Program+Resources



1). Slideshare.net A). Why? Slideshare.net is the best way to share slideshows, powerpoint presentations, professional videos, and other documents. This enables an educator to upload their presentations and be able to share them with other educators, or be able to easily access their presentation from any computer as long as there is an internet connection. Students can upload their own powerpoint presentations, and teachers can view their presentations on slideshare.net. As well, students and teachers can view educational presentations posted by other users. For example: []

B). How? The presentation linked above from slideshare.net is about learning globally, and the importance of connecting education. Teachers can use this slideshow or make their own to raise awareness about connecting local and global communities to learn from others and share our knowledge on ways we can make this world a better place, together.

Reference: Globally Connected Learning. (n.d) SlideShare. Retrieved from []

2). Wikispaces: A). Why? Wikispaces is an online tool that teachers and students can use to collaborate text, images, files and more all on a single website. Teachers can create student accounts and connect all of the wikis onto a single page. Educators and students can embed different types of media such as video, audio, and blogs.

B). How? A teacher can get all of his/her students to make a wiki, and to upload their environmental action projects onto their wiki. This way the students can collaborate with each other and learn about other environmental issues and what they did to help create solutions for each problem.

Wikispaces. (2010). Retrieved from www.wikispaces.com

3). Blogger:

A). Why? Blogger is a free weblog publishing tool created by Google. You can share text, pictures and videos.

B). How? Blogger is a great resource because it is free and easy to use. Students can make their own blogs and write the answers to their homework online instead of wasting paper. Blogger is a great tool to use as an “exit slip”, for teachers to evaluate student’s understanding of a lesson or a unit. For example, if the teacher did a lesson on non-renewable resources in Saskatchewan, he/she could get their students to log onto their blogs and write the pros and cons that each non-renewable resource has on the environment. The teacher can check their blogs to see if they fully understood the lesson, and the teacher can leave comments or questions on each blog post. As well, students can view other student’s blogs and collaborate ideas with one another.

Reference: Blogger. (2010). Retrieved from [|www.Blogger.com]

4). Webspiration.com A). Why? Webspiration is an online thinking tool that allows students to use visual thinking and outlining to enhance learning and collaboration. We can use Webspiration to map out ideas, organize with outlines and collaborate online with teams or colleagues. Webspiration allows students and teachers to unleash their creativity, and it can help transform people's ideas and information into knowledge.

B). How? This is a great resource for any classroom brainstorming activity. Or if students are doing an inquiry-based activity, they can make their own map of ideas to show their fellow students and the teacher how they developed a web of interconnectedness between concepts. For example, if students wanted to learn about consumerism, they would show how the Earth’s resources are mined to make gas that fuels our cars, that leads to air pollution, and leads to the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Webspiration. (2010). Online Visual Thinking Tool. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">5). SmartExchange <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? This website offers many free lesson plans that can be used on a smartboard. You can search by subject, grade, or file type.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? The link below is an example of a lesson on environmental impact of computing. This lesson covers the environmental issues that computers cause, what can be done about it on personal, government and computer company levels, and gives some examples of what DELL is doing. The teacher can then have students reflect on how computing may affect their personal environment.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reference: Smart Exchange. (2010, October 7). Environmental Impact of Computing. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">6). Teachertube: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? TeacherTube is a video sharing website similar to, and based on, YouTube. It is designed to allow those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share educational resources such as video, audio, documents, photos, groups and blogs. The site contains a mixture of classroom teaching resources and others designed to aid teacher training. A number of students have also uploaded videos that they have made as part of K-12 and college courses.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? The link below is an example of a video that can be watched on Teachertube. This clip explains how Americans have used and abused their land over the years. Students can then brainstorm the similarities and differences between the movie and how Canadians have used and abused the land in Saskatchewan.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reference: Look to the Land. (1953). [Video file]. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">7). Xtranormal: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? Xtranormal is a free, online educational animation tool where users may use cartoons to make movies. People may publish their movies and then other users may watch the movies. It is very easy to use, all a user has to do is provide text and chose animations and the movie is ready to be published. The popularity of using animations to help learners understand and remember information has greatly increased since the advent of powerful graphics-oriented computer. Teachers are no longer limited to relying on static graphics but can readily convert them into educational animations.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? The link below is an example of how a student can use Xtranormal as a learning tool. If students are doing a presentation, they can use an animation to discuss what the group’s actions in their action learning group project were. Students can also role play using animations. The teacher can design an activity where students can discuss their stance on controversial environmental issues. Or students can design poems or songs that illustrate an environmental issue and what their emotions are towards that issue.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reference: Mitchell, M. (2010). Food Sovereignty. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">8). Photopeach <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? PhotoPeach is a simple slideshow web based application which can be used to make slideshows from your photos. PhotoPeach is one of the most simple applications which is designed to do this, and is great for anyone wanting to make slideshows where their photos keep the viewer’s attention. Users can use music from youtube, can make quizzes with their slideshow, and can embed the slideshow into blogs and other websites.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? Students can make a slideshow representing what the environment means to them. For example: []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reference: Jim. (2009). Lancashire Autumn. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">9). Glogster <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? Glogster is a social network that allows users to create free interactive posters, or glogs. Users can upload photos, videos, text, audio and more to create a unique online, interactive poster. This is a new and creative digital outlet for educators to help keep students ENGAGED and make learning more fun! Creating a glog is a simple and easy interface designed to introduce basic concepts to students

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? For example, one class made a glog poster on Jane Goodall and what her environmental goals were: []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Reference: Mitchell, M. (2010). Glogster. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Science6a. (2008). Jane Goodall #1. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">10). Prezi: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? Prezi is a web-based presentation tool using a map layout and zooming to show contextual relationships which addresses some of the shortcomings of Microsoft PowerPoint. Prezi is a great tool for storey telling. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? Students can use Prezi to tell their story of why they think humankind needs to connect more with the environment and ways that we can do this. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">For example here is a Prezi designed by one person that talks about steps to solving problems: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Reference: Fischer S.A., (2010). Sweet Recipe to Solving Problems. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">11). Skype <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet and calls to other users within the Skype service. This is a great tool because teachers and their classroom can connect with people that are outside of their classroom.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? For example, a teacher can skype someone in India to talk about what their concerns are with the Coca Cola industry in their country. Is the industry polluting your country? Are the factories using a great proportion of the water resources in India? Are the factories demolishing habitats to establish their buildings?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reference: Skype Limited. (2010). Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">12). TEDtalks <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a U.S private nonprofit foundation best known for its conferences, now held in Europe and Asia as well as the U.S., devoted to what it calls "ideas worth spreading".

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? TEDtalks is a great resource for teachers to find conferences on environmental issues. The link listed below is a conference on how mushrooms are the new plastic and how society can strive towards a greener future. Students can also find their own environmental-oriented conferences that they are interested in, and after watching the conferece, they can write a report on the main points that were presented.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bayer, E. (2010). Are Mushrooms the New Plastic? Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">13). Nature Saskatchewan : <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? Nature Saskatchewan promotes the appreciation and understanding of our natural environment through education, conservation and research. Founded in 1949, Nature Saskatchewan has been observing, documenting and protecting the province's biological diversity for nearly 60 years. Nature Saskatchewan provides the cultural link by which people are inspired, gain knowledge of and ultimately enjoy and protect the natural world around them.This website provides a variety of resources for educators under the education and monitoring tab at the top of the webpage. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? If educators are doing a lesson on the effects of developing natural land, educators can use this website to focus on a case study of Last Mountain Regional Park, or more specifically the bird observatory that exists there. The educator can purpose a question such as if Last Mountain was developed into a city, what would the effects be on the species that live in that habitiat?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Reference: Nature Saskatchewan. (n.d). Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">14). Nature Regina: Field Trips: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">A). Why? This website provides a central location for information about the Society's activities, meetings, and interests. Members of the society are interested in a variety of topics. Natural History is a subject that involves many aspects of our outdoor environment, including plants, animals, landforms, climate, and cultural history. The society also organizes field trips in and around Regina. These trips are usually held on the weekend, and are led by society members. There is no cost, although carpooling is recommended and it is polite to offer to share gas costs. Most field trips leave from the parking lot of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">B). How? For example, Sunday, January 9th/2011, the Nature Regina society is going on a fieldtrip to the Sherwood Forest Feeder. An educator could get permission to take their class on a field trip with the society to this wooded area near Regina. Dean and Miriam Richert have been maintaining a feeder here for many years. They hope to see woodpeckers, nuthatches, Blue Jays, and other winter birds, as well as Snowy Owls en route. The purpose of this fieldtrip could be for students to connect and give back to nature. As well students can use this trip to reflect on the natural habitat that they are visiting.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Reference: Halliwell, D. (2010, November 7). Nature Regina: Field Trips. Retrieved from []