ALABAMA SUPERCOMPUTER AUTHORITY

The Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA) is working with school systems across the state in the installation of PIX Firewalls. These PIX Firewalls will allow administrators to choose from a wide variety of solutions for remotely configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting their networks.

READING ABOUT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has unveiled a new web site intended to highlight nine federally funded studies currently under way in eight states--all charged with exploring the effects of educational technology on student learning. http://www.setdatapp.org/
EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET

It Takes a Village: Neighbors and Community Life Children often are reproached for their seemingly relentless efforts to be accepted by their peers. While it's true that some kids go to almost comical extremes to achieve this goal, they are merely acting on an inherent human desire to belong to a community. This month's MarcoGram celebrates the important role communities play in our lives. Use the activities to get your students thinking about what the concept of community means to them, then scroll down for more links and resources on this topic. http://www.marcopolo-education.org/MarcoGrams/Dec2004.html.

ChoralNet A central portal to online resources and communications for the global choral music community. Includes a choir directory, reference materials, info on repertoire, rehearsal, performance, church music, and lots more.http://www.choralnet.org/

Mount Vernon "Tour Mount Vernon, George and Martha Washington's home, from the comfort of your own chair" is the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association's invitation to everyone who cannot make the physical trip to the Washington's estate. Tour the three floors of the home, stopping at the Master Bedroom where the late president died in 1799, read about various objects that are displayed, visit Martha's third floor room where she retreated after her husband's death. Upon finishing the tour, be sure to browse the Learn section where you'll find information on George Washington himself, a timeline of his life, his political views and even have the opportunity to ask a Washington question (no, George did not chop down the cherry tree!). Resources on the archaeological digs that are underway on the estate, an online quiz and pertinent information on the Curatorial Collections are readily available. Come meet the Washingtons and the heritage associated with the American very first First Family! http://www.mountvernon.org

Life in the White House Have you ever dreamed of living in the White House? Now you have the opportunity to see exactly what life in the White House is all about! This virtual exhibit takes the visitor on tours of various rooms and areas of the White House, some of the presentations with history highlights and interesting tidbits, e.g. Esther Cleveland, the second daughter of President Grover Cleveland, is the only child to have been born in the White House. President Bush personally conducts the grand tour of the Oval Office, Mrs. Bush the tour of the Diplomatic Room, other staff members introduce you to their personal space. The White House curator gives a video presentation of the art and furnishings on the State Floor. This is an especially interesting time to take the tour with Christmas approaching. Begin your holiday celebration with the First Family in the Events and Traditions section and even have Laura Bush read you a Christmas story! http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/

Christmas is celebrated the world over. Why Christmas is special to you depends on the customs and traditions that were handed down in your family. Whether you are young or old, it is never too late to start a family tradition. As you look back over the challenges of the past year, take time to create and renew traditions that bring meaning to your life. For ideas and resources, visit http://www.techdirect.com/christmas/

December Holidays Across Cultures @ Education World December is a month full of special days. Education World once again offers resources to help educators teach about all those special days. The recently updated resources below fall into three categories: Holiday Lesson Plans, Holiday Art and Gift Projects, and Additional Holiday Resources. http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/december.shtml

Santa's Secret Village Write to Santa, read stories, enjoy Karaoke, send e-cards, find recipes, play games and puzzles, print stories to color and more!
http://www.northpole.com

Hanukkah - Festival of Lights Find out about the history, songs, and games associated with this holiday, and learn why it's the festival of lights.
http://www.ort.org/ort/edu/festivals/hanukkah/index.html

TheHolidaySpot.com: Kwanzaa Kwanzaa Celebrations! Free information, music, graphics, karamu notes, history and more! http://www.theholidayspot.com/kwanzaa/index.htm

Food and Nutrition Information Center The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has been a leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971. FNIC's web site provides a directory to credible, accurate, and practical resources for consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators and government personnel. Visitors can find printable format educational materials, government reports, research papers and more. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/

Remembering Pearl Harbor describes the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and features the USS Arizona, a battleship on which 1,177 sailors and marines perished. Photos, charts, documents, and research questions help students piece together what happened before, during, and after the attack that drew the U.S. into World War II. http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/18arizona/18arizona.htm

Selections from the Naxi Manuscript Collection International Collection features 185 manuscripts and a 39 1/2-foot funerary scroll of the Naxi people of Yunnan Province, China. This is the largest collection of Naxi writings outside of China and is considered among the finest in the world. The Naxi use a unique pictographic writing system. It is the only living pictographic language in the world today. http://international.loc.gov/intldl/naxihtml/naxihome.html

What in the World Is That? The Learning Page examines 16 inventions: the submarine, battery radio, cotton gin, reaper, electron microscope, telephone, gramophone, telecommunication cable, snow gauge, ornithopter, airphibian, and others. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/science/flash.html

SpaceTEC is a focal point for educators of aerospace technicians. Aerospace curricula, exams, professional development, and other resources are provided. http://www.spacetec.org/

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War features a timeline of America's wars, from the Revolution to Iraq. Watch an interactive presentation on each war -- slideshows and movies, text and photos, and dozens of artifacts (firearms, flags, uniforms). Read an overview of each conflict; learn about its causes, major events, and consequences. Gain a sense of how wars have shaped our history. http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/

The Space Weather Center explores the solar cycle, solar wind, Earth's magnetic field, the ionosphere, auroras, states of matter, plasma (which makes up 99% of visible matter in the universe), and other sun-earth topics. Online games let students launch solar particles at Earth, bowl with protons, and watch charged particles move in magnetic fields. Information is provided on space weather research, space weather modeling and forecasting, and the National Space Weather Program. http://www.spaceweathercenter.org/

Classroom Compass is a collection of activities, and resources for teachers to improve instruction in science and mathematics. Each issue links sample classroom activities with ideas about learning and instruction. It presents examples of instructional activities that illustrate the issue's theme, supported by excerpts from standards-based publications. http://www.sedl.org/scimast/resources/cc.html

Create a Graph helps students create their own graphs and charts. This online tool can be used to make 4 kinds of charts and graphs: bar graphs, line graphs, area graphs, and pie charts. http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/

Long Island Consortium for Interconnected Learning in Quantitative Disciplines presents a collection of online projects: calculus and physics problems, calculus projects, problem sets for precalculus, multiple choice and essay questions for calculus I-III, business/mathematics problems using spreadsheets and calculators, and 23 mathematics research projects. http://www.licil.org/

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona invites high school physics, chemistry, and physical science teachers nationwide to enroll in summer graduate courses in physics pedagogy, interdisciplinary science, and contemporary physics. Modeling Workshops are included. The program can lead to a Master of Natural Science degree. An NSF grant provides stipends, some free tuition, and free housing. Families are welcome! E-mail Jane.Jackson@asu.edu, or visit http://modeling.asu.edu.

AASL National School Library Media Program of the Year Award Sponsored by Follett Library Resources, this award recognizes exemplary school library media programs in three categories: large school district (over 10,000 students), small school district (under 10,000 students), and single school. The winners in each of the three categories will receive $10,000, plus a crystal obelisk. Contact: (800) 545-2433, ext. 4383 http://www.ala.org

Educational Technology Information Center is the place for educators and administrators to post reviews and comments, based on their personal experience, on hardware and software in an educational environment. This is a free site. In a few weeks, you'll be able to visit, read and submit as often as you want - for no charge. A contest is underway and will continue through January 31, 2005. If you submit a review, you'll become eligible to win a laptop computer system and peripherals. http://www.EdTechInfoCenter.com