Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 67 MARCH 14TH 2003 - THRILLIONAIRE
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
==============================================
CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. WWWinfo SYMANTIC
4. New Printables - Student Self-Evaluation Rubric
5. Technical Stuff - KEYNOTE
6. Web Site Focus – AUDIO ONLINE
7. EASTER
8. Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10 Next Issue
11. Code of 'Netizens'
12. Tips
==============================================
1. WELCOME EVERYONE. I have been enjoying a whole lot of
great things this week. Trying out the new Apple Keynote program,
fantastic, using the new digital movie camera with the students,
they were thrilled. Sending out a group of PRESS REPORTERS
to cover school events, a “Thanks Miss that was great” from one
of my less eager students. Sorting out Gaby’s PowerPoint problem,
a great letter from a colleague, my son actually studying for his
science test(a first), my daughter telling me she has too many
friends, but that’s OK; and OH! getting 12 green traffic lights out
of 13 on the way to work last Thursday. All the small things,
all thrilling in their way. I guess I am a bit of THRILLIONAIRE
really, the best way to be rich.
==============================================
2. MIND CANDY
You are the lucky ones …..You are human, and therefore have
a rare capacity of thought.
Sophie’s World Page 100 Jostein Gaarder
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some contend, in poetry, that the mind is dangerous and should
be left out. Well, the mind is dangerous and should be left in.
~~ Robert Frost ~
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“ Just Curiosity… “
Sir Mark Oliphant
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
- Arthur C. Clarke
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Map Jokes
These great map jokes are courtesy of Douglas Caldwell
Q. What do you call a map guide to Alcatraz?
A. A con-tour map.
Q. Why didn't the map have any meridians?
A. It was a map of a parallel universe.
Q. What is the tidiest element on a map?
A. The neatline.
Q. Why did the cartographer put a band-aid on the map?
A. Because it had a bleeding edge.
Q. What do John Wayne and a map key have in common?
A. Both are legends.
Q. Why was longitude boiling mad?
A. Because it was 360 degrees.
Q. Why was the map gesturing wildly?
A. It was an animated map.
Q. Why are maps like fish?
A. Both have scales.
Q. Why do senior military officials like small scale maps?
A. Because they have been GENERAL-ized.
Q. What is smarter, longitude or latitude?
A. Longitude, because it has 360 degrees
Q. What do you call a map showing the heights of leafy-stemmed
perennial herbs measured in centimeters?
A. A daisy metric map
Q. What do you get when you cross a cowboy with a mapmaker?
A. A cow-tographer.
Q. What did the mapmaker send his sweetheart on Valentine’s Day?
A. A dozen compass roses.
Q. What do you call a USGS quadrangle with green water,
blue forests, and all the names spelled backwards?
A. A topo-illogical map.
==============================================
3.WWWInfo SYMANTEC
Hoax's - There are a lot of 'friendly' virus warning going around
at the moment- like the one I've received more than once titled
jdbgmgr.exe, surprise, surprise.,,.it's a HOAX. Don't be fooled by
those who want to advise you of a dangerous 'new' virus -
THE GOLDEN RULE IS:- WHEN IT COMES TO VIRIS
PROTECTION DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ
OR ARE SENT BY A WELL INTENTIONED 'FRIEND'
Check out what is real and what is not before you act, go to
the Symantec website
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
=====================================
4. NEW PRINTABLES – STUDENT SELF EVALUATION RUBRIC
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/digiport_files/evaluationrubric_1.doc
==============================================
5. TECHNICAL STUFF
Apple website info Education - Especially for Australia - review
distinguished schools program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KEYNOTE – Apple's New Presentation Software
This is a fantastic program. I loved it. I comes package with
A 97 page User’s Guide, don’t even bother with it. Take a wonder
Round the menus, look at the drop down themes box and then
just goto file/Open Samples/Presentation Tips, and run this Keynote
presentation. Use the button bar at the top of the view window, and
keep the inspector dialogue box open while you work.
No steep learning curve, this program does what all programs should,
it is immediately usable. It allows you to get on with the job of
making a great presentation, rather than learning a new program.
THE RESULTS well the RESULTS are amazing. Keynote includes
professionally designed themes, amazing typography, pro-quality
image resizing, animated charts and tables that can be created in
seconds, and cinematic-quality transitions Superbly professional
looking, and avoiding the dozens of irritating dialogue boxes so
common in windows based programs.
The beauty of keynote is that it CAN be imported and played in
PowerPoint – some features are lost though. It can also be saved
as a QUICKTIME movie, This method retains all the wonderful effects
and features. The best way to play the movie on Windows is to install QUICKTIME 6 at:
http://download.com.com/3000-2194-10128864.html?tag=lst-0-1
Macs will already have QUICKTIME installed. There are MPEG
Keynote tutorials at the apple site.
http://www.apple.com.au/keynote/
Keynote only works on OSX or higher.
It cost $195 and is a bargain.
==============================================
6. WEBSITE FOCUS – AUDIO ONLINE
Great Speeches Online
There are so many speeches at this site. Including Isaac Newton,
Einstein, Madonna etc. Speeches are divided into categories
and are alphabetical. There is also a search engine at
the site. There is also a category on War and Diplomacy which
is particularly pertinent at the moment.
http://www.historychannel.com/speeches/
80 years of Political Oratory
http://www.pbs.org/greatspeeches/timeline/
A great mix of speeches
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/previous.htm
Have the sound on when you go this one.
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/
Speeches from the Australian War Memorial
http://www.awm.gov.au/events/talks/
HISTORIC AUDIO ARCHIVES - MARTIN LUTHER KING, JFK etc
http://www.webcorp.com/sounds/
Speeches of Protest & Peace from Trinity College
http://library.trinity.wa.edu.au/primary/protest.htm
==============================================
7. EASTER
Goto the How Stuff works site and search for Easter' , this site
offers lots of info suitable for upper primary and High School students
http://people.howstuffworks.com/easter.htm
Make a marshmallow Bunny at
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/rabbit.html
Sitting Hen http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/hen.html
Easter Word Puzzles http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/easter/word.html
Pokemon Easter Egg Holders - do you believe it???
The children will love it!!!!
Try the Paper Bag Bunnies or the Amazing Transparent Easter
Eggs on this Page - to a happy tune of the Easter Hat Parade
or turn the sound off)
http://www.jeannepasero.com/easter8.html
More Stories and Poems for Easter - including some
Christian Easter Downloads http://craftsforkids.about.com/kids/craftsforkids/library/misc/bleassong.htm?rnk=r1&terms=Easter+Stories
Scrambled Eggs Anyone - shockwave game You will really love this one. http://www.searsportrait.com/ShockwaveGames/loader.asp?src=scrambled%5Feggs%2Feaster%5Fintro%2Edcr&h=274&w=592&tag=4B3D6A7F80B0441F9251D0FEB3B4E0249813B1AEC8FD41DBB842AFE807558EAE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Cathy
For your next newsletter the EdNA Easter Links theme page
is at http://www.edna.edu.au/schools/themes/easter.html
Cheers Kerrie
Thanks Kerrie
==============================================
8. GREAT SITES
HOT SITES
Musictheory.net
http://www.musictheory.net/index.html
An interactive website with music theory tutorials for students and
teachers by Ricci Adams. Lesson topics include: staff, clef, and ledger
lines; note duration; measure and time signatures; rest duration; dots
and ties; simple and compound meter; odd meter; steps and accidentals
and more. A chord calculator, staff paper generator, and matrix
generator are available for online use. You can download the stand-alone
version of the trainers and utilities. There is also a forum for sharing
information and asking questions. Nicely done, Flash intensive.
K - Adult
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian's Great Site
The Symmetry webquest page is excellent, sticks to the subject
as well as being easy to navigate. Some of the images are quite
fascinating and all sorts of symmetry is explained using wonderful
imagery. Go there your students will love it.
http://www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a site full of web - based
learning activities and I found this site http://www.4teachers.org/
It has some very interesting links to sites that set up web based
activities for classrooms.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cyberkids
Site to help Australian Primary School children with their
assignmentsTopics include, Sport, Planet Earth, Animals, Food
and my Body, Technology and Inventions, Animals, Australia,
People and Places.Fantastic site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K-2 Part of ABC's online learning 15 interactive games, basic
maths concepts can be downloaded for offfline access.
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's an interesting site - Journalist's toolbox
Suitable for 13 - Adult
There is a great range of research material, templates and ideas.
Current links to the Iraq-US conflict, also any current issues.
Includes templates and online samples of writing.
http://www.journaliststoolbox.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn Effective Study Habits 12 years – adult
http://caps.unc.edu/TenTraps.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who would have thought you could do that in your own kitchen?
It wasn't as hard as it sounds, and you may have everything you
need already in your kitchen cupboards. Even kids as young as 6
can probably do this with lots of help from you. Here are some of
the websites we used:
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/activities/extraction
http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic/Education_res/protocols/onion.extract.html
http://www.onlyinternet.net/preceptor/rm118/downloading%20files/dna.doc
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/activities/wheatgerm
==============================================
9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Dear Cathy,
Please would you let me know how I can receive your fab newsletter
With hyperlinks so that I can go straight to the sites you mention?
Thanks!
Gill :-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Gill,
Hyperlinks are live on all my test emails, it could be setting on
you email program - however VT is available online at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/VT66.htm
All hyperlinks are live.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd love to check out your times table CD. I know my daughter (yr 5)
has problems and as a casual teacher (hoping for a full time position)
I'm sure it would come in handy.
Also can you let me know a site or book that can give me some ideas
for tessellations - how to teach (integrate maths and art?)
Sonia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Sonia,
My maths links page has a number of links to tessellations.
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/maths.html
Check out the work of Makoto Nakamura of Japan, of M.C.
Escher the father of modern day tessellations, and also Marjorie Rice.
Fascinating stuff. I'll let you know about the CD.
Hi Cathy,
I am a trainee teacher studying Creative Arts this semester, I noticed
in issue 61 you said you would be highlighting Visual Arts in issue 62.
My issue 62 has gone walkabout & I was wondering if it would be possible
to get another copy sent through? Also anything on Music Literacy would
be great. Love you newsletter, Thanks for your help,
Tracey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Tracey,
All VT issues are archived at :
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html
You can also search the VT site from the directory page
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/directory.html
using the google search engine - which will search only the VT site.
Issue 62 is at
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/VT62.htm
Goodluck
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Cathy,
Thanks for such an informative and useful site. Your newsletter is
absolutely marvelous.
A while ago you were talking about a quiz using PowerPoint.
I am a R-1 teacher and have been inspired by your newsletter
to have a go. I have a simple presentation of 5 slides, each
with a two part question which is hyperlinked to a right or wrong
slide. Both of which I have added a sound. My problem is that
the sound on each slide will only work once and when I go back
to that slide it doesn't play the sound anymore. Also is there a
way that once a child clicks on the right answer it will take them
to the "right slide" and then automatically take them to the next
question. I hope you can help me with this as I have tried everything.
I am using MS PowerPoint 2000.
Many thanks and please keep up the good work
Gaby Cirillo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Gaby,
1. Sounds will work on mouse click or automatically in conjunction
with the entry or exit animation only.
2. Sounds can be played throughout a presentation by cueing
sound to the initial slide and setting duration for the full show.
3. Repeated Sounds can be played on mouse over and mouse
click using the action buttons for sounds in the Slideshow/action
buttons dialogue box. Set action to none and select sound.
When child clicks on the right answer this should be hyperlinked
to the 'right answer' slide. Then there are 2 ways to progress:-
1. Simply click to progress to next slide(make the 'next question'
right after the 'right answer' slide)
2. Use an action button for the 'next question' and hyperlink to
the next question slide.
The wrong answer should be hyperlinked to a slide that says
'try again' this can be a generic slide if buttons for each answer
are available on the slide for the child to select question to return
too, or individual slides for each wrong answer can be used.
Just is effective and my personal favourite is to hyperlink the
right answer to the 'right answer' slide. Then set up incorrect
answers to look like the hyperlinks using the same colour and
underlining. If the Student clicks on the answers nothing
happens until the right answer is selected.
==============================================
10. NEXT ISSUE- Next issue we’ll look at Cartoon Tutorials,
send in your ideas and thoughts. I am also interested to look
at library software for use on computer terminals throughout
the school. Software that will link the library catalogue with
Internet resources, if you have a successful system in place
let me know. Have a great fornight.
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.
==============================================
Reach a growing audience of teachers, by advertising in the
Virtual Teacher Newsletter or on the Virtual Teacher site.
For more information contact,
For information about inservice and training contact me at
==============================================