April Stories

April Stories

April Ezine for Mathematics and Geography Students

 You may choose from the following sample topics or create your own:

  • Cable Television Reviews…History Channel, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Food Network, A&E Programs, etc.
  • Movie Reviews…Nim’s Island
  • Monthly “Happenings” in the classrooms…Earth Day, World Math Day site, Poetry Month, and National Parks week

 

Discovery Educator Webinars,

Army Simulation Webinar

Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Army Simulation Webinar

Discovery Connect Webinar - The Rise of The Video Game Featuring The America’s Army

 

Not too long ago the Discovery Channel aired a series called The Rise of the Video Game. The series featured the America’s Army game  

We thought it would really cool to develop a Discovery Connect Webinar around that theme and Wow what an amazing, interactive and jam packed webinar that was!  

This morning over 1000 students, teachers and administrators from around the country got a unique behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a video game from start to finish.  

The session was led by Subject Matter Experts, Phillip Bossant and Mike Barnett. Phillip is the executive producer of the America’s Army PC game that is played by more than nine million registered users around the world. Phillip is based in Emeryville, CA located near San Francisco. Mike is the Chief Engineer Mike Barnett who oversees the development of military simulations that use the America’s Army game technology. Mike is based at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.  

Together Phil and Mike shared photos and stories with students. They answered questions and heard comments like:  

  • What are the best colleges to go to if you want to get into the video game industry?  
  • Where are the areas that you simulate in real life?  
  • How many people do you have working on a single game?  
  • It’s amazing how real everything looks!  
  • My kids thought the pictures were of the “real deal”  

    But just in case you weren’t able to join us this morning -we’ve got you covered. We recorded the event and you can experience it by clicking on this link: Discovery Connect Webinar - The Rise of the Video Game

Student Interests,

Softball Tournament

By   Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Over spring break I had a softball tournament. In the age division that I play in there were four teams. The Seminole Warriors (my team),the Lady wolves , the cyclones and another Seminole Warriors team.We started of the weekend playing three seeding games, our first game we played our younger Seminole Warriors team. We ended up beating them 11 to 3.
Our next game would be the toughest for that day. We played the Cyclones, we played a good game but we ended up losing by one run and the score ended up being 7 to 8. The last game of the day was against the Lady Wolves they are a really good team and by the end of the day we were all very tired and out of it , we lost that game. We ended up seeding third and that means that on Sunday we will have to play the number two team which were the Lady Wolves. So went out on Sunday wanting to win and we put forth all our effort. We tried our best and today are best was good enough.We ended up beating the Lady Wolves 11 to 6.The last game was the hardest of them all. It was the championship game. My coach said to us before the game "Guys you have made it this far don't give up now ".So we went out there with the same intentions to win the game. In the middle of the game it started to rain so we had to delay the game so they delayed the game for about fifteen minutes. The coaches on the other team wanted to end the game because they were winning but my coaches said that wold not be fair. So it stopped raining and it was our turn to bat , that is when we all started cheering and we had a big rally going on. Every one was hitting, we were having so much fun and before we knew it the game was over . We won, we are the champions! My team and I got a plaque and a shirt that said champions on it. My coaches were so proud of us and we were proud of ourselves.

Student Interests,

Sweet 16th Birthday Party

By Nathalie   Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Long time ago there was this girl who's 15 year old, she dream of having her SUPER 16 BIRTHDAY PARTY,with a pink dress,invite all her friends and family.But one day she thought ''every princess needs a prince'' so shes looking for that special prince, she knows that one day she would find that prince and her dream will come true.
 
 
And one day her parents tould her that they we're going to celebrate her 16 BIRTHDAY PARTY,she was really excited, but she didn;t have a prince, her parents tould her that she would find one, the next day she went to school and ask the guy that she like if he can be her prince for her party, he said yes, she was happy. The special day(her birthday) is here she looked just like a princess,with her pink dress and her prince,she was really happy.
(she new that her dream was coming true and it did, she would never forget that special day)
 
 
 
 
I hope you like my story
Nathalie
teacher:MRS.Abrams
5th period class

Best Mathematic Games,

Educational Games

Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Educational Games

Breaking News from Animal Planet,

Win $500 for our Animal Shelter Contest

By Nancy Keck   Wed, Apr 09, 2008

Win $500 for our Animal Shelter Contest

Don't forget to Vote!

Now, share your idea with your friends and ask them to help you win one of the prizes by voting for your project! You can send them the link to your project directly http://reelthinking.nimsisland.com/detail.php?Pid=139.

Student Interests,

Can't Change Their Minds

By Stitchrocks   Tue, Apr 08, 2008

Title= Can’t Change Their Minds

 

            There will be always people in this world who don’t except people for who they are. There will always be “Clicks” and “Groups” in which people are separated to be with people who look like them or like the same stuff. In school we all know the Groups “Jocks” will always hang out with “Preps”. “Math Geeks” will go to the “Book Worms”. As well as the “Emotional unstable/Japanese” (a.k.a. Emos) will hang out with “Goths or The Anime Lovers” but it’s the time when we are first going into 6th grade people will go mixed up like me and my friends were. Later we go into 7th grade we start running away from our old friends from their words like “You have CHANGE” or like “your DIFFERENT we don’t even know u any more” so those words hurt hard.

            When most of us have heard those words we might actually change. My sister said I would be put into the “Prep” label in 6th grade now times have change now I hang out with the one people most people don’t understand the “Emos, Japanese, Goths, and Anime Lovers” and I am so happy!! People think they are Sad and they hate the world and they want to die. Well what do you think when you hurt us?! Or make fun of us?! Well the truth is my friends and I are happy true when we are together but when we see all the people that hurt us some of us become more sad then the others but we are all good but…Those people out there won’t open there minds! Once we go out for a job do you really think we will dress like we do? NO! We won’t we will be dressed like everyone else. And we don’t drink blood, sacrifice animals, nor are believers of the devil! Those are the people out there who are way over there heads, drug users, and probably over 26. So just treat us like you just with better style and can’t pull of the color Black.

 

~All the Emos in Greenwood Lakes Middle School

 

~Gabriella (4-7-08)

Student Interests,

Home Run Ball

By JR   Tue, Apr 08, 2008

Home Run Ball

OUR LIVES… OUR STORIES…                   JR

4/7/08

Mrs. Abrams, Pd. 6

Home Run Ball

          This is the home run ball that I hit in our little league game vs the Yankees. I hit the ball off of a pitcher by the name of Collin Daily and the home run went 240’over the fence at the Lake Mary Sports Complex on 3/15/08. Baseball is my favorite sport and I play this game all the time.

Best Mathematic Games,

Johnny's Math Page of Games

Sun, Apr 06, 2008

Johnny's Math Page of Games
tl

Links to Interactive Math Tools and Activities for Students and Teachers from Kindergarten through Middle School.

About and Contact Information

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 Enjoy the many math activities. Here are hundreds of links to the best math activities for kids on the web. There are many good challenges in the fun section. I love math puzzles and games.
 
 
 
 
 

Here are links to my other sites. I will add many more good things here in the future.

 
 
 
 
 Look here for my free worksheets. I have many multiplication sheetsfor you here now.
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Here is my Story Page. I have put together dozens of links to the best animated interactive read aloudsfor kids.
 
  
 
  
 
 
 

Here is my store. In the store you will find my recommendations for math books and story books.

In the math section you will find the best counting books, the best math picture books, and the best books on math teaching. Check them out!

Start building a math library for your kids at home or for the kids in your classroom.

 
 
  
 
 
 
 

This site is for anyone interested in learning math. 

These sites are great for elementary math as well as homeschool math. Teach children math through interactive tools and interactive math games.  Enjoy the fun sites! Fun math games can be found with our gorilla friend. Math tutors should find these links great in helping students with math homework Some sites are online tutors in themselves.  Math teaching resources such as math books and math worksheet books can be found in the store.  Educational math games can be found in the computer section of the store.

Special Events,

Earth Day TV

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Earth Day TV
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New on Earth Day TV

 

Interview with Richard Louv

 

 
Green Schools





 
Earth Day April 22, 2008

   
 
 


Global Water Network


Ecological Footprint
EDN e-Store

 
 
EDNheadlines

Don't be a slouch! - Listen to Chevy Chase's Call for Climate

How many degrees separate us from the tragedy of global warming? Listen to Kevin Bacon’s Call for Climate

Listen to Questlove’s (The Roots) Call for Climate

Listen to Zack Braff (Scrubs) Call for Climate

EDN's Ecological Footprint, one of the coolest sites of 2007 according to TIME

 

More headlines…

theInsideStory

Adopt - A - Water Project bring water and sanitation to those in need

Religious and Faith Communities Outreach

Bring Civics back into our schools - National Civic Education Project

Combining Solutions to Extreme Poverty and the Climate Crisis

The Urban Environment Report
EDNActionCenter

Find out what hundreds of thousands of young people like you are doing for Earth Day



The Lighting for a Brighter Tomorrow Act is NOT so bright. Help us close the loopholes!

ncli

No Child Left Inside. ACT NOW! To make sure Environmental Education is part of every child’s education

Best Mathematic Games,

Planet Green Game

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Planet Green Game
TAKE ACTION ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING ABOUT THE GAME SEND TO A FRIEND


Site located at....

http://www.planetgreengame.com/play_again.html

Terms of Use Privacy Policy

Discovery Educator Network Highlights,

April...Financial Literacy Month

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

April...Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy Month

Do you or a colleague talk about or teach financial literacy to students or your own children? Below are some websites with lessons, free materials  and interactive games to help students become financially literate. (This maybe good for some adults too!) Great for K-6, Math, Family&Consumer Science, Business and Economics teachers.

Watch for theNational Financial Literacy Challenge Coming Soon

Jump$tart - Financial Smarts for Students

The United States Mint Pocket Change Games

Money Math Lessons for Life

My Money

Financial Literacy Public-Private Partnership - some fun interactive games on this site

Don’t forget all the resources about money you can find on DEstreaming: Coin Sounds, Money Songs, Articles and of course, the videos.

Best Mathematic Games,

Math Hunt...Earth Day Game

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Math Hunt...Earth Day Game

Great Earth Day Game Site...

http://teacher.scholastic.com/mathhunt/StartGame.asp?QuizID=3

Earth Day Contests,

Environmental Contest for Earth Day

By Nancy Keck   Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Nim respects and protects her island and its wildlife and you can too!
We want to help.

Whether your “island” is your backyard, school, community, country or world, let us know what you’d like to do to improve it. Whether by yourself, with some friends or your whole class, enter a project idea below that you think will help the environment. Then, recruit as many of your friends and family to vote for your idea. If your idea gets the most votes you’ll win a cash prize to put towards making your island a better place!

Link...

http://reelthinking.nimsisland.com/

How to Help Others,

Scholastics...Act Green

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Scholastics...Act Green
Welcome to Scholastic.com
 
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Discovery Educator Network Highlights,

Earth Day 24 Hour Webcastathon

Thu, Apr 03, 2008

Earth Day 24 Hour Webcastathon undefined undefined editing disabled
Actions

Earth Day 2008 24 Hour Webcastathon!

Webcast Around the Earth Day 2008


The Future is in OUR Hands
The Future is in OUR Hands

 WebcastathonFlyer.pdf - Promotional Flyer

Earthcast Voicethread

Earthcast Voicethread - Begin participating in this project now by leaving an audio comment, video comment, or text comment.

Student Voicethread



Earth Day Planning

Shared Google Doc that the webcast team is using to plan the event (if you'd like to collaborate on this document, contact Matt Montagne).

Next meeting:

Sunday, April 6th at 18:00 GMT to do a progress check-in (via skype). Click here to see what time the meeting is in your time zone.

Participate in the meeting via skype or via Webcast Academy's Live page: http://webcastacademy.net/live . We'll be in Sandbox A.


About

Earth Day is on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008. To celebrate the day, we will be working collaboratively with people around the world to produce and air a live webcast which will last for the entire 24 hours of the GMT day! This is a HUGE challenge and we're hopeful that you'll participate! At this point we're trying to find a webcast academy intern or a webcast academy alumni to sign up to stream an hour or two of the GMT day. It would be nice to take the skype conversations and stream them out via both ustream and World Bridges.

You could focus your hour long block in any way that you see fit. You could speak with local business leaders, community members, engineers, scientists, school leaders, architects, professors, politiicans, etc. Of course your conversations don't need to be local-you could certainly speak to anyone potentially (imagine if we could speak with Al Gore...how cool would that be! I think we might blow up ustream and the World Bridges shoutcast server if this happened!)

If you are interested in participating, please read the blog post that Matt Montagne put together on this idea. Ideally we would have people from all over the globe moderating the webcast so that we can cover the full 24 hour GMT day (actually, we really want moderators from all over the world to help us all form a more global perspective on this issue).

There will be many ways to participate in the day, even if you are not interested in moderating for an hour. You can help by finding interesting speakers to be interviewed or by simply listening along with your classroom. You can also help by advertising the webcast through your various communication channels and social networks.

More About the 24 Hour Earth Day 2008 Webcastathon
What: This is intended to be a 24 hour long conversation about the health of our planet. We hope to have participants from around the world moderate an hour long conversation. This conversation can be planned at the discretion of the moderator(s) for that hour. Potential guests could include local leaders, student environmental advocates, scientists/engineers, politicians, grassroots leaders, etc.
When: Tuesday, April 22nd 2008. We will follow the 24 hour GMT day (et-we'll use the time in Greenwich, England as the standard for planning the time blocks.
Why: The goal is to help our participants (both listeners and moderators) form a more global perspective on the issue of sustainability and the health of the earth.



Please sign up in the chart below...if you are not interested in moderating an hour but you're willing to help out in some other way, enter you contact information at the bottom of the chart:

Registration:

GMT
Time
 Your name/location
 Your GMT location
 Your school/
organization
 Your contact information:
 Are you a webcast academy intern/
alumni?
 List out
your potential guests
here
 Any other notes, suggestions or comments?
Intended a
audience
0-1:00 am
 Opening Hour-all webcasters who are available





1:00 am-2:00 am
 Jose Rodriguez
 -8 GMT
 It's Elementary Webcast
 coordinatorsoffice@gmail.com
skype: coordinatortwo
 Yes Class of 2.2.
 Mark Ahlness
2:00 am-3:00 am
 Alice Mercer
 -8 GMT
 Alice's Restaurant/
Bannon Creek Elementary Traffic Tamers
 alice_mercer@yahoo.com
skype: miz mercer
 Yes Class of 2.2
 Other schools using traffic tamers or encouraging walking and biking to school, (esp. the Aussie contingent)
3:00 am-4:00 am
 Alice Mercer
 -8 GMT
 Willing to keep streaming others add your name here
 alice_mercer@yahoo.com
skype: miz mercer
 Yes Class of 2.2

4:00am-5:00 am






5:00am-6:00 am






6:00am-7:00 am






7:00am-8:00 am






9:00am-10:00 am
 Cristina Costa
UK
 BST
 Able to moderate in Portuguese and English
Will create Podcast interviews
 cristinacost@gmail.com
Skype: navysternchen
twitter: cristinacost
 Yes

10:00am - 11:00






11:00am-noon






noon-1:00pm






1:00 pm-2:00 pm
 Sheila Adams
Rye, NH, US
 GMT-4
 Rye Jr. High School,
Middle School
 skype is kmno4s
sadamsrjh at rcn.com
 2.4
intern
 Audio from Barbara Morgan, astronaut; Students
sharing;
Teacher who has been to Antarctic (Q&A);
couple in town trying to go green.
 Intend to be
live. Looking for
Questions from
Students K-12+
Adults
Educators
2:00 pm-3:00 pm

10am EST
 Pam Shoemaker-MI, US
 GMT-4
 Walled Lake Schools
 twitter=shoemap
skype=shoemap
gmail=pam.shoemaker
 2.3
 General Motors, Education Division: Chris Clonen


3:00 pm-4:00 pm (15:00GMT)
 Durff potentially
 GMT-4


guest is thinking about it....
4:00 pm-5:00 pm
 Digitalmaverick-UK





5:00 pm-6:00 pm
 Digitalmaverick-UK





6:00 pm-7:00 pm
 Derrall Garrison -CA, US
 GMT -8
 Lawson Middle School
 derrallg on Skype
derrallg on Twitter
derrallg at gmail
 2.3

7:15pm-7:30pm
 Pam Shoemaker
This will need to be Ustreamed. I'll need help from someone.

Sue Hellman
HS teacher
Surry, BC, Canada
 Earth Day Presentation using Vuvox Collage program, & student interview
7:30 pm-8:00 pm (19:30GMT)
 Durff from the halls of school
 GMT-4


The learners of BCA
 Asking learners what they are doinng to save the earth...
8:00 pm-9:00 pm
 Alec Couros and Peta White, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
 GMT -6
 University of Regina, Faculty of Education
 alec.couros@uregina.ca and white20p@uregina.ca
Highlights from Earth Day activities from around Regina
9:00 pm-10:00 pm
 Matt Montagne-Central USA
 GMT-6
 University School of Milwaukee
 mjmontagne on twitter mjmontagne at gmail
 Yes
 Jason Czarnakci- Professor of Environmental Law at Marquette University
10:00 pm-11:00pm
 Jason Robertshaw
 GMT -4
 cephalopodcast.com
 cephalopodcast [at] gmail
 Sort of, rusty. Class ~1.2
 Ocean conservation
11:00 pm- Midnight!
 Finale-processing of day / reflection with all webcasters who are available.































EarthCast Bookmarks

Delicious Bookmarks : Be sure to tag all of your delicious/diigo bookmarks with earthcast08 as one of the tags.





Al Gore's TED Talks Speech (16 Min): http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/1

Earth Day 2008 Planning-Earth Day Network Site

Below is a brainstorm of some possible activities for Earth Day week at USM:

2-4-2008 Earth Day Planning Meeting w/Environmental Science Class:

  • Exhibits dealing with certain topics in a common space-Kelly V
  • Special schedule where we plant trees-Raythan
  • Spring dance on April 11th-perhaps use that as some way to raise funds for purchasing a tree for Earth Day Planting-use some sort of environmental theme.
  • Advising activity
  • Keynote speaker and discussion
  • Wildcat Morning News-in the weeks leading up to this we could have them do a short spot on the Wildcat Morning News

Flower planting...

By Grade Levels

Monday, April 21st
Keynote Speaker-Will Allen or someone else to kick off the week

Tuesday, April 22nd (Earth Day!)
Blue and Green Day (75% of students wear a blue USM 2008 Earth Day T-Shirt, 25% wear a green USM 2008 Earth Day shirt)
Photo taken from tower of students in the shape of planet earth

Grade Level Speaker (eg-5th Graders talking with ornaments from everest artist)

Wednesday, April 23rd
Grade Level Speaker for 6th Grade

Thursday, April 24th
Grade Level Speakrs for 7th and 8th Grade

Friday, April 25th
Live, streaming video of environmental summit live from USM
Students prepare short little talks relating to important environmental issues...these talks are give live in front of the students and is broadcast out via streaming video online (if streaming video isn't possible, then we look at streaming the audio)

For speakers: I think we should do a call for speakers to our faculty, parents and alumni asking them if they know anyone in this industry who would speak with us. Earth Day 2008 Planning

Keynote Speaker Possibilities:
Will Allen-Growing Power

Small Conference Speaker Possibilities (these could be done in small groups in classrooms, or if the speaker comes onsite in Mellowes or the Theater):
Robyn Beavers - Chief Sustainability Officer from Google
Ward Folwer - Owner of Alterra Coffee in Milwaukee, WI
Representative from University of Michigan's Solar Power Car Team:
Matt's neighbor who is an environmental law professor at Marquette
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