This DVD series features content from the "Standard Deviants: The Super-Charged World of Chemistry" series with extra content. The DVDs are designed to capture students' attention and make chemistry come alive. Each DVD is about 26 minutes.
E2: Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious, 7-12
This new DVD series from PBS Video explores sustainable solutions to environmental and social challenges, presented with a combination of storytelling. Each program is about 180 minutes. Click here.
Electricity: A 3-D Animated Demonstration, 9-12
This is a series of seven new DVDs: Circuits, Electric Generators, Electric Motors, Electricity and Magnetism, Electrostatics, Ohm's Law, and Power and Efficiency. Click here.
Middle School Math Teachers’ Circle
http://www.math.iastate.edu/CIMSMTC/circle.html
A Math Teachers’ Circle brings teachers together and gives them a chance to work on engaging topics and problems, and at the same time become acquainted with an effective problem solving approach to math. Any education professional involved with Iowa middle school mathematics can participate. Expenses for the Teachers’ Circle will be paid for by a grant from the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP). Expenses covered include room and board for the week of the workshop June 7-12, 2009), reimbursement for travel to and from the workshop, and materials.
Digital Citizenship, 6-12
http://www.digitalcitizenshiped.com/
The Digital Citizenship and Creative Content curriculum is a no-cost instructional program designed to “raise awareness and foster better understanding of the rights connected with creative content”. The curriculum resources offer a set of cross-curricular classroom activities that are divided into four thematic units. Each unit consists of standalone yet complementary lesson plans that center around a creative rights scenario presented through a case study. Each unit has 4-6 project-oriented activities. Includes pre/post assessments. This curriculum aligns with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and covers subject areas that include civics, computer science, debate, fine arts, economics, government, journalism, language arts, drama and video production.
10 Ideas for Using Cell Phones in Education, K-12
In today's "flat world" millions of students in China, Japan, the Philippines, and Germany are using their mobile phones to learn English; study math, health and spelling; and to access live and archived university lectures. Marc Prensky shares that the average cell phone has more computing power than many of the computers of 10 years ago. He goes on to ask, “How can we harness that power in education?” Below are 10 easy ideas for integrating cell phones into learning and instruction.
1. Student response polling or pop quizzes
2. Find definitions, currency conversion, math equations, translations
3. Use as an Internet browser to access information
4. Research
5. Read news articles and current events
6. Read books
7. Download and use education programs such as Google Maps and use as GPS
8. Use as a digital or video camera to accompany school projects, publishing, etc.
9. Educate students on appropriate and acceptable social use
10. Use the voice technology to share engaging lectures or lessons
Listed below are additional resources for learning more about integrating cell phones into instruction.
Toy to Tools Blog by Liz Kolb
http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com/
This blog is dedicated to conversing on methods for integrating cell phones into classroom learning.
Cell Phones in Learning Wiki
http://cellphonesinlearning.wikispaces.com/
10 Ways to Use a Camera Phone in Education Blog by Jeff VanDrimmelen
http://edutechie.com/2007/06/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-education/
Mobile Phones in Education: Constructive Not Destructive Power Point by Sharon Tonner
http://www.slideshare.net/satonner/mobile-phones-in-education-constructive-not-deconstructive-124979
2009 Horizon Report for K-12 Edition focused on Mobile Technologies
http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf
Teach Digital Wiki by Wes Fryer
http://teachdigital.pbwiki.com/cellphones
Duke University Center for Instructional Technology: Mobile Devices in Education
http://cit.duke.edu/tools/mobile/index.html
Cell Phones Get Top Marks in Classroom - article from eSchool News
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/around-the-web/index.cfm?i=58186
iPods in the Classroom, K-12
http://heartlandipodsed.pbwiki.com/
Your district may be exploring ways to use the iTouch or iPods in classrooms. Heartland has collected resources for helping you with future decisions concerning these devices. We hope these resources are of benefit to you.
Nine Reasons for Teachers to Twitter, K-12
According to EduCause, Twitter is an online application that is part blog, part social networking site, part cell phone and instant messaging tool, designed to let users answer the question “What are you doing?” Many tweets do answer the question of what the user is doing, but plenty of others are responses to other tweets, pointers to online resources that the user found interesting, product reviews, customer satisfaction queries, or questions. Twitter lets users create formal friendships, which collectively establish numerous and interconnected networks of users. In addition to the social aspect, you can use Twitter to follow experts in various fields. Twitter works with cell phones and other SMS clients, making it an easy way for mobile users to stay in touch.
Listed below are nine reasons to Twitter developed by Laura Walker, a middle school educator in England.
1. Together we’re better
Twitter can be like a virtual staff room where teachers can access a stream of links, ideas, opinions, and resources from a handpicked selection of global professionals.
2. Global or local--you choose
Educators can actively compare what’s happening in their world with others on different continents. GPS-enabled devices and advanced Web searching allow searches that tell you what people are tweeting within a certain distance of a location.
3. Self-awareness and reflective practice
Teachers on Twitter share their reflections and both support and challenge each other.
4. Ideas workshop and sounding board
Twitter is a great medium for sharing ideas and getting instant feedback. You can gather a range of opinions and constructive criticism within minutes, which can help enormously, whether you are planning a learning experience, writing a policy, or putting a job application together.
5. Newsroom and innovation showcase
Twitter helps you stay up-to-date on news and current affairs, as well as on the latest developments in areas of interest like school leadership and technology.
6. Professional development and critical friends
One of the best things about training days is the breakout time between sessions, when teachers can get together to talk about what they are working on or struggling with. Twitter enables users to have that kind of powerful networking capacity with them all the time. It’s just a matter of finding the right people to follow.
7. Quality-assured searching
Trust the people you follow. Hone and develop the list of people whose insights you value. Once your Twitter network grows past a critical mass, you can ask them detailed questions and get higher-quality information back than a Google search would generally provide.
8. Communicate, communicate, communicate
Expressing yourself in 140 characters is a great discipline. You can become better at saying what needs to be said in my professional communications (even without txtspk).
9. Getting with the times has never been so easy!
Go to Twitter.com and create a free account. A little light searching using key words for your areas of interest will soon yield a list of interesting people to follow. There are plenty of Web sites offering advice on getting started and how to avoid a few common beginners’ mistake.
New NSF Report On Cyberlearning
Fostering Learning in the Networked World: The Cyberlearning Opportunity and Challenge, A 21st Century Agenda for the National Science Foundation identifies cyberlearning as having "…the potential to transform education throughout a lifetime, enabling customized interaction with diverse learning materials on any topic..."
The task force report identifies potential ways in which advanced computing and communications technologies might be leveraged to support learning, highlighting opportunities for further research. In it, the task force offers 5 recommendations for the NSF to pursue:
* Help build a vibrant cyberlearning field by promoting cross-disciplinary communities of cyberlearning researchers and practitioners
* Instill a "platform perspective"—shared, interoperable designs of hardware, software, and services—into NSF's cyberlearning activities
* Emphasize the transformative power of information and communications technology for learning, from K to grey
* Adopt programs and policies to promote open educational resources
* Take responsibility for sustaining NSF-sponsored cyberlearning innovation beyond the length of the grant
To view an online presentation about this report by Professor Christine L. Borgman, the NSF Task Force Chair, go to http://tinyurl.com/cr69p8
eSchool News on Twitter, K-12
You can stay on top of all the latest news and information in educational technology. News stories and other information are posted daily. Click here to learn more.
Why Text Messages Are <160 Characters, K-12
This Los Angeles Times article explains how the standard for text messaging was determined in 1985. Friedhelm Hillebrand was typing random sentences and questions on his typewriter, and as he went along he counted the number of letters, number, punctuation marks and spaces on the page. Each blurb ran on for a line or two and was nearly always under 160 characters. Click here to read the article.
Civic Center Applause! Series, K-12
The 2009-2010 series is announced. All tickets are $1.00. Click here for more information.
Visit the Prado Museum, 6-12
http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/prado/
Google recently launched the Prado layer in Google Earth, allowing students to explore highly detailed photographic images of 14 of the Prado Museum’s masterpieces. The Prado Museum in Madrid is one of Spain’s most visited destinations, and with the Google Earth layer, students can view and learn about the museum’s most famous paintings, such as The Maids of Honor (Las Meninas) or The Three Graces (Las Tres Gracias). Google Earth Prado layer also includes 3-D models, which allow students to fly around the Prado buildings to experience the museum as if they were actually there. Open Google Earth, check the 3D buildings layer on the bottom left panel, go to the Prado and access the masterpieces.
Visual Composition, K-5
http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/
The Artist’s Toolkit: Visual Elements and Principles is an online interactive that allows students to explore the tools that artists use—for example, line, color and balance—to build works of art. Students can watch an animated demonstration, find examples of concepts in works of art from museums, and create their own compositions. In the See Artists in Action section, students can watch two professional artists using the visual elements and principles. Students can also use the Artist’s Toolkit Encyclopedia to learn more about these building blocks of composition. The encyclopedia includes many examples of works of art that illustrate the visual elements (line, shape, color, space, texture) and visual principles (balance, emphasis, movement/rhythm).
Learn with Seuss Characters, PreK-2
http://www.seussville.com/university/index.html
Seuss characters serve as guides at the interactive Seussville University. Contents: reading, letter recognition, sounds of letters, rhyming words, recognizing numerals and number words, counting, simple addition, animal categories, basic astronomy, ecology, patterns and directions, and opposites. The activities can be completed at the computer with the on-screen activities and off-line with the printable documents.
Audio Books & Professional Development
An excellent collection of audio books on current research on education, global issues, and self-improvement is available for checkout. With 85% of our learning and knowledge coming from listening, audio books are an effective way to increase your professional knowledge. Click here.
Share to Facebook or Social Bookmarks
You'll notice something different about World of Media. We have added share buttons for your favorite social network or social bookmarking sites. They're located at the end of each article and on the sidebar. These buttons will help you share the valuable content on the social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and bookmarking sites like del.icio.us. Try them out your favorite social network!
100 Best First Lines from Novels, 9-12
http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/andyhavens/lists/69915
Teachers may have seen this list before, but there is a new twist because it is linked with WorldCat. You can read the famous first line, view the book jacket art, read reviews, follow the hyperlinks to related readings, add to your del.icio.us or social bookmark service, add your own review or comment, and find the closest library that has the book. Besides being an interesting activity for the teacher, think of the classroom applications.
Does this change the way students think about libraries and finding resources?
What does it say about information literacy?
Could this illustrate the new ways students seek information and resources?
WorldCat is also part of federated searching and is an option when searching Com Cat, http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com.
National Poetry Month, K-12
http://www.poets.org/index.php
National Poetry Month brings together literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its important place in American culture.
Check out this year’s programs:
Poem In Your Pocket Day: Join thousands of individuals across the U.S. by carrying a poem in your pocket on April 30, 2009.
Poetry & the Creative Mind: Check out this celebration of American poetry.
Free Verse Photo Competition: Capture and share bits of verse for a chance to win prizes.
Poem-A-Day: Great poems from new books emailed each day of National Poetry Month. Sign up for a daily dose of new poems from new spring poetry titles.
Spring Book List: Check out the new books of poetry available each spring.
National Poetry Map: Find out what is happening in Iowa by visiting the redesigned and updated National Poetry Map.
National Poetry Month poster: To request copies of posters, use the online order form. To view images of all our posters, old and new, visit the National Poetry Month poster gallery.
Additional Resources from Poets.org
Teacher Resources
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/103
Creative and inexpensive suggestions for making poetry a more important part of school life during April and throughout the year.
Teacher Librarian Resources
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/102
Low cost suggestions to develop greater visibility for poetry during April and throughout the year.
Poetry Read-A-Thon
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/318
Instructions for motivating students to enjoy poetry in the classroom are featured. The goal is to celebrate the reading of poems and writing about poems as well as to facilitate the development of student writing and comprehension skills. Students choose poems to read and then write prose “responses” to the poems they read. A response can be 75-100 words and students can respond to one or two of the following elements of the poem:
• images of the poem
• sounds of the poem
• subject(s) of the poem
• emotional effect(s) of the poem
• the poem’s meaning(s)
• questions about the poem
• questions the student would like to ask, if he/she could speak to the poet
30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/94
Features a month’s worth of poetry activities that any community can take part in.
Subscribe to Poets.org
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/22
Because poetry should be celebrated all year, Poets.org offers several ways to keep you informed and connected to the poetry world. Subscribe to Poets.org Newsletters, RSS Feeds, and more.
Math in Our Lives DVDs, PreK-5
This new series uses practical examples and models to provide students with a realistic context for mathematical concepts. Each DVD presents a specific math concept in ten minutes. Available for checkout.
- Currency (#809206)
- Geometric Forms (#809205)
- Lines and Shapes (#809198)
- Measuring Metric (#809204)
- Measuring Standard (#809203)
- Money (#809199)
- More and Less (#809201)
- Numbers (#809200)
- Probability (#809202)
Math Snacks Learning Animations, 6-8
http://www.mathsnacks.com
These short animations present a math concept. They can be placed on mobile devices such as iPods for homework. The accompanying print materials can assist students in applying their conceptual understanding to math problems.
Sample Math Snacks:
Bad Date
This animation visualizes the ratio of words spoken on a series of dates.
Addresses:
Proportions as multiplicative situations
Proportional relationships can be related to a common rate in direct variations
Overruled!
This animation shows how “Rulers” value proper units and proportional details.
Addresses:
Various techniques are helpful in solving proportion, including tables, graphs, measurement, and equations
Given an application problem, using the units can help to set up the correct proportion
When proportions are graphed on a coordinate plane, the graph is linear
Scale Ella
This animation has a crusading superhero clarifying and using scale factor.
Addresses:
Objects that are scale representations of each other have the same shape but not the same size, and the size difference is related to the scale factor
Atlantean Dodgeball
This animation shows how ratio errors confuse one of the coaches in an epic dodgeball tournament.
Addresses:
Ratios can represent part–whole or part–part relationships
Number Rights
This animation shows a passionate activist clarifying equality on a number line.
Addresses:
Equality and order on the number line
Number line properties
Pearl Driver
This animation features a mini-game to explain equality on number line.
Addresses:
Equality and order on the number line
Number line properties
Siftables, K-12
http://tinyurl.com/cg3qyf
MIT grad student David Merrill demos Siftables -- cookie-sized, computerized tiles you can stack and shuffle in your hands. These future-toys can do math, play music, and talk to their friends, too. Is this the next thing in hands-on learning?
EZ Math Trix, 3-8
These five DVDs teach mathematical concepts with card tricks, dominoes, calendars, etc. Available for checkout.
- Addition and Subtraction (#809503)
- Card Tricks (#809505)
- Division (#809504)
- Math and Number Fun (#809506)
- Multiplication (#809502)
Lorax Project Student Earth Day, K-3
http://www.thelorax.com
http://www.theloraxproject.com
The first Lorax Project Student Earth Day Web site teaches young students about doing their part to protect the environment. This annual event encourages teachers and students to celebrate the Lorax's message and act on their own pledges to beautify and conserve their school environment and beyond. Teachers can find a free classroom toolkit, poster gallery, instructional resources, and educator idea exchange.
National Environmental Education Week: Go Green!, K-12
http://www.eeweek.org
Teachers play a critical role in inspiring students to make a positive impact on the environment. National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is the largest organized environmental education event in the United States. EE Week promotes understanding and protection of the natural world by engaging K-12 students and teachers in an inspired week of environmental learning and activities in advance of Earth Day on April 22.
By registering as an EE Week partner, teachers will have access to an extensive online curriculum library. They will also receive certificates of participation, a free copy of National Geographic Explorer magazine, and a monthly e-newsletter with classroom resources and opportunities for funding and professional development.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
