ClassWish

We all know teachers generously pay out of their own pockets to stock their classrooms with books, visual aids, and other supplies for students. ClassWish is a non-profit that helps teachers out by letting them (or their schools) create wish lists of the supplies they need for their classrooms and students. Parents and other community members then view wish lists and contribute online. What's not to like about that?

Parents: Click here to find wish lists.

Teachers: Create a wish list here.

PTAs and PTOs: Fulfill your school-wide needs here.

Summer fun and learning for teens

If you live in North Central Florida, then you already know about our much beloved Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville and have probably been wowed by some top-notch talent. But did you know kids can get in on the action, too? The Hipp offers summer courses for seven- to seventeen-year-olds as well as a community-building program especially for teens:

Summer Spectacular
(ages 7 through 12)
and Class Act
(ages 13 through 17)
These four-week theatre arts camps explore the professional theatre process. Students learn acting and set, props, lighting, and costume design and creation! The camp's finale is a full scale production on the Hippodrome stage.
Dates & Times:
Session I - June 15-July 10, 2009; 9am-5pm
Session II - July 13-August 7, 2009; 9am-5pm
Total cost: $650 per session

By popular demand the Hippodrome is proud to announce that this summer they will be offering a camp for 5- and 6-year-old kids. There will be two sessions offered: June 15-26 and July 13-24. Each session will be a half-day camp running from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The campers will take part in several classes and workshops a day that will culminate at the end of camp in a showcase for parents to come see.
Cost: $250

For more information please call Kara, Marcia, or Matt at 352-373-5968 or edudept2@thehipp.org.

Hippodrome Improvisational Teen Theatre (HITT) is

an award-winning Community Model Program that has helped over 52,000 young people build the skills they need to protect them from addiction, violence and mental health issues. HITT is a prevention and intervention program targeting 100% at-risk youth from diverse backgrounds and ethnic populations, primarily economically disadvantaged, underserved and minority youth. This unique arts-based, best-practice program combines theatre techniques, improvisational scene work, role playing, large and small group interactions, educational games, and communication exercises to examine issues critical to young people, such as alcohol and substance use, bullying, delinquency, teen pregnancy, self-esteem, and HIV/AIDS.

HITT is also a service learning program. Participants design peer education performances/workshops and take them “on tour” to schools and neighboring communities after completing seven weeks of theatre and prevention training. During each tour, participants assume the role of actor, playwright, director, tour manager, and most importantly, “teacher” as they share their knowledge to their peers and other members of their community. Exceptional participants are asked to present their performances and workshops at conferences regionally, statewide, and nationally. By assuming leadership roles, students build self-esteem, team building skills and strengthen their ability to make positive life choices. The program's overall goal is to provide participants with a sense that they can succeed and to furnish them with the skills and knowledge necessary to resist high-risk behaviors.

For more information about HITT programs, including bringing a peer education tour to your school, contact Tiffany Dunn at education@thehipp.org.

And for information on making performance a part of your school's literacy curriculum, check out one of Maupin House's newest titles, Performance Literacy through Storytelling by Nile Stanley and Brett Dillingham.

Maupin House has three AEP award finalists!

Maupin House has THREE finalists in the

Association of Educational Publishers'
Distinguished Achievement Awards!

Learning Through Writing Series by Kathleen Kopp

Teaching the Story by Carol Baldwin

Writing Intervention Kit for High School by Nancy Dean

Attend the FETC Virtual Conference & Expo free!

FETC and THE Journal have put together a free online event April 23 for K-12 educators interested in learning more about 21st-century skills. Click here to register.

Resource round-up: Lists, lists, lists

THE Journal has a great list of Web 2.0 tools for students here. While you're at it, check out their EducationPLAZA K-12 resources site, the EduHound educational search engine (including free clipart and templates), and info on FETC (one of the largest ed-tech conferences).

CHOICE Literacy just released their spring break edition of "The Big Fresh" newsletter, which includes 20-plus site recommendations based on their popularity with educators like you!

Visual-Literacy.org has an awesome "Periodic Table of Visualization Methods" that you just have to check out.

What do you want to read about?

Maupin House wants to know what you want! Contact us through our blog or website, and let us know about a resource you think is missing. We're always looking for new ideas and new authors, so don't be shy--tell us what you need and we will provide it!

Open house at EdWeek.org

Now through April 8, take advantage of EdWeek.org's open house. If you don't choose to subscribe to their paper edition, sign up for one of several free newsletters, search their grants database, browse the events calendar for webinars and conferences, read their blogs, and stay informed on the latest education happenings.

Find your inner poet during National Poetry Month!

The Academy of American Poets started National Poetry Month in 1996, and it's been going strong ever since. If you haven't picked up a book of poetry, written a stanza, or recited some lines in a while, take some time this month to relocate your inner poet. And how about a few verses from two of our favorite poets to get the inspiration going?

Treasure Chest
Open the cover of the book in your hands,
bridge to unknown and wonderful lands.
Travel through countries of wisdom and fun,
nights full of darkness, days full of sun.
Turn each page full of wonder,
follow its road to up yonder
where mountain tops talk to the sky
whispering a wondering “why?”
Treasure chest of make-believe places,
meeting new and familiar faces.
Reach for a book on the shelf —
Discover the world, discover yourself.
(from Virtual Maniac: Silly and Serious Poems for Kids by Margriet Ruurs)

Counter Intelligence
by Christina Curtis

It’s hard to believe
But this is exactly what he said:

“We boys are so much smarter than girls.
Like last week,
When Courtney sent a note to Rachel,
We knew it was a big secret,
Because on the outside she wrote:

GIRLS’ EYES ONLY
NO BOYS ALLOWED!
ESPECIALLY BILLY CARTER

But that didn’t stop us.
Peter got Kelly to talk to Katrina,
Who’s best friends with Courtney’s best friend Rachel,
And she told us everything that was in that note,

How Courtney thinks Billy’s so cute,
And how she wants to go out with him.

So we told Billy all about it
And Billy asked Courtney to meet him at the mall,
And now Courtney and Billy are going together.
You see! That proves it!
Boys are totally smarter than girls.”

I listened to every word he said
And when he was finally through,
I thought to myself, “You poor little boys,
You haven’t got a clue.”
(from Hormone Jungle: Coming of Age in Middle School by Brod Bagert)

Celebrate Literacy Education Advocacy Month!

Join NCTE in making a difference for literacy education by trying some of the activities listed in their calendar. For more on Literacy Education Advocacy Day (April 23), click here.

Grant Wrangler: Grants for teachers

If you like eSchoolNews' Grants and Funding Alert and Education Week's grant listings, you'll love Grant Wrangler, a site dedicated to K-12 school and teacher grants. Subscribe to their bi-weekly email bulletin, search for grants by keyword, or help out a fellow teacher by suggesting a grant.

Getting girls interested in science

From profiles of women scientists to a spot for asking questions, iWASwondering.org, from the National Academies of Science, is a fun and educational destination for girls interested in learning more about science. Be sure and check out their links page for more science- and tech-savvy sites.