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Episodes 1 - 6 Descriptions

Laptop Time Machines: Technology Integration for Middle School Teachers
Content Focus: Social Studies/English/Writing Across the Curriculum
Tech Tip Focus: Instant Messaging Across Providers
Online Teacher Resources: Lesson Plan Ideas, Web Links

See how an experienced 7th grade history teacher uses a class set of laptops and a wireless Internet connection to take her students back in time. Watch students meet history standards and improve their writing skills as they explore "This Day in History" and visit an archaeological dig in Pompeii as new discoveries are being made. In "Tech Tips for Teachers," learn how you can use instant messaging tools to reach out to all your students, or hold a virtual "office hour."

Episode 2:

Discover how an elementary school principal and a 6th grade teacher took the brave step of implementing live student-run TV broadcasts on the school television network. See how elementary school students can meet and exceed content standards in Language Arts as they write, produce, and broadcast a weekly TV newsmagazine show directly from the classroom. In "Tech Tips for Teachers," learn how you can use video cameras and sound equipment to set up a TV studio in your own classroom.

Episode 3:

See award-winning high school and middle school robotics teams in action as they design and build their own robots and take part in a national robotics competition. Watch students get excited about science and math as they work side by side with mentor engineers from NASA. Learn how you can use hands-on robotics and engineering activities to help students of all ages master science and math concepts, become better problem-solvers, and improve their writing skills. In "Tech Tips for Teachers," learn some robot basics and find out more about kit robots that you can build with your students.

Episode 4:

Take an inside look at a "school within a school" focusing on Biotechnology at a large public high school with a diverse student population. See teachers from different content areas work together to build a small, supportive learning community and develop cross- curricular thematic projects that meet and exceed content standards in Biology, Chemistry, Math, World History, and English. Find out how these teaching approaches can help at-risk students succeed in rigorous academic courses and graduate ready for college. In "Tech Tips for Teachers," learn how you can teach your students about DNA and do virtual Biotechnology labs using online tools from the Human Genome Project.

Episode 5:

Visit the Workforce Development Institute’s High Tech U, an intensive program for high-school students with an interest in high-tech careers. Discover how high school and college educators collaborated with a semiconductor industry association and experts from leading high-tech companies to develop and present course materials. Follow the students as they work on-site at high-tech industry locations to get hands-on experience in the chip-making process, master related science and math concepts, learn to solve problems as a team, and practise the "soft skills" needed in the workplace. In "Tech Tips for Teachers" see a hands-on activity demonstrating the photoresist process used to make computer chips.

Episode 6:

Learn about high-tech career pathways available through the Regional Occupational Program. Visit an experienced technology educator and find out some of the ways that online learning is being used in ROP courses. Learn about some teaching approaches that help make high-tech careers accessible to at-risk high school students and students with disabilities. In "Tech Tips for Teachers" hear a computer industry expert discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, and get pointers on how to develop your own online course.

Date last updated: April 19, 2006

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