California DEN

As a DEN community, we need to
recognize the achievements of our fellow DEN members. We are very proud
of San Diego middle
school teacher, MaryCay  Densmore for being one of only 15 winners of Time
Warner Cable’s National Teacher Awards.  The award  "recognizes outstanding teachers who develop
creative learning experiences using cable television programming or technology."

We take pride in having such a diverse population of talented
educators. Have you applied for any grants, awards, contests or programs lately (or even purchased any lottery tickets)? You never know when it could happen to you!  Congrats Marycay; and to all
fellow DEN members, please share your experiences, awards and well… anything
else!

Dozens of DEN members were in search of a stash!  It was the First Annual West Coast DEN Dash for the Cache — as in geocache — and they learned and laughed and had quite a bash!

Okay, enough with the rhyming!  Simply put, geocaching is so much fun!  In case you have never heard of it, it is kind of like treasure hunting with GPS units.  I think a t-shirt I’ve seen says it best… Geocaching: Using multi-billion dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods!  And that is exactly what we did.  Dedicated DEN members from southern California drove for many hours to join us at the La Quinta Inn in Ripon where our instructor, Geocaching Master Burt Lo,  walked us through the ins and outs of geocaching.

We were given our mission, assured that with teamwork, it wouldn’t be impossible.  We had our requisite dose of caffeine and headed for the parking lot for some hands-on training.  Be advised, if you do decide to take up geocaching, the people that HIDE these caches are very, very sneaky!  They have even been known to hide their caches in fake sprinkler heads and electrical boxes.

I know what I’ll be requesting from Santa this year!  With handheld GPS units costing anywhere from $80 to $$$, if I save up for a while, geocaching can be fun for the whole family.  We had children as young as five years old participating in this.  If they could understand the concept of "You’re getting warmer, warmer… hot!" then they could geocache with the family without difficulty.  Our high school aged kids had fun too!  I like that it gets the family out of the house, hiking in the great outdoors, all focused on a common goal.

After our parking lot practice, we headed to Caswell State Park where our wilderness adventure began.  We ate a lot and laughed a lot and searched high and low for several hidden caches.

It took us a couple of hours to find all of our caches before we went back to the conference room at the La Quinta Inn.  It was time to discuss the educational applications of geocaching in general. 

The way I see it, there are basically three schools of thought on the subject of geocaching in the classroom.  I’m aware that this is an oversimplification, but here goes: 1) If kids love it and it’s cool, I’ll make my standards fit it.  2)  I need to be convinced that the use of GPS units has its merits as an educational tool.  And finally, 3)  Simply put, "Will it raise test scores?"

For what it’s worth, I do have an opinion.  I think geocaching is cool, kids love it and I could easily integrate it as a tool toward teaching my standards.  I think the teaching of the use of the GPS unit and/or the activity of geocaching itself is educationally limited beyond the obvious latitude/longitude lessons.  BUT when used as a tool, it engages kids in the learning of other subjects and it is only limited by the creativity of the teacher.  Will it raise test scores?  Yes.  (That’s a bold statement, I know.)  Test scores go up when students learn and know the curriculum, right?  Students of all ages and abilities retain information more readily when they are actively participating in their learning.  By being engaged in learning, retaining the information, and raising those test scores, everyone will be happy!  I think that this may be one step toward making classroom learning fun again.  What are your thoughts on the subject?

As an added benefit of being a STAR Discovery Educator, we are pleased to offer you a special discount opportunity in partnership with eInstruction!  Through this partnership, you can purchase the CPS IR 32-pad system from eInstruction at an incredible price of $995 (plus shipping).  This is a discount of over 50% from eInstruction’s base pricing of $1995.

Contact your field manager for more details.

I had a sixth sense about it.  There was just something in the air.  Negativity didn’t stand a ghost of a chance.  At this time, Halloween was just over a week away and I think everyone was secretly hoping nothing would jump out and grab them during their overnight stay at the Hotel Jeffery in Coulterville, California.  They had gathered together for an event that we called "Digital (Ghost) Storytelling at the Haunted Hotel." 

The weather was perfect.  Over twenty educators from northern California met at the Hotel Jeffery late on Saturday afternoon.  After finding their assigned hotel rooms, we had a Meet-and-Greet in the large, beamed conference room where many of us would be working late into the night.  We were fortunate to have a special guest with us for the weekend.  Mark Jeffery, one of our most active northern California STAR Discovery Educators is also a "Jeffery" of the original "Hotel Jeffery" family!  He spoke to our group briefly about the family history of the hotel and the family’s time in the town of Coulterville.

Our educators continued their conversations with each other.  They were a chatty group… maybe it was nervous talking.  When Cherylann Schimmelfennig arrived though, a silence fell over the crowd.  As she took us on a tour of the three story hotel, she began to share stories of the many eerie incidents that had occured over the past three years that she and husband Peter have been the owners.  Could it be possible that there really were 17 ghosts haunting  this hotel?  Would they make themselves known to us during the night? Cherylann assured us that these 17 documented entities were of the friendly type.  Still, eyes seemed  wide and we made sure to stick close together!

After our tour of the hotel, I instructed our educators to gather their jackets and flashlights and head across the street to the Northern Mariposa County Historical Center.  I was surprised that no one asked why they would need flashlights to visit a well-lit museum!  If they were curious, it all became clear as the museum docent took us out into the, now dark, town of Coulterville.  There aren’t many street lights along Main Street.  We walked up the street, stopping occasionally to hear the history of some of the buildings.  As we headed further and further from the main part of town, the whispering began, "Where are we going?"  "Are we going to the cemetery?"  Oh, you bet we were!  This was the end of the road!

Evidently, fear makes you hungry.  After a quiet and cautious walk around the cemetery grounds, we high-tailed it back to the hotel for a multi-course gourmet meal.  Yet again, it was all about the food.

By the time that we had finished dinner (and dessert!) it was way past my bedtime.  But, it was also time to get serious about why we had gathered together… digital storytelling.  We reconvened in our conference room and after a couple of brief tutorials, each educator set to work on creating a digital story about a famous figure from history.  All assignments needed to be completed by 9AM on Sunday morning when everyone would share their new resource.

My last DEN member finally went to bed at 3AM.  (I guess that is what I get for having fabulous, dedicated and talented educators!)  Sunday morning came all too soon.  We had a hearty breakfast and then shared our projects.  While no one reported any ghostly encounters that night, I got to see the spirit of the Discovery Educator Network live and in action.  

Thanks everyone for a wonderful weekend!

Suz

"A Year On Earth"

Sunday, Dec. 3

5pm ET

Discovery Kids Channel

Three teenagers…five continents…one mission: to take the pulse of the planet and report back to their generation.  Are they up to the task?

A Year on Earth chronicles the adventures of three American teens: Jamie Fiel, 18, Arsen Ewing, 17, and Tyler Robinson, 16, who have little in common except for a shared concern that time is running out for endangered species and ecosystems in decline. Nominated by their respective science teachers, the teens join Earthwatch research projects around the globe to discover how ordinary people can get involved. They study the most pressing environmental issues of our time, working alongside leading researchers who explore the ecological effects of global warming, the decline of coral reefs, the impact of deforestation, and more.

The three teens in the show chronicle their experiences through video and blogs as they visit:

Bahamas
Costa Rica
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Kenya
Thailand
Malaysia
Australia

If you are interested in involving your class in this environmental adventure, we’re looking for 8 classrooms to help us create a global map of the Year on Earth project.  Using unitedstreaming resources, Google Earth, and other research tools in your classroom, each classroom selected for this project will create a full “Country Study” of one of the countries featured on the show.   Each country study may include:

Google Earth Pin
Research information that includes the following facts:
·        Demographics

·        Primary Industry

·        Cultural review including links, major events,

·        Historical timeline of at least 5 major events in the countries history

Any other creative ideas that your class deems important

If you are interested in having your class participate, please send an email with the subject line of “Year on Earth” to betsy_whalen@discovery.com

Discovery Education would like to thank everyone who made the first Discovery Education Network Podcast a big success.  We received a lot of VERY positive feedback from the first show on Character Education and know that as word spreads even more people will be downloading this new resource.  We also had a number of correct answers to the Podcast Question and the winner is going to be announced via this week’s Podcast as well as their VERY special prize.  This week we are focusing on many new events going on within Discovery Education and the Discovery Educator Network as well as a wonderful interview with Lisa O’Brien a Lead Professional Development Representative that is going to talk about how to effectively utilize the resources available in the Professional Development section of the unitedstreaming site.  You can listen to the Podcast either by subscribing to it via iTunes or by downloading from the DEN National Blog Site. 

     What’s in your “bag” of tricks?
Have you shared your unitedstreaming knowledge and expertise?
Did you learn something cool at a workshop and want to train others?

If you are already a STAR Discovery Educator or aspiring to become a STAR Discovery Educator, we have a special opportunity just for you! Beginning October 1, 2006 through December 1, 2006, Discovery Educators can receive rewards by reporting professional development workshops and other types of involvement in the Discovery Educator Network, such as blogging, podcasting, attending webinars, and helping new DEN members reach STAR status. 

All you have to do is report your activity to your field manager!

Discovery Educators who have conducted two professional development workshops and participated in two other activities listed below between October 1, 2006 and December 1, 2006 will….. Receive a Discovery Educator Network computer bag. (Limit 1)

STAR Discovery Educators that encourage a colleague: to apply for the STAR Discovery Educator Network, to attend the STAR DEN webinar, to upload a resource,  to complete two events and who are then accepted into the STAR DEN between October 1 and December 1, 2006 will….. Receive a STAR Discovery Educator Network hooded sweatshirt. (Limit 1)

So what constitutes a professional development session?

Any time you share the power of Discovery Education with 3 or more educators you are hosting an event!

Here are some ideas…

• Share an integration idea over lunch
• Demonstrate a skill involving unitedstreaming to co-workers before, during or after school
• Conduct an awareness session where you demonstrate unitedstreaming to your whole faculty
• Set up a face to face training or webinar where you work hands-on with your peers, which may include topics such as using unitedstreaming with digital storytelling, Inspiration and TimeLiner software 
• Show colleagues how to embed a video into PowerPoint over lunch
• Lead a technology tip session using Discovery School resources
• Prepare a brief unitedstreaming presentation to present at a faculty meeting
• Coordinate a “Birds of a Feather” session at conferences
• Utilize unitedstreaming in a workshop or poster session at a conference (local, state, regional, national)
• Hold periodic “DEN Meetings” to network and touch base with other members in your area
• Present examples of your integrated resources at an open house, PTA/PTO or School Board meeting
• Create an Integration Time! Introduce your colleagues to the new tools and features on unitedstreaming. Avoid information overload with short sessions on the writing prompt builder, quiz builder, assignment builder, best practices, integration strategies and much more!

As long as you are showing others the power of unitedstreaming (or any other Discovery Education product including Discovery Health Connection or Cosmeo), it counts. 

Remember:  In order for your activity to count, you must report all of your activity and events between October 1, 2006 and December 1, 2006 to your DEN Field Manager. All summaries (including date, location, number of participants, brief description of event) must be received by December 1, 2006 to be eligible.   

So that we can share T+L with all DEN members, we are looking for three STAR Discovery Educators who would like to attend and share their learning through blogs and podcasts.  Here’s the deal.  If you are a STAR Discovery Educator and would like to attend T+L, let us know by posting your name and preferred contact information as a comment to the national blog post by October 13, 2006.  Three members will be chosen randomly (literally out of a hat) to attend.  The trip will include airfare, lodging and conference registration (meals not included). 

In return, you MUST agree to share your conference experience with other DEN members by:

• Attending the T+L conference from November 7 through November 10, 2006 (including a special DEN pre-conference session on Tuesday November 7 featuring special guest Deneen Frazier Bowen).
• Post a minimum of one blog post per day while attending the conference.
• Do one podcast for the entire conference.

**Please note: if you are new to blogging or podcasting, no problem, we will have plenty of support there for you!

The three educators selected to receive the educational scholarship will be announced October 16, 2006 on the national blog.  Good luck, we hope to see you there!

The T+L Conference, sponsored by NSBA (National School Boards Association), is being held next month from November 7 through November 10, 2006 in Dallas, Texas.  If you are a Discovery Educator and are planning to attend, come join us for some special Discovery Educator Network events.

Every day this week we will be posting additional information related to conference activities you can participate in, including a chance to receive an educational scholarship for this year’s conference. 

On Tuesday, November 7, 2006 we will be hosting an exclusive STAR Discovery Educator event providing attendees an opportunity to be a kid again…sort of.  This full-day event will start with a powerful, interactive presentation by Deneen Frazier Bowen called “The Natives Are Restless.”  Deneen’s presentation will get STAR Discovery Educators into the mindset of their students.  What is it like to be a tech-savvy, digital native?  What role does media play in your life?  How do you learn best?  What tools do you use to learn?

After Deneen’s opening presentation, attendees will discover new ways to reach their students by spending time learning the way their students do. 

Let Me Tell the Story

Your students don’t want to just consume content, they want to create it.  In this session you will learn how to tell your own story using unitedstreaming assets and your own digital images.

unitedstreaming to Go

Face it, your students are on the move.  They go from football practice to a Boy Scout meeting on their way to their sister’s dance recital.  That 25 question worksheet just isn’t on their radar.  So, meet them half-way and give them content to go.  Learn how to put unitedstreaming content, PowerPoints and other educational resources onto your video iPod.

Director’s Cut: unitedstreaming Editable Clips

Allow your students to make real-life connections to their learning…literally.  Have them become part of the show.  In this session you will create digital movies where you become the star.

If you would like to attend, please comment to this blog post with your name, state, email address and favorite DEN story by October 20, 2006.  Attendance is limited.   

They were wanted in several states.  It wasn’t uncommon for them to shoot up the local saloon in search of their men.  They were the toughest cowpokes in all of the Wild West and they were simply known as The Wild Bunch!

It didn’t take them long to find their men in Vallecito, California.  The men had just cleaned out the town bank and were looking for trouble with two of the town’s more well-known saloon girls.

It was high noon when The Wild Bunch issued their final challenge.  With guns drawn, they made it clear that it was time for the men to go for their guns or to go quietly with them.  Would they fight for their freedom?

It was a day of wild, western dress-up and technology combined.  Each person in this group of hardy and adventurous DEN members came from miles away to try their hand at movie making.  Some of them left the comfort and security of their homes at 5:30 AM to make the dusty trek to California State University-Stanislaus.  At 7:45AM they circled the wagons for a brief breakfast of donuts and coffee — the breakfast of all true cowboys!

But there was no rest for the weary.  By 8:00AM, the wagon train headed into the hills toward the goldrush town of Vallecito.  Tucked away, down a rough, dirt road, was the western set known as Millerosa.  Not sure what awaited them, they continued forth bravely. 

The NorCal DEN members stuck close together (there was safety in numbers) as they were introduced to Jim Miller and his wife, the owners of Millerosa.  The DEN was instructed to follow Mr. and Mrs. Miller down a steep staircase.  But, as they reached the bottom of the stairs, all eyes grew wide!

Suddenly, and without warning, this group of one dozen adults all became seven years old again.  It was time for dress-up and the ultimate game of make-believe!

After HOURS and HOURS of some serious play… it was time to head deeper into the mountains to the "NorCal DEN Family Cabin."  They had a fabulous time, and it was hard to say good-bye to their new-found friends, but they wanted to be done by sundown.

Even with a beautiful backdrop of pine trees and lungs full of fresh mountain air, they could not be distracted from the task at hand.  Heads were together and thumbdrives were flashing fast and furious between them.  And so, "The Wild Bunch" movie began production.

Good food, great friends, and huge laughs were the order of the day.  A wild (western) time was had by all!

If you would like to be a star for the day… please visit www.millerosa.com!

Thanks for a wonderful day, Jim!!