Pennsylvania

Not that long ago, I found Repower America in my Google Reader and subscribed via emails. This message is the most recent one I received, and as educators, we can see the unlimited opportunities to take this idea of impacting our energy issues to the classroom. If you are concerned with our country developing clean energy, you might be interested in adding your voice and your students’ voices to the Repower America Wall, after, of course, you have investigated some of the wonderful resources from Discovery. Consider using the abundant resources from Discovery Education partnerships: Fuel Our Future Now and Waste Management’s Think Green Classroom.  Don’t forget about a wealth of award-winning resources from Science Elementary or Science Middle School.  And remember to check out the multimedia opportunities you will find in Discovery Streaming/Plus. Even if you are just Getting Started with Discovery Education, Tracey McGrath and Patti Duncan will walk you through the basics from their webinar (see Getting Started link).  And if you could not attend one of the 25 live events for the DEN Virtual Conference, or attend virtually, you can peruse at your leisure the archived webinars for a treasure trove of more ideas.  After you have done all that, you will “discover” you can make a truly informed post to the Repower America Wall.

Here’s an excerpt from the email from Al Gore:

The Wall is a place where literally thousands and thousands of people committed to a revolutionary new energy future for our nation and the world are coming together — to express our hopes, share our resolve, and step up to a leadership role in building a grassroots movement for change like nothing America has ever seen. It’s an opportunity for you to be part of the climate movement in a new way, in a way that takes us beyond ourselves.

By asking people from all over the country to share their thoughts and images on the Wall, we are fueling a campaign that brings together the power of national media with the strength and connection of on-the-ground organizing in a way that no one has ever done before. Your voice, and the voices of your friends, neighbors and colleagues, will become the language of our campaign on TV, in print, on billboards, online, and in brand new ways that you will help us invent as we create the Wall.

We know that the political will to transition America to a clean energy economy already exists. You are part of it. But now we must make sure our leaders know it too. The Wall will become our collective voice and thus transform the debate into action.

It’s an ambitious strategy — and it has to be.

Nothing short of every one of us joined together is needed to overcome the resistance of the powerful special interests blocking our path to a clean energy future, settling for the dangerous status quo.

But the time for politics is over. We have the power to force change in America.

What a great way to begin Tech or Treat–making your own name tags. I must admit when we discussed it via one of our LC phone conferences, I wasn’t sold. It just did not begin to sound as neat as it really was.  Thanks to Patti Duncan for the idea–and the recipe.  I see more making name tags in our future.  What fun!

Tech or Treat Name Tags Recipe

Over the past few years, interactive whiteboards have become more and more popular in schools around the world.  Many teachers are finding out how to effectively use this awesome resource while others are using them for glorified projector screens.  Maybe we need to reiterate that these are INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS…meaning that they are for interacting.  I cannot say that one board is better than the other because I have only been exposed to using the SMART brand versus the others on the market.

As a 2nd grade teacher, I became very curious when I was introduced to Smartboards and really found that by having my students use this awesome piece of technology that I could engage them like never before.  From there, I became very curious, very focused, and very excited about what this was doing for me as a teacher.  My students were used to having a smartboard, used to managing their personal space around the projector, and used to being engaged.  I shared my passion with those around me and created a culture of learners in my building.

 During my blog posts, I will share resources that I use on a consistent basis and tell stories about how students and teachers are using technology.  One of the first piece of sharing is from a colleague of mine who is veteran teacher with a new passion for integrating technology with her students.  Here is what she said after getting a smarboard in her class:

Good evening,I just wanted to thank you all for the mounted smartboard and projector. The smartboard and the programs we use in school have changed the dynamics of learning in second grade. Mounting the projector and not having shadows on our smartboard or to align it 10 times a day truly allows uninterrupted learning. I am enjoying showing my students audio, visual and kinesthetic ways to learn especially when they don’t know they are learning. These pieces of equipment and the time I am given to learn new technology including the distance learning have allowed me to define my teaching skills and are allowing my students to experience success with technology that increases their self awareness and self esteem.  Thank you 

Wow.  This is what it is all about.  Teachers inspiring students. 

I leave you with one of my favorite sites to share.  The site is called Teachers Love Smartboards. This site has ideas for any interactive board. If you check out this resource, you will find informative websites, video tutorials, and online training opportunities.  Daily takeaway!   BE SMARTER THAN THE BOARD…DON’T BE INTIMIDATED!

Image by happy via via Flickr

A recent podcast by The Tech Chicks, recommended several great and FREE links/sites/applications. Be sure to visit their site and enjoy these teaching resources:

1. Math Posters
2. TakingITGlobal - social network for student to take a stand for their environment.
3. Kewl Grader - just like that little wheel you have to figure out a percentage score for a student who gets 7 wrong out of 27. There is an iPhone app for this too.
4. Bugscope - The Bugscope project provides free interactive access to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) so that students anywhere in the world can explore the microscopic world of insects.
5. SignUpNow - create an online sign up sheet for many things, homeroom activities, personal lists etc. Here is a sample: http://www.signappnow.com/sheet/hPGN6CWw
6. Energy Education - Teach your students the importance of green energy while enhancing your required curriculum. Here you’ll find about 63 creative lesson plans, projects and other activities for grades K-12 on energy-related topics.
7. Reflections - Icebreaker activities

Enjoy the resources AND of course, pass them on to a colleague.

Image by HappyVia via flickr.com

Can you name 5 tips that you use daily? Have you ever shared them with anyone, of course you did. We all have little treasures of tips that become our daily habit so here is your chance to share some. Add your 5 tips in the comments to share with the rest of the community. Here are 5 of mine:

1. Dateline - I just discovered this in May 2009, but it is something I use many times a day. It is a transparent linear calendar. It does not keep appointment, or have an alarm. It is just a simple calendar that floats above your applications.
2. Keep your bookmarks - I use delicious.com but there are many different FREE online services. I bookmark anything I think I may use, or can recommend to others.
3. FREE music? -stop in any Starbucks and pick up the card for the”Pick of the Week”. No purchase is necessary.
4. Photo Sharing - It is so easy to share photos online for FREE. Why not set up an account for your classroom to share only with your parents. Try  Picasa.com  flickr.com shutterfly.com or many others.
5. Resize ‘Em All - sorry this is a Mac app. You can resize any photo to a smaller size without losing quality. This is currently a FREE application, but might disappear soon. I hear it was purchased by a big computer company.

In an effort to inform you about what is going on across the Keystone state, we will invite you into some classrooms and share some exemplary projects you may have missed. Our first is Sarah Beeghley the owner of Civil War Sallie. Sarah Beeghley is in sixth grade at St. Joseph School in Mechanicsburg and recently placed first in the PA Middle School Computer Fair in the Web Page Design Category. Her project is called Civil War Sallie. Sallie is a Boyd’s Bear dressed in an American red, white, and blue dress and travels around to various locations connected to the Civil War. Here are the contents of our email interview:

Sarah, where did you get the idea for this project? I got the idea from Mr. Brandon Lutz who is the owner of Morpheus Fortuna and Pax.

What would YOU say is the purpose for Civil War Sallie? To travel around to different places in order to help people learn more about the Civil War and Web 2.0 technology.

Have you been interested in civil war for a long time? Yes for 11 years because my parents have been taking me Civil War related places since I was 1 month old.

Who are some of the most interesting Civil War personalities you have learned about? The most interesting person I learned about was Clara Barton.  I find Clara interesting because she did something that no other women would have done at that time.  She stood up to men who said that a battlefield was no place for a woman.

Have you met any other traveling critters along the way? Yes, I have met two. Their names are Morpheus Morpheus Fortuna and Pax. You can learn more about them by clicking on their names.

Where has Sallie been so far? She has been to Gettysburg, Andersonville Prison, the Clara Barton home, and several classrooms.  For her full list please go to http://civilwarsallie.wikispaces.com/SignUp

Do you have a specific place you really want Sallie to visit? I’m really looking forward to Sallie’s visit to the Clara Barton birthplace museum in Masssachusettes. I am also hoping that she can visit Antietam to meet Ranger Mannie because Clara Barton was there during the battle.

Tell us about some of Sallie’s adventures. Sallie has met Miss. Clara Barton who is portrayed by Miss. Mary Ann Jung. She visited classrooms and learned about Abe Lincoln, got GIMPed into some old photos, and spent some great time with students learning about Civil War. She has visited museums related to the Civil War and met people who were in the Civil War including President Lincoln.  To see more please go to http://civilwarsallie.blogspot.com/

Have there been any memorable moments? Yes, when she went to Clara Barton’s home in Glen Echo, MD

Where can we follow her adventures? (Twitter @CivilWarSallie)
You can follow her written travels on her blog at http://civilwarsallie.blogspot.com/ and follow pictures of her adventures on her flickr.com account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/civilwarsallie

If someone would like to have Sallie visit, what should they do? First they should go to  http://civilwarsallie.wikispaces.com/SignUp and check the available dates.  Then they e-mail me at civilwarsallie@gmail.com and we add them to the list.

How do you get funds to pay for Sallie’s travels? Right now there are no funds to pay for her travels.  I am going to be starting to raise some money for me to travel to some national conferences and I’d like to get Sallie her own website.

Is there is any other information you would like to tell us about Civil War Sallie ? I would like for Sallie to help people remember those who fought and died during the Civil War.  It is an important time in our history and I hope that people do not forget about why they fought.  Also, this project has been great for me because I have met some very nice people and it helping me to improve my public speaking and my writing.

Thank you to Sarah Beeghley and Civil War Sallie for sharing your story. Congratulations on your first place in the Pennsylvania Computer Fair as well!

Cheers to Brandon Lutz for inspiring this unique project!  Another STAR in action.

You can visit Sarah and Civil War Sallie at a poster session at NECC in Washington, DC. Tuesday, 6/30/2009, 1:00pm–3:00pm WWCC East Registration Lobby, Table: 1

Photos by S. Beeghley: Civil War Sallie with Fr. Corby in Gettysburg and with Clara Barton Other Follow me projects:  https://followme.wikispaces.com/Followmeprojects

 Nine STAR Discovery Educators were recently selected to take the trip of a lifetime through the Discovery Student Adventures program.  Our first crew is already in Australia and the team going to South Africa leaves next week.  Let’s meet our STAR adventurers.

Australia (May 25 - June 7)

Follow their adventure

• Jennifer Jensen (Douglas County, CO)
• Carol Anne McGuire (New Village Leadership Academy, CA)
• Kenneth Shelton (Los Angeles Unified, CA)

South Africa (June 2-13)

Follow their adventure

• Jason Cochrane (Cedar Rapids Community, IA)
• Linda Rush (Diocese of Dallas, TX)
• Karen Wells (Midland School District, AR)

China (August 4-18)

Follow their adventure

• Brett Harvey (Glendale Unified, CA)
• Rita Mortenson (Verona Area School District, WI)
• Heather Sullivan (Freehold Regional, NJ)

About Discovery Student Adventures

On a Discovery Student Adventure, curiosity is all you really need. Because traveling with Discovery is not about sight seeing (although you’ll certainly see the sites.) It’s about experiencing the world through the eyes of Discovery. It’s about doing. Getting involved. Sure you’ll learn new facts along the way. Fascinating stuff. Things you couldn’t possibly have imagined. But more importantly, a Discovery Student Adventure will empower you to make the most of every single second. To enjoy this rich experience in ways you never thought possible - as an explorer, scientist, adventurer. And by the time you get home, you’ll have changed. It’s the reason a Discovery Student Adventure is like no other. And precisely why they last forever.

To learn more about the amazing trips for 2010 to places like the Arctic, Costa Rica, Italy/Greece and more check out the Discovery Student Adventures site.

It was a STAR-studded event last night as we unveiled our first-ever DENny Award Winners. Here they are in case you missed it.

Leaders of the Year

* Fred Delventhal, MD
* Teryl Magee, TN

Leadership

* Bridget Belardi, PA
* Tim Childers, TN
* Linda Rush, TX
* Susan Tompkins, LA

PL-DEN

* Lori Abrahams, IL
* Lee Kolbert, FL
* Anne Truger, IL

Legend

* Peggy Barger and Jim Hopton, PA (aka J-PEG)
* Carole Gooden, FL

Individual Blog

* Barbara DeSantis, NJ
* Heather Hurley, VA
* Maria Lourdes C. Angala, Washington, D.C.
* Tracy Standhart, NY
* Heather Sullivan, NJ

Leadership Council Blog

* Michigan
* New York
* North Carolina
* Pennsylvania
* Second Life
* Texas

Most Creative DEN Events

* CA LC – Grunion Run and KOCE Day of Discovery
* MO LC – DEN at the Roasterie and Fall in Love with Discovery
* TN LC – Best Buy on Digital Photography and A “Movie”ing Day on the TN River

DENthusiasm

* Jessica Donaldson, SC
* Genny Kahlweiss, CA
* Carolyn Rains, AL

STAR Power

* Matt Frey, Brevard County, FL

Educator Resources

* Traci Blazosky, PA
* Alexa Flores-Hull, AZ
* Emma Haygood, MI
* Lori Molt, KS
* Beth Weeks, TX

Community Choice

* Golden Sponge Award - Gail Braddock, TN
* Marvelous Media Specialist – Lynda Baker, MD
* STEM – Eileen Malick, VA
* Best Virtual Hair (Purple Category) – Nancy Sharoff, NY

DEN has outdone itself again, ending an amazing month with a stacked lineup of opportunities for its STARS. May 26 pitches a double-header: our last webinar of the school year, and the first-ever DENny Awards. We all know a STAR who has gone above and beyond for the DEN, or maybe we never forget to read a special STAR’s blog–every day. Why not take two minutes to recognize those STARs by completing the nomination form today. It’s due May 25, so you have today and tomorrow to nominate a fellow STAR. Then, on May 26, when we talk about all things DEN, we’ll also recognize some STARS who have shined extra brightly this year. Don’t forget to click here to register for our end-of-school-year webinar too.

The last Geocaching 101 webinar for the first-ever DEN National Geocaching Day is May 27 at 7 pm ET. You can register here to join one of our DEN geocaching experts as you get the basics of a tech-savvy treasure hunt. Check out the DEN National blog for resources and a list of a STAR Tech-Trek near you. And then, while you’re at it, join a group and have a great time, DENs way of saying thank you for a great year.  My first experience with geocaching was with Bridget Belardi after her presentation at DEN LC National Summer Institute last year.  I admit I was just a bit skeptical; it was hot and did I want to go on a techno-treasure hunt.  Let me tell you it is the most fun ever, so if you are just a tad like me and are wondering…just do it.  You’ll love it.  Promise.

Our good friends at Teach4Learning gave DEN STARS a great tool, Frames 4, during National DEN Teacher Appreciation Week. Now they have graciously offered us a webinar to teach us some tips and tricks using Frames. Join us this Friday, May 29 at 4:30 ET.

Learn how students can use the integrated drawing tools in Frames to illustrate their own stories, tell digital stories, and create animated Flash® movies.

To register, click here.

To wrap a great month, DEN ends with its first-ever National Geocaching Day on May 30. Don’t forget to check the national blog for STARS who are leading geocaching in their states.

By TwitterButtons.com

Following the lead of Neene and the NY DEN LC, the innovator of putting NYDEN LC on Twitter, followed by Second Life DEN LC, PA joins the list. You can follow us http://twitter.com/PADENLC or search PADENLC to add us to your following in your Twitter account. Watch for Tweets to keep you informed of regional, state, national, and global events, as well as the many firsts that DEN STARS, LCs, and Discovery Education Administrators pioneer. Consider this a collaborative space to jump in and join us in resource sharing and what’s going on with you. I am “borrowing” Second Life’s idea: if you really want to get our attention, you can always add @PADENLC at the beginning of your Tweet.

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