Cool Contests
Nominate A Teacher Friend
Recognize the exceptional teachers in your school by nominating them for the Butler-Cooley Excellence in Teaching Awards Program.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Go online to www.turnaround.org/about/awards.asp
Once Upon a Time, Dude
Encourage teenage storytellers to submit their original fiction (500 to 2,500 words in length) to Teen Ink’s fiction contest. Winners see their work published in Teen Ink magazine.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Send all creative teens to www.teenink.com
World Wide Web Winners
Since 1996, more than 30,000 students (and their teachers) have participated
in ThinkQuest’s annual Web site competition. Check out the library of kid-built sites, including last year’s 12 -and-under winning site, “It’s All Mine,” about mining. Hone teambuilding and HTML skills while competing for prizes and recognition.
DEADLINE: April 16, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Go to www.thinkquest.org
Classroom Resources
It’s National Poetry Month...
Give your class the gift of poetry for April’s National Poetry Month. Your free classroom kit for grades 2–5 includes a poster from Douglas Florian’s new Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars, poetry pencils, and teaching ideas.
HERE’S HOW: Get your poetry swag at www.harcourtbooks.com/instructormag
...And Financial Literacy Month, Too
Your wallet just got heavier—the U.S. Mint is now releasing Presidential $1 coins every three months. Show kids the value of a dollar with a slew of free, standard-based lesson plans.
HERE’S HOW: www.usmint.gov
Tornadoes and Snowstorms and Rain, Oh My!
Supplement your meteorology unit with The Weather Classroom episodes and lesson plans from The Weather Channel.
HERE’S HOW: For hurricanes and more, go to www.weatherclassroom.com
Save the Day
Safety is fun with Sparky the Fire Dog! Students can play Sparky’s free online games to learn all about what to do in an emergency situation.
HERE’S HOW: Go online to www.sparky.org
Make a Wish
What do you need? Brand new book cubbies, art supplies, cool chemistry kits? Compile a list of the
supplies you wish you had for your classroom or school and post it online at The Teachers Wish List. Philanthropists big and small—including parents—can visit the site and play Santa.
HERE’S HOW: Create your list at www.theteacherswishlist.com
Good Genes
If you’re planning a unit on genetics, why not go to the source? The organization that founded the Human Genome Project offers a plethora of downloadable lesson plans and printables.
HERE’S HOW: Get your free lessons at http://genomics.energy.gov
Trade Bottles for Bucks
Your students can earn 5¢ toward their favorite charity for every bottle they collect with TerraCycle’s Bottle Brigade. Hey, nickels add up!
HERE’S HOW: Go online to http://terracycle.net/bb
Monthly Inspiration
Get your hands on classroom ideas with a free subscription to A&E Television Network’s magazine, The Idea Book for Educators.
HERE’S HOW: Go online and check out www.aetv.com/class/theideabook
Happy 400th, America!
It’s Jamestown’s 400th birthday this year! Celebrate with free lesson plans and resources from the Jamestown 400th Federal Commission, which focuses on the town’s rich history.
HERE’S HOW: Go back in time at www.jamestownjourney.org
Great Grants
Reinvent Your Classroom
Apply for a grant with IBM’s Reinventing Education program and you could win more than just big bucks—selected schools also benefit from IBM’s technology and education consulting expertise.
DEADLINE: Rolling
HERE’S HOW: Get techno-savvy at www.ibm.com/ibm/us
Beam Me Up, Scotty
Apply to the SMARTer Kids Foundation’s Connections program and win top-notch classroom tech tools.
DEADLINE: March 30, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Get “smart” at http://smarterkids.org/k12/connections
Discover the Blue Zones
Freshen up your health unit—and win a $1,000 Allianz Classroom Award—by integrating two Blue Zones programs into your classroom.
DEADLINE: March 30, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Go to www.bluezones.com
Hail a Hero
Is your department itching to replace boring science worksheets with beakers and microscopes? Nominate a colleague (or yourself!) for the ING Unsung
Heroes program, and you could win up to $25,000.
DEADLINE: April 30, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Tell your story by visiting www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/communityconnections/ineducation/unsungheroes/
Go Wireless
Make pencils and paper a thing of the past! Enter to win a $50,000 wireless
lab for your school courtesy of Discovery Education.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2007
HERE’S HOW: Dream in wireless at http://cdwg.discoveryeducation.com/
