Educational Resources

March2Success

March 2 Success is an on-line test preparation course that will provide help with taking standardized tests, and improve math and English skills. March 2 Success is free. The program is developed by the Army and will help prepare students for: assessment examinations, college entrance examinations, trade school entrance tests, military entrance test, and applying for a job. To see a demo and register for the course go to www.March2Success.com

Article: http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/04/17/2723-students-educators-rave-over-march2success-program/

You can now learn about ED grant opportunities at:
* Webpage: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister
* Twitter: http://twitter.com/EDFedRegister
* RSS: http://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/education-department.rss

Curriculum Hotspots Here is the latest District Administrators guide to the best education sites on the Web

LRCE--Louisiana Resource Center of Educators--LRCE houses a multi-media lending library of 28,000+ items, which can be searched online. They are a shared resource center for educators in the public, private, parochial, charter, and home school sectors. Additionally, they provide workshops and training for Louisiana's educators, an alternative certification program, and more.

Louisiana Components of Effective Teaching PDF The document contains the Louisiana Components of Effective Teaching for regular and special education-II teachers. These are listed first by the major Domain—planning, management, instruction, professional development, and school improvement.

CAST -Universal Design for Learning A non profit education research and development organization that uses technology to make education more flexible and accessible for all students, especially those with disabilities. The state department offers training throughout the year both online and face to face for districts

Louisiana Virtual Schools The LVS provides Louisiana students with standards-based high school courses that utilize email and other online and offline resources delivered via the web by Louisiana teachers. All LVS courses are aligned to the state’s content standards, benchmarks, and Grade-level Expectations.

Strategies for Effective Teaching Manual (301 pages) Designed to assist new teachers in their understanding of the Louisiana Components of Effective Teaching, Strategies for Effective Teaching in the 21st Century includes over 1,000 innovative ideas to increase the achievement of Louisiana's students.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards The National Board has developed standards in 27 fields. All NBPTS standards are based on the National Board’s Five Core Propositions for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. The standards serve as the basis for National Board Certified.

George Lucas Education Foundation is a nonprofit operating foundation that documents and disseminates models of the most innovative practices in our nation’s K-12 schools.

NEW The Problem Kid Problem Solver-This site was designed for and by youth professionals. They have attention-grabbing solutions to stop or manage youth violence, school failure, truancy, dropping out, family problems, poor motivation, antisocial behaviors, apathy, bad attitudes, attachment disorder, ADHD, depression, withdrawal, peer conflict, classroom misbehavior, dropping out, independent living, anger control problems, delinquency, severe emotional problems, independent living, and even "girl's problems" like teen pregnancy.
http://www.youthchg.com/

Acronyms
~~~~~~~~
LOC -- Library of Congress
NASA -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NEH -- National Endowment for the Humanities
NIH -- National Institutes of Health
SI -- Smithsonian Institution
State Department of Education Resources

Microsoft® Education Lesson Plans. Enjoy the searchable lesson plan collection great quizzes, topic guides, and award-winning reference tools available free of charge.
http://www.microsoft.com/education/lessonplans.mspx

"Walt Whitman Hypertext Archive" features Whitman's poetry & prose, including his manuscripts, notebooks, & letters. It contains a searchable database of digitized images of original documents, transcriptions of those documents, & an elaborate body of introductions, commentaries, & other materials useful in interpreting Whitman's works. (NEH) http://www.clickinks.com/The-Poetry-of-Walt-Whitman.html

"Between the Lions" is based on the PBS children's TV series. The site presents a new story each week with related interactive games & activities for kids 4-7. It also recommends books for each episode & offers more than 300 tips & resources for helping kids learn to read. (ED) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/lions/

BrainPOP -Featuring animated movies that explain matters of health, science, and technology, this site offers useful information in kid-friendly packaging. If you have the bandwidth to load the Shockwave Flash movies, the site is very impressive. The site includes banner ads. Grade Level: Elementary, Middle School.- http://www.brainpop.com

"Heart of the Rockies" tells how to prepare for a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park & how to order a Teacher Activity Guide, which includes activities for planning a field trip to the Park. (NPS)
http://heartoftherockies.net/

"A Science Odyssey" highlights some the most spectacular discoveries in science & technology during the 20th century. The site includes an Educator's Guide with activities, discussion questions, & information for using A Science Odyssey in the classroom. A resource list supplies information on books, websites, & other videos related to the programs or activities. (NSF) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso

"NASA Connect: Sun-Earth Day"
features teacher guides and other resources for studying sun-earth connections and celebrating Sun-Earth Day. In "Ancient Observatories," students measure the movement of the sun and find solar noon. In "Venus Transit," students learn about scale models and the "astronomical unit," which is used to determine distances from the earth to other planets and stars. In "Dancing in the Night Sky," students learn about the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. (NASA)
http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2006/educators/index.php

"Path of Totality: Measuring Angular Size and Distance"
examines the natural phenomena that create a total eclipse. NASA scientists and engineers introduce a satellite used to make artificial eclipses in order to learn about the sun's corona. Students measure the angular size and predict the angular distance of objects in the sky. (NASA)
http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/programs/2005-2006/path_of_totality/

"The Structures of Life"
takes us into the world of "structural biology" -- a branch of molecular biology that focuses on the shape of nucleic acids and proteins (the molecules that do most of the work in our
bodies). Learn about the structures and roles of proteins, tools used to study protein shapes, how proteins are used in designing new medications (for AIDS and arthritis), and what structural biology reveals about all life processes. Find out about careers in biomedical research. (NIH)
http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/structlife/
"Sun-Earth Day"
is a series of programs and events throughout the year that culminates with a celebration of the spring equinox. "Eclipse: In a Different Light," this year's theme, shows how
eclipses have inspired people to study the sun-earth-moon system. Join this journey of exploration and discovery in preparation for a total solar eclipse. (NASA)
http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/

"At Home in the Heartland" explores family life in Illinois from 1700 to the present & examines contributions of various cultural groups to the state. It includes maps, timelines, historical artifacts, & lesson plans for teachers Grades 3-12. (NEH) http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/welcome.htm

"DoHistory" shows how to piece together fragments of the past & research the lives of ordinary people. It also features an interactive case study built from research conducted for "A Midwife's Tale," a book & film based on the 200-year-old diary of midwife/healer Martha Ballard. (NEH)
http://www.dohistory.org/

"History Matters" is designed for high school & college teachers of U.S. history survey courses. The site offers teaching materials covering the period 1876 to 1946, first-person primary documents, & threaded discussions on teaching U.S. history. Emphasis is given to materials that focus on the lives of ordinary Americans & involve students in analyzing & interpreting evidence. (NEH)
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/

"Pulse of the Planet" provides a two-minute "sound portrait" of Planet Earth each week day that is broadcast over 300 public & commercial stations around the world. This website includes an effort to learn about the ways people observe or celebrate the seasons of the year. (NEH,NSF)
http://www.pulseplanet.com/

"Salem Witchcraft Papers: Transcription & Archival Project" introduces the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692 & presents information on other aspects of the history of Danvers (formerly Salem Village), Massachusetts. The website features rare documents including the complete 1692 Salem Witchcraft Papers, narratives of witchcraft cases, historical maps, & answers to frequently asked questions. (NEH)
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/index.html

"Hotchkiss Map Collection: Confederate Army Maps"
contains maps made by Major Jedediah Hotchkiss (1828-1899), a topographic engineer in the Confederate Army. Hotchkiss created detailed battle maps of the Shenandoah Valley; some were used by Generals Lee and Jackson. The collection includes maps from post-war years -- maps with information about railroads, minerals and mining, geology and history
(mostly of Virginia and West Virginia). (LOC)
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/hotchkiss/

"Smithsonian Source: Colonial America"
offers primary sources and tools for using them in the classroom. Watch an anthropologist examine skeletons for clues to daily life in Jamestown. Find lessons on the Boston
Massacre, Stamp Act, patriot women, Pocahontas, and money. Use questions -- built around primary documents -- to explore the clashing views of revolutionary colonists and loyalist colonists. Examine the political, religious, economic, and social reasons for the Revolution. (SI)
http://www.smithsoniansource.org/display/topic/viewdetailshis.aspx?TopicId=1004

"World War II Military Situation Maps, 1944-1945"
contains maps showing troop positions beginning on June 6, 1944, to July 26, 1945. Starting with the D-Day Invasion, the maps give daily details on the military campaigns in Western
Europe, showing the progress of the Allied Forces as they push towards Germany. Some of these 416 maps and 115 reports were used by U.S. commanders. (LOC)
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/wwii/

CIESE sponsors and designs interdisciplinary projects that teachers throughout the world can use to enhance their curriculum through compelling use of the Internet. We focus on projects that utilize real time data available from the Internet, and collaborative projects that utilize the Internet's potential to reach peers and experts around the world.
http://www.k12science.org/currichome.htm

Structural biology, sun-earth connections, an eclipse, colonial America, Confederate maps, World War II maps, and an essay contest on the First Amendment are among the topics of 8 new resources at FREE, the website that makes teaching resources from federal agencies easier to find:
http://www.ed.gov/free

The FREE site now offers an RSS feed. Get new teaching and learning resources delivered several times a week:
http://www.ed.gov/free/rss.html

Vicki Blackwell's Guide to the Internet for Educators-
This site has loads of resources for teachers and administrators including writing paper templates and book making.
http://www.vickiblackwell.com/

NEW Internet Treasures - These resources were gathered by Region VI TLTC Facilitators and by participants in the Online course Internet Treasures
http://www.rapides.k12.la.us/VI/InternetTreasures.htm

The Lesson Plan Page! Home of the largest collection of lesson plans on the Internet (over 300)! Listed by subject and grade level. http://www.lessonplanspage.com/

Web Links-Thousands of web sites for educators and students, categorized by type of site or by subject area. http://www.enc.org/weblinks/

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators is a categorized list of sites useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth. It is updated often to include the best sites for teaching and learning.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

Loads of lessons that use web sites!! Webquests take lesson plans one step further, providing not only directions to the teacher, but a stand-alone project that students can read and follow. Internet resources are embedded within the webquests." http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html

Internet Scavenger Hunts From Education World
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson120.shtml

Quizstar, Trackstar, Rubistar, PBL Checklists, Note Star, R*TEC Teacher, Web Worksheet Wizard, Casa Notes, Think Tank http://www.4teachers.org/