Win a $2,000 Production Grant!

How is global climate change affecting your community?

The WGBH Lab and Teachers' Domain want to hear from YOU and YOUR STUDENTS! Send your story ideas and you could be selected to win a $2,000 production grant! Check out http://lab.wgbh.org for more info.

Green Valentines?

I was sifting through my email junk today and found a gem! A welcome diversion that I wanted to share with you all! Have you ever heard of "The Sustainable Sun Devil"?

"The Sustainable Sun Devil" is created for ASU by Grist.org, the nation's leading online source of environmental news. Together with ASU's Global Institute of Sustainability, we will be bringing you sustainability updates from around your campus, your country, and your world.

Something timely in the content caught my eye - "how to be a greener Valentine." I clicked play. What did I have to lose? As I watched, as I hope you will in a few seconds, I thought about all the cool teachable moments embedded within - from discussions with kids about the impact of these valentines traditions on our climate to the ways we could make better use of our classroom time and energy spent on valentines. Why not think up some new spins on time-honors classroom traditions?



AND then, being the good PBS affiliate programming advocate that I am... I jumped to PBS Teachers. I did a quick search in the upper right hand corner for the key word "valentine" and look what I found! Frontline aired a story a year ago - Ecuador: Flower Power - Fair trade roses for Valentine's Day. Make sure to click on the EDUCATOR button on the menu bar toward the right. Aren't these great discussions and timely readings to share with students? Not only do they align with Science Standards but also Social Studies Standards. Explore the related links, stream the 10 minute video. Think about the flat world we live in and how this issue effects us globally, and locally.



Finally, make it really hit home and consider joining Generation Eight for the Generation Eight Goes Green Event - just one week after Valentines! Keep that love going long past the 14th - for the valentines in your life, and the environment that we live in!

Don't Miss Out on "Raising Readers"

The following local courses start March 11, 2009:
Raising Readers: Preparing Preschoolers for Success (RDLA051.54)15 Hours Grades PreK-KCourse Fee for ASSET Educator Members: $45 This course focuses on preparing preschoolers for success by developing their early literacy skills. The theories and strategies presented are based on the latest early literacy research from Susan B. Neuman and Kathleen Roskos (2007). You'll learn to use this research as you plan meaningful early literacy-learning experiences. These activities build on preschoolers' prior knowledge, expand their vocabulary, and strengthen oral language development - providing them with the foundation for reading, writing, and future academic success. The course provides video examples, online interactives, and activities from PBS, and engages you and your colleagues in a collaborative learning experience.
Kingston

A New Spin On A Favorite Song... or two... or more

Sesame Street has long been on the cutting edge for children's television. Weren't they really the first when it comes to educational television? They are well researched and continue to be the longest running children's series. They also seem to have continued their cutting edge trends. You can find other famous people you enjoy teaching standards-required content to our littlest people on their site.

One thing Sesame Street is doing that we didn't have a chance to showcase in the ASSET Stakeholder Meeting Friday were the podcasts they are producing now. Take a moment to explore how you can subscribe to the RSS feed or download these free through iTunes!


Word on the Street

These podcasts are just one way we as adults can turn any time in to learning time with the children we love in our lives. It is a great way to engage our digital natives and put great learning content into their hands using the fun technology tools they love.

I'll leave you with "Don't Know Why" by Nora Jones, enjoying a moment with Elmo. Please remember to contact the ASSET Professional Development Team for workshops on these kinds of resources and embedding them in classrooms and in-home care. We would love a chance to work with you (anywhere throughout the state!).

ASSET8 Stakeholders Meeting 2/6/09

I wanted to thank the wonderful people at ASSET for an enjoyable and informative stakeholders meeting. I picked up new resources that I was able to forward to numerous colleagues that afternoon, and learned surprising new things about resources to which I'd already been introduced. The entire day--from my first ride on the light rail to ASSET's excellent lunch and studio tour--was a terrific experience. Thanks so much for your hard work on behalf of our students!