Bits and Bytes
     
October 2008





How May We Help You?
     Are your classroom computers REALLY kid friendly?   Can students easily click on icons to get to frequently used web sites?  Does your Microsoft Word program use a kid friendly font or make the students capitalize letters?  There are lots of little tricks to make classroom computers developmentally appropriate for elementary students,  There are also lots of little changes that can be made so a student can work independently at a computer.  We would be delighted to meet with you to help you create more kid friendly computers in your classroom!
   
     My email address is mlewis@amherst.k12.va.us. and Gail can be reached at gmoore@amherst.k12.va.us.

We want to support you in all your instructional needs, please don't hesitate to call on us!

Melanie and Gail
Boo-tiful Tech Tip
Blind Carbon Copies

If you have need to cc someone on an email that you are sending, but you don't want others receiving the email to know that this other person will be getting it to, you can BCC them. BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy. 

This also comes in handy when you are emailing class news out to parents, but you don't want all of the parent's email addresses showing for everyone to see. Put them all in the BCC field

 

Here's how:

  • Open the message that you want to send.

  • Click on View

  • Click on BCC Field (you may have to expand the menu to see it--do this by either waiting a few seconds, or clicking on the arrows at the bottom of the menu.)

  • Then type the name of the secret recipients in the BCC field.

The question I've had before when doing this was that if someone were to reply to all, would it go to the people that were BCC'ed? And the answer is no. Your recipients can only reply to you and those who are in the TO or CC field, but not to anyone who was Blind Carbon Copied.

     If you don't try any other site, try this one!!!!  Test Prep practice that allows yout students to see how they stack up to the rest of the world.    

Get Smarter. org



Wonderful Websites

SciLinks: All About Matter
This is an online quiz that tests knowledge of matter, its states, and properties. NOTE: This site includes ads.

Quia: Describing Matter
Select matching, concentration, word search games, or flashcards on this page to practice new terms and their meanings.

EdHelper: Properties of Matter
This crossword puzzle can be used for older kids for testing knowledge of properties of matter. Includes answers.

Clear as Crystal
During this experiment kids can create their own matter using water and sugar.

Scholastic: That Sinking Feeling
Try these activities to see what happens with water temperature and density. Click an arrow on the bottom right to continue a lesson. Includes links to other science and matter activities.

Science Online
Here are science lesson plans from the Jefferson County Schools. The level is from K-8.

It's a Weighty Matter
This is a lesson plan for grade 3. Topics include mass, weight, and gravity.

Studying Matter
Learn about ways that scientists use in describing a matter.

Model Unit Properties of Matter
This lesson plan is designed for third graders to learn about properties of matters through various activities. Worksheets are included.

Properties of Matter: Characteristics
This page gives a list of characteristic or description of a substance that helps identifying different substance.

Properties of Matter Song
This page provides a song that can be used to teach about properties of matter. Note: This site includes ads.

Grade Three Science: Properties of Matter
This page provides a list of suggested activities for teaching properties of matter for third graders.

Seasons Reasons
This explanation of why we have seasons includes an animation and several diagrams. NOTE: This site includes ads.

Seasons Crossword
This is a simple interactive crossword puzzle for young students.

Scholastic: Create a Seasonal Postcard
Create your own postcard or look at pictures of postcards other people have made.

What's It Like Where You Live
Read about the temperate deciduous forests and how the forests survives the changing seasons. Click on "Changing Seasons" to learn what causes seasons.

Tales of Changing Seasons
In this activity, students will write a myth about why the seasons change. Includes links to the Greek myth about why the seasons occur.
Come to Your Senses
This ThinkQuest explores the five senses in our body. Click on the topic on the menu bar or on Mr. Potato Head's body to read about the senses. "Activities" has an activity that uses all the senses. "Glossary" has helpful vocabulary words.

The Senses: Activities
This site contains activity ideas that can be used in the classroom to teach about our senses.

Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling the World
Learn about optical illusions, color blindness, and deafness. NOTE: The "Smelling the World" section has an article that dicusses sexual signals in animals.

Super Senses
Learn about animals and their senses. Click on "Read on..." and then guess what animal is shown in the pictures. Click on the pictures to find out.

What's That Smell: The Nose Knows
This site tells about the nose and its important job.

Let's Hear it for the Ear
Learn about the ear and its parts.

A Big Look at the Eye
Read about the eye and its many functions.

Stick Out Your Tongue and Say Aah
Learn about the tongue and all that it does. Go to the second page by clicking on "Next Page" to read about taste buds.

Five Senses
These lesson plans can help teach children about our senses. There are activities for each of the senses plus an introduction to all of them.

The Five Senses
These lesson plans are broken down into different subject areas for each sense. NOTE: Watch out for the pop-up ad.

Amazing Animal Senses
Read about the senses that different animals have. Notice how they are different from our senses.

Sounds are Different
Print out this sheet and have students match pictures to different sounds.

Which Sense?
This print out has children match the pictures of the senses to the correct type of sense.

How Things Taste
Print out this sheet and have students match the food to the correct taste.

Touch and Feel
This page has children match an object to its texture.
Energy Education for Kids
Learn where electrical energy comes from and sources of energy. Use the left menu to learn more about the history of energy, flow of energy, and renewable energy.

Electrical Safety World
This site focuses on electrical safety. Learn how to prevent electrical dangers, what to do in case of an emergency, and more. Includes a teacher guide.

"Watt's" the Cost? An Electrifying Problem
Based on information from a problem, students plan electrical consumption by considering their daily usage, power consumption, and daily cost of each electronic gadget.

BBC: Using Electricity
Discover how to make a bulb light by placing different parts of a circuit. Then take an online quiz. NOTE: The "Talk" link leads to a discussion forum.

BBC: Electricity in the Real World
Watch an interactive presentation about how electricity works and what function of devices are used to create electricity. Take a quiz at the end of the presentation.

What is Electricity?
Find quick information about science of electricity, electricity generation, moving electricity, and measuring electricity. Includes statistics on basic energy.

ThinkQuest: The Shocking Truth About Electricity
Follow links to read about interesting story of electricity.

Power Kids
This site is designed for kids to learn about electricity, lightning, making electricity, and safety tips. Includes games and a quiz.

BrianPop: Electricity
Watch a movie about electricity and learn about different types of electricity, three parts of an electrical circuit, and how magnetic fields are created. Also, find out about the important role magnets play in creating electricity. Then take a quiz and do an activity. Note: Subscription is required for this site.

The NASA Science Files: Electricity Activities
Here are electricity activities and experiments.  
 ThinkQuest: Force and Motion
Learn here about force, friction, gravity, momentum, and Newton's law. Includes illustrated images and movies.

Newton's First Law
Follow lessons to learn about Newton's laws. Click on button "Animation" to see forces at work.

Physics in Sports: Newton's 1st Law
Learn about three of Newton's laws of motion on these examples of sports games. Includes video files.

Bill Nye: The Science Guy
This site has many options to get to topics on Physical Science. Pick "Home Demos" and then "Physical Science."

Skateboard Science
What are the forces involved when a skater performs an "ollie?" Read this and find out.
Fear of Physics: Friction
This interactive simulation helps beginners visualize and understand friction. Select different automobiles, speeds, and road conditions and see how friction comes into play.

NASA: Newton's Laws of Motion
Learn about Newton's three laws of motion. Click on a link to see more information on a particular law. Language may be too advanced for some students.

ThinkQuest: Visual Physics
This ThinkQuest Web site contains simulations on force, tension, torque, and momentum.

Newton's Laws of Motion
Read about and see demonstrations of Newton's three laws of motion. This site includes pictures, sounds, and video files.

Physics Simulations
This site contains about 20 different physics simulations. Experiment with different variables and see how the simulation reacts. A great way for children to learn the basics of movement and force.

Concepts, Principles of Aeronautics- Forces and Motion
Provides the educator with beginner, intermediate and advanced lesson plans and activities dealing with force and motion. Most of the lessons also have short movies on the topics. The page also lists the skills the students will use. Click on the links at the top for explanations and overviews.

Smile Program Physics Index
A collection of almost 200 lesson plans submitted by teachers from around the country. The page contains a large section on mechanics. Each lesson is complete with objectives, materials, and procedures.

Geology Labs On-LIne: Virtual Earthquake
This site has students use math to measure and estimate the magnitude and source of an actual earthquake. Once they enter the data, the program maps their results and compares them to the actual findings.

1906 San Francisco Earthquake: Personal Account
Read an eyewitness account of the 1906 earthquake and the aftermath.

FEMA for Kids: Earthquakes
Explore many topics from the menu on the left. Click on one of the topics "Water, Wind, and Earth Game."

Living on Shaky Ground
Included on this site is a step-by-step guide of what to do during and after an earthquake. Click on "What To Do."

USGS: Earthquake for Kids
This site is full of earthquake information, including science project ideas on earthquakes. There are also activity ideas for teachers. Click on "Ask-A-Geologist" if you have a question about earthquakes.

PBS: Savage Earth
Make your way through this animation to visualize an earthquake. Wait for the animation to load.

Quake: Listening to Earthquakes
Listen to two sound files of the ground shaking. Guess which one has the higher pitch and therefore is the shorter fault.

National Geographic: Eye in the Sky: Earthquakes
This site includes a video showing scenes from an earthquake. NOTE: The images may upset younger students.

TechTopics: Earthquakes
Find out how to be prepared for an earthquake. Click on "Know What to Do." Other topics include "Measuring Earthquakes" and "Structure of the Earth."

Life Along the Faultline
Learn more about earthquakes, including the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that struck during the World Series. There are many video clips included.
USGS: Latest Quake Info
Explore these links for maps, seismograms, and earthquake photographs.

MichiganTech: What Are Seismic Waves?
Study these diagrams of P waves, S waves, and surface waves.

Illinois Earthquake 1968
Scroll down to view the epicenter of the earthquake and read newspaper articles from 1968 St. Louis newspapers.

How Earthquakes Work
Look at many photographs from different earthquakes. Interactive diagrams illustrate different kinds of faults. NOTE: The site includes ads.

Elastic Rebound Animation
Watch how a road changes with the stress caused by an earthquake. Click on the image to start.

Observe Animations of Earthquake Waves
Watch the P wave, or compressional wave, and compare it to the S wave, or shear wave.



New Train of Thought:  Social Networking in Education
There's an interesting change afoot, and it relates to the use of social networking in education.

My Space and Facebook are just two examples of social networking sites, but unfortunately, their early prominence has created a stigma around social networking that the technology itself doesn't deserve. The understandable concerns created by these early and popular networks have overshadowed some amazing changes that are taking place in educational environments when the tools of social networking are being used with students and teachers. “Social Networks” are really just collections of Web 2.0 technologies combined in a way that help to build online communities.

With budget cuts in education across the nation, support and professional-development opportunities for teachers are beginning to move from conference rooms to chat rooms connecting teachers to peers who may live dozens or even hundreds of miles away.  These teacher networks reflect the “learning team” approach to professional development, in which teachers at a school site seek feedback, glean new ideas, and reflect on instructional practices through discussions with their colleagues.

To this, the online networking adds the ability for teachers to connect to peers at any time of the day or night, say experts familiar with the networks. “In the 21st century, no teacher should have to say he feels alone,” said Tom Carroll, the president of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. 

If you feel ready to plunge into the 21st century and expand your personal learning network with the addition of a social network, please see either Gail or myself.  A place I would recommend starting is a service called Tumblr or TeachAide.com.  Please ask and we can get you connected in no time at all!  Between Gail and I we probably belong to a couple of dozen different networks and we can assure you, you will NOT be swimming the tech pool alone!