World of Media: 2008

Iowa Authors, K-12

A list of more than 100 authors who live and write in Iowa is now available electronically on the Iowa Center for the Book’s (ICB) Web site, http://www.iowacenterforthebook.org/authors. The list continues to grow, and was recently retooled so that viewers can choose to read more about authors who do programs specifically for adults, young adults and children.

The purpose of the list is twofold: For readers, it is a source of information about Iowa authors and what they have written. For libraries, schools and other organizations, the list contains information about Iowa authors who are interested in accepting speaking engagements.

A few of the authors listed include Stephen G. Bloom, Neal Bowers, Dorothy Garlock, Donald Harstad, Mary Kay Shanley and Walt Shotwell.

Being a Writer, K-6

http://www.devstu.org/being_a_writer/index.html
The Being a Writer™ program is a yearlong writing curriculum for grades K–5 that combines two decades of research in the areas of writing, motivation, and learning theory with social and ethical development. The program has two goals: to develop the creativity and skills of a writer, and to develop the social and ethical values of a responsible person. It uses trade books for genre immersion and author studies. Books recommended in this program have been identified in Com Cat. Just search being a writer for a list of Heartland and school library books.

Finding Books by Lexile, Reading or Interest Level, K-12

Teachers can search for books by any of these levels in Com Cat. It’s a great tool to find appropriate reading-level materials for students. Lexile training is being provided to a statewide group through Every Child Reads.

Draw Me a Story DVD Series, K-6

Life on Terra: Video Podcasts on Environmental Issues, 5-8

http://lifeonterra.com
Terra is a popular video podcast site with independent documentary filmmaking. The progressive, eco-conscious, weekly video podcasts feature concerns about the environment and appreciation of its beauty. The site provides an archive of previous video podcasts. All videos are available as a Medium Quality Flash 8 or High Quality Quicktime (.m4v). There is a forum for conversations about the environment, questions about the environment answered by scientific experts, and comments and questions about the films and filmmaking. Students can also create and contribute their own movies and write movie reviews. To subscribe students can use their email address or go through iTunes or Miro.

Celestia Real-Time Space Simulation, 7-12

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
Celestia, a free real-time space simulation, lets students explore the universe in three dimensions. Students can travel throughout the solar system to any of more than 100,000 stars or even beyond the galaxy at any speed, at any moment of time, and in any direction they choose. With the zoom feature students can explore space across a huge range of scales, from galaxy clusters down to spacecraft only a few meters across. A “point-and-go to” interface makes it simple to navigate through the universe to the object students want to visit. Celestia comes with a large catalog of stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft. Students can also download dozens of easy-to-install add-ons with more objects.

With Celestia students are in a virtual reality world of the universe. Celestia has developed a set of twelve of educational activities that take students on extensive, detailed virtual tours of the universe, some lasting several hours. These activities teach students a variety of facts about specific astronomical topics and allow them to participate in an educational journey not as a spectator but as pilot of their own spacecraft. Each journey includes student worksheets, which meet all National Educational Standards in Science, that can be printed, copied, and distributed by teachers. They are available at no charge for download individually as zipped files from http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/educational.php.

Using some of the add-ons available for the program, here is just a taste of what students will be able to encounter:

Learn the unbelievable size and magnitude of our universe firsthand, with a journey from the surface of Earth to the far reaches of our observable universe at hyperspeed.
Fly along with Mariner 10 on its historic flyby of Mercury.
Visit the searing surface of Venus and view it in a panoramic 360° vista from the surface.
Be present as Apollo 11 lands on the Moon in 1969, or fly by Sputnik 1 in 1958 shortly after its launch.
View Earth’s Magnetic Field from space and see the Aurora glowing and shimmering.
Display an internal X-section of Earth and peer deeply into its tectonic layers and structure.
See the massive size of Hurricane Katrina as it makes landfall on New Orleans.

Robotic Hand, K-12

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/science_technology/testing_robotic_hand/
NASA engineer Larry Li built a robotic hand that can catch a baseball and grasp a wrench. While it'll probably be a long time before we see robots playing first base in the World Series or repairing our cars, a robotic arm is very useful in outer space.

Kids in the Garden DVD Series, K-6

These 6-minute videos show how plants grow. Topics: flowers, fungi, herbs, how plants work, leaves, plant survivors, seeds, soil, trees, useful plants.

Cacti (809004)
Fruit (809003)
Indoor gardens (809005)
Flowers (808995)
Fungi (808998)
Herbs (808993)
How plants work (808997)
Leaves (808996)
Plant survivors (808999)
Seeds (808994)
Soil (808992)
Trees (809001)
Useful plants (809002)
Plant creatures (809000)
Veggies (809006)

Planet H2O DVD Series, 6-9

This series shows how students and professionals are helping to solve the growing problems of water use and pollution. The positive and negative scientific and social implications of water's utilization are explored.

Cleaning polluted water : pumped up for peace (808809)
Drinking water : bottle or tap? (808808)
The Great Lakes : who owns the water (808810)
Restoring H2O ecosystems : saving Chesapeake Bay (808811)
Surface water : a day in the life of the Rio Grande (808806)
Underground aquifer water : precision farming (808807)

Free, Web-based Physics Video Game, 3-12

http://www.fantasticcontraption.com
Fantastic Contraption is a Web-based video game that teaches the principles of physics through experimentation, problem-solving, and hypothesizing. This is a physics puzzle game in which the objective in each level is to move all red objects into a rectangular goal area. To do this, students are given a blue rectangular building area and a few different materials in which to build a device. Standing in the way, however, are a variety of obstacles, ranging from gaping gaps to a sea of circles bent on destroying a student's red object-moving device. Students are provided only a handful of simplistic components with which to build - wheels, a water-drive rod, and sticks. Users assemble these components to reach the goal, and move on to the next level. The physics is surprisingly realistic, and the game can get quite challenging.

Even students who have never had a physics class can play this game because knowledge of physics is not necessary to work out the puzzles. Students can figure out the puzzle through trial and error. The game teaches students how to interact through step-by-step directions on the first two logic puzzles. This is a great activity to get students thinking outside the box and using critical thinking and logic skills.

Educators and students may also be interested in viewing a variety of video solutions to this puzzle on YouTube. Simply go to YouTube.com, enter "Fantastic Contraption" in the text box, and click "Search".

FactCheckEd.org, 9-12

http://www.factchecked.org
FactCheckEd.org is an educational resource for high school teachers and students. It is designed to help students learn to cut through the haze of misinformation and deception that surrounds the many messages everyone is bombarded with every day. The site is a sister to the award-winning Annenberg Political Fact Check, accessible at FactCheck.org and monitors the factual accuracy of what is said in the nation’s political arena.

According to Edutopia.org, this nonpartisan site turns a critical eye toward political statements from all sides, scrutinizes misleading advertising claims, and gives students pointers on evaluating information found online. It also provides a dictionary. For educators, the site offers lesson plans and guides for teaching critical thinking, the proper use of sources, and how to recognize deceptive arguments.

New DVD Series: Countries Around the World, 2-5

http://media2.aea11.k12.ia.us/display/041/wsr770?kw=countries+around+the+world&di=BTICK&submit=1
This series covers six continents and 52 countries. It introduces students to the physical characteristics of each place, from geographic landmarks to capitals, and to the social, political, historical and cultural features. Through the eyes of a child host, students observe aspects of daily life, including food, school, climate, transportation, and recreation. Each episode runs approximately 13 minutes. All DVDs in the series are available for loan.

Listed below are the countries included in this 52 DVD series:
Algeria (#808897)
Argentina (#808898)
Australia (#808899)
Austria (#808900)
Belgium (#808901)
Bolivia (#808902)
Brazil (#808903)
Cambodia (#808904)
Canada (#808905)
Chile (#808906)
China (#808907)
Czech Republic (#808908)
Denmark (#808909)
Estonia (#808910)
Finland (#808911)
France (#808912)
Germany (#808913)
Greece (#808914)
Guatemala (#808915)
Iceland (#808916)
India (#808917)
Indonesia (#808918)
Ireland (#808919)
Israel (#808920)
Italy (#808921)
Japan (#808922)
Jordan (#808923)
Kenya (#808924)
Lebanon (#808925)
Madagascar (#808926)
Mali (#808927)
Malta (#808928)
Mexico (#808929)
Mongolia (#808930)
Morocco (#808931)
Myanmar (#808932)
Netherlands (#808933)
Norway (#808934)
Peru (#808935)
Portugal (#808936)
Romania (#808937)
Russia (#808938)
Rwanda (#808939)
South Africa (#808940)
Spain (#808941)
Sweden (#808942)
Turkey (#808944)
United Kingdom (#808945)
United States (#808946)
Venezuela (#808947)
Vietnam (#808948)

Heartland Intro for New and Veteran Teachers, K-12

http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/mentoring/newteacher/index.html
Heartland recently created a Web page for new and veteran teachers that contains a ten-minute overview video of Heartland resources plus all kinds of resources and links to resources for teachers. This page provides teachers with resource support so they have meaningful, direct connections to their curriculum. The page includes links and full-text PDF’s to instructional materials and Heartland's online catalogs, online databases and resources, support materials, and instructions for ordering materials, subscribing to an online newsletter for teachers and a link to the World of Media, a monthly newsletter with instructional materials, resources, and technology to support teaching and learning. Check out this web site and find valuable resources to use today!

What Works Clearinghouse: Practice Guides, K-12

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/#studentlearning_pg
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. The WWC produces user-friendly practice guides with research-based recommendations for the everyday challenges teachers face in their schools and classrooms. These practice guides, developed by a panel of nationally recognized experts, consist of actionable recommendations, strategies for overcoming potential roadblocks, and an indication of the strength of evidence supporting each recommendation. The following practice guides are currently available to view, download or print:

Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom
Designed for elementary school educators and school and district level administrators, this guide offers prevention, implementation, and school-wide strategies that can be used to reduce problematic behavior that interferes with the ability of students to attend to and engage fully in instructional activities.

Dropout Prevention
Geared toward educators, administrators, and policymakers, this guide provides recommendations that focus on reducing high school dropout rates. Strategies presented include identifying and advocating for at-risk students, implementing programs to improve behavior and social skills, and keeping students engaged in the school environment.

Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices
This guide presents strategies that classroom teachers and specialists can use to increase the reading ability of adolescent students. The recommendations aim to help students gain more from their reading tasks, improve their motivation for and engagement in the learning process, and assist struggling readers who may need intensive and individualized attention.

Encouraging Girls in Math and Science
The objective of this guide is to provide teachers with specific recommendations that can be carried out in the classroom without requiring systemic change. Other school personnel having direct contact with students, such as coaches, counselors, and principals, will also find the guide useful.

Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning
This guide includes a set of concrete actions relating to the use of instructional and study time that are applicable to subjects that demand a great deal of content learning, including social studies, science, and mathematics. The guide was developed with some of the most important principles to emerge from research on learning and memory in mind.

Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades
The target audience for this guide is a broad spectrum of school practitioners such as administrators, curriculum specialists, coaches, staff development specialists, and teachers who face the challenge of providing effective literacy instruction for English language learners in the elementary grades. The guide also aims to reach district level administrators who develop practice and policy options for their schools.

Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools
This guide identifies practices that can improve the performance of chronically low-performing schools—a process commonly referred to as creating "turnaround schools." The four recommendations in this guide work together to help failing schools make adequate yearly progress.

New PD360 Online Videos, K-12

http://www.pd360.com/pd360.cfm?
PD 360, an on-demand professional learning resource provided to area teachers by Heartland, has added more than ten hours of video content. The new content provides teachers and administrators with training segments that address many critical topics and feature respected experts. Each of these programs has an average of ten segments, with each segment being five to ten minutes long. Titles include “Accountability for Greater Student Learning”; “Increasing Student Performance and Achievement”; “Data-Driven Decisions to Improve Results”; “Writing Across the Curriculum”; “Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening”; and “Reading for Older Struggling Students.” Use your building’s online database username and password to access the PD360 content.

New Teacher Survival Guide, K-12

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/survival/
The New Teacher Survival Central Web site features a variety of classroom tools designed to welcome and support educators new to the teaching profession as well as veteran teachers looking for new ideas. In the Technology 101 area of the site, teachers can access 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 teachers have access to a collection of quality tools that can help engage students across the curriculum. Another section of the site, Homeroom Headquarters, allows teachers to access information on the art of classroom management, classroom environment, and parent communication. This area provides teachers with tips and guidelines to help them run a classroom smoothly and efficiently; create an organized, functional classroom; and communicate effectively and efficiently with parents. In the Survival Tool Kit: Best of the Web section, new teacher blogs and useful Web sites with classroom tools and curriculum resources for teachers are collected in one place. This site also features videos for new teachers covering topics such as lesson planning, community and parental involvement, and effective use of technology.

Animoto for Education

http://education.animoto.com/
Animoto is a free Web-based tool that allows users to produce music videos using a very simple and easy to use interface. The site has recently added an educators edition which includes many of the premium version features like:

The ability to download videos as MP4s or Quicktime movies
The ability to export video directly from YouTube

Students and teachers will now be able to to set-up an individual account which allows them to share videos with other students, teachers, parents, community members, businesses, and colleges. Videos can be created at home, school, or any place with an Internet connection. To make viewing the videos in class a little easier videos can now be downloaded to their personal computer. Students can choose images, select music from the site's copyright free library, or import their own music. They can also choose the order of the images used. Users can choose to create a 30-second video or a longer, full-length feature. The application does all the rest of the work, creating animation synced to music around the student's images.

This simple application can be used in a variety of ways such as creating digital stories, creating collages of student work, art work montages for parents night, or classroom promotional videos.

21st Century Learning Technology, K-12

http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/home
As a companion to the bestselling book The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Friedman, Atomic Learning has developed a workshop tutorial. Atomic Learning, an online database provided to schools by Iowa AEA Online, is a web-based software training and curriculum resources web site that provides short, easy-to-understand tutorial movies. The workshop titled the Seven Steps to a Flat Classroom guides users through flattening their classroom by expanding it to include global communities and collaboration tools. The workshop includes more than 80 tutorials on topics such as applying NETS standards to global projects, connecting to resources to help transform classrooms, connecting classrooms online, and digital citizenship and safety. See your teacher librarian for the Atomic Learning username and password.

Soundzabound, K-12

http://www.soundzabound.com/
Royalty free music for schools is available online.

Iowa Core Curriculum: 21st Century Skills--Financial Literacy

As each Iowa student is provided access to essential concepts and meaningful learning experiences in the core academic content areas, it is imperative that we also look to 21st century skills to build capacity in students so they are prepared to lead productive, satisfying lives. According to Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the 21st century skills set “is the ticket to economic upward mobility in the new economy” (Gewertz, 2007). Business and industry are providing a very clear message that students need the skills to “work comfortably with people from other cultures, solve problems creatively, write and speak well, think in a multidisciplinary way, and evaluate information critically. And they need to be punctual, dependable, and industrious.” (Gewertz, 2007).

The Framework for 21st Century Learning stated, “We believe schools must move beyond a focus on basic competency in core subjects to promoting understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects” (2007). 21st century skills bridge the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of students from the core academic areas to real life application.

“The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of the school.”
-Ray McNulty, ICLE
Iowa High School Summit, December 10, 2007

In the 2007 session, the Iowa Legislature established the Iowa 21st century framework as:
1. employability skills
2. financial literacy
3. health literacy
4. technology literacy

Within this 21st century skill framework are the common strands of learning and innovation; communication, information, and technology; and, life and career skills.

Iowa Core Curriculum Essential Concepts and Skills of Financial Literacy – High School
• Demonstrate financial responsibility and planning skills to achieve financial goals for a lifetime of financial health
• Manage money effectively by developing spending plans and selecting appropriate financial instruments to maintain positive cash flow
• Make informed and responsible decisions about incurring and repaying debt to remain both creditworthy and financially secure
• Evaluate and identify appropriate risk management options, including types of insurance, non-insurance, and identity protection
• Assess the value, features, and planning processes associated with savings, investing, and asset building, and apply this knowledge to achieve long-term financial security with personal and entrepreneurial goals in a global market
• Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to financial literacy, and practice legal and ethical behavior

Primary Elementary Grades – Being Developed
Intermediate Elementary Grades - Being Developed
Middle School Level - Being Developed

New Iowa Core Curriculum Web Page, K-12

Heartland has recently launched a new Web page in support of the Iowa Core Curriculum. From this page, users can currently access links to the following:
• A list of Heartland’s Iowa Core Curriculum Network Team members including contact information.
• A downloadable .pdf version of the Iowa Core Curriculum flyer
• The Department of Education’s Web site, which contains links to important Iowa Core Curriculum, documents and resources such as the Essential Content and Skills document, FAQs, etc.
• A podcast of the September 9, 2008 Iowa Core Curriculum overview presentation to Heartland AEA's Administrative Association
• An electronic version of the homework assignment from training module one

To access Heartland’s Iowa Core Curriculum web page, go to: http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us. Scroll to the far right column and under “Featured Content” click on the provided link.

Please keep in mind, this is a work in progress. The page will continue to develop as we roll out additional training modules and resources. Please check back often for updates.

Financial Literacy Resources, K-12

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has determined that the average student who graduates from high school lacks basic skills in the management of personal financial affairs. Many are unable to balance a checkbook and most simply have no insight into the basic survival principles involved with earning, spending, saving and investing. As the global economy falters and in light of the Iowa Core Curriculum's emphasis on 21st Century Skills, it is even more important for students to leave high school with financial skills such as how to budget, how to set financial goals, how to choose a well-paying career, how to control their spending, how to build good credit, how to save money, how to pick a good credit card, and how to stay out of debt.

For educators wishing to know more, the list below contains online resources focused on financial literacy.

HotChalk
http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/financial-literacy-for-students-list
Being financially-savvy is crucial to making the kind of smart money decisions key to ensuring quality of life. Help your students get up to speed on this important life skill with regularly updated K-12 lessons and other resources in this special sponsored section of HotChalk.

U.S. Treasury Bad Credit Hotel
http://www.controlyourcredit.gov/
Just as the global financial crisis was spinning out of control, the Advertising Council and U.S. Treasury Department has launched a new multimedia campaign to educate young adults about the need for good credit. The campaign features an online interactive game -- the Bad Credit Hotel -- where users navigate through a darkened hotel and gather enough credit knowledge and clues to unlock the key to a perfect credit score of 850.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
http://www.newyorkfed.org/education/index.html
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's education department promotes sound financial and economic decisions by the region’s households through financial literacy and economic education programs and by increasing understanding of the role and effectiveness of these programs. Educators will find resources for elementary, middle, and high school students.

The Successful Investor Project
http://www.edutopia.org/financial-literacy-curriculum
Economics teacher Greg Fisher finds that the best way to teach financial literacy is to help students actually create their own business. It includes the materials (presented on the site as PDFs) in his senior-year course at the California Academy of Math and Science, in Carson, California.

Dollars and Sense
http://www.edutopia.org/ariel-video
Video of Chicago school students in grades K-8 honing math skills and learnig practical, lifelong lessons in finance by managing a $20,000 class stock portfolio.

Care: A Financial Literacy Resource
http://www.careprogram.us/
CARE is a free financial literacy program which makes bankruptcy professionals available to educators, students and the public to illuminate the dangers of credit abuse. The Web site features information for students, parents, and educators.

National Youth Advisory Board
http://www.nyib.org/financial_literacy.php
Sample topics: Tips on buying that first car; Lessons before using credit; Developing a workable budget; etc.

National Endowment for Financial Education High School Financial Planning Program
http://hsfpp.nefe.org/home/channels.cfm?chid=97&tid=1&deptid=14
When it comes to learning about how to handle and manage money, any knowledge a student gains from a course on the subject isn’t worth much if there isn’t a way to turn what they learn into real actions that result in positive habits. That is what the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program® (HSFPP) does through its seven unit Student Guide and Instructor’s Manual.

PBS Biz Kids
http://hsfpp.nefe.org/home/channels.cfm?chid=97&tid=1&deptid=14
Links to the PBS series that teaches how to make and manage money including a newsletter, blog, clips from the show, and educational tools.

The Mint.org
http://www.themint.org/
Information on earning, saving, investing, giving, and safeguarding your investments.

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta: A Guide to Your First Bank Account
http://www.frbatlanta.org/invoke.cfm?objectid=D8BCB1E3-5056-9F1A-E27F5509EF85AB16&method=display
This is a guide to bank accounts by the Federal Reserve Bank for young adults.

About.com: Get Started in Investing
http://financialplan.about.com/cs/investing/a/StartInvesting.htm
Information for the first time investor on how to get started.

FDICs Taking Control of Your Finances: A Special Guide for Young Adults
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnspr05/index.html
A special guide published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to help young adults take control of their finances.

66 Ways to Save Money
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/money/66ways/index.html
Features 66 money saving tips for young adults.

Washington State Department of Financial Institutions: Right On the Money College Workbook
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/collegebookorder.htm
Free informative workbook from the Washington State Department of Financial Instutions (DFI) helps young adults learn to manage their finances.

Utah State Office of Education: Financial Literacy: Student/Teacher/Parent Resources
http://www.uen.org/financial_lit/student/teen_activities.shtml
A list of financial literacy resources and games for all grade levels.

Financial Football
http://www.financialfootball.com/english/at_school/trainingcamp/
Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to help students learn financial concepts. Students tackle financial questions like professionals in this fast-paced, quiz-style game. Two teams compete by answering finance-themed questions to earn yardage and score touchdowns.

Business Simulation Resources, 9-12

Computer simulations provide logical and user-friendly platforms for engaging and motivating students to learn more about business education. Using business simulations students learn how to:

Interpret financial statements and examine the competitive market
Devise business plans
Make decisions about marketing
Utilize experiential learning as a tool to aid in retention of entrepreneurial concepts
Create, maintain, analyze and influence the essential factors in a successful virtual small business
Experience, engage and interact with entrepreneurial decisions and events in a virtual setting

Business simulations involve basic knowledge such as reading comprehension and mathematics and applied skills such as critical thinking, problem solving collaboration, and teamwork, professionalism and work ethic, information technology, leadership, ethics and civic responsibility, lifelong learning.

Listed below are a combination of free and subscription online business simulations for educators interested in learning more.

Beat the Market Online
http://www.goldsimulations.com/new/econSims/econSims.htm
Beat The Market Online contains simulation games and exercises designed to teach principles or introductory level microeconomics as well as managerial economics. The goal is to maximize profits in one or more of the market structures including Perfect Competition, Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition or Oligopoly. Accompanying exercises cover a range of topics including market equilibrium, demand, elasticity, production, costs, and revenue maximization. The simulation games and exercises are all automatically graded with online progress reports. An online consultant helps guide students. Students may compete against each other or computer managed firms as individuals or in teams. The simulation manages the entire process for the instructor. Data from the simulation, both cross sectional and time series, can be exported to Excel.

Capsim
http://www.capsim.com/visiting_gen/teach_prof_info.cfm?header_type=prof&menu_type=highschool&onlink=TPLearnHow
Students are the management team for a realistic corporation. They'll compete with other corporations, for sales, profits, share of market, etc. They will obtain management training by working as a team to run a business.

Competitive Strategy Game
http://csg.haas.berkeley.edu/
This game software and accompanying Web site are free. The game "is a simulated market environment in which up to eight teams each compete in any of four markets, choosing which market(s) to enter, how much production capacity to build, what prices to charge, and how much output to produce. The markets differ in their fixed versus marginal costs of production, sunk entry costs, size, degree of product differentiation, growth rates, and storage characteristics. Each firm knows its own costs in each market and the distribution from which all firms' costs are drawn. The Game is useful for teaching basic economic concepts such as sunk, fixed, and marginal costs, the opportunity cost of investment, firm- and market-elasticities of demand, and product differentiation. It also is immediately applicable to discussions of entry deterrence, first-mover advantages, preemption, competitive advantage, predation, oligopoly coordination, multimarket contact, signalling, information asymmetries, and end game issues in finitely repeated games."

Environment and the Economy
http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/environment/curriculum/index.php
The HSBC Institute on The Environment and the Economy provides an introduction to environmental economics designed for high school students. Includes online chapters, lesson plans, exercises and simulations. Separate notes for teachers. Focus is on market failures due to external environmental cost, and ways that property rights assignment or taxation could rectify them.

Eurogame
http://www.eurogame.uli.it/en/home.php
This is a free online market game in which each turn takes a week and represents a year of business time. It runs entirely in a web browser, although you can download an Excel spreadsheet to help calculate your team's budget. Taking a turn involves managing a group of companies; deciding how to spread investment and whether to scale up or down production in various sectors. An economic bulletin shows the supply, demand and prices in each market.

Exploring Supply and Demand
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/Dem_Sup/econqui2.htm
Exploring Supply and Demand provides graphical representations of changes in supply and demand. This page uses Javascript and frames to give feedback to six questions on supply and demand (if and how price and quantity change in different situations).

Hot Shot Business
http://spapps.go.com/hsb4/landing/
Hot Shot Business takes a fresh approach to showing students (ages 9-12) what it means to be an entrepreneur. Through carefully constructed scenarios, students gain experience with the nuts and bolts of designing and operating their own business.

Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM)
http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/iem/
Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM) is an online futures market where contract payoffs are based on real-world events such as political outcomes (including the U.S. Presidential election), companies' earnings per share (EPS), and stock price returns. It is run as a non-profit educational and research project by faculty at University of Iowa, Henry B. Tippie College of Business. Most of the markets use real money, although there is a free practice market. The site includes instructor resources, research papers based on their experience and a trader's manual.

Johnny Money Online Game (JMOG)
http://www.nfib.com/page/YEFJohnnyMoney.html
This is an interactive small business simulation designed to enhance high school students' exploration of entrepreneurship. The online game is presented through flash-based Internet technology and allows students to learn about the day-to-day functions of entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Knowledge Matters
http://knowledgematters.com/
Includes virtual business simulations on marketing, introduction to business, management, supervision, sports marketing, retailing, and entrepreneurship.

LavaMind
http://www.lavamind.com
LavaMind offers a number of educational learning tools for both teachers and students. McGraw Hills' business simulation games (Gazillionaire, Zapitalism & Profitania) are designed to be both engaging and highly educational.

Oak Tree Simulations
http://oaktreesim.com/Business-Simulation-Game-Instructors.html
Micromatic is a medium to complex Web-based business simulation targeted toward college undergrads in which students sell products through retail markets to the general public.

The Economy Stupid!
http://www.theeconomystupid.eu/introduction.html
This is an online game that "puts you in the role of a prime minister of a moderate size European country. Your task is to survive in office for the whole four-year term and win the next elections. You loose if your party loses the elections, or if you are removed from office before elections. The game is turn-based with each turn representing two months of game time." The game requires Java Virtual Machine version 5 or higher and a monitor with a resolution of at least 1024x768 pixels. The site includes a players manual, and news of developments of this evolving game.

The Stock Market Game
http://www.smg2000.org/
The Stock Market Game is produced by the Foundation for Investor Education, and supported by more than 650 securities firms. It is a dedicated educational stock market game, primarily aimed at US schools. The game can be played using a Javascript-enabled web browser. Games run over set time periods, and there are separate divisions for adults and school teams. Players are given a notional 100,000 dollars to invest. The site includes a section for teachers' resources.

The Secret Life of Kids DVD Series, 9-12

http://media2.aea11.k12.ia.us/htbin/wwform/041?T=S08448
This series contains true stories about children who have managed to succeed in spite of the odds. It features children who have faced such challenges as poverty, drugs, crime, family problems, and cultural differences.

The Secret Life of Kids DVD Series, 9-12

New Instructional Materials

New DEstreaming Videos

New Social Studies DVDs

VoiceThread, K-12

Ed.VoiceThread is a Web-based, secure global communications network for K–12 students and teachers. Students can use this worldwide network to create and record their work and to explore and collaborate with students and teachers. There is a private and public network area. The majority of work takes place within the private layer with the ability to view, comment and edit controlled by the teacher. Students can talk about and share their images, documents and videos. It’s really digital storytelling made simple and easy. It’s a tool for having conversations around media, images, videos, documents or presentations or any combination of these. Ed.VoiceThread can securely capture and hold an entire group discussion on one page. Students from your classroom or around the globe can comment by phone, webcam, microphone, text, or file upload. Think about the fascinating ways students can create and collaborate on digital stories and documentaries, practice and document language skills, explore geography and culture, solve math problems or simply find and sharpen their voices through your curriculum content. Go to http://voicethread.com/#home

PBS Teachers Connect, K-12

PBS Teachers Connect is a free Web portal that provides teachers, school teacher librarians, technology coordinators, early childhood educators and other education professionals with opportunities to share ideas, collaborate and support the effective use of instructional technology and multimedia to enhance student learning. Users create profiles, select avatars and tell other members how they are using digital media, and the questions they may have about it, in the K-12 setting.

Educators can search more than 3,000 standards-based classroom activities, lesson plans, interactive resources and other materials on the PBS Teachers Web site, then easily bookmark, annotate, share and manage their tagged content within the PBS Teachers Connect community. The community features a personalized homepage for each user, enhanced user profiles, a searchable database of resources and community members, bookmarking tools and discussion threads. By customizing their homepage, users will receive local PBS station and event schedules, in addition to local educational resources. Additional online components, such as private messaging, community feeds, friend feeds, online events, and a digital media gallery, will be available this fall. According to a PBS statement, "The power of Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs, wikis and forums, enables educators to grow their network exponentially, connecting with teachers across the United States and around the world. Social networking in education opens doors to an unprecedented array of learning opportunities in an environment where educators often feel freer to express themselves, share their ideas and be catalysts for change." To access this Web portal, go to http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/

Parent/School Tech Survey

Studywiz Spark recently announced the results of an independent, nationwide parent survey regarding online access, mobility, gaming and safety within the school environment. To view the entire survey, go to http://news.corporate.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20080902/02sep20080829.html. A summary of the major findings show that:

92% of parents surveyed say that they would like to have online access to the same content and curricula used to instruct their children, but only 49% report that their schools provided this access.
78% of parents reported that they are not satisfied with the use of technology in their school, reporting that more computers are needed, or more should be done with what schools have.
75% of parents report being comfortable with the use of multimedia tools (Web 2.0 tools, such as YouTube videos, audio clips, and web links) within the classroom and this number increases to 95% when multimedia tools are integrated into lesson plans in teacher-monitored, safe environments.
59% of parents see a benefit in having access to their childrens' schoolwork through mobile devices.

DogEared: Blog About Books, 2-6

DogEared is a blog about books from National Geographic for Kids. The name “dogeared” comes from turning the top edge of a page. It features six bloggers from ages eight to eleven. They blog about all kinds of books--good books, funny books, adventure books and books about animals, friendship, pirates, and faraway places. Students can mark (“dog-ear”) the Web page so they can return to it often in order to read real kids’ reviews and recommendations. They then share their own opinions and create their own reading wish list as if it were their own online book club, http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/dogeared/.

MYVisit Virtual Author Series, K-8

http://www.bsu.edu/myvisit/
The MYVisit Virtual Author Series is a great opportunity for your class to interact with some of today's best children's book authors. Each MYVisit series consists of a 45-minute live broadcast with an integrated Q&A during the show that can be viewed via satellite or Web. Teachers register online for a series, and about a month prior to the broadcast date, receive access to Web-based curriculum materials with downloadable modules. Registered teachers also have access to exclusive online video content after the live broadcast. These are short video "extras" that will enhance the overall MYVisit experience and are available via the MYVisit Web site or Apple iTunes University. If teachers are unable to fit the live broadcast into the classroom schedule that day, they can record the program and go through it with the students as their schedules allow. Teachers can also check the author's page to view the videos as they are available. Here’s a sample of some questions third and fourth graders posed to Andrew Clements about The Report Card:
1. What made you come up with the idea of writing a story about kids and their report cards?
2. Why did you pick a girl to have bad grades?
3. Why did the girl get all bad grades except for spelling?
4. Is this book based on your experiences in school?
5. Why did you choose spelling as the bad grade? Were you bad at spelling?
Another excellent site Heartland provides for teachers to access author interviews, discussions and readings is TeachingBooks.net. Go to http://www.teachingbooks.net/home/ and type in your email address for full access.

Celebrating Maurice Sendak, K-6

Award winning author and illustrator Maurice Sendak turned 80 this past summer. Best known for his children’s books, Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, the 1964 Caldecott Medal Winner for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year, has spent the past fifty years bringing to life a world of fantasy and imagination. In addition to receiving the Caldecott Medal, Sendak also was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen International Medal in 1970 for his body of children's book illustration, the American Book Award in 1982 for Outside Over There, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his contributions to children's literature and in 1996, he was honored by the President with the National Medal of Arts. In 2003, Maurice Sendak and Austrian author Christine Noestlinger shared the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature. His unique vision is loved around the globe by both young and old. Beyond his award-winning work as a writer and illustrator of children’s books, Sendak has produced both operas and ballets for television and the stage. Since the first book he illustrated in 1951, Maurice Sendak has illustrated or written and illustrated more than 90 books.

Please see the list of resources below to learn more about Maurice Sendak and his work.

Online resources

NPR Interview: June, 2005

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4680590

Teacher Resources from the PBS American Masters: Maurice Sendak

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/education/lesson8_overview.html

This American Master's series lesson for teachers contains activities for both elementary and middle school students.

Grow Your On Writing Interview January, 2007

http://www.growyourwritingbusiness.com/?p=23

YouTube Video: In The Night Kitchen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VXf8UQRKwI

YouTube Video: Where the Wild Things Are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63xJu5QUimw&feature=related

A shadow play based on Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are as seen through the eyes of 2nd and 3rd graders.

Kindergarten Teaching Unit for Where the Wild Things Are
http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1293.html

Heartland Professional Library Resources

Artist to artist : 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their A rt (741.642 Art)

Open Books: Literature in the Curriculum, Kindergarten Through Grade Two (372.64 Hur)

Heartland Children and Young Adult Library Resources

Check the online catalog for a list of books by and about Sendak.

Online Databases

TeachingBooks.net offers the follow resources featuring Maurice Sendak

7 Author programs
15 Book guides
10 Book readings

Thinkfinity Lesson Plans

New WWW for Female Engineers, 7-12

Research indicates that low enrollment rates of college-bound young women choosing engineering as their major have led to dwindling numbers of females entering the profession, suggesting that women do not perceive engineering as relevant to their educational or professional goals.

Engineer Your Life (tm) is spearheaded by members of the engineering community and WGBH Boston, who teamed up in 2004 to find out why girls weren't participating in engineering in greater numbers. The initiative focuses on exposing and educating high school girls about different engineering fields -- from mechanical to chemical engineering. In the "Find Your Dream Job" section of the Web site, visitors can learn about specific engineering work -- a bioengineer's project to grow tissues that help repair damage caused by heart attacks and an electrical engineer's work on communication satellites.

"Engineer Your Life(tm) is unique in that it focuses on the rewards of an engineering career while many other initiatives concentrate on the challenges of pursuing engineering careers," said Sandra Evers-Manly, vice president of corporate responsibility for Northrop Grumman which is one of the Engineer Your Life (tm) sponsors. Through the profiles, visitors to the site get a glimpse of the women who make up the next generation of engineers and enjoy a day-in-the-life look at their dynamic professional lives. Engineer Your Life (tm) showcases 12 in-depth profiles of young female engineers whose choices embody the campaign's key messages and provides information on the paths they took to reach their professional goals. Their stories present engineering as a realistic option for young women who are interested in careers that make a difference in the world while being flexible, fun, and creative, and as a goal that is desirable and within their reach.

Engineer Your Life(tm) also advises counselors, parents and engineers on addressing stereotypes and inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in engineering. The campaign plans to reach out to approximately 50,000 high school girls later this year and host informational tables at college fairs around the country that reach 800,000 people annually.

The program is built around three key messages which aim to change the perceptions high-school girls have about engineering and to encourage them to enroll in undergraduate engineering programs.

Creativity has its rewards.
Make a world of difference.
Explore the possibilities.

Go to http://www.engineeryourlife.org/

Explore the Moon, 5-8

Lockheed Martin, the Space Foundation and SpaceClass have launched a strategic online education collaboration called Orion’s Path. Orion is one of NASA’s Constellation Program vehicles that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station, the moon, and Mars. 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.

Students get an in-depth look at Constellation vehicles and how they will work; hear from a lunar habitat and spacesuit expert; meet an astronaut who explains why it is important to explore the moon and beyond; and learn about making oxygen and water from the resources found on the moon. Finally, students can take Orion to Mars and compare the geology, gravity, temperatures, and other special features of the red planet to those of the moon.

Lesson contents meet National Learning Standards for middle school grades, and use of the site is free to teachers. The Space Foundation contributed additional resources to the site for teachers who require more in-depth information about space science topics.
http://www.spaceclass.org/default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fcontrolpanel.aspx

NASA eClips, K-12

NASA eClips are relevant educational video segments teachers can use to engage students to make real world connections and current applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, topics. These video clips provide flexibility, sequencing and pacing options to differentiate for students. The educational materials used by NASA on this Web site were selected based on the national curriculum standards identified by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Project 2061, a nationwide initiative to ensure that all high-school graduates are science literate. The program is separated into K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 grade levels with grade appropriate topics. Click on the NASA for Educators link to find teaching materials such as educator guides, lesson plans, classroom activities and more. http://www.nasa.gov/education/nasaeclips

Election Resources, K-12

Check out the Web sites below for activities, mock elections, videos, lessons plans, primary source materials and more to help your students become immersed in the election process and the impact it will have on their lives,

Get Students Involved in the Election Process
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/
The producers of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer are preparing the.Vote and the.Gov—a series of eleven 4- to 5-minute reports on the 2008 campaign leading to the inauguration of the next president. After Election Day, the series will evolve from the.Vote to the.Gov and look at the process of forming a new government, identifying key issues for the new administration and new Congress. The video segments, hosted by the.News journalists, will be provided free to middle school and high school teachers and their students. Each segment of the.Vote and the.Gov is accompanied by online, standards-based activities that will give students the opportunity to create multimedia works: you.Edit allows students to rework and re-edit video material provided by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, and you.Report serves as a home for student-generated content with students’ perspectives on policy issues and the election process. All segments will be closed captioned. An initial the.Vote report has been posted online, allowing educators to become familiar with the.Vote and the educational opportunities it provides. Regular production will begin in September and run up to the inauguration in January 2009.

ServiceVote 2008
http://www.servicevote.org/
Service Vote is a campaign to engage young people in the political process, beginning with voting. The program challenges youth to think critically about how they can affect issues by getting involved in the political process, and provides opportunities to participate in the presidential election. The Web site features news and information on various races, the presidential candidates, defining the issues and opportunities for peer interaction through a discussion forum where students can post videos, images and audio files.

National Student /Parent Mock Election
http://www.nationalmockelection.org/
Dating from 1980, the National Student/Parent Mock Election (NSPME) is one of the nation's oldest, largest and most successful voter education projects. This year, Google is providing teachers with an online, customizable Mock Election Toolkit, using YouTube and tools like Google News and Google Maps, to help students learn about the 2008 presidential election. The Mock Election will take place on October 30. Real time results will be displayed on a Google Map.

C-Span Classroom
http://www.c-spanclassroom.org
Developed with a team of social studies teachers, the site features hundreds of video clips and related classroom materials organized into six major topic areas: principles of government, legislative branch, executive branch, judicial branch and political participation.

Google for Educators: Election Tools for Teachers
http://www.google.com/educators/elections_tools.html
Google has teamed up with the National Student/Parent Mock Election to get students of all ages excited about the November U.S. elections by bringing into the classroom some of the tools and technologies that didn't exist during the last Presidential election. Elections Tools for Teachers makes it easy to bring some of the best Internet tools into the classroom to get students engaged. Descriptions and suggested learning activities for tools like YouTube, Google Maps, Elections Video Search and Power Readers are included.

Also, for additional high quality materials on Election 2008, remember the online databases Heartland provides.
AP Images: Elections 2008
http://apimages.ap.org/default.aspx
AP Images has added an Election 2008 tab to access photos in showcases categories such as Atmosphere and Supporters and the American President Collection and featured events such as top election images, today's images and presidential debate. Teachers and students have access to AP Images by using their online database username and password. See you teacher librarian if you need help.

SIRS Researcher: Leading Issues Election 2008

http://auth.proquestk12.com/IA/
SIRS Leading Issues provides an excellent overview of the election; issues of the election including the economy, energy and the environment, health care, immigration and Iraq and the war; interactives and multimedia; and a research guide about how to analyze the facts and apply your knowledge with templates for writing a research paper or mini research paper, creating a PowerPoint presentation or a debate online or analyzing Election 2008 editorial cartoons.

Teach the First Amendment, 9-12

This Web site includes free teaching guides and lesson plans as well as other resources like tools for starting and protecting student newspapers and broadcast stations. Educators can also find a short quiz on the site to test their own knowledge and students’ knowledge of the First Amendment. The Web site, which links to lesson plans, posters, books and student media assistance was developed in response to a 2005 national survey that showed that high school students lacked knowledge of the First Amendment. University of Connecticut researchers found that nearly half the students surveyed believe the government can censor the Internet, and one-third think the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees. To access this site, go to http://www.teachfirstamendment.org/.

Make a Run for the U.S. Presidency, 8-12

An online learning game lets players call the political shots in presidential campaigning, http://www.ciconline.org/eLECTIONS. The 2008 eLECTIONS: Your Adventure in Politics game was recently released by Cable in the Classroom (CIC). This free 3-D, high-speed broadband adventure uses interactive tools, allowing children and adults to experience a self-directed run for the U.S. Presidency. The game is designed to educate people about the political process and the power of one vote.

eLections was first released in 2004 and has been updated in 2008 for the election cycle. Now infused with a voice-over host character - using the image of George Washington - and more video and "Learn More" options, the game offers expanded learning opportunities. The teacher section of the game includes learning guides, helpful links, and a preview area of the videos included in the game so that lesson plans can be generated. Other features include:

Accessible: Available for free to anyone with a high-speed internet connection.
Multi-sensory: Players see, read, hear and interact with multimedia content from CNN, C-SPAN, and the Hidtory Channel.
Content rich: Players explore independently how a presidential campaign works - through a fun and interactive experience.
Self-directed: Players make the choices that influence the outcome of the game. They continue to learn and explore fundamental election concepts with the "Learn More" content - all at their own pace.

GIS and Geographic Inquiry, 6-12

Geospatial technologies (geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing (RS) tools) are becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives. These technologies use "smart" maps that can display, query, and analyze geographic databases; receivers that provide location and navigation; and global-to-local imagery and tools that provide context and analysis.

As these tools become vital to helping community leaders ask and answer questions with both local and global implications, the ability to think spatially is an increasingly important skill for students. Hundreds of jobs--in such areas as planning, law enforcement, environmental management, business, public safety, health, and agriculture--now require key geographic inquiry skills.

Though GIS technology appears in the National Geography Standards, teachers in earth, environmental, biological, and general science also are incorporating geospatial technologies into their lessons. The growing use of these tools in an array of social studies and STEM subjects supports authentic, problem-based instruction, helping students tackle real social and environmental research projects in their communities.

This Web site is a collection of news stories, best practices, and other resources designed to integrate GIS and other geospatial technologies in the classroom, http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/gis-and-geographic-inquiry/.

Facing the Post-War World: Everett Dirksen

On February 21, 1945, then Congressman Dirksen set out on a world trip that would take him to twenty-one countries, logging 32,000 miles. This was not an ordinary junket. Dirksen traveled on behalf of the House Committee on Appropriations to inspect American embassies, reconstruction agencies, intelligence services, and the armed forces. He had a bird's-eye view of Europe and the Middle East as World War II neared its end. His stops included London, Algiers, Tunis, Cairo, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Karachi, Teheran, Baghdad, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Palestine, Beirut, Damascus, Ankara, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Florence, Paris, Rheims, Augsburg, Dachau, Wiesbaden, and Leipzig, among many others.

The Dirksen Center has created a Web-based feature that will give you an idea of what Dirksen's trip was like and how it affected his thinking about the state of the world in 1945. This Web presentation consists of the introduction, a timeline of Dirksen's trip with links to selective, digitized trip log entries and letters home, and a set of seven "anchor" documents with accompanying study questions. The historical documents are drawn from The Dirksen Congressional Center's archival holdings.
http://www.dirksencenter.org/1945trip/index.htm

Character Counts Week, K-12

CHARACTER COUNTS! Week is October 19-25. Last year over 5 million kids in 51 countries celebrated the Six Pillars of Character. This is a great opportunity to connect with others around the globe to celebrate the universal values everyone shares. Teachers can register online and begin receiving lesson plans, fundraising strategies, ideas for parents, Red Ribbon Week tie-in activities, downloadable curriculum resources and more. Remember Heartland offers Character Counts posters. Order the set of six for $1.00 by filling out a blue production request form.
http://charactercounts.org/programs/ccweek/index.php

Doing What Works: ELL, K-5

According to the U.S. Department of Education, “In the last two decades, the population of students who are limited English proficient has grown by 169%, while the general school population has grown only 12%.” The Department of Education created a Web site with videos, slideshows and tools for teaching reading to K–5 English learners. “English learners can learn to read in English at the same rate as their peers in the primary grades, if schools provide intensive and systematic instruction for all students, supplementary instruction for those falling behind, and language practice in both peer and teacher-student interactions.” 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.
http://dww.ed.gov/priority_area/priority_landing.cfm?PA_ID=6

Iowa Core Curriculum, K-12

The Iowa Department of Education and the Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are rolling-out of the Iowa Core Curriculum. The ICC, mandated by the Iowa Legislature, could be the most significant, wide-reaching reform policy undertaken by the State of Iowa. More than a set of curriculum standards and benchmarks for math, literacy, science and social science, the Core Curriculum incorporates critical aspects of classroom assessment and instruction that will reinforce best practice currently in place in Iowa classrooms and will support and strengthen the important work of all Iowa teachers.

Each AEA has dedicated time for an individual or team to facilitate the roll-out of the Core Curriculum information to school districts and accredited non-publics. The first phase of the roll-out begins this school year with a Core Curriculum Leadership Development Series. Heartland's Core Curriculum team will deliver these trainings in regional settings for district leadership teams throughout the 2008-2009 school year beginning October 6. Other AEAs may have already begun their sessions or will begin them in the very near future. The primary audience for this training is PK-12 leadership teams. Six half-day sessions will include basic information regarding the Core Curriculum and discussions about the Core Curriculum plans that districts will be creating in the near future. Each session will be offered multiple times to accommodate the number of participants and schedules.

The Iowa Core adventure has begun. Please feel free to contact members of Heartland's Iowa Core Curriculum team if you have questions or need additional information.
Julie Hukee, Team Leader: jhukee@aea11.k12.ia.us
Linda Bierman Hoobin: lhoobin@aea11.k12.ia.us
Becca Lindahl: blindahl@aea11.k12.ia.us
Lynn McCartney: lmccartney@aea11.k12.ia.us
Brad Niebling: bniebling@aea11.k12.ia.us
Jennifer Riedemann: jriedemann@aea11.k12.ia.us
Deborah Humpal, Iowa Department of Education
Julie Melcher, Iowa Department of Education

Free Test and Quiz Generators, K-12

Creating tests and quizzes for both traditional and online classes can be very time-consuming. Luckily, there are now many free online "generators" being designed that take much of the work out of online test design. Educators interested in creating a simple online test, can explore the six user-friendly tools listed below.

Quiz Center

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/quizcenter/quizcenter.html

This easy to tool will allow users to create, publish and grade quizzes online. This generator can be used for multiple grades and with various content areas.

Easy Test Maker

http://www.easytestmaker.com/default.aspx

Users can create different tests formats: multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, short answer, true or false and more. This robust tool includes a spell check function as well.

JavaScript QuizMaker

http://www.attotron.com/pub/Quizmake.htm

This is quiz generator provides JavaScript that you can cut and paste into a teacher or class Web page.

ContentGenerator.net

http://www.contentgenerator.net/

This program creates Flash-based multiple choice quizzes and games. The use of Flash means that the quizzes can be used on any Web page, learning environment, intranet or just a single computer. Users have a choice of three different quizzes:

The Big Quiz: designed for interactive whiteboard / projector use.
Quiz + Text: a mini quiz together with a customizable rich-text area that provides users with a reading text or even a mini-webquest.
Mini-quiz: a mini-quiz that can be added to an existing page or used as part of a larger development. Ideal as a quick quiz to engage users.

Learning Impulse
http://www.learningimpulse.com/
Users can create their own web based games for free. No programming knowledge is necessary.
Users simply create questions and categories and instantly a personalized educational game for children ages 3 + is created. To get started, go to http://educationbydesign.com/content/register

ProProfs QuizSchool

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/

This tool offers many powerful features including additional multiple question types, quiz types, authentication controls, grading features, RSS feeds and more.

Soundzabound, K-12

Royalty free music is available for schools. Use Soundzabound for easy listening at athletic events, student projects, music study, multicultural music for social studies projects, etc. This is a robust collection of music clips that every student (and teacher) will enjoy exploring and using in their teaching and learning. Go to http://media.aea11.k12.ia.us/HAEA11Media/.
You an also access it through Com Cat federated searching at http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com. As an example, you could do a single search on Brazil culture and find books, magazine articles, encyclopedia articles, and Soundzabound music clips. The music will add a new dimension to the country reports.

Iconographic Videos, K-4

Click here for 12 new videos:

An Apple for Harriet Tubman

Because Your Daddy Loves You

Big Brown Bear Stories

The Emperor's Egg

Finding Daddy: A Story of the Great Depression

I Hate English!

I'm Dirty

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

Rosa

Two Alphabet Stories

Voyage to the Bunny Planet

White Owl, Barn Owl

New Social Studies Videos, 7-12

History Channel, 7-12 (41 titles)
Geography, K-12 (27 titles)
American History Series, 7-12 (21 titles)
ABC News Classroom Edition, 7-12 (16 titles)
Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran [various media types and grade levels] (20 titles)
NBC News Time Capsule, 7-12 (9 titles)
Know-It-All: The DVD Quiz Game, 7-12 (7 titles)

New Science Videos, K-12

Advanced Physics (5 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/5jw9c9

Bill Nye (12 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/5k6j3y

Animal Babies: Born Wild, K-6 (13 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/5rrqho

Inspector Gadget's Field Trip, 3-8 (12 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/5opxvy

Green Matters: What in the World Is Going On?, 7-12
http://tinyurl.com/6bsrew

Show Me Science: Wonders of Chemistry and Physics, 9-12 (7 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/6ftvjz

Heads Up! Series, 7-12 (26 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/5cyjhw

Mythbusters, 7-12 (20 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/58zbnt

Know-It-All: The DVD Quiz Game, 7-12 (7 titles)
http://tinyurl.com/6cd55d

netTrekker, K-12
http://school.nettrekker.com

Thousands of reviewed Web sites are searchable by title, category, subject, grade level, person, image, etc. netTrekker will be part of the federated searching component in Com Cat in mid-September.

Soundzabound: Royalty Free Music Library for Schools, K-12
http://www.soundzabound.com/

One group of students wants to create a presentation about the 2008 election using technology that highlights the turning points of the election. Another group of students is creating a podcast and wants to put patriotic music at the beginning and end. A third group of students is putting together a digital movie and wants music that provides an effective background for the theme of their movie. Another group of students is using digital storytelling and wants different short clips of music to add emotional impact in their story.

Where do these students go to access music they can use in their presentations and still adhere to copyright law?

Soundzabound is a music library created by educators for educators to protect against copyright infringement. Heartland has purchased this database, and it is now available to teachers and students 24/7 at home and at school. It provides royalty free music that meets the licensing and technology requirements for education. This high quality music is downloadable as mp3 files for use on Macintosh or Windows computers in software applications such as Garageband, iMovie, MovieMaker, Photo Story and more. The Soundzabound music library includes all kinds of genres such as cultural, rap, techno, sports, podcasts, classical, instrumental, etc. Within each genre there are many categories for teachers or students to choose the exact music clip that fits their presentation.

For further information on copyright issues and music check out the Soundzabound podcasts on Copyright Issues When Using Music, Copyright Wisdom for Music in Technology, and Making Your Podcasts and Music Pop in the Project Examples link.

Remember Soundzabound will be searchable in Com Cat (http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com) by mid-September so you can search for books, articles, photos, music clips, etc. at the same time. Contact your teacher librarian for your building username and password for Soundzabound.

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