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Learn about REMC's Virtual Courses, and below that find several face-to-face professional learning opportunities - REMC’s Virtual Courses Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of REMC’s free Virtual Courses. These courses are specifically tailored for educators, by educators.  The classes provide a convenient way for education professionals to learn and collaborate while reducing the time and expense of traveling to a seminar or workshop. All REMC courses are open to all Michigan school personnel. No registration or SCECHs fees. Seven courses are offered in June and begin on Monday, June 3.  Deadline for registration is Friday, May 31.  Each course is open for three weeks and consists of two (2) one-hour webinars and four (4) to eight (8) hours of resource review, assessment developments and written reflection.  SCECHs are available, ranging from 6 - 10, depending on the course. Enhancing Instruction for All Learners Increasing Efficiency and Productiv...

Science teachers have the opportunity to attend an intensive and residential one-week experience that will let them explore world-class research in nuclear astrophysics!  They will get to spend time at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University - a facility used by scientists from all over the world.  What: Physics of Atomic Nuclei program When & Where : July 15-19 at Michigan State University Cost:  FREE More Information:   at  https://www.jinaweb.org/ educational-outreach/physics- atomic-nuclei-pan/ There is also a program for high schools students - information about it is also on the website above.

This find is for Social Studies teachers -  In addition to access to the programming, teachers can find "bell ringers," lesson plans and opportunities for professional development. From the website: C-SPAN Classroom is a free membership service for social studies teachers. Our mission is to enhance the teaching of social studies through C-SPAN's primary source programming and websites. ...To better serve you, our site is password-protected, yet remains free of charge. Membership gives educators access to their own library to store C-SPAN Classroom video clips, supplementary materials such as lesson plans and handouts, and special offers.

From Christine Schneider, Mel Education Specialist - “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it” - Confucius MeL is here to help share the beauty of poetry this April!  As you prepare for National Poetry Month, consider using the following resources found in MeL databases: Britannica School ( Elementary ,  Middle ,  High ): Once again we had some resource packs pulled together for you and your students to use!  Please click into one of the levels of Britannica FIRST, and then click on one of the following resource packs: National Poetry Month-Elementary National Poetry Month-Secondary   eBooks : A general search for “poetry” within the main eBooks collection yields over 6,500 hits!  The following are some books that might be of specific interest (Remember to click on  eBooks FIRST, then any of the following links): Flower Fables  by Louisa May Alcott.  This is a collection of fairy tales and poetry that Alcott firs...

There are a variety of events coming up!  Click through this slidedeck to find one that meets your needs -

Looking for some activities that focus on the Great Lakes?  Check out the Center for Great Lakes Literacy ! The site includes curriculum resources, professional development and webinars that you can use to help tie your science lessons to the Great Lakes.  Many lessons in the curriculum resources are multi-disciplinary and convey the complexity of problems faced when looking at Great Lakes issues.    Additionally, teachers may apply to for a shipboard professional development opportunity.  Selected teachers spend a week aboard a research vessel on one of the Great Lakes, working alongside and learning from scientist.  Housing and meals are provided for this experience, along with a $500 stipend.  The target audience is educators in the Great Lakes basin. that work with 4th-12th grade students

Michigan Teachers: Do you know any high school seniors with an interest in science?  Encourage them to apply for the National Youth Science Camp - a summer residential program!   The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) is an honors program for two high achieving high school seniors from each state in the United States and others from around the world. Two high school seniors (eligible for graduation between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 ) from each state will be selected for for this  all-expenses-paid  program . This summer residential program runs from June 14 - July 8, 2017 . The NYSC is one of the nation's premier programs in science education. Since its inception in 1963 as part of West Virginia's Centennial celebration, the residential summer program has offered educational forums and recreational activities that encourage the development of thoughtful scientific leadership. This camp is made possible through the planning and fund-raising ...

From Christine Schneider, MeL K-12 Education Specialist - " Join us on October 18th  for a 45 minute webinar to discover content paired with learning strategies to prepare students’ understanding of the upcoming election.  We’ll discover content on the history of presidential elections in the United States, the electoral process, political parties, and key issues surrounding this November’s election.  Pick the time that works best for you! October 18th at 10 AM EST October 18th at 4 PM EST Please share this with anyone in K-12. Email me with any questions: cschneider.mel@gmail.com"

From Christine Schneider, MeL K-12 Education Specialist "Just in time for the 2016-17 school year, MeL Teachers ( http://teachers.mel.org/ ), a completely revamped and resource-driven teacher portal, was launched in mid-August.  It is focused on providing assistance to teachers, media specialists, administrators, and anyone involved in K-12 with help navigating MeL and integrating the resources into Michigan classrooms. MeL Teachers offers eight targeted centers that improve site navigation, making no-cost databases and other content more readily accessible.  Here is a quick overview of each center: Elementary Resources is especially for PreK-5 th grade and focuses on MeL Kids, http://mel.org/kids . There are handouts, slide decks and videos that can be used in the classroom to introduce students to MeL resources and supplemental classroom materials. Secondary Resources is designed for grades 6 through the first two years of college and focuses on ...

  Have you wanted to participate in the 21 Things 4 Teachers PD during the summer?  Here is your opportunity!   From the 21 Things Team: The 21Things4Teachers Statewide summer course runs June 20 to Sept 6, 2016 . After registering for the course, you will receive instructions on how to login to Moodle and how to attend the virtual event June 20 at 4:30 p.m.   21Things4Teachers helps educators make connections between technology tools and best practice instructional strategies. It provides a chance for you to collaborate with fellow teachers in a cohort or as an individual to learn more about 21st century technology skills in a supportive environment with a highly skilled instructor. You can opt to take just 7, 14 or all 21 Things and need a computer, speakers and Internet access to participate.   On June 20 you will meet online with your instructor for two hours. Throughout the summer you will have virtual sessions that you may at...

Looks like a very cool experience - with many renowned speakers! Announcing the Hack the Classroom Digital Event! Date: January 30, 2016 at 8:00a.m. PST Location: Online- Register at aka.ms/hacktheclassroom Actions: •   Register yourself for the event •   Share this announcement with other educators •   Send your own tweet. Example tweet: Join me & Microsoft_EDU for the #HackTheClassroom digital event on 1/30! Sign up here: http://aka.ms/hacktheclassroom Resources: Hack The Classroom Website Questions? Email us We are so excited to announce a new, free live digital event for educators around the world! The “hacking” spirit has captured the hearts of educators around the world- more and more, teachers are taking it upon themselves to transform the way they teach, and the way their students learn. Initiatives like Hour of Code and the Maker Movement have been groundbreaking, wh...

The Bill of Rights Institute has developed Documents of Freedom , a free , comprehensive , interactive digital course covering all the history, government, and economics topics in traditional textbooks. Written for teachers by teachers, all materials highlight primary sources and meet state standards. Teachers can search for primary-source-focused resources that fit seamlessly into their teaching plans. They can access student readings along with corresponding teacher materials, including classroom activities, presentations, and assessments. Incorporated into the readings are engaging images and videos that provide a more interesting way for students to interact with historical content. The course material is available everywhere from a laptop to a cellphone, from the computer lab to students’ homes. Students can easily adjust the display of the text and choose the style and size that works best for their individual preferences and learning needs.

A colleague of mine - Justin Cowen - from the UP created this resource for educators in his area giving the M-Step on Chromebooks.  If your district is using Chromebooks for the M-Step, you might share this with teachers and those that are helping provide technical support during the test. M-Step Troubleshooting Guide - by Justin Cowen

Read Around the Planet 2015: A Project Matching Event TWICE invites you to participate in a collaborative reading event using videoconference technology in celebration of with Read Across America! WHAT : a CAPspace Matching Event - you sign up and we provide you a partner class. REGISTRATION:  December 1st to  January 16, 2015 ! RAP DATES : February  23 - Wednesday, March 6, 2015 **Please check your calendars for vacation, conference days, testing, etc. BEFORE registering to know which days work for your class.** Classes share skits, raps, original poetry/writing, songs, game shows, and more.  Classes can participate in English, or a variety of other languages, or special education. CHECK OUT: RAP website: http://www.twice.cc/RAP -  Flyer -  Verification and Registration dates -  Teacher and Coordinator Packets -  Additional Information Collaborations vs. Projects There are two kinds of connections between classes in CAPs...

Registration is open for the MI Moodle Moot 2015, hosted at Mid Michigan Community College in Mount Pleasant on Thursday, January 8 (preconference workshops) and Friday, January 9 (Moot).  Sessions are available for Moodle users of all levels - those new to teaching online and blending instruction with Moodle, veteran Moodle using instructors, and Moodle administrators.  Registration is $40 per day. On-site registration will be an additional $10.  SCECHs are available for additional cost.  Go to  http://mimoodlemoot.org  for more information.  Follow MI Moodle Moot 2015 on Twitter @ #mimoodlemoot ! Registration can be found here       Highlights Sessions for both K-12 and higher education 8 different half day hands-on preconference workshops including workshops for new Moodle users, experienced Moodle users and Moodle administrators 28 different hour long breakout sessions at the Moot, with many sessions providing...

From Discovery Education:   We are pleased to announce Discovery Education’s cyber safety certification program, the  Intel ®  Security Digital Safety Program: Think Before You Link . Intel Security and Discovery Education have partnered to present a series of  free, interactive tools  that educators, students, and parents can use to gain critical information on  cyber safety, cybersecurity and cyber ethics . Each self-paced, interactive student module is about 10-15 minutes long and concludes with a  certificate of completion , endorsed by Intel Security, Discovery Education and the  National Cyber Security Alliance.   The accompanying  educator guides  prompt in-class activities to extend learning beyond the online interaction. To facilitate parental engagement, the program also provides  parent-facing modules  that give caretakers tips on how to promote positive online behavior in the home. PROGRAM...

This year Calhoun ISD and  Jackson County ISD, will be offering 3 distinct Technology in Learning courses designed to help educators learn ways to implement technology in their classroom right away.   Registration for the second session is open! Discovery with Technology for Learning January - February 2015 Discovery with Technology for Learning is a course designed to help educators explore and begin applying web tools that enable them to develop their ability to communicate with students and parents with a web presence.  This is a blended course - a majority of the work will be completed online, along with a mandatory face-to-face session that occurs after the course has started.  Important Course Dates - Course Start Date: January 8 Face-to-Face: 4:15-6:45 January 14 Course End Date: February 19 30 SCECHs Available - Optional ($15 fee) Face-to-face location options: Calhoun ISD -  Registration Coldwater High School -...

(for teachers in southern to mid-Michigan - easy driving distance to Ypsilanti) How would you like to become involved in a professional development project involving engaging students in Cyber Discovery? We are looking for teams of two teachers from eight different schools in southern to mid-Michigan (easy driving distance to Ypsilanti, Michigan) who are interested in making up a diverse group of dynamic team-oriented people! Requirements: Both teachers teaching ninth grade.  One teacher will come from math, computer science, or technology,  One teacher will come from an area in history, art, theater, English or other humanities class  (If this doesn't fit you, then do pass the opportunity along to someone else who would be interested in this program!) William Sverdlik & Zenia Bahorski of Eastern Michigan University have been awarded a grant from the national organization National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC). NICERC is fund...