TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jul 16, 2017
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
Ready Jet Go! - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 6
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Ready Jet Go! is a PBS Kids animated series to help children learn about astronomy and earth science concepts. This site features characters from the series in games, videos, and ...more
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Ready Jet Go! is a PBS Kids animated series to help children learn about astronomy and earth science concepts. This site features characters from the series in games, videos, and activities. Watch full episodes, connect to the live Space Station feed, or learn about spacecraft from Astronaut Amy's short videos.
tag(s): gravity (42), moon (70), planets (111), preK (254), solar system (108), space (213), stars (65), sun (69), temperature (35)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning station or center. Be sure to include a link on your class web page for use at home. If you're beginning to integrate technology in your class or have younger students, augment techology use by creating a word cloud of the important terms students learn from this site using a tool such as Word Clouds For Kids, reviewed here. Alternatively, these students could use an online poster creator such as Printing Press, reviewed here, to present information learned about space. Teachers more advance with integrating technology can tranform tech use with an online poster creator such as Canva, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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AeroSpaceGuide - Vic Stathopoulos
Grades
6 to 12
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AeroSpaceGuide is the online resource for all things aerospace for students, scientists, and anyone interested in space. Dig deep into this site to learn about space updates and news,...more
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AeroSpaceGuide is the online resource for all things aerospace for students, scientists, and anyone interested in space. Dig deep into this site to learn about space updates and news, space exploration vehicles and history, women in space, the solar system, and much more through images and short feature articles.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): explorers (64), solar system (108), space (213), STEM (262)
In the Classroom
Use AeroSpaceGuide as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Allow students time to explore as a starting point for further research into space-related topics. Enhance learning and modify classroom technology use by having students create an infographic sharing their space research using Visme , reviewed here. Upon completion of your space unit transform classroom technology use by having students make a multimedia presentation featuring information learned using slides, reviewed here, or Lucidpress, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover at Namib Dune (360 view) - NASA
Grades
4 to 12
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This video offers a fascinating 360-degree view of Mars from Bagnold Dunes taken on December 18, 2015. Use the arrows or your cursor to move the image around and view ...more
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This video offers a fascinating 360-degree view of Mars from Bagnold Dunes taken on December 18, 2015. Use the arrows or your cursor to move the image around and view from different angles. The 360-degree playback is currently only supported using Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera browsers. If your district blocks YouTube or your browser does not support 360, a static view of this same panorama image is available here.
In the Classroom
Share this video (or the images) with students using your projector or an interactive whiteboard as you explore the surface of Mars together. Have students use Twitter Fictional Account Template, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Twitter about an astronaut traveling to Mars. Challenge student to modify their learning and create a newspaper using a site such as Printing Press, reviewed here, with all the latest news on the exploration of Mars. Be sure to check out the NASA YouTube channel for additional videos from Mars and the Curiosity Rover.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - Solar System and Space - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Launch into books about space and space exploration. Delve into black holes, or get to know famous astronomers. This list includes books at all levels from young "astronauts to be"...more
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Launch into books about space and space exploration. Delve into black holes, or get to know famous astronomers. This list includes books at all levels from young "astronauts to be" to high school space scholars. There are books at all interest and reading levels, so every student can reach for the stars. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles'''''''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
tag(s): scientists (62), solar system (108), space (213)
In the Classroom
Include this booklist as you count down to a unit on space so each student can do some personal exploration - and sharing with the class during the unit. Reading a book or two independently will help them will build "prior knowledge" and personal connections with the science concepts and give them more experience to bring to class discussions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bob the Alien's Tour of the Solar System - James Adams
Grades
K to 8
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Take me to the Solar System! Choose a planet, (or asteroid, comets, the sun, and more) from the solar system to visit. View information about the planet. Choose from the ...more
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Take me to the Solar System! Choose a planet, (or asteroid, comets, the sun, and more) from the solar system to visit. View information about the planet. Choose from the tabs at the top of the screen for more topics of interest about that specific planet. Click Ask an Alien to submit a question through the online form. You might even see the answer to your question on the site. View planetary statistics in the Planets Table and definitions in the Space A-Z tab. Use the Exploration Timeline to see the history of space exploration.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): planets (111), solar system (108), space (213), sun (69)
In the Classroom
Use this site to obtain information about various celestial bodies in space. The reading on this site will qualify for the informational text required by the Common Core Standards. Divide students in groups to look at a particular object and report findings to the class. Be sure to point out the hyperlinked words in the information for each of the planets and objects as they lead to further information to understanding the material. If you're beginning to integrate technology in your class or have younger students, have students create a multimedia presentation using slides, reviewed here. Teachers more advance with integrating technology, or who have older students could use Presentious, reviewed here. Give time for students to develop questions they may have after reading or using the material. Vote for the best questions from the class to submit in the Ask an Alien section using a tool like Dotstorming, reviewed here. Find games and printable materials in the Usable Resources and Bob's Extra Stuff sections. Place a link to this site on your class webpage for students to explore during Astronomy units.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Women @ NASA - NASA
Grades
6 to 12
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This website includes a stunning collection of over thirty videos and essays from women who contribute to NASA's mission in many different ways. The stated goal for the site is ...more
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This website includes a stunning collection of over thirty videos and essays from women who contribute to NASA's mission in many different ways. The stated goal for the site is "we hope that these stories will inspire girls everywhere to reach for the stars, and explore the myriad of opportunities available to them through pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics." Each story includes a biography, story, and video about the woman highlighted. Stories include information about their background, academic degrees, current work, and future goals with NASA. The site includes a blog, Twitter feeds, and a Facebook page which you can subscribe to. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): careers (139), scientists (62), space (213), STEM (262), women (137)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students when researching careers or space exploration. This is a perfect site for Women's History Month! There is plenty of information on the site for students to use as a model for researching career information. Challenge students to trace the life events of one of the women using an animated timeline tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here. Describe events, display images, and embed videos at different points with this timeline tool. Be sure students share the location where their researched woman is originally from.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Explore the Cosmos - The Planetary Society
Grades
6 to 12
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Become part of space exploration via The Planetary Society's activities, the place to go for space enthusiasts. The society's mission is "To inspire the people of Earth to explore...more
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Become part of space exploration via The Planetary Society's activities, the place to go for space enthusiasts. The society's mission is "To inspire the people of Earth to explore other worlds, understand our own, and seek life elsewhere." Although the site is text-heavy, the society offers many ways to engage with the latest space news, images, and experiences related to space and space exploration. The various projects range from working with space images to following blogs and news of various space projects. The content is quite up to date and covers projects rarely reported in mainstream media. Click the dropdown Explore menu at the top to see featured projects and more. Check out the Multimedia drop down tab at the top for a Weekly Planetary Radio Trivia Contest. If Carl Sagan is one of the founders, you know the society is serious!
tag(s): inventors and inventions (71), nasa (30), planets (111), space (213)
In the Classroom
Make this site a link on your class web page during a unit on space or all year round. Gifted students and those with a passion for space will find endless discoveries. Include this site as a research source when assigning projects about space or the planets. If you have more able students in upper elementary or middle school, use this site as a differentiated alternative for them to research at a higher level. Inspire students to read in content areas by sharing space-related "current events" articles from this site. These selections would work well on interactive whiteboards for practice using highlighters to find main idea, context clues, and other comprehension skills. No whiteboard? No problem! Use your projector and eMargin, reviewed here, to highlight and annotate as a class. If you assign portions of the site to the entire class, you may need to assign "reading buddies" for weaker readers and they can use eMargin together. Challenge students to narrate space image galleries (search for the blog entry on the "New Flickr collection of historical NASA photos") or design and explain their own devices for space exploration on Thinglink, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Build your own space mission - NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab/CalTech
Grades
K to 5
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Create your own space mission. Create your character, choose your space vehicle, add technology to the vehicle, and launch to outer space. As you choose your destination, you are given...more
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Create your own space mission. Create your character, choose your space vehicle, add technology to the vehicle, and launch to outer space. As you choose your destination, you are given choices of technology to use. A data screen scrolls information about what is learned and why certain technologies are used. Work through the screens to complete your mission. Want more? No problem. Start another mission immediately after ending the first one.
tag(s): solar system (108), space (213)
In the Classroom
Use during a unit of astronomy or space or before beginning the unit to gather information about space exploration. Nonreaders will need help with the text explanations. Use video clips and the vast array of other space exploration websites to continue your discussion. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Turn the sound on and off with the small speaker icon, or use headphones for students navigating the site on their own!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Be A Martian - NASA jet Propulsion Laboratory
Grades
2 to 9
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Become a Martian Citizen! Join the Age of Virtual Exploration and the Human-Robotic Partnership. Pages on this site may take some time to load. Click on I want to be ...more
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Become a Martian Citizen! Join the Age of Virtual Exploration and the Human-Robotic Partnership. Pages on this site may take some time to load. Click on I want to be a Martian Citizen to create an account. Students choose under 13 or 14 and over. If under 13, a parent email is required and over 14 still requires contact information. Skip making an account by choosing "I just want to look around." Choose this to cruise the site by creating an Anonymous Tourist Visa to just look around. Become a map maker in the Map Room of the Citizen Science Hall, become a curious visitor in the Crater City Town Hall Polling Place, visit the Two Moons Theater, or view the visitor center Tourist Malls Atlas. Window 10 users will need to download Microsoft "Silverlight."
tag(s): mars (26), Microsoft (84), nasa (30), planets (111), space (213)
In the Classroom
View movies that feature testing of the Mars Rover models on similar terrain areas here on Earth. Share the videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Learn why we map Mars by visiting the Map room. After viewing the information video, help find terrain changes on Mars or count craters. There is great information on every page of this site. Find your way back using the sitemap. Allow students to explore this site and hold a class discussion of the interesting information and major points learned through the exploration. Research other NASA probes and missions to identify information learned and how we understand the universe and maybe our own planet better.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hubble - A View to the Edge of Space - The Exploratorium
Grades
6 to 12
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The Exploratorium - This site is a self-guided tour and history of using satellites to see the earth from above. Along with menu items like people, place, ideas, and tools, ...more
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The Exploratorium - This site is a self-guided tour and history of using satellites to see the earth from above. Along with menu items like people, place, ideas, and tools, there are webcasts and a section explaining how NASA's LandSat works. This would make good supplementary material for a unit of study on space or landforms.
tag(s): landforms (38), stars (65), telescopes (9)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on space exploration. To assess student learning, have students create online posters on paper, or if you are beginning to incorporate technology in your class make the posters together using a tool such as PicLits, reviewed here. If you and your classes are more advanced in using technology try Genial.ly, reviewed here. Genial.ly allows you to create interactive posters by adding polls, videos, embeds, web links, PowerPoint, and PDfs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Astronomy Picture of the Day - NASA
Grades
2 to 12
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NASA offers a daily selection of pictures from its various space exploration on this site. Each day the image is explained by a professional astronomer. ...more
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NASA offers a daily selection of pictures from its various space exploration on this site. Each day the image is explained by a professional astronomer.
In the Classroom
The daily images would be an excellent stepping-stone to study other aspects of space and space exploration. Visit the archive to find any one item of particular interest. Better yet, allow students to choose an image from the archive for further exploration and research. Results could be reported as an infographic using Visme, reviewed here, for beginning technology teachers and students, or as an interactive newsletter using Sway, reviewed here, for those more advance in the use of technology with their class. Since this site is constantly updated, post a link on your webpage for those students and parents who want to check back frequently.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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