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November 9, 2015
Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers®
November may make you think TURKEY! But it is also Native American Heritage Month and our collection of resources for this observance spans all grades. One of the most popular resources on TeachersFirst is the Native American Crafts Unit, including directions for making cornhusk dolls and dreamcatchers. Make this a November to remember!
Research Meets Technology
Does your first “big” project land during this solid stretch of November or early in the New Year? Use this guide to help your elementary and middle school students navigate through a major research project. Highlight both organization and planning in the research process. This article features everything that you will need to make the project a success—and to assess it! We even include the tech resources to make the process go smoothly. Make this the year that your students move beyond paper posters!
OK2Ask: Free PD with PDU Credit
Registration continues for our November sessions. Read our FAQ for general information about certificates, etc. Please be sure to read the detailed descriptions and suggested technology comfort levels BEFORE you register for the best match for your learning needs. Coming up in November:
Tech Coaches: Tools to Get the Job Done
Tuesday November 10, 2015 at 7pm EasternTechnology Integration Made Easy with AudioBoom
Thursday November 12, 2015 at 4pm Eastern3 Tools for Creating Timelines
Tuesday November 17, 2015 at 7pm Eastern
Portland Bound
The geography loving teens are off to Portland this week in search of Louie, the mapmaker. This interactive unit (designed for grades 2-6) will take readers all throughout the USA. Readers get to vote on the next steps! Teachers tell us Globetracker's Mission has proven to be a more effective, engaging way for students to master standards-aligned map skills, landforms, and geography terms and concepts, making students more curious about maps, geography, and social studies.
Calendar Happenings
The TeachersFirst Classroom Planning Calendar offers resources related to events and observations on the calendar all throughout the year. Check out these resources:
The BIG One?
This week’s Teacher Poll asks: When do you assign students the biggest or most difficult project of the year? Place your vote on the teacher poll on the TeachersFirst home page.
What’s Hot?
Ever wonder what resources other teachers are excited about? Don’t miss the “What’s Hot” menu on TeachersFirst for connection into the minds of Thinking Teachers. Especially interesting is What’s Popular, a list of the TeachersFirst resources and reviews marked as “favorites” in the last 60 days.
Featured Sites
This week in our Featured Sites you'll find:
- Chalkup
- Math Interactives for Elementary
- Brain Pump
- Bolagi
- HSI: Historical Scene Investigation
- Quick Rubric
- Get Connected with Art
- Dual YouTube Resources
- And more
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are reading this November 15 or later, the link above will take you to the Featured Sites for the current week. Find the archived November 8 Features here, and don’t miss our many other recent additions from the link at the bottom of the Featured Sites page.
Let TeachersFirst help you make this a November to Remember, whether it is a new technology twist on the old research project, a new way to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, or by attending one of our fabulous OK2Ask sessions to continue the process of lifelong learning.
The TeachersFirst Team