Here are this week's features. Clicking the "more resources like this" link below each listing will present a list of our most recent additions for the same subject area and grade level .

Dead link - Summer Reading Extravaganza - Grades 3 - 12
The Children's Book Council compiled this collection of recommended reading - complete with a synopsis of each title - for children from toddlers to young adults. Display listings by age group, or download the entire collection as a PDF file. 6660
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A River Ran Through It - Grades 3 - 5
Here's a short lesson on water and hydroelectric power generation that also gets into the concept that building dams isn't always a good thing to do. The lesson highlights some of the practical things that engineers do while describing the importance of energy transfer and hydroelectric power. 6663
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Lesson - Hot Off the Web - Grades 6 - 12
Blogs are a way of life for most teens. From the New York Times' Daily Lesson Plan collection, this lesson takes a look at the tricky issues associated with the limits of speech on blogs. Should they be "anything goes?" Should authors enforce their own limits, and what happens when readers feel the author is sharing too much? 6667

In the Classroom: Try using this lesson as a way to illustrate choices and consequences of decisions about public speech. What are the implications for young people?

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Collabo-Write! - Grades 4 - 8
First, be sure that your students have parent permission to post work online. Then let them post their stories on this collaborative writing site (only first names are used). They can start their own stories, add to another, or even illustrate a story. What an incentive to WRITE! 6668
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Art of the Explosion - Grades 9 - 12
Fireworks as art? Anyone who has watched a fireworks display knows that there's art involved. This lesson shows the considerations of one artist in designing and producing a fireworks display in Washington, DC. The end result is well worth it. 6661
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What's Underfoot - Grades 9 - 12
Science teachers can take a page from this chronicle of a Vermont science class and their field work in local wetlands. Armed with their hypotheses, probes, and background information, students set out in an attempt to correlate red salamander populations with the Ph of the local water. There are lots of great teaching strategies in this one. 6662

In the Classroom: While not a complete lesson plan, teacher can use this lesson idea and format as a model for other inquiry-based science projects based on local circumstances and resources.

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Want to see what else we've been up to? Check out our recent additions.

Here are this week's features. Clicking the "more resources like this" link below each listing will present a list of our most recent additions for the same subject area and grade level .

Panoramas.dk - Grades 0 - 12
Have a high speed Internet connection? (Most schools do)The you MUST visit these 3D virtual tours of beautiful sites all over the world with your students. Read the Welcome message on the home page for directions and details, then explore the current features and several years of archives for 3D virtual tours from major world capitals to true "experiences" such as Times Square and white water rafting. Even the tour of a Banyan tree will amaze you. Bring the world into your classroom for geography, landforms, world cultures, foreign language study, or literary settings. Be in the midst of festivals or atop the Sydney Bridge. The site requires Quicktime. The Welcome section can help you troubleshoot. Or you can get Quicktime from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. Just be sure to share in full screen (high band) view , if you can! Click the FULL SCREEN QTVR FEATURE > ARCHIVE to find more choices. There is also a link to Arounder, a collection of European Capitals in 3D tours. 8298

In the Classroom: Use a projector--or better yet, an interactive whiteboard--to take students atop the Eiffel Tower, to the high Sierras, or aboard a Mars explorer. Allow student to navigate on the whiteboard. Nte that Shift and Ctrl keys alow you to zoom, as well. Be sure to click at the top of the 3D view to Read More about the image. These tours will make landforms real, culture come alive, and science a visual art form. As you introduce terms and place, use images! You could even use a tour as a writing prompt for poetry or descriptive writing. Include the link on your teacher web page for students to "tour the world" outside of class or feature one location a week to broaden class horizons on a classroom desktop.

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Interactive Whiteboard Resources - Secondary Science - Grades 6 - 12
This website provides numerous resources that can be downloaded and used in secondary science classes. All of the resources are designed to use on an interactive whiteboard. Specific topics include genetic crossing, writing scientific explanations, mitosis and meiosis, the periodic table, rock cycles and many others. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. 8273

In the Classroom: Use these "ready to go" resources on your interactive whiteboard.

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Idea Box - Grades 0 - 3
This craft and activity site for elementary children has links to excellent craft sites as well as a rotating feature of current interest. For example, in June, activities on Father's day are in the forefront as well as summer craft fun. Other subjects of interest for kids and parents include lunch box ideas, a music/song feature, party ideas, games,and recipes. There are advertisements (designated as "Ads by Google"), so you will want to navigate the site together to prevent getting stuck in commercialism! Look for the word "Activity" for links to the actual ideas. 8280

In the Classroom: Make this site available to parents and students from your teacher web page for vacation periods and birthday party ideas. Your students and parents will thank you! You may find that some of the craft ideas fit in well with classroom themes, as well.

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Virtual Courseware: Earthquake - Grades 6 - 12
Learn about how earthquakes are measured and actually collect data to locate the epicenter of one, using this simulator. The site includes images, tutorials, and analysis tools for real earthquake data. Students will be reminded of nhow longitude ad latitude work (don't worry--there is a tutorial!). They will also see how important math is in manipulating scientific data. You will need to turn off your pop-up blocker to use this site and be sure to read the System Requirements! The simulator uses both Java and Flash. The instructions are user-friendly, so don't be afraid to try it. Check the System Requirements button if you are having trouble making the site "work." 8296

In the Classroom: Even middle schoolers will be able to understand the earthquake simulator if you demonstrate on an interactive whiteboard. High schoolers can do it themselves after a demonstration, perhaps working with a partner. Start by sharing some of the aftermath photos so students get a sense of the impact of earthquakes. We do recommend that you play with the site a bit before using it in class.

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A Science Odyssey: Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker - Grades 6 - 12
Learn about plate tectonics as you manipluate plates with the computer and watch the resulting changes in the earth's surface. Read detailed explanations with animated images. Then try the Plate Tectonics activity to manipulate the plates yourself. There is also information about the various scientists who made relevant discoveries about tectonics and what they found. The activity requires Shockwave. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. or from the link right on the page. 8297

In the Classroom: Share the plate tectonics siumlator on an interactve whiteboard as you learn about the different ways that plates interact. Be sure to allow students to move the plates and name the resulting changes. To further reinforce the plate activiites, have pairs of students create animated graphics on slides in PowerPoint slides showing the motions of the plates and labeling them. This could also be an alternative assessment that shows real understanding. If they can add their own sound effects, they will really enjoy themselves!

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New Teacher Hotline Podcasts: Classroom Management - Grades 0 - 12
New teachers, pre-service teacher candidates, student teachers, substitutes, or any teacher seeking pro-active classroom management strategies and advice will enjoy the humor and practicality of these podcasts by an experienced teacher and an experienced teacher/supervisor/administrator. Those who join the site (free) can also submit questions that will be addressed in the twice-monthly podcasts across many new-teacher topics. Visit the site to listen on your computer or subscribe to the entire podcast series through iTunes syndication. 8303

In the Classroom: Listen during your drive to school to set a positive tone for the day. Better yet, get together with other newbie teachers for munchies and a beverage as you listen --and maybe talk about the ideas and how they might fit your situation. Beat the isolation and frustration of being a new teacher as you relax together with Mike, Glen, and some in-person peers. If you make it a ritual to listen to the entire podcast series with your friends, you may find the collaboration with Glen, Mike, and your buddies really helpful in making teaching the career you had hoped it would be. You choose the location to listen, and the podcasts will help with the rest.

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Free Typing Games - Grades 2 - 8
Build keyboarding skills with these free online games. The bubble game with lower case letters is simple enough for very young ones, since they need only recognize single letters.As students progress, they can move on to more elaborate games involving words (free downloads) or try the online typing test (also free). 8316

In the Classroom: Share this link on your classroom computer, teacher web page, or in a class newsletter so students can practice keyboarding outside of class or at home. If you have some students who have computers at home and some who do not, give the less experienced students time during recesses or after work is done to improve their skills using these engaging games.

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VoiceThread - Grades 0 - 12
TeachersFirst Edge entry: for moderately adventurous technology users. Voicethread allows you to upload images (from your digital camera, scanner, or even paint program), then allow students to record their own comments and/or narration about the images. Other listeners can "comment" back, as well. TeachersFirst is providing the link to the VoiceThread home page but suggests that you first watch this quick explanation about two types of FREE educator memberships being offered for classroom teachers (one completely free, the other after a one time fee of $10...so "sort of" free). You can click to go to the home page from there. Access to the ed.voicethread site (as opposed to www.voicethread)is restricted to grades K-12 students, educators, and administrators.

VoiceThread explains how to set up a classroom account and has some ideas for classroom use, as well. Ideas from the TeachersFirst Edge review team are listed below, under "In the classroom."

This site requires FLASH. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 8315

In the Classroom: Skills needed: join the site (free). You will be logged into your account immediately after you fill in the registration form. Watch the "One Minute Voicethread" to get a very quick overview of how easy it is to create a digital story. Set up student identities. You will want to "Browse" some Voicethreads to get an idea how they work. Use first names only. You need to know how to locate and upload saved pictures. You WILL need a microphone, either plugged into your computer or built in. They can be purchased for less than $10 at a discount or electronics store. Once you create a Voicethread, it can be shared by copying the URL and sending it via email or other means, inviting others to comment back. You can also decide whether you wish to allow comments and whether these comments will be moderated by you. Of course, you should be sure that you have the RIGHTS to any images you upload. Fair Use does not apply when you put an image on the web! Safety/security: TeachersFirst recommends that you explain the VoiceThread projects via a note sent home and obtain parent permission to post student work to the web, even anonymously. Then invite parents to share in the results (The VoiceThread classroom page tells you more about this). TeachersFirst does not recommend using actual, identifiable pictures of children. Let them draw a picture or take a digital picture of an object that somehow represents them (middle schoolers will love that idea!). If you allow others to "comment" on student Voicethreads, the experience can be both wonderful and a bit intimidating. Use this opportunity to promote ethical and kind interaction with other students and their projects. Possible uses: Elementary classes can create or take pictures, then ask each child to talk about the images. Each child can comment on the SAME pictures, creating a collaborative collection of responses. After a field trip or special class event, you can assign groups of students to explain each of the digital pictures you took and how they relate to curriculum topics. In art class, students can critique works of their own or of fellow students. In language arts classes, students can scan and comment on writing pieces as part of a reflective phase of the writing process. Or post an image as a prewriting activity and allow students to respond orally in an idea-generating phase. In social studies, have students provide a picture of a grandparent then narrate what they learned about that grandparent from interviewing him/her. Have students create narrated pictures as gifts (for parents or other care givers) for special occasions, winter holidays, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.. During a science experiment or demo, have a student take pictures of the steps. Then ask students to "narrate" them by commenting on what is happening. The narration assignment could even be a center activity or an assignment on a few classroom computers for students to rotate through. What a great way to review and apply key vocabulary! Be sure they identify their voices if you are using a single class account and want to be able to assess understanding. Other ideas: narrated local history projects (pictures of local sites), audio "museum tours" of artifacts (photos) or war veterans telling their stories along with images of their uniforms or old photos. Speech/language, ESL/ELL or early childhood teachers could use this tool to promote vocabulary development and oral expression.

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Want to see what else we've been up to? Check out our recent additions.

Here are this week's features. Clicking the "more resources like this" link below each listing will present a list of our most recent additions for the same subject area and grade level .

zwebquest - Grades 2 - 12
Have you been pining to include pertinent webquests in your curriculum? This site allows you to view already created webquests and/or use their online tool to create your own webquest without HTML code or web editor software. This site walks you through a tutorial on creating your own webquest for the parameters YOU want. The tutorial includes planning, building, and getting your webquest published. Best of all-- it is free. This site also includes ready-made webquests in nearly every subject area (math, art, music, social studies, science, etc.) submitted by others like you. There are webquests for all grade level. The webquests are free to use and many include reviews by other educators. An easy to follow webquest matrix is available, with all of the subjects and grade levels. You are also able to do a webquest search for a specific topic. Nearly all of the webquests are in English, but a few are in other languages. Note: the quality of webquests is completely determined by others using the site to create webquests, so PREVIEW before using any webquest in class. 9368

In the Classroom: Search the multitude of webquests that are “ready to go” at this site. If you are looking for a more personal touch, you can create your own webquest for each class, tailored to what you want to cover or want students to research. This site also provides a place to post a personal portfolio of your work (if you choose to include any student work, you must have written permission to do so from the student and his or her parent). You might also want students to create webquests as final products of group research projects. Be sure to provide a meaningful rubric for the essential features.

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YourDictionary - Grades 0 - 12
A definitive authority on words, this free site gives you definitions, thesaurus entries, spellings, pronunciations, and etymology results. Add to that list an audio pronunciation system that allows you to hear the word as well. YourDictionary also provides resources to help you find foreign language translation sites. It even directs you to medical, computer, or electricians’ dictionaries, and many more. Haven’t you always wanted to say a tongue-twister in the Asante language? Words have never so much fun. This site does include some advertisements. 9344

In the Classroom: Send students to this site to look up those difficult words. ESL and ELL students can use this site to practice the pronunciation of new words. Be sure to mark this site as a favorite or share on your teacher web page for easy access.

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Build A Neighborhood - Grades 0 - 3
This interactive site challenges students to create a neighborhood. The site provides a brief explanation about neighborhoods. Students can choose to create a neighborhood using a farm, a house, a construction site, or a castle. This site is part of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and emphasizes that everyone and every community is special and unique. Students are provided with several pictures to "drag and drop" onto the scene. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. 9370

In the Classroom: Use this website during your social studies unit on communities. Demonstrate how to use this tool on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students work in small groups to create their own neighborhoods (or individual computers, if they are available). Have students (or groups) share their neighborhoods with the class. Turn this into a language arts lesson by having students write a story about their neighborhood. If you have Google Earth available, show your “real” neighborhoods on a projector or interactive whiteboard and compare with the newly-created ones your students invented.

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MapSkip - Grades 4 - 12
Teacher's First EDGE Review: for slightly adventurous technology users. This online tool allows you to see various cities and countries throughout the world. The site features placemarkers added by users to interactive Google Maps including stories, photos, videos, and comments and ratings from other users. Visit this "story" we made in Reston, Virginia (west of Washington, DC) for a sample placemarker full of teaching ideas left by our review team “captain.” Mapskip allows you to zoom in and out (using the arrows) and scroll across the map in any cardinal direction. You can view the entire world, or individual cities. Red hands are used to represent placemarkers created by users. There are special features available for teachers upon registration. See their blog entries for more details about these features and ways to see only content created by your students or classmates. The Mapskip blog is written by the MapSkip staff to explain new features and tools. Registered members are able to comment on any updates there, as well. The videos require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 9374

In the Classroom: Skills Needed: Register (requires email and activation from confirmation email). Before you submit your registration, be sure to scroll down to request "additional features for teachers" with the checkbox near the bottom of the form. Manipulate the map as you would on Google Maps (zoom, drag, etc). Click to add a new placemarker, enter a "story," title it, and upload pictures or video. You need to know how to locate and upload files. You can also edit your profile, view places created by you or any author you choose to "follow" and more. You can "rate" placemarkers left by others, as well. Why not make our review a "Favorite"? Safety/Security Concerns: Membership requires an email address and user name. Use your “memberships” (extra) email account for such memberships, so you don’t clutter your mailbox. Register for the "special teacher features" to enable you to establish student accounts linked to your email address. Since this site has photos, videos, and stories submitted by members, always be sure to preview what you wish to share in class. The site has a link to click if anything appears inappropriate. At the time of this review, this website and its contents appear very useful and appropriate for intermediate and secondary students. Be sure to check your district's acceptable use policy before you submit anything to a website. Use fictitious names or initials for your students (or use the teacher features!) and be sure to get parental permission if photos, videos, or any student work are included. Since others can read, comment, and "Favorite" any entry you or your students make, you may want to discuss ethical behavior and help students build a “thick skin” to outside criticism. This is a good place to learn positive interaction with the public. Possible Uses: Even without joining, you can share PREVIEWED Mapskip entries created by others on an interactive whiteboard or projector as you study faraway places. Create Mapskip entries about historical sites in your local area, including images taken with digital cameras, artifacts from your local historical society, links to newspaper articles, or video/audio interviews of older residents telling about old times. As you study community or landforms in your elementary class, "mapskip” them with annotations of a local map, showing examples of landforms and local community landmarks with digital pictures. Allow older students to use the site independently or in small groups. Mapskips are ideal as a product for individual research projects. In world language classes, have students plot a trip or write an imaginary story of their dreamed trip to Spain or Mexico. Take your students on a whiteboard trip to the native countries where the language is spoken. Literature settings can take on new meaning when your students annotate them on a map. Have students "mapskip" the landmarks of an author's life and/or the locations in his/her novels. Trace the path of a famous person's biography or annotate a famous painter's works, using links to the images from the places shown in landscapes. The "story" of a work of art can include critical analysis, as well. Anything that has a "place" can be a mapskip. Have students map family trips or important places in family history and share the maps with parents!

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Word Duck - Grades 0 - 8
A variation of Hangman, the Dunk-a-Duck Hangman dunks the duck into the water if you can't supply the right letters for the word. Your students will appreciate the extra effort to help them spell when you put their spelling or vocabulary words on a Word Duck list. You can create your own personalized list of words after a simple, free registration. Others may use your list, and likewise, you will find many lists already created by other teachers for many curriculum areas. More word games are being developed, so be sure to save this site in your favorites. There are some advertisements at this website. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. 9367

In the Classroom: Pair students on laptops to play Word Duck or allow them to create custom wordlists for each other as review, using your teacher log-in. Add a new game as part of review for terminology tests and include the link on your class web page. Turn up the volume to hear the water splashing, the bell ringing for a right letter, and the duck quacking if you win. Or use headsets if the sounds are getting too annoying!

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Visual Geography - Grades 5 - 12
This site offers rich geographical information visually: through photographs. Students select a continent to investigate. (Note: all continents except Antarctica are included.) After viewing pictures of one country on that continent, they can click for a more in-depth examination and more pictures, listen to the native language of that area, click on another country to make a comparison, and take a quiz on that information. They can also select certain categories to learn more about transportation, education, religion, people, etc. 9279

In the Classroom: Use this site as an anticipatory set or “activator” to introduce a world cultures or geography unit or lesson on an interactive whiteboard or projector. This site offers a visual approach to studying and comparing other countries and interesting research information to use for independent projects. This site is also excellent for enrichment. Include it on your teacher web page for students to access both in and out of class. Use this site to introduce the countries your ESL and ELL students represent. Have your ESL and ELL students guide the interactive picture tour for the class. World language teachers can use this site as part of their cultural studies.

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Pixton - Grades 4 - 12
Teacher's First Edge Review: for slightly adventurous technology users. At this site, students can create, share, and "remix" comics. The "remix" link allows students to add their own twist to ready-made comics. Students can read comics created by others and also make comments on them. Other highlights of the site include a featured author and blog. This free version of Pixton will be followed with a fee-based version for schools (with teacher and student registration levels and safety tools) in 2009, but the free version will remain available. Eventually, the free version will only include a 30-day trial period. Be aware: the Pixton for Schools (if continued after 30-days) will cost $1 per student. See an example created by the TeachersFirst Edge team. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 9280

In the Classroom: Skills Needed: Register and watch “trailers” or play with the simple tools to choose a situation (template), color, graphics and symbols. Then enter dialog. Make changes with simple tools alongside each block of your comic. Save your work to come back later or you may "publish" right away. You have a choice about whether others are allowed to “remix” your work. You also have the option to edit work or embed it in a website, blog or wiki. Comics can also be shared by URL (copy it from the address bar) or sent via email. Safety/Security Concerns: Registration requires an email address. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. There are some safeguards in place to be sure students use appropriate language and actions. It would be wise to preview whatever you wish to share with your students, however, since the general public can create comics with their own ideas. Students should submit their work without identifiable names and location, according to your school policy, perhaps using their newly-assigned Gmail address and account (monitored by you, since you own the master account). You will also want written parent permission before allowing students to create comics that can be seen online. Possible Uses: Use comics to write summaries of current events, responses to reading assignments, expressions of teen problems, and creative works of humor. With younger students, use an interactive whiteboard or projector to create a class comic on a current topic of study, such as the life cycle of the frog or ways to conserve energy. Use this site to integrate an art and writing lesson. Why not have students create comics to demonstrate a concept in science or social studies, rather than a traditional paper/pencil quiz? World language teachers and ESL/ELL teachers will love the chance for students to demonstrate written language skills in the “context” of their comic situations.

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ArtRage 2 Starter Edition - Grades 3 - 10
Teacher's First Edge Review: for very slightly adventurous technology users and their students. Traditional art media become digital with the free ArtRage 2 Starter Edition paint program. Pencil, chalk, paint and marker tools smear, smudge, blend,and flow just like real art materials. You and your students can paint with thinned oils, use wet or dry markers, soften the pencil and control the hardness of the crayon, and much more. 9410

In the Classroom: Skills needed: ArtRage Starter Edition can be downloaded and installed on machines running Windows Vista, XP, 2000 and Macintosh OS X 10.3.9 or later. Check with your IT department or administrator for download and installation approval and help (if needed). ONly the need to download and install pushes this tool to the "Edge." The ArtRage 2 interface is simple and intuitive, with large icons which clearly identify tools and options. While the program has a user guide and the website offers a quick start tutorial plus several technique-specific tutorials, fifteen minutes of clicking on icons, exploring the menus and playing with tools will give you a good start creating works of art. Teachers and students who are familiar with standard paint programs included in Windows and Mac machines will quickly grasp the basics and enjoy exploring the artistic possibilities of ArtRage 2. The program supports English, French or German language labels on tools and menus. Possible Uses: Students can use ArtRage 2 to create illustrations, drawings and paintings for storybooks, book reviews and author posters in English or language arts activities. Math and science concepts can be explained through illustrative drawings, such as a diagram of a flower's parts or the steps in oxidation. Make visual represntations of mathematical operations or concepts such as fractions. Have ELL or foreign language students import images into ArtRage 2, trace and color them to create unique vocabulary cards and posters illustrating new words. Recognize and celebrate your students by importing their digital photos and applying textures and effects to create special birthday cards, awards, bulletin board pictures, and desktop signs. Share students' curriculum-related digital art projects on your class web page, blogs, or wiki (with parent permission) as well as your bulletin board. There are no safety concerns with this program because it is locally installed and does not involve interaction with the "general public" or social networking.

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Want to see what else we've been up to? Check out our recent additions.

Here are this week's features. Clicking the "more resources like this" link below each listing will present a list of our most recent additions for the same subject area and grade level .

Block Posters - Grades 0 - 12
Make a poster in a snap using this easy tool. Just upload your photo, slice it, and your poster size images will be downloaded to your computer--ready for printing. View the site's gallery for poster ideas. The pictures are downloaded into a PDF file. Adobe Acrobat is required. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 9042

In the Classroom: You could actually use this tool in any subject or grade level to create visual displays for your classroom or have students make their own (upper elementary and older). If you allow students to use this site, beware that the images in the Gallery may change frequently. What may be 'art' to some may be questionable to others. For art teachers, the use of this tool offers endless possibilities. Student artwork will take on a different air when blown up to gallery-sized prints. Teachers, think E-A-S-Y bulletin boards!

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DimDim - Grades 0 - 12
TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. So you want to meet with other teachers around the globe and your school can’t afford for you and your students to fly there? No problem. Sign up for free video conferencing through DimDim. For the free version of this web conferencing site, up to 20 conference attendees can communicate with each other. No downloads are needed. Power point presentations, graphs, pdf documents, plus more, can be shared via DimDim conferencing.

Warning—this is a commercial site, so upgrades on services are offered prominently. As with most high-tech sites, these upgrades to the premium levels are offered for a cost (DimDim Pro). DimDim Free is free. This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Flash. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 9802

In the Classroom: Skills needed: You should be comfortable exploring this website to see which features are free versus which features are offered for a fee. A fast connection for your computer is advantageous as you watch the various videos to learn about the site. After viewing the tutorials, why not experiment with friends or colleagues before embarking on a prestigious seminar. It is easy to use, however, the more you get acquainted with it, the easier it will be. You will need to impart knowledge of how to use this tool when setting up a conference with parents or colleagues. To get started, a quick registration is necessary. We suggest that you watch the tutorial videos after signing up to learn how to use the various features. If at any point you need to talk to a DimDim service employee, click on "Talk to Us." Type in your question and you will receive instant feedback. To host a web meeting, simply click on "Host Meeting." Create a name for your “Room” (that’s the place you and your attendees will meet). Next, create a Meeting Name (that’s the name of your seminar or meeting). Type in a description of the agenda so that others will know what information will be shared. Type in the email addresses of your invited attendees and an invitation will be sent to those people. Type in the Room Key (that’s basically the password your attendees will need to enter your web conference. Now, you’re ready to talk to a group of friends or colleagues. At the appointed time, your attendees will click on a link (sent to them via email) that will send them directly into your web conference. The free version lets attendees listen to each other. Safety/security concerns: While this site may mainly be for teacher usage, there may be occasions when older students will be using this site to conference with peers in other schools or countries. The content shared by others during the conference will need to be monitored closely. Possible uses: Applications for this site extend through all subject areas, as you connect with classrooms all over the world, exploring a vast array of subjects, languages, and social connections. World language learners will appreciate this site to talk in real-time to other language learners. Professional development is easy when the presenter invites up to 20 attendees to learn more about various educational subjects. Offer web conferencing through DimDim for students’ parents when you need to discuss details of upcoming projects or field trips. Save time and travel expenses, by chatting via DimDim! Have students “host” a DimDim session to “teach” others at another school about local history, news, or a current unit of study. Invite parents to learn from the students, too!

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Scrapblog - Grades 0 - 12
Teacher’s First Edge Review: For moderately adventurous technology users. This site allows users to create online scrapbooks including photos, video clips, and music. Users can “Start with a Theme” or “Start with a Blank Page.” Add stickers, backgrounds, text boxes, and more. Be aware many of the themes are free, but some are for a fee. The ones for a fee say "purchase" at the bottom of the screen. This site requires Flash. You can it both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 10061

In the Classroom: Skills Needed: This site is fairly easy to navigate. Users must be able to access photos (from several websites or personal computers) to use in the scrapblog. View the short introduction tutorial to learn more about site. Learn how to edit photos, add stickers to your pages, add backgrounds, add text, add videos, and more! There is the option to view the scrapblogs on full screen (see the box on the top right side of the screen). If you want to control the speed of the blog, you must have it on full screen. Once on full screen, look for the turtle and hare slider to slow down the speed. When completed, you can share your scrapblog via URL, on many social networking sites, or by printing out the pages. You don't need to register to USE this site, but you do need to register to save or share your scrapblog. Safety/Security Concerns: an email address is required for sign up to use this service. Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how. Classroom Uses: This amazing site has countless possibilities in the classroom. After a field trip, use this site to share the experience with families and as a review for the class. Can't take a field trip? Create a scrapblog of a fictitious "visit" to the historical site, showing what you have learned without even visiting. Rather than having students create traditional "book reports" or reports about famous people or events, use this site to create a multimedia presentation with photos, text, music, and more (include attribution for the Creative Commons images they may use). What would Jefferson have included in a scrapblog about his time in Philadelphia in 1776? Elementary classes could make whole-class scrapblogs about the important people and places in your school or community, using digital pictures you take yourselves. At Thanksgiving, have students make a scrapblog about the things they are grateful for. Share this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. This is a perfect site for students to use to make free "homemade gifts" for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Grandparent's Day. Here is a sample of a scrapblog created by the TeachersFirst Editors

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Newspaper clipping generator - Grades 2 - 12
Teacher's First Edge Review: For slightly adventurous technology users. Create a fictional portion of a web page easily by entering a fictional Newspaper, Title of article, Date, and body of article. Final image will be downloaded and not retained on any website except ones that you publish to. Note: Model ethical behavior: Do not plagiarize or use real names of newspapers or people.

There are also links at the top of the page to create: a newspaper, ninja text, wizard text, talking flowers, talking tomatoes, talking owls, a wanted poster, talking cats, a cigarette packet, talking squirrels, and a clapper board. Be aware: this site does include some minor advertisements. 10053

In the Classroom: Skills needed: Basic ability to enter text into fields, download and find the finished file. For file to be shared, understanding how to upload the file onto another site or blog. The "clippings" you make do NOT remain on the site for access later by URL. Safety/security concerns: You may want to prohibit or point out the links to advertising located along the side and the top of the site. As files are downloaded to the desktop, you may want to create a Favorites folder, or other “collection” of students projects in one place for easy work at grading time. Another idea: use a class wiki with all projects. Possible uses: Create a fictional account of a happening or description to identify the errors or determine the item being described. Create an account of a class celebration or a fantastic project that should be shared. Students can use this site to create a fantastic account of a vacation or experience. Use this site as a “first week” activity for students to write articles introducing themselves to the class. Have them use pseudonyms in their “articles” and share them on your class wiki or web page. A week later, have a matching contest where classmates must identify the mystery students! You could do a similar "famous Americans" or "important scientists" activity where students learn and share.

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Capzles - Grades 2 - 12
Teacher's First Edge Review: For serious technology users. Use this free online tool to create timelimes embedded with media that can be shared with others. Create timelines that include music, pictures and photos, video and text. Change backgrounds and customize your timeline for a personal and creative touch. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 10022

In the Classroom: Skills needed: Teachers need to be able to identify material to be used in the creation of the timeline and strategies to help students be prepared for student assignments (checklists, goal sheets, or presentation planners). Click "Create" to begin making a "Capzles." Use the buttons on the left to follow the creation process and create with the following: Add titles, description, tags, content and media, set privacy, and share. Watch a video tutorial to learn steps to create a timeline. Click "Explore" along the top to view previously made timelines. Click on "Share" to send email links to others. Safety/Security: To create an account, enter a login and password. The next screen requires personal information including email. Consider creating a class account for easier access. If students are permitted to have their own account, it is recommended that passwords and logins be maintained for those students who forget. Students must have individual accounts (email required). Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how. This site includes content contributed by the general public and may not be suitable for the classroom. You may want to send students directly to URLs for their own projects or use the site as a whole-class activity using a teacher-created capzles to spark discussion. Classroom use: Create Capzles that introduce new topics and content for great student discussion. Students can use pieces of the capzle to brainstorm questions, initiate research, and learn more about the topic. Capzles are an interesting way for students to tell stories about a project, research, or as a class activity. Use to showcase fun items such as "what I did on my summer vacation," "the story of my dog," family, etc. Create Capzles from the point of view of a literary character or historical figure telling his/her story. Remember to teach about copyright, since using copyrighted images in a Capzle would not be “fair use” due to unlimited distribution. Look for images in the public domain or with Creative Commons licensing and model giving attribution for them.

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TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through - Grades 0 - 12
There is nothing twicky about a wiki. Learn about this online collaboration tool: what a wiki is, how you might use it in your classroom, how to explain it to parents and administration, and how to get started. There are over 50 examples of activities you can do with a wiki and links to a free tool to get started. A fresh revision of the Walk-Through in 2008 includes comparison reviews of the top three wiki tools for education. We even give you the downloadable handout to send home. 7237

In the Classroom: This is listed as a TeachersFirst "edge" entry, but our step-by-step walk-through takes the edge off and makes your wiki a walk in the park. Check it out now, while there is still FREE classroom wiki space available from the three wiki tools we review in detail.

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Mrs. Cassidy's Leveled Reading Web Page - Grades 0 - 2
This site, chock full of links to interactive sites, sends the student to activities according to the guided reading levels used in their primary classrooms. Mrs. Cassidy, web creator of Browser Books (accessed by clicking link on this homepage), encourages parents to promote literacy by allowing their child to try the activities at home. Skills learned at each level will be reinforced by playing the games linked through the color-coded tab. 8808

In the Classroom: Teachers, click on the “Note to Parents and Teachers” link below the home page title. Mrs. Cassidy explains her log-in system for her classroom. This system rewards better reading and advanced games and activities by encouraging the student to advance through a color-coded system. You may want to duplicate this practical system. A word of warning: You may want to tell your primary child that “colour” isn’t misspelled, according to Canadians (British English).

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Screentoaster - Grades 4 - 12
Teacher's First Edge Review: For serious technology users. Create videos of how to use a website or application as well as your thoughts as you are navigating through simulations or sites. This free site records your voice and captures what is on your screen as you work on your computer. Screentoaster works with any type of computer platform. View screencasts made from other users which can be helpful in learning a new technology tool. Here is an example screencast of how to use screentoaster. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 10024

In the Classroom: Skills needed: Users should know what they are trying to show before making a screencast. Click on the "Demo" button to learn more about making a screencast as well as visit the "FAQ" section for additional help. Click on "Start Recording." A Java applet will begin to load and must be approved before being able to screencast. Many school districts have settings on computers that restrict pop-ups or applets from loading. Check with your technology department. Set your video and audio settings next. Click "Record" or Alt-S to start. When done, watch your recording, upload to the Screentoaster site, or upload to You Tube. To continue to edit your screencast, download the video (as an .avi) to edit with movie software. Safety/security: This site includes content contributed by the general public and may not be suitable for the classroom. The value of this site is to create tutorials to help students use a tool, but many students can also use this tool to create tutorials for other students. Create a class account where screencasts can be made. Screencast videos made by students would not be attributed to the student. Be sure to determine a way to know which work belongs to particular studentssuch as including initials or a group number in screencast titles. An email address is required for sign up to use this service. Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how. Classroom use: Consider making screencasts of navigating through websites you use often such as wikis, blogs, or simulation/game sites. Many students who learn these sites naturally can create screencasts as well to help other students. Screencasts can also be made on how to use various software used to create projects or multimedia products. Have students create web site critique “tours” to demonstrate a site’s bias or questionable/reputable quality. Have your students 21st century literacy skills by analyzing and acting as media critics comparing different political coverage, etc. by screencast tours. Be sure to share the screencasts on a class wiki or blog for further discussion and even outside comments (if permitted by school policy).

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