INNOVATIVE
TEACHING
presented by
Walter McKenzie - Creative Classroom Consulting
http://www.interserf.net/mcken/consult.htm
Innovative staff development:
Technology Applications, Multiple Intelligences,
Curriculum Integration and Creative Education.
Let's see what we can do for your staff!
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November 20, 1998
In an effort to try and address the needs of both HTML and PLAIN TEXT
subscribers, I am sending this week's edition with both versions in one
mailing. As always, please give me feedback!
There are many ways that Internet resources can accommodate the
excellent job we already do in the classroom. But what is truly
impressive is the selection of sites which create new and innovative
ways to reach children. This week's issue is dedicated to just that.
Warning: You'll want a big chunk of free time to explore - these aren't
just creative.....they're FUN!
3M COLLABORATIVE INVENTION UNIT -
http://mustang.coled.umn.edu/inventing/Inventing.html
Wonderful step-by-step tutorial walking students through the process of
planning, developing, critiquing and marketing an invention - lots of
structure and thoughtful questioning to make it a successful experience
as your students explore inventing from a scientific and/or business
perspective
ABSURD MATH -
http://www.hrmvideo.com/abmath/
When the world wide web was created, doorways were opened to other
dimensions. Net surfers run the risk of being sucked into one of those
dimensions. Excellent problem solving simulation - links to other
similar software
ADOPT AN ALIEN -
http://www.bombpop.com/aaa/sfaaa.html
Every child should have the chance to adopt their own alien and nurture
it through childhood! Nice exercise in responsibility requiring frequent
stops back to the site to check up on how the adoptees are doing =)
AMAZING TRAVEL BUREAU -
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/bureau/
National Geographic site for kids which promotes exploration of the
wonders of our world - top notch stuff from a premier source of high
quality educational materials
ANCIENT EGYPT WEBQUEST -
http://users.massed.net/~mdurant/AncientEgyptWebquest.htm
You must locate the burial mask of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh
Tutankhamen - on the inside of the mask is written a message that if
successfully decoded could solve our earth's environmental crisis; your
quest is to decode that message and return to our time
ATOM'S FAMILY -
http://www.miamisci.org/af/sln/
Imaginative approach to matter, energy and atomic properties brought to
you by the Miami Museum of Science - geared for middle school
BENNY GOODSPORT -
http://www.bennygoodsport.com/
Elementary level site promoting the active life with activities for both
on and offline - layed-out for elementary
BIZ/ED -
http://bized.ac.uk/virtual/home.htm
A virtual factory that allows students to apply business theory to real
world applications; the current case in point is "Cameron Balloons" -
check it out!
CARTOONISTS' INDEX -
http://www.cagle.com/teacher/
The largest collection of newspaper editorial cartoons on the web
--updating current cartoons from 54 newspaper editorial cartoonists PLUS
lesson plans for using the editorial cartoons as a teaching tool in
Social Sciences, Art, Journalism and English at all levels
CELEBRATE THE CENTURY -
http://www.stampvote.msn.com/usps/welcome.asp
USPS site that allows you to vote for commemorative stamps on important
events of the 20th century
EDUCAST -
http://www.educast.com/
An innovative approach to teacher interactivity; Educast operates as a
screensaver which you custom-tailor to broadcast the information you
want sent to your desktop and it can be enjoyed on or off-line - a one
of a kind service made with busy teachers in mind - take the guided
tour!
ELECTORAL COLLEGE CALCULATOR -
http://www.bga.com/~jnhtx/ec/ec.html
Select a state name by clicking it on the map, then press the radio
button corresponding to the winning party; the calculator displays
running totals and votes needed to win
ESCAPE FROM KNAB -
http://www.escapefromknab.com/
This simulation finds your students on the planet Knab. By making the
right financial decisions they can find their way back to Earth - a
different game every time you play
EVIDENCE: THE TRUE WITNESS -
http://library.advanced.org/17049/
Fascinating look at forensic detective work with lots of information and
a neat simulation to try your hand at it yourself - truly inspirational!
THE FRACTORY -
http://tqd.advanced.org/3288/fractals.html
This page will help you learn about fractals: what they are and how to
design them, but it will also let you discover more on your own; play a
part in the interactive fractal creation center, designing and
displaying fractals you have invented - too cool!
INTERNET DETECTIVE -
http://sosig.ac.uk/desire/internet-detective.html
An interactive, online tutorial which provides an introduction to the
issues of information quality on the Internet and teaches the skills
required to evaluate critically the quality of an Internet resource -
wonderful application
KID'S CASTLE -
http://www.kidscastle.si.edu/
Smithsonian Magazine production for kids ages 8-16 on sports, history,
the arts, travel, science and air and space, all with great photos
KID'S TECHKNOW -
http://www.pbs.org/kids/fungames/techknow/
PBS site made for kids to become Internet savvy - excellent production
and lots of substance
LINGUISTIC FUN PAGE -
http://www.ojohaven.com/fun/
Looking for a new twist to many of the English topics we tirelessly
attempt to impart to our students? This sight is a hoot - lots of
off-beat approaches and fun links
MEDIA FOR KIDS -
http://www.screen.com/mnet/eng/med/kids/kindex.htm
Child centered look at television, film and video games - makes kids
actively examine their media awareness
MOZART'S MUSIKALISCHES WURFELSPIEL -
http://204.96.11.210/jchuang/Music/Mozart/mozart.cgi
A musical dice game for composing a minuet; Mozart wrote the
instructions for a musical composition dice game - the idea is to cut
and paste pre-written measures of music together to create a minuet
NASA'S LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES PROJECT -
http://learn.ivv.nasa.gov/
Site developed to promote public access to scientific databases, develop
new applications and pilot programs for using science data, and create
new curriculum products and tools for K-12
NATIONAL ZOO -
http://www.si.edu/natzoo/
What a fun site - a virtual tour of the D.C. landmark including the
famed live webcams, the clickable map and the enhanced photo library;
it's the next best thing to being there!
ONLINE EXHIBITS AT THE EXPLORATORIUM -
http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/index.html
Amazing simulations and illusions which allow the viewer to experience
and understand sophisticated scientific principles; many require
Shockwave but it's worth every second of download time!
THE READ-IN -
http://www.readin.org/
A one-day-a-year Internet event that helps hundreds of thousands of
children around the world talk to famous authors and with each other;
the next Read-In is scheduled for May 13, 1999
RIVER OF VENOM -
http://www.gene.com/ae/mystery2/
Simulation in South America with killer bees and an engaging plot; great
problem solving approach
SIPAPU -
http://sipapu.ucsb.edu/html/kiva.html
Three-dimensional reconstruction of a Great Kiva, an architectural
feature found in Chetro Ketl which is located in Chaco Canyon in
northwestern New Mexico
SPARKY THE TIME TRAVELER -
http://tqjunior.advanced.org/3826/
ThinkQuestJr. site which invites elementary students to join Sparky in
traveling through time to solve mysteries
STAR CHILD -
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html
NASA's learning site for student astronomers - nicely layed out to be
highly kid-friendly with a searchable database for curious teachers
THE THIRTY SECOND CANDIDATE -
http://www.pbs.org/30secondcandidate/
An offshoot of the PBS Democracy project, this interactive site looks at
political advertising in the U.S.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS -
http://www.440int.com/twtd/today.htmlPresents
Events, birthdays and "chart toppers" for a given day over the last 100
years - neat trivia, lots of connections for everyman's history
TRACKING CREATIVITY -
http://tqjunior.advanced.org/4382/
Takes children through originality, fluency, flexibility and elaboration
as a 1998 ThinkQuest entry designed by Sixth Graders.
VIRTUAL BLACK HOLES -
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/rjn_bht.html
Descriptions and MPEG movies of black holes that are scientifically
accurate and visually amazing - a superb use of Internet technology!
Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will not be a November 27th
edition of I.T. Friday, December 4th's topic: "Projects Update"
Please send in URL's of high quality sites which may be
of interest to our readers to
mrmck@...!
Also, I'm always looking for new topic ideas and input!
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Visit The Innovative Teaching Website:
http://www.interserf.net/mcken/teacher.htm
This newsletter may be forwarded or copied as long as the
header and signature information remain intact. Show a
colleague about what you have found in Innovative Teaching! =D
-1998 Walter McKenzie
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