Scholastic

[SharronMc@AOL.COM]

A recent post asked if Scholastic Network was "worth the money" -- in a
nutshell, yes!  I am a LMS in a school of 450 elementary students.  In the
past year, students have   exchanged questions and answers with an expert on
frogs and toads, talked to Joanne Cole, written messages to Jack Prelutsky,
and talked to a host of other interesting people -- Rosa Parks and so forth.
 And it doesn't stop there, for example one 2/3 grade class has been able to
begin an exchange with a like age group class in South Carolina.  They have
exchanged research information about our cities.  Many other activities are
available.  Six classes have been participating in the Bookwoman Literature
Game -- good stuff for encouraging research and critical thinking skills.
 Math challenges for various age levels are available.  Paper Airplane
contests intended to provide a forum for applying math skills and engineering
design.  (How far can your airplane fly?  What kind of a design flies
highest?  What kind of a design flys farthest?  And can you make a design
that is superior in both categories? -- lots of fun).  Our staff has found
many professional exchanges to be of great value from info on grant writing
(yes, I know that it is on the Internet but for novices Scholastic is a
less-time consuming -- "there it is" kind of place) to how to manage
curriculum in a multi-aged classroom.   Well worth the money -- and more.   I
do believe you can get a short term subscription to try it out.