Welcome to the August 2011 Newsletter. We hope you had a good summer break and are ready to face the challenges of a new academic year.Please feel free to forward this e-news bulletin to colleagues that you think would be interested in any of the items below. If you have any comments or suggestions on this bulletin or indeed any special requests for special software offers, please email them to kim.conway3@btinternet.com
News
- 3D from SMART - SMART announces 3D projectors. 3D projectors allow you to change pupils' learning environment and perception of a subject.These projectors can be purchased as a stand-alone product, for refurbishment projects, or as part of an integrated SMART Board solution.To find out more call: 08450 724 800 or email: smartteacher@steljes.co.uk or click here
- Arcadu -an on-line game based learning site that matches ability automatically across eight levels covering over 80 topics. After each challenge you receive the appropriate feedback to ensure you make progress. The league tables lets you challenge classmates and compete against children in schools across the world. Try the free demo
- Sibelius - new release of Sibelius 7. You can check out what's new in Sibelius 7 in this online video or get a guided tour here.
- Read to a Million Kids-Throughou t the new academic year Renaissance Learning's Read to a Million Kids (RTAMK) initiative will offer UK schools access to specially-recorded footage of popular children's authors reading from their books.Released on a monthly basis, each video will be accompanied by a short, fun, Accelerated Reader quiz on the extract for pupils to complete, and fantastic prizes are available to be won www.readtoamillionkids.co.uk
Curriculum for Excellence
- BrainPOP UK - all BrainPOP UK animated movies and quizzes are mapped to Curriculum for Excellence and using DeepBeep their curriculum matching tool, you can quickly and easily find a movie to suit your needs. This month's spotlight is Safari while September's Spotlight is Weaving Tales. Sign up for a free trial.
New to SS4E Website
- Software Reviews - Have a look at the brand new section for Software Reviews where you can now read online reviews on a range of software titles and online services
- SS4E Showcase - This month's Showcase is the licensing schemes designed to save schools money from Education Scotland
Free Resources
- SchoolScience has lots of give-aways, news updates and an events section
- Virtual Lab is Medical Research Council project for schools. It offers an interactive web-based experiment to allow anyone, anywhere in the world, to engage with contemporary medical research. The aim of the website is to increase confident among young people to discuss science, to provide experiences for them in support of university applications and career development
- Visualising China is a JISC funded project allowing users to explore and enhance more than 8,000 digitised images of photographs of China taken between 1850 and 1950. It allows access to many previously unseen album, envelopes and private collection and also major collections such as Historical Photographs of China, the Sir Robert Hart Collection and Joseph Needham's.
Forthcoming Events
- ICT to support pupils in mainstream settings who have physical difficulties or are struggling with reading and writing
- Saturday 10th September - Curriculum for Excellence Numeracy- talk for primary and secondary teachers, Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Perth
- 21stand 22ndSeptember - Scottish Learning Festival SECC, Glasgow
Competitions
- RM Education aware for low-cost brilliance- RM are inviting you to 'show and tell' your latest innovation in teaching or learning. They are looking for big thinking even on a small budget. If your innovation, however small, enhances learning within the curriculum or motivates and empowers, can be measured and evaluated then this is your chance to share it with the wider community of teachers and schools leaders. The winning entry will receive £5,000 while there are other smaller, regional awards. Interest has to be registered by 16th September 2011. If you would like more information or would like to register your interest, please go to www.rmeducation.com/genius
- The Science of Sport: How to Win Gold - The Physiological Society is hosting a sports themes competition, The Science of Sport: How to Win Gold, for 16 - 17 year olds. The competition invites students to investigate an area of sports physiology that interests them and in do so, helps develop their understanding. Closing date for registering for the completion is 31st October 2011. Full details here
If you require further information on the above please click on the appropriate web link. Please feel free to circulate this newsletter to any colleagues who may be interested. Feedback on this newsletter is welcome; please email kim.conway3@btinternet.com with your comments. If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter, you can remove your address from the distribution list by sending a blank email with the subject 'unsubscribe' to kim.conway3@btinternet.