PROJECT IDEA EXCHANGE "PIE" MONTHLY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 1: NO. 11 OCTOBER 2002 www.mcvts.net/pie PROGRAM OF THE MONTH     As the human race enters the 21st century, we are facing numerous pressing issues. One of the most important, no matter where you may live on this Earth, is the environment. It is an issue that affects us all. To assist your students and you better understand environmental issues, I would like to strongly recommend that you visit the "Environmental Literacy Council (ELC)" website (www.enviroliteracy.org). The ELC is dedicated to assisting people make wise, intelligent choice on all issues that effect the world's environment. The goal of this nonprofit organization is to help everyone, especially young people, to wisely view the environment and to provide teachers with the tools that they need to better prepare their students to defend the world's environment.     The website contains numerous educational resources. For example, one can select a particular issue such as the "Environment and Society." Once you access this area you will find a detailed description of the issue. The user will also have access to a rich supply of resources that further explain the issue and provide support for the teaching and investigation of that issue.     Communications is a strength of the "Environmental Literacy Council (ELC)" website. To receive the ELC newsletter, full of tips for teaching about the environment, all one needs to do is to enter their email address in the Newsletter Registration window.  You can just as easily learn about various teacher activities. Scroll down the home page and click on "For Teachers." Numerous resources are listed, along with links to other teachers and classrooms. For example, by simply clicking on "Connecting Classrooms" you will be taken to a listing of five educational exchange websites, one of which is our own PROJECT IDEA EXCHANGE website.     I highly recommend that you take some time and explore the "Environmental Literacy Council (ELC)" website (www.enviroliteracy.org). When you find a segment that is particularly interesting and useful, please share that information with others. If you wish, please post your findings on the PIE website "MESSAGE FORUM" under SCIENCE PROJECTS, GENERAL TOPICS or any other areas where the subject matter of your recommendation would best apply.     NOTE: All issues of the PIE Newsletter are archived on the PIE website. To access past editions, go to the PIE website (www.mcvts.net/pie), click on MESSAGE FORUM, enter your login and password, click on either GENERAL TOPICS or OTHER TOPICS and retrieve whatever editions that you desire.     MEMBER NEWS PROJECT IDEA EXCHANGE is proud to welcome the following new members to its steady growing worldwide membership: Donna Hartley; Hannah Moor Infants School; Great Britain Vasil Leskiv; Riga Basic School #5; Riga, Latvia Ivana Rotondo; New Brunswick Vocational/Technical High School; New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA John Wu; Zhixin Elementary School; Shaogaun, China Takanori Yamatoda; Kurohama Junior High School; Saitama City, Japan     Finally, an updated version of the PIE Membership will soon be posted. I apologize for the delay.  For detailed information describing every new PIE members, including their email addressees, and for the full membership listing, please access the PIE website at www.mcvts.net/pie or http://pie.mcvts.net and click on MEMBERSHIP LISTING.     All new members should have received that "login" and "password" which are needed to access the secure areas of the PIE website. If you have not received this information, or if you are having problems, please contact me as soon as possible. I am creating an archive of member logins and passwords, starting with members who joined after June 2002.  If you forgot your "login" and "password" contact me. If I have a record of it, I will email to you. If not, I will contact my district's technology department so that you will be issued a new "login" and "password" for your use. PIE "TIP OF THE MONTH"     This month's tip is the website (www.nyp.org) of New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, New York, USA. This site is so much more than just a description of a hospital. This is a great site for those studying health issues and science. Once at www.nyp.org, you will be able to access many educationally useful and informative areas of the hospital's website. My favorite area is a three video section that provides video clips of heart surgery being done using robotics. In order to view the short clips of the surgery, you may need to download a free copy of QUICK TIME which is available on the website. But a word of caution! The video clips are actual surgical procedures; the images are quite graphic. Therefore, please be sure to only use this site with appropriate age and grade level student groups. With the proper restrictions and guidance, the website of the New York Presbyterian Hospital can be a very valuable addition to your educational efforts. DIRECTOR'S NOTES     Recently, there was been a great influx of new PIE members which has made me very happy. Unfortunately, due to the great influx of new PIE members I apologize that I have not been able to keep up with all of the interests in student activities and projects that members have shown, particularly in establishing email and other communication links between schools. During the next month I will be contacting as many members as possible that expressed interest in particular projects. If I do not contact you soon enough or if you are facing time sensitive deadlines, please email me immediately so that I can address your needs. Remember that my mission as the PIE Director and the mission of PROJECT IDEA EXCHANGE is to assist everyone in developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of others by sharing information and establishing communications for supporters of education on a global basis.  Please contact me at any time with questions, comments and suggestions. Be Safe, Happy and Well! Ernie Read/PIE Director