Thinkfinity.org


	March 2009 \| Thinkfinity Newsletter

Dear Thinkfinity Users,

The Verizon Foundation and its Content Partners are pleased to send you the debut issue of our Thinkfinity Featured Resources newsletter. In this mailing, we're delivering some popular resources to celebrate Women's History Month. We are also featuring some of our newest resources and sharing some of our staff favorites. We'll be coming to you regularly with a selection of new resources, tried-and-true favorites and other special features. We hope you will take the time to check out not only these resources, but some of the thousands of other exciting Thinkfinity materials available for free to you and your students.

Celebrating Women's History Month

The Arts. The Sciences. Countless events throughout history. The contributions of women reach across all spectrums. Thinkfinity makes it easy to bring National Women's History Month to your students. Get started by checking out some of the resources we selected in celebration of women's history.

Featured Resources

	WHAT'S NEW

	Have you used one of Thinkfinity's newest resources? Don't miss out, try them today! LESSONS Road Rage from Illuminations Students use remote-controlled cars to create a system of equations. The solution of the system corresponds to the cars crashing. Multiple representations are woven together throughout the lesson, using graphs, scatter plots, equations, tables, and technological tools. Students calculate the time and place of the crash mathematically, and then test the results by crashing the cars into each other. Check it out! *From "Picturing America": Norman Rockwell, Freedom of Speech-Know It When You See It* from EDSITEment Students study Norman Rockwell's "Freedom of Speech" and learn about freedom of speech and what it means in their community, state, nation, and world. After exploring the idea of freedom of speech, students report on a town meeting and create a collage featuring examples of free speech. Check it out! INTERACTIVES The Crossword Puzzles Tool from ReadWriteThink has Six New Puzzles! This interactive tool allows students to complete crossword puzzles on a variety of grade-appropriate topics, and also create and print their own crossword. The Crossword Puzzle Tool Card provides information on using the tool and lessons plans that use it. Six new puzzles have been added: All About the Environment (K-2), Building Community (3-5), Can You Convince Me? (3-5), All About Online Research (6-8), About the Brain (6-8) and Keeping it Short – Texting Terms (9-12). This tool is sure to be a favorite with your students! Check it out! You're Going To College from EconEdLink Students make their way through this three-stage game by demonstrating their knowledge of: funding costs and benefits, the cost of college, and potential lifetime earnings. Check it out! DOWNLOADABLE TOOLKIT Geography Action! Mapping the Americas from Xpeditions In this toolkit you'll find activities to give students a new view of North and South America. Students of all ages can build a jumbo-sized map, then add cultural and environmental information provided to the continents that will help students see geographic patterns. The toolkit includes ideas for hands-on activities as well as tips for fantastic school and community events. This is a valuable resource for any classroom! *Check it out! This is a very large file (164 MB) and download times will vary with your connection speed. PODCASTS Science Update Podcasts Daily & Weekly Editions** from Science NetLinks Get your recommended allowance of Science Update's brief yet satisfying stories on the latest discoveries in science, technology and medicine, as well as the answers to your pressing science questions. You don't want to miss these Podcasts! Check it out! Chatting About Books Episode 12: Celebrating Women Brave and Strong from ReadWriteThink Emily Manning chats with kids, parents, and teachers about the best in children's literature for ages 4 through 11. Discussions include reading tips and fun activities to do with children before, during, and after reading. Tune in today! Check it out!

	PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

	The Verizon Foundation is committed to connecting our experience and resources with educators, parents and students – supporting leading-edge, innovative, technology-based approaches to literacy and education. That's why, to date, we've dedicated more than $35 million to produce and offer Thinkfinity.org. Read more.

	STAFF FAVORITES

	We polled some of the Thinkfinity staff and asked them to recommend a favorite resources. Check them out - they might become your favorites, too! Al Browne, vice president of education and technology, is a fan of Perfect Pitch because it lets him blend two of his childhood favorites - baseball and music. Use the Batter Up! lesson plan with the Perfect Pitch interactive to help your students explore the connection between baseball and music. Jennifer Fritschi, senior manager of professional development and state education partnerships, loves the Compound Interest, Stock Market, and Credit Card Simulator. If she had access to this tool when she was a student, she is sure she would have more money in her pocket today! Use it to show your students how a little can add up to a lot! This is a favorite of Al's, too. Lee Ann Lindsey, professional development coordinator, can't get enough of Power Up. Why? These days the environment is a concern and this resource provides a real-life environmental problem for students to solve where they must consider trade-offs for each choice they make. The Power Up! interactive and lesson plan encourage discussion, problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking in the context of a real-world issue.

	TRAINERS OF THE YEAR

	Thinkfinity is proud to announce the Thinkfinity Trainers of the Year for 2008. Thinkfinity Certified Trainer of the Year - 2008 MR. MARK MOORE - West Virginia Department of Education, W.Va. Thinkfinity Field Trainer of the Year - 2008 MS. KAREN HARTSCHUH - Appoquinimink School District, Delaware. Through the end of 2008, the Verizon Foundation Thinkfinity program provided professional development to over 29,000 educators through formal partnerships with 28 state education departments. Learn more about Thinkfinity's Professional Development program and our Trainer Recognition program.

	FOUNDATION NEWS

	Learn more about the Verizon Foundation and its philanthropic work. Check out Verizon's Corporate Responsibility reports.