TeachersFirst: Timely Topics

Timely Topics:
Tough Economic Times ; Internet Safety; Bullying; Cyberbullying

Here are resources related to these "hot" topics:

102 record(s) found - search again

Bullying Grade K to 8 - BBC- 7974

This site addresses the important issue of bullying. It includes an interactive video, reports, information guides, quizzes, polls, and more. This site also talks about the less frequently discussed forms of bullying - such as cyber bullying, girls bullying girls, cellular phone bullying and other less "traditional" forms of bullying (which unfortunately are becoming more common). FLASH is required for some of the activities.

In the Classroom:
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to talk to your class about bullying. Perhaps you can even use this discussion to prompt a journal entry, skit, or other personal response on the topic of bullying and how to handle it. Provide this link for parents to read at home with their students. Parents need to know what could be going on in their students' lives and how to help.

Pacer Kids Against Bullying Grade 2 to 6 - National Center for Bully Prevention- 9440

This interactive site, geared toward the elementary school-aged child, highlights the signs and repercussions of bullying. Your students can play games or watch webisodes to learn about this hot topic. Your students may want to enter the continuously-running essay contest at any time of the year. For Bully Prevention Awareness Week, this fun site is your one-stop place for information.

Note: At the time of this review, some links were “under construction.” This site requires Real Player. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
On your interactive whiteboard or projector, show the webisodes of bullying scenarios to spark conversations about this problem. After watching the webisodes, divide your class into small groups to create their own real-life anti-bullying ‘webisode’ to perform for the class. For Awareness Week, create your own poster contest against bullying

Protect Your Child from Cyberbullying Grade 3 to 12 - PTA- 7365

As if traditional bullying were not enough, we know have cyberbullying! This web page offers a great explanation and examples of cyberbullying. It also lists strategies by which to help children who are being cyberbullied. Do not forget to visit the link provided that helps to locate cyberbullies and their web pages.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your on classroom web page or share the information at conferences with parents. As an Internet safety activity, teach about the cyberbullying, then have students create pamphlets based on cyberbullying information to send home to parents. Or have them create posters to hang around school about cyberbullying, using terminology you teach from the web site.

Students will need you to present the information, since the site is directed toward parents, not students. Use scenarios such as those described in the article to spark discussion.

Bullying and Cyber-Bulling Prevention Resources Grade K to 12 - TeachersFirst- 10458

This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers, parents, and students manage the tough issues of bullying and cyberbullying. Whether you plan a special unit or lesson on this topic for Bullying Prevention Week or select from these resources on an as-needed basis, you will find useful ideas and strategies for students and adults to work together to erase bullying from your class and school culture. Be sure to share these resources with parents and your parent organization via your class or school web page.

In the Classroom:
Use the resources in this collection if ever in need of help concerning bullying online or in the classroom. Be sure to pass this one along to parents, counselors or peers if bullying is ever a concern or issue.

Kids Against Bullying Grade 1 to 6 - National Center for Bullying Prevention- 8100

This site provides a good introduction to what bullying is and tips on how to respond to acts of bullying. The Parents and Professionals section includes lesson ideas and downloadable handouts for parents. This site requires Real Player, Flash and Acrobat reader. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. An html version is available if you don’t have Flash.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as an “activator” to introduce a unit or lesson using a projector. You will need headphones or speakers for the audio portions of this site. Include this site on your teacher web page for parents to access as a reference or discussion starters. Get parent permission before posting any student work on this sharing site.

Stop Bullying Now Grade 2 to 8 - US Department of Health- 9454

Your one-stop place for bullying resources, whether it is cyberbullying or face to face, this site is loaded with twelve games, oodles of webisodes, online polls, interviews, and more. You can even download the "Stop Bullying Now" theme song as a ringtone. Click on the “What Adults Can Do” link on the left to access the “Materials for Educators” link. Download TFK Extra (Time for Kids) webisodes to print out for classroom reading. Teacher guides are also available. View the extensive Tip Sheets for adults.

A Spanish version of this entire site is available with a click from the Home page. Flash and Adobe Acrobat are required, get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Pass out appropriate Tip Sheets to parents in a newsletter, on your class website, teacher blog, or during Open House. Generate discussion on bullying by addressing it on your blog. This site has enough Tip Sheets and resources for an entire school year. For fun, divide your class into small groups to create their own webisodes against bullying.

Steps to Bully Proof Your Child Grade 1 to 9 - - 4344

Always a difficult subject, bullies can ruin your child’s upper elementary school day. Bullies often manage to operate without adults’ awareness. Here are six straightforward strategies to help your child deal with bullies.

Girls Bullying Girls Grade 4 to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7617

This article for parents discusses the aggressions of girls (in particularly bullying other girls). Topics include an explanation of relational aggressions, reasons why girls bully other girls, what the consequences of the bullying can be, how parents can help and resources.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter or note sent home.

Report a Bully Grade K to 12 - - 7326

This simple site allows a school to sign up ( free) for a confidential bully reporting system. Students, teachers, parents can click to report a bully and turn in a report confidentially so school administration can look into the incident. Though there is the potential for bogus reports, this site would likely work well with elementary students or even middle schoolers IF you explained it to them in advance and spoke specifically about the consequences of false reports. The benefit is that the service allows students to report an incident without fear that a bully might "see them in the office."

In the Classroom:
Teachers and principals will like the written record the system generates by emailing the report to the designated contact.

Hector's World Grade K to 5 - NetSafe - Internet Safety Group (New Zealand)- 8308

This attractive, interactive site includes online movies, complete lesson plans, and activities for teaching all about Internet Safety, for three levels of elementary students: preK-1, 2-3, and 4-5 (click on Learning Resources for the plans). "Episodes" of animated movies with sound and accompanying coloring book pages and activities make it easy to teach each of five lessons for your grade level. The audio and spelling are from new Zealand, so a quick geography lesson could be included for U.S. classrooms! Teach about protecting personal information, who to trust, how to handle uncomfortable situations, and getting help.

NOTE: You MUST disable your pop-up blocker for some portions of the site to work! See Tools>Pop up Blocker Settings to tell the computer to always allow pop-ups from this site. the entire site is done in Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. This site is resource-rich and really needs a high speed connection and opens fairly slowly. Be patient.

In the Classroom:
The "episode" movies are perfect for a projector or interactive whiteboard and are ideally suited for follow-up discussion so students can connect to the content. Anyone can teach about Internet Safety with these free, easy-to-understand lessons. Include parents by sharing the link on your teacher web page or through building or class newsletters. If your building is interested in a comprehensive Internet Safety campaign (such as through the PTA/PTO), share an episode at meeting with parents and students, then encourage everyone to join in Hector's World both at home and school. Everything is ready to go.

Bullies Grade K to 5 - PBS Kids- 7254

At this website, students will find information, videos, surveys and more all about bullies! Some of the topics include, "What is a Bully?", "How to Handle It", "Are You a Bully" and more. Some of the activities require FLASH.

In the Classroom:
Try an interactive whiteboard to include your entire class on this important subject. Teachers can find lesson plans and other class activities by clicking on the "Parents and Teachers" link. The lesson plan requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Bully Awareness Week (Canada) Grade K to 12 - Bill Belsey- 9448

This Canadian site provides a week’s worth of lessons to teach your students about bullying. It doesn’t matter when your particular school highlights this important topic, you can use these valuable lessons and tools any time of the year. Please be aware that the statistics at this site are Canadian, however; the USA stats can be found via the internet with ease. Click on the left hand menu on each day of the week for a healthy stash of activities to use. From surveys to books to school-wide activity suggestions, be sure to save this site in your favorites. Music, videos, and more also await you at the Resources link.

QuickTime, Flash, and Adobe Acrobat are required for music and videos. You can get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Teachers, encourage your school to set aside a week to highlight this concern at your school. If your school doesn’t promote it, you can do your part by having an anti-bullying campaign in your own classroom by using the simple suggestions at this site.

Internet Safety Zone Resources Grade K to 12 - Cyberspace Research Unit- 10553

This website offers tons of information on the dangers of the internet and how to keep children safe when they are there. Resources found here are great for educators and parents alike. The site also provides PDF documents on numerous “non” internet topics: hate at school, suicide, eating disorders, sexual abuse, cellular phones, bullying, and more. There are also multimedia presentations (all related to Internet Safety).

In the Classroom:
Use this for your own background information on internet safety (or the other topics provided at this site) or for your students. Create lessons on internet safety for computer and communications classes. Show Power Points from the website to students to begin technology discussion about the uses of the internet. You or your school could also print out or electronically share fact sheets from this resource with parents. This is a great resource to list on your class website for parents to explore together with their students. Guidance counselors (and teachers) may want to save this site in their favorites.

Have cooperative learning groups explore one of the Internet Safety guides or presentations to learn more about specific topics. Then have the groups create multimedia presentations sharing their findings. Have your students create an interactive online poster ("glog") using Glogster EDU, reviewed here.

Children's Way WoogiWorld Grade K to 5 - WoogiWorld- 9837

To promote Internet safety, consider Children's Way WoogiWorld free program. Schools sign up for a year-long commitment to learn Internet safety, character building, time management, and more through assemblies and computer training. Read the ‘What We Are About’ statement on the homepage to learn about their caring mission. Click on the video summary to learn from Woogi’s leader about this program. This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Look around this website for a wealth of information to use in your classroom. Consider including an Internet safety tip of the week in your newsletter or classroom blog. This program does not necessarily need to be done school-wide, but can be enjoyed individually. Parents will need to sign up their own children to participate. Put this link on your homepage, even if your school is not participating as a whole.

I Keep Safe Grade K to 12 - I Keep Safe Internet Safety Coalition- 9543

Protecting our youth on the Internet is the number one goal of I Keep Safe. Full of ideas and resources, this organization generously promotes technology-safety. Check out the abundant videos and ad campaigns, as well as, other prolific avenues to share their wisdom. Their generosity even invites you to download their materials and share with everyone. Click on the educator’s link to access tools to use with your students. Your students will enjoy the interactive games in the Kids section. Prowl around for a while and discover the valuable advice located here. You will need QuickTime, Flash, and Acrobat Reader for some of the materials. They are located here: TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Teachers, plan professional development using the free videos at this site. Perhaps on Parents' Night, you can showcase internet safety using the wonderful, engaging resources located at this site. Or encourage your PTO/PTA to host an Internet Safety evening for all parents.

Internet Safety Poster Grade 3 to 12 - London Grid for Learning- 8307

This colorful, downloadable poster is written entirely in text-message language (aka chatspeak, txt, txtspk,txt talk, etc), so adults who do not know the lingo will puzzle figuring out the message. Click the blue download arrow to open the pdf file (Acrobat Reader required). Then let the students take the lead in translating for YOU.

In the Classroom:
The poster is ideal for your computer labs or even to send home to parents (electronically, of course). Share the link on your teacher web page. Start the conversation-- in real words-- to protect your students.

As part of an Internet Safety campaign, have students create their own txt message posters or PowerPoint slides using images from Flickr or other Creative Commons sites. Make it an exercise in SAFE activity to promote Internet Safety. If you can find money for a prize, make it a contest throughout your school.

Bullies and Victims Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7622

This article provides information to parents about bullies and their victims. Topics include signs of bullying, signs of victimization, what parents can do, research and resources. This is a very insightful article.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter or note sent home.

Bullying - How to Help the Victim Grade 1 to 5 - Boys Town- 1463

In the Classroom:
Tips for parents on strategies to counter bullying.

NS Teens: Making Safer Online Choices Grade 5 to 12 - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children- 9436

If you teach teens, then you need to remind them continually of internet safety and protocol. This cool, upbeat site is fully loaded with teen-friendly music, videos, comic strips, and more, all communicating the need for internet responsibility. If you want general internet safety information, visit the sister site to NSTeens, NetSmartz Workshop: (reviewed here). ESL and ELL teachers will love the Spanish version of this site (including Spanish downloads). This site requires Flash.

In the Classroom:
Teachers, you will find plenty of resources for teaching net safety to teens when you click on ‘teaching materials’ at the bottom left of the homepage (this takes you to the sister site – NetSmartz Workshop). Videos, fact sheets, lesson plans and activities await you there.

Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share the video clips or comics. Have students create their own internet safety videos and share them using a tool such as YouTube or TeacherTube (explained here). List this site on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. You will also want to share it with parents.

Get Net Wise Grade K to 12 - Internet Education Foundation- 8269

This is a great compilation of information on internet safety, covering many hot topics including safety for your children, protecting your personal information, stopping unsolicited email, and keeping your computer safe. The section on Safety for Children is especially appropriate for parents of school age children and includes an Internet Safety Guide, Tools for Families, a place to report problem sites and occurrences, and further web sites for children. Computer literacy teachers and those responsible for teaching INternet safety in any course will find the information wuite helpful. Sections are divided by age-ranges so information is age-appropriate.

In the Classroom:
Share this site in your classroom newsletter or on your teacher web page to help parents protect their children, themselves, and their computers. Some of the safety information is directly aplicable in your classroom technology-based lessons, as well.

You may find some good tips for protecting your own home computer and children, too!

Internet Safety Education Foundation Grade 3 to 12 - - 4510

This site has extensive resources on internet safety for adults and students alike. Visit the Xblock section where kids and teens can become "i-mentors," helping their peers and adults to better understanding Internet safety or go to the iLearn section for tutorial modules for kids, parents, and even senior citizens. You have to join, but it is free. The site may be good for schools looking to develop rules and policies for safe classroom internet use. It also discusses some of the information sharing risks children should be aware of when using internet resources.

In the Classroom:
Share this resource with parents at open house or conferences. They will thank you for it!

CyberBullying Grade 2 to 12 - Bill Belsey- 9438

This portal site is loaded with links, information, and resources to use in your classroom to teach about this timely issue. Although it is a Canadian affiliated site, information applies to all youth around the world. Highlights of this site include fact sheets, examples, resources, and more. Especially take note of the first fact sheet in the “What Can Be Done” section, which shows you how to be a sleuth in figuring out who is doing the anonymous cyberbullying. Fact sheets require Acrobat Reader. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
This is a great site for computer teachers (and regular education teachers) to share with their students and parents. Please review the “What Can Be Done” section with students. Cut and paste, then laminate the rules into small posters to be hung near all computers. Create a notebook of cyberbullying facts, and include the fact sheets at this site. Be sure to share the link with parents and your PTO/PTA, as well.

Scared of Cyber-Bullies? Grade 1 to 12 - CBS News- 5304

School bullying has taken a high-tech twist. This CBS article, with accompanying video and interactive features, describes this alarming trend and provides information for parents and teachers on how to protect children and teens from cyber crime.

Cybersmart Grade K to 12 - Australian Government/ACMA- 10410

Although there are many websites about internet safety, this site is unique in its detailed sections for user groups including young children, children, teens, parents, libraries, and schools. Each section contains age-appropriate interactive activities, quizzes, tips students can understand, information on online devices the student might be using, and information on social networking for older students. Since the site is from Australia, you may notice some slight language differences, but all the other information is pertinent, helpful, and recognizable.

In the Classroom:
Share the activities with your students on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work in cooperative learning groups to investigate various parts of this site. Challenge students to create online posters about internet safety on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Project Poster (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here. Or use another online poster creator, such as Wallwisher, (reviewed here). You may also want to share this link with parents via your class web page.

PBS Kids Internet License Grade 1 to 5 - PBS Kids GO- 10128

This simple site introduces your students to key internet-related terminology and safety issues. To get started, have students type their name (first name only) into the text box and click “drive.” Next, simply click on one of the items in the circular web (i.e. privacy policy, be nice, meeting people, downloading, c is for cookies, passwords, and several others).. Answer the question by clicking in the circle. The correct answer is displayed as well as a definition of that term or process. In the same fashion, click on all the other terms. When finished, a gender-correct license will be ‘issued.’ Simply print out the license for your student to show they ‘know’ safety features and terms of the internet.

In the Classroom:
At the beginning of the year, make this an introductory computer-use lesson for elementary students. Introduce the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students navigate the site on individual computers or set-up a learning station.

Set a classroom goal for 100% of the students to gain a license. Post the licenses on a bulletin board that highlights internet safety. Invite your computer lab teacher to address internet safety before passing out the ‘licenses.’ See if students can come up with additional internet safety guidelines.

ThinkUKnow Grade K to 12 - Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre- 9251

This timely website is a must-see if you are teaching computer and Internet safety. The site is divided into three age levels of activities: 5-7, 8-10, and 11-16. Students ages 5-7 get to meet Hector and take a tour and see interactive information about Internet safety. There are several interactive cartoons and other educational material. Students ages 8-10 meet Griff and his friends to learn how to stay safe while using email, cell phones, chat rooms, and other new technologies. Turn your sound on to listen to Hector and Griff explain safety on a young person’s level (and with charming British accents). The site for secondary students includes video clips, information, and more. All three sub-sites provide age-appropriate activities, with upbeat music and neat interactives. There are also links for parents and teachers. The teachers link features lesson plans to coincide with the cartoons and/or video clips. The lesson plans require membership (which is easy and free). Viewing the cartoons does not require membership. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Click on Parent and Teachers resources to access lesson plans and resources that teach alongside the Cyber Café. You must register to access these, but it is painless. Interact with the content of this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector with your entire class to generate a class discussion on this important topic.

Eight Forty-Eight: Cyber Bullying Grade 3 to 12 - Chicago Public Radio- 8810

This article, available in both audio recording and print on the web page, shares a parent's experience discovering that her daughter has been the victim of cyberbullying. The article is written from an adult perspective, but the facts and feelings it reveals are very real to anyone. Parents with children as young as elementary grades should be aware of things they should watch for, say, and do to help their children. Teachers should read it to understand the nature of the problem, as well.

In the Classroom:
Share this article with parents in a newsletter or school web page so they, too, can be involved in talking with their children about cyberbullying. Use it as a discussion starter for a parent organization meeting or possibly in a group of middle school students to open the conversation about their experiences and how different they are from what their parents were familiar with as children. Both parents and children would benefit from open dialog on the subject as part of a consistent effort for Internet safety in your school and homes.

NetSmartz Workshop Grade K to 12 - National Center for Missing & Exploited Children- 7434

Use this website to help students of all ages learn to be safe online and in the real world. Included are short video clips that are sure to catch the student’s interest along with plans for class discussions and activities. Activity cards and safety pledges are available in Spanish. Hint: turn off pop up blockers for some of the activities or games to work. Flash and Acrobat Reader are required. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
If you know you will be using the Internet during class or assigning it for outside work, consider sharing some of the safety lessons ahead of time using a projector, especially with elementary and middle school students. Secondary English, information literacy, or computer teachers should consider requiring teens to report on an Internet safety topic as a research project as you are trying to both teach and USE research skills. This site could be a good topic-finder and starting point.

Provide a link on your teacher web page to give parents a resource for talking about internet safety with their children at home. Bookmark this site on a classroom computer for students to visit when they have free time.

On Guard Online Grade K to 12 - U.S. government- 10383

Become a smart online consumer and computer user. Use the Topics, Games, or Videos sections to learn Internet safety at home and through life. From Phishing to Computer Disposal and Health Online, find helpful information for all ages. At the topics link you will find information on Wireless Security, Social Networking Sites, Spyware, Kids Privacy, and many other topics. The interactive (games) are highly engaging and include “Online Lineup,” “Invest Quest,” “The Case of the Cyber Criminal,” and many other online topics. There are a few videos to view also. Click on Tools for other resources including subscribing to "Cyber Security Tips." Although this site is useful for teachers of all grade levels, if students are using this site independently it is best suited for secondary students.

In the Classroom:
Use this extensive resource site to teach students and their parents how to be smart cyber users. Students can create public service announcements or create messages to display on wikis or class blogs. Create infomercials and share them using a tool such as Teachers.TV reviewed here. Want to learn more about how to create and use a class wiki? Check out the Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here. Another idea: create mini posters either in conventional or digital format (Use an online poster creator, such as Wallwisher, (reviewed here) to display throughout the school or on a district website. Teens could create a cybersmarts campaign for use in your local elementary schools. Service club advisors or technology/media specialists may want to initiate a family internet safety night using some of the resources from this site and other sources.

Wired Safety Grade 1 to 12 - Parry Aftab- 8539

No filtering will ever protect our students completely online. It is important to teach them to protect themselves, as well. Wired Safety is a compilation site about internet safety concerns and includes information for parents, teachers, librarians, and children. PDF printables for parents in Spanish and English make the information easy to share. A special Hot Topics section keeps the site up to date with subjects such as cyberbullying, MySpace, child pornography etc. A collection of lesson plans under the educator link offer resources and ideas for the classroom.

In the Classroom:
Some portions, such as the cyberbullying "quiz" are easy for students to complete on their own (on laptops or in a lab) and follow up with a discussion. Take some time to explore the various areas of this site so you'll know where to look when questions come up and can address internet safety every time you use computers at school, rather than as a separate "lesson." Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences.

Cyber Angels Grade 1 to 12 - Cyber Angels- 8460

This award-winning site focuses on Internet safety. Advertised as being the "the country's leading specialist on cyber crimes" (Boston Globe. March 10, 2000), the site offers downloadable guides of different levels for parents and students, training for schools, and a variety of information about how to protect oneself against cyber crime. There are downloadable student and parent Internet user agreements, brochures,and tip sheets. Some areas of the site are still being developed.

In the Classroom:
As you start any class activity that uses the Internet, refer to the basics you learn from this site. Even if your school "teaches" Internet safety in another class, YOU need to reinforce it every time you have students online so they realize the universal importance of safety principles -- even with older teens.

Include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences.

Combined Strategy for Internet Safety Grade K to 12 - PTA- 7361

This site contains a very brief summary of current issues concerning students and Internet usage. It provides current acronyms for Internet terminology, AUP's (Acceptable Use Policies) and discussion starters for parents who are interested in discussing Internet issues and responsibilities with children.

Rules of the Road Grade 2 to 5 - PBS- 5263

Kids can earn a "Web License" by taking this interactive quiz that covers topics like downloading, meeting people on the net, passwords, and Internet safety. After successfully answering the multiple choice questions, a personalized license can be printed.

Bullying Online Grade 1 to 12 - - 3782

This British site offers a very complete resource, and its foreign origin may offer a slightly different spin from that encountered on American sites. Teachers and parents alike should find the content useful, and there is a deep well of content submitted by students. American users should note that both the legal situation and the school rules in Britain can differ from that in the US in some significant respects.

Teen CheckUp: Internet Safety Grade 5 to 12 - Erin McElveen and Joe Nolan- 9832

Need to keep up-to-date on hot teen websites, technology, and the safety concerns swirling around both? Designed for parents and teachers, this site will help you learn oodles, especially if you desire to communicate with your middle and high school students about web issues and the latest news. The blog-style format makes it easy to read and navigate. To receive its valuable information in email format, sign up for this free service. Many of the links require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Business and computer teachers, save this site in your favorites. Even librarians or those who teach research skills will want to stay abreast of the latest tech trends. Many of the daily entries offer fresh points of discussion with your students. You will want to share this link on your class website for the parents of your teen (and pre-teen) students. Check out the archives and categories links to glean even more. Why not assign your students a “technology issues” topic and have a class debate on possible ways students, schools and parents could manage these tricky issues.

Safe Teens Grade 7 to 12 - safekids.com- 8462

This site is the teen partner to safekids.com. Its additional offerings include a wonderful cyber-dictionary parents can use when they are totally puzzled by acronyms their children are using in email, chat rooms, and text messaging (Note: the language is realistically what some teens use---asterisks replace "bad" words, but the abbreviations could teach the timid more than they want to know). Highlights for teens include tips about safe blogging, warnings about grooming, general Internet safety info, and accompanying info for parents. A link to blogsafety.com allows users to report abuses and suspicious behavior that might occur on blogging or social network sites. Links to current articles about Internet misuse keep the site current.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as the starting point when teens have questions about blogging, cyber safety, and correct Internet behavior so they know what to watch for should something unethical occur. Be sure to share it with parents via your teacher web page or at open house, as well. As you begin web-based activities in class, take the time to repeat the basics found here, even if another teacher is supposed to "cover" this topic.

Safe Kids Grade 1 to 12 - safekids.com- 8461

This site offers information to children, teens, and parents about how to stay safe online and keep your computer safe. It contains information sheets for various levels, downloadable parent and child online safety pledges, and slide shows about Internet safety. The slide shows do require the user to register at myspace.com, so this requirement may preclude usage at school. There is even a SafeKids song, but it downloads slowly, even on a fast connection (opt for the dial-up version). Younger children will also enjoy the online safety quiz. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences. As you introduce web-based activities in your classroom, pause to rmind students of these safety rules, even if someone else is supposed to "cover" them in their classroom. Parts of this site require the use of myspace, so be sure to preview it and match the requirements to your school's regulations.

Web Wise Kids Grade 6 to 12 - Web Wise Kids- 8268

Although this site sells its programs to help parents and children stay safe on the Internet, the sections for Teens and Parents contain valuable information and tools. In addition to examples of how scary and intrusive unsafe use of the Internet can be, the pages for parents and teens offer Safety Tips and a downloadable Internet Safety Plan. This site requires Real Player or QuickTime and Adobe Acrobat. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Share the parent information on your teacher web page or in a classroom newsletter, especially if you ask students to use the Internet for homework assignments. It is easy to avoid the advertising or donation areas of the site and use the important information.

Back To School Grade K to 8 - BBC- 7975

Although this site was created to help students in Britain prepare for "Back To School," many of the tips and activities are useful to students from all over the world. This site provides interactive quizzes, informative guides, and numerous features. The guide section provides a lot of details about very useful subjects including bullies, school uniforms, exam stress, dyslexia, creativity and other subjects. The Press Packs section is written by a student for students' use and includes topics such as being the new kid in school and organic lunches.

In the Classroom:
Include a link to this website on your "Welcome Back" newsletter. Parents are sure to appreciate the informative subjects, links and activities.

Teen Chat Decoder: Teenspeak Translation Made Easy Grade K to 12 - - 7708

Confused by BRB and PWOM? Use this handy online acronym look-up to find out what these tand thousands of other little abbreviations mean. Parents and teachers can monitor internet safety and be more aware of what their children are saying. Teachers may even be able to decipher notes passed in class! Thought the site calls it "teenspeak," children as your as five are picking it up. The site mentions software, but you do not need to install anything, join anything, or pay to use this online look-up tool. The site also includes several articles for parents.

In the Classroom:
Share this link at parent conferences or on your teacher web page. They will thank you for it! Your principal and other teachers will appreciate it, as well.

Find your kid’s online blog Grade 3 to 12 - Kim Komando- 6967

Parents concerned about Internet safety and their teen (or preteen)'s online information-sharing should read this article. It may sound devious to check up on your children, but the era of social networking makes it a must-talk topic. Your child or young adult may not realize the serious safety issues involved with having online space. Trying to "just say no" will not work on this issue. Have the conversation. Although this may not be a classroom issue, the negative sides of social networking tools are harming the positive tools for learning made available through the same technologies.

In the Classroom:
Teachers may want to share this article with parents to help them get the dialog started.

Cybersmart Curriculum Grade K to 12 - McGraw – Hill- 4594

This site boasts activities designed to help educators utilize technology and internet resources in the class room. The site provides lessons and web-activities about technology and the internet for grades K-12. The activities are all standards based. The topics include cyberbullying, web 2.0 tools, K-12 scope and sequence chart, safety and security online, and others!

In the Classroom:
If you are teaching your students about Internet safety, cyberbullying, Web 2.0 terminology, and more, be sure to check out this site. If you are looking for a full "ready to go" lesson plan or a quick activity to use, you will find something here.

TeachersFirst: Sifting Through the Filters Grade K to 12 - TeachersFirst- 9513

Web filtering is a common topic of frustration and mystification for teachers. Do you wonder why it’s there, how it works, and what other schools do? Are there sites you read about but cannot access? Are you worried that your students may access “bad” things under your supervision? Learn the basics of Internet filters, consider key questions, and take a quick poll in Sifting Through the Filters, another teacher-friendly interactive module. In just a few minutes, you will gain a new perspective on filtering and some ideas to advocate for positive change (for best viewing, turn off your pop-up blocker).

In the Classroom:
Read through this on your own or share it in a staff meeting where you discuss use of the Internet and teachers' role in Internet safety. You may also want to share the link with your principal or other decision-makers to open dialog on ways to include teachers in the process.

transl8it! Grade 3 to 12 - Translate it!- 9455

Impress your class when you give them a taste of their own lingo. Stay informed about what your students are writing. Just key ( or paste) in your regular text (in ENGLISH) or your SMS (short message service) , TXT, emoticon, smiley, slang, or chat room lingo and let this site translate it. The site can translate “lingo” to English or English to “lingo.” Since we always cry that regular English is going down the tubes, reverse the trend by giving students a dose of their short-cut text English and have them re-write it into normal English. Teach grammar skills by coming in the back door…this time the back door is the door most frequently entered by our youth. Want to give it a try? Translate this: dEr claS, I knO U typ wds dat L%k lIk DIS wen Im not l%kin. It iz important 4 U 2 knO how 2 wrte propR eng. n employer wiL eva hire U f U wrte lIk DIS. pls transl8 DIS pargrph in2 propR eng. U wiL earn a gud grade f U do. --yor Tcha

What’s the translation? Dear class, I know you type words that look like this when I'm not looking. It is important for you to know how to write proper English. No employer will ever hire you if you write like this. Please translate this paragraph into proper English. You will earn a good grade if you do. -Your teacher

Translations are not always perfect, but you will get “the gist.” Parents will also appreciate this site as a tool to help them understand their children’s writings. There are some minor advertisements at this website. There is also a place to "log-in." Registration is free but is not required to use this site.

In the Classroom:
Teachers (or administrators), you may need this translator to decode SMS/TXT text lingo used by your students when you cannot decipher it. You may also have concerns about your students’ online behavior and need some assistance monitoring for bullying or risky behavior. Just type (or paste) in the message and click on the ‘transl8it’ button. Presto…it’s English again.

Use this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector during the first day of school to introduce yourself to the class using “their” language (and your expectations to use proper English). Be sure to share it on your teacher web page as a tool for parents, as well.

Ning in Education Grade 7 to 12 - Ning- 9415

Teacher's First Edge Review: for thoroughly adventurous or organized technology users. Ning is a tool for creating social networks. Though that may be a scary term to parents and a concept prohibited in your school, this education initiative from Ning provides advertising-free, private spaces for classroom use in K-12. Because of concerns over COPPA (federal legislation protecting children on the web), Ning specifies that the tool is for ages 13 and up. Users outside the U.S. do not need to worry about this law. There are related blog posts and debate about whether the law applies if you configure your Ning a certain way, but TeachersFirst cannot recommend circumventing the law. A Ning provides an online space for forums (threaded discussions), blogs, “friends,” groups, personal spaces for members, and more. As the administrator of your Ning, you can control the actual set-up. Assuming you can access the Ning URL at school, this tool can provide a PRIVATE online space for your classes or teaching team as an electronic home for use in and out of school.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Before you start, make sure your specific Ning URL will not be blocked by filtering on the school network. See some of the tips from the Edge team . Join Ning and set up a network, including name, URL, and description. Be sure to choose Private to limit viewing of your network to those you INVITE to join. Drag your desired features to create your Ning layout. You can always change it later. Make appearance choices. Create a “master key” (and for heaven’s sake WRITE IT DOWN somewhere secure – not on a sticky note at your classroom computer). Customize at will, but right away you will want to follow Steve Hargadon’s blog entry with detailed directions to remove the ads from your Ning for education space. The ad-free offer began in November 2007 and may not continue forever, so do it now!

Safety/security concerns: Since the Ning tool establishes profiles for each member; you will want to customize the profile settings to stay in accordance with your school policies. You will probably not want students to be able to set up groups, since they might make them “private” and lock you out. You can also change the questions they are asked as part of their profiles. The simplest way to set up student accounts may be through a teacher Gmail account with subaccounts. You could then create the accounts and passwords on your own or have students enter the information. Even though your space is private, we recommend asking for parent permission mostly to be sure that they are aware of this positive use of social networking and all the lessons about Internet safety that can grow from its use in class. A modified version of the Blogging agreement offered by TeachersFirst would work (a word doc).

Possible uses: A class social network has limitless possibilities. Engage students in discussions on current events, independent reading, literature, and more. Create groups for students to work on projects and use the space as a forum to work out tasks, scheduling, and file sharing. Get creative and ask students to play the role of a historical figure on a social network across time: Ben Franklin networks with Harry Truman to argue about the atomic bomb. Use the Ning as a forum for any simulated or real task. Invite parents to join to give their points of view on upcoming elections. Include the principal or superintendent in your class discussions of students’ rights as you study the Constitution. Your students themselves will suggest ways to use this all-too-familiar tool from their world. Imagine the “profiles” they could create as characters from fiction or inventors from history! Steve Hargadon, creator of this Ning in Education initiative invites participants to join a Ning for teachers who are using this tool. We hope you will tell them where you heard about it and send them over to check out (and suggest) more tools at the TeachersFirst Edge.

OnGuard Online Grade 6 to 12 - U.S. Government- 8905

This site has compiled resources for computer users to help keep their computers safe and internet transactions worry free. Topics include Identity Theft, Internet Auctions, Spyware, Wireless Security, Phishing, Social Networking Sites, Spam Scams, Online Shopping, Peer-to-Peer File-Sharing (P2P), VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), Laptop Security, and Investing Online. Of particular interest is the Word of the Day section which can help you stay “up to date” with new security scams and what they are called. Teens who see specific sites on this security warning page will know to avoid the scam sites. They will also become more knowledgeable about the potential dangers of social networking. Spanish speakers can switch the site to Spanish for their convenience. This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Flash. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Make this site a required stop when educating teens about computer and internet safety. The classroom possibilities are endless. Why not have cooperative learning groups investigate one of the topic areas provided (such as identity theft). Then have the groups present their findings to the class. Or if you prefer a whole group activity, use your interactive whiteboard or projector and have a class meeting about the topics discussed. Have students write in their journals about actions or events that have taken place in their lives which relate to the topics discussed. For example, brainstorm lists of ways to SAFELY shop online. Consider creating an ongoing class wiki to share safety situations and solutions in teen terms, including links to related news stories.

Fleck Grade 3 to 12 - Fleck.com- 8769

TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. Fleck allows you to put sticky notes and other annotations onto existing web pages and share them with others. Now you can tell students exactly what you want them to do on a page, point out instances of bias or unsafe Internet practice, etc. You can put effective reading strategies right ON the text of the page. See an example here. Your students can also "fleck" to each other as they work on group projects, noting how they will use information or categorizing what they find. Fleck uses FLASH and does not work well on TOP of Flash-driven pages. The annotated pages take a few moment to load, even on a quick connection.

In the Classroom:
Possible uses: Student research projects, guided reading of web sites, comprehension questions, guiding questions, annotations for tough vocabulary with younger students, Internet safety lessons, students analyzing sites as part of information literacy lessons, art critiques by you or students, student collaboration and source-sharing, professional notes for your own reading or graduate work, etc. Assign students to "Fleck" a site as an assignment in critical thinking and turn it in by sharing with you.

Skills needed: Join the site and wait for the confirming email (our review team said it took a couple of hours). While you are waiting, click over to the HOME page and watch the "How this works" animation. Then try the link to "So why don't you give it a try." (This trial will NOT be saved!) Enter the URL of a page you wish to annotate at the top of the Fleck screen and click GO. Use the toolbar that appears with the web page to add notes, etc. and SAVE. You can also download an extension for Firefox or bookmarklet for Internet Explorer (to make a Fleck button on your toolbar). Be sure to choose public or private for Flecks you make when you SAVE (can be changed). Share your Fleck by clicking the Share button and emailing a note to your recipients-- or click the "blog" button to get a permalink you can copy/paste to share via email or other means, such as on your web page or an electronic assignment handout.

To use Fleck safely, you can have students use your login account to make their own Flecks. If students have their own email, they can also have log-ins, but you have no monitoring over what they do. For safety's sake, you might want to require all student Flecks to be private and shared ONLY with class members. Since enforcement is tough, start with the teacher-only account and make Flecks for students to SEE. Once you are comfortable with the tool, allow students to use your account. You will not know WHO made inappropriate Flecks, but you can see and delete them from one place. Of course, you will need to test whether Fleck is blocked in your school (we hope not).

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: This is a public site, and some of the "recent Flecks" that show on the HOME page are NOT school-appropriate. TeachersFirst has contacted Fleck about this concern, and they tell us they are unable to "filter" these flecks at this time. We recommend always starting students from your member home page and avoiding Fleck HOME altogether.

Parental Control Software Grade K to 12 - Consumer Search- 7589

The online magazine article (updated 2006) is actually a compilation of several reviews of Internet filtering tools for parents to use on home computers. Read the full article or skip to the "Fast Answers."

Newsround - BBC News for Kids Grade 3 to 8 - BBC- 7059

This highly-participatory, attractive world news site for kids lets children select all the normal news features like tv/movies, music, weather, sports, animals, sci/tech etc. Students can join the Press Pack and submit their own photos and comments. Under Newsroom, kids have the options of submitting a report they’ve researched and written; it will be displayed on the website! They can also ask for a certain topic to be investigated. Topic suggestions can be found here too. Personal advice columns are totally cyber with one current topic, bullying, available in video webchat format. A message board with current comments runs across the top of the site like a ticker tape. Other interactive features include student voting, blogs, and games. Besides features for students, video clips, quizzes, and educational games comprise some of the offerings for teachers . Requires the RealPlayer G2 Plug in to watch the Newsround videos.

In the Classroom:
Note: the site is British, so spelling and topics have a UK slant! Make sure you have parent permission for students to post work to the site, and keep their identities safe by using pseudonyms or initials. Encourage those with Internet access to visit the site with mom and dad to talk about current events together (include the link on your teacher web page). If you are familiar with RSS feeds, this would be a good choice for a first feed.

Back to School Tips Grade K to 8 - American Academy of Pediatrics- 5289

Parents of elementary and middle school students will be delighted with this helpful collection of ideas for successfully entering a new school year. Backpack safety, study habits, bullying, television use, and homework and study habits are just a few of the topics discussed.

In the Classroom:
If you have a summer newsletter, be sure to highlight this website. List this website on your class website during the summer months for parents to view during the break.

E-learning for kids Grade K to 6 - e-learning for kids- 10328

Check out this site offering FREE learning courses to students in science, language arts, English language, math, health and life skills, and computer skills. Choose from a wide variety of different learning experiences in the subject areas for earning in a fun and engaging way. Each subject area has countless interactives ready to go! Detailed instructions are provided for each activity. You can control sound easily from the screen.

In the Classroom:
Use these "courses" as reinforcement of concepts, to uncover misconceptions, and to explore interesting topics. Share the activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Create learning centers focuses on the specific content of the activities. Have cooperative learning groups (or individual students) explore specific topics and report back to the class. For example, have each group view the activities for a specific body part (blood, brain, hearing, immune system, heart and circulation, skeleton, skin, teeth, and more) and create a multimedia presentation. Have cooperative learning groups create online books using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Provide this link on your class website for families to explore together.

Teaching Tolerance Grade K to 12 - Southern Poverty Law Center- 10124

Teaching Tolerance is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center and seeks to provide educators with tools to reduce prejudice of all kinds. You might already be familiar with this group's "Mix it Up" initiative which seeks to get middle school and high school students to sit with someone new for one day during lunch at the cafeteria. This site contains lesson plans, links for teachers, parents, teens, and kids, current topics related to prejudice, an on-line version of the Teaching Tolerance magazine, an order form for free curriculum materials, and links to other resources.

The teacher’s link offers classroom activities (many interactive) that tie in with the lesson plans. There is also a link to receive FREE kits and handbooks! The “Parents” link offers activities and ideas for ages 2-17! There are online activities, recommended books, “talking points” for parents, and more. The “For Teens” link includes a wealth of resources: video clips, lessons, 10 steps to take action, downloadable posters, essays, and true stories. The Kid’s link offers “read,” “Explore,” and “Play” options for elementary (and younger middle school) students. A “sign up” box appears when you first enter the site, click on the X to remove the box.

In the Classroom:
Of course, the obvious uses for this site include preparing for Black History Month or Women's History Month, consult this site for more than that! Don’t just visit the Teacher’s link, but check out the kids and teens links for videos and interactive that you can share on your projector or interactive whiteboard. If you are unsure of how to approach a touchy subject with your students--either a subject from the news like the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rules, or something that is happening in your school or community, this site can provide resources for you and your students. Subscribe to Tolerance.org's emailed newsletter, or order one of the curriculum kits; the newest one is Viva la Causa about Cesar Chavez and the struggle for justice for farmworkers in the 1960s. This is a great addition to your school’s bully program! Take advantage of the free lesson plans, class activities, interactive, and book recommendations. This is definitely one to list on your class website!

Reuters: Times of Crisis Grade 9 to 12 - Reuters- 10398

See a visual timeline of the worldwide economic crisis beginning in 2008, from the point of view of a non-U.S. source. Reuters shares 365 days of upheaval beginning in fall, 2008 via pictures, captions, videos, articles, facts, and more in a highly interactive timeline.

In the Classroom:
Explore the timeline on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a class or ask students or groups to explore it on their own, looking for key points and terms that help them better understand this complex crisis. Ask student "guides" to trace and elaborate on trends they find or to highlight key moments as they explain orally to the class. Have students respond to a single image using an online tool to narrate an image such as Voicethread reviewed here or in a blog post. Find an event to which they can connect from their own personal or family perspective. Compare these vignettes with others from the Great Depression photos of great photographers. Keep the link to this interactive timeline on your class web page or wiki as a reference or as a venue for sharing students responses.

SnapPages Grade 9 to 12 - SnapPages- 10179

Teachers First Edge Review: For adventurous technology users. Create a website in mere minutes using this free and easy to use interface. There is a "Pro Account" that is for a fee, but the "Personal Account" is FREE! An email address is required for site creation. Enter a username (which will be the name of your site). This tool offers highly visual, pleasing “looks.”

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Entering and remembering usernames and passwords are necessary. An email address is required to verify information before beginning. If students are creating pages, be sure to check with your district policy on student use of email as well as publishing of student information. You may wish to have a master snappages site or other website that links to all the student sites for ease of finding information. Alternately, use a word document to record student sites. If snappages are used primarily as a student blog, use feed settings on the blog page of the master site to import feeds from all students in the class. Users need to be able to enter correct url's of sites to manage feeds. An understanding of feeds and management of simple sites is necessary.

To use SnapPages: After verification through email, follow the screens to choose your template, learn basics of the site, and create pages through the control panel. Pages that can be created include "Home," "About Me," "Blog," "Photos," and "Calendar." Click on the page to change, click "Edit," and then click on each text or headline field to edit these sections. Buttons below allow changes in heading, font, and other styles. Click "Cancel," "Save," or "Preview" at the bottom of the page when done. Easily change permissions or revert to a previous version. Click on "Applications" to access the various pages created. Also access your themes, and friends through "Applications." Through the Friends tab, you can chat (called a "Gab",) exchange information, and create a profile. Clicking on "Help" takes you to the user forum, FAQ pages, and more help. Easily import feeds from another blog. These feeds do not just appear along the side as a link, but will bring in all posts in chronological order. See an example Snappage here: http://hurricanemaine.snappages.com

Safety/Security: This site allows outsiders to comment, mark favorites, or interact with blog posts. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. Students can create their own snappages including blog pages. Look and discuss different privacy options for best use of the pages. Consider a class snappage with multiple authors to create class content instead if individual pages are not needed. Students must have individual accounts (email required). Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. 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.

All students will have access to comment on each others' work, so you may want to spell out specific consequences for inappropriate commenting depending on your students. Address possible misuse (especially of the gab function,) by discussing consequences and managing project/class time to keep students on task.

Possible uses: Have students create their own snappages. Link these feeds together on a master snappage for ease of finding recent blogposts. Students can easily comment on each others' work and begin great conversations about issues in any content area. Create a class snappage with multiple authors that report on class projects, happenings, or important information. Share major class events, photos (within school policies), or even student artwork using this visual forum. Senior high students might want to create art or writing portfolios for use in college admissions.

Frontline: Breaking the Bank Grade 9 to 12 - PBS- 10117

A website connected to an episode of Frontline, this site looks at the recent collapse of several large "superbanks," and how these bank failures have been connected to the general economic downturn. Many PBS shows' sites are built around the concept of having students "watch the show and discuss"; these require teachers to buy or find a copy of episode. However, this site includes access to the full episode (requires Flash), which can be viewed as a whole or in sections. The resource list is very comprehensive and would give students who are researching national or global economics many good sources. Finally, there is analysis, set up in Q&A format that stands alone, and could be used if you don't want to use classtime to view the video episode.

In the Classroom:
Although this site deals with the 2008-2009 banking crisis at a level that is probably more in-depth than most teachers have the opportunity to deal with, it would be useful for an economics class or a recent American history class. You might consider some portions of it during a discussion of the Great Depression in the 1930s, to help students connect that economic time with the present. Finally, this might be a good resource site for students who are interested or who are working on more comprehensive projects. Why not have students create a multimedia presentation of their own demonstrating their understanding of the connection between the bank failures and the economic downturn. Have students create (and respond) on class wikis. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries – check out the Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here.

Copyright Alliance Foundation Grade K to 12 - Copyright Alliance- 10105

Confused about copyright issues? Use this site to understand the rules and how they apply to the classroom. Download the Educators' Workshop to assist school leaders in learning about copyright or the Educators' Guide for use by all teachers regardless of subject or grade level. View videos about copyright in the classroom. Don’t miss the Library of Classroom Curricula, there are lessons for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Subjects include social studies, language arts, fine arts, math, science, technology, computers, research skills, and parent information! This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Flash. Get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
This site is a must-see for your own understanding of these challenging concepts. Share the interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Divide middle and high students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Identify what is considered fair use and teach students what is considered acceptable use in the classroom before assigning, creating, or posting student projects. Use the free curricula on this site to teach your students about copyright and fair use beginning at a young age. Share this link on your class website or blog for students (and parents) to access at home.

Funnelbrain Grade 2 to 12 - Funnelbrain- 10100

Be smarter and use smarter flashcards! Browse, use, or create flashcards for studying in a variety of courses from basic to advanced. Take flashcard creation one step further with this free site that not only uses collaboration in the creation of flashcards, but also chooses the next cards based upon correct/incorrect answers in order to move information from short to long term memory. Add explanation, links, and mnemonics to the flashcards. Create and join groups for creation and study of the flashcards. For an overview, watch the video tutorial to learn how best to use Funnelbrain. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: For moderately advanced technology users. Create an account with an email address and password. Verification of email is not necessary. Create a new group by finding an already listed school or adding your own. Create flashcards easily by entering the question, answer, explanations, and mnemonics in the appropriate tabs. Students can create a profile and join or create a group.

Safety/Security: You may want to prohibit or point out the links to advertising located along the side. This site allows others to comment on created flashcard sets. Some school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school's Acceptable Use policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for inappropriate comments given or received. Students must have individual accounts (email required). Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. 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. Alternatively, create a class account that has a global login and password that all students can access. Students would need to be cautioned against deleting or changing flashcards created by other students. Students would not be able to join groups using this option. All projects are public. Check your school policy for posting student work online. Written permission is always a good idea.

Possible uses: Create flashcards for students to study or have students create them as an assignment. Create the original questions of the flashcards and assign students to determine the answers, find links for additional information, and add hints and mnemonics to complete the deck. Have groups of students use the flashcards for study time and for critique of the flashcard deck creator(s.) No matter the topic or subject, this flashcard site has great uses for student learning. Use flash cards for terminology, test review, or reinforcement. Have students create and critique sets as the actual assessment, replacing traditional tests and quizzes.

Wallwisher Grade K to 12 - Wallwisher- 10007

TeachersFirst Edge review: For moderately adventurous technology users. Use this free application to create an online bulletin board that you can use to display information for any subject. Easily create an account and build a new notice-board. The results look like this sample .

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Understanding for using this site is very basic. The tool does not show which work is attributable to which student, however. You may want to require that students initial their contributions in order to get credit. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online. Creating an account does require an email account, and students can use existing google and yahoo accounts to register. Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. 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. You may allow students to self-register, but be sure to keep a written record of their passwords for when they “forget.” It may be worth your time to do advanced registration for your younger students.

Safety/security concerns: Projects can be public or private. Check your school policy for posting student work online. Written permission is always a good idea. When wanting students to post to the wall, you will have to make the setting for comment open to the public. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders that may post on the wall while it is public. Making the setting private again is recommended to prohibit content being replaced by classmate “vandalism.”

How to use: Click on "Build a Wall" and individualize with options you easily see such as uploading an image, choosing colors, adding a title and subtitle, creating a password, and decisions on who can see/add to the wall. Once the settings are finished, click "Done," check your email for your password and begin adding to your wall. Our editors found that the email notification was a bit slow, so set up your account in advance! Add sticky notes with messages to your wall. Videos and websites can also be added. Currently the only settings for contributing to the wall include just the creator or everyone. It is possible to open the wall to contribution from all in order for your classes to contribute then reset it to just the creator when they are done. Not done? No problem. Click edit to go back at any time to make changes.

Possible uses: Use as a place to put web quest links and information. By leaving the wall open to comments, solicit input, discussions, or viewpoints from students. Assign a student project where students choose their theme and design a wall around it. For example, have students create a wall about their summer vacation. They can include pictures, audio or video, links, and other information to display. Use as a new format for book reports. Do your students have favorites such as music or sports? Create a wall around these favorites or hobbies. Use a wall for grammar or vocabulary words. Create walls for debates or viewpoints. Post assignments, reminders, or study skills on a wall. Do you use student scribes or reporters? Use the wallwisher site to create a wall with the goings- on in class. Embed your walls in a blog, wiki or website so that it is easily found. See a similar tool (and more ideas to use either tool) in the TeachersFirst review of Stixy here. Decide which one you prefer! Unfortunately, the Wallwisher embedded viewer is very small but can be scrolled in both directions. See it below:

Woices (beta) Grade 4 to 12 - Woices Enterprise, S.L.- 10000

TeachersFirst Edge Review: for moderately adventurous technology users. This site, still in beta, offers a FREE service that allows you to create and share "echoes." Echoes are words (audio recordings), left by anyone at any place, and can be played over and over by any visitors who find them. Listeners will feel as if they are really there! Echoes can be anything from personal memories, personal messages to a class, history or art related annotations of a place, music to accompany that place, or any kind of audio you can connect to a location. The audio recordings are linked to geographic locations or real-world objects (in the place where they are located). Echoes could also be fictitious accounts "placed" somewhere in the world to tell a story. Woices states that the goal of the site is to "extend reality by creating a new layer of audio information, what we call the echosphere, that will make the world a more interesting place."

You can create your own "echo" or listen to various "echoes" created by others from around the world. Click Explore to hear the echoes of the world (in every language imaginable). You do not need to join to explore and listen to others' echoes. The site uses Google Maps to share the world. Echoes are also labeled with an "e-code" for easy access by URL and listening via mobile phone. Completed echoes can be shared as an embedded device in a wiki or web page, via email, or by URL link (click Share). Here is a sample echo created by the TF Edge team. The site also includes tools for comments, blogs, forums, and other "social" aspects. This site does require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

Note: Future plans for Woices (remember, it is still in beta) include integrating it to work with GPS-enabled mobile phones, so you could "listen" to locations as you visit them without knowing or searching for the e-codes -- right on your mobile phone. Imagine touring the Gettysburg battlefields or a museum with an audio guide on your mobile phone, created by other Woices users.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: No special skills are needed to listen to echoes. Just click Explore. To create your own echoes, you must register. Registration does require an email address and activation via a link sent to your email. To create your own, visit the Create link and follow the detailed instructions. The instructions include three simple steps (Put it on the Map, Give it a Name, and Send It). Step one requires you to click your location on the map. Then click Proceed to go on to the next step. At Step Two you add the title, description, tags, your photo (optional), language, and then you RECORD. Simply use your computer's built-in microphone and the site's "record" button. You can record more elaborate mp3 files using other software for later upload as an echo. You have TEN minutes of FREE recording time. Finally, click to Send It, and your new echo is on the web. The link is visible in your computer's address bar or can be emailed by clicking Share. You can also combine echoes created by you or various members of a group to form a "walk" of related echoes. Completed echoes can also be shared as an embedded device in a wiki or web page.

Note that using music or sounds from other sources could be a copyright violation. TeachersFirst editors remind you to use copyright-free music or -- better yet -- record your own.

Safety/security concerns: This is a public site, so once an "echo" is created, any user can access the information. If you are considering having students create their own echoes, you will want to be certain to adhere to your school's Acceptable Use Policy and obtain parental permission. If you are having students register independently (which may not be the best option), why not consider creating a free Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. This will allow you to control the accounts. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

This site also includes various social features (Community section) and advertisements. This is a great opportunity to teach basic Internet Safety in the context of a productive lesson. If students are working independently, be sure to have clear expectations and consequences spelled out -- then monitor activities. And remember, anything that is posted on this site, is available to any visitor on the web. There is no way to make the "echo" private. Take advantage of the Comments feature for students to respond to each other's echoes or to invite parents and others to respond. For example, if students create a local history tour, share it with older adults in the community to comment with their memories about the sites.

Possible Uses: The possibilities at this website are endless! Even the youngest of students can use this site (with assistance). In world language classes, have students LOOK for echoes from other countries, and even make some to practice language as they narrate cultural highlights of countries where their language of study is spoken. Make echoes about places you study in geography or history class. Have students create an echo tour or your own hometown and the important local historical sites (be sure to protect the identify of yourself and your students). Make a fictional echo "story" in real settings, using a sequence of links to echoes for the events in the story. Create a teacher-made echo treasure hunt of important locations for cooperative learning groups to explore. Make echoes about environmental sites or issues. Make a literary "walk" of a poet's geographic area with readings of his/her poetry "placed" in the places they describe, such as Emerson's account of Lexington and Concord. Make a mapped, narrated "walk" of the botanical species or animal habitats in your area. Make echoes about landforms. Create whole-class "I wonder" echoes about places they begin to study, ex. narrating the pueblos and asking about the people who once dwelled there. Then add more echoes as you learn. Use this site to record directions, questions, or prompts about places they should research and links they should use; then have them access the echoes at learning stations or with a substitute. Create "Echo" audio newsletters to share on your class website, connecting to the various "places" your class has been studying. Teachers could also record echoes about locations on a map to teach about map reading skills or have ELL/ESL students record echoes about places where their primary language is spoken to share with classmates. Have the students make the echoes, of course. Have students create their own echoes as "electronic" gifts for family and close friends. Why not create one celebrating moms for Mother's Day? Use this site to celebrate dad, grandparents, and other care givers also! Be sure to list this link (and relevant safety concerns about the site) on your class website for students to use at home. Include it as long breaks approach so students can work with their families, creating echoes about places they visit during family vacations or reunions.

Pinky Dinky Doo Grade K to 2 - Cartoon Pizza- 9982

Pinky Dinky Doo is a vibrant cartoon character who teaches children the concepts of storytelling and problem solving while simultaneously introducing them to colorful vocabulary. Have students click on the Your Story Box option to create their own imaginative story with a beginning, middle and end. As the story is created, Pinky Dinky Doo reads the story aloud while students read along as the words are highlighted on the page. Additional audio snippets make the retelling fun and even more cartoon-like. Upon completion, students can submit their stories to the Pinky Dinky Doo pod cast so they can be read by others. There are also links to Printables that include coloring pages, crafts, and other activities. Visit the Videos link to view fifteen short video clips from the show. There are also links to podcasts, interactive “games,” and a Grown-Ups link. The Grown-Ups link has an “Educational Approach” section with several classroom ideas. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Note: If you have students create their own stories, be sure to reinforce basic Internet safety concepts about protecting their identity and to obtain parent permission to place their child’s work online. Share this colorful site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Download entertaining Pinky Dinky Doo podcasts to use in a listening center. Check out the Printables, perfect for reinforcing early literacy concepts such as retelling and sequencing. Speech/language or ESL/ELL teachers can use the retelling option for vocabulary development. Allow students to watch a storytelling episode on the classroom computer and retell it by creating a comic strip of the story. Be sure to list this link on your class website, so students can access both in and of the classroom.

Understanding Economics and Money: TeachersFirst Editors' Choices Grade K to 12 - TeachersFirst- 9931

Understanding how world economic systems work can mystify even the experts, but all of us need to understand the basics of how an economy functions, especially as current events challenge us to adjust to tough times. This special collection of resources has been hand-picked by the editors of TeachersFirst from among our many reviewed resources on economics and money. These selections were chosen to help students (and families) grasp basic economic principles, personal financial planning, and banking at an age-appropriate level.

In the Classroom:
Browse these editors' choice resources to find the best for your classroom needs. Don't forget that you can use economics information to teach math concepts. Make your lessons relevant in today's world by connecting the economic concepts as you teach writing, reading, and more. As your students master the concept, have them create a "Kids Guide to the Economy" on a class wiki or make videos on single concepts to be shared via tools such as SchoolTube (reviewed here) or TeacherTube (reviewed here).

Troubled Times: How to Help Children and Teens During Tough Economic Times Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies/ NASP- 9930

TeachersFirst's sister site, TeachersAndFamilies, offers this article and accompanying ideas for school and family to help children and teens understand and cope during tough economic times. The article includes information reprinted by permission from the National Association of School Psychologists and extensive, practical ideas and activities to help families cope together. Included is a printable of these activity ideas.

In the Classroom:
Share the link to this article on your teacher web page, and send the printable home with your students so families are empowered to DO something to reassure children and teens. The site grants permission for a classroom set of copies to be made for students to take home. Be sure to tell your colleagues and principal about this valuable resource.

Nota Grade 3 to 12 - Nota, Inc.- 9915

Teacher's First Edge Review: For adventurous technology users. Create online material or presentations in an unlimited number of formats for free with this unique collaborative site. Use an unlimited combination of media on this whiteboard space. Integrate drawings, text, pictures, articles, maps, videos, and a multitude of media too numerous to mention! Create an online informational poster, suite of pages, or presentation documents that multiple owners create. Embed your “Nota” in another site, Facebook, or Blog. Click the "About" tab to find great education examples. Use the "Quick Guide" and the "FAQ" section for easy to use information. Watch the tour video to learn more! This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: To use Nota, register with an email address. 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. No need to wait for a registration email to begin. Name your new page and begin your work! Use the most common buttons on the left side of the workspace to begin: cursor, drawing, eraser, text, shapes, undo, and redo. Moving the cursor on the whitespace creates options to leave a comment box. Click to place on the whiteboard, then enter text, move by dragging the move tab, or other options. Use the menu to Insert objects such as font art, photos, movies, clipart, wikipedia, or google maps. Insert a message board or access counter. Share or embed your creation easily. Change the background colors or create new pages simply and easily. Change the license of your “Nota” to block changes or comments with one click.

Safety/security concerns: This site allows outsiders to comment on or modify work. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school Acceptable Use policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. Click on "no" to receive comments and for modifying work to create a level of security for students and work. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online, and then enforce that policy with your students. You may allow students to self-register, but be sure to keep a written record of their passwords for when they “forget.” It may be worth your time to do advanced registration for your younger students. In many schools, you will need parental permission before allowing students to post content online.

Ideas for use: Create a book (recipe, alphabet, places...), a scrapbook, poster project, or free graffiti projects. With younger students, create collaboratively on your interactive whiteboard for students to learn the tools. Have students decide how best to illustrate the water cycle or animal food chains. Make a visual literary magazine or visual aids to accompany oral presentations. In art class, collect examples of a style or design element and annotate them with the drawing tools. Create political "ads" in history class, depicting a candidate's stand on key topics. Make a whole-class NOTA in your elementary class about the school year, including digital images of important events or field trips. Create with friends near or far. Students in collaborative groups can present content or projects quickly and easily. “Nota” allows multiple users to create in the same space at the same time.

Here is an example Nota :

Stock Market - Finance Grade 5 to 12 - Vocabulary University- 9910

The state of our economy is on the minds of both adults and students. Use this site to teach about the stock market and general economics. There are word puzzles, a wordbank of about twenty words, discussion ideas, and general reference information. Many of the puzzles are printable. This site does have some unobtrusive advertisements.

In the Classroom:
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon (reviewed here). Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you don't have the time to complete online books, have students share the definitions using a class wiki. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles!

The History of Money Grade 6 to 12 - The History Channel- 9860

With the news dominated by problems with the world economy, this site on this history of money might provide a good baseline for further discussion. The video gallery features historic newsreel clips and other content associated with currency and economics. An image gallery shows the history of US coinage. There is a page of quotes related to money as well as a resources page with links to other sites with further information. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use the video clips to introduce a lesson or reinforce content on the history of the Great Depression, or the significance of the gold standard, for example. Use the "coined phrases" as writing prompts or as thoughts to ponder, posted in the classroom. The interactive timeline shows the history of US currency and would work well on an interactive whiteboard or projector.

Kids Bank Grade 3 to 6 - Sovereign Bank- 9856

This site, ideal for elementary students, offers some basic information about money. There are "characters" that teach students: Penny, Interest Ray, Mr. EFT (electronic funds transfer), and others. Each character offers a basic slideshow of information about their topic. There are also interactive quizzes and calculators.

In the Classroom:
This is a nice site to introduce young students to economics. It is ideal for a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students work in cooperative learning groups and assign each group a "character" to explore. Have the groups create a multi-media presentation to share with the class: video, wiki, blog, PowerPoint, or other.

Schwab MoneyWise Grade 9 to 12 - Charles Schwab- 9855

This is a nice informational site for students, teachers, and parents. Learn about budgeting, saving, and investing. Use the calculators to determine interest, savings, and more. This site has polls, tips, articles of interest, and a link for teachers. At the teachers' link, you will find lesson ideas, true stories of teachers "in the trenches," and other links. There are also downloadable PDF files of teaching guides and student activities.

In the Classroom:
Use the lesson ideas at this site to help your high school students understand economics. Take advantage of the free teaching guides and student worksheets.

My Bread: NEFE High School Financial Planning Program Grade 8 to 12 - National Endowment for Financial Education- 9853

If you are teaching students about the economy, budgeting, debt, or other topics of "money" - don't miss this site! Highlights include seven units of study (Financial Planning, Budgeting, Investing, Good Debt and Bad Debt, and others). You can easily download entire units (PDF files). There are also articles and interactives. The interactives are incredibly useful (although they are called Games). The Games include "Live to Work? Or Work to Live," "Education: Worth It?," "Paper or Plastic," and several others.

Another great feature of this site is that it is also available in Spanish. The site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
There are many ways to incorporate this website into your plans and help your students prepare for their financial futures. Download entire units to use with your class. There are countless activities presented with each unit. An economics class could focus on one new unit each week (or even month). Demonstrate the Games on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students try out the "real life" economics interactives on their own computers. Download (and print) copies of the unit. Have students work in cooperative learning groups to read through the units and complete the activities.

Sense and Dollars Grade 6 to 12 - Maryland Public Television- 9848

Plan your dream job, pretend to live on your own, pay bills, and decide what the "important" extras are at this site. There are links to interactives that help you learn to save, spend, and earn money! You can even plan a “dream prom” budget. Students learn about money and economics as they practice living in the "real world." There is a Teachers' Guide, although it is tricky to find. Click on the GO button and then the Info link. Here you will find a link to a Teachers' Guide and Parents' Guide. The guides provide statistics about students (and adults) knowledge of money, standards, lesson ideas, tutorials, technology tips, and links for more information. You MUST turn off any pop-up blockers to fully access this site!

In the Classroom:
Have students work on individual computers and explore this site. There are many options to print off pages that they complete (for example, the mock budget that they create in Check It Out). Visit the "Teachers' Guide" to get more ideas about how to use this website in your math, social studies, or economics class.

Kid's Finance Grade 1 to 6 - kidsfinance.com- 9844

This simple site offers a basic introduction to money and financing for younger students. The site has two main "characters" Penny and Bill. There is biographical information about various "bills" of money, a matching game, and puzzles. There are printable pages, reference information, and other useful tools. There is a link to purchase a coinciding book; the site is FREE and usable without the book.

In the Classroom:
Get some basic ideas at this site. Everything here is quick and simple. You will want to supplement with other information about the economy and money.

Tips for Life Grade 6 to 12 - American Century Investments- 9826

This site offers "Tips for Life" for students about economics and money. The modules (topics)include "Creating Confidence," "Mastering Information," "Investing In Your Future", and "Managing Your Business." Most of the material is aligned to national standards. This comprehensive program places students in "real-life" situations in the world of business, money, and finance. There is a section for teachers and students. The teacher section allows teachers to enroll students, view progress, determine score, and much more. Don't miss the Teacher's Guide: introduction, classroom ideas, details about the modules, and more.

Be warned: to register you must give full demographic information to gain free access. If your school prohibits this, you may want to create some generic student accounts, or register at home. Even if you only register as a teacher and do not keep track of student progress, you can still gain many valuable teaching ideas from the modules. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Take advantage of the many free resource ideas at this site. Share sample activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work in groups to complete one of the many "real life" projects provided in the learning modules. Bring some technology into the lessons, by having the groups complete a multi-media project about their "real life" assignment: video, blog, wiki, or even a PowerPoint presentation.

Tips For Kids Grade 4 to 12 - American Century Investments- 9825

This site features many modules (similar to lesson plans) in PDF format all related to money and economics. You can download the ENTIRE curriculum FREE! Each module includes four units of study. Module topics include Business Building, Mastering Finance, Economic Encounters, and Money & Me. There are also links to articles about finance (What is a Bond, Risk and Return, and others). At the "Resources" link there are four interesting calculators: Dollar Cost Averaging, Expected After-Tax Return, Staying Ahead of Inflation, and Time Value. Even though the stated grade levels go up through middle school, many of these could also be used with high school business, econ, or “life after high school” classes. This site does require Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
The activities at this site are ready to go, printable, and easy to follow. Although this site isn't highly interactive, the lessons are very practical and timely. Tie together your social studies, current events, and math classes with a unit found at this site.

The Mint: Fun Financial Literacy Activities for Kids, Teens, Parents and Teachers Grade 6 to 12 - Northwestern Mutual Foundation- 9727

Economics and the stock market have taken center stage since the crises of 2008. This site provides a nice overview of the world of personal investment including sections on earning, saving, spending, investing, giving, owing, safeguarding, and tracking. There are also a number of interactive features that can provide insight into the student's attitudes toward money. Online calculators help students understand how finance charges affect the "bottom line" for purchases bought on credit, and how saving in interest-bearing accounts can increase assets. The "Ideas for Teachers" link includes lesson plans and other tips for using the site in an educational setting. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
This site provides some great tools for use by students in a personal finance or "Real World" class, as well as information to supplement a discussion of economics or current events. You could also use it as a real world application of many math concepts or team teach middle school math and social studies together. Consider assigning the interactive quizzes as independent work, and using the topical overviews to accompany a lecture or class discussion. One drawback: the "sounds" that accompany mousing over your choices are very distracting. Consider turning down the sound (or hitting mute) on your computer if you use this site on an interactive whiteboard. Challenge students to write “financial” blogs offering advice, based on the information learned at this site. Or assign them to demonstrate competence with concepts such as per cent and interest by creating a financial advice column for a student online newspaper.

Queeky Grade 2 to 12 - Philipp Hennermann- 9692

TeachersFirst Edge Entry: For slightly adventurous technology users. This online drawing tool provides typical digital drawing tools to generate vector-based drawings as sophisticated as you wish to make them. Vector-based drawings use actual curves, not the pixellated little boxes that so many paint simple programs create. Queeky also hosts a community of very accomplished digital artists to learn from, even if you never lift an electronic pencil. The site allows users to draw, collaborate on a shared drawing in what they describe as "near-real time," watch a drawing played back to see how it was done, and even start from one drawing to create a new version("variate"). You have complete control of transparency, line thickness, colors (within a web palette), and much, much more. If you press "u" while drawing, you can upload an image to include in your drawing. If you are fortunate enough to have a graphics drawing tablet, using the drawing tools will be even easier! There is a full screen option to use while drawing or playing back, as well. The site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

The TeachersFirst team also found that the site wanted to install a Microsoft add-on called "MSXML 5.0" from Microsoft, but tested the site without the add-on in an effort to duplicate the limitations most school computers have on downloads. The site features worked without it, as far as the team could tell. Teachers will certainly want to pre-test this tool on school computers, anyway, since it is powerful enough to use the Internet connection heavily at times.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: To view and share drawings on a projector or interactive whiteboard with you class, you do not need to join. You can even draw and play back a drawing without saving. For full features, join the site (free). Membership requires an email address. The confirmation email is slow to arrive, so join a day or so ahead of time. We suspect that the Germany-based site has real humans checking memberships on Germany time! While you wait, you can experiment with the drawing tools or learn about them by visiting the gallery and "playing" some drawings to see how some of the tools can be set to create truly artistic images. Be sure to experiment with the tools together with your students. There is an undo tool--very important as you start out. There are no demonstration videos or help screens, so you may learn best by doing or watching what others have done. There is a forum where users discuss tools, etc. Preview before sending students here, but the advice may be very helpful. You will also want to try uploading an image (press U on your keyboard while on a drawing screen). You will need to know where the image file is saved on your computer.

Safety concerns: This is a public site, so even though the Terms of Use prohibit obscene drawings, teachers will want to preview Galleries they plan to use and have a specific policy in place for students who navigate the site on their own. The public can see any artwork you create and view your profile, so students should have parent permission before creating any online artwork of their own and should maintain an anonymous identity on the site. This site allows outsiders to comment on your projects. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. This is a good opportunity to discuss netiquette and how to participate positively and safely in online communities. Consider using a whole-class account so you can monitor activity. Students could name their works using a coded initial system so you would know who created what.

If you want to set up individual student accounts, first check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. 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 use these for any online tool.

Possible Uses: Art teachers will love the chance to teach about design elements in a public, hands-on environment. Assign students to use only certain tools or to "variate" on a starter drawing you provide to demonstrate both creativity and mastery of the elements. Students using the tool from home could generate an actual portfolio of drawings without expending precious art materials. Have students or groups create collections or locate artworks in the galleries that demonstrate the design elements or techniques you want them to notice. Without joining the site, play selected drawings on a projector or interactive whiteboard and have students narrate what they see the artist doing. Assign students to "variate" or annotate on an image from the gallery or one you upload. Teachers in other subjects may want to share this tool as a way to create visual explanations of science processes, book covers for literature (with explanations for the design choices, of course), visual responses to poetry, graphics or logos for "companies" they create in econ class, etc. The animated playbacks of drawings could even show how to form letters in manuscript or do calligraphy (if you can do it without making a mistake!)

Spore Creature Creator Grade 2 to 12 - Electronic Arts, Inc.- 9476

Teacher's First Edge Review: For slightly adventurous technology users. Use Creature Creator to make interesting and imaginative animals. Your students may recognize it as a tool for making characters for the Spore video game, but it is actually a useful tool for learning, as well. Use a pre-made creature or create your own custom creature. Add carnivore features to your creation that include mouths, ears, eyes, arms, hands, feet, and legs. Weapons such as horns, spikes, and clubs can also be added to the creature as well as wings. Change the position of the features and alter them through unbelievable joint changes which then alter how your creature walks and moves. Paint your creation when done and place it in its woodland environment. The creature can walk, show emotion, have offspring, and make sounds. Use the software to take a picture, record a movie, and make an avatar. By adding a description and tags, your creation can be uploaded to the spore website or to a You Tube account. Here is an example (if you can access You Tube).

Creature Creator is a free download but is a limited version of the original purchased program. The purchased program provides many more choices for the features and environments used to make the creatures. The download is available for both PC and Mac.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: User needs to be able to download and install the free program. Easy to use interface. Start with a blob, which you manipulate into a shape, pulling its spinal cord in any direction with the mouse, before adding a head, limbs and various optional extra body parts. Choose your part by using the onscreen catalog. Manipulate it further by changing the position of joints or through adding or deleting segments. Add a background and move your creature by dragging your mouse for it to follow. Continue to alter your creature to get the movement or features needed.

Pressing "H" brings up the spore guide which includes topic categories such as "Welcome to Spore," "Getting Started," "Build Mode," "Test Drive," and "Paint Mode."

Safety/security concerns: Check your district policy on downloading and installing of programs. Many districts have administrative controls on each computer. Check with your IT department. Teachers who must request software installation by tech staff may want to try this tool at home and create some sample projects to convince administration of its educational value.

Uploading pictures and videos of creations to You Tube or the spore site may expose students to advertising as well as inappropriately created creatures. You may want to send students directly to URLs for their own projects, maintain the creatures on the classroom computer itself, or use Teacher Tube to upload the creations. Uploading creatures enables outsider comments without teacher control. Outsiders can interact or mark the creations as favorites. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. Student work can be saved as a picture and printed, as well, for sharing and showing. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online and what information is permitted, then enforce that policy with your students.

No login is required to use the downloaded or purchased program. The tool does not show which work is attributable to each student. You may want to require student initials on projects in order to get credit.

Possible Uses: Use Creature creator to create an unusual creature as a class project. Create a classification system of all the class creatures to demonstrate biology classification skills. When discussing the groupings in the Animal Kingdom, use Creature Creator to create a new organism for that group. Use the tool to create a class creature with adaptations to a specific environment. Have students create a creature and then write a story or poem about it and how it lives. Have students create a creature as a self-portrait of personality or other traits the students possess. Students can design and draw habitats that would house their creation including the calculation of the volume and area the housing would require. Use a classroom projector or white board to share/create creatures in class and discuss specific features of the creatures.

All of Inflation's Little Parts Grade 7 to 12 - The New York Times- 9292

As the saying goes, "It's the economy, stupid." The US economy continues to be an important talking point. Some report that the country is already slipping into recession, but what does that mean? This graphic, designed by the New York Times, is the kind of visual presentation that can really help put this discussion into perspective. Presented as an amped-up version of the traditional pie chart, the chart shows what percentage of the average consumer's spending is devoted to everything from cable TV to gas to fast food to postage. The graphic also shows the relative increase or decrease in that cost over the past year. For example, students may enjoy seeing the comparison between money spent on men's clothing versus that spent on women's clothing, with additional comparative data on shoes, accessories, and children's clothes! This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
This relatively simple graphic has a very wide variety of possible applications. If you teach personal finance and budgeting, students can use this chart to compare the average American's spending with their own. If you teach economics, the fact that the items that have increased the most in the past year are gasoline, fuel oil, firewood, and eggs (OK, eggs?) will bear out the impact of the rise in the cost of crude oil and the chaos in the middle east. If you teach civics or government, you can show how the changes in the economy affect what citizens want from their politicians. If you teach math, the graphic's real-life data could be used as a basis for computation and problem solving. Because it's Flash-enabled, the "mouse over" effects and the ability to zoom in and out to see greater detail (how much does the average American spends on ham versus turkey? It's on there!). This site would work well on an interactive whiteboard or projector.

Profile Publisher Grade 3 to 12 - ReadWriteThink.org- 9143

Reading literature with complex characters worthy of analysis and individual profiles? Do your students need practice creating their own polished “profiles”? This tool creates professional looking profiles of students or for a character in a book, historical figure, animal, or scientific object/concept. Amazingly, you may choose to set up a profile for nonliving creatures or even abstract concepts. You simply type in the requested information into the boxes, and immediately, you have a perfect profile layout, ready for photocopy publishing. (Saving your profiles is not an option, so all must be printed immediately.) This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Teach Internet safety by having students create a mock profile to use on social networking sites. Printing out those profiles makes editing in small groups a breeze. Yearbook or newspaper staff may want to use this Profile Publisher to gain more information about people of interest. History comes alive when you profile historical figures or interview veterans and generate profiles of local heroes. Imagine students creating a blog entry by George Washington. Or ask students to profile a type of cell, an endangered animal, or a science concept such as climate change. With this tool and some creative thinking, anything is possible.

Be SURE to warn students to PRINT before closing. The site does NOT save work. You may want them to draft their work in a saved document before pasting it into the profiler, just in case work is interrupted by a fire drill or the bell.

Comic Creator Grade 2 to 12 - ReadWriteThink.org- 9142

Your students will create professional-looking comics in minutes using this Comic Creator site. No log-in is required. Just type in the prompted information, such as the name of comic character, author, caption, and of course, the dialog that goes into the speech bubble. The ‘creator’ chooses the number of panels, type of characters, style of speech bubble, and various props. Two actions are needed: clicking and dragging the items to go into the comic strip, and typing dialog into the bubbles. Then, presto….a genuine comic appears, ready for printing. The tool DOES support accent marks pasted from Word. (Unfortunately, there is no way to save your comic masterpieces.) This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Instead of writing boring summaries, why not summarize through a comic strip. It’s much like storyboarding, but the drawing has been left to the Comic Creator pros. Make a class book of the comics created throughout the year. That book will become the most read classroom book of all in an elementary classroom. Use comics to show sequencing of events. When studying about characterization, create dialog to show (not tell) about a character. Another idea - why not use the comic strips for conflict resolution or other guidance issues (such as bullying). Sometimes it is easier for students to write it down (or draw the pictures) than use the actual words. World language and ESL/ELL teachers can assign students to create dialog strips as an alternate to traditional written assessments.

ConnectSafely Grade K to 12 - Tech Parenting Group - 8985

This site is a discussion-opener on safe use of the "social web." Some of the tools included are social networking sites, virtual worlds, chat, cell phones, video-sharing, and more. There are tips and advice for just about any medium kids and adults use today, as well as discussion forums where parents can ask questions and share information. Each article and advice section can be emailed at the click of a mouse. You can also download and share printable version (site creators do ask that you not modify them and that you simply tell them if you do download and share). While some posts may not represent your point of view, the important thing is to open dialog.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your teacher or school web page for parents to access as part of a plan to work together. Consider using it as a hub for an evening discussion session with parents and students in a "round table" to air concerns and work together. Simply blocking or ignoring these tools is not educating or helping our kids. We want our students to grow into safe and responsible citizens both online and in person. If your school can involve and inform parents and students, you will have a better likelihood of using the new tools of the web in productive classroom settings, as well.

Internet Surfing in an Elementary Classroom Grade K to 5 - International Reading Association- 8803

What role does the internet play in our younger students’ education? This scholarly article points out that while computers become as common as chalkboards, teachers must become comfortable with managing the internet in our classrooms. In this article, two primary-level students negotiate the Web, and their discoveries and struggles highlight the tension that teachers face. The article suggests ways to resolve some of the problems faced by teachers.

Games Parents Teachers: A Parent-Teacher Toolkit Grade 3 to 12 - Marc Prensky and games2train.com- 8579

Computer gaming occupies much of your students' or child's time. This site equips you with the knowledge of what different games are about and what questions you -- as teacher or parent -- should ask of your child. Just click on the game's title and read the recommendations for parents and teachers. This site houses resources and recommended websites for understanding computer gaming and gamers as well. Note that the site is created with a positive bias about computer/video games. Some of the ideas for discussion are, however, good ones, especially if you know your students are playing the games anyway!

In the Classroom:
There are options for teachers to share their ideas for using games as part of instruction, though few have conrtributed as of the time of this review.

OneWebDay Grade K to 12 - - 8566

"The mission of OneWebDay is to create, maintain, advance, and promote a global day to celebrate online life." Started in 2006, One Web Day is a day for awareness of the power of the Internet and activities to highlight its use in positive ways. While part of the mission of OneWebDay is a sort of "Earth Day for the web," a chance to highlight and preserve the things that make the web a healthy place to learn, work, and share -- all in an ethical way. Schools may want to take the day (or the closest school day)to highlight how much we benefit from the web and how students and families can use it safely and positively.

In the Classroom:
Some ideas to celebrate the day: Send class emails to the web sites you find most useful to thank them for their contributions to your class' learning. Find a school web site in another town or country and email the webmaster to relay a "hello" to a classroom there. Make a class wiki to share all the positive things you gain from the web---and invite parents to join in, too. Have students keep a web "diary" for 24 hours, noting every time they use or benefit from someone else using the web (even the weather man on TV gets his/her information from the web!). Predict how many "web contacts" your class will have, then add them up to see how close you came. Plan a OneWebDay event for your school and share it on the OneWebDay site or with the local press. With primary grade students, take the time to point out which activities you do in class come from the web (these children see "the computer" as the genie of all things and do not distinguish between the web and a CD game). Make a giant "web" out of yarn and "connect" everyone on the playground. Send an email from your class to the principal, telling him/her about OneWebDay. What else can you think of?

Finance Freak Grade 6 to 12 - Coolmath.com- 8517

This website demonstrates the basics of finance for teenagers. There are seven general topics. The first topic is the basics of banking (types of banks and accounts, how banks work, etc..). The second is the math of money (compound interest, annuities and more). The third is all about owing money (such as credit cards or student loans). The fourth topic is credit ratings. The fifth topic is all about investing (stocks, mutual funds, bonds, CDs and others are all included). The sixth topic (probably a student-favorite) is learning how to be smart and rich (spend wisely and plan for the future). The seventh area provides financial calculators for a mortgage, a car, investments, and more!

This curricular content may match up with your math, FCS, economics, social studies, careers, or business classes. Students (and adults) can all learn more about financial options at this fabulous website. Do your students a favor and teach them these "real-life" skills today. Portions of this site require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share the aspects of the site that fit your curriculum on laptops or an interactive whiteboard (or projector) as you assign students to make their own financial plans or learn about compounding interest. Assign them mini-scavenger hunt activities within this site to learn basic financial survival. Be sure to share the link on your teacher web page, as well, since the content will surely interest your eager spenders to visit on their own outside of class, as well.

Common Sense Media Grade 1 to 12 - Common Sense Media Inc.- 8267

This site has current movie reviews from the parents' point of view: What current movies are appropriate? What ages are they appropriate for? In addition to current films, there are reviews of TV programs, new DVD's, games, websites, books, music, etc. The site uses its own rating system: "Appropriate for age," "Know your kid," and "Not appropriate for age." Along with written reviews and Q/A approaches, there are video clips and tips. Each category of entertainment has several recommended and reviewed items with age ranges. There is also a newsletter and in-depth articles on subjects of concern to kids and parents.

In the Classroom:
Let your students' parents know about this site via your teacher web page or class newsletter. You may also want to share it with your school PTO or PTA.

Citebite Grade K to 12 - - 7987

TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. Imagine being able to give students (or parents)an exact link to a specific quote within a web page. This TeachersFirst Edge tool does exactly that. Why would you want to? Perhaps you want to send students to a certain paragraph for an activity: for reading comprehension, for reading a specific portion of text, or even for highlighting a literary device within a text or poem. Students will no longer waste time, announcing, "I can't find it!" or return to school saying they couldn't do the homework!

In the Classroom:
No membership or cost required. Tool can be used in less than 30 seconds. Skills needed: Open TWO windows in Internet Explorer or any web browser. One should be open to citebite; the other to the web page you wish to reference. On that web page, locate and "highlight" the exact passage of text you want to "send" people to see. Copy/paste the passage into the quotation box at Citebite (copy, then change windows). Return to the target web page and copy/paste its actual URL into Citebite. Click "Make Citebite." Copy/paste the new url, indicated after "Your citebite link is:" Note: if the original quote is within a FLASH presentation, it will not copy/paste or generate a Citebite. See this example of a Citebite link to a tip about TeachersFirst Edge tools: http://pages.citebite.com/b1j4l1j7o0ndu

Have your middle and high school students do a web page "credibility critique" on their potential sources by using Citebite before they start a research project. They can highlight passages as proof of credibility -- or lack thereof -- and give you the Citebite links. They will love this easy way to reference a specific portion of a page. You will love the ease of finding it. If you give them a Word document table as a web site evaluation rubric, they can paste the Citebites there, with their comments in the neighboring cell!

Peace Games Grade K to 8 - Peace Games- 7938

This site has links to games all designed to make the players aware of and work with others. It also promotes team building. Each category (Get-to-know-you Games, Fun Group Games, Community and Team-building Games, Running and Tag Games, and Theater Games) has clear directions, space requirements, supplies needed, and several variations. Players discuss questions listed at the end of the game directions in order to develop awareness of the group process, increase strategies to deal with frustrations and people not liked by all, and participate competitively without losing awareness of other players and points of view.

In the Classroom:
Use in the classroom to develop group awareness and defuse potentially explosive situations among radically different personalities, ethnicities, income levels, etc. These would be great as first week of school activities! These can also help in developing a positive school environment and combating bullying.

Stories from the Web 7-11 Grade 2 to 6 - Birmingham Library Services- 7810

This site provides a wealth of information for students who are looking for a good book, fairy tales or poems to read. Peer reviews, short synopsis and ISBN numbers are included under recommended reads. Each book listed has a ‘tease’ to get students hooked into reading the complete book. Students can choose short stories to read on line by author, title or type of story. Enter the bookshelf to search for other books to borrow from a library. Companion sites for ages under 7 and 11-14 address interests of other age groups. Flash is required. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Present this site to your class as a ‘Book Club Online’ to get students interested in reading. Students who already have a love for reading will enjoy the peer reviews. Encourage students to write reviews of their own to submit and share with the class. Use this as a way to discuss Internet safety and be sure to follow your school districts policy on posting information on the web. Include the link on your teacher web page for students to access and share at home.

Video: Investing Money in Plain English Grade 4 to 12 - Common Craft- 7721

This site offers a short video (4-minutes) focusing on investing money. Learn about the stock market, savings, and basic economics. The site explains the risks and benefits of investing and saving money. There is a link provided to embed the video. The site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this video with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups research other aspects of economics or business and create their own videos. Share the videos on Teachertube (explained here).

Paradigm Online Writing Assistant Grade 6 to 12 - Chuck Guilford- 7717

How do we get kids to write and how do we show them how to do it? This site is a big help with some of those questions. It covers: choosing a subject, discovering, organizing, revising, editing, documenting sources, informal essays, thesis/support essays, argumentative essays, and exploratory essays. Rolling the cursor over each different subjects will show what it includes.

In the Classroom:
This site gives activities and suggestions on how to involve kids in what they write. THe wide range of grade levels addressed is also attractive, although it is geared more for high school students.

There is a memberhsip option. If you allow students to join, you should first get parent permission. Members are able to create journals and participate in collaboration, but you should have firm Internet Safety policies in place, if you decide to use these in class.

Safety on the Internet Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7659

This article provides information about safety on the Internet. This is a general list of helpful tips. Some examples of tips include checking the Internet history, setting time limits, using filtering software and more.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page, at conferences, or in a newsletter or note sent home.

See No Evil Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7585

This article discusses staying safe while online. Specifics topics include virus protection, surfing safely, security and high-speed connections.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page, at conferences, or in a newsletter or note sent home.

Help Teens Be Savvy Surfers Grade 6 to 12 - American Library Association- 7207

This pdf file, organized by the American Library Association, lists sites to help teens evaluate websites, stay safe while using the internet,keep up with new offerings and technology (like blogs), and do research and citations correctly. This is an excellent overall compilation done by professionals in the library field and is a good source for instructors as well as students. You MUST have Acrobat Reader to open this site. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
A great resource for teachers to use with technology-wild students who need to use solid evaluation criteria to ground their internet usage decisions. You can print out the file as a handout or use the links as part of an activity prior to starting a research project.

Authors Own Websites, Just For Kids Who Love Books Grade 3 to 8 - Alan Broan, retired school librarian- 6802

Use this child-friendly collection of author websites and author chat sites to learn about favorite authors or do resarch for a project. Compiled by a retired school librarian, the text is easy to understand and respects internet safety concerns. Students click on the letter for the author's last name and find their favorite. Note that the actual author pages are NOT part of this site and vary widely. Using this site enables you and your students to find the "real" author sites without sifting through unofficial or confusing search results, saving you time and effort in assigning the research.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as the starting point for author research or list it on your teacher web site for students to use when working on book reports from home.

LearniT: Technology Videos Grade 4 to 12 - Nortel- 6719

For teachers or students who have not had the opportunity to learn technology skills from a real person, these video tutorials can be very helpful. They can also fill in gaps in basic computer knowledge. Topics range from Internet safety and Netiquette to more advanced video production, digital imaging, and web page creation. For your students doing independent projects, for basics before you launch into a full-class technology production, or even for teaching yourself as a teacher, these tutorials are approachable and fairly up-to-date. Make sure you choose the right level(s) for your students, since they may have better skills than you think. You can differentiate easily with the multiple skill levels available. This one takes a longer time to open, so be patient.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your teacher web page or in Favorites in your computer lab or on a classroom machine for students to use as a reference. This can be a great help for students who move in and do not have the same background knowledge as the rest of the class or as a challenge to your techno-whiz or gifted student. These also can make excellent ready-to-go projected tutorials a substitute could show in preparation for an upcoming project.

Economic Education Web Grade K to 12 - University of Omaha- 4814

Although this site is "plain vanilla," we seldom see anything as useful as this one. The site contains an extensive collection of standards-correlated lesson plans for teaching principles of economics at all K-12 levels. The content is drawn from a variety of sources, and some of the presentations are in the form of printable PDF files. While a number of the lessons and resources are centered on standards in Nebraska, there are correlations to national standards, and most of the material could be used elsewhere, sometimes with minor adaptations. This is one that every social studies or economics teacher should see.

Examples of topics for the K-5 students include Shortages and Surpluses, Consumers/Consumption, Functions of Money, and countless others. Grade 6-8 topics include Role of the Government, Unemployment, Economic Growth, and many others. Some of the higher level topics for grades 9-12 include Circular Flow, Market Failures, Federal Reserve, and much more! Many of the topics include more than one lesson plan or classroom activity. A few of the topics are "under construction" as new material is constantly added. Some of the printables require Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Take advantage of these ready to go lesson plans at all grade levels. Anyone who teachers social studies or economics can easily find an appropriate lesson plan (linked to standards). Use these lessons to help students understand the economy, learn new vocabulary words, and deepen their understanding on money.

Bank Rate Grade 6 to 12 - bankrate.com- 3271

This simple site provides a calculator to figure out how long it will take for you to pay off credit card debt. They ask a few simple questions (how much you owe, what percentage rate your card has, current monthly payments, etc). Then they present you with WHEN your debt will be paid in full and how much interest will cost you during that time.

In the Classroom:
If your students are starting to use credit cards, share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector.

Practical Money Skills Grade 4 to 12 - Practical Money Skills for Life- 2926

This site offers lots of information on money management for students of all ages. Click on the At School link to to find curriculum ideas, classroom resources, student activities, games, and more. Some links of particular interest include the curriculum links to activities (and lesson plans). Another great one for high school students is Financial Football (find it under the student activities section).

To gain full access to some of the activities (i.e. lesson plans), you do need to register (this requires an email address). But most of the site is fully accessible with no registration. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
There are countless options and ideas about how to use this site in your classroom. Share the interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Take advantage of the FREE lesson plans to teach your students about money and the economy.

Video: Borrowing Money in Plain English Grade 5 to 12 - Common Craft- 2844

This short video demonstrates the risks, benefits, and realities of borrowing money. The video offers simple pictures to explain the complex topics. There is a link provided to embed the video. The site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this video with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector or embed it in your class web page or wiki during your unit on credit or percent. Have cooperative learning groups research other aspects of savings, borrowing, or economics and create their own videos. Share the videos on Teachertube (explained here).

Consumer Jungle Grade 9 to 12 - - 2077

This is a well-structured site targeted to students and teachers, with separate sections for each. The topics include common encounters with credit, financial planning, and budgets that young people are likely to encounter as they complete high school. The presentation is interesting without preaching, though teachers will need to bolster the thin lesson outlines if they use them. There is also a list of 50 Common Financial Pitfalls. There is a neat Money Skills Life Simulation. In addition, students can click to learn about the "Fraud of the Month." Most of these topics include a PowerPoint presentation and brief lesson plan. This could be a good start for a simulation or class activity. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share various portions of this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students try the simulation on their own. Did they reach their financial goals? The Fraud of the Month would be a good way to share a new topic (about money and the economy) each week. There are at least twenty that are ready to go from previous months. Be sure to visit the Teachers link. You do NOT have to join to use this fabulous tool.

Young Investor Grade K to 12 - Columbia Management- 1714

If you are looking for a new way to teach your student about money and the economy...check out this gem! This site has articles and interactives for students of all ages (preK-grade 12). Some of the younger grades have only one or two activities, while upper elementary through high school have a wide choice of both articles and interactives. Topic examples include Budgeting, Sharing Your Money With Others, Understanding the Stock Market, and MANY others. There are links for teachers, parents, and students. Some of the activities require ShockWave, Flash, or Adobe Acrobat. You can get these from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share the articles or interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have cooperative learning groups investigate a specific topic or article together. Then have them create a project, such as an online book using Tikotok (reviewed here) or a wiki “guide” their topic for their peers to follow.

Welcome to Planet Orange Grade 4 to 8 - ING Direct- 1472

This site is truly a MUST-SEE for anyone teaching economics and finance. In today’s world, everyone could use a better understanding of this complex topic. Some of the highlights of the site include interactives explaining countless topics of "money," links for teachers with 20+ lesson plans, classroom ideas, links for parents, and more.

To begin your adventure, choose your student guide, Cedric or Amy. They will take you on a tour of the four continents on Planet Orange: Republic of Saving, Moneyland, Investor Islands, and South Spending. Each continent includes interactives, information, and an online quiz.

Teachers, be sure to visit the Teacher Resource Center. The center includes lesson plans, printable pages, "Certificate of Achievement" to print for students, answer keys, curriculum matrix, and more. Using the Teacher Resource Center requires registering with the website. Registration is FREE but does require some demographic information and an email address. Students DO NOT need to register to use the student portion of the site. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
As a teacher, the best place to begin the adventure is the Teacher Resource Center. Although this feature does require registration, it is well worth your time. The ideas at this site are simply to use, in "kid-friendly terms," and ready to go. Since there are four continents at Planet Orange, why not divide your class into four teams. Have each team explore one of the continents and prepare a video sharing what they have learned. Share the videos on TeacherTube (explained here).

Video: Saving Money in Plain English Grade 4 to 12 - Common Craft- 887

This site offers a short introductory video about savings. Learn the basics of savings, compound interest, and how money continues to grow over time. There is a link provided to embed the video. The site require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this video with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups research other aspects of economics and create their own videos. Include this video as you teach about interest in math class, then have students create a video advertisement for a savings program. Share the videos on Teachertube (explained here).