Toss the lecture notes; Engage the learners Ruth D Toss the lecture notes; Engage the learners Ruth D. Chang Middlesex County ETTC NJEA Convention November, 2011 1

Engage the learners! http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/systems.html

What is Verizon Thinkfinity? The website (www.thinkfinity.org) contains thousands of free lesson plans and student materials for every core subject, designed by the leading educational organizations in the United States. Tens of thousands of FREE educational resources Accessible from school or home! A partnership between the Verizon Foundation and the nation’s leading educational organizations FREE professional development What is Verizon Thinkfinity? Verizon Thinkfinity.org is a Web site that offers free professional development and tens of thousands of free Web-based educational resources, created or reviewed by Content Partners, including lesson plans and student materials. It is a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and leading educational and literacy organizations who are often the standards setting organization for their discipline.

Verizon Thinkfinity is affiliated with these organizations: ISTE 100 Alliance Partnership for 21st Century Skills State Educational Technology Directors Association National Education Association Council of Chief State School Officers We are pleased to share that the Verizon Foundation is a member of the ISTE 100 Alliance, and is affiliated with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the State Educational Technology Directors Association, the National Education Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers.

Thinkfinity Content Partners Feel free to delete this slide if desired. It includes hyperlinks to each of the Content Partner websites via their respective logos. The Verizon Thinkfinity Content Partners are recognized as the leading educational organizations within their content areas. There is a comprehensive approach to providing materials that are both specific and interdisciplinary in nature, as you can see in this chart and will experience as we explore the sites. The addition of the National Center for Family Literacy allows us to extend our resources to promote literacy skills. Note: Click on the icon for each Content Partner to go to its web site. 5

What Does Thinkfinity Provide? Lesson Plans

What Does Thinkfinity Provide? http://www.econedlink.org/ Free Educational Resources Standards-based lesson plans Student & Teacher Materials Online Interactive Offline (printable) Partner-reviewed Web links Free Literacy Resources For literacy instructors For literacy program staff For community members For adults and early childhood learners Standards

What Does Thinkfinity Provide? http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/pdfs/birdpop_actsheet.pdf Free Educational Resources Standards-based lesson plans Student & Teacher Materials Online Interactive Offline (printable) Partner-reviewed Web links Free Literacy Resources For literacy instructors For literacy program staff For community members For adults and early childhood learners Worksheets

What Does Thinkfinity Provide? Free Educational Resources Standards-based lesson plans Student & Teacher Materials Online Interactive Offline (printable) Partner-reviewed Web links Free Literacy Resources For literacy instructors For literacy program staff For community members For adults and early childhood learners WebLinks

What Does Thinkfinity Provide? Video Clips Interactives Web sites Games E-Sheets Primary Source Documents Graphic Organizers Quizzes Online Manipulatives Rubrics Printable Maps A wide variety of available resources is available through Thinkfinity.org to enhance classroom instruction. The choice is dependant on available technology, time, and teacher objective. Be sure to take some time emphasizing that each of these types of resources is considered a “Learning Object.” Photographs Podcasts Virtual Museums Worksheets Audio Clips

Is this a fun way to learn? How did you become aware of energy issues? Blah, blah, blah, fossil fuels, blah, blah, blah, oil reserves ….. Huh? Zzzzz… ?!?!?! Think about the way you were taught about sources of energy, specifically what they are and how they are tapped. Does this look familiar? I’m sure you know of some teachers in your school who teach every lesson this way, through lecture, textbooks and other teacher-centered activities. All of these methods have their place in the classroom structure, but we feel that teachers can extend the repertoire of methods using Thinkfinity resources. I’d like to show you how one Thinkfinity resource involves students in their own learning (student-centered) and encourages critical thinking, rather than memorizing formulas and definitions. It involves problem-solving and collaboration, while helping students understand the complexities of energy resources, where they come from and what impact they have on the environment.

Differentiated Learning with Thinkfinity Interactives Ruth D Chang Certified Thinkfinity Trainer 12

Learning Objects: Interactives For which grade levels? Learning Objects: Interactives http://thinkfinity.org/games-and-tools A wide variety of available resources is available through Thinkfinity.org to enhance classroom instruction. The choice is dependant on available technology, time, and teacher objective. Be sure to take some time emphasizing that each of these types of resources is considered a “Learning Object.”

Learning Objects: Interactives For which grade levels? Learning Objects: Interactives http://thinkfinity.org/games-and-tools

Where to Save One’s Favorite Resources

Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures, Engage the learners! http://sciencenetlinks.com/esheets/antibiotic-attack/ Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures, including proper diet, nutrition, exercise, risk avoidance and stress reduction

Explore Favorite Interactives [Teacher can use Verizon’s Thinkfinity to help students can understand perimeter, fractions, factors, angles and symmetry while playing against others from around the US and Canada in real-time, 24/7. Calculation Nation™ uses the power of the Web to let students challenge opponents from anywhere in the world. At the same time, students are able to challenge themselves by investigating significant mathematical content and practicing fundamental skills. Challenge yourself or others http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/venn-diagram-circles-30006.html

Explore Favorite Interactives [Teacher can use Verizon’s Thinkfinity to help students can understand perimeter, fractions, factors, angles and symmetry while playing against others from around the US and Canada in real-time, 24/7. Calculation Nation™ uses the power of the Web to let students challenge opponents from anywhere in the world. At the same time, students are able to challenge themselves by investigating significant mathematical content and practicing fundamental skills. Challenge yourself or others http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/postcard/

How to Share

Why join the community? Personal Learning Network Access in school Education based

Adding a favorite Add Notes Add Tags

Then save!

Et voilà!

Where to find it

SIGN UP NOW! Thinkfinity is available in school But I use Facebook and twitter Thinkfinity is available in school SIGN UP NOW!

Thank you for your time! Any questions? Suggestions for Thinkfinity? http://www.techtrain.org/think Karen Warner (732-613-6607) kwarner@ebnet.org or your local ETTC. Thank you for your time!