MLK TV Interviews in 1950s, 9-12

http://interview.sweetsearch.com/
Mature audiences have much to discuss after viewing these early Martin Luther King Jr. TV videos from 1957-1964. Some full-text written transcripts are also available.

Personal Learning Network, K-12

As you develop your virtual personal learning network, consider 350 Best Education Resources,
http://edudemic.com/2011/12/best-ed-blogs/

Teen Health and Wellness, 9-12

http://www.teenhealthandwellness.com
Beginning in early January, each article in Teen Health & Wellness online database will feature the text-to-speech function. Click the "Listen" button at the top of any article page.

In the text-to-speech player, the Settings link will let the user choose text highlighting on a word per word or sentence basis, or to disable text highlighting. You can also control the speed of the reading and select a male or female voice. The "No Sound" link can be used if your system requirements do not allow for text highlighting, and it will download an mp3 file of the audio for that article section.

If you’d like a free poster for the guidance office, health classroom, office, etc., contact the Heartland library. View the poster at http://teenhealthandwellness.com/static/promotionalmaterials

Apps, K-12

Appitic
http://www.appitic.com
A collection of 1,300 apps for education. Unique features include searching by themes, special education and autism, multiple intelligences, and Bloom’s.

10 Best Productivity Apps of 2011
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/12/28/the-10-best-productivity-apps-of-2011/

Autism Apps
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=0AjbIta8OTS0KdHRMVWx0Q3pvOWRXRXBfd01jc3lqakE&hl=en&single=true&gid=0&output=html

LiveBinder
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/36989

Apps in Education Blog
http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/4-way-video-calls-on-ipad.html
Includes an interesting article on how to do 4-way video calls on the iPad.

Android Apps
http://www.android4schools.com/2011/12/11/apps-4-kids-helps-you-find-apps-your-kids-will-like/

100 Best Free iPad Apps
http://savedelete.com/top-100-best-free-ipad-apps.html

NPR Book Club for Kids, 5-8

http://www.npr.org/series/141728003/nprs-back-seat-book-club
"All Things Considered" is rolling out NPR's Back-Seat Book Club. Each month, students and parents will read a different book—then they're invited to join a conversation with the author. The series encourages kids to get creative and create video messages and other expressive means of reaching out to the author. Podcasts, RSS, and email notifications are available.

Student Filmmaking, K-12

http://www.svntv.com
School Video News is launching a new site that will showcase student-produced films and the students who created them. It will also include articles on script writing, cinematography, audio, lighting, and set design. The site will help take your skills and your students’ skills to the next level.

A&E Videos Downloaded/Streamed from Learn 360

A&E Television videos are available for streaming and download on Learn 360, http://www.learn360.com. As of January 9, 2012, the A&E videos will be available for download using Windows Media only. Users can only download A&E videos in Windows Media Format. For teachers to stream and/or download these videos, installation of the Microsoft Silverlight Player and Plug-in will be required at each desktop computer.

Administrative Next Steps:
As an Administrator, you can set up installation of the Silverlight Player & Plug-in for all of your users by clicking http://www.learn360.com/silverlight-install.aspx and following the instructions.

Desktop Computer Next Steps:
When a user wants to stream an A&E video, a message will appear in the video player asking them to install the Microsoft Silverlight Plug-In. If the user is authorized to install, they can complete the task. If they are not, they will be directed to contact their local Administrator.

In order for a user to download an A&E video, the Microsoft Silverlight Plug-In MUST be installed first. Once installed, the user will refresh the page and an "Install Player" button will appear below the video player; this button must be clicked to complete the installation. The user can then click the "Download" button and save the video to their computer.

The user can now view the A&E video on their computer by clicking the up-arrow in the lower right corner of the video player, browsing the menu for the video and clicking the "Open" button.


Desktop Computer Self-Installation:
If teachers will be required to install the Player & Plug-in themselves, please ensure their download/installation rights are sufficient enough to allow for self-installation and provide them with this link, http://www.learn360.com/silverlight-install-administrators.aspx
It will direct them to a page on Learn360 containing comprehensive instructions based upon their Operating System (Mac or PC/Windows).

Remember, this is just for the A&E videos on Learn 360.

World Crisis DVDs, 9-12

The World Crisis: Cause and Effect series examines the cause and effect of each crisis-from looking at the social and political climate at the time, to examining how each event has changed the world-whether through legislation, preventative measures, or other means. Available for checkout.
Afghanistan War #810356
Asian Tsunami #810357
Bhopal Disaster #810353
Chernobyl #810355
Haiti Earthquake #810352
Hurricane Katrina #810354
Rwanda Genocide #810349
September 11 #810350
Tiananmem Square #810351

To enhance learning, students can search the SIRS Researcher and EBSCO Points of View databases for full-text magazines, journals, papers, and newspaper articles. Go to Com Cat and search both databases at the same time, http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com.

Manners Videos, PreK-2

http://www.learn360.com
The Royals: Manners is a series of 19 videos on Learn 360 to help young students understand why it’s important to say “excuse me”, don’t talk with your mouth full, remove headphones when talking, using a napkin, staying quiet in a theater, etc.
Excuse Me
Cover Your Germs
Can You Take My Order?
Don't Talk with Your Mouth Full
You Should Wait to Start Eating
I'm Going Outside
But I Don't Like It
Turn It Down
Quiet Down Front
Use a Napkin
Taking the Last Bits of Food
How Do You Set the Table?
Inside/Outside Voices
Please and Thank You
Telephone Manners
Hats
Chewing Gum
Don't Litter
Cell Phones

New National Geographic Videos, K-12

http://www.learn360.com
There are 9 new videos in Learn 360.
The Big Easy Animal Rescue
Easter Island Underworld
Fongoli Chimps
Hogzilla
Inside Sumo
NGS Adventure: Grand Canyon—The First Journey
Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack
Wild Chronicles 4
World’s Most Bizarre Dinos

1:1 Schools and ebooks, 6-12

Elementary students have been using ebooks through BookFLIX for about three years and TrueFLIX since October. We are creating a new ebook collection for grades 6-12. This "starter" collection of 220 titles includes middle school social studies titles that complement the Iowa Core. The high school collection includes biographies, financial literacy, government, science, and social studies (as recommended by a group of high school teacher librarians). The ebooks will be available 24/7. No special ereader is required. More information will be on the Heartland homepage mid-January.

Use ebooks to:
• Introduce new topics
• Build background knowledge
• Expand upon lessons
• Teach vocabulary
• Review essential skills and information
• Practice research skills to find relevant information

Supplement classroom materials
• Organize titles by topics, theme, and reading level.
• Assign titles for reading or research.
• Teach books in small group and whole group lessons.
• Students use mark-up tools to identify words they don’t know or just learned (glossary).
• Teach nonfiction book characteristics such as toc, glossary, index.
• Practice repetition and choral reading of properly pronounced words and phrases.
• Teach content-area vocabulary with definitions and glossary.
• Extend learning by inviting family involvement.
• Whiteboard compatible.
• Customize VIA with special groups such as grade, class, subject, reading group, etc.
• Start for an inquiry-based lesson for students looking for info to support an argument or a position.

Fake Facebook Profiles of Historical Characters, K-12

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/07/three-ways-to-create-fake-facebook.html
This is an exciting approach to history and writing. Learn how to create a fake Facebook profile for a character in a book or a famous person in history.