TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Sep 27, 2015

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

 

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Global Trend Map - Paul Bourke

Grades
6 to 12
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Discover what is trending on Google with the interactive Global Trend Map. Use the drop down box on the right to choose a country and change the visual appearance of ...more
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Discover what is trending on Google with the interactive Global Trend Map. Use the drop down box on the right to choose a country and change the visual appearance of the map if desired. The top Google searches for that country appear in a list with the top trend written across the chosen country. Click the Translate button to translate into English. Get the embed code to share this on your website or blog.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (157), maps (207), news (229)

In the Classroom

This site is excellent for enrichment during current events lessons. World language classes can keep up with hot topics in the countries where the language they are learning is spoken. Include this link on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Challenge students to compare and contrast trends across different countries using an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Have students create a presentation on any of the trending topics using Swipe, reviewed here.

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Scaling Everest - Washington Post-Richard Johnson, Bonnie Berkowitz, Lazaro Gamio

Grades
6 to 12
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Climb the icy path of Everest's most popular route as you experience this journey from the mountain base up to the summit. Scroll up to discover the height of Everest ...more
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Climb the icy path of Everest's most popular route as you experience this journey from the mountain base up to the summit. Scroll up to discover the height of Everest compared to familiar buildings. Learn about animals found on the way up to the summit, read fast facts, and listen to an audio of those who have made this strenuous climb. Read the related news story and learn how climbs will now be different from those in the past.

tag(s): field trips (8), mountains (10), virtual field trips (79)

In the Classroom

Use this site as an activator, introducing the topic of Mt. Everest, Nepal, or the Himalayas. This website would benefit a Geography class, exploring the significance of the Himalayas while simultaneously studying the geographic forces that made the mountain chain. Modify learning and have students create timelines of a Mount Everest adventure (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Enhance learning and have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about climbing Mount Everest from the perspective of the climber or a Sherpa guide. This is perfect informational reading (with images and charts) to meet Common Core Standards.

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180 Days: Challenge - PBS

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K to 12
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The 180 Days Challenge is based on the PBS series 180 Days: Hartsville documentary. Take the challenge as a teacher, administrator, or parent to answer problem-based scenarios related...more
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The 180 Days Challenge is based on the PBS series 180 Days: Hartsville documentary. Take the challenge as a teacher, administrator, or parent to answer problem-based scenarios related to education. After completion, view results that provide insight into your education style and how it relates to the current educational climate. In addition to the challenge questions, this site includes several video excerpts from the series featuring events such as conferences and a discussion of generational poverty. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.

tag(s): classroom management (128), professional development (395)

In the Classroom

Take the 180 Days Challenge as part of your professional development activities. Use individual scenarios as a prompt for discussions within your school or grade level. Be sure to share this site with other teachers and administrators as part of your ongoing teaching discussions. Use videos found on the 180 Days Challenge to discuss how your school handles different classroom situations.

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Word Cloud Generator - Jason Davies

Grades
4 to 12
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This word cloud generator is similar to other word clouds except it includes a fascinating mathematical twist. Enter any URL or text to begin a word cloud, and then start ...more
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This word cloud generator is similar to other word clouds except it includes a fascinating mathematical twist. Enter any URL or text to begin a word cloud, and then start playing with the different options. In addition to changing the font, take the time to play with the angle parameters. Move the arrowheads and rotate to view different orientations of the same text. Other options limit the number of words, the amount of words per line, or spiral and scale of the image. When finished, download and save the image as a PNG or SVG file. Jason Davies' Word Cloud Generator works on any device with a modern browser and Internet access.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): angles (51), measurement (126), word clouds (13)

In the Classroom

This site is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard or projector to combine language and math lessons. Allow students to play with the options for angles to view changes made to word clouds. Create and print word clouds with different angle setups to display on your classroom bulletin board. Have gifted students read how the word cloud generator works and see if they can create their own.
 

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Merlin Photo ID - Beta - The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Grades
K to 12
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Looking to identify a wild bird? Visit the Merlin site to download the Merlin ID app for any phone or device. When using a mobile device, the Merlin app asks ...more
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Looking to identify a wild bird? Visit the Merlin site to download the Merlin ID app for any phone or device. When using a mobile device, the Merlin app asks a series of five questions starting with when and where, followed by choosing a basic body type and other questions. View the generated list of possibilities to find your bird and identify it! Merlin is capable of recognizing 400 of the most commonly encountered birds in the US and Canada. When you choose the bird, data is recorded with Merlin. Read more about your identified bird and listen to its bird song. The Merlin bird identifier is designed for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. Note: When using Merlin on the web upload a photo of the bird, and then follow the prompts to place "pointers" on the bird image. The web version cannot be used to identify a bird and is different from The Merlin ID app.

tag(s): birds (44), DAT device agnostic tool (143), ecosystems (73), habitats (87)

In the Classroom

Use this app when out in the field with your students for any reason and for any subject. Encourage observation by students in identifying birds that are located in your community. Follow the identification of the bird by creating related art, music, poetry, or stories. In Biology, identify how the bird fits into the food chain. Identify the plant species that each bird uses for food or shelter. In Math, map the sightings of birds, looking at density of various species.

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Our Giant Pandas - Adelaide Zoo

Grades
3 to 9
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Learn about pandas through a visit with Wang Wang and Funi, residents of the Adelaide Zoo (in Australia). Watch videos, explore the panda exhibit, and learn about Wang Wang and ...more
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Learn about pandas through a visit with Wang Wang and Funi, residents of the Adelaide Zoo (in Australia). Watch videos, explore the panda exhibit, and learn about Wang Wang and Funi's family tree. Learn about their natural habitat, and the different types of conservation efforts. The videos on this site reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): animal homes (56), animals (281), australia (26), habitats (87)

In the Classroom

Add this site to your collection of resources when studying endangered animals, Australia, or conservation. Include this site on your class web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Have students create maps using MapHub, reviewed here, showing locations where pandas live.

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Tom Richey's YouTube Channel for AP History - Tom Richey

Grades
9 to 12
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This engaging YouTube channel offers an excellent variety of videos for AP U.S. and European History and AP Government. Additional offerings include review sessions about South Carolina...more
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This engaging YouTube channel offers an excellent variety of videos for AP U.S. and European History and AP Government. Additional offerings include review sessions about South Carolina history. Each video explains different topics in history through lecture. Videos range in length from one minute to over an hour. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (72), 1900s (73), advanced placement (26), american revolution (82), black history (124), colonial america (95), england (50), france (37), germany (25), greece (27), greeks (31), industrial revolution (20), jefferson (18), romans (33), rome (21), russia (33), spain (11), video (258), washington (25), world war 1 (72)

In the Classroom

Mark this one in your teacher favorites to find videos to use in AP History and Government classes. Be sure to share videos with students and parents, especially videos with study plans for AP tests. Create a link to this YouTube channel on your class website or blog for students to access at home.

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Prairie Pollination - The Manitoba Museum

Grades
5 to 12
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Visit Canada's prairie habitats and learn about plants and their pollinators through videos, games, and activities. Take a tour of the Plant and Pollinator Gallery for photos of important...more
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Visit Canada's prairie habitats and learn about plants and their pollinators through videos, games, and activities. Take a tour of the Plant and Pollinator Gallery for photos of important and rare species. Choose the Virtual Tour option to observe wild plants and pollinators in their natural habitat. Test your pollination IQ, create your own pollinator in the Honey Hunt Game, or go on a virtual museum hunt to find out more about other plants and pollinators.

tag(s): canada (23), habitats (87), insects (69), plants (145), prairie (6)

In the Classroom

This site presents the topic of pollination in many ways making this concept easier for students to understand. Share the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector, and then break students into small groups to explore independently. Consider using this site before starting a unit on pollination or plants. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here.

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CheckiO - CheckiO

Grades
3 to 12
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This resource is an excellent online activity to learn Python through coding challenges. Choose a challenge and solve the problem to move onto another challenge. Complete each of the...more
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This resource is an excellent online activity to learn Python through coding challenges. Choose a challenge and solve the problem to move onto another challenge. Complete each of the tasks to gain points and move to the next area. Designed for beginners and experts students will have to stick with it to be able to move past the beginning as the backstory is lost moving from one action assignment to another. The story can be the one item that makes this site different from other coding challenges. After most of the challenges, the solutions are shown. Create an account or log in through Google or Facebook.

tag(s): coding (88), critical thinking (112), problem solving (226)

In the Classroom

Allow students use a variety of different types of coding. Use this site to learn Python. Once students have used several different coding sites, discuss what they learned from the process. Brainstorm and discuss the following: What is the use of learning coding? What are the similarities and differences of the various coding platforms? Use an online interactive Two or Three-Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, and here, for the comparisons of the coding programs.

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