Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Deep Space Sparkle is an out of this world site that provides art lesson plans, student examples, tutorials, tips, and techniques. Are you looking to become art smart? Are your students craving creativity? These ideas are classroom tested and teacher approved. Perfect for art or classroom teachers in grades K-6, this site was developed by an elementary art teacher. Lesson plans are organized by subject, grade, and techniques. Use the search box to find specific lessons. Visit the "Art Basics" section to build your background or review art vocabulary found in the lessons. Go "Inside the Art Room" for information on classroom management, organization, supplies, and how-to videos. The posts are detailed and provide insight with authentic classroom experiences. Don't forget to dig through the "Scrap Box" section of the site for more great art information! Blog posts, book reviews, and art shows are just a few of the items located in the "Scrap Box" section. At the time of this review, there were also a few Common Core and the Arts blog posts. Deep Space Sparkle is free, but offers eBooks and eCourses for purchase. This review was for the FREE portion only. Don't forget to subscribe to the Deep Space Sparkle mailing list to receive updates.
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tag(s): architecture (64), art history (86), artists (77), design (83)

This YouTube channel teaches scientific concepts in an easy to understand style. The channel includes a variety of short videos ranging from 3 to 10 minutes. There are videos for primary students as well as high school students. New videos are released weekly, and viewers are encouraged to add their suggestions for future videos. The wide variety includes just about every topic in Science. Note: Constant additions mean that adults will want to preview in case recent additions are not appropriate for your audience. One page load included a video about "How Weed Works," possibly appropriate during a drug and alcohol study, but not elsewhere? Be sure to check whether YouTube is blocked at your school and download videos prior to class if necessary.

tag(s): video (257)

This article announces and explains a one stop archive of field research journals and other documents. Click the text link "View all Field Book Project records on Collection Search Center" to search from a wide variety of examples of scientific fieldbooks. Use the search functions to find specific journals related to many fields in Biology and Geology. Click to view each electronic resource in a pop up window.

tag(s): field trips (8), geology (64), journals (15), scientific method (47)

Tableizer is a "cool tool" for creating HTML code to show spreadsheet data in table format. No one wants to learn how to write HTML (web page code) to make tables, but adding a table to your blog is sometimes a must to line up information into columns. Copy and paste your cells from Excel, Calc, or other spreadsheets into the box provided. Choose options such as font size and style and color. Click the Tableize it! button to view the HTML code along with a preview of the results. Copy and paste the HTML code into any web page you create, such as your blog or wiki. The best part: no registration is required.
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tag(s): blogs (66), data (147), spreadsheets (23)

State legislatures in the US are considering thousands of bills that will influence energy systems and how energy is purchased and used. This tool is an online database to identify possible changes in energy policy without having to gain access from a variety of sources. The tracker identifies bills organized into the following categories: Electricity Generation, Energy Efficiency, Financing, Regulatory, Natural Gas, Emissions, Transportation, Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Other Energy. Search across all 50 states or choose from a selection of states. Identify proposed bills, action on the bills, and information about the sponsors of the bill. The database also shows an analysis of policy trends.

tag(s): debate (37), energy (130), environment (240), persuasive writing (55), politics (112), solar energy (34)

Find Medieval and Middle Ages Timelines related to England, Scotland, and Wales. TimeRef includes detailed timelines, information about key medieval episodes, biographies of medieval people, photographs of medieval places, maps and 3D CGI reconstructions of ruined castles and abbeys. Reference information on British Medieval history from 800AD through 1499AD. Explore TimeRef's contents as sorted into four main classifications: timelines, episodes (see 3D mote and bailey castle or play a 3D adventure game), people, and maps and places. Use the search tool and provided categories to narrow down information into manageable pieces or to find specific people, locations, or information.
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tag(s): britain (27), medieval (31), timelines (49)

Do you wish you had enough time in your schedule for one-on-one personalized writing conferences with your students or writers you know? Kaizena (previously 121Writing) can make that dream a reality. Kaizena allows you to give feedback on writing via an audio recording. Writers often have difficulty reading the margin notes from teachers or other readers, or they need more explanation. An audio recording of the feedback provides a personalized experience to enhance the writing process. Kaizena works best by synching with your Google Drive account. There is an option at the bottom of the page to sign up by sending in your name and email address. However, this can take a while, so plan ahead! Sign in with your Google account to watch a helpful video and learn how to connect to your Google Drive account or school Google Apps account.

Start by highlighting a text selection, hit record, and provide your feedback. Writers will be able to listen to your feedback and revise or edit their writing as though you were face to face. Tag your highlighted text with keywords that can be tracked in a mastery-based rubric. You could tag conventional errors, mistakes, or selections that are amazing. Verbal feedback can be played on an iPad so students can listen in the best learning environment to meet their needs. Writers will progress as you enhance the writing process with explicit audio feedback. Kaizena can enhance feedback for written work for any school subject or even outside of school. With the free Kaizena you can create up to 5 lessons.

tag(s): communication (136), editing (92), process writing (38), writing (315)

Learn about a variety of Invasive Pests. Identify them by their mug shots, learn how they spread, and view affected states. Click on the link to view the entire United States. Choose the state you want to explore. Find a list of the pests and information.

tag(s): ecosystems (72), environment (240), insects (69), species (15)