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Preceden - Matt Mazur
Grades
3 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Preceden is a free service that allows you to create timelines with multi-layers for overlapping events. The different layers are visually interesting and allow you to easily see the...more
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Preceden is a free service that allows you to create timelines with multi-layers for overlapping events. The different layers are visually interesting and allow you to easily see the sequence of events in several different ways. You can input your own time increments such as by day, week, month, year, decade, etc. In addition, you can create your own labels for events. You need to create a FREE account to make a timeline. Timelines can be embedded on your blog, shared by URL, or download as a PDF.
tag(s): timelines (50)
In the Classroom
Create an ever-growing timeline throughout the school year by adding events discussed in class so students understand where events relate to each other in history. Create a timeline with events in American History and add a layer of authors' works to connect literature's time periods to history.Have your students use Preceden to create a timeline of their life and their family's life. Then use events from their life for writing a memoir, poetry, etc. Science students could create a timeline for the stages of mitosis for a cell or the life cycle of a forest or an animal. Have students in government or history create timelines related to topics you are learning about in class.
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EZSchool - EZSchool
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
EZSchool is an educational portal that contains EZ worksheets, interactives, online study tools, and tutorials. Although this site is "busy" with clutter from some related advertisements,...more
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EZSchool is an educational portal that contains EZ worksheets, interactives, online study tools, and tutorials. Although this site is "busy" with clutter from some related advertisements, it is easy to navigate by grade level, subject, or more specific topics such as grammar, writing, and vocabulary for English, or word problems, geometry, and algebra for math, biology and chemistry for science, as well as Spanish, Japanese, and Hindi language activities. There are also SAT/PSAT practice questions with detailed answers. All materials are free to use, print, and distribute for use in the classroom or at home. The website is frequently updated with new activities. Weekly updates to the site are offered on the home page.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): grammar (133), japan (56), japanese (47), spanish (105), substitutes (27), vocabulary (237), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Reinforce learning with these supplemental materials. Your students may practice as much as they want - for free! Print worksheets to leave in a folder for emergency substitute lesson plans or for homework, provide the link on your classroom web page or wiki for students to easily access from any computer, and project the interactives and other learning activities on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Note that some websites may be blocked.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cycles vs. Checklists: Fostering Creative Process in an Accountability World - TeachersFirst/Candace Hackett Shively
Grades
6 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Accountability for curriculum creates a tug-of-war with creativity in the data-driven world of education. Find ideas and examples for respecting and incorporating students' creative...more
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Accountability for curriculum creates a tug-of-war with creativity in the data-driven world of education. Find ideas and examples for respecting and incorporating students' creative process as an overlay to even the most restrictive curriculum in these pages, originally part of a presentation by Candace Hackett Shively at the ISTE 2011 conference. Take a high-level look at what theorists and practicing "creative people" say about creative process, and find practical ways to make that process a habit in your classroom. Download customizable assignments and rubrics as examples to use with middle and high school students. This resource is a "macro" overview of creative process, companion to the "micro" (skills based) analysis offered in our Dimensions of Creativity pages.
tag(s): creativity (91)
In the Classroom
Teachers in any subject will find ideas for fostering creativity in their classroom, especially with students developmentally ready to talk about their own creative process (usually middle school and up). Make this professional information a discussion item among your teaching peers and with parents. Share it with colleagues for an informal inservice session. Use the many resources to help students discover their own creative process just as you would help them discover their learning styles. Make creative process a habit in your class assignments through electronic idea bins and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hands Off, Vanna! Giving Students Control of Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Learning - TeachersFirst/Candace Hackett Shively
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
If you have an IWB, use it well. These pages, filled with practical ideas and examples for student-directed use of the interactive whiteboard as a collaborative learning space, originally...more
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If you have an IWB, use it well. These pages, filled with practical ideas and examples for student-directed use of the interactive whiteboard as a collaborative learning space, originally accompanied a presentation by Candace Hackett Shively at the ISTE 2011 conference. Find specific ideas and web tools for making the IWB a student tool and avoiding the trap of being a teacher-Vanna (or Vance). See examples and classroom management tips to share this kinesthetic learning tool among students and leverage its capabilities in student-centered activities. The presentation is brand-agnostic, though some of the examples use SMART brand software (viewable with SMART Notebook Express, a free online tool, reviewed here). There are downloadable handouts and files along with the many suggestions.
tag(s): iwb (32)
In the Classroom
Teachers in any subject and grade level will find ideas for IWB learning in their classroom. Make this professional information a self-guided tour to improve your use of a new or existing IWB. Share it with colleagues for an informal inservice session. Everything is here for you to explore and learn. If you are in charge of leading professional development about IWBs, this new perspective on student-centered use will send Vanna packing and inspire many new avenues for learning.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Getting to Know You Ideas from TeachersFirst - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
28 Favorites
1 Comments
TeachersFirst offers tried and true getting-to-know-you lesson plans, some with a creative twist. Get off on the right foot to establish your classroom as a learning community. ...more
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TeachersFirst offers tried and true getting-to-know-you lesson plans, some with a creative twist. Get off on the right foot to establish your classroom as a learning community.
tag(s): firstday (22)
In the Classroom
Try these activities from TeachersFirst to help you and your students get to know each other early in the school year or for a "fresh start" for a new semester or move-in students.Comments
I love the ideas and activities for helping students get to know each other early on in the new school year. In the Headstart program we focus on parent involvement and I like to do activities that involve the parents and help them to get to know each other as well. The classroom and education experience is so much more successful when everyone is working together: children , families, and teachers.Teresa, FL, Grades: 0 - 1
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Connect With English - Annenberg Media
Grades
8 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This video program teaches ESL/ELL through a series of free episodes accompanied by summaries and learning activities. Students and classroom teachers will need to download additional...more
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This video program teaches ESL/ELL through a series of free episodes accompanied by summaries and learning activities. Students and classroom teachers will need to download additional plugins. Although the site does sell copies of the videos and other materials, enough material is free to make this a refreshing approach to learning. Since topics in the filmed lessons include those which ESL/ELL students most want to learn about, the use of these offerings may be a motivator.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (157), idioms (32), listening (68)
In the Classroom
This activity would work well for individual or pairs of ESL/ELL students in a lab or on laptops. Share the site so students can use it outside of class too. List the site on your class website, wiki, or blog. Many of the videos have the closed caption feature. If you have students in your language arts or special education classroom who are reading below grade level, have them watch the video once through, then turn on the closed caption option and have them watch it again reading along with the dialog.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Word Spy - Paul McFedries
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This word definition site offers the very latest terms, hip language, and slang. Words like "daycation" and "post-Potter" are here before they make it to a dictionary; some will never...more
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This word definition site offers the very latest terms, hip language, and slang. Words like "daycation" and "post-Potter" are here before they make it to a dictionary; some will never be in a standard reference, but when they come up in modern parlance, they are here. By clicking on "more information," you can find the word's earliest usage and date. You are also able to comment on the words. The information also features related words and vocabulary categories. You can also search by category.
tag(s): dictionaries (48), slang (15), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (90), word study (58)
In the Classroom
This is a great find for gifted students, those working to advance their vocabulary levels, and for ESL/ELL students who may be puzzled by rapidly changing idiomatic language around them. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class for future reference. When teaching word study, such as roots and affixes, include this site to show how new words evolve and that language is a living thing. Perhaps even share a word a day from this site for students to guess the definition.During a study of dictionary skills, discuss with students how new words might come to be in the dictionary. Have small groups of students brainstorm slang words they've heard around school and their neighborhoods. Once they have their list, they can look these words up on Word Spy. For any word that isn't there, have them create an online, interactive poster using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or simple web page using Jimdo, reviewed here, as a page that could be included in Word Spy.
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InterActive Six Trait Writing Process - Steve Gardiner & Vince Long
Grades
8 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This is a nifty, interactive writing site created by two Montana high school teachers to allow students to work on individual writing difficulties. It gives examples of excellent, acceptable,...more
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This is a nifty, interactive writing site created by two Montana high school teachers to allow students to work on individual writing difficulties. It gives examples of excellent, acceptable, and unacceptable writing and tells WHY the writing works or doesn't. It explains each area of writing: from content to sentence fluency to voice and conventions and offers rubrics for scoring, as well. You do have to sign up for this feature (see "user accounts" link), but it is free, and creating an account allows you to work with an entire class at a time. There are some Amazon ads for writing-related books on this site.
tag(s): writing (315)
In the Classroom
The idea of entering an entire class as an account really encourages individual writing assistance for students in individual areas. This works for talented writers as well as those who are struggling. It also allows one teacher to assist an entire class by giving individual time and support while the rest of the class continues working on his/her own areas. Couple this work with a classroom blog or wiki for student publishing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Special Occasion Ideas for the Classroom: TeachersFirst Editors' Choices - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Check out this collection for classroom ideas and custom-made gifts (both "hard copy" and electronic). Special occasions give students a chance to recognize special people: moms, dads,...more
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Check out this collection for classroom ideas and custom-made gifts (both "hard copy" and electronic). Special occasions give students a chance to recognize special people: moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, secretaries, school custodians, librarians, and more. Stretch your students' creative thinking, writing skills, and problem solving skills as they create projects to honor special people on special occasions or just as a surprise "thank you." Create memories for special people as your learners show what they know and how much they care.
tag(s): fathers day (7), mothers day (13), parents (60)
In the Classroom
Stretch your students' creative thinking, writing skills, and problem solving skills as they create projects to honor special people on special occasions or just as a surprise "thank you." Create memories for special people as your learners show what they know and how much they care. Share this collection as a link from your class web page for students and parents to use from home or during vacations and holidays.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst's Resources to Avoid the Summer Slide - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Encourage children and teens to keep on learning during summer break. Help them to hold on to what they already know with these safe, teacher-reviewed resources. Be sure to share ...more
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Encourage children and teens to keep on learning during summer break. Help them to hold on to what they already know with these safe, teacher-reviewed resources. Be sure to share with your friends, neighbors, and family. Teachers will want to share this page with students departing for summer break or possibly share the school's website.
tag(s): enrichment (9), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Share the link to this special collection via your class web page, newsletter, or email to all your students as they depart for vacation. You will help parents and students alike. Avoid the "summer slide."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kizoa - Kizoa
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Create animated slide shows, videos, collages and more from uploaded pictures or those on Facebook. Use this free online image suite to store and organize photos. Edit photos using...more
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Create animated slide shows, videos, collages and more from uploaded pictures or those on Facebook. Use this free online image suite to store and organize photos. Edit photos using a variety of effects. With this easy to use uploader, store photos in your own online library. An excellent idea for backup of photos or to share photos with friends by sharing a link. Create slideshows, collages and movies from your library of photos. Add effects and pieces of music to enhance your photo slideshow. Use the online software to send links to friends. Use the embed code to add to blogs, wikis, or sites in order to share the content. With the paid premium version, burn your slideshows to DVD.
tag(s): images (262), photography (126), slides (45), video (258)
In the Classroom
Users must have knowledge of finding and uploading photos as well as navigating this easy to use site. Take time to play a little with this site and learn about all the functions and effects.Use this site to add information to pictures for class and student projects and creations. Add attributions (copyright info and sources) directly to the photo. Add student responses to pictures of class experiments. Create artistic effects with student pictures. The ideas for picture taking, creating, and sharing are endless. Make this a link from your class wiki so students can cut down file sizes before uploading large photos or make edited composites to communicate their message visually. As you study propaganda, have students create propaganda images to share on a class wiki or classroom bulletin board. Art teachers will love the ability to teach photo montage without expensive software. Make creative bulletin board displays from multiple digital pictures of special events, adding text and captions right into the photo. ENL/ELL, language, and special ed teachers can ask students to label images with sentences including correct vocabulary and grammar. Have students in your reading class create visual idiom images using digital pictures.
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
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Quiz Busters - Teachers Direct Recruitment Ltd.
Grades
5 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Find existing plenary quizzes or create your own quickly using this great site. Students play as teams and full instructions are included with each game. Search through a variety of...more
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Find existing plenary quizzes or create your own quickly using this great site. Students play as teams and full instructions are included with each game. Search through a variety of subject areas and topics to find a quiz appropriate for your class. To make a new game, enter your questions and answers. Twenty questions with key-word answers are needed for each game. Check the database to avoid creating duplicated games.
tag(s): grammar review (31), quiz (66), quizzes (89), test prep (66)
In the Classroom
This quiz would be fantastic on an interactive whiteboard either with a whole class collaborating to earn the optimum (group) grade or small groups of students manipulating the interactive whiteboard themselves. Use as a formative assessment throughout the learning experience, providing more fun than simple question and answer. Use for SAT and other review.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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podomatic - podOmatic
Grades
1 to 12
17 Favorites
1 Comments
Create simple audio podcasts using this online tool and the free space they provide. Simply put, this tool lets you create and place sound recordings online for people to listen ...more
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Create simple audio podcasts using this online tool and the free space they provide. Simply put, this tool lets you create and place sound recordings online for people to listen to and/or download from the web. There are MANY free podcasts in a variety of subject areas (art, health, technology, music, business, and more.) We have linked this review directly to the K-12 area within the site. The site includes some social networking tools, so some schools may have it blocked. The site is a "general public" site, so the home page has links to recent podcasts that may not be appropriate for young people. Attach a mike or use your built-in computer mike; create the podcast by clicking a record button, (you may have to tell your computer to "allow" the site to access your mike). Choose a background for your podcast page. Share it with others using one of several sharing options on the "My Podcast" tab, including copying the link. Listeners can listen to it online or download to their MP3 player. See and hear a sample we made for you.. You can also create a "minicast" with a simple upload of images and audio that turns your images into a short video. Transitions are also available for your minicast. Share through a blog, twitter, a link or directly to Facebook. There are limits to the amount of file storage for free accounts. The site will tell you how much space each podcast takes and how much you have left. podOmatic does not allow memberships for those under 13. podOmatic now has a free iOS and Android apps.
tag(s): communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), digital storytelling (141), podcasts (74)
In the Classroom
podOmatic does not allow memberships for those under 13. Teachers using this tool with younger students should do so under supervision and with a teacher-controlled account. You will want to supervise or establish consequences so students do not spend time on the public areas of the site and instead proceed to creating their podcasts. This is an opportunity to teach about digital citizenship and safety, such as steering clear of interaction and avoiding sharing any identifiable information about yourself in a podcast. You may want to share the links to class podcasts only with your students and parents. If you have students record podcasts as assignments, you may need multiple accounts because the free accounts have limited file space. An elementary teacher might have enough space for 25 students to keep a limited number of products on his/her own account, depending upon length.Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Create a mini cast of images taken during a lab or a portfolio of images from a photography, art, or any other class. Add music and share as part of a digital portfolio. More ideas: record class assignments or directions, record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Have students create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events, Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News." Have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!), Have students write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings; language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Have your Shakespeare students record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person.
If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini casts without needing a video camera. They can collect images at Vecteezy and write a drama to accompany them, showing what they have learned in independent learning beyond the regular curriculum.
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)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Comments
I can see this resource being fun and interactive, while also offering a technology tool that does not rely on video for some of our students that struggle with that. The only thing that gives me pause is the age limit/appropriate level of other "public" pods on the site.Arielle, IN, Grades: 0 - 8
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Dimensions of Creativity: A Model to Analyze Student Projects - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
These pages, sparked by a presentation by TeachersFirst's own Candace Hackett Shively, provide a way to plan and conduct curriculum projects to build creativity skills along with curriculum...more
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These pages, sparked by a presentation by TeachersFirst's own Candace Hackett Shively, provide a way to plan and conduct curriculum projects to build creativity skills along with curriculum concepts. Using the lens of Guilford's model of divergent thinking: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration (FFOE for short), teachers and students have a shared vocabulary and specific creativity skills to evaluate and develop. Find specific ways to differentiate for varied student creativity skills while creating curriculum projects using free web 2.0 tools. The pages include the "Prezi" visual presentation from ISTE 2010 about this model (no audio, just the visuals). These pages provide explanations and, most importantly, practical ways to look at the projects that teachers plan and the products that students produce so they can continue to build FFOE skills as part of any grade level or curriculum. Customizable rubrics make implementation easier at any grade level.
tag(s): creativity (91)
In the Classroom
Do more than simply tell your students to "be creative." Try the ideas and practical suggestions on these pages if you ask: How do I help students who struggle with "being creative" in project-based learning? How do I differentiate tools/projects to match students' varied creativity skills? How do I know that more "creative" students are moving forward, challenging their creative thinking and not simply using past "tried and true" ideas, wrapped in a little glitz? How do my students and I talk about the creativity skills they used (or did not use) in making a project?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Imgur - Imgur
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Looking for easier ways to share images? Pronounced "Imager," this site is easy to use. Use the super-simple photo-sharing site to upload photos or insert image URL addresses. Click...more
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Looking for easier ways to share images? Pronounced "Imager," this site is easy to use. Use the super-simple photo-sharing site to upload photos or insert image URL addresses. Click the upload button or enter the URL of the image from the Internet (obtainable by right clicking the online image and selecting "properties" or "Get info"). No need to register for an account. Uploaded images are private and only the person who uploaded has the URL of the image. Use the simple editing options to be sure the image fits in the blog, wiki, or site you are using it on. File upload is limited to 2 MB. Use a direct link or embed code to share your uploaded image wherever you need. Use caution when sharing this site with students. Content is not filtered and may contain inappropriate language.
tag(s): images (262), photography (126)
In the Classroom
Use in the classroom to quickly upload and share images. Create albums where individual photos can be titled or captioned. Have students categorize photos and describe them. Use for any project, class explanation of concepts, experiments, or demonstrations. Share pictures of class happenings, speakers, field trips, and other opportunities you would want to share.Users must be able to find a suitable image for upload from their computer or the Internet. Follow the very simple directions to manipulate the image. Since no registration is necessary, Imgur is easy and safe to use. Be aware that relying on services such as these can be a problem if the site no longer exists in the future. Be sure that students understand rules for sharing appropriate and inappropriate images and copyright concerns.
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SlideShare - SlideShare, Inc.
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Have no fear, SlideShare is here! Whether you consider yourself techno phobic or ultra savvy, this site offers something for every level of user. This site hosts tons of prefabricated...more
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Have no fear, SlideShare is here! Whether you consider yourself techno phobic or ultra savvy, this site offers something for every level of user. This site hosts tons of prefabricated slide shows or Power Point presentations, and considers itself the largest presentation sharing website available. As educators, we know the value of professional borrowing and this site puts slide show resources for any content area right at your fingertips. For the more daring, upload your own slide presentation creations. Once posted, you can see how many people have viewed your show. View comments left by people who have viewed your show to gain feedback and participate in educational discussion. Shows can be embedded in blogs, social networking sites, or downloaded to your computer (Where - YES! You can edit it to suit your specific needs!) This is not a slide show creation tool, but rather a sharing resource for educators and civilians alike.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (262), photography (126), slides (45)
In the Classroom
Pull published slide shows for use in your classroom. Download a slide show as a template and modify it for your specific needs. In science class, have students record each other completing a lab activity. Then have the students put that footage into a slide show with snapshots of work and products of the lab. Have students create a voice over track and sync it using the slidecast part of the site. It would make for a powerful learning experience. Post slide shows of class notes and have students comment on what they understand or do not understand as an online discussion. If you teach online through cyberschool or virtual learning programs, use slidecast to create "teaching tracks" to go with your notes. It allows you to create a short, but helpful lecture for your distance learners. They will appreciated the verbal aspect of the learning.This website allows you to upload, so you will need a basic understanding of where your files are located on your computer to do this. However, you are not required as a member to upload anything unless you want to do so. An interesting and valuable feature of this site is that it will allow you to sync audio files or podcasts with your slide show, creating what the website has coined a slidecast. You can create groups to share slideshows privately to only your group members.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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BookRix - Gunner Siewert
Grades
6 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
BookRix is a very cool program for readers and writers! You don't even have to register to read a book. It's all free. If you or your students are ...more
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BookRix is a very cool program for readers and writers! You don't even have to register to read a book. It's all free. If you or your students are aspiring authors, you can register and publish your writing here, again for free. Check out the lists of categories before giving students this link. At the time of this review there were a two that could be inappropriate for your students (erotic and esotericism). You could create your own list with the URLs; click on "read the book" to get the URL for that book.
tag(s): creative writing (121), ebooks (39), independent reading (85), writing (315)
In the Classroom
There are several ways you can use this site. For young readers and writers: Select a story from the children's book area. Use your whiteboard or projector and select a story to read with your students. Then as a class, have the students change the ending of the story, or write a sequel. You can then publish this class book on BookRix. Older students can publish their poems, short stories, current event articles, persuasive writing for an issue they are into... for free. Some teachers have their students write novels for National Novel Writing Month, and at BookRix they will be able to publish them. Don't miss the great collection of audio books at TeachersFirst, found here.Books are tagged, so you can search by keywords. You can also go to the "Books" tab and search by "Popular Categories." Click on the "See all" to find the "Children's Books" category. If your intent is to publish yours or your student's writing, then you will need to know how to navigate the site. You have three choices for the book format: text only, illustrated book, and audio book.
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Read the Words - Educational Utilities
Grades
1 to 12
0 Favorites
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 ...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.
tag(s): listening (68), podcasts (74), text to speech (19)
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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GoodReads - Good Reads
Grades
10 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Goodreads--it's an intersection between Facebook, your local book club, and your neighborhood library. While it is a social networking site (and TF warns all teachers of the complications...more
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Goodreads--it's an intersection between Facebook, your local book club, and your neighborhood library. While it is a social networking site (and TF warns all teachers of the complications and dangers of encouraging such sites in a school setting), English and social science teachers, especially, will find benefit in the intellectual commentaries written about certain books. Perusing this site is like viewing the personal library of all your friends. You may want to create your own Goodreads page to prove to your students and colleagues that you take reading seriously. It will encourage your students to do likewise. You may even want to form a network of teachers to post valuable educational books for professional development. Of course, if monitored closely, your high school students will enjoy creating their own Goodreads page to promote their favorite 'good reads.' We definitely suggest that you watch the 'tour' at the top right to learn about the inner workings of this site. Don't miss the Quotes area, available by clicking "more quotes" after the featured one in the sidebar.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): authors (103), independent reading (85), quotations (20), social networking (66)
In the Classroom
Share this site to promote independent reading as a life habit or as a way to facilitate book discussion and book sharing among your mature students. Since the site is intended for the general public, not just for schools, it includes ALL books and open discussions. Be sure to have discussions about safety concerns in an online environment. You might also want to use a whole-class account to be able to monitor activity. Have students initial their own comments. Use the quotes available on this site as writing prompts or daily class starters or encourage students to "collect" their own favorite quotes about writing and other topics. For more visual students, suggest that they create an online multimedia response space for their independent reading using Dotstorming, reviewed here. They can include quotes, images, and responses (and accept comments) to the books they discover via Goodreads.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Alternative to... - alternativeto.net
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Use Alternative to... and find a new alternative to one of your favorite online tools. Use the social-network powered database to suggest the new application. Find featured applications...more
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Use Alternative to... and find a new alternative to one of your favorite online tools. Use the social-network powered database to suggest the new application. Find featured applications ready to view. Use the tabs below to find the applications with the "Most views," "Most likes," "Recent," or even those that do not have an alternative. Join/follow the site to vote on favorite and alternative apps as well as uploading new applications to be considered.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): social networking (66)
In the Classroom
Click on one of the applications to see a great list of alternatives that may meet your needs or those of your students. Offer this site as a means for students to differentiate and express their understanding of the content in different ways. In a technology class, provide time for groups to explore the variety of options and report on ease of use and features for each. Be sure to check whether the sites listed are blocked by any filters in your school first.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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