Federal Title II.D Competitive Grants <Reminder>

The Department approved 14 competitive grants for 2007-08: six Year 1 grants and eight new Year 1 grants. Visit the program website to learn more about Missouri’s Title II.D-eMINTS grant program, the districts with approved grants, and how districts are using eMINTS professional development and multimedia technology to enhance instructional strategies and improve student performance. Look for project summaries of the new Year 1 grant projects to be posted to the website by late September or early October. See: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/instrtech/federalfunded/TitleIID/index.htm.

 State eMINTS/METS Classrooms Grants – Approved applicants announced

On Monday, September 10, Governor Blunt announced the award of 100 Technology Classroom grants. These grants offer Missouri educators the opportunity to integrate NSF-supported mathematics or science curriculum with multimedia technology and eMINTS instructional strategies. A total of 129 responsive applications were received from 77 Missouri districts and charter schools. The 100 tentatively approved applications represent 63 districts, with over one-third of the mathematics and/or science teachers located in upper elementary/intermediate schools, 40 percent in middle or junior high schools, and one-fourth in high schools. To read the Governor’s press release, visit: http://www.gov.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EElAuVEuAlSUyrwaBh&style=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem; to review the list of schools receiving grants, visit: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/instrtech/appr_notice_for_web_and_email.pdf.

 MOREnet – New online resources

Thanks to an additional $250,000 appropriated to the State Library for database licenses to support K-12 education, the following online resources will become available this fall to the all MOREnet members at no charge.

 Gale Discovering Collection will again be available to all MOREnet members as no extra charge beginning September 17, 2007. This online resource consists of essays, reference works, and magazine articles on the subjects of literature, history, biography, science, and socials studies for students K-12. A complete list of the collection’s content can be viewed at: http://gale.cengage.com/DiscoveringCollection/explore_content.htm – or visit the MOREnet online resources website at: http://www.more.net/online/index.html. Schools interested in setting up access to their usage statistics and/or enabling home/off site use through remote access should email MOREnet at techsupp@more.net. [Note that organizations with a current Discovering Collection agreement will be contacted by the Gale Group to arrange a credit.]

 Learning Express, an online, interactive testing database will soon join the list of online resources available to all MOREnet members – the release date and access information will be announced as soon as it is available. Learning Express is designed to help people succeed on the tests they must pass to gain citizenship, improve their testing skills, or to further their education or career. Online test preparation materials include the ACT, ASVAB, Civil Service, Cosmetology, EMS, Firefighter, GED, GMAT, GRE, Law Enforcement, Paramedic, PPST, Real Estate, SAT, United States Citizenship, and more. Learning Express is unique in the depth of its test preparation materials that span ages from elementary through adult. This testing resource also provides instant scoring and customized feedback.

Additional information on Learning Express Library can be found at: http://www.learningexpresslibrary.com. This database is funded through the REAL reserves for a two-year, statewide subscription. The online resource will be available through Sept. 30, 2009. [Institutions with existing contracts and a service end date of Sept. 30, 2007 will continue to receive the service without interruption. Those institutions with contracts that expire after Oct. 1, 2007 will be contacted by LearningExpress, LLC to arrange a credit.]

State Safe School Grants – Competitive Grants <Reminder>

The Department approved 31 competitive grants for 2007-08: five new Year 1 grants, 25 Year 2 grants, and one Year 3 grant. Visit the program website to learn more about districts are using program funds to provide services to students identified with violent, abusive, and chronically disruptive behaviors, to help these students return successfully to their regular classrooms and/or complete their high school education. Look for project summaries of the new Year 1 grant projects to be posted to the website by late September or early October. See: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/safeschools/.

 ERIP – The Solution for All-Hazards Planning

Missouri’s Office of Homeland Security and the Safe Schools Working Group announce development of the Missouri Emergency Response Information Plan (ERIP) Portal. ERIP is an Internet-based multi-hazard planning tool consistent with the Incident Command system. Made available in August, the tool is free for school districts and private schools, fully funded by Homeland Security. Copies of the Powerpoint presented at the 2007 School Administrators Conference, see: http://www.dese.mo.gov/commissioner/adminconf/. Note that the Missouri School Boards Association created the information DVD, ERIP – The Solution for All-Hazards Planning, which is available at: http://www.msbanet.org/web/2007/08/erip__the_solution_for_allhazz.aspx.

Governor Blunt awards grants for “100 Technology Classrooms in 100 Schools”

Governor Blunt announced the 100 schools and 100 classrooms that will receive a total of $2.9 million through this eMINTS/METS Classroom Grant Program. The funding was included as part of the Governor’s education budget and is over and above the K-12 funding contained in the Governor’s new funding formula. “In addition to sending more than a half a billion dollars in new funding to Missouri schools, we are promoting strategic investments in math and science learning to ensure that students in Nixa and in classrooms across the state have the necessary skills to succeed in the competitive, technology-based economy and careers of the future,” Gov. Blunt said. “Education is my highest priority, and I am committed to ensuring that our children receive a world class education that prepares them for the challenges of the future.”

 The governor announced his plan to provide $2.9 million to 100 classrooms in 100 schools with technology in his State of the State address. The program enhances Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS), which provides teachers with lessons on how to incorporate technology into instruction and learning. The eMINTS/METS Classrooms Grant Program was designed to create a visible set of classrooms that effectively integrate high-quality mathematics and science curriculum and teaching strategies that are powered by technology. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) contributed an additional $250,000 for professional development, bringing the department’s total professional development budget for this program to more than $1.2 million.

 Governor Blunt also expanded quality afterschool programs for students to participate in math and science activities. In addition he secured funding to encourage more students to take advanced placement (AP) courses by paying a portion of the test fee for all students who take AP math and science exams. DESE committed $100,000 in professional development funding to certify additional teachers to teach AP courses.

 Click here to read the full press release: http://www.gov.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EElAuVEuAlSUyrwaBh&style=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem.

 CCSSO Successful Practice Series features Missouri eMINTS program

On August 9, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced release of the Successful Practices Series designed for state education agencies, with the leadership of chiefs and deputies, to share practices that work from their states with their colleagues across the nation. The second report of the series, titled “Changing the Face of Education: Missouri Leads the Way,” explores the eMINTS (enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies) program, which has thus far been implemented across Missouri and in eight other states. The program blends state-of-the-art technology; instructional strategies focused on inquiry-based teaching, higher order thinking skills, and cooperative learning; and professional development for teachers so that classroom environments may foster a new way of educating students. eMINTS professional development and in-classroom coaching components have emerged as critical elements in reaching students through their teachers. Long before the words “high-quality teaching” dominated the national vocabulary, eMINTS was quietly creating a paradigm to guide best practices across Missouri and in other states. To download the report; visit: http://www.ccsso.org/publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=356.

Missouri Teacher of the Year uses high-tech tools to teach American History

Eric Langhorst, the eighth-grade teacher at South Valley Junior High School in the Liberty School District and Missouri’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08, uses high-tech tools to teach students about the past. In his American history class, he incorporates 21st-century technology to make learning meaningful and exciting for his students. Mr. Langhorst strives to make the classroom experience fresh and exciting and uses cutting-edge technology to actively engage his students. His students participate in live debates, play computer simulations of presidential elections and invite local elected officials as guest speakers. "Technology has become a tool that I utilize in my classroom to bring the outside world to my students and allow my students to share their experiences with a global community," Mr. Langhorst said.

 Beginning his 14th year in the profession, Mr. Langhorst is the social studies department chairperson for his school, serves on the district’s technology team, and recently was a mentor for a first-year teacher in the district. He is an adjunct faculty member at Park University, Parkville, teaching graduate courses in instructional technology. He serves on the Clay County Historical Society Board of Directors.

 In 2005, he created a blog and podcast, "Speaking of History." Teachers from across the nation and the world visit the Web site to discuss topics relating to education, history and technology.

He has won numerous awards, including the 2006 Cable’s Leader in Learning Award from the national cable TV industry. He was a finalist for the 2007 Daughters of the American Revolution National History Teacher of the Year and was selected to the 2006 National School Boards’ Association’s "20 to Watch List" for educational technology leadership over the next 20 years.

His articles have been published in several publications, including Educational Leadership magazine, Discovery Education Resource Guide and School Library Journal magazine. Next month, Mr. Langhorst will provide the opening keynote at the 2007 MOREnet Instructional Technology Conference.

 See full press release at: http://dese.mo.gov/news/2007/toy.htm.

 

Gale Discovering Collections available to MOREnet members September 17, 2007 Beginning Sept. 17, 2007, MOREnet will be adding the Gale Discovering Collection to its online resources. Thanks to an additional $150,000 appropriated to the State Library for database licenses to support K-12 education, the Gale Discovering Collection will again be available to all MOREnet members at no extra charge.

 This online K-12 resource consists of essays, reference works and magazine articles on the subjects of

• Literature,

• History,

• Biography,

• Science, and

• Social Studies.

A complete list of content can be viewed a Discovering Collection: Explore the Content at http://www.gale.com/DiscoveringCollection/explore_content.htm Information on accessing the collection will be announced as soon as it is available and posted on MOREnet’s Online Resources website at http://www.more.net/online/

 If you are interested in setting up access to your organization’s usage statistics, enabling home/off site use through remote access or have any other questions, e-mail MOREnet Technical Support at techsupp@more.net. Organizations with a current Discovering Collection agreement will be contacted by the Gale Group to arrange a credit.

 2008 MOREnet Instructional Technology Conference Registration is open for the 2007 MOREnet Instructional Technology Conference (MITC) to be held Oct. 14-16 at Tan-Tar-A in Osage Beach, MO. Register now to reserve seating in the sessions of your choice. Go to http://www.more.net/conferences/mitc/registration.html for registration information.

The Keynote Speaker for this year’s MITC is Eric Langhorst, eighth-grade American history teacher at South Valley Junior High School in the Liberty School District, Eric was just announced Missouri’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08 on Aug. 30. The news release announcing Eric’s award relates “Mr. Langhorst strives to make the classroom experience fresh and exciting and uses cutting-edge technology to actively engage his students. His students participate in live debates, play computer simulations of presidential elections and invite local elected officials as guest speakers.

"Technology has become a tool that I utilize in my classroom to bring the outside world to my students and allow my students to share their experiences with a global community," Mr. Langhorst said.” To find out more about Eric, visit http://dese.mo.gov/news/2007/toy.htm

His presentations at the conference should have a dynamic message for those in the throes of technology integration. MITC brings together educators interested in maximizing the opportunities for instructional technology in Missouri schools. The high-quality professional development sessions include three and six hour pre-conference workshops, hands-on seminars, roundtable discussions, human networking and collaboration opportunities plus an Exhibitor Fair that boasts the latest technology tools and expertise. Visit http://www.more.net/conferences/mitc/  to register and learn more about MITC 2007.

 Learning Express joins list of MOREnet Online Resources Learning Express, an online, interactive testing database will join the list of online resources available to all MOREnet members. The release date and access information will be announced as soon as it is available. Learning Express is designed to help people succeed on the tests they must pass to gain citizenship, improve their testing skills, or to further their education or career. Online test preparation materials include the ACT, ASVAB, Civil Service, Cosmetology, EMS, Firefighter, GED, GMAT, GRE, Law Enforcement, Paramedic, PPST, Real Estate, SAT, United States Citizenship, and more. Learning Express is unique in the depth of its test preparation materials that span ages from elementary through adult. This testing resource also provides instant scoring and customized feedback. Additional information on Learning Express Library can be found at www.learningexpresslibrary.com. Institutions with existing contracts and a service end date of Sept. 30, 2007 will continue to receive the service without interruption. Those institutions with contracts that expire after Oct. 1, 2007 will be contacted by LearningExpress, LLC to arrange a credit. This database is funded through the REAL reserves for a two-year, statewide subscription. The online resource will be available through Sept. 30, 2009. For questions or comments concerning this announcement, please reply to: Jeanne Sullivan at jeanne@more.net

 Third Internet Safety Night invitation Join MOREnet October 23, 2007, 6:30-8:30 for another exciting event. MOREnet is looking for schools and libraries across the state to host events, and connect online via streaming video, or by interactive videoconferencing. YOU can make Internet Safety Night happen in YOUR town! Check out http://besafe.more.net for help getting started. Hosts connect to MOREnet and MOREnet does the rest! Contact isn@more.net for help or more information. http://www.more.net/security/index.html

 E-rate for Beginners MOREnet is sponsoring E-rate for Beginners sessions at no cost at the MOREnet building in Columbia. For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.more.net/training/trainingform.html

 In late October and early November, MOREnet conducts regional training sessions on the E-rate program. These sessions are intended as an introduction to the program. During this training, participants receive an overview of the E-rate program, including eligible services, the application process and the required forms. Visit http://solutions.more.net/apps/training/schedule/ for the course schedule and http://www.more.net/training/trainingform.html to register.

The dates and locations are

• October 9 - St. Louis Public Library

Central Location, Room 306

1301 Olive Street

St. Louis, Missouri 63103

The Library owns a parking lot at 15th and Olive (the Library is between 14th and 13th on Olive – 1 block down from the parking lot). Attendees can park here for free all day.

• October 10 - Farmington Community Civic Center

2 Black Knight Drive

Farmington, Missouri 63640

• October 23 - Rolla Public Schools

500 A Forum Blvd

Rolla, Missouri 65401

• October 30 - MOREnet – Columbia

3212 LeMone Industrial Blvd

Columbia, Missouri 65201

• October 30 - Maryville R-II (VIDEO CONFERENCE EVENT)

Northwest Technical School , Room #8

1515 South Munn

Maryville, Missouri 64468

• October 30 - LaPlata R-II (VIDEO CONFERENCE EVENT)

201 W Moore

LaPlata, Missouri 63549

Parking will be on the east side of the gym in the church lot and it will be held in the ITV Room.

• November 2 - Southwest Center for Educational Excellent, Webb City

528 Ellis

Webb City, Missouri 64870

• November 7 - Kansas City Public Library

14 W 10^th Street

Kansas City, Missouri 64105

Parking will be validated.

Registration for the fall regional sessions registration is available at the MOREnet site http://www.more.net/, or for more information, contact Rebecca J. Miller, Program Manager, MOREnet 573/884-2146 or millerrj@more.net

 Security Poster Contest As part of MOREnet’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month activities, MOREnet Security is sponsoring a poster contest where aspiring artists can help promote cyber security awareness. K-12 students age 18 and under with an artistic bent (or without – they’re network security people, not art critics) are encouraged to use their imaginations and creative talents to design and submit a poster with an Internet Safety theme.

 Posters should be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches and may be hand-drawn or computer generated. (Copyrighted material will not be accepted.) Digitally created posters should be sent to security@more.net. (Note: If the poster is hand-drawn, take a digital photograph of it and send the file to security@more.net ) If a digital file isn't available, please send the original artwork to MOREnet Security, 3212 LeMone Industrial Blvd., Columbia, MO 65201. The deadline for entries is Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. Note: Submissions will not be returned.

 A panel of experts (they're staying mum on what they're experts in) will select five finalists. The finalist submissions will be posted online Friday, October 5 at http://www.sam.more.net/poster. Viewers will have the opportunity to cast a vote for their favorite poster until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19, 2007.

 The poster contest winner will be announced during Internet Safety Night on October 23, 2007. The winning artist will receive an MP3 player, and the winning poster will be showcased on our security awareness page, displayed at Internet Safety Night, and used to create Security Awareness promotional materials next year. The organization (school or library) affiliated with the winning artist will also receive one free registration to the 2007 Security Symposium.  

For more information on Security Awareness resources and activities planned for the month of October, please visit http://sam.more.net/  

Regional Security "Lunch And Learn” Workshops In conjunction with Security Awareness Month activities scheduled during October, MOREnet Security is planning five regional security "lunch and learn" workshops focused on Incident Response (what to do about security complaints), Security policy development (why they're important and how to get started), and Security Awareness (things to do to promote security awareness in an organization).

 The sessions run from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and include an informal presentation on Incident Response, an overview on security policy development - with handouts and worksheets, and an overview of some strategies and useful resources to use to promote security awareness. There will also be time for discussion and questions. These workshops will also be a great opportunity to network with tech people from organizations in the area, receive handouts and other materials to take home and will also point out current security trends and threats you need to be aware of.

 The sessions will be held during the last week of September at the following locations.

• Monday, 9/24, Southwest Region, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO

• Tuesday, 9/25, Southeast Region, Southern TeleCenter, Portageville, MO

• Wednesday, 9/26, Northwest Region, Daviess County Library, Gallatin, MO

• Thursday, 9/27, Northeast Region, Bowling Green R-1, Bowling Green, MO

• Friday, 9/28, Central Region, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO

 Participants should bring a sack lunch. To register, send an email to security@more.net . Please include your name, organization, email address and specify the workshop you want to attend. For more information on Security Awareness resources and activities planned for the month of October, please visit http://sam.more.net/ .

 

Cooperating School Districts Update
submitted by Rebecca Polityka
 

The Virtual Learning Center (VLC) of Cooperating School Districts (CSD) continues through professional development to increase technology use in the classroom. Over the summer, VLC staff members attended and/or presented at various conferences, including the Missouri Distance Learning Association (MoDLA) Annual Meeting, National Media Education Conference (NMEC), National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) and the Handheld Computer Conference.

 In addition, The Wired Classroom, the VLC’s blog, is updated regularly with news about videoconferences with New Links to New Learning, conferences, and collaborative ideas. Visit http://csdtechpd.wordpress.com/ to read up on the latest VLC news, including an entry on a recent visit from the Ministry of Education for Singapore to St. Louis.

 One focus of the summer was “123 VC! Jazzing Up Your Curriculum with Videoconferencing.” During the summer of 2006, CSD participated in a week-long professional development class with educators in Texas, Michigan and New York. This summer, CSD staff presented information about the Racial Dialog videoconference series to teachers in Texas and Michigan. Rebecca Polityka and Martha Bogart’s presentation at MoDLA focused on the VLC’s participation last year in the course. The VLC is hoping to be an active participant next summer, and is also interested in branching out and perhaps creating a 123 VC! course for Missouri educators. If you are interested in participating in this kind of course, please e-mail Rebecca Polityka at rpolityka@csd.org.

Through New Links to New Learning, Cooperating School Districts has connected thousands of students to virtual field trips, authors and experts all over the world over videoconference. As content provider, New Links to New Learning has many new exciting programs lined up! Also, New Links members look for collaborative partners to videoconference with - do you know of an interested classroom? For information on New Links to New Learning, the VLC’s videoconference subscription service, please contact Rebecca. rpolityka@csd.org

 2007-2008 Mental Health in Children and Adolescents Videoconference Series (for K-12 educators & support staff) In a series of videoconferences, educational staff can learn about various mental health issues in children and adolescents from BJC staff. Participants will learn about the causes and treatment of mental health issues, and how to access mental health professionals if they spot children in their classrooms whom they feel need help. These presentations are interactive, and include question and answers sessions. Meeting time for all sessions is 4:00-5:00 p.m. CT; free to New Links members; $50 for non-members.

• Sept. 18: Factoring in Forgiveness This presentation will discuss teaching strategies that can encourage students and adults to interact with civility and ways to make discipline more effective.

• Oct. 23: Suicide and Depression This presentation will review depression and other mood disorders; discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used to manage mood disorders; describe risk factors and protective factors for suicide; discuss warning signs and intervention strategies and identify suicide prevention resources.

• Nov. 20: Teens and Prescription Drug Abuse description coming soon

• Jan. 15: Teaching Emotional Literacy Through Empathy Learn strategies for teaching empathy in your classroom and in handling disciplinary issues. Lessons in empathy can truly have a positive impact for learners of all ages.

• Feb. 19: Recognizing Bullying Behaviors in Adults Learn to communicate in nonviolent ways, no matter what age you are or what grade you teach.

RoundTrips announces free videoconference: Constitution Day 2007: Fact, Fiction, and the 4th and 5th Amendment

Presented by: The Missouri Bar Association, Missouri School Boards Association, and HEC-TV
Date: September 17, 2007
Times: 9 to 9:50 a.m.; 11:00 to 11:50 a.m., or 1:00 to 1:50 p.m.
Grade Levels: 8-12
Cost: FREE

Missouri students and teachers are invited to celebrate Constitution Day 2007 by having an interactive discussion on 4th and 5th amendment issues with Jennifer Joyce, Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis, and Shane Farrow, a criminal defense attorney from Jefferson City. Students will take part in an exciting presentation that focuses on the TV programs they are watching. The content in programs such as 24 and CSI regularly touch on constitutional issues. Would the Constitution stop Jack Bauer from his mission? Does the CSI team follow the Constitution? The Missouri Bar’s Constitution Day program will help students see the difference between fact and fiction, when it comes to the Constitution.

 Students will be able to watch in one of three ways: via web stream, via videoconference, and via cable television. Preparatory materials, including a detailed study guide, are available and accessible via The Missouri Bar Association’s website at http://www.mobar.org/.  Details on how to join each program are provided below.

• 9:00 a.m. Program—Students will be able to view this program via Web Stream ONLY. To access the program, go to http://www.mobar.org/ and click on “Constitution Day Sign up Now” for instructions on viewing the program live. Students with questions will be able to email them to the panel of on-screen experts during the program.

• 11:00 a.m. Program—Students will be able to view this program via Web Stream, Videoconference, AND Cable Television in St. Louis County and St. Louis City. To view the program via Web Stream, go to http://www.mobar.org/ and click on “Constitution Day Sign up Now” for instructions on viewing the program live. Students with questions will be able to email them to the panel of on-screen experts during the program.
  To view the program via Videoconference, contact Helen Headrick at Helen@showmecable.org or 314-432-3476. Videoconference participation is limited so sign up early. Students with questions will have face-to-face interaction with the panel of experts during the program.
  To view the program via Cable Television in St. Louis City or County just turn your TV to channel 26, HEC-TV, at the program time. Students with questions will be able to email them to the panel of on-screen experts during the program.  E-mail any questions during the program or questions your students may have developed in advance to live@hectv.org.

• 1:00 p.m. Program—Students will be able to view this program via Web Stream, Videoconference, AND Cable Television in St. Louis County and St. Louis City.
  To view the program via Web Stream, go to http://www.mobar.org/ and click on “Constitution Day Sign up Now” for instructions on viewing the program live. Students with questions will be able to email them to the panel of on-screen experts during the program.
  To view the program via Videoconference, contact Helen Headrick at Helen@showmecable.org or 314-432-3476. Videoconference participation is limited so sign up early. Students with questions will have face-to-face interaction with the panel of experts during the program.
  To view the program via Cable Television in St. Louis City or County just turn your TV to channel 26, HEC-TV, at the program time. Students with questions will be able to email them to the panel of on-screen experts during the program. E-mail any questions during the program or questions your students may have developed in advance to live@hectv.org.

Study guides for the program will be posted on The Missouri Bar website http://www.mobar.org/. A CD of clips from 24 and CSI that will be used during the program is available in advance to help prepare your students. To request the CD, contact Millie Aulbur of the Missouri Bar Association at milliea@mobar.org. To find out more about RoundTrips Interactive Video E-Learning, visit http://www.roundtrips.org

 RoundTrips announces free videoconference: Rethinking the Digital: New Media Art and the Active Viewer

Date: October 16, 2007
Times: 10-11:00 a.m. or 1-2:00 p.m.
Grade Levels: 9-12
Cost: FREE

As we spend more time with computers, websites, cell phones, television screens, and handheld devices, it is important to consider how the rise of technology impacts our place in the world—and how it can offer new possibilities for the creation and experience of art. Designed to stimulate critical thinking about such issues, the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University is excited to offer its first distance-learning program this fall—Rethinking the Digital: New Media Art and the Active Viewer. Linked to the new media art exhibition Window | Interface currently showing at the Museum and tied to Missouri Grade level Expectations (GLEs) and National Standards in Visual Arts and Technology, this program challenges schools to rethink ideas of art and learning in the digital age.

Join RoundTrips live from the exhibition as students interact with Museum professionals through interactive videoconference (as well as web streaming and television viewing).The student-centered project developed by teachers Jim Sturm and Tim Gore for use by teachers, schools and arts organizations, can expand the learning experience beyond their walls with innovative technology. Engaging not only with artworks that use new technologies, but with the computer-based interface involved in distance learning itself, students will be challenged to consider the world of iPhones, Nintendo Wii, virtual reality, and computers in a very different way. By including a more in-depth look at artworks in the Window | Interface exhibition, this program provides students an opportunity to make connections with new media art and significance of technology.

 Videoconference space for the program is limited. Students will have face-to-face interaction with the Mildred Lane Kemper Museum. To enroll in the videoconference, contact Rebecca Polityka at rpolityka@csd.org. Once enrolled, teachers will receive the program's preparatory and evaluation materials from RoundTrips. For information on cable TV and web viewing, contact RoundTrips. After its live presentation, the program will be archived at http://www.roundtrips.org for on-demand viewing. You can also obtain a DVD of the program by contacting RoundTrips.

 Find more details about the Kemper Art Museum and the exhibition, including curriculum resources, at http://kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu. To learn more about RoundTrips Interactive Video E-Learning, surf to http://www.roundtrips.org.

 Show-Me a Movie Digital Storytelling Contest for Missouri Students

 Time to start production for the Show-Me a Movie Contest! This is a digital storytelling contest for Missouri students to demonstrate their creativity and digital moviemaking skills. Based on curriculum, and with a content focus, these 2-minute videos will showcase what students know, care about, and are able to do. Winners will be showcased at the Midwest Education Conference in St. Louis on Feb.4-6, 2008. For more information, application form, and scoring guide, go to: http://www.csd.org/showmemovie/index.htm NO FEE TO ENTER.

 Cash prizes will be awarded to the different divisions of each category (12 in all), and winners and their families and friends will be invited to a winners' reception on Feb. 5, 2008 at the METC at the St. Charles Convention Center.

Entries must be received no later than 5 p.m., December 17, 2007. Entries received after this deadline will not be considered. Mail entries to: Show-Me a Movie, Cooperating School Districts, 1460 Craig Rd., St. Louis, MO 63146 or email entries to: mbogart@csd.org.

Divisions

• Elementary: Grades 3 - 5

• Middle: Grades 6 - 8

• High: Grades 9 - 12

Categories

• Show Me Something New: Make an instructional or how-to movie.

• Show Me a Story: Tell a story about someone special, your school, your community.

• Show Me a Challenge: Share local environmental concerns and social issues, which promote awareness and public action.

• Show Me Your Community: Recount an aspect of your community/ethnic culture that is unique, significant, promotes a message, and advances a better understanding of it.

Intel – Using Higher Order Thinking Skills and Technology

submitted by Judy Biggerstaff, Intel Master Teacher and Instructional Technology Specialist, Raymore-Peculiar School District

 

The Intel free online “Thinking Tools” help students develop the higher-order thinking skills they need to realize their full potential in the 21st century.  Teachers use the three free online thinking tools to create projects for any grade level or subject area that will engage students and help them to communicate their understanding of complex concepts. The three tools include the: 

• Visual Ranking Tool http://www.intel.com/education/visualranking/index.htm where students will identify and refine criteria for assigning ranking to a list; and then debate differences, reach consensus, and organize ideas;

• Seeing Reason Tool http://www.intel.com/education/seeingreason/index.htm where students will investigate relationships in complex systems, creating maps that communicate understanding; and

• Showing Evidence Tool http://www.intel.com/education/showingevidence/index.htm where students construct well-reasoned arguments that are supported by evidence, using a visual framework.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, school leader, after-school coordinator, or college of education faculty member, find new ways to use technology and address critical 21st century skills so your students are prepared to function in, and shape, the world ahead.

 

The Intel website has numerous examples of each tool that can be used, plus teachers can create and set up their own projects. Simply register, set up your teacher workspace, set up your student workspace, create your project and you will be ready to use the tools with your students. Visit the Intel website @ http://www.intel.com/education/tools/index.htm

 

From YouthLearn Newsletter, a project of the nonprofit Education Development Center, http://main.edc.org/, to provide resources and tools for developing effective learning programs enhanced with technology, particularly in out-of-school settings. http://www.youthlearn.org

 

Digital Place-based Storytelling A high student-engagement project being promoted by MiddleWeb teacher-innovator Brenda Dyck, also the author of a popular technology integration column for NMSA's Middle Ground magazine. Digital placed-based storytelling (also called StoryMapping) uses an easy online digital mapping tool like Google Maps or Community Walk and combines it with narrative to produce a learning product that helps the student make a connection between the past and present and understand how community shapes who we are. The student identifies a place that has meaning for them, locates it on a web-based map, adds place markers, and writes short 'memory narratives' for each marker. http://www.rebooting.ca/place/

More Than Just the Facts, Ma'am: YouthLearn's Interviewing Project Thinking ahead to the new year of school? Check out YouthLearn's interviewing project. There's no better way to learn than by talking to people. Everyone needs good interviewing skills, whether it's to find the answer to a question or to get a job. To develop good interviewing skills it takes preparation, practice and coaching. This project teaches students how to conduct an effective interview, then asks them to go out to talk to people in the community and create a Web page to tell the story. An example covers the entire process. http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/activities/thinking/interview.html

 

In Which Direction is My Collection? - A YouthLearn Photo Editing and Webpage Project
A collection is more than simply a set of objects; the relationships among the objects tell a story. A story about a collection could be about things in your room, people in your community, hip-hop slang or ways to give directions. Because almost anything can fit into a collection, projects focusing on collections give you the flexibility to reinforce curriculum goals ranging from vocabulary, math, and science to art and technology. In this project, kids decide on a topic, create or assemble a collection of information or items related to that topic, and build a Web page to show off the collection. This example incorporates digital photography and photo editing to create a collection of imaginary road signs to reinforce vocabulary building and synonyms. Don't limit yourself to our topic, however. You can do the project with text alone, replace the photography module with one on computer drawing, or create a multimedia presentation as the end product instead of a Web page. http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/activities/multimedia/collection.asp

 

 Enter SMART's Lesson Activity Contest 2007 Share your creativity and win! SMART's Lesson Activity Contest offers a chance to win prizes and share lessons with other educators. It's also SMART's way of recognizing teachers who strive to make learning more effective and engaging for students. To enter the contest, create a lesson activity using Notebook whiteboarding software and submit. Seven (7) prize packages containing a Canon PowerShot digital camera and admission to a SMART Master's event training session (subject to availability) will be awarded. Selected lesson activities will be showcased online

 

To see what other educators are doing to make lessons fun and interactive, SMART will post the winning lesson activities on the Lesson Activity Contest webpage for teachers to view at http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Ed+Resource/Lesson+activities/Notebook+activities/  on our education solutions website.

 

Winning entries will be chosen from each of the following seven categories:

• Best core curriculum subject

• Best non-core curriculum subject

• Best presentation and layout

• Best use of Notebook software features

• Best primary lesson activity

• Best secondary lesson activity

• Best Senteo interactive response system lesson activity

Each of the seven (7) winners will receive a Canon PowerShot SD630 6.0 megapixel digital camera with 3x optimal zoom, and admission to a SMART Master's event, which consists of a full-day training session on the use of the SMART Board interactive whiteboard. (Participation in these events is subject to availability and specific requirements.)

 

The contest opens on August 22, 2007, and closes on October 24, 2007. Winners will be selected by November 23, 2007, and be contacted by e-mail and telephone as soon as possible after that date. http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/About+SMART/Contests+and+promotions/Enter+SMARTs+Lesson+Activity+Contest+2007.htm

 

From Cable in the Classroom http://www.ciconline.org/home

 

Magic Cellar http://www.hbofamily.com/  September 1 at 11:30 AM ET/PT This new, 10-part animated series from HBO Family brings to life the tradition of African folk tales being passed on to new generations through storytelling. A young girl discovers an enchanted world in her grandmother's home where a cricket and a gecko, among other animals, take on various roles from the stories. Each episode includes two folk tales; this episode includes stories dealing with honesty and smoking. TV-Y7.

 

The Universe: Mars The Red Planet http://www.history.com/  September 25 at 9:00 PM ET/PT It’s home to the largest volcano in the solar system and a colossal, boulder-strewn valley that would make the Grand Canyon look like a stream bed. Despite such otherworldly features, Mars is the planet most like Earth, and it's the most likely candidate for eventual human habitation. This History Channel program looks at new evidence that makes the possibility of finding at least primitive life on the fourth rock from the Sun seem exceedingly probable. TV-PG.

 

Props http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/  September 1 at 8:00 PM ET/PT This Cartoon Network special showcases six outstanding kids, ages 9-14, who were nominated and voted for by viewers from across the country for their exceptional talent, commitment, and accomplishment in a single area of expertise. Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley arrives unannounced to give each kid a dream experience with an adult superstar in his or her particular field. Stars that turn up to give one-on-one mentoring include Venus and Serena Williams, Jack Beckman, Baron Davis, Bob Burnquist, Andy Irons, Johnny Lang, and Paul Palmer. TV-G.

 

Acceptable Use at Home A Family Media Strategies Tip from the PTA. Most schools have an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), a contract that spells out the rules and expectations for students' use of computers and the Internet. The AUP focuses kids' attention on the positive and productive uses of technology and helps them avoid some of the thoughtless mistakes children sometimes make online. The AUP at your child's school is a good starting point for crafting a set of behavioral expectations for using media and technology at home. If your children follow the same rules at school and at home, there's a better chance they'll internalize safe, ethical, and effective online practices. To learn more about Internet safety and media literacy, see PointSmart.Click Safe at http://www.pointsmartclicksafe.org/, PTA's Parent Resources for Media and Technology at http://www.pta.org/parent_resources.html or Cable in the Classroom's Media Smart for Parents http://www.ciconline.org/mediasmartparents.

 

HotChalk University is dedicated to helping teachers better themselves. Through a partnership with McGraw-Hill, HotChalk University offers quality online professional development modules designed to accommodate the hectic schedule of a teacher. Just for signing up, all new teachers who join HotChalk are entitled to ONE FREE CLASS through HotChalk University's ProDev area. To top it all off, HotChalk offers Certification classes to train every teacher to use HotChalk for FREE, and give them another FREE CEU upon completion of the class. Quality educational tools and training should be available to everyone. HotChalk University plans on changing the world, one classroom at a time.

 

HotChalk makes teachers' lives easier in a variety of ways. By automating certain tasks, teachers will have more time to focus on their work. Within minutes, anyone can create an online class space, invite students to participate, effortlessly distribute assignments, organize lesson plans, and keep track of their gradebook. Everyone stays connected once the bell rings and the classroom empties.

 

SwapShop is a global content-sharing system where teachers can upload their own content and share them with other users around the world. It is a great resource for finding lesson plans, assignments, tests, files, and URLs to supplement existing class work.

 

The Teachers’ Lounge is a teachers-only online social network. Ask questions, find answers, and connect with other teachers to build a personal network of colleagues.

 

NBC and HotChalk Debut Education Resource by Dave Nagel

NBC News has partnered with HotChalk to provide access to NBC's educational content designed for classroom instruction. HotChalk is a provider of learning management technologies. Through the deal, NBC will make available 60 years of historical news footage via the HotChalk LMS.

 

NBC is providing access to more than 5,000 video resources targeting history, science, political science, and other topics. Contents from the archives date back to the 1930s. Additional highlights include:

• "Several hundred" videos created in collaboration with historians, textbook authors, and "other experts;"

• Access to additional primary source content;

• Access to third-party content (such as Washington Post newspaper articles); and

• Current material from NBC News.

HotChalk and NBC are providing a free semester-long trial of the service for fall 2007. Teachers of all grade levels can sign up now at HotChalk's site, linked below. Continued use of the service will require a "school building" subscription through HotChalk.

 

From FREE http://www.free.ed.gov/, the website that makes teaching resources from federal agencies easier to find: To subscribe, address email to: listserv@listserv.ed.gov Write in the message's body: subscribe edinfo your name

• Along the Georgia-Florida Coast is a travel itinerary to help understand key developments in America's past: encounters between Europeans and Native Americans, European settlement, plantation agriculture, and African American culture. Learn about more than 50 historic forts, churches, plantations, camps, cemeteries, districts, and monuments. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1925

• Chronicling America provides access to search and read newspaper pages from 1900-1910 and find information about American newspapers published since1690. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1932

• Florida Shipwrecks: 300 Years of Maritime History is a travel itinerary featuring 13 historic shipwrecks in waters near Florida, a convergence point for maritime trade routes. Learn about the historical significance of these 13 shipwrecks. See photos and an essay on Florida maritime history. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1924

• Holocaust Memorial Museum: For Students offers multimedia exhibits to help students learn about the Holocaust. Topics include Kristallnacht, the St. Louis ocean liner, the rescue of the Jews of Denmark, Oskar Schindler, the Warsaw ghetto uprising, Father Jacques, the dress of Lola Rein, Nazi book burnings, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, America's responses, Arthur Szyk, maps, and children. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1928

• Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor is a travel itinerary that takes us to 50 houses, farms, churches, historic districts, and other sites. Learn about the first organized American settlement in the Northwest Territory (1772) and the history and impact of canals and railroads. Read essays on transportation, ethnicity, industry, and preservation. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1931

• Mixing in Math offers 40 activities that can be used to "slip a little math" into kids' everyday routines. Activities include using clocks and calendars, figuring lengths and widths, gathering and organizing fun facts about everyday things, and adding shapes and numbers to stories and skits. Activities are designed for use in after school programs and other programs for kids ages 5-13. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1926

• Biodiversity Counts helps teachers get middle school students out into their own backyards to gather and identify plants and arthropods (spiders, insects, and more). Lesson plans, essays, and interactives focus on dozens of topics: how to capture arthropods, mount dried plants, make a net, keep a field journal, set up guest quarters for visiting arthropods, establish rules for field trips, and find local specialists http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1929

• Biodiversity: It Takes All Kinds to Make a World invites elementary students to explore biodiversity in a city park, on an island, and in a desert. Learn about 10 species whose habitats are in danger, a conservation project in Africa, and where in the world various foods we eat come from. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1930

• Bioed Online features lessons on the water cycle and global warming, the X chromosome, sleep and daily rhythms, muscles and bones, and food and fitness. Experts offer presentations (streaming videos) on classification, cloning, viruses, infectious diseases, animal behavior, Mendelian genetics, genomes, sleep and performance, body systems, childhood obesity, asthma, ecosystems, populations, nutrition and energy, and more. Articles discuss biology news -- stem cells, bird flu, and more. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1933

• DNA Microarray is a "virtual lab" of a DNA microarray experiment. Compare samples of healthy tissue and cancerous tissue as a scientist would. Learn the basics about DNA and gene expression. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1927

 Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM) Conference Registration Opens: The 2007 STOM Conference will begin on Friday, October 5 and continue through Saturday, October 6. There are sessions for every grade level teacher of science. The theme is "Get Connected" and many of the sessions are designed to help teachers connect science to other parts of their curriculum. Conference registration forms are available at http://www.stom.org. Early-bird registration is open through September 20.

 

From TechLearning http://www.techlearning.com/index.php 

39 New Ideas You'll find them all at 21^st Century Connections http://www.21centuryconnections.com/

• 10 Tips for 21^st Century Professional Development http://21centuryconnections.com/node/270

• 10 Tips for School Based Technology http://21centuryconnections.com/node/247

• 9 Needs for Web Literacy http://21centuryconnections.com/node/233

• Top 10 Tips for Digital Photography http://21centuryconnections.com/node/231

That's 39 strategies you didn't have before. Check them out!

Technology & Learning's Digital Photo Contest For Kids Technology & Learning invites K-12 students to participate in the sixth annual digital photography contest. The competition, open to all K-12 students, challenges them to capture and share their unique vision of the world in a Digital Diary - Through My Lens. Those with an artistic side also have the option to submit photos digitally enhanced with imaging software. The best digitally enhanced photo wins a special prize from Adobe. Other prizes include a digital camera, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and more! Deadline is October 19. For more information, such as rules, guidelines, and tips and to view last year's winners visit: http://www.techlearning.com/portraits/index.php  

From Annenberg Media Update September 2007 Annenberg Media offers teacher resources and teacher professional development programming for K-12 teachers FREE through their satellite channel and Video On Demand. Annenberg Media's multimedia resources help teachers increase their expertise in their fields and assist them in improving their teaching methods. Many programs are also intended for students in the classroom and viewers at home. All Annenberg Media videos exemplify excellent teaching. Annenberg Media video programs reach their audiences in three ways. First, they are distributed to schools and other non-commercial community agencies on the organization's own digital satellite channel, called the "Annenberg Channel". Second, they are streamed on demand on the Learner.org Web site. Third, they are distributed for purchase on videocassette and DVD through 1-800-LEARNER and online ordering here at Learner.org. To subscribe to the Annenberg Media Update, please send email to updates-subscribe@learner.org. 

 

Make the most of Constitution Day The year Constitution Day is Monday, September 17. Educational institutions receiving funding through the Department of Education are required to participate by holding educational programs pertaining to the U.S. Constitution (find the original announcement in the Federal Register http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html volume 70, page 29727). Consider using the following resources as part of your educational programs:

 

• This Constitution Day, watch The Constitution: That Delicate Balance. The following programs air on the Channel prior to Constitution Day, if you wish to record them: Program 3, Nomination, Election, and Succession of the President; Program 4, Criminal Justice and a Defendant's Right to a Fair Trial; Program 5, Crime and Insanity; and Program 6, Crime and Punishments. Click on Broadcast Dates for specifics. http://learner.org/redirect/september/con2.html.

• In the roundtable discussions of Ethics in America well-known figures in government, law, media, military, business, health care, and religion puzzle through constitutional issues and their application to realistic hypothetical situations. http://learner.org/redirect/september/eth3.html

• Ethics in America II offers the same Socratic method format as the original ethics series, only featuring new personalities and updated topics. Click on "Enter the Series Web Site" for coordinated materials, including a guide and a reader available for download. http://learner.org/redirect/september/ethii4.html

• America's History in the Making - new this year - looks at the historical role of Enlightenment thought, the rhetorical use of revolutionary discourse, and the early development of state versus federal government in Unit 4, Revolutionary Perspectives. Watch Video on Demand, and click on "OAH Talking History" to listen to the radio programs Revolutionary Mothers" and Washington's Slaves. http://learner.org/redirect/september/ahis5.html

• Observe excellent lessons at the high school level in Making Civics Real: A Workshop for Teachers. Be sure to explore the coordinated materials including a lesson collection, student and teacher perspectives, essential readings, and primary source documents (Supreme Court cases). http://learner.org/redirect/september/civ6.html

• Democracy in America features lectures and historical footage to illustrate constitutional ideals. Programs cover individual liberties, the modern Presidency, the courts, the media, elections, global politics, and more. Find related readings on the series Web site. http://learner.org/redirect/september/dem7.html

• The Western Tradition Program 5, "The Rise of Greek Civilization," Program 6, Greek Thought, Program 37, The American Revolution, and 38, The American Republic. http://learner.org/redirect/september/west8.html

Learn about the beginnings of the U.S. Constitution in A New System of Government, Program 5 of A Biography of America, http://learner.org/redirect/september/boa9.html. Search the American Passages archive http://learner.org/redirect/september/arch10.html to find historical artifacts related to the U.S. Constitution. You can also create one or more slideshows on constitutional topics. Go to http://learner.org/redirect/september/view11.html for information about viewing options, including free Video on Demand.

 

More information about Constitution Day and additional programming for your school's events can be found on the Justice Learning Web site http://www.justicelearning.org/constitutionday/index.asp .

 

From The Everyday Teaching Savvy Science Newsletter. Savvy Science and The Language Arts Letterbox are free bimonthly newsletters offered to all members of Everyday Teaching. For more information or to register for the Regular Weekly Everyday Teaching Newsletters for all K12 educators, visit online at: http://www.everydayteaching.com/lists

 

• Scientifically Speaking…Science Quote of the Month
  "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science."   - Edwin Powell Hubble

• The Smithsonian in Education: The Smithsonian offers a searchable database of over 1300 educational resources. Educators can search by keyword, subject, etc., and also by their individual State Standard of Learning. These searches can be found at http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/index.html

Science Feature: Journeys of a Lifetime - Understanding Migration

• Monarch Migration Mini Web Trek: Students will visit online web pages specifically selected to answer questions on migration. An optional student project is included for students to create Monarch Did You Know? cards. (4-8) http://www.everydayteaching.com/Treks/Monarch.Migration.Mini.html

• Understanding Migration: Fall is a great time to conduct a science unit on migration, tracking and learning about animals that journey south for the winter. Both the Why Files and the Monarch Watch explore issues of migration with monarch butterflies. Learn about the monarch life cycle, its enemies, how to grow milkweed, or how to weigh a butterfly. Challenges to students are available, as well as a Teacher Activities Guide for grades 5-12. http://whyfiles.org/006migration/

• Shadow a Swan Project: A class can register for this migration project, where classes "shadow" swans on their annual migrations from Alaska to Montana. Maps are included as well as lesson plans; students can predict where they think their swans will go and receive satellite data. (3-10) http://www.uen.org/swan/

• Journey North/Journey South: For classes studying migration, this is the site! Students track and input their own field data and observations on butterflies, birds, and whales. The Fall Journey news, explores how plants and animals respond to seasonal changes. Classes are encouraged to design their own habitat projects and to contribute them to this wonderful learning site. Lesson plans are available on Seasonal Change and The Mysteries of Migration, with further lessons and activities accessed at the last link. http://www.learner.org/jnorth/

• Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration Project: This fall, students around North America are participating in a Symbolic Migration, with classes designing butterflies and then sending them to students in Mexico. Class registration is free. Track this migration, as well as the real animals in the Journey North online project. It's a terrific component to add to a migration unit. (All) http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/symbolic/AboutFall.html

• Online Migration Slideshows: Students can learn more about migration by following these online slideshows on the annual Monarch butterfly migrations from Canada and the United States to Mexico. An overview of migration is included, as well as a presentation on the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly in both English and Spanish. (K-3) http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/jr/BookletList.html

• Monarch Reading: Gulliver’s Story: An online story about a Monarch butterfly unfolds here; click on the bottom link after this first page of instructions. (2-4) http://www.monarchwatch.org/read/articles/gstory1.htm

Savvy Science!

• Your Fingerprints: No one has the same fingerprints, and it's this specialized human feature that allows forensic experts to narrow in on a crime scene. But how do we make fingerprints, and how can scientists "lift" them? And what do your students' own fingerprints look like? Get a clue with these activities for investigating fingerprints! A student chart is included. (3-7) http://pbskids.org/zoom/printables/activities/pdfs/fingerprints.pdf

• Backpack Science: Ask your students if they know that there are days when their backpack loads are heavier. So what's going on? They can figure it out themselves with a bit of back-to-school backpack science. They'll need to collaborate with some friends or classmates, and use the chart included here to record results. Once they have charted or graphed their results, have them share them with the rest of the school. (3-7) http://pbskids.org/zoom/printables/activities/pdfs/backpack.pdf

• Need Energy? Build a Hand Battery!: Are your students feeling energetic at the start of the school year? Let's test just how much juice they have! Find a simple experiment here to prove that students can generate energy by creating their own hand batteries. (4-9) http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/hand_battery.html

• Creating a Good Image: At the start of the school year, it's important to give off a good image, right? This very cool experiment allows students to view how others see them - and no, there are no magic potions; just a great little lesson in reflection and light. Students will build a mirrored and angled kaleidoscope before asking the mirror who's the fairest in the land. (4-9) http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/corner_reflector.html

• Self-Portrait Silhouettes: How cool is this?? These artsy science projects are called "photograms", where students get to experiment with photographic images and their own silhouettes - without cameras, but at the same time understanding the principles of light behind them. Combining art and science, try this lesson plan makes for an incredible Back-to-School Open House or Parent's Night display - wonderful! (7-12) http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/bodies_mag/portrait.html

• Interactive Science: The WHY Files: For more than a decade, THE WHY FILES have been serving up some of the most accessible and fun science narratives on the web. Taking their mission to pry open the lab door a step further, THE WHY FILES team has developed a series of Teacher Activity Pages or TAPs. TAPs are linked to some of the site's most popular articles on topics like Tornadoes, Mosquitoes, Migration, Volcanoes and Forensic Science. Activity pages contain discussion starters, lesson plans and an online quiz. For quick reference and lesson planning, each of the 13 TAPs is tied to national teaching standards, as are most of the 500+ features in THE WHY FILES deep and comprehensive archive of science stories. http://whyfiles.org/

Interactive Science

• The Teaching Files: Nutrition: As a companion feature to our Homework Files: Nutrition & You, find these extensive Teaching Files: Nutrition, for a wide variety of lesson plans, numerous resources, printables, and learning games for students in grades 3-12. Lesson plans cover topics such as Food Journeys, the History of Food, Fast Food, Healthy Choices, the 5 Food Groups, Food Safety, Food Chemistry, and more. (3-12) http://www.everydayteaching.com/b2s/Nutrition.Teach.Files.html

The Science Teacher

• Environmental Excellence Awards Want to be recognized for your hard work in environmental concerns? The deadline for this contest, sponsored by Seaworld, Busch Gardens, and Fuji Film is November 30th. Find out more here. (All) http://www.seaworld.org/conservation-matters/eea/index.htm

• Books Across America Grants: If you teach in an economically disadvantaged area (where 70% or more of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches), you can apply for a $1000 grant for library books from the NEA Foundation. Guidelines and applications are available on site, with the application deadline of November 12th, 2007. http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/BAA_2007.htm

Printable Science

• Constellation Flashcards How cool is this? Print out these Constellation Cards and encourage your students to become familiar with the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere. A "Go Fish" game is also introduced with the cards. (3-9) http://www.science-teachers.com/constellation_flashcards.htm

• Migration Wordsearch: Elementary students will enjoy searching for migration related words in this colorful and printable word search. (3-7) http://www.everydayteaching.com/Treks/MigrationWordsearch.pdf

• Science Lab Report Forms: Print out copies of these science lab forms to have handy for student lab science exercises. (3-12) http://www.everydayteaching.com/Helpers/Science.Lab.Form.pdf

• Lab Observation Forms: Students can easily record lab observations and draw accompanying diagrams with these printable student forms. (3-12) http://www.science-teachers.com/constellation_flashcards.htm

From Scholastic http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3746998   

Free Stuff Start the new year right...with classroom freebies, great contests and resources to help keep fall fresh and exciting.

• Extreme Classroom Makeover Looking to overhaul your classroom? EXPO is teaming up with Paige Hemmis of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Scholastic Instructor for the 2007 EXPO Classroom Makeover Contest. Grand prize? A $25,000 classroom makeover! Deadline: October 15, 2007 For rules and prizes, visit http://expoclassroommakeover.com/

• Attention Mathematicians!  Math League’s contests can add excitement to any mathematics program. Students in grades 4–6 and 6–8 play in a series of competitions that occur all over the country. Deadline: October 2007 Visit http://mathleague.com/  for exact contest rules, which vary by region.

• Make Your Own Stamps  Tired of selling candy to raise funds? The ArtStamps program personalizes U.S. postage stamps with kids’ artwork that they can sell to friends and family and raise money for their schools. Visit http://www.myartstamps.com/

• Keeping Kids Cyber-Safe The free Family/Educator Toolbox has three components: Social Networking 101, Start a Conversation, and Safety Tips. It’s designed to teach educators and kids how to use networking sites. Visit http://www.2smrt4u.com/

• Inspire Your Budding Renoirs Little artists will love Tux Paint, the free drawing program for children ages 3 to 12. It combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and a cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program. Go to http://www.tuxpaint.org/

• Free Reading Activities The Starfall learn-to-read Web site has lots of fun activities for readers at all levels. Activities include interactive comics, folktales, plays, and much more. Visit http://www.starfall.com/

• Find tons of resources on the 42explore Web site. Teachers and students can click on a wide variety of topics—from Lewis and Clark to literary criticism—and find “four to explore” for each topic. This includes information, definitions, links, and other resources. Visit http://www.42explore.com/  to start exploring!

• The “Talk Like a Pirate Day” Kit celebrates pirates on September 19 with a downloadable classroom activity kit from Harcourt Children’s Books. Appropriate for grades 1–4. Go to http://www.harcourtbooks.com/pirates/  and brace yourself for a roomful of pirates. Ahoy,Matey!

• Calling All Student Writers Each month, Writer's Digest hosts a Your Assignment for Kids contest. This month's winner could be your student! Deadline: Monthly http://www.writersdigest.com/

• X+Y = Cool!  Challenge middle-school math students with the USA Mathematical Talent Search's free competitions. Contests run quarterly and give students a month to hash out five different math problems. Deadline: Ongoing http://www.usamts.org/

• Download a Book Beef up your classroom library without breaking your budget. Download free books by author Hans Wilhelm, such as Tyrone the Terrible and Pirates Ahoy!, at Children’s Books Forever. http://www.childrensbooksforever.com/

• We mean Business Cultivate the next generation of Donald Trumps, Oprah Winfreys, and Warren Buffetts! Integrate financial and business skills into the curriculum with the help of the Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition, a business-education program. http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/

From eSchool News Online http://www.eschoolnews.com/

PBS station makes open educational resources available to teachers. Teachers' Domain, a web site from Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television station WGBH in Boston, for years has offered free educational resources developed from award-winning PBS science programs such as NOVA and A Science Odyssey. Now, the site has launched a section devoted to Open Educational Resources--downloadable, sharable, remixable video segments, interactive activities, and lesson plans in earth science, engineering, life science, and physical science disciplines. These resources will give educators greater flexibility to shape and use content to meet their own individual needs, WGBH says. All content is free after registering. "Our resources have always corresponded with all state and national education standards, but we have always wanted to encourage educators make it their own," explains Denise Blumenthal, director of educational productions at WGBH. "The Open Educational Resources collection gives [teachers] the ability to customize our content to fit their curricula." This special collection will represent a third of the resources currently available on Teachers' Domain, WGBH says, which covers all key topics in science and soon will expand into the humanities, too. http://www.teachersdomain.org

 The Futures Channel Videos show how math and science relate to real-world applications and careers Math and science educators will find free video resources that can help connect their lessons to real-world applications at TheFuturesChannel.com. The site produces short documentary-style videos that take students behind the scenes with professionals from a wide range of careers. As the subjects of these video clips discuss why math and science are so important in their respective fields, they help answer the common question, "Why do I need to learn this?" The site's Hand-On Math section features movies on counting numbers and integers, algebra, fractions, geometry, measurement, and statistics. One clip incorporates measurement into a video about college students who must measure food for animal feedings. Teachers can download classroom activities based on the video content. All videos and classroom activities are available free of charge. http://www.thefutureschannel.com/index.php

 YouTube for teachers Given the enormous popularity of YouTube, it's not surprising that an education-specific version of this video-sharing web site should emerge--and on March 6, that's just what happened. TeacherTube, the brainchild of 14-year education veteran Jason Smith, gives teachers a more educationally focused, safe venue to watch and upload videos that help demonstrate a new concept or skill, address specific learning objectives, or provide professional development for their fellow educators. TeacherTube includes daily featured videos on topics such as teaching about the digestive system, or how to make classroom posters with Microsoft Excel--and it also offers a video tutorial on how to upload videos to the site. Users are able to rate videos and leave comments; search for videos by tags; find, join, and create video groups to connect with people who have similar interests; and even customize their experience by subscribing to member videos, saving favorites, and creating playlists. Those uploading videos to the site can choose to broadcast them publicly or share them privately with only those  invite. The site's services are offered free of charge to all users.  http://www.teachertube.com

 Primary Source Learning has everything needed to incorporate primary sources into lessons. Created and updated by practicing educators, "Primary Source Learning" helps teachers use primary-source materials from the Library of Congress in their lessons. The site's Teaching Materials database helps educators quickly find and use primary sources related to specific curriculum standards in all subject areas. The site also offers professional development activities to help teachers learn to use primary-source materials in their classes, and it connects K-12 schools, university programs, libraries, and museums through collaborative programs that aim to deepen students' understanding of the curriculum and foster information-age literacy skills. Educators are encouraged to field-test the site's "Learning Experiences" in the classroom and to share their own work by publishing it to the site, using a feature called "My Portfolio" to submit new learning experiences. Primary Source Learning was created by the Northern Virginia Partnership of An Adventure of the American Mind Program and made available through a Library of Congress grant funded by the U.S. Congress. http://www.primarysourcelearning.org/index.shtml

 Starfall helps students learn to read by combining games and animation. Parents, teachers, and children who are learning how to read will appreciate Starfall, a free web site that uses audio and visual games, animation, and phonetics activities to teach children basic reading skills. For a fee, the site also provides writing journals and books that can be used separately or in conjunction with its lessons, and a download center features online printouts and other activities. Teachers can visit the site's "For Educators" section, which provides links to federal reading reports and standards, as well as online books arranged in scope and sequence and by unit objective. Downloadable books such as Peg the Hen, Car Race, and My Family focus on specific sounds and skills. Starfall is the creation of Stephen Schutz, founder of Colorado-based publisher Blue Mountain Arts, and his son, Jared Schutz Polis, former chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education.  http://www.starfall.com