TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 29, 2015
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
Milestones - GreatKids
Grades
K to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Milestones offers a collection of videos demonstrating grade-level expectations for Kindergarten through middle school. Choose a grade to start. Select a video from the different categories...more
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Milestones offers a collection of videos demonstrating grade-level expectations for Kindergarten through middle school. Choose a grade to start. Select a video from the different categories offered, including reading, math, and writing. These short videos run about a minute in length and provide an excellent look at the successful accomplishment of grade-level goals. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
tag(s): parent conferences (24), parents (60), professional development (392), video (256)
In the Classroom
Milestones is perfect for sharing with parents to explain grade-level goals and expectations. Share a link on your class web page or blog for parents to access at any time. Share one or two videos during your meet the teacher night or with individual parents during conferences.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Radio Rookies - WNYC Public Radio
Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Radio Rookies offers programming created by teens for teens to help in coping with the challenges of teen life. Scroll down the home page to browse through recent episodes and ...more
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Radio Rookies offers programming created by teens for teens to help in coping with the challenges of teen life. Scroll down the home page to browse through recent episodes and articles featuring difficult topics such as abuse, dating, and dealing with peers. Become a part of Radio Rookies by downloading the DIY Radio Rookies Toolkit here, featuring ideas and information for sharing your own story. Be sure to check out the features of the toolkit for videos and tip sheets with ideas for using Radio Rookies as a teaching tool. Please note - many topics discussed on this site are sensitive, and not necessarily appropriate for your class. Be sure to preview any broadcast before sharing with the class.
tag(s): adolescence (11), behavior (43), difficult conversations (58), emotions (46), radio (20), social and emotional learning (81), social skills (22)
In the Classroom
Be sure to include this site on your class webpage for students to access both in and outside of class as a resource for hearing how peers handle difficult teenage issues. Share a link with parents as a resource for them to use with their teen. Remind parents to PREVIEW! Be sure to share with your school's counselor as an excellent tool for use when working with students. Listen to episodes together with your class, and then have cooperative learning groups create podcasts discussing specific issues found in your school or classroom. Use a tool such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Before beginning the podcast, have students create a storyboard using a tool like Notepad, reviewed here. They will also need to develop a script and practice. Try using Typewrite, reviewed here, for students to write the script collaboratively. This tool allows groups to write together. All the tools mentioned in this review will augment classroom technology use.
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Wizer.me - Wizerme L.S (2015) Ltd.
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Finally, worksheets will be cool! Create interactive worksheets, or use one that is already developed and make it your own with wizer.me. After signing up with email get started with...more
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Finally, worksheets will be cool! Create interactive worksheets, or use one that is already developed and make it your own with wizer.me. After signing up with email get started with Add Task. Follow the prompts for creation; these include selecting text style and color, and choosing a background, adding student tasks (Text, Video, Link, Image), and more. Select question style: Open Question, Multiple Choice, Matching, and more. Then there are the more unusual type responses like Filling in a Table, Image Tagging, Embedding, and others, with promises of more to come. Share with students by posting the URL given, using a pin code on their worksheet board, or use your Google Classroom account. At the time of this review, wizer.me support was through email and real-time online chat. Wizer.me works on any device with a browser and Internet connection but works best on Chrome and Safari.
tag(s): gamification (74), multimedia (43), worksheets (70)
In the Classroom
Wizer.me would be an excellent tool to use to implement and/or integrate technology into lessons. Look through worksheets others have created to get an idea of what you can do. The possibilities for using this tool in the classroom are limited only by your imagination! Having students view videos or label images is sure to keep them engaged and interested in your subject. Any subject area teacher will find a use for this tool, and it's free! Use worksheets (lessons) you have created in learning centers, with small groups (the possibilities for differentiating abounds), or as homework. Since these "worksheets" can include video, using wizer.me would be a terrific tool to use to "flip" your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gif Lingua - Your Language Gif Shop - David Duebelbeiss
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Use animated Gif images as the resource for learning English. Each animated GIF has a complete sentence as a caption explaining what is going on in the picture. All captions...more
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Use animated Gif images as the resource for learning English. Each animated GIF has a complete sentence as a caption explaining what is going on in the picture. All captions are in text and audio. Roll your cursor over the GIF to hear the recording. Categories at the top are Pronunciation, News, Music, Videos, and Levels 1-6. Above these categories is a button titled Books. Books have categories such as At School, Scary Things, Dolch Nouns, Go Grammar, Getting Around, and many more. Without registering you can see and hear all GIFs, however, registering allows you to create a Favorites page to save the ones you like and want to use. Register and become a member immediately. There is no waiting for a confirming email. Warning! This site includes some topics and language that are not appropriate for the classroom. Be sure to PREVIEW! Allow students to use this site independently with extreme caution and warnings.
tag(s): animation (62), images (270), listening (68), multilingual (64), pronunciation (33), sentences (22), speech (66), vocabulary (235), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Use this site with ESL/ELL learners to provide visual cues for English language learning. Older students can register for this tool and create their personal learning book. For ALL learners and more advanced ESL/ELL learners, use the GIFs as story starters. Any world languages and language arts teacher could use this tool as a model and challenge students to create an annotated, narrated image for vocabulary or any other terminology that needs to be learned. For this, use Thinglink, reviewed here. ThingLink will work with animated GIFs. Can't find the animated GIF you're looking for? Animate any image using GIFMaker, reviewed here, and then annotate and narrate with ThingLink.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hip Hughes History - Keith Hughes
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This YouTube channel offers over 300 videos for U.S. and World History, current events, political science, and American Government. Click the Index link to easily find one of the categories....more
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This YouTube channel offers over 300 videos for U.S. and World History, current events, political science, and American Government. Click the Index link to easily find one of the categories. Other videos teach test-taking and essay writing skills. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): china (62), classroom management (128), constitution (87), elections (80), foreign policy (12), politics (113), presidents (121), russia (33)
In the Classroom
Show videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector to your class as an introduction to a new unit or class discussion. Flip your lesson and assign videos for students to view at home or in the computer lab and discuss questions at the next class meeting. Prep for this and engage students by asking questions during the video using Moocnote, reviewed here. Use the videos as a springboard for engaging writing prompts or to spark a discussion connected with a unit of study. Enhance learning by having students create a simple infographic with information learned from videos using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. Be sure to check out some of the classroom management tips and advice for new teachers for some fresh ideas to use in your classroom!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mr. Beat's Social Studies Channel - Matt Beat
Grades
5 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Mr. Beat's YouTube Channel provides educational Social Studies videos in a storytelling format. There are a few other topics: Primary and Secondary Sources, Guide to Critical Thinking,...more
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Mr. Beat's YouTube Channel provides educational Social Studies videos in a storytelling format. There are a few other topics: Primary and Secondary Sources, Guide to Critical Thinking, and others. Be sure to check out the music video and song for each of the presidents. Other topics include using Google Earth, Presidential Elections, and Story Time with Mr. Beat. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): alaska (20), elections (80), explorers (64), gettysburg address (11), lincoln (60), presidents (121), primary sources (115), washington (25)
In the Classroom
Share these videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. FLIP your classroom and have students view the videos at home to discuss and apply the next day in class (this is an excellent option if your school blocks YouTube). Use the videos to introduce any topic and assign others from the series for homework. Be sure to provide this link on your class website for students (and their families) to access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Justin Guitar - Justn Guitar
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Pick up the guitar and go to your free online video lessons. Begin your free study by discovering how to choose the best guitar for you. Learn the correct body ...more
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Pick up the guitar and go to your free online video lessons. Begin your free study by discovering how to choose the best guitar for you. Learn the correct body posture and fingering while discovering the optimal practice schedule. Progress into beginners' lessons on chords, music theory, and rhythm. Challenge yourself in the intermediate course with scales, chords, and many different musical patterns. Move forward to blues, jazz, folk, rock and metal, and songwriting modules. Along the way, products are available for purchase. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): multiple intelligences (7), music theory (45), musical instruments (46), musical notation (35)
In the Classroom
Spark students' interest in guitar playing by encouraging free online guitar lessons. Offer as a challenge to gifted students, and have them teach other students. Highlight students multiple intelligences and let them shine! Make up a tune to go along with a multimedia presentation. Then, show students how to embed media transforming their work by uploading it to a digital storytelling using Presentious, reviewed here, or a digital story using a video tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, and then you have no worries with copyright. Tune up after school clubs with a little music. Make your music class come alive with guitars and free lessons. Share a link to this site on your class website for parents to use at home.
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