TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 18, 2012
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
High School Journalism Initiative - Reynolds Journalism Institute
Grades
8 to 12
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The High School Journalism Initiative is a large site dedicated to high school journalists, teachers, and mentors. Choose from several different options such as news literacy, games,...more
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The High School Journalism Initiative is a large site dedicated to high school journalists, teachers, and mentors. Choose from several different options such as news literacy, games, students, teachers, and more. You can view stories by teens, read school papers, find local journalism organizations, research colleges with journalism majors, and more. You can also find a large bank of lesson plans along with teaching tips, information on starting school newspapers, and links to featured school papers. Search the lesson archive to find lessons sorted by topic such as bias, ethics, or interviewing.
tag(s): editing (89), journalism (72), media literacy (102), news (229), newspapers (91)
In the Classroom
This is a must-bookmark site for any high school journalism or English teacher and even as teacher background for Newspaper units at any level. Share resources with students. Download and use lesson plans. Assign groups of students different articles to read and present to the class. The News Literacy resources and feeds are also useful for social studies classes looking at the media and bias as they stay up to date with current events. Challenge your students to go past PowerPoint and make an online presentation using Animoto (reviewed here) or another reviewed presentation tool from the TeachersFirst Edge to share their findings.
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Best Word Book Ever - kokogiak on Flickr
Grades
4 to 12
6 Favorites
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This clever Flickr page shows a comparison of Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever published 28 years apart. Placing your cursor over the cover images will give you pop out ...more
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This clever Flickr page shows a comparison of Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever published 28 years apart. Placing your cursor over the cover images will give you pop out descriptions of the differences in the two covers. You will also find images of some of the differences for the pages inside, with an explanation. Please note some schools block Flickr. So preview ahead of time! Also, remember Flickr does have comments from users.
In the Classroom
Do you still have a favorite picture book from your childhood? Consider going to the library to find a more current version and compare the differences. Have your students ask their parents if they still have a copy of their favorite picture book, and they can pick up a copy of the current edition to compare. With older students, you can use the Best Word Book Ever comparison to see the changes in what is politically incorrect now that was in the earlier version. Students then discuss what society valued at the time of the older edition compared to what our current society values. There are not just the gender role differences (policeman vs the woman police officer). Look at the wording in the older version for behavioral expectations, too. Literature teachers could carry this one step further and make a comparison of the expectations of society at the time of a classic (Tom Sawyer, Pride and Prejudice ) and what society valued during that time. Students could make one of these comparisons using a program like Bookemon reviewed here, which creates interactive online books. Make sure your students adhere to Copyright laws if creating online. You may want to work offline using PowerPoint so student products can include copyrighted images under "Fair Use."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Koshland Museum of Science Life Lab - National Academy of Sciences/Koshland Science Museum
Grades
5 to 12
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Explore the Life Lab and find why we age, characteristics of each stage of development, the science of aging, the anatomy (and images) of the brain, and how memories are ...more
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Explore the Life Lab and find why we age, characteristics of each stage of development, the science of aging, the anatomy (and images) of the brain, and how memories are made. Although this site is slightly text-heavy, there is a lot of great information that is well organized and easy to follow.
tag(s): body systems (40), brain (54), human body (93)
In the Classroom
In your science or health classroom, look at the functions of a system and how it works together. Use as a reference source or use as an example to adapt to your unit of study. Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Or have cooperative learning groups investigate specific sections/topics and create a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Canva Inforgraphic Maker.
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Candy Experiments - Loralee Leavitt
Grades
5 to 8
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Candy Experiments offers several great experiments to explore concepts such as sink/float, density, and color separation. Everyone loves a science experiment, especially if it...more
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Candy Experiments offers several great experiments to explore concepts such as sink/float, density, and color separation. Everyone loves a science experiment, especially if it involves food! Choose an experiment to find a list of materials, activity procedures, and a short explanation of the science. Some experiments also include a YouTube video demonstrating the experiment. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. Be sure to check out the words of caution at the bottom of the list of experiments before attempting to do them.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): acids and bases (7), colors (64), density (18)
In the Classroom
Use this collection for some fun science experiments for the classroom. Can't use food in your school? Perform the experiment at home and videotape or give students the directions to perform at home (with parental help). Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. View videos of the experiments on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and have students predict results before watching the ending. Have students create their own comics to explain one of the activities using comic-creation tools reviewed here. Some suggested comic creators are Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, ToonyTool, reviewed here, Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here. Some explanations are fairly simple. Challenge students to explain concepts more fully with "annotated pictures" using Annotely, reviewed here. Extend the study by having students research the chemistry of other foods.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quietube - STML
Grades
K to 12
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Remove all the clutter and "stuff" from YouTube, Vimeo, and Viddler videos. Check out the "Quick Tutorial" link to learn more! Drag the button on this page to your bookmark ...more
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Remove all the clutter and "stuff" from YouTube, Vimeo, and Viddler videos. Check out the "Quick Tutorial" link to learn more! Drag the button on this page to your bookmark bar. When you choose a video, click the bookmark button. A new page opens that shows the video without all the comments and advertisements. Send the URL of this page to friends, families, or for access for your students.
tag(s): classroom management (128), safety (71), video (257)
In the Classroom
Share "distraction-free" videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the URL for the clearer video on your class website or in assignments. Removing the comments and advertisements can make for a much better viewing experience. This is especially true of your ADD, autistic, unfocused gifted, or other special needs students. Less distraction = better learning experience for all.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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