Virtual Teacher
Newsletter No. 75 July 25th 2003 RESIDENT ALIEN
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
4.
New Printables - Text Types
5.
Technical Stuff - G4 & Netscape 6.1 & Blender
6.
Web Site Focus - Outer Space
7.
Better Bookweek Links
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. I don't think I have ever been busier
in my
life. I think this is great
fun. I have just purchased a
printing
business
and I am busy turning it digital in my spare time. Still
working
in schools with ITC, as well, this new endeavor is fantastic,
once
again I can look at the whole ITC area and relate it back to
teaching
and learning in schools. The
perspectives and insights
are
brilliant. I have just 'acquired'
a wonderful lightbox which will be
installed
in a school shortly; we are investigating dpi, file formats,
ratios
and lots lots more, so much mathematics, so little time.
Much
more about this in future issues.
It's a beautiful sunny day
in
Sydney, life is wonderful.
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2.
MIND CANDY
TOP 35 OXYMORONS
35. State worker
34. Legally drunk
33. Exact estimate
32. Act naturally
31. Found missing
30. Resident alien
29. Genuine imitation
28. Airline food
27. Good grief (for Charlie Brown fans)
26. Government organization
25. Sanitary landfill
24. Alone together
23. Small crowd
22. Business ethics
21. Soft rock
20. Butt head
19. Military intelligence
18. Sweet sorrow
17. Rural metro (ambulance service)
16. "Now, then . . ."
15. Passive aggression
14. Clearly misunderstood
13. Peace force
12. Extinct life
11. Plastic glasses
10. Terribly pleased
9. Computer security
8. Political science
7. Tight slacks
6. Definite maybe
5. Pretty ugly
4. Rap music
3. Working vacation
2. Religious tolerance
And the number one oxymoron .
1. Microsoft Works (Macintosh-only users, trust me on this
one)
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3.
WWWinfo
Maps
This
page has a few downloadable versions
http://www.atlapedia.com/online/mapresources.htm
For
related map stuff try these
http://www.maps.com/explore/atlas/political/
and
http://www.maps.com/explore/downloads/
National
Geographic Map Machine Online
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
or a
downloadable
version
for kids
http://www.kidsdomain.com/down/mac/natgeomaps.html
This
site has BLM of maps of the world and lots or related
resources
in the left frame
http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxindex.htm
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES - Print them Out and Use them
A
little bit of organisation help from Adrian.
To
gain the most from collaborative computer tasks my monitors have these
job
descriptions stuck on them and the children each wear a
badge
with their role.
http://www.adrianbruce.com/computers/how/
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Version
1.4 is out now http://www.mozilla.org/
AND IT
IS FREE TO ALL USERS - no pop ups, no sly agreements
with
the company ;) , the kids can download it at home for free
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The
Children's Medical Research Institute and St Philip's Christian College,
Waratah
would like to invite you to a Science Teachers' Forum on Genetics
To be
held at:
St.
Philip's Christian College (Worship Centre)
30
Bridge St., Waratah, 2298, Newcastle
On
Tuesday 26th August 2003
8.30am
- 4.00pm
The
theme of the day is to address areas of the new H.S.C syllabus for
Biology
Teachers in the core Blue Print of Life and the options The Code
Broken
and Biotechnology.
Speakers
will cover:
Genes
in Development, Gene Therapy, Transgenic Organisms and their Uses,
Polygenic
Inheritance and the Environment, and Bioethics.
Notes
will be issued as part of the registration
Lunch
and Morning Tea will be provided
Cost:
covers all notes and Morning Tea/Lunch
- $45.00
(inc. G.S.T)
Sponsors:
Endeavour Education, will present new Junior and Senior Science
Texts.
Bookings are essential - please contact either:
Robyn
Horsley
Email:
robyn.horsley@spcc.nsw.edu.au
Or
Dr
Lisa Melton
Email:
lmelton@cmri.usyd.edu.au
Programme
- Science Teachers Forum on Genetics
8.30 Registration
8.50 Welcome
Mr Graeme Irwin
Principal,
St Philip's Christian College
9.00 Recombinant DNA Technology
Dr
Judith Scott
Newcastle
University/Hunter Medical Research Institute
9.50 Gene Therapy
Dr
Lisa Melton
Children
Medical Research Institute
10.40 Morning Tea (Provided)
11.15 Bt Cotton and its uses in Agriculture
CSIRO
12.05 Genes In Development
Dr
David Loebel
Children's
Medical Research Institute
12.55 Lunch (Provided)
1.45 Polygenic Inheritance &
the Environment
Bronwyn
Burgess
Genetic
Counselor, Hunter Genetics Unit
2.30 Bioethics
Dr
Rachel Ankeny
Director
and Senior Lecturer
Unit
of History and Philosophy of Science
Sydney
University
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Have
you checked out the world council gifted conference
program
at http://www.gtcasa.asn.au/world.htm
(Download draft program) - amazing
Not
often we have so much expertise available in Australia (apart from
our
own, of course). Anyone going to be in Adelaide for this? I'm presenting
on
gifted children's opinions of their educational needs (including their
teachers).
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS Reading Resources from Adrian Bruce
Bossy
e / Magic e
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/change/change3.htm
Capital
Match
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/capitals/
Sight
Word Bingo with Motivational Quotes
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/bingo/
Reading
Posters
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/posters/
Contractions
Concentration
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/cont/
A CVC
game
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/change/
Reading
Snakes and Ladders
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/snakes/
Word
Race for er, ir and ur
http://www.adrianbruce.com/reading/race/
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7.
HUMAN BODY
BBC
Science Human Body
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/
A
rich site that covers a variety of topics using multiple approaches
(factual
text, flash movies, interactive quizzes). Sections include:
Interactive
body (organs game, skeleton game, muscle game, nervous
system
game, puberty demo); Psychological tests (Can you read faces?
What
disgusts you? Are you a thrill seeker?); and printable versions for
handouts.
Alfy's
Picks For the Human body - includes games activities, lesson plans etc
http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/Human_Body/HB_1.asp
Human
Anatomy Online - mouse over images of each of the body systems
http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html
Human
Body Systems - links to activities and resources on WWW:
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/body.htm
Human
Body Teaching Theme - includes clipart, resource materials, downloads,
webquests,
worksheets, interactive sites etc.
http://teachers.teach-nology.com/themes/science/humanb/
Human
Body Unit - links to human body sites
http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/~greentown/human.htm
Brainpop
- short animated movies on each of the body systems
http://www.brainpop.com/health/seeall.weml
Webquest
- The Body Mission
http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/stage3_Modules/body/the_body_mission.htm
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8.
GREAT SITES
Degas
and the Dance (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/exhibits/degas/flash/home2.html
Organized
thematically, the exhibition gives compelling insights into
the
life and work of ballerinas while also tracing Degas' development
over
five decades as "the painter of dancers." The gallery includes a
clickable
map and reproductions. Degas for Kids
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/exhibits/degas/flash/degasforkidshome.html
consists
of very simple interactive activities that explain what's going
on in
the paintings. Requires Flash.
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FREE
Early Learning Worksheets
http://www.preschoollearners.com/freeWorksheets.htm
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HOT
SITES
Cartoonster
Cartoonster's
free online tutorials provide step by step instructions
for
drawing and animating. Techniques are simple and can be done with no
special
materials. The site is totally flash-driven and full of examples
that
make sense.
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Linda's
Links to Literature
This
website has 11,000+ links to activities and lesson plans for
children's
and young adult literature. Search by first letter of the
title
which then leads to books that start with that letter and related
lessons.
This is a useful finding aid for lesson plans and resources for
specific
book titles.
http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/readamillion/LITERATURE/lindas_links_to_literature.htm
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If
you are looking for an online activity for your class for next term,
there
are some activities in the SACK project that are open to classes
across
Australia (even overseas if you are not in Oz)
Have
a look at
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/kasmith/activities/activities.htm
In
particular Introductions, Grocery Shopping List, Book reviews, Sliced
Up,
and Quiz Collaboartion are all 'open' activities.
In
addition Tekulayo, the Cheetah (a travel buddy ) has some spots
available
at the end of next term and the beginning of Term 4
There
are a couple classes that are for SA schools only.
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Dear
Principals and Teachers
is a joint Commonwealth/Monash
University
initiative
to create an IT learning environment around food and
nutrition
for prep to year 7. The site provides children with an
opportunity
to publish their own work. In addition, the food themes
cover
a range of subjects (including language, art, maths and science)
that
would assist teachers in their classroom activities.
Attached
is a Treasure Hunt Activity Sheet (and Answer Sheet) that
teachers
may wish to use to introduce kids to the site. This may also be
used
as an IT exercise.
Many
thanks for your time.
Best
wishes
Gayle
http://www.kidsfoodclub.org/
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi Cathy
A short question,
How can I monitor and limit the number of pages print over the network in my
library. The library uses NT 4.0 on 18 PC's. Any software solutions you could
recommend or settings to change would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Phil
Does anyone have
any suggestions???? I work on an honour system and monitor activities, I have
set guidelines for printer usage.
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Hi
Cathy,
With
regard to the ants in the apple phonics program do you know
where
I can purchase it? I am after the music and program.
Many
many thanks
Jody
Hi
Jody,
website
at:
http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Songs/alpha/a.html
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Have
just seen a great resource for schools who have any version of Kid Pix
-
"Kid Pix Trix" from Edsoft who have it on special this month. I think
it's
great
value too - A hard copy full colour book and the book on CD for your
server
with an unlimited site licence for $79.95. Completely cross platform
too. I'd been using Kid Pix with students
for 10 years and it taught me a
few
tricks. Great resource for all levels and especially those who are new
to
using it. the author, Helen Lister, has been using Kid Pix well for years
and
its great she's sharing her knowledge and expertise with the wider
education
community.
Regards,
Robin
Vargo
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10.
NEXT
ISSUE More mathematics in the print department
and
3D drawing programs, send your ideas and thoughts, donšt
leave
it all to Adrian wonderful
stuff.
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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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