Hot Websites April 2006
By Linda Lindroth

Kids love Earth Day (April 22), and Clean Sweep U.S.A. will have your students springing into action for a school-wide cleanup project. And, perhaps you'll find a video clip from Library Video to support your recycle efforts.

Clean Sweep U.S.A.
www.kab.org/kids/defaultx.htm
Enter the world of waste management at Clean Sweep U.S.A. There are six solid-waste topics for students to explore. One of my favorites, Garbage Pizza, looks at what makes up our garbage and lets students create their own "pizza graph" of everyday trash and print the masterpiece. The detailed lesson plans focus on web-based research and classroom activities for "Keep America Beautiful" – perfect for Earth Day, April 22.

Click on the "Educators" icon in the upper-right corner and go to "teacher background information" for teaching tools, resources and ideas related to garbage, source reduction, composting, recycling, waste-to-energy and landfills.

For more web links and a Recycling reproducible, click on How To…Recycle – From Trash to Treasure from our February 2006 issue.

Library Video
www.libraryvideo.com
Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and that includes video! Schlessinger Media has converted approximately 75% of their educational videos to DVD, complete with a Spanish language track, chapter index and Teacher's Guides. The website offers sample clips for most titles.

The Teacher's Guides can be downloaded for free. Each guide includes follow-up activities, vocabulary, discussion questions, related web links and book suggestions. Most of the titles have a state standard correlation with a link to the online standards.

iPod Nano-- Tech Spotlight

The popular iPod nano is a "listening center on the go" when loaded with podcasts and audiobooks. Teachers can even find summer professional development coursework available in podcasts, and the calendar and to-do list create a portable planner. With a choice of white or black case, the iPod nano comes in 2GB (500 songs) or 4GB (1,000 songs) and weighs only 1.5 ounces. The 1.5-inch color display shows album art while you're listening to music, and the nano holds up to 25,000 pictures. A Click Wheel makes it easy to thumb through music selections, change volume and click to fast-forward, rewind, play or pause.

Visit www.apple.com for more information and to see iPod accessories, or call 800-MY-APPLE. iPod Nano includes earbud headphones, USB 2.0 cable, dock adapter, case and CD with iTunes for Mac/Win. $199 (2GB)/$249 (4GB).

Linda K. Lindroth is Technology Editor and Web Coordinator for Teaching K-8. She is also a Technology Resource Teacher in a K-5 computer lab in Lexington, KY.