September 2011 Issue
August 31, 2011

Short takes: Emergency preparedness tools

Source: NYSUT United

Emergency preparedness tools

Visit http://readyclassroom.discoveryeducation.com/ for information and tools to help students learn about emergency preparedness, which can give them a sense of control and equip them with life skills. The site includes printable emergency plan forms students can take home to use with their family, along with videos on earthquakes, fire drills and how to learn emergency contact numbers. Also find PDFs for teaching the science behind weather, fires and tsunamis, along with bulletin board ideas and puzzles.

Skin is in

Virtual poison ivy? Piercing infections? Visit http://www.kidsskinhealth.org/, an interactive website from the American Academy of Dermatology. Kids can find out what happens if they run into poison ivy, forget to apply sunscreen, or don't practice good hygiene. The site contains information for kids ages 8-12 and their parents about healthy habits for skin, hair and nails. It lets kids experience a rash, sunburn and acne virtually — rather than finding out the hard way.

Making nutrition fun

Get free classroom materials, colorful posters, bookmarks, computer games and rich resources about the food pyramid and nutrition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/. Find information about food groups, steps to health, food intake patterns, menus, coloring pages and calories.