Resource+File

This project is only for the 640 Advanced Foundations course.

__OBJECTIVE __ Having a wide array of supplemental resources for teaching key topics/ units of study allows a teacher to better tailor his/her instruction to the students’ needs, interests, and/or learning styles. To create your personalized resource file, collect a set of interesting teaching/learning artifacts focusing on enduring (essential) understandings of a unit of study typically included in your content area. Your resource file should be targeted to student learners in order to help them develop their skills and/or content knowledge in a particular subject area.

As an educator, you want to have ready access to materials that
 * Target a variety of reading levels
 * Are of high interest to learners
 * Allow for appropriate scaffolding and/or differentiation as needed
 * Reflect “out of the box”/motivational learning experiences for students

__ PURPOSE __ To compile a set of resources tied to a unit of study that will
 * Support differentiation
 * Enrich a basic unit of study in your content area
 * Extend language and literacy learning for all students
 * Incorporate technology as a tool for learning

__ TOPIC, TEXT SELECTION, AND ANNOTATION __ Select a topic of interest to you to teach in your area of certification. It can be specific to a grade level or it can include a range of grade levels within your area of certification.

Often it is good to frame the topic in relation to a question or two related to SCCCRS (SC standards). For example, you are interested in the topic: Civics for Grade 6 or Community for Grade 2. In either example, you can ask key questions that will guide the resources you gather. Questions like “Why is citizenship important?” and “What are problems encountered in a democracy?” would be appropriate for Grade 6. Questions such as “What makes a community?” and “How does a community work together to solve problems?” would be appropriate subquestions for Grade 2 unit. You will need to research the standards to develop your essential question(s).

Select a minimum of 15 resources that would enrich/expand the targeted topic. Each resource should document which aspect of the Five Aspects of Language you’re building with the selection of the resource. Resources should include:
 * 5 text-based informational selections of varied reading/Lexile levels. These may be chapters from book-length texts (not textbooks), magazine articles, journal articles, newspaper articles or carefully selected website articles APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR AUDIENCE
 * 5 web-based resources for students (e.g., interactive websites, games or simulations, virtual field trips, etc.). These would be sites that would provide remediation, extensions, enrichment, or challenge.
 * 5 unique selections such as music, poetry, visual texts (cartoons, paintings, films, videos, photographs), charts, graphs, maps, children’s books, fictional selections, etc. These should be chosen for their potential to spice up the teaching/ learning experiences in the classroom.

__ SUBMITTING YOUR WORK __ Create your project in a Google Doc where you can include links to websites, documents, and any other multimodal content. Be sure to correctly cite all of the information you use and share in the resource file. Your Google Doc can be produced in a list or table format and should include an annotated explanation of the topic, the grade level or content focus, subquestions, and elements noted below for each resource.
 * Annotation of a few sentences to inform others of what the resource is about and stated in your own words because you’ve read the material.
 * Description of one of the 5 areas of language development you’d use to help advance students’ language learning through the text. For example, you list 5 key words from the text that you’ll use to develop semantic knowledge of the topic.
 * Clearly indicate both the reading level and target audience (e.g., gifted learners, struggling readers, average/grade level readers, etc.) for text and web resources.
 * Explanation of critiques or shortcoming of the text (in relation to meeting the language needs of some students)

This Google Doc will be shared with the class in the online classroom. It is advised that you also share this resource file out on your website if you have one.

A short (3-5 minute max) “Learning Support” Video discussing the resources you have featured in your folio: strengths/ limitations of the resources and how you might make use of them.

__ EXEMPLARS __ Please keep in mind that each of these examples is missing an element of finished work product. These are examples shared by students as "beta" versions of their work. They are shared here to give you a better idea of the possible final submission.
 * 8th grade unit on linear equations
 * 3rd grade unit on South Carolina state symbols
 * 3rd grade unit on civic engagement

Tools to test for readability level
 * Readability Score
 * Read-Able
 * Lexile Reading Analyzer
 * Microsoft Word


 * Scoring Rubric: 25 points**


 * **//Criteria//** || **//5 points//** || **//4 points//** || **//2-3 points//** || **//0-1 points//** ||
 * **Topic selection & subquestions**

Focus on audience Breadth and depth of Areas of Language Development across the Resource File ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Informative texts**

Including links, annotation, reading levels, targeted audience, connection to one of the five aspects of language, critiques ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Web-based texts**

Including links, annotation, reading levels, targeted audience, connection to one of the five aspects of language, critiques ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Unique texts**

Including links, annotation, reading levels, targeted audience, connection to one of the five aspects of language, critiques ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Presentation**

Clarity Organization Link facility Grammar Punctuation ||  ||   ||   ||   ||