TeachersFirst Listening with Understanding and Empathy (Habit of the Mind) Resources
Discover our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Listening with Understanding and Empathy—the practice of devoting genuine mental energy to another person's thoughts and ideas while making a sincere effort to perceive their point of view and emotions. This vital habit helps students move beyond simply hearing words to truly understanding others by asking clarifying questions, considering perspectives different from their own, and giving their full attention during conversations. In a world of constant communication, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you teach students to listen beyond the words and to make an effort to perceive another person's perspective. In this collection, you'll find things like video examples demonstrating active listening skills and empathetic responses, role-playing activities and conversation scenarios that practice perspective-taking, printable question stems and sentence starters to guide meaningful dialogue, lesson plans featuring partner interviews and collaborative discussion protocols, and reflection journals where students can explore different viewpoints, as well as digital platforms for structured discussions and collaborative storytelling. As you weave these resources into your daily routines, you'll create a classroom where students practice understanding one another, which helps foster a culture of respect and genuine connection.
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OK2Ask: Digital Storytelling 101: Crafting Compelling Stories from Concept to Storyboard - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey,...more
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Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.
Unleash the power of digital storytelling in your classroom! In this hands-on workshop, you'll discover how this powerful instructional strategy amplifies student voice, deepens learning, and develops essential digital literacy skills. We'll focus on the crucial first stages of the storytelling process: ideation, research, scripting, and storyboarding. Through practical demonstrations of cutting-edge tools and collaborative activities, you'll gain the confidence to implement digital storytelling strategies that engage diverse learners, meet curriculum standards, and foster authentic learning experiences. Whether you teach science, language arts, social studies, or another subject, you'll leave with actionable strategies to help your students become masterful digital storytellers. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Design engaging digital storytelling projects that align with curriculum goals and support diverse learners. 2. Apply effective strategies for guiding students through ideation, research, scripting, and storyboarding. 3. Evaluate and select appropriate digital tools for the early phases of the storytelling process. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Unleash the power of digital storytelling in your classroom! In this hands-on workshop, you'll discover how this powerful instructional strategy amplifies student voice, deepens learning, and develops essential digital literacy skills. We'll focus on the crucial first stages of the storytelling process: ideation, research, scripting, and storyboarding. Through practical demonstrations of cutting-edge tools and collaborative activities, you'll gain the confidence to implement digital storytelling strategies that engage diverse learners, meet curriculum standards, and foster authentic learning experiences. Whether you teach science, language arts, social studies, or another subject, you'll leave with actionable strategies to help your students become masterful digital storytellers. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Design engaging digital storytelling projects that align with curriculum goals and support diverse learners. 2. Apply effective strategies for guiding students through ideation, research, scripting, and storyboarding. 3. Evaluate and select appropriate digital tools for the early phases of the storytelling process. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): digital storytelling (149), OK2Askarchive (71), professional development (270), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Once registered, find additional reference materials, tutorials, and how-to information to help you review or extend your knowledge from the session in the handout posted on the session landing page. Resources may include additional ideas and examples on integrating the tools and strategies shared in classroom instruction. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The FuelEd blog - Megan Marcus
Grades
K to 12
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FuelEd Schools emphasizes that authentic self-care for teachers goes beyond superficial activities, focusing instead on deep self-love and self-preservation. This approach acknowledges...more
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FuelEd Schools emphasizes that authentic self-care for teachers goes beyond superficial activities, focusing instead on deep self-love and self-preservation. This approach acknowledges core needs for wellness and healing, especially in the face of challenges like secondary traumatic stress. Moreover, FuelEd advocates for integrating self-care with community care, recognizing that individual wellness impacts the collective and vice versa. They highlight the importance of building emotionally intelligent educators through training in empathy, self-awareness, and secure relationship-building, fostering a supportive school culture that benefits both teachers and students.
tag(s): mental health (57), podcasts (137), professional development (270), Teacher Utilities (194)
In the Classroom
Instead of focusing solely on surface-level self-care (like spa days), teachers can implement self-preservation strategies that address emotional and mental well-being, such as setting boundaries and practicing self-compassion. FuelEd emphasizes the power of connection so teachers can use their training to foster stronger relationships with students, colleagues, and administrators through empathy and active listening. Teachers can engage in self-reflection activities to better understand their triggers, stressors, and emotional responses, helping them navigate challenges with resilience. By advocating for community care, teachers can work with peers to create a culture where educators support one another's growth and well-being, leading to a more positive school environment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ten Minute Warm-Ups for the Inclusive Classroom - Stetson & Associates, Inc.
Grades
K to 12
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The Inclusive Schools Network website's "Ten-Minute Warm-Ups for the Inclusive Classroom" offers a selection of quick, engaging activities designed to create a welcoming environment...more
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The Inclusive Schools Network website's "Ten-Minute Warm-Ups for the Inclusive Classroom" offers a selection of quick, engaging activities designed to create a welcoming environment for all students. These ten-minute exercises are crafted to promote inclusivity, build community, and encourage active participation among diverse learners. Teachers can use these warm-ups to set a positive tone at the start of the day or class, reinforcing students' sense of belonging and supporting a collaborative learning atmosphere. Activities are adaptable for various grade levels and emphasize social-emotional learning, making them a valuable addition to any inclusive classroom routine.
tag(s): back to school (55), empathy (39), firstday (22), social and emotional learning (114)
In the Classroom
Begin each day with a short share circle where students briefly express how they're feeling or share something positive. This builds a sense of community and helps students practice active listening and empathy. Start a weekly compliment chain where students are encouraged to sincerely compliment a peer each day. Have students set daily or weekly goals individually or as a class and track progress. For example, students could choose a teamwork goal for group activities. At the end of the week, reflect on progress together. This activity encourages personal responsibility and accountability.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): audbk (26), audio books (30), audtxt (20), declaration of independence (16), gettysburg (14), gettysburg address (11), literature (217), poetry (195)
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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Noodle Loaf - Dan Saks
Grades
K to 4
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Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast incorporating music education with art, rhythm, and social awareness. Each episode is approximately fifteen minutes or less and is available to...more
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Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast incorporating music education with art, rhythm, and social awareness. Each episode is approximately fifteen minutes or less and is available to listen to on the website or save on a Spotify playlist.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): listening (97), podcasts (137), preK (287), rhythm (22), social and emotional learning (114)
In the Classroom
Include this podcast with others for use at listening centers as an engaging way to develop listening and comprehension skills. Find many other suggestions for podcasts at TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Educational Podcasts for Students, reviewed here. Ask students to share their favorite podcasts; after reviewing their suggestions, use a curation tool such as 3x3 Links, reviewed here to share ideas on classroom computers and with parents on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vocabulary Adventure Cards - Sesame Workshop
Grades
K to 2
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Make learning new words fun for students using Vocabulary Adventure Cards. These digital flashcards are intended for use every day to help kids build their vocabulary, stimulate their...more
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Make learning new words fun for students using Vocabulary Adventure Cards. These digital flashcards are intended for use every day to help kids build their vocabulary, stimulate their imagination, and enjoy storytelling. The cards encourage children to connect the words to their own lives, invite them to think of words to complete stories, and challenge them to name the word being defined when read aloud.
tag(s): flash cards (43), vocabulary (241), Whiteboard (8)
In the Classroom
Conduct an interactive vocabulary hunt. Use your whiteboard to show Vocabulary Adventure Cards, and then have students find related objects in class. Have your students make short videos with Vmaker, reviewed here explaining word pairs from the site, boosting their vocabulary and digital storytelling skills. Have students choose one of the stories and collaboratively add to the story using new words. Utilize a program like WriteReader, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ted Talks Daily - TED
Grades
6 to 12
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Ted Talks Daily produces episodes each weekday that provide thought-provoking discussions on many topics from A to Z. Most episodes run approximately twenty minutes or less, although...more
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Ted Talks Daily produces episodes each weekday that provide thought-provoking discussions on many topics from A to Z. Most episodes run approximately twenty minutes or less, although occasionally longer episodes of up to forty-five minutes are produced. Recent topics include conservation, politics, education, AI, and more. Listen to podcasts on most popular platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, reviewed here.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): journalism (74), listening (97), logic (158), news (223), podcasts (137)
In the Classroom
Subscribe to this podcast and listen together as a class. This format provides many opportunities to develop listening and problem-solving skills and to discuss current events. After listening to several podcasts, encourage students to create a podcast program using a similar format. First, replace paper notecards and pens and have students plan the podcast using Notejoy, reviewed here, where students collaborate on a script and move the notecards around until they have their podcast. Strengthen learning by recording and publishing their podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Speechify - Speechify Inc.
Grades
K to 12
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Speechify uses AI to convert text to speech and works in many different formats, including web pages, PDF documents, Microsoft Word, emails, and texts. The free plan offers a choice...more
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Speechify uses AI to convert text to speech and works in many different formats, including web pages, PDF documents, Microsoft Word, emails, and texts. The free plan offers a choice of ten voices and allows you limited options for controlling text speed. Register to create an account; when you reach the page that asks for billing information, do not add this information. Here is how you can get the site for free. Without clicking the page closed, return to the home page by opening a new window and clicking on "Speechify" in the title of this review. On the right, you will see a link go to web app materialize; click that, and your account dashboard will appear. Follow the directions to select a document or web page. After the information loads, click play on any text portion to listen. Options on the left side of the page allow you to change voices, adjust the speed, and change options for the page's appearance, including highlighting, scrolling, and dark mode.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), listening (97), text to speech (18)
In the Classroom
Use Speechify as a helpful tool to increase reading comprehension, support English language learners, and help students with dyslexia and other special needs. Upload tests, worksheets, and other assessment documents to support students who have materials read to them. Share Speechify with parents and students for use at home. When sharing Speechify, consider making a short tutorial video using Free Online Screen Recorder, reviewed here to demonstrate how to create a free account, where to find the dashboard, and how to upload and view reading materials.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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ElevenLabs - ElevenLabs Inc.
Grades
K to 12
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ElevenLabs converts text to speech and provides many choices for voices used in the output. Although creating an account isn't required, it offers users more characters to convert text...more
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ElevenLabs converts text to speech and provides many choices for voices used in the output. Although creating an account isn't required, it offers users more characters to convert text to speech. After signing in to your account, use the provided options to select a voice for output and adjust voice settings that include stability, clarity, and exaggeration. Each voice preview consists of a short description with suggestions for use, such as children's stories or narration. An additional option lets users generate custom voices using tools to adjust for age, type of accent, and strength of accent. When ready, type or paste text in one of up to 29 included languages to convert to speech; ElevenLabs recommends using longer text passages for better conversion to audio. Click generate to create and listen to your audio. Use the download link to save your audio as an MP3 file to your device. The free plan offers up to 10,000 characters monthly, up to three custom voices, and speech generation in 29 languages.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), listening (97), multilingual (72), text to speech (18)
In the Classroom
Research shows that text-to-speech technology helps students focus more on content than reading, resulting in a better understanding of the reading material. Share a link to ElevenLabs with students, then demonstrate how to use this tool to listen to audio of a text to increase comprehension. Engage students in learning new content using ElevenLabs to introduce short introductory paragraphs from upcoming novels, textbook chapters, or primary source documents. Enhance learning and understanding of foreign languages by listening to the text in several different voices.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Parlay - Parlay Ideas
Grades
6 to 12
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Parlay is a virtual round table student-driven discussion tool. Browse the discussion prompts on the site or create your own. Each round table starts with a statement of the learning...more
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Parlay is a virtual round table student-driven discussion tool. Browse the discussion prompts on the site or create your own. Each round table starts with a statement of the learning goals for the activity. Students then view added content and multimedia, including videos, articles, and other information to support the discussion. After reviewing the content, students participate by responding to discussion questions followed by peer feedback. After creating a round table, invite students to participate using the join code or link to your activity. Another option available on the site is Parlay Genie, an artificial intelligence-based tool that creates discussion prompts based on your topic, grade range of students, and additional information such as weblinks and the number of students. In addition, Parlay connects to Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, and other school platforms, allowing educators to assign to students automatically. The free option offers up to twelve round tables and one custom content request.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), business (54), civil rights (218), civil war (141), digital citizenship (84), ecology (107), ethics (21), genetics (86), journalism (74), listening (97), literature (217), literature circles (5), media literacy (105), novels (33), politics (120), renaissance (38), Teacher Utilities (194), world war 1 (83), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
Parlay is an excellent tool to help you teach listening and discussion skills! Browse Parlay's topics to find many ideas for engaging students in thoughtful discussions and conversations. Take advantage of the time-saving features found in Parlay Genie to generate discussion questions and ideas based on your source materials and content. Include recorded conversations and written student responses using Vocaroo, reviewed here. If sharing articles to discuss, use Fiskkit, reviewed here, for students to annotate and comment within each article. The free Parlay option is limited; however, access to the Round Table ideas is free. Use these ideas to promote classroom discussion with Gravity, reviewed here. Ask students to use Gravity to record video responses upon completing the learning and discussion portions of the Round Table activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kialo Edu - Kialo, Inc
Grades
2 to 12
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Kialo offers a platform for focused online discussions, this version is dedicated to educational users. Use Kialo to create and map out debates onto an interactive tree featuring arguments...more
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Kialo offers a platform for focused online discussions, this version is dedicated to educational users. Use Kialo to create and map out debates onto an interactive tree featuring arguments both pro and con. Create your own forum or participate in the questions posed by other site members. Choose to make your question private or public then invite others to contribute. Throughout the debate use the site's tools to rate the impact of arguments and switch perspectives to view opinions from the other side. Be sure to watch Kialo's introductory video for an overview of all of the site's features and check out the sample classroom activities and assignments.
tag(s): collaboration (80), debate (40), perspective (24), point of view (7), Teacher Utilities (194)
In the Classroom
Kialo is a great resource to find debate topics to use with your students; be sure to bookmark it. Explore the topics available on the public portion of the site and share the discussions with your students. Use the information to teach students how to include relevant information when debating any topic and point out the importance of viewing information through different perspectives. When ready, create your own topic for classroom debate using the private option. For example, have students debate the importance of the use of propaganda during World War 2 or the ethics of using animals when testing products. As students research your topic, have them use Wakelet, reviewed here, to bookmark and save their research. When complete, transform learning by asking students to use an infographic creation tool like Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to create an infographic based on their topic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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From Provocative to Productive - NewseumEd
Grades
4 to 12
4 Favorites
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Turn uncomfortable, sensitive topic discussions in your classroom into a learning tool for developing critical thinking skills with NewseumEd's guidelines for helping you and your students...more
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Turn uncomfortable, sensitive topic discussions in your classroom into a learning tool for developing critical thinking skills with NewseumEd's guidelines for helping you and your students discuss issues respectfully. Topics like racial tensions, politics, and religion can become a classroom learning tool to teach the art of dialogue and to increase respectful public speaking, confidence, engagement, and listening skills. Read and use the four guidelines: confidence in your content, respectfulness of your participants, asking questions, and encouraging debate, and be the best the facilitator you can be. You must be a registered NewseumEd member to access this resource; however, membership is free.
tag(s): charactered (79), debate (40), difficult conversations (53), listening (97), speaking (23)
In the Classroom
Have this lesson handy when a controversial or contentious subject emerges. You just never know when that will happen, but you can run with it if you prepare using these NewseumEd guidelines. Share them with students, so they will understand what they need to do to participate successfully in a discussion or debate. Are there no issues at hand? Try finding one using Code Switch, reviewed here. At Code Switch find award-winning journalists from a variety of races to share their perspectives on current issues. Try giving students a choice! Show them several subjects and use Dotstorming, reviewed here, to comment and vote on topics for the discussion. Use the opportunity to hone students information literacy skills by reviewing how to evaluate and cite sources. Once they have researched their topic, and are ready to discuss, use a tool such as Thinkalong, reviewed here, to practice their discussion and argument strategies. With older students, a next step might be to take the debate public using Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Storyberries - Jade Maitre
Grades
K to 5
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Storyberries offers free bedtime stories and poems for kids in an easy to use format for adults. Stories include classics such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff and original compositions...more
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Storyberries offers free bedtime stories and poems for kids in an easy to use format for adults. Stories include classics such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff and original compositions submitted through the site. Browse through the home page to find popular stories or use the links at the top of the page to search by age, topic, or moral taught. One great feature is the ability to find stories by length from five minutes through chapter books. Each story also includes additional questions to use for further discussion.
tag(s): book lists (170), poetry (195), short stories (18), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Storyberries as an excellent resource for short read alouds or as a source for stories relating to many different emotions and themes. Share a link on your class website or newsletter for parents to use at home. Use this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector as you read aloud for students to follow along; occasionally stop and allow students to read portions of the book. Use this site as a resource for additional reading materials in the classroom by creating a link on classroom computers. Share Storyberries on your classroom website or in your Google Classroom for parent and student use at home during distant learning or extended absences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Global Read Aloud - Pernille Ripp
Grades
K to 12
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The Global Read Aloud offers you a chance to share a book with other students from around the world. This program is in its fifth year and has had over ...more
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The Global Read Aloud offers you a chance to share a book with other students from around the world. This program is in its fifth year and has had over 200,000 participants. The Global Read Aloud is a six-week event that ends in November. Announcement of the book list and the author study selections occur each spring. Student involvement starts in the fall each year. Teachers, parents, and individual students are invited to join. Choose a book to read and sign up at the very beginning of each October. There is a Google form on the main page for registration. On this main page, you will find several suggested ways to participate: The Global Read Aloud wiki here, Padlet, reviewed here, and others.
tag(s): authors (107), collaboration (80), cross cultural understanding (177), guided reading (32), reading comprehension (143), reading lists (78)
In the Classroom
Start looking at The Global Read Aloud program before the school year starts. The author study can be useful for students who have difficulty reading chapter books. There are also picture books available for younger students. Choose the book early, or get your students involved once school starts. Have students vote for the book they want to read by using a program like Wheel Decide, reviewed here, or use Dotstorming, reviewed here, which allows students to write why they want to read that book. As you are reading the book, you may want to have small groups research and investigate the setting, author, inferences, references, and allusions to other books, history, and places. Researching and presenting their findings will help students with deep reading experience required by the Common Core Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Macaulay Library - Cornell University Lab of Ornithology
Grades
K to 12
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Browse a huge collection of audio and video clips that celebrate the biodiversity of animals. Browse recordings by species using the search box on the top of the screen. Click ...more
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Browse a huge collection of audio and video clips that celebrate the biodiversity of animals. Browse recordings by species using the search box on the top of the screen. Click "Find" to search by taxonomy. Click on share for links and embed codes for specific recordings. Locations of where the recordings were made can be viewed in Google maps. Sort results by location, species, date, and more. Although this site is useful for all ages, an adult would need to navigate this site with a younger student.
tag(s): animal homes (55), animals (291), biodiversity (35), organisms (13)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. When discussing various species and biodiversity, choose a variety of videos or audio tracks to hear what many of these species sound like. Compare similar and different species. Research the various types of calls that organisms can make. Explore the ways that they move from place to place. Challenge older students to explore this site on their own and share their "animal findings" with the class. In elementary classrooms, turn up the speakers and simulate the sounds of various animal environments as you read aloud about the animals who live there. Play videos on a projector to practice observing nature and animal behaviors of species from your area. Build scientific listening/observation skills by playing different sounds and asking how they are different. In upper level physics classes, use these natural sounds and the accompanying audio analysis tools to better understand the science of sound.
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Select and Speak - Google Chrome
Grades
1 to 12
2 Favorites
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Select and Speak (formerly (Speakit) is an easy to install, free program that converts written text on web pages into spoken words within the Chrome web browser. At the time ...more
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Select and Speak (formerly (Speakit) is an easy to install, free program that converts written text on web pages into spoken words within the Chrome web browser. At the time of this review, it works exclusively on Google Chrome. You can use this extension in many different languages. All you do is highlight the text, and it reads it aloud. The tool works only on website text, not documents, etc. This extension uses text to speech service and might not be accessible to those whose computers prevent download/installation of software. There are some errors in the program they are still fixing.
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tag(s): listening (97), text to speech (18)
In the Classroom
Use Select and Speak as your teacher's helper. Be sure to test it out on classroom computers and devices before using it with students. During research or computer explorations, allow students to use this read aloud feature. Honor the students who heavily rely on hearing as their preferred form of comprehending material. In lower grades, research on computers now becomes an easier task. This extension is perfect for ENL/ELL or learning support students to help with vocabulary development, comprehension, fluency, and repetitions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Listening Doll - Joyce Payne
Grades
3 to 5
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The Kennedy Center's "A Listening Doll" lesson introduces students to the clay sculpture traditions of the Pueblo People of New Mexico. Through discussion of storyteller dolls, hands-on...more
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The Kennedy Center's "A Listening Doll" lesson introduces students to the clay sculpture traditions of the Pueblo People of New Mexico. Through discussion of storyteller dolls, hands-on clay modeling, and guided reflection, students learn about cultural context and artistic principles. The resource includes a comprehensive teacher's guide, a step-by-step lesson plan, background information on Pueblo traditions, and suggestions for classroom discussions and reflections. Teachers can easily integrate these materials to support a culturally responsive, creative arts experience.
tag(s): crafts (90), native americans (116), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
Guide students in using clay (or Model Magic) to sculpt their own "listening doll." Emphasize body posture (arms open, attentive face) to reflect active listening. Use step,''?'by,''?'step modeling techniques included in the lesson plan. Have them take pictures and write short stories to include in a class presentation using Google Slides reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Read the Words - Educational Utilities
Grades
1 to 12
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0 Comments
Read the Words is a site that allows students to submit almost any text material and HEAR it read aloud. The languages offered include English, Spanish, and French. You can ...more
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Read the Words is a site that allows students to submit almost any text material and HEAR it read aloud. The languages offered include English, Spanish, and French. You can select the speed at which the text will be read and use a wide variety of formats including Microsoft Word, PDF, a website URL, anything copied and pasted, or from RSS feeds. Likewise, students can listen to the oral text online, download it to the desktop or MP3 players, post readings online in several forms, and even create podcasts with the selected material. Users can even modify the reading avatar's appearance by selecting from those available, both male and female. Beware: inappropriate words will not be filtered, and anything typed is pronounced. There is a limited free version (only 50 recordings can be saved and more extensive paid versions with more options and recordings.
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tag(s): listening (97), podcasts (137), text to speech (18)
In the Classroom
Primary or resource reading teachers may want to use this site for students to practice reading fluency "side by side" with the online avatar. World language teachers and teachers of limited English speakers will love this website as reinforcement for language learning. Students can listen as they read. They can also practice their pronunciation and compare it with any selected avatar. Use the oral readings on an interactive whiteboard or projector (with speakers turned up) for class dictations and discussion starters. Preview the vocabulary words in any file or website by selecting the read/edit option before students listen to it. Check school policies regarding individual student accounts on web sites. " Here are some tips on managing student memberships that require email. Beware - if you are having students use this site, "inappropriate" words will not be filtered, and anything typed is pronounced. So be sure students are aware of guidelines and consequences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Community Club - Scholastic
Grades
K to 3
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn about people in your neighborhood and the jobs they do: veterinarian, librarian, pizza maker, utility worker, mayor, police officer, firefighter, and pediatrician. Click on any...more
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Learn about people in your neighborhood and the jobs they do: veterinarian, librarian, pizza maker, utility worker, mayor, police officer, firefighter, and pediatrician. Click on any of the "people" to walk and talk through an informative tour about that career. You can click on the audio button to hear the information read aloud.
In the Classroom
Use this site to help your students understand the concepts of community and community helpers. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share these useful people with your class. Highlight a career each week (or day) during a unit about community. Divide students into 8 groups (2-3 students per group) and have each group learn about a different career. Have the groups create simple PowerPoint presentations with the free Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here, to share with the class on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Remember that PowerPoint shows print well into "big books." Extend your "community" by creating a class wiki about your school community, complete with digital pictures and interviews! If you want to learn more about wikis, check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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