Week 9: This is a journal article that ties in the importance of screencasts and mathematical education. The article delves deeper into e-learning and evaluates the effectiveness of screencasts on both math and science. Screencasts can be used as instructional strategies for increasing learning beyond what an individual educator can do for any one child at a time. The key behind this strategy in its value is if it is reused enough times to impact learning. It is a resource to keep in mind when planning for reteaching or providing more exposure and support for a concept learned.

Week 8: "Language plays an important part in math instruction, particularly for ELLs. This article offers some strategies for making language an integral part of math instruction and the tools and language ELLs need to master math." This article delves deeper into the importance of content vocabulary and content knowledge. Often, the foundation and basics of content areas are brushed over creating a gap for many learners. In mathematics, despite the universal language, there are barriers due to language and deficit in content-related knowledge. This article offers strategies to bridge the gap and increase content knowledge to supplement the learning taking place.

Week 7: This is a journal article based on reading behaviors, which emphasizes Daniel Willingham's arguments in the importance of building content knowledge. In reference to that, this journal discusses the effect background knowledge plays on comprehension of texts read. "The present study was designed to assess the role that background knowledge plays in determining young children's ability to process relationships that are explicitly and fully specified in a text in comparison to those that are only partially specified by the same text" (Pearson, 1979, pg. 201). This journal article stresses the relationship and connection that is made between texts and the reader based on background knowledge that has been built. This gives a great lens to see the effect of building such knowledge and seeing the benefits of it play out on the students.

This website contains a wide variety of virtual manipulative that can be maneuvered by all learners at all stages. Both students and teachers can use this to demonstrate understanding as well as modeling a strategy. All viewers are able to see concrete place values as well as the composition and decomposition of hundred and ten blocks. It is a great tool for the visual learner and those who are still in the concrete stage in addition/subtraction.

This url directs users to a video that displays a strategy using numbers/symbols as well as concrete blocks how to subtract by decomposing a ten or a hundred. This website can be used as a resource to support learners showing difficulties with performing the operation where they need to decompose across 2 place values visually.

ABCmouse.com helps kids learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music, and much more. For kids age 2 to Kindergarten.

Animated Science, Health, Technology, Math, Social Studies, Arts & Music and English movies, quizzes, activity pages and school homework help for K-12 kids, aligned with state standards

Secret Millionaires Club ©2010 A Squared Entertainment LLC

XtraMath is an online resource that helps reinforce the 4 operation skills both at school and at home. Students are able to log in at both places with reports that are generated to the teachers. Parents are able to see results as well and help set goals for their children. This resource is most appropriate for math for all grade levels within K-5 as it focuses on basic math facts that are essential to comprehending and being successful with more complex mathematical topics. I used it every year where students would log in after they had finished their morning work. When a student finished, a name would pop up for them to call on to start a new turn. It's really great because students can pick up at home right where they left off at school. There are other online resources similar to this like coolmath or spellingcity that I would recommend if students did not have access to xtramath.

This resource is a little different than the ones mentioned below. This is more focused as a "brain break" as a transition into content areas. Back to back content areas tend to tire out or have students become restless. GoNoodle is an online resource that incorporates different physical activity to get blood pumping to the brain and bodies activated for learning. I use it between transitions especially since I have a very long morning and a shorter afternoon. Students get to use their imagination and use different skills learned in content area when doing these "brain breaks." I have not seen anything similar to it yet, but I am sure there are plenty more resources out there that are similar to GoNoodle.

http://www.goqsoftware.com/

This is a software that allows students who have difficulties writing to type and hear exactly what they are writing.

This is a software that accommodates to different stages of learners. When I downloaded the software, I got to choose the stage that is perfect for most third graders (it even specified third graders!). Whenever I typed, a voice would read exactly what I wrote. There is an option for students to have a voice read text to them. It is convenient for all learners because most barriers they face when reading and writing are eliminated.

http://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/

This is a website that has games to help early phonics learners with sounds and syllables.