Welcome to the first Teachers’ Toolkit e-Newsletter for 2007.

We hope that your 2007 teaching year is progressing well. At Teachers’ Toolkit we have been busy working on the next issue of the magazine. We’ve also been exploring new developments, the results of which you will notice in forthcoming issues.

As we send out this e-Newsletter, Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine Issue 6 is being printed for delivery to you and around 8,000 schools in mid-March. To celebrate the start of the 2007 school year we have some fantastic prizes to be won. Grab a copy of Issue 6 as soon as it arrives and follow the instructions for your chance to win.

In this newsletter

• What’s in Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine Issue 6
• Competition: The Sausage Sizzle Report
• Download it!
• You’ve spoken—we’ve listened
• Pilot Pens BEGREEN competition
• Here’s Healthy Lifestyle Tip
• EdNa calendar
• Music education
• Sustainable living—natural strategies
• A bright idea
• Child Friendly Australia
• Get with the program
• Earth Foundation
• Early childhood / preschool
• The Zoological Society of London
• History teaching comment
• World maps
• Shouting the breeze
• Students who work
• Just for fun
• Latest breaking news

What’s in Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine Issue 6
Articles and resources in the latest issue of Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine include:

Celebrations and special days galore and how to integrate them into your classroom

• 2007:The Year of the Dolphin
• Celebrating Bridges (including the 75th anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge)
• International Polar Year
• Walk Safely to School Day
• Environmental Calendar 2007
• Planet Ark’s Schools Tree Day (don’t forget to register early)

Awards

• Anzac Day Schools’ Awards 2007
• National Literacy & Numeracy Week 2007 Awards

Competitions and giveaways

• VISY Environmental Detective
• Pilot Pens BEGREEN (details below)
• The Sausage Sizzle Book (details below)

Teaching resources

• Snake bites and first aid
• World religions

New classroom resources

• The PACK Pack (Packaging Council of Australia)
• New titles from Essential Resources
• Healthy Lifestyles Bookshop (ACHPER)

Competition for our e-newsletter subscribers

We are giving away copies of The Sausage Sizzle Report, a helpful guide to fundraising, to the first person in each state (6) and territory (2) who sends us an email describing their most successful fundraising event and why it was so successful. Note that this competition is only open to subscribers to the Teachers’ Toolkit e-Newsletter. (If you’re not already a subscriber, visit our website; subscription is free and your details will not be distributed to any other person.) Email your entry to info@teacherstoolkit.net.au as soon as possible!

Download it!
All lesson plans contained in Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine are fully downloadable from the Teachers’ Toolkit websiteat www.teacherstoolkit.net.au/downloadLessons.php. On the website you’ll also find additional articles, resources, links and teaching units.

We make particular mention of the following special events (that we couldn’t squeeze into the magazine) that are downloadable from the website:

• Earth Hour: turn off that light to help the planet (see also A bright idea below)
• The Year of the Surf Lifesaver: to coincide with the celebration of 100 years of surf life saving in Australia.

For both of these events we have provided ideas, activities and various resources and links to help you celebrate them in your classroom. Find full details on our website at www.teacherstoolkit.net.au/downloadLessons.php.

You’ve spoken—we’ve listened
Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine and the Teachers’ Toolkit website have been designed in consultation with leading educators to help make your working day easier and more enjoyable. We are constantly reviewing the effectiveness of both resources to better serve your needs. Consequently, following recent teacher feedback we have:

• made available a one-click download facility for each issue of the magazine. This means that if you want extra copies of the whole magazine you need only click on the nominated cover and all pages from that issue of the magazine will print. (If you don’t want to download the entire issue you still have the option of downloading only individual sections);

• streamlined the registration process for Teachers’ Toolkit e-Newsletter. Please tell your colleagues and friends that it is now easier than ever to register for the e-Newsletter and receive this valuable resource on a regular basis. Go to the Teachers’ Toolkit website and click on ‘register now!’ or alternatively, simply click here. To view previous e-Newsletters click on ‘newsletters’ or simply click here.

If there is some feature of the magazine or website that you would like us to enhance then please send your comments to us via email at info@teacherstoolkit.net.au or via our website by clicking here. We appreciate all feedback.

Pilot Pens BEGREEN (see Teachers’ Toolkit Issue 6 to win GIVEAWAYS)

Pilot Pens have kindly supplied the BEGREEN Prize Packs and Pilot Pens Licences

A new range of environmentally-friendly writing instruments, developed by Pilot Pens, are providing another way for teachers to help the environment. The Pilot BEGREEN range includes pens, spotlighters, markers and erasers, all made from 67% to 100% recycled materials. Helping the planet doesn’t have to cost much either: the BEGREEN range is the same price and high quality as the standard range equivalent. Pilot BEGREEN products are available nationally from Woolworths, Officeworks, newsagents and through Corporate Express.

Here’s a Healthy Lifestyle Tip (Courtesy of Nestlé)
Keep your sneakers under your desk and, if not on playground duties, head out for a 20-minute walk at lunchtime. You’ll burn approximately 300 kilojoules (70 calories), freshen your mind and renew your energy. And if you want some additional healthy nutrition ideas go to the Nestlé Nutrition website www.nestle.com.au/Nutrition/default.htm. Keep an eye open for the Good Food, Good Life plans and articles to appear in forthcoming issues of Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine.

EdNa calendar
The Education Network Australia (EdNa) has released a very helpful wall calendar to help guide you through the year. If you do not have a copy of the calendar or need additional copies, contact EdNa via their website at www.edna.edu.au.

Music education
National Awards For Excellence In School Music Education
The National Awards for Excellence in School Music Education Project is funded by the Australian Government under the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme. The awards are administered by the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME).

In 2007, up to thirteen awards for excellence and leadership in school music education will be awarded to teachers and school leaders. The awards will recognise the recipients' exceptional contribution to enhancing the status and quality of music education in their schools.

Nomination guidelines and forms are now available at http://musicawards.asme.edu.au/. Nominations close 30 April 2007.

Music Play for Life
Music Play for Life (www.musicplayforlife.org) is an initiative of the Music Council of Australia. The Council’s website is full of useful information for teachers. To read the latest Music Play for Life newsletter on school music education visit: www.mca.org.au/index.php?id=195. The newsletter includes:

• news on the inaugural Awards for Excellence in School Music Education Awards, being run by ASME (see above)
• an update on the National Review
• a rundown on a South Australian pilot program for school bands, where classroom teachers and students learn together
• advice on how to lend your support to the continued provision of instrumental music teaching in South Australia.

Federal funding for schools
If you would like to purchase new musical equipment for your school, the Federal government’s Investing In Our Schools (IOSP) grant scheme has just received a $181 million boost. The program now has an additional $127 million available for State schools and $54 million for non-government schools. If you would like to apply for a grant, be quick: 2007 is the final round in this program. Phone the grant scheme's hotline on 1300 363 079 or visit the IOSP website at www.investinginourschools.dest.gov.au/.

ASME XVI National Conference
The 2007 ASME Conference is being held in Perth from 6 to 10 July 2007. Visit the Conference website at www.asme2007.com.au for details or call Anne Trigg, Administrator of ASME in Western Australia on (08) 9203 6053.

Sustainable living—Natural Strategies Group website
A couple of our subscribers found this website and recommended we ‘take a look’. The site has some good ideas and interesting news on how to reduce our individual impact on the environment and advice about moving towards sustainable living. Natural Strategies Group is working with (and supporting) individuals, industries and issues that will define a compassionate and sustainable future. Visit their website at www.naturalstrategies.com.au/.

A bright idea

With Earth Hour taking place on 31 March 2007 (see above), it’s a good time to take a look at the humble light bulb. The supposedly inefficient standard light bulb could be phased out within three years to save up to 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. California started the ball rolling in January when it proposed a ‘How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb Act’ to phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2012 in favour of compact fluorescent bulbs. Australia is to follow suit.

What is a incandescent light bulb, and how much energy can fluorescent bulbs save? To find out, download Neco’s Information Page  from www.neco.com.au/business/pr/lighting.pdf (PDF document). A good research project for students would be to ask them to gather information to compare incandescent and energy-saving fluorescent bulbs. Have students consider how each type of bulb works and investigate issues such as: running costs; average life expectancy; energy consumed; purchase cost; greenhouse emissions and perhaps ‘how they look’. Draw up a list of the pros and cons for each type of bulb.

Child Friendly Australia
Child Friendly Australia (www.childfriendly.org.au) is the exciting new social change initiative of the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN). Go online to see the variety of information, ideas and support available. Take a look at the Child Friendly Challenges page which offers simple ways in which you can help your community become child friendly. There are different levels of challenge to suit individuals, communities and workplaces. Also look at the Children’s Champions page where you will details of individuals, companies and communities who have demonstrated that they value children and share our vision of building a child friendly Australia.

Get with the program
In a recent Fairfax newspaper article, Dr Dale Spender, a researcher and writer in the areas of education and new technology, challenges the value of the old education system when looking at the kind of education our students need for the future. While many educationalists want to maintain the standards they value in their classrooms, there is much conflict between the old routines and the new individuality about what we now teach in schools. The ‘now generation’ haven't suddenly become less intelligent, or more difficult. It's just that they have caught on to the skills needed for the information age. Dr Spender comments that ‘when it comes to creating information that is new, the old education system provides few guidelines’. Spender goes on to say that ‘The educational challenge is about how students manage information—it's what they do with it that counts.’ Read the whole article and make your own conclusions. Go to: www.smh.com.au/news/national/get-with-the-program/2007/02/09/1170524304010.html or find a copy of the Fairfax Press article on the Teachers’ Toolkit website.

Earth Foundation—the world’s largest in-school conservation organisation
The purpose of the Earth Foundation is to support educators and students to work towards a sustainable economy, a just society and a healthy environment. Visit the Earth Foundation website at www.earthfound.com to find some very useful classroom resources. Use these resources to help save the planet!

Early childhood / preschool
Many teachers have asked about resources to suit the early childhood and preschool areas. We can suggest www.everythingpreschool.com. While it is an American site it does contain a good array of resources for Australian teachers. We would be happy to list other suitable websites that subscribers may know about. Teachers should also consider subscribing to the EdNa Early Childhood Newsletter, details of which are available at www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/ece.

The Zoological Society of London
Saving the world’s weirdest creatures
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has launched a new program to protect some of the world’s most bizarre and unusual animals, many of which are being completely ignored by current international conservation efforts. The program focuses on the world’s most unusual and threatened animals and is called ‘EDGE’ which stands for Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. Included in the ‘top ten’ is Australia’s northern hairy-nosed wombat.

The ZSL website (www.zsl.org) is fascinating and a good source of resources. Have your students explore the Society’s EDGE program at www.zsl.org/field-conservation/edge/.

History teaching comment
There has been much discussion of late regarding the teaching of history in (all) schools. Teachers’ Toolkit has received some enquiries: what type of (Australian) history should be taught at primary schools other than colonial history? Should history include a greater mix of the more traditional style with a greater component of social history? Arguably, a greater mix would not only help make the topic more enjoyable and interesting but would also help students to make broader decisions about their future. In any event, it seems desirable that the decision about what to teach should not be based on any one political view but rather, result from a consensus of educationalists across the nation. Teachers’ Toolkit welcomes feedback on this issue or any other issues affecting teachers such as classroom resources.

World maps
While many people are very familiar with world maps, Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest. Some fascinating information and maps are presented, allowing for a different view of our world. Many maps are downloadable or can be saved for later reference. Take a look at: www.worldmapper.org/index.html.

Shouting the breeze
Everyone seems to have an opinion on wind farms. Are they noisy? Do they kill birds? How do they affect livestock in the paddocks below? Take another look at the Wind Energy teaching unit published in the first issue of Teachers’ Toolkit Magazine (November 2005) by clicking here.

Students who work
A new survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that some 7% of children aged 5 to 14 years had worked during the 12 months to June 2006. Some children worked in more than one type of job. What kinds of activities did the children undertake at their jobs? Consider conducting a class and/or school survey to see if the results reflect those of the ABS report. To see a summary of the report click here.

Just for fun
Australian English has developed a rich and distinct vocabulary that, some would say, reflects our dry wit and occasional wisdom. The National Museum of Australia has created a fun way to explore the origins and meanings of some of our common Australian words and idioms in its interactive Aussie English for the Beginner. Log on, test your knowledge of Australian English and have a laugh! www.nma.gov.au/play/aussie_english_for_the_beginner/.

Latest breaking news

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