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Latinx Authors and History - CommonLit
Grades
K to 1
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This eighty-one-piece informational text set shares poems, short stories, memoirs, and informational text that explore the experiences of Latinx, Chicano, and Hispanic individuals and...more
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This eighty-one-piece informational text set shares poems, short stories, memoirs, and informational text that explore the experiences of Latinx, Chicano, and Hispanic individuals and movements. The thumbnail view of each text includes a summary, suggested grade level, type of text, and Lexile level. Some texts are available without registration; however, creating a free account on CommonLit provides members access to all available features, including the teachers' guide, related media, and full access to the included activities. Be sure to watch the short video Show Me to learn how to explore a topic with text sets.
tag(s): differentiation (69), hispanic (28), literature (221), poetry (184), reading comprehension (127), Teacher Utilities (132)
In the Classroom
Learn more about the many valuable features and options provided by CommonLit, reviewed here. Assign and include these informational texts as part of a Hispanic Heritage Month unit, non-fiction lessons, or as part of a poetry unit. Differentiate activities based on student interest and reading abilities using the materials included in this text set. Enhance student learning by challenging students to create a concept map using mindmaps, reviewed here, that shares information and key concepts learned from these activities. Extend student learning by asking them to create an interactive map to learn more about the featured Latinx individuals and movements using Story Maps, reviewed here. Include images, videos, documents, and more to tell the stories of the featured individuals with Story Maps.
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National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12
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The National Museum of the American Indian contains an expansive collection of Native American artifacts. In addition, the museum's online offerings share photographs, media, and additional...more
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The National Museum of the American Indian contains an expansive collection of Native American artifacts. In addition, the museum's online offerings share photographs, media, and additional resources for educators and students. Browse through the homepage to view current exhibits and events; online events are clearly labeled, and there is a different section with a link to all online resources. Be sure to visit this site section to find links to various topics, including poetry, Native American women, and much more. Select the link from the dropdown box at the top of the page to view materials provided for educators. Included in the resources for educators is Native Knowledge 360 Education Initiative, reviewed here, which offers many teaching resources, including lessons, media, and professional development webinars. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): explorers (60), native americans (85), primary sources (106), professional development (319), thanksgiving (24), westward expansion (36)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site for use with lessons on Thanksgiving, using primary sources, or when teaching about Native Americans. Consider using curation tools such as Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize resources for easy retrieval. Padlet and Wakelet are also handy when sharing information and resources with students. As you begin your lessons on American Indians, begin with a formative assessment to gauge your students' understanding of the topic. Use an easy online quiz tool such as Baamboozle, reviewed here, to engage students in your learning activities. As you continue in your lessons, continue to motivate and engage students using Wooclap, reviewed here, to review information either in class or as a homework activity. Instead of testing to assess knowledge upon completing your unit, offer students the opportunity to share their understanding of content in various ways. Examples include creating an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, an explainer video made using simpleshow video maker, reviewed here, and an interactive map built using Google My Maps, reviewed here.
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How to Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with Activities to Teach and Excite Kids - Colleen Bonnett twinkl
Grades
K to 5
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At this site, you will find an explanation about Dia de los Muertos - a time of honoring friends and family who have passed and when the holiday occurs. In ...more
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At this site, you will find an explanation about Dia de los Muertos - a time of honoring friends and family who have passed and when the holiday occurs. In addition, there are some examples of how it is celebrated and various ideas and examples of activities to help introduce your students to Dia de los Muertos; these include poetry, kite making, classroom displays, a booklist, altars (Ofrenda), banners, a two-minute video clip, and several others. Many of the activities have downloads, but they are not free. This review is for the free parts of this site. Reminder: due to the sensitive nature of this topic, it is best to inform parents and guardians that you will be teaching about this holiday. The video clip resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube it may not be viewable in your classroom.
tag(s): aztecs (9), crafts (50), cross cultural understanding (148), cultures (123), fall (10), fall festival (6), hispanic (28), holidays (142), mexico (29)
In the Classroom
Whether you go all out with a Dia de los Muertos celebration in your class or only do a lesson, this holiday will help to introduce your students to various cultures. This site has so many ideas for your classroom that you may want to refer to it year after year; be sure to bookmark it. Also, if you have students who celebrate this festival, you may want to ask them and their parents to help you with classroom activities. Since this festival occurs at the same time as Halloween, do a little study about the history of Halloween and have older students compare the two celebrations using an Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here.
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#TeachLivingPoets - Melissa Alter Smith
Grades
8 to 12
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#TeachLivingPoets is a robust resource that seeks to get contemporary poetry into the hands of students. Among its goals is the desire to provide students with "poetry that reflects...more
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#TeachLivingPoets is a robust resource that seeks to get contemporary poetry into the hands of students. Among its goals is the desire to provide students with "poetry that reflects their identities, backgrounds, and present circumstances." Subscribe to and follow the site's blog to read about the use of poetry in classrooms. Find specific teaching content at the link for hyperdocs. This portion of the site contains many lessons featuring a variety of poets and styles. Browse the virtual library and find poets as a resource for locating diverse poetry examples. Finally, visit the Poetry Review portion of #TeachLivingPoets to find reviews written by teachers for teachers.
tag(s): authors (103), cross cultural understanding (148), identity (26), poetry (184)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for finding and including contemporary poets and poems in your poetry units. Share with students, then have them browse through the site to find poets that appeal to them. Curate and share favorites using Milanote, reviewed here. Milanote is a virtual tool for organizing information that allows you to upload images, files, links, and notes. Ask students to share information about favorite poets, portions of poems, or lists of favorite phrases from poems they have read. Use Edji, reviewed here to enhance learning through collaborative discussions of the text of poems. Edji includes tools for providing group discussions along with areas for individuals to add notes for personal use. Create groups within Edji based on your students' interests and preferred poets. Enhance learning by asking students to write poems of their own or share a poetry reading of a favorite poem. Use a podcasting tool such as PodcastGenerator, reviewed here, to record and share audio and video recordings of student poetry readings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Amanda Gorman Inauguration Poem Lessons - #TeachLivingPoets
Grades
5 to 12
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Amanda Gorman captured the nation's attention with the recital of her inspiring poem, "The Hill We Climb," during Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration ceremony. This site shares lessons and...more
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Amanda Gorman captured the nation's attention with the recital of her inspiring poem, "The Hill We Climb," during Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration ceremony. This site shares lessons and teaching activities to accompany this poem. Resources include links to a hyperdoc that explores the poem's craft, lessons comparing inaugural poets and poetry, and a black poets video playlist. Scroll through the site to find many ideas for engaging students in poetry.
tag(s): authors (103), inauguration (6), poetry (184)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site as a resource to find many ideas for engaging students in poetry. Use Amanda Gorman's poetry to spark your students' interest in learning about poetry. Start by watching and sharing Gorman's inaugural reading on YouTube. Ask students to share their reactions to the reading using Answer Garden, reviewed here. Post a question to Answer Garden that requires a short student response, such as, "What is the predominant emotion you felt as you watched Amanda Gorman read her poem?" As students add responses, view the word cloud that is created to discuss how poetry is used to deliver emotions. Use a video response tool such as Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to enhance learning by inserting questions and comments within the YouTube reading by Gorman. Include questions of your own and those found in the lessons shared on this website. Extend learning further by asking students to create and share poems. This Poem Generator, reviewed here, helps students develop confidence and learn the basics of poetry writing as they start on their poetry journey. Find many more ideas for teaching and sharing at poetrymonth.cfm ">TeachersFirst Poetry Month Editor's Choice Resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Out Loud - Poetry Out Loud
Grades
8 to 12
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Encourage the study and creation of poetry using the national arts education program provided by Poetry Out Loud in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and other partners....more
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Encourage the study and creation of poetry using the national arts education program provided by Poetry Out Loud in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and other partners. Browse poems by collections, poets, or poetic forms and terms; each poem includes a short biography of the poet and links to their additional works. Choose from several offered lesson plans correlated to NCTE Standards. Immerse students further in poetry using the competition resources provided on the site. Information for poetry competitions includes options for competing on a classroom level or in regional and national competitions.
tag(s): authors (103), literary devices (13), poetry (184), rhythm (19)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and use the resources from Poetry Out Loud as part of any poetry unit or to encourage students to explore poetry within any classroom subject. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and share students' favorite poems. Divide your Padlet into columns to organize by genre, be sure to create a column for students to share their original work! Share the tips for reciting poems as you encourage students to learn performance techniques. Ask students to record their work using Flip, reviewed here. Flip has a built-in coaching tool that provides real-time feedback to users. Feedback includes information on the number of hesitations, use of filler words, and pacing of the presentation. Share this tool with your students to encourage students to reflect and improve any audio or video presentation.
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Orli Shaham's Bach Yard - Orli Shaham
Grades
K to 4
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Welcome to Orli Shaham's Bach Yard, a place to create, play, and learn through music. Orli Shaham offers interactive music experiences to young people that combines storytelling with...more
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Welcome to Orli Shaham's Bach Yard, a place to create, play, and learn through music. Orli Shaham offers interactive music experiences to young people that combines storytelling with costumed musicians. The activities guide invites you to discover music at home through games and learning activities. Choose from resources that teach you to build musical instruments and experiment with rhythms. Some links lead to YouTube videos; if your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): crafts (50), makerspace (42), musical instruments (44), musical notation (36), rhythm (19)
In the Classroom
Use the activities found on this site to guide music lessons or integrate music into curricular areas. For example, use the lesson called Music and Animals to incorporate poetry and music into your animal unit. Gather the items found on the instrument making directions to create a maker space area for students to explore and experiment with different ways to create sounds. Ask students to document their steps with photographs, and when finished, ask students to create videos sharing their instruments using moovly, reviewed here. Create a digital class book using Book Creator, reviewed here, that includes all of the students' videos and other work created during your unit to share on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Where to? What next? - National Park Service
Grades
5 to 8
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Where to? What next? includes a film and accompanying lesson plans dedicated to the life of American poet, Carl Sandburg. The short (9 minutes) film explores Sandburg's childhood and...more
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Where to? What next? includes a film and accompanying lesson plans dedicated to the life of American poet, Carl Sandburg. The short (9 minutes) film explores Sandburg's childhood and how his love for words developed into a love of poetry and stories. The lesson plans include an exploration of essential questions based on family heritage and future aspirations.
tag(s): authors (103), family (53), famous people (20), genealogy (7), poetry (184), racism (71)
In the Classroom
Include this video and these lesson plans with your current poetry unit. Engage students by creating a Padlet, reviewed here, to learn more about Carl Sandburg and other poets. In your Padlet, post links to poems to read and watch as they are read by poets and entertainers. Find some ideas and examples to use at the Archive of Recorded Literature, reviewed here. Encourage students to collaborate as they plan and create their own poetry by using a shared whiteboard tool such as Draw.Chat, reviewed here. Draw.Chat doesn't require registration, invite collaborators by sharing the link. Use the whiteboard to upload images, create graphic organizers, and brainstorm ideas for poems. Share your class's poetry using PodcastGenerator, reviewed here, challenge students to create podcasts with short Twitter-like segments of up to 256 seconds each.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Google Slides - Google
Grades
K to 12
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Google Slides is the presentation tool component of the Google document collection. Use Slides to create slide presentations that include images, animations, embedded videos, and much...more
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Google Slides is the presentation tool component of the Google document collection. Use Slides to create slide presentations that include images, animations, embedded videos, and much more. Create your Slides or choose from pre-made templates to fit your needs. Share Slides for others to view or adjust settings to allow collaborators to edit presentations in real-time. Slides automatically saves your work to your Google Drive using auto-save, making it easy to share and save all updates across any device. In addition, Slides works with PowerPoint, offering you the ease of uploading a PowerPoint file to Slides or importing any Slides presentation to PowerPoint.
tag(s): multimedia (40), Online Learning (37), remote learning (61), slides (41)
In the Classroom
Discover the many features of Google Slides to create presentations, interactive stories, and much more. Create a class poetry presentation by asking students to create individual Slides, then put them together in one slide show as a class poetry book to share on your class website. Deliver blended, flipped, or remote learning lessons using Google Slides by adding links to videos, websites, assessment information, games, and other learning activities. Find many more ideas for classroom use at the archive of a recent OK2Ask webinar: GoogleMania - Student Activities for Google Slides, reviewed here, or the OK2Ask webinar: GoogleMania - Choose Your Own Adventure with Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ArtsNow - ArtsNow.org
Grades
K to 12
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ArtsNow provides a large variety of resources for teaching and integrating art across the curriculum. Choose from Curriculum Guides, Modules, or Integrated Units to begin. Browse the...more
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ArtsNow provides a large variety of resources for teaching and integrating art across the curriculum. Choose from Curriculum Guides, Modules, or Integrated Units to begin. Browse the Curriculum Guides by grade level or content. Download any guide in PDF format for a complete lesson overview including, correlation to National and Georgia state standards. This site also includes several integrated units for grades K-7. Download any unit for all unit resources including, activities, rubrics, and suggestions for differentiation. Choose modules for grades K-5 that integrate STEAM activities. Modules include a strong focus on integrating the arts with science concepts such as magnets and ecosystems. Don't miss the Video Modules and the At Home Resources found under the Resources tab at the top right corner of the page.
tag(s): animals (268), art history (79), civil war (128), geometric shapes (131), maps (208), matter (45), seasons (32), STEM (227), stories and storytelling (36), temperature (33), weather (155)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free lesson plans and classroom activities to integrate art into your everyday classroom activities. Consider coordinating lessons with your school's art and music teachers. Expand upon the ideas found on this site to bring other art forms into the lessons. For example, take advantage of poetry resources and interactives found at ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, and have students create diamante, acrostic, and haiku poems relating to your lessons. Enhance student learning further by asking students or groups of students to create webpages sharing their learning activities using a resource like Carrd, reviewed here. This very simple tool allows users to add images and text to create a beautiful website using the provided templates. Be sure to ask students to include a reflective writing piece describing their learning throughout your unit. Take learning to the highest level and ask students to design and create a series of podcasts using Anchor, reviewed here. Ask students to discuss their learning activities, and also hypothesize on different outcomes of experiments when changing elements or activities. For example, if creating a podcast discussing changes in matter, have students share their thoughts on how the room and outdoor temperature affects outcomes. What if they used juice instead of water? Would the change from ice to liquid take the same amount of time?
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Radiooooo - Benjamin Moreau
Grades
K to 12
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Discover music from all over the world and from over 100 years back in time! Visit Radiooooo and start listening immediately (no registration required) or download the iOS or Android...more
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Discover music from all over the world and from over 100 years back in time! Visit Radiooooo and start listening immediately (no registration required) or download the iOS or Android app. Just select a country (all countries in yellow have music), decade, and mood (from tabs at the bottom) the music will begin. Create a thematice playlist from different countries and decades using "Islands Mode. Create an account to save your favorites, or upload your own favorite music. There are different subscription programs for a cost. This review is for the free version
tag(s): 1900s (58), countries (68), DAT device agnostic tool (135), radio (22), songs (44)
In the Classroom
Social studies teachers will have a heyday with this program! Complement any period in time with its music. Use music from the site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Play music from the period you are studying during reading or research time. Use during current events for students to hear the music and language of the country of the article. Allow students to explore the site on their own, and then share their findings with classmates. Ask students to exchange paper journals and write about their impressions of the music and make comparisons to their favorites of today using a blog tool like Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. Redefine classroom technology use by challenging students create multimedia timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Any teacher will appreciate Radiooooo. Play music selections quietly during any subject and student work time. Filter distractions by finding instrumentals to play during silent reading time, test taking, lab activities, or any other quiet time during class. World language teachers can use this tool to introduce music from all the countries whose population speak the language they teach. This tool would also be perfect for performance groups such as drama clubs or musicals that need background music. Use background music for poetry readings during poetry month.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordsLiive - Sage Salvo
Grades
7 to 12
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WordsLiive is a lesson building tool that combines anchor texts with literary concepts and matching popular music videos. Follow the steps to build a lesson - final lessons include...more
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WordsLiive is a lesson building tool that combines anchor texts with literary concepts and matching popular music videos. Follow the steps to build a lesson - final lessons include teaching notes, slides, and standards-aligned assessments. Begin building your lesson with a classroom text or literary concepts. Use the search feature to find titles and authors. When complete, save to your account and access the finished product at any time. Lessons build into prepared slides to share on your interactive whiteboard. WordsLiive uses the "clean" version of included songs and music by removing questionable language. Some videos still include suggestive content, be sure to preview all videos and song lyrics found in lessons you create.
tag(s): literary devices (13), vocabulary (233)
In the Classroom
Use WordsLiive to build engaging literature lessons that appeal to students through the use of music they enjoy. After creating and sharing a lesson, use it as a model for students to find their own examples of literary features found in music and poetry. Upon completion of your unit, make a class book featuring music matched to literacy concepts using Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator allows students to combine their books for a class book. It includes many tools for creating online digital books that include images, videos, and more. Consider working together with your school's music teacher to create a cross-curricular unit featuring music and literacy concepts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Woo! Kids Activities - woojr.com
Grades
K to 6
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Find crafts, activities, and printables for kids at Woo! Search for materials by holiday, age group, or by using the keyword search bar. Resources just for teachers include lesson plans,...more
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Find crafts, activities, and printables for kids at Woo! Search for materials by holiday, age group, or by using the keyword search bar. Resources just for teachers include lesson plans, templates, and poetry starters. Be sure to check out the recipe section for snack ideas and kid-friendly meal suggestions. This site does include some distracting advertisements.
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tag(s): holidays (142), poetry (184), preK (246), worksheets (68)
In the Classroom
Use Woo! as a starting point for lesson ideas and activities, then go beyond worksheets to challenge your students. Ask your students to create their own templates and review materials using Google Documents. Incorporate game-play into your lessons using Bamboozle, reviewed here. Baamboozle is a quick and easy game creation tool that creates multiple types of games for two teams. Incorporate questions into videos using Playposit, reviewed here. Students and teachers can comment and add responses directly into this video resource.
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WordClouds - wordclouds.com
Grades
2 to 12
7 Favorites
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WordClouds generates custom word clouds using your text. Create using their "wizard" with step-by-step directions to add documents or text and personalize features. Another option is...more
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WordClouds generates custom word clouds using your text. Create using their "wizard" with step-by-step directions to add documents or text and personalize features. Another option is to use the dashboard at the top of the page to add and customize the look of your word cloud. Choose colors, type of display, and font. The most frequent words appear larger and darker. When finished, select file to save in your choice of format or share online.
tag(s): editing (88), proofreading (21), speech (68), vocabulary (233), word choice (14), word clouds (11)
In the Classroom
WordClouds is a terrific visual tool to share on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Paste in a passage or URL for a political speech to visualize the politician's "message." Analyze advertising propaganda by visualizing the language used in TV or print ads. Create word clouds of historical texts of inauguration speeches as time capsules of the issues of the day. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or reading passages of great literature to "see" themes and motifs of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Students will be surprised to see what words appear to be dominant. ESL and ELL students will eagerly use this site since word order will no longer be a problem for them. Have students work in groups to create word posters of vocabulary words with related meanings, such as different ways to say "walk" or "said" and decorate your classroom with these visual reminders of the richness of language.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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USA Gold - Scholastic and USA Gold Pencils
Grades
K to 6
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Celebrate poetry with quick and easy ideas found at the Writing Activity Library from USA Gold and Scholastic. Also, watch for contests and new writing activities added throughout the...more
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Celebrate poetry with quick and easy ideas found at the Writing Activity Library from USA Gold and Scholastic. Also, watch for contests and new writing activities added throughout the year. Choose the Teacher's Guide for a printable with lesson ideas for students in grades 1-6 that promote poetry writing skills and vocabulary development.
tag(s): narrative (14), poetry (184), vocabulary development (91)
In the Classroom
Share this site with an interactive whiteboard or projector, then provide resources at a learning center for poetry writing. Encourage students to submit entries to contests when available! Have students or groups brainstorm ideas for poems using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. After creating poetry, have students create a word cloud of their poem using a tool such as Word It Out, reviewed here. Create a class poetry book using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox creates beautiful page-flipping digital books in minutes, and you can embed video, music, animation, games, maps and more.
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Incredibox - So Far So Good
Grades
K to 12
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Create your own unique musical compositions with Incredibox. Express your inner musician with this simple way of creating personal musical masterpieces. Choose from one of the four...more
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Create your own unique musical compositions with Incredibox. Express your inner musician with this simple way of creating personal musical masterpieces. Choose from one of the four versions, version 4 is more recent, and easier to use and understand. Simply drag and drop to add beats, melodies, a chorus, and special effects to create a musical creation. When finished add clothing and hats to characters and bring your entire composition to life! Available on the web and as an iOS app.
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tag(s): musical instruments (44), rhythm (19)
In the Classroom
Use Incredibox as a great warm-up activity for a choir, band, or any sort of music appreciation class. As part of music class lessons, discuss the different elements in compositions. Use in any class as background music for podcasts, movies, PowerPoints, or blogs. Highlight and honor the musical geniuses in your classroom with this easy tool. Allow your learning support students instant success while challenging gifted students to create the perfect piece. Use in writing class to create mood. Play a composition as background while reading poetry or doing artwork. Help students memorize mnemonics by accompanying them with an audio track a la rap. Use music tracks as a writing prompt and enjoy the fun.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
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PBS Newshour Classroom - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC
Grades
7 to 12
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Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students...more
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Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students with the background and context needed to understand complex topics. The Daily Videos are ad-free and have related stories along the right side of the page. Read the current events news stories and follow the Extra Twitter feed. Don't miss the many free lesson plans including current events, American history, health, government, holidays, and more. Lesson plans are all aligned to the Common Core standards. Lesson plan topics vary from "Personal reflections on the poetry of Maya Angelou" to "Selma to Montgomery: An introduction to the 1965 marches" and countless others! Look for the Student Voices and Student Reporting Labs for those who would like to be published or to help a local PBS station produce the news.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil rights (176), elections (76), holocaust (39), memorial day (14), news (230), pearl harbor (9), poetry (184), veterans (20), video (245), women (108), world war 2 (138)
In the Classroom
Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, extend student learning by having your students engage in a debate using a tool such as Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Writing with Jack Prelutsky - Scholastic
Grades
2 to 8
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Write a poem using Jack Prelutsky's guidance and tips for writing and editing poetry. Gain confidence and success with writing poetry. When finished, post your poem online! Find a Teacher's...more
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Write a poem using Jack Prelutsky's guidance and tips for writing and editing poetry. Gain confidence and success with writing poetry. When finished, post your poem online! Find a Teacher's Guide in the lower left corner to guide you through this lesson.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): poetry (184)
In the Classroom
Start your language arts lesson with Jack Prelutsky by reading the poem "Louder Than a Clap of Thunder," featured in this lesson. If you have access to his books, put them out on desks/tables and have students look through and read a poem out loud for their group. After this introduction, read the poem for the lesson again and have students try to write their own "Prelutsky-like" poem. Once students finalize their poems, offer a variety of ways to present their poems through drama or enhance your classroom technology use by using a digital story using Bookemon, reviewed here, or Prezi, reviewed here; with either of these tools you could enhance classroom technology use depending on your requirements for the assignment. Add the poems to your class website or blog.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Kids Gardening - National Gardening Association
Grades
3 to 8
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Get involved with gardening throughout the community using ideas from Kids Gardening! Scroll down the home page to see an overview of what is offered for educators and caregivers (at-home...more
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Get involved with gardening throughout the community using ideas from Kids Gardening! Scroll down the home page to see an overview of what is offered for educators and caregivers (at-home activities and more). Then, explore the menu at the top to see all topics available. For instance, under the What's New tab, you will find The Latest, Garden Stories, and Recent Posts. Next, click Learning Tools to see specifics for Getting Started for Educators and Caregivers. The Learning Tools tab also offers Resources and Activities for Play and Learning, and Growing a Garden. Choose from these categories to find how-to guides, lessons, and projects. Learn how to make the most of "gardening moments." Be sure to take some time to explore this site for many valuable ideas for indoor and outdoor gardening projects.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
If you aren't lucky enough to have outdoor gardening space, take advantage of ideas offered for indoor gardens, such as terrariums and container gardening. Check out the extensive lesson library to search by theme, standards, season, and more. You will also find lessons and activities appropriate for science and math. Use the Growing Poems, lesson-plans-growing-poems/"> found here, to enhance your classroom poetry unit. Whatever activities you choose, have students record the growth in their garden or container by taking photos. As a summation for your gardening project use PhotoCat, reviewed here, to create a collage of your garden photos with special effects, text, frames, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Writers Speak to Kids - NBC Learn
Grades
K to 8
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Learn about the craft and techniques of writing straight from real authors in this series of videos at NBC Learn. Choose from 17 short videos, each less than 5 minutes, ...more
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Learn about the craft and techniques of writing straight from real authors in this series of videos at NBC Learn. Choose from 17 short videos, each less than 5 minutes, focusing on a specific craft such as writing poetry, sources for inspiration, and the writing process. Each video includes a transcript of the author's conversation. The authors write popular books for a variety of age ranges. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): authors (103), creative writing (122), descriptive writing (38), poetry (184), process writing (39)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Look for authors of favorite read-alouds you use in your classroom and share their videos. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and use it as a learning center. View an author's video then share their books in your classroom reading center or as an author of the month. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here to explain their own writing process.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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