www.teachitworld.com/

John Pugh – Former HIAS ICT Consultant

http://twitter.com/marsphoenix 

Why not sign-up as a teacher to Twitter and ask the Mars Phoenix lander questions on behalf of your class and see if you get a response.  A great way to support speaking and listening and writing.

Some of you may watch BBC’s ‘Click’ and may have seen this article. I thought at a time when we are all enjoying a relaxing holiday season the use of technology to support Aid Agencies would give us all something to reflect on.

The work of aid agencies really captures our attention during crises like Burma’s recent cyclone and China’s earthquake. But these agencies don’t just swing into action when things get really bad. Their work around the world goes on all the time, often unnoticed by the mainstream media.  Most of us, thank goodness, will never really know what it is like to flee from our homes and seek the help of an organisation like the UN’s Refugee Agency, the UNHCR. To help us better understand the plight of those who have suffered this, the UNHCR has put itself on Google Earth. Now users who take a virtual flight around the globe to see how their home looks from space can get an insight into those who have been forced to flee from theirs

See the full article at

http://www.bbcworld.com/Pages/ProgrammeFeature.aspx?id=18&FeatureID=772
Visit Google Earth Outreach

Calling all Dr Who fans.  Have a go at creating your own Dr Who trailer on the BBC website.  The Dr Who Trailer Maker is an easy way to bring film editing into your classroom.  Students can bring together clips and photos to make their own short film.  There are also tips on improving their work which could help students evalaute their own or others’ work.

Link to website

Here are some websites to use when exploring wildlife and the natural world around us – with ideas for linking to ICT…

http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/ - Plenty of activities to encourage pupils to take an interest in wildlife

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/ - Research the natural world and create a Blog of animals in the school grounds – great for developing pupil speaking and listening/writing

http://www.rspb.org.uk/- Set-up a birdbox or birdhide with a webcam/digital camera and watch the birds from a distance

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml - Birdsong samples – add them to animations, PowerPoints, digital videos and podcasts

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/springwatch/ Springwatch - add sightings of Spring wildlife to a spreadsheet or Class blog

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/springwatch/ CBeebies’ version of Springwatch

William Morris, founder of the influential 19^th Century Arts and Crafts movement, advocated a return to a simpler way of life through the revival of traditional handicrafts. Like many Victorians, Morris questioned the values of a newly industrial Britain and looked back to what he considered a better time. “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”http://www.morrissociety.org/http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/wmg/

Food safety websiteshttp://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu/music.html  – The Elvis of E. Coli provides new lyrics to old rock songs, including Stomach Ache Tonight, We Are the Microbes, and many more hits.http://www.bacteriamuseum.org/ – Virtual Museum of Bacteria. Brings together many links on bacteria, bacteriology, and related topics available on the web. It also provides clear information about many aspects of bacteria.http://www.hometrainingtools.com/catalog/life-science-biology/microscopic-life/p_be-bactkit.html – Bacteria Study Kit. This is an all-in-one source for culturing common bacteria. http://henrythehand.com/ – Henry the Hand. Henry offers information on food safety and the importance of hand washing, plus activities and a contest.http://www.microbe.org/index.html – Stalking the Mysterious Microbe. Solve microbe mysteries, conduct experiments, read microbe news and more.http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fs01surv.html – Home Food Safety Survey. Kids can have fun surveying their households for areas that need improved food safety action.http://www.thomsonlearning.com.au/biology/guide/unit_3/unit111.html?/biology/guide/unit_3/s1a.html~maintext – Cells in Their Environment. In-depth study guide for information on cells and microorganisms.http://www.glogerm.com/worksheets.html – Educational Worksheets from GlowGerm. The producer of GlowGerm, the bacteria simulator, offers some experiments and information for educators.http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/9_14_96/bob2.htm – Where microbes lurk and how to rout them.http://science.howstuffworks.com/black-light2.htm – How Stuff Works: Black Light