2528 english results | sort by:
return to subject listingBiblioNasium - Marjan Ghara
Grades
1 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (128), descriptive writing (39), independent reading (85), social networking (68), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Use BiblioNasium to manage an independent reading program from reading logs to tailored reading lists. Stack your virtual bookshelves with recommended or required reads: set reading goals, create challenges, and keep track of student reading by using BiblioNasium in your classroom. Your students can easily see what they have read, what they like, and what they plan to read. Be sure to have them evaluate the books they read using BiblioNasium to help others find their next book. Find books by Lexile reading levels with BiblioNasium's Search Field. BiblioNasium is partners with MetaMetrics''''''''''®, developer of the Lexile''''''''''® Framework for Reading. Knowing the reading levels of your students, you can set up leveled small groups for literature circles or nonfiction reading.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Storyboard That - Aaron Sherman and Clever Prototypes, LLC
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): charts and graphs (169), creative writing (122), digital storytelling (141), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Enhance learning and demonstrate how to create a storyboard using Storyboard That on your interactive whiteboard or projector. As you and your students create a class story, show them the different selections of characters, settings, dialogue boxes and more. Show them how easy it is to edit anything in the frame. Have your students use "Storyboard That" for anything from brainstorming for a video story they want to create to a final copy of a story, report, comic, or poem. This is a highly engaging way to teach your students about story elements, dialogue, character development, etc. Challenge students to create a storyboard of a book or short story recently finished in class as a review of characters and story plot and extending their learning. World language students can create storyboards and label the images, or tell the story in the language they are learning. "Storyboard That" has a growing collection of lesson plans and you can also contribute yours. Math teachers can use the interesting storyboard characters to explain word problems and capture reluctant student's interest. Have your students complete biographies for famous people. Tell the story of different famous events in history or explain their understanding of cell division using this easy program that produces entertaining results. Autistic or emotional support teachers can have students storyboard interpersonal behavior skills.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
Comments
As of January 2013 teachers can now create a private classroom where their students data is secure and the teacher has more control. -Aaron (Founder/CEO of Storyboard That) *Editor's Note: this feature is available as part of the Classroom Portal Section which is a paid add on. This review highlights only the free portions of the site.Aaron, , Grades: 0 - 12
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Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies - Jesse Richardson, Andy Smith, Sam Meadon
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): critical thinking (112), debate (37), logic (164), persuasive writing (55), reading comprehension (141), thinking skills (14)
In the Classroom
Most academic writing presents a premise to be proved (an argument). When you first start to have your students try to understand logical fallacies, show them the online poster for logical fallacies and get them started trying to find these fallacies in their everyday lives. You could assign a fallacy a week and have students write in a journal, or a little tablet when they come across one. Or collect them on a class wiki with a page for each fallacy type. You could even have them make up their own logical fallacies. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here. After introducing logical fallacies, have students peer edit papers to make sure the writer is not trying to support one of these fallacies. Of course, any speech and debate, or media strategies class would benefit from a review this site. During political seasons, be sure to share this site for evaluating politicians' positions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thought Questions - Marc and Angel Hack Life
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): critical thinking (112), writing (315), writing prompts (58)
In the Classroom
This is the perfect site to start your students' day or end your day with them. Use these questions as writing prompts or quick writes. Penzu, reviewed here, is a quick and easy blog tool to replace paper and pencil and enhance learning. You may want to ask students to choose their favorite and form small groups to discuss their answers. Post some of the same questions on bulletin boards. Discussing or debating these questions would be a powerful community builder at the beginning of the year or when forming new small groups. To avoid the advertising, have your question on the screen before projecting it on your screen or whiteboard. If your class includes gifted students, they may react well to such thought-provokers. Encourage them to collect favorite prompts and responses in an "idea bin" such as Lino, reviewed here, to use at times when they are ahead of the class or need extra writing challenges.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Newsola - Nick Nicholaou
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): countries (69), financial literacy (92), news (229), sports (77)
In the Classroom
Use this site to select current events for the day. Follow the same news thread for a period of time to look at changes and possible reasons for the change in the news. Be sure to check news stories from other countries for a different viewpoint on issues. Create a class discussion for the differences in viewpoints. Challenge cooperative learning groups to explore ONE of the subtopics (Showbiz, World, Finance, etc..) and present the highlights to the class. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.Comments
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UnShortenMe - Unshort.me
Grades
K to 12tag(s): browser (6), internet safety (113)
In the Classroom
Use this to access sites especially those shared with your PLN through RSS or Twitter. Many times, the original link is not blocked but the shortened URL is because of the shortener service's URL. Save this tool in your favorites to access when needed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My PBLWorks - Buck Institute for Education
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): problem solving (226), Project Based Learning (25), Research (83), STEM (262)
In the Classroom
There are a variety of projects presented at different grade levels. Don't hesitate to look at one that seems beyond or below your grade level. They are easily adaptable. For instance, the one by Biz World created for third through fifth grade students to experience entrepreneurship can easily be adapted to a product that high school students might be interested in such as earrings, designing a class ring, or a video explaining how to conquer levels in a video game.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Desktop QR code reader - DANSL
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): qr codes (17)
In the Classroom
The use of QR codes in the classroom is limitless. Set up student computers with a QR desktop code reader, and it is easily assessable by all students young or old. Share this link on your website so families can download the QR reader onto home computers. Create QR codes for assignments for directions, rubric information, editing instructions, or the places in which to find resources. For a model, create QR codes to describe any part of the model. Create a QR code to go home on student planners reminding them about homework. Place outside your classroom door to describe your classroom. Add another QR code to tell your schedule, or learning goals. Send home audio announcements of special events to your families. When students are absent, create podcasts of missed class discussions, shared on a QR code. For study guides, provide a QR code with answers so students can self -check. Create a living history museum with in-depth explanations in QR codes. For vocabulary words in English or any other language, provide correct pronunciations and definitions of each word. Have student create QR codes as study guides or a way to present information. Create a problem solving page which is completed by each student. Using a QR code, scan to self check. QR codes can be used everywhere!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fakebook - Class Tools
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (63), book reports (28), creative writing (122), digital storytelling (141), firstday (22), social networking (68)
In the Classroom
Engage and create interest in classroom learning with Fakebook. Fakebook is terrific for creating interest in many subjects. Instead of a typical biographical report in social studies, students create a Fakebook page about their famous person. Write about presidents, founding fathers, famous scientists or artists, Civil War soldiers, and more. Have students create a timeline of any historical event (name the page for the event, such as World War II). Use Fakebook to outline a book, play, or film plot, then share with students while studying the material. To use Fakebook to study literature, create a page for the central character, the book's author, or the book's setting. For a unique twist in science class, create a Fakebook page for a periodic element or another science topic. Use the page to describe "the life" of that atom or element. In world language classes, have students do this activity (about themselves) in the second language they are learning. Create a Fakebook page for the first day of school to introduce yourself to students or at Open House for parents. Challenge students to create and share a page about themselves during the first week of school. Share a Fakebook page with students to demonstrate proper netiquette and social sharing. Be sure to share a rubric with students for all expectations of what should be included on their page. Make Fakebook one of the options for your gifted students doing projects beyond the regular curriculum. With no membership required, this tool is simple enough for younger gifted students with parent permission to post work to the web.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ClassTools - Russel Tarr
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): essays (20), qr codes (17), quiz (67), social networking (68), spelling (95), twitter (19), venn diagrams (15), vocabulary (235), word choice (14), word study (58)
In the Classroom
The possibilities abound in nearly any subject area. Be sure to check out all of the free templates to use. Use the many tools yourself or have your students create a Fakebook page or use the Z (still called Tweet) Generator to present information in any subject area. Create a Fakebook page about a famous historical person or government figure in social studies or science class. Share the Burger Diagram for writing essays. Use the Arcade Game Maker to create practice activities for students who need the extra help. Create a random word generator with vocabulary from a science or social studies unit to review before testing. Allow students to create Venn diagrams to be posted on the class website using information from current lessons. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Save this site in your Favorites on your teacher computer! Use the embed code or URL created when saving your project to include with other items such as maps, videos, and images within class presentations made using Sway, reviewed here or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Infographic Visual Resumes (A Pinterest Pinboard) - Randy Krum
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): careers (139), infographics (55), portfolios (22)
In the Classroom
Share this visual collection with students as an example of one way they can portray their strengths and interests to potential employers or college admissions offices. Don't wait until they are seniors, however. Middle school students in an art or career exploration class can create a resume infographic about themselves to use for summer jobs or even on a flyer to get part time work around the neighborhood. Not creative? Allow students to explore the "resumes" to learn more about digital careers and the credentials they require. In high school art classes, have students explore the hot topics in digital design by checking out the resumes. In history or literature classes, offer the infographic resume as a possible project alternative for students for literature study or researching a figure in history. They could create an infographic resume for their figure, literary character, or author. These examples can inspire them.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Poem Farm - Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Use this site on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) as inspiration for lessons in poetry writing. Share it on your teacher web page for enrichment. Have students create their own poems using this site as inspiration then augment classroom technology use by having them create podcasts of a poetry reading. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Comments
It's impossible to have writer's block after visiting this blog--there are always so many inspiring writing prompts and ideas to try here. (And the blog has a very comfortable, inviting, homey feeling--feels like visiting a friend for tea.)janet, , Grades: 0 - 12
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Mail Chimp - Ben Chestnut
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communities (36), DAT device agnostic tool (143), journalism (72), newspapers (91), writing (315)
In the Classroom
This is a great resource for schools and classrooms to manage newsletters. Your class can generate a monthly newsletter or create newspapers from a period in time and share them with parents, school principals, and the school community. Share this site with the person responsible for creating and sharing content at your school. Send a nice end of the year message of thanks to parents with links for summer activities and even a year-end online slideshow. Send an informative beginning of the year newsletter with classroom information and introducing yourself to parents. Send out departmental information to parents through the group feature of MailChimp specifically to those involved. Use the merge feature to make emails personal. How much nicer would it be for parents to see news addressed to Dear Mr. & Mrs. Jones, as opposed to Dear Parent(s)? School counselors can share information about college and career fairs, important deadlines, and more using Mail Chimp.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CiteThisForMe - Cite This For Me
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): citations (34)
In the Classroom
A great site to recommend to students for use at home to build properly constructed citations. The free version is limited in the information saved to the user's computer for only seven days, so it would not work well for classroom use where students use public computers. It is simple and easy, and until academics across the world decide on one format, this allows us to digitally "attach" a dynamic image of the resource to scholarly work: a great tool!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Common Curriculum Planner - CommonCurriculum.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): professional development (393)
In the Classroom
Use CommonCurriculum for all of your lesson planning. Copy and paste current lesson plans into the site to view standards that match your lessons. Share public areas such as homework with parents through the email option provided in the site. Use this site to align your lessons to the Common Core standards.Comments
Excellent planning tool. It helps organize my plans and share them with students. I can link to my files in Dropbox and then share those links with students -- no more uploading! Also, I can do long range planning easily. When I reorder my units, my lessons are automatically shifted around on the calendar. It's magic.Scott, , Grades: 1 - 2
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CPalms - Standards Based Resource Information - Florida Department of Education
Grades
K to 12tag(s): florida (10), professional development (393)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use throughout the school year when searching for resources for any topic. Share with other staff members as a teaching resource.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Best Word Book Ever - kokogiak on Flickr
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Do you still have a favorite picture book from your childhood? Consider going to the library to find a more current version and compare the differences. Have your students ask their parents if they still have a copy of their favorite picture book, and they can pick up a copy of the current edition to compare. With older students, you can use the Best Word Book Ever comparison to see the changes in what is politically incorrect now that was in the earlier version. Students then discuss what society valued at the time of the older edition compared to what our current society values. There are not just the gender role differences (policeman vs the woman police officer). Look at the wording in the older version for behavioral expectations, too. Literature teachers could carry this one step further and make a comparison of the expectations of society at the time of a classic (Tom Sawyer, Pride and Prejudice ) and what society valued during that time. Students could make one of these comparisons using a program like Bookemon reviewed here, which creates interactive online books. Make sure your students adhere to Copyright laws if creating online. You may want to work offline using PowerPoint so student products can include copyrighted images under "Fair Use."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quietube - STML
Grades
K to 12tag(s): classroom management (128), safety (71), video (257)
In the Classroom
Share "distraction-free" videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the URL for the clearer video on your class website or in assignments. Removing the comments and advertisements can make for a much better viewing experience. This is especially true of your ADD, autistic, unfocused gifted, or other special needs students. Less distraction = better learning experience for all.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pandora - Pandora Media, Inc.
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): lyrics (15), music theory (45), poetry (189)
In the Classroom
In music classes, use Pandora to open discussion about elements and styles of music. Play a channel long enough for students to hear a few selections, then ask them to figure out what the different songs have in common, perhaps besides an artist. Why does the work of another artist show in the same "channel"? While studying lyrics as poetry in an English/Language Arts class, compare lyrics of songs from the same channel. How are they similar? What other song lyrics might you add to this channel?Use a Pandora channel as background during a discussion of certain decades of the 20th century or have students find/create channels that represent an era such as the Civil War period. Have them explain their "mix" and why it is representative. Play a Pandora channel as a writing prompt or during art activities to promote creative expression. During a unit on how to study, be sure to offer Pandora as a customizable way for students to create an auditory "study environment." World language teachers can find artists whose lyrics use the language they are teaching to build listening skills. Elementary teachers and ESL/ELL teachers can use channels with children's songs for vocabulary or other class activities.
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inklewriter - Joseph Humfrey and Jon Ingold
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (122), digital storytelling (141), narrative (15), persuasive writing (55)
In the Classroom
View stories on the site together to understand the components of the site and discuss how different choices in characters and settings lead to different story outcomes. (Be sure to preview stories before sharing, since there is "public"' content.) Watch the tutorials together on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) before students begin to write stories. Use a graphic organizer to "map out" the story before writing. Create a short story together as a class to become familiar using the site. Assign a group of students to create an interactive story each week to share on your classroom website or blog. Have students create a story map before beginning a story on inklewriter; use a tool such as 25 Language Arts Graphic Organizers, reviewed here. Create class stories to teach about literature, geography, reading comprehension, history, science concepts, and more. As a more "serious" approach, use Inklewriter to present opinion pieces where you take a position and allow readers to click on questions about it. They could also click on statements expressing opposing views so you can write counterarguments to their points. This could end up being a powerful way to present an argument and evidence as required by Common Core writing standards. A graphic organizer for planning and organizing evidence is a must! Teachers of gifted could use this for students to develop elaborate fictional or informational pieces. If you work with students who struggle, scaffold with a template for them to organize their thoughts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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