TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Dec 16, 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
Lingo Hut - lingohut.com
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Set your sights high to learn world languages! Find both visual and audio lessons. Choose a language from Chinese, Dutch, Japanese, Polish, Russian, or Spanish. A list of lessons with...more
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Set your sights high to learn world languages! Find both visual and audio lessons. Choose a language from Chinese, Dutch, Japanese, Polish, Russian, or Spanish. A list of lessons with tutorials appears and vocabulary for the lesson in your language and the language you wish to learn. Learn colors, counting, days of the week, common phrases, or more challenging language skills. Practice speaking using the microphone tab and say words on your own. Click on the symbols between the tutorial and the vocabulary to try the interactives: matching games, flashcards, listening, and tic tac toe.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): chinese (44), japanese (47), russian (24), spanish (105)
In the Classroom
This is a wonderful site to use with students to get a taste of other languages, including during study of world geography or cultures. Assign different tutorials that complement classroom activities. Share this site on your class website or blog as a resource for practice at home. Use this site on your interactive whiteboard to introduce and review world language terms. Obviously this site has many uses in the world language classroom. But this tool could also be used as enrichment for students or even an after-school club! Your verbal-linguistic gifted students would also enjoy learning and comparing basics in several languages. If you have ENL/ELL students who speak one of these languages, invite others to learn basics to converse with and respect their peers.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Reading Hawk - Clark Ness
Grades
K to 2
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Reading Hawk presents over 500 downloadable books for beginning readers. Choose from three categories: Dolch Sight Word Stories, Reading Hawk Library, and Single Word Stories. Download...more
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Reading Hawk presents over 500 downloadable books for beginning readers. Choose from three categories: Dolch Sight Word Stories, Reading Hawk Library, and Single Word Stories. Download stories in PDF format by reading level or choose individual stories to read online. Some of the stories also include audio to hear each page. (QuickTime is required.)
tag(s): guided reading (32), phonics (49), preK (254), printables (37), sight words (23)
In the Classroom
Learning support teachers, reading specialists, and ESL/ELL teachers can use this site to individualize reading materials for students. Share the stories on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share this link with your families using your class website or wiki. Send home specific pdfs for students to practice at home.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Math in Unexpected Spaces - Malke Rosenfeld
Grades
K to 4
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Explore and discover math in the world around you using ideas from this creative blog. Think about math through the eyes of the author as she points out the discovery ...more
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Explore and discover math in the world around you using ideas from this creative blog. Think about math through the eyes of the author as she points out the discovery of math in everyday places and events such as the movement of children and murals created from circular doodles.
tag(s): addition (128), division (98), geometric shapes (136), logic (164), multiplication (122), number sense (70), numbers (119), origami (15), patterns (64), problem solving (226), substitutes (27)
In the Classroom
Subscribe to this blog to explore creative ways for finding math in your everyday life and that of your students. Challenge your students to create their own "everyday math" videos and/or activities to share with the class using FlexClip, reviewed here. Share the videos using a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here. Have a Math Fun Day and share the videos and activities. If able, invite parents in to participate. Extend student learning and enhance student interest in math by sharing your findings of math in the everyday world. Use Flip, reviewed here as a starting point to involve students and encouraging them to share their examples of math around them. Start with a prompt asking student to share pictures of objects that include math and discuss the math concept involved.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SoundCities - Stanza
Grades
4 to 12
13 Favorites
0 Comments
SoundCities is an open database of thousands of sounds from around the world. The site itself uses GoogleMaps. However, some of the world maps take you to Google Earth. Recordings ...more
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SoundCities is an open database of thousands of sounds from around the world. The site itself uses GoogleMaps. However, some of the world maps take you to Google Earth. Recordings range from car sounds to airport announcements and thousands of other typical city sounds. Choose a city from the list at the top of the page. Choose from pins on the map or the list of available sounds on the page. View the site's database to listen to sounds by mood such as mechanical, rhythm, or weather.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (157), maps (209), sound (74), sounds (43)
In the Classroom
Use SoundCities as a complement to information found on any map to give students another perspective of what it would be like to be in any city. Compare and contrast sounds from any included city to what is found in your community. Talk about what development does to noise and sound. Ask students to create a list of sounds found in your community (or school) that could be included in the site. During a unit on sound, talk about the ways communities handle excessive sound, applying principles of sound waves and sound transmission. In world language classes, use this site to "hear" the culture in far off cities. Allow students to create similar projects using Zeemaps, reviewed here. This tool allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map). Students could also use Google Earth, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bite Sci-zed Videos - Alex Dainis
Grades
3 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
This YouTube channel covers a variety of science topics. Use the videos to explore the WHY that many students wonder. Some of the topics at the time of this review ...more
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This YouTube channel covers a variety of science topics. Use the videos to explore the WHY that many students wonder. Some of the topics at the time of this review included: Diet Coke and Mentos, Digestion of a Hamburger, Viruses and the Common Cold, and many others. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): dna (44), human body (93), nutrition (134), scientific method (47)
In the Classroom
Use the basic concept in each video to poll students about what they already understand about the concept. Uncover misconceptions, show the video to the class, and then discuss the concept at length. For more advanced classes, provide time for students to choose a video to view and research the underlying concept. Use specific videos to "flip" your classroom by assigning the videos to be viewed in advance as homework. To share a single video from this site without all the YouTube clutter, use a tool such as Clipchamp, reviewed here, or Watchkin, reviewed here. Students can create a mini-lesson which can be shared with the class or on a blog, wiki, or site. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos and share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Some video tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, FlexClip, Powtoon, and Renderforest.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lesson Planning Made Easy: Chalk - Planboard - Power School
Grades
K to 12
13 Favorites
1 Comments
Plan and view your academic year using this online lesson plan organizer. Integrate standards by choosing from Common Core, Ontario Curriculums, or your own custom-created standards...more
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Plan and view your academic year using this online lesson plan organizer. Integrate standards by choosing from Common Core, Ontario Curriculums, or your own custom-created standards (or IEP goals?). Select your own schedule by choosing days of the week and time periods. The site also supports custom rotations up to an eight-day length. Attach files, edit, set off days, or share schedules easily with links in the software. Print finished plans or save as a PDF. You can also email plans at any time. The free version of this application supports up to 100 lesson plans and 25 MB of storage.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (128), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Create your lesson plans using this application easily from anywhere you have computer access. Share lesson plans with other teachers when team planning. If you need a printed copy of lesson plans, easily print them in PDF format upon completion of planning. Use this tool to email "last-minute" substitute lesson plans into school.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Comments
david, TX, Grades: 9 - 12
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Desktop QR code reader - DANSL
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn what a QR code is and how it works. These little images have amazing powers! This blog post includes a link to install a QR reader onto your computer ...more
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Learn what a QR code is and how it works. These little images have amazing powers! This blog post includes a link to install a QR reader onto your computer (works with your webcam). This site/tool works with both Mac and Windows/Linux.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): qr codes (17)
In the Classroom
The use of QR codes in the classroom is limitless. Set up student computers with a QR desktop code reader, and it is easily assessable by all students young or old. Share this link on your website so families can download the QR reader onto home computers. Create QR codes for assignments for directions, rubric information, editing instructions, or the places in which to find resources. For a model, create QR codes to describe any part of the model. Create a QR code to go home on student planners reminding them about homework. Place outside your classroom door to describe your classroom. Add another QR code to tell your schedule, or learning goals. Send home audio announcements of special events to your families. When students are absent, create podcasts of missed class discussions, shared on a QR code. For study guides, provide a QR code with answers so students can self -check. Create a living history museum with in-depth explanations in QR codes. For vocabulary words in English or any other language, provide correct pronunciations and definitions of each word. Have student create QR codes as study guides or a way to present information. Create a problem solving page which is completed by each student. Using a QR code, scan to self check. QR codes can be used everywhere!
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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ClassTools - Russel Tarr
Grades
K to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
Classtools offers online game, quiz, and concept map generators to use in any classroom with any subject. Temlates make it easy. NO registration is necessary. Just start right in!...more
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Classtools offers online game, quiz, and concept map generators to use in any classroom with any subject. Temlates make it easy. NO registration is necessary. Just start right in! Make games public on their website or blog using the link provided upon completion. Templates include Fakebook, X
( still called Tweet) Generator, an SMS conversation (text message) simulator, QR Treasure Hunt, Fishbone, Random Name Generator, Burger Diagram (essay writing), Countdown Timer, and many more. Use the dropdown box to view the complete list of tools or search for a template. Follow the easy step-by-step directions provided. Some items are now considered as premium options which require payment; however, much of the site is free. Avoid the tools with the yellow "premium" banner on the top-right portion of the icon.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): essays (20), qr codes (17), quiz (67), social networking (68), spelling (95), twitter (19), venn diagrams (15), vocabulary (235), word choice (14), word study (58)
In the Classroom
The possibilities abound in nearly any subject area. Be sure to check out all of the free templates to use. Use the many tools yourself or have your students create a Fakebook page or use the Z (still called Tweet) Generator to present information in any subject area. Create a Fakebook page about a famous historical person or government figure in social studies or science class. Share the Burger Diagram for writing essays. Use the Arcade Game Maker to create practice activities for students who need the extra help. Create a random word generator with vocabulary from a science or social studies unit to review before testing. Allow students to create Venn diagrams to be posted on the class website using information from current lessons. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Save this site in your Favorites on your teacher computer! Use the embed code or URL created when saving your project to include with other items such as maps, videos, and images within class presentations made using Sway, reviewed here or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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