TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Apr 10, 2016
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
Tarr's Toolbox - Russel Tarr
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): classroom management (128), differentiation (84), game based learning (171), professional development (393)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this excellent resource to use when looking for new ideas for your classroom. Choose from ideas such as "Hands up if you DON'T know" or "Sock puppets in the secondary classroom" to inspire and motivate your students. Look to this blog to differentiate for students of all levels. Divide students into cooperative learning groups using different ideas found on Tarr's Toolbox.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Today I Learned - National Geographic
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (280), archeology (25), birds (43), dinosaurs (39), moon (70), oceans (146), video (257)
In the Classroom
Create a link to this playlist on classroom computers for students to view during center time or share a video of the week on your interactive whiteboard. Use these for journal prompts, quick writes, or topics to research. Have students create an annotated image of information learned including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. To share a single video from this site without all the YouTube clutter, View Pure, reviewed here, and create a shortcut to the View Pure page directly on the desktop.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Making the Grade - PBS NewsHour
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): news (229), newspapers (91), professional development (393)
In the Classroom
Use information from this site as part of your ongoing professional development and discussion within your school and district regarding educational issues. Have debate students use this site as a resource for topics or to find information for their viewpoint in a debate. Challenge students to read articles and write about how they would address the issues if placed in a position of power. Challenge students to create a multimedia presentation representing their viewpoint using Vevox, reviewed here. Vevox offers interactive features such as real-time polls and comments to keep viewers interested and involved in the presentation. Vevox allows adding polls, videos, embeds, web links, and PowerPoint.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Space - Time - Time Inc.
Grades
4 to 9This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Include a link to this site on classroom computers as a non-fiction resource for reading material. This site will be especially helpful for students with a high interest in space exploration. If you want to remove distracting advertisements, use a site such as Juicy Studios: Readability Test, reviewed here. Use this site on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector as you explore the latest news from space.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NBC Learn Free Resources - NBCUniversal Media, NBC News
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brain (54), civil rights (194), news (229), olympics (40), pi (26), sports (77), STEM (262), sustainability (44), video (257)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for flipped or blended learning classrooms but will spark interest in most classroom lessons. Use the search box in the upper right corner to find free content of interest. The whole class can watch the videos, many of which are parts of a series. Create a Padlet, reviewed here, for each group and have individuals or small groups view and extend their learning by sharing information. The transcripts and close captioning will be helpful for struggling learners. Transcripts can be used alone for informational text reading practice. If your school or district doesn't block YouTube, you may want to investigate the NBC Learn playlists here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Badge List - Knowledgestreem
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (147), behavior (43), classroom management (128), game based learning (171), gamification (74), organizational skills (90)
In the Classroom
Badges are the "stickers' of today and much more. Use Badge List to keep track of student progress with large assignments, rewarding badges for each completed step. Present awards using badges such as Student of the Month, Math Hero, Perfect Attendance, and more. Share this site the first week of school as you set up your classroom expectations. Autistic support and behavior support teachers will find this tool useful and easy to use for reinforcement and tracking. Gamify your class using badges as reward levels. Challenge students to progress through different achievement levels by providing badges along the way. Share student login information with parents so they can track progress and accomplishments at home. (Be sure to keep the login information yourself, just in case students misplace their login). Keep track of mastery of various topics or skills, much like a sticker chart! Students can embed their class badges in other sites, such as personal blogs, using the embed code.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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TinyTap - Yogev Shelly
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (147), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), quiz (67), quizzes (90), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Use the embed code provided with activities to embed activities on your class website for play at home. Create a link to activities on classroom computers. Create your own activities (or have older students create review materials) to include with lessons. Be sure to watch the demo video for information about creating your own games.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Requires download/installation of software
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The Guide to Pinterest for Educators - USC Rossier/Leah Anne Levy
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (47), professional development (393), social media (53)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to understand how to use Pinterest for your personal and professional use and also for student collaboration. Share ideas with other staff members to collaborate on shared interests. Discuss one section a month with your professional learning network (PLN) and reflect together how to make the most of Pinterest in your educational setting.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Creating Safe Spaces: Lesson Plans for Social-Emotional Learning - Michelle Manno/USC Rossier School of Education
Grades
K to 6tag(s): bullying (49), emotions (47), racism (76), social and emotional learning (81), Special Needs (53)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lessons offered on this site; many include suggestions for use on special dates such as Random Acts of Kindness week or Martin Luther King Day. Include ideas found on the site as part of your lessons that teach about racism and how it relates to bullying by others. Share with your school's guidance counselor as a resource for activities and lessons. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace paper and pen and enhance learning by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Penzu, reviewed here. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to create a blog using Edublog, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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YOUGLISH - Youglish
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): dictionaries (48), multilingual (65), pronunciation (33), vocabulary (235)
In the Classroom
YOUGLISH is a helpful site for ENL/ESL learners or students encountering new words for the first time. Be sure to activate the Restricted Mode on all devices using YOUGLISH. Look for the (RM) logo while students are using this tool. Since inappropriate content can be search and displayed, this is best used with teacher direction as a group activity, perhaps using an interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Go! Ask, Act, Achieve - INFOhio
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): citations (34), digital citizenship (89), evaluating sources (28), inquiry (24), media literacy (102), organizational skills (90), Research (83), search strategies (23)
In the Classroom
Go! Ask, Act, Achieve is an easy-to-use introduction which demystifies and simplifies teaching the research process. Use this to meet the Common Core standards for research in a content area. Have students work through the site in sequence or pull out areas to teach skills, as needed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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