[eMINTS] Weekly Update 1/16/07

Tue Jan 16 16:24:31 CST 2007

Manage Your Participation in the eMINTS Discussion List: You can manage
your participation on the eMINTS discussion list by using the helpful
links found at: http://www.emints.org/resources/lists/index.shtml Too
much email? Try the digest option where you receive all of the posts in
one email once each day. Going on vacation? Simply unsubscribe yourself
and then re-subscribe when you are back. Don't worry about missing any
super conversations or resources - they are all safely archived at:
http://lists.emints.org/archives/emints/ where you may search for posts
by date or subject. Remember to be courteous to all list members and
please do not send a message to the list saying "unsubscribe me" or
making negative comments about the posts. Those are not in the spirit of
the eMINTS community and no one is forcing anyone to remain on the list
:-). 

Nominate Your District: Nominations are now open for the Sylvia Charp
Award sponsored by ISTE and T.H.E. Journal. Complete information is
available at: http://www.thejournal.com/the/istecharpaward/.The award
recognizes districts that are going "above and beyond" in their
commitment to educational technology. It would be outstanding to have an
eMINTS district receive the award at NECC (National Education Computing
Conference) this summer in Atlanta. 

Interactive Educator: Subscribe to the free journal called Interactive
Educator (i.e.) from SMART Technologies. The current edition is
available at:
http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Community/I.E.+Magazine/Current
+issue.htm and features interesting articles about hiring tech-savvy
teachers and locating funding sources for educational technology
projects. 

eMINTS/My eCoach Project of the Week:  Fairy Tales - Sarah Nepple and
Trish Alexander, 4th Grade eMINTS teachers at Valley Park School
District, St. Louis, have put together a great little activity that will
help students distinguish between traditional fairy tales and fractured
fairy tales. Students build webs and engage in writing activities in
groups of four. The project poses some great essential questions and
asks students to solve problems as well as engage in some decision
making strategies. Check out the fun at Fairy Tales.
http://my-ecoach.com/online/teacherguide.php?projectid=9585

Recommended Online Projects: 

Elementary Level 

Project Title:  Gator Tales

Project Begin & End Dates: 1/12/07 - 2/28/07

Project Summary:  Two classes are interested in sharing knowledge about
state history, culture, population, and symbols with classes from around
the United States. Participating classes will receive a package
containing a stuffed alligator from Florida (the designated mascot) who
will arrive with information about Florida. The mascot is seeking
information about all participating states and will ultimately return
back to Florida with a "gator tale". It is asked that the receiving
school "teach" the mascot about their state by filling in five specific
charts requesting facts about their state. The first 20 different states
to respond will be selected to participate. Participating classes will
also be able to compare and contrast information about all states
viewing our class Web page. 

Project Level: Ages 8 - 12 

Registration Instructions: email Karen Lindsey,
karen_lindsey at scps.k12.fl.us

Project URL:
http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsh/pr/GetDetail.cfm?StartRow=1&view=2&pr
ojtype=%272007%2F01%27&sortby=Start%20Date&fAge=5&tAge=19&pID=3186

Project Contact Information: Karen Lindsey, karen_lindsey at scps.k12.fl.us

Middle School Level

Project Title: Around the World Using Google Earth

Project Begin & End Dates: 1/16/07 - 6/1/07

Project Summary: Students will submit place marks created in Google
Earth, so that others can "fly" around the world to see information
about other kids. 4th through 7th graders at the University of Chicago
Lab Schools have picked three topics for these place marks. Your
students can create a place mark for one, two or three of these ideas: 

1) your favorite place in the world 2) where you want to live when you
grow up 3) where you want to go to college or what you want to do when
you grow up 

In the description field of these place marks, students will hopefully
add details on why they selected these places and pictures of
themselves. We are participants in an after school program that is part
of the GenYes/TechYes organization. As part of this class, students will
aggregate all submitted files into one Google Earth .kmz file. We will
share this file with others by posting updates to this file in the
Google Earth Community periodically. 

Project Level: Grades 4 - 7, Advanced Project

Registration Instructions: email Lucy Gray (see below)

Project URL:
http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsh/pr/GetDetail.cfm?StartRow=1&view=2&pr
ojtype=%272007%2F01%27&sortby=Start%20Date&fAge=5&tAge=19&pID=3185

Project Contact Information: Lucy Gray (lgray at ucls.uchicago.edu )The
University of Chicago Lab Schools Chicago, Illinois, USA

Secondary Level

Project Title: Global Warming = causes and effects in the world and
towns that we live in 

Project Begin & End Dates: 1/17/07 - 6/01/08

Project Summary:  Students will be able to participate in an on going
research project about the effects of global warming and will be able to
evaluate and describe the changes that are now affecting their countries
and where they live. They will access to 5 research web pages and be
able to exchange their own ideas and answers to global warming with
other students world wide. This is 1-2 year project.

Project Level: Ages 9 - 17

Registration Instructions: email Dr. Donald Hall at: dinodoc at charter.net

Project URL:
http://www.geocities.com/dinodoc24124/prehistorictimesindex.html
Project Contact Information: Dr. Donald Hall, dinodoc at charter.net Paleo
Research Lab, Narrows, Virginia USA

New and Updated eThemes for the Week of Jan. 15, 2007

Newest eThemes

Country: Vietnam

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001950.shtml

These websites are about the country of Vietnam. Here you can find
information about Vietnam's government, people, culture, and history.
There are facts, maps, photographs, and video files. Included are two
eThemes resources about the Vietnam War and Vietnam War protests.

Native Americans: Ute Plants and Animals in Legends

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001952.shtml

Learn about the legends of the Native American Utes as well as the
animals and plants of Utah. Included are eThemes resources on Utah's
habitats, animals, and fossils.

Updated eThemes

Holiday: Martin Luther King Day

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000101.shtml

Learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership in the
1960s American civil rights movement. Take a virtual tour of his birth
home. There are photographic essays on the marches and protests,
interactive timelines about King's life, and audio and text files of his
speeches. Includes links to an eThemes Resource on the civil rights
movement.

Native Americans: Utes

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001359.shtml

These resources are about the Ute Indians. Includes information about
their history, culture, and present-day circumstances. Learn about the
Bear Dance and the Sun Dance. Also includes resources about how the
state of Utah got its name. Includes links to eTheme resources on Native
American culture and Utah history.

Utah: Habitat: Deserts

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001666.shtml

Learn about the different types of deserts and find out which two of
them you can find in Utah. Read about the animals and plants that can be
found in the Mojave and Great Basin desert as well as how they adapt to
wastelands' harsh conditions. There are links to eThemes Resources on
related Utah, geography, and desert topics.

Utah: Habitat: Wetlands

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001667.shtml

Find out about the wetlands in Utah. Read about where they are and what
kinds of plants and animals live there. Includes activities, lesson
plans, photographs, and a book list. There is a link to an eThemes
resource on wetland habitats.

Vietnam War

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001429.shtml

These websites are about the Vietnam War. There are websites about the
soldiers, the war, events in the United States during the war, and what
happened after the war. On one website you can listen to the speech
President Nixon gave when the United States decided to withdraw from the
war. There are links to eThemes on college protests, the 60's, the 70's,
Veterans Day, and the country of Vietnam.

Vietnam War: College Protests

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001560.shtml

Learn about student anti-Vietnam war protests from 1965-1973. Find out
about the rallies and protests in Chicago, Washington, San-Francisco,
and learn about the Kent State shootings in 1970. Read the philosophy of
civil disobedience. Includes original documents and photographs,
invterview excerpts, and audio clips. There is a link to eThemes
resource on 1960's decade and another on the Vietnam War.

Monica M. Beglau, Ed.D, Director

eMINTS National Center

103 London Hall

Columbia, MO  65211

573-884-7202

FAX: 573-884-7614

Email: beglaum at emints.org