DEN Blog Network

My brother called the other day; he was very excited.  While on a business trip in San Francisco, he ran into Jerry Rice, yep possibly the greatest receiver of all times, Jerry Rice.  He had a chance to talk with him, shake his hand and even get a photograph. 

We all have people we would love to meet in person.  For some, it’s a famous actor or actress, for others a professional athlete, a political figure or someone that has inspired them.  For me, if I could choose anyone it would be the Scholars in Room 208.  Ever since hearing about these third and fourth grade podcasters from Wells, Maine, I have been hooked.  I listen to their podcasts every chance I get and wait anxiously for their next broadcast.  Even though I have never met them (until recently), I felt like I was a part of the class, sitting in their interviews, going on their field trips and even living through the renovations in the gymnasium. 

This week, my dream came true.  Dawn Strunk and I visited the Scholars of Room 208.  Monday night we accompanied Bob Sprankle, Cheryl Oakes and Alice Barr to a wonderful dinner filled with fun conversation and a bit of ed tech theory.  Bob is the teacher in Room 208, Cheryl the computer teacher at Wells Elementary and Alice a Technology Coordinator at a different district in Maine.  If all of these names seem familiar to you, it may be because they are also the hosts of Seedlings on Bit by Bit.  My favorite dinner take-away, monk-e-mail, sure, not the most educational tool in the world, but good for a laugh. 

On Tuesday, Dawn and I were honored to visit the students of Room 208.  Upon our arrival, the energy in the room was unmistakably electrifying.  After lunch, students got right to work writing their weekly blog.  Several teams worked on their respective sections, asking questions and refining their thoughts.  Afterwards, students read their section aloud while other students provided feedback.  Comments such as, “I’m not sure that transition works there” and “do you think that was made clear enough” were part of this peer review process.  Mr. Sprankle has masterfully managed to create a culture of collaboration in a safe and friendly environment. 

After recess, a tour of the building and some time for questions (oh, and a fire drill), we all traveled to the computer lab for a visit with Ms. Oakes.  After a few minutes of typing exercises, Ms. Oakes gathered the students to provide instructions for the day and review some internet safety rules.  Personally, I was having a hard time keeping up, but the students had no problem.  After writing a letter to their parents, students had some time to explore their Think.com accounts.  Chris and I put together a survey to determine the class’s favorite band. 

Sometimes when you get to meet the person you’ve always wanted, you come away a bit disappointed.  NOT ME!  I had an unbelievable visit and want to sincerely thank Mr. Sprankle, Ms. Oakes, Ms. Barr and especially all of the students in Room 208!

Link: Assessments, Life, Technology and Putting it all together .

A summary simply can’t do this post justice.  When you have a minute to really put everything in perspective, stop by and read tmuarry5’s post on the DEN website.

unitedstreaming V2.3 is here!  The big news…improved searching!  Incorporated into this latest release are faster searches that not only look at videos, clips, images, calendar events and encyclopedia articles, but also lesson plans, clip art and quizzes.  And yes, this can all be done by using Boolean operators!

But searching is not the only enhancement.  Also greatly improved are the Quiz Center, Assignment Builder and Server Management.  Click on the link below to download a flyer highlighting this version’s new features and keep your comments and suggestions coming!

Download us_v2.3 flyer.pdf

As we roll out the Discovery Educator Network, an initiative to encourage educators to communicate and collaborate across the world, a group of third and fourth graders in Wells, Maine are setting the example. 

Students in Room 208 are sharing their learning, hosting book talks, posting examples of work and demonstrating their understanding of topics by regularly posting to their blog and delivering inspiring podcasts. 

Next up for the young students, they tackle David Warlick’s question, “What should a classroom look like in the Year 2015?"

Check out PA DEN Field Manager Lance Rougeux’s helpful FAQ’s for the DEN National Poster contest.  But hurry, the deadline for submission is Saturday, December 17, 2005.

Rosa Parks, whose 1955 refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Alabama provided the catalyst for the civil rights movement, died Monday at age 92.

To help your students understand the impact of Park’s act of bravery and defiance, unitedstreaming has a number of images and video clips that provide a window into the events that triggered a cultural revolution in the US.  Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement provides an overview of all the key figures in the civil rights movement.   These shorter clips will help younger students understand how Ms. Parks became the ‘mother of the civil rights movement’.

The Story of Rosa Parks (01:19):  A clip from the program Holiday Facts & Fun:  Martin Luther King Day (2nd Edition)

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott (01:26):  A clip form the program Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

A quick shout out to all my new friends in Miss Fertally’s elementary life skills class at Panther Valley Elementary School in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania!

While visiting Miss Fertally’s class, I observed students prepping for their upcoming visit to Bear Mountain Butterflies as they watched and discussed The Lives of Butterflies and Moths.  Following the video, students took turns touching a SMART Board, advancing a slide show that reinforced learned concepts.

It was a joy to meet Tracey, an exceptional teacher and Discovery Educator, and all the boys and girl (Sabrina) at PV Elementary!

Recently, I attended the South Carolina EdTech Conference and spent some time with our good friends at the South Carolina Educational Television Commission (SCETV).  While there, they showed me knowitall.org.  An incredible website they have developed filled with virtual manipulatives in a variety of curricular areas.  Best of all, it’s a free resource!

USDA today launched a new interactive educational game for kids to help them better understand the new food pyramid.  Mypyramid.com is a fun, short game that asks students to "power up" their spaceship by selecting the healthy and nutritious food choices.

I tried out the game and had fun playing around with it for a while (I’m proud to say that I successfully reached "Planet Power")  More importantly, I think my students would have enjoyed playing this in my classroom last year. 

For those of you who struggle, as I did, with finding engaging ways to help students think more about what they eat, this is a great alternative.  (Note:  there are also 70 videos on unitedstreaming about nutrition that you could combine with this game for a fun and informative lesson.)

This week, many of you will be teaching students about the Constitution in observance of Constitution Day this past weekend Sept. 17th; To facilitate these lessons, unitedstreaming has 51 videos, and many clips, images and articles that explain the history and function of the US Constitution.

The Almost Painless Guide to the Constitution  (gr 3-5)

Amusing co-hosts Harlan and Marie lead us step by step through the document that forms the basis of our governments. Students will earn about the ideals of American Constitutional government, the theory of the "We the People," and the concepts laid out by the Preamble. We’ll also discuss how the Constitution empowers the government to fulfill its responsibilities, while at the same time limiting those powers. The Bill of Rights and the amendments are also covered in detail.

Ssssh! We’re Writing the Constitution (Gr 3-5)

This title from the Jean Fritz Collection of historic books for young people is illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Jean Fritz introduces elementary and middle school students to the delegates at the 1787 summer convention in Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, James Madison, and many others traveled there to draft a plan that would unify their states while preserving their sovereignty. Part of the Weston Woods Series.

Our Constitution: The Document that Gave Birth to a Nation (Gr 6-8)

Fully utilizing the spectacular backdrop of the events which surrounded the "We the People 200" celebration in Philadelphia 1987, this video simply, clearly and with dramatic flair examines and explains the historical significance of the Constitution, its structure and function and its present day meaning and importance. The "Founding Fathers" and other prominent people who led in its creation are introduced. Leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, such as Senators Robert Dole, Robert Byrd and Arlen Specter, and many others elucidate the basic historical concepts of freedom, liberty and governmental organization. There is exciting footage of actor James Earl Jones and Chief Justice of the United States (1966-1986) Warren Burger explaining the basic principles behind "We the People". Historical paintings, Paint box graphics and colorful "symbols of democracy" make this highly informative stimulating video compelling and interesting to watch.