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4 Ways to Celebrate Pi Day in Nature - Project Learning Tree
Grades
K to 6
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Pi gives us a way to find the circumference of circles; this article shares four ways to introduce and explore Pi by looking at circles in nature. For younger students, ...more
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Pi gives us a way to find the circumference of circles; this article shares four ways to introduce and explore Pi by looking at circles in nature. For younger students, the first activity uses a scavenger hunt for students to find circles in nature. For older students ready to measure circumference, the scavenger hunts expand to finding the circumference of natural objects, such as tree trunks. Additional suggestions include "Pi-Ku" poetry and exploring ingredients found in students' favorite pies from nature. Each activity description includes a link to further information to help plan the activity.
In the Classroom
Add this site to your Pi Day resources for use when lesson planning. If students can access mobile devices, use Goosechase, reviewed here to gamify your scavenger hunt. Have students work in groups to participate in a mission to find and document circular objects in nature. Extend learning when older students measure the circumference of circular objects, ask them to share their calculations, and describe their observations using Padlet, reviewed here, specifically the Sandbox tool or the Journal "recipe." The Sandbox option allows students to draw, create, and collaborate with others in real-time, while the journal option includes areas for personal reflection and documentation of activities.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Living Nation, Living Words: A Guide for Educators - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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The Living Nations, Living Words Educator Guide from the Library of Congress offers a rich resource to explore contemporary Native American poetry and culture. This guide is designed...more
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The Living Nations, Living Words Educator Guide from the Library of Congress offers a rich resource to explore contemporary Native American poetry and culture. This guide is designed to accompany the Living Nations, Living Words poetry collection, featuring works by 47 Native American poets. The educator guide provides thoughtful lesson plans and activities that help students engage with themes of identity, resilience, and connection to land through poetry. The guide focuses on Indigenous perspectives and voices. It helps teachers create meaningful discussions in English/language arts, social studies, and cultural studies classrooms, fostering a deeper understanding of Native American contributions to literature and society.
tag(s): cultures (147), native americans (97), poetry (194)
In the Classroom
Have students create visual art pieces that represent the themes or imagery from selected poems. Assign students to research the cultural background and history of a specific Native American tribe represented in the poetry collection. Students select a poem from the Living Nations, Living Words collection and conduct a close reading. They analyze the poem's themes, imagery, and cultural significance. Following their analysis, students create their own poem inspired by the original work, incorporating similar themes or cultural references.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pi Day Palooza - Mensa for Kids
Grades
3 to 12
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In honor of Pi Day celebrations, Pi Day Palooza shares interactive, hands-on activities to learn about and understand the meaning of Pi using commonly found materials such as household...more
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In honor of Pi Day celebrations, Pi Day Palooza shares interactive, hands-on activities to learn about and understand the meaning of Pi using commonly found materials such as household circular items, paper chains, and art materials. Many activities are also cross-curricular and incorporate poetry and art. Use the links at the bottom of the site to find more Pi Day lessons and activities.
tag(s): crafts (57), pi (29), poetry (194), ratios (47), STEM (284)
In the Classroom
Include this site with your resources for teaching about Pi and celebrating Pi Day. Find additional resources and ideas on TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Pi Day Resources, reviewed here. Celebrate Pi Day (or any day students learn about Pi) by creating station rotations that allow students to participate in many different hands-on learning activities. As students participate in each station, ask them to journal their learning by writing about Pi, which includes student drawings and pictures. Share student activities in a digital Pi book using Book Creator, reviewed here or by creating a website using a free tool like Google Sites. Learn more about Google Sites by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Build a Google Site in a Day! Part 1, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Literature - Crash Course
Grades
9 to 12
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Crash Course Literature series provides engaging and insightful overviews of classic and contemporary literary works. It covers novels, plays, and poetry, exploring themes, characters,...more
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Crash Course Literature series provides engaging and insightful overviews of classic and contemporary literary works. It covers novels, plays, and poetry, exploring themes, characters, and literary devices in texts like "1984," "Macbeth," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and more. The series helps students analyze literature in a fun and accessible way, encouraging deeper understanding of both the text and its cultural significance. As these videos are hosted on YouTube, if your school does not allow YouTube, this site would not work well for you.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): literature (217), macbeth (9), novels (32), plays (31), poetry (194)
In the Classroom
After reading any title, ask students to rewrite a scene from a novel, play, or poem from a different character's perspective. After watching an episode, have students write an essay analyzing themes, characters, or symbols in the featured text. Students could also create a timeline of the major works covered, noting historical and literary significance.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Loud Lit - Loudlit.org
Grades
1 to 12
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Loud Lit offers "literature for your ears and eyes" (although the site's visual appearance is quite plain!). This collaborative project with public domain offers recorded literature....more
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Loud Lit offers "literature for your ears and eyes" (although the site's visual appearance is quite plain!). This collaborative project with public domain offers recorded literature. You are given the options of listening to the literature, listening and reading the literature, or downloading the literature to an MP3 player. The number of items available for public use is constantly increasing. The current contents include novels, poetry, classic children's literature, a few historical items, and classic short stories. Some examples of the available literature includes A Tale of Two Cities, The Little Match Girl, The Gift of the Magi, The Declaration of Independence, The Gettysburg Address, and countless others. A separate column lets you know about newly recorded items.
tag(s): audio books (25), declaration of independence (15), gettysburg (15), gettysburg address (11), literature (217), poetry (194)
In the Classroom
This site is helpful for many subjects and grade levels. Have students use this website when they have to memorize poetry, the Gettysburg Address, or the Declaration of Independence. multilingual students and many learning support students will benefit from the option of "reading" in multi-media format. Use the audio stories with younger students for listening skills. During a poetry unit, why not have students choose one of the poems to read and listen to? Have the students analyze and write in their journals about what they think the poem means. Replace paper journals by using a blog tool like edublogs, reviewed here. Then have the students share the original poem and their own opinions with the class, making this activity a listening, reading, writing, and speaking lesson. If you are into podcasting, enhance learning by encouraging students to create some of their own poetry readings with commentary.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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I Think That I Shall Never See - Using and Analyzing Poetry in the Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 8
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TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series, reviewed here shares this article that includes ideas and resources for teaching and...more
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TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series, reviewed here shares this article that includes ideas and resources for teaching and engaging students in learning about poetry. The background section covers the history of poetry, from epic poems of the ancient Greeks to modern free verse, addressing complex themes. The activities sections provide suggestions for poetry books and activities. Further down the page, the extensions share resources and ideas for students to create and share poems. Information includes correlation to ISTE and AASL standards.
tag(s): book lists (164), poetry (194)
In the Classroom
Use the ideas found in this article to find poetry books and activities that engage students while teaching the concepts and features of poetry. Ask students to share and illustrate their favorite poems, then create a class flip book using PDF to Flipbook Converter, reviewed here. If necessary, take pictures of student projects, then use SmallPDF, reviewed here to convert your JPG to a PDF document. Extend learning further by hosting a poetry slam or poetry reading that features students' poetry. Find ideas for hosting a poetry event by reading the TeachersFirst blog post, From Page to Stage: Hosting a Poetry Cafe for Poem in Your Pocket Day, poetry-cafe-for-poem-in-your-pocket-day/4">located here.
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Kids Think Wide - Lucy Spruce
Grades
3 to 12
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Kids Think Wide uses artificial intelligence (AI)-created images to inspire student creativity and storytelling. Visit the pictures portion of the site to find vibrant images that include...more
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Kids Think Wide uses artificial intelligence (AI)-created images to inspire student creativity and storytelling. Visit the pictures portion of the site to find vibrant images that include discussion questions and writing prompts. Use the included filters to narrow the hundreds of images into text types such as poetry, descriptive, informative, and additional text types. The Choose Your Adventure section features picture prompts that engage students in collaborative storytelling as group projects. Navigate this section using the tags at the bottom of the page or choose from the different topics that take students on musical journeys, magic carpet adventures, and more.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (149), creative writing (123), descriptive writing (40), images (261), persuasive writing (58), poetry (194), writing (324), writing prompts (59)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many engaging writing activities and images to inspire student writers and offer flexible options that pique student interest. Incorporate the warmup questions in the pictures and the choices in the Choose Your Adventure activities to encourage students to show creativity while teaching necessary skills such as using adjectives, describing emotions, and exploring relationships between characters. Use student interactives available at Read Write Think, reviewed here to help students plan story maps, diagram plots, and edit writing projects. Extend learning by asking students to bring their stories to life by creating animated videos with Animoto, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Anitsemitism and Its Impacts - Facing History
Grades
8 to 12
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Learn how to identify antisemitism, understand what it is, and its societal and community impact with this explainer provided by Facing History. Discover the answers to many questions,...more
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Learn how to identify antisemitism, understand what it is, and its societal and community impact with this explainer provided by Facing History. Discover the answers to many questions, including "Is antisemitism racism?" and "Why does antisemitism persist?" through factual information interspersed with personal stories. In addition, this article includes a series of three reflection questions for student discussion. Readers don't need to register for a free account to access this article; however, registered members can save it to their favorites and download the document as a PDF.
tag(s): bias (27), difficult conversations (61), holocaust (42), racism (79), social and emotional learning (96)
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other teaching resources when discussing prejudice, the holocaust, and cultural issues. Before beginning your lessons, ask students to respond briefly to what they think when hearing "antisemitism" using a word cloud creation tool such as AnswerGarden, reviewed here. Use this word cloud as a starting point to highlight and recognize ideas associated with the term and their impact on those around us. As you continue to teach about the information in the article, ask students to share personal or recent news stories to highlight the ongoing concerns about antisemitism. Curate and share stories using an organizational tool such as Milanote, reviewed here. Milanote is similar to an online whiteboard that allows you to collaborate and share information, including links, images, notes, and more. Extend learning by asking students to choose one of the reflection questions to discuss or research further, then share their understanding using a multimedia presentation tool. For example, some students may want to create poetry and share their work as a video presentation using Vmaker, reviewed here, while others can create visual story maps with StoryMap JS, reviewed here, which includes maps, images, and links to supporting media.
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The Achievery - AT&T
Grades
K to 12
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The Achievery is a free digital learning platform created by AT&T in collaboration with Warner Brothers that pairs video clips with lessons to engage students in learning across seven...more
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The Achievery is a free digital learning platform created by AT&T in collaboration with Warner Brothers that pairs video clips with lessons to engage students in learning across seven subject areas. Create an account to access activities such as a poetry scavenger hunt with Amanda Gorman or learn reading and writing skills from Wonder Woman video clips. Begin at the "All Units" link to find content by grade level, standards, subject, and additional filters. Most lessons are part of a larger learning unit; however, they are ready to use as individual teaching activities. Each lesson includes correlations to teaching and CASEL standards (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), highlights relevant vocabulary, activity directions, and links to the featured video, and is available in PDF format. The Achievery lessons and activities are available in English and Spanish. This site would be a good one to leave for your substitute to use; it's high interest, no sign-in, and has lesson plans & video clips.
tag(s): blended learning (37), coding (89), digital citizenship (89), engineering (126), environment (245), equations (119), geometric shapes (135), graphic design (48), internet safety (112), literature (217), map skills (57), measurement (124), media literacy (107), narrative (15), numbers (119), operations (72), order of operations (28), problem solving (224), remote learning (56), Research (84), social and emotional learning (96), spanish (107), STEM (284), substitutes (26), writing (324)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for lessons in many content areas to engage students using popular video clips. All lessons are created as remote learning activities making them easily adaptable for both in-class and out-of-class assignments. Easily find activities to differentiate instruction for different student ability levels by browsing options below or above the student's current grade level. Many lessons include worksheets in PDF format, turn these activities into a digital format by taking a screenshot of the document, then save as the background on Google Slides, reviewed here. Add text boxes in the appropriate place on the slide for students to add responses. Use Pear Deck Flashcard Factory, reviewed here, to create flashcards for students to practice the vocabulary highlighted in each lesson.
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Latinx Authors and History - CommonLit
Grades
3 to 12
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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 (90), hispanic (34), literature (217), poetry (194), reading comprehension (148), Teacher Utilities (159)
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 StoryMaps, reviewed here. Include images, videos, documents, and more to tell the stories of the featured individuals with StoryMaps.
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Castbox Creator Studio - Castbox
Grades
K to 12
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Castbox provides tools for creating and sharing podcasts. First, create a free account, then begin by entering the Creator Studio. Next, select the upload icon to drag and drop your...more
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Castbox provides tools for creating and sharing podcasts. First, create a free account, then begin by entering the Creator Studio. Next, select the upload icon to drag and drop your media file in a supported format of up to 400M. When the file begins uploading, complete the areas provided to include basic information for your files, such as a title, description, and publication date and time. Castbox also offers an option to upload an image for your cover design. When finished, select Publish to complete the creation of your podcast. Finally, click on your podcast to listen and share using the link or social media links provided.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (147), digital storytelling (152), podcasts (104)
In the Classroom
Castbox is an excellent podcast-sharing option for simple podcasts or when sharing audio recordings that have already been edited, for example, using editing tools on your computer. Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Are you looking for even more ideas? Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their learning and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. World language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools. Learn more about using podcasts in the classroom by watching this archive of the OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Podcasting in the Classroom available here.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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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 (66), native americans (97), primary sources (119), professional development (407), thanksgiving (23), westward expansion (39)
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 Clipchamp, 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 (57), cross cultural understanding (170), cultures (147), fall (10), fall festival (6), hispanic (34), holidays (181), mexico (30)
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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Acast - Acast
Grades
K to 12
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Start or convert your podcasting to Acast's free account. There are many benefits to a free account, such as unlimited hours of audio and editing; with Acast, there are no ...more
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Start or convert your podcasting to Acast's free account. There are many benefits to a free account, such as unlimited hours of audio and editing; with Acast, there are no limits for storage, uploads, or downloads. In addition, you will have your own podcast website that updates automatically, and, unlike other podcast programs, there are no limits to which podcast app you use, and a bonus to that is a one-click distribution to all podcast listening apps. Another advantage with Acast is that you get a free web player that can be embedded on your website, blog, and social media. On top of all that, you get free analytics that shows episode performance, geography, and more. As if all of this isn't enough, if you use another podcasting program, easily switch over to Acast. Be sure to look at the Acast Essentials Toolkit which is free and will explain all areas of podcast production and it features insights from well-known podcast creators.
tag(s): communication (138), digital storytelling (152), podcasts (104)
In the Classroom
With older students (and strong readers), you may want to pair them up and have them read Aclass Essentials for the basics of podcasting. Using Fiskkit, reviewed here, with this article will enhance student learning. For younger students or weaker readers, use Read Ahead, reviewed here, on your whiteboard or with a projector for a guided reading session. There are many uses for podcasting in a classroom! Create regular podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their learning and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. English language learners or students just beginning to read could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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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 (105), cross cultural understanding (170), identity (28), poetry (194)
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 Perusall, reviewed here to enhance learning through collaborative discussions of the text of poems. Perusall includes tools for providing group discussions along with areas for individuals to add notes for personal use. Create groups within Perusall 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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PDF to Flipbook Converter - Heyzine
Grades
K to 12
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Convert PDFs to flipbook magazines, brochures, and more without watermarks for free using this PDF to flipbook converter tool. Customize your creation by choosing from different options...more
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Convert PDFs to flipbook magazines, brochures, and more without watermarks for free using this PDF to flipbook converter tool. Customize your creation by choosing from different options for page-turning effects, change the look of the text, add interactive videos, and more. Upload your PDF document to begin using the customization options found on the dashboard. Options include adding links, images, changing the background, and embedding video. Changes are not automatically saved, be sure to save changes often. Share your flipbook using the link found on the site or embed it into a website using the embed code. Magazines created without creating an account are saved for a week; create a free account to save for future use.
tag(s): conversions (36), digital storytelling (152)
In the Classroom
Make a flipbook of a presentation as an engaging alternative to a web page or PowerPoint. Share classroom information such as rules and expectations in an easy to read format. Use for a great way to bring digital storytelling upfront in your classroom. Make photosynthesis a story instead of bits of equations and information. Portray a period in time in history or create books of different political or societal opinions. Create a flipbook with the viewpoints and personalities of characters in a story. Practice a different language by creating a themed flipbook. Lower grades can combine writing into a class flipbook to be shared online or read aloud. Any written assignment can easily be re-visioned as a flipbook! Make your literary magazine a flipbook or build new poetry collections during poetry month. Share all your flipbooks on individual laptops, or the interactive whiteboard or projector. Create simple flipbooks of Dolch words for beginning readers.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Verse by Verse - Google
Grades
7 to 12
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Verse by Verse is an experimental poetry-creation project by Google that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help create poems using classic American poets' suggestions. Begin by selecting...more
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Verse by Verse is an experimental poetry-creation project by Google that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help create poems using classic American poets' suggestions. Begin by selecting up to 3 muses for inspiration. If you aren't sure who they are, click on any image to view short biographical information. During the next step, choose a poem structure, syllable count, and rhyme. Enter the first line of your poem and become inspired by options presented by your muses! When finished, choose from options to copy the text or add a border, then download it as a PNG image. Make sure your students know to attribute the AI Generated poem. There are programs out there to detect AI created writing, see GPTZero, reviewed here.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (149), poetry (194)
In the Classroom
Introduce different forms of poetry and poets using Verse by Verse. Offer students time to explore and experiment with the different features to become familiar with the different types of formats and styles of the included poets. Have students share their poetry digitally by creating an audio podcast using PodcastGenerator, reviewed here. PodcastGenerator features easy to use tools for creating short audio podcasts. Encourage students to rehearse reading their poetry and add proper intonation, spacing, and reading techniques such as they would for an in-person poetry reading. Besides sharing poems, ask students to add images and record audio, read their poems, and then share their creative process when writing poetry. Share student recordings on a class blog created with a free blog tool such as Site123, reviewed here, or in a series of blogs based on different forms of poetry.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 (105), inauguration (8), poetry (194)
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 (105), literary devices (13), poetry (194), rhythm (21)
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 Gravity, reviewed here. 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 (57), makerspace (43), musical instruments (49), musical notation (33), rhythm (21)
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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