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Monthly Newsletter Interactive content for your interactive classroom

October 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

New Science Topic: 1

Chemistry

Fire Safety Month: 1

Games

StarrMatica 2

Spotlights:

Writing Letters &

Visualizing Fractions

Teacher Feature: 3-4

Jen Miller

Halloween 5-9

Interactive Content

New Science Topic Chemistry

This month, we added a new science topic: Chemistry. To access

these resources, login to your teacher account and choose the

search button, or choose the links tab in your classroom

management account. Under the topics search, choose Science

as your subject and Chemistry as your topic group. We add new

content every month and our best ideas come from our members,

so please email or call with your content requests!

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Fire Safety Month October is fire safety month. Help your kids learn to identify fire safety

hazards in their homes with these two interactive games:

http://www.dangerrangers.com/flashgames/hazardhouse.html

http://www.mcgruff.org/Games/fs.php

Alien Juice Bar

Learn about acids and bases, practice

identifying acids, bases, and neutrals, and

learn about the pH scale all while running

your own alien juice bar business.

The Transformer

Experiment to see how raw

materials like silicon, iron, and

carbon can be turned into something

new.

StarrMatica Spotlights

Letter Writer

Choose your paper and letter styles. Then

write with the pen and print your work.

Calling all PreK and kindergarten teachers! Did you know StarrMatica has

several virtual manipulatives to help students learn and practice writing their

letters? They are perfect for center time on interactive whiteboards or for

individual student practice on touch screen devices.

Sky Writing

Choose a letter. Then watch how it is formed

by a sky writing airplane.

Letter Formation

Choose your letters. Then follow the ball to

practice writing them.

Calling all 3-6 teachers! Tired of your fraction bars and circles? Try these

virtual manipulatives to let your kids see fractions in a different way.

Fraction Rods

Demonstrate the concept of parts and wholes

with these rods.

Visual Fractions

Represent a fraction visually with a chocolate

bar, pizza, group of people, or container of

water.

Egg Carton Fractions

Place eggs in the cartons and use the string to visually create fractions.

Teacher Feature

Jen Miller

Meet Jen Miller. She teaches first grade at Eagle Heights Elementary

School in Clinton, Iowa. Here is her StarrMatica story:

As a long-term substitute I was able to attend a StarrMatica training offered in

the Clinton District about six years ago. Ever since the training, I was

hooked. When I taught 4th grade for a year, I used the program extensively to

differentiate instruction. As I moved into teaching 1st grade, it was a necessity

to bring StarrMatica with me.

We don’t have student textbooks. We follow the Common Core Standards.

Unfortunately, it is up to us to find many of our own resources. Pinterest

and Teachers Pay Teachers are great, but it takes time to find appropriate

resources that fit the standards in addition to usually costing an additional fee

or requiring prep work. StarrMatica takes the time issue off the table. It is

incredibly user friendly, even for teachers that don’t feel like they do well

with technology integration. On average, I feel that by using StarrMatica I

cut my planning time down to almost half. StarrMatica provides my focus

lesson and opportunities for small group, whole class, or individual work.

StarrMatica allows me to not need a textbook or worksheets for students

to practice skills and show proficiency at mastery of these skills. I

appreciate the ability to look at the content available in other grade levels. This

allows me to go back to skills from the previous year or advance to another

grade level to meet student needs. In addition, I appreciate knowing that if I

have a concern, question, or comment regarding anything with StarrMatica

content I can send an email and get a response quickly.

I use StarrMatica in whole class and small group with my first grade students,

and I will be using it to differentiate instruction in the near future. StarrMatica

is generally used to hook the students into a lesson, as an introduction, on my

interactive whiteboard. Then I move into students using the program to play

some of the many games and practices offered. In addition, I have utilized

many of the virtual manipulatives the program provides. StarrMatica also has

great webinars and trainings. I have participated in quite a few of these and

have found them to be very helpful.

StarrMatica content is AD free! It is evident that content is gone through

on a regular basis to ensure content meets Common Core Standards and

doesn’t have pop-up ads that are sometimes not appropriate for students

or are distracting.

I would encourage both tech-savvy teachers and those who are not to use

StarrMatica. Being uncomfortable and nervous about trying a new product is

ok, but you won’t get out of that discomfort if you don’t push forward and try

something new. With the technology of today, educators need to embrace the

new and not hesitate to ask for help. StarrMatica is easy to use and provides

free training to educators. There may even be experts within your building or

someone that is willing to jump in and try it with you. Then there are the

students -- no matter their age they can probably help you as well as you work

through using new tools. It is a learning experience for students to see you try

something new!

Haunted Digital Content for Halloween Fun

Click each image to visit that site. Enjoy!

Carve A Pumpkin

Enjoy A Spooky Story

Master Monster Math

Explore Creepy Language Arts

Create a Card or Costume

cC

Play a Halloween Game

Play a Halloween Game

Sing a Song or Build a Skeleton