TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 4, 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
Daily 5/Cafe Pinterest Board - Jana Wilson
Grades
K to 6
tag(s): bookmarks (47), literacy (107), reading comprehension (141), reading strategies (96), word study (58), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Be sure to "follow" this Pinterest board to view new pins as they are added. Use this board as inspiration for creating your own Pinterest board for your Daily 5 links and favorite ideas. Share with colleagues and create a Pinterest board as you collaborate. Create a Pinterest board with links for parents to use at home. The ideas are as endless as your imagination!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Technology and the Daily 5 K-2 - Laura Moore
Grades
K to 5tag(s): literacy (107), literary devices (13), reading comprehension (141), reading strategies (96), video (257), vocabulary development (90), word study (58), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use all year while incorporating technology into your Daily 5 components. Post links to downloads for the apps you decide to use so parents can get them on their computers and mobile devices at home for student use. As you get into more and more technology for student use, you may consider suggesting apps to parents that you do not have time for in the classroom. These apps could be for additional at-home practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Daily 5 Technology - Jennifer Lambrecht
Grades
K to 5tag(s): listening (68), literacy (107), reading comprehension (141), reading strategies (96), video (257), vocabulary development (90), word study (58), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Incorporating technology for students into the classroom is necessary to meet state standards. Let this blog guide you and make it easier. Although the creator of this site is a 1st grade teacher, many of the technology ideas and tools she mentions are appropriate for older students and other grades as well. This especially pertains to the QR Code and iPad Creating, and Skype/FaceTime sections of this blog. Mentioned are several iPad apps this blogger is currently using with her students. One ingenious idea is to use Skype or FaceTime for your Read to Someone component. Primary teachers may be interested in Literactive, reviewed here, and Teach Your Monster to Read, reviewed here, that she has students use on her Chrome Books. So if you are thinking of, or just beginning to use technology in your class, take a look at this blog for an easy start or as a guide for new ideas to add.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Vortex: A Sorting Game - Class Tools
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): game based learning (171), quiz (67), quizzes (90)
In the Classroom
Develop Vortex activities to review any topic and save for use as a classroom center. Have students create review Vortex games as a study tool. Be sure to demonstrate how to make and share The Vortex before having students set up their own. Ideas for categorization activities are unlimited but can include categorizing types of animals, literary elements in novels, habitats, characteristics of geographic areas, and much more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Breaking News Generator - Russell Tarr
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): digital storytelling (141), images (269), newspapers (91)
In the Classroom
Assess students prior knowledge by creating a Breaking News piece to introduce a new unit. Replace paper and pencil and ask students to fill in an interactive KWL chart from Holt, reviewed here, or discuss in small groups what they know about the topic. Transform student learning by using their "Breaking News" in presentation slides by downloading the image from your computer. Then upload the image to a slide presentation creator such as Slidestory, reviewed here. Suggest to students that they do the same for their presentations. Use as a timeline of events for lab experiment, a novel study, historical event, and more. You might want to think about using this tool as a storyboard for digital storytelling as this tool could work well for storyboarding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Every Last Drop - Nice and Serious
Grades
3 to 9tag(s): conservation (83), earth day (60), environment (240), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a perfect addition to Earth Day activities. View together and brainstorm ideas about how you can save water at school and home. Have students brainstorm ideas on a collaborative bulletin board like Scrumblr, reviewed here, (quick start- no membership required!). Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos demonstrating ways to conserve water and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Toward the end of this presentation, it is stated that over 1 billion earthlings have no access to clean water. Research countries and communities who do not have access to clean water to see why and also what is being done to help them. Student's findings could be turned into a very clever digital storytelling project using Slidestory, reviewed here. Slidestory allows for narration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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FreeConferenceCall.com - freeconferencecall.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): blended learning (16), chat (42), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), parent conferences (24), parents (60), remote learning (61)
In the Classroom
Use Free Conference Call to set up virtual parent/teacher conferences with participants located anywhere in the world. This is especially useful when multiple teachers are involved or when parents may not reside in the same location. Share your screen as needed to provide information on assessments and student work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Great Human Odyssey - A World of Extremes - CBC
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (157), deserts (15), oceans (146), tundra (14)
In the Classroom
The Great Human Odyssey is perfect for use with an interactive whiteboard or projector. View the different sections together to learn more about life in extreme climates. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about one of the nomads. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast student lifestyles with those on this site. Compare the three nomadic lifestyles presented with the Venn Diagram - 3 Circles, reviewed here. Have students collaborate and create maps using MapHub, reviewed here, to locate places found on this site and explore areas close by. Students can add icons, text, images, and location stops!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tux Math Scrabble - Charles B. Cosse
Grades
5 to 9tag(s): addition (128), division (98), equations (119), galileo (6), game based learning (171), multiplication (122), problem solving (226), subtraction (109)
In the Classroom
Tux Math Scrabble makes an excellent addition to any unit on equations. Have students play games with classmates while discussing different game strategies. Create a link on your class web page and have students challenge family members.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Above the Clouds - Plus 360 Degrees
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): conservation (83), earth (185), earth day (60), environment (240), planets (111)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard. Use as a starting point for a unit on planets, the universe, or conservation. Be sure to include a link on your class website for students to explore at home. Introduce this site when you assign individual or group projects about environmental or global issues. Enhance learning and modify technology use by having students create a simple infographic sharing their findings for their projects using Venngage, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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