Krista Brakhage, teacher-librarian, Poudre High School, Fort Collins CO

Open Culture bills itself as having "the best free cultural & educational media on the web." Teacher-librarian Krista Brakhage resolved to make friends with Open Culture and discovers that with a little bit of searching, the site provides a treasure trove of valuable resources for instruction and the classroom.

As librarians, our role is often one of instructional coach. We are called on to help teachers and students find solutions to challenges. Recently, a teacher asked for assistance in locating 35 iPads for a great lesson idea she had. She teaches Read 180, a class dedicated to helping struggling readers improve their literacy skills. She and two of her colleagues who teach our English Language Learners wanted to use the new app from Apple, iBooks Author, which allows you to create interactive, multi-touch books that incorporate captions, links, and even video. It’s a great tool, but we had a major problem—we don’t have any iPads.

Anyone who works with teens should know about and embrace Hank and John Green. You can get to know the siblings through the VlogBrothers, a YouTube channel where Hank and John trade video conversations back and forth on every topic under the sun. This vlog inspired a host of followers christened Nerdfighters, not because they fight nerds, but because they are nerds who endeavor to be awesome.