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Virtual Teacher Newsletter July 21st, 2000 No. 10
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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Subscribe: cathy@virtualteacher.com.au (put 'subscribe' in the
subject)
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Contact: cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
Website: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au
Newsletter Archives can be found at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html
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CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. Lessons on Computing
4. New Printables
5. Technical Stuff - Digital TV and Its Effects on Education
6. Government and Democracy
7. First Aid - St John's Ambulance
8. Great sites to check out
9. Reader's Comments
10 Reader's Requests
11 Next Issue
12. Code of 'Netizens'
13. Tips
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1. Welcome back, everyone who was on holidays. I had a
great time, the children went away for 7 days on a Sport and Recreation
camp at Narrabeen, Sydney and had a fabulous time. And I had
a great time without them. On their return I had a fantastic
time with them - going to lunch, the theatre, to 'Reverse Garbage',
the beach - seems like quite a paradox really, a good time with
them and a good time without them, just goes to show you can't
explain everything. Thanks for the response on the poem - I loved
Sandy's response - Teach as if ... you have a wonderful secret
to be shared! The computer lessons from Tasmania are worth a
look, and the St John's Ambulance site is an excellent site for
both students and Educators. Before you go to the site I suggest
you turn the volume up on your computer - my little joke. Please
send in any questions great ideas or thoughts you have. Have
a great fortnight.
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2. Mind Candy
This is mad, do it properly, no cheating
Count the number of 'F's in the following text
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
Managed it? Scroll down only after you have counted them!
OK?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
How many? Three?
Wrong, there are six - no joke!
Read again! The reasoning is further down.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
The brain cannot process "OF". Incredible or what? Anyone
who counts all six 'F' on the first go is a genius, three is
normal.
Comedy On Tap
comedyontap-subscribe@egroups.com comedyontap-subscribe@egroups.com
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Learning is not compulsory. Neither is survival.
-- W.Edwards Deming
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NOTE: In theory, there is no difference between theory
and practice, but in practice there is a great deal of difference.
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"When facing a difficult task, act as if it is impossible
to fail ....
When going after Moby Dick, bring along the tartar sauce"
anon.
This quote was from the Intro page of 21stNetwork -they offer
computer literacy courses online.
<http://www.21stNetwork.com/users/8295>http://www.21stNetwork.com/users/8295
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HOW TO BUILD A WEB PAGE IN 25 STEPS
1. Download a piece of Web authoring software ~ 20 minutes.
2. Think about what you want to write on your Web page ~ 6
weeks.
3. Download the same piece of Web authoring software,
because they have released 3 new versions since the first
time you downloaded it ~ 20 minutes.
4. Decide to just steal some images and awards to put on
your site ~ 1 minute.
5. Visit sites to find images and awards, find 5 of them
that you like ~ 4 days.
6. Run setup of your Web authoring software. After it fails,
download it again ~ 25 minutes.
7. Run setup again, boot the software, click all toolbar
buttons to see what they do ~ 15 minutes.
8. View the source of others' pages, steal some, change a
few words here and there ~ 4 hours.
9. Preview your Web page using the Web Authoring software ~
1 minute.
10. Try to horizontally line up two related images ~ 6
hours.
11. Remove one of the images ~ 10 seconds.
12. Set the text's font color to the same color as your
background, wonder why all your text is gone ~ 4 hours.
13. Download a counter from your ISP ~ 4 minutes.
14. Try to figure out why your counter reads "You are
visitor number 16.3 E10" ~ 3 hours.
15. Put 4 blank lines between two lines of text ~ 8 hours.
16. Fine-tune the text, then prepare to load your Web page
on your ISP ~ 40 minutes.
17. Accidentally delete your complete web page ~ 1 second.
18. Recreate your web page ~ 2 days.
19. Try to figure out how to load your Web page onto your
ISP's server ~ 3 weeks.
20. Call a patient friend to find out about FTP ~ 30
minutes.
21. Download FTP software ~ 10 minutes.
22. Call your friend again ~ 15 minutes.
23. Upload your web page to your ISP's server ~ 10 minutes.
24. Connect to your site on the web ~ 1 minute.
25. Repeat any and all of the previous steps ~ eternity
Courtesy of 'clean laffs'
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Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were camping one night. As
they lay down Holmes said: "Watson, look up into the sky
and
tell me what you see."
Watson said "I see millions and millions of stars."
Holmes: "And what does that tell you?"
Watson: "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions
of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically,
it tells me that God is great and that we are insignificant.
Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful
day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"
Holmes: "Somebody stole our tent."
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3. Lessons on Using Computer Programs from Tasmania
Six Steps to Using Frontpage
http://www.discover.tased.edu.au/ec/educres/websites/beginfr.htm
Kidz Pics
http://www.discover.tased.edu.au/ec/kid_pix.htm
Microsoft Publisher
http://www.discover.tased.edu.au/ec/publisher.htm
Glenys McKay
SEO Educational Computing
www.discover.tased.edu.au/ec
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4. Here's a new printable for Word '98 /2000 practise.
Using more glamorous words in your writing.
The pdf includes a sample as well on page 2 - don't miss it.
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/Glamour%20.pdf
Here's another one you may like to put it in your classroom:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/Please.pdf
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5. Technical Stuff
How will Digital Television affect education? A number of scenarios
are outline including a scenario for homeschoolers. I believe
it will open up some amazing possibilities, and with more integration
with the Internet will become a valuable teaching resource. Let
me know what you think about this.
http://broadcastnews.about.com/newsissues/broadcastnews/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.pbs.org/digitaltv/
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6. Government and Democracy
Several Readers have requested information on government and
Democracy sites, can you help?
<http://bensguide.gpo.gov/>http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
<http://www.4kids.com/4kidshome.html>http://www.4kids.com/4kidshome.html
Go to government, under social studies, for many links.
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7. First Aid - St John's Ambulance
Everyone at schools needs to have knowledge of First Aid.
http://www.ambulance.net.au
The WA St John's Ambulance page gives a complete rundown of simple
first aid, it is concise and efficient in its presentation. It
provides an excellent resource for care in emergency situations.
Download it and print it out.
http://www.ambulance.net.au/fr-simpaid.html
It provides a good resource for students as well as teachers,
and gives simple information on the respiratory tract and circulatory
system. The simple quiz at the end is well worth a look. Also
you can purchase online a variety of first aid kits. Well done
St John -
Great site Love the sound effects.
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8. Great Sites to Check Out
http://www.thinkquest.org/library/
Check out the National Geographic Map Machine Facts and Flags
for 191 countries.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/
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9. Readers Comments
Teach like the children are your own.
Sincerely,
Don Redgwell - Teacher/Librarian
E-mail - dredgwel@sd22.bc.ca
School Website: http://www.sd22.bc.ca/silverstar
Netsearch Page: http://www.sd22.bc.ca/redgie/netsearch.html
This was such a good websearch page that I've added it as a
click to from the Virtual Teacher site, if this is a problem Don
- let me know and I will remove it. What a great collection of
Search Engines you have made here, well done.
Teach like society respects you
sorry but I'm a little cynical
John Akhurst
Cathy,
Teach like all the students are your own children!
I really enjoy your newsletter and have recommended that my university
students subscribe.
I need some help/advice/info about Director and its use in the
classroom.
Can you help?
Barbara Shaw
University of Texas/El Paso
bshaw@utep.edu
Cathy,
One of your 'subscribers' has paid their 'dues' and passed
on your terrific site - and you now have another dedicated
fan.
In response to your challenge...
Teach as if ... you have a wonderful secret to be shared!
Sandy
Sandra Ellem <SEllem@lism.catholic.edu.au>
I loved this one.
Hi Cathy!
I am a ( recently reappointed) relief teacher and find it difficult
to make any worthwhile contributions to 'Virtual Teacher'. However
I found the 2 issues I received most enjoyable reading. I have
not had any newsletters since June 9 and wonder what has happened.
I do hope I can resubscribe if I have been 'lost' in the system
somewhere.
Cheers and Thanks,
Olga Laurantus
Hi Olga,
You are still subscribed. All newsletters are posted on the internet
site after about a week - in the archives section listed on the
directory page in the centre near the top. Sorry you missed out
on some newsletters, let me know if it continues to happen - I
am looking into another delivery system at the moment. Here is
the latest one
Dear Cathy
How do I get a copy of "More Activity Sheets - Printables"?
I am
interested in a copy of "PC File Hierarchy Sheet".
I enjoy Virtual Teacher
and find it a valuable resource.
Regards
Wendy Jones
Yarrilee State School
Sorry Wendy,
I didn't put a click to in the Newsletter for it, all the printables
are on my website together and I add them there as I do them.
So if I miss one again that's where they will be. The PC Hierarchy
Printable is at
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/hierarchy.pdf
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10. Readers Requests - Can you help???
Cathy,
I need some help/advice/info about Director and its use in the
classroom.
Can you help? I need to know what age
students this program might be appropriate for and how teachers
are using
it. Would also like to hear some opinions about the value of it
and the
learning curve.
Barbara Shaw
University of Texas/El Paso
Hi Barbara,
Macromedia has a good set of explanatory notes tips and info at:-
http://www.macromedia.com/software/director/productinfo/features/
This is a good place to start - if it is the right program - depending
on the sophistication of your students.
I will deal with this in more depth in the next newsletter -
any readers who have experience with this program please email
me with your info.
Cathy
Hi Cathy, I just love your newsletter. I have just been hired
as a
Technology/Computer teacher for K through 8th grade in Chicopee,
Massachusetts, USA. I am very excited about the position, but
I am also a
bit nervous about having a variety of things to teach the different
levels of
classes. If you or anyone else have any suggestions of teacher
resource
material, I would greatly appreciate it! I have found many useful
ideas from
your newsletter! Also, I would like to help Lisa who is homeschooling
the
preschool children by recommending a website called www.Childfun.com
which
has some great ideas for preschoolers and younger school children.
Thanks again!
Kathy D.
Hi Kathy,
I think the best way to remain sane and run a computer program
K-8 is to establish a limited number of programs throughout the
school that everyone learns - right from admin staff to teachers
to children - this way everyone can help everyone else. Generic
software, which is free of any content and is used as a tool for
manipulating and publishing information can used across the learning
areas and allows children to control the input and the product.
My ABC in order are:-
a)1. Microsoft Office '98 or 2000(depending on your
system) installed in all machines. Then for all classes conduct
activities on 'Word'. For your 'K' class this can be 'write your
name and draw using the circles lines and rectangles.' For Your
year 8 this can be publishing work, preparing title pages, preparing
a newspaper, through to any thing you like. This way you are
working on only one program at a time and can offer prepared extension
activities for brighter children. You can use some of my printables
on the site if you like.
From here using the other programs in Office is easier because
the iinterface is similar for each. One of my personal favourites
is PowerPoint.
2. Kid Pics is another great one and can be used
effectively for K-8 but is also very suitable for younger children
or computer newbies. Check out the instruction sites from the
Tas Ed site listed above there are some great teaching ideas there.
3. Then a simple Wysiwyg web page-editing
program like Frontpage or Pagemill.
From there anywhere you want to go really.
I suggest a 10 hours on each system before you move on.
B) Running alongside this I usually recommend some non-teacher
directed educational games like 'Maths Blaster", "I
Spy" "Reader Rabbit" etc, commercial games are
best - the ones that are really great to play.
C) Once the children have become familiar with Internet
Search engines and know how to use them, some general Knowledge
Activities and Quizzes are a good idea to hone their research
skills. I recommend an excellent book about Australian general
knowledge called "OZ Quiz" ( Richard Lyon and Hilaire
Lyon) each page has 20 questions on it. (available from Dominie
Bookshops Australia). I'm sure such books exist in the US as
well.
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11. Next Issue I will look at using Power Point in the
classroom, any thoughts or ideas would be great, send them in.
I will also look at great Olympians - and review sites that cover
this area. Australia is gearing up for the Olympics with only
about 8 weeks to go so send in any sites with games or printables
or great Olympic ideas. Keep those questions ideas and comments
coming.
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12. 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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13. 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:comfilm1@optusnet.com.au
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