September,  2008                             Issue  1    

Find resources faster!

Search the OLC Website by grade level, theme or key word! Use the Google Search on our main page or the Online Resources page to locate resources quickly and easily.

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED RESOURCES: 

 Instructional Strategies - Looking for information and resources on various strategies? This site contains a list of instructional strategies, valuable links, resources, downloads and more. Highlighted: KWL, Literature Circles, Guided Reading, Story Mapping, Book Talks, and more.

Pieces of the Puzzle – Information and resources on Assessment and Evaluation, Rubrics, Portfolios, and Performance Assessments.

Web-Based Resource Development - These Web-Based Resources have been developed by classroom teachers from various school divisions, working with help from Saskatchewan Learning as part of the Web-Based Learning Resource Development (WBLRD) initiative. This initiative was funded by the eLearning Advisory Committee of the Saskatchewan Educational Technology Consortium. Resource development was supported by Saskatchewan Learning. The majority of the resources support instruction using Saskatchewan K-12 curricula. A number of the resources have been developed to support teacher professional development. There are both English-language and French-language resources available. The WBLRD resources may be used "as is", but teachers are encouraged to download the resources and make modifications to them to meet specific instructional needs. We encourage you to have a quick look at the resources as they are based on Saskatchewan Curriculum objectives and they are ready for immediate use in the classroom! 

Psychology Portal - Web-based resources to support the Psychology 20 and 30 curriculum.

September Resources - Great lesson plans and ideas to get everyone off to a good start. Check back often as more resources will be added throughout the month.

Suggestions for Using The Resources in the Classroom:

• Consider using a digital projector to project the multimedia items for entire class viewing (Flash movies, interactive tours, graphing activities, etc).
• Many of the sites have printable resources for students and teacher facilitated lesson plans.
• Send home website addresses connected to your classroom topics in your newsletters or list them on your classroom websites. Parents and students can explore the sites from home.
• Consider assigning websites for additional practice, a place to begin research, or as an enrichment activity. 
• Use online resources as CARE partner activities.

Web Sites for Teachers and Students

• Understanding Critical Thinking - Introduction to The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC²) conception of critical thinking – by Roland Case and LeRoi Daniels.
• Taking Seriously the Teaching of Critical Thinking - by Roland Case & Ian Wright.
• Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson - A great article to help clarify the difference between differentiated activities and purposeful differentiated instruction.
• The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners by Carol Ann Tomlinson - Read four sample chapters of this book online to help refine practice.
• Differentiated Instruction – This site features a collection of resources that help classroom teachers adjust their teaching process to their learners needs.
• With New Eyes: Ideas for More Effective Teaching in a Multicultural Environment - Respecting the diversity among your students.
• Addressing Literacy Needs in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms - This website describes how understanding and respecting the array of different cultures and languages represented in their classrooms helps educators adopt strategies for teaching literacy that will encourage and support student achievement.
• Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners – Read sample chapters from this book. This book is intended to offer help for elementary school teachers who have English language learners in their classrooms for all or part of the instructional day and is based on the work of Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock, Classroom Instruction That Works.
• Asking the Right Questions: Teachers’ Questions can Build Students’ English Language Skills - Teachers can increase their skills in targeting classroom questions to students by using an action research strategy.
• Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History – (also available in French) A fabulous website that shows what it's really like to "do history". Developed by professional historians, the site urges users to examine primary sources and secondary interpretations on historical mysteries in order to come to their own conclusions and solve the case.
• Apply Lessons: Applications of Mathematics - Shows math being used in "the real world." This site, developed by the Ministry of Education of the Government of British Columbia, helps students to see the usefulness of taking math courses by linking the lessons to specific occupations that use the skills that students are learning.
• Explore the Human body - This interactive exhibit from National Geographic looks at all organs and functions. How many times does a heart beat in an average lifetime? Which organ is the largest in the human body? Find out here, with many related resources for students in grade six and above.
• Brain Basics - How does the brain accomplish the complex task of learning? Explore more about how the brain works to improve learning and education.
• LearniT - Get Up to Speed in Technology Concepts. Nortel offers free, educator-created and classroom-tested technology tutorials for teachers and students. These short videos (about four minutes each) are a quick way to get up to speed in specific technology concepts. The videos provide the basic “getting started” steps and concrete examples, and are ideal for individual learning or use in a classroom setting. Some of the topics include Digital Audio; Digital Ethics; Imaging; Online Safety; PowerPoint Presentations; Video Production; and Web Content Creation.
• Strategies for Empowering Students – A teacher-friendly site providing classroom activity exercises geared to building character education. The lessons are divided into three sections: primary, intermediate, and upper level.

If you would like to contribute websites, lesson plans or ideas on how you have used

online resources in your classroom, send your ideas to byersj@spsd.sk.ca

Browse previous issues of newsletters at http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/news.htm

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