netTrekker Blog

Ethnic Identity in a Multicultural World …

The importance of ethnic identity in coping with a variety of life situations has been a major focus of current literature. While identity development is a difficult task for all adolescents; it is particularly complicated for adolescents belonging to ethnic groups. Teens feel a pull between their “home” and “school” identity – caught between parents’ ethnic beliefs and values, and that of the mainstream society.

To help your students understand our multicultural world, you may want to use a story to provide context and understanding.  A great example of such a story is a semi-autobiography by Julia Alvarez titled, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents.

This story spans 30 years in reverse chronological order of four sisters that fled from the Dominican Republic with their family.   They were forced to adapt to American life which proved to be difficult and embarrassing as they met friends, and tried to fit in.  They experienced identify confusion as they adjusted to life in New York and trips back to Dominican Republic. The story is told in a series of episodes beginning in adulthood and moving back to their early life as a wealthy family on the island.   Themes on family life, character, and love are intertwined in the story as topics of immigration and ethnicity are addressed through Hispanic eyes.

To extend these topics in the classroom check out netTrekker’s Multicultural Pavilion
It provides geographic and cultural information on continents, countries, and regions. Resources on ethnic identity, acculturation, cultural sensitivities, diversity, cultural heritage, and social justice issues are also included here.

To provide a multicultural experience for your students, check out these netTrekker resources:

PBS: Beyond the Border
A companion site to the PBS site that explores the story of 4 brothers who leave their family in Mexico to seek a better life in Kentucky – and find a different version of the American dream.

BrainPOP: Faces
Face the facts as Tim and Moby introduce you to the wonderful world of the human face! In this BrainPOP movie, you’ll learn about some of the many roles the human face plays in your life, and you’ll find out how faces differ from each other. Discover a few reasons that facial features vary from person to person, and why where your ancestors came from might affect how your face looks. Finally, you’ll see why the face is so important for communication, and you’ll find out which emotions look the same on faces all over the world. Are you ready to put your best face forward?

Lower East Side Tenement Museum: We Are Multicolored
Explore the multicultural influences on your life by creating a flag that combines flags of different countries. Also learn the symbolism of colors and shapes in the flags of the world.

Education World: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
Lots of activities that can be done in a classroom to celebrate the month. Includes biographies of Hispanic Americans in History, graphing from the US Bureau of Census, trivia questions, and more. Site also provides a long list of related sites about Hispanic Heritage on the Internet.

Tags: ELL Channel, literature, Multicultural Resources

netTrekker Supports Continuity of Learning

So, absences are on the rise….the school is thinking about closing for a period of time due to illness.  You and your colleagues are still charged with meeting your educational objectives even though you won’t have students in your classroom.  What can you do?

More and more schools and districts are establishing plans for handling the flu outbreak and the associated loss of instructional time.  The U.S. Department of Education is recommending the use of technology to help with distributing assignments and keeping teachers, parents, and students in close communication.  netTrekker can help by providing a tool set that fits into your learning plan for these situations:

• fantastic digital resources tied to state instructional standards

• Portfolio system that connects students to teachers (and parents to teachers)

• Safe, focused environment with engaging content suited to all learning styles

As an added measure and to help you utilize these tools to prepare for extended absences, we are offering a H1N1 Absence Survival Kit with useful resources and tips.  Suggestions and helpful information include a variety of options to provide students at home with class materials, digital and technology-based resources that appeal to all levels of learners to help them achieve their educational objectives and the ability for students and teachers to access these resources 24/7.  Included in the Kit:

• Resources from the United States DOE

• Virtual instruction lesson plan templates

• Informational webinars to help educators utilize netTrekker’s My Portfolio

• Resources to help schools communicate with parents

Check it out today at http://www.nettrekker.com/pages/h1n1-absence-survival-kit and be prepared! Directions to access the available resources for both subscribing and non-subscribing schools can be found on the page.

Another Look at Resources from TeachEngineering

Why do we have to learn this? Every teacher is bound to hear this at least once during the course of his or her career, and should be prepared to offer an answer beyond, “because I said so” or “you’ll need to pass standardized tests.” Math and science teachers could explain the value of the classes they teach in terms of how they’ll lead to college and career success. However, such talk might go over the heads of students who struggle with or show disinterest in required math and science classes.

Why not show students why they need chemistry, physics, and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects by way of fun activities, ones that link academic subjects with real-world scenarios and hands-on projects? Sounds like a great idea, right? But it also sounds like a lot of time and work. Thanks to netTrekker’s new resources from TeachEngineering.org, such a task doesn’t need to take a lot of your time – just a healthy dose of energy and enthusiasm for teaching and exploring STEM-related subjects.

In August, Danielle introduced you to our new resources from TeachEngineering. TeachEngineering is a digital library of freely usable K-12 math and science curriculum built and maintained by a collaboration of US universities, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the US National Science Foundation (NSF), The US Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) and a variety of private donors.

A keyword search for “TeachEngineering” will reveal 50 resources appropriate for High School, 380 for Middle, and 428 for Elementary.  Complete with introductory material, vocabulary words, detailed procedures, printable handouts, extension and scaling activities, and references, our TeachEngineering.org resources cover a wealth of science topics routinely taught in science classes, such as blood cells, energy, sound and light waves, and simple machines. However, these lessons and activities go beyond requiring students to memorize and recite facts and figures. Rather, these teacher-tested, standards-based engineering resources encourage critical thinking, hands-on involvement, and collaboration as they “connect real-world experiences with curricular content.”

For example, TeachEngineering’s Digestive System lesson and  Lunch in Outer Space activity are much more than just learning the parts of the digestive system and labeling them on a chart. They get students thinking about space exploration, and the challenges astronauts face while eating while in a microgravity environment on board a shuttle or the space station.

What’s great about these resources is that they not only cover what elementary students need to know about the digestive system, but also introduce them to more advanced topics, such as gravity, and link the digestive system to a fun topic like outer space! Students will even get their hand at designing and creating their own packages for foods to be consumed by astronauts in space.

Read on to learn about other examples of TeachEngineering.org resources that will help engage students in your science classes:

On the Human Body:

Move Your Muscles:  Through this lesson, students learn about the three different types of muscles in the human body, how they are affected by microgravity, and how astronauts need to exercise in order to lessen muscle atrophy in space. Students will also discover what types of equipment engineers design to help astronauts stay strong while experiencing microgravity.

The Beat Goes On: In this activity, students learn about their heart rate and different ways it can be measured. They construct a simple measurement device using clay and a toothpick, use this device to measure their heart rate under different circumstances (e.g., sitting, standing, and jumping), and make predictions and record data on a worksheet.

On Simple Machines:

Pulley’ing Your Own Weight:  Using common materials (spools, string, and soap), students learn how a pulley can be used to easily change the direction of a force, making the moving of large objects easier. They see the difference between fixed and movable pulleys, and the mechanical advantage gained with multiple/combined pulleys. They also learn the many ways engineers use pulleys for everyday purposes.

On Energy:

Solar Power:  In this activity, students learn how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings by investigating the thermal storage properties of some common materials: sand, salt, water, and shredded paper. Students then evaluate the usefulness of each material as a thermal storage material to be used as the thermal mass in a passive solar building.

Getting By With A Little Help

I mentioned yesterday that I read a variety of blogs, articles and other goodies first thing in the morning. Well at night, I treat myself to a bit of the entertainment news and last night in my alerts were a few pages with updates about David Cook.

I admit, I didn’t watch American Idol faithfully until his season, and season 8 didn’t hold my attention as much because David Cook was not a contestant. I’m a cougar cub for David Cook, what can I say?

Well in last night’s alerts was something about Adam Lambert, a very talented runner up for season 8 – but still not my favorite over David. Adam grabbed my attention last night, and in turn has influenced me to buy my son Adam’s debut CD. Why? Because of this commercial he made for DonorsChoose. DonorsChoose is an awesome program where teachers can write up a project or request resources that they need funding, then regular people like yourself can donate. You can give as little or as much as you can. Adam is passionate about the arts, a great outlet for kids with ADHD (like Adam mentioned in one interview) and even for kids with learning disabilities, so he advocates donating to the arts in schools.

If you are a classroom teacher, and you need to find resources for your classroom, check out DonorsChoose and see if your wish list qualifies. You can include a netTrekker subscription add-on to Weekly Reader or BrainPOP. Weekly Reader Online will help you save trees, while promoting literacy skills and global understanding using this trusted classroom resource. BrainPOP – well “the more you know, the more you know”, and their movies will help you be in the know, along with the quizzes and interactive media. Both premium upgrades lend to more interaction in the classroom, and deeper learning of content.

If you are looking for grants, then check out netTrekker’s Teacher Tools (the feature I mentioned yesterday). Click on Professional Development and then there will be a topic on grants. There are many great sites with grants still available, for as little as $100 to the thousands! The Federal Government to Best Buy to HP to Dollar General offer grants that can benefit reading programs or your greatest dream as a teacher. We even have great links to websites that will help you write the grants you’re searching for.

Thank you Adam for highlighting DonorsChoose. Best of luck to any teacher submitting for a grant. Make sure you also keep an eye on our Funding Update Page by Alan Whisman for federal funding information. (You can subscribe to the page via RSS and make it even easier to keep up with. And while you’re at it, subscribe to the main blog as well!)

Tags: Adam Lambert, American Idol, arts, Best Buy Grant, Brain Cancer, BrainPOP, Cook, David Cook, Dollar General, donations, DonorsChoose, Federal Funding, Give Back, grants, HP, Lambert, netTrekker, supplies, Teacher Tools, weekly reader

A Simple Gift

This morning I got up and read several articles and blog posts while waiting for my son to get dressed and ready for the day. One of the articles that caught my eye was about new teachers. I remember quite clearly my first week of school as a new teacher in 1996. We had first year induction teaching classes, meeting with our mentor, and many other meetings to insure that we were going to have a successful year. Much like Jane, I had teachers who scared me a bit more than inspired me into thinking I made the right career choice. Furthermore, I had no idea where to go for fresh ideas, resources to handle the various issues in my room, or even lesson plans for the topics I was uncomfortable with. I also didn’t have a colleague I could turn to that didn’t make me feel like everything I needed to know about teaching should have been taught in college. Topics such as talking to parents, realistic classroom management, and bullying were not stressed in any of the classes I took.

As you start the new year, if there is a new teacher in your building, reach out to them and give them the gift of your time. It’s a simple gift that will mean a lot to them. Don’t tell them negative things about the students or other teachers, but share with them the little things that will help them breathe a bit easier. Even if they are just new to your school, reach out. Let them know that you are dependable, resourceful, and a team player.

One gem that I would suggest sharing is the Teacher Tools section of netTrekker. Within that Feature is a list of great topics for any new teacher, including classroom management, classroom resources and even a few sites just for first year teachers. I really could have used the game templates. My favorite can be found using this path:
Teacher Tools > Classroom Resources > Lesson Plans & Assignments > Games and Puzzles
When you get to this page, click on more, and then go straight to the 3rd page. It’s a comprehensive resource of many popular television game show templates ready to use, created in PowerPoint, and with the sound effects. It was created by Kara Leonard in Murray County, Georgia.

If you are a new teacher reading this, or even a veteran, join us over at netTrekker Village. Feel free to start a discussion, join in one that’s already out there, and connect with other teachers.

Here’s to a wonderful school year to all!

TeachEngineering with a Special Touch

In a recent article from eSchool News about building momentum in STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), there was an urge to not forget the T and E in the curriculum.

“One of the findings is that discussions of STEM tend to be focused on science, sometimes math, rarely both together–usually they’re siloed, and the T and especially the E are really just left out of the discussion in policy, education, and classroom practice,” Greg Pearson, an NAE program officer, said.

“Even though we use that acronym, in terms of what’s really happening and what people really mean, engineering is the silent letter.”

› Continue reading

Tags: design, netTrekker, special olympics, STEM, teach engineering, teachengineering

There’s a Feature for That.

I am a social network junkie. I’m not as bad as I used to be, but I start my day off checking my RSS feeds, see what’s new on netTrekker Village, check in on my PLN (personal learning network) on Twitter, my Facebook PLN (which has a few different people than my Twitter), and a few other sites. Part of it is because I’m nosy. I want to know what other people are up to. The rest is because I learn a lot from these networks.

Guess what the teachers in my PLN are up to? Getting ready to go back to school. Can you believe it? Six to eight weeks of conferences, special learning opportunities, summer school, graduate classes, district professional development classes, catching up on their RSS readers, planning that really cool flat classroom project for next year, and maybe having the chance to read a book for pleasure and to lounge around the pool are over. It’s time to get back to work with the kids. Most are anxious to get into the classrooms because they are changing rooms and/or grade levels. Others are excited because they learned so much this summer at various conferences and through their PLN. They are all looking for or sharing ideas to get organized, for their bulletin boards, and “Welcome to the New Year” letters.

For this, let’s turn to netTrekker. Yep, we have a feature for that! How many of you have clicked on the

We have a feature to get you ready for back to school.

Teacher Tools on the right side in the Features box? If you go there you will see a list of drill down topics with plenty of ideas for back to school. My favorite one? Getting organized. I am the most unorganized person that probably ever existed. Well, maybe not the most, but close to it. So this is definitely a good place for me to start.

One of my favorites here was the classroom designer. You can draw your classroom dimensions out, add the door, windows, chalk boards, desks, bookshelves, plants, and students. Whatever you want. Now, if you’re like me, you probably rearrange your room several times before school actually starts. Then again once school does start as you try to get the right arrangement once you know the personalities of your kids. Instead of moving furniture over and over and over, you can actually design your room on one of these sites. I tried one out and designed an almost dream

What does your dream classroom look like? This is a start to mine.

classroom. 22 student desks with laptops and room to collaborate, plenty of books, a couch, beanbags, and coat racks instead of those mixed blessings called cubby holes.

There’s another great site that deals with rules. I had one rule, “Do what you’re supposed to be doing, when you’re supposed to be doing it, the way you’re supposed to be doing it, with whom you were supposed to be doing it.” That covered everything. But I’m sure there were better rules out there. I know that you’re supposed to try to keep it at 5 rules, even if Ron Clarke has something like 55, but I found that one rule worked for me. What rules work for you?

Best of luck to those who are getting ready to go back. Enjoy these last few days of vacation before the school year begins. I’m sure netTrekker has a search for that, too.

Hanging by a Thread

Last week I promised you a gem from one of the sessions I attended, and told you that you’d have to take a gamble on whether or not I post it. I am so sorry to leave you hanging by a thread, but I’m ready to start sharing. This first gem has become quite popular over the past year or so. It takes presentations and digital storytelling to a completely new level.

VoiceThread is a great tool to share your knowledge and experiences.

I’m talking about VoiceThread, which is a fantastic tool. We used it to wrap up our field trip in Washington DC, to see what they learned about either a monument, netTrekker and how to use it, or about netTrekker Village. Since we were at a very busy, fast paced conference, I was extremely pleased with the number of teachers that responded. I went ahead and paid the $3 for a downloaded version of the field trip and then loaded it to netTrekker Village.

I just mentioned a price, so some would ask if this is a free tool or a subscription tool. It’s actually both. There are some free aspects, and then there are some that are based upon a subscription. You can learn more about the type of accounts they have on their site. You can even see examples of how to use Voice Thread in your own classroom in their library.

Another thought on how to use this goes back to training. What if you took screenshots of your favorite product, such as netTrekker, and asked for the teachers to comment on how they would use that feature, or leave a tip for a best practice, or even post a question on something else they want to learn? You can have the participants in the workshop comment and share, and continue the learning experience from each other.

Let’s give it a shot. Here is a VoiceThread I started on netTrekker. Leave your comments on the different features and share your knowledge and insight with each other. Let’s see how many comments we can get on this thread. All you need to do is sign up for a free account. Then you need to select if you want to leave a written comment or a voice comment. You can also mark up the page while you comment by using the marker to point out a few things or highlight something of interest. Don’t be shy. Have fun with it and experiment. That’s the best way to learn.

Freebies for Attending a Free Webinar!

Sound too good to be true?  Not so.  We are so convinced that you must see The Power of My Portfolio in netTrekker that we’re pulling out all of the stops to get you to attend.

Learn how to create a project-based lesson plan and how to manage your web-based resources all within netTrekker’s My Portfolio.  Sound too good to be true?  Not so, I say.  We’ll show you how.  Go to netTrekker Village to see the dates and how to register.

And just what do I get, you ask?  Once you’ve attended, we send 50 netTrekker Quick Reference Guides, 5 netTrekker posters, a sample project and 10% off of any Professional Development you purchase before June 30th.  Better hurry!  The webinars are filling up quickly!

Hidden Gems

There are so many gems in netTrekker, and with over 300,000 resources, it’s easy to get sidetracked by a few. A few of my favorites are actually found in the netTrekker Reference Section.

Aside from the typical encyclopedias, dictionaries, converters, and such, you’ll also find some valuable resources to help with the creativity side of things in the classroom. Classrooms that are creative are gems for our students. Those are the classrooms in which students can participate and come alive rather than simply sitting on the sideline.

Pics4Learning is absolutely one of my favorite places for images to use in storytelling. This resource is found in all three of the grade level tabs in the reference section, under the “Finders” near the bottom. What’s a digital story without images? And these images are fantastic for classroom use!

Also in the “Finders” section is another one of my favorite resources, FindSounds. I use to play a sound for my students during our creative writing segments. I would tell them to close their eyes and just listen. I would play that sound two or three times and then tell them to open their eyes and write me a story based on that sound. FindSounds is a perfect place to go and get these great sound bytes to use in digital storytelling and for other creative writing projects.

You can learn more about digital storytelling by reading an article from Forsyth County, GA in our latest newsletter or joining Jill Hobson in her presentation on Digital Storytelling: The Tools to Create the Magic at NECC 2009.

cheer This sound alone has so much potential! But I’d rather you think of it as netTrekker cheering on you!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Tags: digital storytelling, netTrekker, reference

21 C: Preparing Students with Skills for Career and for Life

In response to states’ initiatives driving the incorporation of 21st-century learning skills into classroom instruction, netTrekker offers a 21st Century Skills channel organized into three pathways: Life Skills, Learning & Innovation, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Literacy. Why the need to integrate these pathways into curriculum? Because students, after graduating from college with required credits in math, science, language arts, and social studies, and with passing proficiency-test scores, are finding themselves wondering, “What do I do now?”

For those planning on college, perhaps that query doesn’t need answered right away, but it will surface once again when graduation, once more, looms. And for students planning on working after high school, such a question should be examined far in advance of receiving a diploma.

So, what does the mastery of 21-C skills mean for students graduating high school? It means better success at finding a job — and succeeding in the workplace — thanks to honed “character skills”, and willingness to “think outside the box” and to view the day-to-day as offering educational and critical-thinking opportunities. And also for students heading off to college, it means being outfitted with the capacity to excel in courses by way of making connections between subjects often viewed as unrelated — and between school and life.

Life Skills

nT offers a brief definition of Life Skills (link). In short, and in relation to 21 C, it’s the teaching of “character skills” and “making them a deliberate part of lessons”, showing students how these traits will serve them in work and in life. So, what does nT offer for teachers looking for resources on such “character skills” as Leadership, Ethics, and People Skills? Here is a sampling below:

Foundation for a Better Life: Values to Pass On not only shares the first-person reflections on the meanings of values, such as respect and service, but also encourages its visitors to share their own stories -– in written, audio, or video format. There’s a great collection of moving quotes by famous authors and public figures, an opportunity to share your story about a real-life hero, and a collection of inspiring audio clips reflecting on the lives and efforts of people such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Abraham Lincoln.

Legacy Educational Resources offers an extensive collection of brief Character Education articles, appropriate for teachers, parents, and community leaders. Notable articles include “Preparing Lessons that Change Lives,” “Acts of Kindness –- Ideas for Teachers and Administrators,” “Instilling Compassion in Students,” “Ethics, One Day at a Time,” and “Rules to Play by On and Off the Playing Field.”

Thirteen Ed Online presents Making Family and Community Connections, a workshop that emphasizes the importance of creating partnerships among schools, parents, and community. After students understand the concept of making community connections, they can explore examples of such connections via video demonstrations and candid talks by parents, educators, administrators, and students. This site includes a great collection of ideas for implementing school-community connections as well as links to schools that are participating in such programs and thriving as a result.

Learning & Innovation

nT offers this as a brief definition of Learning and Innovation Skills: “Those skills which lifelong learners have developed — the ability to think both critically and creatively, to collaborate with others to create projects and solve problems, and to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.” What does it mean when students enter the “real world” as “lifelong learners”? It means they continue to keep their eyes, ears, and minds open to learning experiences, even after exiting the classroom. For them, working isn’t just a means to an end or a paycheck, it is a means to think critically, explore new opportunities, realize untapped potential, and discover latest technologies. nT offers a collection of resources, which will aid students in becoming lifelong learners, in the areas of Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Communication Skills, Creativity and Innovation Skills, and Collaboration Skills. See some of them below:

Scholastic: You Innovate 21 is a colorful, Flash site offering brain teasers, interactive career-explorations, opportunities to examine past and present innovations that have changed our lives, as well as lesson plans and other resources for teachers.

The Edison Innovation Foundation offers How Edison Are You?, another highly interactive site that explores importance of innovation. Click “Why Edison Matters Today” to view a collection of photos, and download pdf files of the patents for Edison’s inventions. “Edison’s Life” offers a time line of his work, starting with his first patented invention, the Vote Recorder (1869), highlighting his most popular inventions, and ending with his work to create a rubber alternative from Goldenrod in the early 20th century.

Invention at Play by the Lemelson Center was created on the premise that “play” leads to innovation and invention. Students complete interactive puzzles dealing with problem solving and skills needed by inventors, learn about the life stories of inventors, and explore how “play” has changed through the years. A great site for the young and young at heart, Invention at Play isn’t just about inventions. It’s about critical thinking, collaboration, and making connections between real life and learning.

Our next blog entry will take a look at Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Literacy and what nT offers for students and teachers needing resources in this area of 21 C.

Tags: 21c, 21st Century Learning, Learning and Innovation, Life Skills

A Look at English Language Learners Channel (Part II of III)

(This is a continuation of a previous blog post on netTrekker’s English Language Learners Channel and the resources it offers for ELL teachers and students. The previous entry focused on ELL skill development. To read Part I of this blog series on nT’s ELL Channel, click here.)

Multicultural Pavilion

• Sites on geographic and cultural information on continents, countries, and regions;

• Resources on ethnic identity, acculturation, cultural sensitivities, diversity, cultural heritage, and social justice issues.

One goal of the resources in nT’s Multicultural Pavilion is to go beyond restating facts and offering data. Students benefit from understanding not only the unique languages, religions, and traditions unique to each culture but also the common threads that tie together the entire human race. The United Nations’ Cyberschoolbus (http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/), which offers versions of its site in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, opens students’ eyes to important global issues, such as poverty, peace, discrimination, and hunger, and promotes understanding and response to these topics via interactive games and quizzes, webcasts, news stories, and teacher materials. nT links to 100 resources from this site.

A hot topic today in America is immigration, and the Multicultural Pavilion offers several resources on this topic, one such being PBS’ In the Mix, which shares the stories of five teen immigrants.  In the Mix is the online companion to a PBS program of the same name and offers a collection of immigration-related links, “myths and facts”, and clips from the show. Another great PBS link is the Immigration Myths & Realities Quiz, also in our immigration resources. And yet another site worth checking out is the Library of Congress’ Immigration feature, complete with vocabulary activities, recipes, and interviews.

For our next and final blog in the ELL channel, we’ll look at ELL Feature Enhancements, such as the Dictionary Hot Key, and ELL Reference Tools, which will boost the ELL Learner’s educational experiences, both in the classroom and on the web.

Tags: ELL, ELL Resources, English Language Learners, Multicultural Resources