Grades 2-4 have been using this wonderful resource this week as we try to hit some skills that address areas of need for our upcoming standardized test.

These map games have proved across all grade levels to be engaging and educational.  Some of the map skills these games require students to apply are:

• reading grids
• understanding symbols and reading map keys
• following directions
• plotting routes on a grid map
• reading a gradiometer map
• identifying countries, states, and capital cities on a map
• generally using maps for game specific information.

Games include Explore a Pyramid, Explore Mars, Find the Sunken Treasure, Adventure Island, and GIS in Action.  The Family Adventure game allows students to choose trips that go by land or sea, and allow students to take a briefly informative trip around various parts of the world, such as the Caribbean, Washington, D.C., Marco Polo’s Route, and Arctic to Amazon, among other trips.  Games include sound effects, excellent graphics, and even some very realistic CG videos.  It’s definitely a great social studies/geography resource.

If you’re not, you should be!

LearnScratch.org is a site dedicated to students and teachers who want to learn Scratch and is maintained by academics from the LaSalle Schools and Universities.  The site contains video courses, lesson plans, and other resources for students and teachers.

If you are a teacher planning on introducing your students to Scratch, LearnScratch.org is a good place to start.  It allows you to get a good idea of what Scratch is all about, and provides the depth necessary to help you dig in to all aspects of the program.

In the classroom, the video tutorials are a lesson unto themselves.  I have my students open Scratch and one of the tutorial videos and follow along, just to get the basics down before trying out their own scripts.  One of my students, who I will mention has several learning disabilities, told me at the end of class today that Scratch is easy once you really pay attention and learn how to use it.

The resources provided on LearnScratch.org help make it possible for all sorts of learners to have a chance at initial success, which motivates students to keep challenging themselves with more difficult scripts. A great resource to teachers, LearnScratch.org can also place all of their lessons and videos onto a DVD for you and send it to your school–for FREE. I just cannot say enough good things about this free resource.  If you’re using Scratch in your classroom or thinking about it, visit LearnScratch.org.