============================================================= TeAch-nology.com's- Weekly Tips For Teachers **Issue #63** "The Web Portal For Educators!" We're up to 6041 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** Early next week, expect to see over 12 new Social Studies Themes Activated on TeAch-nology.com! Each theme comes complete with at least 15 printable worksheets, bulleting board figures, and even bookmarks. Keep an eye out here: http://teachers.teach-nology.com/themes/ ============================================================= 1. Best On The Web For Teachers- Featured Sites Of The Week: FunkyApple Education- http://www.funkyapple.com/ Lesson Plan Search- http://www.lessonplansearch.com/ RHL School- http://rhlschool.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- To see more of the Best on the Web for Teachers visit: http://teachers.teach-nology.com ============================================================= 2. Teachers: Brand New On-line Book Clubs!! *For History Buffs!* Get 3 history books for $1 each from the History Book Club®. Choose from American history, the Civil War, World War II, European history and more. As a member, you'll have no commitment to buy another book-ever. Join today and you’ll also get a FREE attaché. Click below, to check out this site: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/26746/79709/79709 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ------------------------------------------------------------- **For Children** Give your children the best reading choices! Choose any 5 children's books for $2 when you join Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club®. All the books you need from Curious George to Winnie the Pooh, to Harry Potter. Join today and get a free gift! Click below, to check out this site: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/26752/79709/79709 ------------------------------------------------------------- AOL users click here ------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================= 3. Quote of the week- Housework is a breeze. Cooking is a pleasant diversion. Putting up a retaining wall is a lark. But teaching is like climbing a mountain. ~ Fawn M. Brodie ~ ============================================================= 4. Teachers: The Next Round Of Poetry Contests Is Here! Poets !! Free Poetry Contest Your poem could win $10,000 1175 prizes totaling $58,000 to be awarded. All amateur poets invited. The contest is open to everyone, and entry is free. Click below, to enter for FREE: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/23164/79709/79709 ============================================================= AOL users click here ============================================================= 5. Jokes You Can Tell In Class- "What Would You Do?" An English teacher asked her class to write an essay on what they'd do if they had a million dollars. Alec handed in a blank sheet of paper. "Alec!" yelled the teacher, "you've done nothing. Why?" "Because if I had a million dollars, that's exactly what I would do!" ------------------------------------------------------------- Like Jokes?? Check Out Our Cartoon Of the Day, Click Below: http://www.teach-nology.com/news/ ============================================================= 6. Download of the Week- PC Download: *Rhythm & Bio* "Rhythm & Bio' is a freeware which builds and analyzes your bio-rhythms, these 3 cyclic curves initialized at your birth which allow to estimate your fitness. Manage your future by making the most of your good periods. Freely." ------------------------------------------------------------- Mac Download: *Days To Go* "Have you planned a big holiday, and want to count the days remaining until you can escape from work? Wondering how many days it has been since you were married, or your age in days? Then this program is for you. Days To Go is a simple reminder program that can be used for a variety of purposes. As the name suggests, it can be used to count how many days it is until a specific date. In addition, Days To Go can be used count how many days it has been since a specific date. Recurring dates can be entered (for example, Christmas or a birthday), and entries can be automatically deleted once the date has passed (for once off occasions). " ------------------------------------------------------------- Click Below, To Download These Applications & Others For FREE: http://www.teach-nology.com/downloads/ ============================================================= 7. Check This Site Out! FREE Digital Photo Album Software THAT VOICE! THAT VOICE! And that’s all you’ll be talking about once you experience the legendary sound of Charlie Wilson on his album, Bridging the GAP. Charlie recently teamed up with Avant on his second single, "One Way Street," which debuted as the #1 most added song on Urban AC Radio. The trade magazine, R&R says, "Oh my God! This song is a smash!" Click below, to check it out: http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22592/25317/79709/79709 ============================================================= AOL users click here ============================================================= 8. Lesson Plan Of The Week- *Fortune Cookie Warmup* A very unique way to warm up! This lesson can be adapted to other disciplines as well. Find it here: http://db.pecentral.org/lessonideas/action.lasso?-database=pec_lessons.fp5&-layout=main&-response=view.lasso&-recordID=33504&-search&-Token.type=Instant Activity ============================================================= To View 17,000+ Lesson Plans, Ideas, And Worksheets Visit: http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/ ============================================================= 9. Ask Our Experts- ************************************************************* A question from Anonymous: "My administration has decided to replace all desks with rectangular tables. I have a fifth grade class. I have always taught in a desk environment. The desks that provided both storage and a varying amount of flexablity in room arrangements. Are there any suggestions on how to best arrange the tables for various activities. What about storage ideas, both for student own materials as well as textbooks and manipulatives. I do not wnat to waste instructional and educational time getting and putting away materials." ************************************************************* TeAch-nology.com's Staff Response: Tables are far superior to desk arrangements in today's classroom. With the push toward cooperative learning and inquiry-based learning, tables offer a better opportunity for students to engage in these two learning strategies. For more information on these strategies, go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/methods/ As far as the storage concern, you can use shelves to arrange books, plastic bins (drawers) to store smaller items, and require students to have back packs to store personal instructional materials. If your classroom has access to technology, then you can store a lot of material (text, worksheets, etc.) on the computer and access when needed. Students can have personal log ins to access information that you can store. This will eliminate the need to have so much 'hard copy' floating around. This generation of learners had to become more efficient in the way they organize their space....classrooms, as learning labs, have to provide the opportunity for this to happen. Good luck! ************************************************************* A question from Anonymous: "I've begun teaching business classes again after many years. I need to know the new rule about spacing. Space once after a period? Once after a colon and question mark?" ************************************************************* TeAch-nology.com's Staff Response: According to the APA format, when punctuating use one space after commas, semicolons, colons, and punctuation marks at the end of sentences (p. 244). For more information on APA format, go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/citing/ For additional information on punctuation and spacing, go to: http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/wsr/csc120/wp1spa97.htm Good luck! ************************************************************* A question from Anonymous: "A group of us new teachers at my school are looking for a good way to manage centers during reading time that doesn't require a lot of work and correcting for us and that keeps the kids actively involved while we are with groups." ************************************************************* TeAch-nology.com's Staff Response: You can create centers that help students self correct any activities that you make available like worksheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, etc. These types of activities can be found at: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/ Free worksheets can be found at: http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/ Technology centers are also very popular with programs that are educational, or games that develop eye hand coordination, or other psychomotor skills. Some of these types of games can be found at http://www.teach-nology.com/games_start/ The important thing to remember is that you have to offer a variety of activities that are motivating and fun in order to keep your students on task with the least distraction. Good luck! ============================================================= 10. "Our Latest Idea That Worked!" "What Planet Am I From?" By: Teresa, 4th Grade Teacher "This game requires students to be in groups of nine. Within each group, each child is labeled a different Planet. In each corner of the room, draw a Sun in the center and circles for each planet. Make each child stand in his/her circle according to his planetary position. I usually use masking tape for this. Once I have two or more groups set up, I start the game. The teacher describes one of the planets. If the teacher is describing Mars, then which ever student who is Mars that steps out of the setup first is the winner. If a student stands out of alignment incorrectly, they must also leave the planetary alignment. Students who lose must get out of the planetary alignment. We play until one planet is left. I usually give prizes to the whole group." ============================================================= Teachnology, Inc. makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy of the content of the TeAch-nology.com newsletter. ============================================================= If you are interested in sponsoring this newsletter place your order online at: http://www.teach-nology.com/advertising/ ============================================================= © 2001 Teachnology, Inc. All rights reserved ============================================================= You are currently subscribed to the TeAch-nology.com newsletter. To unsubscribe, log on to www.teach-nology.com and enter your e-mail address in the newsletter center, and click "unsubscribe."