ALABAMA SUPERCOMPUTER AUTHORITY

The Alabama Supercomputer Authority sends this E-resource on the first Friday of the month to our friends and supporters in the education community. Membership is free and simple. If you know an educator or educator supporter that would enjoy receiving and reading this monthly news resource, send them to http://www.asc.edu/news/e-resource_index.shtml. Subscribers will need to subscribe using the email address that they want to use to receive the monthly communication. Our goal is to add 2500 new subscribers during the 2004-05 academic year. If each person on this list can get one additional person to sign up, we will meet this goal. If you would like everyone on your faculty to receive a copy, simply send a Word or Notepad file that includes the email addresses only--one name per line--of those faculty members to lwoodard@asc.edu. Each communication includes a process to unsubscrbe in the footer of the email notification.

READING ABOUT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Nerds 2.0.1 @ PBS The intrepid Robert X. Cringely leads you on an adventure, delving into the history of the Internet. Includes topics such as: Networking the Nerds, Serving the Suits, Wiring the World, Cast of Characters, Glossary of Geek and a Timeline. http://www.pbs.org/opb/nerds2.0.1/

PBS programming ranks No. 1 for the second year running as K-12 teachers' favorite source for video to use in the classroom, according to a survey conducted by Grunwald Associates. Elementary school educators preferred "Between the Lions" and "Reading Rainbow," while middle and high school teachers favored "Nova." The study also found that 90% of teachers use video in the classroom, with 40% presenting full-length programs and 20% preferring to use selected segments of programs. Word-of-mouth is still the most common way that teachers find out about video and multimedia programming for the classroom, far outscoring other sources, such as Web site links, search engines, print ads and other promotional tools. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040825/dcwfns1_1.html

Profiling Educational Technology Integration (PETI): Resources for Assessing Readiness and Use is available free to states, districts, schools, and other organizations, to utilize to assess the integration of technology. PETI represents the consensus and work of state directors from over 30 states and is designed to assist states in implementing the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and evaluating the effectiveness of educational technology in all educational environments. The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) developed the framework, instruments, and protocols in conjunction with the Metiri Group with support from the U.S. Department of Education. To access PETI, please visit http://www.metiri.com/SETDA/PETI/.


EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET

Windows to the Universe This is an entertaining site to explore! The black background and colorful objects in outer space make this an inviting Website for students. There are lots of activities, such as playing games and creating a journal, available inTeacher Resources. Some parts of the site offer a Spanish version of the text. Thus far the author has been able to keep this site ad-free. http://www.windows.ucar.edu/

Eduscapes was created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson (who are full time RVers and work via a moveable 2-way Internet satellite system). Their site consists of serveral sections but the following three are not to be missed: http://eduscapes.com

42eXplore contains a thematic topic with selected web resources, ideas and activities, vocabulary, lesson plans, and student produced materials. The themes range across curriculum areas and age levels. You must go there and explore!

The Teacher Tap is a professional development resource that helps educators address common technology integration questions. Great professional development resources, online, free.

Multimedia Seeds contains ideas and resources to help you grow and improve as a multimedia user, developer, technology coordinator, educator, collection developer, or librarian. Beginner to advanced users will enjoy this site.

RubiStar is one of the best sites you can find for rubrics. Create customized rubrics in English and Spanish http://rubistar.4teachers.org

WWW4Teachers is a great source for teaching tools. Some of the tools include: http://www.4teachers.org

The Center for Life Stories Preservation is a great site for inspiration for a student project on family stories. It has organizational materials, interview, topics, lists of trigger items, story themes, etc. http://www.storypreservation.com

The Presidential Race As Election Day approaches, many Americans are paying close attention to the issues that affect them as individuals and as a nation. This month, the MarcoGram presents activities and lessons to help students understand the roles and responsibilities of the president and other elected officials, as well as the democratic process that gets them into office. Use the warm-up activities to introduce students to the issues surrounding this year's election, then scroll down the page for more links and resources on this topic. http://www.marcopolo-education.org/MarcoGrams/Oct2004.html.

Landmarks for School Project is a resource treasure chest. Visit the site's Rubric Builder, Citation Machine, and Permission Request to find the tools you need daily in the classroom. http://www.landmark-project.com

Authors Eduhound recently compiled this list of author sites:

Hawthorne: Bicentennial Exhibition @ the Phillips Library Features more than a hundred items including papers, rare books, artwork and other objects. It is part of programs and observances commemorating the bicentennial of the author’s birth in Salem on July 4, 1804. http://www.pem.org/library/hawthorne

The Writings of Henry D. Thoreau Extensive site devoted to the writings, philosophy, life of Henry David Thoreau featuring accurate texts of his complete works, his writings for publication, his Journal, his correspondence and other uncollected papers. http://www.thoreau.niu.edu

Ralph Waldo Emerson Texts Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, poet, and philosopher. A selection of his writings for searching and browsing. http://www.emersoncentral.com

The Dickens Project Started by the University of California in 1981, the project promotes study and the enjoyment of the life, times and work of Charles Dickens. http://humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/

Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore
This Web site documents many items of historical importance concerning Edgar Allan Poe's life and work. http://www.eapoe.org

F. Scott Fitzgerald Society Promotes Fitzgerald studies by offering individuals interested in self-teaching and teachers of high school and college a variety of materials to assist their study and appreciation of Fitzgerald, his work and his times. http://www.fitzgeraldsociety.org

Lewis Carroll Home Page Features information on Carroll's literature, photography and mathematical puzzles, plus links to Carrollian organizations, commercial sites and Carrollians on the web. http://www.lewiscarroll.org/carroll.html

Austen.com This site provides a good starting point for people interested in Jane Austen.There are links to each of her six novels, as well as much of her Juvenilia, and some of her letters. http://www.austen.com

Catharton.com An extensive guide to artists, authors, directors and musicians and Internet resources concerning them and their works. http://www.catharton.com

Cycles of Change For many teachers and students, the beginning of the year is in fall, not January. It's time to get back into the groove and start the learning cycle all over again. September's MarcoGram examined things that operate on some sort of cycle, including nature, the economy, literature, mathematics and history. Use the warm-up activities to examine the occurrence of cycles, then scroll down for more lessons and resources. http://www.marcopolo-education.org/MarcoGrams/Sep2004.html

SourceAid™ prevents plagiarism by helping you to reference others’ work easily. Use their free and reliable tools and information to solve your writing and research problems. Offers source formatting for all four major styles (MLA, APA, Chicago and CSE). Take pride in better writing and enjoy the extra time that you will have to write, research and relax. http://www.sourceaid.com/

Mr. Picassohead Drag and drop some rather odd features onto a canvas to create your own Picasso-style face. http://www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html

Plagiarism This site is an adaptation of Web pages created for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and includes annotated links to articles, resources for both teachers and students, plagiarism-checker sites, and term-papers-for-sale sites ("included to provide insight into the number, types and mode of operation of some of the sites easily accessible to students"). http://www.web-miner.com/plagiarism

NEWS YOU CAN USE

KIDSPIRATION 2 More ways to build emerging literacy success. Launched in January 2004, Kidspiration 2 includes more ways to build emerging literacy success -- a draw tool, Venn diagram option, 75 activity templates and much more. Find out more and get a free 30-day trial at http://www.inspiration.com/productinfo/kidspiration/

2005 EDUCATION GRANTS The Beaumont Foundation of America's education grants are available for eligible public, private, charter, and parochial schools with underprivileged populations. Awards are state-of-the-art wireless laptop computers and technology equipment. No monetary awards are available. Schools may apply for up to three 15-laptop wireless bundles. Quantity requested must be based on number of students served by the project and project objectives. An average award is two 15-laptop wireless mobile bundles; maximum grant award is three bundles.The Foundation will accept Letters of Interest for 2005 grants from October 4 to 22, 2004. Additional information can be found at http://www.bmtfoundation.com/bfa/us/public/en/grants/education/ The Foundation seeks to award schools that:

EDLINES is a Web-based news service provided by the High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium, one of ten federally-funded organizations focused on improving student performance through the integration of advanced technologies into instructional activities. Edlines provides a convenient way to keep up with breaking news in education and technology. If you would like to subscribe, visit https://mail.altec.org/mailman/listinfo/edlines and enter your e-mail address.

NASA EXPLORER SCHOOLS Schools from across the country are eligible to apply online for an opportunity to partner with the NASA Explorer Schools (NES) Program. NES is designed to bring mathematics, science, technology and engineering learning to educators, students and families. Each spring, a three-year partnership is established between the agency and 50 new NASA Explorer School teams. More than 100 teams of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities from 46 states have participated. NASA invites the selected teams to work with education specialists from agency centers to spark innovative science, mathematics and technology instruction aimed at students in grades four through nine. NES teams acquire new teaching resources and technology tools using NASA's unique content, experts and other resources.The deadline for submission of NES applications is January 31, 2005. To view the 2005 NES application visit: http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF OFFERS NEW TEACHING RESOURCES In recent years, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has evolved from the traditional door-to-door collection on Halloween night into a month-long, nationwide education campaign. Participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF offers children the opportunity to learn about the world around them, and the important role they can have in changing the world. This year, the campaign is offering a number of new resources that will help students, teachers and parents fulfill the educational mission of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. These include: a new Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2004 Video illustrating UNICEF's accomplishments in the world's poorest countries and the simple things students can do to help UNICEF change the world for the better (appropriate for all ages, runtime 9 minutes); an array of service-learning lesson plans combining meaningful service with academic learning for students at every grade level through a wide array of fundraising activities; the 2004 Trick-or-Treat Volunteer Handbook providing students, teachers and parents the information necessary to talk to any audience about the campaign; and expanded educational resources in Spanish offering the same opportunities for service and learning to Spanish speakers. Last year's Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign raised $4 million for children around the globe. Students, parents and teachers all across the country participated in the campaign, and their donations helped UNICEF provide children in 158 countries and territories with necessities like medicine, clean water, food and an education. To learn more about participation in this year's campaign, or to order materials,visit: http://www.trickortreatforunicef.org

SCRUB CLUB FOR KIDS ENCOURAGES HANDWASHING Let’s get kids interested in a fun way to learn about washing hands to help fight everything from foodborne illnesses to influenza. By accessing www.scrubclub.org, families and educators can visit a fun, interactive site that teaches children the proper way to wash hands. The site has a "Webisode" (featuring the Scrub Club Kids battling villains BAC and "Sal Monella"), interactive games and even an official handwashing theme song (sung by Phil Solem of The Rembrandts, the band that sand the "Friends" TV theme song). Downloadable activity materials for kids, educational materials for teachers and program information for parents are also available. According to the CDC, more than 164 school days are lost due to illness. Proper handwashing is the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness. The Scrub Club will help get kids excited to wash their hands and, more importantly, help them to develop good hygiene habits early on so that they stay in the classroom and out of the doctor's office. http://www.nsf.org/consumer/newsroom/kit_scrub_club.asp

SCHOOLS MOVING UP SchoolsMovingUp, a WestEd initiative, helps schools and districts address the immense challenge of raising student achievement in low-performing schools. In an interactive Web format, SchoolsMovingUp offers practitioners knowledge and expertise they need to make sound decisions and take tangible action in their school reform efforts. It provides high-quality resources, proven services, and powerful tools that education professionals can use in their work with low-performing schools nationwide. Resources include profiles of schools from across the country that have improved student achievement, easily implemented or replicated school and district tips to assist in school improvement efforts, and articles, books, and abstracts offering practical ideas and models for school improvement. Frequent online events bring experts to the Web to share lessons learned, new ideas, and related resources. SchoolsMovingUp also offers practical information about the sweeping reform of the No Child Left Behind Act. http://www.schoolsmovingup.net

TEAM AMERICA ROCKETRY CHALLENGE NASA invites qualifying teams of the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) to continue your journey by particpating in the 2004-2005 NASA Student Launch Initiative. The TARC application deadline is Nov. 30. Educators who place in the top 25 at TARC are invited to participate in an advanced rocketry workshop at the Marshall Space Flight Center and are then eligible to submit proposals for the Student Launch Initiative program. For additional information, visit http://www.rocketcontest.org/