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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-k-12update@copernicusnet.com
[mailto:owner-k-12update@copernicusnet.com]On Behalf Of Copernicus
Education Gateway
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 9:56 AM
To: k-12update@gocopernicus.com
Subject: K-12 UPDATE: Science


==========================================================
K-12 Update
Visit EdGate's Copernicus Learning Communities at:
http://www.EdGate.com
==========================================================
June 18, 2001
----------------------------------------------------------
This Issue's Theme: Science

News in this issue:
+NOTICE FOR SUBSCRIBERS
+ATTENTION COPERNICUS USERS
+CHECK IT OUT!
+WHERE ON COPERNICUS?
+SUPER SITES: Science
 Primary/Elementary
 Middle School
 High School
+SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL
+TEACHERS SAY
==========================================================
NOTICE FOR SUBSCRIBERS
EdGate extends a warm congratulations to all subscribers
for another school year well done! Thank you for
letting us be part of your teaching. We hope you have
found our newsletters useful, interesting
and--of course--educational.

This issue will be our last for this school year. Like
you, we will spend the summer preparing to begin next
fall with a bang. We will resume our publishing schedule
in August, to bring you the best back-to-school resources.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for topics or
resources to include in our 2001-2002 editions, please
email us at newsletters@edgate.com . Have a great summer!
==========================================================
ATTENTION COPERNICUS USERS
During July, EdGate will perform required maintenance on
www.EdGate.com and its Copernicus Learning Communities.
Though we anticipate a speedy and seamless process, we
realize the possibility of temporary disruptions in
service for our Copernicus Learning Community and
SchoolNotes users. We will work diligently to avoid any
inconvenience, and ask for your patience as we work to
build a better product for you.
===========================================================
CHECK IT OUT!
Summer is the season for science! Warmer weather means
more opportunities to explore the world around you,
and the Internet offers lots of ideas for online and
outdoor investigations. Yet, with so many science sites,
you may find that separating the good from the bad can
become a time-consuming task.

Never fear! EdGate has partnered with the Smithsonian
Institution to bring you some of the best science resources
available. EdGate's "Discovery Adventures" page at
http://www.edgate.com/ed_discovery highlights terrific
online exhibits, virtual adventures, and off-line
experiments. The "Smithsonian Featured Resources" section
of the "Discovery Adventures" page features past and present
topics such as "Earth Today," "In Search of the Giant Squid"
and much more.  The most current cross-curricular project is
"Lewis and Clark: Mapping the West," which focuses on map
skills and the natural history of the West.

==========================================================
WHERE ON COPERNICUS...
can you find super science sites?

The Web offers teaching and learning tools to help bring
science studies alive. Whether you're looking for online
help with facts or formulas, or hands-on activities you
can complete in school or at home, you'll find plenty of
sites to hone your science skills on EdGate's
"Research Center-Science" page at
http://www.edgate.com/st_research_science.html.

==========================================================
SUPER SITES: Science

Primary/Elementary
Minnetonka Elementary Science Center
http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/science/lessonsk1.html
(Note, if the above URL is too long for this newsletter,
you may have to cut and paste it into your browser in
segments.)
Take a tip from the teachers of Minnetonka Public Schools
in Minnesota. Colleagues there have compiled a group of
grade-level lessons for K-1 students that focus on science.

U.S. Department of Education:
Helping Your Child Learn Science
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/Introduction.html
(Note, if the above URL is too long for this newsletter,
you may have to cut and paste it into your browser in
segments.)
Why stop the science lessons when the school day ends?
Help parents satisfy curious kids with the suggestions
on this site. Parents will want to pay special attention
to the "Questioning and Listening" section, which includes
a story by a Nobel Prize winner. Then follow the "forward"
arrows at the bottom of the pages for a list of home and
community science learning activities.

Elementary School Lesson Plans
http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/hex/visit/lesson/lesson_links1.html
(Note, if the above URL is too long for this newsletter,
you may have to cut and paste it into your browser in
segments.)
Start planning for next year using the lesson plans from
this list of over 200 ideas, presented by the Rutgers
University Department of Physics and Astronomy. This
extensive group includes ways to teach students about
force, motion, energy, sound, and electricity.

TIMSS Test Items
http://merlin.bethune.yorku.ca/trek/assessment/timss.html
(Note, if the above URL is too long for this newsletter,
you may have to cut and paste it into your browser in
segments.)
This site contains a number of released test items
from the Third International Mathematics and Science
Study, TIMSS 95, and the repeat assessment, TIMSS-R, 1999.
Each test item is linked to specific curriculum outcomes.
Teachers can use the material on this site to enhance
existing assessment tools or develop new ones.

Bill Nye the Science Guy's Home Demos
http://nyelabs.kcts.org/homedemos/index.html
Bill Nye's big list of home demos will help keep the
kids busy this summer. All you'll need to turn kids into
scientists are household items, parental supervision,
and lots of curiosity!

Middle School
PBS TeacherSource: Science and Technology
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/sci_tech.htm
Combine a colorful layout, easy-to-use search features,
and trustworthy content, and what do you get? This PBS
TeacherSource site. Search by grade level and topic for
a list of lesson plans, many of which include additional
links to other helpful online resources.

Science Links
http://science.kennesaw.edu/~thowick/sciencelinks.htm
Log on for hundreds of science links to keep the mind and
the computer active. A labor of love, the site is
maintained by Dr. Tom Howick of Kennesaw State University.

GeologyLink
http://www.geologylink.com/
Although the Houghton Mifflin College Division sponsors
this site, you can easily use its content in middle-school
geology classes. Make sure to scan the section on virtual
field trips for direct links to specific agency or event
sites that house more information on the topic.

High School
Multimedia Activities
http://www.explorescience.com/activities/activity_list.cfm?categoryID=11
(Note, if the above URL is too long for this newsletter,
you may have to cut and paste it into your browser in
segments.)
Put science theories in motion and to the test with this
ExploreScience.com site. Try over 40 multimedia science
activities that demonstrate theories about force, prisms,
magnetism, density, and more. You'll need the Shockwave
plug-in to view these activites.

NOVA Science in the News
http://www.science.org.au/nova/index.htm
Combine current events and science studies into one lesson
by exploring the real-life science and technology issues
presented by this NOVA site. Each issue is framed for
discussion, with corresponding glossaries, activities,
and links for further research. For even more topics, click
on the "Back to Basics" link on the right side of the
home page.

The Catalyst: Chemistry Resources for Teachers
http://www.thecatalyst.org/
Chemisty teachers, don't miss this site. Filled with
resource links, a Q&A section, and a Teacher's Forum,
the site puts teaching tools at your fingertips.
Try out the links to other high-school chemistry
programs to see what your colleagues are doing in their
schools.

==========================================================
SPOTLIGHT SCHOOLS
The spotlight is on the faculty and staff in Hampton,
Virginia, where plans are underway for a Copernicus-filled
summer! In June and July, teachers and staff at Hampton's
Bethel High School will have the opportunity to attend up
to ten workshops--developed for and by Bethel employees--
to help them discover new ways to use their Copernicus
Learning Community's tools and resources.

During the school year, Bethel in-school trainers worked
with EdGate trainers to develop and plan workshops that
give participants training on different areas of Copernicus
and its SchoolNotes product. Using resources supplied by
EdGate, the Hampton trainers created PowerPoint
presentations, handouts, and lesson plans to use with the
Bethel High School staff. Some of the topics to be covered
are: Introduction to Copernicus, Copernicus Integration,
SchoolNotes for Beginners, and Advanced SchoolNotes.  In
September, the school will hold extra training to help
teachers put Copernicus to work in their instructional
programs. The goal is to have every staff member using
Copernicus resources and SchoolNotes during next school
year.

The Hampton training team hopes the summer training
sessions will give teachers the opportunity to get a
jump start on using Copericus in the classroom next
fall. How about your school? Are you using this summer
to set yourself up for success next year?

==========================================================
TEACHERS SAY
In the "Teachers Say" section of K-12 Update, EdGate gives
you a chance to ask and answer questions posed by EdGate or
other newsletter subscribers. Send us you input for our
next issue! Help us answer this "Teachers Say" question:

Have movies like the new film "Pearl Harbor" helped or
hindered our students' understanding of history?

Email your responses to EdGate at newsletters@edgate.com .
Include your grade and state. We'll post selected responses
in the next issue of K-12 Update!

***It is important to note that by submitting comments
to EdGate, you grant EdGate permission to publish your
remarks in its newsletters.***
==========================================================
HOW TO CONTACT US

Send us feedback or recommend your favorite educational
Web links at http://www.EdGate.com/contact .

To change your subscription status or delivery address,
or to read past issues, visit EdGate's Newsletter Center
at http://www.EdGate.com/edunews .

To create a customized Copernicus Learning Community for
your school or district, contact EdGate Customer Care at
customercare@edgate.com .

Copernicus Learning Communities offer easy access to
best-of-the-Web resources for K-12 educators, students,
and parents. Visit our Web site: http://www.EdGate.com .

© 2001 by EdGate.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
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