December 2002
General | Grades K-2 | Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8 | Grades 9-12
Seasons Greetings to all!
The TEAMS Distance Learning home page has a number of new sections for you to explore. Starting in the first column on the left there is a section entitled "Career Center". This section has been created for those of you at the secondary level to help students find out about and explore professional or vocational goals, get help with college board exams, take aptitude and interest inventories, and visit college and university campuses through virtual tours. You will find links for help with college entrance essays, learn about entering a branch of the military, find a summer job, or access career options. Please pass this link on to your local high school career centers and middle school counselors; even your unemployed neighbors might find it useful!
The Distance and Online Learning section on the TEAMS Home page http://cdol.lacoe.edu/ highlights all the programs we are currently working on in the Center for Distance and Online Learning:
In addition to a link back to the TEAMS home page you can access TEAMS Teaching Circles, http://teachingcircles.lacoe.edu/, a K-8 program of eWorkshops designed to help new teachers by providing individualized mentoring. The K-3 and 4-8 eWorkshops (available by subscription) offer the latest research in education, a variety of teaching strategies, tips, and tools, online discussions on topics of interest, and individual answers to your questions.
Next is MathStar http://mathstar.lacoe.edu/: a multi-state StarSchools grant to help middle school math teachers improve student achievement in mathematics. Included are resources for middle school teaching and learning, trends and topics, online courses, field-tested lessons, and the popular New Media Project designed for middle school with innovative strategies for teaching integers.
TeachStar California http://teachstar.lacoe.edu/ is a program for middle school mathematics instructors providing standards-based lessons to help students grasp mathematical concepts in new and exciting ways. Current emphasis fosters algebraic concept understanding using exemplary teaching models of instruction.
STELLAR http://stellar.lacoe.edu/ (Supporting Teachers of English Learners in Language Arts and Reading) is an online professional development course over one semester. Its purpose is to train teachers to improve teaching practices and to discover the latest research in English Language development. Video clips demonstrate exemplary teaching practices, content experts share standards-based curriculum and teaching strategies, and moderators serve to facilitate understanding of the content.
If you are interested in participating in any of these programs, please go to the "contact us" section of the page to reach coordinator, Marilyn Fong. fong_marilyn@lacoe.edu
The next new section on the TEAMS home page is Early Childhood Education /documentation/places/ece.html. This section is designed especially for teachers and parents of children ages 0- 7. Here you will find curricular activities and projects in art, music, math, science and reading as well as sections especially for preschool teachers. Check out the computer activities to see what very young children can do on computers. The special section for parents contains lots of resources to help raise children in today’s fast-paced technological world.
The Especially for Administrators section discussed in last month’s Cyberscoop is now easily accessible from the front page.
/documentation/places/admin.html A number of new resources have been added, so please encourage your administrators to use our site.
Two new sections have been added to the U.S. History
resources found at
/documentation/places/history/history/us.html
and they are September 11, 2001 /documentation/places/history/history/us.html#911
and Famous People
/documentation/places/history/history/us.html#people
Also indexed from this site are current event resources found at
/documentation/news/news.html
There is now a section for Library/ Media Specialists,
as many of our Cyberscoop subscribers are librarians, computer lab teachers,
or media specialists.
/documentation/places/libmedia.html
Here you will find how to cite Internet resources, copyright/ fair use
information, lessons to use in working directly with students, access
to libraries all over the world, and search techniques and strategies
to help students research information.
I have moved the Reference section to its own location /documentation/places/libraries.html
where there are some of the same features found in the library/ media
specialists area. However, you will also find dictionaries, encyclopedias,
periodicals, and maps in this section.
I know there are many sites you already use that are not on our site,
so please let me know what they are so I can add them.
Here are this month’s site suggestions:
Especially for Administrators:
Assessment
This Education Week article outlines the high stakes testing controversy
over whether or not state-wide tests really indicate student learning
and achievement. This section is continually updated to include recent
news articles concerning assessment.
http://www.edweek.org/context/topics/issuespage.cfm?id=41
Buyer’s Guide
School technology connects you to over 3500 vendors, products, and services.
http://www.mediabrains.com/client/eschooln/bg1/search.asp
NCLB Desktop Reference
The US Dept. of Education provides this resource for the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 which outlines each section of the10-point legislation.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/reference.html
Pennsylvania Tests Essay-Grading Software
Read how one state is using computer software to help monitor student
progress in writing.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=2080
Projections of Educational Statistics to 2012
Look ahead using these projections from the National Center for Education
Statistics.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/proj2012/
Real Kids, Real Risks: Effective Instruction of Students at Risk
of Failure
Despite the research of how students learn best, many teachers are still
using traditional methods. How is this affecting student achievement?
This editorial is by Scott L. Day.
http://www.principals.org/news/bltn_realkids0902.html
Schools’ Software Use Raises Scores and Eyebrows
See how one district’s test scores rose dramatically thanks to hard-working
staff, students, and Classworks Gold Edition 2.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=3505
Testing, Teaching, Learning?
Companion site for the PBS Frontline program which includes transcripts
of interviews with educational experts, researched articles, and many
resource connections evaluating current testing practices and its affect
on teaching and learning.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/schools/testing/
General
150 Teaching Methods
Need some new ideas in reaching your students? Check out this list!
http://www.ss.uno.edu/SS/New/TecniqList.html
top
All About Snow
Do you have questions about snow? This site just about covers it all,
from explanations between a blizzard and a squall, to facts about avalanches,
snow collection data, and snowflakes and crystals.
http://nsidc.org/snow/index.html
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Apple Gives Away its OS X to Educators
Do you use a MAC? Apple is giving teachers a free copy of the "Jaguar"
Mac OS X version 10.2 operating system. You only have until Dec. 31st
to take advantage of this great offer.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=4023
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CyberSurfari
Sign up to participate in an online scavenger hunt taking students on
an expedition of more than 100 "kid-safe" destinations on the
Internet. Contest started in October and runs through Jan. 10th.
http://www.cybersurfari.org/index.cfm
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DanceTalentNetwork
DanceScape, part of the DanceTalentNetwork, is considered to be the best
online resource for dancers, choreographers, performing groups, schools,
world-wide organizations and magazines.
http://www.dancetalentnetwork.com/
top
Dyslexia Online
Online magazine with new perspectives offering information on and resources
for dyslexia.
http://www.audiblox2000.com/dyslexia_dyslexic/dyslexia.htm
top
Easy Test Maker
Free online test creator for multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching,
short answer and true and false questions all on the same test.
http://www.easytestmaker.com/
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Exciting Internet Treasure Hunts
Students discover important facts and learn to analyze information in
these treasure hunts in the topics of art, health, language arts, math,
music, science, and social studies.
http://www.montana.edu/4teachers/instcomp/hunts/treasurehunts.html
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Fiddler’s Green
Paper models available online for free or nominal cost including paper
planes, buildings, trains, boats, cars, and more.
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/index.htm
top
Great Buildings Collection
Find out about architects, walk through 3-D buildings, search by architecture
style for other buildings around the world with style similarities.
http://www.GreatBuildings.com/buildings.html
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Interesting Things for ESL Students
Fun learning games that will help other students as well as English Language
Learners.
http://www.manythings.org/
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Karin’s ESL Partyland for Teachers
Practical teaching ideas for working with ESL students including teaching
grammar, conversation, listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary,
and more.
http://www.eslpartyland.com/teachers/Tinitial.htm
top
Kid’s Certificates
Free printable award certificates for teachers to use with students and
parents. Sign up for a paid prescription for more than1000 additional
possibilities.
http://www.kidscerts.com/free.php
top
Kids.Net.Au
A search engine especially for kids highlighting kid-safe sites to use
for school or leisure activities.
http://www.kids.net.au/
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Middle East
Global Connections provides this timely resource to help students research
the history behind current conflicts in the Middle East. Explore Middle
Eastern politics, science, and economics.
http://www.pbs.org/globalconnections
top
Online Schoolyard
Includes sections for kids, teens, and grown-ups with timely articles,
activities, and links of interest to each.
http://www.onlineschoolyard.com/home.asp
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The Puzzling World of Barry R. Clarke
Brain teasers, puzzlers, and classics from Barry R. Clarke.
http://www.barryispuzzled.com/
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Songs for Teaching
Encourages the use of music to promote learning. Includes research and
resources, teaching and lesson plan tips, mood music, songs for teaching
in content areas, cheers, chants, raps, and poetry. Features a number
of different artists and composers.
http://songsforteaching.homestead.com/index.html
top
Technology Teacher’s Resource Center
Craig Nansen has created this resource for the Minot Public Schools but
you will find helpful ideas for tech coordinators throughout the site.
http://www.minot.com/~nansen/
top
Today, Hooray!
Multiple resources in celebration of today: the game of the day, crossword
of the day, pun of the day, political site of the day, word game of the
day, problem of the day, historical events of the day, and more.
http://www.kidskonnect.com/TodayHooray/TodayHooray.html
Grades K-2
123 Reading Road
Activities to help young children in the early stages of reading development
including alphabet, phonics, and sight word activities.
http://library.thinkquest.org/50027/main.html?tqskip1=1&tqtime=1205
top
Dragonfly Pond
Great science explorations for young children including units on butterflies,
space, sounds, snow, skeletons, plants, insects, trees, water, seeds,
and more.
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/
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Early Literacy Advisor
Assessment system that shapes appropriate instruction.
http://www.mcrel.org/resources/literacy/ela/
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Over, Under, In, and Out
Still and interactive scenes to help children distinguish differences
between beside, behind, above, below, inside, outside, top, bottom, middle,
around, together, apart, and more.
http://www.meddybemps.com/9.600.html
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Phonics in Whole Language Classrooms
Does the debate over the need for phonics instruction still rage among
teachers at your school? This article by Constance Weaver might give you
some ideas for teaching phonics.
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/phonics.html
top
Story of Milk
Find out where milk comes from in this virtual tour.
http://www.moomilk.com/tour.htm
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Storyplace
The children’s digital library containing stories in English and
in Spanish.
http://www.storyplace.org/
Grades 3-5
4H Virtual Farm
Choose to visit a horse farm, a dairy farm, a chicken farm, a fish farm,
a cattle farm, and a wheat farm to discover what farming is really all
about.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html
top
Dry Valleys: Antarctica
Participate in this short-term project from November, 2002- January, 2003
to explore the driest valleys in Antarctica where they receive only 6
mm of water annually in the form of snow.
http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/expeditions/dryvalleys.html
top
Energy: The Quick Tour
What is energy? What are the fuels we use? How can we harness heat to
work for us? How does energy change the way we live? What are some energy
sources and energy choices?
http://www.classroom-energy.org/teachers/petroleum/index.html
top
Kid’s Running
Elementary teacher, Carol Goodrow has created a site to support the sport
of running for children so they can see the benefits of a fit and healthy
lifestyle.
http://www.kidsrunning.com/index.html
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A Marine Wonder of the World
In this article from the World & I Magazine, Jerry Shine examines
the phenomenal 40- 50 foot tidal flow in the Bay of Fundy near New Brunswick,
Canada.
http://www.worldandi.com/newhome/public/2002/november/ns2pub.asp
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The Official U.S. Time
What's the official time any place in the United States? Just click on
a shaded time zone to see the current hour, minute, and second. Then visit
Time Exhibits for a history of timekeeping from ancient to modern times;
when and why we change our clocks for Daylight Saving Time; calendars
through the ages; and learn what's inside a wristwatch.
http://www.time.gov/
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Stately Knowledge
The Internet Public Library site for facts about the United States.
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/stateknow/
Grades 6-8
Demonstrate the Pythagorean Theorem
Click and drag to prove that a2 + b2 = c2.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/puzzle/theorem.html
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Interactive Geometry
Studyworks Online provides these interactive hands-on applets to help
students gain a greater understanding of the fundamentals of geometry.
http://www.studyworksonline.com/cda/explorations/main/0,,NAV2-21,00.html
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Manhattan Transformations
A series of interactive animations of New York’s Manhattan Island
as seen through transparent 3-D images over time.
http://www.skyscraper.org/timeformations/intro.html
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Middle School Geometry
Interactive activities to help students explore angles and parallel lines,
congruent figures, quadrilaterals, circles, Pythagorean theorem, and more.
http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/geo/
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Millard Art Collection
Student artwork using various media is on display. Site also contains
lesson plans, curricular links, art museums, and more.
http://www.esu3.org/districts/millard/millART/millART.html
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Polygon Angle Applet
Students can draw different polygons and then determine the sum of the
angles. In this way, students explore the relationship between the number
of vertices and the sum of the angles.
http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/exner/java.f/angleobject/
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Sunitra’s India
This is an eighth grade English/ social studies unit inviting students
to learn about the values, culture and literary heritage of India.
http://www.geocities.com/sunitra_in/
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Wind and Sea
Internet locator with links to hundreds of select sites concerned with
oceanic and atmospheric sciences.
http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docs/wind/windandsea.html#Index
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The Write Site
Developed by ThinkTVNetwork in Ohio, this multimedia language arts program
links reading, writing, and multimedia technology to help meet the needs
of today’s middle school learners.
http://www.writesite.org/
Grades 9-12
221B Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes
Portal to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his devoted friend, Dr.
John Watson. Read 48 of the 60 books in the Canon as created by Conan
Doyle and discover other links of interest to fans of Sherlock Holmes.
http://stealthboy.dyndns.org/~msherman/holmes.html
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CollegeView
Find college and career information at one site as you search through
3800 college possibilities and 7600 prospective careers.
http://www.collegeview.com/
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Exploring Cultural Rituals
This American Memory Lesson for high school students looks at photos,
documents, and music to determine the rituals and customs of various cultures.
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/99/ritual/intro.html
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Justice Learning
Using newspaper articles and audio from talk radio shows, Justice Learning
encourages high school students to engage in lively discussions as they
evaluate justice topics in current events and issues that affect their
lives.
http://www.justicelearning.org/index.htm
Seven Bioscience Challenges
How do bioscience issues in the news today affect your life? Topics include
biodiversity, environment, bioeconomincs, biotechnology, education, geonomics,
and evolution.
http://www.actionbioscience.org/
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Titanic Mock Trial
Anderson Kill & Olick’s law firm created this mock trial to
teach their daughters what they did each day. Students in upper elementary
through high school and anyone interested in the Titanic will find this
account compelling.
http://www.andersonkill.com/titanic/facts.htm
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Vocabulary University
Participate in free vocabulary puzzles to enhance vocabulary development
to help prepare for PSAT/NMSQT, SSAT, GED, and ACT tests.
http://www.vocabulary.com/
CyberScoop Archive Page
TEAMS Support Page
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