Infonews n°268 du 26/02/2006
Activities
Webquests
Handbooks
Full coverage
Olympics for kids
Meet the athletes
Discover some sports
Execution postponed in California
About the Danish cartoons
California Tomatoes (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
Signs for the classroom (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
Classroom Management Signs
Number game for beginners (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
Weather cards (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
*** Sink/think a video for beginners
Keeping Insects as Pets (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
Hunting and Shooting Sports Safety Resources for Young People (from [LII New
This Week] February 16)
Acronyms
Amy's Story ( Teen internet safety)
For waiters and cooks
A Game Plan for Working With Professional Athletes (from [LII New This Week]
February 16)
Intelligent Designs on Evolution ( from [LII New This Week] February 23)
Global Gateway
Spring Day in Europe
Positive classroom vocabulary and attitudes for teachers
Communication strategies
Activities
Here are some sites and suggestions of activities to deal with the Winter
Olympics in class:
- build a webquest from the following sites, or use one ready made (written
comprehension, spot information and report)
- use the texts from the official handbooks ( global written comprehension,
scan a long text for information)
- invite your students to look for information, compare figures and read statistics
on the full coverage websites ( spot informations, read diagrams, use comparative
and superlative)
- read interviews and eventually act them (from written comprehension to oral
production)
- write to some athletes and ask them questions ( written interaction)
- invite your class or groups of students to discover some sports and report
orally about them (from animations and diagrams to oral report)
Webquests
- Michèle Henry a conçu cette webquest sur les J.O pour ses élèves de collèges,
mais elle peut aussi être utilisée avec de bon élèves de primaire, des élèves
de L.P ou dans des classes faibles de lycée.
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/sports6.htm
- Cette webquest destinée à des jeunes américains en primaire est adaptée aux
niveaux intermédiaires ( collège, LP, début lycée)
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/torino.htm
- des questions plus générales dans cette webquest sur le site éducatif américain
Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/instructor/cyberhunt/0009/cyberhuntkids.htm
Handbooks
The official italian website for the games offers those pages of information
about the history of the olympics and the different sports (documents in .pdf
to download)
http://www.kidsvillage.torino2006.org/istituzionale/Interna.asp?idarea=55&idnews=1431
Full coverage
- official website : http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/home/index.html
- New York Times (with excellent presentation of the sports, rules, etc)
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/olympics2006/sports/index.html
- USA Today : http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/front.htm
- BBC : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/sport_guides/default.stm
- NBC : http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
Olympics for kids
- history, events,activities like puzzles (site signalé par M.Henry)
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/winterolympics.htm
- Time for Kids (with three profiles/interviews)
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/articles/0,6709,1153730,00.html
- official site for Kids, from Torino (in italian, English and French)
http://www.kidsvillage.torino2006.org/
Meet the athletes
Many athletes have a blog or a home page. Your students can study their biography
and enjoy discovering personal details ( starting from primary school, they
can compare the answers to questions like "what's your "must-have
product?",
"what three words describe you best?", etc.). You can also invite
your students to write to one of their favorite atheletes (they may eventually
get an answer...)
article about the athletes sites : http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-02-04-olympic-sites_x.htm
an online form to write to the athletes : http://www.nbcolympics.com/mailbox/index.html
a site presenting several profiles : http://www.offthepodium.com
Some examples :
- Gretchen Bleiler, an American silver medal snowboarder (Q/A, bio, videos)
http://www.offthepodium.com/athletes/gretchen_bleiler.php
http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/5058588/detail.html
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/culdesac/Stars/GretchenBleiler.html (personal
message and a webquest)
- Duff Gibson , a skeleton gold medalist (Q/A, bio, videos)
http://www.nbcolympics.com/skeleton/5115029/detail.html
Discover some sports
- animations presenting the sports and the equipment
http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/spirito_olimpico/animazioni_sportive.html
- skeleton (drawings, basics, equipement, history, glossary):
*** http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4464466.stm
http://www.nbcolympics.com/skeleton/inside.html?qs=;ch=1
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/skeleton.htm
http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/sport_ed_atleti/skeleton.html
- snowboarding ( history, equipment, events, rules)
http://www.nbcolympics.com/snowboarding/inside.html?qs=;ch=4
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/snowboarding.htm
http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/sport_ed_atleti/snowboard.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4542266.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/spl/hi/videoguide/winterolympics/html/default.stm (full
interactive snowboard guide)
- curling ( a video explaining how it works, a diagram, and three diagrams
and comments explaining everything)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/4464752.stm
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/sports/olympics/olympics_2006/images/sports_curling_01.gif
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/sports/olympics/olympics_2006/images/sports_curling_02.gif
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/sports/olympics/olympics_2006/images/sports_curling_03.gif
- free-style skiing (aerials and moghuls)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4526358.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4526382.stm
Execution postponed in California
Michael Morales' execution in California was postponed because a court order
requires that, according to the US constitution, the condemned should be guarantied
that he won't suffer. Since no member of the medical profession accepts to
take part in the execution, this guaranty cannot be given. Read those info
which can lead to making executions impossible :
- from the San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/02/23/EXECUTE.TMP
- from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/23/national/23execute.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
- from Xinhua (China)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/23/content_4217724.htm
- from the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1715952,00.html
Here are some sites with maps, statistics, diagrams and explanations to learn
everything about capital punishment in the US :
http://teacher.deathpenaltyinfo.msu.edu/
http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/death-5.html
http://www.justicelearning.org/viewissue.asp?issueID=3# (with
a good timeline, click "interactive timeline" on the right)
http://www.aclu.org/capital/facts/10534res20050429.html (Q&A)
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=199&scid=15 (history)
http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/death/history.html (
plus statistics)
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cp.htm (last
official statistics)
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=5&did=184 (race
of death row inmates executes since 1976)
Here is Michèle Henry's excellent selection of sites to discover the pros and
cons, and a webquest :
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/deathpen.htm
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/webquests/Death%20Penalty/deathpenwq.htm
And here are documents to make advanced students reflect and discuss, and an
article "violent crime rising" and a lesson from the NYT :
http://www.activevoice.net/pdf/Deadline%20Resource%20Guide.pdf
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20060213monday.html
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20060213monday.html
About the Danish cartoons
The Face of the Prophet: Cartoon & Chasm (from [LII New This Week] February
23)
This February 2006 public radio show features an interview with Dr. Vincent
Cornell about the unrest that followed the publication in Danish newspapers
of editorial cartoons critical of the Prophet Muhammad. Includes an annotated
guide to the radio program, program transcript, audio (available as streaming
audio and a podcast), and related links. From "Speaking of Faith," a
radio program produced by American Public Media.
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/faceoftheprophet/
"E-Mail, Blogs, Text Messages Propel Anger Over Images"
Read this article "
E-Mail, Blogs, Text Messages Propel Anger Over Images"
from the Washington Post about a problem linked to Muslim demonstrations against
Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad : the transmission of news (real or
false) through the new media, which trigger anger and protest even before they
are verified.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802293.html
there are several other interesting documents on the page, including a video
of President Bush and Jordan's King Abdullah discussing the violent muslim
reaction to political cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. (AP Video) ,
and several transcripts of interviews of various people throughout the world.
[ You may want to raise the subject in class and invite the students to discuss
it.]
California Tomatoes (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
Facts, recipes, questions and answers, nutritional data, and classroom materials
about tomatoes. Includes a section for children with coloring sheets, games,
and trivia. From an industry association in California.
http://www.eatcatomatoes.org/Consumer/
[ educational material includes easy wordfinders, lesson plans and coloring
pages.]
Signs for the classroom (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
Download and print out signs for classroom centers, including Quiet Area,
Dress Up, Blocks, Puzzles & Games, Computer, and Free Choice, as well as
the standards.
http://www.kinderprintables.com/pocketchart1.htm
http://www.kinderprintables.com/pocketchart2.htm
Classroom Management Signs
Illustrations help to convey the tips offered here for establishing routines
and organizational principles in your classroom.
http://www.mrsnelsonsclass.com/teacherresources/classmanagement/classmanagement.aspx
[tips to organise the routines, and several nice .pdf posters and illustrations
to download.]
Number game for beginners (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
Print out these adorable penguin number cards on cardstock, then cut along
the simple pattern for your students to match the numbers to the correct penguin.
http://www.kinderprintables.com/winter/penguinnumberpuzzles.pdf
you can also use this set of cards, where children should write the number
of animals on the card and memorize how it is written.
<http://info.riverdeep.net/Key=51255.C0j.R.DFPSyK>http://www.angelfire.com/dc/childsplay/board.htm
Weather cards (from [LII New This Week] February 20)
What is the weather like today? use the drawing for the prompt and these
flash cards : sunny, cloudy, snowy, windy, rainy.
http://www.kinderprintables.com/pocketchart4.htm
*** Sink/think a video for beginners
Alyne Piazza recommended on liste-interlangues this advert found by our colleague
Sylvie Marc, and Lucile Juigner on e-teach found the second address in a different
format for the same ad.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/merryprof/video/pub-berlitz-sinking.wmv
http://uk.download.yahoo.com/pr/fu/oa/germancoastguard.mpg
Show it to your students and stop before the end. Ask them to suggest an ending,
then ask them to find what it is an ad for and to explain why. Maybe it will
help them improve their accent! ;)
[ Even if they learn German, tell them that the content in German isn't important,
it is just to set the context and show that the young man is German.]
Keeping Insects as Pets (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
This short fact sheet on pet insects discusses containers, water and food,
maintenance, and examples of insects (crickets and stick and spiny leaf insects)
that can be kept as pets. From the Australian Museum.
http://www.amonline.net.au/insects/insects/pets.htm
See also : Care tips for captive arthropods such as praying mantids, assassin
bugs, millipedes, wolf spiders, scorpions, and Madagascar cockroaches. Includes
an article on insects in the classroom. From the University of Kentucky Department
of Entomology.
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/bugconnection/petbugs/petbugs.htm
Hunting and Shooting Sports Safety Resources for Young People (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
Collection of links to material with safety tips for young hunters. Topics
include statistics, safety rules for firearms, water hunting, bow hunting,
and tree stand safety. Some material is specific to Michigan. From the University
of Michigan Health System.
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/huntresources.htm
[ if you studied Mickael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, you will find this
site useful in parallele with what he shows of the use of firearms in Michigan
(remember the dog who shot his master!) . It includes treestand safety, turkey
hunting safety and some hunting incidents statistics.]
Acronyms
invite your students to discover this surprising list of acronyms : did you
know that radar and laser were acronyms, like scuba?
<http://info.riverdeep.net/Key=51259.C01.Q.kxQPZ>http://www.teachersdesk.org/vocabacro.html
and, of course, to find the meaning of more than 3 million acronyms and abbreviations
(including chat), go to Acronym Finder. "Millions of acronyms across a
wide range of topics, carefully edited and maintained by item editors. Thousands
of acronyms added monthly. Includes a blog and free toolbars. Maintained in
various forms since 1985 by an entrepreneur specializing in acronyms." (from
[LII New This Week] February 23)
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
Amy's Story ( teen internet safety)
Hear the true story of a 15-year-old girl who left home to meet in person
with a man she first
"met" online, and read
"<http://www.netsmartz.org/stories/../news/amystory.htm>Amy's
Story" the story from her mother's perspective. Upper intermediate and
advanced students will discover this story with interest and may discuss the
subject, adding their personal experience.
http://www.netsmartz.org/stories/amy.htm
http://www.netsmartz.org/news/amystory.htm
For waiters and cooks
Students studying cooking and how to become a waiter/waitress will enjoy
those two sites recommended by [LII New This Week] February 16, including a
diagram showing how to organise a buffet:
- How Do I? ... Can Tomatoes
Instructions for preparing canned tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, tomato
sauce, ketchup, salsa, and other tomato products. Includes charts showing suggested
processing times at different elevations and associated canner gauge pressures.
From the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can3_tomato.html
- Setting the Table
Illustrated examples of casual, informal, and formal table settings with suggestions
for numbers and types of courses for formal and informal dinners and a casual
luncheon. Also includes an illustration of a buffet setting. From a Southern
grocery store chain.
http://www.winn-dixie.com/food/tips/table_tips.asp
A Game Plan for Working With Professional Athletes (from [LII New This Week] February 16)
This article discusses the financial planning concerns of professional athletes.
While written for financial planners, the article provides general insight
into the financial situation of athletes. Discusses unique issues (such as
high earnings and short career), taxes, insurance, retirement, and related
topics. From the Journal of Financial Planning, a publication of the American
Financial Planning Association.
[ for advanced business students. Excellent to make them work on their subject
in a concrete, topical way.]
Intelligent Designs on Evolution ( from [LII New This Week] February 23)
This 2006 documentary looks at the concept of intelligent design, "which
argues certain aspects of the natural world are so complex they must have been
the work of a designer." The companion website features articles on intelligent
design in the classroom and religion in schools, interviews, audio and transcript
of the program, and related links and readings on evolution and creationism.
From American RadioWorks.
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/inteldesign/
Global Gateway
Discover this site from the British council inviting British school to register
to start project. have a look at their data base, you may find a school to
work with....
http://www.globalgateway.org.uk
[ there are also lots of other interesting documents to explore and use on
the site.]
Spring Day in Europe
Registering for Spring Day in Europe is your chance to join thousands of
teachers and pupils and contribute to the shaping and building of Europe.Register
to learn, share, debate and speak out!
Become a part of the Spring Day community and make your school visible in Europe!
Registered schools that contribute by organising Spring Day in Europe events
or activities will be given a digital certificate signed by top level EU decision
makers.
Teachers taking part in the project benefit from all our services, from a network
of expert teachers, who can give help and advice, plus high quality resources
and activities.
For safety reasons, it is important to register and provide information about
your school. All the contributions from schools will be moderated in 20 languages.
By registering, you guarantee that what you do with your pupils will be published
on a safe European web site.
<http://www.springday2006.org/ww/en/pub/spring2006/information/../../spring2006/misc/register.cfm>Register
now and debate the future of Europe with thousands of other schools on 21 March
2006 and 9 May 2006!
http://www.printempseurope2006.org
Positive classroom vocabulary and attitudes for teachers
Find here a list of things to say or do and not to say or do to foster positive
reinforcement.
"Fully forty comments are listed here to help you focus on positive verbal
communication with your students. Also included are negative comments you should
avoid, along with suggestions for creating printed signs and inviting environments." says
Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, Thursday, February 16th.
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/40succes.htm
Communication strategies
Whether communicating with parents, staff, or your students, it helps to
put some of these excellent strategies into play.
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/articles/article10.html
[ another list of things to say and how and why say them.]
Ceci est un message de la LISTE INFONEWS
réalisé par Christine Reymond
lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France
Les commentaires et réflexions entre [ ] ne reflètent que mon opinion personnelle.
Les archives ne sont pas à jour, mais le site Infonews est à nouveau en ligne:
http://perso.numericable.fr/~dreymondch46/infonews/une1.htm
Pour vous inscrire et recevoir Infonews gratuitement chaque dimanche:
http://listes.ac-rouen.fr/wws/info/liste-infonews
ou envoyez un message à
Christine.Reymond@ac-rouen.fr
