TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 22, 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
turnitin - Source Educational Evaluation Rubric (SEER) - turnitin
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): evaluating sources (28), media literacy (102), rubrics (33)
In the Classroom
Share this rubric with middle and high school students with your projector or on an interactive whiteboard. Ask students to suggest a popular site for referencing in papers and projects. Use the rubric together and evaluate the site. Break students into small groups and have them evaluate several sites. Make these sites you have already evaluated, and then have the students evaluate them until you know most students agree on what makes a Highly Creditable site compared to a Creditable or Discreditable site. At the end of the activity give a quick assessment. This way students who do not feel sure about evaluating a site have the opportunity to let you know. Consider using Quizalize, reviewed here, for a more in-depth assessment.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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X (formerly Twitter) in Elementary: The #Grammar911 Project - Victoria Olson
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): grammar (133), grammar review (31), twitter (19)
In the Classroom
Instead of using #grammar911, change your hashtag to a more personal one (such as #yourclassname grammar911) to avoid encountering public Xs (formerly tweets) and comments. Use this idea for other Language Arts activities. For example, how about #spelling911 or #punctuation911? What a novel way for all students, including ENL/ELL students, to learn this. Looking for more ways to use X (formerly Twitter) in the classroom? Read more about X (formerly Twitter) at TeachersFirst's X (formerly Twitter) for Teachers page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Global Flow of People - Nikola Sander, Guy J. Abel, and Ramon Bauer
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): continents (32), countries (69), cross cultural understanding (157), migration (44)
In the Classroom
Share The Global Flow of People with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard as part of any global studies unit. After finding the numbers of people migrating, have students brainstorm or collect ideas for the reasons of migration on a collaborative bulletin board like Scrumblr, reviewed here, quick start- no membership required. Challenge students to explore further and share their findings with a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What has the United Nations ever done for you? - The Guardian
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (157), cultures (132), united nations (6)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to explore on their own. Social studies teachers will want to bookmark this interactive for use throughout the year as students learn about different countries and cultures. Instead of paper notecards enhance student learning by having them use Simplenote, reviewed here, to take digital notes; tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions with you and their peers. updates across all devices Then, modify technology use by challenging students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to explain what they learned from this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vibby - Ari Cohen and Ivo Sluganovic
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): video (258)
In the Classroom
Use Vibby as part of your flipped classroom. Have students watch a YouTube video at home and highlight different portions with questions and observations. Use Vibby in any subject! Ask ESL/ELL and resource students to write text to explain concepts by rewording, or to ask questions about the parts they do not understand. Identify examples of foreshadowing in dramatic videos. Add questions to math explanations. Identify landforms with videos from different locations. Use the embed code to add annotated videos to your class website or blog. Share this site as a way to review before tests. Have media literacy students use the annotation feature to critique videos for bias, poor writing, weak information, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ProfRobBob's YouTube Channel - Rob Tarrou
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): angles (51), area (52), charts and graphs (169), equations (119), factoring (25), functions (52), inequalities (23), polynomials (20), probability (96), problem solving (226), quadratics (26), statistics (114), video (258), volume (34)
In the Classroom
Share these videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. FLIP your classroom and have students view the videos at home to discuss and apply the next day in class (this is an excellent option if your school blocks YouTube). Use the videos to introduce or practice any math topic and assign others from the series for homework. Be sure to provide this link on your class website for students (and their families) to access at home for additional math practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thrively - Thrively
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (63), differentiation (84), multiple intelligences (7), social and emotional learning (81), Special Needs (53), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Begin your school year with a more personal touch, by knowing what your students' interests are. On the teacher dashboard, examine each student and match interest to activities to differentiate instruction. Students can explore careers, apps, and activities matching their profile. With interest and strengths targeted, you can sail smoothly into a highly engaged class of individualized learning. During career explorations, open up worlds of possibilities for students and families to begin planning a successful path. Add a link to this tool to your class website for possible enrichment activities for families. Offer suggestions to parents for enriching after school activities found around your area.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Boomerang for Gmail - Bavdin
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): organizational skills (90)
In the Classroom
Let Boomerrang simplify your email life. Start the beginning of school with welcoming emails to each student/family. Schedule emails with newsletters, timely events, or parent conference reminders in exactly the right time! Design unit newsletters to coincide with your lessons time periods. Schedule birthday wishes or even schedule emails to remind yourself of an important event. You will never forget to collect all responses or assignments with a reminder email. Manage daily or weekly parent reports with ease and timeliness. Share at Meet the Teacher Nights or Curriculum Chats to help parents improve organizational skills for their student.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Drama Notebook - Janea Dahl
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): acting (18), plays (27), readers theater (10)
In the Classroom
Mark this one in your favorites. Take advantage of the free activities (labeled as drama games) in any class to create a positive class environment. Get drama students warmed up and then challenge them to come up with a game that is similar. Use this site as the starting point for group projects like having the students write and produce their own play(s). Let student groups select from the scripts, to record their own audio podcasts of a play, illustrated with a selection of copyright-safe images or student drawings. Use a site such as PodOmatic, reviewed here. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos of the plays they write and produce. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Create audio of ESL/ELL students performing the plays to practice English speaking skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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