Kentucky Academy of Technology Education

do u txt?

Instructional Illuminations

By Angie Jones, Calloway County Middle School 

 Chances are your kids do. From instant messaging to text messaging to Internet chat rooms, teenagers are logging many hours online.

There is no doubt that the Internet is a powerful resource for students; however, it can be just as dangerous if they are not educated to the risks associated with being online. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in every three teenagers plan to meet someone they have contacted on the Internet. That is a frightening statistic as well as a call for action from educators and parents.

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The Melting Pot of Immigration

Core Connections

By Joe Moneymaker, Livingston County Elementary

Have you ever wondered how this great country started? Immigration is the answer. The United States is often referred to as the "land of the melting pot." Students do not realize that most people today in the United States have ancestors that came from foreign countries. Things that we think are "American-made" were actually brought over to this country by people who had a desire to search for a better way of life.

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Tips for Writing a Feature Article

Core Connections

By Leah Harness, Union County Middle School 

Writing a feature article is often a hard task for a student. To be honest, writing anything can sometimes be scary for the average student. Questions swirl through their minds as they wonder about the following: what should I write about, how I should begin the article, why is the topic interesting, and where can I find the information I need. The most important concepts are that the students have all the material they need to begin writing, and that they are in fact writing.

The first step in this process is conducting research. Allow the students to gather all the information they need before they begin writing. If the students are used to the writing process, then they should know that their information should be gathered and organized before they ever begin drafting. Once they have completed this step, it is time to begin drafting the article. A good tip is to take them to the computer lab and have them begin typing while the monitor is still off. This is a fantastic technique for breaking writer's block, and the students are not staring at ominously blank documents thinking - I have to fill at least this page.

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