============================================================= TeAch-nology.com's- Weekly Tips For Teachers **Issue #34** "The Web Portal For Educators!" We're up to 3258 subscribers http://www.teach-nology.com ============================================================= This newsletter is only sent to the users of TeAch-nology.com, but feel free to forward it to all your friends. ============================================================= NEW Additions!!! PEP Generator- The Personal Education Plan (PEP) Generator was an idea that was submitted by one our users, Stefni Stephens. The PEP Generator creates a form that is a cross between a behavior contract and an IEP. It allows teachers to meet the needs of students who require modifications or curricular adaptations. We think you'll find it extremely helpful when working with children who complain about not being challenged. For more, go to or click on: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/goals/ ------------------------------------------------------------- Team Work Rubric Generator- This rubric can help you assess how students work cooperatively in a group setting. To create your "team work rubric," go to, or click on the following: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/teamwork/ ------------------------------------------------------------- New Tutorial- What Techniques Can Make You Marketable When You Look to Get Your Teaching Job? One of our users has shared some insights with an interesting slant that can be useful during your first interview. Go to, or click on the following link to get some hints: http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/jobs/ ------------------------------------------------------------- We Need Your Input! Take our "Technology Survey" and give us your impressions. There are two sections, one for teachers and one for students. We would really appreciate your participation in our effort provide quality services and resources for educators! To participate, go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/ and click on "Take Our Technology Survey." Be a part of the future; results will be published! ************************************************************* Teachers: Find out how to Bully-Proof Your Classroom at teachervision.com, or try our new Lesson Plan Finder to search by grade, curriculum and theme. Looking for more tools for success? Check out our classroom tools, and professional development area. To Bully-Proof Your Classroom Visit: http://redir.webclk.com/redir/teachnology_1217_bully proof.htm For teachervision.com's Lesson Plan Finder Visit: http://redir.webclk.com/redir/teachnology_1217_lesson plan finder.htm ************************************************************* ============================================================= 1. Site of the week- BabyZone.com- http://www.babyzone.com/ It seems a great number of our users are shopping for baby products for the holidays. By the number emails our experts and feedback staff have received, we thought it would be timely to recommend what we feel is one of the best baby shopping sites on the Net. Even though parenting is one of life's most joyful experiences, we all have days when it feels like a lot of hard work. BabyZone.com aims to ease the burden by providing our members with information, resources and support on a wide range of parenting topics, all the while staying true to our original intent of making the site fun as well as informative. This must be a good formula, because they are now known as the source for information on fertility, pregnancy and parenting. In fact, they were recently listed in the Washington Post as a "Top 10" health and family site, and are proud to be among such a distinguished list of companies. BabyZone.com is a site created and developed by parents, for parents. Jeanine, Lew and all of the BabyZone staff are dedicated to supporting new parents every step of the way. It is their mission; it is their passion. ============================================================= 2. Giving Advice To College Bound Students??- Is your teen headed for college? Review.com is your key to surviving the college admissions process. Sign up for FREE now and take advantage of all our exciting features designed exclusively for parents. Get advice on paying for college and helping your teen find the right school. Click below, To Get Some FREE Advice: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/9771//7538 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ============================================================= 3. Quote of the week- Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. ~ Edward Everett ~ ============================================================= 4. Want A FREE Snowman???- FREE 8" terry cloth snowman with any purchase of $20 or more at SmarterKids.com This month, SmarterKids.com is including a FREE 8" terry cloth snowman with any purchase of $20 or more! This frosty character makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone in your family. Act now -- this offer expires December 25 or while supplies last. Click below, To Get Your FREE Snowman: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/9520//7538 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ============================================================= 5. Jokes you can tell in your class- "Rudolph's Surgery" Christmas was over. Santa and his reindeer finally had a chance to rest. And they deserved it. They had done a good job. Rudolph had a chance to do something he had wanted to do for a long time. He made an appointment with a plastic surgeon because he was so sensitive about his looks. However, it wasn't his glowing proboscis that he wanted changed. He was proud of his nose and the help he had given Santa because of it. No, he was sensitive about his long ears which were much more prominent than the ears of the average reindeer, or bear, for that matter. So one week after Christmas, he let the good doctor do the reconstructive surgical procedure, and since that time, January 1st has been celebrated as ... New Ears Day. ------------------------------------------------------------- Want More Free Jokes & Humor? Click Below: http://www.commission-junction.com/track/track.dll?AID=56652&PID=400293&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efunnymail%2Ecom%2Fcgi%2Frd%2Ecgi%3Fu%3Dcj ============================================================= 6. Last Chance To See The New Wave In Standards-Based Testing! Imagine a place where students can get timely, smart help with their schoolwork, parents can get real-time information on their children's progress, and teachers can ensure that their students perform well on important state exams. Click below, for a FREE test drive! http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/9628//7538 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ============================================================= 7. Ask The Experts- Ask An Educational Expert: <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> A question from Lesley Chapman: "Can you give me your thoughts on: Teaching Computing and I.T. in a workshop environment - the benefits and the challenges?" TeAch-nology.com's Response: "Workshop environments are beneficial to learning that requires skill development through practice activities. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Compared to a "direct instruction" method of instructional delivery which relies heavily on lecture formats, workshops tend to offer participants the opportunity to actively experience the learning. With adult students, it is necessary to provide opportunities to apply the learning in a practical and non-threatening manner. This is especially true with learning anything relative to technology. The disadvantage is when you have a large group of learners. With large groups, it is difficult to offer the one on one assistance that may be needed during workshop settings (since participants are actively engaged in application of new skills). The real challenge in structuring workshops is organizing learners according to knowledge and skill level. In this case, differentiated instructional activities offered in a workshop setting really helps!" <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> A question from anonymous: "NEED A LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING SEQUENCING,CAN YOU HELP?" TeAch-nology.com's Response: "Sequencing is used to develop higher levels of thinking by using a pathway that begins with simple ideas and moves toward more complex and abstract thinking. You can teach sequencing to students with the use of "questioning." For example, you would structure your lesson with a set of questions relative to the topic that you will be covering. However, the success to sequencing questions is that the questions are appropriate to ALL students in the class and that all students are given the greatest possible chance of responding correctly. Also, you should use effective questioning techniques such as wait time, listening and responding to questions, and operational questions that develop content information, process skills, and the ability to carry out an investigation. Sequencing works great with inquiry lessons. An example lesson is the following: Topic: Simple and complex machines Goals/Objectives: Students will demonstrate higher order thinking by responding to a set of questions that require basic knowledge and comprehension of the topic; the ability to do an analysis of the differences between simple and complex machines; and ultimately, an evaluation that leads to a conclusion on what has been learned. Materials: Resources such as books, Internet availability, magazines, etc. with examples of simple machines, complex machines, levers, and pulleys; large pad, markers, scissors, tape or glue. Procedure: Begin with a problem statement such as "What type of machine would you need to move a large, heavy animal from the playground to the third floor classroom?" Then begin with lower level questions that require basic knowledge and understanding of the information required to answer the question appropriately. Thee first set of questions is based on what the students already know. The following questions are examples and can be used to follow a sequence: 1. Can you tell me what a simple machine is in your own words? 2. Can you tell me or list four different kinds of simple machines? 3. What is a lever; define it in your own words? 4. What are some examples of simple levers? 5. What is a pulley? 6. Show me or draw a picture of a pulley. 7. Does anyone know which two machines work in a pencil sharpener? 8. What is a complex machine? 9. Can anyone give me examples of complex machines we use in every day life? 10. What type of machine would you design to move a large, heavy animal to the third floor? Students can be put into groups or this can be done with whole class instruction. As you ask each question, ask the students to use the materials that are provided to assist them in responding to the first nine questions. Ask them to design a machine on the paper you provide and explain or write on the paper the concepts behind the machine and why it would accomplish the goal. (Do not advance to the next question until students respond appropriately to each question. As the students get to the higher level questions, emphasize the importance of knowing the facts and building upon the understanding of the facts. With the preparation that students are offered in questions 1-9, they will have a better chance of responding to question 10 because of their knowledge base that would have been built.) Evaluation: Students can be evaluated each step of the way. You can create a rubric that assesses the progress along the way. Points can be assigned for each step or set of questions students respond to appropriately. Another rubric can be created to evaluate the entire project or product that students develop as their "design." Rubric generators can be found at: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/ Good luck, We hope this helps!" ************************************************************* To ask the TeAch-nology.com staff a educational question go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/help/ask_an_ed_expert/ ************************************************************* ============================================================= 8. FREE News On The Environment For Your Classes! You've got 6,000,000,000 neighbors...and counting! Stop environmental destruction due to population growth. Click here to join the Population Action Network (PAN). Receive alerts on population and family planning issues. Click Below, To Get Your FREE Environmental Updates: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/9680//7538 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ============================================================= 9. Download of the Week- PC Download: Letter Sounds- "Letter Sounds" helps children to learn the letter sound relationships, by using a mouse to move a picture representing a word to the letter it starts with, as they hear the word. Letter Sounds uses the combination color, animation, sound and interactivity, to foster learning and to help make it an enjoyable activity. Requires a sound card and speakers. ------------------------------------------------------------- Mac Download: Budget- This program can help you teach students how to write checks, make deposits, enter pay, and balance a checkbook. The program allows you to track more than 150 budget accounts and 25 investment accounts. The program makes it easy to tranfer money between account and the search capabilities allow you to find any transaction easily. You can also print on existing checks using most ink jet printers, and it can even print your signature. ------------------------------------------------------------- Click Below, To Download These Applications & Others For FREE: http://www.teach-nology.com/downloads/ ============================================================= 10. Get FREE Investment Tips For Your Classes! Become a Fool: -Get out of debt -Learn how to invest -Retire early -Take control of your finances Register to become a Fool! It's free. Get investment freebies too. Click Below, To Get Your FREE Fool.com Account: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/9190//7538 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ============================================================= 11. "Our Newest Idea That Worked!" By: Tracy Peters, 7th Grade English Teacher: West Field, New Jersey "Who Wants To Be A Dollarnaire!" "This idea cost me about 35 dollars a year, but I have actually worked it into my supply budget for next year. We all know Regis and his famous nightly game show. I decided to use the same game for 5-10 minutes at the end of third day of class. I randomly choose one child who answers a series of 10 questions. Of course, all of the questions are content based from class material and they increase in difficulty. I also allow them to phone a teacher (my Principal allowed it due to the success of the game), give them a 50:50 option, and allow them to poll the classroom. This is also great if you finish early on any day. The dollar values are increments of 10 cents with safeties of 25 cents, 50 cents, and 75 cents. The dollar is the ultimate prize. I have to admit you wouldn't think that a dollar could entice anyone, but then again I work with twelve year olds." ------------------------------------------------------------- Click Below, To Visit Our "Ideas That Worked!" Section: http://www.teach-nology.com/ideas/ ------------------------------------------------------------- To Submit An Idea That Worked For You, Click Below: http://www.teach-nology.com/ideas/tell_us/ ============================================================= 12. Latest FREE Contest Entry! Win a luxury SUV! Enter today when you join MyPoints- the place for FREE rewards like CDs, books, movies, vacations and more. Get great rewards from brand-name merchants just for reading email, visiting websites or shopping online. Join now! 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