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GET INSPIRED BY PROBLEM SOLVERS

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INTRO

In the Problems section, you learned about important issues affecting the lives of people here in the U.S. and around the world. Some students will use that information to make products that spread the word about the problem. Other students, might choose to invent solutions. Your invention could be a Scratch game to better educate people about the problem; it could be a machine you create with lego, woodwork and the Makerbot; a board game or a club; it could be a song, a TV advertisement, jewelry, soap, whatever you can think up!

Here are 3 questions you might want to ask yourself before building your invention:

1) Is my idea original or has it been done before? (Hint: your’s should be original or really improve on something already out there).

2) Does my invention show that I really understand the ins and outs of the problem? Every problem is complicated, so your solution should not be simple or obvious.

3) Is the idea doable? If your idea will cost a billion dollars, break the laws of physics, or break the law, then it probably isn’t.


Advertising
Against Violence
Airport Security
Alcohol
Battle Against Smoking
Sport Safety
Body Image
Bullying
Fighting Diseases
Disaster Relief
The Future of Food
Fighting Obesity
Help for the Disabled
LGBTQ
Mental Health
Parenting and Relationships
Poverty
Protecting Animals
Providing Clean Water/Air
Racism and Stereotypes
Reproductive Rights and Gender Equality
Saving the Environment
Solving the Energy Crisis
Sweatshops and Child Labor

 

Technology: Bullying and Texting
Teen Pregnancy+Sex Ed.
Anti-Terrorism
Special Needs
Traffic and Safety
Government

 

Check out these problem solvers for inspiration:

ADVERTISING

GenderMixer (Game)

Clothing Brand for Plus-size women (Video)

Buy Nothing Day (Video) Flyer 1 Flyer 2

Buy Nothing Day Slideshow (Video)

Banksy- Jesus Shopping (Image)

Banksy- Consumer Praying (Image)

Banksy- Drunk Mickey (Image)


AGAINST VIOLENCE

Franz Jerome Poem about NYPD’s “Stop and Frisk policy” (Video)

Prince Ea: She Said, “I’m going to Kill you” (Video)

What Makes #NeverAgain Different (Video)

Teens Tell Vice Why They are Protesting the Parkland Shootings (Video)

Good Bread– Former Gangbangers work as bakers

Malala Yousafzai : Introduction (Video)

Anti-Abuse Message Only Kids Can See (Video)

NFL Players Say No More to Rape (Video)

A Ride Home From Prison (Video)

Beauty Tips by Reshma- How to get Perfect Red Lips (Video)=

20 Standout Groups Stopping Domestic Violence (Webpage)

#BeAModelMan (Video)

Cell Phones for Victims (Video)

Campaign Zero- Ending Police Violence (Website)

A Bullet Attachment that Could Save Lives (Video)

Has This Teen Created The World’s Safest Gun? (Video)

Police Wearable Cameras (Movie)

Howard Barry Illustration (Illustration)

Old White Man with a Sign (Image)

A New Weapon in the Hands of Protesting Ukrainians (Image)

Banksy- Shooting Crayons (Image)

Not Asking to be Raped (Image)

Whispers from the Field-Violence Against Migrant Women (Video)

How to Sneak Candy into a Movie Theater (Tweet)

Can’t Prevent Gun Violence (Image)

A Few Bad Cops (Tweet)

Rest in Peace Eric Garner (Image)

Emma’s Mattress (Graphic)

Tackle Guys (Image)

This is Rape Culture (Infographic)

Fashionable Safety Jewelry (Video)

They are Counting on You– Safe Firearm Storage (Video)


AIRPORT SECURITY

Self Service Bag Check (Video)

Failed Shoe Bomber (Quote)


ALCOHOLISM AND DRUNK DRIVING

Restaurant Prank (Video)

Fragile Childhood (Video)

Suddenly Got Scary Part 1, Suddenly Scary Part 2 (Images)

Alcohol Can End Your Party (Image)

Resisting Alcohol- Image 1, Image 2, Image 3


 

BATTLE AGAINST SMOKING

Cigarette Parody Ads: Camel 1, Camel 2, Camel 3, Kool, Marlboro 1, Marlboro 2, Marlboro 3, Marlboro 4, Newport

Glory’s Cigarette Game (Scratch Game)

Petter’s Cigarette Smoke Detecting Shirt (Video)

SmokerPoker– Stop smoking through Facebook

Look at Me (Video)

Truth.com (Videos)

Logic- Nikki (Music)

 


SPORT SAFETY

A New Helmet for NFL’s Concussion Problem (Video)

Spot the Drowning Child (Interactive Video) ** YouTube Required

Blaze Laser Light- Projects the Symbol of a Bike (Video)

Lumos Helmet (Video)

Helmet For– Stickers promoting helmet safety

Invisible Helmet (Video)


BODY IMAGE

Comfortable? 50 People, One Question (Video)

Vitiligo Queen (Video)

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models Breaking Stereotypes (Image)

This Girl Can (Video)

This Girl Can: Phenomenal Women (Video)

Dove- Thought Before Action (Video)

Unknown Artist Pasted Photoshop Toolbar on H&M Posters (Image)

Petty Girls Making Ugly Faces– Challenging the Pressure to be “beautiful”- (Tumblr), NYTimes Article

Let’s Stop Body Shaming (Image)

Thighs Touching (Image)

Tips to Support Girls’ Rights (Webpage)

I Love my Hair (Video)


BULLYING

Activate (Game)

A Message to Bullies (Video)

Island School Student: CQuarles- Ain’t No Bullies Allowed (Song)

Island School Student: NTanzim- Anti-Muslim Discrimination (Video)

Island School Student: ACruz (Feat. TMartin)- Inside the Mind of a School Shooter (Song)

Island School Student: ALin- Free to be Bullied (Video)

Island School Student: SPerez- Music is my Protection (Drawing)

Island School Student: TTunn- What’s Beauty? (Poem)

Island School Student: RBrown- Ryan’s Story (Song)

Island School Students: JMiranda, DMedina, TWells, & MMartin (Song)

Island School Student: AWalker (Song)

Sit With Us App (App Download) Click HERE for Article.

IWitness Bullying (Video)

IWitnessBullying Emoji (Video)

Rethink Keyboard (Document)

A Brave Heart- The Lizzie Velasquez Story- Trailer (Video) Click HERE for Full Movie

PACER’S National Bullying Prevention Center (Website)


FIGHTING DISEASES

Imaginary Friend Society-Fight Cancer (Video + Website)

Nivea’s Sunburn Baby (Video)

Genetically Modified Mosquitos to Fight Malaria (Video)

Fighting Fire with Fire (Video)

Mona Lisa with Cancer (Image)

If Only for a Second (Video)

Henna Heals (Website)

Mosquito Killer Billboard (Movie)

Jerry The Bear– Helping kids with Diabetes


DISASTER RELIEF

FEMA: Disaster Preparation (Video)

How You Can Help People Affected By Harvey (Webpage)

4 Ways Hurricane Sandy Is Still Transforming NYC’s Infrastructure (Blog Post)

What would you do with $25,000— Typhoon Haiyan (Video)

Food Distribution, Toyota-style (Video)

Protecting the City Before Next Time (Article)

The Tunnel Plug (Article)


THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Island School Student: Britney Eats Insects! (Video)

Island School Student: Maria’s Kitchen: Cricket Brownies (Video)

How to Compost (Video)

Why Do We Waste Perfectly Good Food In The U.S.? (Video)

I Tried to Make Zero Trash for 30 Days (Video)

Island School Student: Castillo- Who’s Worth More? (Image)

The Impossible Burger (Video)

Should We Eat Bugs (Video)

Should We All be Eating Insects? (Video)

Can Eating Bugs Save the World? (Video)

Bugs The Film (Video)

Bug Tacos (Video)

Ento- Marketing bug products (Video)

11 Bug Dishes (Webpage)

List of Edible Insects (Webpage)

Livin’ Farms (Video)

Bug Cooking (Video)

Hopper Bars (Video)

You May Be Eating Bugs Sooner than you Think (Webpage)

TED Talk: Why Not Eat Insect HERE– (Video)

What Cody Saw (Video) ***Warning, Contains Disturbing Images

Inglorious Vegetables (Video)

Food Forward: Go Fish (Video)

Food Forward: Meat of the Matter (Video)

Food Forward: Seeds of Change (Video)

Food Forward: School Lunch Revival (Video)

Food Forward: Future of Food (Video)

Food Forward: U.S. of Agriculture (Video)

Food Forward: Food Justice (Video)


FIGHTING OBESITY

Pushin’ Weight (Music Video)

The Sage Project–Simple Nutrition Info (Website)

Food Forward: Food on the Brain (Video)

Health Justice Manifesto (Video)

By Any Sweets Necessary (Music Video)

Candy Man (Music Video)

Purest Poison (Music Video)

Farm Living (Spoken Word Video)

The Corner (Spoken Word Video)

Hear No (Spoken Word Poetry)

Death Recipe (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

I Speak for the People (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Countdown (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Product of his Environment (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Sole Mate (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Lost in Translation (Spoken Word Poetry Video) En Español

Block ‘O Breakfast (Video)

Un Sabor De Casa (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Thin Line (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Perfect Soldiers (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Chocolate Smile (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Targets (Spoken Word Poetry Video)

Mandela Food Co-op– Healthy food where it’s hard to find (Video)

What’s on your Plate– Eating Healthy (Movie) Part 2, Part 3

DHassan’s Miracle Berries (Video)

Lahana’s Obesity Song (Music)

Evil KFC Ketchup (GIF)

7 Food lies (Video)


GOVERNMENT

Eminem: Donald Trump (Video) **Must have permission from Dr. Lahana to watch.


HELP FOR THE DISABLED

WayBan- Vibrating Wrist Bant to Help the Blind Navigate (Video)

SignAloud: Sign Language Gloves (Video)

Phoenix Bodysuit (Video)

Be My Eyes (Video)

Adaptive Apparel (Video)

Miracle Feet- Help for Children with Clubfoot (Video)

One Dollar Glasses (Video)

Liftware- Eating with Tremors (Video)

Altar Ur Ego- Fashion for those in Wheelchairs (Video) Click HERE for Website

Valspar: Color For The Colorblind (Video)

Derby the dog: Running on 3D Printed Prosthetics (Video)

Amputee Makes History with Modular Prosthetic Limb (Video)

FingerReader- Wearable Text Reading Device for the Visually Impaired (Video)

Grit Leveraged Freedom Chair– A wheelchair made out of bicycle parts for 3rd world countries

A Toolkit to Control Objects with your Brain (Video)

Ekso– Bionic walking suit for the disabled

3D Printed Prosthetic Hand (Video)

The Mind-Controlled Bionic Arm With a Sense of Touch (Video)

Nico- Overcoming Adversity (Video)

Kid-Friendly Wheelchair (Webpage)

Lego Tortoise (Webpage)

The Collective Project: Robert Downey Jr. Delivers a Real Bionic Arm (Video)

Be Right Back- Wheelchair Protest (Image)

BuzzClip- Collision detection for the blind (Video)

M and D Crutches (Video)

Standing Wheelchair (Video)

Wheelchair that lets Paraplegics Stand (Video)

Wheelchair Goes from Sitting to Standing (Video)


LGBTQ

In a Heartbeat (Animation) Kids React (Video) Older Elders React (Vide0)

Island School Student: ALarancuent- Dave (Video)

A Closed World (Game)

I am Jazz (Book) . Jazz Reading her Book (Video) TV Show (Video)

Restroom Sign (Image)

Look Past Pink and Blue– Alisha & Charlie (Image)

Ireland: Support Marriage Equality (Video)

Letter from a Mom with a Gay Son (Document)

If Straight People had to Come Out (Video)

Boys Wear Skirts in Support of Transgender Classmate (Webpage)

Storybook Remix: Boy Next Door, Spoon, Superman, Elsa and Superman (Images)

In my Shoes (Video)

The Daily Show: Trans Panic Epidemic (Video) ** MUST HAVE DR. LAHANA’S PERMISSION TO VIEW

Love has no Labels (Video)


MENTAL HEALTH

Elude: What it Feels like to Have Depression (Game)

Amazing Spelled Backwards (Webpage)

Joy for All Companion Pets: Cat Dog Website

It’s OK to Need Help (Images)

Stuffed Animals for Company (Image)

Understanding Starts with Listening (Image)

Helping a Depressed Friend (Comic)

What Depression Actually Feels Like (Graphic)

Depression is a Silent Killer (Image)

The Present- Dealing with a Disability (Video)

Explaining my Depression to my Mother (Video)

I Jumped Off the Golden Gate Bridge (Video)

Bully-Me: Overcoming Bulimia (Video)


PARENTING AND RELATIONSHIPS

Values.com- Inspirational Stories (Videos)

Fatherhood Involvement: Cheerleader (Video)

Fatherhood Involvement: Manicure (Video)

Fatherhood Involvement: Reunion (Video)

Fatherhood Involvement: Hide & Seek (Video)

Healthy Relationships: Love is… (Image)


POVERTY

This 11-Year-Old Is Keeping Homeless People Warm (Video)

This 9-Year-old is Building Houses for the Homeless (Video)

Students Make A Jacket That Transforms Into A Sleeping Bag (Video)

Island School Student: Armando’s Pillows (Video)

Haircuts for the Homeless (Video)

Plastic Sleeping Mats for the Homeless (Video)

Trends for Teens: Clothes for Setting Goals (Website)

Island School Students: Nila, Mirza, and Jessica- Change for the Day (Video)

Island School Students: Katherine and Judy- Blessing Bags (Video)

Island School Students: ALin and TScott (Feat. 8B)– A Day in the Life

Soles4Souls- What we do (Video)

Soles4Souls- The Power of a Pair of Shoes (Video)

Lava Mae: Showers for the Homeless (Video)

Give Back Films: $100 for Homeless (Video)

Box City SF: Finding Jobs for the Homeless (Website) Click HERE for Article+Video

Wet Houses (Video)

Two Sides (Poster)

Banksy’s McDonalds (Video)

Mobile Homeless Shelters of the Future (Webpage)

Homeless Air Vent “Parasite” (Webpage)

One Sandwich at a Time (Webpage)

Banksy- Forget Change (Image)

You’re a Human Being (Image)

Unhappily Ever After- Poverty (Image)

Liter of Light (Video)

1800 Runaway (Video)

Parable of the Polygons (Game)


PROTECTING ANIMALS

Island School Student: JMohamed- Elephant Ivory (Scratch Game)

Island School Students: GCalandro, KClaudio, SBobbio, and EHernandez- Cosmet(h)ics (Video)

Island School Student: JMohamed- Elephant Ivory (Blog Post)

Unlocking the Cage- Trailer (Video)– Click HERE for Full Video

Before/After Pet Adoption (Images)

Lion Lights- Protecting animals

SMS Alert– Catching Elephant Poachers

Battle for the Elephants (Video)

San Diego Bans Pet Stores from Selling Cat & Dogs (Video)

Rescuing a Homeless Dog (Video)

How Saving a Pet Might just Save your Life (Infographic)

If you Suspect Animal Abuse (Infographic)

Dog in Hot Cars- What you can do (Infographic)

Glowing Reindeer Antlers (Image)

#Looking For You (Video)

Photos of Dogs before being Euthanized (Images)

Prisoners of Greed- Rescuing Animals from Puppy Mills (Website)

Turn off Geotag (Image)

Rhino Cam (Video)

Taste Test of Lab Grown Meat (Video)

Cultured Beef Process (Video)

“Leather” and Cloth from Kambucha Tea (Blog Post) More Info(Article) How to Make it (Tutorial)

Twilight Zone- Human Zoo (Video)

Lion Fish Killer Robot (Video)


PROVIDING CLEAN WATER/AIR

Island School Student: RRosario- Affordable Water Filter (Video)

Island School Students: BMorales and MHill– LifeStraw

DayOne Purification Water Bag (Video)

Mr. Toilet (Video)

The Drinkable Book (Video)

Hidden Dangers Project (Website)

Food Forward: Quest for Water (Video)

Everyone is In– WaterForPeople (animation) Part 2

Bottle Cops – Ending Bottled Water

Clean Water– Good.is

The WaterMill– Water From Air (Video)

Coca-Cola’s EkocCenter (Video)

PackH2O– A backpack for carrying water in 3rd world countries (Video)

QDrum– Rollable Water Transport

Aqua4- Solar Powered Water Still that Cleans waste water

Naked Portable Filter (Video)

SciGirls: Aqua Bots (Video)

Door Filter (Video)

Hydroventiv- Green Roof to help overflowing sewers (Video)

StreetCreeks- Gardens to help overflowing sewers (Video)

Altered Noze– Atomized Water (Video)

Homemade Water Filter (Video)


RACISM AND STEREOTYPES

Nike Pro Hijab (Video)

Pot Noodles (Video)

Signs of the Times (Video)

Love has no Labels (Website)

Fans of Love (Video)

People React to Being Called Beautiful (Video)

Ms. Marvel (Comic Book)

Everybody’s Different (Video)

I’m Sorry, can you see my Shoulders? (Image)

Dear Donald Trump: Meet my Father (Video)

Hands Up on Newspaper (Image)

Mike Brown Protest (Image)

Bomani Jones Wears “The Caucasians” Shirt (Video)

Team Hats (Image)

Feminist Hacker Barbie (Website)

GoldieBlocks– Girls and Science (Video)

Reverse Racism (Feat. Aamer Rahman, Comedian) (Video)

Ban Bossy- I’m not Bossy, I’m the Boss (Video)

Ban Bossy- Change the Story (Video)

Ban the Word “Bossy” (Website)

VH1 Revenge of the Nerds (Video)

The Caucasians (Tweet)

If We Lived In A World Where Women Catcalled Men (Video)

Cats Against Catcalls (Image)

Letter to Dick’s Sporting Goods

Tampon Run (Article) Tampon Run (Game)

Women Shouldn’t – UN (Image)

It was Never a Dress– (Image)

Girl Stuff (Image)

Dear White People (Tweet)

Woman With Down Syndrome Is The Face Of Beauty Campaign (Video)

Why Girls Can’t Code (Video)

Pulling Hijab Off- Social Experiment (Video) ** MUST HAVE DR. LAHANA’S PERMISSION TO VIEW

Stop Calling Feminists ‘Feminists’ (Image)


REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

Why Box Children in? (Image)

Pro-Choice and Pro-Life Supporters Search for Common Ground (Video)

Vessel- Pro-Life Ship (Video) Vessel Website

ProLife.com (Video)

Go Girl Portable Urinary Bathroom Device (Image)

Donkey Kong- Pauline Edition (Video)


SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT

I Got 100 People To Stop Sucking For A Week (Video)

Final Straw (Video)

CBS Sunday Morning:  Last Straw (Video)

Sorbos Straws- Edible Straws (Video)

I Tried to Make Zero Trash for 30 Days (Video)

Make Paper Straws (Video)

There is no “Away” (Photos)

Plastic Detox (Mind Map)

Life Without Plastic (Video)

CleanSeas.org (Video) Click HERE for their Website

Cigarette Butts (Video)

Edible Packaging (Video)

Too Good to Go- Preventing Food Waste in Restaurants (Video)

BrainPOP: Biofuels (Video)

BrainPOP: Hybrid Cars (Video)

BrainPOP: Fuel Cells (Video)

BrainPOP: Wind Energy (Video)

Edible Cutlery (Video)

Future Forward: Make Food, Not Waste (Video)

Aerochromics- Pollution Reactive Clothing (Video) Website

Climate Changed (Image)

Earth to Paris (Video) More info Click HERE

Hotaru Shower (Video)

Peecycling (Video)

Styrofoam-Eating Mealworms (Article)

Recycling Cigarette Butts (Video)

Out of Fashion- A Campaign for Forest-Friendly Fabric (Video)

What if Waste Had Worth? (Interactive Graphic)

Puma Re-Cut Project (Video)

Recycling Snapple Bottles (Video)

Flower Bombing (Video) Shorter instructions HERE

RenewUS– Climate Change

BottleShare– Re-using water bottles

Earth Plants a Future- (Video)

Imagine if Trees… (Image)

Rapid Packing C0ntainer (Video)

Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF) (Webpage)

How Does Material Recovery Work? (Animation)

Ooha Edible Packaging (Webpage)

ShellShocked- Saving Oysters to Save Ourselves (Movie Trailer) More Info Click HERE

Live Green Toronto (Images): Lowlife, Dipstick, Selfish, Lazy, Dumb, Pig

Garbage Shoes (Video)

Banksy- I don’t Believe in Global Warming (Image)

Coca Cola- 2nd Lives (Video)

How Whales Change the Climate (Video)

Watch Your Dead Tech Get Demolished at an E-Waste Recycling Plant (Video)

The Green Lumen (Video)

Edible Plastic Rings for Soda (Video)

Big Dreams: Recycled Bottle (Video)

Big Dreams: I want to be a Bench (Video)

Cardboard Bike (Video)


SOLVING THE ENERGY CRISIS

Poop Powered Cars (Video)

Solar Freakin’ Roadways (Video)

Harvesting electricity from Lobsters– Clean Energy

Solar-Powered Ray-Bans– (Video)

sOccket– Energy Ball

Saphon Energy– Redesigned Wind Turbine

Luci Solar Lamp

Heat People Not Buildings (Video)

Electricity by Walking (Video)

Portable Energy (Video)


SWEATSHOPS AND CHILD LABOR

Banksy- Child Sewing Flags (Image)

Change your Shoes (Video)


TECHNOLOGY: addiction, BULLYING AND SEXTING

Systems are Failing (Video)

Device Free Dinner (Video)

Stop Phubbing (Website)

Look Up (Video)

Get Your Head out of your Apps (Image)

The More we Connect, the Less we Connect- Image 1, Image 2, Image 3

Big Data (Image)

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine (Video)

Chess with a Troll (Image)

ACLU’s Jack– Government Surveillance Spoof (Video)

Banksy- Facebook Prison? (Image)

We Found the Future (Image)

Banksy- Cell Phone Love (Image)

Banksy- Flower Camera (Image)

Troll (Animation)

Lasers Against Helicopters (Image)

Snowden: Arguing you Have Nothing to Hide (Image)

Phone Crashing (Video)

Phubbing- A Word is Born (Video)


TEEN PREGNANCY+SEX ED.

 

 

 

 

 

The Pregnancy Project (Movie)

100 Questions You’d Never Ask Your Parents (Book) ** MUST HAVE DR. LAHANA’S PERMISSION TO VIEW

Laci Green: Masturbation ** MUST HAVE DR. LAHANA’S PERMISSION TO VIEW

Consent is a Conversation (Image)

“No” Does not Mean “Convince Me” (Image)

My Clothes do not Determine my Consent (Image)

Consent is Like Tea (Video)


ANTI-TERRORISM

Protesting U.S.’ Muslim Ban (Video)

French Bombing Security Guard (Paragraph)

Syrian Refugees (Tweet)

WTC Reborn– Infographic

Rebuilding Ground Zero (Movie)


ENDING CHILD ABUSE

StopAbuse- Puppet Show (Video)


SPECIAL NEEDS

Sesame Street and Autism: A Sibling Story (Video)

Sesame Street and Autism: Thomas’ Story (Video)

Sesame Street and Autism: Being a Supportive Parent (Video)

The Autistix– Autism Rocks! (Video)

Bouncy Bands (Video)

Squease Vest (Video)


TRAFFIC AND SAFETY

Dancing Traffic Traffic Light (Video)

Stay off the Tracks (Image)

Street Pong (Video)

Car-shaped Bike Rack (Image)

Ambulance that Interrupts Radio (Video)

Texting Stops (Article)

iOS Car Mode (Article)

Texting While Driving (Video)

Katasi Groove- Keeping Drivers Focused on the Road (Video)

Bass Blaze- Putting out Fires with Bass (Video)

Dinosaurs + Cars (Comic)

GPS with Child’s Voice (Video)

Lumanki Fire Sensor (Video)


YOUR TOOLBOX FOR SOCIAL ACTION

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What is Social Action?

I don’t have to tell you, there’s a lot wrong in this world. There are homeless everywhere, lots of guns leading to lots of unnecessary deaths, women on tv and video games being nothing more than sexy bodies to stare at (instead of creative and powerful minds to listen to), police and politicians treating some races and classes better than others, advertisements everywhere making you feel bad about yourselves, kids getting bullied online, the climate changing in scary ways, people getting addicted to all sorts of things…just to name a few.

Are we just going to stand there and let this all keep on going? Are you just a kid who has zero things to say about any of this and zero power to DO anything about this? I. DONT. THINK. SO.

Doing something about all these problems is called Social Action.

Social action can be dangerous. You are fighting against problems that are often caused by people with lots of money or power or both. Going up against them is risky. As game maker Zoe Quinn said, “lf video games have taught me anything, it’s that if you encounter enemies, then you’re going the right way.” And remember, during this journey, even though I don’t have all the answers, I always have your back. Whatever you need to make your project happen, we’ll do it. period.

What is this Class?

This class is about doing social action with the help of technology. The tech tools here are chosen to M A X I M I Z E the power of your message and help you to invent important things that may never have existed before. Here are a few student examples:

How Does this Class Work?

  • Find an issue that’s important to you on Techbrarian.com
  • Make A PLAN with Dr. Lahana so your project is doable.
  • Learn a tool (see below) to use for social action. Learn more using sites like Instructables, YouTube, or Craftsy (Ask for Password).
  • Using these tech tools, create a project that teaches others about your social issue or invents a solution!
  • Click HERE to make sure your project has all the parts that make for powerful social action.

T O O L S


Lego Robtics
Scratch Programming
Jewelry Crafting & Metalsmithing
Leather-Crafting
Sewing
Filmmaking
Sketchup 3D Design
Garageband and Podcasting
Krita and Canva Graphic Design
Powtoon Animation
StoryboardThat Comics
Piktochart Infographics
Arduino Electronics
3D Printing
Kahoot! Quiz Design

Tool: Lego

  • Your Lego must be about social action. Check out some themes from First Lego League by clicking HERE.
  • Everything you create must have moving parts (No simple buildings).
  • Label your work in a Lego bucket or with a zip-lock bag
  • DO NOT touch other people’s lego projects
  • The most powerful Lego projects are programmed using Lego’s software. You can create your own or modify one you download.

Tool: Scratch

  • Your Scratch game must be about social action.
  • If you can’t think of your own idea, I have tons of lessons. Your job is to take one of them and change it so it is about a real-life issue. You can also find games on Scratch’s website and remix them. HERE is a super easy game you can remix into a serious game.

Tool: Jewelry, Leather, and Sewing

We have lots of AMAZING tools here in the café: 3D printers, a Cricut, jewelry making tools, sewable electronics, pyrography (burning wood to make art), leather crafts, and much more!

Tool: Filmmaking

Your Filmmaking must be about social action Must have a script like THIS ONE from 8th grader Maria or a storyboard before filming.   Click HERE to see the script from a movie called Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Two books that you also might want to check out are Making YouTube Videos and AFI’s basic filmmaking toolkit.


 

Tool: SketchUp

Tool: Arduino and Sewable Electronics

Arduino is a very small and very affordable computer (AKA microprocessor). You can plug inputs into it like buttons, temperature sensors, and motion sensors. You can plug outputs into it like motors, buzzers, and lights. Put together, you can make the inputs control the outputs. For example, a button (input) can make a light (output) turn on. A temperature sensor (input) can make a buzzer (output) sound when it gets hot. These are simple examples, but it can get very cool very fast when you start putting inputs and outputs together and then program them. Check out Petter’s Cigarette Smoke Detecting shirt made with an Arduino.

  • Like Petter’s shirt, your project should work to help solve a social issue.
  • Here are an Arduino book to get you started: Adventures in Arduino

Tool: GarageBand & Podcasting

  • Your GarageBand Song must be about social action- Click HERE for our SoundCloud page for examples.
  • You must have Lyrics pre-written. No freestyling!
  • Click HERE to see how to make a hit pop song and HERE for a BrainPOP on vocals
  • To Podcast, think of one issue or story you want to talk about.
    • Try to keep your episode to less than 5 minutes.
    • Please write an outline of what you plan on talking about and some important points you want to make.
    • Consider interviewing others in some of your episodes– write down your questions ahead of time.
    • Click HERE to listen to the Youth Radio Podcast. Click HERE to listen to Radio Rookies

Tool: Other Tools

Rules: Music, Videos, and Games:

  • This class is about CREATING not CONSUMING. Unless you or your friend have created the media, don’t consume it. What do I mean: No listening to music, watching videos, or playing games unless someone at The Island School created it.

Rules: Saving your Work

  • Don’t count on “your” computer being there
  • Don’t count on “your” computer working
  • Save your projects to your Google Drive when possible or email it to yourself

Rules: Start of Class

  • Come to the first 3 rows for a quick talk
  • Leave your computers closed and open up your ears…I don’t talk long.

Confused? Aimless? Go to Techbrarian.com

Rules: End of Class

  • Logout of all your accounts, roll up cords, headphones, and put your laptop back properly
  • Clean up your materials (for example, wash paintbrushes, vacuum sawdust, pick up random lego pieces, wash dishes, put jewelry beads on the floor back in the jewelry case…).  FYI, groups working with super messy materials might be asked to clean up a little earlier.
  • Wait for me to say line up and then, um, line-up.

 

 

 

 

 

DIVE DEEP INTO SOCIAL ISSUES THAT NEED SOLVING

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INTRO

Below are some real-world problems that need to be solved. Follow as many links as you can! If you have a problem you’d like to solve that is not on the list, search for it Online. If you make interesting discoveries, we can add them to this site. Once you decide on an issue that you truly care about and want to solve, it’s time to start your assignment.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Once you fall in love with an issue, use one of the tools from the YOUR TOOLBOX page to create a project to help solve your problem. Here are some questions your project should answer:

What does a “day in the life” of a person with this problem look like?

Are there good guys or villains in this problem? If so, who?

Who does this problem affect the most? Why?

How big is the problem (For example, 35% of Americans are obese or over 8000 people died from firearms in the U.S. in 2010)

Why are the solutions already out there not good enough?


Advertising
Alcohol
Blood Diamonds &Conflict Minerals
Bullying
Cigarettes
Civil/Human Rights
Climate Change
Crime/Gun Control
Technology: Digital Citizenship & New Changes
Disease
Domestic Violence/Child Abuse
Drugs
Education
Energy
Extreme Weather
Factory Farms & Animal Cruelty
Technology Addiction
Garbage & Pollution
Government & Corruption
Healthy Relationships
HIV/AIDS
LGBTQ+
Immigration
Mental Health
Obesity
Poverty
Prison
Racism
Robot Rights
Sexism/Stereotypes
Sweatshops
Technology: Sexting & Privacy
Sex Education
War, Terrorism, & Islamaphobia
The Environment

 


ADVERTISING

BrainPOP: Media Literacy (Video)

The Secret Science of Advertising (Video)

10 Ways Advertisers are Tricking you Everyday (Video)

15 Mind-Blowing Tricks Advertisers Use to Manipulate Photos (Videos)

The Power of Propoganda (Video)

Advertising Techniques (Video)

PBSKids: Don’t Buy It (Website)

Merchant’s of Cool– Hooking Teen Customers (Video)

Admongo– The World of Advertising (Game)

Advertising Facts (Infographic) Advertising Tricks (Webpage)

Banksy on Advertising (Blog Post)

ALCOHOL AND DRUNK DRIVING

AdCouncil’s Drunk Driving PSA’s– The Classics (Videos)

AdCouncil’s Buzzed Driving PSA’s: Don’t Lose Your Game, How Much would you Like to Lose, 10K that you Don’t Have, Stay out of the Seat

Storybooth: Arrested for Teen Drinking (Video)

The Truth About Alcoholism (Infographic)

Am I an Alcoholic? (Infographic)

Visualizing Alcohol Abuse (Infographic)

Drunk Driving- Victim Stories (Webpage)

The Problem with Problem Drinking (Infographic)

MADD Statistics (Webpage)

Alcoho-Lock (Article)

CONFLICT MINERALS

5 Things you didn’t Know about Conflict Minerals (Video)

Conflict Minerals 101 (Movie)

Vice: Conflict Minerals (Movie)

Conflict and Coltan in Eastern Congo (Video)

Time: Is there Blood on Your Laptop? (Movie)

Tainted Tin: The Deadly Cost of Smart Phones (Video)

Conflict Minerals (Infographic)

Conflict Gold (Infographic)

Average American Daily Use of Conflict Minerals (Infographic)

Blood Diamonds Documentary (Movie) **Must have permission from Dr. Lahana to watch

Diamonds are Forever (Animation)

BULLYING

Brainpop: Bullying (Video)

Storybooth: Can’t Stop the Bullying (Video)

Flocabulary: Bullying (Video) *Ask for Password

Real Teens Speak Out: My Bullying Story (Webpage)

I Didn’t Feel Safe at Home or at School (Video)

The Cyberbullying Virus (Video)

Suicide (Infographic)

Amanda Todd‘s Message– Cyberbullied into Suicide (Video)

Amanda Todd on the News– Cyberbullied into Suicide (Video)

Student Bullying (Infographic)

Imagine a World Where Straight People were the Minority (Video)

Bad Behavior- Trolling and Freedom of Speech (Video)

Cyberbullying (Infographic)

Cyberbullying– Rebecca Sedwick (Video) (More info click HERE)

Cyberbullying Example (Video)

Bully (Trailer), Bully– (Full Movie)

One Boy’s Online Tragedy– Cyberbullying (Video)

Bullying in a Nutshell– Cyberbullying (Video)

Bullying– What you can do (Webpage)

Long Term Effects of Bullying (Infographic)

the.Gov: Cyberbullying (Video)

R-Word- Ending the use of “retarded” (Videos)

To This Day (Animation)

CIGARETTES

Top 10 Terrible Things Smoking Does to Your Body (Video)

The Real Cost (Website)

Organ Story (Video)

BrainPop: Cigarettes (Animation) (Ask for Password)

The Real Cost: Bully Skater Promise Teeth (Videos)

What’s in a But?– Cigarettes (Interactive Webpage)

TheTruth.com– Cigarette Facts (Website)

The Environmental Impact of Cigarette Butts (Video)

Anti-Smoking Cigarette Label Images (Images)

Bubble Wrap– Smoking Deaths (Video)

Pro-Smoking Ads (Images)

Anti-Smoking Ads (Images)

Health Effects of Smoking (Webpage)

Ashes to Ashes– Anti Smoking (Video)

Hidden Cost of Cigarettes (Video) Courtesy of: insurancequotes.org/hidden-cost-cigarettes


Still Blowing Smoke (Website + Videos)

Truth (Website+Videos)

E-Cigarettes: Bottom Line (Infographic)

Smoking vs. Vaping (Video)

Juulers Against Juules (Video)

3 Reasons to Say No to E-Cigarettes (Infographic)

The Truth About E-Cigarettes (Infographic)

What We Don’t Know about E-Cigarettes (Video)

Vaping (Video)

Nursing your Lungs– (Infographic)

TheTruth.com Commercials– Anti-Cigarette (Video) Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4

E-Cigarettes as Gateway to Smoking (Video)

Science Behind E-Cigarettes (Video)

China’s E-Cigarette Boom (Slideshow)

CIVIL/HUMAN RIGHTS

Against All Odds: What it’s Like to be a Refugee (Game)

BrainPOP: Student Rights (Video) **Ask Dr. Lahana for Password

BrainPOP: Miranda Rights (Video) **Ask Dr. Lahana for Password

How Can We End Police Violence? (Video)

What if the U.S. had 100 Prisoners (Video)

The Knotted Line- California Prisons (Interactive Animation)

Muslim Bullying (Video)

Police Brutality Cemetery (Comic)

Wolf Blitzer interviews Deray McKesson about violence in Baltimore (Video)

J. Cole: Be Free– Mike Brown Tribute (Song/Video)

R.I.P. Eric Garner- By Bell Hooks (Image)

Browns’ Andrew Hawkins explains why he wore a “Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford” T-shirt (Video)

Why isn’t there a White Club on a College Campus? (Spoken Word Performance)

Women’s Rights (Infographic)

Occupy Wallstreet Arrests- (Video)

The right to photograph (Video)

The Right to Assemble– (Video)

Criminals of Permission- Police Brutality (Music Video) MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

Start School Late (Video) (Click HERE for website)

School Uniforms: Pro/Con (Webpage)

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change 101: The Situation (Video)

It’s OK to be Smart: What’s Really Warming the Earth (Video)

Bill Nye: Climate Change 101 (Video)

Stop Disasters! (Game)

Mexico Earthquake Hit My School (Video)

Brainpop: Droughts (Video) **Ask for Dr. Lahana Password

Cowspiracy Trailer (Documentary) Click HERE for full film.

Cowspiracy Images: Believe, Level Up, News, Tastes, Wear, Day Job

It’s Okay to be Smart: Why People don’t Believe in Climate Change (Video)

What’s Really Causing Climate Change (Interactive Graph)

Map of New York at the End of the Century (Interactive Webpage)

Weather Versus Climate Change (Video)

Leonardo DiCaprio’s UN Speech (Video)

CRIME/GUN CONTROL

Black History in The United States (Video)

Storybooth: My Friend Died in the Parkland Shooting (Video)

Storybooth: School Lockdown (Video)

Gun Violence by the Numbers (Webpage)

Storybooth: Gun Scare at School (Video)

The Nib: Military Spending (Video)

Jimmy Kimmel on the Parkland Shooting (Video)

Guns: Brainpop (Video)

America’s Gun Problem Explained in 90 Seconds (Video)

Bump Stocks (Video)

Jimmy Kimmel on Mass Shooting in Las Vegas (Video)

Gun Control- Pros vs. Cons (Webpage)

Armed to the Teeth (Infographic)

Deadliest U.S. mass shootings, 1984-2017 (Webpage)

Guns in America vs. The rest of the world (Video)

Scenes From Everytown (Video)

The state of gun violence in the US explained in 18 charts (Video)

One Week in April, Four Toddlers Shot and Killed Themselves (Article)

Mass Shootings (Infographic)

Gun Violence in America (Infographic)

Do you Feel Safe? (Infographic)

Gun Crime and Ownership (Infographic)

9 Year Old with Uzi- Kills Instructor (Video)

Everytown USA (Website)

NYTimes’ Gun Country- (Webpage & Video)

Gun Control- Daily Show (Video)

Mass Shootings (Infographic)

Bowling For Columbine (Movie Trailer) Full Movie (Documentary)

Guns- Facts, Figures, and the Law (Webpage)

California Restricts Guns (Video)

Pro-Gun Arguments Shot Down (Webpage)

Do you Feel Safe? (Infographic)

Which Countries Own the Most Guns? (Infographic)

Triggered: Objects Mistaken as Guns (Webpage)

How gun control could help prevent suicides (Video)


Violence in the Media & Children (Video)

The Mean World Syndrome (Video)

Mean Guise- Kids and Violence (Video)

Stop Blaming Violence in Video Games (Video)

America’s Most Dangerous Cities (Infographic)

Facts about Gangs (Infographic)

Gang Violence in America (Infographic)

The United States of Gangs (Infographic)

Violence in Video Games– Pro/Con (Website)

Is Buying Call of Duty a Moral Choice? (Video)

A&E Crime Investigations (Game)

The Real CSI (Video)

FBI- Criminal Pursuit (Video)

NYC Crime Statistics– (Interactive Webpage)

Gangs: MS13 (Video)

the.Gov: Growing Problem of Youth Membership in Gangs (Video)

Crips and Bloods in America (Video)

TECHNOLOGY: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP & new changes

How is Your Phone Changing You? (Video)

Digital Compass (Game)

The Moral Machine: Self Driving Cars (Game)

Brainpop: Digital Etiquette (Video)

Texting while Driving Penalties– (Infographic)

DashCam Crashes (Video + Infographics)

Don’t Text and Drive (Animation)

Distracted Driving- NYTimes (Video)

From One Second to the Next– Texting While Driving Documentary Trailer (Click HERE) for the Full Movie)

Spam: The Documentary

Net Neutrality Explained (Video)

DISEASE

The NFL’s Concussion Crisis, Explained (Video)

The Story of Cosmetics (Video)

Is Makeup bad for you? (Video)

Antibiotic Resistance (Game)

Food Safety (Videos)

Oncology- Treatment of Cancer (Game)

Vaccines Work (Comic)

The Antibiotic Apocalypse Explained (Video)

Lead in Toys (Video)

Ebola Expained (Video)

Facts about Ebola (Infographic)

Cancer- Brainpop (Animation)

10 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer (Infographic)

Pink Ribbons (Documentary)

Breast Cancer Breakdown (Infographic)

OMG I Found a Lump (Infographic)

A Woman Fired Because She has Cancer (Webpage + Video)

Cancer (Infographic)

Why Don’t We All Have Cancer? (Video)

Colors to Die For (Infographic)

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/CHILD ABUSE

Sexual Consent and Tea (Video)

Teach Early (Video)

How to Stop Domestic Abuse (Infographic)

Get The Facts on Child Abuse (infographic)

Child Abuse Statistics (Infographic)

ChildHelp.org– Statistics (Webpage)

Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect (Infographic)

ThisIsAbuse- School Girl (Video)

ThisIsAbuse- School Boy (Video)

I Was (Video)

ThisIsAbuse- Abuse You Can See (Video)

Escape- A Story about Domestic Abuse (Article)

The Secret (Video)

What you Don’t Know About Domestic Violence (Infographic)

Truth Unfolds (Infographic)

Help for Abused Women (Website)

Things that Cause Rape (Image)

Don’t Buy it Project (Videos + Website)

She Asked For it (Video)

How to Spot an Abuser (Infographic)

Who Are You (Video)– MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

1 is 2 Many– Rape (Videos)

This is Rape Culture (Infographic)

Types of Abuse (Webpage)

Baby Trapped in Hot Car (Video)

Letter to Stanford Rapist (Video) Written Letter (Article) **Warning: For 8th graders only

A Journey through Foster Care (Webpage)

DRUGS

BrainPop: Addiction (Animation)

National Institute on Drug Abuse Games (Games)

Opioid Epidemic (Videos + Website)

How do I know if I’m an Addict (Documents)

Peer Pressure: Weed (Movie)

10 Common Marijuana Side Effects (Infographic)

Marijuana: Uncertain Medicine (Video)

Cannabis and Psychosis (Animation)

Weed(Article & Websites)

Your Brain on Weed (Animation)

Drug Free World (Videos)

Marijuana’s Harmful Effects (Image)

Problem or Solution: Legalized Marijuana in Colorado (Video)

College Drug Use (Infographic)

All-Drug Olympics (Video)

Bigger, Stronger, Faster- Performance Enhancing Drugs (Movie)

10 Pros/Cons for Performance Enhancing Drugs (Webpage)

Drug Facts: Anabolic Steroids (Webpage)

Steroid Effects (Infographic)

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports (Infographic)

Steroid Effects Male/Female (Infographic)

Signs Your a Drug User (Infographic)

Homeopathy Explained (Image)

EDUCATION

The People Vs. The School System (Video)

We Will Not Let Exams Decide our Fate (Video)

Plaigarism: Adinah’s Deck– (Video)

Plagarism– BrainPop (Video)

Plaigarism– Common Craft (Video)

ENERGY

Energy Now!– Electricity Generation (Video)

WindFall– Wind Turbines to Power a Town (Game)

EnergyVille- The energy needed to power a city (Game)

Three Mile Island- Nuclear Power (Video)

Gasland: Shale Gas Drilling (Movie)

The Age of Stupid (Movie)

EXTREME WEATHER

Earthquake (Game)

Hurricane Monitor (Website)

Scope of Hurricane Harvey (Video)

Hurricanes- Brainpop (Video)

Hurricane Anatomy (Infographic)

How do Hurricanes Form (Webpage)

Rescuing Animals during Hurricane Harvey (Webpage and Video)

Flocabulary: Hurricanes (Video)

Weather Emergency Kit (Infographic)

Stop Disasters (Game)

Brainpop: Floods (Video)

50 Images of Hurricane Sandy’s Destruction (Images)

Climate Change like Tetris (Video)

Midwest Tornado 2013 (Images)

Natural Disasters– Brainpop (Video)

Tsunamis– Brainpop (Video)

Typhoon Haiyan (Slideshow)

Inside the Megastorm (Video)

Hurricane Sandy: A Storm Still Felt- (Article + Videos)

Sandy Storyline (Website)

When Sandy is the Norm (Video & Article)

Before and After Sandy (Interactive Photos)

NY Times Sandy Slideshow (Slideshow)

Hurricane Sandy (Infographic)

Sandy’s Path of Destruction (Infographic)

How the full moon made Sandy Worse (Article)

Hurricanes Explained- Discovery Channel (Videos)

BrainPop: Earthquakes (Video)

BrainPop: Plate Tectonics (Video)

FACTORY FARMS & ANIMAL CRUELTY

McVideoGame (Game)

Draw my Life: A Hen in Today’s World (Video)

Draw my Life: A Cow in Today’s Dairy Industry (Video)

Draw my Life: A Pig in Today’s World (Video)

Hidden Cost of Hamburgers (Video)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Website + Videos) **Caution: Many Videos show the Killing of Animals

Steve Cutts: Man (Video)

How do Animals Experience Pain? (Video)

How to Prevent Animal Abuse (infographic)

Do Animals have Language? (Video)

The Dog Factory (Video) More Info Click HERE

Rachel Madow: Trump Helps Puppy Mills (Video)

Cruelty Free Cosmetics (Infographic)

ASPCA- Animal Cruelty (Website)

What’s Really in your Carton? (Infographic)

The Truth about Eating Animals (Infographic)

Food Inc. (Trailer) Food Inc. (Full Movie)

The Meatrix (Animation) Part 2, Part 2 1/2

Backwards Hamburger (Animation)

Samsara– How our food gets to the table

Petland– Puppy Mills (Video)

If our Pets Could Talk (Video)

Pets 4 Life (Video)

Shark Attacks (Infographic)

Animal Abuse Registry (Webpage and Video)

The Ivory Game (Video)

Last Days (Video)

Tracking Elephant Ivory (Website)

Elephant Ivory (Video)

Ninety-Six Elephants: Humans + Elements (Short Story)

True Cost of Food (Video)

How Deli Meats are Made (Video)

The Death of Bees Explained (Video)

How Smart are Dolphins? (Video)

Do Animlas Dream? (Video)

Technology ADDICTION

Inside Korea’s Gaming Rehab Clinic (Video)

reStart: Technology Rehab Center (Webpage)

Marc Maron: The Social Media Generation (Animation)

CNN- 5 Warning Signs (Video)

Are Video Games Like Drugs? (Video)

Gaming Addiction (Infographic)

12 Benefits of Playing Video Games (Article)

POV: Web Junkie (Video Clips + Webpage)

China’s Rehab for Internet Addicted Youth (Video)

GARBAGE & POLLUTION

Plastic Pollution Coalition (Video + Website)

Sea Turtle with a Straw Stuck in its Nose (Video)

Brainpop: Plastic (Video)

Straws– Trailer (Video)

BrainPOP: Waste Management (Video)

How Much Plastic is in the Ocean? (Video)

Just Eat It (Video)

The Works: Garbage (Video)

Food Waste in America (Video)

The Sixth Extinction (Video)

Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground (Video) More Info Click HERE

LoopScoops (Animations)

Midway: A Message from the Gyre (Video) (Photos Click Here)

Garbage Dreams (Game)

What’s in your Trash? (Infographic)

The Works – Trash (Video)

How Does a Modern Landfill Work? (Animation)

Sustainable Seafood (Video)

Chemical Nation (Documentary Film)

Fossil Fuel Distribution in two minutes (Video)

Earth University Plants a Future (Video)

Plastic Paradise Trailer (Video)

The Electronic Afterlife (Video)

Plastics Breakdown (Infographic)

Why don’t we Recycle Styrofoam? (Video)

Why Styrofoam is Bad for the Environment (Video)

Why not all Reusable Bags are Good for the Planet (Video)

GOVERNMENT & CORRUPTION

Executive Command (Game)

Fake it To Make it (Game)

The Nib: Last Takes to Midnight (Animation)

The Corporation (Documentary Film)

Safe and Sorry: Government Surveillance (Video)

Body Scanners(Video)

TSA Gone Wild (Infographic)

SWAT: Mission Creep (Video)

Stop Watching Us (Video)

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

The Kickback: How Will you Handle this Party? (Interactive Quiz)

Planned Parenthood: Relationship Quizzes

LoveisRespect: Healthy Relationship Quiz

When to Break up (Quiz)

Grace’s Diary (Game)

Cool/Not Cool Quiz (Game)

Just Because I…. (Images)

Healthy Teen Relationship Spectrum (Website)

Love What’s Real (Facts)

LoveisRespect- Unhealthy Relationships (Website)

The Line- Unhealthy Relationships (Video)

LoveisRespect- Relationship Quiz (Video)

Finding Zoe– Healthy Relationships (Game)

My Paper Girlfriend (Game)

My Paper Boyfriend (Game)

Can we Autocorrect Humanity (Video)

Nude-E-Calls (Game)

HIV/AIDS & STDs

STD’s (Infographic)

Lacie Green: HIV (Video)

Voices of Youth (Game)

BrainPop- HIV/AIDS (Animation)

What you Should Know about AIDS (Infographic)

EndGame- AIDS in Black America (Video)

HIV/AIDS (Glogster)

LGBTQ+

StoryBoardThat: Gender and Sexuality Vocabulary (Comics)

Logic- 1-800-273-8255 (Video)

Children on How Gender Affects their Lives (Video)

Coming out (Website with Videos)

Homophobia (Quiz)

Homophobia Infographic

Transgender Awareness (Infographic)

LGBTQ Bullying (Infographic)

The Story of Jazz (Video) Jazz Jennings w/ Katie Couric (Video)

What are Jazz’s Options for Surgery (Video) **MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

What is Intersex? (Video)

Katie Couric: What is Gender? (Video)

Sports Gender Controversy (Video)

Gavin Grimm’s Transgender Bathroom Story (Video)

It Gets Better (Videos)

Helping Trans Youth One Video at a Time (Webpage)

Transgender Bathroom Social Experiment (Video)

Ryland’s Story (Video) For more info. click HERE

LGBTQ Issues: House Not Home (Movie) **MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

Minus18: LGBTQ Pride (Images)

Colorado Transgender Girl (Video)

Kids React to Gay Marriage (Video)

StandUp!– Against Homophobia (Video)

Homophobia Student Documentary (Video)

Gay Football Player Response (Video)

I Love my Boo Campaign (Article)

Think Be4 You Speak– (Video) Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Dys4ia- Hormone Therapy (Game)

Transgender Adventure! (Video)

Born Gay? Pro/Con (Webpage)

Transmormon: Growing up Transgender and Mormon (Video)

IMMIGRATION

Immigration Nation (Game)

BrainPOP: Citizenship (Video)

What part of Legal Immigration Don’t You Understand? (Infographic)

ICE Raids Doomsday: Here’s How One Immigrant Prepares (Video)

Should ICE be Abolished (Video)

100% of DACA Recipients have no Felonies (Video)

DACA (Dream Act) Explained (Video)Immigration Raids (Video)

ICED Deports Immigrant Mother (Video)

The Immigration Trail (Game)

ICED– Immigration Detention (Game)

Homeland Guantanamos– Immigration Detention (Game)

Against All Odds: What it’s Like to be a Refugee (Game)

MENTAL HEALTH

Why I Don’t Have a Face to Reveal– Eating Disorder (Video)

Walk in our Shoes (Website + Videos)

Storybooth: I Never Felt Skinny Enough (Video)

Storybooth: Coming back from Depression (Video)

The Road Back- Teen Depression & Anxiety (Movie)

Run- Eating Disorder (Video)

How Much Do You REALLY Know About Autism? (Video)

BrainPOP- Autism (Video) (Ask for Password)

I had a Black Dog, His Name Was Depression (Video)

Sabrina Benaim- Explaining My Depression to My Mother (Video)

What is Depression (Video)

What Depression Feels Like (Video)

The Mind/Game Trailer (Movie)

Eating Disorders (Infographic)

Mental Health (Infographic)

Suicide (Infographic)

Thinking Positive (Video)

Breast Cancer Breakdown (Infographic)

What if Physical Health was Treated the Same as Mental Health (Comic)

OCD and Anxiety (Video)

Robin Williams- Depression (Blog Post)

OBESITY

Do I Have Pre-Diabetes (Videos)

Is Sugar a Drug? (Video)

Obesity Facts (Infographic)

BrainPop: Healthy Diet (Animation)

BrainPop: Diabetes (Animation)

This Is What 200 Calories Look Like: Junk vs. Healthy Food (Video)

Yuck: A 4th grader’s documentary on school lunches (Video)

What’s on Your Plate? (Video)

Body Mass Index Calculator (Webpage)

What is a Calorie? (Video)

What 2000 Looks Like (Article)

Obesity: Complex, but Conquerable (Infographic)

NY Times Calorie Detective (Video)

Fizzy’s Lunch– Tummy Trauma (Animation)

Two Foods– Compare any 2 foods (Website)

Carbohydrates– Brainpop (Animation)

Is Junk Food Cheaper? (Article)

Calorie King– Search the calories in food (Website)

HBO’s Weight of the Nation (Movie)

Obesity Worldwide (Infographic)

What 2000 Calories Looks Like (Video)

Working off the Calories (Infographic)

FDA’s Nutrition Education (Webpage)

Fantastic Food Challenge (Game)

Global Fat Scale (Interactive Webpage)

Super Size Me (Movie)

Crazy Amount of Sugar in Everyday Things (Video)

The Economic Cost of Obesity (Video)

Hidden Cost of Big Macs (Video) Courtesy of: insurancequotes.org/hidden-cost-big-mac

Hidden Cost of Soda (Video) Courtesy of: insurancequotes.org/hidden-cost-soda

POVERTY

Basic Facts about Homeless in NYC (Webpage)

Experiencing Homelessness (Video)

1800 Runaway (Video)

Why do Some Homeless Reject Shelters? (Video)

Inside Skid Row (Video)

5 Things You Always Wanted To Know about the Homeless, But Were Too Afraid To Ask (Webpage)

Runaway Homeless (Video)

Homelessness Timeline (Video)

50 People, One Question: Skid Row (Video)

The Stats on Homeless (Infographic)

NYC Children: Homeless for the Holidays (Infographic)

The Road to Youth Homelessness (Infographic)

Homeless: Ronald Davis (Video)

On a Plate (Comic)

Ayiti (Game)

3rd World Farmer (Game)

Spent– Homelessness (Game)

World Hunger Day (Presentation)

Homeless Poem (Glogster)

The Invisible Poor (Infographic)

Where is Homelessness Getting Worse? (Infographic)

Every Beat Matters– Closer to Home (Video)

Every Beat Matters- Mission (Video)

Every Beat Matters- Supporting Front Line Health Workers (Website)

Frontline: Poor Kids (Video)

Hoarding (Quote)

Why Some Homeless Choose The Streets Over Shelters (Podcast)

PRISON

Incarceration Nation (Infographic)

Prison Inc. (Infographic)

13th (Movie)

Mass Incarceration– A Failed Policy (Animation)

Girls and the Criminal Justice System (Website + Videos) (Full Video Click HERE)

Incarceration in America (Video)

What happens When Youth are Charged with a Crime? (Webpage)

3 Strikes Sentencing (Video)

RACISM

One Day- Logic (Music Video)

NFL: Taking the Knee During the Anthem (Video)

Donald Trump’s Response to Athletes Taking the Knee During the Anthem (Video)

Taking a Stand by Bending a Knee: How Colin Kaepernick started a Movement (Video)

The Problem with Apu (Video)

Muslim Registry (Video)

Black Lives Matter Explained (Video)

JayZ: The War on Drugs is an Epic Fail (Video)

Nativism (Comic)

Why are Muslims So… (Video)

Understanding the Burkini Ban (Video)

Burkini (Video)

White Privilege (Song)

On a Plate: A Short Story about Privilege (Comic)

Ernestine Johnson: ‘The Average Black Girl’ (Spoken Word Video)

How ‘Broken Windows’ Policing Harms People of Color (Video)

The “N” Word Part 1, Part 2 (video)

A Class Divided– Students separated by eye color (Video)

Sh#t White Girls Say (Video)

Sh#t White Girls Say, Part 2 (Video)

How Ferguson Showed us the Truth about Police (Video)

Ferguson- Daily Show (Video)

Diet Racism (Video)

Is America Dreaming (Video)

Starbucks: Let’s Talk about Race (Image)

ROBOT RIGHTS?

The New Rules of Robot/Human Society (Video)

Killer Robots (Video)

Artificial Intelligence (Movie)

Robots Resembling Animals: Wild Cat, Cheetah, RHex, Petman, Sand Flea, LS3, Atlas

Asimo (Video)

Atlas the Robot (Video)

The Future of Artificial Intelligence (Video)

Would you Kill a Robot? (Video)

Humans Need Not Apply (Video)

A Brief History of Robots (Video)

Atlas Walks Outside (Video)

SEXISM AND STEREOTYPES

50 People, 1 Question: Change One Thing about your Body (Video)

#LikeAGirl (Video)

Barbie Finally Becomes a Real Woman (Video + Webpage)

Storybooth: Bullied for Wearing a Hijab (Video)

A Beginner’s Guide to Hijabs (Video) **MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA**

Killing us Softly- How Women are Represented in the Media (Video)

The Bro Code– Male Stereotypes (Video)

Brave New Voices: Halloween (Video)

Hit Record: Feminism (Video)

HyperSext- Girls and Sexuality (Video)

10 Hours of Waling on NYC Streets: Catcalling (Video)

Bronies- Boys who like My Little Pony (Video)

Body Evolution- Before and After Photoshop

Miss Representation– How women are portrayed in the Media (Documentary Film)

How the Media Failed Women in 2013 (Video)

Vintage Ads Shaming Women into Buying (Images)

Clearasil– Hate other Girls (Image)

Sports and Politics (Movie)

Campaign Against Women (Movie)

Life as a woman- Having to watch your back (Blog Post)

Last Week Tonight: Miss America Pageant (Movie)

Sam Pepper Exposed (Video)

Sam Pepper Exposed, Part 2 (Video)

Feminist Frequency- Women in Video Games, Part 1 (Video)— MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

Feminist Frequency- Women in Video Games, Part 2 (Video)— MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

Potty Mouth Princesses (Video)–MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

Hollaback: Street Harassment (Website)

Dying to Stay Thin (Infographic)

Does Sexism Hurt Men? (Video)

Not NFL Scandals (Image)

Wait, is Makeup Sexist? (Video)

Tampon Pic (Image)

Photos Shaping Opinions (Video)

Cause & Effect: How the Media you Consume can Change your Life (Infographic)

The Mask You Live In- Trailer (Movie) Click HERE for Full Movie

Unattainable Woman (Video) **MUST HAVE DR. LAHANA’S PERMISSION TO WATCH

Women in Information Technology (Infographic)

Time Poverty (Video)

SWEATSHOPS AND CHILD LABOR

Do Sweatshops Make your Clothes (Video)

Sim Sweatshop (Game)

Very Off Parents- Sweatshop (Video)

Fashion: Last Week Tonight (Video)

The Fruit’s of Mexico’s Cheap Labor (Video)

Made in LA– Sweatshops (Movie)

Behind the Swoosh (Movie)

How a T-Shirt is Made- NPR’s Planet Money (Video + Website)

Fashion Factories Uncovered (Video)

The Making of Leather (Video)

TECHNOLOGY- SEXTING & PRIVACY

Cybersecurity 101 (Video)

CyberSecurity Lab (Game)

Digital Bystander (Video)

Flocabulary: Oversharing (Video)

Digital Compass (Serious Game)

Image-based Abuse (Video + Website)

ThatsNotCool– Girl’s Perspective- Pressure Pics (Video)

ThatsNotCool– Boy’s Perspective – Pressure Pics(Video)

Digital Parenting (Infographic)

Teenage Sexting (Infographic)

The Truth about Teen Sexting (Infographic)

Sexting- The Price of a Text (Video)

Exposed (Video + Webpage)

Profile Penalty– (Video)

What’s on your Mind? (Video)

Hyper Reality (Video)

SEX EDUCATION

Parents Explain the Birds and the Bees (Video)

Planned Parenthood: STD’s and Consent (Website + Videos)

I Got Teased for Being a Late Bloomer (Video)

STDs (Infographic)

STD Drawings (Images)

STD Testing (Infographic)

STD Risk Factors (Infographic)

Lacie Green: Sex Education (Video)

The Morning After Pill (Video)

HPV Vaccine–Should Kids Get It? (Video)

What is HPV (Video)

What is a Period (Video)

Abortion Options (Video)

Abortion Under Attack (Video)

Teen Birth Rate (Interactive Webpage)

Block Party (Game)

Condoms in Schools– (Webpage)

Condom Choices in Schools– (Video)

Do NYC anti-teen pregnancy ads go too far Pregnant Boys 1, 2, 3 (Images)

Abortion PSA (Video)

Abortion Pro/Con (Website)

Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood (Infographic)

12 Facts about Teen Pregnancy (Infographic)

Teen Pregnancy in America (Infographic)

Teen Pregnancy Facts and Statistics (Infographic)

WAR, TERRORISM, & ISLAMOPHOBIA

Vice: Inside North Korea (Video) **MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA**

Donald Trump’s Executive Order Explained (Video)

Allepo’s Last Hospital (Video) **MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA**

The Fall of Allepo Explained (Video)

The Plight of Syrian Refugees (Video)

All of the World Failed Allepo (Video)

BrainPop: War (Video)

Flocabulary: ISIS (Video)

Afghanistan (Game)

September 11: Fact vs. Fiction (Video)

9/11 Ten Years Later (Infographic)

Save Syria’s Children (Video)

John Oliver: Torture (Video) ** MUST HAVE APPROVAL FROM DR. LAHANA TO WATCH

THE ENVIRONMENT

A Cheesy Love Story – The Ad Doritos Don’t Want You to See (Video)

Pepsi Co and Palm Oil (Video)

Charity Water.org: Why Water (Video)

Starbucks Exposed (Video)

Lil’ Krill- Sucked Up (Video)

BrainPOP: Humans and the Environment (Video) **Ask Dr. Lahana for Password

BrainPop: Water Pollution (Animation)

Story of Bottled Water (Animation)

A Tale of Two Cities (Video)

The Life of Bottled Water (Infographic)

The Water Crisis (Webpage)

Bottled Water Quiz

Last Call at the Oasis (Video)

The Story of Microbeads (Animation)

From Fleece Jackets to your Plate (Video)

How Much Water do you Use? (Quiz)

Water.org: Millions Lack Safe Water (Infographic)

BrainPOP: Population Growth (Video)

Plumbing Heroes (Infographic)

Tapped- Bottled Water (Movie Trailer) Click HERE for the full movie

Water Life -Protecting Clean Water (Game)

Global Water Crisis (Infographic)

Citzen Science– Fresh Water Pollution (Game)

Bottled Water Facts (Infographic)

Hidden Cost of Bottled Water (Video) Courtesy of: insurancequotes.org/hidden-cost-bottled-water

What happens when you Flush? (Video)

CharityWater.Org- Clean/Dirty Water (Video)

The Sound of Death (Video)

Gizmodo: Stop Drinking Bottled Water (Article)

This Land is our Land (Video)

Aquafina to say it come from Tap (Video)

Pilot Whale Swallows Plastic Bags (Video)

 

THE TECHBRARIAN JOURNAL

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-NOVEMBER 26-

Today we are going to talk about a new way to do social activism.  It’s called Craftivism.   Craftivism is when you use crafts like sewing, knitting, and embroidery to get important messages out into the world.  Today we’ll be learning embroidery.   Below are a couple of tutorials to get you started:

Embroidery is so much fun, BUT it’s important that the message you embroider shows your passion for one of the social issues we’ve discussed in the Tech Café.    That message should be powerful and memorable.  Creating a message like this is called a “slogan”.   Click HERE for my guide on creating Slogans.


-november 2-

In September, when we were talking about Straws,  I came across this site called There is No Away.   This idea really stuck to my brain:  we throw things “away”, but they really don’t go “away”.  They have to go somewhere–but rarely do we think about or care where that place is.  There’s a great TV episode that talks about garbage.  you can watch it here (ask for password).

There are so many social issues surrounding garbage.  This week we’ll be discussing Food Waste.  Did you know that 40% of food produced in the U.S. is wasted— that equals 133 billion pounds!  In fact, 20% of our landfills are filled with food waste.  Every second, 3000 pounds of food is wasted in the U.S.  Meanwhile, 1 in 6 Americans are hungry.    3000 pounds of food would feed 650 Americans for the entire day.  The video below shows just how much food is thrown out in NYC:

So what can you do?

Change your behavior: (1) Freeze food you're not using. (2) Learn how to compost your uneaten food.  (3) Don't just throw away food because it's passed the expiration date-- smell it and look for mold.  (4) Donate your uneaten food to the homeless.

Change others behavior:  Create projects that show people how much food we waste on The Lower East Side and and why it matters.  For example (1) take photos of food waste in our school and in the community and create art with it. (2) Make a documentary investigating how much food we waste or how much other students know about food waste. (3)  Create a Scratch game that shows people how to avoid food waste. (4) Create "reminder jewelry" that gives food waste tips like "freeze it", "smell test", or "compost king".

-october 29-

Two weeks ago, we spoke about the power and importance of telling your personal story like THIS ONE.  Below are a couple of examples of what it looks like to tell your story through song:  As you listen, ask yourself the following question:

What steps would it take to create a song out of my personal story?

Lyrics can be found HERE


This is a song called Scowling Crackhead Ian. I don’t like the word “crackhead” and it does not belong in school.  However, I think it’s a powerful example of a personal story through song, so I included it:

Lyrics can be found HERE


Like Scowling Crackhead Ian, your song does not have to be a rap.  But, for those who would like to do that, I created a rap guide last year that helps you to create one:


Here are a few free instrumentals that you can use for your Personal Story song:


-october 26-

flowers GIF by Maori Sakai

 

Our work in The Tech Café is all about making the world a better place.

The problem is, we often don’t care that much about people who are struggling.  To understand and share the feelings of others is called “empathy” and it’s not always easy to do.
sad best friends GIF by Lisa Vertudaches
Yep, it’s hard to put ourselves in the shoes of someone begging for money on the street, someone whose boyfriend is beating them, someone addicted to smoking, or someone trying to enter the

U.S.A. for a better life.

But without empathy, we cannot truly solve these problems.  Only when we put ourselves in their shoes and feel our heart ache for them– even for a few moments– will we be able to create powerful songs, outreach projects, videos, animation, jewelry, and art to make a difference.

Today, you’re going to learn Dr. Lahana’s 2 steps for building empathy™.

Step 1: Realize that everyone has a struggle.  Sure, some are dealing with more pain than others-- but no one has it easy.  Once you take that outlook, your job is to find out their struggle and imagine what it would feel like if it was you dealing with it.

Step 2: Once you realize what a person is struggling with, do an act of kindness that lets them know the world is not a dark place.


So, what are you going to do or create this week to make someone’s world better?


-OCTOBER 22-

Juppi Juppsen animation loop illustration media GIF

It’s storytime, my friends.  Read it below and then let’s discuss:

Imagine that one day you wake up as a robot that cannot talk, dress, or move itself around.  You, the robot, are wearing a simple white t-shirt and simple white pants.   Your eyes are open, but you realize that someone is now controlling you.  The man that is controlling you stands behind a curtain.  You cannot see his face. He has never spent time with someone like you or your family...although they have seen TV shows with someone who kind of looked like you in it.  This stranger goes to the mall and buys clothes for you that match ones he'd seen in a rap video. The stranger has no idea what you like to wear, but they dress you up anyway.  

Muchmoji GIF
The stranger than presses a special remote and you walk down the hall to your kitchen.  The stranger swears "!@#$", realizing that the fridge is empty.  You stand there, unable to move.  He returns 20 minutes later with bags of stuff they think you might like-- food that he'd seen in the same TV show with that kid who kind of looked like you.

The stranger than presses the button that controls you to go to school.  On the way out of your apartment, your mom stands smiling at the doorway.  The stranger has no idea what to have you say to your mom, so he has you say, "later bruh!"....something you'd never say. 

When you get to school,  the stranger has you give a random handshake to your friend.  Your fingers are flying, making shooting noises, and banging around like a pigeon stuck indoors.  Your friend shakes her head and walks away....

adventure time mind blown GIF

OK, so that might have seemed a bit random, but let’s push forward.

Why did the stranger dress you, feed you, and have you behave in such odd ways?

It’s because he didn’t know you, right?  Well, here’s the thing:  the people who create most media (TV, movies, video games, commercials) don’t know you either.  They often do not look like you, live in your neighborhood, or have life experiences like yours.

But, because they are the ones telling the stories, it doesn’t matter!  They can make you say or do anything, whether or not it makes you look foolish, scary, or crazy.

And that is why you need to tell your own story– through media like podcasting, art, game design, music, and filmmaking.  Tell your story; because if you let strangers tell it, they won’t get it right.  Worse, when they get it wrong, they will miss out on how amazing your are. How, even though there are moments of drama in your life, you still manage to make your friends laugh, have the courage to learn something  brand new, be there for a friend who is super upset, and never, ever, call your mom “bruh”.

that's all folks no GIF by Lil Yachty


Click on “Show More” below to see more student films that tell their story.  As you watch them, think about what yours is and how you will tell it better than The Stranger:


-october 15-

alfonso de anda fox GIF by Animation Domination High-Def

Last week I overheard a conversation between two 7th graders.  One said, “I can’t wait, after school, I’m going to buy one of those vape pens, I heard they’re mad good.”  She’s not the only teen excited by e-cigarettes.   Put together, 14% of middle and high school students smoke them.

Bubblegum, Mango, and Cucumber.  Who doesn’t love those delicious flavors?  One reason that kids are so into e-cigarettes is that they are attracted to the flavors added to the “pods” or liquids used to create the smoke.  The e-cigarette companies KNOW this and are marketing it to you on purpose, even though you’re supposed to be 18 to buy their products.

There are two big problems with e-cigarettes:

  1. They contain dangerous things like propylene glycol and metal particles.   Propylene glycol has been linked to “popcorn lung” which is a disease where your lungs crackle when you breathe, makes you cough and feel short of breath.   The heated coils in e-cigarettes release small metal particles into your lungs that can cause cancer and problems with your body’s ability to fight off diseases (AKA your immune system).

  1. E-cigarettes contain Nicotine. Nicotine is E X T R E M E L Y addictive and ruins the tunnels (veins) that feed your body blood. One pod contains the same nicotine as 20 cigarettes.  Kids who start smoking e-cigarettes find it nearly impossible to quit and often end up smoking regular cigarettes.

So what can we do about it?  Just like what we did with straws, we can get teens to understand why they’re so bad and get them to stop.  Here’s the story of a teen who made a documentary against e-cigarettes.

Learn more about E-Cigarettes by visiting StillBlowingSmoke and Truth.  Next, share that knowledge by making your own film, animation, T-shirts, clay, and jewelry projects!


-october 9-

Once again, I am so proud of what Island Schoolers have done to get rid of single-use plastic straws.  Here’s Marilyn’s documentary on some of your experiences doing the Strawless Challenge:

This week will be devoted to engineering for social action.  Let’s begin by watching the video below about a special suit:

Engineering” has a ton of definitions.  Here’s the way we’ll be using it in this class:  imagining, designing, and building things that solve problems and make our lives better.   Click HERE for a bunch of videos I gathered on different inventions engineered to improve people’s lives like these:

Here in the Tech Café there’s no easier way to start engineering than to build with Legos.  Below are some models you can make and then improve upon to better our world. 


-OCTOBER 1-

illusion hiding GIF

Last week, we spoke about the power of personal stories.  Many students came to me privately and spoke about intense events that happened in their lives– stories about drugs, relationships, and violence.  I told everyone the same thing: TELL YOUR STORY.  But, if your story reveals details that embarrass you too intensely or gets anyone in trouble, change the names in your story and ask me not to reveal you as the author.  If you’re creating a film, choose actors to play the characters from your life.

Here are a few more examples of personal stories:

Gabriela reveals to her mother that she's been molested.

Kapone talks about the struggles he's facing after his uncle commits suicide and his sister is out of control. Click HERE for the lyrics.

A family struggles to survive after the father is incarcerated.

-september 24-

suspicious kenan thompson GIF by Saturday Night Live

This week we’re talking about YOU- yes you.  Whether you believe it or not, each of you has an incredibly powerful story inside of you (probably more than one).  No one’s life is boring.

We all struggle with family drama, have weird issues with friends, and do random stuff that we regret. We all have secrets that we hold inside, gross memories, and times we laughed so hard our bellies hurt.  We have all loved deeply and cried when we lost something important.  Yep, each of you has a story.Reading Book Read GIF by Laura Salaberry

So, you might be wondering what does this have to do with Social Action?  Well, think about it this way: have you ever felt like no one has understood what you are going through– felt alone in your struggle?  When you tell your story, you are offering up the chance for a bunch of people to relate and not feel so alone.  That is Social Action!  Of course, your story doesn’t have to be serious, just super personal and have a lot of details.  Let’s check a few out:

If you are interested in filmmaking, begin by making a storyboard for each scene in the movie. Show it to me and borrow a camera to get started!

Alize's song tells the story of her parents relationship. Click HERE to read the words.

The last animation is from a site called Storybooth.  Spend some time checking out more stories by clicking HERE.  If you’re interested in creating your own, check out the tutorials below for the animation software Powtoon (use student@techbrarian.com and the usual password). 


-september 17-

Wow, so many of you have taken the Straw-Free Challenge and even convinced your friends to do the same.  I’d love someone to borrow a camera, write some interview questions and get students’ thoughts on going straw-free.  Like, why did they take the pledge?  What has been the most challenging part?  Will they go straw-free forever?  

Another interesting straw-related issue popped up today:  Students were upset because the cafeteria was sending up breakfast to the classrooms with lots of straws.  How do we get them to stop that?!?  I’d love to know your thoughts.

How about taking cool pictures like this?

*****

For those brave souls who have committed to be #straw-free and want to take it a step further, it’s time to think about other forms of single-use plastic we want to get rid of:

Here are a few ways to reduce single-use plastic in your life:

  1. Bring or make your own shopping bags like this one from old t-shirts to use instead of plastic bags.
  2. Buy a reusable water bottle (if you can’t afford it, ask me in private and we’ll work it out.)
  3. Bring your own forks and knives whenever you’re planning to eat fast  food.

Lonely Whale Sticker


-SEPTEMBER 12-

Last week, we spoke about the environmental disaster created by our use of disposable plastic straws.  All of us in the Tech Cafe were upset when we a watched a straw being removed from a sea turtle’s nose and surprised at how easy it was to create our own paper straws.  We were introduced to bamboo and metal straws and had fun sipping water from licorice sticks.

So, Island Schoolers (and all you other students following this journal), are you ready to make a pledge to stop drinking from disposable plastic straws?  If so, next time you are at a restaurant or Starbucks, say “no straw, no lid, please.”  Maybe you can also create a card to place next to a straw dispenser encouraging others to do the same?  How about a T-Shirt with a cool logo or slogan against straws?  Maybe a rap or poem?  How about a game to stop people from using straws?  Maybe you can invent something even cooler than this:

In other news, remember how I talked about my goal to get more of our products on the Etsy shop?  Well, I made a video to help you do it without me!


-SEPTEMBER 6-

After watching videos like THIS about how straws pollute the sea and kill sea life, my daughter Ruby made a pledge to no longer use plastic straws.

Did you know that 500 Million Straws are used in the US each day?  It’s true! And by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.  “But Dr. Lahana, isn’t most plastic recycled?”  Nope, less than 10% of plastic is recycled.  Plastic is made from fossil fuels (AKA oil) and takes hundreds of years to break down.  Plastic straws are especially bad because they escape the filters that catch plastic before it goes to the ocean:


-september 5-

WELCOME BACK TEAM!  I am so so excited to see what social issues inspire you this year and what you create to better our world.

Here’s a video recap of our work:

So what’s in store for us this year?  Here are a few of the issues: Fake News, our nation’s opioid addiction, Eating disorders, Autism (ask for password), and straws!

3 of my goals for this year are (1) grow our Etsy Shop.  We make such cool stuff here, it should be seen and bought by our fans so that we can donate to our charities and purchase more materials for the Tech Café. (2) More filmmaking. After Jibeh’s award-winning film changed so many people’s idea of Hijab’s, I really want more students producing films– in fact, I have a documentary filmmaker coming in once a week this year to help out.  (3) Have a few amazing activists create a DoSomething.org campaign like former Island School students Kat & Judy did for Blessing Bags.

So let’s get started!





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