Virtual
Teacher Newsletter No. 47 APRIL 5TH 2002 – ROCK IT TO YOU
THE
FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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==============================================
CONTENTS
1.
Welcome
2.
Mind Candy
3.
WWWinfo – Tide Predictions
4.
New Printables - Rock Hound
5.
Technical Stuff - MOZILLA the latest Greatest Browser
6.
Web Site Focus - ROCKS AND MINERALS
7.
Great Web Design
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
==============================================
1.
WELCOME EVERYONE This fortnight
has been a very
exciting
one, prompted by some minor interest in rocks by some
children
I dug out my old rock collection. A past passion of mine when
I
dreamed of being the first female geologist to 'rough it' in outback OZ,
finding
gold and fantastic treasures. My
dream died due to the lack of
female
loos, in the outback of the time, potential employers believing
this
an impossible hurdle for junior female geologists. 'Never Say Die'
(from
the master of the movie title for every occasion) my collection
lives
again. Below is a list of great
geological resources on the net,
also
a printable for the junior rock hound to complete. The Australian
Museum
has a great rock collection and used to allow rocks to be
borrowed,
as well, may still do, worth checking out. I love my rocks,
hope
you love the sites. Rock it to you.
Have a great week.
==============================================
2.
MIND CANDY
"Never
doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people
can
change the world. Indeed, it is
the only thing that ever
has." Margaret Mead
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEACHING
AS A SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY
By
Postman & Weingartner
1.
Declare a five-year moratorium on the use of all textbooks
2.
Have “English” teachers “teach” Math, Math teachers
English,
Social
Studies teachers science, Science teachers Art, and so on.
3.
Transfer all elementary teachers to high school and vice versa.
4.
Require every teacher who thinks he knows his “subject” well to
write
a book on it.
5.
Dissolve all “subjects”, “courses”, and “course
requirements”.
6.
Limit each teacher to three declarative sentences per class, and
15
interrogatives.
7.
Prohibit teachers from asking any questions they already know
the
answers to.
8.
Declare a moratorium on all tests and grades.
9.
Require all teachers to undergo some form of psychotherapy as part
of
their inservice training
10.
Classify teachers according to their ability and make the lists public.
11.
Require all teachers to take a test prepared by students on what
the
students know.
12.
Make every class an elective and withhold a teacher's monthly
check
if his students do not show any interest in going to next month's
classes.
13.
Require every teacher to take a one-year leave of absence every
fourth
year to work in some other “field” other than education.
14.
Require each teacher to provide some sort of evidence that he or
she
has had a loving relationship with at least one other human being.
15.
Require that all the graffiti accumulated in the school toilets be
reproduced
on large paper and be hung in the school halls.
16.
There should be a general prohibition against the use of the
following
words and phrases:
Teach,
syllabus, covering ground, I.Q., makeup, test, disadvantaged,
gifted,
accelerated, enhancement, course, grade, score, human
nature,
dumb, college material, and administrative necessity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From
OZ Teachers list
http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/
The
heaviest element known to science was recently discovered!
The
element, tentatively named Administratium, has no protons or
electrons
and thus has an atomic number of 0.
However,
it does have 1 neutron, 125 assistant neutrons, 75
vice-neutrons,
and 111 assistant vice-neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These
312
particles are held together in the nucleus by a force that involves
the
continuous exchange of meson-like particles called morons.
Since
it has no electrons, Administratium is inert. However, it can be
detected
chemically as it impedes every reaction with which it comes in
contact. According to the discoverer, a tiny
amount of Administratium
caused
one reaction to take over 4 days to complete. It would normally
occur
in less than 1 second.
Administratium
has a normal half-life of approximately 3 years. At this
time,
it does not actually decay, but instead undergoes reorganisation
in
which assistant neutrons, vice-neutrons, and assistant vice-neutrons
exchange
place. Some studies have shown
that the atomic mass actually
increased
after each reorganisation.
Researchers
at other labs indicated that Administratium occurs naturally
in
the atmosphere. It tends to
concentrate at certain points, such as
universities,
government agencies, large corporations, and schools. The
element
can be found in the newest, best-appointed, and best-maintained
buildings.
Scientists
point out that Administratium is known to be toxic at any
level
of concentration, and can easily destroy any productive reactions where
it is
allowed to accumulate. Attempts
are being made to determine how
Administratium
can be controlled to prevent irreversible damage, but
results
are not promising. They will,
however, keep fighting to control
the
spread of this deadly element.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The
mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.
The
superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher
inspires."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AIR
TRAVEL
Here
are some actual logged maintenance complaints
and
problems, known
as
submitted by QANTAS pilots and the solution
recorded
by maintenance
engineers.
By
the way, Qantas is the only major airline that
has
never had an class A accident.
P =
The problem logged by the pilot.
S =
The solution and action taken by the engineers.
P:
Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S:
Almost replaced left inside main tire.
P:
Test flight OK, except autoland very rough.
S:
Autoland not installed on this aircraft.
P:
No. 2 propeller seeping prop fluid.
S:
No. 2 propeller seepage normal. No's 1, 3, and 4
propellers
lack normal seepage.
P:
Something loose in cockpit.
S:
Something tightened in cockpit.
P:
Dead bugs on windshield.
S:
Live bugs on back-order.
P:
Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200
fpm
descent.
S:
Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
P:
Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S:
Evidence removed.
P:
DME volume unbelievably loud.
S:
DME volume set to more believable level.
P:
Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S:
That's what they're there for.
P:
IFF inoperative.
S:
IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
P:
Suspected crack in windshield.
S:
Suspect you're right.
P:
Number 3 engine missing.
S:
Engine found on right wing after brief search.
P:
Aircraft handles funny.
S:
Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and
be
serious.
P:
Target radar hums.
S:
Reprogrammed target radar with words.
P:
Mouse in cockpit.
S:
Cat installed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHOCOLATE
MATHEMATICS
It is
amazing.
DON'T
CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It
takes less than a minute.......
Work
this out as you read.
Be
sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it
out!
This
is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.
1.
First of all, pick the number of times a week that you
would
like to have chocolate. (try for
more than once but less
than
10)
2.
Multiply this number by 2 (Just to be
bold)
3.
Add 5. (for Sunday)
4.
Multiply it by 50 I'll wait while you get the
calculator................
5. If
you have already had your birthday this
year add
1752.... If you haven't, add 1751 ..........
6.
Now subtract the four digit year that you
were born. You
should
have a three digit number .....
The
first digit of this was your original number (i.e., how
many times you want to have chocolate each week).
The
next two numbers are ........... YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it
IS!!!!!)
THIS
IS THE ONLY YEAR (2002) IT WILL
EVER WORK, SO SPREAD
IT
AROUND WHILE IT LASTS. IMPRESSIVE,
ISN'T IT
==============================================
3.
WWWinf- Tidal info
Tide
Predictions for around the globe.
=====================================
4.
NEW PRINTABLES
Rock
Hound printable
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/rock.doc
==============================================
5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Mozilla
- here's a great new browser based on Netscape, for
all
platforms, particularly excellent on Macs - overcomes a lot
of
problems- download it here - a Recommended VT Browser
http://browsers.evolt.org/index.cfm/dir/mozilla/mozilla_0.9.9/
If
you are interested in other types of Browsers check them out here:-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Educational
Templates from Microsoft included student awards etc.
http://search.officeupdate.microsoft.com/TemplateGallery/ct149.asp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE
TUTORIALS
Check
out the FREE online tutorials in Educational info at adobe
Free
Online Courses
Start
your Adobe product training with these new interactive courses,
now
featuring an introduction to Adobe® Photoshop® Elements.
Free
Photoshop Elements Tutorials
Download
project-based lessons and learn some great ways to use
Photoshop
Elements in the classroom.
Free
Acrobat Curriculum
Download
the Adobe Acrobat® Curriculum Guide, a rich resource
of
lessons, project files, and interactive exercises for learning and
teaching
Adobe PDF.
Free
Web Curriculum
Download
the Adobe Web Project curriculum – everything you need
to
introduce basic Web design using Adobe's integrated set of tools.
New
QuickTime Tutorials
View
free Total Training tutorials on Photoshop 6.0, InDesign®,
Adobe
Premiere®, and After Effects®
http://www.adobe.com/education/educators/main.html
Learn
That has a wide range of FREE tutorials on most popular programs
http://www.learnthat.com/courses/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National
Youth Week 2002
from
the 7th - 14th April
It's
huge .. for example .. last year ..
1.
Over 1,500 activities and events at the national, State and
Territory and local levels
were held around the country, thus
making it the largest
single celebration for young Australians
2.
www.youthweek.com has received in excess of 2.3 million hits
since its launch in February
2001.
3.
Approximately 1 million young people took part in both the virtual'
and 'live' activities and events
during National Youth Week in 2001.
4. More
than 10,000 young people entered the Win Free Stuff comps
(via www.youthweek.com). The
national online competitions - RockIT,
DesignIT, WriteIT and ShootIT
attracted 1,000 entries and 8,000 votes
for the winning entries last
year.
==============================================
6.
WEBSITE FOCUS - ROCKS AND MINERALS
Rocks
and Minerals slide show - great pictures and info - not to detailed
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html
Mineral
Gallery - detailed site
http://mineral.galleries.com/
natural
History Museum and research Centres
http://www.academiaexchange.net/1.Science_Exchange/Nature_Expos/Collection/Mineralogy.html
Minerals
and Ore Great pictures.
http://www.mines.unr.edu/museum/minerals.html
Rocks
and Minerals for Kids
The
Stupid page of rocks
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1080/
BBC
Primer
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/primer.shtml
==============================================
7.
GOOD WEBSITE DESIGN
Website
design
Very
comprehensive site on Web design, History of the World
Wide
Web, all about ASDL, Broadband and Satellite.
http://www.ascbc.nsw.edu.au/Computing/bw/
Good
Website design
Here
is some useful material
http://purple.nd.edu.au/coms/bj/units/co110/co110h/110hindex.htm
EdNA
has a category called Web Design Guides
http://www.edna.edu.au/go/browse/general:publishing:webdesign#resulttab
Online
Guide to Websites
http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/ncys/ysa/nn/2001/default.html
Webmonkeys
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/kids/index.html
For
the more advanced
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/
TIPS
for Building a website
1.
Make a folder, put everything in it you want to put on your website.
(some
folk use one folder for html pages and another for images,
when
your starting out just put everything into one folder.
2.
Plan your website, WHAT WILL EACH PAGE BE??
3.
Your first page will probably be index.html(double check this
with
your provider)
4.
Name your pages like this:-
index.html
sport.html
library.html
etc.html
5.
Use only 8 characters. no spaces, slashes, dots dashes, or
anything
other than letters. All lower case.
6.
Name your pages so they make sense.
7.
Save your pictures as jpegs of between 20-100k only - nothing
bigger
- the smaller the better.
8.
Keep it simple.
How
to Build a webpage in 25 Steps (old VT amusement)
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/buildweb.html
==============================================
8.
GREAT SITES
HOT
SITES
Misunderstood
Minds, Everyone should go here and try this stuff.
Experience learning to read and write
and listen from a different
perspective
go on see if you can do it. Learning difficulties site.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASX
Schools' Sharemarket Game
http://www.asx.com.au/sharegame
School
students, years 7-12, around the nation take a free lesson in share
investment
as they trade on-line with a hypothetical $50,000 to invest in
the
sharemarket over a ten week period. Their challenge is to achieve the
highest
valued share portfolio in the nation. Registrations for the next
game
are now open. Registration ends 27 February 2002, the game starts 5
March
2002 and ends 10 May 2002.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australian
Eye
http://www.sbs.com.au/australianeye/
Improving
relations between people from diverse backgrounds and life
experiences
is a widely held societal goal. However, learning to celebrate
diversity
rather than fearing differences is not always as easy as we might
like
it to be, as Australian Eye shows. The site, from SBS, provides
information
about the Jane Elliott's "blue-eyed/brown-eyed" workshop.
Included
on the site is a 'Koori IQ test', designed to show non-Indigenous
student
teachers how the value of knowledge is culturally constructed and
what
it is like to be assessed and graded on the basis of alien criteria.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philosophy
Games - TPM Online
http://www.philosophers.co.uk/games/games.htm
This
page contains links to a number of philosophical and logic games and
puzzles
that may appeal to senior secondary students and older. TPM Online
is
The Philosophers' Magazine on the net. The site is interactive and users
are
given feedback about their choices in the online games.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL
PARKS OF AUSTRALIA
National
Parks links
http://www.alfredtonps.vic.edu.au/parks.htm
NSW
National Parks and Wildlife Service. At
the
bottom of their cool stuff/ school stuff
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
Download this
http://www.EDUCATE.net.au/hsie_units/docs/parks.doc
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thematic
Units younger children
http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/Colors/Colors_1.asp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surfnetkids
- science of colours
http://www.surfnetkids.com/colors.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brainpop
has a couple of movies on light, rainbows, etc. A great
site
for short animated science movies online.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Love
this - Hazel Edward 'There's an Elephant on my roof Eating
Cake
page
http://www.netspace.net.au/~hazele/
==============================================
9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi
there Cathy,
I
teach in a Specialist school for children with disabilities.
Do
you have any lesson info or web links that would be suitable for
K-3
special ed kids?
Regards
Desi
Emberson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Desi.
There
are some sites on the gifted and talented page
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/g%26t.html
One
particularly useful might be
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/combine2.html
Includes
a variety of disabilities and teaching strategies.
This
site also has a good selection of links. probably the best place to start.
SERI
is also a good starting point
ciao
cathy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter
[rebek@ etc], from Melbourne. Sorry about your 'meltdown',
and
hope it has not been too much of a problem to fix. God,
the
hours you must spend on
this!
Cheers
Peter
J Wakeham
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All
received OK! Keep up
the good work!
John
Annable
Thanks
Cathy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear
cathy,
I am
faced with the bewildering task of developing a scope and
sequence
of computer skills. Would love to know if people have
already
invented the wheel and have a proven formula they can share.
Many
thanx for all your wonderful help.
Sharon
G
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Cathy,
Your
(Virtual Teacher) website was recommended to me
as
I'm putting together a K-6 technology Scope &
Sequence
but I can't seem to find it on your site.
Can
you help please. Do you know of any others? I don't
see
the point of re-inventing the wheel!
Thanks,
Elizabeth
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Sharon,
Yes
they have, Gosford Public school has a good one - I based
the
on I developed around it
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/scopes.doc
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/policy.doc
You
can download them from there. also
WA has an excellent
Scope
ans sequence I believe - however I haven't ever been able
to
get hold of it. Also if you do a
search on google there a few
good
ones in the US.
ciao
cathy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
email
me with Australian sites
ian
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Ian,
Don't
quite know what you are after, austrtalian sites at my site
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/australia.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can
you please help me to find a site with awards and certificates
for
my students. Many thanks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Sally and Doron Galili,
The
Microsoft Templates site has a number of certificates at
Also
Virtual teacher at
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/teachtool.html
Enchanted
Learning aslo has a nice range of awards
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/award/certificate/index.shtml
Also
some clipart awards at:-
http://school.discovery.com/clipart/category/awrd1.html
Some
programs like Microsoft Word and Powerpoint will often have awards templates as
well.
ciao
cathy
------------------------------------------
I
love what you are doing with your newsletter.
I
have built a successful Primary maths website, containing over
100
complete primary maths lessons written in PowerPoint from
age 5
- 12. They are all free and ready to download.
It is
www.timetoteach.co.uk
The
vast majority of lessons are based on UK department of
Education
lesson plans. I think you will still find them highly
useful
though, as teaching adding, counting etc is the same
the
world over. And as I get over 2000 visits a month, I think
that
is a good enough recommendation in itself!
I
also have sourced a wide range of online maths lessons and
resources
on the site and about to start to create my own
interactive
lessons in the next few weeks.
Keep
up the good work!
Dr P.
Fogarty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What
do you think of this site???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear
Cathy
Your
recommendation "An excellent history of education site is
available
at http://www.socsci.kun.nl/ped/whp/histeduc/
has
been an incredible source of reference and knowledge to me as
a
student teacher. Thank you so much! And thanks to all who share
their
wealth of knowledge and experience here, so freely!
Take
care
Tracy
Veale-Chan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello.
Recently
grade nine students at my school were exploring Shakespeare and
his
times, and while using the Internet, somehow chanced upon this page:
Life
in the 1500s http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/life.html
They
found the various bits of information on the page entertaining,
sometimes
amusing, and provocative. However,
some of them, as they had
been
encouraged to do, questioned the information's authenticity. As
there
are no links to any other pages from this page, they could connect
it
with nothing, and had no way, short of researching all the
information
themselves, of determining its authority.
Can
you help them? The page has SOME
connection to virtualteacher,
after
all. It seems to have a home at
your site.
Thanks
for your time.
Peter
Buehler
teacher-librarian
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I use
these types of things as a stimulus to writing - this is a good example of a
bogus piece of writing - challenge you students to argue for and against the
truth of each statement. As you
probably know there are many such lists on the internet - here is a version
http://www.anonymomma.com/1500.htm
another
site credited to Lee Hamason
http://www.seattlebicycle.com/newsletters/november00/page6.html
According
to SNOPES - which is a good site to check on internet hoaxes - this is one.
http://www.scs.unr.edu/~omicron/life1500.html
Claim: The numerous current sayings
listed in the popular "Life in the 1500s" e-mail sprang from ordinary
living conditions in that era.
Status: False.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 1999]
Your
students may enjoy investigating the snopes site for other internet hoaxes -
you will probably need to be selective about the categories as some can be a
bit risque.
ciao
cathy
==============================================
10. NEXT ISSUE - I'll be taking a look
at the history of the
computers
- Nerd world.
Send
me your thoughts.
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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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
==============================================