Blogging for Librarians

On March 13, the district librarians took part in a Blogging Workshop. For the participants of the workshop, please click on the link below to take a five minute survey on the workshop.
Thanks in advance,
Bob

Click Here for Survey

High School Library Blog
Sandburg Library Blog
Lower Southampton Library ES Blog
Heckman ES Library Blog
Walter Miller ES Blog
Maple Point MS Library Blog

Ten new resources at FREE

The website that makes teaching resources from federal
agencies easier to find: http://www.ed.gov/free

NATIVE AMERICAN heritage teaching resources are featured at
FREE this month in honor of National American Indian Heritage
Month: http://www.ed.gov/free/past/2005/111.html

"THANKSGIVING in American Memory" features a timeline of
historical events (since 1541) that have produced the
Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate today. (Library of Congress)
http://www.ed.gov/free

History

"America Supports You"
highlights what Americans across the country are doing to
support our troops. Learn about ways to let our servicemen
and servicewomen know how much we appreciate them. Send
messages of appreciation and read responses. See photo
essays, newsletters, and a list of non-profit organizations
dedicated to helping our troops and their families. (DOD)
http://americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx

"An American Success Story: The Pope House of Raleigh, NC"
tells the story of Manassa Pope, the first black man to
receive a medical license in North Carolina (1886). After
practicing medicine and helping establish a drug store and
insurance company in Charlotte, Pope moved his family to
Raleigh. There he continued his medical practice, built an
elegant house (equipped with the latest technologies) located
in the best place allowed for a black family in a segregated
city. He later ran for mayor. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/124popehouse/

"At a Crossroads: The King of Prussia Inn"
recounts the history of this inn, built originally as a
farmhouse in 1719 at an intersection of two roads northwest of
Philadelphia, not far from Valley Forge. The inn provided
hospitality to travelers when the colony was just a scattering
of farms. In part because of its location, it became a
prosperous tavern, inn, and social center for the evolving
community of the same name. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/119king/

"The Old Mormon Fort: Birthplace of Las Vegas, Nevada"
recalls the individuals and events leading to the creation of
Las Vegas. In 1855, Brigham Young sent 30 men to farm,
convert Indians, and build a settlement along a trail to the
Pacific. After the mission closed, a miner established a
ranch, which grew to be the largest property in the county
under later owner Helen Stewart. With the coming of the
railroad, Las Vegas became a town. Railroad officials laid
out a grid for the new city in 1905. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/122fort/

Science

"Exploring the Extreme"
provides lessons (K-8) on key concepts in the design of F-15
fighter planes: center of gravity; its relationship to thrust
vectoring, pitch, and yaw; how thrust is created in a jet
engine; how vectoring (directing the thrust from a jet engine)
affects movement of a plane; and fuel efficiency and drag.
(NASA)
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/Exploring.the.Extreme.Guide.html

"Investigating the Climate System: Energy"
offers lessons that focus on questions: Does ground surface
influence temperature? How important is water evaporation to
the cooling of a surface? If my town grows, will it affect
the area's temperature? Why are summer temperatures in the
desert southwest so much higher than at the same latitude in
the southeast? (NASA)
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/ICS_Energy.html

"Learning to Fly: The Wright Brothers' Adventure"
sends students undercover to Dayton and Kitty Hawk to report
secretly on the activities of two brothers who are making a
big glider in their bicycle shop. Students prepare by
researching aviation history and then, posing as news
reporters, interview the brothers (and neighbors).
Instructions are included for building the Wright brothers'
gliders and first plane. (NASA)
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/Learning.to.Fly-The.Wright.Brothers.Adventure.html

"NASA Educator Guides"
offer lessons and activities for learning about aeronautics,
clouds, energy, the electromagnetic spectrum, the
International Space Station, Mars, microgravity, the moon and
the Apollo missions, ocean winds, optics (light and color),
planetary geology, rainfall, rockets, sun-earth connections,
weather, the Wright brothers, and the brain in space. (NASA)
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/By_Type_Guides_landingpage.html

"National Middle School Science Bowl 2006"
is two competitions: an academic competition in which middle
school students answer fast-paced questions about math and
science and a model fuel cell car competition that challenges
students to design, build, and race model cars. In 2005, more
than 2,000 students participated in 24 regional competitions.
(DOE)
http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/nmsb/default.htm

"Space Science Education Resource Directory"
helps find NASA space science resources for learning.
Hundreds of resources can be sorted by science type (earth,
physical, or space) or by grade range. Topics include
algebra, atoms, big bang, black holes, comets, cosmic
distances, energy, force and motion, geometry, graphing,
gravity, heat, light and color, measurement and estimation,
planets, satellites, solar energy, solar system, space
missions, stars, telescopes, and waves. (NASA)
http://teachspacescience.org/cgi-bin/ssrtop.plex

Resources for Teaching Reading

1. Starfall Reading — This site, created by the people who created BlueMountain cards, is free and really excellent. They sell some reading materials, so there are some ads, but it is very student centered.
2. Read-Write-Think — This site is funded by NCTE, MarcoPolo and the International Reading Association. It is a collection of some of the best lessons and also useful tools for teachers. There is so much here that is worth looking over and using!
3. Reading Lady — This is an incredible site for information about all types of reading programs. It also has a section with tools for teachers to use, a section with reader’s theater scripts and much more.
Submitted by:Janice Friesenhttp://jfriesen.net

Managing One or a Few Computers

Managing One or a Few Computers from Techlearning.com
Tip:You are charged to help your teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. However, in these classrooms many of your teachers have only one to four computers, and need help in scheduling, rotating, and managing students using the computers as part of the curriculum. Share the following steps with your teachers, and encourage them to adapt these as classroom practice:

1. As an introductory group lesson, show the Website or software you want them to use, using a projector or connected to a TV monitor.


2. Provide clear and detailed directions on what students are expected to do while on the computers.


3. Identify several students in the class as technology monitors to help other students and the teacher with technology issues.


4. Pair a technology-literate student with another who is less experienced.


5. Plan a related activity that may be done by most of the class at their desks while students are working on the computer. One idea is to print out the Website or handout for those at their desks.


6. Any students who abuse their privilege at the computer should immediately be removed from the computer for a period of time

NEA Jazzes Things Up

NEA jazzes things up with new multimedia music curriculum "Jazz in the Schools" is a new web-based, multimedia curriculum from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that explores jazz as an indigenous American art form and as a means to understand American history. The five-unit, web-based curriculum and DVD toolkit are available free of charge to high school teachers of social studies, U.S. history, and music. Lesson titles include The Advent of Jazz: The Dawn of the Twentieth Century; The Jazz Age & The Swing Era; Bebop & Modernism; From the New Frontier to the New Millennium; and Jazz: An American Story. Each unit includes a teachers' guide with teacher tips, cross-curricular activities, and assessment methods, as well as student activities, period photographs, video footage, related musical excerpts, and links to additional resources. The curriculum was produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to jazz, and supported by a $100,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation. http://media.jalc.org/nea/home.html

netTrekker Atomic Learning Videos

Atomic Learning Online Training
The following short tutorials provide an overview of key features in netTrekker d.i.  This FREE set of tutorials is compliments of Atomic Learning, the market leader in software training and support. For more information on Atomic Learning's comprehensive library of software tutorials, please visit: www.atomiclearning.com
Searching with netTrekker d.i.

• Searching by keyword


• Searching by subject


• Searching with the dynamic timeline


• Searching for a famous person


• Searching for images


• Searching for State Standards resources


• Understanding a search result


• Refining you search

Special Features

• Saving a search result


• Using the Dictionary Hot Key


• Understanding the Readability Level

English Learners Channel

• Using the resources in ELL Skill Development


• Using the resources in Multicultural Pavilion


• Using Readability with English Learners


• Using Dictionary Hot Key with English Learners


• Understanding the Search Result Tabs for English Learners

    

Technology Survey Reveals Funding and Integration into Classroom Biggest Challenges

Preparedness of New Teachers Also a Concern
from TechLearning.com
Denver, CO – October 27 – Funding for technology and integrating technology into the classroom rank among the biggest challenges that school districts face in the area of technology, according to a survey issued today by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) at the organization’s annual T+L² Conference here.

While 63 percent of the respondents judged that their school district’s curriculum was excellent or good in preparing students for the 21st century, 85 percent noted that their new teachers were only somewhat prepared or not prepared in effectively integrating technology into the classroom.

“While we know that funding is always a top issue, I believe this survey shows that school districts have a lot of work to do in the area of professional development to help teachers understand how to use technology tools to enhance student learning and performance,” said Anne L. Bryant, NSBA executive director. “It also speaks clearly to the need for colleges of education to get their students up to speed on using new teaching technology tools.”

NSBA conducted an e-mail survey the week of October 17 of approximately 1,500 registrants of the T+L² Conference, which included technology specialists, teachers, administrators, and school board members. More than 400 registrants replied to the survey.

Overwhelmingly, nearly 90 percent of respondents said that the use of technology in the classroom has increased educational opportunities for students, as evidenced by their students being more engaged in learning (92 percent), having a stronger ability to communicate (50 percent), and possessing increased critical thinking skills (49 percent). Respondents reported that less visible evidence is improved performance on tests (31 percent).

Although 78 percent of respondents said that home access to the Internet was a problem for their low-income students, only 10 percent said that closing the digital divide was a challenge for their districts. Among those respondents who said home access was a problem, 46 percent noted that access was available for these students at community centers. However many noted that their districts were not currently taking any steps to improve home access.

Regarding federal technology programs, 68 percent said that the E-Rate program has been very important or somewhat important in helping their districts set and meet technology goals, yet 54 percent noted that the application process needed to be improved.

When asked about Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) funding, 41 percent of respondents considered the program very important or somewhat important. Of those who do receive EETT funding, 61 percent use the money to support faculty/staff professional development, while 53 percent use it for classroom instruction.

Other findings include:

Nearly 38 percent of respondents said that their school district offers one-to-one learning initiatives (such as laptops or PalmPilots), with 48 percent reporting that those initiatives have been in place between one to two years.

Nearly 54 percent of respondents said that their district has students enrolled in online virtual classes. Of those respondents, nearly 47 percent said that district employees were delivering the virtual education courses, while 30 percent reported delivery by a commercial provider.
Complete survey results may be found at http://www.nsba.org/site/doc.asp?CID=1591&DID=37028

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for profit federation of state associations of school boards representing 95,000 local school board members throughout the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education through local school board leadership. NSBA represents the school board perspective in working with federal government agencies and national organizations that impact education, and provides vital information and services to state associations of school boards throughout the nation.

Teaching Music with Technology

Part 2 in the Series: Technology and the Waning Subjects
By Haley Myers from Converge Online
This is the second article in a series to discuss how technology is being used to reinvigorate "the waning subjects," or those subjects first to go due to budget cuts. This article features how educators can apply technology to music education.

Remember music class in grade school? If you were lucky enough to attend a school that required students to learn beat and rhythm and experiment with instruments, you may recall hitting wooden sticks together, stomping your feet and a cacophony of discordant notes echoing off multi-purpose room walls.

Things have really changed in music programs these days. Today, some music educators are getting creative by integrating technology into curriculum.

In Torrington, Conn., Wayne Splettstoeszer, director of the Torrington High School Music Technology Program, has inspired an invigorating approach to teaching music.

His inventive solutions to traditional high school music programs cause students to become involved in music in broader ways than traditional instrument instruction allows.

By sharing information about the Music Technology program at Torrington High, Mr. Splettstoeszer hopes to inspire others to pursue strange and fantastic new approaches to old concepts of music education.

Splettstoeszer sees music technology as the fastest growing aspect of music education. Many schools require the use of technology in all subject areas and because we live in a technology-infused world, a music technology program seems to be a natural outgrowth of students' preferred method of engagement with the world and their learning environments.

"Most students today use technology in every aspect of their daily lives," comments Splettstoeszer, "from mp3 players to laptops, palm pilots and cell phones...As educators, it is our job to reach students any way we can. Technology is the way of the future."

For Splettstoeszer, an integral part of the program is the Web site. "Our Web site began as an action research project in 1999. I wanted to know if the use of a Web site would enhance and improve student learning. Our site contains a daily assignment page, topic pages, student work and [the site] has received numerous awards."

The program's Web site is so comprehensive that it currently serves as an example for other schools and universities as far away as Australia to supplement music technology programs and curriculum.

Torrington High School's Music Technology Program is based on two levels of skill and interest. An introductory music technology class covers sound systems, MIDI, and MIDI sequencing, where students build a song from scratch and learn about song form, basic mixing techniques, basic song construction, and more.

The advanced course invites students to design all aspects of radio commercials and jingles, create sound effects using common items found at school (they record the raw sound in the computer, then manipulate it to come up with a new sound), and analyze and compose film scores. Students are required to save their assignments in electronic portfolios that can later be included in college applications.

These options give a breadth and depth to music appreciation and understanding by handing students new tools to create, manipulate, change, contort and form sound in unique ways. The advanced class enables students to rely on their own creativity with less direction from an instructor and more freedom to pursue what they find compelling.

For less advanced students and younger audiences, there are plenty of online tools to supplement music education, including games that cultivate skills and teach basic concepts about music.

The EdTech Music Web page offers a great list of online music resources for educators and enthusiasts alike, including a game called Mozart WebQuest, vaguely reminiscent of Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?. Mozart WebQuest takes participants on an Internet scavenger hunt as time travelers researching Mozart's life through sound clips, biographies and games.

Children's Music Workshop provides a decent list of education grants, not specifically related to music. The site gives thorough information on 15 instruments including history, level of difficulty and skill required to play, and sheet music. The site provides a convenient link to find out how to purchase, lease or rent the instrument of interest and hosts an instrument maintenance page. Music advocacy is an important topic covered on the site as well, with almost 40 links proposing and advocating benefits of playing an instrument, such as improved spatial intelligence, creative thinking, cognitive development and math skills.

Electronic Music Interactive is a cool resource for kids learning basic concepts about music technology. The site uses Macromedia Shockwave to lead users through an interactive system that teaches concepts like frequency and waves. Electronic Music Interactive is well organized and user friendly. The top of each page lists a parent topic and clearly states related topics. For instance, if you are looking at a basic definition and explanation of digital recording, the top of the screen states "Generators and Modifiers is the parent topic" and directly below explains, "Digital Recording is the related topic." This helps students remember the order and organization of terms and concepts. The site also provides a glossary of terms with picture accompaniment.

Good Ear is a free online ear training site for less experienced musicians. It teaches how to recognize the difference between tone, scale, and octaves and has simple online tests that help users track progress.

Lastly, the University of Pittsburgh's Elementary Education Resources: Music page has an extraordinary list of online resources for music educators, including several links to interactive Web sites with games and activities. The site also offers lesson plan links and song lyrics.

The Web sites and online resources mentioned may not drastically change music education, but it is important to consider the idea of fully incorporating technology into music education instead of merely using it as an additional resource for disengaged students. As Wayne Splettstoeszer says, "When technology is used correctly it can reach students in a way that music appreciation classes of the past could never do."

Perhaps these ideas can fortify the waning subjects with new material through fresh interaction with a traditional medium. Beyond instruction and experimentation, technology offers students new tools to create.

Up Next: Part 3 in the series of Technology and the Waning Subjects:
Art and Lots of Bandwidth, November 16, 2005.    

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/