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Spotlight


It was just five years ago that Comal Independent School District began its walk with KLRN Connect and the Discovery Education streaming video website, originally called United Streaming Video.
At that time, only a handful of teachers were utilizing the video-on-demand services offered through KLRN Connect because most teachers in our district didn’t have access to the Internet in their classrooms and/or a means of projecting the images large enough for the students to see.

I recall walking into a science class at Arlon Seay Intermediate School where 25 children were huddled around a wall-mounted 25 inch TV watching a one minute 19 second video clip about the water cycle. The picture quality was poor because the video, which had been downloaded from the Internet to the teacher’s computer, was routed through a converter box called a TVator in order to show the video on a larger screen. The quality might have been poor, but the content had them at the word “evaporation.” They watched the video several times and each time the class had the same reaction, “Cool!” Not only was that their reaction, but also when I asked them what they were watching they told me about the water cycle in detail.  In fact, I muted the TV’s sound and had the 5th graders explain to me what was going on in the video in their own words. Talk about exciting!

As more classrooms got TV’s, or at least began putting them on rolling carts, more teachers started asking how to use the video clips in other ways. They were taught how to embed the clips into their PowerPoint presentations, and this brought in an entirely new way of teaching for many teachers. No longer did teachers order boring 45-minute videos from the library or service center. Instead they incorporated small one to two minute clips into their instructional lessons. If a student was absent the day the material was presented it could be viewed on a computer in the classroom at a
later date.

I remember clearly a summer training session at Smithson Valley High School with high school science teachers who had been using DE streaming videos in their classrooms successfully for a few years. Their collective excitement shown at the prospect of removing audio from editable videos and replacing it with their own audio was awe-inspiring. One chemistry teacher was very excited about removing the audio of one particularly boring droning voice that was explaining the impact of the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico during 1945. After muting the clip we were able to find the sound effect of an atomic bomb that was perfectly timed with the video explosions! She was ecstatic at the effect and so were the students when she taught that unit a few months later. Now imagine her delight when in the summer of 2008 they put a ceiling mounted projector into her classroom with speakers as she played this video of the first test of an atomic bomb; it shook the walls of the classroom next door.

Speaking of classrooms, when was the last time you walked down the hall of a school? You might be surprised by what you see. I know you would be if you were visiting a school in the Comal Independent School District. Since the fall of 2008, every classroom has ceiling mounted projectors with built-in speakers. Attached to that is a document camera that replaces old, worn out
overhead projectors.

Teachers use MacBooks, dual-boot laptops that can be connected to interactive whiteboards, wireless tablets and clicker-type student response systems. Students use wireless access laptops that move between rooms in COW Carts (Computers on Wheels). Students of all ages adeptly attach temperature probes and digital microscopes to the laptops during their science classes to take measurements and record observations. Middle Schools students are using iPods to learn about science and math. High school students are talking with students in Africa using the district’s recently purchased video conferencing system. Elementary classrooms are going on “live” virtual field trips across the world using the same distance learning equipment.

This sure doesn’t look like any classroom that most of us sat in the chairs of years ago. Long gone are the chalk or green boards, overhead, opaque, slide, and filmstrip projectors. This is a whole
new educational community where children learn, strive and thrive.

One very important educational partner for CISD through this journey has been KLRN Connect and Discovery Education’s streaming videos. Teachers currently have access to over 50,000 instructional video clips that that can be streamed or downloaded. These videos are searchable by subject and/or grade level and are correlated to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for easy integration into the curriculum. In addition to videos, teachers and students can search through over 23,000 encyclopedia articles and 20,000 high-quality digital images.

A kindergarten teacher stopped me in the hallway the other day at Rebecca Creek Elementary to share an experience that she recently had with her students. They had just read a book about a caterpillar that became a butterfly. Most of the children did not really understand the process and the teacher was able to logon to KLRN Connect, find a one minute and 30 second video clip called “Caterpillar Transforms into a Butterfly” that explained the amazing metamorphosis process in
terms a five year old could grasp. “What a teachable moment!” the teacher exclaimed.

Yes, it has been quite a journey.

Comments on the Spotlight? E-mail us at education@klrn.org
Spotlight Tune In Resources Happenings Contact Us

Tune In

DVT Channel


Nova: Lizard Kings
10/20 at 8:00 pm



Though they may look like dragons and inspire stories of man-eating, fire-spitting monsters with long claws, razor-sharp teeth and muscula, whip-like tails, these creatures are actually monitor lizards,
the largest lizards to walk the planet. With their acute intelligence—including the ability to plan ahead—these lizards are a very different kind of reptile, blurring the line between reptiles and mammals. And even though these bizarre reptiles haven't changed all that much since the dinosaurs, they are
a very successful species, versatile at adapting to all kinds of settings. Natural loners, and always on guard, they sense anything or anyone from hundreds of feet away. NOVA follows expert lizard hunter
Dr. Eric Pianka as he tracks the elusive creatures through Australia's heartland with cutting-edge
"lizard cam."

Nature: Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions
10/25 at 7:00 pm



The returning saga of Cloud, the wild, white stallion finds us back in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana. Cloud is now a confident band stallion in his prime. As he rules the mountains, gathering mares and expanding his reign, the story turns to his two sons. Bolder is his by birth—beautiful and golden, the success of his father and grandfather flowing in his veins. Flint, sired by another stallion,
is the colt Cloud raised. Now, Bolder has gathered some mares of his own while Flint has joined a group
of bachelor stallions, young guns roaming the mountains. Who will rise to challenge the mighty Cloud? Will nature or nurture produce the next great stallion of the Arrowheads?

2009 Fall PBS Kids Schedule

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KLRN Connect

KLRN Connect

Click and Engage
Not a subscriber of KLRN Connect? Click here

Ensure Your Teachers are Associated with the Correct School
Do you have teachers that moved to a new school within your district over the summer months? 
How do you ensure their KLRN Connect usernames and passwords are assigned to the correct schools? One way is to shuffle them from one school to another. In the past, this required someone with administrative access, but that is not the case anymore! Teachers can shuffle themselves from one school to another - in five easy steps. They are as follows: 

  1. Go to klrn.unitedstreaming.com
  2. Click on the Passcode Login tab 
  3. Enter the new school's passcode  (get the passcode from your school’s
    admin or email mmccormick@klrn.org)
  4. Enter in your existing DE streaming username/password 
  5. Click the login box

Here is a PowerPoint link that walks you through the steps above - screenshot by screenshot. 
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/matt.monjan/files/2008/08/shuffling-schools.ppt


Get more involved with your use of KLRN Connect in the classroom with these fantastic teaching
tips from Discovery Education streaming.

Click here to go to the page in KLRN Connect or click on the links below. Login required.

 

imageGraphic Organizing Software
Create visual representations and connections for students.
Lesson Plan using Inspiration; Lesson Plan using TimeLiner

 

imageInteractive Whiteboards
Integrate interactive whiteboards and other group collaboration tools.
Lesson Plan using SMART Boards

 

imageMapping Software
Integrate geography and maps into your lessons.
Lesson Plan using Google Earth


 image

Are you new to KLRN Connect or just need a refresher? Try this online Getting Started Guide.

Discovery Educator Network Webinar Series

The Discovery Educator Network (DEN) is a global community of educators passionate about teaching with digital media, sharing resources, collaborating, and networking. With over 25,000 members providing professional development to over 250,000 educators worldwide, the DEN connects teachers both on-line and in-person. Discovery Educators have exclusive access to a wide range of resources, professional development activities, networking opportunities, exclusive Discovery Educator
events and more!

Voted the best professional development website in 2007 by the Association of Educational Publishers, this website is a place to connect to other educators across the globe. Here, all users
can read the blogs and discussion boards. Discovery Educators (any educator that has a
Discovery account) have the ability to comment on the blogs, post to the discussion boards,
and register for Discovery Educator Network events. http://community.discoveryeducation.com/

PBS TeacherLine of Texas


PBS TeacherLine of Texas
PBS TeacherLine courses are approved by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and count towards required CPE hours.

District course licensing and ELL/ESL courses are now available! Contact us for more information: hcustard@klru.org, 512.232.9406.

PBS TeacherLine courses are approved by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC) and count towards required CPE hours.

Special station pricing is available for individual course registrations. Call Malinda McCormick at
210-270-9000, to register for your course at lower rates than nationally advertised!

You take our free, two-hour orientation course, Practice Learning Online with TeacherLine*,
to prepare for online learning. Enter the course through your My Courses page.
At the end of this course, you will be familiar with:

  • The importance of time management and the self-discipline required to be a successful online learner.
  • Skills for navigating course content quickly and efficiently.
  • Strategies to improve the quality of your participation in an online learning community.
  • Where to go for help.
  • Resources available through PBS TeacherLine.

In order to take the free orientation course, you must first join PBS TeacherLine. Join for free.

PBS TeacherLine Courses to Consider

INST130 Utilizing Technology in Creating a Problem-Based Curriculum
Subjects: Instructional Technology, Instructional Strategies
Grades: Kindergarten-12th
Hours: 30
Apply new strategies to develop your students' problem-solving skills. Discover how technology can enhance their ability to state problems, pose questions, find answers, and, ultimately, approach learning as a continuous interaction with their world. Then, select a problem for your students to solve and craft
a lesson plan that demonstrates the learning process.

INST310 Inquiry-Based Learning in the Classroom
Subjects: Instructional Technology, Instructional Strategies
Grades: Kindergarten-12th
Hours: 30
Knowledge gained through investigation produces greater student understanding and achievement. Discover the key principles of inquiry-based learning, and observe and assess its effectiveness on class lessons and student Web projects. Develop an inquiry facilitation plan for a unit to implement inquiry based learning in your classroom.

INST315 Teaching for Multiple Intelligences
Subjects: Instructional Technology, Instructional Strategies
Grades: Kindergarten-12th
Hours: 30
Discover the advantages of teaching methods that engage multiple intelligences and explore ways to implement them. You will also learn to teach and assess students differently based on their individual intellectual styles.

PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection

Get Connected!
In the drive to improve teaching practice and student achievement, many schools and districts are
turning to instructional coaches to support school-wide improvement and enhance classroom
practice. Coaches require high level resources and professional development so they can lead the way
in reform initiatives and deliver on specific district instructional and student performance goals.
At PBS TeacherLine, we support professional development from the classroom forward. Our new
PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection service will help you build a customized, practical professional development program for your teachers by providing sustained and targeted support for coaches.

pctlDownload Brochure
Start a 30-day Free Trial

Peer Connection is a service of PBS TeacherLine, the premier resource for online professional development for preK-12 educators.


Instructional Coaches and Mentors
Peer Connection is designed to improve the effectiveness of teachers you support.
Professional Learning Communities
Interactive group and network functionality provides web 2.0 technology to support your PLC activities. Are you ready to bring PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection to your school or district? PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection is the right set of tools for the coaches n your school or district. To learn more about pricing, available discounts for multi-site subscriptions, and other program benefits, please call us today at 1.800.572.6386 or you can get started by downloading this purchase order form.

PBS Teachers

PBS Teachers Website Receives Top Honors

bl-landmark.pngPBS Teachers, PBS' national web destination for high-quality preK-12 educational resources, was recently named a "Landmark Website for Teaching and Learning" by the American Association of School Libraries for exemplary dynamic content and curricular relevance. At PBS Teachers, you'll find classroom materials suitable for a wide range of subjects and grade levels, thousands of lesson plans, teaching activities, on-demand video assets, and interactive games, and simulations. These resources are correlated to state and national educational standards and are tied to PBS' award-winning on-air and online programming like NOVA, Nature, Cyberchase, Between the Lions and more.
Sign up for free membership in PBS Teachers at www.pbsteachers.org.

Visit PBS Teachers to search for lesson plans and other resources for your classroom.


PBS Teacher Connect

Join Today

Learning.now

Learning.now is a weblog that explores how new technology and Internet culture affect how educators teach and children learn. It will offer a continuing look at how new technology such as wikis, blogs, vlogs, RSS, podcasts, social networking sites, and the always-on culture of the Internet are impacting teacher and students' lives both inside and out of the classroom. Learning.now also wants to hear from you,
and welcomes your participation on the site and your feedback.

Looking for more? Try PBS Teachers Advanced Search

1. Enter Your Search Term

Keyword:


2. Choose Types of Resources

Select the types of resources you are interested in finding.

  • Lesson Plans
  • Offline Activity/Project
  • Online Interactive/Activity
  • Audio/Video Clips
  • Shop PBS Products (cannot refine by subject or grade)
  • Recommended Non-PBS Links (cannot refine by grade)
  • Recommended Non-PBS Books


3. Refine by Subject and Grade

The resources I see should match the following concepts where applicable.

  • All Subjects
  • --OR--
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  • Reading & Language Arts
  • Health & Fitness
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  • All Grades
  • --OR--
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More Resources


The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
The wealth of themes explored in The National Parks: America’s Best Idea (premiering 9/27 at
8:00 pm on KLRN) offers an extraordinary educational opportunity for your classroom. The lessons and activities developed around the film look at the rich history of the national parks, the art and photography of the breath-taking geography that inspired so many people, and the human story of politics and
policy that shaped and continue to shape the parks today. Click here to learn more.

The Untold Stories Project—Features the San Antonio Missions
The Untold Stories project features a series of five dynamic and engaging stories about the role of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in the creation and protection of individual parks. The goal is to bring to light the contributions of individuals from these diverse groups and to engage new and traditionally underserved audiences in the educational richness of the national parks. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is one of the featured stories!
Click here to view the film and find classroom resources.

Social Media Pages!!

Happenings

KLRN’s Looking for Trainers – Daytime Parent and Caregiver Workshop Sessions
Do you know a retired educator who would enjoy working with parents and caregivers of young children? We are looking for several enthusiastic, outgoing session trainers to start this fall at sites throughout
San Antonio. Contact Maricella Borroel, KLRN’s Director of Early Childhood Services, at mborroel@klrn.org or 210.270.9000, ext. 2265, for more information.

Clifford’s Coming to Town!
Please let your students know they can get a free picture taken with Clifford the Big Red Dog at
local Burger King Restaurants during the weekend of October 16-18. Click here for the complete
tour schedule.

Free Workshop for Educators Celebrates 100 Years of Flight
Educator Day—Friday October 23, 8-4 p.m.
Celebrate the Centennial of the First Military Flight by attending a FREE Educator Day on Fri., Oct 23
at the Institute of Texan Cultures hosted by KLRN and the Institute. Featuring the documentary,
Wings Over the Alamo, this Educator Day targets Texas, US and World History educators interested
in learning how to conduct effective oral history interviews, create presentations from the interviews
using multimedia technology, and sharing finished work in a showcase event in the spring at ITC.
This workshop is intended for lead Social Studies educators.Click here to register.


Conference LogoCall for Presenters!
The 21st Annual National Dropout Prevention Network Conference
(Oct. 24-28, 2009 in San Antonio) is inviting innovative, skilled presenters
who have excellent ideas, proven programs, and research to share in the areas of: 1) school and cultural knowledge; 2) curriculum and instruction; 3) students with exceptionalities; 4) English language learners; 5) community connections; 6) school-home collaborations; 7) school-work partnerships; 8) assessment; 9) effective school leadership; and 10) faith-based initiatives. (Instructions on registering to attend the conference will come with your acceptance notification or you may visit the conference’s web site at www.dropoutprevention.org  and follow the links to "register online" for the conference once that option is available.)




Click here to Support KLRN and Receive Tickets to this Spectacular Theatrical Arena Show
After years of planning, the award-winning BBC TV series, Walking with Dinosaurs, comes to life in
a stunning theatrical event. Internationally renowned designers have worked with scientists to create
15 life-size dinosaurs, including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus-rex! Be amazed and
thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes.

Financial Fitness Fair
November 14, 2009 - Mark your calendars for a "Reach for the Stars" Financial Fitness Fair
at Business Careers High School, in San Antonio.
The Texas Jump$tart Coalition is presenting this day of practical, relevant topics for teens and
their parents. Issues such as creating a workable budget, using credit cards wisely, auto purchases,
saving in tough times, college applications, and more will be discussed by financial experts.
KLRN will be there so look for our booth!
Click here for more information.

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Contact Us

Please feel free to contact us. We want to hear your comments and/ or suggestions about what
you would like to see in our Education E-Newsletter. We are here to serve and meet your needs.
Please send all comments to cbailey@klrn.org
 


Would you like to write an upcoming Spotlight article? Contact:
Malinda McCormick
Director of School Services

Spotlight article written by
Mary Griffin.
Read her Biography!