TeachersFirst's BYOD Dream Tools: Free Tools that Work on ANY device!
This collection of reviewed resources and tools from TeachersFirst includes web tools and apps that are available for FREE on iOS (iPad, iPhone), Android, and web devices. Come here to find tools that your students can use as they do instructional activities in your BYOD or 1-1 classroom. In this collection, you will find tools and resources that include calculators, quiz creators, game makers, curation tools, interactive lessons, Venn-diagram creators, literacy accessibility tools, online time trackers, meme creators, podcast makers, translator tools, task list creators, and many other free tools that will work on any device.
Even the best device-agnostic resources have slight differences in capabilities on different devices. Encourage your students to share what they discover about additional or missing features on each type of device. Your class will quickly appoint experts for each resource or tool. TeachersFirst encourages our members (membership is FREE) to add comments and ratings to help other teachers and students who are trying these tools. Free resources and tools change quickly, so we welcome your comments on any changes that may occur to these tools and their free status.
(image credit: Jeremy Keith)
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Poe - Poe.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (136), chat (41), DAT device agnostic tool (148)
In the Classroom
Using AI generators helps save time and increase productivity; Poe saves even more time by making it easy to compare output from several AI generators in one place. Use this resource to create quizzes, rubrics, lesson plans, and more. Many of the included resources offer the option to add files and increase productivity further by attaching a worksheet and asking it to modify the content to differentiate learning or to suggest ideas for presenting the content in a different format. Be sure to ask for information as precisely as possible by including grade-level information, the subject you teach, content standards and teaching objectives, and options for differentiating instruction. Math teachers can ask chatbots to explain the content differently or ask for ideas on applying math topics to everyday life. In social studies or science, ask to generate a vocabulary list or create a story based on your lessons incorporating essential vocabulary terms. ELA teachers might use these tools to get suggestions for interventions to support struggling readers or to find additional resources to support current lessons. Use the image generators to produce images for creative writing activities, to develop descriptive writing skills, or to include in multimedia presentations. Always verify any information provided by any AI tool before using it. These tools constantly evolve, and many features regularly change (or upgrade).You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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MirrorTalk - Swivl
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (136), assessment (149), DAT device agnostic tool (148), Formative Assessment (70), preK (261), social and emotional learning (94), Teacher Utilities (156), teaching strategies (42), thinking skills (16)
In the Classroom
MirrorTalk can be used in many ways to support student learning and reflection. Begin the school year with a prompt that encourages students to reflect on the previous school year and set goals for the new year. Create prompts as exit tickets for students to reflect on the day's lesson and as a formative assessment for you to modify upcoming lessons as needed. Use this tool as part of a retrieval practice strategy to encourage students to recall facts about new concepts learned in class. Learn more about retrieval practice by watching the archived OK2Ask: 3 Cool Tools for Retrieval Practice, reviewed here and by visiting this blog post, Using Retrieval Practice to Boost Student Learning, found here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Assemblr EDU - Assemblr
Grades
K to 12tag(s): augmented reality (7), DAT device agnostic tool (148)
In the Classroom
Share 3D models found on Assemblr EDU with students to visualize complex concepts like anatomy, physics, or geography. Share Assemblr EDU with tech-savvy students and ask them to use the editor to create 3D objects to share with the classroom or to create tutorials on how to use the editor to create models. Use Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here to record and share tutorials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Humy - Humy.ai
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (81), art history (86), artificial intelligence (136), authors (104), black history (128), chat (41), civil rights (197), civil war (135), DAT device agnostic tool (148), environment (237), great depression (28), greeks (32), presidents (124), religions (79), renaissance (33), space (214), Teacher Utilities (156), women (140), world war 1 (74), world war 2 (154)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free account provided by Humy to generate conversations on your interactive whiteboard with historical figures to introduce new lessons and units and engage students in upcoming activities. For example, before reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, select her name from the Humies to have a conversation to learn about her inspiration for writing the book and allow students to ask questions about her writing style and how she developed her storytelling skills. Use the chat conversations as a starting point for research projects on historical figures or periods. Ask students to share their projects by creating websites with Google Sites, reviewed here or by using Google My Maps, reviewed here to create an interactive story based on locations on the map.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scholastic Summer Reading Home Base - Scholastic
Grades
K to 8tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (148), independent reading (86), preK (261), spelling (97), summer (29), writing (319)
In the Classroom
Share Home Base with other suggestions to encourage student reading over the summer; find additional ideas for summer reading programs and options on TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Summer Specials, reviewed here. Consider curating ideas for summer reading programs and activities by sharing a Wakelet, reviewed here collection with parents and guardians. Help parents understand the benefits of using a game-based platform to encourage reading over the summer by creating a short video using Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here to explain how to access this program and the different features provided.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordDB: The Word Database - The Word Database
Grades
K to 12tag(s): crosswords (19), DAT device agnostic tool (148), dictionaries (47), rhymes (21), thesaurus (21), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (87), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and keep this site handy for many classroom uses. Include a link to WordDB on your class website and classroom computers for students to access at school and home. Encourage students to use the tools on WordDB to improve their writing projects by finding antonyms, synonyms, and words of different lengths to include. Share the daily popular words as vocabulary activities using the Frayer Model as a graphic organizer to provide and apply knowledge of the words. Use the Frayer Model template provided on Figjam, reviewed here to discuss vocabulary, then use Figjam's tools to write sentences and short stories together as a class using your new vocabulary words. Extend learning using AI tools such as Twee, reviewed here and MagicSchool, reviewed here and create stories, vocabulary activities, and assessments quickly using words studied on WordDB.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Google Lens - Google
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (148), images (261), multilingual (69)
In the Classroom
Include Google Lens in your teacher toolbox for many uses by you and your students. Use this tool to identify plants and leaves near your school during science lessons, quickly translate information for multilingual learners using images, or identify unknown places or items in pictures. Google Lens suggests similar images; use this information to expand and find pictures to include with student projects. Ask older students to search for news articles from different countries and then translate the information to compare with articles from their local news organizations. Use Lens for scavenger hunts or quizzes, where students must identify objects or translate text in real-time, promoting engagement and making learning more interactive. Add images for your scavenger hunts to Quizizz, reviewed here or create an interactive hunt with GooseChase Edu, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sizzle - Sizzle AI
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (136), DAT device agnostic tool (148), equations (120), tutorials (55)
In the Classroom
Share Sizzle with students to use as a homework aid at home, or work on problems together by sharing Sizzle on your whiteboard. Ask students to take screenshots on their device or use Awesome ScreenShot, reviewed here to share problems that they don't understand or had difficulty completing to discuss during class. Register for an account and take advantage of the history feature to share problems completed during previous activities to use as a reference for solving problems that incorporate similar concepts. Provide students with this tool and additional homework resources, such as High School Maths Help YouTube Channel, reviewed here and The Video Math Tutor, reviewed here to use for completing homework while encouraging students to document difficulties to discuss in class. Use Padlet, reviewed here or Wakelet, reviewed here to easily curate and share resources with students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Book Creator Certified Author Course - Book Creator
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (148), digital storytelling (150), ebooks (39), literacy (110), preK (261), professional development (402), writing (319)
In the Classroom
Completing the Book Creator Certified Author course is an excellent way to learn about the numerous features included in Book Creator, available when making engaging and interactive books to share with students or for students to use when creating books. Use the many available templates as a starting point to create books to enhance student learning and for students to share their learning. Find out more about how to use Book Creator by visiting the TeachersFirst review found here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Storyvoice - Scholastic
Grades
K to 7tag(s): authors (104), book lists (161), DAT device agnostic tool (148), preK (261), stories and storytelling (47)
In the Classroom
Be sure to check the schedule often for upcoming events and add them to your calendar to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Storyvoice activities. Also, remember that recordings are only available for 24 hours following the event, so including them on your classroom calendar is crucial. Prepare for upcoming events by sharing stories from the featured author as a read-aloud or in reading centers. Have students prepare questions to ask during Storyvoice activities, then have your class vote on which questions to have available to share with the author using a voting tool such as Poll Maker, reviewed here. Have students write a thank-you letter to the author as a final activity. Find templates for friendly letters and a letter generator tool at Read Write Think, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Focusable for Education - Focusable
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (148), social and emotional learning (94), Teacher Utilities (156)
In the Classroom
Include Focusable as one of your tools to assist students who have difficulty staying on task or with students who have anxiety as a teaching tool to learn meditative breathing and focusing techniques. Download the Research Guide for Education to understand the research behind Focusable and learn about ways to incorporate Focusable into classroom routines that develop healthy work habits and routines. Then, be sure to add a link to Focusable on your class website or newsletter for students and parents to access at home. To reinforce your focus routines in the classroom, ask a student or a group of students to share a weekly report on progress using Focusable. Students may include new breathing techniques learned, how routines are used at home, or how paying attention to focusing techniques improves class performance. Record and share short student video presentations using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Castbox Creator Studio - Castbox
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (148), digital storytelling (150), podcasts (95)
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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gotLearning - Mike Rutherford
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): collaboration (91), DAT device agnostic tool (148), Formative Assessment (70), Teacher Utilities (156)
In the Classroom
Use gotLearning to focus on student learning using formative feedback and collaboration based on students' work. One advantage of using this site is that it helps students to organize and share work through one tool instead of trying to manage it within notebooks or folders. Include other support staff, such as counselors, special education instructors, and ENL/ELL teachers, as part of your learning conversations to provide a holistic approach to student learning. Share student growth documented on gotLearning with parents during conferences to help support upcoming learning goals.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spaces - Gil Silberstein
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (149), communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (148), Formative Assessment (70), Learning Management Systems (20), portfolios (23), Teacher Utilities (156)
In the Classroom
Access the included guides to learn about the features of Spaces and to import your class. After creating a class, invite students to join by sharing the class code or link. Access is available on all devices and through apps available on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Introduce students to Spaces by asking them to upload a short video or photo introducing themselves to the class. Create and share student portfolios that demonstrate growth in reading, math, science, music, art, or other subjects. Share student work during parent/teacher conferences to show and highlight student progress.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Native Land Digital - Victor Temprano
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (160), DAT device agnostic tool (148), maps (208), native americans (92), Teacher Utilities (156)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for many purposes for geography lessons and lessons about indigenous people worldwide. Engage students in learning by finding indigenous people who lived in or near your location and then exploring the provided links to learn more about their way of life. Instead of using paper and pencil for suggested journal activities, use Telegra.ph, reviewed here to create simple websites that include student writing and images. Extend learning by asking students to create podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Share podcasts that feature information about different indigenous tribes or focus on one tribe through a series of podcasts that discuss the land they lived on, their lifestyle, and the history of the tribe.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Microsoft Math Solver - Microsoft
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): calculators (37), DAT device agnostic tool (148)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the practice problems to engage students when learning new math concepts. Create a link on classroom computers for students to use when checking work. Share a link on your class website for students to use at home. Have students provide their attempts at problem-solving. Have students share where they were stuck or having problems in finding a correct answer. How do you prevent this from becoming an instant homework "cheat?" Always start with actual word problems, not equations, so students must first generate their own equations. Require students to "show their work" on paper as they solve, including explaining each step. Even if they are copying from the website, they are still copying down the explanations. If they use their own words, that will show comprehension.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Educandy - Educandy
Grades
K to 5tag(s): assessment (149), DAT device agnostic tool (148), game based learning (179), preK (261), quizzes (91), vocabulary (237)
In the Classroom
Use Educandy to create games and practice activities to reinforce vocabulary for any subject. Embed your activities into your website or learning platform for students to use at home. Turn the quiz creation around and ask students to create a list of vocabulary terms and definitions to use within the games. Introduce new vocabulary using Educandy to assess student knowledge at the start of any new unit. Extend student learning after vocabulary practice by having them create infographics, posters, social media posts, or guides with tools found at Canva Edu, reviewed here, using the new vocabulary and your topic of study.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teachers' Guide to Cranky Uncle - John Cook
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (148), digital citizenship (86), evaluating sources (27), game based learning (179), internet safety (112), media literacy (102), social media (54)
In the Classroom
Add this game to your toolkit of lessons and activities when teaching Internet safety and media literacy skills. The Teachers' Guide already includes many ideas on integrating the game into classroom lessons and includes using technology to enhance and extend learning. Use these ideas as a starting point to build student engagement and help them understand the real-world applications for the information found in the game. For example, use the suggested Padlet, reviewed here, activity to compile quiz questions as suggested in Activity 5. After completing that activity, have students create their own videos, fake social media posts, or news articles that contain misinformation and create quiz questions for their peers to complete. Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, is an excellent tool for students to use when creating websites, flyers, and infographics. As a final project, and to extend learning, have students share what they learned with others by producing podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here, or digital books for younger students using Book Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Milanote - Milanote.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collaboration (91), collages (17), creativity (90), curation (36), DAT device agnostic tool (148), graphic organizers (50), organizational skills (86)
In the Classroom
Use Milanote to organize ideas and resources for upcoming lessons and units. Collaborate with peers using a visual board to organize and brainstorm ideas. Share with students to use when planning collaborative projects, to share resources, or to organize notes. Don't forget to look at all of the templates, not just those found under the education label. Use mood board templates for students to creatively share images and ideas to describe the mood or setting in a novel. Take advantage of the storyboard templates to help students organize an upcoming podcast or video presentation. Use the brainstorming templates as a visual mind map to map out features such as parts of a plant or insect body parts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Knowt - Knowt
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (136), assessment (149), DAT device agnostic tool (148), quizzes (91)
In the Classroom
Share Knowt with students as a resource for practicing for upcoming quizzes and tests. Consider this option as an alternative to flashcards or other review methods. As students become familiar with Knowt, use this tool as a starting point on lessons sharing how to find and understand important information within any piece of writing. Create a quiz together and share it on your interactive whiteboard. Ask students to analyze the questions that Knowt creates and discuss why they are included in the quiz. Once students understand how to create an effective quiz, ask them to create their own quizzes for personal study or to share with peers. Gimkit, reviewed here, offers a free quiz-creation tool for use in a variety of educational settings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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