Digging Deep

Jackie Applin and her third grade class, the Applin Dumplin' Gang, at Newberry Elementary School in Newberry, MI, conducted a project in which they learned about decomposition of waste and the life cycle by creating and maintaining "worm bins." The project gave them an opportunity to collaborate and learn with students at another school in Michigan. For more on the Applin Dumplin' Gang's experiences with the worm bin project, you can read on in this unit to learn how you can do a worm bin project.

Inspiration

Do you believe?

Data Management

Looking for a new way to keep track of those grades. Why not download the Microsoft Electronic Teacher Gradebook? This template uses points as an input and returns a student's Total Points and Percentage score, which is then translated into a letter grade.

Give it a try and see if you like it.

Geography Geocache

Ever heard of Geocaching? Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.

Consider placing a trackable item (geocoin or travel bug) in a cache as part of your geography lesson. You class can watch it online as it travels around the world. Cachers can also be asked to take pictures along the way. Or, as an alternate idea, organize your own class cache. An excellent way to get students motivated. Read about how other pupils track travelbugs' adventures.

For more information, visit www.geocaching.com or contact me (I am a cacher myself!).

Starfall

Starfall

Starfall's primary colours, great graphics and really nice interactive features are perfect for young children.  In Let's Get Ready to Read, kids learn letters and hear how a word is pronounced.  This section also includes sign language section where you learn how to sign a letter as well as it's pronunciation.  You'll also find a really cool tool that helps children sound out words and sentences and another section that helps them make words from letters.

(Taken from Professionally Speaking - March 2009)

Read, Write, Think

Read, Write, Think

The National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association have created this information-packed site.  There are well-developed, detailed lesson plans and resources searchable by grade.  See also the extensive list of student materials - including the drama map, circle plot diagram and comic creator.

(Taken from Professionally Speaking - March 2009)

Virtual Museum of Canada

Discover Canada's museums and culture online!

Through online exhibits, free games and images, the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) bring together art, culture, and heritage from Canadian museums.  Take the VMC into the classroom with interactive lesson plans and learning resources for teachers and students.  Make the VMC your travel guide with listings of museums and events from across Canada.  Or just browse the site and enjoy the treasures of Canada's museums. 

Access the new VMC Teacher's Centre