netTrekker Blog

All Children’s: Joey keeps learning even in hospital

My son, Joey, was diagnosed as a seizure child several years ago. When I first found out, I used netTrekker to find information for myself and for his teachers. Periodically we have to do a 48 hour study where they monitor his staring spells (petite mals) and his sleep habits. We’re in All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg right now for our latest check up. They have just built onto the hospital and it is beautiful! Joey has a private room, the nurses are FANTASTIC, and the volunteers are great. In Joey’s room he has this nice size TV that is controlled by a keyboard. He has movies, television, older arcade style games, and the Internet.

Create your own video slide-show at animoto.com.

And while it’s summer, Joey is still working on school activities. This morning we worked on math. We started with a netTrekker search, refreshed his memory on addition rules with BrainPOP and then he moved onto his workbook pages. His reward for doing the math problems was to read “Belly Up” (he thinks the silly fish is named after him), and to play other games on BrainPOP Jr. Then we went back to our netTrekker search and he played another game that he found using the refinement menu. All on the cool TV.

I made a quick Animoto Video to showcase him using the keyboard and the netTrekker and BrianPOP screen-shots.

This hospital is so cool! And the nurse assigned to Joey also thinks that netTrekker and BrainPOP make a cool combo.

Tags: BrainPOP, netTrekker, petite mals, seizure child

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Resources in netTrekker

The Gulf of Mexico Oil spill has affected us all, whether we live in the area of the spill or are from a totally land-locked state up north.  Just seeing pictures of wildlife coated with oil and hearing stories about people who will forever more be changed by this disaster is heart wrenching.

The editors at netTrekker have pulled together some resources that will enable teachers and students to study the Gulf Oil spill and the long term effects of oil spills in general.

Example of State Standard: 

Identify and explain ways people have affected the physical environment of North America and analyze the positive and negative consequences.

Resources cited below are gathered here:  Science > Earth Science > Natural Resources > Water > Pollution of Surface Water > Oil Spills > Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (unless another taxonomy is given)

Ideas for Cross Curricular study:

The New York Times, The Learning Network:  The Gulf Oil Spill in the Classroom:   Ideas for civics, history, geography, and science studies.

BBC:  What is a ‘Top Kill’?              Engineering principles

Australian Maritime Safety Authority:  Mathematics and Oil Spills (sits here:  Science > Earth Science > Natural Resources > Water > Pollution of Surface Water > Oil Spills) Keyword:  oil spill mathematics

Key Science Topics:

Bioremediation:  using microorganisms (bacteria) to clean up the spill

Science > Biology > Ecology > Land Management > Waste Management > Hazardous Waste Disposal,

(keyword:  bioremediation)

US Geological Survey:  Bioremediation, Nature’s Way to a Cleaner Environment

Science Daily:  Caution Required for Gulf Oil Spill Clean-Up

Biomagnifications:  oil gets into the food chain and becomes more concentrated the higher up the food chain:

(keyword:  biomagnifications)

Science > Biology > Ecology > Ecological Roles and Relationships > Food Chains and Food Webs Marietta College:  Ecosystems

Science > Biology > Ecology > Human Impact NOAA:  Ocean Pollution

Sorbents:  materials that are good at absorbing liquids

Science > Earth Science > Natural Resources > Water > Pollution of Surface Water > Oil Spills

(keyword:  sorbents)

Science Buddies:  Goo-Be-Gone:  Cleaning Up Oil Spills

Human impact:  humans affect the environment

Yale Environment 360: The BP Spill’s Growing Toll on the Sea Life of the Gulf

National Wildlife Federation:  How Does the BP Oil Spill Impact Wildlife and Habitat?

Chemical dispersants: what to use, what will work

Oil-Price.net:  Gulf Oil Spill:  The Aftermath

Teacher Resources

PBS Newshour:  Gulf Oil Spill Could Be Most Damaging in History

PBS Newshour:  Largest Oil Spill in U.S. History Continues

Ask an Expert

Auburn University:  Resources on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Louisiana State University:  Resources for the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Video and photos

National Geographic Channel:  Gulf Oil Spill

21^st Century skills

Data Analysis and Problem Solving

EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

Real World Data and Activities

NOAA:  Gulf Oil Spill Educational Resources

Discussing the Oil Spill with Young Students

PBS Kids:  The Gulf Coast Oil Disaster

Ranger Rick:  How to Talk with Kids About the Gulf Oil spill

Thanks to our ISTE2010 booth presenters!

Jackie Shanti

A big thanks goes out to all of our netTrekker Customers who shared “Best Practices” and their love of netTrekker with the many visitors who stopped by at our ISTE 2010 booth.

Jackie Shanti, Milwaukee Public Schools, made TWO guest appearances in the netTrekker booth.  On her first visit, Jackie shared her winning entry in the netTrekker Personalized Learning in Action video contest.  As one of the two winners – she received a scholarship from netTrekker to attend ISTE 2010.  Congratulations Jackie!

On her second visit – she had a surprise for the audience!  As she began to discuss the benefits of Online Learning – she literally got into character as she donned her typical dress when she participated in netTrekker’s Online Learning Class, NT101 ……… HER PAJAMAS!  As she received a cheer from the audience – I noticed quite a crowd gather around to hear her presentation.

Jackie provided insights on NT101:   “I had a great experience and didn’t realize the depth of the software until the class.  netTrekker has limitless capabilities and is very helpful to find and create engaging lessons to meet the needs of all learners“.

… And insights on participating in an online class as the perfect answer to fitting professional development into your busy life:

• “You can participate anytime-anywhere“
• “Your classroom has no borders or walls“
• “No need to feel uncomfortable expressing your opinion or ideas“
• “It’s just a great way to learn!“

Thanks Jackie for sharing your time with us at ISTE 2010!

We also had some other fabulous teachers share their netTrekker stories:

Casey Ellisor from Blythewood Middle School Richland School District 2, South Carolina, shared best practices using My Portfolio in a Science and Social Studies classroom.  As one of teachers chosen to participate in the iPac initiative for the district, Casey commented that netTrekker was an essential part of transforming teaching and learning with technology.  Thanks Casey for sharing your experience with us at the netTrekker booth!

Andy Losik from Hamilton Community Schools in Michigan, was our 2nd winning entry in the netTrekker Personalized Learning in Action video contest.  Andy took advantage of the great location for ISTE 2010 and brought his family along for a roadtrip.  He discussed how Hamilton uses netTrekker to meet the needs of their staff and students to find educationally relevant websites.  Congrats to Andy and thanks for sharing with us at the netTrekker booth!

Debra Goldberg, a long time fan from Lawrence Township Public Schools in NJ, shared her experiences on ways netTrekker can help ALL students.  Debra highlighted uses for Read Aloud, Readability, and Dictionary Hot Key.  Thanks Debra for sharing with us at the netTrekker booth!

Mike Evans from Forsyth County Schools in GA provided insights into his districts use of netTrekker … way to go Forsyth for winning the top netTrekker usage award for 2 straight years! In his first presentation, Mike discussed using My Portfolio to manage digital resources.  In his second presentation, Mike demonstrated a unique way to manage small group activities using My Portfolio.  Thanks Mike for sharing with us at the booth!

Adina Popa, Loudoun Co Public Schools in VA, took the audience through an end of the year project.  The audience was totally engaged as Adina discussed her use of netTrekker and BrainPOP to prepare her students to create a Space Control Center in their classroom … we were all relieved as her students were able to bring two lost students back from space!  Thanks Adina for sharing with us at the booth!   Be on the lookout for netTrekker & BrainPOP co-presenting webinars this fall – with special appearances from Adina!

And last but not least … Barb Wagers from Aurora Public Schools in CO, provided us with some great ideas for using resources found in netTrekker’s Reference section.  Wordsmyth, not only a premier dictionary, it also has great tools to enhance literacy learning.  Project Gutenberg is a fabulous resource to find your favorite eBook.  And then Barb took the audience through her favorite resource … Create a Graph.  Thanks Barb for sharing with us at the booth!

netTrekker Spotlight User: Jan Williams Shares How netTrekker is a Hit with Teachers!

netTrekker is excited to introduce this week’s Spotlight User. Jan Williams is the Educational Technology Coordinator for Youngstown City School District in Youngstown, Ohio. Jan shares how teachers have enjoyed exploring netTrekker through integration with other technology and professional development.

This is the first year we have had netTrekker in our schools.  It has been a huge hit among our teachers, and we have had many workshops to roll out the training for the teachers.  Everyone loves the efficient way to drill down the results according to readability and the other options.  The opportunity for differentiation is phenomenal and easy to use.  Since we have many teachers using Promethean Boards, they love that they can search for flipcharts in netTrekker and be sure they are good ones!

We have asked the district to provide the money to renew the subscription for next year due to the high use and high satisfaction.  There are currently 5 people taking the nT 101 online course right now, so each of those folks will become our next netTrekker trainers in their buildings and in the district.

The Reference Link

During the NT101 course participants collaborate on the discussion boards to share tips, strategies, resources and Best Practices.  Often times, early in the course I have to send out a few re-assuring words to make people feel comfortable to post ideas.  However, this summer the discussion boards are “on fire.”  During the first content module, Barb Wagers from Aurora Colorado posted a great sample best practice article about the power of the Reference Link.   Enjoy Barb’s Best Practice article below.  Thanks to Barb for her great submission.

The Reference Link

If you have not explored the References link in the Features box, you are missing a ton of resources for you and your students. Teaching students to access the References button gives them several resources, literally, at their fingertips. There are two areas that I would like to specifically highlight.

Students always want to use images and sounds that may be copyright protected. Using Find Sound, students can download free sound clips that can be used in presentations or video production. Click on the Reference tab and scroll down to Find Sound under the category of Finders. You can search for a specific sound or browse through a list of sounds available by clicking on See Examples in English link. Once the students find the sounds they want, they can download them onto their computer and use them legally.

In the Multimedia area on the References page, there are several sites that offer free clip-art and images. The Elementary tab is a bit limiting, but have your students use the Middle or High school tab and they will see several websites that offer free clip-art and images. Many of the sites have the images in subject categories, which is very useful to the students.

There are several more resources in the References link, so check them out and teach your students to use them as well.

Barb Wagers
Instructional Technology Coach
Aurora Public Schools, CO

We would love to hear your tips, strategies and Best Practices for implementing  netTrekker in your classroom, school or district.  Your ideas may be published on nT Village or in our netTrekker newsletter.

Best Practice Submission Process:
Please describe (in 500 words or less), a netTrekker Integrated Best Practice. Include details that support using the Collections, the Features, Web Tools, and any of our Integrated Partner Products. In your entry, include the external links, a copy of any educator created materials, and any other pertinent documents and resources you incorporated to make your lesson a Best Practice.

Send this information to aellisor@nettrekker.com to be considered for publication in the Best Practice section of the netTrekker newsletter or on netTrekker Village.

Tags: best practice, Features and Tools, lesson plans, NT101, references, staff development, Training

KISSES in Training

Rod's creation with the candy provided during training.

In high school, I used to plan events for fellow students. I’ll admit that I was one of those annoyingly perky and bubbly kids, so I made sure each event was themed. Everything had a meaning – even the candy we used!  To this day, my candy still has a meaning. For example, if I’m sending a candy bar to a teacher to thank them for their extra effort, I’ll include a note saying “I think you deserve an extra grand for your hard work.” Even the candy I use for training has a meaning.  I consider what I know about that district, the area, and details about their netTrekker use, then I look at the candies on the shelf to decide which fits best.

Here are examples of my favorite candies for training:

• Hershey Kisses, because netTrekker Keeps Internet Searching Simple, Educational and Safe. I’ll often pick up a multi-flavor pack too. After all, netTrekker has multiple tabs and channels, depending on the “flavor” you’re looking for!
• Twizzlers are always a favorite because educators need to be flexible (and a little fruity)! When I train, I’m willing to be flexible and change the agenda to meet your needs.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are also relevant because there is more than one way to eat a Reeses, and there are multiple ways to search in netTrekker!
• Hershey Nuggets are perfect when I do short 1 hour trainings because I share “nuggets” of information about netTrekker.
• Hershey’s Miniature Packs help illustrate how users can refine their netTrekker search results with the Refinement Menus, just like they can refine this candy treat!
• Lifesavers are great to have in a pinch, just how netTrekker can be a lifesaver to a teacher in need of new teaching and learning material when struggling with a particular standard, (or just bored with old lessons!)

I recently did a training in Canton, NY with the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, and explained why I bought the candy. They asked if I would write a blog post, to which I agreed, but only after they let me take a picture of Rod Hooper’s candy creation! Check it out above! Thanks Rod, and good luck with your Technology Camp this week.

If you’re at ISTE2010, stop by the booth and learn how you can Keep your Internet Searching Simple, Educational and Safe. I’m not sure if the Hershey Kisses made it there in this heat, but I can promise that there are some exiting announcements, great presentations, and wonderful people waiting for you at the netTrekker booth!

Tags: Candy, KISSES, Training

Action Required: Reactivate Your Registration Keys!

netTrekker Admins will need to reactivate expiring Registration Keys for the new school year!

To protect the security of your netTrekker subscription, all Registration Keys expire after one year. However, you can easily reactivate yours!

netTrekker generated Registration Keys for the 09-10 school year expire July 29, 2010. Admin generated Registration Keys expire one year from the creation date. (All expiration dates are clearly visible in your Admin Tools.)

Click here for a step-by-step guide to reactivate your Registration Key.

Tags: registration key

Check Out What’s Happening at ISTE!

netTrekker will be featuring several workshops presented by educators as well as the netTrekker professionals to talk about how netTrekker can help you access the most relevant digital resources for engaging students in a learning experience that supports their unique needs. Workshops will help users explore netTrekker’s advanced features, hear best practices from other educators, get integration tips and strategies, and more.

See the full schedule at http://www.nettrekker.com/pages/iste-2010

Unable to attend ISTE? Be sure to check out netTrekker Village for workshop highlights, tips, strategies, and more! Find it all at www.nettrekkervillage.com

Be sure to check out all the NEW netTrekker Search features, available for back to school 2010!

Tags: conference, events, iste

Make the Connections with the Timeline

One of my favorite netTrekker features to play with is the Timeline Tool. I love to build a timeline and add layers to make it just what I want. In training, I often showcase this tool by selecting United States History and the WWII Timeline from the events section. This pulls up both the timeline for the United States and their activity in WWII, as well as famous Americans who lived during this time. Nothing shows up for the arts or innovations and discoveries – but so much happened in the arts or sciences during this time! To prove that point I simply add layers, beginning with American Literature. How were stories written during that time influenced by the war? Next I add music and see a famous musician, Duke Ellington. The next layer is Physics, where we discover beta-trons, fission, and atomic bombs. Was the push for the discovery of the atomic bomb influenced by the war? Did it have an impact on WWII?

You can take this beyond just WWII of course. Do your own layering! For instance, would the people of America been so enamored by Franklin D. Roosevelt had he not taken office during the time of the Great Depression and saved the banks? Did the events during his term influence America into a four term president instead of the traditional two term? How about George W. Bush? What would his presidency have been like without September 11th? Did his focus change, and did it influence Americans into another term of Bush Presidency? What about Obama? What is influencing his presidency and will Americans decide if he’s a two term or one term President? It’s not just the laws that are passed – it’s often an event and the response to that event that influences those decisions. Those events will also often inspire art, literature, scientific discovery or invention. Nothing happens in a bubble without touching something else.

It was pointed out that many standards require connections to historical events and people. Make those connections with netTrekker’s  Timeline tool!

Tags: Integration Ideas, netTrekker, Training

Museums are Everywhere

I’m usually rushing from point A to point B, especially at an airport. I never take time to enjoy the scenery or ambiance that was created by the designers.

Recently at the Atlanta Airport, I had enough time between flights to walk the corridor instead of taking the tram from Terminal D to Baggage Claim, and I realized I was missing more than ambiance.

I was missing an entire museum!

Beautiful art work, sculptures, and images from an African Artist line the corridor. I took the hint, and at the next airport, I paid attention to what was around me. Clothing from a different era was on display. Another airport had yellow pages turned into relief artwork. Local cultures were also on display, enticing the traveler to visit and learn what makes their city or state unique.

Museums are special. They contain many great pieces of our history and culture. But if you don’t have time to make it to a museum, just open your eyes.

You might just see one surrounding you!

And if you want to visit a museum, but can’t make it to the one of your choice in person, visit netTrekker’s  Reference Section and see some of our online museums.

Tags: museums, netTrekker, travel

Creating a netTrekker Search Box

Have you ever wanted to add a netTrekker Search Box to your school’s website? We make it easy by providing the HTML code! Teachers and students with IP authentication will be able to do a netTrekker Search from anywhere on the site without usernames. If there is no IP access in place, then the user will be prompted to log in and then will receive the search result.

Simply follow the steps below to add this netTrekker Search box to your school’s website!

1. Edit the HTML file to which you want to add the search section.

2. Copy and Paste the section of code below where the search dialog is to appear.

3. When the dialog appears, the user enters a search term and clicks Search to display netTrekker Search Results page.

Tags: search box

Getting There is Half the Battle

It’s a joke amongst my family and friends that I’m geographically challenged. I am probably the only person in the world who can get lost with a GPS unit. Just ask anyone who’s ever had the pleasure to drive with me. Even a 5 minute trip to SeaWorld can turn into a 20 minute drive.

I’ve learned to check out maps before I go on a trip and look at the physical view of the road for each turn. This way I am familiar with the route and won’t be so dependent on a tool that may not have the most up to date maps. I actually enjoy reading maps, a lesson I learned from both my father and my one college semester in ROTC.  I had a favorite tool, but recently, I discovered another – Rand McNally Maps and Directions. It’s a resource located in netTrekker’s Reference Section under Maps, Geography, and Almanacs.

On my last trip I used this resource to get directions and explore things to do during my stay. It even has hotel suggestions for the area! The tool is great to plan a trip, and since my first map was a Rand McNally Map, it’s now one that I trust.

Tags: directions, maps, Rand Mcnally, resources