Virtual Teacher
Newsletter No. 55 August 9th 2002 – MISTAKE
IMPERATIVE
THE FREE ONLINE
FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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Newsletter
Archives can be found at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html
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CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. WWWinfo
– Metric Conversion Table
4. New
Printables - Cultural Cuisine
5. Technical
Stuff – FREE from Edsoft & Tutorials
6. Web Site
Focus –
7. Maths Circus
8. Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10 Next Issue
11. Code of
'Netizens'
12. Tips
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1. WELCOME
EVERYONE. Sorry Folks about the
mix up in
the content
section of the last newsletter. I made the mistake.
I do this a lot,
make lots of mistakes, that's how I figure out what
to write in the
newsletter; how to demonstrate a program; how to
fix a
problem. I think I know quite a
bit about ICT and that means
I've made quite
a lot of mistakes. The thing with
ITC is that the
mistakes make
the learning stick. Fixing MY
problem now,
something that
is totally relevant to me, means I will learn very
quickly. Make a
point of demonstrating your mistakes in front of
students, ask
them to solve your problems, make it OK to make
mistakes, in
fact make it an imperative.
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2. MIND CANDY
"Not
everything that can be counted counts, and not everything
that counts can
be counted" - Albert Einstein
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'Being rich
isn't about money. Being rich is a
state of mind.
Some of us, no
matter how much money we have, will never
be free enough
to take time to stop and eat the heart of the
watermelon. And some of us will be rich without
ever being
more than a
paycheck ahead of the game."
-Harvey
B. Mackay
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Here is the test
to find whether your mission on Earth is finished:
if you're alive,
it isn't.
Richard Bach
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3. WWWinfo
Metric
Conversion
http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm
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4. NEW
PRINTABLES
Cultural Cuisine
- fits in with the book week theme.
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/cuisine.html
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5. TECHNICAL
STUFF
FREE to GOOD HOME
from EDSOFT
FREE manuals and
discontinued software for schools.
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WDVL: The Web
Developer's Virtual Library (WDVL)
The Web
Developer's Virtual Library (WDVL) is an free
encyclopedia of
java, HTML, javascript, cgi, dhtml, XML, perl,
web design and
domain name tutorials and resources.
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Some online FREE
tutorials/Demos
Frontpage
http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/default.htm
Beginner and
advanced tutorials
http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/frontpage/index.html
here's a site
full of webpages that just don’t cut it. Look an learn what
not to do in web
design.
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/
I have finally
uploaded my site. The address is
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Victorian PD
Activity: ICT Support for Literacy
and Learning
Where: Mentone
Girls Grammar School
When: Saturday
10th August 2002
This is a day of
presentations and some hands on for teachers,
therapists,
psychologists and parents of children and adults of all
ages with
reading, writing and spelling difficulties.
Website at http://www.ictev.vic.edu.au/event/2002_lit.htm
for further
information regarding the day
Victorian PD
Activity: Beginning Teacher,
Returning Teacher (BTRT)
Where: All
Regions in Victoria
When: Term 3
2002
Two PD programs
will be provided by ICTEV for DE&T teachers
as part of the
Beginning and Returning Teachers initiative. Notes
and support
materials will be provided for participants for each
face-to-face PD
session.
1. Literacy,
Numeracy and ICT in the Early Years classroom
This is a 10
hour PD program including Module 1 with 6 hours
face-to-face PD
program and Module 2 with 4 hours credit online
PD program. the
face-to-face PD module includes:
Session 1 - ICT for
the Literacy Block ... in the Early Years
Session 2 - ICT
for the Numeracy Block
Session 3 - ICT
in the Integrated Curriculum
2. ICT in the
Middle Years classroom
This is a 10
hour PD program including Module 1 with 6 hours
face-to-face PD
program and Module 2 with 4 hours credit online
PD program. the
face-to-face PD module includes:
Session 1 - ICT
in Literacy across the KLAs ... in the Middle Years
Session 2 - ICT
in the Integrated and Thinking Curriculum - Part 1
Session 3 - ICT
in the Integrated and Thinking Curriculum - Part 2
Please visit our
website at http://www.ictev.vic.edu.au/event/2002_btrt.htm
for further
information regarding the day
ICT in Education
Victoria Team
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6. WEBSITE FOCUS
–Early Finishers Activities
http://www.teachnet.com/powertools/take5/index.html
Early finisher
ideas
http://www.teachnet.com/powertools/take5/082799earlyfinishers.html
Brainteasers and
puzzles for kids
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/puzzles/puzzleindex.htm
Teaching ideas
for Primary teachers (link on page to time-fillers)
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/index.shtml
Treasure Hunts
from CyberBee
http://www.cyberbee.com/hunt.html
Quick Quizzes
& Puzzles
http://www.pbs.org/neighborhoods/fun/
Name the Animal
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vets/name.html
Seven Wonders of
the World
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sunken/wonders/game1.html
Reset the Pot
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/laventa/tryit.html
Lunar puzzles
(yr6 - 12)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/puzzlers.html
Build a Bridge
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/build.html
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7. Circus Maths
3
This is a
fantastic program. Children love
it. Teachers love it.
Simple
instructions can be used for each of the 12 games in the
package. Each game has 10 levels so they can be
used K-6,
it can be put
throughout the school and taught to all staff members at once.
The program is
produced by Greygum – an Australian company.
Many schools
have Circus Maths Act 1, 2 & 3.
If you don’t make
it the next
software package you buy.
The program
emphasis the development of spatial,
logical and
sequencing skills, as well as including problems
which encourage
facility with numbers.
Covers a wide
range of maths problems
Stimulates
spatial, logic and sequencing skills
Includes
problems which particularly develop facility with numbers
Positive and
negative numbers.
Simple
programming
Direction and
Angles
Has TEACHER
CONTROLS & SPECIAL NEEDS
The package
includes black-line masters which may be
photocopied for
classroom use, and which are also included
on the CD in PDF
format. The manual includes hints and
solutions for
each puzzle.
GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT
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8. GREAT SITES
Bradman Museum
http://www.bradman.org.au/home.html
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FREE Black Line
Maps and heaps of info about countries and maps
http://geography.miningco.com/library/blank/blxindex.htm#e
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Rubrics
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/
http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/mthompso/antarctica/webquest_rubric.htm
Rubric Generator
– pretty good too.
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/
http://mercury.siec.k12.in.us/west/edu/evaltr.htm
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Albert Einstein
from Nova
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/einstein/
Asia Pacific
– ABC Gateway
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9. READERS
COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Dear Cathy,
Again my
Newsletter is mumbo jumbo. Is it something with my computer?
Regards
Chris
Hi Joanne &
Chris,
Newsletter
attached as word doc.
This looks to me
like a mime problem with their email package. MIME
(Multi-Purpose
Internet Mail Extensions) allows you to send different kinds
of data files on
the Internet: audio, video, images, etc rather than just
text. It would appear to me that you need to
check your mime settings so
that your email
package can interpret the newsletter.
I send the newsletter out as plain
text. Check your
email package is
set to handle this.
The only
problems that are currently reported to me like this have the @smkdngly.melb.catholic.edu.au
email
address. Another possibility is
that server is seeing the
newsletters as
SPAM - new SPAM controls are being put in place
that detect
multiple sends, and don't discriminate well, you may like
to check with - smkdngly.melb.catholic.edu.au.
Perhaps you can
request that VT
is allowed through - or that SPAM rules are relaxed.
ciao
cathy
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Dear Cathy,
Please consider
my son Patrice's web site for inclusion on "Kids' Sites":
http://homepage.mac.com/rodyoung/patrice/wildlife
He is in Year 2
at Parramatta Public School.
TIA,
Rod Young
Thanks Rod, what
do you think folks, well done Patrice – great site.
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Hi I'm a first
year teacher looking for sites on the middle
ages as well as
some sites explaining special effects in film
and
television. Any ideas? Many thanks
in advance!
Hi Andrew,
VT has a
Medieval section at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/ancient.html
The SFX question
is too broad to even attempt. For
a start
borrow the DVD
of Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy and view
the behind the
scenes material - very interesting regarding
early SFX.
ciao
cathy
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Dear Cathy,
Firstly, thanks
for the endless stream of information that your
site provides. I
don't know how you get the time to compile it all.
I'm a 3rd year
education student(mature-age) and every little bit
helps. I'm doing
a web-design subject this semester; I need to use
Dreamweaver 4;
you wouldn't know the trick to downloading
it cheaply would
you? If so, could you let me know.
Kind regards,
Paul.
Hi Paul,
A 30 day trial
version is available at:-
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/download/
Just check that
it is the full version - should be - no just a
demo version.
ciao
cathy
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Thanks for
maintaining Virtual Teacher, I find it very useful.
The suggestions
today for Geography were excellent.
I've put
together a new online course for 50 teachers in Northern
Territory which
starts next week and I've made the first 2 modules
free, to access
all 15 modules you need a subscription.
Have a look, you
might find it useful in your training or like to
add it to your
links
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Hi Cathy
I only just
found your website and I must say it has to be the most
useful teacher
oriented website I've found to date. I love it! I will be
telling all my colleagues about it!
I am currently
planning a T&E project for my Grade 4/5's to do,
which will be
about different cultures around the world. i was
wondering if any
of you or any of your readers have found any
great websites
or CD-ROMS that may be of assistance?
Cheers
Belinda
Hi Belinda,
I prepared a
unit around food from different cultures- Cultural Cuisine –
would also fit
in with this year's bookweek theme:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/cuisine.html
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To Cathy,
I find your
newsletter fabulous. It is so
practical and saves me
so much time.
Do you have any
helpful sites on McCarthyism and opposing
points of view
on this and (also other times) in
History.
This is for a
Year 12 standard.
Hi Maria,
Here's a few I
like suitable for Year 12
Q&A
http://www.thenewamerican.com/focus/people/vo03no10_mccarthy.htm
THE AGE OF
MCCARTHYISM: A BRIEF HISTORY WITH DOCUMENTS
by Ellen
Schrecker
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/schrecker-age.html
multi-media
stuff
http://www.webcorp.com/mccarthy/mccarthypage.htm
Neat Timeline
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/blakehs/staff/wagnerm/NetInv/mccarthyactiv.htm
ciao
cathy
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Dear Cathy,
Thanks for the
info on dreamweaver. Next question;
I need to
construct an interactive PowerPoint presentation for
Primary level
maths students. I was planning to keep it simple
(my motto) and
use trading of two digit numbers through visually
displaying MAB
blocks on a page. eg. 32-19? using a tens and
ones chart. In
PowerPoint, how do you make the pages interactive
and include a
quiz to practice the trading concept. Your earlier info
on PowerPoint
was great too, but I couldn't find anything on this.
Kind regards
Paul.
ps. your site is
getting passed around the Gold Coast too!
More on
PowerPoint next newsletter, yes there are ways –
however if you
want to do anything really serious, don’ use
PowerPoint, it
has it’s limits. As far as
MAB blocks go,
MAB blocks are
better than a PowerPoint presentation.
As for a quiz
– excel is probably better
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Just a quick
question ... do you know of any good phonetics sites
online that
would be appropriate for a year 1 child who does not have
the basic single sounds mastered -
relies heavily on picture cues.
Cheers
Annie
Hi Annie,
There are lots on the internet, a quick Google search should
sort them out one of my favourites is:-
Ants on the
Apple
http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Songs/alpha/a.html
Also Little
Animals Activity Centre
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/laac/menu.html
Start with those
if you like
ciao
cathy
Does anyone else
have some suggestions???
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To Cathy,
Your sites on
McCarthyism were fabulous. Thank
you so much.
I am now looking
for a web site, preferably an interactive one,
which helps
students Year 3 - 4 to learn their Hundred Demons
(the most
commonly misspelt words).
Also a site
where they can add in their own words would be very helpful.
Thank you
Maria
Can anyone help
with this one????
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10. NEXT ISSUE - Maths sites and K-2
sites, I will be upgrading
these pages
on VT so if you have any great
sites for either of
these
categories send them along. Also
more on PowerPoint
by request.
ciao
Cathy
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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!!!
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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.
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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
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For information
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