WebliminalBlog

Some items from the current Scout Report. See all the items in this issue in  Scout Report of October 2, 2015.

• Encyclopedia Virginia

  ·http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org

  For educators teaching the history of the early United States and the history of Virginia, Encyclopedia Virginia is a cornucopia of primary sources, as well as commentaries, blog posts, and other information. Readers may want to begin with the featured resources on the landing page, such as the history of Indians in Virginia, and an article about the United States Colored Troops (USCT), an African American branch of the U.S. Army that was founded in 1863. The A-Z Index of the encyclopedia allows for easy browsing. For instance, selecting “H” reveals an entry on Thomas Hariot which then links to his book, A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia, and offers valuable perspective on the work and its context. Readers may also enjoy the Blog on the site, which boasts many erudite entries on topics such as whether the U.S. Constitution was a racist document. [CNH]

• Yummy Math

  ·http://www.yummymath.com

  For educators who are continually looking for up-to-date, real-world examples of how mathematics impacts daily life, Yummy Math is a welcome ally. In fact, every article on the site seeks to link math to what is “relevant to our world today.” For instance, a recent article presented some of the math-related possibilities for the upcoming release of the new iPhone 6S and 6S plus, suggesting that students explore past iPhone launch sales data in order to predict sales for the new model using bar graphs and scatter plots. Educators can scout the site by Genres (Holidays and Annual Events, Math and Food, Math and Science, Math and Social Studies, and others), as well as by grade level. While all activities are freely accessible, some educators may select to sign up for a membership, which provides extra services, such as solutions to activities, access to a wider variety of resources, and access to teaching tips.[CNH]

• KeepVid

  ·http://keepvid.com/

  The premise of KeepVid could not be simpler. Just copy and paste a link from YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, DailyMotion, and other supported sites and select Download. The program then downloads the video or audio onto the user’s computer free of charge. While KeepVid is safe and legal, readers will want to be careful about how they use their downloaded content. For instance, downloading the latest Taylor Swift video to one’s computer is legal. However, using that video for profit or any public purpose is usually a violation of copywrite laws. Nevertheless, for readers who would like to download their favorite videos from YouTube and other sites, KeepVid is an excellent resource. [CNH]