TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Feb 24, 2013
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
Virtual Number Rack - Math Learning Center
Grades
K to 4
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Practice number sense skills using beads on the virtual number rack (similar to an abacus). Movable beads encourage you to think in groups of fives and tens while practicing addition,...more
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Practice number sense skills using beads on the virtual number rack (similar to an abacus). Movable beads encourage you to think in groups of fives and tens while practicing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division strategies. Add or subtract rows of beads using links provided. Display up to 100 beads at one time. Use the shade key to hide beads or drag the corner of the bead to move or change its size. Use the start over button to clear the rack and start with a new set of beads. Be sure to visit the information portion of the site for free resources, including a 10 page activity book for use with the virtual number rack. Click on the lowercase "i" at the bottom right for complete directions.
tag(s): addition (128), counting (60), division (98), manipulatives (8), multiplication (122), number sense (70), numbers (119), operations (72), preK (254), subtraction (109)
In the Classroom
View the virtual number board together as a class (or a center) on your interactive whiteboard or projector to practice counting and basic operational skills. Use this with younger students learning to count to 10 or 100. Create a link on classroom computers for students to explore and practice on their own. Share a link to the site on your class website or blog for students to practice at home. When finished, have students draw the problems they created and include the appropriate number sentence for each drawing.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks - RichBlocksPoorBlocks
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
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Use this tool to find the median household income of the US by each Census tract. Search by city or state. Or click the "little orange man" and drag him ...more
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Use this tool to find the median household income of the US by each Census tract. Search by city or state. Or click the "little orange man" and drag him to the location you want to view on the US map. You will be taken to "Street View" (see the street up close) to view the income for that exact block. Find the median income by color blocks.
In the Classroom
Propose reasons for the differences in median income in a particular area or state. Research industry, agriculture, level of education, and other factors to determine the reasons. Investigate at the nearby ports and natural resources. Why do certain parts of the country have higher incomes and/or costs of living? How is income connected to education level? Students can identify patterns that exist among the data. They can form hypotheses about why. Create a campaign to bridge the wage gap by suggesting ideas to increase salaries in areas. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Snappa, reviewed here. Teachers of gifted will find "rich" possibilities for discussion from this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Recycling Education & At-Home Activities - Republic Services
Grades
1 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn about the recycling process. View videos about recycling processes including recycling of specific materials. Use the Search bar for lessons plans about recycling. Also, search...more
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Learn about the recycling process. View videos about recycling processes including recycling of specific materials. Use the Search bar for lessons plans about recycling. Also, search for Infographics for data and information about use of resources and recycling. Don't miss the educational activities for kids in the middle of the page! The videos reside on YouTube. If your school blocls YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): earth day (60), energy (130), recycling (46), resources (88)
In the Classroom
Use the lesson plans on the site to learn about resources and recycling. Be sure to discuss what is meant by "Reduce, reuse, recycle" in terms of resources and energy (Infographics and resources are helpful for this) and why recycling is not always the best answer. Do simpler activities or lessons with younger students during Earth Day or Earth Week. Include this link with other resources about resources and recycling. Have different groups each become an expert in the processing of one of the resources and discuss the common steps and problems involved in the recycling process.
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Kinteractive Learning - BarryFunEnglish. com
Grades
K to 12
11 Favorites
0 Comments
Kinteractive Learning offers several free and useful teacher tools for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the dartboard selector to randomly choose students from your...more
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Kinteractive Learning offers several free and useful teacher tools for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the dartboard selector to randomly choose students from your class. Import your class from a txt file or input names manually. Easily edit your class list with absent students. Once ready, click to spin the dartboard, launch a dart and see what names appear! Open each tool in a new window for a larger viewing area. At the time of this review, the other free tools included a random name generator, scoreboard, and stopwatch. Access to all tools is available after registration with email and a password. Note that other areas of this site are subscription-based.
tag(s): classroom management (128)
In the Classroom
Use the free registration option to sign up for the site. Bookmark and use this site as a tool for classroom management, such as a way for choosing random students, keeping score, stopwatch, and others. All of the tools are perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Open them in separate windows so that you can drag off to the side if doing an on-screen activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Historical Thinking Interactive Poster (Elementary) - National History Education Clearinghouse
Grades
3 to 7
3 Favorites
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Think like a historian using this interactive poster! Consider how your life would have been different if you were born as a slave, an immigrant, living in the city, etc.. ...more
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Think like a historian using this interactive poster! Consider how your life would have been different if you were born as a slave, an immigrant, living in the city, etc.. Think about how your wardrobe would be different. All you have to do is hover your mouse over one of the quadrants and click. More information, activities, and links will appear. Each of the quadrants also has additional teaching resources. On the far left column you will find links to "What Is Historical Thinking?" a video, "What are primary sources?" and "What are secondary sources?" This site is content RICH and definitely worthy of your time. Some of the video clips require Flash.
tag(s): evaluating sources (28), history day (40), primary sources (115)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector and teach your students how to think like a historian. There are some interesting links here for you and your students to investigate. For instance, there is a link to discover how different the lives of kids were in the past. View the primary sources to look at what nineteenth century kids read, what their toys were, and how the clothes looked. There are also links for using primary sources, and surfing the net successfully. You may want to go through each quadrant with the entire class, or you might want to assign groups to become "specialists" in a quadrant and have them present it to your class. Have students create online posters on paper using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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True Tube - TrueTube
Grades
9 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Find videos related to social education, health, citizenship, religions, the environment, crime, and countless eclectic topics at this UK-based site. Though some are controversial,...more
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Find videos related to social education, health, citizenship, religions, the environment, crime, and countless eclectic topics at this UK-based site. Though some are controversial, this is a great set of resources for the introduction of difficult subjects to a class. Choose from subjects on the left margin, including Body and Health, Crime, Culture, and more. Many of the videos deal with worldwide issues from a non-U.S. point of view, offering a different perspective. Several videos have lesson plans. Be sure to preview videos before you share. Some do deal with rather controversial topics. If necessary, check with your administration about the appropriate use of these videos before sharing withe the class OR sharing the link on your class website.
tag(s): architecture (64), digital citizenship (89), diseases (66), environment (240), media literacy (102), mental health (34), persuasive writing (55), poetry (189), religions (75), sexuality (15), social skills (22), sustainability (44), writing prompts (58)
In the Classroom
Share specific videos on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Use a video to introduce a debate topic or as a prompt for persuasive writing. As a media literacy exercise, ask students to find another video (perhaps on YouTube) that presents an opposing viewpoint on the same topic as one here. Then challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own videos on this or another controversial topic being discussed in class. Share the videos using a tool such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cyberchase - PBS KIDS
Grades
3 to 7
1 Favorites
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Join Jackie, Matt, and Inez in the PBS world of Cyberchase, using the magical powers of math and science to take adventures. The "Motherboard" heads the team against the evils ...more
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Join Jackie, Matt, and Inez in the PBS world of Cyberchase, using the magical powers of math and science to take adventures. The "Motherboard" heads the team against the evils of the universe, Hacker. Visit "Games" to find interactives. There are printables found at the "Activities" link. And finally, watch different episodes (see Video) of Cyberchase to practice various math skills. After the show, find links to the math presented in the show. Examples of content topics include: fractions, geometry, math, weather, money, problem solving, using data, using numbers, science and engineering, pre-algebra, measurement, math and sports, and geometry.
tag(s): data (147), engineering (119), fractions (159), money (119), problem solving (226), sports (77), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Introduce math concepts in a unique way, using Cyberchase adventures on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site at your centers/stations to practice, use, and apply math and science skills. Put a link on your class website for students to use for review, reinforcement, and enrichment.
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