Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Increasing Reading & Writing Skills Dramatically Using A Free 3 Dimensional Learning Environment!


Do you want your elementary and middle school students (4th – 8th graders) to increase their reading and writing skills dramatically? Would you want your students to also learn the curriculum you teach and retain it for a much longer period of time? Would you want them soooo excited about learning in your classroom that they leave wanting more and they tell their friends and parents about the fun they had in your class? This is not something you would do in class in addition to what you already do. It is something you would do in class in place of the way you have done it in the past. I am offering you a way to teach some lessons throughout the year in a way that will involve your students actively. And this program is FREE!!! (this year). Next year you will have to pay for it, unless your school is grandfathered in.
The program I am referring to is Quest Atlantis. The students walk in a 3 dimensional world by moving their avatars with the arrow keys on the keyboard. They complete quests and missions to help the people of Atlantis solve the moral, social and environmental issues they face on their planet. Quest Atlantis also teaches the students to be aware of the issues around them here on Earth and to become responsible first-rate individuals.
There are over 500 quests teachers can choose from. The subjects include Science, Language Arts, History, Math, Art, Music, Foreign Language, Behavioral Studies, Geography, Health, Civics, Economics, Social Studies, Life Skills, Technology, Visual Arts, Media, New Media Literacies, and Physical Education. Teachers could also choose to assign quests by Social Commitments. These include Compassionate Wisdom, Creative Expression, Diversity Affirmation, Environmental Awareness, Healthy Communities, Personal Agency and Social Responsibility.
This type of learning brings the classroom to their world. It is a way of learning that they absolutely love. The key phrase here is “love of learning”. If this is something you would like to include in your classroom, contact your District Instructional Technologist. Quest on!

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