NEWIST Interconnect, February 09.indd

Hey You Guyyyyys! The Electric Company returns to public TV
Refitted for the age of hip-hop and informed by decades
of further educational research on reading, the 2009
transformation of The Electric Company is a weekly version
of its former daily self, which aired on public television in
the 1970s and 1980s. It differs from the original in that
each episode emphasizes vocabulary from five “conceptual
domains” (animals, the body, weather, ecosystems, and
the solar system) and tells a story in multiple acts,
interspersed with splashes of animated and live-action
lessons in phonics. Watch The Electric Company Fridays
at 5:00 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Television stations and
Fridays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 9:00 a.m. on WMVSDT 10.1/Milwaukee. More information is available online
at http://pbskids.org/electriccompany.
While on a spaceship, Keith and the rest of the Electric Company talk about
the solar system. Photo: Richard Termine
The ECB provides a treasure trove of literacy resources!
Tune into these programs on Wisconsin’s public television Shakespeare’s Globe provides reenactments that
stations and log on to www.ecb.org/education for great
celebrate the 1997 opening of the Globe Theatre in
classroom resources for literacy!
London, and show how stimulating Shakespeare’s work
can be when experienced in context. (2 20-minute
Angela’s Notebook features African-American author,
programs; grades 7-12)
Angela Shelf Medearis. The program mixes animation,
storytelling, and interviews with writers and illustrators
Standard Deviants TV presents a diverse team of
to teach creative writing in a fun, entertaining and
young actors and comedians who serve as narrators,
educational format. (programs 1-6 for grades 3-6,
instructors and tour guides to three programs featuring
programs 7-10 for grades 5-12; 23 to 30-minutes each)
Shakespeare’s plays: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and
Macbeth. Other programs in the series include astronomy,
Club Write provides a comprehensive, contextualized
geology, anatomy, world languages, and geometry. (13
support for developing writing skills. Episodes can be
used within and across curriculum areas to support many 30-minute programs; grades 7-12)
different applications of writing including lyrics, poems,
Check the Parade of Programs schedule book or Parade of
critiques, news articles, technical reports, biographies,
Programs online at http://explore.ecb/itv/ for broadcast
and journaling. (14 15-minute programs; grades 4-6)
information and teacher materials.
Club Write Kids explores the basics of written communication: parts of speech, capitalization, punctuation, 
appropriate use of modifiers, as well as sentence and
paragraph construction. “Club Write” kids meet a wide
variety of people who rely on writing every day and
discuss writing plays, persuasive articles, autobiographies, 
mysteries, portfolio creation, fictional writing, and movie Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 7:00 PM
making. (12 15-minute programs; grades 4-6)
Homeless Teens is the topic of Teen Connection on March
24.
During the 2007-08 school year, 9,327 students.
Miller Shorts examines four plays by Arthur Miller: All
were
homeless in the state of Wisconsin. Of those, 2,437
My Sons, The Crucible, Death of a Salesman and View from a
Bridge. Each program combines specially shot footage and students (26%) were 9th through 12th graders.
archive material to set each play in context and focuses
Alison Draheim, School Social Worker/McKinney-Vento
on a pivotal scene, about 5 minutes in duration, that
& At-Risk Program Coordinator for Green Bay Schools
brings out many of the play’s main themes. (4 30-minute
and April Strom-Johnson, Executive Director of Good
programs; grades 9-12)
Samaritan Charity in DePere, will join teens on the panel.
Shakespeare Shorts presents clips from past television
Teen Connection is co-produced by NEWIST/CESA 7,
and film versions of five of William Shakespeare’s plays:
Educational Television Productions of Northeastern
Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s
Wisconsin (ETPNEW) and Wisconsin Public Television.
Dream, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth. A full performance
It is broadcast statewide by Wisconsin Public TV and by
of each scene introduces students to the characters, key
WMVS, Channel 10 in the Milwaukee area.
lines, and themes such as the supernatural, persuasion,
Host Kathryn Bracho appears courtesy of WBAY-TV,
kingship, guilt, and insanity. (9 20-minute programs;
Channel 2 in Green Bay. The toll-free number, 877-988grades 9-12)
2888, is provided by Nsight Long Distance.
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News/Features
Holmen’s Cathy Burge leads her students Into the Book
Cathy Burge
teaches second and
third grades at
Viking Elementary
School in Holmen,
Wisconsin.
I read Debbie Miller’s Reading with
Meaning and wanted to have more of
a reader’s workshop. I found Into the
Book and it was the missing piece. When
I teach guided reading I begin with a
mini lesson and I use the gradual release
model.
I begin the strategy instruction with the
video. We then do the activities with our
guided reading stories.
I also developed a binder by downloading the materials from the Web site.
Interconnect
WISCONSIN EDUCATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS BOARD
3319 West Beltline Highway
Madison, WI 53713-4296
608/264-9600; fax 608/264-9685
www.ecb.org
Gene Purcell, Executive Director
Education Services
Linda A. Hanson, Administrator
Marta Bechtol, Director, School Services
Susan E. Stevens, Coordinator, ITV Scheduling
Interconnect Staff
Lucinda Mack, Designer
It has lesson plans, posters and lots of
other resources for teaching reading
strategies. This way they are accessible
to the children and they can start to
use the strategies on their own as they
choose their own books.
The computer activities on the Into the
Book Web site are great reinforcements
for the strategies. I am asking the
third grade students to teach the
second graders how to use the student
computer activities. Don’t be afraid of
the computer activities. The children
figure them out and love using them.
The children are more confident in speaking about and in using the reading
strategies. They are able to apply the
strategies to their reading and they know
what strategy they are using. I am even
seeing this happen with my second graders.
Wisconsin Educational
Communications Board Members
Rolf Wegenke, Chair
Elizabeth Burmaster, Vice Chair
Eileen Littig, Secretary
June Anderson,Tom Basting,
Dan Clancy, Sen. Spencer Coggs,
Darnell Cole, Judith Crain,
Diane Everson, Michael Morgan,
Rep. Scott Newcomer,
Sen. Luther Olsen, Kevin Reilly,
Ellen Rosewall, Rep. Marlin Schneider
The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
publishes Interconnect to inform PK-12 educators
about educational telecommunications.
Wisconsin’s Public Television Stations
WHA-TV/Madison
WHLA-TV/La Crosse
WPNE-TV/Green Bay WHWC-TV/Menomonie-Eau Claire
WHRM-TV/ Wausau WMVT-TV/ Milwaukee
WLEF-TV/Park Falls
WDSE-TV/Duluth-Superior
I truly believe that many of our students
are using these strategies and with Into
the Book, they know what to call them.
Into the Book
Workshop March 25
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Webinar on
Restorative Justice
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Christine Kleiman and Wanda Van De
Hey will reveal how using Restorative
Justice practices in your schools will:
-Eliminate noon detention
-Reduce suspensions (in and out-ofschool)
-Decrease the number of police referrals
-Reduce the recidivism rate
-Increase instructional time
-Enjoy positive school climate and
increased parent support.
Contact NEWIST for more information:
920-465-2500 locally, 800-633-7445
toll-free or newist@cesa7.k12.wi.us.

Serving CESAs 6, 7 and 8
—
Jo Mellen, Director
Eileen Littig, Producer
Margie Thomas, Admin. Assistant
2420 Nicolet Drive, IS-1040
Green Bay, WI 54311
Telephone: 920-465-2599
Toll-free: 800-633-7445
Email: newist@cesa7.k12.wi.us
Website: www.newist.org
February Interconnect Selects
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Saturday
7:00 p.m.
Hattie Morahan (left) plays
levelheaded Elinor Dashwood
and Charity Wakefield is her
impulsive sister Marianne.
Although poor, the sisters
attract a trio of very promising
gentlemen in the Masterpiece
Classic production of Sense
and Sensibility airing Sunday,
February 1st.
Wisconsin Young Artists Compete:
The Final Forte 2009 (Music)
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Sunday
8:00 p.m.
Masterpiece Classic “Oliver Twist” (Part 2)
(English Language Arts/Theater)
9:30 p.m.
Masterpiece Classic “Sense and
Sensibility” (Part 1)
(English Language Arts/Theater)
9:30 p.m.
Masterpiece Classic “Sense and
Sensibility” (Part 2)
(English Language Arts/Theater)
Monday
8:00 p.m.
American Experience: The Polio Crusade
(Science)
9:00 p.m.
Forgotten Ellis Island (Social Studies)
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13
Friday
10:00 p.m.
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Tuesday
9:00 p.m.
American Experience: Assassination
of Abraham Lincoln (Social Studies)
(Repeat)
WPT Home Theater “Singing in the Rain”
(Music/Theater)
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Saturday
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Sunday
8:00 p.m.
Masterpiece Classic “Oliver Twist” (Part 1)
(English Language Arts/Theater)
Tuesday
7:00 p.m.
NOVA “Inside the Spy Factory”
(Social Studies) (Repeat)
9:00 p.m.
Frontline “My Father,
My Brother and Me” (Health)
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BE SURE TO CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS.
Sunday
8:00 p.m.
2
Evening programming
differs among
Wisconsin’s
public television
stations.
Monday
photo: James Gill
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Wisconsin Young Artists Compete:
The Final Forte 2009 (Music) (repeat)
All programs listed
are scheduled to air
on WPT only, unless
otherwise noted.
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Wednesday
8:00 p.m.
American Masters “Jerome Robbins:
Something to Dance About” (Dance)
Four finalists in the 2009 Boltz Young Artist Competition will perform with the
Madison Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John DeMain before a live
audience. The taped program will air on Saturday, February 21st at 7 p.m. The program will be repeated on February 22nd at 9:30 p.m. To attend the free, live taping
of this event on February 19th at the Overture Center at 7 p.m., call (608) 257-3734,
for reservations. (Broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio.)
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Monday
8:00 p.m.
American Experience: A Class Apart
(Social Studies)
9:00 p.m.
History Detectives (Social Studies)
If taping any of these programs for
educational use, be sure to check the
PBS Web site at
www.pbs.org/teachers/copyright/
guidelines.html for taping rights
and restrictions.
8:00 p.m.
American Experience: Assassination of
Abraham Lincoln (Social Studies)
10
Tuesday
7:00 p.m.
NOVA “Judgment Day:
Intelligent Design on Trial”
(Social Studies/Science)
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These and other great programs of
interest to educators can be seen
on your local public television stations. Check the program listings at
www.wpt.org,
http://mptv.org/listings, or
www.wdse.org
for program descriptions or
times of repeats.
PROGRAMS ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Wednesday
8:00 p.m.
Looking for Lincoln (Social Studies)
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Thursday
Timothy Spall as Fagin in a bold
adaptation of the much-loved Dickens
story of Oliver, airing in two parts on
Sunday, February 15th and Sunday,
February 22nd.
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cal information, podcasts, and Judy’s
blog. A kids’ section contains author
and book information that would be
useful for author study projects.
http://www.eric-carle.com/
Authors
This month we provide links to some
of the many author Web sites that you
and your students can use for research,
author study, book club ideas, or just
plain fun.
http://www.avi-writer.com/
Avi’s Home Page includes a biography
and the author’s brief descriptions of
each of his books. A short feature for
teachers provides Avi’s Five Secrets to
Good Writing.
http://www.janbrett.com/
Jan Brett provides loads of resources
for teachers, librarians and children.
The next best thing to an author
visit, this page includes a biography,
stories about writing and illustrating her books, audio and video clips
of the author, and cross-curricular
lesson ideas. She also provides online
activities and many printable pages,
such as an alphabet for classroom bulletin boards, bookmarks, paper dolls,
masks, and many other art projects,
as well as videos on how to draw different animals.
http://www.judyblume.com/
Judy Blume on the Web features tips
on writing and a section on book censorship in schools, as well biographi-
The official Eric Carle Web Site includes
a biography of the author and answers common questions the author
receives, as well as a bulletin board
where teachers and parents can share
ideas for using Carle’s books. Art
teachers and students will enjoy the
video and photo gallery with demonstrations of some of Carl’s techniques.
http://www.sharoncreech.com/
Sharon Creech offers information
about herself and her books on this
friendly Web site, which includes an
explanation of the inspiration for each
of her books. The Teach Creech section offers a teacher’s guide for author
study and discussion guides for some
of her books.
http://www.spiderwick.com/
Tony and Holly Di Terlizzi’s Spiderwick
Web site is creepy and loaded with
information, games, and activities for
fans and lesson ideas for teachers, as
well as video clips and an art gallery.
http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com/
Jean Craighead George’s Web site includes advice for students on learning
to write stories, as well as a biography,
complete list of books, and audio and
video clips of the author.
http://www.dinotopia.com/
James Gurney’s Dinotopia site includes an interview with the author,
downloadable puzzles, and lots of
information for Dinotopia fans. For
artists there are step-by-step slide
shows of some of his work.
http://www.kevinhenkes.com/
Kevin Henkes’ site includes information on the author and his picture
books and novels. Games, quizzes
and recipes for young fans of Henkes’
mouse books are also available.
http://www.redwall.org/
Brian Jacques’ Web site provides information on the author and all of his
Redwall Abbey books.
http://www.alagaesia.com/
Christopher Paolini’s Web site features a map of Alagaësia, an Alagaësia
Adventure Game, screensavers, pronunciation guide, audio clips of the
author reading his books, and more.
http://www.pilkey.com/
Dav Pilkey’s Web Site O’ Fun contains
information on the creation, development and inspirations for each of his
books. Lots of interactive activities
like flip books, puzzles and painting
pages for kids are featured.
http://www.patriciapolacco.com/
Patricia Pollacco’s Web site includes
a biography of the author with a
tour of her studio and description of
the writing and publishing process.
Interactive book descriptions, printable bookmarks, and activity ideas for
teachers also are featured.
http://www.jkrowling.com/
J.K. Rowling’s site is, of course, mysterious and fun...
http://www.seussville.com/
Seussville from Random House offers
interactive activities for young children featuring Dr. Seuss characters.
http://www.lemonysnicket.com/
author.cfm
Lemony Snicket’s Web site includes
Vile Videos, Dire Diversions and information about the Afflicted Author
and his Bothersome Books.
http://www.littlehousebooks.com/
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House
books are the focus of this site from
Harper-Collins. The site features information on the author and characters, as well as quizzes, games, recipes,
and more. A teacher’s section contains
discussion questions, teaching units,
event guides, and more.
Find more at http://explore.ecb.org/surf.