Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Do you have a PowerPoint presentation AND YouTube video to combine for your next presentation? Zentation helps you combine these two tools into one dynamic presentation with both the slides AND the video showing side by side. This presentation method can share the "live" presenter (from a video) and his/her slides together on the screen. Watch the demo to see what the results look like. After creating your account, choose New Presentation to begin. Provide a name and description. Click the Start under the Public column. (Premium Private provides additional paid options.) Copy/paste in the link to your prerecorded YouTube or Google video. Upload your PowerPoint from your computer or link to a SlideShare presentation and choose "Upload PPT." Once all uploads finish, use the sync option in your account to add descriptions and modify slide display time as needed to sync with the video. Use the share button to share your finished project via URL, embed into your blog, send through email, or create a link with thumbnail images. If your district blocks YouTube, you may not be able to use this tool at school.
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tag(s): slides (45), video (258)

Generate maps with unlimited markers easily with this tool! NO membership is required to create, save, or collaborate on maps, and you do not need to install software. Enter a title, description (optional), an admin password for others to collaborate, and a starting location to create your map. Add simple or detailed markers to your map. Input data from multiple formats: KML, CSV, Excel, and more. Add video, audio, and information to each of the markers. Markers can also be customized icons. Be sure to check out the menu options available such as Additions, where areas of the map can be highlighted and Annotations can be added to the markers. Share your map by URL or publish on a webpage.

tag(s): directions (12), map skills (56), maps (207)

Art of Problem Solving offers its own videos as part of an extensive collection aligned to Prealgebra, Introduction to Algebra, and Introduction to Counting & Probability textbooks. It also curates other video sources, such as smaller collections created by MATHCOUNTS and Math Olympiad competitions that share problem-solving strategies. Choose a textbook (or series) to begin; then view videos indexed by chapter and content. Most videos run under 10 minutes in length. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): decimals (84), exponents (35), fractions (159), geometric shapes (136), percent (58), perimeter (20), probability (96), problem solving (226), quadratics (26), ratios (47), venn diagrams (15)

Whether the contest is over or not, there is plenty for classroom teachers to use here. Think about having your own class or school wide contest with custodians, bus drivers, administration, secretaries, etc as the judges. Made By Milk Contest (a design and building challenge) simply your students to learn in a creative way. Of course you can make your own rules or follow the ones on this site. Create a design using 100 or more milk cartons. Take pictures of the completed project, and include a short essay explaining what was your student's idea. Be sure to check out the Past Winners page for ideas on what it takes to create a winner. Even if you do not want to have a contest, be sure to check out the wonderful STEM projects to try within your school or at home, so check out the Educational Resources.

tag(s): architecture (64), counting (60), grants (16), STEM (263), structures (18)

Try your hand at newspaper editing for a dystopian community. Explore the limitations of not having a free press. Your task is to select which articles paint a positive picture of the world by reading a one sentence summary and looking at the headlines. There is a time limit for editing (within 3 virtual days -- about 45 seconds). As the editor, you must make sure the bosses stay happy and also that the public interest is substantial in reading the selected stories. At the end of the given time, editors receive two grades, one on successfully completing the paper and the other on engaging your readers. Editors continue work for three days, each day trying to improve the positive attitude and interest more readers. A threat to the editor adds to the suspense and tension of selecting articles carefully.

tag(s): bias (22), freedom of speech (13), game based learning (171), media literacy (102), newspapers (91), propaganda (9)

Celebrate 50 years of space exploration with this beautiful interactive map created by Sean McNaughton and Samuel Velasco. Clicking on a section of the map will increase its size. Follow the paths for launches to their destinations. This interactive includes the mission's destination, when the mission started, and whether the mission was a success or failure. Find all international space missions from the past. Follow the flight paths of current missions such as New Horizons traveling to Pluto and the location of the Voyagers. A line on the bottom shows the relative distances in interstellar space. If the article is open be sure to click Hide Article to see this entire map. Inspect parts of the map by using the plus-minus box on the upper right corner of the image.

tag(s): explorers (64), moon (70), nasa (30), planets (112), space (213), stars (66)

My Study Life is a web-based and mobile app for a student to manage classes, tasks, and assignments. Features include tracking tasks, adding exam dates, managing classes, and notification reminders of upcoming events. Enroll through email, Facebook, or Google. Once enrolled, add course schedules to set up a schedule. After entering courses, add tasks with due dates or exam dates. All tasks and information displays on the homepage along with approaching due dates. My Study Life shows both tasks completed and unfinished.

tag(s): classroom management (128), DAT device agnostic tool (143), Learning Management Systems (22), organizational skills (90)