Education Newswatch March 2006

Search for a Cause
What if every time you searched the Internet, money went to your favorite charity or school? GoodSearch, a new search engine powered by Yahoo!, now makes just that possible. Search engines make money from advertisers who pay to have links on search results pages. Visitors to the GoodSearch site designate their favorite charity or school; every time they use the search engine thereafter, GoodSearch redirects the money earned to their favorite cause. To make GoodSearch your personal home page or classroom search engine, or to add your school to the list of charities, go to www.goodsearch.com

Creepy Classroom Kit
Introduce your students to Dan Greenburg's new series "The Secrets of Dripping Fang" with a free classroom kit. These books are a hit with even the most reluctant readers. Appropriate for grades 3-5, the kit contains a CD of the author reading the first chapter of Book One, The Onts, a full-color poster, a set of Dripping Fang pencils, word games, curriculum ideas and a chance to win a free set of books in the series.

To get your free kit, sign up at www.harcourtbooks.com/freeforteachers or send a self-addressed mailing label (not envelope) to: Dripping Fang Classroom Kit, Teaching K-8 Offer, Harcourt Children's Books, 525 B St., Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101. Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery; offer good while supplies last.

Drumming up Excitement in the Classroom
Music is said to be the universal language, so what better way to learn about history, geography, language, math and science than through the rhythms that form a common link among world cultures? The Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) and International House of Blues Foundation (IHOBF) have just expanded their Roots of Rhythm program, which presents percussion instruments to fifth and sixth grade classrooms, placing a specific instrument and its rhythm in the context of its culture. The original Roots of Rhythm Teachers' Guide contains 10 lessons and play-along musical examples, and the program was recently expanded with Roots of Rhythms: Extensions. The new material includes another five lessons with exercises and examples, plus a series of Funsheet classroom activities. Each lesson begins with information about the country's flag, size, population, geography and climate, followed by a description of its history and culture. The final section of each lesson presents the focus instrument and rhythm using text, illustrations and images, as well as a form of musical notation that is easily understood by non-musicians. The entire downloadable program is available free at www.playdrums.com

Additionally, teachers will be introduced to the Roots of Rhythm program through a number of locally organized teacher training seminars at House of Blues locations around the country; visit www.ihobf.com for the contact information of your local House of Blues for more information.

In the Zone
In an effort to increase interest in geography, A Broader View, maker of the Global Puzzle (a puzzle with pieces shaped like every country of the world), launched www.geographyzone.com in 2004. The website includes the Global Challenge, the largest ongoing geography contest in the world. With the success of The Geography Zone, a new feature has been added – an interactive international classroom. For no charge, teachers can now apply The Geography Zone tool to their classroom with student contests or geographic lesson plans. Participants can either track their knowledge against their peers or monitor individual progress. To register your classroom, go to www.geographyzone.com and click on the green "Teachers!" button.

Your Financial Forecast
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has launched "Just for Teachers," a website to help educators plan their financial futures. The site – located at www.sec.gov/investor/teachers.shtml – provides general information about saving and investing wisely and explains 403(b) retirement savings plans, which are tax-deferred retirement savings programs available to employees of public schools. The site also offers tips and resources for teaching personal finance in the classroom.

Teacher to Teacher
A new online forum and listserv sponsored by Maupin House Publishing offer K-8 teachers two ways to "talk writing" with their colleagues nationwide. Each offer teachers a place to share ideas about writing craft in their classrooms, post or download lesson plans, voice concerns and share teaching tips and resources. Sign up for the CraftPlus® User's Forum and the CraftPlus® Writing Community Listserv at www.maupinhouse.com (Click on Craft Plus® and scroll to the bottom of the page.)