Home About Contact E-Line HomeArchivesSearch
The Help Desk  
Volume 4, No. 14                                 18 February, 2005

[To view this newsletter on line:
http://www.emck.net/eline/05_02_18.htm.]

Editor's Note: In support of the March 2-4 Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference, Kentucky's flagship educational conference, much of this edition of The E-Line is specific to Kentucky teachers. We will return to our general format for our next edition March 3rd.

Deep BlueDeep Blue, a specially- configured IBM RS 6000 computer, defeated chess master Garry Kasparov in 1997. One of its towers is on display in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
The SmithsonianThe Smithsonian! The beginnings of Washington, D.C.'s museum and research complex was created when wealthy scientist James Smithson died in 1829, leaving a tidy fortune "...to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." The Smithsonian has created an "online exhibition" (http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Smithson-to-Smithsonian/) explaining his bequeath. 

We featured the Educator's Page maintained by The Smithsonian in our September 27, 2002 edition - an enormous collection of lesson plans, project resources, and information in support of the instructional use of the Smithsonian in instruction. Stimulated by a recent visit (this edition is being written in a Washington, D.C. hotel), we thought it appropriate to note some additions to the website since our last review, specifically, the following online informational resources from its "Explore and Learn" series:


The remainder of this edition of The E-Line is dedicated to professional development opportunities in Kentucky - primarily, the 2005 Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference in Louisville, March 2-4.

Professional Development Opportunities KDE PD Bulletin BoardKentucky Department of Education 
Professional Development Bulletin Board

http://app2.kde.state.ky.us/profdev/

The Office of Professional Development offers this Web-delivered clearinghouse for professional development opportunities from KDE and other approved providers. Also, look for this year's Summer Academies, to be announced soon!

Kentucky Virtual High SchoolKentucky Virtual High School

http://www.kvhs.org/

Besides being an online class delivery shell for Kentucky secondary students, KVHS provides 7-week professional development classes for a small stipend, and taught by Kentucky teachers and educational professionals. Each Year KVHS offers several classes which begin with workshops at KTLC - register on that site for these ticketed workshops.

Kentucky EducatorsKyEducators.Org

http://www.kyeducators.org/

In its second year, this resource of the Educational Professional Standards Board, the certification office for Kentucky, includes web courses and other online opportunities for teacher professional development, certification, and rank improvement.

Selected Workshops from KTLC (not all categories and items are present)

The Arts
  • TH208 - Traveling Across Kentucky to Meet Your Goals (Debbie Hoodenpyle, West Hopkins Accelerated Elementary) - "...Presenters will use Kentucky resources to integrate Arts and Humanities into the regular classroom through Reading Comprehension Strategies. Hands-on activities to use in the classroom with easily- available and teacher-friendly materials will be demonstrated..."
  • FR103 - Connect to Online Music Education (Hunter Hensley, Eastern Kentucky University) - "...Participants will activate a wide variety of resource links that provide easy access to music, animation, audio-linked photos, instructional videos, course administration tools and online sources of information and research in one easy-to-use, online resource..."
Mathematics
  • TH111 - Embedding Algebraic Ideas (Melissa Helms, Blake Elementary School) - "...In this workshop, presenters will explore ways Algebra thinking can be integrated into each of the other content areas throughout the school day..."
  • TH213 - Geometric Landscape Design ( Kathy Riggs Hardin, County Schools) - "...Participants in this workshop will be provided with materials and supplies necessary to create a drawing of a home (or scene) of their choice, then reconstruct this drawing using designed paper and geometric shapes that will fit into a frame of their choice..."
  • TH310 - Mathematics Strategies - Think CATS!! (Anne Boldrick, Kentucky Department of Education) - "...In this workshop, presenters will demonstrate various calculator and hands-on activities that will enhance the crucial development of Number Sense, leading to proficient CATS results in Core Content areas..."
Miscellaneous Instructional Technology
  • TH300 - Movie Magic: Using iMovie to Enhance Learning (Christine McIntosh, Bernheim Middle School) - "...Participants in this workshop will be given information on how the process of movie making can support and enhance learning across the curriculum..."
  • TH106 - Making Movies on Location... Your Classroom! (Jeffrey L. Jones, Fayette County Schools) - "...In this workshop, participants will learn Pinnacle Studio and Windows Movie Maker, as well as examine classroom integration examples..."

Assistive Technology

  • TH205 - Introducing Read&Write (v7) GOLD - a Software Solution for Struggling Readers and Writers (Dick Powers, Texthelp Systems) - "...Read&Write (v7) GOLD allows students to work in a truly inclusive environment using standard Windows applications..."
  • TH302 - Read and Write OCR: Converting the Printed Page to Digital Text (Linnie Lee, Kentucky Department of Education) - "...In this workshop, Read and Write Gold software and scanners will be used to perform optical character recognition (OCR) on printed texts...Participants should bring a textbook or other content in need of conversion to accessible digital format."
Science
  • TH104 - Illustrating Science Concepts with Paint Shop Pro (Barbara Darlene Combs, Danville Independent Schools) - "...participants will learn to create intriguing illustrations on various science core content (cycles, biomes, succession, etc.) using Paint Shop Pro Graphics Software..."
  • TH204 - Middle School Science + IMMEX = Problem Solved! (Neva Christensen, Morton Middle School) - "...The IMMEX system provides a web-based structure that presents students with educational ""problem sets"" that require them to use problem solving skills and integrate conceptual understandings that apply to real-life situations..."
Social Studies/ Practical Living
  • TH112 - What is the Village Doing? Community-School Partnerships (David Cozart, LexLinc) - "...This workshop will focus on the valuable role that neighborhood organizations can play in the education process..."
  • TH216 - A New Look at Kentucky History (James Klotter, State Historian of Kentucky) - "...Participants will be engaged in hands-on strategies that can be used immediately in the social studies classroom...Strategies will address the geography, economics, government, culture and society, as well as historical perspective of our state..."
  • FR202 - Simulations-Get Involved in History (Leanna Prater, Fayette County Schools) - "...This workshop will provide participants with a chance to experience both real and virtual simulations, including "The Search for Brown Gold" (exploration) and "The King's M&M's" (taxation without representation)..."
Reading and Writing Writing
  • TH105 - Cutting The Cord Of Dependent Writers By Getting Them Wired (Jeremy Tucker, Bowling Green Independent Schools) - "...This workshop is designed to help teachers empower students to become more independent writers by implementing a few specific technology tools..."
  • TH110 - Poetry-Oriented Reading and Writing Strategies (Ann Townsend, Greenwood High School) - "...Poetry is a natural, non-threatening way to teach remedial as well as advanced reading and writing skills. Consider context clues, similes and metaphors, multiple word meaning, interpretation, irony, etc., in an enjoyable format..."

Literacy

  • TH115 - Everyone Reads: A Model for School and Community Collaboration to Increase Reading Proficiency (Aukram Burton, Jefferson County Schools) - "In this workshop, participants will experience, through a multimedia presentation, the history, procedural process, planning and resources used to implement the Shining Stars Reading program that targets novice readers in the second and third grades in Jefferson County schools."
  • TH206 - Get Connected Using E-Communication in the Classroom (Leanna Prater, Fayette County Schools) - "...This workshop will address how to set up and use Web-delivered discussion forums within the classroom, as well as between classes and schools from other districts, states or countries..."
Summer Opportunities TEC '05Technology Enhanced Classroom '05

http://sms1.fcps.net/tec/

This one day conference will be held at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, on June 2nd, with a second half-day workshop the following day for technology resource teachers/district technology coordinators . It is grant funded and free to teachers across the state. Registration for the conference officially opens March 1st.

Bluegrass Writing ProjectBluegrass Writing Project

http://www.bgwp.org/

This venerable summer program (in its 19th year!) is offered in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Department of Education, and is associated with the National Writing Project. It pays a stipend, and offers graduate credit, for an intensive four week summer program aimed at the teaching of writing in K-12. Application deadline is March 4th. Contact coordinator Ann Robbins for information.


Newsletter archive (including further information about this resource): http://www.emck.net/eline/ Questions, comments, feedback, or requests for removal from the mailing list: eline@emck.net