An Overview of Open Court Reading on Curriculum Companion

The Open Court Curriculum Resources enables you to effectively and easily integrate technology into your English Language Arts curriculum. All of the resources are designed by experienced teachers who understand the daily demands and challenges of the classroom. The PowerPoint presentations, graphic organizers, and web resources save teachers time and provide quality materials that appropriately integrate technology into teaching and learning.

In addition to curriculum resources, we also offer a number of opportunities for developing personal technology proficiency and technology integration. We offer Teacher Explorations which are self-guided individual learning modules for teachers to develop an understanding of technology integration using a variety of researched-based strategies. Tech "how-to's" are short multimedia tutorials that provide the just in time support for those quick questions. Finally, we provide recordings of our online technology workshops, that can be viewed at your own pace.

Save time and enhance teaching and learning with Curriculum Companion’s Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources!

The Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources are a set of online resources organized by grade level and unit, which will enable teachers to effectively integrate technology with the Open Court Reading 2002 English Language Arts adoption. The Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources include:

		Presentations to introduce and build background knowledge for each unit and reading selection
		Internet resources to support direct instruction, Inquiry, and the Social Studies and Science Connections activities
		Downloadable and customizable graphic organizing software templates
		Suggested titles of video resources from Discovery Education Streaming and Learn360
		Strategies for using presentation and productivity software or video to support writing assignments

Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources saves teachers time!

You will find a vast number of pre-selected online resources for each unit of Open Court Reading. Students use the online resources to support their investigations during Inquiry as well as the learning activities described in the described in Social Studies or Science Connections. Teachers use the online resources to build background when introducing units and reading selections. Because the Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources have been organized by grade level, unit, reading selection, and page number, it is easy for teachers to plan ahead and include technology in their lessons to support teaching and learning.

What else is included with the Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources?

Teachers can use the presentations for the unit openers and reading selections to build background and reinforce reading and listening comprehension and writing skills. The presentations are available in 5 formats: a small preview file, a web page that acts just like the actual PowerPoint, a full slide and handout layout PDF file, and a full slide Flash file. We create all custom backgrounds and use age and content appropriate visuals in each presentation - all aligned to the content in the Open Court Reading adoption. Because we purchased many of the images, we cannot share the actual PowerPoint file without violating our user agreements. The presentations are a perfect way to provide discussion prompts, appropriate visuals to build background knowledge,and to reinforce listening comprehension skills.

Teachers can download graphic organizer software templates as Inspiration versions 7 or 8, or as a PDF file that aligns to the word wall vocabulary and reading comprehension skill(s) for each reading selection and the writing activities in the Writer’s Workbook. Your students can use these organizers to support vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and writing skills. If your school’s computers have Inspiration installed, you can completely customize the organizers to differentiate instruction and meet the diverse needs of your students.

Students can also use the Internet guide sheets to examine relevant and meaningful information on unit and selection specific web sites. These downloadable and customizable guide sheets are available in Word and as a PDF document and can be found under the theme resources.

Develop your technology and integration skills with the Curriculum Companion Professional Development!

Independent learning with the Open Court Reading Online Explorations for Teachers

The Teacher Explorations provide you with a collection of research and best practices articles, narrated PowerPoint presentations, short multimedia tutorials, links to important web sites, and templates and documents that provide you with background knowledge, opportunities to practice new skills, and the chance to share new knowledge gained as part of a cumulative project.

Anytime, Anywhere Learning

In a time of diminishing budgets for professional development, teachers must look to new sources to continue adding to and building upon their professional practice. The asynchronous Teacher Explorations are an excellent way for teachers to connect new technology integration skills to their existing curriculum, working on their own schedule.

Earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Each Teacher Exploration is designed as an independent learning module with activities and exercises to build background through research and best practices, practice new skills, and apply the newly aquired skills to your current assignment. The final portfolio and project can be submitted to our team at Curriculum Companion for review.

You can be start any of the Teacher Explorations at any time, working at your own pace. Upon completing a Teacher Exploration, you must submit a final portfolio and project to our team at Curriculum Companion for review. Each Teacher Exploration, with the exception of Exploration 1: Setting the Stage for Technology Integration, is 15 hours in length, which will earn you 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU ) from CSU Chico.

All six steps must be completed for the Teacher Exploration to be considered finished and details on how to submit a completed Teacher Exploration for review are on the Portfolio page for each Teacher Exploration.

Multimedia Technology 'How-To' Tutorials provide "just in time" support!

Narrated Multimedia Technology 'How-To' tutorials includes a library of over 600 tutorials that demonstrate how to use the most popular software applications with the Open Court Reading adopted curriculum materials. Teachers increase their personal proficiency with technology while learning to integrate it in their classrooms. The tutorial library is always growing as new applications come online!

Access Recorded Online Workshops 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Curriculum Companion includes a growing library of professional development resources including archived recordings of previously conducted live online workshops. These sessions are typically two hour workshops and currently number approximately 20 hours of training. Teachers are able to see and hear the instructor and see everything on the instructor’s computer that he or she is sharing with participants. No special software is required to view the workshops, and teachers can utilize this resource at their own convenience. As more online workshops are recorded, this library will continue to grow.

		Using Word to Teach Cause and Effect, Part 1 (50 minutes) Note: This session includes audio In this workshop, participants will review the basics of using Microsoft Word while creating a cause and effect chart to use as a template for students. This workshop will cover an overview of Microsoft Word tables, navigating the workspace, entering and formatting text, formatting borders and merging and splitting cells. In addition, we will discuss ways to incorporate Microsoft Word tables into the teaching of other reading skills.
		Using Inspiration to Create a Brainstorming Web, Part 2 (1hr 13 min.) Note: This session includes audio In this workshop, participants will review the basics of using Inspiration while creating a basic web to use as a template for students or as a lesson aid during instruction. This workshop will cover an overview of Inspiration, navigating the workspace, using the Symbol palette, linking ideas, and the use of the “rapid fire” feature. In addition, we will discuss ways to incorporate Inspiration Webs into other reading applications.

A trainer toolbox to meet your staff development needs!

Curriculum Companion offers a flexible face-to-face professional development program focused on technology integration into the Open Court Reading English Language Arts curriculum. The staff development modules vary in length from 20 minutes to 6 hours, and can be trained independently or as part of a larger institute. The scope of the 10 modules includes an examination of current research and practices for using technology in reading, classroom management with technology, an overview of the Curriculum Companion resources, and hands-on learning experiences on selected software applications focused on supporting the different components of the Open Court Reading curriculum.

In order to access the staff development modules, teachers must have a trainer account with Curriculum Companion. This account will give trainers access to over 40 hours of training materials, including facilitator guides, handouts, agendas, and all support materials.

Cool tools to stay connected at Curriculum Companion!

Submit useful web resources in the Tools section

Submit teacher created materials to include in the Open Court Reading Curriculum Resources

Curriculum Companion Yahoo! Groups to communicate with other educators

Follow and comment on the Curriculum Companion blog

Learn more about Open Court Reading Resources on Curriculum Companion!

For information about the Curriculum Companion program or to schedule an online presentation, please contact us at:

Instructional Technology & Learning Resources
Sacramento County Office of Education
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 228-2748
Email: sales@curriculumcompanion.org

Download the Curriculum Companion Brochure and Order Form to start your subscription today!

Curriculum Companion offers to two levels of subscriptions - teacher ($49) and trainer ($100). A teacher subscription allows access to all of the curriculum and professional development resources for all adoptions, all grade levels. A trainer subscription allows the same access as a teacher subscription, plus all of the training materials need to deliver over 10 different professional development modules to your school or district.

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