Cameras for classrooms
Your well-written essay could win your class a free motion-activated or time-lapse camera from Wingscapes. The company's Timelapse PlantCam lets a classroom of students watch the entire growing cycle of a plant in a minute or two. Its motion-activated bird cameras can capture close-ups of every bird that visits a feeder in an entire season.
At www.camerasforclassrooms.com, explain in 500 to 750 words why your classroom needs a camera and how you will use it to benefit students. Entries must be received by Jan. 31. Up to 50 winners will be selected and notified by Feb. 28.
Hamster how-to
Petco is offering a free "Lesson in a Box Small Animal Pet Care Classroom Kit." Each kit has everything needed to teach up to 30 students about classroom pet care.
Kits also include a classroom pet care poster and money-saving coupons for teachers and students. Go to petco.com and enter SKU 1361015 in the Search box.
Details on deafness
Check out http://www.oraldeafed.org/ for a variety of free educational materials for teachers of the deaf or any educator who would like to learn more about the oral deaf.
Available in English and Spanish, the resources include DVDs, CDs, printed media and more. Materials are also useful for students who are considering a teaching career in this field.
Visit the virtual labs
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Md., offers a variety of free science-related publications and videos, including its New Virtual Lab Series.
This CD-ROM contains five interactive virtual labs where students can identify bacteria, examine heart patients, probe the nervous system, assay antibodies and study circadian rhythms.
Go to www.hhmi.org/catalog/main? action=home and click on Education, under Browse the Catalog.
Registry books new partner
Borders is now partnering with the National Teachers Registry to provide items that classrooms may need but cannot always afford. The registry is a free service that lets schools and teachers create a wish list of items, similar to a wedding or baby shower registry.
School supporters can find a teacher's registry, purchase items from the list and have them delivered to the classroom. Products are obtained from many national suppliers and discounters, like Borders, and provided at cost.
To learn more about the program, go to http://nationalteacherregistry.com/?cmpid=SA_20101108_%20226VALUE_1%3DYBX1005.
Label this one 'free'
Avery, the company that makes labels, dividers, binders and other office and school supplies, is offering a variety of resources for the classroom. Go to avery.com and sign up in the box marked "Get Free Templates, Software, Tips and More!"