Issue 12, Volume 10 November 5, 2009     Thought for the Week Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. -- Seneca   Register Now For Promethean ActivBoard Classes Register now at the following site: https://www.cpsb.org/techclasses/ ***New class just added**** PRAI 101: Introduction to ActivInspire Date:  December 8th When:  3:30-5:30 pm Prerequisites: None Location: Lab D - Technology Training Center CLUs: 2 This hands-on workshop is designed to provide the participant with a working knowledge and use of the board and associated software, ActivInspire.  Basic skills covered include the dashboard and basic tools necessary to construct simple flipcharts that will support engaged student learning. PRAI 220: Transition to ActivInspire Dates: November 17th or December 7th When: 3:00-5:00 pm Prerequisites: Previous training in ActivStudio Location: Lab C - Technology Training Center CLUs: 2 Have you made the transition to ActivInspire? Do you want to learn the newest software from Promethean? Then, register now and come to the PRAI 220: Transition to ActivInspire. This two hour hands-on workshop is designed to help the current ActivBoard user transition from using ActivStudio to using ActivInspire.   PRAI 210/PRAI211:  Using Promethean Accessories: ActivExpressions/ActiVotes Dates:  December 15th When:  3:00-5:00 pm Prerequisites: PRAI 101 or PRAS 101. Location: Lab C- Technology Training Center  CLUs: 2 Do you have ActivExpressions or ActiVotes?  Are you looking for effective ways to use these devices in your classes.  Register now and come to the PRAI 210/PRAI211: Using Promethean Accessories: ActivExpressions/ActiVotes. This hands-on workshop is designed to provide the participant with a working knowledge and use of the ActivExpressions/ActiVotes in conjunction with the ActivInspire software.  Participants will be given the opportunity to practice using these tools.  PRAI102: Beginning Flipchart Integration and Construction Date:  November 9th or January 5th When:  3:00-5:00 pm Prerequisites: PRAI101 or PRAS101 Location:  Lab C-Technology Training Center CLUs: 2 Are you looking for ways and time to develop flipcharts for your classes.  Then, PRAI102:  Beginning Flipchart Integration and Construction might be the class you are looking for. In this hands-on workshop, the participant will be given a brief review of PRA101 ActivInspire tools and software. The remainder of the workshop will focus on providing the participant with the opportunity to begin constructing basic flipcharts that promote student engagement.  Participants are encouraged to bring teacher resources such as Comprehensive Curriculum and/or Teacher Manuals to aid in the development of these flipcharts.  Participants may also wish to bring a pen drive to save their projects to.  Register for any one of these classes https://www.cpsb.org/techclasses/. If you don’t already have an account to register for Tech Center classes, you will need to first create an account before you can register.  Free Online Educational Resources The Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org provides a wealth of online educational and literacy resources for students, parents, and after-school programs. Their goal is to improve student achievement in traditional classroom settings and beyond by providing free extensive on-site professional development training. All of Thinkfinity.org's 55,000 standards-based K-12 lesson plans, student materials, interactive tools, and reference materials are reviewed by the nation's leading education organizations to ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, unbiased and appropriate for students. Check it out at http://www.thinkfinity.org/home.aspx. Resizing Your Windows Vista Desktop Icons You can resize your Desktop Icons in Windows Vista very easily. How? Right-click on the Desktop. Click View and select Large Icons, Medium Icons, or Classic Icons. You can also manually adjust the size of the icons on your desktop. This isn't hard but it does take a bit of coordination. Left-click on the Desktop. Hold down the CTRL key. While holding down the CTRL key, scroll your mouse wheel up or down to adjust the icon size. Kidlandia Kidlandia provides the learner a place to create a map with a King or Queen and kingdom. Learners create a map with characters, landmarks, and information about their Kingdom. The maps can be personalized, saved to the desktop, printed, or purchased. Your imagination is your limit. Find out more at http://www.kidlandia.com/Kidlandia.aspx. Save And Share Your Bing Searches If you find a really great set of search results, you know that you can always access them later in your Search History in the Explorer pane. However, you can take your search history to a new level with the Save & Share feature. Just click the See All link in the Search History section. You can then select any search and save it to your hard drive; or, if you have a Windows Live account, you can save it to your SkyDrive folder. You can even share your search results with friends and family via Windows Live, Facebook, or email. Teacher Professional Development Grants for Grades K-5 Teachers Funded by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and John Van de Walle Fund, the purpose of this grant is to support professional development to improve the competence in the teaching of mathematics of one or more classroom teachers. For 2010–2011, grants of a maximum of $3,000 will be awarded to person(s) currently teaching at the grades K–5 level. The proposal must delineate the professional development plan and address how the proposed project will improve the teacher(s)’ competence and affect students’ learning. Any acquisition of equipment must support the proposed plan but not be the primary focus of the grant. Recipients must have three or more years of teaching experience in grades K–5. Proposals must address the following: the professional development plan, how it will enhance the applicant(s)’ mathematical knowledge, and its anticipated impact on students’ learning. The proposal deadline is November 13, 2009. Find out more at http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=1312. Veterans Day - November 11, 2009 What is Veterans Day and how did it start? In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day, but it already had a history long before that. Learn how we came to celebrate Veterans Day with this brief history of the holiday from the United States government at http://www1.va.gov/opa/feature/celebrate/vetday.asp. You can also find lots of ideas and activities for Veterans Day celebrations at the following Internet sites: Online Coloring Book For Veterans Day http://www4.va.gov/kids/k-5/cbook.asp Choose an image and use the paints at the right to paint online, in this interactive selection to help younger students mark Veterans Day.   Patriotic Pairs http://www4.va.gov/kids/k-5/memory.asp Choose from three different levels, and have students remember symbols in order to match them up in this online patriotic symbols game.   Patriotic Drawing http://www4.va.gov/kids/k-5/drawer.asp The Capitol building provides the backdrop, and students can choose their colors and drawing tools in order to elaborate on the scene with this interactive exercise.   Veterans Day Teachers Guide http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/docs/schoolkit.pdf Numerous activities are suggested to get your students and classes involved in recognizing and honoring Veterans Day.   Year By Year Veterans Day Posters http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/gallery.asp Remember Veterans Day with a poster in your classroom; find a selection here, from posters present and past.   Veterans Day Activities http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/SpecialDays/Veteransday/Activities.html Find several printable classroom activities here to help you celebrate the concepts behind Veterans Day, for students of all ages. Writing with alliteration, vocabulary terms, and related craft ideas are all included.    Veterans Day Word Search http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/uploads/veterans__day_ws.pdf Download and print out a Veterans Day word search, with terms suitable for the occasion and an answer key provided.   The Story Of War Poetry http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/article_153.shtml Two poets form a study here on war poetry, perhaps an apt lesson plan for Veterans Day. John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" and Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" are offered here, with haunting reflections on war.   Lessons Of The Vietnam War http://www.globaled.org/curriculum/viet.html This collection of lesson plans for high school students supplies background information on the Vietnam War, with four main learning modules and student projects. Learn about The Culture of Vietnam, try Interviewing Vietnam War Veterans, and find a lesson plan in comparing and contrasting the Vietnam War to the American Revolution, with a focus on student activities. Best on the Net!! -- Visit this site for hundreds of websites for teachers! We would love to hear from you about the best educational sites you have found on the web. Please submit, via email, the sites you feel merit inclusion. Send to tech.connect@cpsb.org. Please include the URL and a short sentence about the site.  Featured Sites: (These sites were submitted by teachers in Calcasieu Parish) Repeat After Us -- Audio Literature http://www.repeatafterus.com/iorecorded.php Repeat After Us -- what is it? It's an online language lab first created by a high school student in Los Angeles. Helping students with pronunciation skills, it contains a wealth of material from numerous authors, with clips and quotes to help make your ESL students literary, as well as better English language speakers.   Small Blue Printer http://www.smallblueprinter.com/sbp.html Design your own house! Start with your own floor plan, or use one of the samples, then take an isometric view and a 3D walkthrough of your finished project. Enter the walls and windows, choose your colors, and print it all out when you're done.   Design & Discovery Curriculum http://educate.intel.com/en/DesignDiscovery/ This curriculum package offering is meant to help build an interest in engineering and design, with numerous hands-on student activities included. Extensive lesson plans include planning and making models, testing them, breaking down systems and components, thinking creatively, making a prototype, understanding the design process, engineering fundamentals, and more. Access the Facilitator's Guide for a full list of print materials.   An official publication of the CPSB Technology Department If you have any questions or comments please e-mail the Webmaster. For Technical Support:  tech.help@cpsb.org Calcasieu Parish Homepage  Technology Department  Tech Help Site  Best on the Net Tech Guides  Computer Purchasing Information  Tech Connect Archive