Cool link from UEN

Check this out - way cool "word art" creator. The link is to UEN, which will then link you to the site.

http://www.uensd.org/multimedia/?p=144

Riverside Collaboration Write-up

Riverside Elementary 5^th Grade

Mala Shakespear, Suzanne Caldwell, Carita Guarda

UTAAH II Collaboration Write-up

July 28, 2008

Service learning / life skills will be twice a week for 40 minutes, taught by each teacher to their own class.

• Emergency Procedures videos
  
• Safety / Crosswalk Procedures videos
  
• Problem-based learning
  

We will have Science / Social Studies rotations 4 times a week for 50 minutes. Each group will meet with a teacher for 24 days and each teacher is responsible for a section of the Science and Social Studies core, incorporating projects for the content. Projects for targeted students will include:

• Jr. Great Books / Discussion groups
  
• Essential Questions / Enduring Understandings
  
• Salt dough maps of North America and landforms
  
• Kagan Strategies
  
• Filming / Video Editing / Stop Motion Film
  
• Power point presentations
  
• Strategies taught in content courses:
  
  • Expert groups / Jigsaw
    
  • Three voice poem
    
  • Poetry into Songs
    
  • Etc.
    

    
    

At the beginning of the year, GT students will not be separated from the regular class. Each teacher within each rotation will identify GT students and use the above listed strategies to allow targeted students to work together. The second half of the year, using knowledge of targeted students attained in the first half of year, we will group them with their peers for content projects. These projects will be determined at a later date.

Collaboration Write-Ups

Way to go, Riverside 5th grade team! They were the first ones to send in their collaboration write-up. They will be the recipients of a cool first-finishers prize in the near future.

Please email me your write-ups ASAP. We are excited to see what all the teams are planning (and each team will have a UNIQUE plan, guaranteed!), and we want to post them on the blog for others to use for inspiration.

Civil War Link

Check this out - lots of additional links to photos, videos, text, etc.

http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/brother-against-brother.htm

BTW, if you come across an interesting/informative/helpful/cool link, send it to me in an email and I'll post it in the blog... it's all about collaboration (and NOT reinventing the wheel!).

History is Elementary: King George's War

Those of you taking the content classes this week might be interested in this link:

http://historyiselementary.blogspot.com/2008/07/13-things-king-georges-war.html

The post is about the series of "wars" that comprised the French and Indian Wars. Interesting stuff!

Edublog

Edublog is a site where you (as a teacher) and your students can set up blogs. Check it out!

http://edublogs.org/

New Pix!

I'm posting pictures from recent team collaborations and content classes. Enjoy!

Online Courses

If you are having trouble with the ASCD online course, please contact the Special Programs secretary, Jan Prince (673-3553, x251). Jan will get you sorted out!

SMART Board software

I'm looking for my SMART Board software discs, which I loaned out at the SMART Board training at Santa Clara. I know Kali has one, but I can't remember who has the other. I would like to get thee back so that I can loan them to other people... so, if you have one, please drop it by to me at the district office (the building is closed on Fridays). THANKS!

Online Courses

A few people have asked for a reiteration of how to access the ASCD online courses. Here ya go:

Website: www.lms.ascd.org

Username: firstinitiallastnameUT [example: asalyerUT]

Password: lastnamefirstinitial [example: salyera]

If this isn't clear, or if you have questions, please call me directly.

UbD Videos & Schedule

Happy almost 4th of July! FYI, email is functional again. This post is pretty much a repeat of what I sent out earlier this morning.

1. We are looking for the UbD videos. LuAnne needs to use these next week in the collaboration. If you have them, please let me know ASAP so that I can arrange to pick them up.

2. Collaboration schedule: Next week, starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Woodward Building. Expect to work until 4:00. There is a microwave and refrigerator in the Woodward kitchen if you want to bring your lunch.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Email and Booklists

Hello All - the district email server is down and has been all week, which is why you haven;t heard from me! :) If you've emailed me, please know that I'm not actively ignoring you... hopefully this problem will be resolved soon. Until then, please keep checking the blog for updates.

BOOK LISTS: Last week I asked you (in class or via email) to fill out a book list. We REALLY need this information so that we can order the missing materials. Let me know if you need a copy faxed or mailed to you (since we're email-less). PLEASE return the completed list to me vial email (again, when it works), fax (673-3216), or snail-mail (121 W. Tabernacle, St. George 84770) ASAP.

THANKS!!!

Cool History Blog

Check out this very cool blog, designed for teachers of history at the elementary level:

http://historyiselementary.blogspot.com/

I've only read a few posts, but what I did see was pretty interesting!