Air Quality & Fire Interactive Maps
Interested in tracking the status of wildfires and air quality?
Smoke. An EPA Air Quality Index map: fire.airnow.gov/# . Click on a monitoring station dot to see the history of the Air Quality Index for that location. Some say PurpleAir is better than AirNow for Air Quality Index data. A PurpleAir air quality map: https://www.purpleair.com/map?opt=1/m/i/mAQI/a10/cC0#1/25/-30
Smoke and Wind. A really fun dynamic map, "Windy.com",
shows wind and smoke, and more. At the upper right, you can zoom in or
out with plus and minus buttons. On the right side of the screen, you
can choose the parameters you are interested in. For smoke, select
"PM2.5". The color scales are presented at the lower right. https://www.windy.com/-Show---add-more-layers/overlays?cams,pm2p5,41.971,-60.996,3
Smoke Forecast. A dynamic fire smoke forecast map: https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/
Zip Code. Retrieve your Air Quality Index by entering your zip code: airnow.gov .
Historical data.gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?xmin=-
Fires. A map and data about specific fires: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Newsletters
Read The Second Thought Tools Timpani Newsletter - August 2020 - for stimulating book and movie recommendations, ideas for science
activities at home, and the two poems that tied for first place in the
Thought Tools Timpani Poetry Competition.
Science at Home
Backyard Brains: Neuroscience for Everyone. Online
resources for coming up with experiments you can do on your own or in a
classroom. Sign up for a free newsletter. Targeting 5th grade and
up. https://backyardbrains.com/
Girls Scouts engage SciStarter as citizen scientists. https://scistarter.com/girlscouts/girl/landing
Try solar cooking!
https://thoughttoolstimpani.blogspot.com/2020/08/solar-cooking.html
Experiment with The Science of Happiness podcasts. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts
Online Learning and Educational Tools & Services
"Just Have A Think" is a set of YouTube videos. "This channel seeks to understand the issues that face our civilization in the 21st Century and focuses on the potential solutions that will save as many lives as possible and hopefully bring about a greater level of equality in the world."
Created by Dave Borlace: "Born 1969. BSc Hons. degree in Technology from the Open University in the UK. Working full time as a Project Manager in London as well as spending 20 to 30 hours a week researching and producing these videos."
https://www.youtube.com/c/JustHaveaThink/aboutSometimes a Point of View is Itself a Tool. Is Science Natural to Young Children?
"In Koppelman’s view, children are born with all the traits of a good
scientist: They are curious, eager to investigate their surroundings,
and happy to experiment." How
can we help children to build on their natural tendencies? - The Atlantic Monthly, September, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2020/09/what-makes-blissfield-elementarys-science-lab-unique/616285/
Conflict Resolution and International Peace
The United Nations offers online masters degrees in a wide range of topics,
including conflict resolution and peace studies. Here, for example, is
one:
https://unitar.org/courses-learning-events/individual-learners/master-degree-related-qualifications/master-conflict-peace-and-security-and-related-qualifications
Entomology & Emotional Learning - Tools for Teachers and Parents
For Teachers: A full curriculum, called "Different: Emotional Learning
Using Arthropods", costs $99 per teacher and includes 10 videos,
accompanying lessons, a tech project, and an assessment tool. https://thebugchicks.com/product-list/different-sel-curriculum
For Parents: Hour-long teaching videos appropriate for all ages, but
"perfect for for K-6", can be purchased individually or as a series for
$5 each. These may be well suited to parents teaching and entertaining
their children (and themselves) at home during the pandemic. https://thebugchicks.com/bugdork-university
For Anyone: Twitter account @TheBugChicks offers up to date
information on such things as international insect-sighting competitions,
or you can sign up directly for their emails.
Reddick and Honaker have MS degrees from Texas A&M, and one has
taught this topic at the university level. They can be hired to
provide services directly to schools. https://thebugchicks.com/hire-us
Tutoring
Would you like to tutor high school students in math or science online?
"UPchieve is a free, online platform that connects low-income high school students in the US with live, volunteer coaches (that’s you!) any time they need it. Our volunteer experience was designed to be ultra-flexible because we believe it should be easy for awesome people like you to help students succeed. You can help students from anywhere with an internet connection: whether that be from your desk at work or from the comfort of your couch!" https://upchieve.org/volunteer/
Self-Guided Study of Math At Home Through Books
For self-motivated high school and college students, the Schaums
Outline Series offers an opportunity to make progress in math,
engineering or science during the pandemic. Each volume presents
concise summary of subject-matter followed by related problems and
solutions, subtopic by subtopic. Flex your mental muscles. Make
progress. Available on a wide range of topics.
Cybersecurity for Kids
A website that educates students in grades 3 - 8 on cybersecurity using a gaming format. Example, for fourth graders: https://sos.fbi.gov/en/fourth-grade.html
Storytelling From Around The World
From WBUR Radio: Folktales from around the world in radio plays for kids ages 4
to 10. Each 10- to 20-minute episode explores important issues and ends
with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children
and grown-ups. wbur.org/circleround
Black Lives Matter
Jennifer Eberhardt,
a Stanford University professor of psychology, applies the rigor of
academic research to objective measurement of subconscious racial bias
and its effect on human behavior.
She has dedicated much of her career to working with police forces to
reduce the destructive force of unconscious bias. As a result of the
work she and her team did in Oakland police, racial profiling dropped
75% and
stops involving black drivers dropped 43%.
Eberhardt's superb book, Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, Do, teaches us the horrible effects of unconscious bias and describes some of the work that can be done to change us for the better. Published March, 2020. https://www.amazon.com/Biased-Uncovering-Hidden-Prejudice-Shapes/dp/0735224951/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FH58R9ZM0CKU&dchild=1&keywords=biased+jennifer+eberhardt&qid=1598706822&sprefix=biased%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-1
The Bias Detective; Psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt explores the roots of unconscious bias--and its tragic consequences for U.S. society - Science Magazine article written by Douglas Starr, 3/27/2020.
San Francisco Bay Chronicle, 11/16/2019. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/To-curb-racial-bias-Oakland-police-are-pulling-14839567.php
History: The Police Bill of Rights passed in Maryland in the 1970s then spread to other states.
- The Washington Post, August 29, 2020.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/08/29/police-bill-of-rights-officers-discipline-maryland/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most
"50 Books that Every Black Teen Should Read". - NewsOne, 9/6/2020. https://newsone.com/playlist/50-books-every-black-teen-should-read/item/2/
Black Women in Science: A Black History Book for Kids by Kimberly Brown Pelllum, Phd, 2019.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1641527072/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TVzvFbHM1NKBH
Economic Stimulus
How to Become A Contact Tracer; One of the Fastest Growing Jobs In the United States
CNBC, June 2, 2020
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/02/how-to-become-a-contact-tracer-one-of-the-fastest-growing-jobs-in-us.html
Covid-19
Vaccines. One man's account of his work to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.
Includes a detailed description of the process. - Newsweek,
9/15/2020. https://www.newsweek.com/im-working-covid19-vaccine-1530610?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1600165750
Back to School.
Some universities are trying to reopen this fall with on-campus
in-person presence and social distancing. A few are rapidly
reconsidering. The University of North Carolina is one.
- Business Insider 8/24/2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-unc-went-from-leading-college-reopening-to-shutting-down-in-a-week-2020-8?op=1
- The University of North Carolina Covid-19 data: https://carolinatogether.unc.edu/dashboard/
Successful Pooled Testing Combined with Individual Testing - The
University of Arizona tests sewer for successful early warning detection
and action via Covid-19 testing. CBSNews, 8/31/2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/coronavirus-sewage-wastewater-test-university-arizona-campus/#x
Preparation in Case US Pursues Challenge-Testing. "U.S. government scientists have begun efforts to manufacture a strain of
the novel coronavirus that could be used in human challenge trials of
vaccines"
- Reuters, 8/14/2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-challenge/exclusive-u-s-to-make-coronavirus-strain-for-possible-human-challenge-trials-idUSKCN25A1EL
The Challenges of Challenge Testing. https://thoughttoolstimpani.blogspot.com/2020/06/covid-19-challenge-testing-ethical.html
A new strain of CV19 in Malaysia may be more infectious.
- Bloomberg, 8/17/2020. <a
href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-17/malaysia-detects-virus-strain-that-s-10-times-more-infectious"><br
/>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-17/malaysia-detects-virus-strain-that-s-10-times-more-infectious</a>
New CDC test guidelines weaken recommendation for testing asymptomatic
people who have been in close contact with someone with Covid-19.
Experts worry this will weaken contact tracing.
- The Phily Voice, 8/26/2020. https://www.phillyvoice.com/cdc-new-covid-19-testing-guidelines-asymptomatic-cases-health-experts-criticism/
Simplified Tests. Self-administered oral swab tests for Covid-19 are being administered in Berkeley. https://abc7news.com/coronavirus-test-covid-testing-berkeley-oral-fluid-19-self/6340567/
Vaccines. US
Congressmen obtaining vaccine information as part of their work on
congressional committees own stock in the same companies. Insider
trading? Conflict of interest?
- Stat News, 7/20/2020.
https://www.statnews.com/2020/07/20/three-lawmakers-own-large-sums-of-stock-in-vaccine-makers-set-to-testify-before-their-committee/?utm_campaign=stat_plus_today&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=91696135&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ivHsDrKf8W9sGBDgzOB9mjJtibIv_9czpNeWtwB5hsIj2A0h8dnru-eSGOFdq3wiHCOBgE8sPtNSbosUKqqDPtQ8NJw&utm_content=91696135&utm_source=hs_email
Establishing Priorities. - The Atlantic Monthly, 7/27/2020.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/scourge-hygiene-theater/614599/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20200727&silverid-ref=NjQzMDcyMzQxMDE0S0
US FDA Industry Guidelines. Development and Licensure of Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19
Guidance for Industry
June 2020
https://www.fda.gov/media/139638/download
History of Epidemics. A Yale history course free on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3AE7B3B6917DE8E6
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