Bullying affects many adolescents and teens on a daily basis, and can go unnoticed by other students, teachers, and parents. Unfortunately, recent bullying statistics show that bullying is on the rise among young adults, teens and children. The rise in these bullying statistics is likely due to a form of bullying seen in recent years called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying involves using technology, like cell phones and social media, to bully or harass another person.

Cyberbullying can be very damaging to adolescents and teens. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Also, once things are circulated on the Internet, they may never disappear, resurfacing at later times to renew the pain of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying can take many forms:

• Sending mean messages or threats to a person's email account or cell phone
• Spreading rumors online or through texts
• Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages.

Despite the potential damage of cyberbullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to cyberbullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation:

• Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyberbullying.
• More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
• Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
• Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyberbullying occurs.

With these growing statistics, it's important for all teachers to recognize all forms of bullying and to identify ways to address bullying to their students. Here is a list of resources to help teachers with bullying. Help raise awareness to your students and help curb the growing epidemic affecting many children, schools, and communities.

Bullying in... Read More »

NOVA Labs is a new digital platform where "citizen scientists" can actively participate in the scientific process. From predicting solar storms and designing renewable energy systems to tracking cloud movements and learning cybersecurity strategies, NOVA Labs participants can take part in real-world investigations by visualizing, analyzing, and sharing the same data that scientists use.

Each Lab is unique, and focuses on a different area of active research. But all of them illustrate key concepts with engaging and informative videos and guide participants as they answer scientific questions or design solutions to current problems. Experts in the field are available as well to answer users’ questions and to propose new routes of investigation.

The Energy Lab

For something we use every day, energy is a pretty mysterious concept. This Lab investigates what energy is, how it can be converted into useful forms, and why some sources are running low. In our Research Challenge, you'll use scientific data to design renewable energy systems for cities across the U.S.—and compete with others to see whose designs can produce the most power.

The Sun Lab

Despite its apparently steady glow, the Sun is a churning mass of superhot plasma that regularly produces powerful flares and storms that can knock out power and communication systems here on Earth. This Lab explores what makes the Sun so volatile and gives you access to the same data, images, and tools that scientists use to predict solar storms—so that you can predict them for yourself.

Learn more at pbs.org/nova/labs

Iowa Public Television has received a grant to produce a new series of online education resources for our nation’s classrooms. The IPTV team will be creating a series of Web-based curriculum resources related to topics and themes introduced within the nationally syndicated television program, Market to Market, produced by IPTV and reaching more than 70% of non-metro, farming-dependent counties in the United States.

By leveraging the timely and relevant content of the weekly Market to Market program, this project will build upon core subject content and emphasize the skills, knowledge and expertise today’s students must master to compete globally and become successful 21st century citizens. The project will target students in grade 9-12 nationally, and will connect with learning outcomes in the subject areas of agriculture, STEM, social studies, language arts and others. These online resources will be freely available for all educators.

We’re seeking input from teachers like you to help inform our planning for this project. Please take a few minutes and complete a short survey about your curriculum needs, relevant student characteristics, and high-interest content connections to the themes covered in Market to Market programs.

Access the survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/markettomarketclassroom

February marks the beginning of Black History month: a time to celebrate the extraordinary African Americans upon whose shoulders an entire people were lifted. It’s also a chance to remember the considerable hardships these pioneers endured in pursuit of equality. This month and beyond, we encourage you to spend some time with your students celebrating the countless contributions of African Americans.

IPTV has hundreds of resources ranging in subject areas from history to the arts and literature that help shed light on the significant contributions of the Americans who strived for equality.

Independent Lens
Independent Lens announced three new films that examine the history of African American activism, each from a unique perspective.

Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock - Daisy Bates was a complex, unconventional, and largely forgotten heroine of the civil rights movement who led the charge to desegregate the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 -Swedish journalists came to the United States to document the anti-war and Black Power movements of the late 60s and early 70s. The Black Power Mixtape combines music, original 16mm footage, and contemporary audio interviews from leading African American artists, activists, musicians, and scholars.

More Than a Month - Shukree Hassan Tilghman, a 29-year-old African American filmmaker, goes on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month.