TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jun 30, 2013
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
4 Numbers - Luminosity
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): mental math (18), operations (75)
In the Classroom
Put this link on your blog, wiki, or class page for free play by students. Be sure to bookmark on a classroom computer. This engaging game is challenging and provides many opportunities to stretch thinking. Play on an Interactive Whiteboard (or projector) in class with individual students or as teams. Create a Math Olympics by making this site a station on a computer or Interactive Whiteboard that student must rotate through to other stations. Other stations can include computer or paper and pencil activities to round out the Math Olympics.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Glossary of Education Reform for Journalists - Great Schools Partnership
Grades
K to 12tag(s): parent conferences (22), parents (61), professional development (286)
In the Classroom
Most importantly, use this resource to remind yourself that not everyone knows what you are talking about when you toss "edu-ese" terms into conversation or report card comments. Flip your perspective to see how schools look to those outside, including parents. Share appropriate definitions during parent conferences. Mark this in your professional favorites for those embarrassing moments when a colleague uses a term and you cannot remember which initiative is which. Stay up to date on the lingo being used by reformers (and sometimes policy makers). Review for Praxis tests. Share this as a handy resource for involved parents. Teacher educators and coaches will also want to share this with those they coach!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Actively Learn - Jay Goyal and Dr. Deep Sran
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): guided reading (35), reading strategies (67)
In the Classroom
Choose a piece to use with your students and model for them how the program works on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). Then assign students to read a piece with a partner in class. Once students are familiar with the format and tools, assign reading for them to complete on their own. Upload current event articles into Actively Learn and write open ended questions for students to answer. Include images or video to go with the article. Use a tool like the Questioning Toolkit, reviewed here, to create some intriguing questions and writing prompts. This is a great tool to use for students with learning differences and ESL/ELL students due to the ability to adjust the text size, color and background, include audio, and the built in dictionary. Besure to check out the blog for ideas about teaching divisive topics, an infographic for close reading stategies, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gettysburg by the Numbers - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 10tag(s): civil war (127), gettysburg (16)
In the Classroom
Gettysburg exemplifies many aspects of the Civil War experience and of U.S. life during the 1860s. Use this resource as a whole class introduction to the Civil War or specifically to the Battle of Gettysburg. Extensive teacher materials include downloadable and customizable handouts for students to "get the basics" about the battle or extend their understanding through small group or individual projects on battle-related topics that interest them. Coordinate with your math teacher to reinforce concepts of proportion, percent, ratio, and graphing with real data about Gettysburg. Differentiate for your students by helping them select from more concrete or more open-ended "questions" included with each detail about the battle. You can make this a one-day "quick tour" or a week long journey. Find project ideas included in these questions. There is even a customizable project rubric in the teacher materials. Be sure to share this link on your class web page for curious students (and families) to explore on their own outside of class!Comments
Excellent resource for researchArthur, TX, Grades: 0 - 12
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ForAllRubrics - ForAllSchools
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (122), gamification (78), rubrics (30)
In the Classroom
Use the data provided to analyze students to differentiate instruction. Provide students and families the opportunity to view data online. Motivate students to learn by awarding badges. Students can analyze their own data to monitor progress. Use the data for progress reports and parent/teacher conferences. Use the data provided to analyze your instruction to make sure standards are being met and instruction is tailored for students' individual needs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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750 Words - Buster Benson
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): brainstorming (16), gamification (78), journals (16), process writing (37), writers workshop (33)
In the Classroom
To write daily is a good idea for students. It helps them clarify their thoughts and questions, and get in touch with their feelings. 750 Words would be perfect for any writing program or with gifted students who often feel very strongly about fairness and/or world issues well beyond their years. Students can get their thoughts and ideas written down without having to worry about a grade or someone chancing upon their writings in a school notebook. Here's an idea for any grade level. Have your students do free writes (stream of conscientiousness writing) starting with 5 minutes or more a day. Ask students to count their words daily when time is up, always trying to increase the word count. After a couple of weeks have them use 750 Words and complete the stream of writing on a computer or mobile device. (This shouldn't slow many of them down since most are quick at texting!). After the first day, and again after the second week, using 750 Words have a class discussion about which format they like better and why. Use a backchannel program like YoTeach!, reviewed here, or Chatzy, reviewed here, for the class discussion. Using one of these programs ensures that even your shy students have a chance to say what they think about 750 Words. Challenge your students to complete the 750 words at home. They can earn points, and you know how competition can inspire some of them! Resource students and ESL/ELL students could increase their writing skills and fluency by keeping an online, private journal daily with 750 Words. Emotional support, autistic support, or alternative ed students may find this private space to work out feelings very therapeutic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quest - Alex Warren
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): interactive stories (18), process writing (37)
In the Classroom
Challenge students to create games when studying process writing of essays. Instead of writing a dry essay, create an object of entertainment with an interactive story. Use steps of the game to provide supporting evidence for the essay. Create simple text games to show the typical patterns of stories. Have a contest to see which group of students in your class can imagine the best game scenario. In science class, have student groups create games that follow the life of a plant or animal where players collect all the needed nutrients or conditions the plant/animal needs to survive. In civics/government class, have students create a game around getting elected, passing a bill, or ending Washington gridlock! Don't have time to have your students actually CREATE a game? Create your own "review" game for your students to use to prepare for the big test. This would be ideal if it is a unit that you teach yearly; you can reuse your game! Share some of the ready-made games on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share this link with parents on your class website. Students may enjoy the challenge of creating a game during summer break.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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