape paintings from the 1920s until his death in 1964. Davis, whose famous works include Swing Landscape, Report from Rockport, and Owh! In San Pao, was greatly influenced by Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri Matisse. In 2016, the National Gallery of Art and the Whitney Museum teamed up to create the exhibition Stuart Davis: In Full Swing, which will travel to a variety of museums through January 2018. For those unable to check out the in situ exhibit, the National Gallery of Art has created this website. Here, visitors can view nineteen of Davis's paintings and watch a 30-minute documentary film about the influential artist and his work, featuring interviews with art history scholars along with archival footage. [MMB]

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On this YouTube channel, viewers will find films, videos, and audio materials from the Wellcome Library's Moving Image and Sound Collection. These health and welfare relating videos include a variety of educational films, news releases, and television announcements from throughout the twentieth century. Many of these films were produced by hospitals and public health organizations (such as the British Medical Association) with the intention of spreading information about public health issues and personal health care to medical students as well as members of the general public. This collection is perhaps best browsed via the Playlists, which include A Century of Health on Film, Anaesthesia, First Aid, and Public Health Propaganda By Bermondsey Borough Council. (The Bermondsey Borough Council produced a number of propaganda films between 1925 and 1937 with titles including "Health and Clothing" and "Where There's Life There's Soap.") This collection reveals a great deal about the evolving history of medical practices, medical discoveries, and popular attitudes towards health in Great Britain. [MMB]

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The Cold War Museum of Vint Hill, Virginia provides a number of online resources relating to various aspects of the Cold War from around the world, including photographs, posters, oral histories, and short informative essays. Visitors can best experience the site by perusing a series of Exhibits or by exploring an interactive timeline, organized by decade. One of these exhibits is Cold War Stories, an extensive collection of personal histories, military histories, spy stories, and more. Some of these stories have been contributed to the museum by volunteers; others are available via links to outside websites. Meanwhile, the Berlin Wall exhibit features a number of powerful photographs of the wall and Checkpoint Charlie. Meanwhile, the Timeline provides a helpful overview of central figures and events in the Cold War. [MMB]

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Hosted by novelist Brad Listi, Otherppl is a podcast featuring lengthy interviews with creative writers of all stripes, including novelists, poets, and screenwriters. Listi's podcast employs a distinct, informal style throughout his interviews, which each last over an hour. Listi's guests include well-established writers in addition to emerging writers and authors. Recent episodes feature interviews with essayist and short story writer Roxane Gay, novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen (author of The Sympathizer and, most recently, The Refugees), and Hanya Yanagihara (author of A Little Life). On this website, visitors can listen to the most recent 50 episodes free of charge. Listeners can also download a free application to listen to episodes on their iOS or Android devices. Those interested in exploring the complete archive of Otherppl - featuring over 450 episodes as of this writing - can do so by purchasing a premium subscription. [MMB]

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The Stearns & Foster Company began making Mountain Mist, a brand of cotton batting, in the mid nineteenth century. In 1929, the company decided to provide a free quilt pattern on their wrappings as a way to attract new customers. Recently, the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln created this online exhibition, Inside the Wrapper: The True Tales of the Mountain Mist Quilt Patterns. Here, visitors can view over 20 quilt patterns and learn more about how the Stearns & Foster Company marketed their products throughout the twentieth century. Among the quilts featured in the exhibition are an 1870 quilt pattern that likely inspired many of the Mountain Mist designs; two 1936 patterns based on the nursery rhyme, Jack and Jill; and a 1943 pattern called "Wings Over All," created in honor of those serving in the military. This exhibition also features the Famous Women Friendship Quilt, the winning entry of a 1978 contest calling for a quilt "showing your choice of famous women and/or her accomplishments." [MMB]

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This digital exhibit from the National Agricultural Library highlights the work of the USDA Bureau of Home Economics, which was in existence from 1923 to 1962. Readers will also find a bit of pre-history of the Bureau, beginning with the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 that established a system of cooperative extension offices connected to land grant universities as a way to improve agricultural practices and technologies. The Bureau of Home Economics was the first major unit of the federal government to be headed by a woman: Louise Stanley. Stanley was bureau chief from 1923 to 1943, succeeded in 1943 by nutrition researcher Henry Clapp Sherman as the Bureau's name was changed to the Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics. This change reflected a more intense focus on nutrition as part of the war effort. In 1944, Hazel Katherine Stiebeling, a home economist and nutrition researcher, became chief. This exhibition is comprised of five exhibits that reflect the work of the Bureau and highlight its publications. For example, see Sewing and Pattern Design for an assortment of women's work clothes patterns, including many aprons designs. There is also an accompanying timeline. [DS]

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Designers and lovers of typography will want to check out Google Fonts, a service that aims to improve the visual richness and aesthetic appeal of web design through font. First launched in 2010, Google Fonts is essentially a library of free fonts that have been optimized for web use. The site opens to the Directory, where users may browse the collection of over 800 font families. Fonts of interest may then be previewed and customized. For instance, users can change the background color of the site to explore how fonts will look with different color pairings. Once a font is selected, users may copy and paste the generated code into their webpage. Users less familiar with adding fonts to webpages may find the Getting Started Guide helpful. [CDR]

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Zoho Mail is an online email service that seeks to offer privacy and simplicity. In contrast to most online email services, Zoho is free of advertisements and assures users that it does not scan email texts for key words. The service was created with professional users in mind, offering unlimited storage along with a Zoho Docs and Zoho instant messaging feature. In addition, Zoho arranges email correspondence in a "nested-tree" format, allowing users to read and respond to group conversations with ease. Zoho offers both POP and IMAP access, allowing users to check their email on multiple devices. The most basic version of Zoho, offering limited storage for 25 users, is free; a variety of extensive plans can be purchased for a monthly fee. [MMB]

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