Hoist the Jolly Roger

NEA Today, Jan 2000

TIPS FOR THE WIRED CLASSROOM

Ihave developed a Web unit for the novel Treasure Island at www. dreamcatchers.net/treasure. Educators will find a synopsis with instructions for a seven-week unit, as well as a dayby-day calendar for students and parents to follow.

The unit includes researching pirates using selected Web sites, learning 32 parts of a schooner for a seaman's test, and playing a treasure map game.

The site has received wonderful reviews, and I hear daily from teachers around the world, which creates a real community for sharing curriculum.

Joan Bigelow Sixth grade literature teacher Avon, Connecticut

AMSROOM204@aol.com

Women of NASA

The Women of NASA interactive project (http://quest.arc.nasa. gov/women/) showcases different women in the sciences throughout the year.

The Web site features these outstanding women's bios and invitations to classrooms to join informative online chats. Some chats are in English and Spanish.

You'll also find logs of past chats, so you can see what kinds of questions have been asked and answered, as well as practice sessions on Thursdays, if you have never participated in an online chat before.

Elise Tickner ESL specialist Parkdale, Oregon Tickner@gorge.net

Pleasant Living on Jupiter

In our study of the planets, my students begin with a Net search, obtaining as much current information as possible on the planet of their choice. NASA has several excellent Web sites on space exploration, and one of my favorite sites is a teacher-created site at http://gps.lhric.org/middle/ ems/aplanets.htm.

Students use word processing computers to write up their research, and they must include at least one image of their planet. Students are then paired to prepare oral presentations on the planet. They must be ready to explain some of the difficulties that must be overcome if the planet is to be explored in the future.

The students play the part of real estate agents trying to sell their planet to potential investors. They must plan future developments that will entice investors to choose their project, but their innovations must include information on how the students intend to work around their planets' tough conditions-such as Mercury's temperature extremes, Jupiter's horrendous gravity, Saturn's winds, and Venus's acid rain.

To make sure students take the assignment seriously, I have them deliver their presentations to our school's special education students, who play the role of the investors.

When the special ed students start firing questions, my students must be prepared-part of their grade rests on their ability to respond appropriately to questions from interested investors.

With my students teaching them about the solar system, both groups benefit. Pamela Galus

Earth science educator Omaha, Nebraska alrollms@juno.com

Incorporating E-mail

To emphasize the importance of communication, time management, business skills, and follow-through, I send my students E-mail on the daily activities of our 90-minute block.

I include information about any school and class announcements, the day's lesson and testing schedule, links to pertinent Web sites, or highlights from our classroom Web page.

Students are required to check and answer E-mail the first and last few minutes of each block period.

Sometimes I surprise students by randomly sending them an E-mail question that turns into a test grade. This encourages them to make it a daily habit to check E-mail and respond, and it gives students who were absent a documented record of class activitiesreducing the need for me to discuss make-up work.

Students are also required to file each E-mail message in a folder for documentation. Correspondence they send me must also be filed.

E-mail has been a wonderful management tool for me as a teacher, as well as a disciplined learning exercise for the students.

Diane Bennett High school technology teacher Mt. Juliet, Tennessee bennettd1@home.com

TALK TO US:

Have a nifty classroom tip or lesson plan that uses technology? E-mail a description (under 200 words, please!) to wiredclassroom@list-nea.org.

Is there a Web site, CD-ROM, or piece of software you can't live without? E-mail your favoritesand why you love them-to myfavoritetach@list.nea.org.

Or send your responses by regular mail to NFA Today, or by Fax to 202/822-7206, or through the Web at www.nea.org/cet.

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