TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Dec 17, 2017
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
Digital Storytelling Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This editor's choice curated list of reviewed resources focuses on digital storytelling. Engage and excite students to get writing. Many of the tools shared are device agnostic and...more
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This editor's choice curated list of reviewed resources focuses on digital storytelling. Engage and excite students to get writing. Many of the tools shared are device agnostic and will work on all devices in both web browsers and apps. Find tools ideal for all grades. Use digital storytelling in all subject areas to assess, collaborate, share results, and more. Find options in the resources for student projects. View and learn from the professional resources shared.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Find an abundance of digital writing tools to use in your classroom. Share sites on your interactive whiteboard. Challenge students to create their own projects using tools on this list. Rather than a unit test, have students create a book demonstrating their understanding of concepts. Bring out creativity with these engaging tools!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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MapHub - Zsolt Ero and Gergely Matyus
Grades
4 to 12
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Create personalized and interactive maps with MapHub's user-friendly features. Explore the featured maps to find examples of maps, then make your own. MapHub's short tutorial provides...more
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Create personalized and interactive maps with MapHub's user-friendly features. Explore the featured maps to find examples of maps, then make your own. MapHub's short tutorial provides an overview of features. Add and personalize points on your map by choosing from different icons and color combinations. Give your icon a title and description; MapHub also provides many choices for map backgrounds. Connect points of interest using lines or define with polygons. When finished, download your map or share using the provided link or embed code.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), maps (209)
In the Classroom
Use MapHub for personalized lessons in using maps and defining locations. Create a map to share on your interactive whiteboard (or with a projector) to highlight landforms, state capitols, or locations within a novel. As you teach about events in history such as the Civil War add markers to your map to share locations and information from that event. Add notes to your icons sharing information from each location. Include a link to this map on classroom computers or embed onto your class blog for students to view from any device. Add URLs to additional resources within your descriptions of points on a map. This allows you and your students to create visual presentations with access to multiple resources. Flip your classroom to create an interactive lesson using MapHub. Have students view your map as an introduction to a new unit. Instead of a traditional book report or class presentation, have students use MapHub to create an interactive map sharing their learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flip - Charlie Miller & Brad Hosack
Grades
K to 12
14 Favorites
0 Comments
Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a free video discussion tool with capabilities for sharing student responses through video. You can use Google, Microsoft, or your email address to create...more
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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a free video discussion tool with capabilities for sharing student responses through video. You can use Google, Microsoft, or your email address to create an account. Begin by clicking Getting Started from the bottom menu, then find the link to the Educator Toolkit and just follow the Toolkit simple steps to create a group. Be sure to copy the link for your group. Easy-to-follow directions guide you through the process of setting up a video response. Members will create a goup by clicking +Create from the left menu on your dashboard. When finished, use links to share the URL or embed your Flip into a website. Students access your Flip using the access code when sharing your topic, with the custom QR code, or through the unique URL created. In addition, share topics directly to Google Classroom, Remind, Microsoft Teams, or use the embed code to insert into a website. Be sure to investigate ideas from other educators in the at the Community Moments, found on the bottom menu. On the bottom menu you will also find the Help Center for Remote Learning. Flip is available in Spanish, too!
tag(s): assessment (147), collaboration (87), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), Microsoft (84), remote learning (61), video (257)
In the Classroom
Flip is a versatile tool for use in any subject. Create prompts for students to respond to about anything and everything. Challenge students to reflect on their learning at the end of a unit, research project, or literature circle. Here are just a few example questions to ask: What are some things you did well on this assignment? What mistakes did you make on your last assignment that you did not make on today's assignment? What would you do differently? What would you like to learn more about? Ask students to use the many camera features to make conversations more meaningful. For example, use the whiteboard tool to demonstrate math problems, add emojis to convey emotions, or upload images to use for explanations.For professional use, create a topic for peers to discuss. Ideas might include discussing concerns with implementing new technology or curriculum. Have fellow teachers share articles of interest from professional journals. Use Flip to implement a book talk on a topic of interest.
Use Flip as a follow-up for a flipped or blended learning assignment. Ask students to explain what they understand and/or still don't understand about a concept. You can review the responses before class the next day. Use it as an exit "slip" before students leave class or as a warm up at the beginning of class (what do they remember about the lesson taught yesterday). World language students can practice speaking in their new language and choose the best video to turn in to their teacher. Student or teacher can explain a series of steps in an assignment or concept, one at a time (great for differentiation). Math students can explain the steps they took to solve a problem and why. Art students can explain a creation, either theirs or a famous artists - talking about techniques. Music students can perform and explain their learning, or reflect on their performance.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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EasyWrite - Deekshith Allamaneni
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
EasyWrite is a simple to use writing tool for creating easy to understand content. Just type your text into the text box and begin writing. EasyWrite highlights words not found ...more
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EasyWrite is a simple to use writing tool for creating easy to understand content. Just type your text into the text box and begin writing. EasyWrite highlights words not found in the 1,000 most commonly used words in the English language. At the time of this review, EasyWrite worked best with Chrome or Mozilla FireFox.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), editing (93), multilingual (65), process writing (38), vocabulary (235), writers workshop (31), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Have students use EasyWrite to retell difficult text in an easy to understand way. Retell Shakespeare passages in simple English or breakdown complicated directions into simple terms. EasyWrite is perfect for use with ENL/ESL or special education students. Choose any complex or difficult text and break it into simpler terms for easier understanding. Do this by adding a free browser extension to classroom computers and devices. Use a tool such as Grammarly (at the time of this review worked for Chrome, Safari, Edge, and FireFox), reviewed here., or After the Deadline, reviewed here. Turn the theory of EasyWrite upside down - have students paste their writing projects into EasyWrite. If there are only a few highlighted words, have them develop more interesting and complex writing passages. Have students take a screenshot of their original work to include with a final draft.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Adobe Creative Cloud Express - Adobe
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Create beautiful visual designs with Adobe Creative Cloud Express (was Adobe Spark). First, follow prompts for creating an account, then select a creation you will work on; those include...more
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Create beautiful visual designs with Adobe Creative Cloud Express (was Adobe Spark). First, follow prompts for creating an account, then select a creation you will work on; those include flyers, banners, posters, business cards, social graphics, advertisements, YouTube thumbnails, and a few others. The canvas where you will create has a right and left menu. Choose a template, text, photos, shapes, backgrounds, and design assets from the left menu. Next, you can select colors, animation, background, resize, or design from the right menu. When complete, share using email or with the social media links provided, or you can download.
tag(s): blogs (66), communication (136), creative writing (122), design (83), digital storytelling (141), microblogging (18), posters (47)
In the Classroom
Possible uses are only limited by your imagination! Create your own flyer, poster, business card, etc. for parents and students where they can learn a little you and what is happening in your classroom. Enhance or extend student learning (depending on the project requirement) by having students create a visual to accompany books read in class, tell about social studies events, or display images for different science terms. Flip your classroom using Adobe Express presentations. Adobe Express is perfect to use for presentations, digital storytelling, or a gift (think Mother's Day) in any subject!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Story Map - Read Write Think
Grades
1 to 8
1 Favorites
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Focus on the key elements of writing a story with Story Map. Fill out and print graphic organizers for characters, setting, conflict, and resolution. Each organizer has prompts for...more
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Focus on the key elements of writing a story with Story Map. Fill out and print graphic organizers for characters, setting, conflict, and resolution. Each organizer has prompts for what to write. Returning to an organizer to edit is possible. Print your Story Map, since it is not saved.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), graphic organizers (49), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Substitute paper and pencil story mapping by introducing your class to Story Map and writing a class story. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector and be sure to point out the prompts to answer with each organizer. Bookmark Story Map on class computers as part of stations when developing a writing project. Put a link to this tool on your website or blog for students to access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Rudyard Kipling Society
Grades
9 to 12
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While Kipling is not a staple of today's reading lists, many of his works have become classics. This British site offers a biography, listings of books and poems, a poem ...more
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While Kipling is not a staple of today's reading lists, many of his works have become classics. This British site offers a biography, listings of books and poems, a poem of the day, and links to related resources and publications. It could be useful as part of an author study, or for a student interested in finding additional books by the author.
tag(s): authors (103), literature (217)
In the Classroom
This site is a sure winner for a student author study in small groups or individually, as well. Include this site as a link on your teacher web page during a study of Kipling's writings, and ask students to investigate one of his interests or part of his background to share with the class. Share them with a multimedia poster using a tool like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or a podcast recording using Spreaker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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