Chicago Games in Education Forum - State of Illinois Certified Provider of CPDU Credits

Sponsored by Chicago School Supply and Games for Educators

State of Illinois Certified Provider of CPDU Credits

Saturday, November 22, 2008 Program

Teacher Golden Game Awards – sponsored by Games for Educators and Jax Games
Send your nominations for an educator using games in the classroom to mary@gamesforeducators.com. The winning educator will be announced at the Games in Education Forum and will win a box of games for their classroom. Deadline November 21st.


Games in Education Forum:
Saturday November 22nd, 1 pm – 6 pm – You are our Guest!

As an Approved State of Illinois CPDU Provider, this Forum will provide professional development seminars on how and why to use games in the curriculum. Professional educators, parent educators, administrators, and future educators are all invited to attend. Topics include but are not limited to:

· Why games are good for the brain
· How to evaluate games for their educational potential
· How others are integrating games into their educational programs
· How to differentiate instruction using games
· How games evolve to match developmental levels from early childhood to adulthood
· Practical exercise in evaluating and using games in the curriculum


SCHEDULE OF PRESENTERS

1:00 Michael Ockrim, Chicago School Supply, welcome and opening remarks

1:30 Games and Teachers - Ways to Use Games in the Classroom
Presented by Patrick Matthews, Publisher, GamesforEducation.com and Live Oak Games

2:00 Presentation of Golden Game Award sponsored by JAX Games
Games that help meet your curriculum goals
Presented by Barb Olson of JAX games

2:30 The Benefits of Block Play in K-12 Classrooms
Presented by Ben Takemori, Kapla Master Builder

3:00 Out of the Box – Games how to use games effectively in the classroom.
Presented by Pat Fuge of Gnome Games for Out of the Box Publishing

3:30 The Benefits of Chess on Academic Performance and Creative Thinking.
Presented by Jorge Barrera, the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation

4:00 Feed Your Head. How the human brain actually develops from pre-natal to middle-age and beyond and the way in which board games stimulate neurological growth.
Presented by Graeme Thomson, Director, HL Games USA Ltd.

4:30 Peanut Butter and Jelly: Math in the Games
Presented by Kay Emerson, President & Founder of Zillio

Go Green for a Good Cause - FREE!

Introducing the recycling program that gives as much as it gets - and it is FREE!

By requesting to become a part of the Link 360 Recycling Program through SchooDoodle and Chicago School Supply, your school or office will not only help reduce the impact on the nation's landfills, but you will also help someone in need!

How can you get involved (for FREE):

1. Contact Chicago School Supply and let us know you are interested in participating in this important program. We will supply you with a FREE cartridge collection and shipping box that has a PRE-PAID UPS return label attached.
2. Place empty laser, fax, ink cartridges or cellphones back into their original boxes and then into the Link 360 recycling container. Seal the recycling container once it is full.
3. Give the container to your UPS driver or drop it off at a local UPS return center - did we mention that the container contains a pre-paid UPS return label?!?!
4. Enjoy knowing that a donation will be made to the City of Hope for reusable cartridges you recycle!

What are you waiting for? Contact us today and we will send you a Link 360 Recycling Container for FREE! Email Mike@ChicagoSchoolSupply.com or call toll free (866) 648-2668

Join the testing and curriculum evaluation team

Copernicus Educational Products, Inc. is seeking a few good educators!

At Copernicus, it is thier mission to better understand the needs of educators rightdown to the littlest detail. Every year Copernicus has the pleasure of working with teachers from all across North America, within a wide range of specialties.

Join the team!

Be a part ot their testing and curriculum evaluation team or simply provide feedback from time to time. Send an email to info@copernicused.com with your name, email address, mailing address and phone number. Be sure to include what you teach today or have taught in the past, as well as that you are a fan of SchooDoodle.com!

Members of the testing and evaluation team are compensated for their time and effort, so do not delay...join today!

Thank you!

To the current Copernicus team of educators, we thank you for all of your input, ideas and feedback, we wouldn't be here without you;

Carol Schenk, Wendy Fallis, Beth Leibovitz, Jessica Meacham, Eva Pacitti, Manon Lavigne, Pamela Vigna, Tiffany Stewary, Pauline Tetley, Deana Spencer, Stacy Cervone, Pina Hackman, Cheryl McCabe, Marilyn Acheson.

Professional Educators and Parents Invited to Attend 'Games in Education Forum' November 22, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2008

Contact:
Mike Ockrim
Chicago School Supply
mike@chicagoschoolsupply.com
(866) 648 2668

Professional Educators and Parents Invited to Attend 'Games in Education Forum' November 22, 2008

Free Educational Forum Co-Sponsored by Chicago School Supply and Games for Educators is a State of Illinois Certified Provider of CPDU Credits Event.

Chicago- Parents, teachers and school administrators who want to learn how to incorporate games into the learning process are encouraged to attend the Games in Education Forum a free event taking place on Saturday November 22 from 1-6pm at Navy Pier's Festival Hall A. Participants in this educational event will attend professional development seminars on how and why to use games in the curriculum. Chicago School Supply CEO Mike Ockrim a presenter and is co-sponsoring this event with Games for Educators. "Creative play has always been an important teaching tool and I think this forum will help anyone interested in learning how to incorporate fun learning in their classrooms and homes" says Ockrim.

Other forum presenters include Ben Takemori, a Kapla Master Builder; Barbara Olsen of Jax Games; Pat Fuge of Out of the Box Publishing; representatives from Renaissance Knights Chess Organization; Graeme Thomson, a columnist for Games for Educators and Director of HL Games; and Patrick Matthews, Publisher of Games for Educators and President of Live Oak Games. Speakers will be presenting such topics as why games are good for the brain, how to evaluate games for their educational potential and demonstrate how some teachers are already integrating games into their educational programs.

"This event is not limited to teachers. We hope to see parents, school administrators and future educators benefit from this information" says Ockrim. Admission to the Games in Education Forum is free and open to the public but a reservation is required . To make a reservation, email mary@gamesforeducators.com or call 847-677-8277 with your name and your school to reserve your seat.

Chicago School Supply, http://www.chicagoschoolsupply.com/, serves public and private school administrators, principals, teachers and parents throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Their online retail store, http://www.schoodoodle.com/ and their weblog, http://www.schoodoodle.com/blog/ are resources for teachers and home schoolers seeking tips, free lesson plans, articles and educational materials.

Games for Educators is a Web site provided by the Chicago Toy & Game Fair and Live Oak Games to promote the use of games in education. Visit their site at http://www.gamesforeducators.com/ for more information.

Free Teacher Lesson Plan - "Clouds + Airplanes" - Grade PreK-K

Materials:
o Non-scented shaving cream for sensitive skin
o Plastic toy airplanes and helicopters
Activities:
o Squirting shaving cream
o Feeling/swishing
o Making prints
o Smelling

Goal: Gain feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.


http://www.jonti-craft.com/Sensory/player.html

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Please visit our website for a wide selection of both sand and water tables. Here's a link to help you find supplies for your adventure with sand and water.

Parents Pull Kids from Day Care as Money Tightens

The nation's economic troubles play out one family at a time at the New Horizons Learning Center in this struggling city two hours northwest of Chicago.

Some parents have been laid off and must pull their children out of the day care center until they can find a job. Others' employment hours have been cut, so they reduce their kids' attendance to a few days a week.

Financial strains prompt one mother to pay with a postdated check. Another chooses to work in the middle of the night—after putting her kids to bed—because of the extra dollar per hour that shift brings. And the stress shows on the faces of the children who can't understand why their friends, without explanation, stop coming.

Parents nationwide are telling day care providers they must scale back or abandon their services. Instead, they keep kids at home with grandparents or upend their work-life balance because gas and food prices have become prohibitive and average child care costs outpace rent and mortgage payments—even for those drawing salaries.

View the complete article.
(USA Today 11.08.08)

Chicago Toy and Game Fair - Games in Education Forum

Sponsored by Chicago School Supply and Games for Educators
State of Illinois Certified Provider of CPDU Credits
Saturday, November 22, 2008 Program

Teacher Golden Game Awards – sponsored by Games for Educators and Jax Games
Send your nominations for an educator using games in the classroom to mary@gamesforeducators.com. The winning educator will be announced at the Games in Education Forum and will win a box of games for their classroom. Deadline November 17th.

Games in Education Forum - Saturday November 22nd, 1 pm – 6 pm – You are our Guest!As an Approved State of Illinois CPDU Provider, this Forum will provide professional development seminars on how and why to use games in the curriculum. Professional educators, parent educators, administrators, and future educators are all invited to attend. Topics include but are not limited to:

· Why games are good for the brain
· How to evaluate games for their educational potential
· How others are integrating games into their educational programs
· How to differentiate instruction using games
· How games evolve to match developmental levels from early childhood to adulthood
· Practical exercise in evaluating and using games in the curriculum

Presenters include Michael Ockrim of Chicago School Supply, Ben Takemori – Kapla Master Builder, Barbara Olsen of Jax Games, Pat Fuge for Out of the Box Publishing, Renaissance Knights Chess Organization, Graeme Thomson, columnist for Games for Educators and Director HL Games and Patrick Matthews, Publisher of Games for Educators and President of Live Oak Games.

Admission to the Forum and Chicago Toy and Game Fair (info below) is also complimentary (you are our guest and there is a $2 coupon on the website for friends and family), but a reservation is required for the Forum. Please email mary@gamesforeducators.com or call 847-677-8277 with your name and your school to reserve your seat.

Events For Students:

WorldBee on Stage Saturday November 22nd at 2 pm

Young Inventor Challenge – Registration Extended to November 17th
The winning inventor will be featured in Inventor’s Digest, receive a year’s subscription from Inventor’s Digest, a box of games and lunch for her/him and their family with Mike Hirtle, Head of Global Product Acquisition and Inventor Relations at Hasbro, Dave Okada, Vice President, Inventor Relations at Mattel and Chip Voigt, President of Fundex. What inventor wouldn't want such an opportunity! And they, as well as other industry executives, will be reviewing all toy and game inventions in the Challenge!

Chicago Toy and Game Fair, Chi-TAG
Preview, play and purchase the hottest new toys and games from around the world. Raffles, tournaments, prizes, live entertainment, NASCAR, Star Wars Character Breakfast, Dynamite Girls Fashion Doll Breakfast, Young Inventors' Challenge (great prizes), the 501st Legion, costumed characters, toy drive and events for all ages.

Visit the Chicago School Supply booth to play with the newest craze - Flubber! We will also have our large sandboxes full of MoonSand available to play in, as well as the popular InstaSnow!!

Navy Pier's Festival Hall A on Saturday and Sunday, November 22nd and 23rd, 10am-6pm. $10 per adult, $5 per child 13 and under, free for ages 3 and under, educators and Scouts in uniform. $10 off parking coupons available at event. For more information: www.chitag.com or 847-677-8277.

How to Engage Your Children in the Election Process

The 2008 Presidential election is regarded by many as one of the most significant events in American history. Just because your children are too young to vote does not mean they cannot participate in this important occasion. How do we teach our children that voting is one of the most important rights that we have as Americans?

Chances are your children have been hearing about the election from their teachers in school, their friends, and the media. But what kind of messages are they receiving and how much do your kids really know about the election process? Parents often find it difficult to explain the election in terms that kids will understand, and it can be difficult to find ways to discuss the election that are meaningful to children.

Here are some activities you can do with your children to help them understand the importance of the 2008 Presidential Election.

-Keep a Journal. Encourage your child to keep an election day journal where they paste clippings from the newspapers and magazines. Have them write a brief summary of the article and include their opinion on the subject. Be sure to have them review local stories relating to the candidates and voters. This piece will be a valuable piece of history to your family years after the election has taken place.

-Ask questions. Encourage your child to ask questions to older siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents about what they think about the issues facing our country and the future. Ask your children who they would vote for and discuss the reasons why.

-Take your children with you when you vote. Let them see how excited you are to exercise this important right! Your children look up to you and they will be more likely to become active citizens in the future when they see democracy in action.

-Utilize the World Wide Web! Visit election Websites designed specifically for kids. These sites will help your children understand the election process, and provide parents with helpful discussion tools:

Time For Kids
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/election08/
This site has been created to teach kids the basics of world news and current events. It features a 'Meet the Candidates' section that introduces both candidates and their running mates to young citizens. Also includes games for children to play online including 'Be the Nominee' and 'Electoral College Craze'.

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
With Benjamin Franklin as their guide, this site is broken into age groups for parents to easily identify age appropriate activities and resources to help kids learn more about the different branches of government.

The Democracy Project on PBS Kids
http://pbskids.org/democracy/
Find out what is so great about 2008 in this interactive site containing useful activities for kids and outlines how our government affects them.

Nickelodeon's Kids Pick the President
http://www.nick.com/kpp/
An interactive site with streaming media with kids reporting on the issues and the campaign trail. Kids can interact with one another on the message boards and get to know the Election Connection team through their blog. Has a very useful feature that allows kids access to information on both candidates and their running mates.

Read to your children. Here are a few titles that could help your child understand the election process and its historical significance. Check with your local libraries for availability and additional resources.

My Dad, John McCain
by Meghan McCain

Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope
by Nikki Grimes

Election Connection: The Official Nick Guide to Electing the President
Nickelodeon

Election Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)
Patricia J. Murphy

The Kid Who Ran For President
Dan Gutman

Presidential Elections: And Other Cool Facts
Syl Sobel


About the Author:
Patty Leonard is the founder and CEO of Family Values Cinema, a California-based DVD-of-the-month club providing wholesome family films directly to mailboxes for members to keep and collect. The collection of family movies at Family Values Cinema have earned Parents Television Council’s prestigious Entertainment Seal of Approval, which recognizes excellence and social responsibility in programming. Patty is also the founding member of The National Board of Mothers; an organization that rates films targeted for families. Visit their Website, http://www.familyvaluescinema.com, to learn how to receive a free trial membership for your family.

Free Motivational Teacher Quote - "Worrying"

"Worrying about something

that may never happen

is like paying interest on money

you may never borrow" ~

Teachable Moments - Post-Halloween Edition

We all know that parents are the first teacher.

What makes great parents good teachers is their uncanny ability to capitalize on the teachable moments that they encounter in their lives.

Those of you who have gotten to know SchooDoodle over the years understand that our corporate culture places a high value on health and wellness. Subsequently, we are not keen on the idea of children gorging themselves with candy for the weeks leading up to the other major gorging holidays....but I digress.

Halloween presents a teachable moment for your early learners. Most states require that 3-4 year old children have an understanding of basic pattern recognition, sorting and matching skills prior to entering Kindergarten. Elementary school curriculum continues to build upon this concept for the first few years of school.

With this in mind, why let your child off by simply dumping their 850 pounds of sugar and fat on their bedroom floor? This is a teachable moment!

Encourage your child to organize their candy into any number of piles on the floor. Start basic with color piles; then move up to candy classification (i.e. chocolate, suckers, etc.). The possibilities are endless.

If you follow SchooDoodle, you are obviously a great parent and exceptional teacher! :) Do not let the teachable moments escape you. Incorporate learning into your everyday life and your child will grow into an intelligent adult...you are the first teacher!

Students In Major Cities Perform Better Compared to International Peers

Students in six major U.S. cities are performing on par or better in mathematics than their peers in other countries in grades 4 and 8, according to a new study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).

However, students from five other major cities are not faring as well, and overall, U.S. student performance in mathematics falls off from elementary to middle school grades — and remains behind many industrialized nations, particularly Asian nations.

The report, Counting on the Future: International Benchmarks in Mathematics for American School Districts, offers the first comparison between students from large U.S. cities and their international peers. The study compares U.S. 4th grade students with their counterparts in 24 countries and 8th grade students with peers in 45 countries.

“If you are a student today competing for jobs, the good jobs will not go to the best in your graduating class - they will go to the best in the world,” said Dr. Gary W. Phillips, a Chief Scientist with AIR and the lead author of the report.

Dr. Phillips presented his findings on Thursday, October, 23, 2008 at the annual fall conference of the Council of the Great City Schools in Houston, Texas. He served as the acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education from 1999 – 2002, and is nationally known for his expertise in large-scale assessments and complex surveys.

The study found that students in grades 4 and 8 from Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Houston, New York and San Diego performed better or on par with their peers in other countries. Students from Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, the District of Columbia and Los Angeles performed below the international average.

When comparing students who are “proficient” on two math benchmarks, the United States places higher than the international average at grade 4 and grade 8. However, the nation’s performance overall was significantly lower than that for Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Japan and the Flemish portion of Belgium at grade 4; for grade 8, the nation’s students also had fallen behind the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands and Hungary.

“Large urban cities are intimately connected to the nations of the world,” said Dr. Phillips. “Large international corporations locate their businesses in our cities, foreign students attend our schools and our own businesses export goods and services to foreign nations. Large urban cities need to know how their students stack up against their peers in the nations with which we do business.”

To view the complete study, click here.
Source: The American Institutes for Research

Report Reveals High Parent Frustration with America's High Schools

Parents across America share high hopes for their children's academic success and many know their involvement is vital.

But parents with students in low-performing high schools say their schools don't give them the tools and information they need to be more effective in helping their students succeed, according to a national report released.

"One Dream, Two Realities: Perspectives of Parents on America's High Schools," by Civic Enterprises, and based on research conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, captures the views of parents of high school students in America's urban, suburban, and rural communities from diverse backgrounds and income levels.

The findings point to concrete steps that can improve parental engagement in schools and strengthen efforts to prepare all young people for success in college and the workplace. The report was commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"The critical role parents play in educating children is often a blind assumption or a target of attack," said John Bridgeland, president and CEO of Civic Enterprises and co-author of the report. "The findings of this report call for a halt to the blame game. This report disproves the prevailing myth that low-income parents are not interested in their children's academic success. The opposite is true. Parents, especially those with students trapped in low-income or low-performing schools, desperately want to be involved and want their students to succeed. What parents need is an access point—a way into schools—so they can become partners in helping students learn and achieve."

Many parents surveyed believe that schools should do a better job of reaching out to them or engaging them as partners, particularly parents of students in low-performing schools.

In fact, 80 percent of all parents surveyed, and 85 percent of parents of students in low-performing schools, believe parents should be involved as advocates for their children when it comes to picking courses and teachers.

The report reveals a stark contrast between the experiences of parents with students in low-performing schools and those with students in high-performing schools.

According to the survey:

-Only 15 percent of parents with students at low-performing schools feel that their school is doing a very good job challenging students, compared with 58 percent of parents with students in high-performing schools.

-Forty-seven percent of parents with students in low-performing schools said that their schools were doing a good job in encouraging parents to be involved compared to 85 percent of parents with students in high-performing schools.

-Twenty-five percent of parents with students in low-performing schools say that their school informed them about academic and disciplinary problems compared to more than half (53 percent) of parents with students in high-performing schools.

-Less than 20 percent of parents with students in low-performing schools believe schools do a very good job preparing their students across four categories: preparation for college; helping students develop confidence, maturity, and personal skills; developing a special talent; and preparing them for a good job. Half of parents with students in high-performing schools feel this way.

-Half of parents of students in low-performing schools said they felt welcomed in the schools compared to four out of five parents with students in high-performing schools.

Each year, more than one million students fail to graduate from high school on time. Research shows that when parents are involved, students perform better and are less likely to drop out.

Yet studies have shown that as students grow older, parents tend to become less involved with their children's academic lives due, in part, to unique barriers like difficulty in helping them with homework or lack of resources for parents of high school-aged students.

Source: Civic Enterprises, LLC

Science Evolves in Classroom

In the past six years, science has slipped as a priority in public schools while reading and mathematics have grown dominant.

But in coming years, experts say, the same federal law that elevated reading and math could spark a resurgence of science in the classroom.

The 2002 No Child Left Behind law required states to test students in science starting in the 2007-08 year, on top of reading and math assessments mandated from the start.

Virginia has given science tests since 1998, but the exams are new for Maryland and the District. (Separately, Maryland tests high school students in biology as a graduation requirement.)

To view the complete article, click here.

(The Washington Post 10.27.08)

Looking for FREE science fair resources? Visit ScienceFairSanity.com

Successful. Healthy. Regularly.

A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you to be at peace with yourself and offset stress.

To introduce health and nutrition in your classroom curriculum, visit SchooDoodle.com and review our large selection of wellness books, classroom decorations, and athletic equipment.

Successful people eat healthy and exercise regularly.

TheApple.com joins forces with SchooDoodle.com

Exciting news for educators everywhere - TheApple.com has partnered with SchooDoodle.com to distribute free lesson plans for teachers and parents!

TheApple brings members of the education community together to support and advance the profession. TheApple provides resources to promote careers in education, while fostering a community with exclusive benefits where information about the education community is provided to the education community by the community itself.

SchooDoodle.com will be sharing new and innovative activities that can be used in the classroom. TheApple will help to spread the good news about these free classroom (and parent) activities by making them available in their Lesson Plan section.

Thank you for your continued support of SchooDoodle.com - we know that this new partnership will help to make your demanding profession a bit easier. Also, be sure to add our Lesson Plan widget located in the sidebar of our blog to your computer's desktop. The widget will automatically (and securely) upload free lesson plans to your CPU every time we add them to SchooDoodle!

Free Classroom Joke - "The Pirate Joke"

A pirate walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened, you look terrible!"

"What do you mean?" the pirate replies, "I'm fine."

The bartender says, "But what about that wooden leg? You didn't have that before."

"Well," says the pirate, "We were in a battle at sea and a cannon ball hit my leg but the surgeon fixed me up, and I'm fine, really."

"Yeah," says the bartender, "But what about that hook? Last time I saw you, you had both hands."

"Well," says the pirate, "We were in another battle and we boarded the enemy ship. I was in a sword fight and my hand was cut off but the surgeon fixed me up with this hook, and I feel great, really."

"Oh," says the bartender, "What about that eye patch? Last time you were in here you had both eyes."

"Well," says the pirate, "One day when we were at sea, some birds were flying over the ship. I looked up, and one of them shat in my eye."

"So?" replied the bartender, "what happened? You couldn't have lost an eye just from some bird poop!"

"Well," says the pirate, "I really wasn't used to the hook yet."

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Weekend time, take in a few happy moments! Enjoy the weather if you can. Halloween is just around the corner. If you are on-line, why not check out our website? You never know what may strike your fancy!! Please visit Schoodoodle.com. Thanks!

Free Parent Involvement Activity - "In The Interview" - Age 7+

"Character is higher than intellect." Ralph Waldo Emerson

How Many Handshakes? When Amanda arrived at her interview, she and the seven other competitors for the position shake hands with each other. Amongst these eight people, how many total handshakes are there?

Who Bought Lunch? The president of the company wants to find out if Amanda is smart enough to work for the company so he has asked his associates to help with a brain teaser for her. Amanda must figure out which of the six associates bought lunch today. Her only clue is that four of the associates will make one false statement. All of the rest of the statements will be true. Who bought lunch today?

Kate said:

It wasn't Andrew

It wasn't Matthew

It wasn't Ryan

Ryan said:

It wasn't Emily

It wasn't Matthew

It wasn't Price

Matthew said:

It wasn't Ryan

It wasn't Kate

It wasn't Andrew

Andrew said:

It wasn't Emily

It wasn't Kate

It wasn't Price

Price said:

It wasn't Andrew

It wasn't Matthew

It wasn't Kate

Emily said:

It wasn't Ryan

It wasn't Andrew

It wasn't Price

<><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><>

Source: Smart & Simple Thinking Activities to do with your Child. Ages 7 and up. Available at Schoodoodle.com.

Free Parent Involvement Activity - "Baby Like You" - Age 3-12 months

Language Skills, Visual Discrimination

Show your child a doll or a picture of a baby from a magazine. Point out different things about the baby and relate them to your child. "Isn't this a pretty baby? Here is the baby's nose. Here is Monica's nose. Here is the baby's knee. Here is Monica's knee," etc.

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Source: Smart & Simple Baby Activities to do with your Child, Ages 0-12 Months. Available at Schoodoodle.com.

Chicago School Supply Competes in Blogger Challenge 2008 to Raise Money for Local Schools

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2008

Contact: Michael Ockrim
mike@chicagoschoolsupply.com
http://www.chicagoschoolsupply.com
866 648-2668

Chicago School Supply Competes in Blogger Challenge 2008 to Raise Money for Local Schools

Education supply retailer pledges to raise money and complete classroom projects for underserved Chicago area schools.

Chicago, IL- Bloggers around the globe are competing this month to raise money for U.S. classrooms on DonorsChoose.org for the Blogger Challenge 2008. Education bloggers like Chicago School Supply CEO Mike Ockrim are up for the challenge. "Our goal is to raise $2,500 and complete 20 classroom projects this month" says Ockrim. "This is our first time competing in such a project, and it is really exciting. Many of our projects are already 65-75% funded and just a few more dollars will provide these Chicago classrooms with the resources they need to enhance the learning process".

DonorsChoose.org is a non-profit organization developed to provide students in need with much needed resources often lacking in the public school systems. Teachers submit project proposals for their students onto the Website and the ideas become classroom reality when individuals, called 'Citizen Philanthropists', choose projects to fund. The idea behind the this challenge is for bloggers to inspire their readers to become 'Citizen Philanthropists'. The blogger that mobilizes the most readers will receive a lunch with Yahoo! CEO Jerry Lang, In addition, Yahoo! will pay for a field trip for the kids at a school of the winning blogger’s choice (up to $5,000).

Proposals range from "Magical Math Centers" ($200) to "Big Book Bonanza" ($320), to "Cooking Across the Curriculum" ($1,100). Any individual can search such proposals by areas of interest, learn about classroom needs, and choose to fund the project(s) they find most compelling.

Chicago School Supply, http://www.chicagoschoolsupply.com, serves public and private school administrators, principals, teachers and parents throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Their online retail store, http://www.schoodoodle.com and their Weblog, http://www.schoodoodle.com/blog/ are resources for teachers and home schools seeking tips, free lesson plans, articles and educational materials.

Eco-friendly Schools Offer Students Fresh Lessons

On the outside, Great Seneca Creek Elementary School looks in Germantown, MD, much like any other. But inside, it is unmistakably green.

This was the first public school in Maryland to receive certification as "eco-friendly" — a concept catching on in schools around the nation.

Eco-friendly schools offer ways to save energy, improve air quality and educate students about the environment.

Great Seneca fifth-grader Eddie Graves explains it best. "It doesn't use as much water," he says, citing the waterless urinals and motion-activated faucets.

He's standing in the library, where a slanted ceiling helps light bounce off the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The U.S. Green Building Council, a private group, has certified or is considering certification for more than 1,000 schools around the country, most within the past few years, says the council's Taryn Holowka.

Other schools, such as Little Bennett Elementary in Clarksburg, MD have been built green but did not seek certification.

To view the complete article, click here.
(USA Today 10.19.08)

Free Lesson Plan for Teachers - The Story of Stuff

Are you looking to fill 20 minutes of class time with consumer information that is appropriate for both elementary and high school students, as well as applicable to science, economics, history, critical thinking and more?

Sounds too good to be true, right?

We recently watched the 20 minute video on The Story of Stuff website. Annie Leonard takes us from start to finish on where our stuff comes from, and more importantly, where it ends up.

The video is engaging, informative, and succinct. Annie unveils some startling facts about U.S. consumers and their relationships with the environment, other nations, and themselves.

Take 20 minutes and watch this fantastic video - it has over 4 million viewers and has won a SXSW Web Award! Then, find a way to share the video with your students. Your next class period will be choked full of heated discussion that engages each one of your students. They will surely have a thought on at least one of the facts presented.

Next, inspire your learners to explore the Story of Stuff website to identify ways that they can contribute less stuff to society!

States Act To Cushion Wall Street Meltdown

By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Cascading economic problems flowing from the crisis on Wall Street are forcing states to urgently redraw their financial blueprints for the rest of this year and next to cushion the impact of the credit squeeze, staggering paper losses for millions of ordinary Americans and soaring energy prices.

California, which just ended a record 85-day budget impasse, fears its newly-approved plan to balance its books is already $1 billion in the red.

Utah cut most state agency budgets by 3 percent in a Sept. 24 special session, and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) has rescinded a 3.2 percent pay raise for agency directors in his state.

In New York, the epicenter of the financial cataclysm, Gov. David Paterson (D) is laying the groundwork for a special legislative session to deal with conditions that he expects will add $1 billion to the state’s $6.4 billion deficit. New York, along with New Jersey and Connecticut, will be hard hit by the layoffs of thousands of financial industry employees – by some estimates, the financial sector accounts for as much as one-fifth of their revenues.

“The feeling in the states is that this is going to be a tough fiscal 2009, and 2010 is looking difficult,” said Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers.

The tidal wave of bad news comes on the heels of an already brutal budget year that forced states to dip into rainy day funds, implement hiring freezes and put off projects to collectively plug deficits of more than $40 billion in their fiscal 2009 budgets — triple the $13 billion shortfall they weathered the previous year.

Here’s a rundown of recent state action to deal with the financial emergency:

Florida: Lawmakers moved $672 million from reserves to chip away a projected $1.5 billion deficit for this year. That’s on top of the 4 percent cut Gov. Charlie Crist (R) imposed on all state agencies a day after he signed the new budget.

Hawaii: Gov. Linda Lingle (R) postponed selling $625 million in bonds, saying the state would get a better deal waiting. Some analysts expect the national downturn to lead to a recession in Hawaii as tourism has been hit hard.

Massachusetts: Gov. Deval Patrick (D) is mulling a special session and wants the Legislature to give him broader authority to make emergency budget cuts because tax collections are running $200 million less than a year ago.

Maryland: Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has directed state agencies to look for budget cuts of up to 5 percent to make a dent in a projected $1 billion deficit by 2010. The governor also is banking on voters Nov. 4 endorsing a ballot measure to legalize slots, a move that proponents say would bring the state $500 million.

Missouri: The turbulent credit market has prompted the state to drop its one-of-a-kind plan that would have combined the design and construction of 800 bridges into one contract.
Pennsylvania: Gov Ed Rendell (D) directed state agencies to reduce spending and eliminate out-of-state travel with the aim of cutting $200 million from this year’s budget.

Virginia: Facing an estimated $3 billion deficit over two years Gov. Tim Kaine (D) plans to start cutting next month and legislators will review the cuts in January.

To read Stateline.org's complete article, click here.
Stateline.org gave permission to reprint a portion of this article.

Free Teacher Motivational Quote - "Passion"

There are many things in life

that will catch your eye,

but only a few will catch

your heart. Pursue those.

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Hope you have a great fall weekend! The weather is changing, so if it's getting outdoors that excites you, do it! If you find you're inside, check out the new items on our website! You never know what you will find! Please visit Schoodoodle.com.

Financial Crisis Now Striking Home for School Districts

The crisis besetting U.S. and world financial markets is hitting school districts hard, as they struggle to float the bonds needed for capital projects, borrow money to ensure cash flow, and get access to investment funds locked up in troubled institutions.

In Cumberland County, NC, school officials froze plans to build a $20 million elementary school in the 53,000-student district after a neighboring county failed to find buyers for $454 million of its own construction bonds.

The state of Maine has delayed 12 major school construction projects totaling $348 million in 11 school districts. In other states, even districts able to borrow money are paying higher interest rates while bracing for yet another drop in property-tax revenue.

To view the complete article, click here.
(Education Week 10.10.08)

Healthy Halloween Alternatives

First and foremost, the picture of this boy breaks my heart. Shame on the parents for enabling their child to lead an unhealthy and inactive lifestyle. The formula for a high-quality life (from a physical standpoint) is easy - eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Give me a moment to step down from my soap box.

Halloween is around the corner. The boys and I are knee deep in selecting costumes (for them and my wife and me), planning our trick-or-treat route, and accepting party invitations.

Truth be told, Halloween is my least favorite holiday of the year. Thanksgiving - now there is a great holiday! Good food and no gifts. Then three days off to digest and relax!

This year, step out from the standard industrial sweets Halloween and offer the kids in the neighborhood a healthy alternative. NOTE: you must put some effort into this! If you throw something together last minute, you will surely have pumpkins smashed on your driveway in the morning!

Preparing goodies at home is a great way to involve your children in the excitement of Halloween in a more educational manner. Think of all of the math and reading skills you can incorporate by simply following a basic recipe together. There are also extension activities that can be added on throughout the weeks leading up to October 31st.

My son, Nathan, will be dressing us as Curious George this year. In preparation for a party this week, he and I made Monkey Bread for all of his friends (Banana Bread). It is an amazingly simple recipe that involves all sorts of pouring, cracking, mixing, and spraying. What a great way to burn 40 minutes! We were also able to substitute olive oil for butter to lower the saturated fat content and substituted soy milk so that his brother Nick could enjoy the bread without upsetting his milk allergies.

Remember, presentation can go a long way. Break out a few bunches of bananas for a centerpiece. Add monkey cutouts to windows and doors. Frame out the table with monkey trim. Give every child a monkey name tag. Have games and prizes featuring the Curious George books and DVDs. Tell stories with monkey puppets. Play monkey dominoes. Build a jungle scene with flying monkeys.

Need a few more Halloween tips? Checkout PBS Kids and Experience Life Magazine.

Have a safe and healthy Halloween!

Free Parent Involvement Activities - "Character Development" - Grades 2-3

Creative Writing, Composition, Story & Character Development
When creating a story, the character should be as familiar to the writer as possible. suggest that your child choose an existing character from a book, or create her own. Next, encourage her to write down the answers to the following questions about the character:
Who is your character and how old is he/she?
Where does the character live?
What does the character look like?
How does the character treat others?
What does your character like to do? Hate to do?
What makes your character happy? Sad? Angry?
Who are the character's friends? Enemies?
What does the character want more than anything?
What does the character fear more than anything?
What words describe your character (brave, timid, cheerful, sullen, etc.)?
With this information, challenge your child to write (or tell) a short story. Here are some possible scenarios:
The character finds herself in charge of a runaway train.
The character wakes up inside of a medieval castle.
The character decides to start a lemonade stand.
The character needs help moving a piano.
Encourage your child to incorporate character development when building the story ("How did she react when she was confronted by her enemy?" "What emotions did she feel when arriving at her home?").
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Source: Bright and Beyond, Smart & Simple Writing Activities to do with your Child, Kindergarten to 3rd Grade, Ages 5-9. Available at Schoodoodle.com.

Free Parent Involvement Activity - "Color Collage" - Age 2