Innovate Classrooms

Community Based Professional Development

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Recently I have been helping a colleague of mine promote an upcoming series that launches later this month. It's focus: Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Now that is a mouthful to say 10 times fast! DAP for short. Still... professional jargon can be hard to interpret and difficult to promote easily unless the audience already knows what it is. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published a book on the subject and promotes this as where we should all be headed with the little ones in our classrooms and homes. NAEYC defines DAP for as the following:

Developmentally appropriate practice, often shortened to DAP, is an approach to teaching grounded both in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education. Its framework is designed to promote young children’s optimal learning and development.
DAP involves teachers meeting young children where they are (by stage of development), both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals.

Have you unwrapped these best concepts with your friends and colleagues yet? It is a wonderful way to look at brain development, play, and the activities you enjoy best with the children you care for in a light that honors you as a professional.

If they have opened a new box of crayons and experimented with big blank pieces of paper or if they have built tall towers of cereal boxes and cans from the cupboards and promptly climbed into the empty space afterward, they know what DAP is. Have you offered up boxes of hats and old shoes and maybe a fancy shirt or two for dress up? Are there any spaces where you could clear away an area to create a space with a masking tape outline on the floor? For what, you ask... A spaceship.. An airplane... A gym. Who knows but the little ones allowed in - and maybe you if you invite them!

Consider songs and time outside. Remember the time for books and dancing. Sometimes they enjoy exploring books with you and having time to discover letters and words around the room - and sometimes they enjoy showing you what they find. It is about looking for bugs and wondering where the water went. And... being exhausted long before those little ones are ever ready to come inside to wash hands and faces for healthy snacks.

Most importantly, DAP is all grounded in research, and you can share ideas with your friends and colleagues... The NAEYC book will be provided to you so I encourage you to join us for discussion and share your experiences. The First Things First Yuma Regional Partnership Council, along with Eight - Arizona PBS invites to you find out more and register for the first session, January 19!

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:37:00 +0000

ASSET Robotics Workshop

KAET- Eight Educational Outreach is pleased to announce the ASSET – Robotics STEM Workshop for Educators. The workshops will take place on two dates this month. One workshop will be held on October 13^th and one will be held on October 20^th at the Downtown ASU Campus in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism building.

The workshops are so popular, each one filled within a month of publishing registration details.

Both educators and students will gain from the Robotics Workshops. The educators will participate in professional development during the event, as well as challenge their students to engage in math and science. The goal is to have educators go back to their schools and begin a Robotics Club. To help the teachers kick this off, any team that participates in the workshops will be given one Lego NXT Mindstorms Robotics kit; a $270 value.

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Introducing PBS LearningMedia!

Looking for more quality educational content online? Then, look into our new website, PBS LearningMedia. It features outstanding educational content, organized into a library of media content. The library includes thousands of resources on a variety of subjects, including English and Social Studies. The library includes professional development resources, as well as best-in-class resources. PBS LearningMedia was made possible due to the collaboration of public media producers and partners. It was designed to engage both teachers and learners.

Highlights of PBS LearningMedia include that it is cost–effective. In addition, the resources are research-based and curriculum-targeted. Videos are designed to meet state and national standards.

PBS LearningMedia features three levels of engagement. The three service options are Basic, Custom and API. Basic is free and offers thousands of high-quality, digital resources. The Custom option includes more enhanced features, such as reports and analytics dashboard and a teacher-managed student access. Finally, the API version offers organizations flexibility to embed content into the existing digital portal. With the API version, the PBS LearningMedia works with the local team to integrate school-specific needs.

To experience PBS Learning Media, click on www.pbslearningmedia.org.

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:49:00 +0000

Teaching Channel Presents Synopsis

Teaching Channel Presents shows real-life experiences of teachers. The episodes cover a variety of topics and are targeted to grade levels K-12. The episodes highlight lessons teachers have learned both in and out of the classroom. Examples of topics include: the Common Core State Standards and Bullying. The episodes include videos from the Teaching Channel’s Website (https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?q=teaching+channel+presents).

The co-host of the show is Sarah Brown Wessling, 2010 Teacher of the Year and the Teacher Laureate. Each segment is one-hour in length and the episodes are presented as magazine style (http://www.teachingchannel.org/tv-schedule). Supporting ideas can be found on the Teaching Channel website (https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/).

The program is designed for both teachers and parents. The show presents best practices and is a professional development tool. In addition to being informative, it is designed to be entertaining. The program celebrates teachers and their accomplishments.

The program receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Upcoming episodes include The New Teacher Experience.

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:31:00 +0000

PBS LearningMedia

From watching blood cells evolve, to identifying main ideas, PBS LearningMedia meets the needs of a wide variety of students and teachers. The modules are research-based and range in tone and style of presentation. To learn more, please visit http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/content/.

Amazon Rainforest features spectacular images of this

region. The module describes how the plants and animals

of the rainforest are used for a variety of people,
both commercially and personally. Finally, the module
warns of how the rainforest is being overused and
overtaxed. It urges for wiser, more sustainable use of its resources.

Includes Background Essay, Discussion Questions and Transcript.

¡Arte y Más! Hot Chocolate features a demonstration of how to prepare hot chocolate by mixing chocolate with hot milk. The demonstrator chants El Chocolate while mixing the ingredients. The series was created for primary-level

Spanish-speakers and features topics from culture and humanities.

Includes Background Essay,

Teaching Tips, and Chocolate and

Coloring Page.

Fridge Magnet Game is an interactive set of games

designed to increase knowledge of grammar.

Students click on magnetic words in order to
create sentences on a fridge. Through a process of trial-and error, students improve their vocabulary, grammar, and syntax knowledge.

Includes Background Essay and
Discussion Questions.

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Introducing... Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood!
Enter Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and watch as Daniel interacts with other Neighborhood members, including O the Owl, Mrs. Elaine, and Father and Mother Tiger. Watch as he learns valuable lessons. Each episode includes valuable social and emotional strategies for preschoolers.

Daniel and O the Owl are on a camping trip with their father.
O is afraid of the camping ground because he has never been there.
He looks around the camping ground.
He learns the camping ground can be fun.

Strategy: See what it is, you might feel better (Daniel learns new things are not so scary).

Mrs. Elaine is eating with the family.
She tries some herself and is proud that she did - even if she did not like it. Mrs. Elaine encourages the children to try food that they have never tried.
She tries some herself and is proud that she did - even if she did not like it.

Strategy: Try a new food, it might taste good!

Daniel wants to make banana bread for his mother.
He and his father go to a factory and learn about the process.
They share the meal with their mother.

Strategy: Making something is one way to say "I Love You."

Daniel and his friends are playing in the park.
He does not want to share his toy car, but he does it anyway.
He learns to share when he knows it will be returned.

Strategy: You can take a turn, and then I'll get it back.

Daniel and his family are making a playhouse.
Daniel is discouraged because he cannot contribute to the playhouse his father his making. He speaks with his father.
His father shows him ways to contribute and he learns to contribute.

Strategy: Everyone is big enough to do something.

What is the best part??! Parents and teachers can find great resources online to use with children from PBS and Fred Rogers:

For Parents:

www.pbs.org/parents/daniel

For Teachers:

www.pbskids.org/daniel

Martha Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:54:00 +0000

February 20th 11:30am

Martha Speaks kicks off its fourth season on Monday, February 20 with an action-packed two-part episode guest starring real-life Hollywood couple Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Jennifer Westfeldt (Friends with Kids) - and their real-life dog, Cora.

Part I, Cora! Cora! Cora! features a traveling production of Antony and Cleopatra, a case of mistaken identity and a troupe of circus dogs. Helen’s family friend Kit Luntanne, voiced by Jennifer Westfeldt, is upset that she’s had to leave her lovable dog, Cora, at home while she travels with her acting troupe. Martha tries to help by visiting Kit at the theater to give her authentic dog support. Backstage, Martha meets Ham Johnson, voiced by Jon Hamm, an actor who admires Kit and wants to impress her. Together, they hatch a plan to reunite Kit with Cora.

In part II, Cora Encore!, confusion ensues as Martha and Ham cross paths with a troupe of circus dogs who all look exactly like Cora. Can Martha and Ham find the real Cora before she’s sent off to perform on the high wire? Or before Kit finds out about the mess they’ve made?

Here's some clips

Clip1

Clip 2

Clip 3

"Weather Week" on Dinosaur Train

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:51:00 +0000

"Weather Week" on Dinosaur Train

February 6-10th

10:30 Am on PBS

“The Earthquake”
Monday, Feb. 6, and Friday, Feb. 10

The kids go on a playdate with Tank Triceratops to the desert where they meet Tank’s distant relative and experience their first earthquake. Mom and Conductor have prepared the kids with excellent advice about what do to in an Earthquake, so everyone does fine.Afterwards the kids visit the new nursery train to watch eggs hatch and try to guess which hatchling goes with which parents.

“The Forest Fire”
Tuesday, Feb. 7

When a forest fire comes to the woods not far from their home, the family takes the Dinosaur Train to an area where the fire already has been. It’s here that the kids see how new life is growing back after the devastating fire.When they get back to the train, they find that the train has added an aviary car where they find a lost bird who was displaced by the fire.

“Dry Times at Pteranodon Terrace”
Wednesday, Feb. 8

When the dry times leave Pteranodon Terrace without water, the family goes on a camping trip to Big Pond to wait out the drought. Don doesn’t want to leave his home – even temporarily – so he works to perfect his “rain dance.”The family then takes the train to the Big Misty Sea, where they cheer for their dad in the annual fishing contest.

“Hurricane at Pteranodon Terrace”
Thursday, Feb. 9

When the rain returns to Pteranodon Terrace, it grows into a hurricane. The family – and their friends and neighbors – take shelter in a cave nearby. In the morning, they work together to rebuild the nests damaged by the storm.During the cleanup, the kids discover a turtle and a mammal who have washed up after the storm. They take the Dinosaur Train to get the two refugees back to their home in Appalachia.

Check out some Dinosaur Train Lesson Plans

Images of Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:36:00 +0000

2/10/12

9:00pm

Experience some of Arizona's most spectacular locations through the eyes and lenses of three renowned photographers. Join the photographers as they lead Arizona Highways workshops and see Arizona as it has never been seen before.
Explore Navajo country and the magical landscape of Monument Valley with one of America's greatest living landscape photographers, David Muench.
Get an insider's view of the vibrant Navajo Nation Fair and see the extraordinary beauty of Canyon de Chelly with award-winning Navajo photographer LeRoy DeJolie.
Raft the Colorado River, explore isolated side canyons, and view hidden waterfalls with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jack Dykinga.

Check out the Trailer!

http://www.azpbs.org/arizonacollection/az_collection.php?id=14

Barry Goldwater: Photographs and Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

2/8/2012

11:30pm

He is known worldwide as a politician and statesman, but this is the story of the man behind the camera and the passion for photography and Arizona that shaped his life. Narrated by Hugh Downs, the program features photographs taken during the 1930s and 1940s as Goldwatertraveled throughout Arizona capturing images of indigenous people and landscapes. It showcases Goldwater's photography, which has been exhibited in galleries from Milan to Tokyo, and recalls a life in Arizona that is gone forever.

Here's the trailer!

http://www.azpbs.org/arizonacollection/az_collection.php?id=12

Kolb Brothers: Grand Canyon Pioneers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:30:00 +0000

2/3/2012

9:00pm

In the early 1900's, a young man by the name of Ellsworth Kolb arrived at the Grand Canyon to seek adventure. He saw beauty that he had never seen before and was joined by his brother, Emery, within a year. They founded a photographic studio at the Bright Angel trailhead. It started out as a cave, then over a couple years was transformed into a two story structure. They filmed their many adventures, including rafting down the Colorado!

http://www.azpbs.org/kolb/

Their Art Exhibit

http://www.grandcanyon.org/kolb/currentexhibit.asp

WordGirl, My Hero!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:22:00 +0000

One of my favorite super heroes of all time has entered the scene just in the last decade -- WORD GIRL! She battles horrible grammar but in the form of ugly crime ridden punks like Lady Redundancy Woman and Nocan the Contrarian. She knows EVERY word in the dictionary and appears out of no where to save the day by pausing the clock, wreaking havoc to crusade for justice and save the day!

This holiday season, WORDGIRL premieres a new It's a Wonderful Life-inspired episode "A World Without WordGirl" on PBS KIDS GO!. Blowing out her birthday candles after one too many superhero interruptions, Becky wishes for a world without WordGirl. She realizes her wish has come true and Chuck has become a king who has imposed strange rules. Will Becky find the last piece of enchanted birthday cake so that she can wish for the return of WordGirl and make things go back to how they were before? "A World Without WordGirl" premieres on Friday, December 16 at 3:30 pm on Channel 8!

Dig deeper with your students in PBS Learning Media by searching for national and common core state standards based activities to support your curriculum to continue to the good fight! WordGirl and Captain Huggie Face will be ready and armed with fantastic resources to assist.

Create your FREE account on PBS Learning Media and do a keyword search for wordgirl to find various interactives and videos similar to the one above designed to reinforce definitions, pronunciations, syllabications and parts of speech of the vocabulary words used in the show in sentences.

Contact asset@asu.edu for more information and free professional development on on this online collection of over 17,000 videos, lesson plans, interactives, and other resources for educators with local outreach efforts generously supported in Arizona by CenturyLink.

"Nature Trackers Week" on Dinosaur Train

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:52:00 +0000

“Nature Trackers Week”

November 14-18^th on Dinosaur Train

Four New Episodes!

Get outside, get into nature and make your own discoveries! That’s the ideas behind an exciting new nature Trackers initiative launching as part of season two of Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids. In the first of four new episodes, premiering the week of November 14, Buddy and his sibling build a beachside clubhouse. Shiny thinks that a clubhouse needs a club, and the “Nature Trackers” club is born!

The Jim Henson Company is also encouraging real life kids to join the club! Beginning in November 2011, the Dinosaur Train website at pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain will feature a downloadable Nature Trackers activity book kids can do with their families. Once the activities are completed, kids can send in proof of their participation to The Jim Henson Company and receive a free dinosaur Train Nature Trackers reward in the mail celebrating their outdoor achievement! Families can also sign up to receive a Nature Trackers e-newsletter with a new outdoor activity challenge each month.

Check out some lesson plans

Where Soldiers Come From

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:03:00 +0000

Premiers

Thursday 11:00pm

November 10^th, 2011

From a snowy, small town in northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan, Where Soldiers Come From follows the four-year journey of childhood friends who join the National Guard after graduating from high school. As it chronicles the young men’s transformation from restless teenagers to soldiers looking for roadside bombs to 23-year-old combat veterans trying to start their lives again, the film offers an intimate look at the young Americans who fight our wars, the families and towns they come from — and the way one faraway conflict changes everything

Find out more info about the soldiers in this film.

Find out more about the town these soldiers come from.

The Fabric of the Cosmos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:23:00 +0000

A new four part Nova Series

Wednesday night at 9pm

Channel 8

"The Fabric of the Cosmos," a four-hour series based on the book by renowned physicist and author Brian Greene, takes us to the frontiers of physics to see how scientists are piecing together the most complete picture yet of space, time, and the universe. With each step, audiences will discover that just beneath the surface of our everyday experience lies a world we’d hardly recognize—a startling world far stranger and more wondrous than anyone expected.

Watch a Preview http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/fabric-of-cosmos.html

Classroom Activities

Black Hole Activity “Monster of the Milky Way” - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/programs/3314_blackhol.html

Detecting Life on other Planets - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/evolution/detecting-life.html

Solar Paint Your Roof - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/tech/solar-paint-roof.html

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:52:00 +0000

Sid the Science Kid "Spooky Science Special"

October 31st 11:00am

Bats, cats, spiders, and skeletons abound as Sid and his friends dress up in the spookiest and scariest costumes possible for Halloween! When teacher Susie comes to school disguised as a silly mad scientist, she helps the kids discover that Halloween can be spooky and scientific! The kids investigate how bats catch pesky mosquitoes, spiders are expert web engineers, cats are leaping aerial acrobats, and skeletons help hold up our bodies!

Looking for a spooky, fun, and different Halloween activity to do in the classroom? Check out this Spider Web Investigation. . .

Halloween Worksheets

Slime Time!

Humanity Festival - Eight's Events!

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:51:00 +0000

Saturday October 22, 2011

Civic Space Park

424 N. Central Ave, Phx

9am-6pm

FREE!!!

9-10am Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing?: Collaborating in Class and Online, Grades 3-8

Presented by Julie D. Ramsay

Through Julie’s inspiring stories, participants will begin to develop ideas for encouraging innovation, creative problem solving, and productive citizenship in young people. Join Julie in this exclusive “Arizona Humanities Festival only” Classroom 2.0 interview hosted by Dr. Peggy George.

noon-1pm, 2-3pm Professional Development Hours for the AZ Humanities Festival! Extend Your Learning

Presented by Mark Becker AZ

Put your learning to use in your classroom. What have you attended today at the festival? How can you apply it to your curriculum and embed it in your teaching practice? Combine it with digital resources from PBS that are available online and extend what you have done today.

PBS Learning Media provides instant access to over 14,000 classroom-ready, digital resources including video, interactives, audio, images and detailed lesson plans. You can search, save and share easily. Stop by the ASSET-Eight Educational Outreach Computer Lab for a hands-on demonstration. If you attend, you can create a free account and begin searching for classroom resources. (session repeated)

Check out these great resources on Writing in the Classroom

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3663

Check out our Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/azpbslearningmedia

Sesame Street's Growing Hope Against Hunger

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Growing Hope For Hunger

Preview

Many families may find it difficult to pay for—or get access to—nutritious foods. In such situations, they may find it especially hard to make healthy choices. As a provider working with families, you can help them know that they can eat well. And you can help them do so no matter their budget or time constraint.

On the following provider guide you will find family workshops with video clips and key messages on how to combat hunger, one-on-one tips that you can offer when counseling individuals, and caregiver instruction group ideas. Also are included are even more resources that can help you help families combating huger.

Provider Guide

noreply@blogger.com (sbecker3) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:59:00 +0000

PROHIBITION starting Oct. 2nd on PBS

The wealth of themes explored in PROHIBITION offers an extraordinary educational opportunity for your classroom. The lessons and activities on this web site explore topics such as the role of the government in the lives of private citizens; a study of the Constitution and the amendment process; the immigrant experience and the evolution of American identity; and the impact of the nation's shifting demographics on politics and the exercise of power. Website: http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/educators/

Through multiple learning plans and various activities like The Music of Prohibition and Prohibition’s Characters, your students will learn the benefits, consequences, and how this nation changed in the process of this experiment.

MISSION US is recruiting 10 Educators for Research Efforts

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:21:00 +0000

As part of an evaluation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American History and Civics Initiative, the Mission US project is recruiting 10 teachers from Grades 6–9 to use the MISSION US: For Crown or Colony? digital game and activities for 3–4 consecutive days in their classes between now and February 28, 2011.

Participating teachers will have the game and materials they need to teach about the Boston Massacre and political tensions that led to the American Revolution. They can be used before, during, or after a unit on the Revolution (for example as, assessment). Participating teachers must have access to two different groups of students. One group will use the MISSION US game and one will not. Teachers who use the game with students and submit all materials will receive a $250.00 stipend.

INTERESTED PARTIES MUST email asset@asu.edu BY JANUARY 13, 2011.

If you are interested, please contact asset@asu.edu with your first and last name, grade level taught, school name, number of students, district name, school mailing address and best contact phone number so we can provide you with additional information.

A Deadline is Approaching... and the Curriculum Deserves a Review as Well!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Where will you go in life? Your journey awaits you—apply now and invite your friends to apply by going here: http://roadtripnation.com/participate/apply.php.

Last spring I had the honor of sitting at a table at a full day meeting with one of the creators of Roadtrip Nation. At the time I didn't do my homework and go back and do research. Completely my loss! However, there is no time like the present, and while educators may have some time to do some exploring over the next couple of weeks I am hopeful they will take the time to see the resources I have recently fallen in love with on Roadtrip Nation.

The curriculum is rooted in 21st C skills, school to work, drop out prevention, career readiness.... all those things we want our graduates to have... and can be to be woven into discussions in homeroom or advisory periods, social studies or English. There are career segments that can fit as well if you do keyword searches. It is natural for high school and a consideration for middle school. There are contribution opportunities for online interaction. There are streaming video segments and connections to what students may see on AZ-PBS if they are channel surfing late on a Saturday night. The new season is underway and applications are even being accepted for the 2011 Roadtrip!

http://roadtripnation.com/conversations/

The screencapture shows how, with a free login as an educator you can set up a course and have your students participate with you! Or, if you simply want to just watch portions of the show and read comments and post anonymous quotes with your students, you can do that as well. Your level of participation is up to you. http://roadtripnation.org/rtnexperience/

Learn more about the curriculum and bring it to your school and district. Download a brochure as a start... No matter what roadtrip your holiday takes you on this season - enjoy! Consider sharing it with PBS and pass the application for a 2011 trip opportunity on to a worthy young adult in your life.

a professional development stocking stuffer?

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:36:00 +0000

I don't know if you are a geek like me... but this just arrived in my inbox... and I got a little bit excited. Ok... I won't lie because someone down the hall will tell you the truth. I got a LOT excited. PBS TeacherLine is going to be offering a course in partnership with THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS in 2011!

Is your Christmas shopping done? Is your Holiday wish list already filled? Have you REALLY bought everything for yourself? I bet you treated everyone but YOU! Invest in yourself and consider putting one more item under the tree that will help you this next year and your students... Special discounts for ASSET Educator members on PBS TeacherLine courses.

INST342 Teaching with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress
Description: Primary sources provide a window into the past—unfiltered access to the record of artistic, social, scientific, and political thought and achievement during the specific period under study, produced by people who lived during that period. Bringing young people into close contact with these unique, often profoundly personal, documents and objects from the Library of Congress can give them a very real sense of what it was like to be alive during a long-past era and can contribute to a new understanding of the present. Teaching with primary sources can facilitate student engagement, the development of critical thinking skills, and the construction of knowledge, while bringing the content to life. This course will demonstrate how teachers can engage students and have them think critically and construct their own learning through analyzing primary sources from the Library of Congress.
Classroom Link: Yes
Grades: 3-12
Duration: 6 weeks
Hours: 45
This course was produced in collaboration with the Library of Congress.

So... after all the children are nestled snug in their beds... and the grades are filed... and the cookies have been baked... why not consider enrolling?

DATOS!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:54:00 +0000

This past Wednesday, I was privledged to attend the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce annual DATOS Focus on Arizona’s Hispanic Market 15th annual breakfast. My colleague, Michelle, had raved about it and had told me often it would be something we would love. I was most definitely in agreement as soon as the morning began.

The music, the warm greetings, the eggs and salsa :) of course... but the multimedia the grabs you... and reminds you why you are so proud to live in Arizona and be a part of the Southwest... the host of the morning engages us with his lively banter between the distinguished guests and introductions of the keynote speakers as he tries to solicit tips from the priest who leads the invocation. (jokingly of course!)

An Iowa-born girl but raised in Arizona since age 8 I find myself proud of Arizona despite all the crazed political landscape of recent months. I am fascinated by the DATOS 2010 statistics shared by ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business Professor Emeritus, Dr. Louis Olivas. His talented team of graduate students have crafted a beautiful presentation under his guidance and I type notes into my "Plurkoid" app on my Droid as fast as my thumbs will let me, having been silly to not bring a notepad with me.

Dr. Olivas presentation is followed by Keynote, Hector Orci, President, Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA). I find later he is one to Google... as his professional education work has much to offer our students and we could use his work in our classrooms.

Remembering Arizona Veterans - Capture Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 01:32:00 +0000

Happy Veterans Day, Arizona! Make sure you take time to remember a Veteran, thank them, thank their family members for their sacrifices as well, and show your support. Last night, Wednesday, November 10, Horizon's Host Ted Simons conducted 2 interviews with Arizona Veterans. The video will be posted before noon tomorrow! I encourage you to take time to share a brief segment from at least one with your students in discussion tomorrow. Both were touching conversations with men who were proud to have served their country and be a part of history.(Check for Horizon's interview of Korean veteran as soon as it gets posted on azpbs.org/horizon)

The clip above showcases Arizonans -- and Arizona communities -- that were forever changed by the Second World War. Eight presents back-to-back stories exploring the struggles and conflict, the sacrifice and the bravery. Explore the resources Eight- Arizona PBS has to offer locally from the World War II story collection.

Explore ways to capture stories from this local link... or better yet... we encourage you to tell your story... share your story as a veteran or a family member with a service member on active duty or proudly now at home to share his or her memories either in writing, in pictures, in video, or all three through the StoryCorps.

Eight -Arizona PBS and Eight Educational Outreach-ASSET will be working throughout the next few weeks to actively collect stories from friends and family across the state. We encourage you to help us! As you gather for the holidays, this is a wonderful time to begin to uncover the stories and pictures and memories so often shared this time of year.

Watch the full episode. See more Independent Lens.

A Web 2.0 Challenge... thank you Discovery!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Flack) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:49:00 +0000

A gem found on Facebook from a good friend was worth sharing. She hosts all sorts of online professional learning communities and webinars for educators and I can only participate in a fraction of them. But... when I do, I am always so glad I have taken the time to participate. The content is always top notch and I walk away with resources I can share with other educators. The educators who are there wind up with resources they can implement into their teaching practices in the next few weeks.

Take a look at this fantastic challenge shared by the Discovery Educator Network at their latest Fall online conference! It is a Web 2.0 challenge to incorporate these tools into your teaching with strategies and steps to make the tool relevant to your classroom. http://tinyurl.com/23d6z8k Enjoy and share with a colleague. It will most definitely make it more fun!

If you're feeling REALLY BRAVE... maybe come back and share a comment or two about a tool you have tried and what worked (or didn't) as well.