The Search Alert service is a powerful teaching/learning/organizing tool. It is available for (most of) the EBSCO databases. Teachers can use it to develop units or to contribute to their continuous professional development. Students can use it for big research projects or to stay up-to-date on a personal topic of interest.
Let’s say you want to track a topic for an entire school year or want some assistance in finding resources to keep current on a topic you’re teaching. Let’s use the example of a secondary teacher trying to stay up-to-date on African culture. You can create a search profile in most of the EBSCO online databases (except Student Research Center) and then receive an e-mail daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly with new magazine and/or newspaper articles on the topic; or receive an RSS feed.
Follow these steps or watch the silent demonstration video.
Go to http://search.ebscohost.com
--Enter the online database username/password assigned to your school (this step might be optional depending on IP).
--Click Sign In and create your own personal account.
--Click Choose Databases and click the boxes next to the appropriate databases and click Continue. For the African culture search, we’ll choose Advanced Placement Source, History Reference Center, MasterFILE Premier, Newspaper Source, Newspaper Source Plus, TOPICsearch.
--Enter your search topic—note the various search options of full-text, peer reviewed, reading level, journal name, etc.
--Click Search.
--Peruse your results in case the search strategy needs to be changed.
--Click Alert/Save/Share in the blue bar.
--Choose E-mail Alert. Add your e-mail information and select your settings.
--Click Save Alert.
Stay Up-to-Date in Your Field, K-12
Famous Artists DVDs, 3-8
Two new DVDs have been added to the Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists series: Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt. This series mixes animation with photographs of the actual works. The DVDs are available for checkout through media reservations.
Andy Warhol #808830
Claude Monet #805077
Da Vinci #808039
Edgar Degas #810068
Mary Cassatt #810091
Michelangelo #808038
Rembrandt #808040
Van Gogh #805078
Brothers Grimm DVDs, K-8
This new DVD series adapts these famous stories to more modern and multicultural settings. The DVDs are available for checkout through media reservations.
Ashpet: an American Cinderella #810063
This live-action version of "Cinderella" is set in the rural South in the early years of World War II.
Jack and the dentist’s daughter #810065
African American actors in period costumes and vintage cars re-enact a version of the Grimms' comic story, "The Master Thief," in a small 1930s American town.
Hansel & Gretel, The frog king, and Bearskin #810066
Hansel & Gretel are sent in Appalachia; Frog king is set in an upper-lcass, late 19th century dining room; Bearskin is set during the Civil War.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel; The goose girl; and Bristlelip #810067
Rapunzel is set in America in 1900, Goose girl is 17th century America, and Bristlelip in federalist Virginia in 1815.
Willa: an American Snow White #810064
The setting is early 20th century America.
Science of Disney Imagineering DVDs, 6-12
The Walt Disney Imagineers demonstrate how they use the engineering design process throughout Disney's theme parks. Four new DVDs have be added to this series: Design and Models, Electricity, Energy, Friction. The DVDs are available for checkout through media reservations.
Animal adaptations: communication #809644
Design and models #810056
Electricity #810054
Energy #810057
Fluids #810055
Friction #810053
Gravity #809177
Levers and pulleys #809176
Magnetism #809645
Newton’s 3 laws of motion #809646
Trajectory #809175
American Presidents DVDs, 6-12
These Disney programs feature 2-4 minute biographies. The DVDs are available for checkout through media reservations
1945-2010: Postwar United States and contemporary United States #810062
1890-1945: The emergence of modern America / The great depression / WW II #810061
Rosetta Stone® Software, K-12
The Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) has negotiated an extension of the special rate for Rosetta Stone® Classroom licenses to December 15, 2010. There will be a demonstration of the software at the Heartland Learning Center, November 17, 1:00-4:00. Please contact Franklin Moomaw to register or to schedule a personalized consultation, BMoomaw@rosettastone.com or 800-788-0822, ext. 7866.
Edward Cullen Died From the Flu, 7-12
Twilight fans know about the famous vampire. Do they know the back story? Do you suppose Edward was toe-tagged before his death like thousands of others? What caused the 1918 flu pandemic? What’s the connection to WWI? What was it like to live through it? How did medical needs and the war effort clash? American History in Video has a fascinating video called Influenza 1918 that includes primary source information and survivor interviews. You can:
• view the video full-screen
• view the video half-screen and read the written transcript on the side
• keyword search in the transcript to go directly to the exact video frame
• print the transcript and use as a dramatic reading
• embed the URL in a wiki or class homepage
• create a playlist
Use the online database username/password assigned to your school.
http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com/View/654043
BP Oil Spill, 7-12
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/oilspill
Want to link science, social studies or political science content to the Deepwater Horizon (BP) oil spill? Check out the collection of free resources gathered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). There are teaching suggestions for different grade levels, videos of the gulf coast ecosystem, an interactive map showing the spread of the spill, and links to online lessons on everything from how ecosystems naturally purify water (including a virtual tour of an “urban river”) to role-plays on the tradeoffs between development and preservation of the environment. There is also a collection of news articles on the science of the oil spill.
Remember the additional online resources provided by Heartland for teachers and students at home and at school. There are resources on the BP Oil Spill in each of these databases: EBSCO, Discovery Education Streaming, SIRS Researcher, World Book. Go to Com Cat at http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com to search all these databases at the same time.
You Can’t Argue With the Numbers, 7-12
http://numbrary.com/
Numbrary® is a free online service dedicated to finding, using, and sharing numbers. It includes economic indicators about inflation, employment, wages, manufacturing, etc. This site has a good set of links to statistics of all kinds, including material from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, The World Factbook, and more. Find data on topics such as global warming, inflation, employment, corporate debt, and many other current issues. While you can't argue with the numbers, your students can certainly use them to argue.
American History, 5-8
http://www.mission-us.org/
Mission US is an innovative multimedia project that features free online interactive games covering events in U.S. history, and related web resources to support game play and classroom teaching. Students are invited to be "players" during pivotal eras in the country’s past. Brought to you by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Hollywood Film Clips for Character Education, K-12
http://www.learn360.com
124 video clips are available online at Learn360. You can embed a hyperlink in a wiki or class homepage. Students will be prompted for the online database username/password assigned to your school to view the video clip.
A Christmas Story
A Walk to Remember
Adams Family
Akeelah & the Bee
Ant Bully
Antwone Fisher
Antz
Apollo 13
Babe
Back to the Future
Batman Begins
Bend it Like Beckham
Big Fat Liar
Billy Madison
Born on the Fourth of July
Boundin'
Bridge to Terabithia
Bringing Down the House
Chariots of Fire
Charlotte's Web
Cheaper by the Dozen
Coach Carter
Cool Runnings
Dead Poets Society
Drumline
Eight Men Out
Fellowship of the Ring
Finding Nemo
Forrest Gump
Glory
Great Outdoors
Hoot
Ice Age
Incredibles
Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade
Into the Arms of Strangers
It's a Wonderful Life
Jimmy Neutron
Kicking & Screaming
Legend of Bagger Vance
Liar Liar
Mean Girls
Mighty Ducks
Monsters, Inc.
Napoleon Dynamite
Parenthood
Pay it Forward
Remember the Titans
Return of the King
Rookie
Sandlot
Saving Private Ryan
School of Rock
Seabiscuit
Secret Life of Zoey
Shrek
Skyhigh
Spirit of America
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek: The Voyage Home
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Teen Wolf
Truman Show
War
War Games
Wizard of Oz
World Trade Center
X-Men
Deployment, K-12
Here are just a few resources to help students:
Operation Military Kids Backpacks
These bookbags contain activities books to foster resiliency in Iowa students who have a loved one deployed or in the military. The books and activities will help students cope with separation issues, develop problem-solving skills, learn about other cultures and geographical regions, and build pride for their military family members. Reserve online or call reservations:
Grades Prek-K #255986
Grades 1-4 #255984
Grades 5-8 #255985
Grades 9-12 #255986
Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployments
This DVD will help young children and families understand that they are not alone as they experience separation. Features Sesame Street Characters. DVD #255979
Mr Poe and Friends Discuss Family Reunion After Deployment
This DVD helps families deal with deployment separation stress. It was written and performed by children and their parents who have experienced deployment and present common family scenarios. The DVD includes a 30 minute video, facilitator's guide with suggested discussion questions, and informational handouts. For ages 6-11. DVD #255980
Military Youth Coping with Separation: When Family Members Deploy
This DVD will help adolescents understand that they are not alone as they experience family separation. It provides tools for students to begin to understand and cope with their feelings and emotions related to military deployment. DVD #255981
Children’s/Young Adult Books
Heartland has some excellent fiction and nonfiction books and picture books that may help students understand different cultures. Examples:
Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad
Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle
Midnight Tales: A Woman’s Journey Through the Middle East
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq
The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella
Count on Us: American Women in the Military
Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees
Alia’s Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq (graphic novel)
14 Cows for America
Count Your Way Through Afghanistan
Life Under the Taliban
Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea
Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan
Parvana’s Journey
The Roses in My Carpets
Under the Persimmon Tree
Welcome Afghanistan
The Breadwinner
My Name Was Hussein
The White Nights of Ramadan
The Best Eid Ever
Coming to America: A Muslim Family’s Story
Early Childhood Reading Support, PreK-3
http://www.worldbookonline.com
Early World of Learning is a new database from World Book Online. Log in with the online database username/password assigned to your school. Students can also use Early World at home. If you advertise to parents, be sure to protect the username/password—don’t post on the Internet, or include in a school newsletter (print or electronic) that might be circulated to the community at large. The basic content (and, many stories are in Spanish):
favorite children’s stories read aloud
download the audio story
interactive games and activities
fun facts
numbers, size, sequencing, shapes, time, opposites
colors
place
Teachers and parents will find value in finding just the right story or activity for those special events: riding a bus, reading a map, going to the doctor, seasons, feelings, sharing, loosing a tooth, bike safety, show and tell, birthdays, pets, family, moving, etc.
Educator features:
the read-aloud book has a Lexile scale
download a little foldable book
links to standards
Spanish language text and reading
Click here for a teacher and parent handout.
KU Writing Center, 9-12
http://www.writing.ku.edu/
This University of Kansas site offers writing support for students in the form of writing guides. Although it is designed for KU students, secondary students and teachers will find many useful resources. Writing is an important skill that requires practice and support while learning. The Students section offers many resources, including guides created by the writing professionals at KU’s Writing Center, that cover such topics as academic essays, grammar and usage, and avoiding plagiarism. Students can also view writing samples in the gallery or use the assignment planner to put the writing process in a timeline for completing a research paper on time. Teachers wanting to incorporate more writing into their curriculum can find resources and information on a wide variety of topics.
Webinars for Using Google Apps, K-12
http://groups.google.com/group/IA-Teach-GApps-UserGroup
Join this user group for support, tips, Q/A, and free training on using 2.0 applications in your classroom. You don’t have to have Google e-mail to use these apps or to participate in the group. Free 1-hour webinars begin at 3:30. All live webinars will be accessible at http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/googleapps and do not require a pre-registration.
October 21 - Using Google Docs
November 11 - Using Gmail
December 16 - Using Google Groups
Twitter—Why and How?
http://chronicle.com/blogPost/How-to-Start-Tweeting-and-Why/26065/
This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses how Twitter is more than following celebrities—you can actually use it for instruction and for your own professional development. It also explains how to get started.
Twitter—Professional Development
http://www.uwstout.edu/static/profdev/blog/twitter_favorites.html
The University of Wisconsin-Stout has listed some national educators and innovators that you might want to follow. Remember, you don’t have to send a Tweet, you can just follow. Examples: collaborative learning, online learning, digital storytelling, instructional design, Web 2.0, etc.
Twitter--Rubric
http://www.uwstout.edu/static/profdev/rubrics/Twitter_Rubric.html
This rubric may be used for assessing use of Twitter for instruction. It addresses content, frequency, hyperlinks, mechanics, comments and contributions.
Twitter—Professional Learning Network
http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2547
This article in District Administration talks about the importance of following vetted educators and participating in a national/international PLN. Includes hyperlinks to education experts.
Twitter—Search
http://search.twitter.com/
Enter a name, organization, or topic. It’s not updated in real time, but lets you know when there’s a new tweet that matches your interests.
Twitter—Directory
http://justtweetit.com/
Browse the listings of the education directory to find other Twitter users that share your interests or add your own listing. Click the hyperlink to view some recent tweets before you add them.
Learn How to Use Web 2.0 Tools, K-12
http://www.classroom20.com/
To learn about Web 2.0 programs and resources, visit Classroom 2.0. Sign up and access all resources and support free from other teachers. This site is especially for those teachers who are beginners in using Web 2.0 resources. Links to just about every educational resource are provided. The site also hosts free workshops and a weekly Saturday webinar where teachers can listen to, read about, and learn about all the programs.
EBSCO Mobile, K-12
We’ve had requests to re-post the instructions for adding the EBSCO Mobile icon to your smart phone or iTouch. The app works with Android, Blackberry, DellAxim, iPhone, Palm750.
1. On your device, go to http://search.ebscohost.mobi/
2. Click the + button on your browser toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
3. On the options menu, select Add to Home Screen.
4. Type in a name for your icon and click Add.
Lesson Plans on the WWW, K-12
http://www.thegateway.org/
The Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) is a one-stop source for high-quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units, and other educational resources. It currently contains over 24,000 education resources. This extensive collection is categorized by subject area and grade level, and is keyword searchable. Each collection is reviewed and must meet certain standards to be included in the Gateway. Search results provide a comprehensive list of annotated links. Each record provides a "more info" option that provides the complete GEM review and gives a short description of the resource, including author, title, and location.
FREE Lesson Plans on the Internet, K-12
http://free.ed.gov
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) is among the most popular K-12 web sites maintained by the U.S. Department of Education because it makes it easy to find teaching and learning resources from the federal government. These resources are made available by 60-plus government agencies, from the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to the U.S. Mint. The materials include animations, primary documents, photos, and videos. A detailed subject map allows searching by curriculum area, such as language arts, math, and U.S. history. Access is also provided through an alphabetical listing of specific topics.
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