Westcott:
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Educational Resources for Teachers
Use the activities in your classroom all year long to keep students engaged in learning. Visit the education centre and download the activities. Westcott school tools use antimicrobial technology. Include them on your school supply list year after year!
Ready-to-use school supply list
- Grades K-1 School Supply List
- Grades 2-3 School Supply List
- Grades 4-5 School Supply List
- Grades 6 and up School Supply List
From the Teacher’s Desk:
Build environmental awareness in the classroom
April has finally arrived. Spring is an ideal time to learn about nature and the great out-doors. The Scientists in the School website has some excellent links to help you to build environmental awareness in the classroom:
- Step-by-step instructions to help students create a seed museum and learn about germination and dissection. There is also a template and directions for making Symmetrical Math Art, using colourful seeds and beans.
- A printable Tree-Finders Guide. This booklet contains drawings with kid-appeal. It is a good resource to help students identify the common trees in Southern Ontario.
- Instructions for “How to Make Friends with a Tree”. This illustrated poster could be used as a model to help students write and design their own “Ten Steps to Make Friends with a Tree” poster.
Earth Day is on April 22nd.
This day was first celebrated in 1970. It has since become a day when people all over the world hold events to honour and celebrate the Planet Earth. Education World has a site with experiments, games, and activities to help raise awareness and understanding of Earth Day. You will also find full instructions for an Earth Day WebQuest. This is a research activity that guides students to use online and library resources to discover the most important environmental issue facing the earth. Students work in competing teams to present their findings. The winner receives a (fictional) one million dollars in funding form the Help Our Word Foundation.
Finally…..a little song for you to sing with your students, to the tune of “This Old Man”:
THIS OLD EARTH
This old earth
Needs our help
To stay fresh and clean and green
With a pick it up; pitch it in; and throw it in the can--
This old earth needs a helping hand.
From The Teacher’s Desk: Animal Habitats
An excellent introduction to the topic of Habitats is the movie Hoot. This film is about several children who are trying to save a burrowing owl population from the construction crew of a future Pancake House. Students are able to witness and understand the implications of habitat destruction.
The Animal Planet - Meerkat Manor movies are also very “kid friendly” and enable students to make personal connections to the meerkat cast of characters.
The website, switchzoo.com, is a popular resource. Students are able to create and control a variety of habitats by manipulating various elements such as temperature, precipitation, and vegetation. Students are able to listen to the Critter Chorus perform songs by combining animal sounds. Students can create a Mixed-Up Animal and an accompanying story or poem. Their creations and written work can be uploaded into a gallery. This site also includes several animal videos.
WWF Go Wild is another useful link that includes photo galleries and videos, activities, and games.
Students love to make their own shoebox habitats (dioramas). The website, www.arkive.org has kits that students can download and print.
When students feel a relevant connection to a unit of study, their learning will be more meaningful. My students enjoy following the blog posts of a local retired teacher. Don Scallen’s blog contain interesting and informative facts and tie in perfectly with Habitat study. Learn more > Notes from the Wild
From The Teacher’s Desk: Back to School:
Yet another summer has flown by. Fall is in the air and it’s time to begin yet another school year. These eight tips will ensure that you and your students get off to an A+ start.
- Gather teaching resources: Beg and borrow from other teachers. Bartering works too. The Ontario Teachers Facebook Page is an excellent place to go for a free ideas, lesson plans, long-range plans, documents, organizers, and outlines. Why re-invent the wheel? Before you sit down to do any planning consult with this online lifesaver. You’ll have 18,000 teaching assistants in your back pocket.
- Gather student supplies and resources: Count and ready materials, sharpen pencils and prepare nametags. Sign out books from the school library.
- Set up the classroom: Arrange desks and tables and your teacher corner. Some teachers like to choose a classroom theme. This creates a fun environment for students to learn. For hundreds of theme/set-up/organizational ideas, check out Pinterest or Clutter Free Classroom.
- Technology: Make sure your equipment is in place and in working order: Find missing cords and adaptors. Replace burned out light bulbs in data projectors. Recharge classroom iPads and laptop computers. If are looking for some awesome tech tips and lesson plans to use throughout the year go to techtidbitz.blogspot.com/
- Classroom News: Write a classroom newsletter or set up a class blog site in order to keep students and parents in the loop about classroom schedules and events. It’s fun and educational to allow students to participate in the newsletter/blog content.
- Set the tone in your classroom: The first few weeks are especially critical. You want to ensure that your students understand that your classroom is a safe and enjoyable place to be. Rules and routines should be firm but fair. There is some good advice here: www.smartclassroommanagement.com/201
- Rally the troops: Offer support to fellow teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators. Don’t forget about custodians and office staff. You are all on the same team. Each of you contribute strengths and skills that make your school a great place to be.
- Take a deep breath: Relax and smile! If you are happy – your students will be happy. Don’t be afraid to show your sense of humour. Your demeanor will have a ripple effect on your students, not just in September, but for the entire year. If you are calm and focused, they will be too. Get set to have a fantastic year!
Westcott Teacher Page on Facebook
The Westcott Teacher page on Facebook is dedicated to teachers across the globe. Check it out to see Westcott promotions, contests and news. Also read and share stories that are tailored specifically for teachers!
