TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Dec 18, 2011
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
Book Lending - Catherine MacDonald
Grades
K to 12Visit this fabulous tool that offers no late fees and no lost books! Join in sharing and borrowing of ebooks for free!
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): ebooks (34), independent reading (105)
In the Classroom
Finally, a way to expand class libraries with no budget limits! Book Lending.com opens up different titles that your students are requesting. Provide an extensive, ever growing library to Kindle devices or any device with the Kindle app. A valid email is required with no late fees or lost books, and with an ever-growing list of books. Fill the passions of your most avid readers with a wide variety. Students will take an active interest in selecting and in completing their book within the time limit. Motivation has no limit as your students can chose a book uniquely for them. Encourage families to join in their reading adventures. Be sure to add this site to your class webpage, wiki, or blog for a great free resource that encourages and supports literacy. This site is a must share for all readers!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Huffduffer - Huffduffer.com
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): listening (65), podcasts (58), stories and storytelling (36)
In the Classroom
When finding incredible audio files, be sure to huffduff them in order to share by specific tags. The most popular Huffduffer users are featured on the site, and many interesting podcasts can be found that way. Create podcasts of your own to host online and huffduff those to be tagged and listened to. Find podcasts to share with your students (or parents) on your website. Huffduff audio files from foreign language sites as a listening assignment in your world language class. Share the podcast url to assign the task. Have students create their own Huffduff podcasts of politician soundbytes, poetry readings, or music samplers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Twitario - Twitario
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): twitter (36)
In the Classroom
This site could be used for students to submit an assignment of tweets they did over a period of time. Or use this site during a presentation on how Twitter works, showing the information contained in a succession of tweets. Have students submit a record of tweets that show their learning over time. Follow a Twitter user who provides resource links for a diary of resources that have been shared. Trace the tweets from the White House, any high profile political figure, or author over a period of time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Underlined - Penguin Random House Books
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): digital storytelling (137), persuasive writing (55), poetry (185), short stories (19), writing (301)
In the Classroom
There are several ways you can use this site as a place to publish. Some may involve using other tools. For example, with younger students: Once your students have completed a piece of writing, have them submit it to the class using MixedInk reviewed here. The class can then collaborate by choosing ideas from any of the pieces submitted and publishing a "class" approved story, poem, etc. on Figment. With older students: Have them submit their poems, short stories, current event articles, or persuasive writing to MixedInk for peer edit and advice. After the class has collaborated on the writing, submit to Figment for a more general audience. Some teachers have their students write novels for National Novel Writing Month, and at "Figment: Write Yourself In" they will be able to publish them.Students will need a screen name that is not their real name, and a password. See the Profile area for Scholastic's "You Are What You Read" reviewed here for several suggestions for creating a screen name. For younger students you may want to have a "class account" and supply the password. Be sure you and your students write their screen name and password down. Just make sure they sign their writing with their screen name. With older students you can use the same procedure as above, or students can sign up with their own email. Read tips for safely managing email registrations here.
If school policies and parents allow it, You may want to introduce your gifted student-writers to this site as a place where they can publish and get feedback from a broader audience. The safest way may be to set up groups as a teacher, including other student writers from other classrooms and grade levels. Gifted students interact well in multi-age settings, especially if they have common interests. Have the history buffs work together on accurate historical fiction related to the time periods you are studying or have your advanced science students write up their research collaboratively using Figment. They might even try their had at writing some science fiction based on concepts you are studying.
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Math 3 Under the Sea! - LearnAlberta.ca
Grades
1 to 3tag(s): differentiation (68), numbers (118), operations (74), vocabulary (232)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector with the sound turned up. Play the introduction to orient your students. Have students try out this site on individual computers, or as a learning center (maybe on the IWB). For students that are having trouble with math vocabulary, use the provided glossary for explanations of common math terms. Parent/teacher information is available for each of the lessons. Most of the activities have different levels so activities can be differentiated for students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flashcard Maker - ProProfs.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): flash cards (40), test prep (69)
In the Classroom
Create flashcards for your classes using Flashcard Maker-- or have them make their own. Try using them as a introduction to a concept, then again in the practice of the concept, and again as a final review. It is a nice three for one creation deal! This would be great for teaching Latin prefixes and suffixes of words to students, use in science terms, or for standardized test preparation. Try having students create flashcards and share with each other to quiz themselves within their own groups. Teach students in higher grades how to create flash cards with multiple blanks to challenge their brain to remember more pieces of the puzzle. Show them how to carefully read through their classroom notes and underline the most important word or words in a sentence. Then have them leave out the most important words for their flashcards. Learning support teachers might want to have small groups create cards together to review together before tests. Have students create flashcard sets to "test" classmates on what they "teach" in oral reports.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Celestia - Celestia Development Team
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): geology (63), planets (108), solar system (102), space (206), stars (60), sun (63)
In the Classroom
Use this software first on the interactive whiteboard for students. While multiple activities are going on in the classroom, have students visit the whiteboard as just one station. The first time students are exposed to the program, they may be a little overwhelmed. Use a student tech team to help orient others to this tool.Have students watch the demo provided. Then have them create their own space tours using an interactive poster tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here). This would be a nice alternative to a brochure on traveling to different planets.
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TinEye - Idee Inc.
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (254), photography (129), plagiarism (31), search engines (51)
In the Classroom
This tool is best used by a teacher to determine whether class pictures have been used elsewhere or determine the origin of pictures students have used in projects. Check the origin of student-used pictures to determine source. Determine whether pictures (yours or others) have been used without permission. Easily determine whether pictures have also been altered.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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