New ProQuest Platform: Liftoff!
Never before has the demand been greater for instant access to authoritative content that meets diverse user needs worldwide. Now, your input has led us to optimize the search experience in exciting, new ways.
The all-new ProQuest platform (details) will transform all our highly-regarded platforms into one consolidated search experience.
Over the next few weeks and months, your ProQuest, CSA Illumina, and selected Chadwyck-Healey products will be available on the new platform, and all ProQuest K-12 subscriptions will migrate to the new interface in 2011 and beyond. (Details for school customers will be made available as a timeline is approved.)
The new platform is one of the largest initiatives in ProQuest history and we are eager to share the news with you regarding the latest developments. A smooth transition to the new platform for our customers is our top priority. To stay connected with updates on the all new ProQuest platform, click here.
2010-2011 Linworth Books Contest
ProQuest is teaming up again this year with Linworth Books to give away professional development books! All of this year's ProQuest email newsletters contain an entry link, allowing you to enter once per month per newsletter to win one of four Linworth Books titles.
There will be two books given away each month per newsletter. There's no purchase necessary to win, entry details and book information can be found here.
Good luck, and be sure to spread the word across your school and district!
Support Tools & More @ All-new proquestk12.com
Summer is one of our busiest seasons here at ProQuest headquarters. After talking with teachers and librarians at recent national conferences, we set to work making our central proquestk12.com support website easier to use and revised a number of items, including:
Handy Home Page: You said our home page was too busy. We agreed! The new entry page is cleaner, clearer, and offers an interactive calendar for our free web training sessions and live @ProQuest Twitter feed. Give it a try, and let the new large images scroll to see what's new.
Standards-Linked Lessons Plans: Revised for 2010! Developed by experienced educators with subject-matter expertise, these activities have been aligned to national standards and developed for four grade levels and four subject areas. Activities now address all of our major databases, making this a must-download set of free lesson plans.
21st Century Skills Addressed: How do ProQuest research tools help schools meet the needs of 21st Century learners? Our new video explains. (A number of new videos went live this summer.)
ProQuest Central K12
Lesson Plan | BP and the Gulf Oil Spill
On April 20, 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded and subsequently began releasing millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting economic and environmental damage is estimated to be in the billions of dollars.
President Obama met with BP managers and forged an agreement that will create an escrow fund of $20B to help fund cleanup and payments to persons and businesses that have been affected by this worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.
ProQuest Professional Education
Differentiating Instruction = Key to Student Achievement
A major priority in education today is differentiated instruction. Ongoing scientific research on learning demonstrates that students achieve at higher levels when teachers and students have daily access to these basic elements of differentiated instruction:
Quick and easy access to a wide variety of relevant learning resources for both historic and current topics that students can read, view, and understand (Lexile details.)
Learning assignment formats that focus on topics/issues that are relevant to students' lives and interests.
Tools that help student organize, analyze, and synthesize information quickly for problem solving and critical thinking.
A variety of models, strategies, and assessments that students can use to demonstrate what they have learned to a variety of audiences.
Department Chairs or your Curriculum Director can assign Educator Challenge Questions to teachers that help them learn more about differentiating learning for their students here.
Free Online Training Opportunities
Our ProQuest product trainers are standing by to help you get the most out of your subscription. Tap into this month's free training schedules (by class or date) then register for a course. (Get dates via email: sign up here.)
New customizable posters, flyers, and other tools (full ProQuest titles kit) will help you increase usage of your library media center resources this year. Compliments of ProQuest!
Now is the perfect time to spread the word about your ProQuest subscriptions. Send links to our set of two minute videos to introduce students, staff, and parents to your electronic subscriptions. Click here to begin.
Top 3 Websites
Each month, our SIRS team scours the Internet for top-quality websites for classrooms and libraries. Dive into this month's selections: Hiroshima, Web mining, Lady Liberty.
BONUS: SIRS Spotlights & Challenge Quests
Constitution Week falls during the week of September 17, a very significant date in American history. On that day in 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 delegates from 12 states.
SIRS Knowledge Source helps researchers learn more about
the U.S. Constitution, its history, and its impact on American life and government
in this month's Spotlight of the Month.
Immigration reform in the United States continues to be a topic of intense debate.
Our SIRS ChallengeQuest asks:
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 gave legal residency to undocumented immigrants living in the United States at that time. How many people gained residency through this act?
Each month, our 
