Virtual Teacher Newsletter July 7th, 2000 No. 9
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
-----------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe: cathy@virtualteacher.com.au (put 'subscribe' in the subject)
Or visit: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au
Unsubscribe: comfilm1@optusnet.com.au (put 'unsubscribe' in the subject)
Contact: cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
Website: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au
Newsletter Archives can be found at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html
==========================================================
CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. Computer phobia strikes the classroom
4. New Printable for File Hierarchy for PCs
5. Technical Stuff - Free Email Services
6. Olympic Sites
7. Fantastic Rainforest Resource
8. Art sites
9. Reader's Comments
10. Reader's Requests
11 Next Issue
12. Code of 'Netizens'
13. Tips
==========================================================
1. Welcome everyone. My daughter and I had the good fortune of
attending a wonderful children's choral performance this week.
Selections were sung by the composers, Mozart, Schubert, Handel,
Beethoven, Gilbert and Sullivan Humperdinck and many more. The
evening became even more impressive for my daughter when she saw an
elderly grey haired gentleman at the door, whom she identified as
Beethoven.
I have packed the children off to one of the wonderful Sport and
Recreation Camps for the week and am enjoying a week of indulgence
and luxury in and around Sydney. Dinners out, lunch and breakfast
too, shopping, Art Gallery, Movies and Live Shows, Sydney is such a
wonderful place for all these things.
"Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt
Dance like no one is watching"
Seen on a shop in the 'Italian Forum' in Leichhardt, a fantastic place.
I would like to add:-
Play like you're still a child.  - I'm playing this week. I'd like
to hear your line for
Teach like ...................................  Send them along.
==========================================================
2. Mind Candy
++---- Education Counts ----++
" Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow
their mind. The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious,
To have one idea spark another." Marva Collins
From Mrs Alphabet
http://mrsalphabet.com/
This is a great site for 3-7 age group and has some great ideas for
Homeschoolers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the bus driver stopped the bus to pick up little Chris
for pre-school, He noticed an older woman hugging him as he
left the house.
"Is that your grandmother?" He asked Chris when he boarded.
"Yes," Chris said. "She's come to visit us for Christmas."
"How nice," He said. "Where does she live?"
"At the airport," Chris replied. "Whenever we want her we
just go out there and get her."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Success comes in cans, failure in can'ts."
---Unknown
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funny Signs
1. IN A LAUNDROMAT: Automatic washing machines. Please
remove all your clothes when the light goes out.
2. IN A LONDON DEPARTMENT STORE: Bargain Basement Upstairs
3. IN AN OFFICE: Would the person who took the step ladder
yesterday kindly bring it back or further steps will be taken.
4. IN ANOTHER OFFICE: After the tea break, staff should
empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.
5. ON A CHURCH DOOR: This is the gate of Heaven. Enter ye
all by this door. (This door is kept locked because of the
draft. Please use side entrance)
6. OUTSIDE A SECOND-HAND SHOP: We exchange anything -
bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bring your wife
along and get a wonderful bargain.
7. QUICKSAND WARNING: Quicksand. Any person passing this
point will be drowned. By order of the District Council.
8. NOTICE IN A DRY CLEANER'S WINDOW: Anyone leaving their
garments here for more than 30 days will be disposed of.
9. IN A HEALTH FOOD SHOP WINDOW: Closed due to illness.
10. SPOTTED IN A SAFARI PARK: Elephants Please Stay In Your Car
11. SEEN DURING A CONFERENCE: For anyone who has children
and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the first floor.
12. NOTICE IN A FIELD: The farmer allows walkers to cross
the field for free, but the bull charges.
13. MESSAGE ON A LEAFLET: If you cannot read, this leaflet
will tell you how to get lessons.
14. ON A REPAIR SHOP DOOR: We can repair anything (Please
knock hard on the door - the bell doesn't work)
15. SPOTTED IN A TOILET IN A LONDON OFFICE BLOCK: Toilet out
of order. Please use floor below.
==========================================================
3. Computer phobia strikes the classroom
While the ratio of computers to students in Australia is improving,
the gap between funding for PCs and support services remains wide.
The result: Teachers fear introducing PCs into classrooms.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/zdnn/stories/zdnn_display/au0003565.html
What's happening around the world with computer student ratios and training?
Feedback please.
==========================================================
4. More Activity Sheets - Printables
PC File Hierarchy Sheet - I use this to help students understand how
the file system works in PCs. It is also an excellent idea to give
them a blank version and get them to fill it out themselves.
==========================================================
5. Technical Stuff
Every newsletter I get about 7-8 'deamon mailer' returns. It seems
these are largely due to, lack of site memory, or systems being down
with various servers. If by some chance you do not receive you
'Virtual Teacher' newsletter each Friday fortnight, please go to the
site and download the newsletter from the archives on the site
directory page. Also check you mailbox - some free mailboxes - like
hotmail or yahoo, have size limits and when the mailbox is full
emails are bounced. You need to delete the messages fairly
regularly - or save them on your own computer.
I recommend these free email services, the one I use is Yahoo mail -
mainly because they do not send junk mail and advertising to my
address as others do.
They are great for setting up information, templates etc that can be
dowloaded by a number of people from various computers. I usually
set up, several for each school, one for the teachers and at least
one for the students. Students can then send their work to the site,
ie yourname@yahoo.com, and download it at school for printing or
additional editing. Teachers can use it to download templates -
which can be attached to emails, or anything else they want. Once
emails are sent to the address, anyone with the password can download
the email from any computer. They can work very well as a school
notice board.
==========================================================
6. Olympic Sites
Official Sydney Olympics Site - check out the Kids section. There
are also printables available here. This site is comprehensive
http://www.olympics.com/eng/index.html?/eng/home.html
Cranbrook Junior School has an excellent list of Olympic link sites,
featuring information on the Modern as well as Ancient Olympics:-
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listolympicsm.html
"In your Virtual Teacher Newsletter June 9th, 2000
No. 7, you stated that in a future newsletter
you'd be looking at the Olympics on the web. I am
a Canadian teacher heading a group doing a
tele-collaborative project on the Paralympics.
Perhaps our site and project might be of interest
to your audience. Here's the URL:"
http://www.epsb.edmonton.ab.ca/schools/riverbend/studentresources/languagearts/Paralympics/para.html
Cynthia J. Peterson
Teacher/librarian
Riverbend Junior High School
Edmonton AB
Canada
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/Lessons.htm
==========================================================
7. Fantastic Rainforest Resource
Teacher resources, facts sheets, great noises, a various perspectives
on conservation. Go There.
http://www.ran.org/ran/kids_action/index1.html
Go to the Kids Corner, but worth checking out the rest of the site too.
==========================================================
8. Art Sites
Modern Masterworks was developed to give people the knowledge and insight, so
that they can more fully appreciate the art of the 20th century. It's meant to
broaden horizons and expose the flavor of modern times. This is a
most comprehensive site.
http://library.thinkquest.org/17142/home.shtml
Links to Many great artists Sites from about.com
http://artforkids.about.com/kids/artforkids/msubmenuartists.htm
Web Museum network. Go here and select the nearest site and visit
some of the links. Some really great links here.
http://watt.emf.net/
==========================================================
9. Great Sites to Check Out
Great Pictures of Cells. Some animated. Great explanations. "Cells Alive"
http://www.cellsalive.net/
Archives of Australia - Great site comprehensive links. Includes the
Centenary of Australian Federation, reconciliation and many other
great links. Great primary source site.
http://www.archivenet.gov.au/jsredirect.exe
Food Safety Campaign Group's Education Pages - includes fun and
games, fact sheets, tips and lots more a great site.
http://www.safefood.net.au/index.cfm
Stories of the Dreaming - The stories come from the cultures of
Indigenous Australians and have been collected from all over
Australia. They reflect an essential part of the life of Indigenous
Australians.
http://www.dreamtime.net.au/
Maths in Daily Life - here's a site after my own heart. I love
looking at how numbers and maths are used in everyday life. More
suitable for 12-18. When you buy a car, follow a recipe, or decorate
your home, you're using math principles. People have been using these
same principles for thousands-even millions-of years,
across countries and continents. Whether you're sailing a boat off
the coast of Japan or
building a house in Peru, you're using math to get things done.
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/
Pirates - here's a great site about Pirates - there are links to may
Pirates sites - more useful to 10 years up however some sites would
be suitable for lower grades. The information is most comprehensive.
http://www.piratesinfo.com/main.html
Online Educational Supplier with great online product info - check out EDEX
http://www.edex.com.au
==========================================================
8. Readers Comments
Hi Cathy
Thanks very much for your feedback. We are just starting to develop the
service so it so please do check back for new images from time to time. We
expect that it will prove to be a useful tool for teachers, particularly as
we develop the trails feature. We will be launching PictureAustralia in
September and will be in acceptance testing mode until then, so all feedback
is welcome.
Cheers
Danielle
PictureAustralia Administration
PictureAustralia
http://www.pictureaustralia.org
... revealing our cultural heritage
tel 02 6262 1673 fax 02 6273 2545
pictaust@nla.gov.au

Now, I'd like to pay my "dues" for your generous newsletter by responding to
the following:
> 3. South African Birds
> Hi Cathy,
> This is a long shot but wondered if you are able to help.
> Teachers are asking for a website on Southern African birds. Who
> could I ask? Where should I begin looking?
> HELP!
> Regards,
> Terri Frederic
We recently finished an excellent 5-week online expediton to South Africa
with a team of explorers from Globalearn.com. That particular expedition is
accessed through:
http://www.globalearn.com/expeditions/soaf/
It's loaded with lots of wonderful information on South Africa. We even
communicate with one of the host students by e-mail, now. She lives on a
game reserve! (Note: One of the explorers had a team meeting accompanied by
African penguins the very first week!)
http://globalearn.com/about/tour/index.html
The GlobaLearn online tour will ". . . introduce you to a non-profit,
educational company called GlobaLearn. A group of young men and women, the
GlobaLearn expedition team, will travel around the world in a high tech
convoy. From the most populated cities on the planet to the most remote
villages, the team will gather information from the field. This data will be
relayed by satellite back to classrooms through GlobaLearn's World Wide Web
site."
"The explorers will act as the eyes and ears of the young students back here
in the United States. Each day the explorers will transmit profiles of the
children hosting them, a travel log, photos, personal accounts of what
they've seen and more. Students worldwide will be able to use the information
coming from the expedition in their daily classroom studies."
Another great site is:
http://www.zoomschool.com/school/Africa/
and she might want to check out their informative bird printouts available
at: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/
Regards,
Lisa
==========================================================
9. Readers Requests
Several Readers have requested information on government and
Democracy sites, can you help?
==========================================================
10. Next Issue
I will be looking at a series of lessons on PowerPoint over the next
few weeks. These will be available as 'Printables". If you have any
good ideas about this program or indeed finished PowerPoint
presentation send them along. There a lot of sites on the web that
offer these for download, if you know of any really excellent ones
let me know. I am still looking for some definitive Art sites for
students. So send those in too. Thanks to all the contributors,
keep sending in your requests and ideas. I love them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:comfilm1@optusnet.com.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delivered FREE to your e-mail box every week.
Online Lesson Plans, Great Sites, Free Stuff, Tips, Time savers, and templates.
Computer Solutions for Primary School 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
==========================================================