Total Eclipse of the.... Sun (with apologies to Bonnie Tyler)

What an experience!

In Los Angeles today (Aug 21st, 2017) we didn't have a TOTAL eclipse of the sun (as opposed to a TOTAL eclipse of the HEART by Bonnie Tyler - that happens in Hollywood all the time!!) but we did have partial solar eclipse!

To view this amazing event, Tuvia and I made the camera obscura that you see below.  The image that we got was amazingly clear (the phone camera that I used to take the below picture caught some glare, but it wasn't there when we looked at the image with our eyes).

Even though the solar eclipse has now passed, you don't need it to use this device with your classes.  You can discuss light and cameras (and how they work) and then draw parallels to the structure of the eye.  Then you can discuss eye safety and why it is so important!  What is even cooler is that you can have each member of your class design their own camera obscura and then go outside and view the sun!!

Our camera was made with a box, a pin-hole the in aluminum foil, a white piece of paper for the screen and a viewing port.  I placed it on a tripod so that our neighbors could look as well.

I shared this design with a few of my CIJE schools and I can hardly wait until I get to see their pictures!!

I know that Tuvia won't forget this day and I hope that he gets an opportunity to see a FULL solar eclipse like I did in Winnipeg, Manitoba back in 1979.  Below is one of the pictures I took with my Minolta SLR.  It is an experience that I will never forget.

(Yossie's slide from 1979 eclipse)

As always, I solicit your comments on the Blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

School is Baaaack - so be true to your school! (apologies to the Beach Boys!)

It's that time of year again!  You know... students cramming in that last bit of summer reading, teachers preparing classrooms, administrators waiting at the main school doors for...

THE RETURN TO SCHOOL!!

Yes, indeed, summer is "out" and school is back "in!"  I can hardly wait!  My son Tuvia - you know the "guinea pig" that I do all of my "typical student" testing on - has his uniforms all ready and school supplies all purchased.  All that awaits him now is that first day of school.  He can hardly wait.

Over at CIJE central, we have been busy as well.  We have packaged up all of our new laptops, science supplies and teaching resources to send off to all of our new and returning CIJE network schools.  As a matter of fact, this week I am off to San Diego to help one of our schools do a major upgrade to their WiFi system that will give them leading-edge technology to enhance their already educationally rich curriculum. Just another service of CIJE!

Speaking of getting ready for school, there is this great event for those of you in the Los Angeles area.  On Sunday, August 27th, at the Ivan Gallery,

2701 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles from 8 pm to 10 pm there will be a big book launch (and open house) for...

the Jewish Educators Companion - Practical Tools & Inspirational Ideas - published by the world renowned Behrman House Publishers.  This book would make a great resource for you and a fantastic gift to to give to any teacher who may be on your back-to-school shopping list. Now you don't have to believe me (after all, my wife Batsheva wrote it so I am a bit biased) so here are a few quotes from Master Educators who have read the book...

The Jewish Educator's Companion translates sound educational theory into usable strategies for every Jewish educational setting. Educators can use these tools to introduce critical thinking and Jewish values into their games, projects, and activities. An expert in gaming, filmmaking, and other creative learning strategies, Frankel makes leading educational trends accessible and implementable. If you are seeking a menu of ways to make Jewish learning thoughtful and deep while truly engaging learners, this book is a great guide. --Miriam Heller Stern, Ph.D., National Director, School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Batsheva Frankel's new book adds something desperately needed in the Jewish educational world - a toolkit to inspire new and veteran teachers alike. We are preparing the next generation of leaders of the Jewish community; we must create an environment that is conducive to that noble goal. With ideas culled from the best of general education and applied to Jewish education, Frankel's work can move the needle in a meaningful way. --Rabbi Ari Segal, Head of School, Shalhevet High School, Los Angeles

There will be a special book launch price and Batsheva will be on-hand to sign it and "talk teacher" with you... so stop on by! If you can't make it, then the book is available on Amazon (http://a.co/3nuSck2).

So, welcome back to school and I hope to see you on Sunday!

As always, I solicit your comments on my blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Flash is finally retiring!

Picture this... A big newspaper news room circa 1950's or so. A copy boy runs in and yells to everyone present. The sound of typewriters stop, the hum of the printing press winds down and the whole room comes to a hush...

Copy boy: "News Flash!!!  It's finally retiring!!"

Reporter:  "What's retiring?"

Copy boy: "Flash!"

News Editor:  "What? As in Flash Gordon?" (Yossie's note: I guess I am showing my age! :-)

Copy boy:  "Nope... Adobe Flash!"

That's right, after years of leadership and having been responsible for creating gaming, education and video industries, Adobe has finally announced that Flash will be discontinued by 2020. That means that web based developers have less then three years to convert their Flash based websites over to HTML5, WebGL or Webassembly.

So, why should this concern us Ed-Tech types?

Well, there are a HUGE number of educational websites that are based on Flash technology and the cost of moving them and their data over to the newer technologies would be hugely expensive. My fear is that they will just be shutting down rather than retooling.  What makes this even more shocking is that we could lose a very large number of Jewish Educational websites especially since many of the Hebrew sites are created with Flash.  Even now, since Google Chrome does not run Flash without bypassing default settings, I can't begin to tell you how many calls a week I get about workarounds! Imagine what it will be like by 2020!!

So, be prepared for some of your favorite sites to "retire" off into the sunset, just like my old hero Flash Gordon.

As always, I solicit your comments on the blogsite.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel