THE PRINTED WORD You can find quick tips for observing Newspaper in Education Week, March 1-5, by visiting the Star Tribune Web site for teachers, www.startribune.com/education/classroo.shtml.  The site offers information on how to scan a paper for important stories, newspaper terminology, suggestions for incorporating newspapers into classroom lessons and many more ideas for teachers, students and parents. Additional resources are available from the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, www.naa.org.

THE SPOKEN WORD April marks the annual observance of National Poetry Month, and the Academy of American Poets offers a number of online resources to help this art form come alive for students. Visit www.poets.org  to hear online recitations of famous works, or browse a directory of famous poets from dozens of countries. Also offered are a number of contests for students, “Top 100” lists of the world’s greatest poems, and information on poetic techniques.

POISON PREVENTION Accidental poisoning remains a major threat to young children, and understanding the threat is at the heart of National Poison Prevention Week. The national SAFE KIDS campaign has developed a number of publications to help students, parents and teachers mark the March 21-27 observance and to drive home the message that poison safety is no accident. The group’s Web site, www.safekids.org,  offers a poison safety checklist for homes, classroom tips and suggestions for teachers, and brochures for families. You may also call the SAFE KIDS campaign at 202/662-0600.

CULTURAL BRIDGES The ClassMatch Program is a nonprofit effort to pair classrooms, students and teachers from around the country in a correspondence program that gives them the opportunity to share their lives and interests. The goal is to encourage students to look at their local culture “with fresh eyes” and share what they see with others, while also learning about cultural and regional differences throughout the country. The initiative is offered through the Box Project, a national nonprofit organization that assists families living in rural poverty. For more information on getting involved in ClassMatch, visit www.boxproject.org  or call 800/268-9928.

IRS HELP One of the big tax changes in recent years is the Deduction for Educator Expenses, which allows teachers, paras, counselors and other education workers to deduct up to $250 in qualified work-related expenses. To learn the details and restrictions tied to this new deduction, visit the Internal Revenue Service Online, www.irs.gov  and search for “Publication 553,” which explains the Deduction for Educator Expenses and other recent tax law changes.

SCIENCE EXCELLENCE The National Science Foundation is seeking nominations for outstanding K-6 math or science teachers for the 2004 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Each year, up to 108 national awardees are chosen to receive a special citation signed by the president, a $10,000 award and a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong series of events honoring the awardees. Anyone can nominate a teacher, and teachers should submit completed application materials by May 3. For details, visit www.nsf.gov/pa.

NASA TRAINING Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and NASA have joined forces in a new five-year project that will train 10,000 high school teachers how to make math and science more appealing by using human space flight and exploration materials in their classrooms. The project, part of an Embry-Riddle initiative called TeachSpace, will offer an intensive three-day workshop to talented, motivated teachers of high school math, science and technology. Teachers selected for the three-day summer workshops will receive housing, meals, a $100 daily stipend and one hour of graduate credit. Workshops for up to 20 teachers each will be held on the campuses of Embry-Riddle. The first workshops will take place in July 2004 on the university’s Daytona Beach, Fla., campus, 50 miles north of the Kennedy Space Center. For details, visit the TeachSpace Web site, www.Erau.edu/teachspace/.

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