Category Archives: Resource Links

Conference Links and Ways to Stay Connected

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This time of year I’m always looking for new ideas to finish the year strong and begin planning for next year.  After attending the eMINTS Conference, I found exactly what I needed.  If you weren’t able to attend the conference this year, you can still enjoy many excellent resources.

eMINTS National Center Conference 2013 Presentation Links

At the conference website you can access presentations, websites, links, and more. This is a great way to follow up on presentations that you may have attended or wanted to attend.eMINT Discussion List

Feel free to share these wonderful resources with your personal learning network. If you want to see how other eMINTS educators may be using these resources, try adding a question to the eMINTS discussion list. The discussion list is a great way to connect with other educators and to stay current on news and events.  All discussions are archived by month for convenient access and viewing.

If you are looking for other ways to stay connected or are in need of some ideas for projects, here are some other ways to be apart of the educational community.

  • Twitter – check out our twitter account @emintsnc or the twitter hashtag #eMINTS – better yet, try adding it to your posts to share your ideas and resources!
  • Join the Linkedin eMINTS Community
  • Intel © Teach -  a great way to engage with other educators about practices and resources for the classroom.
  • eThemes – a great way for all educators and students to find great resources. If you have an upcoming project, request a new theme to be created and let us do the work for you.

What tools do you use to share resources with other educators?

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[This post was provided by Amy Blades, an instructional specialist for the eMINTS National Center.]

eMINTS Conference Day 1

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Today was the first day of the eMINTS Conference. It was a great day with many conversations about educational strategies, student engagement, and 21st Century Tools.  Educators from all around the US were in attendance and were eager to rejuvenate by collecting ideas and resources to take back to their classrooms.

Glen Westbroek, a junior high teacher from Utah’s Alpine School District, and Doug Caldwell, eMINTS Instructional Specialist, were among the presenters.  Their presentation was based around Glen’s tried-and-true way to encourage students to really think and discover how they can enhance real-world thinking through problem-solving with the use of free online tools.

The entry point for the session was the statement “When students think, they remember.” This introduction was so powerful for me because it really got me thinking about how I construct new learning.  Most of us construct learning by doing something. This might be building something with our hands, talking to peers, or just focusing on our thinking to create something new to communicate our understanding. The essential part of constructing this new knowledge is to let the learner do the majority of the work.

Doug shared with the participants, “The person doing the work, is doing the learning.”  Therefore, during this session the participants did an inquiry activity from a student’s perspective with Doug and Glen sharing facilitation strategies along the way.  This dynamic duo also shared and incorporated several free Web 2.0 tools into their unit plan such as: LiveBinder, Google’s Big Huge Labs,  Intel ® Teach Visual Ranking Tool and more.

There is something truly empowering when a presentation grabs and holds your attention for the entire session.  This experience may be exactly what educators might seek as they are working with students in 21st Century classrooms. If you are unable to attend this session on Day 2 of the conference, you can check out their unit plan at http://tinyurl.com/emintsthink.

The eMINTS Conference is a yearly event. If you didn’t get to attend this year, we hope to see you next year!

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[This post was provided by Amy Blades, an instructional specialist for the eMINTS National Center.]

Goal Setting and Feedback To Support Learning

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Recently a colleague shared with me a couple of articles written by Grant Wiggins on the use of feedback in the classroom. In his posts he highlighted several key strategies for trying to promote and incorporate quality feedback. He defines feedback as being “useful information on one’s effect or results, given a specific measurable goal.” He goes on to state that feedback should be descriptive in nature and free of judgements or praises. This made me think about the way feedback is used in the classroom. It seems that feedback is most often used as a form of assessment, but how effective is it in supporting growth in our learners? Could students benefit more from receiving feedback before a grade is given?

“Whether feedback is just there to be grasped or is provided by another person, helpful feedback is goal-referenced; tangible and transparent; actionable ; user-friendly (specific and personalized); timely; ongoing; and consistent.” stated Wiggins. This statement outlines his essentials for providing feedback, which can lead to great gains for the recipient. He centers helpful feedback around these seven key elements. This led me to reflect on how we use scoring guides in the classroom. It seems as if scoring guides are one way that teachers can guide students in setting goals and producing high quality final products. However, what might be some other ways to use feedback in the classroom?

Here are a few ideas one classroom teacher shared with Wiggins for fostering feedback…

  •  Students are asked to review their finished products. Before they hand them in they must reflect on what they did that was high quality, and one thing they could do differently to increase their quality of work. Students could then implement their own suggestions; revisions, or make adjustments to their products.
  • Students invite peers to provide feedback on what they did well and on what they could do better. Students could then implement their peer’s suggestions, and revise or make adjustments to their product.
  • Students are asked to review their work and share a brief statement explaining the goal behind their final product to the teacher or with a peer. This checks student understanding and their individual commitment to their project.
  • At the start of each class, students’ write down their goal(s) for the day. At the end of class reflect on what they did well and one thing they could have done better to meet their goal(s). Revision of the project can be performed for the next class period.
  • Students self-evaluate and reflect on the week and how they did in meeting their  weekly goal(s) or objective.
  • Teacher records student provided feedback and any additional efforts taken toward meeting their goals. This can be used as part of a whole group discussion to assist students in evaluating and setting future goals.

As educators we want students to self-evaluate and use peer evaluations to support educational growth. However, teaching students how to give feedback that is tangible is a tough task; this requires opportunities for students to work with and create feedback often.  As we go forth into the New Year and the second semester of the school year, what strategies might you use to foster the use of feedback in the classroom?

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You can read his full article published on ASCD here.  (Seven Keys to Effective Feedback).

 

This post was provided by Amy Blades, an instructional specialist for the eMINTS National Center.  Thank you to Brook Higgins, an eMINTS Instructional Specialist, for sharing this resource with me.

Hooked on Edudemic

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How do you stay connected to the latest trends in education?

Recently I discovered a resource called Edudemic. It started out as a search for educational apps for my iPad, which lead to my discovery of their website. Instantly I was hooked! As I browsed their list of featured stories, I found myself wanting to read them all. The headlines ranged from ways to use social media in your classroom to information about other countries using technology. I am ashamed to admit it, but I hardly find myself reading the news as much as I read my email. When I discovered that Edudemic would send me an e-newsletter with their daily digest, I just had to subscribe. Now when I am checking my email I am able to scan through their newsletter and read the articles that instantly catch my eye. Plus once it makes its way to my inbox, I can read them at my leisure.

What is Edudemic?  It is “a global community designed to keep educators, administrators, and everyone up to date on what is happening in the world of education and technology. It pulls from more than 100 different online educational resources to inform and connect the world of technology and education” (About Edudemic). This site contains news, ideas for mobile learning, best classroom practices and more.

To get started using Edudemic…

  1. Go to http://edudemic.com/. You do not need to register or subscribe you can start reading directly from their website.
  2. You can follow their posts on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, RSS Feed or you can subscribe to their Daily Digest that is delivered to your email.

Here are a few of my favorite articles to get you started:

How might this resource be utilized by students?

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This post was provided by Amy Blades, an instructional specialist for the eMINTS National Center.

 

eMINTS Weekly Update – 9/18/12

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eMINTS Investing in Innovation (i3) Project to be Featured:

We are pleased to report that the eMINTS Investing in Innovation (i3) project awarded in August 2010 will be visited by Tony Miller, Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Education and Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement on Wednesday, September 19, 2012. The day will start with a Round Table including principals and superintendents whose districts are part of the project. The University of Missouri TelePresence system will be used to connect participants in Columbia with those in Kansas City and St. Louis. Following the Round Table, Assistant Deputy Jim Shelton will visit our lead mentor district, New Franklin, to see eMINTS in action. We will share any photos and news stories about the site visit on the eMINTS website.

New & Updated eThemes for the week of September 17, 2012

New eThemes

Author Study: Herman Melville
Learn about Herman Melville and his books. Melville was a prominent novelist, short story writer, and poet of nineteenth century America. Included are links to sites about the writer’s life and the following works: “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” “Moby Dick,” “Billy Budd,” “The Confidence Man,” and “Typee,” as well as his poetry. There are eBooks, a lesson plan, a quiz, and discussion questions.

Updated eThemes

Amish People, Life, and Culture
These sites describe the day-to-day life of the Amish culture. Learn about their history and beliefs. Some sites include recipes or instructions for making crafts. Most sites include images.

Animals: Opossums
Learn about the only marsupial living in North America – the Virginia opossum. Find out what the opossum’s name means. Learn about the animal’s habitats, diet, behavior, reproduction, and predators. Read people’s misconceptions regarding the animal and find out why opossum live only up to three years in wild and eight in captivity. Includes photographs, images of tracks, coloring pages, and video files.

Author Study: Robert Frost and Modern American Poets
These resources are about the poet Robert Frost and his contemporaries. You will find biographical information, full-text poems, audio files, images, and lesson plans. Included are sites about other modern American poets such as Carl Sandburg, T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and William Carlos Williams. Included are three related eThemes resources on poetry.

Career Cluster: Architecture and Construction
Find out what careers are included in the architecture and construction career cluster. Learn about the careers, what kind of training they require, and what the working conditions are for architects and construction workers. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration, career interest assessments, and architecture.

Career Cluster: Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications
Explore these websites to learn what careers are included in the art, audio-video, and communications career path. Includes information about careers in music, writing, fashion design, and more. There are links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Business, Management, and Administration
Find out how to get involved in business, management, and administration. These websites detail the occupations available and career information such as education needed, salary, and job growth information. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Education and Training
These websites are about the career path of education and training. Find out which careers are in the career cluster. Read about the careers and how you can enter them. There are links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Health Science
Find out about the careers available in the health sciences career cluster. Includes information about education needed, working conditions, salaries, and more. There is a video about the kind of work health care workers do. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Hospitality and Tourism
These websites are about the career oppurtunities available in the hospitality and tourism industry. Learn what this career path is about and learn about some of the careers featured. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Human Services
Find out about the careers available in the human services career cluster. Includes information about education needed, working conditions, salaries, and more. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration, the psychology of personality development, and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Information Technology
These websites are about the occupations in information technology. Many of the careers are computer-related. Read about the various careers and the skills and education required for each career. There are links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
Explore these Web sites to learn what careers are included in the law, public safety, corrections, and security career cluster. Includes information about careers as lawyers, police officers, firefighters, conservation agent, and more. There are links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Marketing, Sales, and Service
These websites are about careers in marketing and sales. Find out which occupations are included in the career cluster and how you can get started in the industry. Includes links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Career Cluster: Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
Find out about career opportunities in transportation, distribution, and logistics. Includes information on a variety of careers from taxi cab driver to airplane pilot. There are links to eThemes on career exploration and career interest assessments.

Geography: Middle Atlantic Region
These sites have information about the following Middle Atlantic states: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Learn about each state’s symbols, major industries, history, natural resources, and more. There are links to eThemes Resources on the thirteen colonies and New England.

Literature: “Birchbark House” by Louise Erdrich
These sites are about the book “Birchbark House,” and features a Native American family living on the frontier. The book has been compared to the “Little House” series. The main characters are part of the Ojibwe (also called Chippewa) tribe. Included are a book summary and book talk, and discussion questions. Historical information about the Ojibwe tribe and a brief video on making a birch bark canoe is provided.

Literature: Award Winners
These sites are about children’s and young adult’s literature awards. Includes information about several awards such as the Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, Michael L. Printz, Best Books for Young Adults, and more. Learn about the history of the awards and see the winners from the current and previous years. eThemes on the Show Me, Building Block, Gateway,Truman and Mark Twain award winners are included.

Missouri: Famous People
Learn about famous Missourians both living and deceased including Laura Ingalls Wilder, Walt Disney, Samuel Clemens, and Daniel Boone. There is a Missouri person WebQuest, a video on Samuel Clemens, and a link to an eThemes Resource on famous Missouri women.

Missouri: Geography and Landforms
These sites are about the different geographical regions and natural resources in Missouri. Learn about the Ozarks, the Ozark border, glaciated plains, Osage plains, and Mississippi lowlands. Includes classroom activities, plus videos from the Missouri Heritage series. There are links to eThemes Resources on Missouri maps, rivers, and regions.

Nevada: State Facts
Learn about the state of Nevada regarding state symbols, wildlife, economics, and history. Find out the history behind the state symbol, myths, and truths about the state. Includes radio clips, illustrations, printable worksheets, games, and a quiz. There is a link to eThemes resource on Nevada state flag.

Olympic Games: Winter 2006
These are sites about the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino (Turin)Italy. Learn about the different sporting events that take place during a Winter Olympiad, read news stories, or athlete’s biographies. There are games, quizzes, videos, and classroom activities. Included are eThemes resources about Olympic history, athletes and records, the 2002 Winter Olympics, and the 2006 host country of Italy.

Parts of a Book: Nonfiction
This resource provides several informational websites related to parts of a nonfiction book. Includes topics such as glossary, index, table of contents, and key words. There are games, exercises, presentations, and lesson plans. Also includes a link to an eThemes resource on writing nonfiction.

Poems and Songs: Rivers and Ponds
These sites are a collection of songs and poems for elementary students. The songs and poems are related to animals living by, habitats in, and activities on rivers and ponds. Lesson plans, samples of songs, and history of river songs are included. There are links to eThemes resources on Habitat: Ponds and Lakes, Poetry: Simile and Figurative Language, Poets and their Poetry, and Writing: Poetry.

Poets and their Poetry
These sites feature authors who write poetry for children. Includes biographies of poets and examples of their work. Learn about Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Sara Holbrook, Edward Lear, and other poets. Included are eThemes Resources on writing poetry, figurative language, and poems and songs about rivers and ponds.

Reading Skills: Following Directions
These sites can help teachers develop lesson plans that incorporate the specific skills of following directions. One site has an interactive game for first graders.

Safety: Winter
These sites provide safety information during winter season. Includes safety tips for winter outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and bicycling. Also recommended action for hypothermia, frostbite, and snow blindness. There are activities and lesson plans on safe practices and what to do when stuck in the car. There are links to eThemes Resources on Season: Winter and Natural Disasters: Avalanches and Blizzards.

Schools of the Future
What will the school of the future be like? School buildings of the future may look completely different or they may not exist at all. The virtual reality classroom may replace the traditional classroom. Some states already have distance learning for high school students. Is distance learning part of future schools? Included are two links to eThemes resources on schools of the past.

Science: Dinosaurs
Learn more about the types of dinosaurs that roamed the earth years ago. Find out which dinosaurs were in your area, watch videos about these creature, and create your own dinosaur artwork. Includes 3D images, games, and quizzes. There is a link to an eThemes Resource on fossils.

Science: Fossils
These sites focus on fossils and include information about paleontologists, dinosaurs, and petrification. View photographs of actual fossils. Includes a link to an eThemes Resource on dinosaurs.

Science: Oceanography
These sites include information on the topography of the ocean floor and life in the ocean. Sea floor spreading, plate tectonics, and underwater volcanic activity are topics found on several of the sites. Many sites have photographs, maps, and videos. Included are two eThemes resource sites for younger grades, one on the geography of the ocean and the other on creatures of the ocean.

Science: Scientific Classification
Learn about the taxonomy of living things and the seven life processes carried out by living organisms: support, reproduction, digestion, transportation, circulation, excretion, and response. Included are many eThemes resources on microbes, living things, human anatomy, and plants.

U.S. Court of Appeals
These sites contain resources to help students understand how the Court of Appeals System works and how it relates to other types of courts. There are tutorials, basic information about the courts and judges, links to court publications, and databases of statistical information and important court decisions. Includes a link to eTheme resources on the judicial branch of government.

U.S. President: Theodore Roosevelt: Part I
Learn about the 26th American President – Theodore Roosevelt. Discover the president as a son, father, husband, naturalist and conservationist, newyorker, and a war hero. Learn about his hobbies, outdoor adventures, and his nature conservation policies. Includes audio and video clips, timelines, photographs, quizzes, and biographies. There are links to eThemes topics on the President Theodor Roosevelt’s politics, American and foreign policies, Spanish war, and United States presidents.

U.S. President: Theodore Roosevelt: Part II
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president and served from 1901 until 1909. Find out about his political views and domestic policies. Learn about the Bull Moose Party and the presidential election campaign of 1912. Includes the presidential inauguration transcript, photographs, audio and video files. There are links to eThemes resources on Theodor Roosevelt’s personal life and nature preservation policies, his foreign policies; and a link to United States Presidents.

Utah: Habitat: Forests
Learn about Utah’s forests and where they can be found. See a map of the various habitats in Utah, watch a video about controlled forest fires, and learn which plants and animals live in Utah’s forests. There are links to related eThemes on trees, forests, and Utah animals.

Teaching Tips: Online Assessments
Teachers can explore these sites for online assessment tools. Some sites are free and some require a payment after a 30 day trial period. Many sites have pre-written assessments that students can take and then data is provided back to the teacher. On other sites teachers can input their own questions and answers, and assessments will be scored and data provided to the teacher. Included is a link to an eThemes resource on writing assessment tools.

Math: Surveys, Tables, and Graphing
These sites have definitions of survey, poll, mean, median, and mode. Find out how to take simple surveys and opinion polls. Includes lesson plans and in-class activities for collecting and organizing numerical and statistical data. There are links to eThemes Resources on how to create and use various types of graphs.

Monica Beglau is the Executive Director of the eMINTS National Center.

To Tweat or Not to Tweat

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So Twitter can have value to learning in the classroom, but how?

We’re studying rocketry and just getting started with blogging and tweeting this year.  I wanted to demonstrate how we could reach out to experts.  So, I asked what questions we had for Astronaut Clay Anderson.  A student was curious about what Zero G feels like.  We tweeted and later that day, students were thrilled to see we had received a tweet back.  One simple exchange.  We had just exchanged a message with an astronaut.

It made me wonder, what about other fields? Meteorology. Zoology. Geology.  How would I find these experts?  Then, I came across a list “100 Scientists on Twitter: Organized by Category.”   What if Twitter is not just a tool to connect with other classrooms, but to connect with experts in the field? Powerful.

So, you might be wondering, how do I get started?

Want to have a classroom chat that kids can have individual accounts in a small, classroom environment? Allow kids to start out with a version of Twitter that is only available in your classroom? Try Twiducate.  At the end of the day, ask every student to tweet what they’ve learned.  Twitter allows you to share with the world, Twiducate allows your kids to share with each other.

Want to work with your kids to develop Social Media Norms?  Have a class discussion about what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate to share.  Build a classroom community where kids support each other.  Whether sending a tweet from a classroom account on Twitter, or an individual account on Twiducate, help students understand that if you wouldn’t shout it in a crowded shopping mall, you shouldn’t share it on social media!  Post the norms.  Watch how kids take ownership in what they’ve decided upon as their norms.

Wondering how you will fit in time to tweet?  You may be thinking, I don’t have time to add one more thing to my classroom.  Ask one kid to take on the role each day or week.  Give him or her a “Media” badge.  Allow him to share what’s happening, 140 at a time.

Thinking about how you will find other classrooms that tweet?  Don’t worry!  I’m building a Twitter list.  Pick one or two to get started with.  You don’t have to follow hundreds of classrooms to get started.  Start small. Chat with a class in Australia or Illinois or your own school.

This is the second in a series of posts on using Twitter in the classroom.  Next up, five ways to use Twitter in the classroom. Our class tweets at @greatdaytolearn. Our Google Doc “Classrooms That Tweet” is growing everyday!  If your class is on Twittter, please add your name! If you’d like to get connected, check out the Twitter list “Classrooms That Tweet!“

This post was originally published at Venspired.com September 9, 2012. Blogger and gifted teacher Krissy Venosdale has graciously given permission for us to share her work here on NT&L. Be sure to jump over to Venspired to see what else Krissy is doing with her students.

eMINTS Weekly Update – 9/10/11

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Digital Learning Day 2013

Sign Up Now for Digital Learning Day 2013: Save the date – February 6, 2013 – for the second annual Digital Learning Day. DLD is a national advocacy and awareness day to celebrate teachers who successfully use instructional technology in classrooms across the US. There are so many ways to participate and interesting Town Hall Meetings to participate in. There are also interactive lesson plans and other resources. Activities and events will be shared in upcoming Weekly Updates. Check out the first-ever DLD “Back to School Olympics” that started Monday, August 20.

eLearning for Educators

Don’t forget to check out the new eLearning for Educators online professional development courses for fall semester at: http://www.elearningmo.org/register/fall-2012/ eLearning courses are available to educators across Missouri and in all other states. New courses include “Flipped, Upside-down, and Blended Instruction for the K-12 Classroom” and “Going Mobile K-12: Capturing the Power of Smart Phones, Tablets, Apps, and More.” Many of the standard favorites are also available including “Classroom Management,” “Algebraic Thinking in Elementary School,” and “Google Tools for Schools.” Courses cost $150 per person and graduate credit is available for an additional $100 per credit hour. Registration closes on September 19. Courses begin October 3 and conclude by November 20. Start your registration process today! For more information about eLearning for Educators see the website at: http://www.elearningmo.org/

eMINTS Conference 2013

eMINTS Annual Conference Dates Set: Hold the dates for the annual eMINTS Conference set for February 27 through March 1, 2013 in Columbia, MO. The Call for Proposals will be coming out soon so watch for the opportunity to submit a presentation proposal for the Conference. Peruse the presentations and resource materials provided by presenters from the 2012 Conference at: http://www.emints.org/conference-2012/presentation-materials/

Edutopia Features eMINTS

Edutopia: In case you missed it, Hartville Elementary (MO) and eMINTS Comprehensive Professional Development were featured on the Edutopia section called “Schools That Work” at: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/stw-tech-integration-professional-development is still available. The site also includes lesson plans and other resources for teachers, professional development specialists and other to use in the integration of technology into the classroom. The video does an excellent job of explaining eMINTS from the perspective of professional development.

New & Updated eThemes for the week of September 10, 2012

Updated eThemes

Animals: Working Dogs
These sites are about working dogs. There is information about the different kinds of jobs that dogs have. There are printable worksheets, a slideshow, video files, and interviews with people who work with these specially trained dogs. Several eThemes resources are included on dogs, guide dogs, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Saint Bernard’s, and the Iditarod.

Careers: Non-Traditional
What are non-traditional careers? The answer depends on whether you are a man or a woman. These sites explore non-traditional careers. Included are career lists, movies, audio files, and games. There are two eThemes resources on careers also included.

Country: Estonia
These sites are about Estonia. Learn about the people, history, culture, government, and natural environment of this small Baltic nation. There are facts, maps, and photos. Students can listen to a recording of a native bird’s song, hear the Estonian National Anthem, and watch a short movie about the Setu, an ethnic minority in Estonia. Included is an eTheme about Russia.

Famous Americans: Asian Connections
These sites focus on famous Americans who have Asians connections. Learn about their contributions, achievements, and biographies. Includes photos, interview transcripts, and video clips.

Famous Americans: North American Connections
These websites are about famous people from North America. There are actors, entertainers, scientists, and athletes, as well as general biographical research sources. Included are eThemes resources on famous African Americans and famous Latin Americans.

Famous People: Galileo
Galileo was a scientist and an inventor. He did not invent the telescope but he certainly improved it. Learn who Galileo was and what he invented on these sites. Included are eThemes on the Hubble telescope, inventions, and Copernicus.

Famous People: Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was an artist, scientist, and inventor. On these sites, you can learn about his life, work, ideas, and the times in which he lived. You can read his biography, see his artwork, sketchbooks, or take a virtual tour of his studio. Included is an eThemes resource on the Renaissance, Artists, and Simple Machines.

Geography: Five Themes of Geography
Developed by the National Council for Geographic Education in 1984, the five themes of geography are Location, Place, Human-Environment Interactions, Movement, and Regions. These websites have definitions of each of the five themes, lesson plan ideas, and resources for exploring individual themes in depth. Includes an eThemes resource on absolute and relative location.

Health: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
These sites are about Sexually Transmitted Diseases. There is information on signs and symptoms of different STDs, how STDs are transmitted from person to person, how to prevent STD transmission, and which diseases are most common. Includes statistics on how many people worldwide are infected and the number of U.S. population diagnosed with the disease. There is also information on prevention and testing. Includes an interactive tutorial, a lesson plan, and a link to an eThemes Resource on AIDS/HIV.

History of Computer Technology and the Internet
These Websites are about the evolution of computer technology and the Internet. Read about the history of computing machines, early programmers, and the origins of information technology. Included are video files, interactive games and quizzes, timelines, exhibits, and more. Included are three related eThemes resources.

History of Spices
These sites focus on the history of spices. There is information on the spice trade route, the discovery of spices, origins of spices, and benefits of spices. Includes a spice encyclopedia, timelines, and lesson plans.

Holiday: Day of the Dead
These websites are about Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration, a holiday to honor loved ones who have died. Here you can find many craft and activity ideas, informative articles, pictures, and videos about the Day of the Dead. Included are two eThemes resources about Mexico.

Hot Air Balloons
These sites are about hot air balloons. Learn about wind currents and other principles that affect the balloons. Watch a video clip of students making balloons. There is a balloon cam and several hands-on activities.

Library Skills: Wikipedia in Student Research
These websites are about information literacy, with particular emphasis on Wikipedia and its role in student research. There are interactive tutorials, articles, and ideas for class activities.

Literature: “A Jar of Dreams” by Yoshiko Uchida
These sites are about Yoshiko Uchida, her book “A Jar of Dreams,” and the Japanese American internment camps during WWII. Included are eThemes resources on graphic organizers, Japan, and the decade of 1930-1939.

Literature: “So B It” by Sarah Weeks
These sites are about Sarah Weeks and her novel “So B. It.” There is also information on phobias and mental retardation. Included are eThemes resources on genealogy and story elements.

Literature: “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller
These sites for high school students are focused on the Salem witch trials and “The Crucible.” Was Arthur Miller’s play historically accurate? Seventeenth century New England is explored and there are also some sites for teachers. Maps, videos, and audio files are found to explain the happenings at Salem in 1692.

Literature: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
These websites are about the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” and author Harper Lee. There are lesson plans, study guides, and vocabulary resources. Learn more about the history of racial discrimination in the United States, Jim Crow laws, and the Great Depression. Includes historical documents, photographs, and video clips. There are links to eTheme resources on the Civil Rights Movement and the 1930′s.

Math: Visual Arts
These websites are about the importance of math to the visual arts. There are many lesson plans and activities where students can create artwork based on mathematical concepts such as pattern, symmetry, geometry, and perspective. Included are eThemes resources on pattern and tessellations.

Matter: Mass and Weight
What is the difference between mass and weight? Find out by using these sites. Includes lesson plans, classroom activities, and animation. There are eThemes resources on metric measurement, gravity, properties of matter, and phases of matter (gas, liquid, and solid).

Middle Ages: A Non-European Perspective
These sites contain information on the societies and cultures that existed outside of Europe during the time period known as the Middle Ages. Students can learn about African Kingdoms such as Ghana and Mali, the Asian Empires of Mongolia and Angkor, the Dynasties of Imperial China, and more. There are timelines, maps, articles, and pictures. Included are eTheme resources for additional information on China and the contemporary societies of North America.

Missouri: Endangered Animals
Learn which species are endangered in Missouri and how they are determined to be endangered. Read descriptions of different species and their environment. Click on a map of Missouri to find endangered animals by county in the state. Includes eThemes resources on endangered species.

Monica Beglau is the Executive Director of the eMINTS National Center.

eMINTS Weekly Update

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Welcome to the 2012-2013 School Year with eMINTS! The Weekly Update feature resumes beginning today. Updates are published weekly on Mondays except for holidays.

eLearning for Educators: Fall registration is now open until Wednesday, Sept. 19. The Fall 2012 semester is from Oct. 3 – Nov. 20, 2012. Courses cost $150 per course. Optional Graduate Credit is available at an additional fee of $100 per credit hour through the University of Missouri-Kansas City or University of Missouri-St. Louis. A limited number of scholarships are available. You can even apply for a scholarship that reduces the cost of an e-Learning course to $75 by filling out an online form. Scholarships are limited to one per applicant. Limit 3 scholarships per one district. There are three NEW course offerings this semester:

  • Thinking Critically with Data (all)
  • Going Mobile K-12: Capturing the Power of Smart Phones, Tablets, Apps and More (all)
  • Flipped, Upside-down and Blended Instruction for the K-12 Classrooms (all)
  • Some of the additional courses available for the Fall 2012 semester are:
  • Algebraic Thinking in the Elementary School (elementary)
  • Beyond Your Schoolyard:  An Intro to GPS, Geocaching and Google Earth (all)
  • Classroom Management (all)
  • Differentiating Instruction:  Empowering All Learners (all)
  • Early Childhood: Creating a Language-Rich Environment  (early childhood)
  • Google Tools for Schools (all)
  • Heart of Science Instruction (secondary science)
  • Improving Reading and Writing in the Content Areas (secondary)
  • Instructional Approaches for Teachers of English Language Learners (all)
  • Leading Schools in a Web 2.0 World (administrators)
  • Special Students in Regular Classrooms:  Technology, Teaching and Universal Design (all)
  • Teaching Writing in the Elementary Classroom (elementary)

To see the complete list of courses offered this semester, go to: http://www.elearningmo.org/register/fall-2012/.

Share the Good News: Do you have something special to report about your school or classroom? An honor or award that has been presented? Share the good news with your eMINTS colleagues across the US and world by sending details about the good news to emints-info@emints.org.

New eThemes for the Week of August 13, 2012:

  • Africa: National Parks – These sites are about Africa’s National Parks. Learn about the animals, the climate, and the purposes behind why National Parks play an important role in Africa. Includes a link to an eThemes resource on the continent of Africa.
  • Circus Acts and Animals – These sites focus on circus animals, acts, and performers. There is historical information about circuses, plus photographs, audio files, and video clips.
  • Teaching Tips: “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey – These websites are about Sean Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.” There are summaries of the habits, as well as advice and lesson plans for incorporating the 7 Habits into the daily lives of teens. Includes a link to eThemes resource, Goal Setting.

Updated eThemes for the week of August 13, 2012:

  • Literature: “Dear Mr. Henshaw” by Beverly Cleary -These sites are about the book “Dear Mr. Henshaw” by Beverly Cleary. There are several hands-on classroom activities including how to make a lunch box alarm. Students can take online quizzes over vocabulary and events from the book. Includes eThemes Resources on Beverly Cleary and letter writing.
  • Literature: “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs – These sites are about the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. Includes full text of the story, quizzes, lesson plans, and vocabulary worksheets. There are also links to games about short story elements and a booklist of other horror stories and books. Includes links to eTheme resources on Story Elements and Character Traits.

Become a Blog Contributor: Share your insights and thoughts with eMINTS blog followers and fans. Contribute to the blog and community learning by submitting a blog post, resource link, online tool or teaching tip.

Monica Beglau is the Executive Director of the eMINTS National Center.

Starting the Year with Community

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As many of you begin to prepare for the first days of school, you may be pondering ideas for creating a strong sense of community in your classroom.  Educator Chris Biffle shares one holistic approach at his website WholeBrainTeaching.com. He shares ideas for grabbing the students’ attention and directly engaging them throughout the entire instructional process.  His methods assist educators on creating a fun engaging classroom, where even challenging students thrive.  This brain based approach puts the fun back into the classroom for both the teacher and the students.

To view the basics of this approach view this YouTube video:

The BIG 6 of Power teacher are:

  1. Class Yes
  2. The Five Rules
  3. The Scoreboard Game
  4. Hands and Eyes
  5. Teach-OK
  6. The Switch

If I had to choose just a “few” to introduce on the first day, I think it would have to be “Class Yes” and “The Five Rules”.  I think these basic classroom management tools will have your classroom booming with student engagement and strengthen the sense of community from day one.

“Class Yes” is an approach used to focus the classes’ attention. The teacher says “class” and the students say “yes”.  This works because it gives the students something to do immediately and prepares them for the teacher.  Part of this method’s effectiveness is it has the students mirror the tone the teacher uses. For example the teacher could drag out the word and add a funny voice “clllllasssssss”, which the students would respond mirroring the teacher “yeeeeessssss”.

On the first days of school, it is common to start with sharing the classroom rules. In the video you saw a demonstration for “The Five Rules”.  Each rule uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic movement to help students reach a deeper understanding of how the rules relate to the expectations of the teacher and the success of the classroom as a community.  Here is a brief explanation of “The Five Rules”:

  • Follow Directions Quickly (wiggling hand moving forward)
  • Raise Your Hand for permission to speak. (Raise hand, make a talking mouth hand)
  • Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat. (Raise hand, make walking motion with two fingers)
  • Make smart choices (point to brain)
  • Keep your teacher happy! (frame your face, wag head back and forth smiling)

This is just one way to begin building classroom community….

How might you foster and sustain a sense of classroom community during the first days of school?

Amy Blades is an instructional specialist for the eMINTS National Center.

FUNdamentals of Learning: An Intel Webinar

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We have often talked about PLN (Personal Learning Networks) in the blog but I thought I might share a specific site that you may want to add to your PLN.  It is the Teachers Engage site from Intel.  This is a community of educators K-12 and the focus is transforming learning with the integration of technology.  It is free to register and provides many helpful ideas and tools to use in the classroom.

There are discussion boards, webinars, unit plans, and various communities you can join to meet your particular interests and needs.  The resources that are provided are excellent and there are so many of them.

I mentioned webinars, an example of one of the webinars you should attend is tonight, Aug. 7th at 6:00 Central time. Doug Caldwell, Debbie Perkins, and Julie Szaj, all eMINTS Instructional Specialist, will be presenting a webinar called The FUNdamentals of Learning.   In this webinar, they “will present on websites that help teachers and students get, become, stay engaged. Focusing on middle school-aged resources, they will show tools and have participants brainstorm classroom uses with an emphasis on back to school planning.”

If you are interested in the Teachers Engage or just want to check out a webinar, come and join them tonight and see if maybe Teachers Engage is a site you might want to add to your PLN.

Terri Brines is an eIS and Cognitive CoachingSM Trainer for the eMINTS National Center.