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Really Great Reading - Really Great Reading
Grades
K to 12
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Really Great Reading shares many resources to support reading instruction using the Science of Reading framework. Visit the free resources link to find summer school training and lessons,...more
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Really Great Reading shares many resources to support reading instruction using the Science of Reading framework. Visit the free resources link to find summer school training and lessons, heart word magic to help students read and spell high-frequency words, and reading assessments to group and monitor student progress. This site also includes a free version of Letter Tile Freeplay Live, an interactive activity that allows players to explore and sound out letters and sounds.
tag(s): literacy (110), phonics (50), preK (255), reading comprehension (143), reading strategies (98), science of reading (33)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for learning about and finding activities for reading instruction. Share ideas and articles with parents to support reading activities at home. The Heart Word Magic section includes many short video tutorials to help students learn to read and spell high-frequency words; consider including a video tutorial in your weekly classroom newsletter and on classroom computers for students and parents to review at home and in school. As an alternative to adding information to your classroom newsletter, consider using Wakelet, reviewed here or Padlet, reviewed here to organize and share resources with parents and guardians.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Summer Specials - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Keep students engaged in fun, enriching activities this summer with the diverse learning opportunities showcased in this collection. From resources focused on robotics and coding to...more
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Keep students engaged in fun, enriching activities this summer with the diverse learning opportunities showcased in this collection. From resources focused on robotics and coding to reading incentives at local libraries and restaurants, these summer programs strive to prevent learning loss while still feeling like a vacation. Find audiobooks, online courses, exercise programs, and more to round out the compilation of vetted resources. Easily share these ideas for summer academic and physical engagement with colleagues, families, and students.
In the Classroom
Find new tools, activities, and more to share with your students for use during the summer break! Each review includes classroom use ideas. Read the details of each tool and find the ones that will be useful to your students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bookopolis Summer Reading Headquarters - Bookopolis
Grades
K to 12
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Get reading this summer by participating in activities shared by Bookopolis, reviewed here. Play Read-O to earn a free book by completing a Bingo...more
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Get reading this summer by participating in activities shared by Bookopolis, reviewed here. Play Read-O to earn a free book by completing a Bingo card and emailing a picture of the five in a row Bingo completion to Bookopolis. Take the summer reading challenge to read ten books or 10,000 pages to earn a badge and a free book. Second through eighth graders can join virtual book clubs that meet by Zoom over the summer. The book clubs are divided into two grade levels: second through fourth grade and fourth through eighth grade. In addition to the summer activities, check out the suggested book lists available for all grade levels.
tag(s): book lists (161), seasonal (17), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Include information and links to Bookopolis Summer Reading Activities in your end-of-year newsletter to parents. Encourage students to participate in the activities by sharing and discussing the information before the school year ends. Use Symbaloo, reviewed here to create a curation of summer reading links and activities for families, then share the link to your Symbaloo collection for families to find all options in one location. Encourage students to read and share their reading over the summer by creating a topic on Flip, reviewed here. Find example topics on Flip's Discovery library, such as the one located here that encourages students to share and discuss their summer reading titles. Sign in to Flip to view the previous link. Share the link to your Flip topic on your class website and newsletter.
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Scholastic Home Base - Books - Scholastic
Grades
2 to 6
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Scholastic Home Base includes books and games to keep students motivated to read over the summer. Select any of the book titles to begin reading excerpts from the selected title. ...more
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Scholastic Home Base includes books and games to keep students motivated to read over the summer. Select any of the book titles to begin reading excerpts from the selected title. Video trailers provide a short introduction to books found on the list. Next, choose the play portion of the site to enter Home Base, a virtual world for players to explore and interact with book characters.
tag(s): game based learning (171), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Engage and motivate students to read over the summer by sharing Scholastic with parents or your web page. Consider creating a Google Jamboard, reviewed here, for students to share their experiences with classmates when playing the games and suggest books for others to read.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sync: Audio Books for Teens - AudioFile
Grades
6 to 12
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Sync is a free summer audiobook program for teens. The program runs for 13 weeks starting at the end of April and provides participants with two thematically paired audio books/short...more
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Sync is a free summer audiobook program for teens. The program runs for 13 weeks starting at the end of April and provides participants with two thematically paired audio books/short stories weekly. Listen to a short introduction to the book before reading. After enrolling with Sync, follow the directions for the Sora app browser version or downloadthe app from iTunes or Google Play. Use the explore feature within the app to find and borrow weekly titles. Be sure to view the FAQ for additional information on accessing and participating in Sync.
tag(s): audio books (22), independent reading (85), seasonal (17), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Share Sync with your students to promote summer reading and provide a variety of reading topics. Play the audio introduction to gain student interest. Click the Toolkit on the left menu to download posters for featured books for each week of the summer. Post the information on your classroom or school website for availability to parents and students through the summer. If it is too late to participate in the program or listen to a weekly title, use the book list provided to locate the titles in your community library for checkout either in person or digitally at the beginning of the new school year. Encourage students to reflect upon the books using an online journal such as those found at Penzu, reviewed here. Penzu journals offers templates and you have the ability to add images or your own illustrations to sections of journals. Extend student learning by highlighting important areas of text within the books using WordSift, reviewed here. Copy and paste in key portions of any book into WordSift to visualize the text within a word cloud. Use the word cloud to explore and discuss new vocabulary or frequently used terms. Use Sync as a model for students to hear text read using intonation and phrasing. Ask students to create podcasts sharing their writing using Spotify for Podcastors (wasmAnchor), reviewed here. Refer students back to the audiobooks they listened to as a helpful reminder on how to engage listeners through the spoken word.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Camp BOOK IT! - Pizza Hut
Grades
K to 6
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Camp BOOK IT! is a summer home reading program where students in grades K-6 earn monthly rewards for achieving reading goals. After enrolling in the program, parents use the digital...more
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Camp BOOK IT! is a summer home reading program where students in grades K-6 earn monthly rewards for achieving reading goals. After enrolling in the program, parents use the digital dashboard to track their student's reading progress during June, July, and August. Move the slider to certify completion of the preset goal to receive a certificate to redeem at Pizza Hut for a personal pan pizza. Other features found on this site include a series of ongoing articles with activities and book recommendations; under Resources at the top, slide to Teacher Toolbox to find activities and calendars to track reading.
tag(s): independent reading (85), seasonal (17), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Share Camp BOOK IT! with parents to encourage reading over the summer months. Use this program as an opportunity to collaborate with parents to engage students in reading by providing a reading list for students that includes books that appeal to your students. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share suggested titles of books for students, and use the stream feature to organize the titles into different categories. Encourage students to add comments to your Padlet, sharing their book reviews. Enhance your students' summer reading experience by creating a topic using Flip, reviewed here, and ask students to contribute video book talks discussing their reading. Another idea is to create a Summer Bingo topic. Attach a Bingo form to your Flip topic with different squares to complete. Ideas might be reading a biography, starting a new book series, or sharing a book with a friend.
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Summer Reading Journal - Barnes and Noble
Grades
K to 6
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Barnes and Noble provides a summer reading program for students in grades 1-6. The list starts with titles for reading divided into three grade bands. Students complete the journal...more
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Barnes and Noble provides a summer reading program for students in grades 1-6. The list starts with titles for reading divided into three grade bands. Students complete the journal by listing eight books they read from the list, then sharing their favorite portion of the book and a short explanation of why. Upon completion, students bring their record to Barnes and Noble between July 1 and August 31, to receive a free book.
tag(s): book lists (161), seasonal (17), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Although this list is for the current Barnes and Noble reading program, it provides ideas to add to any summer reading book list shared with students and parents. Create a list using Google Docs or Padlet, reviewed here to share a variety of reading materials to engage students in summer learning. Encourage students to share their summer reading by creating a collaborative topic using Flip, reviewed here. Ask students to share what they are reading and a short review with a video response. Encourage students to add comments to book reviews sharing their thoughts about the reading materials.
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Grades 6-8 eBooks Resources for Teaching Remotely on Short Notice - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 8
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Remote teaching doesn't have to be complicated. Get off to a great start with this collection of free eBook resources to use and share with students in grades 6-8. These ...more
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Remote teaching doesn't have to be complicated. Get off to a great start with this collection of free eBook resources to use and share with students in grades 6-8. These resources include links to public domain eBooks, audiobooks, Kindle books, and podcasts. Enjoy new ideas in this collection to find ideas for summertime reading suggestions just for teachers.
tag(s): audio books (22), ebooks (39), podcasts (74), professional development (395)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of your remote teaching lessons to offer a variety of reading suggestions to your students. Browse through the free books offered and create a list of suggestions based on your knowledge of student interests and abilities. Encourage communication and collaboration between your students through the use of Padlet, reviewed here. Use Padlet to share links to your book suggestions, then ask students to add comments and reviews.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Summer of Possibilites - Play Your Way - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 3
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Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Possibilities. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures such as using bath...more
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Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Possibilities. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures such as using bath time to explore math or learn how to make a bird feeder. Scroll through the site to find reading charts, map skills, activity booklets, themed collections such as Observing Nature, Sharing Your Creativity Through the Arts, and much more. Did you find this site too late for summer? No worries, there are plenty of activities to do throughout the entire year. Be sure to check the bottom of the page for the "What's On Today" PBS shows.
tag(s): calendars (40), literacy (110), preK (255), reading lists (80), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free activities on this site; be sure to share with parents for ideas on learning at home. Consider having a "summer" day in the middle of winter as you enjoy summer activities in the warmth of the indoors. Share with parents at the end of the school year as a great resource for learning during the summer months.
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WriteReader - WriteReader
Grades
K to 5
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The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice...more
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The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice recordings. Adults/Teachers have space on the page to write comments and make corrections. The interface is so simple that even a young child can use it successfully after some adult guidance. Open the Features tab on the top menu to see an index to all features categorized by Literacy Development, Easy Book Creation, Publishing and Sharing, and Teacher & Student Management, all with several links to explore. Click the Resources Center tab on the top menu to select Lesson Plans, Templates, Writing Prompts, Videos, and more. The basic plan offers 60 books and all the essential features. Register by email or your Google account. After logging in, use the menu bars in the upper right corner and find Guides, which has a Parent Letter, a Quick Start Guide, a Template, and a few other get-started items.
For creating student accounts, you can enter students manually, or students can join the class with a class code. WriteReader has upgraded its page templates to support older students. US English, UK English, Dansk (Danish), and Svenska (Swedish) are available. There is also an introductory video on the landing page that will help everyone get started. This video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable. WriteReader has added new premium features such as Read Aloud, Voice Search, Book Templates, and several others. For these, you must pay.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), literacy (110), multilingual (66), reading strategies (98), science of reading (33), writing (315)
In the Classroom
WriteReader is so simple that very young students can use it successfully after a whiteboard or projector demonstration. While creating their books, students will be able to add images, multiple pages and delete pages, include voice-over, use color on the pages, view one page at a time or the entire book, and toggle between letters' names/sounds or no audio. Use this tool to design simple projects using student drawings to tell the story. Have students draw and annotate stories about their summer at the beginning of the year and share them with classmates. Students of any age love to draw, so why not have them draw their impression of what the message to the reader was after hearing a story and then explain it in writing? Nonreaders and ENL/ESL students especially will benefit from hearing the letter sounds as they begin writing in their new language.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Tunes2Teach YouTube Playlist - Dana Lawrence Gillis and Ellie Rubenstein
Grades
K to 6
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Learn about The Scientific Method, Writing Style, and Behavior Rules with these engaging videos from Tunes2Teach and their students. Each short video teaches content through current...more
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Learn about The Scientific Method, Writing Style, and Behavior Rules with these engaging videos from Tunes2Teach and their students. Each short video teaches content through current music trends in a positive manner. Other videos introduce you to the professors responsible for Tunes2Teach and include information for making the most of summer reading. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): back to school (63), behavior (43), creative writing (121), descriptive writing (39), paragraph writing (15), scientific method (47)
In the Classroom
Use the Behavior Rules video as part of your Back to School activities. Challenge your class to create their own Behavior Rules video specific to your classroom, and then share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Share the other videos during appropriate English and science units. Be sure to create a link to these videos or your creations on your class website for viewing at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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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 (85), summer (28)
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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A Soft Murmur - Gabriel Martin
Grades
4 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Are you feeling stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds...more
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Are you feeling stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds that sooth and relax while promoting creative productivity. These sounds are much better than plain, white noise. Classic sounds for relaxation include thunder, rain, waves, summer night, forest, white noise, and more. Use the slider bar at the top of the page to adjust sound levels as needed.
tag(s): creative writing (121), learning styles (18)
In the Classroom
Be sure to share this link with students (and their parents) looking for less distracting sounds while brainstorming or working. Does your class have silent reading time, or are you reading a book to the class or conducting a science lab? Turn up your speakers and use a background sound as mood music to set the stage for your story. Use the sounds during creative writing exercises. Why not listen to waves or water while studying them?! Play a few minutes of relaxing sounds before a major test. Consider using as background sounds for student presentations. If you talk with students about discovering their own learning styles, offer this site as a suggestion for them to try while prewriting or studying for tests. Emotional support (and autistic support) teachers may want to experiment to see if these sounds can help their students. Some students may find them over stimulating while others may find the sounds very helpful.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bookopolis - Kari Ness Riedel
Grades
1 to 7
6 Favorites
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Bookopolis is more than an online social reading club for children ages 7-12. It has an education portal to keep track of and review a reader's work. Scroll down the ...more
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Bookopolis is more than an online social reading club for children ages 7-12. It has an education portal to keep track of and review a reader's work. Scroll down the landing page to find Bookopolis recommended books, popular books, book of the week, and reviews from other readers. Bookopolis includes digital reading logs, reading log prompts, and suggests places to find comprehension questions about the book. Through the educator dashboard, monitor and comment on the reader's writing and reading logs. The activities and features on the site are aligned with many of the Common Core Reading and Writing standards. There are several video tutorials on getting started and how to use the dashboard. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): book lists (161), book reports (27), classroom management (128), guided reading (32), independent reading (85), reading comprehension (143), remote learning (61), social networking (67), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Create your account with one of several social media programs, or your email, teacher name, username, and some basic information. Create your dashboard by adding a class and class name. You can create multiple classes. From the teacher dashboard on right menu choose Teacher Resources to view the several teacher video tutorials to get started. Click the class name to add students; student accounts can be created manually or by importing an XLS or CSV file. Students will automatically be "friends" with other students in the same class, but can also invite students from different classes. Share this site with students (and parents at back to school night) using your interactive whiteboard or projector. Students also have video tutorials; show students the video tutorial "How to Add Books" to get them started. In your blended or remote learning classroom enhance students' learning for this tool using the tutorial (s) along with MoocNote, reviewed here, to add comments and information. Students can create bookshelves for books they are reading, that they have read, and that they want to read. Students can earn points and badges for the books they read. This tool will get students excited about reading since they can connect with friends to share book reviews and swap book recommendations. Students also practice persuasive writing, comprehension, and typing skills by completing reviews, reports, and reading logs online. This tool is great to keep track of student home reading or if you are teaching remotely! Besure to list this site in a parent newsletter or on your website as one to use to avoid the "summer reading slide."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Noisli - Stefano Merlo
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds and colors to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds that...more
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Stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds and colors to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds that sooth and relax while promoting creative productivity. These sounds are much better than plain, white noise. Classic sounds for relaxation include thunder, rain, waves, summer night, forest, white noise, and more. Even Coffee House is a sound that is the general hum of a business and not distracting to your work. As the music plays, the background color changes through a variety of harmonious colors to match the mood of the sound. Click on multiple sounds to create your own mix that is sure to please. Note: Be patient for the music to start, and be sure to click the icon again to stop it before choosing another sound if not mixing them. There is also a link to click and be taken to a blank writing page. (It may not be a white background though, but rather red, yellow, or green.) Click on the lines on the right side of the site to access the writing area. Click the arrow to SAVE your work. Use the music to inspire your writing.
tag(s): creative writing (121), learning styles (18), sounds (43)
In the Classroom
Be sure to share this link with students (and their parents) looking for less distracting sounds while brainstorming or working. Reading a book to the class or conducting a science lab? Turn up your speakers and use these background sounds as mood music to set the stage for your story. Why not listen to waves or water while studying it! Play a few minutes of relaxing sounds before a major test. Let a student "DJ" create a class relaxation or creativity soundscape. Consider using as background sounds for student presentations. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Animatron, Sway, and Presentious. Use the writing tool available at this site to motivate your students with music, color, and more. If you talk with students about discovering their own learning styles, offer this site as a suggestion for them to try while prewriting or studying for tests. Emotional support (and autistic support) teachers may want to experiment to see if these sounds can help their students. Some students may find them overstimulating, while others may find the sounds very helpful.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teachers' Common Core Planning Toolkit: A guide for elementary teachers - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 5
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This installment in a series of articles about implementing Common Core in elementary guides teachers through the steps of re-visiting and planning their teaching units to incorporate...more
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This installment in a series of articles about implementing Common Core in elementary guides teachers through the steps of re-visiting and planning their teaching units to incorporate Common Core reading and writing. This article will guide you through the Common Core planning process and assist you in adding rigor and addressing instructional shifts as you prepare a unit of study. It presents some planning considerations and then offers an example of what this might look in one classroom's September calendar. The article is intended for elementary teachers as part of our Help! I lost my library/media specialist series.
tag(s): commoncore (75), professional development (395)
In the Classroom
This is perfect for teachers' summer reading or collaborative planning. As you face the daunting task of re-visioning your plans, find a process that you can grasp.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Curriculum Corner - Jill McEldowney and Cathy Henry
Grades
K to 5
4 Favorites
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Find ready-to-go lessons and materials for 1st and 2nd grades to meet many of the Common Core standards. Many of the materials could also be useful with students in grades ...more
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Find ready-to-go lessons and materials for 1st and 2nd grades to meet many of the Common Core standards. Many of the materials could also be useful with students in grades 3-5. Begin by choosing from topics such as Reading, Math, Classroom Management, or Seasonal. Within each topic find a list of lessons or activities. Look under Classroom Management to find a link to Common Core "I Can" printables, reading logs, and checklists for grades K-5. Choose from different subjects for each checklist along with the option of borderless design or clip art poster. Don't let the juvenile look of this site or the abundance of advertising fool you. There are a lot of wonderful resources to be found with just a little bit of searching!
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tag(s): addition (128), back to school (63), behavior (43), biographies (93), charts and graphs (169), data (147), division (98), elections (80), guided reading (32), literacy (110), magnetism (36), money (119), multiplication (122), narrative (14), organizational skills (90), plants (145), poetry (189), problem solving (226), readers theater (10), reading strategies (98), rocks (36), subtraction (109), time (92), writers workshop (31)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a lesson resource throughout the year. This is a great site to peruse over the summer or use for back to school planning. Use this site to learn more about Common Core. Print the "I Can" checklists for use in student folders as part of your yearly assessment. Send a copy home to parents so that they see the yearly standards and goals for each subject.
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Kitten Hop Dolch Word Practice - Arcademics
Grades
K to 2
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Test your Dolch sight word reading speed with this interactive! You can play in a public game with unknown competitors or a private game. To start, select your own kitten ...more
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Test your Dolch sight word reading speed with this interactive! You can play in a public game with unknown competitors or a private game. To start, select your own kitten color. The site allows competitors on up to 4 computers to play at the same time. You will hear a word from the Dolch sight word reading list. Click on it as quickly as possible. Your kitten will jump to the correct ball of yarn. The faster you respond, the quicker your kitten jumps from ball to ball. This interactive measures each player's reading speed as well as pits them against the other players whose kittens appear on the board. This site is helpful for any beginning readers including ELL/ESL students and learning support students.
tag(s): preK (255), sight words (23)
In the Classroom
Even if your students have been reading basic sight words for a while, this site offers practice in speed and fluency. You could create a learning center out of this site and have four different students competing on laptops. If you only have one computer and an interactive whiteboard, set up a learning station! Students can work in groups of two or individually to see their speed. If you choose to have students work in partners, be sure to partner each child with a student of similar reading level, so one student isn't providing all of the answers. This is a great simple site to provide for summer practice of sight words.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Catch the Science Bug - Catch the Science Bug Foundation, Inc
Grades
2 to 6
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Solve science puzzles, do scientific investigations, or learn more about what scientists do on the job with this lively and entertaining site. Based on the PBS science series of the...more
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Solve science puzzles, do scientific investigations, or learn more about what scientists do on the job with this lively and entertaining site. Based on the PBS science series of the same name, the goal of this site is to get children, especially girls and minorities, excited about science. Choose from different components of the site such as the Science Files. Here you will find adventures include engineering enigmas, great pumpkins, and several other topics. Topics include a short explanation, video, and several activities including worksheets with investigation logs. Scibug Investigators offers several activities to complete in your backyard. View videos and read about scientists connected with the series. Be sure to check out the Reading Bug link with an extensive list of books listed by topic. There is a teacher's guide for the site but it is a little hard to find. Go to the About Us section. Scroll down to Parents and Teachers. Here you will find links to the teacher's guide with a complete list of activities included on the site along with a short description, topics taught, and topics activities can supplement.
tag(s): animals (281), birds (44), data (147), engineering (119), environment (240), plants (145), solar energy (34), trees (18), water (102)
In the Classroom
Although the standards listed are for grades K-4, much of the material has far higher reading levels. View videos on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) as a class when introducing a science unit. Then complete activities provided on the site. The text passages on this site are at upper elementary to middle school level, so you may need to read them aloud or have weaker and stronger readers work together. The visual materials are quite useful for elementary and up. View videos and read biographies of the scientists during a career unit. Share this site as a resource for fun science activities to do at home and with gifted students for self-exploration. Add this to your list of recommended sites to prevent "summer slide." The teacher's guide on the site is an excellent resource for finding activities. Bookmark this on your computer or print and include in your lesson planning guide to use when planning lessons and units. Choose books from the reading list to include with guided reading instruction. For more science reading selections, check out TeachersFirst's CurriConnects lists for various science topics.
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Reading Rockets - WETA Washington D.C.
Grades
1 to 6
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Reading Rockets is a comprehensive guide for parents, teachers, librarians, principals, school counselors, speech therapists, school psychologists, preschool caregivers, summer care...more
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Reading Rockets is a comprehensive guide for parents, teachers, librarians, principals, school counselors, speech therapists, school psychologists, preschool caregivers, summer care providers, and anyone interested in keeping kids reading! This site is an amazing resource to answer your reading needs. Updated continually, it keeps you informed with the latest research. New teachers, seasoned teacher, parents, principals, and anyone who works with students (reading) can benefit from the information included. Teachers will find: classroom strategies, how to help struggling readers, professional development webcasts, how to build strong parent teacher relationships, booklists, and how to use books in your curriculum. For principals, discover information on school level leadership, supporting teachers, closing the achievement gap, and working with parents. Find over 100 interviews with award winning authors reviewed here, an author study tool kit, themed booklists, holiday gift guide, research-based articles, parent letters, launching young readers (series) on ipod, reading adventure packs, and other great tools. A librarian toolkit offers free video modules on finding the right book, becoming aware of print, reading as dialogue, and writers secrets. Many detailed articles discuss information about speech pathology, dyslexia, comprehension, motivation, phonics, writing, and spelling.
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tag(s): authors (103), book lists (161), dyslexia (11), literacy (110), literature (217), parents (60), phonics (50), reading comprehension (143), reading lists (80), reading strategies (98), speech (66), spelling (95)
In the Classroom
Reading Rockets is a fantastic resource for teachers, librarians, parents, and principals. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter for the latest information, blogs, thoughts, and ideas for teaching reading. Use this website as a resource for your classroom, library, or even with you school action committees. Provide a link to this site on your class webpage. Install widgets for reading, and find the latest apps to support literacy. Join reading blogs, and add widgets to make your reading strategies complete. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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