VINCI Genius, named after the honourary Leonardo da Vinci, scholar, inventor, and innovator, is a technology-based touch-screen tablet that allows children, 18 months to five years of age, to visualize concepts in order to make learning comprehensible, fun, and entertaining. Founded and created by Dr. Dan D. Yang, this revolutionary tablet was invented to build confidence by inspiring children to explore and discover. Through a series of different games and activities covering a wide range of subject matters, VINCI aims to build the capabilities of children and, in turn, attain success. The VINCI Genius features the latest touchscreen technology, Android OS, and 3D animation. The device complies with Child Safety Standards. Its protective handle is PVC, latex and BPA-free.

The VINCI curriculum is designed to engage, educate, and empower children to achieve goals they set out to do. Divided into three categories, The Curious (first level), The Confident (second level), and The Capable (third level), this learning system is tailored to accommodate the different aspects of a child’s developing mind. The various subjects they cover include: Thinking Skills, Social & Emotional Understanding, Language & Literacy, Mathematics & Logic, Knowledge, and Science.

Examples:

Level One Thinking Skills focuses on the discovery and exploration of objects, whereas Level Three focuses on learning by observing, investigating, and planning.

Level Two Social & Emotional Understanding revolves around self-regulating feelings of the self toward others, whereas Level Three revolves around learning histories, cultures, and what is right versus what is wrong.

Level One Language & Literacy teaches basic nouns and verbs, whereas Level two teaches directional words and adjectives. Then compared to Level Three, children learn basic storytelling, letters, and phonetics.

Level One Mathematics & Logic focuses on building quantity sense and learning numbers 1-5, whereas Level Three focuses on counting and understanding basic addition and subtraction.

Level Two Knowledge teaches kids about similarities and differences, categories and subcategories, whereas Level Three teaches kids about geography, animals, and understanding self-purpose.

Level Two Science aids children in making connections between the movement of time and everyday life, whereas Level Three aids children in building observation and investigation skills.

Specifically designed for toddlers and preschoolers, VINCI is an interactive technology that provides fun and entertaining education that develops essential skills with life-long benefits.

IXL, cleverly created to convey “I excel” is a website that provides math help for kids, Kindergarten to Grade 9. Through comprehensive lessons and exercises, this website works to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of students around the world. Based on the philosophy that “every child is capable of learning”, IXL was created to provide an environment where every moment is spent learning, without any distractions. Used in more than 150 countries around the world and with provincial curricula available, IXL is a great learning tool.

For parents, at $9.95 a month or $79 a year, IXL offers nearly 2000 subject matter’s with unlimited questions, fun practice formats, questions that adapt to your child’s ability, feedback, weekly e-mail updates, detailed reports, and awards and certificates.

For teachers, at $199 a year, IXL offers full coverage of math curricula, unlimited questions, question-specific explanations (giving feedback and instruction), assessments (which makes keeping track of student performance super easy), daily or weekly e-mail alerts, awards and certificates, and access for students to all grade levels. Not sold? Then try the free 30-day trial that will allow you and your students to explore IXL, and decide from there.

Here’s an outline of each grade level with some topics they cover:

Junior Kindergarten

• Shapes
• Counting objects up to 20
• Sizes
• Positions
• Classification

Senior Kindergarten

• Counting numbers beyond 20
• Measurement
• Money
• Graphs/data
• Time
• Adding/subtracting

Grade 1

• Number patterns
• Fractions
• Geometry
• Spatial sense
• Measurement
• Probability
• Sorting, ordering, classifying

Grade 2

• Money
• Time
• Mixed operations (adding and subtracting numbers)
• Probability and statistics
• Fractions
• Properties
• Multiplication/division

Grade 3

• Number patterns
• Place values
• Estimation and rounding
• Comparing and ordering
• Logical reasoning
• Decimals
• Graphs

Grade 4

• Number sense
• Coordinate graphs
• Data, charts, graphs
• Algebra
• Patterns

Grade 5

• Place values
• Problem solving
• Number theory
• Fractions and mixed numbers
• Adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing decimals

Grade 6

• Whole numbers
• Integers
• Exponents
• Rational numbers
• Multiply fractions
• Ratios, proportions, and percents

Grade 7

• Number theory
• Consumer math
• Operations with integers
• Transformations
• Square roots
• Linear functions
• Probability
• Single-variable equations

Grade 8

• Pythagorean theorem
• Operations with rational numbers
• Scientific notation
• Variable expressions
• Statistics
• Proportional relationships

Grade 9

• Single-variable inequalities
• Operations
• Direct variation
• Linear functions
• Systems of linear equations
• Polynomials
• Logic

Grade 10 is soon to come!

For more information, visit http://ca.ixl.com/

Semantic Memory

Semantic memory holds information learned from words, symbols, and abstractions and must be rehearsed repeatedly in order for us to remember it. There are two common types of rehearsal that can be practiced:

1)   Rote rehearsal: memorization and repeated rehearsal over time when the answer is always the same. Ex. 2+2=4

2)   Elaborative rehearsal: actually thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered. Ex. Find out what it means, what its purpose is, how it relates to different things, etc.

This type of memory is the hardest to retrieve from our long-term storage because it requires so much to memorize it. Different activities that can be used in the classroom to aid students in triggering their semantic memories are:

• Peer teaching – talking to each other about what they learned
• Categorizing information – this allows students to relate what they are learning to a topic
• Visual reflections – by making your classroom reflect the unit you are teaching, students are able to tie thoughts together through association
• Tell stories – by incorporating information into stories, students can more easily remember things because stories are fun and imaginative

Episodic Memory

Episodic memory is when we learn based on context and location. For example, if we are taught something in one classroom and are then required to go to another to write a test on that material, it can pose as a difficulty because we have associated the information with a specific location. Some techniques that can be used to help students activate their episodic memories are:

• Display the information around the classroom
• Use colours and symbols
• Use pictures and animations

These techniques give students the option of, for example, thinking about a certain topic they learned and then connecting it to the colour of paper it was displayed on. This will then delve into their episodic memory.

Sensory Memory

Sensory memory is enhanced through physical activity, manipulation, and role playing. It forces all of the senses to focus on the activity your body is partaking in, thus remember it. Repetition and rehearsal is key for this type of memory. For example, driving a car and riding a bike are two things that are never forgotten because it has been done so many times that it becomes procedural. Eventually, you don’t even have to think about it to do it. Some teaching strategies that can be used to initiate this memory are:

• Role playing
• Debates
• Group activities
• Drama

Reflective Memory

Reflective memory is exactly what it sounds like; reflecting on certain things and, in turn, triggering stimuli. This type of memory is emotionally driven. For example, if someone is rude to you in the schoolyard and you are taken back by it, you will remember it for a long time, and any other time something similar happens, you will reflect back on that initial occurrence.

The preceding was adapted from 10 Best Teaching Practices by Donna Walker Tileston, published by Corwin Publishers.

Writer’s block—that awful feeling when you have so much to say, but just can’t seem to articulate them and put it on paper (or computer). Here’s what you can do:

1)   Brainstorm: this is your basic planning technique that takes your brilliant ideas from your head and puts them on paper. Although they may not be sorted or organized accordingly, they are there. Brainstorming can also mean having a discussion with a friend about your topic and why it is you are writing about that topic.

2)   Research (if applicable): Research on the net or in libraries, pick the brains of others, etc.

3)   Plan: Use RAFTS variables. Role, Audience, Format, Topic, Strong Purpose.

The role is when you decide from what point of view you are writing.
The audience is to whom or for whom you are writing.
The format is the type of writing you are completing, whether it be a story, an editorial, a research paper, a poem, etc.
The topic is what you are writing about.
The strong purpose is why you are writing about this topic and what you are trying to achieve in your writing.

4)   Write: In as organized a manner as possible, begin writing, using your RAFT variables.

5)   Revise/Edit: Read your work over, and over, and over again. Make any necessary changes so that the final product is exactly how you want it to be.

When teaching an English or writing class, this is a great technique to use for kids of any age.

The preceding was adapted from The Learning Triangle: Planning, Revision, and Assessment by Graham Foster, published by Pembroke Publishers.

Play! Play! Play!

Children and adults alike enjoy goofing around and socializing with others. Although it may seem like a waste of time or counter productive in a school environment, it’s not! Playing stimulates children’s intellectual, cognitive, and academic skills and supports social, physical, and emotional development. By playing, children are able to let their creative juices flow and be imaginative and inspired. This is beneficial artistically, mathematically, scientifically, etc. because it forces children to think about different topics from so many different perspectives. If in school, there is a problem that needs to be solved, children can use their resourcefulness and inventiveness to approach that problem from numerous outlooks and solve it.

Lev S. Vygotsky, a leading theorist in child development and literacy learning, places importance on the mental processes between literacy and play. He states that, “children take their first steps toward oral language and literacy through symbolic play when they naturally learn to use symbols in the drawings, markings, sculpting, painting, and imaginative worlds they create.” This means that as children are placed in playful situations, they are encouraged to explore literacy tools and use them, and that then gets translated in the classroom. Play permits children to:

• Generate and work through ideas
• Build knowledge
• Make inquiries
• Take risks
• Develop problem solving skills
• Develop fine and gross motor skills
• Interact and work cooperatively
• Explore, confront, and deal with change
• Gain confidence
• Be expressive, and many, many more

There are various types of play including: free play, solitary object play, guided play, social play, symbolic play, and pretend play.

Free Play

Recess! Free play allows children to do what they want without being supervised, guided, or structured. This allows their imaginations to travel as far as the horizon and a sense of power is obtained.

Solitary Object Play

Solitary object play allows children to explore the features and properties of items as their intellectual skills are put to test. This development is enhanced with the exploration of blocks, dolls, toys, and items in the world around them because they are individually discovering the world and drawing their own conclusions.

Guided Play

Guided play encourages children to go beyond what they know or are comfortable with by having a parent or teacher work with them. This kind of play allows them to solve problems, perform tasks, and interact with more knowledgeable people, thus pushing them to do more.

Social Play

Social play occurs when children are playing with toys in a setting where other children are also playing. Although they may not be necessarily playing together, they are observing the behaviours of others and learning from it. This type of play encourages children to create friendships and socialize.

Symbolic Play

Symbolic play allows children to turn everyday objects into extraordinary things, such as a cardboard box into a house, or a pencil into a magic wand. Children learn to manipulate items and make them something else, which allows them to build cognitive skills and create meaning that makes sense to them.

Pretend Play

Pretend play encourages children to become creators and artists. Their imagination runs wild and they act out whatever it is on their minds. This gives them the opportunity to play with the make-believe and invent non-existent worlds that they then become a part of.

The preceding was adapted from The Cornerstones to Early Literacy by Katherine Luongo-Orlando, published by Pembroke Publishers.

The education slide is well-documented by numerous studies, which were synthesized in the 1990s by Harris Cooper, then a professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He found that children could forget one to three months of learning over the summer.

“While some people are aware of the learning loss, many aren’t aware that children tend to gain weight more rapidly when they’re out of school,” Scheiner says, citing a 2007 study by Paul Von Hippel of Ohio State University. “He found that kids, especially those at risk for obesity, gain as much weight during the summer as they do all school year.”

What can parents do to keep young brains and bodies engaged in healthy ways over the summer? Scheiner offers these tips:

• Journal current achievement levels. How do you know if your child is affected by summer slide if you don’t remember where they ended the year? Create a summer journal and, in the first few pages, document what they most recently learned in their major subjects. Were they adding and subtracting double-digit numbers? Doing long division? What were some of their vocabulary or spelling words? Throughout the summer you can track their progress and, at the least, maintain those levels – or maybe even move on to more challenging material.
• Try a weeklong educational day camp. We all want our kids to have fun during the summer, and they can. Enroll in the fun, active day camps that focus on art, music or swimming. But toward the end of the summer, have your children attend one week of math camp and one week of reading camp as a refresher.
• Feed the brain during free time. Kids have a lot more free time in the summer. With fewer scheduled activities, even kids who attend a camp may have more time to hang out in the evening. How can you feed their brain during this extra time? Visit the library and check out print books, audio books, educational DVDs, and even educational computer games. Many websites offer activity ideas that you and the kids can enjoy together. For instance, a free e-book, “10 Top Fun Wise Games: Making Learning Math Fun” is available at www.exploracise.com.
• ACTIVE-ate the brain. Getting active exercises both the body and the brain. Just like our body needs exercise to stay healthy, so does the brain to keep those neurons firing. Encourage kids to stay active and play outside during the summer and allow only limited, scheduled times for sedentary activities like video games or TV.

About Carrie Scheiner

Carrie Scheiner was inspired by her own children to develop the first Exploracise® program that creatively teaches math facts during a complete workout. Ms. Carrie created the award winning Exploracise® products and programs by bringing her math education background, passion for helping children and corporate expertise together to develop solutions for quality screen time, increased physical activity and kids education. Carrie Scheiner earned a bachelor’s degree in math with a minor in secondary education, and a master’s in statistics from Rutgers University.

From April 10^th to April 22^nd, the TIFF Kids International Film Festival is featuring a digital play space for kids, located at 350 King St. W, Toronto, ON. Brought to you by Vinci, a company dedicated to kids having fun while learning at the same time, this play space is sure to keep you entertained for hours on end.

Upon walking into the TIFF building, you are immediately greeted by an array of bright colours, smiling faces, and interactive technology.

The Funky Forest, to start, is a digital wild and living ecosystem that allows children to actively manage natural resources, such as a waterfall, in order for the ecosystem to grow.

Funky Forest

The Roomracers is a digital racetrack that has digital cars that drive around obstacles that children can make with everyday items. Anything from a spatula to a pillow will act as an obstacle for the cars.

Roomracers

The TIFF Kids Appcade is a station where tablets are accessible for children to play games in three different levels. The first level is the Curious, the second is the Confident, and the third is the Capable. Toddlers and parents alike will love this mobile arcade.

Vinci Tablets

The Mini-Makers Zone is an area where kids learn to use electronics while making robots and having fun with modern technology.

Adventures in Sound allows kids to take on the role of a composer, creating music with their voices, whether they want to talk, sing, or even scream.

Adventures in Sound

The Sandde 3D Drawing gives kids a chance to put on 3D glasses and, looking at a television screen, draw and manipulate different shapes and colours on multiple layers.

Lastly, the Green Screen puts kids in environments they would never otherwise be in, for example, coming out of a snake’s mouth or sitting between two chimpanzees.

TIFF’s Digi Play Space is fun-filled, educational, and a revolutionary experience. Check it out while it lasts!

Entrance Way

Funky Seating

Tablet Seating Area

Seating Area/Magic Mirror

Magic Mirror

For more information on the TIFF Digi PlaySpace click here.

By W. L. Liberman

TEACH Books | March 2012 | eBook | Adult Fiction

Set in the Sixties, Joe Simpson is a cynical reporter who has survived a nightmare childhood. He leaves the city and moves to the resort town of Applewood where he works on the Applewood Gazette. Coinciding with the arrival of the town’s first hippie, unusual events unfold: a young woman drowns falling off a speedboat, the assistant bank manager disappears suddenly, a seemingly ordinary farmer plants a hoe in his wife’s back, a dead fish is found jumping in the road, and rival biker gangs go to war. Big money is moving in as Applewood is courted by major developers. Joe needs to get to the bottom of these mysteries and file his story by deadline.

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