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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Class123 - Choong Hee Lee
Grades
K to 6
tag(s): behavior (43), classroom management (128), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), parents (60), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to communicate specific behaviors with parents - both positive and negative feedback. Share this site with students on the first day of school as you go over class expectations and your behavior plan for your classroom. Take advantage of the other tools to take attendance or rearrange your seating chart quickly and easily.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center - Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center
Grades
K to 9tag(s): collaboration (87), mind map (26), spreadsheets (23), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Be sure to watch the videos on the homepage for an overview of the apps in action. Download Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center for use in your class for any collaborative project. Ask students to work in small groups to draw landforms or the water cycle in science class, gather data and create a spreadsheet for math, work together to write a story summary or share information on a KWL before the start of a new unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CoSpaces - Delightex GmbH
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): augmented reality (7), coding (88), creativity (92), DAT device agnostic tool (143), digital storytelling (141)
In the Classroom
Recreate scenes from books or use CoSpaces to retell any story with 3D images. Encourage creativity and ask students to develop virtual exhibitions of artwork, animal habitats, or landforms. Have older students create infographics featuring data collections, for example comparing availability of Internet in different American towns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ClassTag - Vlada Lotkina and Jason Olim
Grades
K to 12tag(s): chat (42), classroom management (128), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), parent conferences (24), parents (60), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Create a free account to use for all your classes, and even your extracurricular activities. Use this tool to send homework, project, and supply reminders. Remind parents of upcoming events, practices, or items students need to bring to class or practice. Remind parents of big tests, report cards, field trips, deadlines, back to school night, sneaker days, conferences, and more. Set up a faculty reminder group within your school for emergency closures and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flip - Charlie Miller & Brad Hosack
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (147), collaboration (87), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), Microsoft (84), remote learning (61), video (257)
In the Classroom
Flip is a versatile tool for use in any subject. Create prompts for students to respond to about anything and everything. Challenge students to reflect on their learning at the end of a unit, research project, or literature circle. Here are just a few example questions to ask: What are some things you did well on this assignment? What mistakes did you make on your last assignment that you did not make on today's assignment? What would you do differently? What would you like to learn more about? Ask students to use the many camera features to make conversations more meaningful. For example, use the whiteboard tool to demonstrate math problems, add emojis to convey emotions, or upload images to use for explanations.For professional use, create a topic for peers to discuss. Ideas might include discussing concerns with implementing new technology or curriculum. Have fellow teachers share articles of interest from professional journals. Use Flip to implement a book talk on a topic of interest.
Use Flip as a follow-up for a flipped or blended learning assignment. Ask students to explain what they understand and/or still don't understand about a concept. You can review the responses before class the next day. Use it as an exit "slip" before students leave class or as a warm up at the beginning of class (what do they remember about the lesson taught yesterday). World language students can practice speaking in their new language and choose the best video to turn in to their teacher. Student or teacher can explain a series of steps in an assignment or concept, one at a time (great for differentiation). Math students can explain the steps they took to solve a problem and why. Art students can explain a creation, either theirs or a famous artists - talking about techniques. Music students can perform and explain their learning, or reflect on their performance.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
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
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Playbuzz - Shaul Olmert and Tom Pachys
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (143), flash cards (42), polls and surveys (46), quiz (67), trivia (18), video (257)
In the Classroom
Share Playbuzz with students to create interactive classroom content. Have students create polls for favorite characters in books, use the Video Snaps tool to share significant portions of a video, or use Flip Cards in place of traditional flash cards. Create interactive content for your classroom lessons including trivia to introduce new lessons or create a Gallery Quiz to match images to clues. The possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination and those of your students!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
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Simplenote - automattic.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (143), organizational skills (90)
In the Classroom
Use Simplenote for all notes and ideas in all aspects of your busy life. Keep your file system with you all of the time! Instruct students in the use of Simplenote for notetaking needs. Share outlines and study guides with students. All members can collaborate and add thoughts. Offer as a way to improve organizational skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Class Responder - Teacher Created Resources
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (128), DAT device agnostic tool (143), polls and surveys (46), substitutes (27), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Be sure to click the "Help" link at the bottom of a page or the upper right corner of any page for information about using and setting up Class Responder. Use Class Responder in a 1:1 classroom, then have students provide feedback in real-time to demonstrate understanding. Use as an exit slip, to identify material that needs to be retaught, or to locate specific students that need remediation. Class Responder is perfect for use in flipped or blended learning classrooms to share videos and ask questions before students come to class. Create several activities to save just in case you need an extra lesson on short notice, need to have a substitute, or to use as an at-home lesson for snow days.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Libib - Javod Khalaj
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (161), DAT device agnostic tool (143), preK (254)
In the Classroom
Libib is perfect for organizing and cataloging your classroom book collection. Use the tag features to organize your collection by genres, subject, authors, or any way you need. Tag books for specific students or reading levels. Post a link on your web page and share Libib with your students as a way for them to give opinions on current books and movies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Epic! For Educators - Suren Markosian and Kevin Donahue
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (128), DAT device agnostic tool (143), ebooks (39), movies (51), reading lists (80), video (257)
In the Classroom
Create your free educator account and share with students as part of your reading activities. Adjust reading preferences and profiles as students increase skills or change interest in reading materials. Be sure to share with parents to use at home. What a wonderful, engaging way to keep students accountable for reading at home and for remote learning.Comments
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The Stock Market Game - Securities Industry and Financial Markets Assoc Foundation
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): business (47), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), investing (5), money (119), stock market (9)
In the Classroom
Participants who register as "Teachers with Classes" receive extensive teacher support, including a searchable library of standards, curriculum materials, and assessments. While providing real-world practice, SMG engages students in the core academic subjects, such as math, English, and economics. Lesson plans include Teacher Background and materials to implement the lesson with students. Find more information by perusing additional publications, links, and other resources. Contact a local SMG Coordinator for additional assistance. Use the game in individual classes, school-wide, in after school clubs, or with home-schoolers. Encourage families to play at home together or collaborate with others. Additional benefits include higher math and financial literacy scores on tests by students who play SMG. Also, teachers report that the program even taught them about financial planning, research, and investing wisely. Because this is ongoing activity, enhance learning with the use of technology throughout. Have students share financial resource sites using a bookmarking tool like Papaly, reviewed here. In addition to curating and sharing bookmarks, Papaly allows you the opportunity to add notes and comments to sites shared. Have students use a video creation tool like Powtoon, reviewed here, to make explainer videos of financial concepts. Ask groups of students to produce and share podcasts (perhaps weekly or bi-weekly) to discuss their learning and progress within the Stock Market Game. Buzzsprout, reviewed here, is a free tool for creating and sharing podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Airtable - Emmett Nicholas, Howie Liu, Andrew Ofstad
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (47), collaboration (87), curation (35), DAT device agnostic tool (143)
In the Classroom
Use Airtable to collaborate on lessons with other teachers, both local and across the world. Share with students to use when collaborating on projects or to create study guides. Use the provided templates to catalog your books or share study guides with students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PicFont - Picfont.com
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (143), digital storytelling (141), editing (93), images (271)
In the Classroom
Use this easy tool to replace paper posters and add captions to images, create memes, or posters for your bulletin boards. Use this easy tool with students during back to school time as a way for them to get to know each other. Have students upload a picture of themselves doing their favorite activity and label it with amusing text or a favorite quote (or song lyrics?). Have them upload images that represent their interests and character traits. Print the images with text for a back-to-school bulletin board. Use after a field trip for students to write captions on the photos they took. Be sure to share the photos on your class web page, blog, or wiki. Haven't started blogging yet? Check out TeachersFirst's Blog Basics. For other uses, have students practice new words in a world language class by labeling and identifying images in that language. Create writing prompts using several annotated images. Have students create annotated images to explain key terms in science class. In ELA class, make homophone or vocabulary images to show the correct word along with a picture that explains it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Symbaloo - Learning Paths - Symbaloo
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (47), curation (35), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), gamification (74), multilingual (65), personalized learning (9), playlists (10), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
You will want to use Symbaloo Learning Paths for many different types of classroom instruction! Create lesson plans to differentiate learning and assign based on student needs and interests. Embed a lesson on your class website for students to complete at home. Using this site allows you to create a clear and concise learning path for any lesson. Share it on an interactive whiteboard with students as you follow through any learning path. Be sure also to include a link to the lesson on your class website for students to use throughout the unit and as a review. Use Symbaloo Lesson Plans as enrichment for independent learning for advanced students, or for remediation with students needing additional help. This site is perfect for use with ENL/ESL students - include links and activities to resources in their native language or add tools for practicing English. There are too many uses for Symbaloo Lesson Plans to include here, be sure to take the time to learn how to create and use this wonderful tool with your students!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wattpad - Allen Lau & Ivan Yuen
Grades
10 to 12tag(s): creative writing (122), DAT device agnostic tool (143), ebooks (39), independent reading (85)
In the Classroom
Share Wattpad with students as a resource for free, online reading material. Caution is necessary with this site because it is completely open to the public. Be aware of what your district's restrictions are regarding this kind of activity. Depending on your circumstances and school district policies, this site might best be used under a teacher login. You can put models up on your interactive whiteboard for students to respond to either individually or as a class. You might have reactions to some of the stories or have students write their own critiques of the spotlighted work before sharing what others on the site have posted. Using Wattpad in class might also encourage students to seek out writing on their own and may encourage them to bring in their writing for their classmate's comments. This site might also be a good venue for students who work together on a high school literary magazine or for high school gifted students seeking writing mentors outside of the school community (with parent permission, of course).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quizlet Live - Quizlet
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): collaboration (87), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), quizzes (90), spelling (95), vocabulary (235), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Use Quizlet Live to introduce new topics or content, or as a review before testing. Quizlet Live would be an excellent tool for the start of the year to help students get to know each other, or use throughout the year to have students work with different students in cooperative learning activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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GooseChase edu - Andrew Cross
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): creativity (92), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), gamification (74)
In the Classroom
Use GooseChase in your classroom as part of your project based learning activities. Assign a series of activities to groups for completion. Differentiate projects based on student interest and ability. Use one of the many educational games already in the library to see great examples of how to use GooseChase for any subject area. GooseChase would be an excellent addition to staff meetings. Have participants locate information on websites, textbooks, or throughout your school as part of professional development. Create a GooseChase for students as part of a nature walk outside of your school, ask younger students to find different geometric shapes, or have students draw pictures of main characters in books as part of a GooseChase mission.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Requires download/installation of software
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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LivingTree - livingtree.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): classroom management (128), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), organizational skills (90)
In the Classroom
Use LivingTree to manage and organize any classroom. Maintain a classroom calendar, with automatic reminders, so students can easily find due dates and deadlines for homework and projects. Share information with parents to keep them up to date. Use the discussion feature as a resource for keeping students involved over long holidays or on a snow day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TinyTap - Yogev Shelly
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (147), DAT device agnostic tool (143), game based learning (171), quiz (67), quizzes (90), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Use the embed code provided with activities to embed activities on your class website for play at home. Create a link to activities on classroom computers. Create your own activities (or have older students create review materials) to include with lessons. Be sure to watch the demo video for information about creating your own games.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
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
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Requires download/installation of software
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Zoom - Eric Yuan
Grades
K to 12tag(s): chat (42), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), parent conferences (24), video (257)
In the Classroom
Use Zoom to set up virtual parent/teacher conferences with participants located anywhere in the world. This is especially useful when multiple teachers are involved or when parents may not reside in the same location. Share your screen as needed to provide information on assessments and student work. Connect whole classrooms across the country for book clubs. Collaborate with experts such as authors and scientists with classrooms of children. Create connected learning experiences with other students, especially those in older grades. Connect world language classes to classes in other countries. Teachers can hold "office hours" for homework help and asking questions. Create a collaborative space for homework help before or after school or on snow days. Students can meet whenever help is needed or teachers can create a session that can be accessed on any device easily by those who need it. Consider using a tool such as Remind, reviewed here, to alert parents and students when your sessions are open. Use Zoom for group work - no more excuses about not being able to meet for cooperative learning projects! Buildings can collaborate and share professional development with others in their own district and beyond!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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