October 2006

How can I help you?

What is good technology integration? Technology integration is at it's highest level when it is used by the students to make products reflecting their knowledge. Technology projects can also be a great tool for assessment . If you would like some ideas for student products related to the curriculum map and core content, just let me know. I can help you with a wide range of ideas, ranging from very simple to very complex.
Melanie
School extension: 29804
E-mail: m lewis@amherst.k12.va.us

Help !!!!!!

Many of you are asking for me to put you on a regular schedule which means that I come into your classrooms the same time each week. However, this is interfering with the planning and carrying out of others' professional developments. I am excited over the fact that I am being included but I have reached a point where I now must say that a colleague's professional development comes first. I will still plan on coming in to see those regularily scheduled classrooms as long as someone else does not need my time for option 14. If I must change my schedule, I will notify you at least one week in advance so that you can make other arrangements.

Upcoming Staff Developments

On November 7th, the county ITRTs are designing some awesome staff developments:

Painting Across the SOLs: Using MIcrosoft Paint to teach core content
Power Point:-Beyond Presentations : There are many more things you can do with this awesome tool besides lecture and present
Technology Teaching Tools: Learn about some awesome free classroom instructional tools that your students will love and which will make your job easier.
Using Technology to Support Math Instruction: Find out some great ideas that will support and enhance your math teaching
Advanced Smart Board: Want time to develop lessons with an expert around to help if you run into trouble? This class is for you.
Is That Your Final Answer?: Several schools are purchasing digital responders. Come find out what these tools are and how they can help you.

Other Workshops:

October 12: Digital Storytelling 4:15 @ Amelon
October 13: Training for Accelerated Math and Reading 8:30-3:00 @ the Media Center
October 24: Using Excel in the Classroom 4:15 @ Amelon
November 9: River Deep 4:15 @ Amelon

Please Note: Although we love "walk-ins" we are asking you to preregister for our sessions. If the class has less than 5 people on the official role on the day of training, it will be cancelled. This has happened to several classes this year. If you need assistence registering for Staff Developments, please ask.

My Schedule

Monday      Pleasant View
Tuesday      Temperance
Wednesday Planning/Float Day
Thursday   Amherst Elementary
Friday         Central Elementary

Please be aware that in addition to ITRT, I serve as a county mentor and I work with the Differentiated Learning Community. Sometimes I may have to adjust the days and times that I am in your building to meet all of my commitments.

I try to be very orgainzed, but if I forget something, please forgive me. You may want to remind me about a lesson plan or write up if you haven't heard from me in a couple of days. I guess Halloween is as good a time as any to tell you that I am brain dead-what you see is actually just a zombie at times. LOL!!!!!

Wonderful Web Sites

Virtual Jack-O-Lantern

EARLY ELEMENTARY: All elementary students will love this site. It is a great way to improve mouse skills, learn how to use buttons, and have some fun! A great activity for a center or in the lab!

Teaching with Newspapers

UPPER PRIMARY & INTERMEDIATE: Some great ideas to teach with the newspaper. While this site is geared toward upper primary and above, I used to have K-2 students look for and circle letters of the alphabet, words, and numbers. We also sequenced with the funnies. There are also children's versions of many newspapers.

award certificate generator

ALL ELEMENTARY: Colorful award certificates you can print for your students. Several styles of certificates are available.

ARE YOUR STUDENTS UP THERE WITH THE REST OF THE PLANET:

Grades 3-5 and up: Wow! Our students are growing up in a global economy and will work along side people from many lands. Will they be well prepared to compete with those who have been educated in other countries? Students can use this site to see if their knowledge is on-line with students from around the world. Get Smart features some wonderful... and very noisy, academic activities. This site requires a newer computer, and I would not recommend this for a lab setting. This would work wonderfully as a center, a small group activity, or as a classroom activity. If you have individual students use it alone, I'd suggest head phones!

How To Add An Attachment To An E-mail

Have you ever wondered how to send a document with an e-mail? Want to be able to send out that homework sheet to a parent of a student that's missed school? This tip is how to attach a document or file to an email message.

Open the email message.
Click on the paper clip on the toolbar or if that isn't there click Insert then File
Then look for the place where the file is saved. Most of our teachers save files in "My Documents."
Highlight the document and then click Insert.
Once it's inserted, you will see the icon in the email message. Then you can type a message or send the email.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you receive an e-mail with an attachment, it will disappear if you reply to that e-mail. To send an e-mail back to that person, and still have the attachment, you must use the "Forward" button. After clicking the forward button, you will need to enter the e-mail address of the recipient.

xxooxx

Technological Ghost Stories

Viruses, African Kings, and Trips to Disney World, Oh My!

Microsoft won't send you to Disney World, there isn't any multi- millionaire African king, and 90% of viruses are nothing more than a hoax. Oh, and by the way, I understand Craig Sherbold has asked people to STOP sending him get well cards from around the world because he already broke the record years ago. Sometimes even those humorous jokes may contain hidden viruses. The majority of virus warnings, freebies, and cries for help are really hoaxes, urban legends, and scams. In fact, probably 90 to 95% of those kinds of e-mails are misinformation. Some of the deals and heart felt stories are so old, and have been passed around for so many years, that the information is no longer valid. But how do you know when you have received an important warning, or when you've been had?

Our Informational Technology Supervisor, David Childress or other ACPS persons of authority, will inform you when there is a danger of a virus or worm in our school district. ACPS has top-notch network administrators, technicians, ITRTs, and excellent virus protection, so if there really is something to worry about you will PROBABLY hear it from one of us. If you get e-mail warnings from others, it probably doesn't apply to our system or is a hoax. DO NOT FORWARD THOSE E-MAILS! If you really think it might be important to forward warnings, talk to your ITRT, or check on reputable sites that provide FREE information about viruses and hoaxes. Some excellent FREE resources to check on viruses include:

Symantic (Norton's Anti Virus)
VIRUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html

VIRUS HOAXES
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

McAFEE VIRUS INFORMATION
http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/default.asp

Before you send money to the wife of the African king or forward hoaxes, be sure to visit some of these sites:

URBAN LEGEND COMBAT KIT:
http://www.netsquirrel.com/combatkit/

URBAN LEGENDS AND FOLKLORE:
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm

URBAN LEGEND REFERENCE PAGES
http://www.snopes.com/index.htm

Be educated, be smart, be a part of the solution, and not a part of the problem. DO NOT FORWARD THOSE WARNING E-MAILS AND STORIES UNTIL YOU HAVE RESEARCHED THE SUBJECT AND KNOW IT TO BE TRUE!

"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." ~~ Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) American humorist and author

If you have a website that you think is wonderful, please email it to me. I will pass it on.