Anti-Smoking Ad

     A person's choice whether to smoke or not at this point is considered to be a personal choice as long as they're old enough to decide how to spend their money.  The problem is that more students are experimenting with things like cigarettes at a very young age.  The issue is not whether or not they should have freedom of choice, or whether or not smoking is cool, but the long term impact smoking is going to have on a developing body.  I saw this ad while perusing FlipBoard this weekend and I gotta say, I agreed with the blog posting it was posted on.  It is potentially the BEST Anti-Smoking Ad of all time.  My only question would be is if this was done in the United States,
would there be adults who provide the light???  

iCivics.org

          Four years ago I happened upon a website called iCivics.org and I have been using it ever since.  Even though I'm not currently teaching Civics and Economics, I still find uses for the website.  When we are discussing the Enlightenment and Revolutions in World History and comparing the English Bill of Rights with the American Bill of Rights "Do I Have a Right?" makes for a great interactive review of the rights afforded to citizens of this country.  I was disappointed this year when I received my iPads because they do not work with flash and thus do not work with iCivics.org.  HOWEVER, recently I was perusing the iCivics site when I found they had developed an App for the iPad.  "Pocket Law Firm" is the iPad version of "Do I Have a Right?"

          "Do I Have a Right?" or "Pocket Law Firm" has students put in their name, they get to choose who they want to be their partner in the law firm (choice between two different people representing two different amendments), and then the clients start filing in.  Each new client comes with an issue - students have to decide whether the person's rights are being violated or not, and if they are being violated they need to match them with the correct lawyer for that issue or ask them to come back and try to acquire the right lawyer before the next round.  They also win money for winning court cases.  With the money they need to budget to get more lawyers, fix up the waiting room, spend it on things for the lawyers to make them smarter and faster, etc.  

I'd recommend this site and app for Social Studies Teachers everywhere 

for Middle School - High School Students! 

Check It Out By Clicking Here