Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

TRAILS is a free online, interactive student assessment using multiple-choice questions on a variety of information literacy skills based on 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th grade standards. This easy, flexible tool is for school librarians and teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the information-seeking skills of their students. TRAILS can be used for formative and summative evaluations in five category areas: Develop Topic, Identify Potential Sources, Use Search Strategies, Evaluate Sources and Information, Use Information Responsibly, Ethically, and Legally.

tag(s): assessment (110), digital citizenship (65), media literacy (64)

What Do We Do All Day? is a blog created by a stay-at-home mom and is packed full of learning activities and resources for children. Choose the Kids Activities link to find ideas sorted by kitchen learning, outdoors, math, science, and more. There is also an extensive book list sorted into categories with a short synopsis of each book. A few of the videos are hosted on YouTube, but most are not. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.
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tag(s): blogs (85), cooking (35), printables (38), puzzles (207), STEM (156)

Create personalized crossword puzzles to embed on your blog or website with this easy puzzle creator. View the help for the directions and examples. It is as simple as typing a question on each line followed by an asterisk, then the correct answer. When complete, submit to view your puzzle online and choose from different options for sharing. Also, you can download puzzles as PDF documents.

tag(s): crosswords (18), puzzles (207)

Do you need some quick tips for improving writing? This "cheat sheet" provides common sense, but easily forgotten ideas to use when working on non-fiction writing projects.

tag(s): expository writing (44), persuasive writing (56), writers workshop (34)

Teachers can create and deliver classroom content online with this free, easy-to-use web application. As a teacher, staying organized can be a challenge. Keep all of your units and lesson plans in one place with Cloudschool. Students can access course content at any time via URL on any device without logging in. After creating an account, design courses with individual lessons using content you select and upload based on school standards. Add lessons, homework, assignments, even embed Google Docs and other content; then "publish" some, or all of the content. Your account is a personal education website called a Teaching Space whose URL you share with others. After logging in, use the Dashboard to navigate and easily manage all your Courses and Lessons. Mark courses with a tag so they will come up for anybody who visits your Teaching Space, or password protect your Lessons. Share with other teachers or students by sending Lessons and Courses via email. Download lessons as Word docs. Students can only interact via class discussions you set up and monitor in the lessons. As a simple learning management system, Cloudschool facilitates delivery of curricular content, and keeps you organized with your lessons and units. Find them easily next year! While free for individuals, there is a charge for institutions.

tag(s): classroom management (155), teaching strategies (25)

Manage and reward classroom behaviors with Classroom Heroes. Students choose their superhero avatar and receive gold stars for positive behaviors. Instantly send messages to individual or groups of parents including images. Classroom Heroes' online portal offers parents access to their child's behavior, schedule, and attendance. This tool will become active in September 2016; get on their email list NOW for notification when it becomes active. Please be aware that Classroom Heroes falls under the FERPA laws for "directory information" and "educational records." Any school getting funds from the Department of Education (public schools) is required to disclose to parents and get written consent to use Classroom Heroes with their child.

tag(s): behavior (47), classroom management (155), gamification (77), parents (61)

Knowledge Maps provides a resource for community problem solving. Sign up using Gmail or FaceBook. First-time members are asked to choose a map. An introduction wizard will then come up and walk you through how to use Knowledge Maps, or you can decide to skip the intro. Then, start a map by posing a question or problem and invite friends and other community members to recommend resources. After receiving and reviewing resources, share with others as part of the Knowledge Maps community.

tag(s): bookmarks (65), social networking (112)

Create multimedia and interactive ebooks that work on tablets and computers for free with ePubEditor. Create your account to begin, then follow prompts to upload images and text with optional image, video, or audio. Other options allow you to create quizzes with different responses such as multiple choice, matching, or drag and drop response. Allow others to edit and add to your book using the share editing option. When complete, publish and share your book using the created URL or download in different formatting options including epub and PDF.
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tag(s): digital storytelling (153), ebooks (43)

Votesy is a crowdsourcing voting platform. Quickly create a poll by text, video, or image to receive votes or comments. Create private or public polls or limit questions to certain demographics such as location or gender. Register for a free account and follow the simple prompts to create a survey. Choose from many options to personalize the poll such as allowing voters to change their mind, setting a deadline, or allowing others to add answer choices. Once finished, share your poll with social media links, URL, or embed into your website.

tag(s): polls and surveys (55), quiz (90), quizzes (102)

Symbaloo, reviewed here, has taken its popular bookmarking tool and enhanced features to provide a platform for creating virtual interactive lesson plans. Log in to your Symbaloo account and browse the Marketplace for already created lessons, or begin creating your own. Add websites, PDF's, videos, and more onto tiles and create a game board and learning path. Follow prompts to add items to the lesson and publish when complete. Symbaloo Lesson Plans also provides analytics after assigning lessons to view student progress and a calendar option to make lessons available during a chosen time frame.

tag(s): bookmarks (65), DAT device agnostic tool (174), game based learning (116), gamification (77)