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The Help Desk  
Volume 2, No. 9                     6 December, 2002

[To view this newsletter on line:
http://www.emck.net/eline/02_12_06.htm.]

No, we can't help with that "Snow Day" dance, but, this issue, The Help Desk has some alternative celebrations!

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful...."

Many teachers got their first taste of the winter season with a day or two off this past week, reminding us that, yes, that winter break is just around the corner! In keeping with the spirit, here's a collection of teaching and information resources aimed at holiday celebrations of all kinds - across the state and across the globe!

 

Holiday Teaching Resources December Holidays
December Holidays Across Cultures

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson213.shtml

Here's a collection of 10 activities from Education World on holidays in December, all appropriate for middle school classrooms. There's also a collection of links to other related lesson plans from the Education World database.. 
The Earth Calendar
The Earth Calendar

http://www.earthcalendar.net/

This site is a simple database of holidays by date, country, or religion. There is a searchable database, and links off site provide information on a wide range of religions and their holidays. 
Coming of Age in Japan
Holidays & Celebrations from Around the World

http://staff.uscolo.edu/peterssl/topics/internatl/holidays/festivals.htm

Maintained by Sandy and Thomas Peters, Topics is an E-zine from the University of Southern Colorado aimed at learners of English. This edition lists many international holidays TOPICSwith links to stories and traditions, most written by students. There's even a place where you can submit your own! The purpose of the site makes this an appropriate place for struggling readers of all types. 
Holidays Around the World
Holidays around the world for K-12

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/holidays.htm

This is a simple listing of some of the most popular or common holidays, with links to sites with information and lesson plans.  
Content Area Resources
The Arts Arts for LearningArts for Learning

http://www.arts4learning.org/

A project of Young Audiences, Inc., of New York (with two offices on the West Coast as well), Arts for Learning is primarily a clearinghouse for for-hire learning experiences in your school. The website provides online discussion, lesson plans, and ideas aimed at the use of the Arts in classroom and lifelong learning. Registration is required to access some resources, but is free.
Mathematics

MSTEMSTE

http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/

Here's a collection of online activities and lessons, produced by the Office for Math, Science, and Technology Education of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Education. There are simple interactive applets for explorations (see M2T2), and links to resources on the site and off. [editor's note: URL updated 7/4/04]
Reading and Writing Kentucky Department of Education Middle School Writing Resources from KDE

http://www.kde.state.ky.us/oapd/MiddleSchool/writing.asp

Portfolios are looming! Look for an issue of The Help Desk soon on portfolios. In the meantime, here's what the Office of Academic and Professional Development, Kentucky Department of Education, has to say about the middle school writing process. Included are links to the Core Content and other resources provided by KDE for the writing process. [editor's note: URL unavailable 7/4/04 - search or browse http://www.education.ky.gov/ for updated materials]
Science Light: a learning unitGE's Light: A Learning Unit

http://www.gelighting.com/na/home/gela/students/index.htm

These online learning activities are aimed at the science of light (there's also a math lesson). Provided by GE completely free of charge, the activities are small in scale, but provide interactivity and assessment.
Social Studies Global EdGlobal Ed

http://www.globaled.org/

Global Ed isn't just for social studies! This excellent resource has complete lesson plans and linked resources. Using their search engine requires registration (it's free), but the resources themselves are accessible without registration, and reachable by browsing.
Professional Resources Middle MattersMiddle Matters

http://www.middlemattersonline.org/

The National Middle School Association (NMSA) and National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) team up to bring this new on-line journal. The first edition (November, 2002) has an excellent article on the implications of "No Child Left Behind," including on-line resources. Internet-delivered journals and e-zines have come of age, and here's further proof!

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