Volume 2, No. 5
11 October, 2002
[To view this newsletter on line:
http://www.emck.net/eline/02_10_11.htm.]
|
|
Why
did I get this? If you are
receiving this newsletter for the first time (and did not ask for
it), your name and email address was submitted to us by the KDE
Region Service Centers as a part of their support of the Kentucky
Teacher Academies. Information about who we are, and our statement
of privacy, can be found on our Information
Page. |
|
|
Welcome...The newest
additions to The Help Desk family come from the
Regional Service Center Summer Arts Academies! This week's newsletter is one of our
many topical ones.
 It's
grade report time! Of course, some of our list
members have already done those first grade reports, and others won't for a
few weeks. But we're close enough to dedicate this issue to the wonderful
world of assessment and grade reporting! Besides some sources on grade
report comments, we've included several resources on how to directly connect assessment
and grades to instruction. Harness the grading and assessment
process to drive student achievement and success!
|
|
Some UK ARSI follow-up dates to
remember:
- Oct. 19: Elementary Algebra for All Academy
First Follow Up (MSU)
- Oct. 26: Geometry for All Middle School
Workshop First Follow Up (MSU)
- Nov. 9: HS Algebra for All Academy
First Follow Up (UK Faculty Club)
- Nov. 9: Elementary Algebra for All Academy
First Follow Up (London, KY)
|
|
| Assessment
Resources
|
 Report
Card CommentsHaving a hard time coming up
with exactly the right tactful yet informative comment for that struggling
student? Want to wax poetic in honor of that hard worker? Here's a
half-dozen links to solutions to un-jamb that report card writer's block!
Assessment ModelsA
Middle School Assessment Model: This
contribution from Maine eighth-grade science teacher Lara Sargent is based
on National Middle School Association Essential Practices. In her model,
students self-target and self-assess through the course of their assignments
and projects. Contributed by Small
Planet, a Dot-Com which maintains this completely free educational resource
website as an advertisement for their consulting work.
 Understanding
Rubrics in Middle Grades: This excellent
exploration of the rubric concept by California teacher Heidi Goodrich
Andrade originally appeared in ASCD's Educational
Leadership, and is reprinted by The
MiddleWeb. A rubric-generating website favored by many Kentucky
educators is Rubistar.
Delivery ModelsPosting
Students' Grades On Line: Yes, it's
possible! There are lots of teachers doing it now! Privacy, always a
concern with posting in a public place, can be addressed by
password-protection or personal identification numbers. This article by
Sherril Steele-Carlin of Education-World
gives resources and examples (some of the links no longer work, but most
do).
|
| Content Area Resources |
| The Arts |
 The
@rt Room
http://www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/
Lesson plans, ideas, online gallery, links to
resources, all in an attractive format! The work of University of
Florida Associate Professor of Art Education Dr. Craig Roland,
"...The @rt room is designed around the idea of 'activity'
centers that encourage kids to create, to learn and to explore new
ideas, places and things on their own." Take a look at his Art
Sparkers - ideas to get your students' creativity moving! |
| Reading |
 Aesop's
Fables
http://www.aesopfables.com/
I quote from website constructor John R. Long: "Our
online collection of Aesop's Fables includes a total of 655+ Fables,
indexed in table format, with morals listed..." There's an included
link for looking up words, historical and biographical notes (including a
timeline), and some fables have streamed sound versions (Real format).
Also included are stories from Hans Christian Andersen and L. Frank Baum.
|
| Science
and Mathematics |
 Science
NetLinkshttp://www.sciencenetlinks.com
A service of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), this very well
laid out collection of resources addresses both mathematics and
science. There are a large number of lesson plans provided on the
site, as well as collections of links to other web-delivered
resources. They are arranged by subject, grade level, and tied to
benchmarks (from AAAS's Benchmarks
for Science Literacy).
|
| Social Studies |
 Best
of History Web Siteshttp://besthistorysites.net/
Using rating guidelines from the Oregon
Public Education Network, Dedham, Massachusetts history teacher
Thomas Daccord ranks websites using a star system, and groups them by
historical period. There's also site listings for history lesson
plans and maps, and a monthly newsletter for new additions. Well
researched and easy to use! |
| Writing |
 Build
Your Own Dictionary
http://wordcentral.com/byod/byod.html
Everybody knows that language is dynamic, that new words
and meanings are being added all the time. Here's a place your students
can do it directly! A part of Merriam-Webster's WordCentral
website, this page accepts, saves, and lists made-up words from students.
There are safeguards in place to prevent the posting of inappropriate
words or meanings. Lots of fun!
|
|
|
