For general information about workshop registration, contact Judi Smith, 845-758-7484 or jsmith@bard.edu. For information about the Institute, workshop content, or Bard's Workshop in Language and Thinking, contact Teresa Vilardi, 845-758-7432 or vilardi@bard.edu. Mention brainbabies.net. CLICK ON "WRITE TO LEARN" FOR MORE WORKSHOPS.
The Missouri Review - a pleasurable and generous collection of short stories, essays, poems, writer interviews, and historical papers that appears in my mailbox three times a year; showcases excellent new writers.
Plainsong by Kent Haruf (excellent college level discussion book; the story suggests many writing prompts around importance of community, teenage pregnancy, people's ability to redeem themselves, etc.; National Book Award Finalist.)
The Map That Changed The World by Simon Winchester (well-told story of William Smith, a canal digger who endured homelessness, poverty and prison to became the father of modern geology.)
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester (amazing story of the unusual collaboration that resulted in the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary; if you enjoy language, you'll enjoy this book.)
Movies to See (Adult) - A Mighty Wind (PG-13), The Quiet American (R), The Hours (PG-13), Frida (R), Road to Perdition (R), White Oleander (PG-13), Pollack (R), Chocolat (R), Sweet and Low Down (R).
Sites to Visit (clickNgo)
Environmental Science:http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov (Grade 9 - College; free online; excellent, cutting edge research source concerning the impact of the environment on human health.) new
History, Geography, Science:www.earthcam.com (K - College, free; major cities, historical sites, whale watching).
Home Schooling: www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling (either answers all your questions about home schooling or points you to a site that can; pre-K through college; all subjects; free; great lesson and idea source for teachers and parents).
Special Education: www.audiblox2000.com: (excellent for teachers and parents; articles, lessons, links, webrings, and cognitive exercises aimed at development of fundamental skills necessary for reading, writing and mathematics).
History, Geography: www.timeticker.com: (instantly find the time in any country around the globe; handy as part of larger project; free, 1 through College).
History, Geography:www.nationalgeographic.com/landincrisis (maps, guides, lesson plans related to the Afghanistan crisis; interactive; all grades; free).
History, Geography:www.mapquest.com (maps and satelite pictures of anywhere in the world; interactive; street maps, trip planner; all grades; free).
Science, Math, Writing: www.geocaching.com (5 - 12; have class bring bags to clean up the environment; set up your own class cache).
All Subjects: www.london.d21.k12.il.us/research/intstudent.html. (a web bank -- not about Jack London -- set up by the Jack London Middle School in Illinois; a treasure trove of links for art, fitness and skills, foreign language, home arts, health, language arts, libraries, museums, zoos, math, news, science, and social studies, free; set up a web bank for your classes).
All Subjects: www.miStupid.com (a reference site dedicated to the stuff we all think we should know, once knew, or wish we knew; weights and measures conversion engine, binary/decimal converter calculator, U.S. President Puzzle, U.S. Puzzle, IQ Quiz, Lincoln Penny Memory Test, etc.; free; all ages).
Music, History: www.classicalarchives.com (over 14,000 music files, 1,000 composers; biographies, historical timelines; videos of young performers as they practice and discuss their work; links to downloadable sheet music, essays and editorials; free; all ages
All Subjects: http://www.lessonplanspage.com (1,500 + lesson plans - Math/Social Studies/Art/Language Arts/Music/PE/Reading/Writing/Geography/Science - lessons and projects; preK-12; great education resource for parents and teachers; free).
All Subjects: www.teachervision.com (all subjects; preK-12; lesson plans, printables, assessment, themes, online student activities, teacher tools, classroom management; parent, teacher, and student sections; free).
**All Subjects: www.teachnet.com (excellent lesson plans carefully explained with rationales, writing web quests; great project idea base; all levels, free).
Science: www.earthwatch.org/ed/fellowships.html (lessons in archaeology, biodiversity, cultural diversity, endangered ecosystems,global change, oceans, and world health; real and virtual expeditions; Earthwatch Education Awards for K-12 educators and high school students; free).
Science, Writing: http://www.fourmilab.com Scroll to bottom of the page and click on Earth and Moon Viewer, Solar System Live, and Your Sky. ("Zoom in and see the ocean floor, pan across a sea of glowing city lights, or adventure to the moon," free, 1 - College).
Foreign Language, History: www.abcparislive.com (Teach French, history? Travel France with fast moving cams, free, 1 - Co
Reading Skills Package: Reading Planet (Scroll to bottom of page and click on "parents" and"educators" for age appropriate ideas). Click on http://www.bemboszoo.com/Bembo.swf to visit the abecedary, an interactive alphabet zoo -- run mouse across letters and hear the various sounds of the zoo, then click on individual letters. Simple Things (what you can do to help all children read well and independently by the end of third grade; Checkpoints for Progress: families/communities and teachers/care givers ... pre-K - 12). Kids' Lab (interactive reading, printables, quizzes; reading comprehension, phonic skills, vocabulary development; be sure to check out "Between the Lions"; K-3) new.
Foreign Language: http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/translate.dyn (translate websites, documents, typed-in material, 2 - College, free).
Art: http://vggallery.com (most exhaustive Van Gogh collection on the internet; biography; 5 - College, free).
Artwww.artsonia.com (encourages young artists by displaying their work on line; art is sorted by project, school, and country; features "School of the Week" section; teachers who register for the site also receive a press release for their local newspapers to highlight participation in the Internet project; students whose work is on display receive ID cards featuring their own published art; all grade levels; free; excellent source for project ideas).
Parent-Teacher Conferences: www.bigchalk.com (Click on Parents' menu and search for "parent-teacher conferences,") www.eric.ed.govwww.familyeducation.com (Check out the excellent "Your Custom Parent-Teacher Conference Kit.")
New Teachers/Student Teachers/Substitute Teachers: www.scholastic.com/instructor (lesson planning tips, teaching tool kit, classroom management, communicating with parents, etc.; free), www.edusolution.com (classroom management techniques -- including discipline, lesson plans, reference books; also NYS elementary, intermediate, and Regents exams/answers; all subjects/levels; free).
Writing, History: www.dmarie.com/timecap/ (students can develop time capsule information; free).
Science, Technology: www.pbs.org/buildingbig (all grade levels, free; hands-on labs, interactive lessons; bridges, dams, domes, skyscrapers, tunnels).
Writing, Science: www.africam.com (Free, 1 through College. Check out African waterhole cams; very active from May to September; try spotting animals at night with the infrared cams; go on safaris; arctic polar bears all fall until the ice freezes (BEARS WILL BE BACK NEXT SPRING); Bahamas Reef Cam -- how many sea creatures can you spot? Osprey Cam -- observe the nesting process in real time; click on Wildlife Campus: demo -- great general intro to biology -- and a complete lesson on elephants). Bahamas, Virtual Game Drive, Trailer, and Vuyatela Cams are back! Hey, check these out: Amazon River Fishes Cam , Shark Cam, Giant Panda Cam, Gavial Cam, and Micro Theater Cam.
English/Ultimate Author Sources: Charles Dickens, Mark Twain (include writings, Etexts, biographies, pictures, study guides, criticism, lesson plans, timelines, maps, links, and much more; free).
English/Poetry Specific: http://www.americanpoems.com/ (Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Hilda Doolittle, Stephen Crane, Ezra Pound, Amy Lowell, e. e. cummings; poetry, biographies; download poems; free).
English/Poetry Specific: http://www.kristinegeorge.com/ (noted children's poet shares ideas; K-4; scroll down to Celebrate Poetry, Poetry Power - teaching ideas and links, Tips for Young Poets - animated, and Poetry Thinks; free).
**All Subjects: http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/edis771/webquests/directory_of_webquests.html (writing web quests, all subjects; K-6, 7-8, 9-12; 7-12 English with teacher guides; free).
**All Subjects: http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/bedford/sixth.htm (writing web quests, rubrics, middle school (6-8), all subjects including technology (bridge building); free).
ALL Subjects: www.wcs.org/education (There's a connection between monkeys and math, snakes and science, and lions and language arts; extensive resources and support for the classroom teacher; award winning site).
**All Subjects: www.teacherfirst.com/webquest.htm and http://www.spa3.k12.sc,us/websites.htm< (miscellaneous quests, all subjects, k-12; how to create own web quests, free).
**All Subjects: http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/Subject.htm#English (all subjects, free; web quests, guided lessons; grades 1-12).
Busy Teacher Stuff: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/ (tools to make worksheets, classroom materials, graphic organizers, teaching resumes, cover letters, lesson plans, rubrics, crossword puzzles; free).
All Subjects: www.jigzone.com - scroll down right side and click on "more" (online jigsaw puzzles, appropriate for all subjects, all ages; 6-247 pieces, all shapes; motivater and teaching tool, i.e. pieces in shape of states, final puzzle in shape of U.S.; free. I like the satisfying click of meshing pieces - don't bury them.)
Music: htpp://www.ptbeat.com (successful professional drummer shares free online lessons.
English: www.sjsu.edu/depts/english/places.htm (literary locales, places that figure in the lives and writings of famous authors; pictures and solid information; excellent coverage of Greek and Roman authors, much modern, some contemporary; free, 6 through College).
Math: www.mathideas.mhschool.com (First join The Math Idea of the Month Club; then click on teacher resources and web-linked lesson plans; specific math lessons linked to engaging websites ... drew me in; overview, formal lesson, activity sheet, and activity answer sheet provided for each lesson; K-6; free.).
Math: http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/ (1 through College, free; ask questions, get lucid answers; good problem resource; good insights into student math thinking).
Math, Science: www.getsmarter.org (animated, interactive site; grades 1 - 12; provides test questions, warm-up practice quizzes in math and science; instantly compare performance with that of students around the world; free).
Math: http://eduplace.com/math/brain/index.html (new brain teaser each Wednesday night in three categories -- Grde 3,4/Grde 5,6/Grde 7+, answer one week later; fun -- maybe extra credit -- classroom project).
Math: www.figurethis.org (math resources for middle school students, parents and teachers; Spanish and English; math challenges categorized by the topics they address; downloadable online materials; free).
Math teachers, click on Writing To Learn section for Grade 8 Problem Solving Journal Guide.
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Cyber Jim Info - Jim Seeley, teacher/consultant; Senior High English teacher for 25 years; advanced training and experience in various media fields and education administration; participant in the Bard College Writing Institute at Avondale-on-Hudson, NY, and at Simon's Rock, MA; member and board member of the Long Island Writing Project at Nassau Community College, NY; frequent contributer to the "Links to Life" Conference at Lake Placid, NY; frequent contributer to the Nassau County BOCES Tech Prep Consortium, NY; participant in Earle Labor's first Jack London NEH Seminar (1990) at Sonoma College, CA; member of the Jack London Foundation, Glen Ellen, CA; member of the Jack London Society, San Antonio, TX.
