The Kearney Archway and Fort Kearny are offering some new special programming and pricing for the 150^th anniversary of the Pony Express.  A field trip to the Archway and Fort Kearny would be a great way to celebrate this important historic event this spring!  The new sod house location on the prairie will be a great setting for the Archway’s program, and  the Archway and historic Fort Kearny both welcome schools with sack lunches!

Attached are flyers for their events.

Archway Pony Express program.pdf
Pony Express at Ft Kearny (2).pdf

This looks like a REALLY fun project to do with your students!  If you have wanted to try blogging with students or some other collaborative, global projects, this is the one for you!  Check out this project web site! Even if you only want to try a portion of this, I think it would be worth your time.  This is for students from k-7th grade and it was started by a 2nd grade teacher!  Check it out and let me know if you want help!

http://sites.google.com/site/misschatz/home

Nebraska Game and Parks invite all fourth, fifth and sixth grade students to their 4th Annual Outdoor School Day Expo on either Thursday, May 13 or Friday, May 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event will be held at Fort Kearney State Recreation Area and is a free educational event.  Over 40 diverse hands-on activities and demonstrations that correlate with Nebraska State Standards in the areas of science, math, history, reading and writing are offered. 

Registration begins January 20, 2010.  Attached is the Teacher's Guide and Registration Instructions.

 Teachers Guide Packet 2010.pdf

Registration Instructions - Fort kearny.doc

I was just reading this blog and I thought this particular group would like what is presented here.  I hope you can find something here that you can share in class or maybe even develop a project. 

"If you really want to honor Dr. King..."  http://stager.tv/blog/?p=870

More links and materials - http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/holidays/mlk/mlk.htm

Here are a few web sites that I thought you would like. 

• Good general lesson plan sites - http://tr.im/KjRO
• Science Fair site - http://www.sciencebob.com/sciencefair/index.php
• You Tube URL Tricks - http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-youtube-url-tricks-you-should-know-about/
• ReTool Yourself (professional development ideas) - http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/25886
• 100 Web Tools for Collaboration - http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/26378

This last link is a video from a student demonstrating how her 7th grade science class is being run.  This looked like a very engaging science class!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEls3tq5wIY&feature=youtu.be&a

In this series we are featuring nine webinars on Marzano's instructional strategies. Each webinar will focus on the how to use specific instructional strategies in your classroom as well as technology tips and tricks to integrate along the way!

Each webinar is a one-hour session from 4-5PM.  A day or so before the webinar, you will receive an email with instructions and the website for the webinar.

There is no driving or weather worries, all you need is a computer! Choose just one webinar to attend or choose them all! These are great refreshers if you attended Classroom Instruction That Works this last summer! Even if you don't know anything about these instructional strategies, please join us and find out all the easy ways of engaging and reaching your students.

Summarizing and Note Taking - January 19, 2010
Reinforcing Effort/Receiving Feedback - February 2, 2010
Homework and Practice - February 16, 2010
Non-Linguistic Representation - March 2, 2010
Cooperative Learning - March 23, 2010
Setting Objectives/Providing Feedback - April 6, 2010
Generating and Testing Hypothesis - April 20, 2010
Ques, Questions, and Advanced Organizers - May 4, 2010

Register on ODIE at https://odie.esu10.org/

Screenjelly gives you three minutes of recording time for your on screen movements and audio. Easy way to show kids how to get to a site or what part of a site they should use. The recording can also be emailed.

http://www.screenjelly.com/

I just saw this blog post on Twitter and thought you would all enjoy this!  In between basketball games and holiday performances, this list of web sites will surely give you some new ideas and engaging activities for your Social Studies Classroom!  Happy 2010 to you all!

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/12/09/the-best-social-studies-websites-2009/

Looking for something other than shopping this Sunday?  Come on out and join us for our December First Sunday @ Rowe starting at 1:30 p.m.  http://rowesanctuary.org/first%20sundays.htm

With native grasses and fallen leaves rustling in the breeze and the symphony from flocks of birds streaming south, late fall is a great time to explore Rowe Sanctuary.  This month’s program will take advantage of this natural music by offering a workshop called ‘The Music of Nature - The Nature of Music’ presented by former UNK professor of music Annabell Zikmund, and Rowe Volunteers Susan Elmore and Jackie Flohr.  

Other activities include nature hikes and marshmallow roasting on an open campfire!

For more information:
Keanna Leonard, Education Director
Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary
44450 Elm Island Rd
Gibbon, NE  68840
308-468-5282

Check out this link!  Loaded with mapping, geography, and Google links and information!  Enjoy!

http://eduscapes.com/sessions/gis/