| Volume Two Issue Six | April 2002 |
| Global Connections Inspiring Stories Featured Themes Teacher Discoveries Student Explorations The Lighter Side |
|
Global Interactions Foster Talented Students
Welcome to April!
Have you found yourself waking a little earlier each morning with rays of sunlight spilling onto your bed? Is there, perhaps, a little more bounce in your step as you head out each morning for another day at school? Are you feeling those familiar stirs for house cleaning, gardening, fishing, baseball and barbeques? Have all five senses come alive?
The spring season seems to rejuvenate the human spirit, and this newsletter explores the many resources on the World Wide Web to celebrate the many themes and special days in the month of April.
In addition to this newsletter, keep checking Vital Picks. We have been highlighting resources teachers will find useful for the classroom. We have also been highlighting accomplishments of teachers and urge you to nominate teachers for our Vital Award.
Join us at our discussion board. Current threads include Harry Potter, discipline at school, student drug use, Boston Public, and using the Internet as a tool for plagiarism. We'd love to hear your thoughts on these and other issues!
Don't forget to visit our new resource links! Visitors may now search for resources based on the grade level and subject they teach. We've included the best we can find on the World Wide Web. We will continue to add more and welcome any sites you may wish to submit.
March roars in like a lion so fierce,
the wind so cold, it seems to pierce.
The month rolls on and Spring draws near,
and March goes out like a lamb so dear.
- Lorie Hill
Don't ignore the small things...the kite flies because of its tail.
- Hawaiian Proverb
In anticipation for longer warmer days, most of the world observes Daylight Saving Time. So when do we change our clocks and what is the rationale behind it? Which country was the first to adopt Standard Time and when did the United States begin? Scroll down the page on the site to see which states do not change their clocks. Check out what happens World Wide with Day Light Saving Time.
Looking for other sites to teach your students about daylight savings time?
Discovery School suggests a fun experiment to compare clock time to sun time during and after daylight saving time.
The California Energy Commission offers an overview of daylight savings time and a schedule of when we change our clocks for the next two years.
Check out the World Time Zone for daylight savings times around the world.
How Stuff Works has good resources for teaching about time.
A Research Guide offers links to a wide variety of resources for teaching about measuring time.
In 1970, at the age of 35, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. At that time it was almost never heard of that a man of my fathers age and race (white) would develop this disease. There was not much research done at that time and my father had to rely on what medication and treatment was available at that time.
But one thing was clear; my father was not a quitter. You see, my father was a Chicago Public High School Teacher who taught special education children. Every day we would hear stories about "his kids". These "kids" did not usually mean my sister and I.
I remember as a child, my mother always met our teachers on "Parents Night" because my father always had his "Parent Nights" on the same nights. However, this is not the reason why I'm writing. My father's story happened about a month before he passed away in 1998.
My father arrived at his school and was walking up the stairs to his first period class. He was having a very difficult day because the Parkinson's was really taking everything out of him. He fell once and bruised his knee but he still kept going. Little did he know that someone was watching.
As the day progressed his step began to get a little lighter and peppy. By the time he was ready to leave for the day, he was walking at a pretty brisk step. As he was gathering his things at the end of the day, a young girl entered his room. He knew this girl from seeing her in the hallways, but she was not one of his students. He asked what he could do for her and she said, "I just wanted to Thank You for saving my life".
He looked at her and couldn't figure out what he had done. She then went on to explain. "When I got up this morning I was at the end of my rope and ready to kill myself. When I came in this morning, I saw you trying to get up the stairs and then you fell. I felt bad for you and the feeling of sadness just kept getting stronger. Then, at the end of the day, you were walking as spry as ever. I then realized that everything will get better as the days go on".
This story is true. My father had tears in his eyes the day he told me. I just hope that one day, my life could inspire someone else.
- Copyright © 2001 Nancy Fidler
From: Motivating Moments
There are a wide variety of sites on the Internet with a multitude of resources to assist you in planning and implementing spring activities. Check out the following:
Kid's Domain has clip art, crafts, games, activities, stories, spring holiday links, and more!
Nuttinbutkids has songs, finger plays, activities, books, and more!
Rainbow Magic has puzzles, games, polls, stories, poems, flowers, music, contests, links, and more!
ChildFun offers arts and crafts, games, activities, recipes, poems, songs, and more!
Many teachers are preparing for report cards and parent teacher interviews at this time of year. Check out some of the following sites that may assist you when doing so:
Visit the National PTA to find resources about parental involvement in education.
The National Adult Literacy Base offers tips for involving parents for teachers and administrators.
Chalkboard offers sample activities for successful school, family, and community partnerships.
Monograph offers tips for conducting interviews with parents.
Teachnet offers 299 comment ideas for report cards.
Teaching With Heart offers links to a wide variety of resources about report cards.
The magic of Spring reinforces the beauty of nature and the fortune bestowed upon us from the many resources our Earth offers. Perhaps you would like to involve your students in Earth Day activities. Visit the Earth Day Network, which coordinates worldwide events and offers resources for celebrating this special day. Learn about the history of Earth Day and find out about local events at Earth Day Online, or visit the Official International Earth Day Site. Celebrate Earth Day with Dr. Suess, visit Kids' Action to save a rain forest, find out about planting trees at National Arbor Day, and find other resources at Planet Pals Earth Day Page.
Your students may enjoy a visit to the following sites to commemorate historical days in the month of April:
Children of all ages love McDonalds. Their first restaurant was opened on April 15, 1955. Visit the lovable Ronald McDonald and play games, color, find fun facts, do puzzles, and more!
The United States Mint was opened on April 2, 1972. Visit their Kid's Section containing fun resources for children.
On April 6, 1909, the North Pole was discovered. Find out about the journey and other resources at North Pole 1909, or visit Arctic Explorations.
Perhaps no other disaster in modern times has captured our imagination like the sinking of the Titanic. The great liner went down on April 14, 1912.
And, finally, April 3 is Kick Butts Day. Find other resources to fight tobacco use amongst young people at No Tobacco, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Get Outraged, and Quit 4 Life.
A schoolteacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all.
On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school.
Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with deskwork.
When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.
He had no discipline problems with any of his students that term.
From: Joke Crazy
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