 March 2005: Volume 6, Number 5 |
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Newsline Submission Guidelines Inside this IssueInstructional Technology UpdateFrom
the Director’s Desk
E-rate Program
Input requested Copyright and Fair Use DESE's document "Copyright Applies to Everyone" recognized in January 2005 issue of Technology and Learning Susan Cole Receives 2005 Missouri Arts Award
2005 Missouri Educational Technology conference:
More Sponsors Mean More Prizes in "Student Video
Discovery Awards"
Missouri
Schools and Programs in the News Regular Featured Items
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A flurry of Legislative Activity and a new look for Newsline With both the Missouri General Assembly and the U.S Congress in session, there has been a flurry of activity the past several weeks, with a lot of attention on education and the funding of specific education programs. At the state level, Governor Blunt proposed a twenty percent cut to the MOREnet appropriation that supports the state network, failed to propose reinstatement of the technology acquisition grant program, and proposed funding of the safe schools programs at last year’s reduced level. On the national front, President Bush proposed elimination of the state education technology grant program and other discretionary grant programs in favor of the much larger Title I program, the Reading First program, his new high school initiatives, as well as for national and homeland security. The announcement of the governor’s and president’s proposed budgets is just the beginning of long-term debates on how education in general and education technology in specific should be funded. With the nation suffering from a large budget deficit and with state revenues only slightly better than last year’s, legislators are asking serious questions about the effects of funding (or not funding) certain education programs. They want to know how program activities are making a positive difference in student learning and academic performance. They want answers that are measurable; they need easy-to-understand data that provide evidence of program effectiveness. School leaders must rise to the occasion, creating effective lines of communication and educating key policy makers and legislators on how their schools are using education technology funding, activities, services, or research, and providing data and evidence for how the program is improving student attendance, behavior, graduation rates, or academic achievement. This isn’t new, nor is it unusually difficult. However, it isn’t something that educators have been taught to do, either. How can school leaders learn to create effective lines of communication and communicate effective messages? Call program administrators in the state’s education agency, join an advocacy group (such as ETAN), host open houses, showcase student work in the school and through local media, invite parents, community members, and key stakeholders to events where students help you make the case for education technology.
AND
write articles for release in Newsline… Since November
1999, Newsline has increasingly reached out to more
users, with the overarching goals of keeping readers
up-to-date with education technology-related news and
events, showcasing how schools are using technology to
enhance teaching and learning, and providing a
clearinghouse of information related to effective
program services, research and evaluation, online
resources and other materials. While the goals have
remained unchanged over the years, the face of Newsline
has evolved. Working with the Department’s Information
Technology and Public Information sections, Newsline has
received another facelift and serves as a prototype for
other Department online newsletters. Please let us know
what you think… and keep sending in your stories on how
technology makes a positive difference. We thank you
for your support.
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Program |
President’s Proposal |
Current Level of funding (difference) |
|---|---|---|
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Title I |
$12.7 billion |
$13.3 billion ($603 million increase) |
|
Title II, Part A |
$2.9 billion |
$2.9 billion (no change) |
|
Title II, Part D |
$496 million |
$0 ($964 million decrease) |
|
Title V |
$193 million |
$100 million ($93 million decrease) |
|
State Data Program |
$24.8 million |
$24.8 million (no change) |
|
Star Schools |
$20.3 million |
$0 ($20.3 million decrease) |
|
Ready to Teach |
$14.3 million |
$0 ($14.3 million decrease) |
|
CTCs |
$4.96 million |
$0 ($4.96 million decrease) |
The next step for this budget is its consideration by the House and Senate Budget Committees. Both Committees will hold hearings and attempt to reach consensus on passing a budget resolution, which represents a blueprint for federal spending rather than specific decisions on individual programs, such as EETT. To take effect, a budget resolution must be passed by both Houses but will not be signed by the President. If Congress passes a budget, the spending limits established within it will serve to guide the appropriations process, where individual program spending decisions are made.
New bill would exempt
E-rate from Anti-Deficiency Act
In early February, Senators Rockefeller and Snowe introduced
a bill that would permanently exempt universal service, including
the E-rate program, from provisions of the Anti-Deficiency Act that
bar the FCC and USAC from obligating funds (through issuance of
Funding Commitment Decision Letters) unless they have adequate cash
on-hand to cover the obligations. New Senate Commerce Committee
chair, Ted Stevens (R-AK) and the Committee’s new Ranking Member,
Daniel Inouye (D-HI), have already signed on as cosponsors. This
seems to indicate the bill will at least get through the Senate
Commerce Committee without many problems. As yet, however, there is
no word on a house companion bill, nor is it known what the
Administration’s position will be. Additionally, with FCC Chairman
Powell stepping down this March and no successor yet named, it is
unclear whether the FCC will be helpful in pushing the bill.
Technology Advocacy Day
ISTE and CoSN have designated March 21, 2005 as a Technology
Advocacy Day. Taking place during the CoSN Conference in Washington,
D.C., Advocacy Day is a free event. Join others interested in
promoting funding of the EETT Program and protecting the critically
important E-Rate program.
SETDA to host “Technology Blackout Day"
On
April 20, 2005, the State Educational Technology Directors
Association (SETDA) is sponsoring a nationwide “Technology Blackout
Day” – a day when thousands of teachers, students, and parents will
imagine one day without the use of technology. Lesson plans
and activities are being developed appropriate for use in the 4th
and 8th grades that will address specific curriculum
content standards, as well as writing activities for high school
students, to help teachers and students analyze the impact
technology has had on society and begin to imagine how they will use
technology in the 21st century workforce. Students and
parents will be encouraged to share their experiences, definitions,
and thoughts on technology via written essays and activities. SETDA
will collect student findings and distribute prizes for an array of
the best teacher, student, and parent statements. Look for more
information to be posted on the SETDA website (http://www.setda.org)
around mid March.
ED TECH RESEARCH, PUBLICATION, RESOURCES, SPECIAL EVENTS
NCES publication on terms and issues influencing technology acquisition decisions
The National Center for Education Statistic’s (NCES) Forum Unified Education Technology Suite presents a practical, comprehensive, and tested approach to assessing, acquiring, instituting, managing, securing, and using technology in education settings. It should also help individuals who lack extensive experience with technology to develop a better understanding of the terminology, concepts, and fundamental issues influencing technology acquisition and implementation decisions. The online resource combines and updates four previously existing NCES/Forum publications: Safeguarding Your Technology (1998), Technology @ Your Fingertips, Version 2.0 (2001), Technology in Schools (2002), and Weaving a Secure Web Around Education (2003). See: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/tech_suite/.NCES report on distance education
NCES recently released, 'Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002-03.' This public school district survey is the first national survey to explore distance education courses for public elementary and secondary school students. The report provides national estimates of the number of districts and schools with students enrolled in distance education courses, as well as the number of enrollments in those courses. In addition, it examines the reported reasons for having distance education courses, the instructional level of the populations served, entities delivering the courses to students, and data pertaining to online courses. Data about curriculum areas and technology in distance education courses are also discussed. Survey findings are presented at the national level and by school district characteristics such as metropolitan status, district enrollment size, region, and poverty concentration. To download, view, and print the report as a pdf file, visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005010SREB releases report on state virtual schools
A recent report from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) indicates that 16 of the states in the southeast region have a state virtual school, and that others are in the process of creating one. All of the state virtual schools provide online courses for high school students, while growing numbers of states provide courses for middle school students, but not one state provides courses for students below the middle grades. SREB state virtual schools provide courses for students who attend schools that are unable to provide certain courses; need to retake courses to meet academic requirements; need an alternative to traditional education; want expanded course options; have physical disabilities or prolonged absences from school because of illness. For a copy of the report, see: http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/onlinelearning/initiatives.asp.CREL newsletter article on Facilitating School Improvement with Data
The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) publishes Notes and Reflections, a newsletter for professional development providers. The Winter 2005 issue continues the topic of using data to guide school improvement. The previous issue (Fall 2004) explained how to collect, organize, and analyze data, as well as how to identify and explain areas of concern. The current issue provides a how-to guide to accomplishing key steps of school improvement planning: identify strategies, set target goals, develop an action plan, plan the evaluation, and roll out the plan. To download the current issue, see: http://ncrel.org/info/notes/wtr05/.Pew survey says more Americans have home computer networks
Internet users in households with multiple computers are increasingly turning to home networks to manage their computing and online surfing at home. According to a Pew survey, 46 percent of homes with more than one computer said they had a home network of some sort. Among those networked at home, half (52 percent) have wireless networks with the rest using cables to network their homes. Fueling the growth in home networks appears to be broadband and the use of laptop computers.Americans are building more sophisticated computer environments at home in the quest for more mobility and flexibility in their household Internet experience. See: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/p/1048/pipcomments.asp
DESE plans IDEA technical assistance activities
The Division of Special Education is planning a series of technical assistance activities during the spring and summer to help local school officials plan for implementation of the new IDEA law. The first planned activity is a video Webcast that addresses changes in IDEA and their direct impact on the provision of services for students with disabilities. The Webcast is available at the following address: http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/Compliance/IDEA_REAu2004/.
NEWSLINE has a New Look in
2005
Newsline is currently undergoing some formatting changes and your input is important to us. Please take a few minutes to respond to the following survey and fax it to Instructional Technology at 573-522-1134 or email to Shirley.Brumley@dese.mo.gov
What section(s) of Newsline do you repeatedly read?
What section of Newsline do you read first?
What section(s) do you never read?
What content changes would you like to see? More or less articles of certain topics?
What articles/topics would be of interest in future issues?
Do you view the calendar and conference section in Newsline or on the Instructional Technology webpage? Or both?
Do you like the new format? Is it user-friendly?
Do you think the Index Topic link/page will be beneficial for your technology director or teachers?
I read Newsline _____monthly _____occasionally _____seldom.
Suggestions/comments for improvement___________________________________
Our staff welcomes readers to submit articles for Newsline. Please take a look at the submission guidelines and share some education technology related news for publication. Thank You!
Copyright and Fair Use
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's copyright document Copyright Applies to Everyone" was recognized in the January 2005 issue of Technology and Learning as a useful resource on copyright and fair use. Lisa Walters, Library Media and Technology Consultant, is responsible for this document. To read the article, visit Tech-Learning http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=57700758 To view the document visit http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/copyright/index.htm
Susan Cole
Receives 2005 Missouri Arts Award
Susan Cole, Coordinator of State Programs, was honored by Governor Matt Blunt at a ceremony on February 9 at the Capitol Rotunda. She received a 2005 Missouri Arts Award in the category of arts education from the Missouri Arts Council.
The Missouri Arts Award is Missouri’s highest honor to individuals and institutions that have made profound and lasting contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of the state.
Susan was recognized for helping to establish the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, which has been held annually at Southwest Missouri State University for the past nine years. She strives for educational programming that insists the arts play a vital role in the lives and well being of Missouri’s young people, their teachers, families, schools and communities.
The Missouri Arts Council also presented awards in five other categories. The council is a division of the Department of Economic Development.
2005 Missouri Educational Technology Conference: Enabling Learning
Technologies
--Submitted by Bill Giddings,
Director of Educational and Library Programs, MOREnet
MOREnet welcomes presentation proposals on effective applications of educational technology for the 2005 Missouri Educational Technology Conference: Enabling Learning Technologies. This professional development event is directed toward any and all educators interested in educational technologies, grades pre-kindergarten through college.
You may choose to submit a proposal from four categories of presentations focusing on six strands. Multiple proposals may be submitted, but typically only one presentation per person is accepted. Presenters are required to register for the conference and pay the registration fee. The fee is discounted based on the level of participation on the part of presenter(s). Discounts apply for a maximum of two presenters per accepted proposal.
All proposals must be submitted online at http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2005. It is recommended that the presentation proposal submission instructions be reviewed prior to completing the online submission form. The deadline for presentation proposal submissions is April 8, 2005. Final acceptance and regret notifications will be mailed by mid-May.
For complete conference information, including schedule, costs, presenter and exhibitor information, visit the conference website at http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2005/. For additional information contact Sandra Monnig (conferences@more.net) or Eric Nicklas (eric@more.net) or call (800) 509-6673.
FEBRUARY EDITION I-SAFE TIMES
--Submitted by Eric Fairbanks, Editor, i-SAFE America Inc.
February issue of The i-SAFE Times is now available at www.isafe.org/newsletter/2005/february/newsletter_er.html
The i-SAFE Times features stories about current Internet safety issues, important tips on how to protect you and your family’s Internet experience, and stories of success throughout the United States.
This month’s lead article exposes the dangerous truth behind teens and cyberporn. There are over 260 million webpages of hardcore pornography vying for the attention of America’s youth. And they’re looking--70 percent of 15-17 years olds have looked at cyberporn. What effect does cyberporn have on teens and what steps can you take to protect your child from it? Read this article and find out.
Highlights of this month’s issue:
Transmitting from a computer near you: Podcasting. The newest trend to hit the Internet could pose some thorny intellectual property and content regulation questions for America’s youth.
The new Megan’s Law website, listing the location of sexual predators, launches and is, not surprisingly, immediately swamped.
News Flash: The CAN SPAM Act has unexpected results.
Educator’s Corner: Blocking the Pop Ups.
*Note: To view The i-SAFE Times. you will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. For a free version of Adobe Reader, please go to <http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html>
Don’t forget to check out our past issues-bookmark < <http://www.isafe.org/channels/sub.php?ch=4&sub_id=4a>
More Sponsors Mean More Prizes in 'Student Video Discovery Awards'
www.eschoolnews.com/vda.
www.eschoolnews.com/mediakit/
Apple Computer and Avid Technologies have joined Discovery Education in support of the 2005 Student Video Discovery Awards. The awards program--designed to recognize and honor excellence in student video production--is presented by eSchool News, the leading print and electronic news organization in the education-technology field. The addition of Apple Computer and Avid Technologies means the winning student video producers not only will reap national recognition for their work, but they'll also bring valuable technology to their schools' video programs. Details were being worked out at press time, but eSchool News announced the contributions of video gear will be worth well over $20,000.
"The generous contributions of Discovery Education, Apple Computer, and Avid Technologies--three of the world's video-technology leaders--bring yet another dimension to eSN's Student Video Discovery Awards program," said Gregg W. Downey, publisher of eSchool News. "Students will receive international recognition by having their work posted on eSchool News Online, the world's most-visited ed-tech publication web site. They'll get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from the field's most distinguished video teams as they cover a national technology conference, and they'll have the satisfaction of knowing they've helped bring a tangible enhancement to the video-production programs of their schools."
Student video producers and their educator sponsors will submit examples of the student video productions on CDs, Downey said. QuickTime is the preferred format for the entry submissions, he added, but other major formats also will be accepted.
The deadline for entries is April 8. A panel of experts in journalism and video production will select three teams of finalists at each of three educational levels--high school, community college, and university. Finalists and winners will be selected in April, and winning student video teams will be honored during an awards ceremony at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC), June 27-29, in Philadelphia.
Besides gifts of video equipment for their schools and colleges, the student winners also will earn the opportunity to work with a team of newspaper reporters, a professional video crew from Discovery Education, and video experts from Apple and Avid Technologies. Under the tutelage of these mentors, the students will cover NECC, an education technology conference that annually attracts some 18,000 educators and education supporters.
The students' daily NECC coverage will be posted at eSchool News Online, the world's most visited ed-tech publication web site according to Alexa, the web-site rating service of Amazon.com. Each student winner also will receive a CD of the student conference coverage to place in his or her video portfolio.
About the 2005 Student Video Discovery Awards
For awards information and entry forms, see http://www.eschoolnews.com/vda.
For sponsor information, see "Video Awards" at http://www.eschoolnews.com/mediakit/
For more information: Gregg W. Downey, publisher - 301-913-0115 x 107; gdowney@eschoolnews.com
MISSOURI SCHOOLS AND PROJECTS IN THE NEWS
Steelville R-III
CONGRATULATIONS to Ms. Billy Edgar, Steelville VFW State Teacher of the Year for grades K-5.eMINTS
Congratulations to Shae Johnson, 4th grade eMINTS teacher at Greenwood Lab School on the SMSU campus. She was named as one of the top online educators for 2005 by Surfaquarium. The honor comes to Shae through a peer nomination process.
METPA NEWS
--Submitted by Andy Hall, Technology Director, Mexico School District and METPA President
www.metpa.orgRemember to register for the MOREnet spring technical conference, April 6 and 7, at Tan-Tar-A, Osage Beach, MO. METPA will have a strong presence at the conference, with a full slate of presentations for technology leaders in districts, a booth at the vendor fair staffed by some familiar faces, and our annual meeting at Tirebiters on April 6 at 7:00 pm. Everyone is encouraged to come to the meeting and share ideas on how to make METPA a better organization. Election of officers will be held also. Please stop by the booth at the vendor fair and complete our member survey.
METPA is still waiting for final word on our ISTE affiliation. The application/paperwork has been submitted and we hope to know in early March where we stand. This will be a big benefit to all METPA members
EMINTS QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Q. Where can I find the archives for recent discussion list topics?
A. If you go to http://lists.emints.org/mailman/listinfo/emints and click on the link to eMINTS Archives, you will see the last several months. You can look at the archives by thread, subject, author or date. It is a very handy way to find those messages about specific postings that you want to follow up on.
Q. How I can easily find other teachers’ classroom websites?
A. A technique recommended by Don Leu, the Chair of Literacy and Technology in the education department at the University of Connecticut, is to do a Google search with the terms: Mrs (or Mr or Ms) 4th grade (or whatever grade) classroom, home page awards. It will bring up some of the best sites to us. An example of a good classroom website where 4th graders are keeping a blog of daily events can be seen at http://www.mskreul.com (Janice Friesen, Area 1 Instructional Specialist)
COPYRIGHT QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Q. May an educator (e.g., classroom teacher, substitute teacher, or student teacher) other district employee, volunteer, or others show an off-air program over a two- or three-day period or may excerpts of the program be shown in a distance learning class?
A. Yes As long as the program is used in face-to-face instruction, it may be shown in its entirety one time within ten school days from the date of taping. Excerpts may also be used (with proper copyright notice) provided the recorded program is not altered from its original content and is also shown within ten school days of the taping.
UPCOMING 2005
CONFERENCES
|
March 1-2 |
The 16th
Annual Southwest Education and Technology Conference |
|
March 21-23 |
EDUCAUSE
Midwest Regional Conference 2005 |
|
March 22-23 |
CoSN’s K-12
School Networking Conference |
|
April 3-5 |
Missouri
Association of School Librarians (MASL) Spring Conference |
|
July 14-16 |
11th
Annual Character Education Conference |
|
October 16-18 |
Missouri
Education Technology Conference |
GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Source: Technology & Learning
For descriptions of the individual grants, go to the www.techlearning.com/grants.html
Deadline
Grant
Ongoing
Educational Foundation of America Grants
www.efaw.org
Ongoing
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s Education Grants Program
www.hewlett.org
March 21
The Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy
http://www.ncss.org/awards
April 1
Teammates for Kids Grants
http://touchemail.com/index.htm
April 15
Home Depot’s At Risk Youth Grants
www.homedepot.com
April 19
Faculty Humanities Workshops (from the National Endowment for the Humanities)
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/facworkshops.html
May 1
American Honda Foundation Grants
www.honda.com
May 1
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/fellowships.html
May 1
Tiger Woods Foundation Grants
www.twfound.org
May 15
Gannett Foundation
http://gannettfoundation.org
May 31
Target’s Local Grants Program
www.target.com
June 10
Teacher Grants
www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/get_grant.html#anchor_2
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
March 1
Newsline published online
March 10
Missouri Rural Development Partnerships
Committee Meeting (1:15 pm-3:30 pm)
Governor Office Building, Room 316, Jefferson City, MO
March 15
eMINTS Teacher Quarterly Report due
March 15
eMINTS Tech Contact Quarterly Report due
March 25
Newsline articles due
March 31
eMINTS Grant applications due to DESE
March 31
Technology Plans due to DESE
FROM THE MAILBAG
Using Accessible Technology: A Guide for Educators
www.microsoft.com/Education/EdGuideAccessible.aspx
Microsoft is now offering a 47-page guide providing information about Accessible Technology initiatives and resources that are available to educators to ensure that all students have equal access to electronic information.Assistive-tech Community Promotes Sharing, Learning
IntelliTools Inc., a longtime maker of assistive technology solutions for schools, has launched an upgraded version of its IntelliShare Classroom Activity Exchange. This free service provides an online community where users of the IntelliTools Classroom Suite, as well as program authors and other stakeholders, can gather to discuss their ideas, contribute to ongoing discussions, and download activities designed to help students in the classroom. Its features include free membership; activity sharing, a new upload feature that makes any activity instantly available for downloading; user messaging, through which members can contact other users to share ideas, impressions, and techniques; and a rating feature that enables stakeholders to post comments and share their insights on featured activities with other educators. When searching for potential classroom activities on the site, users can select from either regular or advanced search options covering grade level, curriculum area, and author. Plus, an activity-tracking feature lets users keep track if the activities they upload or download through the site—and a reward points program gives active participants a chance to earn points redeemable for IntelliTools products and training services for use in their schools.Do You Blog?
www.contentbank.org
The Children's Partnership is pleased to make this youth-focused blogging curriculum available to others to use in their own communities. Contentbank is a project of The Children's Partnership, a national nonprofit child advocacy organization, with generous support from the Markle Foundation, the Time Warner Foundation, and The California Wellness Foundation.The Contentbank Web site is designed to be the “first stop” for information and resources about online content for low-income and underserved community users.K-12 Virtual Program.com
K-12 Inc. is one of the nation’s most innovative curriculum companies and a leading supplier to school districts for virtual school and online learning programs. Based in McLean, Virginia, K-12 currently serves over 20,000 students in grades K-8 across the U.S. and abroad. K-12 also provides virtual school management services and professional development for teachers and administrators. Our experience with school districts around the country has demonstrated that with the right partnership, experienced leaders, and one of the nation’s great academic programs, public school innovation can be a vibrant success.What K-12 can provide your school district
- A standards-based, content-rich program that meets or exceeds your state’s content standards and maps courses and lessons to those specific standards in six core subjects: Math, Language Arts, Science, History, Art, and Music.
- Over 6,000 lessons for kindergarten through eighth grade, created by master teachers, professors, and subject matter experts, that offer clear, measurable lesson objectives, online and offline curriculum, manipulatives, lesson plans, instructional activities, teacher guides, and assessment tools. Ninth grade courses will be available in the fall of 2005.
- Accountability tools integrated with the lessons that make it simple for administrators and teachers to determine academic progress and enable data-driven decisions to improve student achievement.
- The ability to provide your students with an individualized learning plan that results in real academic achievement.
- Tools and training to ensure success of students and staff in your new virtual school program. K-12 proven virtual school learning model and user interface makes a virtual school implementation seamless.
- An economical way to maximize your technological infrastructure while meeting the needs of a variety of students including those in alternative education, gifted and advanced students, students in remote rural areas or troubled urban areas, special-needs students, home-bound students, and the children of mobile parents (e.g., military).
- An opportunity for you and your district to join a select group from across the nation who are leading the way in virtual education by implementing the K-12 curriculum.
We are interested in partnering with school districts that would like to explore the idea of a virtual school program, or venues where a web-based curriculum is used in a classroom setting. Please contact Houston Tucker at htucker@k12.com or 901-619-4051 to request a personal demonstration in your district.
INTERNET SITES OF INTEREST
Gameaquarium
http://www.gamequarium.com/A great Math site is Gamequarium. It has many levels at which to practice.
Book Adventure
http://www.bookadventure.org/qt/booklist.aspA good site for motivating readers is Book Adventure. It lists books for them to read; then allows them to take a quiz and feel successful.
Earth Day Organizers Offer Free Lessons
www.earthday.net
www.edutopia.org/products/edutopianews.php
As educators and environmentalists prepare for the 35th anniversary of Earth Day, on April 22, the Earth Day Network has launched an education tool that challenges students to think about the way their daily choices and activities affect their local and global environment. The game and one-day lesson plan, called "Environmental Jeopardy," has been sent to more than 6,500 educators around the country who are members of the Earth Day Network's Educator's Network. Teachers who join the Educator's Network through the Teacher's Corner of the Earth Day Network Web site will also receive a free copy of the game, designed to challenge the way students think about such issues as recycling, energy, sustainability, transportation, and pollution. Additional educational games and activities will be available in April and May. (www.earthday.net)Newest eThemes
Animals: Wombats
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001526.shtmlThese websites are about the wombat animal. Includes coloring pages, facts, pictures, and videos. Find out why the animal is endangered. Includes a link to an eTheme resource on Australia.
Author Study: Mem Fox
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001529.shtmlThese websites are about author Mem Fox and her books. Explore the author's website to find out more about her background. Read reviews of her books and complete activities. Includes links to eThemes on the book "Koala Lou," the continent Australia, the continent Africa, and African culture and history.
Equinox
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001524.shtmlLearn about the spring and fall equinox. Find out why day and night are equal on those days. Learn about equinox traditions and rituals. Learn whether the statement about being able to balance an egg on its end during the equinox is true. Includes photographs, images, quiz, and an animation. There are links to eThemes resources on seasons.
Literature: "Superfudge" by Judy Blume
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001523.shtmlThese websites are about author Judy Blume and her book "Superfudge." Complete activities, read reviews and excerpts, and learn more about the author. Includes resources on the themes of sibling rivalry, having a new baby brother or sister, fudge, and tootsie rolls. There are links to eTheme resources on Judy Blume and the book "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing."
Math: Geometry: Pi Day
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001525.shtmlLearn about the constant number Pi = 3.14. Find out why it is celebrated on March 14th every year. Discover why this number is considered to be mysterious and fascinates some mathematicians. Learn how to calculate the number and use it for solving problems and equations. Includes animations, word problems, lesson plans, crafts, trivia, and quizzes.
Famous People: Johannes Kepler and Laws of Planetary Motion
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001521.shtmlLearn about the renowned mathematician and astronomer who discovered the laws of planetary motion, calculated the birth year of Christ, and found celestial mechanics. Find out about his life and discoveries. Learn the three laws of orbiting bodies revealed by the scientist in 17th century. Includes images, animations, and interactive Java applets.
Famous People: Sir Isaac Newton
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001384.shtmlLearn about Sir Isaac Newton's life, his discoveries, ideas, and the "Princapelia Mathamatica". Find out about the Universal Law of Gravitation, formulated calculus, split the light, invented a reflecting telescope, and more. Learn about the scientist's personality, his family, friends, and opponents. Includes eThemes resources on force and motion, gravity, and light.
Literature: "Henry and Ribsy" by Beverly Cleary
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001522.shtmlThese websites are about the book "Henry and Ribsy" and author Beverly Cleary. Visit the author's website to find out about the characters in her books. There are links to quizzes, excerpts, lesson plans, and more. Includes links to eThemes resources on Beverly Cleary, dogs, and fishing.
Updated eThemes
Holiday: Easter
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000082.shtmlThese sites are about Easter and the symbols associated with the holiday. Play online games or print out puzzles. Includes many craft ideas and free clip art. Try some egg-related math problems.
Seasons: Spring
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001372.shtmlThese sites have spring crafts, worksheets, and lesson plans. One link is a slide show created by elementary school students. There are links to eThemes on kites and Easter.
Women's History Month
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000987.shtmlLearn more about Women's History Month (March) and International Women's Day (March 8). There are many biographies of famous women who excelled in a variety of fields. Includes quizzes, crossword puzzles, timelines, and suggested classroom activities. There are links to eThemes Resources on a variety of famous women.
Continent: Australia
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000383.shtmlThese sites have information about Australia, including its animals, geography, climate, and history. Includes photographs, maps, quizzes, and games, plus a virtual tour of the Sydney Opera House and a live Webcam that you can control. Also includes a link to eThemes Resources on koalas and the Olympics.
French Revolution
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000828.shtmlLearn more about the French Revolution and its causes and effects. These sites are geared toward high school students and include timelines, primary documents, and paintings. Read letters from Marie Antoinette and listen to songs from the time period. There is also a link to an eThemes Resource on France.
Holiday: St. Patrick's Day
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000294.shtmlThese sites about St. Patrick's Day include games, crafts, poems, e-cards, and clip art. Learn about the history of this holiday. Tune into a Webcam on March 17 to spy on a leprechaun. Play online games or print out word searches and coloring pages. There is a link to an eThemes Resource on Ireland.
Pony Express
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000311.shtmlThese sites are about the Pony Express. Includes maps of the route and a biography on one of the founders. Read about the history of this 1860-1861 mail delivery system.
Safety: Fire
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000366.shtmlThese sites have tips and facts about fire safety and prevention. Play online games and quizzes about fire safety in the home and outside. Students can color printed sheets and practice stop, drop, and roll. Includes audio and video files.
DESE 3370-30 2/05