TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jun 3, 2012
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
Stencyl - Stencyl, LLC
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): game based learning (181), gamification (78), quizzes (90)
In the Classroom
Create games for student review and/or practice, or use to assess knowledge before and after a unit. View example games for an idea of what you can create using this tool. One of the best learning tools for kids is to have them create their OWN games. Use your own teacher account so you do not need student emails at school. Ideally, students can create games for either learning or review for their fellow classmates. Assign a small group of students to create a game and then act as "host" to present their research information on a topic and keep the "audience" engaged. Learning support teachers might want to work together with a small group of students to create review games on a projector or interactive whiteboard. The process of creating the game provides another layer of review/practice before students play the game for more repetition.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 (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Requires download/installation of software
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Steve Spangler Sick Science Videos - Steve Spangler
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): experiments (52), optical illusions (10), solar energy (34), water (100)
In the Classroom
Show a video on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) as an introduction before conducting an experiment in class. Stop the video before the ending and have students predict what will happen. Have students journal their thoughts to the science at work in the video. Have students create their own comics to explain a topic using comic-creation tools from this collection. Share this site as a resource for science fair projects or for a school science night.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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X (formerly Twitter) 4Teachers - Gina Hartman
Grades
K to 12tag(s): social networking (64), twitter (18)
In the Classroom
Explore the site to discover and follow educators who match your interests and needs. Read the Tweets about what is happening in other classrooms to gain some new/fresh ideas. Want to know more about X (formerly Twitter)? See TeachersFirst's X (formerly Twitter) for Teachers page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Childrens University of Manchester: Interactive Learning for Key Stage Two - The University of Manchester
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): body systems (41), brain (56), dental health (15), egypt (49), energy (131), environment (245), human body (94), medicine (56), organisms (15), root words (11), senses (20)
In the Classroom
The interactive lessons on this site are perfect for your whole class using an interactive whiteboard or projector. During the interactive lesson, students can operate the board/mouse to interact with the material. Most lessons will have enough opportunities to involve the whole class. The site is also ideal for individual instruction in the computer lab setting. Introduce students to a new topic with these mini lessons, videos, and educational games that can be expanded on as part of a larger unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Storyboarder (was Storyboard Generator) - Australian Centre for the Moving Image
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): comics and cartoons (53), digital storytelling (152), images (260)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate how to create and use a storyboard using this tool on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). View stories from the gallery for inspiration before attempting to have students create their own. Create a storyboard and share when teaching creative writing techniques or story mapping. Have students tell the story they have viewed. Challenge students to create a storyboard of readings recently finished in class as a review of characters and story plot. Use storyboards as the first step in planning larger projects from plays to videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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KizClub Learning Resources for Kids - KizClub.com
Grades
K to 3This site includes advertising.
tag(s): alphabet (52), phonics (50), preK (263), printables (37), sight words (22), sounds (42), spelling (98)
In the Classroom
Print and use activities from the site in your classroom as a supplement to current materials, for centers, or individualized activities. Send home activities from the site for extra practice. Share the site with parents through your classroom website or newsletter for additional home practice with language arts skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Culture Talk - Five College Center for the Study of World Languages
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): cultures (145), interviews (16), journalism (72), video (263)
In the Classroom
Explore world cultures in today's vernacular: video.Challenge students to write a comparative essay, contrasting information from similar culture talks about different countries. Have cooperative learning groups make a Livebinder, reviewed here to compile and share information from all over the web on one or more countries once they gain an overview from this site. Be sure to require they critique the sources they find and annotate/organize them into subtopics, etc. to show their understanding of how the pieces fit together. Of course you will want to model and teach appropriate documentation of any sources of images and media you use. Be sure to use copyrighted works legally. To help your students with this, try using a site such as Bibme, reviewed here. Challenge ESL/ELL (or any) students to make similar culture videos about their countries of origin or their family heritage as part of a world cultures exploration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas State University
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): baseball (31), black history (131), civil rights (201), racism (79), sports (81)
In the Classroom
This is a great resource for "hooking" students interested in sports into the study of the Civil Rights Movement, understanding racism and bias, or modern US History. Consider including the resources here in your recognition of Black History Month as well. Share the introductory video on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Ask cooperative learning groups to explore a specific part of this site and create a paper poster or modify student learning by challenging them to use a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or enhance learning using PicLits, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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