Information Literacy for K-3

How do you teach research skills to your students in K-3? PebbleGo offered by Capstone Digital is a K-3 database targeting reading and research. It includes level texts, reading scaffolds, narrated text, and simple-to-use research tools. There’s PebbleGo Animals and PebbleGo Earth and Space, which have interactive content to help students with reports and projects. With the program students research topics, cite sources, and use video clips, sound effects and vocabulary highlighting to learn. Take a look at the free demos if you are interested in this emergent reader research station.

Potentially Insane Poe Narrators Competition

Students in Grade 12 and under are invited to enter an essay competition featuring two of Edgar Allan Poe’s writings. It’s a unique challenge (500 words or less), due on Halloween, October 31, 2010 before the clock strikes midnight.  Prizes include an iPad 3G and for the winner’s school, a year’s free Shmoop ViP Passes for Shmoop SAT Prep, Shmoop PSAT Prep, Shmoop AP Exam Prep, and Smoop Teacher’s Editions.  Students must write about potentially insane narrators in two works by Edgar Allan Poe.

Vernier Grants

Up to seven educators will receive awards valued at $3000 each for innovative ideas for “inquiry-based, hands-on learning activities using data-collection technology interfaced with computers, graphing calculators and other handheld devices such as Vernier LabQuest.”  The awards include $1000 in cash, $1000 in Vernier equipment, and up to $1000 for travel expenses to attend the NSTA 2011 national convention. There will be one award for an elementary-level project, two for middle school projects, three for high school projects and one for college level. Entries must be submitted by November 30, 2010. To get ideas for submissions, take a look at the winning projects since 2004, which are posted online.

Help for Writing Book Reports & More

Kids.gov offers a variety of resources for Grades K-5 and Grades 6-8 for students, educators, and parents. For example, there’s information you can distribute to parents about helping their children write book reports, whether the reports are for fiction, nonfiction, or bibliographies. Suggestions include encouraging note-taking while reading, asking questions about the book, making sure children have a good reason for liking or disliking a book, and offering to proofread drafts of reports. Check the site map on Kids.gov to find information on the arts, computers, fun jobs, games, health, safety, money, science, social studies, and State Websites.

Halloween Fun Resources & Free Samples Sent Weekly

If you’re on the lookout for Halloween activities and materials,
Dover Publications is always a good place to check for what you need.  The site will give you loads of ideas for Halloween activities with your class and also ideas for decorating your classroom. Maybe you’ll help your students draw Halloween pictures with the How to Draw Halloween Pictures booklet or plan Halloween party games with the Frightfully Fun Halloween Activity Book? Don’t forget to browse the Sample Pages and also sign up for the Free Sample Pages, which will be sent to you weekly through email.

Write for eSchool News

eSchool News is asking for story submissions from those working in the field of education. Stories should focus on use of technology in education be about 800-1200 words in length, but shorter or longer copy may also be submitted. Types of stories you might wish to write: viewpoint (to generate thought and brainstorming), frontlines (perhaps advice on saving money on printers or using open source software), and best practices (success stories). It’s recommended that submissions should be in a conversational tone and not include “educational jargon.” News releases and product information may also be sent. Story proposals or completed articles should be sent to Laura Devaney at [email protected].

A New Look at Study Skills

Benedict Carey, in the New York Times piece, “Forget What You Know About Study Skills”, advises us to do just that. Throw out what you’ve been told about having a quiet study space, adhering to a study schedule, studying one thing at a time, etc. Research proves these tactics aren’t the best ways to help us and our students retain information. So what works? Study in different locations, not always in that clear, stimulus-free, secure study area. Space out your study sessions; don’t study too much at one time. Mix-up study content; don’t just study all the French vocab words at one time, mix studying vocabulary with reading and speaking French. Finally, test yourself on the content because it will help you remember; the harder you make your test, the better for your memory. These study skills have been proven effective, but Carey admits that they won’t work unless the person is motivated to study. Perhaps technologies and 21^st Century skills might promote motivation as students put digital tools to work to help them learn. With the flexibility and mobility of tech tools, students can easily vary learning locations, mix content, space sessions, and create tests for themselves.

Reading Eggs & Study Island

The folks at Study Island have added the online Reading Eggs program to their list of resources. The courseware, designed for students ages 4-8, focuses upon online computer-based reading skill fun through a mixture of lessons, activities, animations, songs, and repetition.  Children receive golden eggs and other rewards while they’re going through the program. They learn skills, read books, and take tests to get to the rewards levels. Take a look at the sample lessons and/or sign up for the free four-week trial. Definitely looks like fun.

Online Programs Win Grants

Most of the winning Federal Grants in the Race to the Top (RTT) included strong online learning proposals according to Ian Quillen’s “Analysis Notes Virtual Ed. Priorities in RTT Winners" published in Education Week in September. States seem to be looking to providing resources and opportunities for students in rural areas and to providing online courses in the STEM areas of the curriculum. Hawaii’s proposal was the only one that included computing online resources designed specifically for teachers. The trend, at least among this group of winning proposals, was to use online learning to replace seat-time requirements of time students need to spend in class with competency requirements. This way students can work through their course work at their own pace.