Department of Ed Purchases nettrekker

The PA Department of Education is now providing access to the award-winning search engine, netTrekker d.i., at no cost to your school or district.  
You may use this tool to quickly access standards-based web content organized by grade level, subject area, and reading ability. The online resource is intuitive so you spend more time on task and less time searching. Also, every netTrekker d.i. website and image is evaluated and selected by educators so that students receive only safe, relevant results.  Access is granted to every Commonwealth Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 student, educator, librarian, parent, as well as those enrolled in or providing instruction in teacher preparation programs.
Staff can check with their building computer aide to secure the username and password required to access the netTrekker website.    

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

Astronomy, earth science, engineering, oceans, physics,
nutrition, physical activity, & aging are among the topics of
9 new resources at FREE, the website that makes it easier to
find teaching resources from federal agencies.

"Astronomycenter.org"
features reviewed resources for teaching about asteroids,
astrobiology, the big bang theory, black holes, cosmology,
dark matter, galaxies, the Milky Way, telescopes & satellites,
planet formation, planetary atmospheres, space exploration,
stars, the sun, & more. (NSF)
http://www.astronomycenter.org/

"Astrophysics Science Project: Integrating Research & Education (ASPIRE)"
offers lessons for exploring cosmic rays, force, gas
particles, kinetic energy, lunar phases, machines, momentum,
the night sky, refraction, the scientific method, scientific
notation, seasons, seismic waves, stars, the angle of the sun,
tides, & waves. Find out about careers; read interviews with
scientists. (NSF)
http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/

"Digital Library for Earth System Education"
presents thousands of reviewed resources on atmospheric
science, biology, chemistry, climatology, cryology, ecology,
environmental science, forestry, geography, geology,
mineralogy & petrology, hydrology, mathematics, natural
hazards, ocean sciences, physics, soil science, space science,
& more. (NSF)
http://www.dlese.org/dds/index.jsp

"Engineering Is Elementary"
provides lessons & overviews on acoustical engineering,
agricultural engineering (insects), civil engineering (balance
& forces), environmental engineering (water), industrial
engineering (simple machines), materials engineering (earth
materials), mechanical engineering (air & weather). (NSF)
http://www.mos.org/doc/1545

"NASA Robotics"
invites students & teachers to start robotics teams, "botball"
teams, & enter robotics competitions. Take online courses in
robotics. Follow along with scientists who are developing
technologies to drill for life on Mars. Find lessons for
teaching robotics & related topics. (NASA)
http://robotics.nasa.gov/home/home.php

"Nutrition & Physical Activity"
focuses on physical activity & good nutrition. Examine the
new food pyramid. Learn about body mass, bone health, cancer,
dietary guidelines, fruits & vegetables & weight management,
healthy eating tips, heart disease, intensity levels of
various activities, obesity, physical activity statistics &
recommendations, stairwells, tips for parents, & weight
management ideas. (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/

"Oceans Alive"
explores the mountains, abysses, & other physical features of
the ocean floor, as well as the movement of the continents,
the water cycle, the four oceans, waves & wind, currents,
tides, marine life near the surface, & ocean predators & prey.
Activities are provided for learning about the water cycle,
water currents, web of life, & tides. (NSF)
http://www.mos.org/oceans/

"The Physics Front"
provides selected resources for teachers of high school
physics. Hundreds of lessons, labs, & activities can be found
in four categories: conceptual physics, algebra-based physics,
AP physics, & K-8 physical sciences. They can be accessed
also by topic: measurement, motion, forces, momentum, energy,
springs, heat & temperature, wave energy, electrostatics,
electricity & circuits, magnetism, electromagnetism, optics,
particles & interactions, & astronomy. (NSF)
http://www.thephysicsfront.org/

"Secrets of Aging"
examines what scientists are learning about aging, what we can
do to live longer & healthier, & how the growing proportion of
older to younger people is changing our world. Learn about
"fluid & crystallized" intelligence. Test your memory.
Compare factors that might determine the longevity of
different species. Explore the demographics of aging. (NSF)
http://www.secretsofaging.org/

Grant for Creative Digital Camera Uses

$35,500 for creative uses of digital cameras, software
Grant Title: Olympus and Tool Factory Classroom Grant Program
Organization: Olympus and Tool Factory
Eligibility: K-12 educators
Value: 10 grants worth roughly $3,550 each in cash and equipment
Deadline: December 30, 2005 Educators whose curriculum ideas illustrate effective and creative use of digital cameras and software resources are invited to apply. Proposals should involve the teacher's entire class via a group project or should allow each student to have the opportunity to build their own project.

Contact: http://www.toolfactory.com/olympus_contest/olympus_teacher.htm

Atomic Learning

Atomic Learning is a terrific site that contains hundreds of short tutorial videos on software packages including Timeliner, Inspiration, Geometers Sketchpad, Office, using the TI-84 calculator, and on topics like searching the web. Under “curriculum tools”, you will find lesson plans for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.
Since it is web based, home use of the website is possible and encouraged. Dozens of tutorials are added during the course of the year, so check the site often.
This site is based on a yearly subscription. Please forward any feedback to me as to its usefulness.
See your building computer aide for the username and password to the site.
www.atomiclearning.com

Technology & Learning Webinar

Tuesday, October 25, 2005 4:00 pm Eastern
The Tipping Point in K-12 Education: One-to-One Computing, Electronic Textbooks,and New Tools for Learning
Realizing the promise of educational technology takes having a vision, implementing appropriate resources, and using the right tools. This Webinar presents a vision of learning for the 21st century, practical information about one district's one-to-one computing program, and a look at some new tools for learning..
Register now for this valuable Webinar sponsored by Gateway.
The Vision:
Dr. Mike Hall, Georgia's Deputy Superintendent for Information Technology
The Implementation: James Banks, Executive Director of Technology for the Barbers Hill I.S.D.
The Tools: Tony Franklin, Business Productivity Advisor for Microsoft
Get more information.