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® summer 2008 volume 14 no 9 differentiated instruction using technology to spark student learning communicating results to parents interactivities to bookmark assessment top 10 math sites final issue technology infusion accessible classroom tools

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p 16 communicating assessment results to parents and the community table of contents 2 summer 2 0 0 8 · volu m e 14 · nu mber 9 editorial letter cartoon lesson plan goldmines thefinalissueoftheconnected newsletter lessonsandactivitiesforenhancingclassroominstruction 15 kids corner qualitysitesforstudentsingradesk­8 3 16 communicating assessment results to parents and the community c ulledfromakeyconnecteduniversitycourse thesemethodswillkeepparentsinformedabout standardizedtesting 4 differentiated instruction connecting technology pre-assessment and student interest d r.gracee.smithanddr.stephaniethronedescribe howtousetechnologytosparkstudentlearningand appraisetheirpassions q uickdailyinternetwarm-upactivitiesforthemonth ofjune j imcornishprovidescomprehensiveresourcestostudythe wondersofpollination 19 ten essential math sites j oetodaropresentsamasterlistofinspirational andinteractiveresources d omenicgrignanoreviewshisfavoritetechnology infusiontools 7 connected calendar 20 technology tips best websites 8 destinations the pollinators 21 global projects h erearefourglobe-spanningprojectsforstudents toexplore 10 imovie hd c reatephenomenalclassvideoswiththismonth s softwareapplicationsfeature twopagesofsitesthatgetourhighestrecommendation 22 internet activities bodies of water and mountains t wopagesofhands-onactivitiesforinstantusein yourclassroom 12 a web gallery 24 site index 14 wired success story j ennifervilenskidiscussesherimpressivewebsite lifescienceconnections a handyguidetotheelectronicresourcesprintedinthis month sissue how to connect with us · ocontactourcustomerservicerepresentatives,please t emailhelp@classroom.com,orphone800 638-1639 · urnewcompanyishoughton mifflin harcourt o learning technology.learnmoreaboutour professionaldevelopmentprogramsandonline instructionalmaterialsfork­12educationathmlt.hmco.com summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 1

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from the editor a big thank you to our writers managing editor sharonwheeler sharon.wheeler@harcourt.com creative director davidkoetke senior designer alicemao contributing artist laddskelly editorial cartoon astheschoolyeardrawstoaclose,theconnected newsletterstaffwouldliketothankallofour outstandingcontributingwriters:carabafile,emilybeck,jimcornish,marycupito,domenic a.grignano,christophermautner,ritariebelmitchell,laddskelly,andjoetodaro.each month,theseeducatorspresentedthebestinteractivewebsitesandsoftwareapplicationsfor integratingtechnologyintoyourcurriculum inaddition,wewerefortunatetopublishinspiringarticlesbytechnologyexpertsfrom aroundthecountry:tonybrewer,donaldhawkins,erink.head,chrishofer-borror,alec mackenzie,arnoldpulda,markpullen,elysekurzonquill,laned.rankin,lindaricchiuti kathyschrock,gracesmith,helenteague,stephaniethrone,harrygrovertuttle,andtony vincent.eachfeaturestorywaschosentohelpyoumeetprofessionaldevelopmentgoalsand giveyouthelatestinformationonweb2.0,differentiatedinstruction,data-drivendecision making,communityconnections,standards-basedlearning,andmuchmore connected newsletter issn 1554-4583 is published monthly september through may with a combined issue for december january and another combined issue for june/july/august for $62 a year by classroom connect inc 6277 sea harbor drive orlando fl 32887 ©2008 all rights reserved federal copyright law prohibits the reproduction printed fax or electronic of any portion of this publication without the publisher s permission contact the publisher by mail email permissions@harcourt.com fax 888 801-8299 or by phone 800 638-1639 for permission all terms known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized postmaster send address changes to classroom connect inc customer service 5th floor 6277 sea harbor dr orlando fl 32887 periodicals postage paid at senatobia ms and at additional mailing offices before going to press we do our utmost to check the safety and validity of the websites in this issue but due to the ever-changing nature of the internet we cannot be responsible for address changes or inappropriate content on these sites this icon indicates a site that contains excellent information but may link to content that is unsuitable for students the connected newsletter bids farewell thisisthefinalissueofclassroomconnect sconnected newsletter.firstpublished14years agoinlancaster,pennsylvania,thisuniquepublicationofferedreadersahands-ontechnology guideandaccesstohundredsofdynamicinternetresources.wehopetheconnected newsletter helpedyoutocreateauthenticlearningexperiences,improvestudentachievement,and collaboratewithteachersaroundtheglobe toourmanysubscribers,wethankyouforyoursupportandworthwhilefeedback.fornew ideasandproducts,pleasevisithoughton mifflin harcourt learning technologyat hmlt.hmco.com.ournewcompanyprovidesextraordinaryonlinesolutions,services,and resourcestohelpyouusethepoweroftechnologytoeducatek­12students sincerely sharon wheeler managing editor it s true i just got the last issue of the connected newsletter wow who s going to tell sue she still hasn t recovered from the removal of her apple iie summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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flag day lessons grades 2­6 tenyearsago,iappliedforajobwritingforthis newsletter.askedtowriteasamplearticleona topicofmychoice,iselectedflagdayinhonorof myfriendandcolleague,chris,whosebirthday happenstofallonjune14th.so,astheconnected newslettergoestopressforthelasttime,itseemsonly appropriatetoincludeasiteonflagday,sincethatiswherethis allbeganforme.thesetwolessonsforflagdayweredesigned byeducatorsatthenationalendowmentforthehumanities theinstructionsandbibliographyarecomprehensiveand includeextensionactivities.thanksforaterrifictenyears edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=338 texas center for educational technology scope grades k­12 thesesupercollideropportunitiesforpublic educationscopecollaborativelessonsreview astronomy,electrostatics,geology,lasers,and radioactivity.insunspotsspotted,studentscollect andanalyzedatatocalculatethesun srotationalperiod.inthe coca-colalab,studentsusecalculatorstocomparetheph valuesofvariousliquids.droppingmarblesasksstudentstofilm marblesastheyfallintovariousviscousliquidsandthenuse thevideostocollectdata.apositivelynegativeexperiencelets studentsdiscoverhowgauss slawappliestoconductors.andin lasereyes,they llobservethespeckledpatternproducedbya laserprojecteduponawallorscreen www.unt.edu/scope/lesson%20plans/activities.htm nasa image lesson plans grades 1­12 imageistheacronymforimagerfor magnetopause-to-auroraglobalexploration thisspecializedspacecraftusesneutralatom ultraviolet,andradioimagingtostudythe astronomicalareasaffectedbymagneticfields.don tworry ifthatseemscomplicated thelessonplansareclearand comprehensible.developedbyinternsatthegoddardspace center,therearemorethan100teacher-testedactivities studentsingrades1­5exploresolarflaresandhowtodesign arocketpayload.studentsingrades7­10buildasodabottle magnometertomonitorchangesinearth smagneticfield.click exploringspacemathematicsforagreatmiddleschoolunitthat providesreal-lifemathconnectionsusingdecimals,scientific notation,timecalculations,andscaledrawings image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/activities.html texas department of health services lessons grades k­5 frompickyeaterstolymedisease,thesethorough lessonscovernutrition,illnessandprevention andanatomy.theyteachthebasicstructuresand functionsofthehumanbodyandhowtheyrelate topersonalhealth.studentswillalsolearntoidentifyhealth behaviorsthattransmitorpreventthespreadofdisease.many ofthelessonsincorporatechildren sliteraturebyfamiliar authorsmarcbrown,ericcarle,andloisehlert.towrapup yourhealthunit,clickkid scornerforgames,puzzles,quizzes andcoloringpages.materialsareavailableinspanish www.dshs.state.tx.us/kids/lessonplans hotchalk lessonplanspage.com teachkind grades k­12 theeducationbranchofpeta,peopleforthe ethicaltreatmentofanimals,teachkindoffers freehigh-qualitylessonplansandteaching materialsthatwillhelpyourstudentsdevelop critical-thinkingskills,empathy,compassion andcivicresponsibilitywhileempoweringthemtotake compassionateactionforanimalsintheirowncommunities lessonsareorganizedbysubjectssuchasbiology,creative arts,currentevents,ethics,health,history,languagearts,life skills,math,reading,science,andsocialstudies.forextended activities,trytheinterdisciplinarylessonpacks.forexample sharetheworlddiscussestheamazingworldofanimals.just choicesexploresthehistoryofsocialjusticeandinspireshigh schoolstudentstobecomepositivechangeagents.bothinclude companionvideosandworksheets www.teachkind.org grades k­12 you llwanttotakesometimetobrowsethese3500 freelessonplansthathavebeenratedonafivestarsystem.searchforspecifictopicsbykeyword orclickchooseyoursubject,recentadditions orseasonallessonplansbydate.thissitealsoexplainshow tocustomizeyourmathworksheets,selectworthwhilescience projects,anddevelopaqualitylessonplan.jointheteacher discussionsorsignupforthenewsletter.inaddition,reada collectionofinspirationalstoriessubmittedbyteachers www.lessonplanspage.com if you would like a pdf containing all of the live urls from this newsletter send an email to links@classroom.com by emily beck preschool music and middle school math teacher ebeck512@gmail.com summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 3

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cover story differentiated instruction connecting technology pre-assessment and student interest the mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled plutarch nmanyclassrooms,teacherscontinuetooverlookthe importanceof knowing thestudentstheyteach.a glimpseintoanyclassroomimmediatelyshowsthephysical differencesofchildrenandtheirindividualpreferencesfor clothing,hairstyles,colors,andexpressions.acloserlook revealstheuniquenessandpreferencesofeachlearnerandthe similaritiesanddifferencesamongthem so,whyshouldtoday steachersemploystate-of-the-art strategiestomoreeffectivelylearnabouttheinterestsoftheir students?andhowcanteacherscapitalizeonstudentinterest fordifferentiatinginstruction?howcantheyusetechnology tohelp today sstudentsareverydifferentfromstudentsofthe past.thesedays,studentscomefromacomplexassortmentof cultural,academic,andfamilybackgrounds,bringingwiththem anarrayofmultidimensionallearningstyles.asdigital natives manystudentsoutshineteachersintechnicalexpertisebecause technologytoolsplayamajorroleintheirdailylives.marc prenskywritesin digitalnatives,digitalimmigrants today s studentsarenolongerthepeopleoureducationalsystemwas designedtoteach teachersareoftenabletoreadtheirstudents,particularlyin theareasofreadinessandlearningpreferences.ofcourse,most ofourassessmentsarethosethatinvolveevaluationofour students progresstowardlocal,state,andfederalbenchmarks wherewetendtospendlesstimeisintheareaofappraising students interests:theirpersonalpassions,curiosities,and eventheirdislikes.whilewemayinquireaboutthematthe beginningoftheschoolyear,wetendtoviewstudents interestsasstatic,sowedon tre-evaluatethem.here swhere wefallshort ifwetrulybelieveinencouragingourstudentstodevelop theirweakerintelligencesasprescribedbyhowardgardneras wellasdevelopalternativelearningstrategiesthatfalloutside theirpreferredstyles,thenweneedtoprovideactivitiesthat enablethemtodoso.further,weshouldattempttoassess whethertheyhavecultivatednewpassionsthatwerenonexistent atthebeginningoftheschoolyear,viaclassroomactivities andinteractionwithotherswhohavedifferentinterests.new interestsdevelopandothersfade,soperiodicinterest-takingis essentialinadifferentiatedclassroom.somestudentswhowere atfirstreluctanttoshareinformationaboutthemselvesmayfeel morecomfortabledoingsoastimeprogresses i it snotdifficulttounderstandwhypre-assessingourstudents levelsofreadinessandevenlearningprofilesisbeneficialfor bothpartiesinvolved.ifwerecognizewhatourstudentshave masteredandwhattheyhaveyettograsp,pre-assessment affectsthecontentwepresent,aswellashowandwhenwe communicateit.it sabithardertoconvinceourselveswhywe shouldtakethetimeandenergytoassessstudents interests iftheresultingdatareallydoesn tseemtoimpactthecontent thatwearerequiredtopresent.however,mandatedcurriculum doesnottotallyeradicatethepossibilityofexploringstudents interests.insteadoffeelingoverwhelmedbywhat mustbe covered wemaylookuponthechallengeasawaytobetter reachourstudents diversepassions.ifpossible,wemightallow studentstoshareandteachoneanotheraboutaparticular themethatreallyintriguesthemwhichmightnotbeoneofour favorites mostimportantly,wemustrememberthatstudents whoarecuriousaboutourtopicsofstudyaremorehighly motivatedandtendtoperformmoresuccessfullyin ourclassrooms the importance of student interest pre-assessment technology tools to gauge student interest pre-assessmentissometimesreferredtoasdiagnostic assessmentbecauseitassistsusintheefforttodetectlearners entrylevels,specificallyintheareasofreadiness,learning profiles,andinterests.notonlydoespre-assessmenthelpus determineourstudents familiaritywithspecificcontent,butit alsohelpsusestablishaccurate,flexiblegroupingassignments selectavarietyofappropriateteachingstrategies,andadjust activitiestomeetlearners needsandcuriosities.we vetrieda numberoftraditionalandalternativemethodssuchasthe13 listedhere 1 coat of arms:studentscancreatetheirowncoatofarms usingcolorandsymbolismtomakeastatementabouttheir ownidentityincludinginterests thensharetheirartifacts andtellorwriteaboutthem personal coat of arms printout www.storyboardtoys.com/gallery/coat-of-arms-lesson-plan.htm alnwick castle createonlineandprint createonlineandprint/e-mail www.alnwickcastle.com/flash/heraldry.html victoria and albert museum design a coat of arms www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/designa coat_of_arms/coat_of_arms.html summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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2 quilt patches:studentscanlearnaboutquiltsinhistory thencreatetheirownquiltblocksthatmakeastatement aboutpersonalidentityincludingtheirindividualpassions printout teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/theme fam23quilt.htm instructor quilt square master for family member entire family squareprintout teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/family_square.pdf old state house museum design a quilt square www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/activities games/quilt_patterns.asp patternsandprintablequiltgridtodesignyourown 6 entrance cards:thesewarm-upquestionsandwriting promptscanbegeneratedandprintedusingaword processingordesktoppublishingsoftware asavariation,askyourstudentstorespondphysically insteadofinwriting.youcouldproducelargesignsplaced invariousspotsinyourclassroomtodirectyourstudents theythenmovetothelocationwiththesignthatreflects theirknowledgeofthecontentortheirparticularinterests usetheweb poster wizardtohelpwiththesignsfor yourclassroom poster.4teachers.org 7 kwl charts:thesemaybeproducedandprintedusinga wordprocessingordesktoppublishingprogram,buthereare somequicklinksifyouprefertouseanonlineresource kwl generator www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/kwl kwl chartprintout www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/kwl.pdf kwl chart printable www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson924/kwl.pdf 3 collages:studentscancraftwonderfuldesignsusingdraw orpaintsoftware,butbesuretoexperimentwiththesetwo sites.studentscansharetheirproductsandthentellorwrite aboutthemasareflectionofthemselvesandtheirinterests national gallery of art kids collage machines createonline,printand/orcapturescreenshot www.nga.gov/kids/zone/collagemachine.htm www.nga.gov/kids/zone/collagemachine2.htm 4 surveys and inventories:customizedsurveyscan begeneratedinawordprocessingordesktoppublishing program,butweliketheseonline,user-friendlylinksthat automaticallycollatedata surveymonkey www.surveymonkey.com/default.aspx zoomerang info.zoomerang.com/signup/signupnow.htm free online surveys freeonlinesurveys.com polldaddycaninsertinblogsandwebpages www.polldaddy.com www.bloomington.in.us cape/intinv.html 8 autobiographical products:reflectonimportant familyandpersonalmilestoneswiththesesites graphic organizerfirstgradeexample www.gpschools.org/ci/images/autobi21.gif autobiographical timelinefourth/fifthgradeexample thebio-cubeatread-write-thinkcanbeusedtogeneratea mini-bio.studentscanproduce,thendiscusstheircubes readwritethink.org/materials/bio_cube theflip bookatread-write-thinkcanbeusedtogenerate anautobiography.studentscanproduce,thendiscusstheir bookswitheachother www.readwritethink.org/materials/flipbook olderstudentscanusetheprofile publisheratreadwrite-thinktogeneratetheirprofile,thenshareit www.readwritethink.org/materials/profile atourtimelinesstudentscangenerateatimelineabout theeventsthathavehappenedintheirlives,thenresearchthe eventsthatinterestthem www.ourtimelines.com 9 quiz generators:quizstar and quiabothoffer teacher-friendlytoolstogeneratequizzes.weespeciallylike thequiasitetoolsthatallowuserstocreate,share,andstore quizzesandactivities.shortquizzescantriggerinterestin learning quizstar.4teachers.org www.quia.com essential tools for teachers,atomsnyderproduct issixgreatproductsinonesoftwarepackage.create worksheetsforlanguageandmathincludingbingo,puzzles crosswords,andflashcards.studentscancompilewordlists andcreatepuzzlestostumptheirclassmates www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?sku=esscla www.northcanton.sparcc.org elem/kidspiration/anderson autobiographytimeline.htm interest inventory for late elementary middle school students printoutonly scholastic interest inventory printoutonly if i ran the schoolprintoutonly teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/unit_roadtosuccess invent.pdf www.gifted.uconn.edu/3summers/pdf/ifiran.pdf 5 checklists and pre-tests:thesecanbedesignedand printedusingawordprocessingprogram,aspreadsheet,ora survey/inventorytoollistedabove.however,youmaywishto usesomeready-madeweb-basedresources atthisunitonweather and climate,you llfinda pre-testandpre-assessmentwritingpromptscreatedfor middleandhighschoolstudents www.msu.edu ehlendtc/group%20project/pre_test interviews.htm project-based learning checklist creatorallows youtocreateprintablecheckliststhatcanbeusedtoquickly identifyinterests.studentscantabulatechecklistdata,graph it,anddiscussit pblchecklist.4teachers.org/checklist.shtml summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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cover story continued atpersonal educational press,youcancreatefree educationalworksheetssuchasflashcards,gameboards andquizzestoprintdirectlyfromyourbrowser.students canusethematerialstoquizeachother,trackprogress,and sharewiththeentiregroup www.educationalpress.org 10 portfolios of student work samples:aportfolioisa purposefulcollectionofstudentworkthatdisplaysstudents efforts,progress,andachievementsinoneormoreareas ofthecurriculum.thesecanbephysicalorentirelydigital usingpowerpoint,theweb,orothersoftware.students organizeartifacts,writeabouttheprocessofconstructing them,sharetheircollectionwithanaudience,andreflect onlearning.whileteachersoftenuseportfoliosstrictly asformativeorsummativemeansofassessment,weallow themtoserveasinterestgeneratorsforfutureinquiryandas displaysofcurrentpassions 11 teacher or student-made games in digital format whilegamescanbeusedwithindividuals,pairs ortriads,theyarequiteeffectivewithwhole-classorsplitclassteams,andespeciallysowhenpre-assessingcontent knowledge.createascorecardsoteamscancompete againsteachother theoswego city school district s interactive gamesoffersanoutstandingarrayoffungames forstudents oswego.org/staff/cchamber/techno/games.htm freepowerpointgametemplatesaboundontheweb.check outjeff ertzberger s game page people.uncw.edu/ertzbergerj/ppt_games.html tryjeopardy fromhardincountygames www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_techn/countyjeopardygames.htm weespeciallylikethecommercialgametemplatesavailable atftc publishing www.ftcpublishing.com photostory 3 microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography photostory/default.mspx create a graph nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph 13 investigation sites:exploringrelevanttopicsissureto stimulatediscussion.askstudentstoinvestigatethreetopics ofinterest,thenreportonthemusinganote-takingorword processingprogram.weliketheseversatilesites curious kids www.gpschools.org/ci/depts/library/ckids.htm the el paso public library kids zone www.elpasotexas.gov/kidszone/kidszone_library/index.htm kids.gov www.kids.gov american library association s great sites for kids www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&templ ate cfapps/gws/default.cfm notetaker interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=722&title spark learning wefindthatstudentsareusuallyeagertoshowuswhatthey know,whiletheyarefairlycandidaboutwhattheydon t know.usethesestarterlinksandtechnology-richideasfor pre-assessingstudentinteresttosparklearningandgetthemto sharetheircuriosities references prensky,marc digitalnatives,digitalimmigrants on the horizon9.52001 1-6 smith,gracee andstephaniethrone differentiating instructionwithtechnologyink-5classrooms eugene oregon:iste,2007 smith,gracee.andstephaniethrone usingi-search todifferentiatebyinterest leading learning with technology,december2007-january2008 pp.33-34 smith,gracee.andstephaniethrone tech-enhanced instructionalstrategiesthatcapturestudentinterest texaselementaryprincipalsandsupervisorsassociation instructional leader,march2008:pp.3-5,10 12 student artifacts:powerpointinformationalshows brochuresandpamphlets,spreadsheetanalyses,graphs,and chartscanallexpresswhatstudentshavelearnedandwhat intriguesthem.studentproductsdonotalwayshavetobe createdbyindividuals.asintheworkworld,teams,pairs,or triadscancollaboratetoproduceaproduct.wehavefound thatstudentresearch,basedoninterest,producespowerful productsthatstudentsareeagertosharewiththeirpeers.if yourschooldoesn thavepowerpointorbrochuresoftware trythesefreetools my brochure maker www.mybrochuremaker.com by dr grace e smith instructional technology curriculum coordinator and social studies curriculum specialist for a school district of 10,000 students where she writes and teaches professional development workshops for classroom teachers models lessons and coaches teachers in integrating technology into their content areas everythingdi@everything.net everything di www.everythingdi.net a former college professor dr stephanie throne currently works as an educational consultant for adult high school elementary and preschool spanish classes and as a private tutor for students of college-level spanish elementary reading and math in addition she writes about historical topics and technology with her writing partner grace everythingdi@everything.net 6 summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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june 2008 monday blue angels whereistheflight teamstationed tuesday 3 tennessee whatistheoriginof thisstate sname wednesday finland whatisthecapitalof thiseuropeancountry thursday world environment day whatisthesloganfor the2008observance www.unep.org wed/2008/english about_wed_2008 index.asp friday 6 frank lloyd wright whatisthetaliesin fellowship www.blueangels.navy mil/index.htm www.tennesseeany time.org/homework index.html worldatlas.com webimage/countrys europe/fi.htm www.franklloydwright org 9 michael j fox thisactor sfoundation seeksacureforwhat disease www.michaeljfox.org about_aboutmichael cfm 10 the simpsons whocreatedthis cartoonclassic 11 cling peaches howmanypoundsare harvestedincalifornia eachyear www.calclingpeach com/html/nav industry.html 1 anne frank wheredidthisyoung writerhidefromthe nazis www.galegroup.com free_resources/whm bio/frank_a.htm 13 trooping the colour whosebirthdayis markedduringthis celebration www.army.mod.uk ceremonialandheritage household/trooping.htm www.thesimpsons com/bios/bios creators_index.htm 16 glassblowing howoldisthisform ofart 17 m c escher howmanylithographs didthisartistcreate 18 uruguay whatisthesun of may 19 mongoose howmanyspeciesof thissmallmammal exist nationalzoo si.edu/animals smallmammals/factbandedmongoose.cfm 0 peregrine falcon howfastcanthese birdsdive www.defenders.org wildlife_and_habitat wildlife/peregrine falcon.php www.glassblowing com/hotglass history.php www.mcescher.com biography/biography htm www.crwflags.com fotw/flags/uy.html 3 grace hopper whatdidthis programmerhelp invent www.womeninventors.com dr-grace-murray hopper.asp contact lenses whenwasthefirst plasticlensmade manta ray whatdothesesea creatureseat 6 philippines whatthreeseas surroundthisisland nation 7 death valley national park howhaveplants adaptedtothisdesert www.nps.gov/deva naturescience/index htm www.contactlenses org/timeline.htm www.oceanlight.com html/manta_birostris html www.philippines.hvu nl/maps.htm 30 children s bureau whowasthebureau s firstchief visit us online for this month s live link calendar perfect for a computer lab classroom or media center activity www.ssa.gov/history childb1.html www.classroom.com/community connection/calendar.jhtml summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 7

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this month the pollinators i maginewalkingintoasupermarketandseeingaboutathirdofthefoodgone.that stheamountthat dependsonpollinators,the200,000differentspeciesofanimalsthattransferpollenfromflowerto flowertoproducethefruitsandvegetablesweeat.ofthepollinators,about1,000arevertebratessuch asbirds,bats,andsmallmammalsandtherestareinvertebratesflies,beetles,butterflies,moths,andbees worldwide,oftheestimated1,330cropplantsgrownforfood,beverages,fibers,spices,andmedicines approximately75percentarepollinatedbythesecreatures.today,bees,themostwidespreadofthe pollinators,aredisappearingandnooneisquitesurewhy.usethismonth sdestinationstolearnaboutthe plightoftheseinsectsandwhattheirdisappearancemeanstotheworld sfoodsupply thekidsgarden gardeninghasbecomeapopularpastimeforboth adultsandchildren.schoolsarecreatinggardensto encouragestudentstoparticipateinthescientific processesandtolearntheimportanceofcaring fortheenvironment,includingtheschoolgrounds today,gardeningaddressesanotherconcern:the protectionofthepollinators.thekidsgardenincludesamyriad ofresourcestohelpparentsandeducatorsteachchildren aboutgardeningathomeandatschool.topicscoveredinclude pollination,floweranatomy,propagatingplants,gardenwildlife composting,andweedsandwildflowers pollinator partnership sponsoredbythenorthamericanpollinatorprotection campaignandthecoevolutioninstitute,thepollinator partnershipwebsitepresentsaseriesofprojectstohelp consumers,gardeners,educators,resourcemanagers,and farmersworktogethertoimplementacontinent-wideaction plandesignedtoprotectthehealthofresidentandmigratory pollinatinganimalsofnorthamerica.teacherscanusethe sixcurriculummodulesforgrades3­6.eachmoduleincludes alessonplancompletewithbackgroundinformation,pre-and post-assessmentactivities,andstudentworksheets.themodules covertopicsonpollination,pollinators,plants,andcreating pollinator-friendlyhabitats www.nappc.org/curriculum www.thekidsgarden.co.uk canadian wildlife federation rodale institute kidsregen.org www.nationalwildlifeweek.ca/home.html pollinatorswasthethemeofcanada sapril2008 nationalwildlifeweek.thelearningcentre includesa20-pageteachersguideavailablein pdfformatfilledwithdozensofclassroom-ready activities.theguidebeginswithaprimeronpollinationandis followedbyafull-pagecolordiagramofthepollinationprocess andthenbyillustrationsofthelifecycleofabee.activities identifymaterials,backgroundinformation,learningoutcomes andextensions kidsregen.orgispartoftherodaleinstitute syoutheducational programandislocatedinkutztown,pennsylvania.itsapproach andpurposeissimilartothekidsgardenbutmostofthe resourcesarewrittenforchildren.gotoeducatorsforprojects thatconnectsoil,food,andhealth.usethesearchfunction tofindathemecalledhealthyplants,people,pollinators,and ecosystems.allcurriculummaterialsarefreeandareinpdf formatforeasydownloadingandprinting www.kidsregen.org entomology for kids and teachers thedepartmentofentomologyoftheuniversityofkentuckyis onamissiontoenhancethequalityofhumanlifeandtosustain ourenvironmentalresourcesthroughabetterunderstandingof insectsandrelatedarthropods.thissiteisagreatsupportfor astudyofpollinators.theentomologyresourcesincludestate standards-basedlessonplansforgradesk­12,teacherresources fieldguides,tradebooklists,andrecommendedwebsites and factsheetsoncrittersandinsects,especiallyonescommonin andaroundtheschoolyard.ifyouliveinaruralarea,thepage describinghowtocreateahoneybeehivewillhelptoinvolve studentsinavarietyofpollinatorprotectionactivities www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/dept/youth.asp additional websites the great plant escape www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/index.html little giants the show about bees www.generationscience.co.uk/dyn/1193309735632 little-giants-teachers-notes.pdf wildlife habitat council pollinator-friendly practices www.wildlifehc.org/pollinatorpractices 8 summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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the pollinators activities for elementary and middle school students atleast75percentofallfloweringplantsdependonanimalpollinatorssuchasbirds,mammals,andmanyinsects.scientistsare speculatingthathabitatloss,poisoning,disease,andcompetitionfromnon-nativespeciesaretriggeringthedemiseofpollinator populationsandendangeringtheplanetaryfoodsupply.theprotectionofthesepollinatorsisinourhands.theseactivitieswill helpyourstudentslearnaboutpollinationandpollinators 1 2 3 4 pollination flowers problems survival focus whatispollination objectives biology of plants pollination www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/pollination.html usda forest service what is pollination www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/whatispollination.shtml pollination www.nbii.gov/portal/community/communities ecological_topics/pollinators/learn_about pollination what is pollination www.pollinator.org · definethetermpollination · eterminetheroleinsectsplayintheprocess d · dentifythecreaturesimportantinpollination i focus whatisaflower objectives flower anatomy www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts/floweranatomy.shtml flower parts www.naturegrid.org.uk/qca/flowerparts.html flower diagram teachart.msu.edu/pila/images/flower.jpg celebrating wildflowers coloring book botanicgardens.org/coloringbook/flowers.htm · drawandlabelatypicalflower · describethepurposeofeachpartofaflower · dentifytheimportanceofpollinationinplant i reproduction focus whatproblemsthreatenpollinators objectives what s buzzin in my garden www.pollinator.com/identify/whatsbuzzin.htm plight of the honeybee weeklyreader.com/featurezone/bees where have all the bees gone www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20070613 feature1.asp pollinators at risk www.pollinator.org/multimedia.htm honeybee die-off threatens food supply www.livescience.com/animals/070502_bees_food html · explainthespecificthreatstopollinators · istthecropsaffectedbydecliningnumbers l ofpollinators focus whatcanwedotohelppollinators objectives pollinator gardens museum.nhm.uga.edu/kidsclub/htmldocs/pollination/kids/poll_kia_garden.htm north american pollinator protection campaign www.nappc.org north american pollinator bear family www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/documents factsheet_bear.pdf saving pollinators nationalzoo.si.edu/publications/zoogoer/1999/1 savingpollinators.cfm your urban garden is better with bees www.pollinator.org/resources better%20with%20bees.pdffactsheet_bear.pdf · identifywayswecanhelppollinatorssurvive · reateapollinatorprotectionplanforhome c school,andcommunity by jim cornish · fifth grade teacher gander academy newfoundland canada · jim.cornish@warp.nfld.net summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 9

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imovie hd lesson advice for a new student grades 3­5 introduction studentsproduceavideoforthefollowingyear sstudentsto watchatthebeginningoftheschoolyear.theyshareadviceon howtomakeaneasytransitionintoanewgrade.eachgroup contributesasegmenttothevideo eteachgroupshoottheirfootageonesceneatatime l referringtotheirstoryboardsalongtheway.encourage studentstopreviewtheirfootagetomakesureitwas successfullyrecorded objectives · · · · · · 6 elpstudentsuploadandconnectthevideofootageintoone h determineadvicethatwillbehelpfultonewstudents workcollaborativelyinasmallgroup storyboardavideo useadigitalvideocamera usetransitionsandothereffectstoeditavideo publishavideo videofile.alternatively,eachgroupcancreateindividual videofilestobecompiledlater.toenhancethevideo,groups canaddtransitionsbetweenclips,music,andspecialeffects 7 avestudentsdeleteanyfootagetheydon twanttouse h time estimate procedure usingtheirstoryboardsasguides,theyshouldplacethevideo clipsinorder.eachgroupcaninsertatexttitletointroduce theirsegment.addcreditsattheendofthevideo threeorfour45-minuteclassperiods 1 incestudentsareexpertsonhowthingsworkinyour s classroom,facilitateagroupbrainstormonadvicetheycan sharewithnextyear sclass.theymightsuggesttopicssuch asclassroomrules,theproceduresforborrowingbooks,and wheresuppliesarekept digitalvideosegment.theycandecidehowtouseadigital videocameratosharetheiradvice.consider talking directly into the camera or interview another person or group of people on the subject achgroupwillshareonepieceofadvicebycreatingashort e asaclass,previewthevideoonalargescreen.askstudentsthe followingquestions i · s the digital video camera an input or output device inputdevice · how does the input make its way to the computer usuallyby loadingthecamera sdiskintothecomputerorbyconnecting thecameratothecomputerwithacable i · n what format is the input provided inputisapicturefile · what is the output thepicturedisplayedonthemonitor attheendoftheyear,sharethevideowithincomingstudents andaskfortheircomments assessment 3 avestudentsdrawstoryboardsaroughsketchforwhat h willhappenforeachscene studentsshouldwriteascript whatwillbesaid,whowillsayit,andlistanypropsthatare needed.whentheirstoryboardsarecomplete,studentscan beginusingthedigitalvideocameras eviewthesetipsforshootingvideofootage r · owercheck:makesurethecamera sbatteriesarecharged p orapoweroutletisavailable · ound:ifpossible,useanexternalmicrophone.otherwise s makesurethecameraisascloseaspossibletothesubject andthatthesubjectspeaksloudly.avoidareaswith backgroundnoise · mages:makesurethecamerastaysasstillaspossible;a i tripodwillhelp ·lighting:shootfootageinawell-litplace extensions havestudentsworkinpairsanduseadigitalstillcamerato captureanimagerelatedtoapieceofadvicefornewstudents studentsinserttheimagesintopresentationsoftwareand explaintheiradvicethroughbulletpointsandtheirrecorded voices.compileallslidesintoonepresentation 10 summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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helpful tips for using imovie hd share these guidelines with students to help them build skills with multimedia programs how to apply special effects to images in a movie jazzupyourimovie how to add text to clips to use as movie titles getcreativewithyourtitles 1 gototheclipviewerandclickaclip 1 clickthetitlesbuttontogotothetitlespane clickatexteffectfromthelist.you llseeapreviewofthetitle effectinthepreviewwindow clickthevideofxbuttontogototheeffectspane 3 clickaneffectinthelist 3 clickthetextboxatthebottomofthetitlespane.typea titleforthemovie.entertextinbothfieldsifdesired gotothefontpull-downmenu.usethefontsizesliderto toadjustthetimingoftheeffect,usetheeffectinand effectoutsliders changethesizeofthetext.clicktheoverblackcheckboxto havethetitleappearoverablackbackground.clickthecolor boxifyouwantthetextincolor whenyouarefinished,clickanddragthetitleeffecttothe clipviewer.whenyoureleasethemousebuttonthetitlewill becomeaclip.itmaytakeamomentforthetitlecliptoappear whenyouhavetheeffectthatyouwant,clickthe applybutton the software applications lesson and helpful tips are excerpts from connected tech a web-based instructional program from harcourt connected learning that enables k­8 teachers to integrate critical technology skills for a free trial or to learn more about connected tech visit www.harcourtcl.com or call 800 638-1639 summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 11

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site of the month grades k­12 theartinstituteofchicagohasaworld-classcollection andwebsite.amongitsworksisgeorgesseurat s1884 masterpiecea sunday on la grande jatte.toviewmore astoundingpieces,clickthecollectiontab.browseartistsby lastnameorbythemessuchasartinstituteiconsorafricanamericanartists.worksarealsoorganizedbytopicssuchas architectureanddesign,europeanpaintingandsculpture indianartoftheamericas,photography,andtextiles.one uniqueexhibitiscalledcleopatra:amultimediaguideto theancientworld,areviewofegyptian,greek,androman art.inaddition,theeducationsectionofferslessonplansand anopportunitytoborrowmaterials www.artic.edu/aic art institute of chicago beyond the fire grades 7­12 thisindependenttelevisionservicesproduction tellstruestoriesof15teenagersallnowu.s residentsandtheirexperiencesinsevenwar zones.ifyouhadtoleaveyourhomeinfive minutes,whatwouldyoutake?wherewouldyougoifyour countrywasnolongersafe?clickaphotoontheworldmap toheareachteensharehisorherpersonalstory.formore materials,gotoresourcesforalistofreferences,agenciesthat workwithrefugees,andideasforcommunityinvolvement finally,lessonplans,timelines,andtranscriptsareavailablein foreducators www.itvs.org/beyondthefire/index.html energy quest grades 2­8 anaward-winningsitebythecaliforniaenergy commission,energyquestexploreshow electricity,coal,oil,naturalgas,andhydropower work.studyalternativeenergysourcessuchas biomass,geothermal,nuclear,solar,andwind clickmovieroomtoviewavintage1953animatedclassic a is for atom.behind the bright lightsisa1935piecethat explainshowthegiantelectricchevroletsignindowntown chicagoworks.energyvampiresprovidesaninteractive investigationoftheappliancesthatsuckthemostenergyoutof thegrid.takeatripinthetimemachinetoexplorethehistory ofelectricity.finally,learnwhatcanbedonetoconservepower andsaveenergythroughthechangealight,changetheworld campaign www.energyquest.ca.gov department of justice kids page grades 2­8 beginwithinsidethecourtroom,afascinating glimpseofthelawinaction.readadescriptionof afederalprosecutor sjob.dostudentsknowthere are93u.s.attorneys?learnhowtheselection processmovesfrompresidentialappointmentto congressionalapprovaltosenateconfirmation.readaboutan actualfbicasethatinvolvesbulliedchildren.followthefederal prosecutors responsibilitiesthroughtheninestepsfromthe initialinvestigationtothefinalappeal.thereisalsoaglossary andasectionthatdescribescourtroomstaff www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/kidspage/index.html figure this grades k­12 developedbythenationalcouncilofteachers ofmathematics,thissiteprovidesweeklymath challenges.findintriguingtitlessuchasbeating heart,grapejuicejungle,moviemoney,gone fishing,andfirehydrant.eachchallenge containsagettingstartedexplanation,aproblem-solvinghint interestingfacts,extensions,andanillustratedanswer.the teachercornerhasapowerpointpresentation,mathstandards andhandoutsforfamilies.thefamilycorneroffersideason howtohelpstudentswithmathandreadinghomework.some problemsareappropriateformoreadvancedstudents,but otherscanbeadaptedforkidsofallages.thematerialsarealso availableinspanish www.figurethis.org/index.html 1 summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning

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florence art guide grades 5­12 takeyourstudentsonanamazingvirtualfield trip.clicktheinteractivemapofoneofitaly s mostfamouscitiesandexploretheuffizigallery thestrozzipalace,andpiazzalemichelangelo studentswilllearnthattheremarkableduomo tooksixcenturiestobuild.thepittipalacecontainseight differentmuseumcollectionsfilledwithworkbyartistswho madeflorencefamous.inaddition,readabouttherenaissance theflorentinerepublic,andthedominicanorder www.mega.it/eng/egui/hogui.htm purple math games magazine grades 5­12 attheendofaschoolyearandthroughoutthe summer,it simportanttofindactivitiestokeep kidslearning.thepuzzlersamplerchallenges kidswithatriviaquestion,wordplay,andan eyeballbendermysteryphoto solvecrosswords onlineorplayapic-a-pixpaint-by-numbersgame gotogamereviewsforalistofnon-electronicandelectronic award-winners.clicklinksforanimpressivecollectionofgame organizations,referencesites,andevents www.gamesmagazine-online.com grades 6­12 matheducatorelizabethstapelcreatedthisawardwinning,comprehensivesite.heralgebratutorials areperfectforstudentswhoneedextrahelp preliminarytopicsreviewsabsolutevalue,negative numbers,andnumberproperties.beginningalgebracovers thebasicrulesofexponents,slopeandgraphing,polynomials andinequalities.intermediatetopicsintroducesquadratic equations,symmetry,andfunctiontransformations.advanced algebrapresentsinversefunctions,logarithms,andrational expressions.there salsoastudyskillssurveyandlinksto quizzesandworksheets www.purplemath.com superkids educational software reviews grades k­12 thisindependent,freeservicehelpsparentsand teachersidentifythebestsoftwarethathelpskids learn.thesuperkidsstaffreviewssoftwarebased onstrictcriteria.searchbyreview,titleindex bestsellers,what snew,orprice.alsoavailable aremathworksheets,vocabularybuilders,logicgames,and puzzles.signupforthesuperkidsnewsletter,checkoutthe jokesinhumor,orbrowsetheteacherresourcesinlinks.thisis agreatresourcefortechcoordinatorsplanningtopurchasenew software www.superkids.com mysterynet kids mysteries grades 3­8 canmaxsolvethecaseofthesnackshack thiscollectionofmysteriesandmagictricks isespeciallyentertaining.readsolve-itstories chillers,andmysterieswrittenbykids.for teacherswhowanttointegratethisgenreinto theircurriculum,clickthelessonplanslinkatthebottomof thepage.thereisalsoasectiondevotedtofansofsupersleuth nancydrew.usethissitetohelpstudentshonetheirreading comprehensionandlogicskills kids.mysterynet.com youth leadership institute grades 7­12 empowerteenstocreatesocialchangethrough community-basedprojects.yliusesteen-adult partnershipsandreal-worldexperiencesinthe areasofpolicy,prevention,andphilanthropyto developasenseofsocialresponsibility.astheorganization grows,theyaresharingtheirknowledgeandresourcesviathe yliwebsite.thebestwaytofindandaccesstheseresourcesis throughthesitemap.gotophilanthropyresourcesforavariety ofylipublicationssuchasplanning for action a workbook for youth,whichhelpsstudentsseekfundingforphilanthropy projects www.yli.org if you would like a pdf containing all of the live urls from this newsletter send an email to links@classroom.com by emily beck preschool music and middle school math teacher ebeck512@gmail.com summer 2008 connected newsletter · www.harcourtcl.com · 800 638-1639 · © harcourt connected learning 13

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to from re date harcourt connected learning jennifer vilenski roger lud lowe midd le school fairfield connectic ut life scie nce conne ctions sum mer 2 008 iwantedtocreateaprojectthatwassimilartotherotationsthat amedicalstudentcompletesbeforetheyreceiveadegree.in rotationa,kidsareassignedthepatient sdiseaseordisorderto research.inrotationb,theyexplaintheirdiagnosesastheyare videotapedinapublicserviceannouncementformat.rotationc isanonlinequizi veputtogetherabouthumanorgans.finally rotationdiswhereteacherscanpickupthebodysystemquiz sheets.ateacherdesignedthequizzesbasedonmywebsite,and iusethemaspartofthisproject q how do teachers obtain the quiz sheets q for which grade levels is the site designed idevelopeditformyseventh-gradelifescienceclass.butitcould beusedforothergrades.i vehadresponsesfromteachersaround theworldwhouseitforgrades5-9 teachersemailmeandigivethemalinkfortheresources relatedtotheproject q can you describe the features of the site alongthetopofthehomepageyouwillseethemainsections there sanonlinenotebookwithlessonsandreviewmaterials foreachunitinmyseventh-gradecurriculum.thenextmain sectionishumanbodyadventure.itopenswithaflashvideo myhusbanddidformeyearsback lifesciencesafarihasinteractivelessons.inthissection,i discussfivetypesoflivingthings basically,thefivekingdoms nowtherearesix,soigroupedthetwokingdomsofbacteria together itisaninclusivepiecewhereyoucanlearnabout classificationandthecellstructuresoflivingthings iwasalwaysfrustratedthatnowebsitesortextsunifiedthe lifesciencesfromcellstoorganisms.therewasn tanything inclusivethatpresentedthetypesoflivingthings,thetypes ofcellstheyhave,andthetypesoforganellesinthecells.this sitedefinesalivingthing,anditcoversdna,genetics,andthe diversityoflife ireallyintendedthehumanbodyadventuretobeavirtual dissection.iwantedstudentstothinkaboutabodyfromthe outsidein.whatisthefirstlayer?thefirstthingyou dseeisthe skin.ifyoucutawaytheskin,thenextlayeryou dseearethe muscles.andifyouweretocutunderneaththemuscles,you d seetheribcageandtheinternalorgans q the opening screen of the human body site is impressive how much time did this site take to create whenwefirstbeganthewebsitein1999,myhusbandwrote itinhtml,whichnotmanypeopleusenowbecausesimpler webdesignsoftwareiseasilyavailable.alotofanimation youcan tdowithfrontpagesoftwaresowedesigneditwith dreamweaver.myhusbanddidtheflashprogramming.it s basicallyasiteinthemaking.it sverydifferentfromtheoriginal version.itstartedasonepageandthenitgrew.lifescience safariwasfirst.ittookweeks q do you think students who use this site learn more they remoremotivatedtolearnifthecontentisabitmore engaging.iftheygettoclickonthings,seetheanimation,hear thesound,it smorerelatedtotheirworld.it swhatthey reused to,intermsofthewholeinteractivevideogamementality.but thissiteisalli veeverused.canisaymystudentslearnedmore thanothers?ihaven tcomparedstandardizedtestsversusother classes,soithasneverbeenmeasured life science connections vilenski.org/science/index.html life science safari vilenski.org/science/safari/index.html q are there online tests yes.inthelifesciencesafari,there saquestionatthebottomof thepage:are you ready to take your own expedition self-test of living things?ihavefivedifferentinteractivetests.inthehuman bodyprojectthereisaquizforeachofthebodysystems human body adventure vilenski.org/science/humanbody/index.html human body project my residency vilenski.org/science/humanbody/project/instructions.html q what is the my residency project it sfoundinthehumanbodyproject.oncestudentshave learnedallthebodysystems,iuseitasaculminatingactivity studentsactasresidentdoctors.theyeachhaveapatientwitha differenttypeofdiseaseordisorderthattheyneedtoresearch jennifer vilenski

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