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Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 110 June 25th 2005 – LIQUID LEARNING THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER 8,104 Subscribers ============================================== CONTENTS 1. Welcome 2. Mind Candy 3. WWWinfo SPARKNOTES 4. New Printables - HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 5. Technical Stuff – EINSTEIN YEAR EVENTS 6. Web Site Focus – WORDS FROM GEORGE 7. LIQUID LEARNING 8. Great Sites 9. Readers' Requests/Comments 10 Next Issue 11. Code of 'Netizens' 12. Tips ============================================== 1. WELCOME EVERYONE. The recent Sydney Morning Herald article on 'Schools I'd Like' was a fantastic resource for considered discussion of educational change. The quotes below help get the ball rolling. Students want to enjoy their learning, they want great teachers, they want to study things they are interested in, and schools, teachers, and curriculums catch up. The directions are clear, and the means are available. The Internet and technology provide the means, so brace yourselves, the future is going to be Sooo cool and so very very very very powerful. It is no longer just for the geeks and lunatics. We now have libraries without borders, we no longer need to use decay prone information sources(textbooks or online textbooks), we are not limited to set topics, unlimited topics and resources are in every classroom. Bring it on. ============================================== 2. MIND CANDY Wanted teachers who are kind and caring with a sense if humour and a willingness to ‘make a difference’ to children’s lives. Grumpy bored timeservers need not apply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They don’t tell you what is happening or what you are doing, they show and let you discover and explore things…. I am not learning things, I am learning how to learn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the 21st century why are we still doing work with pencil and paper – Phillip Boulous --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At one mythical school, technology allowed teenagers “to engage in discussions with students around the globe and make contact with experts in specific fields of study.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Kind students plus fun teachers, take away bullies, add a huge library stuffed with thousands of books, multiply computers by 5, divide the mess by 50, add every type of sports field that there is.” Max Johnson --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The children demand the learning be ‘fun” not an obligation. They want a say in what subjects they study and much more ‘real-life” stuff --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They are telling us they wish we would actually consult them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The best way to learn is to discuss things in a forum style they said. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomy fishing, horticulture, driver’s education, animal health, make-up classes, self-defence, meditation, office skills, boatbuilding an recycling were among the subjects students would add to the curriculum. They were loosely classed as subjects that interested us and will help us in the future, as teenagers, in particular sought a better preparation for the world of work they will enter. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All the above quotes are from Schools I’d like SMH June 4-5 2004 pp37-39 by Linda Doherty Similiar articles have also been written in other countries http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/British%20Kids%20Speak%20Out%20Book.htm http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/SchoolIdlikecompetition.htm http://www.aia.org/nwsltr_cae.cfm?pagename=cae_br_schoolidlike ============================================== 3. WWWinfo Free Online Study Guides ===================================== 4. NEW PRINTABLES Survey: High School Students Are Unengaged Many high school students are not challenged or engaged by classroom activities or homework assignments and projects. That's one of the conclusions drawn from a survey of 90,000 teenagers from 26 states; the study, released earlier this week, is part of the High School Survey of Student Engagement. Indiana University professor Martha McCarthy, who directs the project, says the findings should be "a wake-up call" for educators and students alike. Among the survey's other troubling findings: As students advance through high school, they are "less likely to feel challenged to do their best work." Only 56 percent of students surveyed said they put a great deal of effort into schoolwork. Read the full USA Today story, "Survey: High School Fails to Engage Students." http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-05-08-high-school-usat_x.htm ============================================== 5. TECHNICAL STUFF
Hi Cathy, My name is Kevin Balla and I am the webmaster for schoolRack.com. Since I am also helping market the website, I was wondering if our website, a free service for teachers worldwide to publish websites (remotely hosted) on the internet could be featured in an edition of your newsletter. I am impressed at the large volume you carry along with the newsletter and noticed that you have a section for featured websites, and it would be of much help if you could list schoolRack on the featured websites. Thank you and I look forward to the next edition of your newsletter! Take care. With Regards, Kevin Balla ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This looks great - let me know what you think. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cathy Thought to send this info a monthly progress report for, what is shaping up to be, an unforgettable Einstein Year.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE‚S JULY PHYSICS LECTURES (VIC) 8pm Every Friday evening in the month of July Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre, University of Melbourne Find out why we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Einstein's miraculous year and hear about his revolutionary ideas during the July lecture series entitled: Einstein's Ideas Explained. For more details: http://www.ph.unimelb.edu.au/events/july_lectures
A JOURNEY THROUGH SPACE WITH NASA ASTRONAUT COL PAMELA MELROY (SA) 8 July 7.30pm Union Hall, University of Adelaide Trained in earth and planetary sciences, Pamela Melroy is now a NASA space shuttle pilot. She flew Atlantis on its last mission to the International Space Station. Pamela will be talking about her past shuttle missions and what's in store for her in the future. http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/aip-sa
Online Physics This Einstein International Year of Physics has inspired some exciting Internet based projects. Relativity in ten minutes or ten hours For teachers, students and those that have always struggled with the concepts of Special Relativity, the School of Physics at the University of New South Wales has created a multimedia website, Einstein Light, which explains relativity- in ten minutes or ten hours! It was launched to coincide with this month‚s anniversary of Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/einsteinlight
ABC Science Online dedicates space to Einstein. An Einstein Explained Analogy Competition encourages you to attempt to explain one of Einstein‚s theories in 300 words or less http://www.abc.net.au/science/explore/einstein/analogy.htm An interactive light demonstration http://www.abc.net.au/science/explore/einstein/lightstory.htm, and Light photo gallery http://www.abc.net.au/science/explore/einstein/yourphotos/ Could you really put Einstein to the test? http://www.abc.net.au/science/explore/einstein/quiz/
Flowvis: the art of fluid dynamics was launched in February at the Canberra School of Art during the Physics Congress. It has been in demand and will be appearing at a number of events around Australia. You can catch it at the following locations:
25-29 July: Murdoch University, WA August National Science Week: Canberra, Melbourne, Tasmania and possibly Queensland too 14-15 October: Koondrook-Barham Show, regional NSW 19- 20 October: Science Exposed, a two day EXPO which brings together students, Parliamentarians and the science community to inspire, engage and promote the study of science among secondary students, NSW November: Cube37, an art gallery in Frankston, Vic
SCINEMA Festival of Science Film http://www.csiro.au/scinema is a science film festival that screens nationally during National Science Week. SCINEMA is looking for venues across Australia, outside of the capital cities. We can provide your library/town hall/gallery/museum with 5 x 2 hour programs of the latest science films from around the world, along with postcards, posters, film notes and study guides, if you can provide the venue and some local publicity support. Email scinema@csiro.au for more information. And be a part of the celebrations going on around the world.
Einstein Year in Australia is an initiative of the Australian Institute of Physics and is supported by the Department of Education, Science and Training. http://www.einstein2005.org.au or email einstein@aip.org.au ============================================== 6. WEBSITE FOCUS George Lucas Edutopia Click on the Movie and Play it An interview with filmmaker George Lucas on the new visual language of learning and teaching. 6/1/2005 http://www.edutopia.org/foundation/lucas.php "Teacher's are the most important individuals in our society nothing is more powerful as the human touch in education ." George Lucas ============================================== 7. LIQUID LEARNING Never before have we had the amazing opportunities for learning that are currently available using computers and the Internet. Curriculums no longer need to be teacher directed, students can find areas of interest and and discover for themselves. Go on great adventures into cyberspace, into the the unknown, chart their own course, and find meaningful, accurate up to date articles and information. The Internet gives us the opportunities for LIQUID LEARNING(a new VT term totally original, it is a, you heard it hear first, type of term). LIQUID LEARNING is the type of learning which is multidisiplinary and based on 4D learning around a central idea or question. Students begin to research a topic, and move from webpage to webpage following interest areas or questions like, What is his about?, What do they mean by this, or simply this looks interesting I'll click hear. LIQUID LEARNING is the type of learning where students are in the 'zone', totally engaged, time is irrelevant,(hence the 4D experience) curiosity is stimulating and directing learning. When you are in the 'zone', theta waves predominate in the brain, Theta waves have also been identified as the gateway to learning and memory. During theta state folks are prone to a free flow of ideas, it is when accelerated learning occurs. Einstein trained himself to spend many hours in that state. http://www.bethcoleman.net/theta.html http://brain.web-us.com/brainwavesfunction.htm ============================================== 8. GREAT SITES HOT SITES 5. Shakespeare Goes Hip-Hop in Urban School At Lynwood High School, in Southern California, English-literature teacher Alan Sitomer wants his students to think of William Shakespeare as more than a dead white guy who wrote a bunch of plays. He wants them to understand and appreciate that classic literature holds powerful lessons for today's youth. That's why he uses hip-hop and poetry slams to draw connections between issues discussed in classic literature and the issues and struggles his inner-city students face every day. His efforts are paying off in more ways than one. Not only are Sitomer's students passing the English portion of the high school exit exam, they're learning to love Shakespeare. Not a bad combination. Read more in the Los Angeles Times article "Hip-Hop Unlocks the Meaning of Literary Classics." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gifted and Spatial Learners ============================================== 9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Cathy Any suggestions on the best way to record student's marks electronically to make reporting an easier task at the end of the semester? Looking forward to your reply!! Thanks Stuart There are lots-none I am totally convinced are great – does anyone have any ideas here? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---hi cathy, just wanted to encourage you for the great job you do producing the regular newsletter. you manage to come up with so many interesting and new sites and ideas to use in the classroom – it is difficult to choose what to use! thanks again for your hard work and ideas. you are doing a sensational job! juliette foenander. --------------------------------------- thanks Juliette ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter is great.. even my 12 year old likes browsing it (especially the mind candy).
Query: quite sometime ago .. like a couple of years almost you had a site which had endless books with short abstracts about them which were then all linked to many websites with activities to do with the books. It was amazing and i have tried to track it down again with no luck. Any ideas please? Thanks Helen Young http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/readamillion/LITERATURE/lindas_links_to_literature.htm Have tried this link. it used to be a fantastic resource for 1000s of great books and activities but I don't seem to be able to get through to it. My computer or has the link failed? It was .. fantastic. Any help? Suggestions? Helen Young --------------------------------------- Is this the link:- http://www.edselect.com/novel_studies.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Cathy, I have a dilemma and I am wondering if you can help me please?!?!! I have just tried to transfer my reports off the memory stick to a PC and the Mac files cannot open! AAGGHH! Do you have any ideas? Thank you Rachel ------------------------------------------ Hi Rachel, Make sure you saved them including the file extensions. ie all files need to end with .doc If not you can resave them on the mac and tick the include extension check box in the save window. You can even try to add .doc to your files on the PC it usually works. ------------------------------------------ This is interesting Cathy..... Subject: JUST AN EIGHTH GRADE EDUCATION ...
Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895? (LOOK CLOSELY. . . THAT'S EIGHTEEN NINETY FIVE! )
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina, Kansas, USA. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, KS, and reprinted by the Salina Journal. 8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS -1895 ********************************
Grammar (Time, one hour) 1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters. 2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications. 3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph. 4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of "lie", "play", and "run". 5. Define case; Illustrate each case. 6. What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation. 7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.
Arithmetic (Time, 1. 25 hours) 1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic. 2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold? 3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs. , what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare? 4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35, 000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals? 5. Find the cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6. 00 per ton. 6. Find the interest of $512. 60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent. 7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $20 per meter? 8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent. 9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods? 10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.
U. S. History (Time, 45 minutes) 1. Give the epochs into which U. S. History is divided. 2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus. 3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War. 4. Show the territorial growth of the United States. 5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas. 6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion. 7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe? 8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.
Orthography (Time, one hour) (WHAT IS THIS ANYHOW? ) 1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication 2. What are elementary sounds? How classified? 3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals 4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH? ) 5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two exceptions under each rule. 6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each. 7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.
8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last. 9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays. 10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.
Geography (Time, one hour) 1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend? 2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas? 3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean? 4. Describe the mountains of North America. 5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco. 6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U. S. 7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each. 8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude? 9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers. 10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give th e inclination of the earth.
Notice that the exam took SIX HOURS to complete. Gives the saying "He only had an 8th grade education" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?
from Mrs Edwina Marks ============================================== 10. NEXT ISSUE - I will be taking a break over the holidays, next VT will be in about 1 month. I hope it is full of all your ideas and responses to this newsletter – so send them. ciao Cathy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Code of the 'Netizens' This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you. Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better. OK I'm trusting you!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TIPS 1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser. 2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share. 3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs. 6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter. 7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter. ============================================== The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor, Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as: Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't work for you send me an email. Editor: cathy brown mailto:cathy@virtualteacher.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delivered FREE to your e-mail box every fortnight. Online Lesson Plans, Great Sites, Free Stuff, Tips, Time savers, and templates. Computer Solutions for Teachers. Subscribe today! It's totally Free! Just type subscribe in the subject and send it to me. cathy@virtualteacher.com.au ============================================== Reach a growing audience of teachers, by advertising in the Virtual Teacher Newsletter or on the Virtual Teacher site. For more information contact, cathy@virtualteacher.com.au For information about inservice and training contact me at cathy@virtualteacher.com.au ==============================================
10. =========================================== 11. Code of the 'Netizens' This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you. Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better. OK I'm trusting you!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TIPS 1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser. 2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share. 3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs. 6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter. 7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter. =========================================== The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor, Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as: Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't work for you send me an email. Editor: cathy brown mailto:cathy@virtualteacher.com.au ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delivered FREE to your e-mail box every fortnight. Online Lesson Plans, Great Sites, Free Stuff, Tips, Time savers, and templates. Computer Solutions for Teachers. Subscribe today! It's totally Free! For information about inservice and training contact me at ===========================================
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