MidLink Magazine Call for Participation: 2000-2001 

         MidLink accepts work by students aged 8 - 18.  We prefer classroom projects, sponsored by a classroom teacher. Projects will be selected and nurtured by this year's talented team of Teacher-Editors. 

            Please plan ahead to include MidLink Magazine projects in your classroom this year by looking at project descriptions in the MidLink Calendar below.  All participating schools will receive an award graphic, a certificate, and may find themselves featured in educational journals or international publications. Join the fun, address your curriculum standards, AND get recognition for your school!

MidLink Magazine Calendar  

October/November	December/February
March/May	June/September
Submission Guidelines

December/February

• Poetry Post: A Uni'VERSE'al Expedition for Students -- Our differences make us unique - our similarities bind us together. You are invited to submit your original poems. Celebrate the holidays with poetry!  http://www.mecca.org/~graham/day/poetrypost/ (Ongoing Project)
  

• International Poetry Exchange:  Read, write, and exchange poetry with students in Italy, the US, and other schools around the world.  For inspiration, visit the Poetry Page created by students at Alfred Oriani Middle School, Casolo Valsenio, Italy. (Ongoing Project)
  

• Peace Symbol Mosaic - Exploris Middle School, Raleigh, NC.  You are invited to share peace and understanding by submitting your regional peace symbols.  The outcome will be a mosaic of peace symbols from around the world. (Details coming SOON!)
  
  
• The Voices of Youth Brainstorm ways to avoid conflicts and celebrate this season of peace.  Unicef invites students of any age to share their ideas about peace. Send a message of peace or read those written by international students (in French or Spanish) as they consider world conflicts and how we can end them. This site provides a unique view of what students in other countries think of conflict. You may submit art or writing and see the work of students in other countries.
  
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March/May  

• It’s Monu-MENTAL Select a regional historical monument, building, park, or landmark and research its  history.  Study the design of the structure and its architectural features in math or art class.  Study its historical significance in social studies.  Write about it in language arts. Register your project NOW. Monu-MENTAL is a MEGA Project. (Curriculum Connections: interdisciplinary, history/social studies, language arts, math, science)
  
  
• Let the Walls Come Down!   Students will explore the visible and invisible walls in our world. Students will take a virtual tour through the catacombs of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, identify the different reasons various walls (Great Wall of China, Berlin Wall, the Wall of Shame, Washington War Memorial, Western Wall) were built and brainstorm for ways to break down the invisible walls that prevent people from connecting with one another.  Examples coming SOON!   Teacher Editor - Brenda Dyck dyckba@home.com - Master's Academy, Calgary, Alberta.
  
  
• Positively Trashy Environmental Projects:  Participants will have the opportunity to: complete a trash survey, participate in a Town Meeting (desktop video conferencing), contribute to a recycling database, engage in "global classroom" keypal exchange, and abide by Acceptable Use and Fair Use. Participants can join "Positively Trashy" with such minimal technology requirements as e-mail, word processors, and Internet access. Other peripheral equipment such as digital cameras, scanners, and web authoring tools could bring added value to the project experience. Special activities will take place on Earth Day - April 22, 2001.
  http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/schools/mtholly/sharks/Projects/PositivelyT.htm
          Positively Trashy activities are related to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, but these objectives are found in almost any standard curriculum. The project is directly linked to goals and objectives in grades 5-8 from the following curricular areas: Social Studies, Computer Skills, Science, Math, Guidance, and Art. Teacher Editor - Glenn Gurley glenn_alex@hotmail.com, Mt. Holly Middle School, Mt. Holly, NC.
  
  
  
• The Final Analysis?  Content Analysis with Cary Academy!   Can analyzing historical documents be fun?  Cary Academy students think so!  You are invited to join us as we explore ways to make historical texts come alive. Step-by-step Directions, Project information and student EXAMPLES are here!  Project Coordinator:  Russel Van Wyk russ_vanwyk@caryacademy.pvt.k12.nc.us Cary Academy, Cary, North Carolina, USA.
  
  
  
• The Data Exchange : As students research and collect information they often need to access data from outside their classrooms. The Data Exchange provides links to online databases, teacher/student created databases, and offers a common area where schools can build databases that support their curriculum and where they need to collect data from other classes. Participants in this project will be able to: access Internet-based databases , download teacher/student created databases, and join the Data Exchange eGroup for online collaboration and submission/creation of online databases.  Teacher Editor - Glenn Gurley glenn_alex@hotmail.com, Mt. Holly Middle School, Mt. Holly, NC.
  http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/schools/mtholly/sharks/Projects/DExchange.htm
  
  
• The World Wide Biome Project: An Integrated Biology/Computer Project For Students - In this project maintained by, John Cordukes, Cobourg DCI West - Cobourg, Ontario, Canada jcord@eagle.ca students can communicate with students from around the world. The purpose of this web site is to provide students: a standard method of investigating the biomes in which they live; a way of publishing their scientific findings on the World Wide Web for others to view; a site where they can obtain comparative data from other biomes around the world; and a chance to integrate computer skills with ecological sampling skills.
  http://www2.kpr.edu.on.ca/cdciw/biomes/
  
  
• Stock Market Simulation - Need money to burn?  "Purchase" stocks and chart your earnings. This project is as fun as it is educational. Arnold Pulda provides a tutorial showing how to set up and maintain a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel. This project offers possibilities for lessons that work in many disciplines in all grades. You can see a few examples of the student work here.  Your projects will be added as you complete them. (Student Examples) Contact Arnold Pulda doctrgus@massed.net to join the Stock Market Simulation at any time.
  
  
• Big Rocks!  Stay tuned for this exciting NEW section of teacher resources.  We want to boil down the best  classroom strategies until we're left with the "big rocks" or the essential ideas necessary for effective teaching and learning. Articles will include theory, process/practice, and student results. Teacher Editors -  Brenda Dyck dyckba@home.com and Wanda Day whday@ionictech.com will assemble and manage teacher resources that promote higher levels of thinking.  Suggestions are most welcome!
  
  
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June/September

• MidLink Magazine Showcase 2001!  View Last year's Showcase, or Nominate your favorite project for inclusion in what promises to be an exciting array of interdisciplinary web projects from schools all over the world. The subject and content are up to you, but projects must be related to a standard curriculum. We encourage you to include a link to rubrics, tools, lesson plans, and resources  used in creating the project. Even if you can’t participate, don’t miss viewing this exciting virtual brainstorm!
  • Explore the '99 MidLink Magazine Showcase!
     (Curriculum Connections? You decide!)
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October/November 2000

• The 7th Annual Virtual Haunted House – Curl up by the fireplace with your black cat, and get ready for a haunting experience!  You are invited to create imaginary rooms, retell regional myths and legends, or write scary stories for our spectacular haunted house. We will link to your rooms from the "main house" at MidLink Magazine. (Caution:  We do not accept stories or graphics with excessive violence.  This house is rated "G.") Please Register your project by October 7.  The House Opens on October 15.

• Haunted House Ideas and Examples:
  • Myths and Legends - Irish legends from Limerick!  "Gaelscoil Ó Doghair, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Ireland, an all-gaelic elementary school/ Primary school, ages 10 to 13 years will participate in the 'Haunted House' project. In the meantime, enjoy our regional stories.  Just click on "Myths and Legends" button on the left hand side of our web. 
    Project Coordinator: Daithí Ó Murchú, Gaelscoil Ó Doghair, Limerick, Ireland.
  • Ghosts Across the Carolinas - Join this exciting project created at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT).  Includes guidelines, objectives, and lesson plans and activities.  Enjoy and contribute to the ghost stories, Halloween legends, and folklore. 
    See Regional Tales from Diana Todd's 4th graders at Bogue Sound Elementary.
    Project Coordinators: - Carrie Kirby, Translyvania County Schools; Joe Poletti,Carteret County Schools; Ruby Jones, Chatham County Schools. (Curriculum Connection:  Language arts/visual arts, writing)

• I'm Leading.  Is Anyone Following?  How would you define good leadership?  Schools around the world are invited to participate in identifying their most effective leaders.  Join us by  profiling your choice of leaders from history, the recent past, or the present- leaders who positively shaped the times in which they lived.  Don't miss the Leadership Kaleidoscope of student writing and displays.  It will inspire you!
  Project Coordinator:  Brenda Dyck, Masters Academy and College, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

• Who Should Be President?  CongressLink's lesson plan could be a timely addition to any classroom this fall.  Examples of learning outcomes coming soon!

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