September 2015 Picks

September Blog | App of The Month | What's Happening |
Teacher Resources | Parent Resources | Technology Tips |
Other Areas of Interest | Online Practice | Printables |
Common Core | SAT and ACT Test Preparation

September brings National Classical Music Month, Labor Day, Hispanic Heritage Month, and much more. Visit our monthly newsletter to see all the details.

September Blog: 7 Ways to Make Online Learning More Productive

7 Ways to Make Online Learning More Productive

This Month's blog 7 Ways to Make Online Learning More Productive, by guest blogger Julie Petersen, gives students of all ages a few ways to keep on task and away from the endless distractions surfing the web for information can cause. If you are looking for ways to boost your productivity in online learning, this is the article for you! Check out 7 methods that will help you focus and achieve the goals you are after. Learn how to keep procrastination at bay by setting a schedule, getting rid of distractions, and using online learning tools.

App of the Month

Every month we are going to feature a different, and hopefully FREE, iPad/iPod/iPhone/Android educational application. Visit our ever-changing app page.

The App of the Month for September is Pocket. Sometimes you stumble across an article or video which you think might be a great addition to a lesson planned for later in the school year. When it comes time to use that resource you may have forgotten which device you saved the link and can't find it again through a web search engine. Pocket is the answer to ending those frustrations. This app allows you to save articles, videos and other web content for later in a beautiful and optimized easy-to-view experience for your phone and tablet - you can even view your content offline. With unlimited storage to keep all the articles and videos you save in one place, and wi-fi only syncing to save your data - there's no reason to not download and start using Pocket.

Available for both Apple and Android devices.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later for Apple devices, and OS requirements vary by device for Androids.

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS MONTH?

Here are some of the September events that you can celebrate or make note of this month:

1. Windows 10 On-Going Release- With the release of Windows 10 at the end of July, many of you are still waiting to see how well it works and if it's going to help enhance the learning experience of your students. While you're patiently waiting for the upgrades to queue up and download, here are a few blogs and articles that discuss how Windows 10 will help to enrich blended learning in the classroom:
   
   

   4 Reasons Windows 10 Makes Sense for Education
   
   

   Windows 10 Review - TechRadar
   
   

   Windows 10 Review - A comprehensive review from Trusted Reviews
   
   

   Microsoft Education, Windows 10 - Microsoft's main starting point on the web for educators regarding Windows 10



2. Classical Music Month - In 1994, President Clinton proclaimed September as Classical Music Month. Check out I4C's music resource page to learn about different composers and music masterpieces and find musical craft projects here to do this month!


3. Library Card Sign-Up Month- We cannot encourage reading enough. Even though I4C has a ton of online stories and books, we still want those children in libraries across the world. Remind students to visit their local libraries often!


4. Google Was Incorporated (9-4-98) - Did you know that Google actually rents goats! The goats help reduce brush and weeds at Google's Headquarters. Google is the most widely used search engine arguably nationwide. There are a lot of ways to look up information online. Explore different search engine sites here. These are specifically designed as safe web sites for children.


5. Labor Day (9/7) - Did you know that the first Labor Day was celebrated on a Tuesday, not on a Monday like we now celebrate it? In 1882, roughly 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march in honor of the working man's rights, and formed the first Labor Day parade. Learn more aboutthe history of Labor Day and enjoy some Labor Day themed crafts and activities.


6. National Grandparents Day (9/13) - On Grandparents Day, we honor our grandparents and recognize the wonderful contributions they add to our lives. Show your appreciation for your grandparents today by creating cards and crafts for them! You can also learn about the history of Grandparents Day and how it came to be recognized in the United States.


7. Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15-10/15) - During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of US citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month through an interactive guide from Scholastic. Find teacher resources and activities and crafts to do this month!


8. Constitution Day (9/17) - The Constitution of the United States was adopted on this day in 1787. This Constitution Day, read the Constitution and its amendments, learn about the signers, and enjoy Constitution themed activities today.


9. First Day of Autumn (9/23) - Celebrate the beginning of fall with I4C by checking out our Fall Resource page, full of fun crafts, activities, and recipes! Cooler weather and sweaters will be here before we know it.

TEACHER RESOURCES



1. Many historical events happened this month which you can cover in your classroom. Check outI4C's History page for lesson plans, videos, activities, and other resources to supplement your lessons!


2. Do you need Assistive Technology resources? Find links offering tools for the hearing impaired, physically disabled, vision impaired, and other accessibility resources.


3. Being back in a classroom setting can be a shock to the system for some kids after a summer full of activity. Visit our Character Education page for tips on bully prevention and overall self-development and awareness.


4. Back to School Nights are approaching! Here are some great tips for speaking to your students' parents and how to prep for your Open House!


5. This September 11th, we remember those who died during the terrorist attacks fourteen years ago. It may be difficult to explain the events to students who were too young to remember or not even born yet but there are many resources available. Pearson's Online Learning Exchange has teacher guides and activities for elementary school, middle school, and high school aged students. Also, I4C has a September 11th page, filled with guides and activities to help your students understand the significance of the day.


6. Remember to visit our Teacher Tools section! This home page contains all the topics you may need to use during the school year.


7. Go to our grade level help for lesson plans, activities, instructionals, and tools organized by grade and subject.



PARENT RESOURCES



1. As we reminded our teachers above, it's never too late to remind our children about respecting others. Visit our character education page for bullying prevention, conflict resolution and character development tools.


2. Check out our interactive grade level practice. We have Skill Builders that offer online games for almost every school subject and grade. It's a great way to practice at home.


3. Are you having a hard time getting the kids to simply sit down and read? Our Reading Help page has helpful links.


4. As the school year begins, keep your kids safe when they do their schoolwork online. Check out I4C's internet safety page for tips and links to keep your children safe online!


5. Homeschool parents: I4C has helpful resources you can use too! Check out our Common Core resources, math printables, grade level help, and subject help pages.


6. This September 11th, we remember those who died during the terrorist attacks fourteen years ago. It may be difficult to explain the events to those were too young to remember or not even born yet but there are many resources available. A guide from the 9/11 Memorial has tips on explaining the day to your children and I4C has a September 11th page, filled with guides and activities to help your child understand the significance of the day.


7. Be sure to check out I4C's collection of free educational iPhone and iPad apps for you and your child!


8. You can always visit our Parent Resources page to get grade level practice sites, find online sources, and information pertaining to homework, special needs, reading help, and more.


9. Don't forget our Technology Tutorial section in case you need refresher courses in your computer skills.





TECHNOLOGY TIPS



1. Keep An Eye Out: Students are more tech savvy these days. Don't be fooled by just one visible internet page. You can quickly track their site whereabouts just by looking up at the multi-tabs at the top of the window. If they've got websites open that shouldn't be, you'll be able to see the page titles in each tab. Tech tutorials at I4C.


2. Searching in Email: Save time when looking for old emails. Remember you can type in keywords or the name of the author in the search bar to locate archived emails quickly. Other Keyboard Shortcuts.


3. Narrow Your Search by File Type: On Internet searches, you're able to narrow your search by a specific file type. For example, if you were looking for results that were PDFs, you would put fileType:pdf after your search terms. More search engine tips here.






We also have other basic instruction in Microsoft Office, including Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007.





OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST



1. Resources for Educators - In this section you can find classroom resources for Exceptional Children, Smartboards, Character Education, Web 2.0 Resources and other topics.
2. Resources for Parents - Parents can find resources
   on assisting their children with homework, time management, Internet Safety, subject area resources, grade level resources and more.



ONLINE PRACTICE AT I4C




Internet4Classrooms now offers Online Practice and Interactives, covering Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Common Core Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice quizzes tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.




Check out our NEW Online Practice Quizzes! More grades and subjects coming soon!




COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS PRINTABLES AT I4C




Internet4Classrooms offers Printables, covering Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice worksheets tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.




Check out our Common Core Printables! More grades and subjects coming soon!




Request teacher access for our Printables' answer guides here.




Common Core State Standards at I4C




Our Common Core State Standards are full of resources for every individual standard. Students can take control of their own learning by clicking on the page with the standard number, and choosing their own resource to practice that skill.




Check out our Common Core Math High School Algebra Standards, Common Core Math Standards, and Common Core ELA Standards.




SAT and ACT Test Preparation

Free Online Practice Resources for ACT Tests and SAT Tests! I4C now offers free SAT and ACT vocabulary and math quizzes. Join our SAT and ACT Test Preparation program and log in as much as you'd like. Students can take practice tests on 5000 vocabulary words or over 1000 math problems. Parents and Mentors can log in to monitor your scores - including seeing which vocabulary words that were missed. Interactive quizzes allow the test taker to retake and study as much as they want.




Sign Up Here for ACT Test & SAT Test Preparation!