Welcome to year four of the Innovative Teaching Newsletter! Much has been going on over the summer. The Surfaquarium site has been overhauled and updated for your use. Be sure to check it out! I've also finished a manuscript for a book to be published later this year by ISTE entitled Ways of Knowing: Multiple Intelligences and Technology. It was a labor of love and the hardest thing I've ever done, but if I was going to do it I wanted to do it right. I look forward to hearing from you once it's out. I want to know what you think! Finally, I have begun a Multiple Intelligences discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/M-I. It engages teachers in an examination of the implications for Gardner's theory in instruction. We'd love to have you join us!

Please remember that this list is only for the distribution of the newsletter. If you are also interested in receiving announcements of special educational programs and projects as well as chatting with other members of the I.T. community, you'll want to subscribe to the Innovative Teachers' Chat at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/innovative-teachers!

I want you to know how much I value your interest in this newsletter. As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with topic ideas, recommend resources, and any other input you'd like to offer. Here's the annual back to school issue. You can see last year's back to school edition at http://surfaquarium.com/newsletter/backtoschool.htm. I hope you'll enjoy something on the list and share the newsletter with friends and colleagues. Here's to a great year as we once again begin the most important work there is - the education of our children!

• A Safer Site - http://www.nsc.org/mem/youth/8_top.htm
  All kinds of safety tips for kids traveling to and from school in all forms of transportation. A great link to share with families!
• All Recipes - http://allrecipes.com/features/backtoschool.asp
  This back to school edition contains all kinds of great snack ideas for kids, as well as breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Be sure to see the Kids' Cookbook too!
• Back to School - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/9893/backtoschool2.html
  Once that Charlie Brown theme starts rocking I'm ready to go...and just look at all the links showcased here! Definitely worth your consideration.
  
• Back to School Activities - http://www.theteacherscorner.net/seasonal/backtoschool/
  The Teacher's Corner offers these great ideas for grades K-6, from bulletin boards to lesson plans, units and literature.
• Back to School Clip Art - http://www.cyberbee.com/bts.html
  Cyberbee Offers these links to elementary-aged back-to-school digital clip art, perfect for web pages, newsletters, Hyperstudio, PowerPoint - you name it!
• Essential Back to School Tips - http://www.smarterkids.com/rescenter/library/articles/back_to_school_tips.asp
  Smarter Kids offers this article for parents on easing the back to school transition. There's links to related themes too.
  
• First Day Checklist - http://geocities.com/Heartland/Hollow/1213/chklist.html
  Kinder Korner offers this extensive list of considerations for teachers getting ready for the big first day back with kids - appropriate for all grade levels.
• The First Six Weeks of School - http://www.creativeclassroom.com/a00ttt/index.html
  Creative Classroom offers this themed site with topics such as Take Time to Build Foundations, Creating Community, Collaborating on Discipline and Working it into the Curriculum.
  
• Fourteen Great Activities for the First Days of School - http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson074.shtml
  Education World's Gary Hopkins offers a wonderful assortment of activities to help break the ice and set the tone for fun and learning this Fall.
• Getting to Know Your Students - http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2878.html
  The Learning Network offers this assortment of fun icebreakers and group activities designed to help you and your students get acclimated to the new school year.
• Going Back to School - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
  Kids' Health presents this article on back to school anxiety written at an elementary level so you can share it and discuss it with your kids.
  
• September Back to School Links - http://www.themeunits.com/September_bk.html
  Debbie's Unit Factory offers all kinds of units and links to resources for early elementary teachers and their students.
  

Click here for the Innovative Teaching Archive!

Next week's topic: "Projects 2001"

Please send in URL's of high quality sites which may be of interest to our readers to walter@surfaquarium.com! Also, I'm always looking for new topic ideas and input!

Find More Great Resources at the Innovative Teaching Website: http://surfaquarium.com/it.htm.

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