TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 30, 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
Google Scholar - Google
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): citations (34), search engines (50)
In the Classroom
Use this great resource to organize and compare research found on the Internet. Consider creating a class Google account to collect materials found throughout the school year. Be sure to talk to students about how to organize and share information and sources. Students can maintain their own archive and show their collection at the end of the year. This tool will also be very handy for graduate projects teachers may be doing.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Hypothesis - Dan Whaley
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): citations (34), collaboration (87), note taking (34)
In the Classroom
Use Hypothesis as part of your flipped classroom. Annotate and share web resources with students and ask them to contribute notes and additional information. Ask ENL/ELL and resource students to write text to explain concepts by rewording, or to ask questions about the parts they do not understand. Add questions to math explanations, highlight landforms, or discuss information on maps. Share with students for use when collaborating on research projects. Install the Hypothesis bookmark on classroom computers for use at any time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Noplag - Noplag LLC
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): copyright (46), evaluating sources (28), plagiarism (34), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Teach students about plagiarism and how to avoid it; it is a critical skill in all the content areas. Noplag is an easy place to introduce the concepts and have students check their writing without registering. Demonstrate how to use the tool to the whole class using a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students register for additional options. Emphasize to students that they have the ability and the obligation to check their work for honesty.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Primary vs Secondary Sources - The Minnesota Historical Society
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): evaluating sources (28), primary sources (117), Research (83), video (258)
In the Classroom
Share this video with students as they begin any research project. Be sure to add a link to this site on your class website for reference at home. Have students create a simple infographic with examples of both types of resources using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. Have students upload a photo they have taken of a source and add an explanation about why it fits into a particular category using a tool such as Add Text, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Kiddle - Google
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): search engines (50)
In the Classroom
Use Kiddle as the default search engine on classroom computers. Share on an interactive whiteboard or projector and demonstrate how to search using the different options, and how to choose keywords that make searching easier. Share a link on your class website and in your classroom newsletter for parents to use at home. Learning support and ESL/ELL students will appreciate being able to search without as much reading. Even very young students can LOOK for a site using this search tool, assuming they can type just a little bit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
R4S: Research for Success - INFOhio
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): citations (34), classroom management (128), digital citizenship (89), evaluating sources (28), inquiry (24), media literacy (102), note taking (34), organizational skills (90), plagiarism (34), Research (83), search strategies (23)
In the Classroom
R4S would be perfect for use as a blended-learning or the flipped classroom experience for upper high school into the first year of college. You can have students work online, or you can download into your course management system. Have students work through all the steps as part of a research assignment, or use only the parts relevant to them. Teachers need to register to receive the text copy of the helpful teacher's guide. Use the site in any subject or curriculum area.Comments
Will be integrating this unit into freshman comp at the community college where I teach researched argument, the first English class students are required to complete.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
George Washington's Mount Vernon - Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): american revolution (82), presidents (121), primary sources (117), slavery (75), washington (25)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark and save this site for use with any President's Day or American Revolution lessons. Take advantage of the free lesson plans for use in your classroom. Create a link to maps and animated presentations on classroom computers for students to explore on their own. You may also want students to take a virtual tour of George Washington's Mount Vernon, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about George or Martha Washington, one of his slaves, or a soldier in his army. Have students create timelines (it can include text, images and collaboration) about the life of George Washington using Sutori, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Classroom Materials - Primary Source Sets - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): 20th century (59), authors (103), black history (124), civil war (134), constitution (87), evaluating sources (28), hispanic (28), history day (40), immigration (64), jefferson (18), lincoln (60), new deal (5), primary sources (117), Research (83), segregation (18), thanksgiving (24), veterans (20), washington (25), westward expansion (38), womens suffrage (44), wright brothers (15)
In the Classroom
When introducing a new unit, show students photos from the era (on the left menu) and have them describe what they see and what period they think it is. Find plenty of questions and activities (including a blank analysis organizer for students) in the Teacher's Guides. Also look at Library of Congress: for Teachers, reviewed here. Encourage your students to use this tool for projects. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted for reproduction), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here. Google Slides allows you to narrate a picture (choose Insert from the top menu, then audio) modifying student learning. Include this site on your class webpage for students and parents to access as a reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Research Guide for Students - A Research Guide
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): expository writing (31), literature (217), persuasive writing (55), plagiarism (34), process writing (38), Research (83)
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start a research project. With younger students, you may want the class to go through each step together before beginning the next step. However, let gifted students work ahead. The beauty of this site is that it is great for classroom differentiation for independent work. With older students, you may want to show them the different steps and have them start where they think they need help and share examples. Be sure to post a link to the site for students and parents to access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Barat Primary Source Nexus - Barat Education Foundation
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): advertising (24), black history (124), cross cultural understanding (157), history day (40), immigration (64), journalism (72), Juneteenth (22), lincoln (60), martin luther king (43), poetry (189), presidents (121), primary sources (117), professional development (395), roosevelt (12), slavery (75), writing prompts (58)
In the Classroom
Take a look at the free professional development for using primary sources for teachers. Search for Connecting to the Common Core, where there are writing prompts for K-5 plus a link to the triangle activity. Download and use the PDF for the Thinking Triangle. Have older students research an interest and report to the class using a tool like Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Founders Online - National Archives and University of Virginia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), colonial america (95), colonization (20), constitution (87), declaration of independence (15), franklin (10), jefferson (18), primary sources (117), washington (25)
In the Classroom
Search and view information from this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Find documents from similar time periods and events to compare and contrast different points of view. Have students download to create an annotated image 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: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) usingTimeline JS, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about any of the founding fathers included on this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Chronicling America - National Endowment for the Humanities and Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1800s (72), 1900s (73), journalism (72), news (229), newspapers (91), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
Make history come alive in your classroom using newspapers, the perfect primary source. Enter dates from history and different locations to find local news stories and information. When studying events over an extended period of time, find resources from the beginning, middle, and end of that period to compare and contrast information from the local newspapers. Read the evolution of American popular opinion before and after Pearl Harbor, for example. Have students create "annotated pictures" to illustrate or report events using Phrase.it, reviewed here. Challenge your students to use a site such as Timeline JS, reviewed here, to create an interactive timeline of events as reported in various news sources. Timeline JS offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive.Comments
Fabulous resource for American History/Social Studies. Primary sources you can search. Wasn't able to get phrases to work, but individual words do.Frances, CT, Grades: 6 - 8
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Google News Archive Search - Google
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): journalism (72), primary sources (117), search engines (50), timelines (50)
In the Classroom
This site provides helpful information on effective browser searches for any social studies, history, or English class. Create a bookmark for news.google.com on classroom computers so that students can quickly access web news content from 2003. Include this site and other effective and safe web browsing tutorials by creating a Wakelet collection, reviewed here. Include items in your collection such as tutorials, shortcut tips, and how to use exact terms for searches.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form