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Classroom Toolkit’s Previous Newsletters provide Valuable How-to Information

Newest Newsletter Format

A newsletter subscriber pointed out that our newsletters were very long. So, we changed the newsletter format for the June 2006 edition (Vol. 2 No. 6.). The newslstter is now in a Blog format, with a short summary to help you decide if you want to read the entire article.

With this format, you do not have to scroll through the entire newsletter to find a specific article or feature.

We will relocate some article reprints to this format to allow for searching. However, we will leave articles that have already achieved high search engine ranking in place. (Search engines, especially Google™ are reputed not to appreciate duplicate content.)

Newsletter Library -- Recent Classroom Toolkit Newsletters

Here are links to our past newsletter. These past volumes provide a quality information. You can read our newsletters sooner if you subscribe.

Here are the recent issues of our newsletter, Classroom Toolkit.

These previous newsletters were sent as plain text by E-mail to newsletter subscribers. The newsletters were sent in plain text because many folks, like me, turn off HTML for the E-mail reader program.

The links are for both a Text version and a PDF version.

The attachment files for the newsletter are sent in original source code so that teachers can edit the sample files.

The links here are for the same files in PDF format.

PDF files can be downloaded and printed, but editing requires an additional (expensive) program such as Adobe Acrobat(TM). However, check with your school district’s software provide for Academic Discounts.

Or, contact Rob Wehman with CDW*G for the best service and the most competitive prices for this product. Rob’s number is 866-339-7397.

Volume 1 Number 1: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format; Daily Oral Vocabulary (DOV) in PDF format

Newsletter No. 1 Attachment: Daily Oral Vocabulary - "My Place in the Universe"

This is a sample Daily Oral Vocabulary file for the Thematic Unit named "My Place in the Universe"

This file uses a program named "Visual Thesaurus" to create (automatically) the graphic organizers that you see.

The definitions are copied from the Microsoft Word 2003(TM) Thesaurus.

A program called Snaggit(TM) was used for capturing the images.

Snaggit(TM) is available from TechSmith.

Link to the TechSmith Web site

This is not an expensive program, but you can get an even better price with Academic Discounts.

Use your district's software supplier, or contact Rob Wehman at 866-339-7397. Rob was able to beat any other vendor when I was purchasing this product for my own use a year and a half ago. I am sure that he will give you the best price possible.

Volume 1 Number 2: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format; Daily Oral Math (DOM) in PDF format

Daily Oral Math - "My Place in the Universe" This is a sample Daily Oral Math file, also for the Thematic Unit named "My Place in the Universe."

This sample was created entirely with MS Word(2003), but could have been created with any word processing program.

The picture of the globe was captured with an ordinary digital camera, then cropped, copied, and pasted into a table cell.

I used Adobe Photoshop(TM), but any graphics program will crop digital photos.

I hope that you like the segue into the rest of the year's Thematic Unit's Daily Oral Math stories. Also, notice that the ongoing story is an adaptation of the Mutual Storytelling Technique, the subject of the feature article of the newsletter.

Volume 1 Number 3: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format; Current Events Fact Sheet in PDF format; Health Fact Sheet in PDF format; Note Taking Skills in PDF format; Reading and Note Taking in PDF format; Reading Oral Quiz Tracking in PDF format; Reading Think-Along Assessment in PDF format; Science Fact Sheet in PDF format; Social Studies Fact Sheet in PDF format

There is nothing fancy about these fact sheets. They were all created using Microsoft Word™.

The fact sheets can be used to train students for either busy work (like copying) or for higher-order thinking. Results depend upon how you use them.

These become teacher time savers when they are copied in advance, and can be paired with appropriate other materials.

The idea is to use the same, reusable forms; but require successively more complex and challenging tasks as your students use them.

You save time by not having to create new forms, and by not having to train students from “ground zero” with new forms.

Volume 2 Number 1: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format

This newsletter focused upon writing. Below are links to PDF-formated support files< that were attached to the newsletter. Note: The newsletter also contained the Word™(TM), RTF, or PowerPoint™(TM) original files.)

6 Plus 1 Scoring Sheet

Cooperative Group Assignments

Flexible Spanish Writing Worksheet

Flexible Writing

Good Visuals

Holistic Writing Assessment Rubric

It's Not Fair Log

Learning Project Assignment Sheet

Multimedia Project Design Checklist

Rules for Helping Children Write

Script Cards

Storyboard

Storyboard Worksheet

Visual Model -- Concrete to Abstract

Volume 2 Number 2: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format

This newsletter contained a number of planning and student work tracking documents. Below are links to PDF-formated support files that were attached to the newsletter. Note: The newsletter also contained a link to the Word™(TM) original files.)

Start of School Checklist

Generic Nine-Weeks Plan

"All But the Kitchen Sink" Lesson Plan Form

First Day Favorites

Take Home Folder Cover Sheet

Generic Tracking Form

Behavior Summary

Page Heading Reference Sheet

DEAR/ SSR Tracking Form

Daily Oral Word Problem Sample

Math Word Problem Framework

Story Starter Framework

Volume 2 Number 3: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format

The Planning and Holistic Planning eZine was so extensive that no attachments were added to this month's newsleter.

Planning and Holistic Project Management. eZine Vol. 1, No. 1

Volume 2 Number 4: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format

The attachments for this newsletter consist of sample Daily Oral Language stories for thematic units. These include:

General Introduction

Getting Along

My Health

My Careers and Professions

What Builds Wealth for Society

Start of School Year Daily Oral Language Lessons

Getting Along Daily Oral Language Lessons

My Careers and Professions Daily Oral Language Lessons

My Health Daily Oral Language Lessons

What Builds Wealth for Society

Volume 2 Number 5: Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in PDF format; Classroom Toolkit Newsletter in Text format

This newsletter's attachments included samples for how to use a structured writing template that we designed. Using these templates, the checkboxes, and ordinary clip art, you have the tools to create a year's worth of writing activities.

Check out these samples to see how easy this is. The combinations are endless.

This template is so easy that you can use it as a Learning Center. Students can also create these assignments for other students.

Writing Assignments - Beverage Clip Art

Writing Assignments - Longing for Computers Theme

Writing Assignments - Doctor and Patient Clip Art

Writing Assignments - Kitchen and Tools Clip Art

Writing Assignments - Two Restaurant Clip Art