TeachersFirst: Week of November 1, 2009

Featured Sites - Week of November 1, 2009

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Here are this week's features. Clicking the "more resources like this" link below each listing will present a list of our most recent additions for the same subject area and grade level .

Fractured Fairy Tales - Grades 0 - 4 - permalink
This site offers "ready to read" fractured fairy tales and a tool to write your own fractured fairy tales. Students can write a fractured version of Jack in the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, or The Princess and the Pea. This site prompts students to choose names for characters, the setting of the story, point of view, the problem, and ending of the story. You type up your own story and you are able to print the finished story. 10352

In the Classroom:
Share an example of the fractured fairy tales on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site to introduce the creativity of fractured fairy tales as you teach story mapping and narrative patterns. Have students work individually or with a partner to write their own fractured fairy tale. Set up this site as a learning center for students to use for creative writing during your folk tale or fairy tale unit.

WordSearchFun.com - Grades 3 - 12 - permalink
Use this site to find some GREAT word searches that are ready to go! Whatever topic you are looking for, you just might find a word search here. If you can't find one, make your OWN ONLINE word search. What a fantastic tool to use and/or create in any subject! 10353

In the Classroom:
Share the relevant word searches on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups practice spelling or vocabulary words by creating their own word search. List this site on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom. This is a great one for those word search lovers in your class. Why not have students use a whole-class account to make their own word searches to challenge each other with new vocabulary and terms?

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: puzzles | word search | photography | disease |

Tread Lightly - Grades 0 - 12 - permalink
Use Tread Lightly to calculate your ecological footprint, join the forty day challenge (set to run from the end of October through December, each year) to adopt green habits, and view curriculum. There is a short introductory video clip that introduces the 40-Day challenge and the entire website. Click on the “40-Day Challenge” link to learn more. Click on "Get Involved" to download the Educator Toolkit, set up a virtual classroom on TIGed, and collaborate with others. Occasional art contests add to the multidisciplinary look at your environmental foot print. 10310

In the Classroom:
Use this site for each student to identify his/her ecological footprint. Students can find areas of improvement and generate a class list of ways to help the environment. Students can create pledges for themselves and their family as well as create a campaign to raise awareness. Assign the creation of a public service announcement to educate others. Have students create informational commercials and share them using a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here. Have other groups create podcasts to share using PodOmatic (reviewed here). Join the TIGed community to collaborate with other schools around the world or identify the concerns of other students around the world.

Balloon Pop Math Multiplication - Level 1 - Grades 1 - 3 - permalink
Although this site is a basic drill and practice, it is a good one! Use a click and drag "needle" to pop balloons as you determine the correct product of simple multiplication problems. The activity starts with 2 balloons and increases up to 6 or more as you progress through the interactive. If you choose the correct answer, the balloon pops. If you choose the incorrect answer, a buzzer goes off and the balloons keep floating. At the conclusion of the activity, there is an option to email the results to the teacher. 9090

In the Classroom:
Share this activity on your interactive whiteboard or projector to introduce the site to your class. Use this site as a simple learning center (or on laptops) to practice very basic multiplication.

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: multiplication |

Biological Animations - Grades 8 - 12 - permalink
Do your students have trouble understanding complex processes in Biology? Many times students cannot envision the complex processes happening when reading from a textbook. Use these silent animations to see the processes as they would happen in the cell. The general topic areas include Water/Buffers, Lipids, Enzymes, Cell Structures, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Membrane Transport, Metabolism, Molecular Genetics, and Cell Division. Each general topic area has more specific processes.

10335

In the Classroom:
This website is definitely one for your interactive whiteboard or projector. What a fantastic way to visually display what you are teaching in class! After viewing the animation, have students write a script of what is occurring in the cell in order to understand the process. Students can work as a team or individually and then present their understanding dramatically to the class. Create multimedia or conventional presentations to show understanding and create notes and study materials for the class. Since the animations do not include sound, have students create podcasts or other audio recordings to explain the processes. For podcasts, use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). Have groups identify problems that can occur with each process and the resulting problems for the cell and disease states that can result. Have students use correct vocabulary and labeled cell parts in all communication.

One minute wonders - Grades 0 - 8 - permalink
View one minute wonders to learn great facts about a variety of science and social studies topics. There were 13 topics at the time of this review. Learn about a Northern Oriole that can eat 17 caterpillars in a minute, music in the 16th century, or vehicles in the world. Videos are entertaining and sure to capture student attention. After viewing videos, click on quizzes to check understanding. 10350

In the Classroom:
Use these minute-length videos to introduce a topic on your interactive whiteboard or projector. These would also make a great introduction to writing prompts or blog posts. Consider using these as examples for one minute projects for students to demonstrate understanding for any topic or content area (and make accompanying quizzes for their peers to try). Have cooperative learning groups view videos of their choice and add their findings to your class “One Minute Wonder Wiki.” Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries – check out the Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here. In lower grades, have students plan and act out their own one minute wonder plays to explain something they have learned or simply share the videos as humorous but accurate portrayals of science topics. American students will need to grow accustomed to the British accents.

Powering a Nation - Grades 6 - 12 - permalink
Who is right when it comes to energy, its creation, and its use? Many of the issues are difficult to understand, and all sides are usually not heard. This site offers a great introductory animated presentation explaining many of the concepts and problems. Students hear the stories about industries, people affected, and the ways that our society contributes to energy problems. After sharing the initial presentation, scroll down the page to read and/or watch more about “Climate Refugees,” “Mining the Mountains,” “Debating Coal’s Future,” and several other topics. New topics are added frequently. And at the time of this review, this site was kept very up to date. Articles and resources offer different angles on energy issues. Look for articles that are all about the lives of all people, how energy works, energy issues of today, and the future of energy. The variety of topics at this site is great, as is the material. If you teach science, social studies, geography, or current events, don’t miss this site. 10334

In the Classroom:
Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector for some deep class discussion and debate. Use any of the articles as a starting point in class or simply to introduce an energy unit, then revisit new issues throughout the unit. For example, read "Power from Plants" to learn about biofuels, their use, and future for energy. Read about a few biofuels. Students can then find information on other biofuels, their use, and problems with the use. Students can find data on use of fuels, analyze and make recommendations, create literature such as brochures, wiki or blog pages, or other displays to show information for others to understand. Create a debate in your classroom using the opposing voices for and against use of certain fuels. Why not have cooperative learning groups create multimedia presentations to present their findings. Give the groups some options, such as creation online posters using a site such as Wallwisher, (reviewed here). Have students create informational commercials and share them using a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here. Or create a class wiki on types of energy researches, the good, bad, and ugly! Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries – check out the Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here.

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: energy | fossil fuels | biofuels | coal |

Guess the Flag - Grades 5 - 12 - permalink
Think you know the flags of other countries? Test your skill at this site. Once given a flag, you have four choices of countries. After one chance at a correct answer, the answer is displayed along with a placemark on a map with statistics about the country. The country domain name is also displayed. The site also provides the name of the capital, population, Internet users, unemployment rate, and more. Advise students to ignore the ads that are along the sides of the site. Use this site as a cultural bridge to understand the rich history and viewpoints of other nations. 10126

In the Classroom:
This is a great site to use on your interactive whiteboard or projector to practice world geography. Use this site to identify the flag for various countries. Identify aspects of the flag and why those elements were chosen. Report on the history of element and color choices. Use the background information displayed and search for additional information for a conventional poster presentation or an interactive one using interactive whiteboards, powerpoints, wikis, or blogs. Have cooperative learning groups create online posters on paper using a tool such as Project Poster (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here. Compare different flags and understand the culture behind it. Learn other viewpoints by searching using the country's domain name. For example, search "financial crisis" or "green technology" by entering "site:de financial crisis" in the search bar to search items about the financial crisis for Germany.

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: flags | countries |

CalcEnstein - Grades 5 - 12 - permalink
Looking for different types of calculators? Find them on this interesting site. Choose a button on the calculator corresponding to the subject. Examples of subjects include Medicine, Algebra, Weather, Phonics, Financial, HVAC, Engineering, Weather, and Rocketry to name a few. After the subject is chosen, click on a formula to enter values. Some of the topics offer reference information, not calculations. This is definitely an interesting site to peruse. 10314

In the Classroom:
There are many different calculators for students to explore as ways to apply math in real world situations. For example, choose weather and then wind chill. Enter the information and wind chill will be calculated. Enter the information, view the calculated answer, and then have students determine how it is actually calculated. This site is a great find for gifted students to use to further investigate specific topics beyond your “regular” classroom content. Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students work with a partner to explore various “buttons” on this interactive calculator. Have the groups create multimedia presentations to share their findings or demonstrate them on the whiteboard as advertisements or infomercials! Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Project Poster (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here.

Reading Grade-Level Comparison Chart - Grades 1 - 12 - permalink
Use this chart to select appropriate reading materials for classes of all levels by synchronizing grade levels, Fountas & Pinnell levels, basal levels, DRP levels, Reading Recovery Levels, DRA levels, and lexile scores. Descriptors also elucidate general reading abilities and are also normed on the chart along with the other kinds of measurements. This is a PDF file and requires Adobe Acrobat. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page. 10349

In the Classroom:
Print this out (or save it in your favorites) and keep it handy with your reading materials when you are trying to correlate reading level information of varying types.

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: reading measures | lexile levels | reading levels |

Global Issues - Grades 9 - 12 - permalink
Global Issues are on the minds of students and are applicable in a variety of different classes. Use this site to find articles (frequently updated) on and related topics. Pages can be printed or emailed/bookmarked to another who is interested. Use an RSS feed to stay up to date on changes to the site. Though many of the articles are written by the site owner, the articles have extensive facts, graphs, links, and charts. 9686

In the Classroom:
Use this site to raise awareness of global issues or as material to teach critical research or expository writing. Students can research other sources for information to verify or debunk the material in the article. Students can analyze information from various sources for bias and use of facts. Have students use this as one of several sources for support in persuasive essays or letters to the editor. Use the articles to practice important reading skills, such as main idea or summarizing, marking up the article on interactive whiteboard. Students can also post findings, viewpoints, and solutions onto a personal or class blog. Have cooperative learning groups choose a topic to research and become “experts” about. Have the groups create multimedia presentations to share with the rest of the class. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a related photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. Have students use a mapping tool such as Mapskip (reviewed here) to create a map (with audio) where the global issues are taking place. Another option, have students create videos and share them on a tool such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.

For similar resources, click the appropriate keyword: health | poverty | global issues |

Uuorld - Grades 6 - 12 - permalink
Teachers First Edge Review: For adventurous MAC or Linux users with permission/ability to download software. Have fun and create four dimensional maps with chosen data. Choose data and view on a map that can be rotated, zoomed, and followed over time. Uuorld (pronounced "world") is a download application available for Mac OsX, Windows, and Linux. Uuorld is a free download but with some limitations. For example, the noncommercial (free) version has a maximum limit on data that can be exported to Google Earth. Any user can VIEW the gallery of Uuorld map images created by others and use them as a visual way to share data, no download necessary. 10309

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Users must be able to download and install the application. Many districts have restrictions on what can be downloaded and used on district computers. Be sure to check with your school policy before downloading. To first use data, create an account using your email address (though verification of email is not required). Data for the free version is found in the downloaded application.

Using Uuorld: Use data from reliable sources by going to the data portal. Along the top left of the panel, click "Data" to show the sets that you have chosen, "Display" to change colors and other parameters, "Analyze" to view all the data included in the image, or "Export" to create an image, a Google Earth file, or a comma separated value (csv) file. Below the map, click the world icon to browse over 10,000 data sets. Click "Metadata" to view the URL of the data, name of data set, source name and date, and other information. Change the tilt to really view the height dimension of the data. Zoom in and out of areas on the map. Many data sets have data over several years. Play the data to see the changes as they occur through those years.

Safety/Security Concerns: As email verification is not required, anyone can use this resource. If you do use email addresses, rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

Be aware, there are restrictions on the noncommercial free version. Be sure to read the licensing agreement prior to using.

Possible Uses: Data topics are quite varied and include everything from economics to health and even the Olympics! Before creating your own graphics (or if you are unable to download the software), have students browse the Gallery on your interactive whiteboard to become acquainted with reading visual representations of data. Use the sets to explore social and environmental issues and encourage critical thinking questions about WHY this data is as it is. View any data set as an inquiry activity in the classroom. For example, view "Calories Emanating from Animals" to view the animal calories consumed by countries over a 36 year period of time. Follow the viewing of the data by asking questions about what they see. From these questions, research the diet of various countries, identify the major biomolecules in the foods we eat, and identify nutrition, social, and ethnic issues. View this resource on an interactive whiteboard or projector for great impact. Students can create conventional or multimedia displays of information learned. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using Tabblo reviewed here.

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