Weekly Library Hot 5

Best Practices in Math

2005-02-24T12:35:00.000-05:00

Review practical and educationally sound ways that students learn math.

10 Best Practices in Mathematics Instruction
http://jeffcoweb.jeffco.k12.co.us/isu/math/instruction/ers.htm
Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado provides this short list of attributes adapted from Improving Student Achievement in Mathematics.

Best Practice in Mathematics: Using Test Results to Inform Instruction and Improve Student Achievement
http://www.enc.org/features/focus/archive/data/document.shtm?input=FOC-003036-index
"An assessment consultant advises teachers on how they can ensure that data from standardized tests will inform their instruction and classroom assessments."

Curious and Useful Math
http://www.curiousmath.com/
This site is loaded with tricks and rules for quickly calculating certain types of math problems. There are also some entertaining trivia and math facts. Ask a question or participate in the online forum.

PBS Mathline
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/math.htm
To view lesson plans and activities, select a grade range and topic. Teachers can get quick access to their most relevant content for subject, grade level, and location by personalizing this site.

Connected Math
http://www.mth.msu.edu/cmp/Overview/Glance.htm
Help students develop an "understanding of important concepts, skills, procedures, and ways of thinking and reasoning in number, geometry, measurement, algebra, probability, and statistics."

Marvelous Museums

2005-02-13T16:56:00.000-05:00

Instead of venturing out on a wintry day, stay warm indoors and visit these online museums!

Ellis Island Museum
http://www.ellisisland.org/
Explore Ellis Island and its amazing immigration museum. Information about the Statue of Liberty is included.

AMNH: American Museum of Natural History Exhibitions
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/
Learn about the current exhibitions on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City at this site.

Canadian Museum of Civilization
http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/cmce.asp
This museum covers important events of human civilization. Check out the Quick Link drop-down list to go to the War Exhibit and Today in History.

National Air and Space Museum
http://www.nasm.si.edu
Enter the Exhibits link on the National Air and Space Museum's homepage to find exhibits on early space exploration and lunar vehicles.

Butler Institute of American Art
http://www.butlerart.com/collection.htm
Each painting in this collection is accompanied by a brief discussion of the artist and the work. Start at the beginning of the alphabet with Edwin Austin Abbey and work your way to the end of the alphabet.

WebQuests

2004-10-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

"A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation." --Bernie Dodge

Best WebQuests.com
http://www.bestwebquests.com/
Use Tom March's content matrix to select WebQuests for early to adult learners.

A Rubric for Evaluating WebQuests
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html
This page will help you to evaluate the effectiveness of your own WebQuest.

The WebQuest Page
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html
Explore the details of successful WebQuests. Bernie Dodge has compiled articles, templates, and training materials. Be sure to link to WebQuestNews for current views of this learning model from around the world.

WebQuests for Kids
http://www.kathimitchell.com/quests.htm
Kathi Mitchell has compiled a useful selection of links to Social Studies and Science WebQuests.

SESCD WebQuests: Math
http://sesd.sk.ca/teacherresource/webquest/math.htm
A school division from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, had organized a list of math WebQuests for elementary through high school students.

Using Laptops in the Classroom

2004-10-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

If your students are fortunate and have access to laptops, or you are interested in establishing a laptop program, check out the sites below for more information.

Teaching Today: Making the Most of Laptops in the Classroom
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/38
Laptop training is the key to success. These tips tell you how to track your progress and help students organize their files.

Learning With Laptops
http://www.learningwithlaptops.org/
Click Why Laptops? to find ten reasons why laptops promote a positive shift toward more project based, hands-on learning. Guidelines for a Successful Student Laptop Program and Third Year Laptop Program Reflections provide implementation guidelines.

TechLearning: Observations, Reflections, and Research of a Laptop Classroom
http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=22101400
Switzerland Point Middle School in St. Augustine, Florida, reviews their commitment to their laptop program. The teachers feel it "creates new possibilities for every student that go beyond what even the best test can measure."

Edutopia: Laptops for All
http://glef.org/php/article.php?id=Art_895
http://glef.org/php/radio.php?id=R123#
The introduction of laptops to The Mott Hall School gave teachers "a wonderful opportunity to reexamine our curriculum and confront the digital divide."

The Electronic Classroom: Integrating Laptops Into Multiple Subject Areas
http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/colburn2/index.html
Read the student and teacher testimonies about the organizational benefits of laptops. Learn how these users were able to perform research and find resources for their assignments. Discover the speed at which work was completed, and how easily the laptop can display data.

BONUS:
Laptops and Learning Resources
http://www.stager.org/laptops.html

Teaching Resources

2004-09-07T15:41:00.000-04:00

Begin your school year with a review of these dynamic Web sites that may be used to meet your professional development needs as well as give you access to valuable lesson plans.

LINKS Learning
http://www.linkslearning.org/Home/_index.html
"LINKS Learning began in 1998 as a multi-state project to develop electronic resources that support states in their efforts to implement educational reform." Teachers can view multimedia lessons that demonstrate reading, math, and science strategies. Students can download interactive math games that teach decimals, fractions, angles, and more. Superintendents and principals can tap into leadership and management resources. Parents can also find methods to help kids learn.

Scholastic: Teachers Free Tools and Resources
http://teacher.scholastic.com/
Scholastic offers online activities, lesson plans, teaching strategies, and tools.

The Teachers.Net: Lesson Bank
http://www.teachers.net/lessons/
Here are a variety of tested lessons across the curriculum. Search, browse, request, or submit your own!

ALFY: Teacher Resources
http://www.alfy.com/teachers
Pre-K through 5th grade teachers will enjoy these lesson plans and creative ideas for the classroom.

Center for Digital Education: Converge Online
http://www.centerdigitaled.com/converge/
This digital magazine offers feature articles and news about education policy and technology. Click Converge Past Issues for their archived articles.

Weather Wonders

2004-07-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

Summer weather can be hot, humid, rainy, windy, or even a time for hailstorms or tornadoes. Check out the weather for your vacation destination, or find out the temperature in your own backyard!

Weather Forecast Page
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/wrhq/nwspage.html
Get information on weather specific to your area using this National Weather Service map.

Reading Weather Maps
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/maps/home.rxml
How do you read a weather map? Take a look at this site to learn the basics of weather forecasting.

The Weather Classroom
http://www.weather.com/education/
The Weather Classroom is a comprehensive exploration of the hows, whys, and wonders of weather.

World Weather Watch
http://www.youth.net/weather/welcome.html
This interactive weather project pairs up your class with another to record and share weather data.

Weather Dude
http://www.wxdude.com/
This friendly site includes weather terms, information on today's weather, satellite images, weather phenomena, and songs about weather.

Physical Education Highlights

2004-07-09T13:13:00.000-04:00

P.E. Central: Integrated Lesson Ideas
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/pelessonplans.html
Physical Education isn't just for the gym teacher anymore! This extensive collection of activities and lesson plans integrates physical movement into lessons in the content areas of social studies, science, math, and health.

National Association for Sport and Physical Education
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm
This organization "seeks to enhance knowledge and professional practice in sport and physical activity through scientific study and dissemination of research-based and experiential knowledge to members and the public."

PELinks4U
http://www.pelinks4u.org/
What's new in physical education? Find the latest in fitness, health, and nutrition.

Frank and Mike's Physical Education Page
http://www.geocities.com/sissio/physical_education.html
This comprehensive collection of physical education links is sorted by sport.

Health and P.E.
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/health.html
The dozens of lessons at this site are grade-level specific, and include traditional health and P.E. topics such as nutrition, hygiene, fitness, and safety.

Summer Gardens

2004-07-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

How To Be A Gardener
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg2/virtual_garden/
Create your own virtual garden! Select trees, shrubs, bulbs, grasses, and flowers to plant in your personally designed landscape. Then view it in 3-dimensional splendor. Shockwave plug-in required.

My First Garden
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/index.html
Kids, learn all about starting your first garden! Gardening FUNdamentals tells you when and what to plant. There's a Teacher's Guide with objectives and strategies as well.

School Gardens
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/nutrition/schoolgardens/schgard.html
School Gardens is a complete guide for planting a school garden. Discover planning considerations, step-by-step procedures, ideas and curricula, and rich links to other garden sites. Get growing!

Garden In Every School
http://www.kidsgardening.com/School/register.asp
If you have a school garden, or are thinking of establishing one, then this site is an excellent resource.

Kid's Valley Garden
http://www.raw-connections.com/garden/maint/maint.htm
How can you make sure the plants grow well? Topics include Soil, Watering Your Plants, Fertilizing Plants, Lots of Mulch, Supporting Plants, Thinning Your Plants, and Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

Narrative Writing

2004-07-07T13:29:00.000-04:00

Using Picture Books to Teach Characterization in Writing Workshop
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=101
Need a great picture book to stimulate better narrative writing among your students? Learn some different ways to develop story characters with this lesson and bibliography.

Tracy's Ten Prewriting Exercises for Personal Narratives
http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/006.shtml
Use these exercises with the traditional journalist's questions before beginning writing.

Composition Patterns: Narrative and Descriptive
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/narrative.htm
Study descriptive elements in narrative writing and then read examples by well-known authors.

Standards for Evaluating Composing, Skills for Narrative Writing
http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~hkatz/Courses/3101/wrtngb.html
Use this rubric to assess the structure of students' writing.

The Five-Paragraph Essay
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/
The Five Paragraph Essay, an online writing tutorial for high school students, provides the following sections: Getting Started; How to Write the Essay; Editing, Revising, and Evaluating; and Writing Prompts.

Internet Safety

2004-07-06T11:56:00.000-04:00

Student Safety On the Internet
http://www.4j.lane.edu/safety/
This site has tutorials for teens, parents, and teachers concerning student safety.

Internet Safety for Schools
http://www.4j.lane.edu/safety/
Here's a quick guide to finding the solution that's right for your school's Internet safety needs.

Stay Safe Online
http://www.msn.staysafeonline.com/
MSN provides tips for all ages on Internet safety. You can access additional links for detailed information about online security and privacy.

Safety On the Information Highway
http://www.safekids.com/safeteens/safeteens.htm
From Safeteens.com, this site suggests important things for teenagers to know about the Internet.

Iggey and Rasper's Internet Safety Game
http://www.kidscomjr.com/games/safety/safety.html
Younger kids can use this site to find tips, advice, and suggestions to make their online experience fun and productive.

Ocean Explorations

2004-06-13T16:10:00.000-04:00

Oceana
http://www.oceana.org/
What is the role of the ocean in weather? Visit Ocean World and learn about El Niño, fisheries, waves, icebergs, currents, and much more! Lessons and classroom activities are included.

NOAA Ocean Explorer
http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/
Let the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration take you on a tour of important ocean environments. Review ocean exploration technology.

Oceans
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/oceans/index.shtml
What is oceanography? What tools to oceanographers use? Learn the role the Antarctic Ocean plays in the circulation and health of all the Earth's oceans.

Summer Professional Development

2004-06-07T13:10:00.000-04:00

Classroom Connect's Connected University
http://corporate.classroom.com/cu.html
Browse the course catalog for Summer 2004. Integrate technology and improve student learning in your school. Learners can choose from software tutorials, how-to-tips, and dozens of guide-led and self-paced courses. Many courses are available for graduate credit and Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Scholastic Summer Workshops
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/summer/
Enjoy free online summer workshops on topics such as Rubrics, Readers for a Lifetime, and Supporting Emergent Literacy. Or, plan to attend the Literacy Leaders Institute!

ASCD: Professional Development Online
http://pdonline.ascd.org/pd_online/new/course_catagory2.cfm?catid=999
Check out this impressive sampling of online learning courses.

Writing Classes.com
http://www.writingclasses.com/online/index.html
Classes focus on fundamental principles such as plot, structure, character, voice, dialogue, description, and point of view. Class size is 18 or fewer students in order to receive personal feedback from your instructor.

Instructional Design for Integrating Technologies
http://netche.unl.edu/idit/reg.cfm
This free online course introduces instructional design models and assists you through developing your own instructional design plan. Learn to integrate technology into instruction, and compare traditional testing with authentic assessment.

Summer Olympics

2004-05-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

Athens 2004
http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/
This August 13 through August 29, the Olympic Games will be held in Athens, Greece. Site of the ancient Olympics and the first modern Olympics in 1896, Athens promises to be a spectacular host city! Click Olympic Games for history and events. Click Athens Guide for city treasures. Follow the international route of the torch relay!

Official Web Site of the Olympic Movement
http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
Click Athletes for biographies of Olympic competitors. Click Olympic Games for facts about the past winter and summer Olympics.

Olympics Through Time
http://sunsite.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/olympics/preview/
This site discusses the origin of the Olympic Games, their importance, and how they emerged into the modern Olympics.

Olympic Curriculum Guide
http://www.aafla.com/6oic/curric_frmst.htm
The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles has created a resource for teachers with Olympic-themed lesson plans in health and physical education; social studies and geography; mathematics and science; and language arts.

The Ancient Olympics
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/
Take a tour of ancient Olympia and learn about some of the ancient games and the requirements athletes needed to meet in order to participate.

Learn a Language

2004-05-25T18:38:00.000-04:00

Language Guide.org
http://www.languageguide.org/index.jsp
Are you learning English, Español, Français, Deutsch, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Hebrew, or Hindi? Place your cursor over any of the images and hear their names pronounced and see them spelled out.

Learn Spanish
http://www.lingolex.com/spanish.htm
Check out the vocabulary lists, including 50 useful expressions, 100 of the most frequently used verbs, and almost all the things you can find in a house!

Language Dictionaries and Translators
http://www.word2word.com/dictionary.html
Whether you're a student studying for a vocabulary test, or a foreign language teacher looking for some online translations, this site has many useful language references.

American Sign Language Browser
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb
Click on Take Me to the ASL Browser. Select the first letter of your word. Each sign includes a QuickTime video and explanation.

French Language Course
http://www.jump-gate.com/languages/french/
This French course will help you understand written French newspapers, articles, magazines, signs on the road in France, and to write a letter to a French friend.

Say Hello to the World
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/hello/
Guess how many languages you'd have to know to say "Hello" to everyone in the world? Visit this page to find out. Choose a language and say "Aloha!"

Bloom's Taxonomy

2004-05-25T18:36:00.000-04:00

Learning Domains or Bloom's Taxonomy
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
Here's an outline of Bloom's Taxonomy that provides a useful structure in which to categorize test questions: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.

Learning Skills Program: Bloom's Taxonomy
http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html
This chart will help you understand the ins and outs of Bloom's Taxonomy.

The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
http://www.humboldt.edu/~tha1/bloomtax.html
This is a revised version of Benjamin Bloom's work with the addition of the Psychomotor Domain as developed by Anita Harrow (1972). Questions and examples are also included to make the Taxonomy more useful for beginning teachers as a tool to facilitate appropriate questioning.

Teacher Education: Bloom's Taxonomy
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/teachereduc/Bloom.html
Study an example of how Bloom's Taxonomy may be used in developing a science unit on ecosystems.

Bloom's Taxonomy
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/bloom.html
Learn the history of Bloom, and the process behind his Taxonomy that highlights the kinds of behavior that lead to learning.

Timelines

2004-05-25T18:28:00.000-04:00

Environmental History Timeline
http://www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/hist1/timeline.new.html
The timeline begins with environmental problems that have plagued cultures from ancient times. Click on the links to trace environmental concerns and the steps people have taken to meet them from ancient times to the recent past.

Black History Month Timeline
http://www.blackvoices.com/feature/bhm_00/timeline.htm
February is Black history month. This timeline shows major events in African American history. Check out the links at the bottom of the page for additional articles, quizzes, and resources.

Revolutionary War Timeline
http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/UsaHistory/AmericanRevolution/AmerRevolution.htm#Timeline
Study a clickable timeline of the American Revolution.

Timeline of Computer History
http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/timeline.php?timeline_year=1990
This timeline explores the history of computing from 1945 to 1990.

Moon Exploration Timeline
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/lunartimeline.html
Study the missions and spacecraft sent to study the moon by viewing this clickable timeline

World History Chronology
http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron
Discover regional chronologies like Africa and India as well as cross-cultural chronologies such as Christianity and Buddhism.

Student Motivation

2004-05-25T18:25:00.000-04:00

Student Motivation To Learn
http://learn2study.org/teachers/motivation.htm
Review how the motivation to learn can be fostered in school. Find out how to help unmotivated students with attribution retraining.

Tools for Teaching: Motivating Students
http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/motivate.html
This article lists key features that enhance student motivation. They include making students active participants in learning as they set achievable goals for themselves, giving students feedback as quickly as possible, and emphasizing mastery and learning rather than grades.

Seizing the Days: Engaging All Learners
http://edservices.aea7.k12.ia.us/motivation/index.html
K-12 teachers can learn new instructional skills as they study the science of learning and how the brain works. Create the conditions for your learners to find motivation within themselves.

Dimensions of Learning: Teacher's Manual
http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=983&topnav=1
This overview challenges readers to rethink conventional views on such matters as student motivation and reward systems, and the relationship between thinking skills and content knowledge.

The Jigsaw Classroom
http://www.jigsaw.org/
Visit the Jigsaw Classroom, a cooperative learning technique that claims to reduce racial conflict among school children, promote better learning, improve student motivation, and increase enjoyment of the learning experience.

Mentoring

2004-05-25T18:17:00.000-04:00

Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program
http://www.nfie.org/publications/mentoring.htm
The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education offers advice on developing new or improving existing mentor programs. Contents include Creating the Climate, Context, and Structure for Effective Mentoring; Selecting, Training, and Supporting Mentors; and What Protégés Need from Mentors.

Teachers Network: New Teachers Online
http://teachersnetwork.org/ntol/index.htm
Meet the Web Mentors, veteran teachers that guide discussions on a variety of topics. Click New Teacher Helpline or How To, and find information on classroom management, working with students' families, literacy instruction, as well as implementing standards, curriculum, and assessment.

Edutopia Online: The Big List on Mentoring
http://glef.org/php/biglist.php?id=228
Scroll down this excellent compilation of articles, including The Good Mentor; Mentoring: Recent Research Highlights; Reflections: What Constitutes a Good Mentoring Relationship; Perspectives on Mentoring; and Teachers Supporting Teachers.

Program Design: Collaboration Through Mentoring and Peer Coaching
http://www.mentors.net/03program/cover.html
This site defines mentoring and provides tips for, and characteristics of, effective mentors.

Mentoring the Mentor: A Challenge for Staff Development
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/janas174.cfm
Find detailed information on the challenges that schools face in implementing a mentoring program for novice teachers.

Women's History Month

2004-05-25T18:12:00.000-04:00

National Women's History Project
http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html
The theme this year is "Women Inspiring Hope and Possibility." Read about the eight 2004 nominees, including Marian Wright Edelman and Dr. Susan Love. Review the checklist for promoting and celebrating National Women's History Month in your community.

Women's History Month
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/main.html
Historychannel.com celebrates each day in March with the life story of a different remarkable woman.

Gifts of Speech: Women's Speeches From Around the World
http://gos.sbc.edu/browse.html
This Sweet Briar College site allows you to browse important speeches made by women chronologically or alphabetically, from 1848 (Elizabeth Cady Stanton) to 2001 (Ingrid Newkirk).

Women's History In America
http://www.wic.org/
This site traces the history of women's struggle for equality throughout history. Click History of Women in America or Biographies for an alphabetical listing. Check the Living Legacy Awards for recipients from 1984-2003.

Women's History Month
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/whm/0,8805,101044,00.html
Review a list of Women's History Milestones. Take the Get the Picture History Challenge. Submit an email to Time for Kids about your female role models and read what other kids are writing.

Children's Encyclopedia of Women
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/womenenc/womenenc.htm
Enjoy reading these brief biographies, researched and written by third and fourth grade students from Pocantico Hills School, Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Citizenship

2004-05-25T18:03:00.000-04:00

Facing History and Ourselves
http://www.facinghistory.org/
The developers of this site believe "Civic education encourages the skills, promotes the values, and fosters the ideals needed to sustain a democratic society." Click resources for study guides on America and the Holocaust, Ghetto Life 101, and Participating in Democracy.

Citizenship Test
http://www.heraldsun.com/votebook/citizenship/citstart.html
Answer the 100 questions used to test applicants applying for citizenship.

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government: Grades 6-8 (also link to grades K-2, 3-5, 9-12)
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/index.html
Middle school students will find information on Historical Documents, Branches of Government, How Laws Are Made, Election Process, and Citizenship.

The Headbone Derby Teacher's Guide: Izzie and Auggie Go to the Polls
http://www.headbone.com/derby/polls/teachersguide/toolkit/polls/
Your class can learn about concepts such as democracy, politics, and citizenship as they follow Izzie and Auggie to the fictional country of Kohlrabi to set up a fair government.

Let's Go To City Hall
http://www.hud.gov/kids/ch/ch3s_intro.html
Primary students take a field trip to city hall and study the jobs of the mayor and the city council. They can read about city offices and visit the library to link to their own city hall.

News for Kids

2004-05-25T17:54:00.000-04:00

Science News for Kids
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org
Find out kids' views of current events in this special version of the popular news magazine. Click on Archive for reports from 1995 to today.

Scholastic News for Kids
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/
Investigate special reports, top story of the day, write captions for news pictures, and vote on the question of the day.

Yahooligans! News
http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/news/
Yahooligans compiles topic-related stories from other resources such as the Discovery Channel and CBBC. View slideshows on sports, entertainment, U.S. elections, animals, science and nature.

Talking With Kids About the News
http://www.childrennow.org/television/twk-news.htm
Learn how to create an open dialogue with students about topics such as crime, race, drugs, sickness, and disasters.

Problem Solving

2004-05-25T17:42:00.000-04:00

Fifty Problem-Solving Strategies Explained
http://www.une.edu.au/psychology/staff/malouff/problem.htm
This site features 50 problem-solving strategies using categories and examples.

Assessment Model for a Design Approach to Technological Problem Solving
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v12n2/custer.html
With problem solving a major theme in education, this study (reported in the Journal of Technology Education) sought to develop a model for assessing problem solving using a design approach to the study of technology.

Solving Problems
http://www.classroom.com/community/neighborhoods/problem-solving.htm
This article on Problem Solving delves into just one of the Five Applications of Learning.

Headroom Cubby House: Problem Solving
http://www.headroom.net.au/cubby/framejamming_prob.html?prob_solve_steps.html~prob_cubby
Find a variety of solution strategies to use on this site.

Brain Teasers
http://www.eduplace.com/math/brain/index.html
Whether you solve them at home or in the classroom, individually or as a group, Brain Teasers are both entertaining and mentally challenging.

Characteristics of Effective Schools

2004-05-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

California Center for Effective Schools
http://effectiveschools.education.ucsb.edu/correlates.html
The Effective Schools Correlates comprise a research-based and data-model to improve student performance and learning.

Jefferson Middle School
http://www.schoolstowatch.org/jefferson/jabout.htm
Visit Jefferson Middle School for an example of a school that successfully implemented the characteristics of effective schools.

Characteristics of Effective Schools
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/sit/cssovrvw1.html
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Web site provides guidelines on writing a school vision statement.

The Effective Teacher
http://oz.plymouth.edu/~lsandy/effective.html
This article discusses the characteristics of an effective teacher, which in the author's point of view include genuineness, optimism, and enthusiasm.

Profiles of Successful School-wide Programs
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/idea_profiles/
Study profiles of several public schools that have implemented the characteristics of effective schools.

Parent Collaboration

2004-05-25T13:21:00.000-04:00

Epstein's Six Types of Parent Involvement
http://www.ssta.sk.ca/partnership/types/types.htm
The framework of six types of involvement helps educators develop more comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Suggestions for Parents
http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed433965.html
This Web page from ERIC is a concise guide to conferencing for parents. Check it out for ideas on creating a conferencing handout for parents.

Parent and Family Involvement
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/pa0cont.htm
NCREL's Parent and Family Involvement discusses such topics as Constructing School Partnerships with Families and Community Groups; Supporting Ways Parents and Families Can Become Involved in Schools; and Creating the School Climate and Structures to Support Parent and Family Involvement.

Tips Parents Can Use To Help Their Children
http://www.par-inst.com/educator/resources/tips/tips.php?PHPSESSID=2f6abd8083784c433f14808c1cbd2907
Developed by the Parent Institute, these short tips can assist parents in getting the most out of their interactions with their child's school.

The Benefits of Family, School Partnerships
http://www.ncpie.org/AboutNCPIE/AboutPartnerships.html
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education presents information and resources for parents and schools.

Student Achievement

2004-05-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

Student Achievement
http://www.naesp.org/ContentLoad.do?contentId=71
Topics on this site from the National Association of Elementary School Principals include: Turning Around the Lowest Achievers, Enhancing Students' Social and Psychological Development, and Teaching Students to Be Efficient Learners.

Enhancing Student Achievement with Technology in the Classroom
http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/zhs/new/Enhancing%20Student%20Achievement%20With%20Technology%20In%20The%20Classroom.html
The lesson presented here is an example of how technology using simple, conventional, and readily available software can be used to facilitate learner success.

Key Building Blocks for Student Achievement in the 21st Century
http://www.ceoforum.org/downloads/report4.pdf
Read the fourth School Technology and Readiness Report (STaR) from the CEO Forum.

Technology Plan: Independence Middle School
http://exit3.i-55.com/~ims0/tp.htm
The goal of this plan is that "All students and teachers will have access to technologies that will enable them to improve student achievement and teacher performance."

Preparing Students To Take Standardized Achievement Tests
http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=1&n=11
William A. Mehrens states, "Many people assume that the best data about students' levels of achievement come from standardized achievement tests. The inferences you typically wish to draw from test scores are general in nature and will be inaccurate...if you "teach to the test."

Technology Planning Guides

2004-05-25T12:45:00.000-04:00

Education Technology Planning Guide
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/rd/edtechguide.asp
This guide features plan components, budgeting, hardware, technical support, software, monitoring, and evaluation.

National Center for Technology Planning (NCTP)
http://www.nctp.com
Here is an in-depth site of interest to school staffers involved in any aspect of technology planning.

Technology Planning and Policies
http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/technology/planning.htm
Read the sample Internet AUPs, Technology Plans, and other practical technology resources to help school leaders address the issues involved in bringing technology to school districts.

Technology Planning Articles
http://www.nctp.com/links.cfm
This collection of useful links can be used to develop a technology strategy.

Technology Planning Resources
http://www.rmcdenver.com/eetnet/tem.htm
Plan for learning with technology with these resources. Link to glossaries of technical terms, success stories, and grant information.

Spring Online Projects

2004-05-25T10:42:00.000-04:00

Down the Drain
http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/drainproj/index.html
How much water do you use in one day? Join other classes in compiling and submitting the data. Check out the student area for photos and student work.

Celebrate World Ocean Day
http://www.theoceanproject.org/news/oceanday.html
June 8th is the 12th annual World Ocean Day. The Ocean Project is helping to coordinate events and activities worldwide with aquariums, zoos, museums, and the World Ocean Network. Use the sample letter to the editor to express your concerns about ocean health in your local newspapers.

Journey North: Signs of Spring
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2004/
Robins, monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds are being tracked in the month of May. Students make observations and report their sightings to create a digital map. They also communicate with scientists who answer questions about the different migrations.

Rainforest Action Network: Action Alerts
http://action.ran.org/action/
Help protect the world's forests and get involved in campaigns to protect the environment. "Digital activism is reviving democracy, changing corporate behavior, and shaping public policy." Urge companies to improve by sending emails.

Signals of Spring
http://www.signalsofspring.net/
This curriculum-based project uses satellites to track migrating animals. Research links, maps, and data are available. Teachers are trained onsite or via live Webcasts.

Summer Reading

2004-05-24T17:52:00.000-04:00

One Hundred Favorite Children's Books
http://kids.nypl.org/reading/recommended2.cfm?ListID=60
Check out the New York Public Library's list of children's 100 favorite books.

Texas Bluebonnet Award
http://www.txla.org/groups/tba/
"The Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) reading program was established in 1979 to encourage Texas children to read more books, explore a variety of current books, develop powers of discrimination, and identify their favorite books."

KidsReads.com
http://www.kidsreads.com/
KidsReads describes kids favorite books, series, and authors.

Reading Zone
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/browse/rzn0000/
Link to stories and learn more about the authors of favorite books.

Association for Library Service to Children 2004 Award Winners
http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/2004mediaaward.htm
The ALSC provides a list of literary winners as well as links to Children's Notable Lists from past years.

Kids@Random
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/
Click Books for a drop-down list of New, Favorite, and Series books. Meet the Authors has links to biographies and interviews.

Fair Use and Citing Sources

2004-05-24T17:45:00.000-04:00

Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers
http://i.cmpnet.com/techlearning/pdf/db_area/archives/TL/2002/10/copyright_chart.pdf This handy chart is a concise reference tool that summarizes the fine print.

Copyright Law and Fair Use
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/cpyright.html
Stanford University Libraries provides a general description of copyright law and the fair-use exemptions to the law. This site also describes guidelines applicable to classroom copying.

Citation Styles
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
Study the MLA, APA, Chicago, and CBE styles of citing Web sites, Email messages, Web discussion forum posting, Listserv message, Newsgroup message, and Real-time communication.

Copyright Kids
http://www.copyrightkids.org
Learn copyright basics and register your own copyright. Click Sample Permission Letters and learn how to contact Music Publishers and Record Companies. Obtain Film and Television Clip clearances as well as and Books, Articles, Photos, and Illustrations clearances.

Citation Machine
http://landmark-project.com/citation_machine/cm.php
Simply type in the information on the article or book you are citing and the correct MLA and APA format appears!