Instructional Media Center FAQ's
General Information and Materials List
Check out the USD 231 Instructional Media Center!
Are you a fan of Bill Nye?* We have a large collection of dvds including viewing guides with questions to engage your students. Looking to supplement your Science curriculum or provide hands-on experiments but need ideas and supplies to do this? We have you covered! Foss Kits are available FULLY stocked including the materials you will need to do a variety of experiments and exploration. Below, we have highlighted a few of the Foss Kits along with other items available through the IMC. It is located in the GEHS Library. You are always welcome to come and see what we have available.
NOTE: If you are finding Bill Nye videos on YouTube, they are a copyright violation and the district can be fined for using these on district computers. SEE MORE INFORMATION about Copyright & Fair Use below.
BreakoutEDU Kits
Go to breakoutedu.com to see what is available:
username: birda@usd231.com
password: blazers
Buzzer Systems
Hands on Materials for Science Experiments
Build Literacy with Paired Texts
Foss Kit: Solids & Liquids
Foss Kit: Landforms
Foss Kit: Trees
- Observe and compare trees and tree parts, using the senses.
- Identify trees as resources that are used in everyday life.
- Differentiate between living and nonliving things.
- and MUCH MORE!
Resources for Electrical Circuits & Magnets
Foss Kit: Water
Requesting Materials from the IMC
WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE?
Find the IMC webpage under the Employee Resources tab and Instructional Resources section of the USD 231 website or utilize this direct link: https://www.usd231.com/page/imc
SEARCH THE CATALOG:
The IMC catalog portal allows you to search by keyword, title, author, subject, or series. Type in what you are looking for, then click on the appropriate button below (i.e. for the subject “space,” you would type space, and then you would click on the subject button). Be sure to check the availability of the item.
SUBMIT YOUR REQUESTS using the IMC Request Form below. If you do not receive your order, feel free to email birda@usd231.com or call extension 2647. If an item is unavailable, we will notify you by email.
Requesting New Resources
Step 1: Fill out the Resource Request Approval Form.
Step 2: The completed form should be submitted to your building librarian and then to your principal for pre-approval before forwarding to either Christi Whitter (Elementary) or Heather Peeke (Secondary) for approval by the Ed. Services Committee.
For additional information, refer to the Grade Level Resource Guidelines.
Requests must be submitted a minimum of one week prior to the Ed. Services Meeting.
Submission Deadlines:
August 31, 2023
October 12, 2023
November 2, 2023
January 11, 2024
March 14, 2024
April 25, 2024
Fair Use & Copyright
The Fair Use Doctrine provides for limited use of copyrighted materials for educational and research purposes without permission from the owners. It is not a blanket exemption. Instead, each proposed use must be analyzed under a four-part test.
"Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use" (Section 107) offers a set of factors to consider when using copyrighted work for teaching or research. Specifically, the factors include:
- the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
- the nature of the copyrighted work;
- the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
- the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The chart below is a quick reference for what falls under fair use.
IMC Staff
Virginia Wilson, Assistant
Email: imc@usd231.com
Website: https://www.usd231.com/page/imc
Phone: 913-856-2647