Phyllis' Favorites

---------Forwarded Message--------
Site of the Day for Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Helpful Gardener
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

Today's site offers a generous selection of material on gardening
topics, with an emphasis on the organic approach. Gentle Subscribers
will discover a useful resource for various garden concerns in a
pleasantly designed exhibit.

"The Helpful Gardener is based in the San Francisco Bay Area in
California. However our writers are come from around the world,
particularly North America. The principal author for most of the
articles is Scott Reil ... an accredited nurseryman with over fifteen
years experience in the ornamental horticulture industry ... [and]
has helped shape gardens in California and Arizona as well as his
native New England." - from the website

The site features dozens of articles arranged by topic in categories
such as growing heritage vegetables, the benefits of heirloom carrots
and tomatoes, the advantages of organic gardens and how to create
one. From growing Italian or French herbs to enlivening a garden with
native plants, this exhibit provides practical advice and how-to
information. Additional sections offer helpful notes on subjects such
as vegetables, perennials, garden design, Japanese gardening, roses,
hydrangeas and lilacs. Gardening tips cover mulch, composting, and
how to create a butterfly friendly garden, while active forums on
specific gardening topics are available to those with particular
questions.

Dig over to the site for practical information on a range of
gardening subjects at:

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/

A.M. Holm
view the List archives on the web at:
http://www.freelists.org/archives/sotd

April is Poetry Month
http://www.education-world.com/a_special/poetrymonth.shtml

Listed are: Poetry Lesson Plans
Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
More Poetry Activities and Projects
Poetry Articles and Resources

[NOTE: Previously posted. Updated for Poetry Month 2008. - Phyllis ]

Royal Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet Play Guide
http://www.rsc.org.uk/romeo/home/home.html

From the site:
“RSC’s new Romeo and Juliet Play Guide, a unique resource offering readers detailed insights to the process of theatre. Through extracts from rehearsal diaries and a series of interviews with directors, designers and actors, you can learn more about Peter Gill’s production of Romeo and Juliet [RSC 2004-5] and more about the play in general. The Guide also offers practical, entertaining ways for students, teachers and life-long learners to explore a 400-year old performance text.”

Sites found in:
******************************************
PBS Teachers Newsletter: March 22-28, 2009
Current PBS Teacher Previews Newsletter
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/newsletter/
******************************************

Five Good Questions on Shakespeare

Starting Monday, March 23 Gail Kern Paster, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, will begin taking questions on Shakespeare and GREAT PERFORMANCES King Lear as a guest on PBS Engage’s Five Good Questions series. PBS Engage( http://www.pbs.org/engage/blog ) offers news ways to interact with PBS programs, personalities, and stations. Anyone interested in participating can submit questions about Shakespeare and King Lear for the entire week of March 23 to Gail. Responses will be posted Thursday, April 2. Teachers can have their questions answered or have their students submit questions as part of a Shakespeare project. Visit PBS Engage ( http://www.pbs.org/engage/blog ) for more information.

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Great Performances
King Lear
On-Air & Online
Gr. 6-8 / 9-12
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
8 - 11:00 pm
Ian McKellen gives a tour-de-force performance as Shakespeare's
tragic titular monarch in this special television adaptation of
the Royal Shakespeare Company production of one the
playwright's most enduring and haunting works. (CC, Stereo, HD,
1 year)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/king-lear/introduction/475/

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Nature
Penguins of the Antarctic
On-Air & Online
Gr. 6-8 / 9-12
Sunday, March 22, 2009
8 - 9:00 pm
As the climate changes, long-established penguin territories
are being invaded and traditional nesting colonies are being
disrupted. How will these extraordinary birds deal with the
full effects of global warming? (CC, Stereo, HD, 1 year)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/penguins-of-the-antarctic/introduction/181/
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/c5ux4j

***************

NOVA
Extreme Ice
On-Air & Online
6-8 / 9-12
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
8 - 9:00 pm
As the world warms, the threat from rising sea levels poses an
alarming potential for disaster. Some models now project a
one-meter sea level rise over the next century, which could
displace millions of people, from Florida to Bangladesh, and
require trillions of dollars' investment in coastal
infrastructure. But these models don't reflect recent findings
that glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica are melting at an
ever faster rate. What explains this alarming acceleration, and
just how can we figure out what's happening inside a gigantic
wall of ice? In collaboration with National Geographic, NOVA
follows the exploits of acclaimed photojournalist James Balog
and a scientific team as they deploy time-lapse cameras in
risky, remote locations in the Arctic, Alaska and the Alps.
(CC, Stereo, HD, 1 year)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/extremeice/
[NOTE: See guide pasted below. – Phyllis ]

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Copyright 2008 PBS Online

*************

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 7:13 PM
NOVA Teachers

Hello Educators,

In next week's airing of "Extreme Ice" NOVA teams up with National
Geographic to follow researchers as they explore how fast the
world's glaciers and ice sheets are melting, and what the
consequences are for humans. (Subjects covered: Earth Science)

Regards,
Karen Hartley
Teachers Editor
NOVA Web Site
http://www.pbs.org/nova/teachers/
E-mail: NOVA_Teachers@wgbh.org

* * * * * * * *

NOVA presents "Extreme Ice"
Broadcast: Tuesday, March 24, 2009
http://www.pbs.org/nova/extremeice
(NOVA airs on PBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings as
broadcast dates and times may vary. This program can be used up to
one year after it is recorded off the air.)

Ask the Expert
http://www.pbs.org/nova/extremeice/ask.html
Send in questions about the melting now occurring across the Arctic,
about possible consequences for coastlines around the world, or
about what's it like to work on and around an active glacier to
Arctic glacier expert James White. (Questions due by Wednesday,
March 25; selected responses will be posted on Monday, March 30.)
(Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)

Mapping Sea-Level Rise
http://www.pbs.org/nova/extremeice/rise.html
See the impact on the world's coastlines if Greenland's ice sheet
melted. (Flash plug-in required.) (Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)

Photographing the Big Melt
http://www.pbs.org/nova/extremeice/melt.html
View photos in this five-part audio slide show and watch a video
that documents the melting of the world's glaciers and hear
photographer James Balog describe his latest project, the Extreme
Ice Survey. (Total running time: 10m 14s) (Flash plug-in required.)
(Grades 6-8, 9-12)

On Thin Ice in the Bering Sea
http://www.pbs.org/nova/extremeice/thinice.html
Watch in these four video clips how melting ice is affecting the
ecosystems, environment, and Yup'ik Eskimos in the Bering Sea
region. (Flash plug-in required.) (Video available with captions.)
(Grades 6-8, 9-12)

Teacher's Guide
http://www.pbs.org/nova/teachers/programs/3604_extremeice.html
In this classroom activity, students investigate how scientists
monitor changes in Earth's glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets.
(Grades 6-8, 9-12)

Program transcript
http://www.pbs.org/nova/transcripts/3604_extremeice.html
This site includes a complete narration for this program.

Plus Watch a Preview and Links & Books.

# posted by Phyllis @ 10:39 PM 0 comments

LocalCensus.com
http://www.localcensus.com/

LocalCensus.com is a completely free website that provides a plethora of statistical information about the United States of America and all of its cities, zip codes, and counties. LocalCensus.com also provides business listings from a wide variety of categories throughout most cities within the United States of America.

Source: September 2008 Busy Educator's Newsletter
http://www.thebusyeducator.com/

U.S. Census Bureau Provides Downloadable Maps

The U.S. Census Bureau has downloadable maps that
are available online for classroom use.

Find the maps in the Geography section at:
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/

*******
American FactFinder: Your source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

Census in Schools

Find resources for students and teachers at:
http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/teachers.html

Site includes:
State Facts for Students
This is a new web site with state information designed especially for younger students.

Program Overview
Learn about the Census in Schools program which provides teaching tools, resource materials, and professional development opportunities for educators.

Teaching Materials
Download lessons that use Census data as well as teaching kits (K-4, 5-8, 9-12, Adult ESL Literacy) and maps, FREE of charge.

Reference Materials
View or download brochures, reports, and booklets providing background information about the Census Bureau, Census 2000, the history of census-taking, and a variety of other topics.

Highlights
Read about the instructional and learning materials the U.S. Census Bureau provided for millions of teachers and students, and view other Census in Schools Census highlights.

Countdown to Census Day, April 1, 2010
http://www.census.gov/2010census/

How to Report Phishing, Email Scams and Bogus Census Web Sites
http://www.census.gov/2010census/more_information/013126.html
The Census Bureau does not initiate 2010 Census respondent communication through email.

The Census Bureau does not request detailed personal information through email.
The Census Bureau does not send email requesting PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.
If you receive an email from someone claiming to be the Census Bureau or directing you to a 2010 Census web site:

Do not reply or click on any links within the email.
Do not open any attachments. Attachments may contain code that will infect your computer.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390
From the site:
“Peak Bloom Period is predicted for April 3 - April 9, 2009.”

Bloom Watch
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=404

History of the Washington DC Cherry Trees
http://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/cherry-blossom-history.htm

Source: The Innovative Teaching Newsletter
Volume 11, Issue 2 - September 2008
Topic: Washington, D.C.
http://surfaquarium.com/NEWSLETTER/dc.htm

Fastpitchsoftballdirectory.com - - Grades 4 to 12
http://www.fastpitchsoftballdirectory.com

Site found on TeachersFirst.com

“This search engine is a great find for all softball fans looking for links to college, youth, and high school fast pitch teams, as well listings for a number of associations, camps, and clinics. The site also has instructional and inspirational material for coaches and athletes.”

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=4489

April Fools' Day Pranks
http://www.surfnetkids.com/april_fools_day_pranks.htm
From the site:
“April foolery will soon be upon us. To celebrate, this week's picks include family-friendly prank ideas, along with an historical look at famous hoaxes of yesteryear.”
Page includes 9 links to related sites (5 annotated, 4 honorable mentions)

Site found in:

ResourceShelf
http://www.resourceshelf.com
Mar.26, 2008

Fast Facts About April Fools Day
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aprilfools1.html
A history of the day and loads of fast facts, no foolin’.

----
Gary Price
Editor, ResourceShelf
gary@resourceshelf.com
The ResourceShelf & DocuTicker Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Post via ResourceShelf"
for even more resources visit
http://www.resourceshelf.com
http://www.docuticker.com

ChemCollective - Carnegie Mellon - Grades 8 to 12
http://chemcollective.org/
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

Site found on TeachersFirst.com

“Use this collection of virtual labs and authentic-based learning activities in your Chemistry class. Incorporate concept tests with a variety of teaching approaches. Use as pre-laboratory activities, alternatives to textbook work, or for in-class activities. Use online coursework available through the site. Activities can be modified or used to create your own new activity. Word files can be downloaded then edited and distributed to your classes.” <<>>

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9804

# posted by Phyllis @ 11:01 PM 0 comments

McGraw-Hill’s AccessScience Spotlight
Why Going Green
http://mhest.com/green_history.php

From the site:
“in order to protect and rationally use natural resources, as well as to regulate the impact of human activities on the surrounding environment, the application of green principles is of supreme importance. Discover some aspects of "going green" in this latest explorations spotlight.”

Contents:
History
Exploration (audio interviews, links to related sites)
Related Encyclopedia Articles
Image Gallery (click to enlarge and see caption)
Going Green Q&A (Quiz)

State of the air - American Lung Association - Grades 4 to 12
http://www.stateoftheair.org

Site found on TeachersFirst.com

“How healthy is your air? Search by state and zip code to identify how your area "makes the grade." Identify the most common pollutants and their sources in easy to understand language. Identify the health risks of the pollutants and what can be done to reduce some of them. Compare and contrast different areas as well as the most polluted and cleanest cities. Use this site to learn more about the common pollutants: ozone and particulates using the "Pollution Basics" tab.”<<>>

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9932

# posted by Phyllis @ 11:00 PM 0 comments

Sites found in:

INFOMINE Email Alert Service
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008
http://infomine.ucr.edu/

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College.gov
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URL: http://www.college.gov
Record Id: 681233
Created: 2008-09-22 16:38:08
Categories: govpub

U.S. Department of Education site that provides students, family
members, teachers, and counselors with "information and resources about
planning, preparing and paying for postsecondary education." Includes
articles, quizzes, advice, and links to additional college resource
sites.

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Encyclopedia of Alabama
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URL: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Home.jsp
Record Id: 681227
Created: 2008-09-22 10:33:38
Categories: govpub,liberal

Comprehensive encyclopedia covering the state of Alabama

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Wind Web Tutorial
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URL: http://www.awea.org/faq
Record Id: 681221
Created: 2008-09-19 10:39:46
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]


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Wind Energy Curriculum for K-12
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URL: http://www.awea.org/education/curriculum/
From the site:
“The material has been developed and organized into four separate grade levels to ensure that the information is appropriate for each age group in K-12. Included in the material is background information and hands-on activities to explore motion, weather, the history of wind, and modern wind technology.”

Aero-Pop
http://www.aero-pop.com/INTRO.html
Fitness program from Canada

See: Education World for complete review
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/2008/r0208-29.shtml

From the site:
“This high energy site may be the cure for getting youngsters to moving and improving their health. It can be incorporated into the school fitness programs or done at home and is appropriate for all children. Best of all, the entire program can be downloaded for free.” <<>>

# posted by Phyllis @ 12:13 AM 0 comments

[NOTE: Searchable by city and/or state. – Phyllis ]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: NJYAC
Date: Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Subject: Job-posting website for teens available
To: njyac@njstatelib.org


Please excuse any cross-postings.

I'm passing along this information that might be of interest to any of you working with teens. The site looks very useful.

Sharon Rawlins
Youth Services Consultant
NJ State Library

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MyFirstPaycheck.com website
http://www.myfirstpaycheck.com/

Created by 17-year-old Celeste Lavin and her 24-year-old brother, Austin, MyFirstPaycheck.com is a job-posting site for teenagers. Along with job, internship and volunteer opportunities, Myfirstpaycheck.com provides advice and resources to help young people have a more successful job application process.

Myfirstpaycheck.com is also a great free educational resource for High Schools and Libraries who are looking to offer job listings (we provide RSS feeds of local jobs for your websites) and job resources (like our free resume builder) to teen users.

We would appreciate if you would pass on Myfirstpaycheck.com to your students or teens in your library and link to our site from yours. Please let me know if you have any questions, or would like more information about our site.

For information contact:
Austin Lavin
austin@myfirstpaycheck.com
(215) 688.0700
Co-Founder and CEO of myfirstpaycheck.com

# posted by Phyllis @ 12:12 AM 0 comments

Embark.com
http://www.embark.com/
[NOTE: Previously posted. Site updated. - Phyllis ]

From the site:

RESEARCH: Learn more about thousands of colleges and graduate programs.
find your best fit, compare school stats and costs

APPLY: Apply to over 600 schools quickly with your Embark profile.
fill out your profile ONCE and use it for however many school applications you choose

FINANCE: Figure out your options to pay for schools.
estimate how much you will have to pay with our Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator learn more about the financing options: grants

Sites found in:

Larry Ferlazzo’s Website Newsletter
October, 2008

The Best Sites For Students To Create Budgets
(http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/08/22/the-best-sites-for-students-to-create-budgets/ )
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/dftbjr

The Best Internet Sites For English Language Learners — 2008
(http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/08/28/the-best-internet-sites-for-english-language-learners-2008/ )
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/5a9sdd

The Best Resources For Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
(http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/09/03/the-best-resources-for-hispanic-heritage-month/ )
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/5j8wux

Know How 2 Go
(http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/09/16/know-how-2-go/ )
Know How 2 Go (http://knowhow2go.org/index.php ) is really quite an impressive site designed to encourage middle and high school students to attend college. It’s been created by the American Council on Education and the Ad Council.

Biographical Dictionary
http://www.s9.com/
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

“This biographical dictionary covers more than 33,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world from ancient times to the present day. The dictionary can be searched by birth and death dates, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, achievements, and other keywords.”
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Source: Refdesk: http://www.refdesk.com

---------Forwarded Message--------
Site of the Day for Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Columbia Guide to Standard American English
http://www.bartleby.com/68

Today's site, from the editors at Bartleby's, and just in time for the new academic year, offers a comprehensive language reference. Gentle Subscribers in need of a convenient guide to English may want to bookmark this useful resource for future consultations in those tricky language situations, which can crop up even for the most well-versed English speakers.

"A vigorous assessment of how our language is best written and spoken and how we can use it most effectively, this guide is the ideal handbook of language etiquette: friendly, sensible, reliable, and fun to read. Its 6,500 entries contain thousands of examples, both descriptive and prescriptive, and feature 4,300 hyperlinked cross-references. ... Standard American English usage is linguistic good manners, sensitively and accurately matched to context -- to listeners or readers, to situation, and to purpose ... [by] Kenneth G. Wilson"

The Columbia Guide presents its material alphabetically, so that it can be pleasantly browsed, beginning with "a" and "an" -- but even these seemingly innocuous articles can proffer tiny anomalies to trip the unwary. Alternatively, those seeking a straightforward and immediate answer to a usage question can consult the search engine provided. A noteworthy feature of the site is the inclusion of additional reference works, such as the venerable "Fowler's King's English" and the student's favorite, "Strunk's Style", as searchable databases, along with the Columbia Guide.

Slip over to the site to take a look at this useful English language resource at:

http://www.bartleby.com/68

A.M. Holm
view the List archives on the web at:
http://www.freelists.org/archives/sotd

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
http://www.bartleby.com/100/
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

Famous quotes, passages, phrases, and proverbs traced to their sources. Quotations can be searched or browsed by date, author, and keyword.
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Source: Refdesk: http://www.refdesk.com

Spelling Bee Hive - Merriam-Webster - Grades 4 to 12
http://www.merriam-webster.com/spell/index.htm

Site found on TeachersFirst.com

From the site:
“You will find unlimited resources, word games, and information about all-things spelling at this site. Each day, a new game is featured that hones your students’ spelling and vocabulary learning. Called the Spelling Bee Hive, it provides key links to the National Spelling Bee, spelling history, word games, and spelling quizzes. Practice spelling and English with “Daily Jumble,” “Fowl Words,” “Writing Block,” and countless other activities. There is also a “word of the day.” Daily podcasts are available at this link, to share the word of the day.

“Looking to get your students more excited about spelling? Visit the official site for the Scripps National Spelling Bee (reviewed here [ http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9811 ] by TeachersFirst). [ http://www.spellingbee.com/ ]Check out all the links to learn how to study for the Bee, guidelines, and application deadlines. December is the annual deadline for your school’s enrollment in the National Bee. This site will have the exact deadline each year. Click on Study Zone to download the Consolidated Word List (a gigantic compilation of 794 pages of words that have been used from 1950 to the present). Students can test their spelling know-how by clicking on the "Test Your Spell It Knowledge" link on the homepage. Your serious competitive spellers will also benefit by exploring Merriam-Webster's Spell It (reviewed here [http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9810 ] by TeachersFirst) [http://www.myspellit.com/index.html ].” <<>>

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9812

# posted by Phyllis @ 12:12 AM 0 comments