TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 2, 2014
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
Royalty Free Music - Kevin MacLeod
Grades
3 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Royalty Free Music provides music in several genres for free download to your computer. Choose from genres such as African, Modern, or Soundtracks, as well as different "feels" such...more
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Royalty Free Music provides music in several genres for free download to your computer. Choose from genres such as African, Modern, or Soundtracks, as well as different "feels" such as humorous or intense to start your search. Each piece includes a short description including instruments, play time, and tempo. Listen to each selection before deciding to download. (Some also include a link to a "video" plays the tune with visual annotations). Choose the download button to save to your computer. Some selections also include a YouTube link for video viewing. Click the "More" button for complete credits and licensing information. Be sure to give proper credit when you use one of these downloads!
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
You might want to share this site on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) before student use to demonstrate how to use the search and how to work around the many advertisements on the site. Play musical selections for students to "name the instrument" or talk about musical elements and styles in music class. Have partners explore the site to find examples of different rhythms or styles they prefer. Use Royalty Free Music for soft background music during quiet work times in your classroom. Share with students for use in multimedia presentations. Try sharing this resource with students when they are creating podcasts, slideshows, and other media projects. This would also be great for performance groups such as drama clubs or musicals that need background music. Use background music for poetry readings during poetry month. Have them try making a "sound rebus" story on your class wiki, with words and sound links to tell what happens. Download sound effects and add them, worry-free, to projects or productions. Make sure students realize that "royalty free" does not dismiss the need to give proper credit for their source!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Behold - Alexei Yavlinsky
Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Behold is a search tool for high quality images on Flickr. It goes beyond typical search tools by looking beyond tags and filenames to find what is inside at the ...more
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Behold is a search tool for high quality images on Flickr. It goes beyond typical search tools by looking beyond tags and filenames to find what is inside at the pixel level. In addition to a keyword search, other filters allow you to find images licensed for free use, modification, or for commercial use. For a full overview of how to use Behold, click on the "About" link for video examples on using filters. Be sure to preview any searches/results that you plan to share with students. Flickr can have images of just about anything. You should also double check the Flickr image page for the image you choose to double verify that the license is what you sought (CC, for example). If the image owner changes the license after the image is indexed by Behold, the image may show in the wrong results.
tag(s): creative commons (28), images (261), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to find high quality images for classroom projects. When using images on a web page or wiki, use ImageCodr reviewed here to correctly use and give proper credit. BOTH the image AND the licensing will be displayed. Post images as writing prompts, you-name-it science questions, or world language conversation starters, all from a simple Flickr image search! Use images as examples of design principles or art elements. Be sure students understand the different types of images available and use ones that are licensed correctly in their own media projects. Model use of this tool for using images from Flickr. To give image credit in a slide show or other media project, click to see the full image on Flickr, double check the license information, and copy the url for the Flickr page. Paste it into a credits are below the image on your slide. Of course, you will want to give (or subtract) points for the ethical use of images by giving proper credit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geography Awareness Week - National Geographic
Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Geography Awareness Week is an annual opportunity for families and schools to engage in educational experiences that draw attention to the importance of place and how we affect and...more
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Geography Awareness Week is an annual opportunity for families and schools to engage in educational experiences that draw attention to the importance of place and how we affect and are affected by it. Launched in 1987, this initiative is celebrated during the third week of November. The Awareness Week site offers support through lessons, activities, films, and print materials to spread the word in your community. Each year offers a different theme. Scroll down near the bottom of the home page to find links to free materials, information on local events, and information on how to register your event and receive free supplies to give away!
tag(s): globe (12), map skills (56), maps (208)
In the Classroom
Have older students pair up with a younger classroom to create and share events for Geography Awareness Week. Celebrate Geography Awareness Week in your classroom or school using supplies and resources provided on the website. View all of TeachersFirst's Editor's Choices for Geography Awareness Week here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Past/Present - Experience History From the Inside Out - Center for New American Media and Muzzy Lane Software
Grades
5 to 11
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Past/Present interactive will project you into the world of 1906 labor disputes and immigration. Set in a New England mill town, the characters are an immigrant female worker and...more
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The Past/Present interactive will project you into the world of 1906 labor disputes and immigration. Set in a New England mill town, the characters are an immigrant female worker and a male manager. These two must use critical thinking skills to make decisions that can affect their families and the community. Learn about organized labor, industrialization, and immigration in the Progressive era. Learn how to use primary sources and build historical thinking and teamwork skills. From the menu at the top, click on play to find a video on Vimeo or YouTube to get you started. Clicking on the Teachers tab will give you plenty of information about how to get started, assignments, and even a peek at the ending in case you run out of time. The Students tab has the student home and assignment documents (in PDF format).
tag(s): 1900s (73), critical thinking (111), game based learning (179), immigrants (33), immigration (65), industrialization (11)
In the Classroom
Prepare to use this activity in your classroom by thoroughly exploring the documentation and videos before you plan to use it. Introduce this interactive to students on a projector or whiteboard using the demo videos and videos about Anna and Walter. Next, have students pair up and sign up for an account. One must be Walter, and one must be Anna. The characters both meet the same townspeople and participate in the same global events, but the roles and social positions are different, so they will have different tasks. Pairing students will allow for maximum participation in post-activity discussions.
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Read Theory - Read Theory (Tanner)
Grades
2 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Read Theory offers over 1,000 interactive reading comprehension exercises. Learn to think critically, draw inferences, understand the scope and global concepts, find or recall details,...more
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Read Theory offers over 1,000 interactive reading comprehension exercises. Learn to think critically, draw inferences, understand the scope and global concepts, find or recall details, and infer meanings of vocabulary words. Find Lesson Plans and Worksheets, too. Get detailed reports to track and analyze progress using percentages, bar graphs, and tables. Sign up with an email and be sure to know your reading level. Then it is simple: Read the passage, take a quiz, and see answers and explanations after finishing the quiz. If you are unsure of the appropriate reading level, visit a reading assessment site. Try News in Levels (use Test on the far right of the top menu), reviewed here.
tag(s): blended learning (37), differentiation (88), guided reading (33), Online Learning (42), reading comprehension (142), remote learning (56)
In the Classroom
Take your students to the next level in their reading and reading skills! Sign up students yourself (assigning a password and username). Students can sign up for themselves if they have an email (and school policies permit). The first task is to provide the reading level. Use this site to differentiate reading levels for your students. Use this tool in a blended learning or remote learning classroom so students can have time to read at their own pace, or set up a learning center for use during your L.A. block. This will allow you one-on-one time to begin the program. In a learning support or remedial reading class, especially at upper levels where "reading" is no longer a regular subject, this tool will allow students some autonomy in improving their skills. It will also let them see progress. Discuss with individual students the questions they answered, where the answer was in the reading, etc. Be certain to save this site in your class favorites and list it on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail subaccounts, explained here; this tells how to set up Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. Using Gmail subaccounts will provide anonymous interaction within your class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Math Fact Cafe - Math Fact Cafe
Grades
K to 6
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Math Fact Cafe is a free math worksheet generator for grades K-5. Choose from pre-made worksheets or use the custom worksheet generator to create your own worksheets. To customize your...more
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Math Fact Cafe is a free math worksheet generator for grades K-5. Choose from pre-made worksheets or use the custom worksheet generator to create your own worksheets. To customize your worksheets, choose from options including the range of numbers, degree of difficulty, and name and date. Topics include basic facts, money, time, and word problems. In addition to worksheets, Math Fact Cafe offers three online games featuring problem solving and trivia skills.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): addition (127), counting (59), division (97), money (117), multiplication (121), preK (262), problem solving (226), subtraction (108), time (92), worksheets (70)
In the Classroom
This site offers many customization options, so it is easy to differentiate for ability levels within your class. Use worksheets from Math Fact Cafe in learning centers. Share a link to the site on your class website or newsletter for parents to use at home. Use Math Fact Cafe for review before quizzes and tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Down the Drain Project - The Center for Innovation in Science and Engineering
Grades
3 to 12
0 Favorites
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Down the Drain is a free Internet-based collaborative project that has classes around the world share and compare their water consumption. For a detailed explanation, visit the New...more
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Down the Drain is a free Internet-based collaborative project that has classes around the world share and compare their water consumption. For a detailed explanation, visit the New to the Project link. The project includes a hypothesis, prediction, data collection, and comparing results. The data collection period lasts one week. There is a link for Student Activities. The Teacher Guide link offers an overview of the project, publishing policy information, and extension activities. The project says it is designed for grades 4-8 but can be used in upper grades, as well.
tag(s): environment (237), recycling (45), water (101)
In the Classroom
Bring problem-based learning into your classroom and share the results globally. Encourage multiple classrooms or schools in your area to participate. Extend the project by having collaborative groups find water saving ideas to employ in school, at home, or in the community. Find ways to share results locally in newspapers or news channels to encourage community involvement. Present findings with a variety of multimedia: PowerPoint, Prezi, reviewed here, video, podOmatic podcast, reviewed here, artwork, poetry, or song.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers - Holt
Grades
2 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Interactive Graphic Organizers help to gather thoughts, visualize, understand, or organize. Find interactive graphic organizers from categories such as identifying/organizing details,...more
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Interactive Graphic Organizers help to gather thoughts, visualize, understand, or organize. Find interactive graphic organizers from categories such as identifying/organizing details, order and sequence, cause and effect, process diagrams, persuasive position support, vocabulary, and many others. The selected organizer will download in PDF format. The features of the form are: interactive form fields, highlighting, adding mark-up, commenting, and saving it all. Find accompanying teaching notes for each organizer by clicking on the link in the paragraph at the top of the page. The teacher guide has detailed lessons and suggested uses.
tag(s): concept mapping (16), graphic organizers (50)
In the Classroom
Mark this site on your class web page, put it on your task bar, and add to all student computers. Demonstrate by using and creating your customized graphic organizer. Turn it into PDF format and save or print. Get students in the habit of using graphic organizers to improve achievement, organization, and details.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Raindrop.io - Mussabekov Rustem
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Raindrop.io is a smart bookmarking tool to "collect" online and media content. It is available as a mobile app, as a web tool, and as a browser extension for Safari, ...more
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Raindrop.io is a smart bookmarking tool to "collect" online and media content. It is available as a mobile app, as a web tool, and as a browser extension for Safari, Chrome, Opera, or Firefox. After adding the extension to your browser, a couple of clicks saves and organizes content into thematic collections. Collections can include videos, files, images, and other media. Watch the tour videos to see how it works. Add tags and notes, and drag and drop bookmarks between collections as you wish. Browse your collections using the search bar and keywords. Use Raindrop's social networking feature to create and share collections or find and subscribe to others' collections. Receive a weekly email digest of your bookmarks, or turn that feature off.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bookmarks (46), collaboration (91), curation (36), DAT device agnostic tool (148)
In the Classroom
Use Raindrop.io to create a bank of resources for each content unit within your subject or your class. Have students download and use the materials you provide via Raindrop to make their own projects, complete webquests, or to learn independently. Create a separate class account for students to curate their own lists of bookmarks and resources. Use this tool to compile web treasure hunts to learn or introduce any topic within your content area. Collect links to informational texts for students to read "closely" a la CCSS. With younger students, create collections of audio books for children to view and listen to. Share simple interactives teaching colors, numbers and more for a computer center. Have students create their own Raindrop as a place to store links for a project and ask them to attach it to attach it to their final project. Share a link to your Raindrop on your class webpage. Save pictures of class activities with a Raindrop collection to share with parents. Encourage your gifted students to curate collections of media and articles above the level of current curriculum or for individual research on related topics they are interested in. Share these "advanced" collections with all students to spark personal learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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