Infonews n°300 from 25/03/2007
Look at it : do you feel dizzy? Would you dare step on it and look down?
Comic strip creator (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
Teaching with music (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
Songs for the class
Sentence sequencing (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
Everyday Teaching Newsletter
Lewis and Clark interactive
City Mayors (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Redundancy
Slow London
Europe
Police Dogs' lives in danger
Physics : All about waves (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
Physics : Physlets (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Mathematics : Geometry (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Statistics : PollingReport.com (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Biology : How The Heart Works (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Basic Accounting Lesson Plans (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Technology, engineering : Nanotechnology and Nanoscience
Create cover and booklets for your CD and DVD (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter,
Mar.23rd)
Look at it : do you feel dizzy? Would you dare step on it and look down?
http://www.latimes.com/media/graphic/2007-02/27840563.gif
http://mrjarchitects.com/skywalk.jpg
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/images/040826_grandcanyon.jpg
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/US/03/20/grand.canyon.skywalk.ap/story.canyon.ap.jpg
Indian leaders and former astronauts stepped gingerly beyond the Grand Canyon's
rim last Tuesday, and Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was invited to join
the tribe along with former astronaut John Herrington, declared it a
"magnificent first walk" , but not enough for him : "It felt
wonderful; but not exactly like floating on air," Aldrin said after stepping
off the deck. Watch this video from the BBC showing him and giving other information
about the skywalk.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6460000/newsid_6469300/6469323.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm
March the 28th will be the official opening day of this skywalk above the Grand
Canyon, the first-ever cantilever shaped glass walkway to suspend more that
4,000 feet above the canyon's floor and extend seventy feet from the canyon's
rim. Read the Scout Report special report about it:
http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/2007/scout-070323-inthenews.php#1
On the official website, on which you can compare it to other structures:
http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/compare.html
And here are some articles and videos to learn more about it:
an easy site for beginners and lower intermediates, or students who don't like
reading (pictures and a short sentence, with figures)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6470000/newsid_6470400/6470453.stm
a nice drawing (to be compared with the real thing) and a short text from the
National Geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0826_050826_grandcanyon.html
Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_Skywalk
The Times : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1544231.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1546142.ece (with
facts and figures)
the BBC (with the above mentioned video) : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6469941.stm
CNN (plus video) : http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/03/20/grand.canyon.skywalk.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Urban legend (plus photos) : http://www.snopes.com/photos/architecture/skywalk.asp
photos and a You Tube video : http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/first-video-of-grand-canyons-glass-skywalk-245862.php
the official website : http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com
from the economic point of view (short article with lots of figures)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Entertainment&article=UPI-1-20070308-17514700-bc-us-grandcanyon.xml
from the technical point of view (contractors)
http://www.contractortoolsandsupplies.com/slideshow/skywalk_intro.htm
L.A.Times, with photos and a picture to compare it to other structures
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-skywalk11feb11,0,6802248.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Comic strip creator (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
"We had a lot of fun playing with this interactive Comic Strip Creator.
You can choose your background scene, add people, put in the text bubbles,
add props... and when you're finished you just print it out. Students can use
this Comic Strip Creator to animate a character or scene from the novel they're
reading - a very creative way to incorporate creative reading responses. Consider
also taking a character out of the novel and giving him or her a whole new
setting and scene. After printing out their comic strips, students can add
to the scenes by drawing more props or characters and adding color. They might
even enjoy a weekly caption contest, putting unlikely props and characters
together in a setting of their choice, and seeing, by a class vote, which student
comes up with the winning caption. That student could then create the next
caption contest. (6-12)"
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/index.html
[ a very efficient cartoon creator, simple to use, but of course with a limited
number of people, backgrounds and props. But I think children in primary school
or the early years of secondary school will enjoy creating cartoons and using
the vocabulary they know. Have fun! ]
Teaching with music (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
"From using catchy tunes to help transitions go smoothly, to learning
about colors, chanting the alphabet, or using music in participation stories,
this site will provide you with lots of key strategies for incorporating music
into everyday classroom activities. Also find lesson plans for older grades
- teaching grammar with verse, learning alliteration, writing with music, listening
for initial letter sounds, and ESL options. (PreK-4)"
http://www.songsforteaching.com/teachertips.htm
[ This site goes beyond resources for primary school : you will find there
links to articles about how to use music, songs and even karaoke in class,
and several sites of useful resources like alphabet songs. Note that altough
several links lead to books or tapes that you have to buy, there are also resources
to download and the lyrics of the songs. For the full catalogue, go to :
http://www.songsforteaching.com/store/home.php?cat=882 ]
Songs for the class
On eteachnet, our colleague from Martinique, Miriam Mascaras, recommends
those songs for young children that can be used in primary school or the lower
classes of secondary school. the third one, the hello song, can be adapted
in many ways.
http://www.bushfirepress.com/promotions/songs_to_grow/big_and_little.mp3
http://www.bushfirepress.com/promotions/singing/start_singing_dancing/Dinosaur_Stomp.mp3
http://www.bushfirepress.com/promotions/songs_to_grow/Hello_Song.mp3
http://www.bushfirepress.com/promotions/singing/action_mcdonald.html
Sentence sequencing (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
"There are numerous suggestions included with these printable sequencing
cards to make good use of them, reinforcing sentence skills and identifying
parts of a sentence. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the printable noun,
verb, adjectives, and helper cards. (K-3)"
http://www.dltk-teach.com/alphabuddies/sequence/sentence.htm
After reading the familiar and well-loved story of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar",
primary students will use these colorful printable cards to sequence the story.
(PreK-2)
http://www.dltk-teach.com/books/hungrycaterpillar/sequencing.htm
[ Sequencing is an activity/game that allows children to practice combining
nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc to make a sentence. You can use the cards for
free play, or as a memory game. I think this activity can be quite interesting
for our students if you take up the method and make your own cards about a
topic they know, or use the sequencing about the caterpillar if they are familiar
with the book.]
Everyday Teaching Newsletter
The above addresses come from this newsletter. It is the new name of the
newsletter called
"Classroom Flyer" edited by Riverdeep which is now edited by Realmworks
Communications, but it is the same author, Brenda Barron. It is aimed at kindergarten
and primary school teachers in the US, but offers each week useful resources
that can also be used in ESL classes with young students. On the home page,
you find a calendar with suggestions of activities for each day of the month.
http://www.everydayteaching.com/
Lewis and Clark interactive
March 23rd, 1806 was the day when the Lewis and Clark Expedition began their
journey westward. On the National geographic website, you can find an interactive
presentation of their journals with what they found along the way, along with
photos, maps, and drawings.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/journey_intro.html
After learning about the basic facts and the historical context, your students
will be able to play this interactive history game in which they have to take
the right decisions :
"Decision-making was an essential part of the Corps of Discovery, and
your students get to travel along with Lewis and Clark in this interactive
journey to make their own decisions. Be careful though, since how you choose
affects the outcome of the expedition." (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter,
Mar.23rd)
http://www.usaweekend.com/97_issues/971102/lewis_and_clark/971102trail_intro.html
City Mayors (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Drawing on the expertise of a team of editors who reside in Britain, Germany,
Spain, Mexico, France, and a number of other countries, the City Mayors organization
is an “international network of professionals working to promote strong cities
and good local government.” Their website takes on all of the important urban
issues of the day, including governance, affordable housing, sustainable development,
transportation, and a number of other pressing issues. On their homepage, visitors
will find links to recent news stories from cities around the world and direct
links to thematic sections such as business, finance, environment, and development.
One section that should not be missed is the “City Rankings” area, which
includes helpful lists of the largest cities in the world by land area, population
and density, along with a list of the most expensive cities in the world. [KMG]
http://www.citymayors.com/
[ a very interesting site presenting the pressing (and common) issues for the
cities in the world. Organised by continent, very comprehensive. For teachers
and advanced students. ]
Redundancy
The BBC programme Weekender offers this week
"Handy tips for redundancy" : "Being made redundant - or losing
your job - isn't usually a happy experience, but as we find out this week,
that doesn't always have to be the case.". As usual in this programme,
you hear an interview with the comments of the presenter in-between, to repeat
or explain some words. You can download the MP3 file and the transcript, and
find some vocabulary on the webpage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1549_weekender_extra/
[ The programme is long, but interesting. I think you can use parts of it in
class, or encourage intermediate students who will soon be in the working world
to use this programme to get the basic vocabulary about jobs.]
Slow London
in the same field, here is another document (audio file, vocabulary and full
transcript) about how some people who work in London try to reduce their stress.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1557_london_extra/
Europe
Our colleague Jean Sabiron from the university in Poitiers offers precious
resources on his blog called Vigilangues. See Top Down 30, which deal with
Europe and points at some interesting resources.
http://sabironlangues.typepad.fr/vigilangues/topdown/index.html
I especially enjoyed the text from the BBC called
"Guide to the best Euromyths" which is humorous and surprising.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6481969.stm
[ for advanced students.]
Police Dogs' lives in danger
A second short audio comprehension document ( audio file, transcript and
vocabulary) has been released this week by BBC learning English. You already
knew the story of this Columbian dog who was threatened, now here is another
one in Malaysia. The first text is more factual, I love the end of the second
one : "sniffer dogs can't tell the difference between good films and real
stinkers!". Both are for intermediate students or above.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/01/070129_agata.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/03/070323_sniffers.shtml
Physics : All about waves (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
"Middle school students can use this interactive exhibit to explore
the various electromagnetic waves, from radio waves, to microwaves, radiant
heat, visible light, UV radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. They will learn
how the wave lengths vary, with different results, and then experiment with
different quantities of energy to make and measure frequency and wavelength
in an interactive learning game. They will also experiment with Peak Wavelength
and variations in temperature; reviews and quizzes follow each activity. A
Teaching Guide is available at the 2nd link above. (6-9) "
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/light/
Physics : Physlets (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Understanding how various concepts and processes in physics can be an exasperating
experience for students beginning to study the field, so finding sites like
this one can be quite a delight. These Java-based applets were developed at
Davidson University by Wolfgang Christian, and they are a real delight. First-time
visitors may wish to read through the introduction
on using these physlets, and then move on to look through the different sections
on the site. In total, there are over 100 physlets here, and they include those
that illustrate (or animate) such processes as linear momentum, elastic linear
collisions, and the movement of sound waves. [KMG]
http://qbx6.ltu.edu/s_schneider/physlets/main/index.shtml
Mathematics : Geometry (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Along with their substantial instructional resources, the American Mathematical
Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) has worked to place valuable mathematical
materials online to aid both teachers and students.
This particular site contains links discovered and vetted by George Alexander,
who works on behalf of the AMATYC. Here visitors will find links to materials
that can be used to teach students about the fundamentals of geometry, including
plane motion, polyhedras, symmetry, and tessellations. In total, there are
links to 33 resources here, and suggestions for new
materials are always welcome. [KMG]
http://or.amatyc.org/geometry.htm
Statistics : PollingReport.com (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Everyone likes polls, even if they don’t always like the results. There are
a number of ways to keep tabs on recent and informative polls, and PollingReport.com
is definitely one of the most comprehensive ways to do so online. From the
homepage, users can look over the site’s primary thematic areas, which include “Elections”,
“National Security”, and “In the News”. Within each thematic area, visitors
can look over the results of recent polls, read the questions asked of participants,
and learn about each poll’s methodology and sample size. The site doesn’t have
a search engine, but it doesn’t take much time to look through the contents
of this useful site. The site has a number of subscription services as well,
though it should be noted that these are not offered for free. [KMG]
http://www.pollingreport.com/
Biology : How The Heart Works (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Figuring out how the heart functions in a metaphorical sense can be an unending
and highly metaphysical process (just ask John Donne), so it’s nice to find
a place online where visitors can learn how the heart functions in a literal
sense. This website was created by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute,
and begins by answering the basic question: “What is the Heart?” After reading
this short and informative piece of writing, visitors can meander through sections
titled “Anatomy”, “Contraction”,
“Circulation”, “Electrical System”, and “Heart Disease”. Each section provides
a brief summary of each topic, complete with graphic illustrations and several
digital animations. It’s a well-constructed and user-friendly introduction
to this important topic, and one that will be of use to those entering one
of the health care professions, or those who are intrigued with various body
systems. [KMG]
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hhw/hhw_whatis.html
Basic Accounting Lesson Plans (from The Scout Report -- March 23)
Are balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements keeping you
up at night? Well, beginning accounting students (or others with an interest
in such matters) will appreciate these basic accounting lesson plans, provided
courtesy of the MoneyInstructors.com website. The first section contains a
number of lesson plans and worksheets that include topics such as the fundamental
concepts of accounting, transaction analysis, accrual accounting and adjusting
entries. Moving on, the site also contains a number of useful articles on various
topics within the field, such as bookkeeping, ledgers, and profit and loss
reports. The site is rounded out by a selection of helpful accounting textbooks
that students may wish to look for as they continue their journey through the
world of accounting. [KMG]
http://www.moneyinstructor.com/accounting.asp
Technology, engineering : Nanotechnology and Nanoscience
The world of nanotechnology and its related applications is growing quickly,
and there are a number of websites that are dedicated to keeping up with the
developments in the field. This site falls into that very category, as it contains
links to recent news stories about the field, coupled with a database containing
nanotechnology-related links to universities, research labs and institutes,
and associations. Those who might be new to the world of nanotechnology will
want to browse on over to the
“Nanomaterials Introduction” section. Here they will find short pieces on the
significance of the nanoscale, nanomaterial science, and its current (and future)
applications. The site also contains a career center, where interested
persons can look over job opportunities in the industry. [KMG]
http://www.nanowerk.com/
Create cover and booklets for your CD and DVD (from Everyday Teaching Newsletter, Mar.23rd)
"Here is a handy online tool you can use again and again in your classroom.
Whether you create a music CD, a photo CD of your class projects or students,
or a DVD with your class, you can create your own cover and/or booklet here.
Another idea: allow your middle and high school students to use this CD/DVD
Cover Creator/Generator as a tool for reading responses. They can plan a movie
poster and then create it, decide what kind of music their character would
listen to, or determine what kind of music should accompany the screenplay
of their novel, and then create the CD and CD cover. Drawing and design tools
are included, with various formats and templates also available. (All)"
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/cd-dvd/
[ This is a free tool, which allow you to write or draw your covers and booklets.
It is useful, but you have to work online.]
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