Google Science Fair

On 11 January, 2011, Google is launching its inaugural Google Science Fair, partnered with NASA, CERN, National Geographic, Scientific American and the LEGO Group. The goal is to create a new STEM competition that is more open, accessible and global than ever before. Google is reaching out to educators prior to launch to extend an invitation to schools and teachers to get involved early in its global competition.

To sign up for fun and free resource kits for your classroom or school (with bookmarks, stickers, posters and more!) and a reminder notification when GSF registration opens, go to the Google Science Fair at: http://www.google.com/sciencefair

Finding K-12 Grants

Grant Wrangler is a free grants listing service. This site makes it easier for teachers, librarians, and parents to find funding, including grants and awards for arts, history, mathematics, science, technology, and more. From the Voice of Democrary Scholarship Program for social studies to grants for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to ones for your school library, you can find examples at Grant Wrangler. They even list grants for teachers.

Subscribe to their newsletter to find the most up-to-date listing of grants for K-12.

Understand grant programs available to you and how you can meet the requirements for each program.

Librarian roles

Library media specialists have a twofold teaching role:

• They are teachers of students, facilitating the development of information-literacy skills necessary for success in all content areas, and they are in-service trainers of teachers, keeping abreast of the latest information resources and technology.


• Library media specialists also must embrace technology to be effective. They must ensure that school networks extend the availability of information resources beyond the walls of the library media center, throughout the building, and, in the best cases, into students' homes

The school year has started. Let's begin training both our students and teachers to be better users of technology.

Multiple Intelligences and Web 2.0

Espoused by Howard Gardner, the eight (8) multiple intelligences can be enhanced in your classroom using Web 2.0 tools. For example, let's say that some of your students seem to learn best through "interpersonal" intelligence, that is learning best through interaction with others-- activities to promote collaboration, discussion and social engagement

Here are some ideas. Your students can write their own blogs, create their own social networks and wikis, share SMART Board files, and collaborate in real time using Google Docs. Video conferencing (like Skype) and video tools (Animoto) are also ideal for learners who like to act interact face-to-face.

One of your goals as a teacher is to encourage exploration and inquiry, promote global citizenship, and deepen knowledge and understanding. Web 2.0 tools provide the technology, and your classroom activities are only limited by your own imagination!

A new school year

School is getting close to starting if it hasn't already. School supplies, school clothes for the kids and for the teachers, it's time to think about this year's lessons, students and all the myriad of details that goes into a school day.

If you haven't already incorporated new technologies into your lessons, now is the time to start. Review my Website at http://sites.google.com/site/bevseducationalwebsite/ and take a look at my book Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom at the Neal-Schuman Website http://www.neal-schuman.com/bdetail.php?isbn=9781555706531.

Check the blog and Website often for new ideas for using technology in science, social studies, language arts and with second language students.

Good luck in the new school year!

Google Drawing Tools

Have you wanted to add your drawings to a story you are writing? Google drawing editor makes it easy. A handy guide provides information to get you started. Use this tool in your writing classes to have students illustrate stories they write. You can Insert drawings into Google documents, spreadsheets, or presentations using the web clipboard, then edit them inline. You can also get drawing templates from the template gallery, especially when you want to express your ideas using diagrams.

Getting Started with Video

Despite that many Web sites require paid subscriptions, these sites may also have numerous free information to help teachers and librarians set up their own projects. To get started with a video classroom project, Atomic Learning contains a series of very short videos explaining how to set up basic camera shots and visual composition rules. In addition, a free Video Storytelling Guide reviews important concepts to think about when beginning the project like creating a storyboard. You can download the storyboard for free and learn how to add new shots to the storyboard and new links, to name some.

Learn about using video in your classroom so you can start a new project when the new 2010 school year begins!