TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jul 31, 2011

Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive

 

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Clorox Classrooms - The Clorox Company

Grades
K to 5
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Clorox Classrooms is designed to help teachers or parents explain good hygiene practices and the importance of protecting yourself against "germs" and bacteria as well as where to find...more
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Clorox Classrooms is designed to help teachers or parents explain good hygiene practices and the importance of protecting yourself against "germs" and bacteria as well as where to find them in school and at home. Lesson plans, whiteboard interactives, and take home activities are all included here. Links lead to grants to be applied for by classroom teachers and coupons for Clorox products.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): bacteria (21), diseases (66), hygiene (9)

In the Classroom

Find great lesson plans that would be great in a health and science cross curricular unit. Students use simple tools such as thermometers and more to collect data and compare results. For a creative extension and informational writing activity, have students create their own "germ" profiles by using a paint program to draw a picture of an imaginary germ, its f vorite environment, and the things humans can do to keep it under control. Use a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here, to upload student-drawn images and have students narrate about them.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Hohli - Charts Builder/Anton Shevchuk

Grades
2 to 12
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Create charts and graphs easily and instantly using this site. Choose the type of chart and enter your information or data. You can change the type of chart after entering ...more
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Create charts and graphs easily and instantly using this site. Choose the type of chart and enter your information or data. You can change the type of chart after entering data simply by clicking the chart type! Be sure to enter the maximum values and information for setting up the chart, including grid information and backgrounds. Click on the question mark bubbles for more information about each field. As you enter the data and change the parameters, view a thumbnail of the chart along the right. Click on the small thumbnail view of the char at the right to see it larger. You can copy the chart URL, embed it, or right click on it to save it.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): charts and graphs (169)

In the Classroom

You will want to play with this tool before using it in class, but it is very simple to use. Use anywhere numerical data is collected and is best shown in a chart. Collect data in a science, survey, or math class and display it using different graphs to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using each graph type. Use for quick creation and sharing of created graphs. Create charts together easily on an interactive whiteboard when introducing the different types to elementary students. Have students operate the board so their peers can see how the tool works and give each other oral directions as they problem solve together. Then make the chart site a small group center during math class for further practice on a computer or interactive whiteboard. Save this site in your favorites for quick retrieval any time students need to make a quick chart. For student practice, have them chart time spent on homework or hobbies, favorite pets, etc. Reinforce good study habits in middle school by having students make charts of their average grades or time spent on independent reading.

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Word Spy - Paul McFedries

Grades
6 to 12
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This word definition site offers the very latest terms, hip language, and slang. Words like "daycation" and "post-Potter" are here before they make it to a dictionary; some will never...more
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This word definition site offers the very latest terms, hip language, and slang. Words like "daycation" and "post-Potter" are here before they make it to a dictionary; some will never be in a standard reference, but when they come up in modern parlance, they are here. By clicking on "more information," you can find the word's earliest usage and date. You are also able to comment on the words. The information also features related words and vocabulary categories. You can also search by category.

tag(s): dictionaries (48), slang (15), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (90), word study (58)

In the Classroom

This is a great find for gifted students, those working to advance their vocabulary levels, and for ESL/ELL students who may be puzzled by rapidly changing idiomatic language around them. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class for future reference. When teaching word study, such as roots and affixes, include this site to show how new words evolve and that language is a living thing. Perhaps even share a word a day from this site for students to guess the definition.

During a study of dictionary skills, discuss with students how new words might come to be in the dictionary. Have small groups of students brainstorm slang words they've heard around school and their neighborhoods. Once they have their list, they can look these words up on Word Spy. For any word that isn't there, have them create an online, interactive poster using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or simple web page using Jimdo, reviewed here, as a page that could be included in Word Spy.

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