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Dewey Know How to Find Information - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12
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"Dewey" Know How to Find Information: Finding Nonfiction Resources in a Traditional Library Format is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed...more
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"Dewey" Know How to Find Information: Finding Nonfiction Resources in a Traditional Library Format is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed here. This article shares background knowledge and activities to teach students how to efficiently use the Dewey Decimal System to search and find nonfiction resources for research. Resources include book suggestions, videos, and online learning suggestions. Activities provide ideas for teaching about the Dewey Decimal System through tech and non-tech methods.
tag(s): reading strategies (98), Research (83)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many resources and activities shared on this site to provide direct instruction to students on using the Dewey Decimal System to find materials for research projects and encourage learning about topics of personal interest. In addition, engage students in learning using Blooket, reviewed here, to create entertaining learning quizzes and games for individuals and groups of players. Blooket also includes "homework only" activities for use as flipped learning lessons.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Work Smarter, Not Harder: Using Non-Fiction Text Features to Find Information Efficiently - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12
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This article is part of TeachersFirst's Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist! seriesfound here and shares background knowledge, activities,...more
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This article is part of TeachersFirst's Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist! seriesfound here and shares background knowledge, activities, and extensions to teach students how to learn to read for research purposes. Begin with the introduction and background knowledge information to understand the importance of teaching students how to identify and use nonfiction text features. Next, this article provides many activities to guide students in understanding nonfiction text features. The final portion of this resource includes extension activities that encourage students to think about text features differently and encourage critical thinking skills.
tag(s): professional development (396), reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Share this article and the included activities with peers as part of your professional development activities. Work with your peers to identify specific nonfiction texts to use during your lessons. One excellent resource for finding short, nonfiction articles is Newsela, reviewed here. Assign articles to students through Newsela and differentiate information based on individual student needs. Use Newsela's annotation feature to highlight text features discussed during your lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Livegap Charts - Livegap
Grades
K to 12
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Create charts in several formats using Livegap Chart creator; no registration required. First, select a form to enter data manually or from a spreadsheet to begin. Next, customize colors,...more
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Create charts in several formats using Livegap Chart creator; no registration required. First, select a form to enter data manually or from a spreadsheet to begin. Next, customize colors, text, font, and more to personalize the look and design of your content. When finished, save your chart as an image, as an animation on a web page, download a video file, or save online and share the link for others to view. Although registration isn't required, it offers you the opportunity to save charts for later use.
tag(s): charts and graphs (169), data (147)
In the Classroom
Save this handy chart creation tool in your bookmarks and on student computers for various classroom uses. Enter data on the site, then demonstrate how to represent the information through multiple formats and representations. Collect data in your classroom and quickly create a graph to express it, then choose another design to share the data in another way. Share your charts by adding links or uploading images to blogs, wikis, or websites--share graphs on an interactive whiteboard or projector for better data analysis by the class. Graph results of a test, answers from students, favorite foods, fictitious budgets, class schedules, and anything applicable in your classroom. Use an informational text, and have students create a pie chart to understand how to read charts accompanying the nonfiction texts. Have cooperative learning groups create graphs to share with your class. Create quick pie charts on your interactive whiteboard whenever you count class votes or encounter other data so students "see" data visualized regularly; visual students will have another way to absorb the information. Keep the link handy on your web page for you and your students to access it quickly in or out of class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vizzlo - Vizzlo.com
Grades
K to 12
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Vizzlo is a free chart maker site offering a wide variety of options for sharing data in different formats. Get inspired by visiting the gallery to view examples of the ...more
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Vizzlo is a free chart maker site offering a wide variety of options for sharing data in different formats. Get inspired by visiting the gallery to view examples of the layouts and means for sharing data. To begin creating, sign in to your account and select "Create." If you know the type of chart you want, use the keyword search to find it. Next, browse through the page to see examples, or use the filters to find options by use, type, and alphabetical list. The possibilities include well-known charts, including timeline creators and pie charts, along with less familiar varieties such as puzzle charts. Select a chart to begin creating by using the features found on the dashboard. Personalize data, colors, and the page setup. When complete, download as a PNG image, share a link by email or embed the code into a website. Free plans offer many features and access to a wide variety of charts; however, all charts created using a free plan will include Vizzlo's dominant watermark on the image.
tag(s): charts and graphs (169), data (147)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to share data through many different formats and representations. Collect data in your classroom and quickly create a graph to represent it, then choose another design to share the data in another way. Share your charts by adding links or uploading images to blogs, wikis, or websites--share graphs on an interactive whiteboard or projector for better data analysis by the class. Graph results of a test, answers from students, favorite foods, fictitious budgets, class schedules, and anything applicable in your classroom. Use an informational text, and have students create a pie chart to understand how to read charts accompanying the nonfiction texts. Have cooperative learning groups create graphs to share on the class wiki. Create quick pie charts on your interactive whiteboard whenever you count class votes or encounter other data so students "see" data visualized regularly; visual students will have another way to absorb the information. Keep the link handy on your web page for you and your students to access it quickly in or out of class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Text Features Questions: Higher Order Thinking - Teaching Made Practical
Grades
3 to 8
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This blog post provides ideas for teaching upper elementary students about text features based upon each level within Bloom's Taxonomy. The questions provide a quick overview for educators...more
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This blog post provides ideas for teaching upper elementary students about text features based upon each level within Bloom's Taxonomy. The questions provide a quick overview for educators on how to guide students toward higher thinking skills. Use the provided link at the end of the blog post to access a PDF version of the questions that include links to additional blogs that support teaching of nonfiction texts.
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tag(s): reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Use the suggestions found on this site as a starting point for ideas to use when teaching nonfiction. Engage students by creating choice boards with options to demonstrate learning. Learn more about choice boards by viewing the archive of the October 2018 OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Choice Boards for Differentiation session, located here. Enhance learning by using Flip, reviewed here, to ask students to provide video responses to questions about nonfiction text. Use Flip's Disco Library to find many ideas and prompts to use to encourage students to use higher-level thinking skills when discussing a text. Extend student learning further by asking them to create nonfiction multimedia projects. Provide a variety of options including Book Creator, reviewed here to create digital books, Powtoon, reviewed here to create animated videos, and Buzzsprout, reviewed here as a podcasting option.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nonfiction Text Features: Books and Lesson Ideas - Minds in Bloom
Grades
K to 6
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This blog post shares teaching strategies to increase student comprehension with nonfiction text. The author shares images and information with guidelines for using anchor charts, how...more
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This blog post shares teaching strategies to increase student comprehension with nonfiction text. The author shares images and information with guidelines for using anchor charts, how to focus on specific text features, and spiraling learning. Additional suggestions share ideas for differentiating learning to increase student engagement and interest. As a bonus, the author includes a link to the graphic organizers and pacing guide to download for free use.
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tag(s): reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Use this blog post as a starting point for ideas to use when teaching with nonfiction text. Create a book list using Padlet, reviewed here sharing ideas for nonfiction books with your students. Organize them into categories using the "stream" option. Ask students to share their comments and short book reviews as a way to share reading materials with classmates. Enhance learning further using nonfiction materials and lesson ideas found at ReadWriteThink, reviewed here. Type in "nonfiction" using the keyword search at ReadWriteThink to find printable materials such as a nonfiction pyramid, a lesson plan using guided inquiry to learn about nonfiction, and use of the THIEVES strategy as a guide to previewing nonfiction reading materials. Extend learning further by asking students to incorporate nonfiction text features within their writing. Share student work using Edublogs, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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5 Ways to Practice Nonfiction Text Features - Raise the Bar Reading
Grades
K to 6
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This blog post shares easy to implement ideas to share nonfiction text features with students. Each of the suggestions also includes pictures of each of the elements in use in ...more
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This blog post shares easy to implement ideas to share nonfiction text features with students. Each of the suggestions also includes pictures of each of the elements in use in a classroom setting. Use the links at the top of the home page to find additional tips for incorporating reading and writing activities into classroom lessons.
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tag(s): reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Although many of the links to materials found on this site link to a paid site, the ideas are easy to incorporate without purchasing information. Use the ideas on the site to create your materials to fit your lesson needs. For example, use Google Slides, reviewed here to create and print visuals to display on your bulletin boards. Take your slides digital and add links to online learning resources to create a complete learning activity. Learn more about how to create interactive lessons using hyperdocs by watching the archived recording of the July 2019 OK2Ask Session: Believe the Hype! Using Hyperdocs for Innovate Instruction, located here. Find many different types of graphic organizers to use online or offline at the TeachersFirst Special Topics Resource Page, located here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: The Artist's Eye - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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This CurriConnects features books about artists and their style and Caldecott winning authors who have unusual or beautiful layouts. Treat your students to the possibility of exploring...more
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This CurriConnects features books about artists and their style and Caldecott winning authors who have unusual or beautiful layouts. Treat your students to the possibility of exploring color and its power to communicate feelings and ideas, that art can be in the eye of the beholder, finding art (and joy) in the shapes of nature, different ways to look at perspective, and much, much more! This thematic list includes fiction and nonfiction, interest and grade levels, ISBNs for ordering or searching, ESL levels and Lexiles (where available) to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not to frustrate.
tag(s): artists (77), colors (64), drawing (59), perspective (11)
In the Classroom
This list will be a natural fit for anyone teaching art whether in elementary, middle, or high school. Use the books to introduce concepts in art and have students create digital sketchbooks about the styles and concepts they like. Replace the paper journal or sketchbook with one that can be accessed anywhere and never left behind. Use a digital "idea bin" collector like Padlet, reviewed here, that offers tools for creating shelves or grids to organize information about the concepts learned and post ideas and photos. Be sure to share this list of CurriConnects books about art with parents on your teacher webpage.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OneHistory - Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
Grades
6 to 12
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OneHistory uses stories, images, biographies, editorials, and essays to tell the history of America through the diversity of its people. Use links on the site to view information through...more
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OneHistory uses stories, images, biographies, editorials, and essays to tell the history of America through the diversity of its people. Use links on the site to view information through reading history and visual history. Be sure to check out the teacher feature index containing tips for teaching through photographs and links to great speeches and documents.
tag(s): 1800s (72), 1900s (73), african american (111), biographies (93), cross cultural understanding (157), essays (21), great depression (28), primary sources (117), speeches (18)
In the Classroom
Bookmark OneHistory as a resource for primary sources when teaching American History and as an excellent tool for finding information featuring diversity throughout the years. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. Take advantage of the high interest, low readability level stories on the site to differentiate for the variety of reading levels in your classroom and to include informational (nonfiction) reading standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Owl Eyes - Alex Bloomingdale
Grades
8 to 12
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Read, annotate, bookmark, and share literature, poetry, and nonfiction with Owl Eyes. Read any available selection without registration; however, free registration (with email) opens...more
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Read, annotate, bookmark, and share literature, poetry, and nonfiction with Owl Eyes. Read any available selection without registration; however, free registration (with email) opens up a world of options. Add any book to your library to add your own highlights or annotations. View analysis available on the site broken down by chapters and literary context. Options for annotating include adding highlights, questions, tags, and correlation to Common Core Standards. Create a classroom to assign books. Video tutorials reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): authors (103), book lists (161), literature (217), poetry (189), reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Use this site to assign reading of classic texts, nonfiction, poetry, and stories. Take advantage of the included annotations found with literature selections to build Common Core skills analyzing informational texts. Use this site to post and share discussion assignments on texts and selections from the text. Share Owl Eyes with students for use with literature circles (or small groups reading) as a tool to collaborate, improve reading strategies skills, and to present their book to the class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nanotechnology: Super Small Science - NBC Learn
Grades
7 to 12
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Explore the science behind the hidden world of nanotechnology, where you measure objects in the billionths of meters. Six videos offered by NBC Learn in partnership with the National...more
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Explore the science behind the hidden world of nanotechnology, where you measure objects in the billionths of meters. Six videos offered by NBC Learn in partnership with the National Science Foundation discuss Nanotechnology at the Surface, Nanoelectronics, Nanoarchitecture, Nano-Enabled Sensors, and Nanoparticles, plus quantum dots and working in nanoscale. Videos are approximately 5 to 6 minutes in length with a transcript. Although part of a larger site that charges for access, these videos and lessons are all free. This video now resides on NBC Learn's YouTube channel. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be viewable.
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tag(s): careers (139), chemicals (39), engineering (119), scientists (62)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson in chemistry or physical science class. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have each group choose a video to use as a launching pad for further study. Have students create an annotated image, including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Place the videos on your classroom website or blog for students to explore on their own. Flip your instruction and as an assignment have your students watch the videos before class time to build background knowledge. Review nonfiction reading strategies with students before having students read transcripts. Have students explore STEM careers by researching the jobs of the scientists interviewed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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When Nature Strikes: Science of Natural Hazards - NBC Learn
Grades
5 to 12
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Explore the science behind the world's worst natural disasters. These ten videos are hosted by Dr. Marshall Shepherd of the University of Georgia and The Weather Channel in partnership...more
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Explore the science behind the world's worst natural disasters. These ten videos are hosted by Dr. Marshall Shepherd of the University of Georgia and The Weather Channel in partnership with NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation. Topics include Wildfires, Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Tornadoes, Space Weather, Landslides, Hurricanes, Flash Floods, and Earthquakes. Videos are approximately 5 to 6 minutes in length and include transcripts. Scientists' interviews explain the stunning scenes of nature's havoc. Although part of a larger site that charges for access, these videos are free.
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tag(s): earthquakes (44), floods (10), hurricanes (35), natural disasters (16), scientists (62), tornadoes (15), tsunamis (15), volcanoes (55), weather (164)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on the weather. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have each group choose a video to use as a launching pad for further study. Enhance their learning with the challenge to use YiNote, reviewed here, which is a Chrome extension for taking notes online on the video while watching it. Have students create an annotated, narrated image, including text boxes and related links, using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Place the videos on your classroom website or blog for students to explore on their own. Flip your instruction, and have your scientists watch the videos before class time to build background knowledge. Review nonfiction reading strategies with students before reading the transcripts. Have students investigate STEM careers by researching the jobs of the scientists interviewed in the videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Changing Planet - NBC Universal Media, LLC
Grades
4 to 12
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Examine the effect of climate change on our planet through video on Changing Planet. NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation collaborated to create this collection. Topics range...more
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Examine the effect of climate change on our planet through video on Changing Planet. NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation collaborated to create this collection. Topics range from Thawing Permafrost, Melting Mountain Glaciers, Withering Crops, and more! Each video has a "cue card" with a summary and key terms. The videos are approximately five to ten minutes in length. The larger NBC Learn site is a fee-based subscription, but this section is free.
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tag(s): arctic (40), climate change (87), diseases (66), glaciers (17), mountains (10), oceans (147), scientific method (47), statistics (115), STEM (266), temperature (35), trees (18), tundra (14), water (102)
In the Classroom
Place the URL to Changing Planet on your classroom website or blog for students to explore the videos on their own. Flip your instruction and assign the videos to your scientists to watch before class. Flipping will maximize classroom time. Encourage budding scientists to investigate climate change. Use this site as a springboard for individual or group projects that connect to our world today. Have students create presentations to share what they learned using a tool such as Powtoon, reviewed here. Build student's background knowledge by watching the videos, and reviewing nonfiction reading strategies with students before reading the transcripts. Use the videos on Changing Planet to help struggling readers with the content on the cue cards. Encourage your scientists to tackle the topic of climate for a science fair experiment or graduation project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CommonLit - CommonLit
Grades
4 to 12
3 Favorites
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Access commonly taught themes for classic literature and discussion questions for that theme. Plus there are Text Sets perfect for social studies teachers! Choose a Lexile'''''®...more
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Access commonly taught themes for classic literature and discussion questions for that theme. Plus there are Text Sets perfect for social studies teachers! Choose a Lexile'''''® grade level for reading and download the text in PDF format or read online. Each text has a menu across the top offering Paired Texts, Related Media, a Teachers Guide, and a Parent Guide. Accompanying the text are critical thinking questions, an Assessment, and some have Guided Reading Mode. Choose the size of the font, listen to the Read Aloud (and pause it), translate to Spanish, and Highlight. Track student progress. You can search by Book, Genre, Grade Level, Literary Device, Text Set, Theme, and Spanish Texts. All of this for free! What else could one want? Well, you can also request a text, and they will negotiate with the copyright holders to have that text on their site. Take a look at their blog, too! You'll find lots of suggestions and thoughtful reflections for using nonfiction texts with your students.
tag(s): critical thinking (112), differentiation (84), literature (217), reading comprehension (142), spanish (105), substitutes (27), Teacher Utilities (147), themes (11)
In the Classroom
CommonLit is an excellent resource for literature teachers, speech and debate teachers, and history teachers. Share the site with students on an interactive whiteboard or projector, and ask the class what themes they would like to investigate. Under each theme are two questions. Divide the class into small groups with each group investigating one of the questions for one of the themes and reading the accompanying text. Differentiate for students by having students read on the same theme, but at their reading level. Challenge individuals, pairs, or small groups to create a graphic organizer for the story they read replacing paper and pencil and using a tool like Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers, reviewed here. You could take this to another level and have two groups read different selections on the same theme, use a graphic organizer to make comparisons for how the theme was presented, and then enhance learning by challenging the groups to present their findings to the class via video. Use a simple video creator like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here. This site would also work when you have to make substitute plans unexpectedly. Just put the link in your plans and tell the sub what theme you want students to read about, or better yet, let the sub choose!
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Commercial Aviation - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
5 to 12
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Learn about the early years of air transportation through the jet age using this site from the Smithsonian. Scroll down to read an explanation of the earliest to newest planes, ...more
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Learn about the early years of air transportation through the jet age using this site from the Smithsonian. Scroll down to read an explanation of the earliest to newest planes, mail carrier uniforms, and documents. Find activities and lesson plans under the Learn tab and click Explore to find stories, collections, and topics that range from Aviation and Early Flight to Spaceflight. Use the left menu to find many more air and space aviation topics.
tag(s): 1920s (15), 20th century (59), aircraft (16), aviation (38), flight (31)
In the Classroom
This site will work well in any social studies class. In language arts or social studies classes use a projector or interactive whiteboard and read a few entries from the Stories section with your students. Ask students to write about a flight they remember (or any mode of transportation for a trip) in the same manner as the examples. In addition, language arts or social studies teachers can use this site's nonfiction reading to help satisfy student's reading goals for the Common Core Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Audubon Adventures - Audbon.org
Grades
1 to 6
3 Favorites
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Connect your students with birds, nature, and the environment with the online Audubon Adventures. Find detailed articles, quizzes, and games about hummingbirds, raptors, and sea birds....more
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Connect your students with birds, nature, and the environment with the online Audubon Adventures. Find detailed articles, quizzes, and games about hummingbirds, raptors, and sea birds. A naturalist dictionary gives you a leg up on all the environmental lingo. Find activities, assessments, and resources for teachers with accompanying standards. An optional periodical is available for a fee.
tag(s): birds (44), conservation (83), environment (239)
In the Classroom
Introduce more nonfiction text into your classroom. Following the presentation of the hummingbird, raptor, and sea bird, challenge your students to create a report on a different animal. Make your own class blog with animals in your area, endangered animals, or invasive animals. If you have not started blogging yet, check out TeachersFirst Blog Basics. Investigate the local Audubon Society activities for classes and teachers. Use as a multiple resource for text analysis. Determine text features and text structure with the articles.
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Baen Ebooks - Baen Publishing Enterprises
Grades
8 to 12
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Baen Ebooks features a small section of free fiction ebooks from the past few years, and a rather extensive list of free nonfiction titles. There are several downloadable formats with...more
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Baen Ebooks features a small section of free fiction ebooks from the past few years, and a rather extensive list of free nonfiction titles. There are several downloadable formats with easy instructions. A free discussion guide accompanies some of the titles. Much of the site also has ebooks for sale. Registration is required for that section. This review is for the free portion of the site.
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tag(s): ebooks (39), independent reading (86)
In the Classroom
Upgrade your literature circles and allow your students to pick their reading material. After reading, and discussing, have students critique the book. Students can list merits of the ebook or even find other options for improving the story. If discussing improving the story, you may want to have students use a program like Rootbook, reviewed here, to document their changes and try their hand at publishing. Rootbook is an interactive story (choose your own adventure) tool. Students could sum up what happened in the part they want to change (be sure students give attribution to the original writer and Baen Publishing) and then create the rest of the story.
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Reading and Writing Project Resources - Teachers College Columbia University
Grades
1 to 8
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Provide the best literacy program for your students by implementing ideas and assessments from Reading and Writing Resources Project. Find high quality, research-based reading and writing...more
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Provide the best literacy program for your students by implementing ideas and assessments from Reading and Writing Resources Project. Find high quality, research-based reading and writing resources developed by a Teachers College, Columbia University and Lucy Caulkins. Assessment information includes running records, the concept of print, letter/sound information, high-frequency words, and independent reading benchmarks. Additional Assessments include Independent Reading Books, Comprehension Proficiency, and Monitor Reading Volume and Stamina with book logs and daily reading examples. Under Book Lists find units of study for teen readers with titles and authors categorized by genre with quality literature suggestions. Many videos depict classes in action discovering Narrative, Informative/Explanatory, and Opinion/Argument writing. One video series shows Danielson's Framework for Teaching evaluations, with classroom teachers being observed using reading/writing workshop. This includes PDF's with the notes and scoring. Find a baseline of excellent student writing sorted by grade level using Readers' Notebook and student writing samples. Nonfiction text sets give examples or resources for you to use in the classroom. Find text examples to use with your students featuring health and consumer science topics.
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tag(s): assessment (146), book lists (161), reading comprehension (142), reading lists (80), science of reading (33), writers workshop (31), writing (316)
In the Classroom
Use the free resources recommended by Teachers College, Columbia University to fine tune your reading and writing assessments. Assessments are ready to go and use, and videos help demonstrate quality teaching and learning. Use examples of student work on your interactive whiteboard for your class. Sharpening your literacy classroom increases your effectiveness. Share the professional development videos or resources with your colleagues. Use materials from this tool in your next presentation. Use at Open Houses or with curriculum chats with parents so they have a better understanding of grade level expectations. Be sure to document your professional growth for your teacher evaluations.
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Teaching Text Features - Lerner Publishing Group
Grades
3 to 8
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The Common Core Standards in every grade level has a standard using text features. Each grade level builds upon the knowledge from the previous grade. Lerner publishers has created...more
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The Common Core Standards in every grade level has a standard using text features. Each grade level builds upon the knowledge from the previous grade. Lerner publishers has created a PDF source (chart) for teaching text features to meet Common Core Standards. Each grade level provides features found in social studies and science content area texts. Lerner Sources (charts) are organized by features that help understand the organization of the text, text features for visual aids, and text features that point out important information. An example of each text feature along with the purpose follows. Each is given in a downloadable, color PDF chart.
tag(s): charts and graphs (169), commoncore (75), reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
When beginning your study on text features, show the charts with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Now go further and use a nonfiction book and find these features. Print the chart and use for student reference. Keep bookmarked on your website, so students can refer back to the chart to aid comprehension. Use this guide when students write their own informational pieces. Keep handy during research projects.
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CurriConnects Booklist: Adventures in Summer - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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This collection of books is all about summer! Summertime brings many adventures: vacations, camp, wild weather, fireworks, and more! Travel aboard a cruise ship, explore a mysterious...more
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This collection of books is all about summer! Summertime brings many adventures: vacations, camp, wild weather, fireworks, and more! Travel aboard a cruise ship, explore a mysterious island, learn about summer weather, meet some tiny creatures living in hotels, and make this a summer reading adventure to remember. This collection of books offers both fiction and information texts. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles''''® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. For more on text complexity and Lexiles''''®, see this information from the Lexile Framework. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!
tag(s): book lists (161), independent reading (86), summer (29)
In the Classroom
This collection is perfect to share with students (and families) prior to the summer break. Keep minds fresh during the summer. Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. If you want to "spice" up your final month of school, allow students to start summer (in their minds). These books provide experience with both fiction and nonfiction informational texts. They often require students to draw inferences about the "facts." Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. Share this list with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your end of school-year reading. Extend the experience by having students create visual presentations of the concepts they learn. Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi, reviewed here, or Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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