Thursday, December 06, 2007

Upcoming Events at HPL Date Description Dec 6 6:00 pm Friends of HPL Holiday Dinner Hackley Public Library. Dec 8 11:30 am - 5:00 pm Heritage Home Tour Torrent House. Dec 8 2:00 pm Holiday Storytime Hackley Public Library, Youth Services Department. For more information call 231-722-7276 x 230. Dec 18 5:30 - 7:00 pm HPL Board Meeting Hackley Public Library, Julia Hackley Room. Dec 18 6:00 - 7:30 pm Computer Class: Ebay Hackley Public Library. Advanced registration is required and starts on Dec 1. To register call 231-722-7276. Dec 19 8:00 - 9:30 am Computer Class: Ebay Hackley Public Library. Advanced registration is required and starts on Dec 1. To register call 231-722-7276. 4:45:02 PM     New Links on our web for the week of December 6, 2007 Leisure Coalition for Airline Passengers Bill of Rights "This group that promotes legal rights for airplane passengers (with an emphasis on rules for airlines when flights are delayed or canceled) was "formed by hundreds of passengers who were stranded on several American Airlines planes for up to 9 hours at Austin International Airport, December 2006." Includes a list of rights, links to federal legislation introduced on this topic, a discussion forum, and a summary of general complaints about airlines." (LII) 3-1-1 for Carry-ons "Background about this Transportation Security Administration (TSA) campaign to remind airline travelers of the liquid and gel carry-on luggage requirements: "3 ounce bottle or less (by volume); 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin." Includes downloadable promotional materials (in several languages), tips, and links to related information. From the TSA." (LII) Science Down to Earth Astronomy "Created by the Space Telescope Science Institute, this website provides access to fun and engaging learning activities about astronomy, all of which live up to the website's name. The Institute also happens to oversee the grant administration, planning, scheduling, and public outreach activities for the Hubble Space Telescope, so it makes sense that they would have some rather nice materials. While the site has a number of useful areas, perhaps the strongest element of the site is the "Amazing Space" section. Here, visitors can learn about the inner workings of telescopes, read their in-house publication "The Star Witness", and take in sights of black holes, comets, galaxies, and gravity at work. Educators should not overlook the "Teaching Tools" area of the site, as they will want to look through their classroom activities, graphic organizers, and reading guides." (SR) Teacher Resources Science Animations "The use of a well-placed animation in a lecture can help illuminate any number of important concepts in the sciences. Educators seeking high-quality animations need look no further than this very useful site created by staff members at North Harris Community College. The animations are divided into a number of topics, including plants, ecology, astronomy, geology, anatomy, and biology. Each section contains links to a host of fascinating and helpful animations from institutions like Florida State University, Cambridge University Press, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Alberta. As a note, the astronomy and physics areas are particularly strong, and visitors would do well to take a look at the lunar and planetary time-lapse animations offered up by António Cidadão." (SR) Algebra & Trigonometry "From polynomials to rational expressions, the world of algebra can be a befuddling place. Of course, trigonometry presents certain challenges as well, what with its sine graphs and inverse functions. Students and teachers of these subjects need fear no longer, as this site offers a guide for smooth sailing through all of these thorny matters. These mathematics resources were designed to complement a textbook authored by Robert Blitzer, and they include a number of interactive quizzes and tests. The materials on the site cover topics like exponents, matrices, and conic sections. Some of the materials are meant to be used as stand-alone educational materials, although visitors should note that some require the actual textbook." 1:04:46 PM

© Copyright 2008 Jocelyn Shaw. Last update: 11/18/2008; 2:39:02 PM. Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien