Iowa Core Curriculum Scenarios Database, K-12

http://scenarios.aea267.k12.ia.us
This database includes scenarios (and lessons) that educators can borrow and adapt to their own teaching.

Achievement and Video Streaming, K-12

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/products/streaming/whyitworks.cfm
Based on two years of data, a recent independent research report illustrates a link between usage of Discovery Education streaming and higher achievement scores. Specifically, the report data shows there is clear evidence that frequent usage of Discovery Education streaming is associated with higher achievement scores in grades 3-8 in math and reading.

The research was completed by Cometrika, an independent research firm, and led by Dr. Frank Boster. The study focused on 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school year data, and three geographically diverse states, examining more than 7,500 school buildings in Texas, Indiana and Florida. State-level department of education achievement data and Discovery Education streaming data for building-level usage was used to correlate building-level, high-stakes test results for grades 3-8 in math and reading and the frequency of use of Discovery Education streaming within each building.

"The major focus of the study was to scientifically answer the question: ‘Does Discovery Education streaming improve student achievement in the classroom?’ and the answer is ‘Yes,’” said Kelli Campbell, Discovery Education Senior Vice President of Content and Product Development. “The compelling digital media found in Discovery Education streaming can truly engage today’s students in the curriculum beyond traditional methods.”

Wordle: Word Cloud Creator, K-12

A word cloud is a visual depiction of a set of related words. The clouds use font sizes and other visual clues to words that appear more frequently in the source text. Wordle is a free Web 2.0 tool for generating “word clouds” from text or del.icio.us tags that users provide. Users can create artwork from words, and use the built in properties to identify key words within a written passage and analyze content. Users can tweak their clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images created with Wordle are the creators to use however they like. Wordles can be printed or saved to the Wordle gallery to share with students, parents, or friends. Just copy text in any language, paste it into Wordle and it will sift through it and create clouds with the most commonly occurring words in the text. You can then edit the shape, the colors and the font, and remove words. Listed below are several examples of how teachers are using Wordle in the classroom. Read this article in Tech For Learning on how it supports instruction. Click here to see the text of this article in a word cloud.

H.S. English
Dawn Hogue, author of the Polliwog Journal blog, shared this high school English idea.
Before reading a word of the book, I pasted the first paragraph of the story A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez into Wordle. I then handed the Wordle out (nothing more, not even the title) to the class before reading and had students work in groups to answer the following questions:

• What is the story going to be about?
• Who might the main characters be?
• What will the setting be like?
• What is the tone of the story?
• What words might we need to define?
• What questions do you have about anything so far?
• Whatever else you can think of . . .
• The groups could save their predictions and revisit them in their writing journals during and after reading.

She also uses Wordle for test corrections. Students type in the questions and answers that were missed on a test. They then color-schemed the words to their individual talents. It is a fun way to "jazz" up the dreary task of test review.

H.S. Science
Below is a high school science example from the Technology and Education Blog, Box of Tricks:
Choose two online newspaper articles about the current topic being studied.
Copy and paste the articles into Wordle, creating two word clouds.
Print copies of the full articles for the entire class.
Print both word clouds on one piece of paper and make enough copies for the entire class.
Hand out the hard copies of the word clouds to pupils and ask them to fold their papers in half so every other pupil would be looking at a different word cloud.
Ask students to look at the word cloud, and using a dictionary, try to ascertain the purpose of the original articles.
Ask one half of the class to explain to the other half what they thought their article was about while the teacher displays each word cloud on the interactive whiteboard. The teacher can highlight words one at a time and extract relevant /useful vocabulary.
Finally, hand out copies of the original articles in full to the students and discuss the vocabulary further.

Elementary
Wordle is used for a discussion on bullying. The students each create a list of words that describe a "friend" and a list that describes a "bully". Then take all of their words and create a "friend" Wordle and a "bully" Wordle. Make a classroom poster that had each Wordle on it and in big text had the question "Which one are You?". Post it on the classroom door so when they leave the classroom, they see this question.

GuessTheWordle Wiki created by Jen Wagner
Every day a new Wordle is posted for teachers and your students to view. Each wordle has a TOPIC. Students need to use their sleuthing skills to figure out exactly what that topic is. They must be careful though, some have more than one thing in common. Teachers and students can also create their own Wordle puzzles using this wiki.

There is also a good Slideshare presentation from the Ideas To Inspire website; Forty Interesting Ways To Use Wordle in the Classroom, that gives some more great examples.

Book Rotation, K-8

http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/curriculum/reading/bookrotation2007.html
Teachers can refresh their classroom collections with a box of new books every 5-6 weeks. Register online.

TeachingBooks.net Curriculum Resource Center, K-12

http://www.teachingbooks.net/csk
This Curriculum Resource Center was created by TeachingBooks.net with the support of the Coretta Scott King Book Award 40th Anniversary Public Awareness Campaign Committee. It honors books that "promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream of a pluralistic society” and is given to “African American authors and illustrators for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions.” This collection is continually updated and includes resources most recently added in September 2009.

Search this site to:
* Hear directly from African American authors and illustrators as they talk about and read from their books.
* Enjoy audio recordings, book readings, videos, and more.
* Teach the Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning books with this free, online collection of primary source materials and lesson plans.

Focus on Reading Strategies, K-4

http://reading.ecb.org/
Into the Book is a reading comprehension resource that focuses on eight research-based strategies: using prior knowledge, making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, summarizing, evaluating and synthesizing. Students can view the fifteen minute videos and try the online interactive activities. “Behind the Lesson” provides information and teaching resources for each strategy. Teachers can view the ten minute professional development videos and explore the Web site for lesson plans, video and audio clips, and more.

New Iconographic Videos, K-3

http://tinyurl.com/yeqpwoa
Click this link to 35 favorite stories on DVD that are available for checkout.

New Iconographic Videos, K-3

http://tinyurl.com/yeqpwoa
Click this link to 35 favorite stories on DVD that are available for checkout.

Use Math and Science in Everyday Life, K-12

https://pumas.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Practical Uses of Math and Science (PUMAS) offers more than 60 one-page examples of how science and math can be used in interesting settings and everyday life. Topics include clouds (why they float), Social Security benefits (algebra), Pythagorean theorem (cabinet corners), ice sheets and sea level (logarithms), matching birthdays (statistics), traffic signals (probability), seasons (causes), volcanic clouds, wind chill (algebra) and more. The examples are written primarily by scientists, engineers, and other content experts.

Math Online Tools, K-12

Interesting Web sites for teaching math...
The Maths Apprentice
http://www.mathapprentice.com/Activity/explore.html
This is a primary and middle school site for mathematics directed at the younger audience.

Kids Online: Me and Mymaths
http://www.kidsolr.com/math/math.html
This is a primary and middle school site, but a useful math site.

Dan’s Maths
http://www.dansmath.com/
This site is directed at the more senior school audience but is still applicable to middle school students.

MathAtube
http://www.mathatube.com/
Video tutorials and resources for mathematics

US Government Data
http://www.data.gov/
This is a great source of accurate information and statistics. Applicable to mathematics, humanities and many other subject areas.

Discovery Education Science K-8

http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/tech/online_database_resources.html
DEScience was purchased for schools this fall. This hyperlink includes two short screencasts that show how to create a teacher account and how to navigate the site.

Bloom's Taxonomy Revised

http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/blooms.htm

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy of cognitive objectives is one of the best ways to differentiate curriculum to meet the needs of students. Teachers can use the six levels of thinking—Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating and Creating—as a framework for planning units that incorporate low to high-level thinking activities. A free, downloadable set of colorful posters explains each of the six levels of the taxonomy. Contact the Heartland graphics department to request copies be produced in color (minimal cost).

(Based on Pohl, 2000, Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn, p. 8)

Go to the following article, Bloom’s Taxonomy Blooms Digitally, at http://www.techlearning.com/article/8670 to discover how the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy helps teachers meet the information and communication technology skills that are part of the Iowa Core Curriculum.

Did You Know Version 4.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
This is an official update to the original 2004 "Shift Happens" video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence and technology, and was developed in partnership with The Economist.

A 21st Century Education Videos

http://www.mobilelearninginstitute.org/21stcenturyeducation/index.html
This series includes 10-15 minute videos on the best ideas in school reform and innovation. It is meant to start the conversation about how to make change happen. Created by Pearson Foundation and Mobile Learning Institute.

The first set of films profile and explore the following:

• Steve Barr and the Takeover of Locke High School in Watts
• James Dierke and Leadership Models for Urban Middle Schools
• David “T.C.” Ellis and Essential Learning at Hip Hop High
• Randall Fielding and Designing Schools for 21st Century Learning
• Stephen Heppell and Empowering Young Learners
• Jean Johnson, Notschool.net and Online Learning for Disaffected Youth
• Doug McCurry and the Success of Achievement First
• George McKenna and Personalizing Public Education
• Alan November and the Myths and Opportunities of Technology
• Larry Rosenstock and Project-based Learning at High Tech High
• Elliot Soloway/Cathie Norris and Educating the Mobile Generation
• Yong Zhao: No Child Left Behind and Global Competitiveness

Leadership: Recommended Readings

http://tinyurl.com/y8dkztn
The Heartland AEA library has books that have appeared in several recommended reading lists on 21st century learners. Authors discuss the globalization of economics; the explosion of scientific and technological knowledge; the increasingly international dimensions of the issues we face; and changing demographics.

IPTV Programming, K-12

http://www.iptv.org/education/edu-news.cfm?id=319
New and returning programs are scheduled in IPTV’s Overnight Block Feeds Monday-Saturday from 2-6 a.m.

Driver’s Education/Parents
Teens Behind the Wheel
Fine Arts
2009 Iowa Bandmasters Highlights
2009 Iowa Jazz Championships
2009 Terrace Hill Piano Competition
The Music Instinct: Science and Song
National Gallery of Art Collection (New program)
Energy Conservation
Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-energize America
Environmental Science
Natural Heroes (NEW Programs)
Financial Literacy
The Road to Riches
Guidance/Health
Cybersense
Human Sexuality and Responsibility
In the Mix (NEW programs)
Guidance/Careers
The World of Work
Language Arts/Literature
Great American Authors Since 1650
Social Studies/Diversity
My Brand New Life
Social Studies/History
Ancient History – NEW program “The Maya”
Assignment: The World (NEW season)
Athens: The Dawn of Democracy
Eyes on the Prize II: A Special Presentation of the American Experience
Intelligent Talk Television (NEW programs)
The Story of India
Social Studies/History/Nature
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
Professional Development
Intelligent Talk Television (NEW programs)
P.O.V. The Principal Story
Science/STEM
Dragonfly TV (NEW programs)
Exploring Space: The Quest for Life
The Music Instinct: Science and Song
Special Education
Special Education Guidance Series

Discovery Education's Closed Captioned Videos

http://media.aea11.k12.ia.us/HAEA11Media/
The number of available resources with closed captions and audio description to ensure greater access to digital content for all students has increased. This is important as it is a tool to differentiate instruction for every learner. Discovery Education's streaming video collection currently offers more than 1,700 full length programs and 13,000 core concept video clips with closed captioning.

Many videos will also be audio described (AD) to allow visually impaired students to access the program’s content through a voice-over that describes key visual elements. This description is mixed into the original program audio. AD also can benefit students that learn best aurally or through multi-sensory input. The teacher or student may choose to turn the AD on or off. Audio description is a newly added feature to Discovery Education streaming content. “Visually impaired students often find themselves in a classroom where the teacher is showing a video to complement the lesson and are left with no access to the messages that are provided on the screen,” said Jill Soule, high school teacher in San Diego, Calif. The few times my students have experienced video description, they have been ecstatic. The insight these descriptions afforded them was unlike anything they had experienced before.”

Teach About the U.S. Census

http://www.census.gov/schools/
“The 2010 Census in Schools: It’s About Us” program is designed to provide K–12 students with information about the importance of the 2010 Census. Program brochures were sent to all grade 9–12 principals, social studies department chairs, and school service coordinators during the summer of 2009. At the Census in Schools Web site, teachers can find lesson plans and teaching kits and access free products including a monthly newsletter, maps, and historical data for teaching about the census. There are coloring pages, quizzes, word finds, and other activities for grades K-5. Students can take a quiz to test their census knowledge or learn facts about how going to college can affect their future salary. They can also learn about the importance of census data and how it affects the world.

Learn About the Brain: Brains Rule! , 3-8

http://www.brainsrule.com/
The Brains Rule Web site helps students learn about the brain and nervous system. The interactive site can be navigated using the four tabs (Kids, Teachers, Neuroscience Professionals and Partners) at the top of the page. This kid-friendly site will help students learn about the brain and nervous system. The sections for students offers several interactive animated games that help them learn how the brain develops, the anatomy of a neuron, and a virtual tour of the brain. Students can also meet a “Brainwhiz,” sign up to have their questions answered by a neuroscientist, or build their own Web page. Teachers can access a set of lesson plans for grades 3-8 that include background material, vocabulary, science standards, hands-on and Web-based activities, and other resources and links.

Encyclopedia of Life, 6-12

http://www.eol.org/
The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) has a mission to describe all the 1.8 million known species from apples to zebras, within a decade and help provide research into aging, climate change and even the spread of insect pests. EOL is a collaborative global effort involving natural history museums, research institutions, botanical gardens, and many highly dedicated individuals.

Anyone can use the EOL as a "field guide" or contribute a photograph or an observation of an animal in an area where it was not found before, in some cases a sign of a changing climate. Already the Encyclopedia was aiding scientists who look at human aging, for instance, by examining the widely differing lifespans of related species. The EOL said it would help "public recognition and awareness of invasive species through detailed descriptions and maps, helping to slow their global spread and enable more rapid and effective remedial measures." And the EOL was trying to help researchers find out how global warming may affect species, such as by making them move to cooler habitats.

The number of entries has just reached 170,000 and, if current funding holds, the project is estimated to be completed in approximately 2019.

Museum of Online Museums

http://www.coudal.com/moom/
This portal links to online exhibits, virtual tours, collections, and galleries around the world.

Get SmART About ART, 2-7

http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/smartkids/home.html?

Admission is free at the Smart Museum (University of Chicago). Students can meet an artist, visit a studio, and see some great art. It shows students different ways to look at art and how to tell a story using art. The art includes photography, sculpture, painting, and other genres. Although some smARTkids activities are structured, most promote open-ended exploration of art. Visit the site with your students to learn the language of art, understand that artworks invite multiple interpretations, and see how art is created for a wide variety of personal and social purposes.

NoveList Plus, 9-12

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=novplus

To introduce classics to your teen readers check out the 15 BookTalks from NovLlist Plus. The BookTalks are available in text and abridged audio versions of the most often-used classics. Look for audio BookTalks on:

• The Great Gatsby
• The Catcher in the Rye
• Things Fall Apart
• Cry, the Beloved Country
• The Crucible
• Death of a Salesman
• Night
• Frankenstein
• Wuthering Heights
• The Grapes of Wrath
• Nineteen Eighty-Four
• Lord of the Flies
• A Separate Peace
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Beowulf

Teachers can quickly locate all these text and audio BookTalks by performing a search for the Curricular Connections article in NoveList Plus titled "Great Stories: Classics for the High School Reader" by Tom Reynolds. See below for instructions.

1. Type "classics for the high school reader" in the Basic Search box.

2. Click the Search button.

3. From the Result List, click the Curricular Connections tab, and select the "Great Stories: Classics for the High School Reader" article.

4. Download the audio BookTalks from within the article by clicking the blue audio icon.

The National Day on Writing: Oct. 20

http://galleryofwriting.org/

Americans are writing more than ever whether it’s texting, IMing, jotting a note, writing a letter, posting an email, blogging, making a video, building an electronic presentation, composing a memo, keeping a diary, or simply pulling together a report. Recent research suggests that writing, in its many forms, has become a daily practice for millions of Americans. According to the National Association of Teachers of English (NCTE), “It may be the quintessential 21st century skill.”

NCTE is building an online National Gallery of Writing by inviting people to select and post one thing they have written that is important to them. NCTE guidelines state, “Anyone can share any composition; it can be any format—from word processing to photography, audio recording to text messages—and any type of writing—from letters to lists, memoirs to memos. Even cell phone writing and PDFs of handwritten notes are appropriate submissions to the National Gallery of Writing, as long as they are pieces meaningful to their authors.” The writing in the National Gallery is meant to represent all the many ways we’re writing today and all the many reasons for writing: personally, on-the-job, and educationally.

Teachers and students are invited to share their meaningful pieces in the National Gallery or start a Local Gallery and celebrate with thousands of other writers on October 20, 2009, the National Day on Writing. The National Gallery will be open for viewing/reading through June 1, 2010. Everyone who visits the Gallery of NCTE can find useful tips and guidelines for writers from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Book Rotation, K-8

http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/curriculum/reading/bookrotation2007.html
Teachers can refresh their classroom collections with a box (@ 30 titles) of new books every 5-6 weeks. Register online.