resources update issue 42

• Active Maths (Secondary)
• Pro DESKTOP 8.0 Achiever
• Scaler and Croppitt

• Microworlds EX
• Reviewing and Checking Progress 7
• Whiteboard Workout

Active Maths consists of interactive resources that enhance and enrich the teaching and learning of mathematics. Available as software or through a website, it can be purchased as a whole resource or divided into four separate bundles. It is suitable for use with individual students, small groups or with the whole class using an IWB.

Whiteboard Worksheets is a range of more than 250 resources specifically for use on an IWB including traditional question sheets and useful mathematical tools such as dotty paper, rulers and protractors. The Active Worksheets are a range of editable worksheets that accompany the Whiteboard Worksheets for printing out. Also included are Active Fractions and Decimals and Active Algebra which provide a range of resources and activities in these topic areas.

MicroWorlds EX is designed for students to be able to visualize, plan, create, animate and present ideas. Teachers can use the software to create simulations, games and quizzes. Students will become involved in discussing methods and layout styles, data handling techniques and much, much more. All this is supported by a vast array of supplied graphical, audio and other resources.

A good selection of sample projects can be accessed from either the Welcome Menu or online. As a finishing touch students can share their masterpieces across the school network, a local area schools’ network or even publish to the internet. The incentives and inspiration are tremendous for any National Curriculum subject area, from Key Stage 2 students to well beyond Key Stage 5.

ProDesktop software allows students to make precision accurate designs on screen, and then (with the right hardware) actually create the models in the 3D – a complete CAD CAM package. To ensure that the software is fully utilised, ProDesktop is only released to schools with a fully credited teacher. This involves attendance at a training session covering several days. Version 8 has recently been released, with many more improvements in performance - but is not available except to teachers accredited in version 8. ‘ProDesktop achiever’ allows a teacher to become accredited through completing tutorials on the CD-ROM, at your pace and when you choose, with no requirement to attend a training course.The ‘achiever’ software also includes some useful teaching notes on how to implement the ‘ProDesktop’in to the classroom.

Reviewing and Checking Progress 7 is a versatile piece of software that can be used to assess year 7 pupil’s understanding and progress in science without formal testing.

It has activities for each QCA unit. Each unit has two sections: one for checking progress and the other for reviewing. These sections have a variety of activities which can be used on individual computers or with an interactive whiteboard to engage and test the pupils including: drag and drop exercises, cloze procedures, animations, concept maps and quizzes. A help facility is available and completed work can be printed off allowing the teacher to see any misconceptions easily. The software also provides a link to the website where teachers’ notes and model answers are available.

Scaler and Croppitt is a simple, easy to use program which enables you to scale and crop digital images. It has five simple steps to enable you to; crop unwanted parts of a digital picture and save the new image without resizing, crop and/or resize a digital picture to suit a special location or purpose and to convert digital pictures from one format to another.

This software could be used across the curriculum in any subject where young children could be introduced to the manipulation of digital images. In particular enabling the children to manipulate images they have taken of their own work for publication on a school web site or printing via another application for display in school.

Whiteboard Workout Year 7 is a program specifically targeted at allowing English teachers to exploit the possibilities of their interactive whiteboards. It is linked to the year 7 National Literacy Strategy objectives which are listed, but it clearly has applications for pupils from year 5 up to year 8.

There are a wide range of activities in word, sentence and text level which are designed to help teachers involve students in an engaging, visually appealing medium, with small group, whole class or get-the-student-writing-on-the-board work.

An optional onscreen keyboard and timer will add spice, as will the opportunities to vote or challenge the work being completed. There is even a facility for teachers to add their own activities to the existing store.

Order the title in the normal way
• Find out who co-ordinates the eLC budget in your school and put in your request
• Titles can be ordered in the normal way, through suppliers, publishers, catalogues etc
• Just remember to tell them that you wish to pay using your eLC’s and if possible quote the title’s COL code.These can be found on our evaluation site.