Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Ignite interest in STEM and bridge the gap between learning in the classroom and the real world! Peruse from a variety of short 10 minute interactive videos that highlight real-world problems. Videos are aligned to STEM curricula throughout the US and contributed by partnerships with businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and academic institutions. Use the resources to engage your students in problem-solving and inquiry based learning. Videos and resources are found in the Science, Technology, and Math tabs. Be sure to click the Educator tab for downloadable resources to help you Plan, Engage, and Inspire with your students. While looking at the materials in the Educator tab, find a Best Practices webinar date you can attend (held monthly). This one hour training session is instrumental in using the interactive video and instructional materials to facilitate inquiry based learning effectively and increase 21st century skills in your students. Each video includes resources developed by Industry, lessons by educators, and education pathways for students seeking careers in certain STEM careers.

tag(s): STEM (263)

Function Carnival is a wonderful challenge to draw graphs to represent what is happening in animated videos. View the very short video then draw a graph representing the action in the video. Watch the video that results from your graph to compare how well you represented the action. Use controls to adjust your graph. Seeing immediate feedback shows if the graph represents the correct motion, and if not, your video shows your inaccuracies. You can continue making adjustments to the graph until both videos match. Begin by creating a class and choosing a basic, advanced, or custom "carnival. " Share student instructions including URL and class code to begin. Be sure to view tips and information about the site to make the most of all features.

tag(s): charts and graphs (169), functions (52), modeling (8), motion (49), STEM (263)

The first three weeks of school set the tone for the entire year. Even if you didn't have a "great" first day (or week) of school, there is still time to change the mood of your classroom! This list provides many suggestions for getting off to a great start. Although created for college teachers, most content is appropriate for all grade levels. Scroll through each section to find ideas for transitioning to a new grade level, keeping students' attention, providing support, building community, and much more. Although this site is rather "plain vanilla," it is packed full of wonderful "sprinkles" to start your year off great!

tag(s): back to school (63), newbies (14), professional development (394)

Create a customized start page including your favorite websites, RSS feeds, and social networking sites with Start.me. Choose from over 20 widgets such as bookmarks, weather, calculators, or currency converters to personalize content. Drag and drop widgets to any area on your screen. Change backgrounds using images provided or one you upload, or personalize using other options under settings. All saved information is cloud-based, so it is available from any device where you log in to your account. Create multiple pages for different needs such as work, home, hobbies, etc. Add the bookmarklet to your browser to add items easily to your start page at any time. The introduction video is hosted on YouTube. If YouTube is blocked at your school, view the intro video at home to learn more!

tag(s): bookmarks (47)

Practice antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms with the word eating frog. Simply click to match the correct answer. Practice your speed and accuracy. Your final score will be shared at the end. This site is ideal for beginner readers, but you must be able to read basic sight words. Students learning what antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms mean will also find valuable practice at this site.

tag(s): antonyms (14), homonyms (8), sight words (23), synonyms (17)

This site accompanies an episode of the PBS production American Experience, taking a new look at the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It was created in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of his assassination. The site combines primary sources with more scholarly articles examining the political context of his presidency and the policies and events we associate with that presidency. The primary source collection is rich and diverse, and there is also a nice contextual timeline of world events between 1961 and 1963. The teacher reference guide is designed primarily to be used in conjunction with viewing the American Experience episode itself, but includes important questions for discussion that are appropriate even for students who have not watched the full film.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): 1960s (27), civil rights (194), kennedy (19), presidents (121)

Explore Ancient Egypt! Choose from topics on the left such as hieroglyphs, pyramids and temples, or kings and queens. Each topic includes descriptions, maps, videos, and more to take an in-depth look. Be sure to check out the cool hieroglyphic typewriter for typing names and sending or printing secret messages! The videos from this site are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): egypt (46), pyramids (16)

Learn to draw, paint, or design following step-by-step tutorials from Artyfactory. Discover basic techniques of drawing and painting through Still Life lessons. Practice perspective, proportions, drawing animals and portraits, and more. Artyfactory's slideshows are an engaging way to increase your knowledge of art, art appreciation, and design.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): africa (137), art history (86), artists (77), bulletin boards (14), design (82), egypt (46), perspective (11)