To encourage smooth transitions and incorporate technology using Microsoft Powerpoint presentation software, I have created mini-slide shows that communicate to my students exactly when a learning activity will begin.

I simply make a master slide that says, for example, "Math will begin in 5 minutes." You can set the timer to advance the slide in one minute, and add a sound effect to get their attention.

Using a copy of the slide master, change the next slide to read "Math will begin in 4 minutes." Continue to create your "Classroom Countdown" in this fashion until you get to your final slide (for example, "Math will begin in T-minus 10 seconds). Add a final slide (and sound effect) that indicates the new activity has begun. Students will look forward to "blasting off" into your next learning activity!

Jacqueline Nessuno
Third grade teacher
Mantua, New Jersey

Speaking Up
Check out www.speakingofspeech.com. Just launched in July, Speaking of Speech is a great place for all school-based speech/language pathologists and teachers (regular and special education) to exchange tips, techniques, and materials that improve communication skills in the schools.

Features include interactive message boards on a wide variety of topics, such as: this works for me! (read and post great ideas, lesson plans, motivators, and more); highly recommended (post favorite books, materials, Web sites, software, conferences, etc., or ask about materials before you buy); tech tips (tips for successful use of computers and assistive technology); helpline (seek and give advice on sticky problems); hot topics (sound off on a different topical issue each month); materials exchange (contribute and download great materials for your class or caseload); and share a smile (anecdotes that remind us why we do what we do). Other features include in the spotlight (in-depth description of a "highly recommended" material) and links & resources (an extensive and ever-growing list of great Web sites). Each month, a lucky site contributor wins the Speaking of Speech CD- "A multitude of materials for busy teachers and SLPs."

Pat Mervine
Speech/language pathologist
Doylestown, Pennsylvania

The Search Is On
I am always looking for effective ways to help students develop their Internet searching skills. I have found several activities to be particularly successful with my fifth graders.

Internet treasure hunts are fun activities that provide students with a structured environment in which to search while practicing skills in critical thinking, discrimination, and reading. The challenge of the hunt also serves as a wonderful motivator!

I created a tiger treasure hunt on our school system Web site at www.cmcss.org to use with teachers at a technology in-service, but found that the children loved it, too.

Another wonderful way to guide students toward becoming savvy surfers is to create an ABCs Web page. Choose a curricular topic and assign each student a letter of the alphabet. Their task is to search the Internet for the very best Web sites about the topic beginning with their letter. You can see an example of our ABCs of the Human Today at http:// members.aol.com/volsfive/body.html.

Anne Wall
Fifth grade teacher
Clarksville, Tennessee

Wherefore Art Thou?
I have videotaped students putting on puppet shows of "Romeo and Juliet" in their own modern language translations. Even students who did not seem interested in Shakespeare became involved with their group in the puppet show productions. Some groups even made up a "rap" opera of a scene from the play.

Barbara Lafaver
English and French teacher,
Antioch, California

State-by-State
As a fifth grade teacher, I wanted my students to have a resource to help them in finding information for their individual state reports. I created a map with links to all fifty state official websites. The site is found at http://orcutts1.sbceo.k12.ca.us/public/dunlap2000/state_websites.htm.

I also developed a cyber-report for the kids to generate as current a state report as possible. This included features such as emaling the state's governor; following a state newspaper and do a current event of specific state-related news with a screen shot of the article pasted into a word document and type of 150-word response; research online information in the report such as natural resources, state and national parks within the state; unique state activities. The kids loved the activity and they compiled a very current and relevant report.

Also check out our school website and projects built through internet clubs by students-http://orcutts1.sbceo.k12.ca.us/public/dunlap2000/index.html.

Jim McManus
Ralph Dunlap Elementary School
Orcutt, California

Out of the Northwest
Riverview Elementary School hosts a graphically appealing and well constructed web site. The goal of our popular site is to share our vision of a learning community, promote technology as an easy-to-use means to communicate with our families, showcase a positive use of the internet and to provide a bridge between school and the family. It has become a useful resource of information of educational value to our audience of parents, students and teachers. (Our site gets an average of 10,000 "hits" per month. Check us out!) www.riv.egreen.wednet.edu

.

Alice Atha, Webmaster
Riverview Elementary School
Vancouver, WA

My favorite Web site
Looking for quality academic historical research for high school and college students? Here's your site. Not only are there excellent topics and some wonder- ful resources, there are some "cool links" as well. www.snowcrest.net/jmike.

Mike Jenkins
Social science and history teacher
Foothill High School, Redding, California

TALK TO US
Have a nifty classroom tip or lesson plan that uses technology? E-mail a description (under 200 words, please!) to
wiredclassroom@list.nea.org.

Is there a Web site, CD-ROM, or piece of software you can't live without? E-mail your favorites-and why
you love them-to my favoritetech@list.nea.org. Or send your responses by regular mail to NEA Today, or by Fax to 202/822-7206, or through the Web at www.nea.org/cet.

Those published here will receive a sparkling NEA Today mug!

Bytes for Beginners

What's the difference between a "virus" and a "worm"?
Today's media seem to be filled with news about many different forms of computer viruses, probably because these pesky electronic infections are so mysterious. The most common are:

Virus. This infection is really a small computer program that imbeds itself inside a legitimate piece of software, such as a spreadsheet or E-mail program. Each time the program runs, the virus runs too, and it will usually either try to reproduce (by locating another program on your hard drive in which to imbed itself) or cause mischief with your hard drive-erase programs, delete certain file types, etc.

E-mail virus. An E-mail virus makes its way across the Internet by posing as an innocent attachment to a normal-looking E-mail. Once the attachment is downloaded by the unsuspecting recipient, the virus will do its damage and then usually try to replicate itself by sending itself to every address listed in the recipient's address book.

Worm. A worm, like a virus, is a small computer program. As its name implies, it inches across computer networks, looking for specific security holes (weak points in a software program; usually software that makes up part or all of a Network Operating System) in which to replicate itself.

A copy of a worm scans the network for software weaknesses that their creators have discovered and, as programmed, either wreaks havoc and/or replicates itself and moves on to the next computer with the same security hole.
Trojan horse. A Trojan horse is a software program that claims to be one thing-a game or utility program-but isn't. It does its damage when you run the program. Trojan horses do not replicate automatically.

NIMDA is both a virus and a worm-it is a small program that attaches to other programs and depends on the Internet to "get around." If you are using Windows 95, 98, Millennium, NT, or 2000 software, you are vulnerable to this virus. Your computer can become infected if you:

• download E-mail attachments
• visit Web sites infected with the virus, or
  
• are connected to infected computers on a network system.