Marsha
Rogers
2400 Interlachen Road #110A
Spring Park, MN 55384
952-471-1127
msrogers@mchsi.com
©Computers
are only a tool.
|
Marsha
Rogers |
|
[ETC Home] [Biography] [Research] [Workshops] [Bloom's Taxonomy] [ETC Newsletter Archive] [MSRogers Home]
October, 2003
October 5
It's hard to believe, but it's time to start planning for your Halloween activities, if you are allowed to do so. Some schools have banned Halloween celebrations. If you can celebrate the holiday, there are some really great locations on the web to assist you in planning your lessons.
Languages
Dia De Los Muertes
http://www.questconnect.org/oaxaca_dia_de_los_muertes_NF.htm
If you click on the "lesson plans" link you will find complete lessons on Oaxaca culture, which features Day of the Dead activities, along with geography, economy, history, archaeology, the people, flora and fauna, and turtles. There is also a lesson creating a travel brochure for Oaxaca. This site provides you with both good information and an opportunity to include technology in your language class.
Modern Languages
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/3852/halloween.html
This site explores holidays in countries speaking French, English, and German. Not only are English versions available, there are lessons that make use of the language the students are studying. This site is interesting, since there are few language sites that consciously link to what is happening around us. If you are in a school where many sites are blocked, you may have trouble accessing this site, since many of the free websites are blocked by security software.
Younger Students
Halloween activities
http://www.parentsoup.com/specialevents/halloween/articles/0,8248,187411_265352,00.html
There are 14 activities at this site. The Cat and Moon mobile looks like an interesting project; however, there are no photos of the finished project.
Create a Halloween Party Webquest
http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~bullock/webquest/
This webquest is a way to involve all students in the class in planning a Halloween party.
Halloween and Day of the Dead Webquest
http://www.tec.uno.edu/AuthorsSummer2000/VPreaus/dead/deadday.htm
Students explore how the Day of the Dead is celebrated, recreate an altar as those who celebrate Dia de los muertes. They also compare and contrast Halloween and Day of the Dead.
All kinds of activities
http://teachers.teach-nology.com/themes/holidays/halloween/
There are links to all kinds of activities, worksheets, songs, webquests, etc. on this page.
Samhain
http://www.witchvox.com/holidays/samhain/1031_samhain_history.html
This is a text article explaining the origins of Halloween and many of the traditions celebrated in the U.S. associated with it. If you have community problems with discussing witches, please check out the site before sending students there.
Clipart
http://webclipart.miningco.com/library/Hallow/blclip47.htm
If you need clipart for Halloween, check out the Mining Company site. It has some really great images.
October 13
Having trouble thinking of writing prompts. There are enough here for all grades to keep your students writing for a long time:
Nice narrative, informal and persuasive prompts:
http://www.pasd.com/pssa/writing/WRI25.HTM
This one is great for grades 1-8:
http://www.everydayspelling.com/workout/prompts/promptsndx.html
Here is a list of topics that is good for grades 6-12:
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/prompts.html
Use the drop-down menu to link to writing prompts at the WritingFix sponsored by the Northern Nevada Writing Project
http://writingfix.com/
A large part of my background training in teaching writing came from the Northern Nevada Writing Project. Check out their site at:
http://www.unr.edu/educ/nnwp/index.html
The publications are valuable in providing lessons in all areas of English/Language Arts.
October 19
Many activities in your class will be cross-curricular. Often you can work with another teacher in your school. The links below are to websites that promote such cooperation in teaching and learning.
Science/Health:
1UP Health is a health information resource that contains a database of articles from over 4,000 trusted resources. It is a good resource for all grades.
http://www.1uphealth.com/
Science/Social Studies:
How Everyday Things Are Made is a product of Stanford University. It includes about 4 hours of video on about 40 products showing how they are made. Think of it as your personal factory tour.
http://manufacturing.stanford.edu/
Secrets of Lost Empires is a production of NOVA/PBS. It includes explanations of ancient engineering marvels like Stonehenge, Inca fortresses, the Coloseum, and how a 450 ton obelisk is raised. Teacher resources are included. Grades K-12.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/class/01secrets.html
Art/Social Studies:
The Los Angeles County Art Museum exhibit on the legacy of Genghis Khan on the art and culture of the Iranian world. There is a collection of over 200 pieces of art from museums around the world.
http://www.lacma.org/khan/index_flash.htm
There is also a historical outline available in written form:
http://www.lacma.org/lacma.asp?mypage=khanpr
All Areas:
Dictionary Link provides links to free online dictionaries, thesaureses, language translators, crossword solvers, etc. It's usable for all grades K-12.
http://www.dictionarylink.com
October 26
November is Native American Heritage Month. There are
several sites you can use to present this topic to your students.
You can find Native American humor in art at:
http://www.conexus.si.edu/humor/toc/index.htm
Native American lore from tribes and nations across the country. I
particularly like using these stories with storytelling units.
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/loreindx.html
There are some really interesting links to Native American technology
and art at Native Tech. It's a great way to incorporate art
with social studies.
http://www.nativetech.org/
Besides these sites, check out some of the gateway sites. I
sent these out at the end of last year. Just in case you don't have
them, here they are again:
Blue Web'n has thousands of links to lesson plans in all areas of
education and all levels:
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
The Gateway to Educational Materials can be browsed using keywords and
grade levels. As a suggestion, when you use this site, check off one
grade below and one grade above what you are looking for:
http://thegateway.org/
Gander Academy has one of the best list of themed lessons for elementary
students. It's one of the best sites I have found where you
can find links to a given theme. The wonderful thing about this site
is that it
keeps growing.
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/
The Lesson Plan Page has links to more than 2000 lesson plans for all areas:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/
I can't leave out webquests. Bernie Dodge has his site at the
University of San Diego. I am convinced that webquests are a major
educational took and a way to engage students in learning. Click on
examples for the webquests.
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
For other educational links, please
visit my column at Backwash
The
Oldest Cyber-Geek I Know