Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Glose is a digital reading platform that enhances classroom engagement by allowing students and teachers to read, annotate, and discuss books collaboratively. It offers a vast library of e-books, interactive note-taking, and discussion features that promote deeper comprehension and critical thinking. Teachers can assign readings, track student progress, and encourage peer discussions directly within the platform. With accessibility across devices, Glose supports personalized learning and fosters a more connected reading experience in independent and group settings.

tag(s): audio books (29), collaboration (94), digital reading (18), literacy (122), literature (221), literature circles (5)

With this poem generation tool, you can generate poems in several styles from a prompt. Add your prompt, choose a style, and select the poem's length, and voila, your poem appears! Download your poem as a docx document, copy the text, or download it to your device. As you select a poem style, scroll down the page to learn about the style. For example, choose Haiku to read a description of Haiku poetry, information on how Haikus differ from English poems, and FAQs about the origin of Haiku poetry.
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tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), digital storytelling (156), poetry (195)

Illuminate transforms content into podcast-style audio discussions. Begin by searching for a topic or adding a website URL, and select an audio style for the discussion. Illuminate shares website options to include in the output when using the topic option. Members can add more than one link to each discussion. Audio style options include casual, formal, guided, and free-form; descriptions for each style are included as you select a style. Click generate to create your audio; this takes about thirty seconds to complete. Members can play the audio for up to thirty days without saving it, or save it to their library to use at any time, or share it with others using the provided link.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), podcasts (118), Teacher Utilities (201)

Padlet TA is a helpful assistant for creating many educational work documents without requiring registration for most tasks. Options include lesson planning, worksheet creation, text-leveling tools, and more. After choosing a tool, complete the form that asks for information like grade level, topic, and additional context. Add a file, content from Google Drive, a link, or a YouTube video. Adding content from Google Drive requires logging in to a Padlet account. After adding information, click the bright colored bubble next to the form to generate content. When finished, copy the text to a document, export it to Google Docs or PDF, or use the share link to share the URL of a view-only version of your prompt and output.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), assessment (146), images (263), qr codes (19), quizzes (90), rubrics (36), Teacher Utilities (201), worksheets (71)

Jigsaw Planet is an online platform allowing players to create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. While the platform is accessible to participants of all ages, it's important to note participants must be 13 years or older to use certain features according to their Terms of Service. For younger students in grades 4-8, educators can guide them in creating puzzles using age-appropriate images, ensuring compliance with the platform's guidelines. This activity fosters creativity, enhances problem-solving skills, and provides an engaging learning experience.

tag(s): fathers day (17), holidays (194), mothers day (23), puzzles (148)

OnlineLabels.com offers a variety of free printable Mother's Day label templates that educators can utilize to enhance classroom activities and create personalized gifts. These templates include gift tags, stickers, and more, featuring customizable designs with messages like "Happy Mother's Day" and "Best Mom Ever." Teachers can download and personalize these templates to add a special touch to classroom projects or to assist students in crafting meaningful gifts for their mothers or loved ones. This resource provides an accessible and creative way to celebrate Mother's Day within the educational setting.

tag(s): mothers day (23)

PosterMyWall is an online platform that provides a vast collection of customizable templates, including over 880 Mother's Day gift templates such as flyers, posters, social media graphics, and videos. These templates are fully editable, enabling personalized designs with their own messages, images, and branding elements. The platform's user-friendly interface simplifies the design process, making it accessible for individuals with varying levels of design experience. Additionally, PosterMyWall offers features like social media publishing and email campaigns, facilitating seamless sharing of personalized Mother's Day designs.

tag(s): infographics (57), mothers day (23)

Canva offers a variety of customizable Mother's Day gift certificate templates that educators can use to create personalized vouchers for classroom activities or gifts. These templates are fully editable (could be used for mom, dad, or anyone), allowing teachers to add specific details such as the recipient's name, the nature of the gift, and a personal message. The user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes the design process simple and accessible. Additionally, Canva allows you to edit the templates in multiple languages, making it a versatile option for classrooms with diverse linguistic needs. Once customized, the gift certificates can be printed or shared digitally.

tag(s): crafts (76), mothers day (23)

ArtSteps is a web-based platform that enables members to create immersive 3D virtual exhibitions and spaces. Educators can utilize ArtSteps to design interactive virtual galleries, allowing students to showcase their artwork, historical artifacts, or project work in a dynamic online environment. The platform supports integrating images, videos, text, 3D models, music, and narration, offering a versatile tool for digital storytelling and creative expression. ArtSteps also facilitates guided tours within these virtual spaces, enhancing the educational experience.

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), fathers day (17), mothers day (23), portfolios (24), virtual field trips (132)

Jennifer Findley's blog post, "Digital Mother's Day Gift," offers educators a free, Google Slides-based project for students to create personalized digital gifts for Mother's Day. The resource includes four customizable themes--such as "Top Ten Things I Love About You" and "Top Ten Greatest Moments with You"--allowing students to craft heartfelt "Top Ten" lists for their mothers or other caregivers. Alternative versions are provided to accommodate diverse family structures, ensuring inclusivity. The project is designed for easy integration with Google Classroom, and upon completion, students can share their presentations via email or view them together with their mothers.

tag(s): mothers day (23)

This YouTube video Mother's Day Card and Gift Ideas showcases a variety of creative and beautiful craft projects that students can make to celebrate mom and other loved ones. It begins with an adorable multi-folded card that opens uniquely and surprisingly, followed by several one-of-a-kind card designs students can customize with personal messages. The video also includes a simple message that students can write inside their cards to express their love and appreciation. Additional projects include a 3D heart-shaped card, a swirly origami rose tutorial, and a hands-on guide to creating fabric roses from scratch--perfect for upper elementary students ready for a creative challenge. The video wraps up with a cute gift-wrapping decoration idea that can be added to any handmade gift (to any friend or loved one), making these projects meaningful and memorable. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): crafts (76), mothers day (23)

View these diverse creative projects and engaging activities suitable for various grade levels to celebrate Mother's Day. Highlights include a free printable Mother's Day questionnaire that captures students' heartfelt sentiments, a "WOW-MOM" card integrating symmetry concepts, and a recycled bouquet project promoting environmental awareness. Each activity fosters creativity and personal expression, providing detailed instructions and printable resources to facilitate easy classroom implementation.
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tag(s): crafts (76), mothers day (23)

Jennifer Findley's blog post, "Mother's Day Gift Ideas and Activities for Upper Elementary," offers educators a variety of creative and meaningful projects tailored for upper elementary students to recognize Mother's Day and the mother figures in their lives. The article features activities such as crafting acrostic poems using the letters in "MOTHER," compiling Top 10 lists highlighting reasons students appreciate their mothers, and assembling personalized coupon books offering helpful tasks or special experiences. Additionally, the post provides links to simple craft ideas, including "You Are My Sunshine" noodle cards and pom-pom flower magnets, complete with detailed instructions and printable templates. These activities foster students' creativity and writing skills, resulting in heartfelt gifts that caretakers will cherish.

tag(s): crafts (76), mothers day (23)

ABCDee Learning offers a collection of 15 easy and adorable Mother's Day crafts specifically designed for young students. These crafts are tailored to be simple and engaging, making them ideal for young children to create heartfelt gifts for their mothers or grandmothers. Notable projects include the Handprint Flower, where children use their handprints to craft colorful blooms; the Shrinky Dink Keychains, allowing kids to design personalized keychains that shrink when baked; and the Picture Flower Craft, which combines a child's photo with a handmade flower for a personalized touch. Each craft includes detailed instructions and material lists, ensuring educators can easily implement these activities in the classroom. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): crafts (76), mothers day (23), preK (291)

The Yellow Birdhouse offers a collection of 18 free printable Mother's Day crafts suitable for children, providing teachers with accessible and engaging project ideas. These crafts are designed to be simple and heartfelt, allowing students to create meaningful gifts for their mothers or other important adults. Examples include printable Mother's Day cards, decorative items, and personalized gifts students can easily assemble in a classroom setting. These resources enable educators to facilitate creative activities without requiring extensive materials or preparation.

tag(s): crafts (76), holidays (194), mothers day (23)

yEd Live offers tools to create diagrams from scratch or using ChatGPT AI capabilities. Open the sample diagram to view the different types of diagrams, or enter a prompt to generate a diagram. Use yEd's editing tools to change colors, add or remove information, or make additional adjustments to a diagram. You can also use the AI-prompt feature to edit the diagram. When complete, share your diagram by URL, print it, or download it to your device.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), charts and graphs (169), drawing (62), graphic organizers (49), mind map (28)

School Pages is a free site that offers various lessons already created in many subject areas. Lessons can be sorted by grade level (grades 1 through 10) and subject - English, environmental studies, Hindi, math, physical education, science, and social studies. You can access both AI Tools and AI chat if you create a free account. AI tools include a Quiz Generator, a Similar Question Generator, a National Curriculum Framework Assistant, a Lesson Plan Generator, an Opening Hook Generator, an Assignment Generator, and Bloom's Question Generator. The AI chat is similar to a chatbot in that it can assist with teaching strategies, topic explanations, or any other teaching-related questions.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), Teacher Utilities (201)

Urban Dictionary is a crowdsourced online dictionary that defines slang words, phrases, and cultural expressions. While it can be useful for understanding contemporary language and informal speech, educators should use it with caution, as definitions are user-submitted and often contain inappropriate or unverified content. Teachers may find it helpful for discussing evolving language trends, idioms, or figurative language in media, but it is best suited for teacher reference rather than direct student use in the classroom.
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tag(s): dictionaries (47), figurative language (19), idioms (30), slang (15)

The Smithsonian Institution website is a valuable resource for educators, offering access to a vast collection of digital exhibitions, lesson plans, and interactive learning tools. Teachers can explore history, science, art, and culture topics through virtual tours, online activities, and curated educational materials from Smithsonian museums, research centers, and libraries. The site includes resources for all grade levels, including printable worksheets, videos, and inquiry-based lesson plans designed to engage students in critical thinking and discovery. It is an excellent tool for supplementing classroom instruction with high-quality, museum-based learning experiences. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): aircraft (17), critical thinking (137), inquiry (30), museums (52), space (220), virtual field trips (132)

Creating effective and engaging blended learning lessons requires time and professional knowledge. The Blended Learning Planner uses AI to increase productivity by providing ideas and learning activities based on your input. Start by following the steps to create a class, then add the lesson topic, length of class time, and the blended learning components to include. Use the request changes and Beans, the chatbox, to request modifications and additions to the completed plan.
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tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), blended learning (36), flipped learning (9), Teacher Utilities (201)