TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Dec 11, 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
Of the People: Art and History of the White House - Discovery Education
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): art history (85), presidents (120), video (256), white house (15)
In the Classroom
Before viewing this video, challenge students to brainstorm what a curator's job is and what kind of artifacts they might find in the White House. After viewing, extend learning by having students create a simple infographic of important White House artifacts sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Ask students to curate their own collection of items such as things found in their room at home, a collection of items from your school, or a collection of artifacts from your hometown. Create a book featuring these items using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox creates beautiful page-flipping digital books in minutes, and you can embed video, music, animation, games, maps and more truly redefining learning.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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WriteReader - WriteReader
Grades
K to 5tag(s): digital storytelling (142), literacy (106), multilingual (63), reading strategies (96), science of reading (31), writing (315)
In the Classroom
WriteReader is so simple that very young students can use it successfully after a whiteboard or projector demonstration. While creating their books, students will be able to add images, multiple pages and delete pages, include voice-over, use color on the pages, view one page at a time or the entire book, and toggle between letters' names/sounds or no audio. Use this tool to design simple projects using student drawings to tell the story. Have students draw and annotate stories about their summer at the beginning of the year and share them with classmates. Students of any age love to draw, so why not have them draw their impression of what the message to the reader was after hearing a story and then explain it in writing? Nonreaders and ENL/ESL students especially will benefit from hearing the letter sounds as they begin writing in their new language.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Labeley - Labeley.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital storytelling (142), editing (93), images (270)
In the Classroom
Have students create images in Labeley to add to book reports and multimedia projects. Have students upload a picture of themselves doing their favorite activity and label it with amusing text or a favorite quote (or song lyrics?). Have them upload images that represent their interests and character traits using 4 Free Photos, reviewed here, from the public domain, or Morguefile, reviewed here, creative images freely contributed without concern about copyright. Of course, proper credit must be given. Create a picture for a character from a story and add text descriptions of character traits. For other uses, have students practice new words in a world language class by labeling and identifying images in that language. Create writing prompts using several annotated images. Have students create annotated images to explain key terms in science class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Toppsta - Georgina Atwell
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (159), independent reading (85), preK (254), reading lists (80)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students as a resource for finding books for independent reading. Include a link on your class website or blog for access at home. Present a new book each week to students on your interactive whiteboard or share your wishlist with your school's media center to include with book orders. After reading reviews, enhance student learning by having students create a video sharing their own book reviews. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, for this video project. Have students or groups share their own book suggestions using Dotstorming, reviewed here. Dotstorming creates free online bulletin boards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Bowers Institute: Design Challenge Learning - The Tech Museum of Innovation
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): agriculture (49), architecture (64), commoncore (75), density (18), energy (131), forces (37), friction (9), gravity (42), heart (27), human body (93), magnetism (36), matter (47), motion (49), plants (141), simple machines (17), sound (74)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free lesson plans offered at Design Challenge Learning to teach science concepts. Create a class wiki with additional resources for experimenting with science. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here, and then post them on the wiki or on your class web page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements - Moreno/Lyons Productions & Oregon Public Broadcasting
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): atoms (42), biographies (93), matter (47), scientists (62)
In the Classroom
If you teach chemistry, you will want to bookmark this valuable resource. View the videos and explore the site information together or flip your classroom and have students view the videos as an introduction to the material. If full episodes aren't available online in your area, you can still take advantage of the many resources on this site. Be sure to find the video library in the teacher's section with many clips from the original shows. Have students improve their learning by createing a Twitter Fictional Account, reviewed here, about one of the scientists featured in this series. Challenge students to redefine their learning by creating a timeline (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here, to visualize the progression of the discoveries of matter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Libib - Javod Khalaj
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (159), DAT device agnostic tool (143), preK (254)
In the Classroom
Libib is perfect for organizing and cataloging your classroom book collection. Use the tag features to organize your collection by genres, subject, authors, or any way you need. Tag books for specific students or reading levels. Post a link on your web page and share Libib with your students as a way for them to give opinions on current books and movies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Glean - Digital Literacy Teaching Tools - The Public Learning Media Laboratory
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): computers (105), digital citizenship (83), internet safety (112), media literacy (102)
In the Classroom
Computer Literacy teachers and those responsible for teaching Internet safety in any course are sure to find a lesson they need. Take advantage of these free lessons to educate students about the basics of the Internet from safety to reading the terms of service to creating or sharing memes. After these lessons, challenge students to create a simple infographic about what they learned using Infogram, reviewed here. The lessons and (some of) the descriptions include resources you may want to share with parents and school counselors so they can have a conversation about the topics with their students. Discuss topics on this site as part of Internet safety lessons. Share this site with school counselors as a resource for teens facing online safety issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Epic! For Educators - Suren Markosian and Kevin Donahue
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (128), DAT device agnostic tool (143), ebooks (38), movies (51), reading lists (80), video (256)
In the Classroom
Create your free educator account and share with students as part of your reading activities. Adjust reading preferences and profiles as students increase skills or change interest in reading materials. Be sure to share with parents to use at home. What a wonderful, engaging way to keep students accountable for reading at home and for remote learning.Comments
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