Instructional Technology

100 Inspiring, Educational Videos for Writers

shines — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:46:36 +0000

Being a writer can be an enlightening, wonderful experience when you’re creating work that you love, but it can also be incredibly frustrating when you get writer’s block or are struggling to find inspiration. There are plenty of places on the web, however, where you can find inspiration and instruction to help you overcome your biggest obstacles or help you to see writing in a new light. Here are 100 videos just for writers, many from well-known authors offering their help and guidance.

Be sure to preview before using a video in the classroom.

Online Professional Development from National Experts

shines — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:35:35 +0000

In today’s economy one might think educators cannot participate in a national conference or learn from well known speakers or teachers from across the county, however, with today’s technology, we can! NECC, the National Educator’s Computer Conference, (now ITSE Conference) used the technology of today to make many of their sessions available in real time and allow teachers from across the globe to participate in individual workshops and keynote sessions. Now that the conference is over, educators (or anyone) can go to ISTEVision and watch recordings of many exciting, inspiring and eye opening sessions. I encourage you to explore the site and learn from educators from all over the globe. Sessions are available at http://www.istevision.org/

I applaud ISTE’s vision for education.

If you find a great session, submit it to your principal and ask them to approve it for staff develpment credit in Eduphoria.

GPS in Education

shines — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:10:42 +0000

Schlecty says that students should be authentically engaged in learning something that is valued by society. According to many, our students do not know enough about the geography of the world. Using GPS in education is engaging and students learn about mapping and geography along with problem solving skills. This week, BISD teachers will learn how to engage students in real world, authentic learning with GPS receivers.

Class links

Look Back at NASA’s 50-Year Journey

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:31:57 +0000

This interactive tour of NASA’s first five decades of exploration features virtual pavilions, clickable models and exhibits, video galleries, astronauts, presidents and a robot guide named Automa.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Investigate Elements of Web Design

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:30:20 +0000

Students in both art classes and computer or Web-design classes will love the Museum of Web Art devoted to the finest artistic elements of Web design, counters, buttons and more. For graphic art students, this is an incredible resource with many galleries and exhibits. Check out the Kids Gallery for students who are learning to create patterns. There are even stories for elementary students.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Integrate Technology into Your Instruction

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:50:46 +0000

Integrate Technology into Your Instruction
From the U.S. Department of Education, InTime (Integrating New Technologies Into the Methods of Education) offers 400 video vignettes of preK–12 teachers using technology in language arts, math, science and other instruction. A conceptual model for analyzing the use of technology in instruction is among the tools and information on the site.
Click Here to Visit We Site

Participate in Authentic Scientific Research

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:49:12 +0000

Participate in Authentic Scientific Research
NASA and Arizona State University’s Mars Education Program is offering students nationwide the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research by participating in the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP). Teams of students in grades 5–12 will work with scientists, mission planners and educators at Arizona State University’s Mars Space Flight Facility to image a site on Mars using the visible wavelength camera onboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which is currently orbiting Mars every two hours. National Science Education Standards–aligned MSIP curriculum has been developed to fit within existing science curriculum using real-world science instead of worksheets or simulations. Student teams can participate in one of three formats for image reception activities: On-site at the Mars Space Flight Facility in Tempe, Arizona; Distance Learning; or Archived Data.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Find Your State’s Stimulus Funding and Allocations

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:46:38 +0000

Find Your State’s Stimulus Funding and Allocations
Learning Point Associates’ Education Recovery and Reinvestment Center offers the most current information available on recovery funds and resources related to issues arising from the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including a helpful side-by-side guide to the education funds available to your state or locality and its reporting requirements. The site will be updated twice a week with new materials. Use the Ask Learning Point Associates section to send your questions and ideas.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Flatten Your Classroom in Meaningful Ways

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:42:15 +0000

Flatten Your Classroom in Meaningful Ways
Flattening your classrooms is about introducing your students to the world in safe, meaningful ways that will enrich and augment the things that are already working in your school. Seven Steps to Flatten Your Classroom is a free ebook based on an Atomic Learning workshop developed by Vicki Davis, who has been recognized for her innovative use of the Web in the classroom.
Click Here to Download Free eBook

Save Planet Earth

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:40:31 +0000

Save Planet Earth
At Green Education Network, K–16 teachers, students and parents will find a comprehensive and easy-to-use aggregation of Save Planet Earth curriculum-related information, lesson plans, activities, projects, contests—and inspiration. It’s all at your fingertips using the keyword search box or the topics list on the left-hand side of the site.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Experience Moments in American History

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:11:18 +0000

Experience Moments in American History
American Journeys contains more than 18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration, from the sagas of Vikings in Canada in 1000 CE to the diaries of mountain men in the Rockies 800 years later. Read the words of explorers, Indians, missionaries, traders and settlers as they lived through the founding moments of American history. View, search, print or download more than 150 rare books, original manuscripts and classic travel narratives from the library and archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Doodle or Animate

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:07:55 +0000

Doodle or Animate
DoInk is a free online drawing and animation tool that runs right in your browser. You can use it to do just a quick doodle, or you can take advantage of its layer cloning and vector-based designs to create relatively advanced animations. When done with any creation, you can share it with the DoInk community, email it to a friend or embed it on a blog or social-networking profile. You can also publish anything you’ve made straight to YouTube.
Click Here to Access Free Tool

Create an Interactive Timeline

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:54:54 +0000

Create an Interactive Timeline
Using a spreadsheet to create a timeline allows students to fill in cells to designate time periods. Text can be entered sideways to mark the events being represented. Students can enter text inside a drawing, or they can add drawings. This Web site gives step-by-step instructions on the process.
Click Here to Access Free Instructions

Help Autistic Children Understand Emotions

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:50:15 +0000

Help Autistic Children Understand Emotions
Need help teaching an autistic child struggling to understand emotions like excited and scared? There’s a game for that—and one that will put that child’s face, voice and favorite colors into the game. A customizable, online autism library with tools like the emotion game is one of the key offerings in VizZle, new Web-based software from Monarch Teaching Technologies. VizZle (short for “visual learning”) builds customized, autism-specific flashcards, games and other interactive exercises for children. All these personalized materials can be placed online for other VizZle users to borrow and adapt.
Click Here for More Information
Click Here for Free Download

Explore Crisis Communication Tools

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:49:19 +0000

Explore Crisis Communication Tools
Everything from natural disasters and catastrophic events to traffic jams and school closings have rendered mass notification systems vital for our health and safety. CDW-G’s Mass Notification Toolkit can help you streamline crisis communication by minimizing uncertainties and preventing missteps as you plan, implement and improve your sharing of best practices, strategies and resources for establishing the most effective communication program for your school or district.
Click Here for More Information

Give Voice to What Matters

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:29:00 +0000

Give Voice to What Matters
As graduation day approaches, What Kids Can Do (WKCD) invites students to raise their voice and let others know what matters most to them in this moment and in the years ahead. This year’s theme is Crisis and Hope in These Trying Times. Each of the five best speechwriters will receive a $100 gift certificate from Amazon.com, and their speeches will appear on the WKCD Web site. Any student between the ages of 12 and 19, writing in English, is eligible for the award. (Students don’t have to be an actual graduation speaker to submit their speech.)
Deadline: May 18, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Exchange Tips on Technology

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:28:20 +0000

Exchange Tips on Technology
eInstruction^TM and its partner, Knowledge Delivery Systems (KDS), have announced the Content Meets Technology Sweepstakes. To enter, simply describe the online resources you use that contribute to success in the classroom. Then your name, school, grade and entry will appear on a Google Map of the world on the sweepstakes’ Web site. eInstruction will select one winner from the three grade-level segments: K–5, 6–8 and 9–12. In addition, KDS will select two winners from each of the grade-level segments, for a total of nine winners. This is a great opportunity for all educators across the country to exchange tips about online resources that are designed to help teachers as well as win thousands of dollars’ worth of new technology for the classroom.
Deadline: May 15, 2008
Click Here for More Information

Soar with Books

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:27:10 +0000

Soar with Books
US Airways has joined with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) for a second year to celebrate the wonder of reading through the Fly with US. Read with Kids.® campaign, which features the online Read with Kids Challenge and supports RIF programs serving children across the nation. The 2008 Read with Kids Challenge achieved overwhelming success in its first year with more than 16,000 participants logging 3.8 million minutes of reading. This year the challenge is climbing to new heights with a goal of collectively logging 5 million minutes spent reading with children from April 1–June 30. Participants can register and log their minutes online. Registrants can join individually or create a team of three or more adults. All participants will be entered to win a grand-prize drawing of a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation package from US Airways Vacations, US Airways gift cards and other great prizes. The team determined by random drawing will also win the opportunity to select a featured RIF program, as well as a school in their community, to receive a special children’s book collection.
Click Here for More Information

Upgrade Technology in Your Classroom

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Upgrade Technology in Your Classroom
Through its Focus on Learning Grant Program, Samsung Techwin America’s Electronic Imaging Division is offering 50 Samsung 850DX document cameras to K–12 teachers based on need. Any K–12 teacher in a United States school is eligible to apply.
Deadline: June 15, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Foster an Early Love of Reading

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:25:21 +0000

Foster an Early Love of Reading
Target Early Childhood Reading Grants support programs such as weekend book clubs and after-school reading programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age nine, to read together with their families. Most grants average between $1,000 and $3,000.
Deadline: May 31, 2009 for programs taking place between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010
Click Here for More Information

Make the Arts Accessible to Children

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:24:37 +0000

Make the Arts Accessible to Children
Target funds arts programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for youth to participate in cultural experiences, such as school touring programs, field trips to the theater or symphony, or artists residencies and workshops in schools. Most grants average between $1,000 and $3,000.
Deadline: May 31, 2009 for programs taking place between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010
Click Here for More Information

Connect Science to Everyday Life

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:44:54 +0000

Connect Science to Everyday Life
Discovery Education and 3M are calling for entries for the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Underlining the importance of communication skills in the science field, the competition challenges U.S. middle school students (grades 5–8) to create a one- to two-minute video about a specific scientific concept that relates to innovative solutions for everyday life. All video entries must be submitted online. Ten finalists will be selected to receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to compete in the final challenge in October. The winner will receive U.S. Savings Bonds and the title “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
Deadline: May 20, 2009 for entries
Click Here for More Information

Study Game Design

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:43:07 +0000

Study Game Design
In 2007 the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation established a scholarship program to assist women and minority students who are pursuing degrees leading to careers in Computer & Video Game Arts. This year the foundation has extended this opportunity to graduating high school seniors, doubling the amount of awards granted from 15 to 30. The scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at accredited four-year colleges and universities. Up to 30 scholarships of $3,000 each will be awarded annually, 15 to graduating high school seniors and 15 to current college students. The number of awards given in each category will be determined by the number of qualified applicants.
Deadline: May 15, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Expand ESL Students’ World of Learning

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:41:26 +0000

Expand ESL Students’ World of Learning
The Rosetta Stone Communicate and Connect Scholarship invites high school seniors who have learned English as a second language to write about discovering the world of possibilities that learning the English language opened up to them. Sample essay topics include how learning English enabled excellence in other courses, such as mathematics or science; a personal memoir about how getting cast in a play because of English-speaking abilities awakened a desire to perform and to create; and an examination of how learning English transformed their perspective of life in the United States. The winner will be selected by a panel of experts and awarded a $3,000 scholarship to help pay for school—expanding his or her world even more!
Deadline: May 15, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Integrate Podcasting into the Curriculum

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:38:37 +0000

Integrate Podcasting into the Curriculum
K–12 and special education schools in the United States are eligible to apply for the Tool Factory Podcasting Grant. To apply, teachers must develop a lesson plan that demonstrates how they would use podcasting in their curriculum. Grant submissions will be judged by their effective integration of podcasting into the curriculum, effective use of all resources provided by the grant and the high degree of student involvement, creativity and fun. Awardees will receive a school site license of Tool Factory Podcasting to install on every computer in their school, two Olympus digital voice recorders, two microphones with noise cancellation, Clip Art Station, Worksheet Station, Web Page Station and Tool Factory’s Simple Guide to Podcasting.
Deadline: May 15, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Encourage Defensive Driving

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:37:18 +0000

Encourage Defensive Driving
Driver’s Edge empowers young drivers through a combination of classroom discussions and behind-the-wheel defensive driving instruction to erase the “Fast and the Furious” video-game mentality that many of today’s young drivers have and that has skyrocketed automobile fatalities. The program is free for students between the ages of 15 and 21 who have a learner’s permit or driver’s license.
Deadline: See tour schedule for relevant registration dates
Click Here for More Information

Focus on Internet Safety

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:36:20 +0000

Web Wise Kids is partnering with Ask.com and NASCAR in a new, youth-focused Internet safety program called Ask.com Safe Search Schools. The aim of the program is to recognize elementary schools that are teaching Internet safety. The Ask.com Safe Search Schools program is presenting schools that demonstrate an exemplary focus on teaching Internet safety with new computers, a visit from professional NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte and Web Wise Kids programs for children and parents. The program focuses on a different school district each month. In April, the program is open to schools in Richmond, Virginia. To be considered, submit a Safe Search School evaluation form outlining your school’s Internet safety programs and activities, plus an Internet lesson plan from a fifth grader proposing what students can do to educate their school community and families about Internet safety.
Deadline: Ongoing; this month’s closing date is April 22, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Lure Students into Mathematical Thinking

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:57:01 +0000

Lure Students into Mathematical Thinking
Lure of the Labyrinth is a digital game for middle school pre-algebra students. It includes a wealth of intriguing math-based puzzles wrapped into an exciting narrative game in which students work to find their lost pet—and save the world from monsters! Linked to both national and state mathematics standards, the game gives students a chance to actually think like mathematicians.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Investigate a Pivotal Period in American History

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:53:52 +0000

Investigate a Pivotal Period in American History
From 1861–1865, Americans battled over preserving their Union and ending slavery. The Civil War is the focus of this section of The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, an online exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This pivotal and complicated period of American history is divided into sections that allow students to focus on either a specific aspect of the war or the conflict as a whole. The sections included are John Brown, Fort Sumter, the Battle of Bull Run, major turning points, the war at sea, Wilderness to Appomattox, political leaders, military leaders, soldiers in blue and gray, battles and casualties, and Reconstruction and the legacies of the war.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Reflect on 21st Century Literacies

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:45:02 +0000

Reflect on 21st Century Literacies
Inspired by an educational theory developed in the 20th century by social constructivist Lev Vygotsky, Blog of Proximal Development might sound a tad stiff and academic. Don’t let the name fool you. Written by Canadian teacher Konrad Glogowski, this blog is accessible, insightful and conversational. Concentrating on adolescent literacy and technology, Glogowski explores a wide range of topics, including how Web 2.0 tools can aid classroom instruction and professional development. Recent posts include a discussion of his travels with Teachers Without Borders and a virtual exhibit created using Second Life software.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Experience the Achievements of Nobel Laureates

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:42:39 +0000

Experience the Achievements of Nobel Laureates
Your students don’t have to be geniuses to understand the work of the Nobel Laureates. These games and simulations, based on Nobel Prize-awarded achievements, will teach and inspire students, particularly those aged 14–18, while they’re having fun! Students, teachers and nonprofessionals of all ages will enjoy testing and building their knowledge in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace and economics.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Explore the Building Blocks of Visual Composition

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:41:17 +0000

Explore the Building Blocks of Visual Composition
The Artist’s Toolkit: Visual Elements and Principles is an online interactive that allows students to explore the tools that artists use—for example, line, color and balance—to build works of art. In See Artists in Action, students can watch two professional artists using the visual elements and principles. Students can also use the Artist’s Toolkit Encyclopedia to learn more about these building blocks of composition. The encyclopedia includes many examples of works of art that illustrate the visual elements (line, shape, color, space, texture) and visual principles (balance, emphasis, movement/rhythm).
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Go on an Education Adventure

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:48:09 +0000

Go on an Education Adventure
Discovery Education is inviting teachers and students to join them on Discovery Student Adventures, a series of educational and inspirational trips uniquely tailored to bring the world to life. Whether spending the night in a snow cave in New Zealand, camping among ancient Inca ruins in Ecuador or witnessing sharks in their natural habitat from a dive cage in Africa, students and teachers will be empowered through self exploration as they see more of the world through these Discovery adventures. In the summer of 2010, Discovery Education will offer adventure-based international trips for students in grades 5–12, and accompanying teachers, to eight destinations, including the Arctic, Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Italy and Greece, New Zealand and Fiji, and South Africa. Students in grades 9–12 are eligible to earn high school credits for their participation in the program. Discovery Student Adventures is accepting applications for teachers right now; student applications will be accepted beginning May 1, 2009.
Click Here for More Information

Take Science Out of the Classroom

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:46:53 +0000

Take Science Out of the Classroom
This summer, Science Adventures^TM summer camps are introducing an innovative new program lineup to inspire a love of science and the environment. Science Adventures programs’ newest camp, Powerful Planet, offers fun and exciting lessons that teach the importance of energy efficiency and the need to manage our natural resources, from wildlife to oil. The programs are offered to students aged 5–12, at participating recreation facilities and schools. Children must have completed kindergarten to enroll. The 2009 summer camps, now open for enrollment, incorporate hands-on, interactive lessons designed to offer children new ways to learn through exploration, teamwork and engaging projects.
Click Here for More Information

Rock Around the World

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:32:59 +0000

Rock Around the World
Mars scientists are asking students from around the world to help them understand the red planet. Send in a rock collected by you or your students from your region of the world, and the Mars scientists will use a special tool, like the one on the rover, to tell you what it’s made of. Then everyone can compare their rocks to the ones found on Mars. The scientists will post a picture of your rock on the Web and give you a report on what kind of rock it is. They will also send you an official certificate and Mars sticker for your contribution.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Raise Awareness of Rules for Digital Properties

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:31:58 +0000

Raise Awareness of Rules for Digital Properties
Your students interact with music, movies, software and other digital content daily. Do they understand the rules surrounding the appropriate use of these digital properties, and why these issues are relevant? The Digital Citizenship and Creative Content curriculum is a turnkey instructional program made available for free through Microsoft sponsorship. It was designed to raise awareness and foster better understanding of the rights connected with creative content. The curriculum resources offer a comprehensive set of cross-curricular classroom activities that are divided into four thematic units. Each unit consists of 4 to 6 standalone yet complementary lesson plans that provide a variety of ways to engage students in the learning experience. The program was designed for grades 8–10, but easily adapts for use in grades 6–12. It aligns with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and covers subject areas that include civics, computer science, debate, fine arts, economics, government, journalism, language arts, drama and video production.
Click Here to Sign Up for Free Curriculum Units

Expose Students to Dickens’ Masterpieces

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:29:44 +0000

Expose Students to Dickens’ Masterpieces
No one does Dickens like PBS’s MASTERPIECE, which has been airing lavish, magnificently acted works by Dickens for most of the four-decade history of the series. And no one offers teachers and reading groups better resources than MASTERPIECE—all free of charge and available online. The latest resource, Teaching Dickens: A Masterpiece Guide, helps middle and high school teachers engage students in their study of Dickens—in print as well as on film. The guide provides detailed and innovative before- and after-viewing questions and activities on each of the four Dickens titles (Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit, and The Old Curiosity Shop airing on MASTERPIECE in 2009.
Click Here to Download Free Guide

Plus: Sign up for a chance to win a set of Dickens’ classic tales and subscribe to the MASTERPIECE e-Newsletter.
Click Here to Sign Up for Winning Opportunity

Enhance Lessons with Multicultural Content

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:25:53 +0000

Enhance Lessons with Multicultural Content
Created in partnership with Kansas State University (KSU), the Negro Leagues Baseball eMuseum features lesson plans and other materials, including photographs and videos, for secondary social studies teachers. The resources are intended to help teachers motivate students, through subjects like baseball, and enhance multicultural content for their classroom lessons. Scholars at KSU helped to develop the curriculum materials and eMuseum featuring Negro Leagues history as a platform for teaching American history. The lesson plans are aligned with regional and national teaching standards as well as national technology standards. The materials include resources for diverse learners.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Celebrate National Poetry Month

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:24:16 +0000

Celebrate National Poetry Month
Beginning April 1, Poets.org will send one new poem to your inbox each day to celebrate National Poetry Month. The poems have been selected from new books published in the spring. To receive Poem-A-Day emails, simply enter your email address in the online form at The Academy of American Poets Web site.
Click Here to Sign Up for Daily Poem

Plus: For National Poetry Month 2009, The Academy of American Poets asks you to share lines of poetry that remain with you, along with a paragraph detailing a moment when they arose and the insight, instruction, delight or solace they provided. Send your stories to npm@poets.org. Your submission may be selected by the Academy of American Poets to appear on Poets.org during National Poetry Month, alongside other submissions from readers and writers alike.
Click Here for More Information

ThinkQuest Competition Looking for Student Teams

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:17:33 +0000

Develop 21st Century Skills
The ThinkQuest Narrative Competition 2009, sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation (OEF), is open to teams of students aged 9–19. The competition is designed to engage students in developing important 21st century skills, such as communication, creativity, teamwork and technology skills. Teams are invited to use OEF’s ThinkQuest Projects platform to publish their ideas on topics of global importance, ranging from world hunger to environmental issues. The judging panel will be comprised of professional educators from around the world. Qualifying entries will be published in the ThinkQuest Library. Prizes include laptop computers, school grants and a trip to an awards event in the San Francisco Bay Area, depending on placement.
Deadline: Entries due May 4, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Predict Technology’s Impact on Learning

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:15:51 +0000

Predict Technology’s Impact on Learning
Seven high school students have the opportunity to earn $1,000 scholarships from Samsung Techwin America. The Thinking Ahead high school student scholarship program requires students to submit an essay of 500 words or less, telling about an advance in technology and how it will change learning in the future. Is it for the better? Each applicant must have a teacher sponsor.
Deadline: May 1, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Win a 21st Century Classroom

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:14:57 +0000

Win a 21st Century Classroom
CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G) and Discovery Education have announced the seventh annual “Win a Wireless Lab” sweepstakes. The program gives K–12 schools nationwide the opportunity to win a 21st-century classroom, complete with tablet or notebook computers, wireless cart, interactive whiteboard, student response system, projector, printer and document camera. CDW-G and Discovery Education also provide on-site training to all Win a Wireless Lab grand-prize winners. The 2009 program will award five grand prizes. In addition to the technology hardware included in the 21st-century classroom, Discovery Education will award a $5,000 digital media grant to the five grand-prize winning schools to help them more fully utilize the technology and engage students in learning. Public and private school teachers, administrators, and school and district technology specialists may enter the sweepstakes by filling out an online form. For each prize drawing, winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries received.
Deadline: Sweepstake entries accepted until May 1, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Renew Support for Science Education

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:32:41 +0000

Renew Support for Science Education
The American Honda Foundation (AHF) makes grants to K–12 schools, colleges, universities, trade schools and other youth-focused nonprofit organizations for programs that benefit youth and scientific education. Because the current economic crisis has dramatically impacted the nation’s nonprofits, AHF has modified its grant proposal range from $20,000 to $60,000 per organization to allow the foundation to support more nonprofits.
Deadlines: Quarterly; next deadline is May 1, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Get a LEG Up on Funding

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:30:21 +0000

Get a LEG Up on Funding
The LEGO Children’s Fund provides grants to organizations for collaborative programs involving early childhood education, technology and communication projects that advance learning opportunities or athletic programs that concentrate on underserved youth. There are no restrictions on grant amounts up to the quarterly allocation. Typical awards, however, are between $500 and $5,000.
Deadlines: Quarterly; May 1 for grants awarded in June, August 1 for grants awarded in September, November 1 for grants awarded in December
Click Here for More Information

Design a Music Project

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:25:07 +0000

Design a Music Project
The Music Is Revolution Foundation offers minigrants of up to $500 for activities designed by teachers to implement, support and/or improve their ability to provide quality music education for their students. Applicants are encouraged to include activities that expose students to genres and styles of music not likely to be experienced as a part of their normal daily lives, and to plan the project with input from students, parents and school administrators so that the project supports the imaginations of the students while maintaining relevance to the curriculum already in place. Funds may be used for supplies, materials, equipment, transportation for a field trip and/or to bring a performer or musical group to the school.
Deadline: April 15, 2009
Click Here for More Information

Get Girls into Technology Development

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:19:33 +0000

Get Girls into Technology Development
Microsoft’s DigiGirlz High Tech Camp works to dispel stereotypes of the high-tech industry and gives girls in grades 7–12 a chance to experience firsthand what it is like to develop cutting-edge technology. During the camp, girls are exposed to executive speakers, technology tours and demonstrations, networking and hands-on learning workshops. To be eligible to attend the camp, girls must be at least 13 years old at the time of attendance. There is no cost associated with the camp; Microsoft provides the camp free of charge for attending girls.
Deadlines: Because the camps are offered in multiple locations, the due dates for the application vary; see Web site for details
Click Here for More Information

Promote Understanding of Environmental Issues

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:18:43 +0000

Promote Understanding of Environmental Issues
Captain Planet Foundation Education Grants fund and support hands-on environmental projects for children and youths that encourage innovative programs and empower children and youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. Generally, the range of grants awarded by the foundation is from $250 to $2,500.
Deadline: Deadlines for submitting grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
Click Here for More Information

Win a Wireless Lab

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:16:59 +0000

Win a Wireless Lab
In partnership with CDW-G, Discovery Education will award five grand-prize wireless labs, valued at more than $50,000 each, through its “Win A Wireless Lab” sweepstakes. Each lab includes 20 laptop or notebook computers, an interactive whiteboard, mobile cart, projector, printer, wireless access points, portable document camera, digital camcorder, digital camera and a $5,000 Discovery Education digital media grant. In addition, there will be drawings for five interactive whiteboards, one per month through May 2008, and more than 20 additional secondary prizes.
Deadlines: Click Here for Deadlines
Click Here for More Information

Test Your Memory Skills

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:57:20 +0000

Test Your Memory Skills
Information currently being processed in our minds is temporarily stored in what cognitive psychologists refer to as short-term memory. It is theorized that on average humans can store up to seven items in their short-term memory. But by grouping pieces of information together, we can greatly increase our memory’s capacity. Play this game from National Geographic to test the capacity of your memory.
Click Here to Play Game

Plus: Journey through the inner workings of the brain with National Geographic’s Mapping Memory in 3-D.
Click Here to Access Interactive

Experience the Culture of China—Virtually

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:55:37 +0000

Experience the Culture of China—Virtually
A new, cost-free Web-based role-playing game aims to help students and adults learn more about the culture and languages of China. Called Zon/New Chengo, the multiplayer game was created by Yong Zhao, Michigan State University distinguished professor of educational psychology and technology. A native of a poor, remote area of the Sichuan Province, he has become a highly influential researcher in Chinese education. The goal for the player is to fare well and advance socially and economically, with players moving from “tourists” to “residents” and finally to “citizens” of modern China. At the different stages, players encounter quests, have access to learning materials—including live Chinese tutors—and are able to organize and participate in social activities.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Explore the Moon—and Beyond

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:51:09 +0000

Explore the Moon—and Beyond
Lockheed Martin, the Space Foundation and SpaceClass have launched a strategic online education collaboration called Orion’s Path. The interactive virtual classroom project will form a link between teachers, students and NASA’s human space exploration program known as Constellation. Orion’s Path is an interactive lesson on SpaceClass, a Web-based education program using videos and virtual science labs to engage students in research being conducted for space exploration. Lesson content meets national learning standards for middle school grades, and use of the site is free to teachers.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Follow the Monarch’s Migration

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:48:25 +0000

Follow the Monarch’s Migration
The Journey North program engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. Students share field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, bald eagles, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales and other birds and mammals. Students also monitor the budding of plants, changing sunlight and other natural events. Since the program is based on seasonal changes, the standards-based lessons focus on southern migration in the fall and winter and northern migration in the spring and summer. For almost all the lessons, there is a reading–writing connection. Teachers must register to take part in the program, but registration is free.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Assist Hispanic Parents in Navigating the School System

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:46:06 +0000

Assist Hispanic Parents in Navigating the School System
The ToolKit for Hispanic Families, provided free of charge by the U.S. Department of Education, helps the parents of Hispanic American children navigate the education system. The toolkit, written in Spanish, was developed with guidance from more than 1,800 Hispanic parents at Parent Information and Resource Centers across the country. The toolkit contains brochures titled “You and Your Elementary School-Aged Child”; “A Challenging High School Education for All”; “You and Your Preschool Child”; “Tips for Helping Children Learn to Read”; “School Success for Your Child”; “No Child Left Behind: Help for Students and Their Families.”
Click Here to Download Free ToolKit

Help Students Explore Nontraditional Careers

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:44:44 +0000

Help Students Explore Nontraditional Careers
In an effort to support the work that states are doing to help local education agencies increase the participation and completion of students in nontraditional CTE programs, the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) Education Foundation, in partnership with Career Communications, Inc., has developed a Parent Edition of the American Careers magazine that is focused on nontraditional careers. The magazine profiles nontraditional role models and includes information about nontraditional careers, wage-earning potential and economic self-sufficiency. A section on getting started, exploring careers and planning for the future is organized around 16 career clusters and pathways. The publication includes a 9th- to 16th-grade career planner applicable to high school and community college populations.
Click Here for More Information

Go on a Math Mission

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:41:57 +0000

Go on a Math Mission
Tabula Digita has released a new version of the educational video game Math Evolver: Virus Origin, which teaches pre-algebra skills. This engaging math program has an ESRB Rating of E10+ (Everyone 10+) for mild fantasy violence and is suitable for children in grades 6–9. The game captivates students with exciting visuals and first-person action adventures while incorporating key algebraic concepts. The contemporary simulation format features high-end 3-D graphics, sound, animation and storylines comparable to those found in most popular video games. But the math game offers far more than action-packed entertainment: the five missions embed lessons aligned with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and adhere to learning research in the areas of math and gaming.
Click Here for More Information

Get Up to Speed in Technology Concepts

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:39:49 +0000

Get Up to Speed in Technology Concepts
Nortel LearniT offers free, educator-created and classroom-tested technology tutorials for teachers and students. These short videos (about four minutes each) are a quick way to get up to speed in specific technology concepts. The videos provide the basic “getting started” steps and concrete examples, and are ideal for individual learning or use in a classroom setting. Topics include Creating Objects in Flash; Digital Audio; Digital Ethics; Discovering the Internet; Imaging; Networks to Knowledge (N2K); Online Safety; PowerPoint Presentations; Video Production; and Web Content Creation.
Click Here to Access Free Tutorials

Create a Tessellation

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:34:04 +0000

Create a Tessellation
The World of Escher Tessellation Contest gives students an audience for their tessellation drawing talents. Pictures must model the symmetry artworks of M. C. Escher and can make use of watercolor, colored pencils, pen and ink, marker or computer-generated mediums. Submissions must be in .jpg format. The top 50 winners will be posted in the Hall of Fame on the Escher Web site. The top winner in each contest will receive a prize from the online store.
Deadline: Ongoing; see Web site for current contest
Click Here for More Information

Interview a Celebrity

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:32:48 +0000

Interview a Celebrity
Teen Ink is a national teen magazine, book series and Web site devoted to teenage writing and art. Written by teens for teens, Teen Ink has published the work of more than 25,000 teens since 1989. Students can enter the Teen Ink Interview Contest and win an opportunity to interview a celebrity. Contest winners are selected throughout the year. Previous celebrity interviews include Pedro Martinez, Colin Powell, Maya Angelou, R. L. Stine, George Lucas, Whoopi Goldberg, John Glenn, Andrew Shue, Hillary Clinton and Jesse Jackson. Upcoming celebrity interviews include Alicia Keys, Martin Sheen and others. Interviews are featured monthly in Teen Ink magazine and online, where students can view previous celebrity interviews.
Deadline: Ongoing; entries are accepted and published throughout the year
Click Here for More Information

Bring Butterflies into the Classroom

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:30:46 +0000

Bring Butterflies into the Classroom
The Live Monarch Foundation Educator Outreach Program provides funding for teachers throughout the United States to enroll in the national campaign to bring monarch butterflies into the classroom. This program provides education and materials to strengthen the monarch’s 3,000-mile migratory route within North America by creating self-sustaining butterfly gardens and refuges. Materials will be provided for each participant to raise a virtual butterfly and start a real butterfly garden with professional instruction on each level of its maintenance and care, with insight into the shared responsibility of each person to protect our fragile environment one backyard at a time. Funding is available to teachers and classrooms in areas on the monarch migratory route.
Deadline: Rolling
Click Here for More Information

Use Tech Tools to Help Develop Human Potential

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:29:02 +0000

Use Tech Tools to Help Develop Human Potential
The National Cristina Foundation provides computer technology and solutions to give students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons the opportunity, through training, to lead more productive lives. The foundation works to recycle computer technology resources, giving them a second life as tools for developing human potential.
Deadline: Ongoing
Click Here for More Information

Get Answers to Everyday Mysteries

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:27:14 +0000

Get Answers to Everyday Mysteries
Have your students ever wondered why a camel has a hump? Of if they can really tell the weather by listening to the chirp of a cricket? Or why their joints make popping sounds? These questions deal with everyday phenomena that are often taken for granted, but each can be explained scientifically. Everyday Mysteries helps students get the answers to these and many other of life’s most interesting questions through scientific inquiry. Provided by the Library of Congress Research Centers Science Reference Services.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Bolster Children’s Oral Vocabulary

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:24:48 +0000

Bolster Children’s Oral Vocabulary
“Martha Speaks,” the new animated series from the WGBH creators of “Curious George” and “Arthur,” and Vancouver’s Studio B Productions, premieres on September 1, 2008 on PBS KIDS (check your local listings). The series stars Martha, a beloved family dog, who accidentally is fed alphabet soup that gives her the power of human speech and the chance to speak her mind to anyone who will listen. Based on Susan Meddaugh’s book series about Martha the talking dog, “Martha Speaks” is built on a curriculum designed to bolster the oral vocabulary of four- to seven-year-olds. Each episode features two 11-minute stories (including six adapted from the classic books) that showcase Martha’s linguistic abilities and the hilarious consequences they provoke—all with a goal of engaging children and expanding their vocabulary. The “Martha Speaks” Web site has engaging games, videos and activities that help youngsters learn new words.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Blog About Books

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:22:07 +0000

Blog About Books
Presented by National Geographic for Kids, DogEared is a blog about books—good books, funny books, adventure books; books about animals, friendship, pirates, faraway places . . . every kind of book that kids enjoy. Why is the site called “DogEared”? You know when you read a book and you turn the top edge of a page over to mark your place? That’s called a “dog-ear”! Students mark (“dog-ear”) the Web page so they can return to it often in order to read real kids’ reviews and recommendations. They also share their own opinions and create their own reading wish list—as if it were their own online book club.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Find Out What Works for English Language Learners

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:20:05 +0000

Find Out What Works for English Language Learners
The U.S. Department of Education’s Teaching Literacy in English to K–5 English Learners provides videos, slideshows and tools for teaching reading to K–5 English learners. The site’s resources are based on five research-based recommendations: screen and monitor students’ progress; provide small-group reading interventions; provide vocabulary instruction throughout the day; develop academic English competence beginning in primary grades; and schedule regular peer-assisted learning opportunities, including structured language practice.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Discover the Stories of New Americans

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:12:42 +0000

Discover the Stories of New Americans
The New Americans Web site offers an educational adventure for students in grades 7–12. The site supplements the PBS documentary series, which explores the immigrant experience through personal stories. Interactive sections of the site allow students to explore the immigration experience through a timeline, maps and activities in tracking family history and examining the effect of immigration on the nation. Eleven lesson plans involve students in activities such as analyzing factual data or conducting oral histories of first- or second-generation immigrants. For workplaces, schools and community organizations that would like to use shorter stories from The New Americans to increase understanding of recent immigrants, Active Voice and Kartemquin Films offer three brief, themed Video/DVD Modules and Discussion Guides for a nominal fee.
Click Here to Visit Web Site
Click Here to Order Video/DVD Modules and Discussion Guides

Plus: See how much you know about immigrants and immigration in America. Try this Immigration Myths and Reality Quiz.
Click Here to Take the Quiz

Listen to Significant Historical Speeches

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:23:52 +0000

Listen to Significant Historical Speeches
Many people are talking about the Democratic and Republican national convention speeches. The American Rhetoric Web site provides a way to connect today’s enthusiasm to America’s speeches of the past. The Web site hosts “The Top 100 Speeches,” which includes the most significant speeches in American history as decided by leading scholars and compiled by two prominent researchers in the field. Users can view speeches by rank or decade, as well as by category, such as speeches by women. A full-text transcript is available for each speech and an MP3 audio file is available for most, providing a fascinating multimedia experience. Which speech, do you think, is ranked first in importance?
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Promote Science Readiness

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:21:26 +0000

Promote Science Readiness
SID THE SCIENCE KID is a new educational animated television series using comedy to promote exploration, discovery and science readiness among preschoolers. The 40 half-hour episodes, co-produced by The Jim Henson Company and KCET/Los Angeles for PBS KIDS® , debuted on September 1, 2008. The series uses music and humor to celebrate children’s natural curiosity about science in everyday life. The energetic and inquisitive Sid starts each episode with a new question (Why are my shoes shrinking? Why do bananas get mushy?) and embarks on a fun-filled day of finding answers with the help of family and friends. The SID THE SCIENCE KID Web site helps caregivers to build a strong foundation for early science exploration. The site models scientific inquiry in everyday settings: a kitchen, classroom and playground. Complementary online and offline activities motivate children to practice and internalize scientific methodology: Observe! Compare! Contrast! Describe! The Web site is updated each week to present online games, videos, and printable activities tied to the week’s scientific concept.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Encourage Youth Conversation and Action

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:16:45 +0000

Encourage Youth Conversation and Action
Chat the Planet provides a new vision of how television, the Internet and a network of global partnerships can create not only compelling television programming, but also a vibrant global community of youth conversation and action. Each show connects two groups of participants 15 to 25 years old, one in the United States and one abroad, through ISDN lines and satellite technology. Chat the Planet is a groundbreaking initiative bringing the world’s young people into dialogue with one another in ways that build relationships, break down prejudice and drive commitments to social change. Visit the site to view short teasers of Chat the Planet programs. Then browse the entire collection by subject or keyword.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Nutritional Tools for Schools

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:15:02 +0000

The National Dairy Council has a great website with tons of relevant and downloadable tools for schools to teach good nutrition!

http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/nationaldairycouncil/tools

Sign the U.S. Constitution

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:12:06 +0000

Sign the U.S. Constitution
On the American Bar Association’s Web site, students can show their support for the U.S. Constitution by adding their signature to those of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Explore Constitutional History

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:11:07 +0000

Explore Constitutional History
Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline is an online experience highlighting some of the key dates and events that mark more than 200 years of our constitutional history. The timeline entries, taken as a whole, tell the evolving story of the U.S. Constitution and the continuing role that it plays in our lives. Visitors can browse through a collection of stories and headlines—annotated by images, audio and video clips and interactive content—to explore some of the people, events and issues that have shaped the Constitution and the history of our nation.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Celebrate the Birthday of Our Government

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:09:45 +0000

Celebrate the Birthday of Our Government
On September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 brave men who changed the course of history. Now Constitution Day (September 17) is a time to continue their legacy and develop habits of citizenship in a new generation of Americans. The National Constitution Center’s We the People Web site provides resources to help you celebrate Constitution Day featuring more than 200 activities, lessons, books, DVDs and more from over 30 different providers.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 – for 59.95

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:01:32 +0000

If you or your kids are attending college, you may be eligible to get the full Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 suite for the bargin price of $59.95. Visit the link below for more information. This offer is not made by BISD or endorsed and this link is provided merely as a courtesy. All questions about this deal should be made through the website linked below and not through BISD.

http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx

Experiment with Science

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:17:05 +0000

Experiment with Science
PBS’s Design Squad is a contemporary, inspirational resource for ‘tweens and teens of all backgrounds. Presenting content in a fun and hip format, the site introduces visitors to the world of engineering and empowers young people and adults alike to learn about and experiment with science. The visually compelling format attracts and motivates users to read, watch, build and learn. The video section includes show and bonus footage and also offers fans an inside look at the competing teams and an opportunity to “meet” the cast, while building projects range from creating a mini zip line to building a motorized car. Extensive resources for parents and educators round out the content. The site also reaches out to engineers, offering them the chance to host events and workshops to foster an interest in this vital industry.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Connect Young Thinkers Around the World

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:15:15 +0000

Connect Young Thinkers Around the World
Developed through a collaborative effort by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth and eight partners, Cogito.org is aimed at children gifted in the mathematics and science fields. True to its tagline of “Connecting young thinkers around the world,” the site profiles young scientists from a variety of countries and features articles, Web casts, podcasts and interviews with prominent experts in related subject areas. One of the site’s strongest features is its comprehensive list of educational programs, internships, events and competitions searchable by grade and region. It also offers an information-packed Sites & Tools tab with links to hundreds of math- and science-related Web sites, blogs, courseware, organizations and much more.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Support Educators New to the Teaching Profession

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:13:42 +0000

Support Educators New to the Teaching Profession
Discovery Education has joined forces with Walden University, mimio, Adobe Systems, Inc., Elmer’s Products, Inc. and CDW-G to launch New Teacher Survival Central, featuring an array of classroom tools designed to welcome and support educators new to the teaching profession. In the Technology 101 area of the site, educators can access concise, practical information on how educational technologies promote student engagement in learning and what tools are available for use in the classroom. Free K–12 student resources are highlighted for teachers in the Tech Tools for Students section of the site. With a variety of interactive games, virtual labs and lessons, new educators have access to a broad collection of quality tools that can help engage students across the curriculum. Another section of the site, Homeroom Headquarters, allows educators to access information on the art of classroom management. Featuring actionable advice on creating a positive classroom environment, communicating with parents and managing students, this area provides educators with tips and guidelines to help them run a classroom smoothly and efficiently. New educators also will find videos covering a broad array of topics, such as lesson planning, community and parental involvement and effective use of technology. In Survival Tool Kit: Best of the Web, useful Web sites for teachers are collected in one place.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Develop Students’ Media Literacy

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:11:00 +0000

Develop Students’ Media Literacy
An offshoot of the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s FactCheck.org, FactCheckEd.org helps students become savvy media consumers. The nonpartisan site turns a critical eye toward political statements of all stripes, scrutinizes misleading advertising claims and gives youth pointers on evaluating information found online. It also provides a dictionary. For educators, the site offers lesson plans and guides for teaching critical thinking, tips on the proper use of sources and strategies for recognizing deceptive arguments.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Learn About the Birth of the Internet

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:09:29 +0000

Learn About the Birth of the Internet
NSF and the Birth of the Internet is a multimedia story of the creation of the Internet. Learn about the individuals who began connecting computers in the 1960s. Listen to Vint Cerf, often referred to as “the father of the Internet,” describe their work. Find out about TCP/IP, packet switching, CSNET and other technologies and initiatives. Trace developments back to the first Internet message (October 29, 1969) and the first Web page (August 6, 1991). And see predictions about what’s next.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:07:56 +0000

Organize Your Teaching to Improve Student Learning
A practice guide titled Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning was developed by an expert panel convened by the Institute of Education Sciences. The guide offers a set of seven research-based recommendations, with a summary of the research evidence and a level-of-evidence rating provided for each recommendation. The seven recommendations have been synthesized to result in the four recommended practices on this Web site. This practice guide is the foundation for all the Doing What Works content on how to organize your teaching.
Click Here to Access Practice Guide

Inspire Students’ Vision of the Future

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:04:42 +0000

Inspire Students’ Vision of the Future
TEL•A•VISION is a new way for youth to bring their dreams to life using technology. The free tools on the site help youth worldwide easily create a vision story of who they want to be and what they want to do in the future, inspiring visions of hope, peace and possibility. TEL•A•VISION’s designated For Students section includes video tutorials to help youth create their TEL•A•VISIONs and a Social Room where youth can ask questions and share advice. The For Teachers section, created especially for people influential in helping youth develop and succeed in life, houses a downloadable, six-unit educational curriculum for students in grade 5 and higher and a Social Room where educators, parents and mentors can connect and support each other as they guide their students through the TEL•A•VISION creation process.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Involve Families in Science Learning

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:00:05 +0000

Involve Families in Science Learning
At-Home Astronomy, from the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, offers 10 hands-on science investigations that can be done at home. The entire family can collaborate on projects such as “Where Is the Sun?” “Building a Lunar Settlement,” “Shadow Dance” and “Making a Simple Astrolabe.”
Click Here to Access Free Investigations

Tap into Science Learning

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:58:50 +0000

Tap into Science Learning
SPIGOT Science Magazine is published online five times per year in September, November, January, March and May. This free magazine aims to help students become more aware of science and to encourage them to pursue study in this field. The magazine is named SPIGOT to bring knowledge to students to think about, use, ponder and store in the reservoir of their minds. SPIGOT is intended to turn their tap on. To download SPIGOT or read it online, you must sign up online—it’s easy and free.
Click Here to Access Free Magazine

Free Young Novelist Workbooks

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:57:51 +0000

Free, printable Young Novelist Workbooks will get students’ creative juices flowing. Inside each workbook—one for elementary school, one for middle school and one for high school—you’ll find worksheets and activities that will spark your students’ imagination and guide them through their “noveling” journey.
Click Here to Access Free Workbooks

View Historical Electoral Maps

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:50:30 +0000

View Historical Electoral Maps
270toWin combines an interactive Electoral College map for the current presidential election cycle with historical maps and information for all prior elections. It educates its audience on the electoral college system and the integral role it plays in electing the U.S. president. Select any other election between 1789 and 2004 in the drop-down list to see the outcome of that election and historical information.
Click Here to View Historical Electoral Maps

Explore the Science of Light

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:48:54 +0000

Explore the Science of Light
Optics for Kids offers activities for budding scientists that provide a valuable resource for a variety of ages, especially for families and educators working with younger audiences. Children and adults alike will appreciate the Optical Illusions showcased on the homepage and in their own area of the site. Easy experiments, using common, everyday materials, help elementary students unearth answers to timeless children’s questions, including what causes rainbows and why bubbles are so colorful. Intermediate activities tackle more advanced concepts and experiences, such as making a telescope or a light fountain, while advanced activities, recommended for ages 15 and up, engage students in such activities as creating their own magnifiers or lens out of ice. All activities include links to additional articles that provide more information on the subject. The site also features a “What Is Optics?” overview section, “Optics Overload” with links to dozens of other Web sites offering experiments, activities and educator resources and even a career quiz for students to find out if their interests dovetail with any specific optics-related jobs. The Parents & Teachers section of the site is a jumping-off point for a number of learning activities and educational resources, including articles, podcasts, Web sites and more.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Go on a Learning Quest

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:43:56 +0000

Go on a Learning Quest
Quest Atlantis (QA) is an international learning and teaching project that uses a 3-dimensional multi-user environment to immerse children, aged 9–15, in educational tasks. Developed by an Indiana University professor, QA combines strategies used in the commercial gaming environment with lessons from educational research on learning and motivation. It allows users to travel to virtual places to perform educational activities (known as Quests), talk with other users and mentors, and build virtual personae.
Click Here for More Information

Set Inventive Thinking in Motion

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:38:38 +0000

Set Inventive Thinking in Motion
Invention at Play, based on a Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit, explores the playful side of invention and the inventive side of play. On the Lemelson Center’s Web site, students can learn how play—the ordinary and everyday “world of childhood”—connects to the creative impulse of both historic and contemporary inventions. Multiple intelligences are explored as the games for students tap into their imagination and build problem-solving skills.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Build Children’s Literacy

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:36:47 +0000

Build Children’s Literacy
PBS and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) have launched PBS KIDS Island, the centerpiece of the new PBS KIDS Raising Readers Web site, which provides free reading games and activities for children, parents, caregivers and teachers to use at home or in the classroom. PBS KIDS Island gives children the tools to build an online island carnival by playing reading games with PBS KIDS characters. Providing a familiar and comfortable environment for emerging readers, the research-based program guides children through seven literacy-building levels, including rhyming, alliteration, phonemic awareness, letter identification, letter sequencing, phonics and reading/vocabulary. PBS KIDS Island currently serves the needs of children aged 2–5; plans are under way to offer content for children aged 6–8 in 2009.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Get the Week’s News—Rapped

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:31:05 +0000

Get the Week’s News—Rapped
The creators of Flocabulary have launched The Week in Rap. Every Friday, Flocabulary’s hip-hop artists produce a two-minute music video summarizing the major news stories of the week. The classroom-safe videos are posted online. The idea is that students who spend the majority of their time listening to music and watching videos online can now catch up on current events by checking out each week’s post, which contains lyrics to the songs. In addition, highlighted key words link to news stories from leading news outlets where viewers can get more information about that news topic. Recent posts discuss such current events as the economic downturn, politics, the Iraq War, sports, Nobel Prize winners and technology.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Explore Creativity Through Technology

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:25:58 +0000

Explore Creativity Through Technology
KerPoof is a free online multimedia software that allows children to explore their creativity by drawing, making animated movies, writing and illustrating stories, producing pictures and cards, and more. The software is intuitive and easy to use, giving children—even those who aren’t proficient in art—an opportunity to produce and share successful artwork quickly and easily. KerPoof’s library of stock images goes far beyond ordinary fare. The color palettes vary from bold to subtle, and the tools that invite children to consider and adjust an object’s perspective are among the attributes that makes this Web site stand above others offering similar activities.
Click Here to Access Free Multimedia Tools

Build a Simple Robot

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:24:32 +0000

Build a Simple Robot
The TeRK Web site provides “recipes,” or instructions, for some simple robots that can be built with off-the-shelf parts. TeRK, which stands for Telepresence Robot Kit, is a project of the Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment (CREATE) Lab at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. The aim of TeRK is to make educational robotics fun, affordable and accessible to a diverse community of college students, pre-college students and others interested in robotics. Once students choose and build a “recipe,” they can turn the robot on, and it will automatically search for a wireless network and connect to the Internet. They can then drive the robot around from any computer with a Web browser and Internet connection. The TeRK Web site provides free software for use with the TeRK robots, and all of the software is open source, so students can modify it or write their own programs to control their robot.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Add Screenshots of Websites Next to Your Google Search

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:23:58 +0000

GooglePreview is a tool that enables you to quickly see a visual representation of the search engine results within your browser window. It inserts preview images (thumbnails) of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages. Thumbnails are created and provided by GooglePreview servers.

By seeing a visual image of the search result, you can get a better idea of the destination of your web browser, when you click on the link.

Searching with a visual image of each website can slow your browsing experience, so there�s also the option of switching off this feature when necessary.

It is currently available only for IE and Firefox.

Install Mozilla Firefox Browser Extension version 3.12 – From Official Mozilla add-ons site

Download GooglePreviewIE version 1.5 � ( From a.googlepreview.com).

GooglePreview for Opera and Chrome is not available yet.

NOTE: The screenshots that appear are not always the most up to date screenshots available.

Songs for Teaching

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:09:09 +0000

Creative teachers can use music to teach content across the curriculum – to students of all ages.

We offer thousands of children’s songs, lyrics, sound clips and teaching suggestions.

You can also sign up for the free newsletter on this site.

http://www.songsforteaching.com/

That’s Not Cool

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:24:04 +0000

This site offers help for internet safety, text harrassment, cyber bullying and more. Set with a Jr. High – High School theme – very young, hip and relevant for current safety concerns.

http://www.thatsnotcool.com/

Troxell Communications’ Education Scholarship/Grant Rebate Program

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:22:25 +0000

Get help in the face of financial challenges and budgetary constraints. The Troxell Communications’ Education Scholarship/Grant Rebate Program can help make technology dreams come true in your ELL classroom.
Click Here for More Information

Create Your Own World

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:21:16 +0000

Do your students think they could create the perfect world? Here’s their chance to try. With the World Builder, they call the shots. As they work their way through each of the creation screens, they must make their choices wisely; only certain conditions will ensure their planet is a successful place to grow and evolve.
Click Here to Launch World Builder

Zoom through Space

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:20:11 +0000

Zoom Through Space
Journey to Planet 10, where your students can explore the planets, comets and asteroids on an interactive virtual fly-through. In the Solar System interactive, students can zoom in close on a particular planet or choose a different orbit view to see the whole system from afar. The data sheets let students discover more about some of the elements that make up our Solar System.
Click Here to Launch Solar System Interactive

Swim in a Sea of Sounds

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:18:20 +0000

Swim in a Sea of Sounds
Immerse your ESL students in Ocean Odyssey, a comprehensive and interactive site that leads children through the main concepts of sound through a game. The evil Sea Serpent has stolen the voice of Mel Scale the mermaid, and students need to investigate the science of sound to solve the fishy goings-on.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Dive into the SEA

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:16:51 +0000

Dive into the SEA
Dive into the Shedd Educational Adventures (SEA), a treasure trove of aquatic science resources in English and Spanish for K–12 teachers and students. You’ll find Interactives, Lesson Plans and Explorer’s Guide related to Plants and Animals, People and Cultures, and Places: Land and Sea. You can browse the site by Topic, Concept or Grade Level.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

SPOTLIGHT! On the Roots of Reading

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:14:51 +0000

SPOTLIGHT! On the Roots of Reading

Literature, in all forms, is an easy way to familiarize your ESL students with science concepts. For example, if your students are studying a unit about plants, you could go to the school library and assign them books to read, for homework, that illustrate some of the concepts you will go over in the main class unit.

The vocabulary in these books should be the simpler vocabulary that you expect your native language students to already have. If you have time, you can design questions for your English language learners to answer, or you can have students design questions and answer them for extra credit.

In addition, you can bring in seed packets, branches and flower petals and discuss them during class. These real objects give ESL students a reference point for learning. Students can connect their prior knowledge to a new concept, making the learning more meaningful.

Poems and fiction stories can also aid students in their understanding of science concepts; the interest level is high because children are naturally curious about the world around them.

Browse these lists of Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12. (The 2009 list includes books published in 2008.) The books were selected by a book review panel appointed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and assembled in cooperation with the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
Click Here to Download Free Booklists