Virtual Teacher Newsletter No.87 March13th 2004 LIFE ON MARS
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1.
Welcome
2.
Mind Candy
3.
WWWinfo MATHS POWER
4.
New Printables - TOP TEN TECHNOLOGY
TIPS
5.
Technical Stuff - Philipsı Fluid Lenses
6.
Web Site Focus - PUPPETS
7.
LIFE ON MARS
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. Try out the ³Life on Mars² adventure
this
week. Great for introducing the
topic of Mars and the Nasa
program.
For integrating technology, and a HOOT of an idea, for
extending
learning and motivating students. The Philips Fluid
lenses
is amazing info, just wondered if they would eventually
have
cameras wearing glasses as they got older???? Try out
the
Knee surgery Flash link it is truly amazing.
Have
a great fortnight.
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2. MIND CANDY
"A puppet is the artist's soul set free."
-Frank Ballard, Puppeteer, Designer/Director, Teacher
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All those who
believe in telekinesis, raise my hand.
Steven Wright
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I intend to live
forever -- so far, so good
Steven Wright
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3.
WWWinfo MATHS POWER
http://www.mathspower.com/challenge3/schoolpart.htm
Is
offering some great incentives for schools to be involved with
their
program. This is a very effective
program for both students
at
home and school. It provides a
great opportunity for students
to direct
and determine their own learning.
Great for extension
activities
for accelerants as well as remedial and revision.
It
follows curriculum topics for each year.
The program is
now
available K-12. this program is definitely worth looking at.
Check
out the links at this site as well as the sample lesson page.
http://www.mathspower.com/pages/sample_lessons.asp
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES
Top
Ten Technology Tips
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech039.shtml
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Wednesday,
3 March 2004
Philipsı
Fluid Lenses
Philips Research at the CeBIT exhibition
is demonstrating a
unique
variable-focus lens system
that has no mechanical
moving
parts. Suited to a wide range
of optical imaging applications,
including
digital cameras. Philipsı
FluidFocus system mimics
the
action of the human eye using a fluid lens that alters its
focal
length by changing its shape. The new lens, which lends
itself
to high volume manufacturing, overcomes the fixed-focus
disadvantages of many of todayıs low-cost
imaging systems.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0403/04030302philipsfluidlens.asp
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NOTEPAD
FREE software Mac and Windows
A
great free download, allows you to place notes onto a musical
score,
here them played and play them back. As well as select the
instruments
you wish to use. GREAT.
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS - PUPPETS
-THE
PUPPETEERS' COOPERATIVE
Giant
puppets, pageants, and parades! Includes "68 Ways to
Make
Really Big Puppets," "The Patternbook of Pageants and
Processions," scripts, and links.
PUPPET
RESOURCES
http://www.puppetresources.com/
"A
fresh, 100% free database of puppet skits and other resources."
THE
BALLARD INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM OF PUPPETRY
http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~wwwsfa/bimp.html
The
extensive library includes how to make various types of
puppets,
artists, history, materials and much more.
Don't
miss the gallery!
AXTELL
http://www.axtell.com/learn.html
This
professional puppet company offers some on-line l
earning
opportunities: basic ventriloquism, Developing
Excellence
in Puppet Manipulation, the making of latex
puppets,
and basic flocking information.
HOW
TO MAKE A WOODEN SPOON PUPPET
http://inin.essortment.com/woodenpuppets_rxin.htm
Wooden
spoon puppets are fun and easy to make! The
materials
for this craft are so inexpensive that you can
afford
to make several. With these simple instructions,
anyone
can make a fun wooden spoon puppet.
LEGENDS
AND LORE
http://www.legendsandlore.com/teacher-resource.html
Free
puppet resource center includes instructions for
making
various types of puppets, why puppetry works,
how
to use puppets to teach different subjects, how to
make
puppets come alive, and free scripts.
from
'HEM's Online News' - January 2004
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7.
LIFE ON MARS
Inspired
by this little piece of Lunacy
The
First Mouse on Mars
http://www.ahajokes.com/crt110.html
I
embarked this week on some digital photography with
students using the crop tool.
1.
Photograph students on a table or other level surface.
2.
Scan a mars bar.
3.
Insert the image of the students into Microsoft Word doc.
4.
Double click on it to bring up the format menu, click on
layout,
click on tight. This will enable
you to move it anywhere you like.
5.
Insert the mars bar image. Repeat 4.(above) on this image.
6.
Use the crop tool to edit the image to the appropriate size.
7. If
you need you can use the arrange tool to send one image
to
the front or back.
Advanced
:
1.
Use a image manipulation program like photoshop or
photoshop elements.
2.
Deep etch the image of the students(cut out the background).
3.
Choose another image that looks like mars for the background.
4.
Position the students on top of the Mars Bar.
5.
Add speech bubbles.
Create
headlines
LIFE
FOUND ON MARS
UNUSUAL
LIFE FORMS REPORTED ON MARS
MARSIANS
INVADE SYDNEY (deliberate spelling alteration)
Etc. Good fun, good learning experience.
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8.
GREAT SITES
HOT
SITES
DSOKids
(Dallas Symphony Orchestra)
http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/DSO_Intro.html
DSOKids
is the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's doorway to a world of musical
fun
and learning for students, parents and teachers. The site's mission
is to
provide attractive, accessible and child-friendly resources that
introduce
symphonic music, the orchestra and its instruments, and to
encourage
both adults and young people to explore the world of the
symphony
orchestra. They do this by providing games, classroom
activities,
home activities, description of how hearing works,
information
and audio clips
(http://www.dsokids.com/2001/audio.asp?Action=Search&Title=&Med='7').
Flash
driven also includes a page for downloading plug-ins.
--------------------------
Virtual
Knee Surgery (COSI)
http://livingchildren.com/knee/
This
totally Flash-driven tutorial allows users to conduct a virtual
knee
replacement. You will be guided step by step throughout the
procedure
and will have opportunities to interact with various tools
such
as the bone saw, a tool for cauterizing veins, and so forth. Also
includes
real photos of the procedure in a separate section which are
not
too gross. Produced by COSI Columbus.
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More
on Mars
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech184.shtml
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Dear
Cathy,
Don't
know if anyone has let you know ------in your latest communique in "
Printables Time" there is an error in the last sentence. It reads---to
caring with is love-----Should it read -----to caring which is love. I printed
the piece to give to a friend but don't want to pass it on with the error
Cheers
Jan
P S
love your newsletter
------------------------------------------
Thanks
- fixed it.
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Hi
Cathy,
Last
year you inspired me to use PowerPoint in my teaching of
junior
primary, and I am really enjoying it. I have taken a keen
interest
in computing and now E-mail work done at home to my
school. I have come across a problem, when I
E-mail a PowerPoint
presentation
that I have done at home to my school I do not have
any
of the sounds that I have inserted in the presentation.
These
sounds are from files on my hard drive.
How
can I fix this problem.
P.S.
I am using Office 2000 with Outlook as my E-mail program
Many
Thanks
Gaby
Cirillo
-------------------------------------
Hi
Gaby,
The theory:-
When
you start a PowerPoint presentation assemble all
your
graphics music, movies etc into one folder. Start
PowerPoint
and save it as soon as you start into this folder.
Make
your PowerPoint presentation using the elements
within
this one folder. All the links
will then be local links.
When
you burn a CD of the PowerPoint include the whole folder.
If
you are sending email you will need to send the PowerPoint
as
well as audio and video files with the document.
Microsoft
has a cool feature called variously - pack and go,
pack
and send, and most recently PowerPoint package.
It is
usually an option when you use the save as command.
If
you use it PowerPoint will package all the disparate elements
of
your presentation for sending. I
have found this can be
unreliable,
sometimes requires re-linking, but if often works,
especially
for smaller PowerPoint.
Alternatively,
save as a movie which wll also imbed the audio
-
this is often a good solution for emailing.
Goodluck.
-------------------------------------------
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for your
reply, but how do I save as a movie?
I don't know how
to do this.
Thanks
Regards
Gaby Cirillo
-------------------------------------------
Hi
Gaby,
Goto
File/ goto make a movie/ accept defaults, PowerPoint
does
the rest.
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10. NEXT ISSUE The Attack of the
Fifty Foot Chicken.
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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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