Classroom Today Newsletter June 2000
Contents
1) New Topics for June
2) Sneak Peek
3) Teacher Tips
4) Student Posts
5) Spotlight on Language Arts
6) Summer Suggestions
7) Enroll in Connected University!
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Each month, Classroom Connect announces the latest news about Classroom
Today, our online curriculum resource for teachers and kids.
http://www.classroomtoday.com/
Sign up for a free 30-day trial to preview the full benefits of a Classroom
Today subscription.
http://store.classroom.com/browse/browse.asp?id=71
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1) New Topics for June
School may be out for summer, but Classroom Today continues to add new
topics to our library.
Don't miss these topics launching in June!
Gold Rush
How did the California Gold Rush change American lives? Students learn about
the people, places, and conflicts associated with this exciting time in U.S.
history, while examining the lasting impact of the gold rush on American
society.
Regions
Students investigate the geographical idea of regions to discover what a
region is, why people think in terms of regions, and what criteria people
use to define some of the different types of regions.
Number Systems
Spend a week or more comparing a variety of number systems! Students explore
the characteristics of the Mayan, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Roman, and Chinese
number systems. They also learn more about the technologically important
binary system and the familiar base-10 system.
Visit our list of topics for summaries of all available weeks.
http://www.classroomtoday.com/TeachersLounge/About/Topics/Topics.asp
We're always looking for more suggestions for Classroom Today topics. To
share your ideas, reply to this newsletter or post a message to the
Connected Teacher Message Board:
http://www.connectedteacher.com/messageboard
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2) Sneak Peek
Classroom Today offers a variety of daily activities to guide explorations
of the weekly topics. Here's a peek at two features from weeks premiering
in July:
Food Chains -- Field Trip: Coral Reef
Coral reefs provide a home for more than 500,000 species. Reef creatures
depend on one another. The food web here is complex because so many plants
and animals live around the reefs. Students take a virtual tour to meet the
producers, first, second, and third level consumers, and decomposers that
inhabit this aquatic community. Put on your diving gear to find out how
these organisms interact.
Meet the banded coral shrimp.
http://home.mem.net/~zipper/banded_shrimp.htm
How did it earn the nickname "janitor of the reef"?
Meet Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta, and Chlorophyta.
http://www.sonoma.edu/biology/algae/algae.html
What animals dine on these producers?
Meet the moray eel.
http://schools.4j.lane.edu/yujingakuen/russell/russell.html
What makes this animal a dangerous predator?
Meet plankton.
http://eyewitness.dk.com/SpreadPage.asp?BkNo=62&PgNo=26
What is their role in the food web?
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3) Teacher Tips
The Teacher's Lounge is the source for Classroom Today planning tools,
teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Here's this month's highlighted
suggestion:
Planning Tools: Standards
This planning tool provides detailed lists of standards addressed by each
Classroom Today topic. Standards are arranged by grade level and subject
area. Feature icons show the activities aligned to each standard. The icons
link to previews of each activity. The State button allows you to access
state specific standards. Use this resource to select the activities that
meet your objectives and relate curriculum to the standards in your state.
Check out the Standards for this week's topic:
http://www.classroomtoday.com/TeachersLounge/Planning/GAndS/standards.asp
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4) Student Responses
Classroom Today has a number of features that invite students to participate
in our online community as they explore weekly topics.
Message Board:
http://www.classroomtoday.com/messageboard
Students share their answers and opinions to Weekly Questions and contribute
to discussions.
Here's Erica's response to the Weekly Question from Geometry:
Three-Dimensional Shapes:
What shape box would you use to mail this lamp?
"I think that a tall cylinder shaped box would be good to pack that lamp.
The reason why is because that lamp looks tall and the lamp shade is round.
A cylinder shaped box is tall and rounded too, so the lamp would fit well."
Gallery: http://www.classroomtoday.com/gallery
<http://www.classroomtoday.com/gallery
Students display their artwork, projects, and completed Connections activities.
Fifth graders from Orchard School of Science sent in these PowerPoint
presentations:
http://forum.classroom.com/talk?13@@.ee8980c
Excellent work!
Kids' Quiz:
http://www.classroomtoday.com/topics/TopicQuiz/quiz.asp
Students use what they learn to write and submit questions for the Kids' Quiz.
Here's David's question for Economics: Money:
What was the largest bill ever minted?
A. $100
B. $500
C. $1000
D. $5000
E. $10,000
Answer: E. The largest bill ever minted was a $10000 note. It is no longer
being minted. If you have one, you can still spend it, but most are in museums.
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5) Spotlight on Language Arts
Last month Classroom Today debuted its first two language arts topics:
Myth and Folktale: Native American Stories
Myth and Legend: Greek Mythology
More languages arts topics are on their way. Watch for Fairytales, Poetry,
and Mystery!
Every Classroom Today topic has Reading and Writing Connections so you can
incorporate language arts activities across your curriculum. Here is just a
sampling of the more than 50 Reading and Writing Connections that appear in
Classroom Today weeks.
Language and Vocabulary
"Cool Slang" in 20th Century: Events That Shaped History
"Shocking Language" in Electricity and Magnetism
Reading and Responding to Literary Texts
"Aztec Myths" in Aztecs: Ancient Culture and History
"Dino Fiction" in Earth's History: Fossils
"My Life as a Paper Doll" in Geometry: Three-Dimensional Shapes
"Story Robes" in Native Americans: Community and Traditions
Poetry
"Haiku by You" in Japan: Culture & History
"The Sound of Poetry" in Sound: Properties of Sound
Reading and Responding to Informational Texts
"The Great Depression: Old and New Perspectives" in 20th Century: 1920s and
1930s
"Earthquake Experiences" in The Earth: Earthquakes and Volcanoes
"Discovering Pacal's Tomb" in The Maya: Culture and Civilization
Research and Writing
"Frederick Douglas vs. John C. Calhoun" in Civil War: Causes of the Civil War
"Opinion Polls" in Data & Statistics: Looking at Graphs
"Jumbled-up Water Cycle" in The Earth: The Water Cycle
"Creating a Classroom Constitution" in U.S. Government: Separation of Powers
Preview the Connections for each topic in the Lesson Notes section of the
Teacher's Lounge:
http://www.classroomtoday.com/TeachersLounge/Teaching/TeachingGuide.asp
If you are not yet a subscriber, sign up for a free 30-day trial to explore
these great reading and writing activities.
http://store.classroom.com/browse/browse.asp?id=71
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6) Summer Suggestions
Encourage students to keep their minds sharp this summer by visiting
Classroom Today.
Epostcards: Keep in touch with classmates and teachers.
http://www.classroomtoday.com/StudentCenter/postcards/choosePostCardGroup.asp
Game Bank: Fight summer boredom!
http://www.classroomtoday.com/StudentCenter/gamebank/gamebank.asp
Library: Research frogs, seashells, and other summer findings.
http://www.classroomtoday.com/StudentCenter/library/library.asp
Message Board: Share your summer adventures! Check out The Music Club!
http://www.classroomtoday.com/messageboard
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7) Enroll in Connected University!!
Eight 'tutorials' are now available! You'll find Recipes4Success in the
Connected University Library!
http://cu.classroom.com/
You can learn basic software applications in an educational context.
To find out more, sign up for a free trial:
http://cu.classroom.com/marketsplash.asp
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http://www.classroomtoday.com/newsletter
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