From: "Virtual Teacher" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sat, 27 Jul 2002 19:29:26 +1200 Subject: Virtual Teacher - GRACIOUSNESS
Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 54 July 27th 2002 - GRACIOUSNESS THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER ----------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: http://mojo.epicentre.org.nz/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi?flavor=subscribe&list=Virtual_Teacher Or visit: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au Unsubscribe: http://mojo.epicentre.org.nz/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi?flavor=unsubscribe&list=Virtual_Teacher Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au Newsletter Archives can be found at:- http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html ============================================== CONTENTS 1. Welcome 2. Mind Candy 3. WWWinfo 4. New Printables - Text Types 5. Technical Stuff - G4 & Netscape 6.1 & Blender 6. Web Site Focus - Outer Space 7. Better Bookweek Links 8. Great Sites 9. Readers' Requests/Comments 10 Next Issue 11. Code of 'Netizens' 12. Tips ============================================== 1. WELCOME EVERYONE. During the holidays my children were bitten by the golfing bug. It was fantastic fun, I seemed to be regaling them constantly with a litany of instructions:- be patient, be considerate, wait your turn, the usual list. I found myself thinking about the one word that covered the lot, applies to golf, and a lot of other things as well - Graciousness. Something that has perhaps been lost or at least misplaced in this current-RUSH to do as many things as possible in the shortest possible time, world we live in. Graciousness - even to say the word, forces you to take it more slowly. It is going to be my new word for term 3. I love it - be gracious, covers everything really. And if the students get really good at it - Why then it will be - Good Graciousness. ============================================== 2. MIND CANDY Dale Spender Computer Strategy "The raw material of today's global community is intellectuality and creativity, which is why everyone needs a computer, an ISP, a national information infrastructure, and a support system. The government who buys every member of society a computer is sure to get a great deal, and an excellent customer service agreement. Not to mention a head start in the global economy." CREATE WEALTH; CONNECT THE COMMUNITY! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time is elusive, lunchtime doubly so. Douglas Adams - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is not enough to learn what is already known. In fact, these students have been made aware that to survive in the new knowledge economy, they must know how to make knowledge products. For in order to sell your knowledge - your Intellectual Property - you need to come up with new ideas, solutions and know-how. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so. Robert Orben --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will be the past, and we must respect the past, remembering trial once it was all that was humanly possible." Philosopher Santayana ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window. Steve Wozniak --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them. Isaac Asimov ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding. Louis Gerstner ============================================== 3. WWWinfo Free online Translators http://babelfish.altavista.com/ http://www.freetranslation.com/ http://www.translate-free.com/ ============================================== 4. NEW PRINTABLES - Treasure Hunt Can you do it can you take on this challenge and complete the questions in 1 hour, less than an hour, how web savvy are you? Time yourself and see how swift you really are. Join the Egyptian Treasure Hunt. Answer the questions, work in groups, practice typing in URLS or use them live from a word document. http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/questions.doc ============================================== 5. TECHNICAL STUFF SAY HELLO TO JAGUAR Mac OS 10.2 No OS is an island. Or, at least, shouldn't be. As a result of our persistent adherence to industry standards, Mac OS X v10.2 lets you share files easily with Windows and UNIX colleagues; browse Windows file servers, right from the Finder; and remotely connect to the corporate network via the PPPT-based VPN client in Mac OS X v10.2. What's more, thanks to Personal File Services in Mac OS X v10.2, Windows users can connect to, and share files with, computers running Jaguar as easily as they can with other computers running Windows. Maybe even more easily. Check it out at:- http://www.apple.com/macosx/jaguar/compatibility.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buying a new computer, Grays online is an interesting site with loads of new/used computers http://www.graysonline.com.au/ You can certainly get a deal here especially when there is quantity for sale. Cathy's Tips 1. Check new prices and place a bid in for one third to one half the listed new price - if you you get lucky your a winner. 2. Some really cheap things can be picked up just before an auction closes -if you have the time bid in the last 10mins of an auction, and you could get even luckier. 3. WATCH Out for excessive delivery charges which will be added on to your buy price(see number 1.) these are ususally listed. 4. Remember a buyer's premium is added to all auction prices, at Grays this is 11%, so don't forget to factor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not really related to education, but quite interesting . 'free' Internet TV http://www.gotrek.com.au/gotrek/index.shtml GoTrek Internet TV Goes Live with 8 Content Channels 12-Jul ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The New E-Mac from Mac looks wonderful. I had a play with one at the adobe seminars on Wednesday. They're just fantastic value. 17" screen G4 700Mhz 40 gig hardrive DVD/CD player CDRW as well And amazingly only $2,300 If ever you wanted to upgrade - this is the computer to choose. Check it out at http://www.apple.com/emac/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great online instruction resources on using the internet from Sofweb http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/internet/publish.htm#multimedia ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seminars and Conferences from The SchoolDaily http://www.theschooldaily.com/index.asp 9th National Conference of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented http://www.edDiary.com/viewEvent.asp?eventPK=229 Date : Sunday, 20 October 2002 Venue : Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia 15th Biennial World Conference for Gifted Education http://www.edDiary.com/viewEvent.asp?eventPK=216 Date : Friday, 01 August 2003 Venue : Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia VETnetwork Australia National Conference 2002 - 'Enterprising People and Partnerships: vocational education and careers for a changing world' http://www.edDiary.com/viewEvent.asp?eventPK=243 Date : Wednesday, 23 October 2002 Venue : Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia Our Children of the Future 3 http://www.edDiary.com/viewEvent.asp?eventPK=383 Date : Thursday, 01 May 2003 Venue : Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia ============================================== 6. WEBSITE FOCUS - Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games Webquest - webquest for term 3 prepared by Greg from Brighton Public school Check out his other webquests as well http://members.optusnet.com.au/~partridge/ Also: http://www.ausport.gov.au/acga/ http://www.ausport.gov.au/info/commonwealth.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/2002/index.shtml http://www.commonwealthgames-fed.org/home.asp http://www.uk.emb.gov.au/CARRIERS/cwealth_games.html http://www.commonwealthgames.com/Home/ http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/m2002/ ============================================== 7. USING THE PICTURE EDIT TOOL in word helps work flow. 1. Insert a picture from file. 2. Goto 'view' menu, got 'toolbars', select 'picture'. 3. Select picture in word document. 4. Using the picture menu you can: <sum> format the picture, <sum> add picture effects including charcoal, crayon and emboss, <sum> change mode to grayscale , black and white, watermark, <sum> increase/decrease contrast <sum> increase/decrease brightness <sum> add transparency <sum> adjust colour <sum> fix red eye <sum> remove scratches <sum> crop the image using a variety of different tools. All these options are available from the Picture edit palette. This means you don't need to use a different program to edit your pictures. Saves a great deal of time, and simplifies the procedure especially for children or beginners. Happy editing. ============================================== 8. GREAT SITES HOTEST OF THE HOT How cool is this site. Fantastic. The instruments actually play. Each instrument from each orchestral group is represented. This is The next best thing to froguts. San Francisco Symphony Kids' Site http://www.sfskids.org/templates/splash.asp Visit this website for a refresher course on The Instruments of the Orchestra and or an introduction to reading music in Meet the Notes. Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School ------------------------------------------- Great Buildings.com - gigafloppingly brilliant http://www.greatbuildings.com/ Great Buildings is a huge database of information about architects and their buildings. 800+ Buildings are featured from 40 countries. There aren't images of every building, but many buildings shown have multiple views. Virtual Reality (VR) versions of some building are available, although you need to download a free software package for viewing VR. Middle School, High School, College, Adult/Professional ------------------------------------------- Braillebug - another corker http://www.afb.org/braillebug/ The American Foundation for the Blind created an age appropriate site for students to learn out braille. Under games, students can see what their name looks like in braille, or figure out words with a braille alphabet close by. Students can also change the colors on this website to make it easier to read (have students who are designing their own pages learn about accessibility). Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School, ------------------------------------------- Renaissance Secrets http://www.open2.net/renaissance2/doing/doing.html A joint offering of the BBC and Open University, this website explores four mysteries from a historian's point of view. Although built to support a television series on the BBC, teachers can use this site to explore conspiracy, medicine and inventions in Renaissance Europe. Use this site to trigger a discussion of overlooked careers and standards in historical research. ------------------------------------------- Ideas for creating webpages Check out Teacherweb, ideas and samples. http://teacherweb.com --------------------------------------- Your Genes, Your Health: A Multimedia Guide to Genetic Disorders http://yourgenesyourhealth.org/ This site has a wonderful animated explanation of the causes of Sickle Cell Disease. For other disorders, such as Cystic Fibrosis, Hemophelia, Neurofibromatosis, and Huntington Disease, there are areas where patients talk about the consequences of having the disorder, treatments and tests. Middle School, High School, College, Adult/Professional ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's a good site for environment theme info http://www.epa.gov/teachers/curriculum_resources.htm ============================================== 9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS Cathy Re:Help: I am a first year teacher who needs to teach a unit of work on Rainforest to grade 5 students. As I am also the grade computer teacher, I would like to integrate the Rainforest theme into my computer lessons as well as teaching it as a HSIE lessons. Can anybody help??? Thanks Wade Here is another highly recommended HSIE website for Stage 3 Rainforests. http://www.midcoast.com.au/~ttc/rainforest.html It's part of a great site. Check it out if you have time! http://www.midcoast.com.au/~ttc/worksheet1.html Regards Terrie Love your site. Look forward to it every month. Spend hours checking it out. Thanks!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Cathy, I found your last newsletter particularly useful although I already knew about froguts. I was able to add many links to my own site. I also downloaded your Microsoft Word Instructions PDF as I am also doing a PDF doc on that very topic, but damn, I had just deleted Acrobat 3 in order to install Acrobat 4 full version and haven't finished doing that yet. Will read this one with interest when I have a reader again. Thanks. Jenny Campbell Teacher librarian/ web page designer http://www.knowledgecollegetutors.com ------------------------------------------ Hi Cathy I wanted to bring to your attention our Australian software product, Max's Sandbox, which is designed to allow children in the 3-8 year age range to be able to use Microsoft Office effectively. Max's Sandbox is a childhood interface to three Microsoft Office products, PowerPoint, Word and Excel. Max's Sandbox provides: MaxWrite - the interface to Word MaxShow - the interface to PowerPoint MaxCount - the interface to Excel Currently, Max's Sandbox is being used South Australian Government primary schools and kindergartens, as well as in Scotland and several schools in the US. I see quite some affinity between the Virtual Teacher & Max's Sandbox, and would like to make some suggestions about 'working together': Online Games Our own website www.maxssandbox.com has some online games that your teachers are more than welcome to use Naughts & cross games 'Create-a-scene' - a simple drag & drop illustration tool An online quiz 'Match the states' - a simple drag & drop exercise to match Australian state boundaries, floral emblems & capital name Free Downloads Teacher can download a 30 day free fully functional evaluation of Max's Sandbox Teacher Resources Shortly we will have lesson plans & activities for teachers to download & use with Max's Sandbox including - Maxophone - Turn PowerPoint/MaxShow into a musical instrument Getting to school - Use PowerPoint/MaxShow as an adventure map We are also very interested in receiving other lesson plans and ideas for our development team to add into Max's Sandbox I'd love to hear from you, to see how we might be able to work together Cheers Peter Cornish [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am a teacher in Australia. I am wondering if you could be able to give me site for curriculum and term planners. Thankyou. There are some templates on my sites at:- http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/teachtool.html ciao cathy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Cathy Thanks so much for the site - the information about sites has been really valuable in this my 1st year in teaching. Now I need even more sites as I have to develop a geography scheme of work for my primary school. Has anyone got any great websites they can share? Thanks again Denise Hi Denise, I have just addded 2 excellent sites to my geography link page - they are fantastic. http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/geog.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Cathy, I've been receiving your newsletter for some time now and I must say 'congratulations'... it's fabulous. Regards, Lana Read ============================================== 10. NEXT ISSUE I will look at Letter writing tips, and maths Circus 3. Anyone with any great ideas send them along, love them Ciao Cathy - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Code of the 'Netizens' This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you. Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better. OK I'm trusting you!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TIPS 1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser. 2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share. 3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in this newsletter. 5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs. 6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter. 7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter. ============================================== The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor, Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as: Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't work for you send me an email. Editor: cathy brown mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delivered FREE to your e-mail box every fortnight. Online Lesson Plans, Great Sites, Free Stuff, Tips, Time savers, and templates. Computer Solutions for Teachers. Subscribe today! It's totally Free! Just type subscribe in the subject and send it to me. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ============================================== Reach a growing audience of teachers, by advertising in the Virtual Teacher Newsletter or on the Virtual Teacher site. For more information contact, [EMAIL PROTECTED] For information about inservice and training contact me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ============================================== ******************************************* For digest instead of individual postings, send the message: set k12newsletters digest to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe, click and send (no body or subject: required) mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] K12 Newsletters mailing list is a service of Classroom Connect - http://www.classroom.com Archives for K12 Newsletters can be found at: http://www.classroom.com/community/email/archives.jhtml?A0=K12NEWSLETTERS **********************************************************
