College Planning Resources
College planning is never simple, and it needs to be a team effort. These TeachersFirst-reviewed resources can help parents and students take the steps that are important to a successful college search.
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Marshmallow Challenge - Tom Wujec
Grades
K to 12
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Use a marshmallow challenge to motivate your students! The concept of this project is to have teams of people work together to create a free standing structure that supports a ...more
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Use a marshmallow challenge to motivate your students! The concept of this project is to have teams of people work together to create a free standing structure that supports a marshmallow. Sounds overly simple? Well, not always. The given materials for each team are simple, inexpensive, and require creative thinking and problem solving skills to use! All in all this adds up to a fun, interesting, and entertaining activity for young to older students, business people, and any group that needs to learn how to work and think together. Spaghetti, string, marshmallows and masking tape are all the supplies that you will need. Have fun with this, your students are sure to do so! The site recommends giving your class one hour to complete the project and activities. They also mention this project would work for smaller groups (4 students) up to larger groups (800), divided into groups of 2 or 4 and working together. There is a typo in the opening paragraph of the site. However the activity content was worth looking over the typo.
tag(s): creativity (53), design (64), engineering (49), problem solving (104), structures (14)
In the Classroom
This engineering challenge would be great during a unit on structures. However, in ANY classroom it would be a solid and creative way to teach design process, group skills, and creative problem solving. This activity is so versatile that it could be use in any grade, even at the college or business level. Of course in younger elementary grades, more instruction would be necessary and possibly some parent volunteers. Its lessons are multiple, from fluency, flexibility, possibility thinking, and promoting originality. In science classes, try including this activity in a lesson on gravity or forces. Prior to implementing this lesson, watch the TED talks video link for yourself. (These links are available at this site.) It is a worthwhile investment of seven minutes, and download and read the adobe acrobat file on the project. It may be a good idea, depending on the age of your students to create a short PowerPoint with the rules and instructions. Also, a visual timer and musical timer would be a great idea for this challenge. Use a site such as the Online Countdown Timer (reviewed here). Show the timer on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) so students are aware of how much time remains. The materials are best given to teams in a small brown bag so that there is an element of surprise and suspense during the instructional period. Another idea is to share this with your administrators, it would make a great challenge for a interactive faculty meeting especially if team building and thinking skills are trying to be built by the administration between faculty members.
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March 2 Success - US Army
Grades
7 to 12
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This free tool is designed to help high school students prepare for state standardized testing, better understand college admissions and financial planning, and generally help prepare...more
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This free tool is designed to help high school students prepare for state standardized testing, better understand college admissions and financial planning, and generally help prepare for their futures. Preparation for these types of exams can greatly increase scores, so why not use a free, already created tool. Sign up as a student, teacher, or parent/mentor. A logged-in user can access state standardized test preparations, SAT and ACT practice tests, flashcards for ACT and SAT test preparation, Zero Hour Threat (a cool video game to help increase ACT and SAT scores as part of the college entrance process), and college planning tips.
In the Classroom
Use this in junior and senior level courses to help students who are college bound prepare for SAT and ACT exams. It saves time and helps kids, no one can argue with those advantages. Try using this with younger high school (or even middle school) aged students in a gifted program to provide enrichment and early practice for early test takers. Be certain to provide this link on your class website for students to access at home.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
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authorSTREAM - authorSTREAM.com
Grades
4 to 12
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authorSTREAM, an internet based presentation maker that is based on PowerPoint formatting, is easy to use and offers some very useful and unique features. Offering more than the basic...more
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authorSTREAM, an internet based presentation maker that is based on PowerPoint formatting, is easy to use and offers some very useful and unique features. Offering more than the basic PowerPoint creation greatly expands its value. Special features of authorSTREAM include the ability to make public presentations, download presentations as FLV, MP4, AVI, and WMV files, present live to an online audience anywhere in the world, and the ability to create a "channel" or collection of all your online work. With this application, you can add YouTube videos and sound narration directly to your presentations. Of these features, perhaps the two most unique are the ability to download in different formats. Using this, you can create a movie to be played on a television or create a file that can be shared by all of your audience on iTunes, since MP4 is iTunes language! With private presentations -- or even public ones -- you can protect access with a password. Also, this program has an add-on in PowerPoint that allows you to search web content directly from the application. This add-on is also free but does require a Windows machine; even if your Mac has Microsoft PowerPoint, it will not work properly. Talk about a time saver for Windows users!
In the Classroom
Have you been contemplating a "flipped classroom" teaching style where you do the activities and hands-on things during class and the students listen to the information and lectures outside of class? This is a great tool for a flipped classroom or any use of sharable media. You can create your notes and lectures in PowerPoint, adding video clips and narration, download as an MP4, and then share with all of your students through iTunes. This greatly enhances the opportunities for extended thinking and active time in the classroom. More simply, try recording yourself giving an informational presentation, saving it here, and sharing with students via your website or wiki to access from home as a review tool or a catch-up for absentees. Have older students create their own presentations and share with the class and teacher via iTunes. Students who are normally very shy and uncomfortable can feel safe "presenting" in front of the class! High school students can also share links to their best work as part of a digital portfolio or college application. Art students can create online portfolios with narrated artist notes. Student-made book talks can be shared on iTouches in the library/media center. Link to them by QR code! Teachers at any grade level can share back to school night information with parents unable to attend.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Five Card Flickr Story - CogDogBlog
Grades
6 to 12
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At this site students select 5 pictures from a random set of offerings and they write a story about the pictures. They can also write a new story about an ...more
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At this site students select 5 pictures from a random set of offerings and they write a story about the pictures. They can also write a new story about an existing set of pictures. Pictures are available from Flickr (reviewed here. You can save or send the story to parents or with a college application if so desired. Because some of the content is user created, you may notice some spelling errors. To save a story you must create a title, a nickname for yourself, and fill in the comments/explanation of the story. Stories can be viewed and shared by unique URL (web address), so it is easy to keep them in favorites or collect the links for en entire class stories.
Be warned: as this is a user-created tool (and not constantly monitored) it is important to discuss proper language, proper use, and consequences with your students. Some of the content presented may include inappropriate language. Take caution and preview as much as necessary, if you choose to share the already created stories.
tag(s): writing (287), writing prompts (43)
In the Classroom
Display the pictures on an interactive whiteboard or projector and have the students work in pairs to write stories. When assigning students to write stories about the pictures offered here, be sure to designate a specific number of words or sentences, since the stories already written and displayed are quite short! Share this site to explain the idea of the 5 random pictures. Then have the students take their own pictures and assign pictures to each other and write stories about them. Use subject-related pictures of science experiments or other content related subject matter for students to write about and display their understanding in a creative way. Use this site in world language classes, by having students write the story in the world language, rather than their native language.
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What is Lift? - NASA
Grades
6 to 10
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This easy to navigate site about airplane lift is brought to you by the people at NASA. It has interactive reading with links to more detailed information. There is a ...more
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This easy to navigate site about airplane lift is brought to you by the people at NASA. It has interactive reading with links to more detailed information. There is a great diagram and an accompanying video on lift. There are non-flash versions to view, too. This link is for middle school through college age students, but there is a link at the top of the page for younger students.
tag(s): aeronautics (9), aircraft (16), flight (28), gravity (29), nasa (37), newton (15), vectors (12), wright brothers (20)
In the Classroom
Show students the video about the Wright brothers. Then have them work independently on computers to read and explore more information about lift. Have small groups of students choose a project to complete using some of the blue links provided in the reading. For example one group could explore "vector quantity" and present it to the class as if they were explaining it to a fifth grader, making it easier for everyone to understand the concept, and definitely ensuring that this small group will internalize what "vector quantity" is. Have students use a tool such as bubbl.us (reviewed here) to create and share concept maps of their assigned topics. The main bubble could be part of the concept in scientific language and the bubbles joining it could be the concept in kid language. Have groups present their project to the class as an assessment, and you could also embed it on your webpage or wiki for parents to view and students to use as a review.
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Biographicon - biographicon.com
Grades
8 to 12
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With a free registration (email required), you can write your own biography online. Add your name, pertinent details, and a picture.... and your biography is available. You can also...more
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With a free registration (email required), you can write your own biography online. Add your name, pertinent details, and a picture.... and your biography is available. You can also search for biographies of others and even comment on what others have written. Many famous people from the past and present are included at this site, making this site ideal to include during research in any subject.
tag(s): biographies (22), writing (287)
In the Classroom
Find biographies of famous people from a certain culture, time period, or profession as part of a famous persons unit. A personal biography is a great writing project for ESL/ELL students or as part of the college/career preparation process. Have students do their own biographies and critique each others' biographies for a class project. Foreign language teachers can have their students write biographies in their target languages.Since students using this site to write their own biographies are putting personal information online, this is the ideal time to discuss safety issues of a "digital footprint" and how to keep the information safe. Check school policies on putting student work online, and obtain parent permission.
Registration does require an email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
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College Personality Quiz - US News and World Report
Grades
9 to 12
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One of the most difficult things about the college search process is knowing where to start. Many students find that first step so overwhelming, they delay beginning the search and...more
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One of the most difficult things about the college search process is knowing where to start. Many students find that first step so overwhelming, they delay beginning the search and may miss valuable opportunities. The College Personality Quiz is one way to help students get un-stuck. The Quiz takes a good 20--30 minutes to complete thoughtfully, and requires Java and that cookies be enabled in order to get the results. However, the questions that the student must consider will spark more concrete thinking about college choice, regardless of the specific results the Quiz returns.
tag(s): college (37)
In the Classroom
Include this site in your favorites for college bound students and allow students who have finished work ahead of their classmates to use their extra time by completing the quiz. Consider having students complete the quiz at home and journal (or blog) about the results they discover. Advise parents of this site and encourage them to review student results with their student. Of course, once the student has results, US News and World Report's website provides a wealth of data about specific colleges as well as their annual rankings of colleges by category.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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You Decide: Challenge Your Assumptions - WQED
Grades
9 to 12
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Does it sometimes seem as though students come to class with their minds already made up about so many complex subjects? You Decide is a site that guides students through ...more
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Does it sometimes seem as though students come to class with their minds already made up about so many complex subjects? You Decide is a site that guides students through a reasoned approach to making decisions about timely topics. Because this site is designed for the general public, not just for an educational setting, not all the questions will be relevant for students, however, there are plenty of engaging debates. Each question asks students to take a stand first, and then consider relevant information that may influence their opinions. Some of the topics at this time of this review included: Green Jobs, College Costs, Government Spending, Underwater Mortgages, Own or Rent, Spend or Save, and several others. There is a discussion forum and then a series of links to further information presented for each topic.
tag(s): politics (51)
In the Classroom
Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them choose a topic to explore and debate and then take turns using the resources provided to help build their arguments. A terrific component of this site is the ability to embed a widget into your classroom website that takes students directly to the site and one of its decision-making activities. You can also subscribe to an RSS feed that makes the widget update regularly. There is an archive of previous debates to explore. This site includes a forum/discussion board. Determine whether students may do this under your school's policies and whether forum submissions may display student names or initials. Then spell out both permissible use and consequences before you send students to this site. Some teachers obtain parent permission for students to participate in such a site. You may want to participate in the forum/discussion board as a class, using your own login.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dream It. Do It. - The Manufacturing Institute
Grades
6 to 12
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This site has a wide variety of tools to help with basic career exploration. The Dream Career Quiz is a good place to start. The answers, which seem to be ...more
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This site has a wide variety of tools to help with basic career exploration. The Dream Career Quiz is a good place to start. The answers, which seem to be based loosely on the Holland Scales, lead to further areas to explore. There are also links to information and videos about specific jobs, with an emphasis on manufacturing (hey, the site is sponsored by the Manufacturing Institute!). This may not be the best site if a student is sure she is going to college, but would be an interesting springboard for discussion--among students, between the student and parents, or for a classroom discussion--for any student regardless of her plans.
tag(s): careers (74)
In the Classroom
Save this site in your favorites and allow students to access it when they are ready for a break or have some extra exploration time. Consider using the Dream Career Quiz results as a writing prompt. Use as a resource for students who are starting to think about what they might want to major in, or where they'd like to study next. Create a class wiki for students to share and comment regarding their own results or to profile different careers including ones they observe during Take Your Child to Work Day. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.
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Skype - Skype Technologies S.A.
Grades
K to 12
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Every teen and college student knows Skype, the free tool for making calls from computer to computer anywhere in the word. By downloading and installing free software and setting up...more
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Every teen and college student knows Skype, the free tool for making calls from computer to computer anywhere in the word. By downloading and installing free software and setting up a free account, you can talk and/or make a video call to a similarly equipped computer elsewhere in the world for free. Skype uses a lot of "bandwidth" so is not suitable for very slow networks or dial up connections. It may also be slow at high-traffic times on a good network. Some patience and pretesting is required before you can be sure it will work for your needs. Connect to classrooms, experts, authors, virtual special speakers, or interview subjects using Skype.
tag(s): virtual field trips (14), webcams (4)
In the Classroom
Download and install the Skype software. If you are not allowed to install software on school computers, ask to have a single laptop available that is Skype-capable so you can borrow it or else explain to your principal that you are planning a series of Skype visits in your classroom so your techies will install it in your classroom. You will need a computer with built-in or separate microphone and speakers and optional webcam. If you plan to use a webcam, you must know how to start it. A single teacher-controlled Skype account will work in most school settings.If you prefer written directions go to Help >> Step by Step Help to get started. Or ask a student to show you (without seeing your password). You will need to explore the tools in Skype to locate where to enter the SKYPE name of the person you wish to call, start the call, and answer calls. Do NOT set your copy of Skype to "remember me" on a school computer! If students are to participate in the Skype call, you may want to have a "hot seat" at the Skyping computer so they can sit at a mike so their questions will pick up better for the person at the other end.
Be sure to set Skype so it does not open every time you start up the computer. Manually start the program when needed and do not leave an obvious Skype icon on the desktop for "clever" students to find. Protect your password -- do not post it on the computer. A teacher-controlled account is best for Skype classroom use to prevent unauthorized calls by students. Your user name will show on the screen for students to see, so be aware of that when you create your account.
Anything you can do by telephone or video call you can do on a projector with your entire class. Connect the Skyping computer to a projector or whiteboard for the entire class to see if you are using video. (The video will be fuzzy, but good enough to follow a person's face.) Use Skype to talk to authors (check out their web sites or this blog for contact information). Have students write questions in advance. Use your contacts, web page "contact us" emails, and parent contacts to find others willing to Skype into your classroom. Interview scientists or government officials, deployed military personnel, or classes far away in a different culture or language. Younger students can compare weather, family life, community events, and more. Learn other ideas for using Skype in your classroom
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
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Study Stack - John Weidner
Grades
4 to 12
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This site is filled with study tools to help students learn information in a variety of subject areas. Stacks of topics related to geography, history, math, languages, medical, tests...more
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This site is filled with study tools to help students learn information in a variety of subject areas. Stacks of topics related to geography, history, math, languages, medical, tests (SAT, ACT, etc.), science and more are linked with collections of learning tools that include virtual study cards, matching games, word search puzzles, and hangman games. There really is something here for nearly all subject areas and grade levels! Students can select the tool that works best for them and work at their own pace until they are satisfied with their progress. If you can't find a stack to fit your needs, you can edit existing lists or create customized study stacks. The site also allows you to print out study cards, or export flash cards to study them via cell phones, PDA, or iPod. Email the stacks to peers or connect with Study Stack through Facebook. Some of the activities require Java. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): flash cards (23), greek (37), hebrew (9), latin (19), test prep (50), vocabulary (229)
In the Classroom
Encourage parents to use this site as a study-at-home tool for their students. Link your blog or website to this site by entering your url at the bottom of the homepage. Make sure your guidance counselor at your school is aware of this site as a tool for studying those college entrance tests. Be sure to save this site in your favorites.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Academic Earth - Academic Earth
Grades
10 to 12
3 Favorites
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Ever wonder what it would be like to have open access to lectures at Harvard? Stanford? MIT? Academic Earth gives you that access in a limited fashion. This site contains ...more
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Ever wonder what it would be like to have open access to lectures at Harvard? Stanford? MIT? Academic Earth gives you that access in a limited fashion. This site contains thousands of video lectures by some of the most well regarded professors at several of the top universities in the US. You can sort the lectures by subject, by lecturer, by university, or by "playlist." The playlists sort lectures from various topics and multiple professors into thematic groups. Within individual subjects there are individual lectures and courses--collections of lectures by the same professor on a general subject. Watch a lecture on "The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877," or "The American Novel since 1945," or "Linear Algebra." The topic possibilities go on and on. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): college (37)
In the Classroom
These are college-level lectures given at Ivy-league universities. The subject matter and the complexity of the subject matter will be beyond many high school students, and the delivery format (video-taped lecture) means there is a certain "MEGO" (my eyes glaze over) effect when viewing these offerings. However, for gifted or academically talented students, these lectures may be exactly the kind of enrichment they have been thirsting for. Provide a link to these lectures for times when a student or two has gotten way ahead of the rest of the class. Let parents know about this site for home use. Refer students who are doing in-depth research. And in your own copious free time, check one out yourself! It may provide an idea or two to apply to an upcoming lesson of your own.
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College Grazing - College Grazing
Grades
9 to 12
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This site is another entry into the college search market. Designed to provide resources to prospective students, their parents, and their teachers or guidance counselors, the site...more
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This site is another entry into the college search market. Designed to provide resources to prospective students, their parents, and their teachers or guidance counselors, the site offers the usual links to financial aid information, advice on writing college essays and career guidance. Many of the links lead directly to resources developed by the US Department of Education or the US Department of Labor; reliable sources, but nothing new or innovative here. The fresh content here is a series of 13 short self-discovery quizzes that purport to help students sort out their feelings about college, and determine their relative readiness to attend. In keeping with the "grazing" theme (complete with cow logos and illustrations), these quizzes are called "munchings." It's kind of hokey, but it may be catchy enough to be effective. Once the student has completed all 13 "munchings," the site will generate a personalized report summarizing student responses. What is produced might generate interesting discussion among students or within families.
Using the site requires a log in (be sure to enable "cookies"). Log-in requires some personal information (first name, surname, email address, and description - if you are a student, parent, or teacher). Check with your administrator about allowing the students to register for this site using their own names. You may wish to set up a class registration instead of entering true data into the registration site. Another option is to create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
There is no charge for using the site, and advertising is very minimal and fairly unobtrusive. Parts of this website require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
Using the site requires a log in (be sure to enable "cookies"). Log-in requires some personal information (first name, surname, email address, and description - if you are a student, parent, or teacher). Check with your administrator about allowing the students to register for this site using their own names. You may wish to set up a class registration instead of entering true data into the registration site. Another option is to create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
There is no charge for using the site, and advertising is very minimal and fairly unobtrusive. Parts of this website require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): college (37), financial aid (8)
In the Classroom
Completing the 13 "munchings" might make a good independent assignment for college bound students, followed by some sort of reflection essay. The tips for writing a good college application essay might also prove helpful in a writing class. We'll pretend we didn't think about what generally results when a cow digests its "munchings" and hope for a higher quality end product.
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Election Tools For Teachers - Google for Educators
Grades
K to 12
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Are you looking for some innovative lessons and activities to help your students understand the election and Electoral College? Google has created this multi-faceted website that includes...more
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Are you looking for some innovative lessons and activities to help your students understand the election and Electoral College? Google has created this multi-faceted website that includes activities for all grade levels. Although the site looks "plain vanilla," in this case, looks are very deceiving. This is hands-down one of the best election sites available. Highlights of the site include an interactive Electoral College Map, a link for the National Student/Parent Mock Election, YouTube YouChoose videos, and even activities to encourage your students to express their own political opinions (for example, Letters to the Next President or YouTube:Broadcast Yourself). The YouTube: Broadcast Yourself is only available to students over the age of 13. This broadcast allows students to express their opinions about the election and politics through videos created by themselves! The YouTube handbook offers tips on producing these student-created videos. Be sure to get parental permission before videotaping any student.
If your school blocks streaming video sites, consider accessing this site and choosing videos at home, using a tool such as Zamzar (explained here) to bring them in for class use. The activities at this site require Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
If your school blocks streaming video sites, consider accessing this site and choosing videos at home, using a tool such as Zamzar (explained here) to bring them in for class use. The activities at this site require Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): college (37), elections (55), electoral college (8)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive map of the Electoral College to help students understand how it works. Have students predict who will win in each state (based on previous results and polls). Sign your class up for the mock election, so your students have the chance to voice their vote! Share the YouTube videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site to explore the candidates and their views. Have students (if over the age of 13) use the YouTube: Broadcast Yourself option to create their own videos about the issues and candidates, or collaborate with their classmates to create and upload a political discussion or class debate. Share the student-created videos on a projector or interactive whiteboard.
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Write Source: Writing Topics - Houghton Mifflin Co.
Grades
1 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Getting students involved in writing sometimes takes the right motivation. This site can provide that through a multitude of prompts and models for the students to see. The site is...more
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Getting students involved in writing sometimes takes the right motivation. This site can provide that through a multitude of prompts and models for the students to see. The site is offered by the Houghton Mifflin Co. in conjunction with a writing textbook. Even on its own, this is a great site to find student topics and show models of good writing. The topics are divided by grade level in elementary and intermediate, then grouped as 9-12 for high school. Each section includes a number of writing prompt --enough to whet the appetite of almost any student -- as well as links to different parts of the Houghton textbooks. The student models are shown by type (creative writing, persuasive, academic, workplace, etc.) and the links at the top of each page access MLA and APA styles as well as samples and information on how to do multimedia reports for college or the workplace. The upper levels of this site, such as persuasive writing or multimedia reports, open the door to higher level thinking.
tag(s): blogs (47), essays (13), writing (287), writing prompts (43)
In the Classroom
Have the students choose their own prompt from the list and then share their writing within a small group, with the class, or on their own blogs. Use the models and anonymous sharing on an interactive whiteboard to create a "safe" way for students to share writing as process and hear how others do it. Use the option of PUBLISHING student models on the site as a motivator. Be sure to get parent permission!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A+ Research & Writing Step-by-Step - Kathryn L. Schwartz
Grades
9 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you want to appeal to those students who are afraid of the whole research and writing process? How about those who just don't know how to pick a topic, ...more
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Do you want to appeal to those students who are afraid of the whole research and writing process? How about those who just don't know how to pick a topic, or narrow the focus? Are you dreading walking your students through the citation part? This site enables students to go through the process of writing a research paper from choosing a topic through writing the paper, revising, proofreading, and final submission. What makes this site appealing is the use of great graphics and the very simple, one-step-at-a-time approach that makes paper writing less daunting. Links take students to college-specific sites for interactive organizational tools such as mapping and outlining.
In the Classroom
This site helps you help your students and them students to work at their own pace through the pieces that are difficult for them. Use the entire site as a guide for you research process or select different pieces of this site as models when you teach research papers so students can practice right then and there "how to do it." Be sure to include the link on your teacher web page so parents can support students as they approach deadline-panic (and you know some will procrastinate, no matter what you do).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scribd - Trip Adler , Jared Friedman, Tikhon Bernstam
Grades
9 to 12
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This online file storage and sharing space allows you to upload Word documents, Excel files, pdfs, PowerPoint files, and other formats and keep them in a place where others (or ...more
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This online file storage and sharing space allows you to upload Word documents, Excel files, pdfs, PowerPoint files, and other formats and keep them in a place where others (or just you) can access them. Scribed provides tools to convert between file types, for example to make a Word document into a pdf (readable in Acrobat Reader on most computers) or even to convert it into a SOUND file (MP3). The sound conversion apparently takes some time, as our editors found when uploading a sample. The default set-up makes files public when you upload, so you are , in effect, "publishing" them to the web, but you also have options to make them "private," i.e. limited access via a private URL for that document, or to make them only available to a certain "group." You can create or join groups, as well. Our editors made a sample that is "private," but available via this link. The site uses FLASH, so be sure you have the plug-in.
In the Classroom
Determine whether you have the copyright to the file(s) you wish to upload. You may ONLY upload files to which you hold the rights. Locate files on your computer and upload them. (Read FAQ for file types that are permissible). Choose options for that file: tags, private/public, etc. Create groups, such as for your class or group projects. Determine rights of the groups---who uploads? Who administers the group? You can also bulk upload. There is also a "collections" feature within your account, possible for different types of work, different student authors, etc. If you have a class log, click "more options" at the left of a document display to copy code and embed the actual Scribd file in your blog---a SAFE way to share it without sending students to Scribd.How would you use this? As a productivity tool for yourself, you can make all your own files available from any computer, so you will never say, "I left it on my desktop at home." This is handy for itinerant teachers or forgetful students. Having pdf versions of handouts available with a few clicks makes it easy to share them with students via email or links on your teacher web page.
As an instructional tool, you will first need to manage some safety issues. Scribd is a site for the general public, also the texts available can have objectionable subject matter. "Browsing" Scribd is not an option for the classroom unless they launch a Squeaky-clean education version. If more mature students want to maintain (and even share) a writing portfolio to accompany college applications or simply document their growth as a writer over time, this tool is great, It will even save "versions" of documents to show writing process. There are some other ideas in our sample document. For safety reasons, we recommend a written Scibd policy for your classroom requiring parent permission for using the site, maintaining limited access for class members of selected "collaborators," such as a partner class from another school, and strict NO BROWSING, NO COMMENTING , NO JOINING GROUPS unless they are known to the teacher. The simplest way to control this is to have all students use ONE account (that you can monitor) and create individual collections or "tag" their work with their initials or some other unique identifier. This would allow everyone to "keep" work there, so you can open drafts on a whiteboard, access writings from a few months ago for comparison side-by-side, etc.
A "possible uses" list: Share handouts or study guides (yours or student-made) Share permission forms, lab report formats, assignments, calendars, project rubrics and details, science fair documents, collaborative writing or group projects. Create an online literary magazine "dropbox." Encourage student responsibility by suggesting they maintain their own file repository on Scribd so they ALWAYS have their homework. Help students "hear" their own drafts read aloud (if the audio conversion works quickly enough). Share all lab data from a science experiment so students have a large data set to analyze. Then share their lab reports. Have students "turn in" any assignment to your group (if you and their parents think they are trustworthy on the site alone). The list goes on and on...
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log in (NO email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Learning Style Inventory - Brett Bixler
Grades
5 to 12
4 Favorites
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This visually "plain vanilla" learning style inventory, created by an instructional designer at Penn State, is simple enough to use in a middle or high school classroom without explaining...more
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This visually "plain vanilla" learning style inventory, created by an instructional designer at Penn State, is simple enough to use in a middle or high school classroom without explaining elaborate personality traits and indexes to preteens and young adults. (There is one unfortunate mention of smoking, since the inventory was designed for college students. You may want to point it out and make an active disclaimer. about not promoting smoking!). This free, simplified inventory is short enough to complete and discuss during one class period. NOTE: the results of the inventory come up in a small pop-up window. Make sure your pop-up blocker is not preventing you from seeing them. The Google and Yahoo toolbars block pop-ups! In Internet Explorer, you can temporarily turn off the blocker by RIGHT-clicking on the narrow yellow bar that appears at the top of the web page window.
tag(s): assessment (27), learning styles (6), multiple intelligences (5)
In the Classroom
Regular ed and learning support teachers from middle school up will want to share this resource with students and parents to help students find the most effective ways to study and retain knowledge. Include the link on your teacher web page (with a note about the unfortunate mention of smoking!) or plan a start-of-the year in-class time to help students get off on the right foot. Even teachers of gifted (whose students are notorious for inconsistent study methods because they have not "needed" to study) will find this resource helpful when students "hit the wall" in challenging courses. As part of a study skills unit, have students self-assess and create a single database of the class members' learning styles and subject strengths so they can find peer-tutors during study halls.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Log It - PECentral
Grades
K to 12
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Encourage fitness for the digital natives, using a high-tech tool they will love! Log It is a site that encourages physical activity by allowing students to keep a record ...more
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Encourage fitness for the digital natives, using a high-tech tool they will love! Log It is a site that encourages physical activity by allowing students to keep a record of the steps they walk each day. Other benefits include allowing them to participate in a virtual walk across the U.S. with other students, set up their own goals, or participate in class goals set up by the teacher. Both students themselves and their teachers can register their miles at school or from home! Though the site introducation mentions elementary and middle school students, it also says college classes and corporations are welcome to join, as well.
With this site, students become aware of their daily physical activity and also participate in group competitions within their classroom or participate in one of several competitions across the U.S. The site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
With this site, students become aware of their daily physical activity and also participate in group competitions within their classroom or participate in one of several competitions across the U.S. The site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
tag(s): competitions (9)
In the Classroom
Teachers must register their school and their class first before students can participate. Be sure to get parent permission before allowing students to register and plan for the logistics of letting students enter their miles. Help your students register and set individual or classroom goals. Make it a competition with the homeroom next door or throughout your school. Be sure to put this link and log-in information on your teacher web page for students, parents, and others to access outside of class.
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Carbonmade: Your Online Portfolio - nterface
Grades
8 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
This is one fabulous way for art or photography students to create a FREE online portfolio to share work in your class, share with each other, or submit as an ...more
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This is one fabulous way for art or photography students to create a FREE online portfolio to share work in your class, share with each other, or submit as an online collection for competitions or college admissions. The users agreement specifies no "group" accounts or users under 13 years old. The free version is limited to 5 projects and 35 images (no videos in the free version), but this is enough to show your "best of the best." You can even choose the actual URL for the portfolio within Carbonmade. The home page has a Flash demo so you can see how the site works.
tag(s): images (99), photography (91)
In the Classroom
Browse for files and upload to site, label with captions, project information, other information, and decide about viewing options. Works best with Internet Explorer 6+ or Safari. No special html skills needed. A teenager will figure this one out in one minute. A techno-comfortable teacher will take no more than four minutes! The only challenge is figuring out how to change settings on a project within your portfolio and have them SAVE. Watch the demo.Share portfolios among neighboring schools or through art teacher associations to inspire your students and help them develop the critical skills to choose their best work and articulate their reasons (Use the "notes" space on each image to tell about it).
Be sure that you adhere to school policies regarding posting of student work. Have students create their accounts ONLY with written parent permission, especially since there is space for a "profile" (which teachers should require students to leave BLANK for safety reasons. Use your teacher email account so there is no danger of having outsiders contact your students. After graduation students may change the settings and use the site in budding art careers! Avoid including any personally identifiable information in descriptions or images. Personally identifiable information can always be shared with potential colleges, etc. via email or letter, rather than posting it to the web.
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