November brings a short month packed full of opportunity to collaborate with one another and be thankful for the return of a traditional, busy pre-holiday season. In this month's newsletter, we are excited to share an invitation to the SWMI Esports Finals, a few of our favorite tools and resources, information on this year's upcoming Hour of Code event, a variety of professional learning opportunities, and a reminder about the awesome STEM resources you can check out from Berrien RESA. We are here to help and support you and your students, and we wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Our Fall Finals event looks to be EPIC! Come join us on Nov. 19 at the Mendel Center - Grand Upton Hall on the campus of Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor. The event will kick off at 9:30 AM (teams should arrive at 9 a.m.) and will run until the victors emerge!

The event is FREE to attend and, with over 150 esports athletes, stands to be an amazing day of gaming! Additionally, we will have two food trucks on site as well as a collegiate scrimmage match! Come enjoy an amazing day of gaming and support the students.

As we head into this busy month of November, it is always a good idea to refresh the concepts of information literacy. From social media to podcasts to websites, misinformation is shared at a rapid speed and our students need to know how to find the facts. One of the best websites we have found for this is the News Literacy Project.

This wonderful non-profit organization has developed tools and resources for educators to use with their students to teach media literacy concepts. They have also developed resources for the general public to utilize to expand their understanding of news literacy. Check this amazing resource out today!

It's time to start preparing for the upcoming Hour of Code event held each year during Computer Science in Education week. With a mission to expose students and teachers around the world to one hour of introductory coding, this event is easy and fun to coordinate in your school or classroom. The links below will lead you through how you can host your own Hour of Code event. Or, email John and Amy to schedule a time when we can facilitate for you.

• How to host an hour of code event
• K-12 student tutorials
• Unplugged (offline) activities
• Going beyond an hour of code

The Michigan EdTech Specialists Group (METS) will be providing two daily professional learning tidbits via their You Tube channel the week of November 7-11. Videos will drop at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Subscribe to the METS Group YouTube Channel to access the amazing line-up of content, including Chromebook Accessibility Tips and Self-Pacing with Google Slides. After you subscribe, be sure to hit the notify button to get the videos pushed directly to you.

The Technology Services Department at Berrien RESA has a variety of STEM resources, equipment and materials you can check out for use in your classroom.

Visit our REMC Resource Webpage to learn more about the items that are available. To check out a resource, please complete the resource checkout form.

November ideas for STEM integration:

• Fall Breakout EDU Puzzles--Kit and Digital Games Available
• Dash Robot Turkey Trots
• Hour of Code Primer with Micro:Bit
• Hour of Code Primer with Dash or Dot Robots

We have lesson plans to share if you aren't sure where to begin. We would love to come and help you do an activity with your students or staff. Email John or Amy to set up a time.

We would love to hear your suggestions on how we can best support you. Please complete this form if you have some ideas regarding content you would like to see in our newsletter or specific needs in your district. Also, please feel free to share this newsletter with others and if you are interested in subscribing, simply email info@berrienresa.org with the subject line "Tech Tips". Finally, as always, feel free to contact John Phillips or Amy Dirlam directly for all of your educational technology needs.

The Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation or sexual identity), disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, (collectively, "Protected Classes"), in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.