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

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

Recently, I came across these winter/holiday activities and thought i would share them with you.  Let me know what you think of these! 

What are some of the winter or holiday activities you do with your students this time of year?

• History (and more) on The Candy Cane
• http://www.grainvalley.k12.mo.us/gvsd/dreamweaver2/snow.htm
• http://mjgdstech.wikispaces.com/Creative+Winter+Fun

Check out this article!  http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/25762  This article models some great tech integration and even a little inspirational!  There are some web sites in it that I am planning to check out as well. 

How can you do this with your students?  What do you need to make this kind of engaged, 24/7, self-directed learning happen at your school?  in your classroom?  Who will help you accomplish this?  Share your thoughts here in a comment! 

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

Congratulations to Joy Schott, sixth grade teacher at Burwell Public Schools, and her class for making the finals in the eInstruction Makeover 2009 contest, 6-8 grade division.

You can watch and VOTE for their video "It’s All Technology" and help their chances to win a $30,000 classroom makeover.  You must sign up to vote, but it's easy painless.

ESU 10 has purchased 15 Garmin eTrex Legend GPS units for teachers to checkout and use with their classroom!  They can be checked out through ODIE!

More can be found in the description on the Media Library:
https://odie.esu10.org/library/MediaItemDetails.aspx?MediaItemID=54607

 Also at:  http://blog.esu10.org/gps  Here you can find out more about the Global Positioning System devices as well as how-to's and instructional materials to go with the GPS's. 

Let us know what you think!  How will YOU use the GPS Devices with your students?  Are you already doing a GPS project that you would like to share?  Share this and other instructional materials here on this community!!!