Participate in an Internet-based Fundraising Program
Knowledge Adventure has announced the Easy School Fundraising Program, which allows schools to earn cash, while benefiting parents and friends who may want to purchase at-home learning tools for their children. When schools register for Knowledge Adventure’s Internet-based fundraising program, they will receive a customizable letter to send home with their students, announcing the school’s participation. Then any parent, relative, family friend or community member can go to the Knowledge Adventure Web site, select the school and purchase award-winning software titles. For any order of $25 or more, 25 percent of the purchase price will automatically be sent to the school, and the software will be delivered straight to the purchaser’s doorstep. Plus, for every $1,000 a school earns through the fundraising program, Knowledge Adventure will donate $500 in educational software for use in the classroom. There are no time limits or caps on what a school may earn. For complete details, email fundraising@adventure.com or call (800) 871-2969 ext. 9.
Deadline: Ongoing
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Encourage Reading for Pleasure and Enlightenment
The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. The initiative includes innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, comprehensive resources for discussing classic literature and an extensive Web site providing comprehensive information on authors and their works. Approximately 300 organizations in communities of varying sizes across the country will be selected to participate in The Big Read from September 2008 through June 2009. Literary organizations, libraries and community organizations across the country are eligible to apply for The Big Read. Applicants must submit an application online through The Big Read electronic eGRANT system as well as submit a hardcopy package of proposal materials.
Deadlines: January 11, 2008 for Intent to Apply; February 12, 2008 for Application
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Join the growing list of teachers enjoying the eBookDestination Rewards Program. On the first day of each month, a digital coupon (representing 5 percent of your total purchases in the previous month) will be added to your shopping cart. You’ll then be notified via email of the presence (and amount) of this coupon.

There’s no application to complete, no points to collect, no cards to carry, no codes to enter and (most important) no fees to pay. Quite simply, you are repaid for your loyalty with a 5 percent credit toward future purchases. It’s as easy as that!

Browse the eBookstore now! You’ll receive an automatic discount on some 3,000 ebook titles, many of which are bundled with downloadable audio MP3 files, from major educational publishers. Plus, there’s always a selection of the most popular titles on sale!

Find Solutions for Helping English Language Learners
Sign up at The Big Deal Book Web site for hELLo!, a free monthly ELL e-newsletter that includes information about new grants, upcoming contests, the latest educational research and a wealth of information on interactive print and online resources for students, teachers, librarians, principals and others involved in the education of English language learners.
Click Here to Sign Up for Free Newsletter

Create a Cyberbullying Awareness PSA
Sony Creative Software, the National Crime Prevention Council and the Ad Council are seeking entries from independent producers and K–12 academic institutions to help end cyberbullying by creating a Public Service Announcement on the issue. The top submissions may be eligible for national broadcast, and their producer or sponsoring academic institution will receive a complete multimedia editing suite for their facility or school. The Sony software applications and hardware are valued at $18,000.
Deadline: January 11, 2008
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Make a Difference for Animals
Each year the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) recognizes K–6 children who have made a positive difference for animals. One KIND Kid Award winner is selected to receive $100. Four runners-up are each awarded $50.
Deadline: January 15, 2008
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Plus: Perhaps you (or one of your colleagues) will become the 2008 National KIND Teacher! Each year the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education recognizes an outstanding teacher who consistently incorporates humane education into his or her curriculum and/or motivates students to get involved in community service for animals.
Deadline: February 15, 2008 for nominations
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Teach Personal Safety Skills
Since 2003, Honeywell Hometown Solutions and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) have worked together on Got2BSafe!, an abduction prevention program for elementary school students, to teach children potentially life-saving lessons. In 2007, Honeywell distributed G2BS materials to 240,000 principals and teachers and 72,000 schools across the country. To encourage teachers at elementary schools nationwide to help their students learn these valuable and potentially life-saving lessons, Honeywell and NCMEC are holding a Got2BSafe! Contest. Teachers are invited to submit brief lesson plans emphasizing Got2BSafe’s rules for personal safety. Five grand-prize winners will receive professional classroom makeovers worth $10,000, and more than 100 other winners will receive gift certificates for school supplies worth up to $500.
Deadline: January 15, 2008
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Improve Social Conditions
Channel One’s Take Action One Cup contest offers schools around the country an opportunity to show and tell—through digitally uploaded videos—the innovative ways teens are improving social conditions individually, locally and abroad. The winning team effort will be awarded the grand prize of $5,000 to support their school’s future efforts in promoting good works, with additional prize money granted to four semifinalist schools to aid their programs. Winning students will each receive a mini DV camcorder, and the grand-prize winners may have the opportunity to participate in a valuable learning experience through an internship program.
Deadline: January 31, 2008
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Examining Education Around the World
The ED in ’08 people have forged a partnership with Broken Pencil Productions to promote the documentary Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination, which tracks two high school students each from India, China and the United States. The film attempts to underscore the different direction the U.S. education system is going in relation to those in India and China (combined the two countries have more than 400 million students in K–12 education). The film’s trailer provides a vivid, compelling and almost frightening account.
Click Here for More Information
Click Here to View Trailer

Deepen Your Understanding of NETS-T Standards
PBS TeacherLine provides professional development through facilitated, online courses, collaborative learning communities and Internet-based resources. Currently more than 100 courses across multiple subject areas are offered to help teachers acquire the skills they need in order to prepare students for a successful future. In 2007, PBS TeacherLine and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) launched the Certificate of Proficiency Capstone Program. In three courses, educators deepen and demonstrate their mastery of ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) to earn a certificate.
Click Here to Learn More About PBS TeacherLine

Move Forward with Technology
A series of free online webinars called Moving Forward with Technology are designed to provide educators with tools and resources to differentiate instruction, enhance classroom work and improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities and learning difficulties. The webinars are being presented by Don Johnston Inc. and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITed). The Webinars run monthly from September through May. Upcoming topics include “Technology Decision Makers Hold the Keys to Successful Implemention”; “The Role of Technology in Response to Intervention (RTI)”; Finding the Technology That Supports Your Reading, Math and Writing Instruction”; “The Assistive Technology Planner: A Guide for Implementing AT”; and ”Evaluating Your Technology Implementation Program.”
Click Here to Register for Upcoming Webinars

Learn Research-based Literacy Techniques
The International Reading Association (IRA) recently launched two free audio podcast series that are available on IRA’s Web site and through iTunes. The first series, Class Acts, focuses on teaching techniques that are research based and classroom tested. In about 10 minutes, teachers get ideas about instructional strategies appropriate for particular learners or geared toward specific reading skills. Class Acts launched with six podcasts. Topics include “Writing to Learn Across the Curriculum”; “Phonics Through Shared Reading”; “Phrasing for Fluency”; “Teaching Key Vocabulary”; “Understanding the Big Idea”; and “Supporting Struggling Adolescent Readers.” New Class Acts podcasts will be available every two to three weeks. The other series, IRA Insights, features literacy leaders talking about a range of topics. In the current podcasts, Richard Allington discusses research-supported models for early interventon, and Peter Afflerbach comments on how classroom assessment, not NCLB-mandated testing, should influence teaching.
Click Here to Access Free Podcasts

Learn Techniques for Creating Videos
Atomic Learning is offering a Video Storytelling Guide for teachers, students and home moviemakers to learn both basic and advanced techniques for shooting and editing video. Whether you are creating a class project, learning editing techniques to enhance your videos or just starting to work with a personal camera to capture holiday memories, the Video Storytelling Guide is a helpful resource. Through January 15, 2008, individuals can access the guide, free of charge, at the site linked below.
Click Here to Access Free Resource

Examine Human Rights Crises
History educators and students can delve deeply into examining human rights crises and society’s responsibility for intervention with History and the Headlines: Chronicling Despair and Hope in Darfur. This new edition of ABC-CLIO’s complimentary series of online resources is a special “Reel to Real” edition, providing innovative instructional resources that serve as a jumping-off point for teachers to lead students into a guided inquiry of the events, conditions and people covered in newly released films.

This Reel to Real History and the Headlines was developed to support discussions of the recently released documentary, Darfur Now, directed by Ted Braun and narrated by actor Don Cheadle, which chronicles the efforts of six individuals to find a resolution to the conflict that has plagued the western region of Sudan for nearly five years. The free collection will be available until February 1, 2008.
Click Here to Access Free Resource

Get a Helping Hand with Math
Gemini Performance Solutions Inc. and Helpingwithmath.com recently launched their first course, the SWIFT^TM Online Math Tutoring System for grades 5–9. This computer-based tutoring system is a free resource that was developed for students, teachers and parents. The system guides students through a personalized learning path with multimedia math lessons from a real teacher. The lessons include a combination of online and paper-based activities. The system also includes adaptive length testing to match each student’s learning needs.
Click Here to Access Free Resource

Share Digital Media
The Moving Image Archive of free movies, films and videos ranges from classic full-length films to daily alternative news broadcasts to videos of every genre uploaded by Archive users. Most of these movies are available for downloading free of charge.
Click Here to Access Free Resources

Get free unlimited online access to all the print content in The Big Deal Book for Educators of Struggling Students, Middle School Through High School, The Big Deal Book for Teachers of English Language Learners and The Big Deal Book of Technology for K–12 Educators. Explore the many opportunities to fund your special programs, access timely reports and articles, locate free and inexpensive resources and identify engaging interactive Web sites.

Expanding NCLB Growth Model Pilot
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has offered states new flexibility in measuring student progress via growth models, which have already been implemented by eight states as part of a pilot program. Additional states interested in switching to such a model are now be able to submit their plans to the U.S. Department of Education, which will review the proposals and decide whether to grant approval.
Click Here to Access Press Release

Compose a Still Life Painting
NGAKids Still Life lets kids of all ages compose their own still life paintings (on the Web) using images of fruits, flowers and other objects and artistic elements. Experiment with perspective, size and spatial arrangements; then add textured brushstrokes. View a slideshow of 38 still life paintings and identify common elements; then try to guess the artists who created the paintings.
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Create a StoryRoom
StoryRooms are room-sized immersive storytelling experiences for children. With the use of low-tech and high-tech storytelling elements, children can author physical storytelling experiences to share with other children. The Open Video Project has made available a free videoclip that describes how youngsters can create a StoryRoom and shows an example StoryRoom being used.
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Stop by a Science Café
At science cafés across the nation, contemporary science is drawing substantial crowds month after month, even on topics as nerdy as gene sequencing and dark matter. These cafés seem to have hit a sweet spot in adult science education, offering access to cutting-edge discoveries and the scientists who make them, minus the notes and test required in school (plus wine, coffee or beer flowing freely from the bar). Most are held free of charge and are loosely affiliated through an international umbrella organization called Café Scientifique. Guests represent a wide demographic, from teenagers to retired folks. Most get-togethers follow a friendly and informal format: A local scientist presents a short lecture, and guests ask questions, especially at the end. Many cafés are sponsored by educational institutions, such as universities and museums, seizing the opportunity to introduce their research and experts to a new audience.
Click Here to Find a Caf&eacute Near You

Hang Out, Have Fun and Make the World a Better Place
KD Learning has unveiled the preview for ZooKazoo^TM, an online environment of imaginary destinations, safe activities and animated avatars. Although anyone can join ZooKazoo free of charge, certain features of the site require a subscription.
Click Here to Visit Web Site

Look After the Planet
From WGBH Interactive, THE GREENS is a site for youth about sustainability and green living. THE GREENS project encourages youngsters to think about the world and their place in it. Through the animated episodic adventures, a blog, kids’ mail and regular updates, students explore green living, sustainability, ecology, environmental care and social equity. The project nudges youth to do research, to challenge, to discover and to take action wherever and whenever they can. Green Business named THE GREENS as one of the “Ten Best Environmental Sites on the Web.”
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Solve a Space Mystery
Space Mysteries is a series of inquiry-driven interactive Web explorations, which take advantage of students’ natural curiosity to build critical thinking and analytical skills. In solving each Space Mystery, students are required to access and analyze actual data from NASA missions, including video “interviews” with real NASA scientists. The tools used by students are designed to possess an inherent flexibility, allowing them to develop and practice important science skills at their own pace. Each Mystery has been constructed to teach at least one of the important physical science standards (for example, interactions of energy and matter, structures and properties of matter, energy, motion or forces) and is accompanied by materials to be used by the classroom teacher.
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