Timely Take-aways: Medicine and Medical History

Timely Take-aways for Life-long Learners: Medicine and Medical History

From natural remedies and inoculations to surgical practices, several new works of nonfiction explore the history of medicine and its impact around the world.

Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery
Ira Rutkow, Mar 2022, Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: Medical, History

Tracing the fascinating story of surgery through global history, EMPIRE OF THE SCALPEL shares the key people and breakthroughs that established the foundations for today’s life-saving medical practices.

Take-aways: Educators will find useful examples of how the science of surgery evolved over time. Use these people and practices to demonstrate the importance of ongoing research and perseverance. 

The Empress and the English Doctor
Lucy Ward, Jun 2022, Oneworld Publications, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: History, 18th century, Medical

THE EMPRESS AND THE ENGLISH DOCTOR is a fast-paced, nonfiction narrative telling the story of Catherine the Great’s quest to inoculate the masses against smallpox. Rather than focusing on the science itself, the true story explores the challenges of preventative health care in the 18th century.

Take-aways: Use this story as an example of the importance of political leadership in promoting science. 

The Physick Garden: Ancient Cures for Modern Maladies
Alice Smith, April 2022, Frances Lincoln, an imprint of Quarto Group
Themes: Medical, Natural Remedies, Herbs, History

THE PHYSICK GARDEN shares information about 80 plants used in natural remedies and alternative medicine. Each two-page spread explores a plant, its medicinal uses, along with both ancient tales and modern research about its use in healing.

Take-aways: This book provides a fascinating interdisciplinary approach to medicinal plants. Use it to identify engaging examples that connect science and history topics.

Healing a Divided Nation: 
How the American Civil War Revolutionized Western Medicine
Carole Adrienne, August 2022, Pegasus Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: History, United States, Civil War period, Medical

HEALING A DIVIDED NATION examines the revolutionary advances made in medical science during the Civil War. These innovations transformed healthcare along with a wide range of related areas from education and culture to technology.

Take-aways: The long term impact of the medical advances during the Civil War era are found across disciplines. Demonstrate the key connections between science and history.

Heroes and Scoundrels
Moira Dolan, August 2022, Quill Driver Books, an imprint of Ingram Publisher Services
Themes: Biography, History, Science, Medicine

Part of the Boneheads and Brainiacs series, HEROES AND SCOUNDRELS explores both honest and dishonest medical researchers (1951-1975) connected with the Nobel Prize.

Take-aways: Reflect on both the positive and negative decisions made for medical progress.

Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb

Website: Data Nuggets

DATA NUGGETS is a science project that provides free classroom activities that combine contemporary research and authentic data.

Available for all grade levels, users can search for a data nugget, make a data nugget, or explore educator and scientist resources.

Users can search for topics by keyword, title, level, or location. Each topic includes a teacher’s guide, student activities, and a grading rubric. Many of the science projects include videos, images, and resources for further reading.

Librarians will find this to be a useful website in promoting citizen science. Think about how data nugget projects could be woven into an activity center or whole-school thematic unit.

To visit the website, go to http://datanuggets.org/.

Website Review: Teaching with Primary Sources

TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES from Thinkport Education contains a collection of inquiry kits.

This project contains almost a dozen social studies and history units using materials from the Library of Congress. The topics range from early American colonies to modern times. Each theme focuses on a question and includes a series of lessons and primary source documents.

Librarians will find this resource to be useful in teaching both inquiry and the use of primary source materials. In addition to the kits, be sure to check out the research learning modules and the additional resources.

To visit the website, go to http://www.thinkport.org/tps/.

Website Review: Science Updates

SCIENCE UPDATES from ScienceNetLinks are student-friendly 60-second audio programs focusing on current science research.

Sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, each science topic contains a 60-second audio clip, transcript, and image. The page also explores ways to make sense of the scientific research. Each topic concludes with a list of questions, links to the original research, and related topics of interest. The resource also provides the grade level focus, theme, benchmarks and standards associated with the topic. An For Educators section contains links to lesson plans and activity ideas.

Librarians will find that these concise pages are an excellent way to address information literacy standards related to audio literacy and informational reading comprehension. With dozens of topics to explore, each student could investigate their own topic making this resource an excellent jumping off spot for inquiry-based learning projects.

To visit the website, go to http://sciencenetlinks.com/science-news/science-updates/.

Technology Review: Radio Lab

RADIO LAB is a website and app containing engaging podcasts on topics related to science, philosophy, and the human experience.

Although these audio programs can be heard on the radio, users are increasingly accessing the content through the program website. The resource is divided into three sections: listen, read, and watch.

The Listen section provides access to the latest podcasts along with a link to the Episode Archive. For each hour-long episode, users can view an image and read an overview of the program. Users can also explore recommended links to extend the experience. The podcast page provides options to listen online, add the episode to a playlist, download the program, embed the program, or make comments. Related podcasts are also suggested.

The Read section provides a blog focusing on recent episodes. These short articles often include images, video clips, and web links to extend the experience.

The Watch section features interesting and sometimes amazing videos along with articles that discuss the topic.

The app allows users to listen to the podcasts, read the show blogs, and access the same content as the website.

Although the programs are aimed at a general audience, they contain information of interest to older children and young adults. A wide range of topics are available from sports and politics to environmental and social issues.

Librarians will find this website an excellent tool for promoting auditory literacy and supporting informational reading activities. The short programs would be an effective way to kick off a research project. Ask students to listen or read a program, write research questions, and conduct their own inquiry using the program as a starting point.

Use the podcasts with student researchers who have reading challenges. Audio can also be an excellent format for other youth with special needs.

To visit the website, go to http://www.radiolab.org/
To download the app, go to http://www.radiolab.org/mobile/.

App Review: Space Station Research Explorer

The SPACE STATION RESEARCH EXPLORER app from NASA involves youth in exploring the array of scientific experiments being conducted on the International Space Station.

Designed for young adults and adults, the app discusses the results and benefits of research in microgravity. Focusing on recently completed and ongoing experiments, this engaging resource includes in-depth descriptions, photos, video, and interactive media to bring the science alive for users.

The app is divided into five sections:

The Experiments area includes the topics of biology and biotechnology, human research, earth and space science, physical science, educational activities and outreach, and technology development and demonstration. Within each major category, users can choose a subcategory. Users can filter their search for experiments by choosing a particular expedition or sponsor. A detailed technical report along with images are provided for each experiment.

The Facilities section shows a 360 view of the interior of the three station modules. Users can tap on racks to see descriptions of the items stored there.

The Benefits resources include the areas of human health, earth benefits, and global education. Each topic explains a specific example of how the experiments are positively impacting the world.

The Media materials provides podcasts, games, and videos to explore.

The Links area includes space station-related websites and links to useful resources.

Librarians will find this to be a useful resource for science classes. The app would be a great jumping off spot for student reports and investigations. The technical reports would also be an useful resource for informational reading in the sciences.

To download this free app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/space-station-resear…/id934070569.

Website Review: PhET Interactive Simulations

The PhET INTERACTIVE SIMULATIONS website from the University of Colorado contains engaging, educational simulations for math and science.

The goal of the project is to help students engage in STEM through inquiry-based experiences with real-world connections. The website contains simulations in physics, biology, chemistry, earth science, and math. Users can search by grade level or device.

The simulations are fun, intuitive, and easy-to-use. Simulations actively involve users in learning by clicking and dragging objects, using a slider to change parameters, choosing among options using radio buttons, and making measurements with various simulated tools such as rulers, stop-watches, voltmeters, and thermometers. As students work their way through the simulations, they receive immediate feedback based on their choices.

The teacher resources section provides tips for using the simulations and links to instructional materials such as labs, homework assignments, lectures, activities, concept questions, and other learning resources that connect with the simulations.

Resources are also provided to help teachers and students run the simulations. The simulations can be used on the website or downloaded and played on a computer. Keep in mind that that Flash versions won’t run on the iPad, but the HTML5 versions will run fine.

Finally, the website contains a page focusing on the research that’s been conducted into the design and use of interactive simulations in teaching and learning.

Librarians will find a wide range of STEM topics addressed in the simulations. Work with teachers to connect these simulations with science standards and other classroom activities. Also use the simulations to promote the idea of inquiry-based learning.

To explore the website, go to http://phet.colorado.edu/.

Website Review: Reading Rockets

Kick off the year by launching young readers! Use the READING ROCKETS website for ideas that promote a passion for reading. Go to http://www.readingrockets.org/.

Launched over a decade ago by WETA, Reading Rockets is a multimedia literacy initiative focusing on how children learn to read and ways adults can help support young readers. Supported through grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and others, the website provides free, evidence-based information about reading.

The Teaching Reading section explores literacy topics, reading strategies, and resources to help beginning readers succeed.

The Helping Struggling Reader section features ideas for working with struggling readers.

The Reading Topics A-Z section provides a rich collection of research-based information and best-practices associated with reading.

The Children’s Book & Authors section contains endless resources on children’s books and authors including author studies, video interviews, themed and summer booklists, nonfiction book ideas, selection suggestions, buying guides, and activities.

The Research, Guides and Resources section includes an extensive collection of reports, guides, and directories that are useful in professional development and grant writing.

The Librarian section at http://www.readingrockets.org/audi…/professionals/librarians provides topics of particular interest to teacher librarians such as the Common Core, children’s books, and authors.

With themes from gardening to robots, the Reading Adventure Packs for Families at http://www.readingrockets.org/…/reading-adventure-packs-fam… pair themed fiction and nonfiction books with interactive activities. Consider creating these packs for circulation in your library.

Use the E-Cards for Readers activity at http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/ecards to involve youth in sharing their passion for reading with others using images from favorite children’s book illustrators.

To extend the experience, join the Reading Rockets Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and iTunes Podcasts social media resources.