Wonderopolis

Have you seen Thinkfinity's newest feature? It is called Wonderopolis and it is a place for families to go where parents can interact with their children on a daily topic.

Visit the site to view the Wonder of the Day which includes:

• Video related to the topic
• Have you ever wondered . . . . questions related to the topic
• Did you know?  Background information and facts that may include additional web links 
• Try it out!  Try activities related to the topic 
• Wonder words to know and use:  Words used in the topic information 
• Wonder what's next?  A hint related to the next, upcoming topic

For example, have you ever wondered, "Do French Fries Really Come from France?"  Wonder #24 explores the topic of french fries and where the name originated.   Visit the site daily for a new Wonder topic.  Explore previous Wonders by browsing or selecting a category name.   You can even nominate a Wonder of the Day!  You can share the site with others using social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Delicious, and StumbleUpon.

Parents will find helpful resources by clicking on the "about" link at the top of the page.  Wonderopolis is provided by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL).  Click on "additional resources" on the about page to link to Family Resources provided by the NCFL.

Remember to have fun with your child as you explore this wonderful site!

Teachers:  Ideas on using Wonderopolis in the classroom:
-- Translate the Wonderopolis page from English to Spanish using http://babelfish.yahoo.com
Enter the URL for Wonderopolis on the Babelfish site in the box for Translate a web page.  Next  Select from and to languages.  Then click the Translate button.
--Use a Wonderopolis topic as a writing prompt in your classroom
--Explore the categories for information on a research topic
--Guide parents to the Family Resources provided by NCFL
--Share the site at a PTA/PTO meeting or with parents at conference time
--Add the website link to your classroom webpage

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac

Our district recently upgraded to Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac.  There are a number of new features that have such a new look that regular users of older Microsoft applications feel a bit unsure.  Microsoft provides a site with a great deal of tutorial information that may be helpful to users.  Click here to check it out and decide for yourself it these tools can help you learn more about this software.

Wisconsin Department of Instruction Resources for Teachers

The following resources are provided by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction as resources for teachers.  Some of the resources are found on the state sponsored site, others are on their own site.

DPI ConnectEd
DPI ConnectEd is a site for Tony Evers, State Superintendent, to keep users informed about education in Wisconsin, providing information about opportunities, success stories, and other news.

Wisconsin Social Studies wiki
The Wisconsin Social Studies Wiki space is a space for social studies teachers across the state to share best practices, post great resources and to ask questions.  This is an older wiki with updates through 2009.

mcdsocst - Kristen McDaniel Social Studies wiki

Kristen McDaniel is the new Department of Public Instruction Social Studies Consultant.  Her wiki provides information to Wisconsin Social Studies teachers.  The Professional Development Opportunities link has timely information for events.  

Books That Heal

As many of my close friends know,  I have four very special boys in my life. That is why this blog, Books That Heal, touched me.

The author of this blog is an elementary guidance counselor.  She has provided book resources that may be valuable to anybody dealing with student issues in the elementary school including bullying, friendship, and self-esteem.  At the site, information is organized using labels which are listed along the left side of the window.  Click on a label to view book titles that fit the label category.

The author provides a picture of the cover of the book, description of the contents, and why it's on her shelf.  Dig deeper and you will find titles for older students as well as adults (parents, teachers and others).