Subscribe to the monthly newsletter, which will be sent directly to your e-mail inbox. Volume Three  Issue Ten August 2003 Global Connections Inspiring Stories Featured Themes Teacher Discoveries Student Explorations The Lighter Side Global Interactions Foster Talented Students Welcome to August! Hopefully we are not putting a damper on your summer holidays, but with the month of August, thoughts turn to back to school. Many teachers prepare for a return to the classroom at the conclusion of the previous year. Others work hard in the last few weeks to prepare for their first day. As the month of August gets into gear however, all teachers’ thoughts turn to preparing for the upcoming school year. This month’s newsletter should assist you in doing so. So welcome aboard! Join us as we explore the World Wide Web to discover resources relevant to a return to school. We hope they are just what you are looking for! 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. Don't forget to visit our 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. This month we also have a special gift awaiting you and your students in the Activity section of Teacher's Corner. Check it out, and if you have activities that you would like to share with other teachers, please send them along. We'll make sure to post them immediately and to give you credit. Send your ideas to teachers_corner@vitalknowledge.com. “Wave at kids on school busses.” - H. Jackson Brown Jr. Global Connections Our global community has been experiencing a time of turmoil over the past few years, especially with the war on terror. As a classroom teacher, you probably use the news and other media as an aid to supplement your curriculum. The following sites have resources for students and teachers to assist you in keeping abreast of developing news around the world. As you prepare for another school year, these sites are worth bookmarking for easy access throughout the year. CNN is probably the most sought out source of news in the world. They also, however, have news pages specifically geared towards the classroom. Check out CNN Student News for great stories and resources. The US News Classroom has great resources for connecting your students to the world. Find lesson plans, comprehension questions, teaching units, and much more! The ABC News Classroom has similar resources though fees are required for some. Canadians are very familiar with CBC News, but did you know that CBC will come into your classroom and deliver a presentation to your students? Check out CBC News in Your Classroom for more information. Scholastic has long provided useful resources for the classroom teacher. Scholastic News bills itself as America’s Leading News Source for Kids. It contains some great resources. Make a study of current events part of your everyday curriculum! The World Wide Web has a multitude of resources to assist you in doing so. Inspiring Stories How Much Is A Miracle? (A True Story) - Author Unknown Tess was a precocious eight-year-old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money for the doctor bills and their house. Only a very costly surgery could save Andrew now and it was looking like there was no one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now." Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all of the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was to busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it! "And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question. "Well, I want to talk to you about MY brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick... and I want to buy a miracle." "I beg your pardon?" asked the pharmacist. "His name is Andrew, and he has something bad growing inside of his head, and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?" "We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little. "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs." The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?" "I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But, my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money." "How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to. "Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need." That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge. And it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. "That surgery," her Mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?" Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and eleven cents... plus the faith of a little child. From: Inspiring Stories Featured Themes The beginning of another school year is certainly a busy time for teachers. Fortunately, the World Wide Web has a multitude of resources that can help make the early days of school a positive experience for both you and your students. Check out the following sites: Check out these back to school pages created by Bry-Back Manor. Back to School takes an "everything you need to know" approach to teaching on the first few days of the school year. Contains links on proper classroom setup; activities to play; and even safety in the classroom and on the bus. ChildFun has a number of activities with a back to school theme. Be sure to check out their other back to school links. ABC Teach has great resources for any time during the school year including those back to school days. Teachnet offers tips for getting the school year off to a great start. We also think you will be impressed with the resources found at Teaching is a Work of Heart and The Teacher's Corner. Finally Pro Teacher has an extensive number of links to pages offering a wide variety of back to school tips. Find icebreakers, tips for room set ups, checklists of to do items, classroom management tips, activities, and more! Teacher Discoveries If you are a regular subscriber to our monthly newsletter, or if you regularly surf the Internet for resources you will probably be familiar with some of the following sites. The Internet is a virtual treasure chest full of great resources for the classroom teacher. The following are just some of the more popular sites. You may wish to bookmark them for easy access throughout the school year. Discovery School has a multitude of great resources for parents, teachers, and students of all ages. Find lesson plans, teaching tools, units of instruction and much more! ABC Teach contains resources for all subject areas. Find teaching extras, fun activities, forms, portfolios, basic skills resources and much more! Ed Helper contains lesson plans, worksheets, web quests, and more! For all grades and subject areas. Many resources are free, but you must purchase a subscription for others. The Lesson Plans Page has a variety of lesson plans for the classroom teacher. Broken down by subject and grade levels. Contains a searchable database. Similar resources can be found at A to Z Teacher's Stuff. Education Place has resources for elementary and middle schoolteachers, students, and parents. Includes Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies Centers, Intervention, Professional Development, a searchable activity database, educational games, and textbook support. Billy Bear's Playground is a wonderful site for children. Games, holiday resources, puzzles, storybooks, clip art and much more! Kid's Domain is also loaded with great resources for young children. Games, crafts, clipart, contests and more! Looking for other great resources? We have only given a few samples of the many wonderful education sites on the World Wide Web. Visit our resource section for a much more extensive listing. We've identified hundreds of sites by grade level and subject area! And be sure to check out our Vital Pick's Archive where you will find other great resources! Student Explorations The World Wide Web also has a wide variety of resources for parents and students to assist them in preparing to return to school and having a successful year. Share the following with your students and parents. They may make the transition easier not only for your students, but also for yourself! The National Safety Council gives tips for returning to school safely. It includes a note to parents, a coloring sheet for children, tips for bus safety, and other great resources! The American Academy of Pediatrics has tips for making the first day easier, a checklist for the first day of school, homework tips, and other great resources! Other back to school tips can be found at SmarterKids, Kid's Health, and the Kid Krazy Korner. You will also be impressed with the resources found at Family Corner. Alberta.com also has a variety of resources for students and parents, with a back to school theme. Be sure to check out the Gearing Up section. Younger children may enjoy a visit with the lovable cartoon character McGruff. He has great safety tips for returning to school! Kid's Domain always has great resources for a wide variety of topics including returning to school. Finally, while returning to school is an exciting time for most students and teachers, others experience a high level of stress at this time of year. About has a number of interesting articles on back to school stress. The Lighter Side Teacher: I want you to tell me the longest sentence you can think of. Pupil: Life imprisonment! Teacher: What's the longest word in the English language? Pupil: Smiles - because there is a mile between the first and last letters! From: School Jokes Top