TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Feb 24, 2019
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
Unhangout - MIT Media Lab
Grades
K to 12tag(s): chat (42), collaboration (87)
In the Classroom
Unhangout offers many opportunities for classroom use and professional use. Use this site to introduce a topic, for example, the Civil War. After your initial introduction and discussion, enhance learning and ask students to choose a breakout session based on their interest - perhaps causes of the Civil War, battles, Civil War leaders, and cities. Within these sessions, have students share ideas on the focus of their learning and discuss how to divide up research and sharing of information. After the session, as students conduct their research, have them share resources using a collaborative Wakelet, reviewed here, stretching everyone's learning. Wakelet is a free bookmarking tool for sharing videos, documents, online resources, and more in an easy to view format. As students gather information, modify learning and use Timeline JS, reviewed here. Timeline JS offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps. After sharing group projects, challenge students to redefine their learning and share with their peers in a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools, reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Kizoa, and Clipchamp.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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YoTeach! - PALMS
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): chat (42), communication (136), social networking (68)
In the Classroom
Use this site to connect to other classes to open up a discussion between your students in one convenient place. Safety is not a concern with this site since only those with an email invitation/link or the QR code can participate in a chat. (Your students need not have email. You can simply email the link to yourself and share it with students to enter into their browsers.) Teach good digital citizenship of chat etiquette while using this activity to learn. Connect with other classes to learn about other locations, learn various perspectives, find animals that are similar yet different, learn about the different books others are reading, or survey students on various economic, political, or environmental topics. Be sure to plan content ahead of time, so students have the opportunity to think through the material and formulate a response. Discuss appropriate ways to communicate with others before connecting with another classroom.Use backchannel chat on laptops during a video or student presentation. Pose questions for all to answer/discuss in the backchannel, or ask students to pose their own "I wonder if..." questions as they watch and listen. Keep every student engaged and THINKING as an active listener. The first time you use backchannel, you will want to establish some etiquette and accountability rules. The advantage of backchannel chat is that every student has a voice, no matter how shy. Use this in world language classes, ESL/ELL classes, or autistic support classes for backchannel chat. Challenge students to use their new language skills to describe a scene from a video or the feelings of the actors. When studying literature, collaborate with another class to have students role-play a chat between two characters. In a history class, create fictional conversations between soldiers on two sides of the Civil War or different sides of the Scopes Monkey trial.
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Choice of Games - Choice of Games LLC
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): coding (88), creative writing (122), DAT device agnostic tool (143), gamification (74), interactive stories (21), STEM (262), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site to your students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and explore one or two of the games together. Create a short story together to learn about how to use the different story-writing options. As students begin creating games using this site, consider having students create explainer videos to enhance their learning using Kizoa video maker, reviewed here, and to demonstrate tools that need a more detailed explanation than what is on the site. Have students create stories to show what they have learned about literature, geography, history, science concepts, and more. As a more "serious" approach, use Choice of Games to present opinion pieces where you take a position and allow readers to click on questions about it. They could also click on statements expressing opposing views so you can write counterarguments to their points. This idea could end up being a powerful way to present an argument and evidence as required by Common Core writing standards. Extend student learning by having them include their text-based game as part of a collaborative multi-media presentation created using Sway, reviewed here. In addition to their game, ask students to include their written documents, images, and video creations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ReadingIQ - Age of Learning
Grades
K to 6tag(s): book lists (161), classroom management (128), literacy (107), preK (254), reading comprehension (141), spanish (105)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of this free reading program to differentiate reading materials for your students both by ability and interests. Set up your program then share learning goals with your students and parents. Engage students use by using the free interactives and printables from ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, and have students create story maps, book covers, and much more as part of their retelling and summarizing activities. Create shared class activities using a video response tool like Flip, reviewed here, to enhance student learning by asking students to share short book talks about their favorite books read on the site. Take learning even further by creating ongoing podcasts discussing favorite books and characters using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Buzzsprout makes it easy to create and share podcasts by offering scheduling options to meet your needs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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X (formerly Twitter) Chat: Preparing for Digital Learning Day - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): twitter (19), twitterchatarchive (173)
In the Classroom
Share this chat with your colleagues preparing for Digital Learning Day. Explore the various tools that are shared. Use these resources as you prepare for Digital Learning Day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Computational Thinking - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): computational thinking (42), engineering (119), logic (164), problem solving (226), STEM (262)
In the Classroom
Bring problem-solving and computational thinking into your classroom with these tools. Share on your class website, projector, whiteboard, or on individual devices. Topics range from coding to charts to logic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks - Make Learning a Journey - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): independent reading (85), maps (209), reading comprehension (141), reading lists (80)
In the Classroom
These units are perfect for use with a whole-class novel, literature circles, or individual reading! Ask students to keep a journal about what they are reading and learning. Replace traditional paper and pen journals using an easy virtual journaling tool such as Penzu, reviewed here. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. If you are conducting literature circles a good tool to use for small group assignments and communication is Asana, reviewed here, or Canvas Free LMS, reviewed here. For students or student groups to share their book with their peers, challenge them to enhance their learning and design an interactive multimedia poster using Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Citizenship Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (89), internet safety (113)
In the Classroom
Use this entire collection or simply select the best ones for YOUR students to continually model good digital citizenship. Share the links with parents and among your colleagues so you can promote positive action instead of fear about the Internet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Coding In the Classroom Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): coding (88), computational thinking (42), computers (106), critical thinking (112), design (83), makerspace (41), problem solving (226), STEM (262)
In the Classroom
Explore these resources for use with after-school computer clubs or as an excellent tool when recruiting skilled parent volunteers. Turn the intimidating content of computer programming into an exciting learning adventure for all with these helpful sites!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Learning Day - Alliance for Excellent Education
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (89), digital storytelling (141), modeling (8), preK (254)
In the Classroom
Celebrate Digital Learning Day in your school by sharing this site and ideas for digital learning both in and out of school. Suggest to your PTO/PTA that they host a family digital learning evening on or about the same date. Bookmark and save this site to find digital learning ideas throughout the year and to plan special events for a midwinter Digital Learning Day celebration. Share with colleagues as a resource.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dr. Seuss Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): preK (254), read across america (3)
In the Classroom
Why not find some special projects and activities for March 2? Whatever subject and grade you teach, you are sure to find something useful here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Read Across America - NEA
Grades
K to 12tag(s): humor (16)
In the Classroom
Download the free RAA calendars or have students create family reading calendars or reading videos as part of the Read Across America celebration. Even upper level high school students will enjoy the chance to relive Seuss in their lives. Plan a trip with your school service group to read to elementary kids at the school next door. Or have student groups in any middle or high school class create a Seuss-style book-in-verse on a current curriculum topic, using various Seuss books for inspiration. How about a book about healthy eating or the fun of reading? Be sure to have students create a storyboard to help make the story creation go smoothly. Replace paper and pencil using a digital storyboard like the Story Map, reviewed here, or SuperNotecard, reviewed here. Then modify learning with the challenge for students to make a new interactive "book" using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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