Show Them the WOW in Your Classroom, Enter the Extraordinary Moments Video Contest

SMART Technologies is teaming up with TeacherTube to offer the Extraordinary Moments Video Contest. They're looking for 30-second commercials that best answer this question: How do SMART products help you create extraordinary moments in your classroom?

Creativity counts. So does technological wizardry. But most of all they'd like to see how you and your students use technology to create a fun, interactive learning environment.

Win a SMART Board and a trip to your own premiere

As the winner of SMART's video contest, you'll be flown to San Antonio, Texas, to attend the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), and you'll also be their special guest at a red-carpet premiere of your commercial.

(NECC is the largest educational technology show in North America and takes place from June 29 to July 2, 2008. You'll see the latest SMART products and will get a new SMART Board™ interactive whiteboard to take home with you.)

The video contest starts April 21, 2008, and runs until May 31, 2008. To learn more, click here.

FREE Planning Guide for Classroom Author Visits

Scholastic offers a comprehensive planning guide for author visits, with everything from author contacts organized by geographic regions to checklists for coordinators. It's all free and available for download on the web here.

Digital Resources for Financial Literacy

Middle school students can learn how to properly manage their finances by vising the personal finance section at Junior Achievement's student center. Tools include financial calculators and worksheets, games and a youth forum. Many of the resources are free online for students who visit http://studentcenter.ja.org/.

(Junior Achievement recently received a $100,000 grant from Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs to beef up programs and outreach when it comes to teaching financial literacy to young adults.)

GRANT ALERT: Title IID Grant for Districts 9 & 7

The Bronx Office of Instructional Technology is pleased to announce the commencement of the Enhancing Education through Technology Grant: Transforming Leadership in 21st Century Schools: Inclusive, Innovative, and Interdisciplinary (I3), for selected SINI, SURR, and Corrective Action schools in Districts 9 and 7. This I3 Grant is designed to improve ELA outcomes for English Language Learners by implementing a comprehensive professional development model geared towards the assistant principal, school-based instructional technology specialist, and a lead content area specialist. In support of this goal, participants will receive professional development from Fordham University, the National Staff Development Council, and the Office of Instructional Technology. Schools will also receive instructional materials and devices, (including one Dell Latitude D430 Laptop, two MacBook Laptops, two iPod Touch devices, and one LCD projector) which will better enable them to enhance their current instructional practices.

Interested Assistant Principals, Instructional Technology, and Content Area Specialists from applying schools should all complete the online application by clicking on this application link.
Please do not miss out on this wonderful and rare opportunity. APPLY NOW!!!

Free Podcasts for Science

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has launched Bytesize Science, an educational and entertaining podcast for young listeners. Bytesize Science translates cutting-edge scientific discoveries from ACS's peer-reviewed journals into stories for young listeners about science, health, medicine, energy, food and other topics.

New installments are posted every Monday and are available free of charge. Don't have an iPod? Listen to episodes with your Web browser. Go to http://feeds.feedburner.com/bytesizescience.

PEOPLE POLL:

The Bronx OIT would like your opinions on the following: How does instructional technology assist in providing differentiated experiences for students?

GRANT ALERT: Technology Grants for Youth Development

The Technology Grants for Youth Development will be awarded to visionary nonprofit organizations, which focus on youth development, for technology projects or solutions that advance their organization's core mission. Grants will be awarded in a range between $10,000 and $15,000.

To qualify for a Technology Grant for Youth Development, a nonprofit organization must meet the following criteria:

• be a youth development organization or have strong youth development programs
• have a measurable outcome and clear measure of success for the project being submitted
• be recognized as a charitable nonprofit organization in the country/countries in which they operate

All grant applications are due May 2, 2008 by 5:00 p.m. PST. Grantees will be announced July 11, 2008.

Please submit any questions to grants@salesforcefoundation.org. Apply here.