TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jan 14, 2018
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
ProProfs Brain Games - ProProfs Brain Games
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
1 Comments
ProProfs Brain Games allows you to play or create puzzles and games. Choose from created games in formats including hangman, crosswords, word scrambles, tic tac toe, and more. Create...more
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ProProfs Brain Games allows you to play or create puzzles and games. Choose from created games in formats including hangman, crosswords, word scrambles, tic tac toe, and more. Create a free account to make your own puzzles using the game choices provided. Creating puzzle options includes options for levels of difficulty and personalization of images and vocabulary.
tag(s): game based learning (171), gamification (74), logic (164), problem solving (226), puzzles (143)
In the Classroom
Share puzzles and brain teasers with students on your class website or classroom computers. Brainstorm with students on problem-solving methods and tips. Use a tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to share your list of ideas. Have students use Brain Games to create their own games to review classroom material before tests and quizzes. Take student learning a step further and include their game in a Symbaloo Learning Path, reviewed here. This site allows users to add tiles including quizzes, websites, videos, and more to follow as a learning path for any subject.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Puzzle Prime - Puzzle Prime
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to ...more
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Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to meet their high standards. Select a puzzle by type, skill level, or topic. When ready, click the solution to find puzzle answers.
tag(s): logic (164), problem solving (226), puzzles (143)
In the Classroom
Share a link to Puzzle Prime on classroom computers and your class website for students to access on any device. Consider having a "puzzle of the week" activity for students to complete on their own or in groups using activities on this site. Ask students to demonstrate their thinking process in completing puzzles by demonstrating on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Take this a step further and ask student to create a video explanation using a tool like Screencastify, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Use these puzzles as examples and encourage students to create their puzzles for others to solve. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing problem and puzzle solving tips; for this, use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Data Games - Scientific Research Reasoning Institute (SRRI)
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Data Games is an online game with a unique twist. Throughout each game, data is stored allowing players to analyze data following play. Videos offer explanations on how to play ...more
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Data Games is an online game with a unique twist. Throughout each game, data is stored allowing players to analyze data following play. Videos offer explanations on how to play and use the data to increase the odds of winning. Some games feature popular strategy games like Rock, Paper, Scissors, and shuffleboard.
tag(s): charts and graphs (169), data (147), logic (164), probability (96), problem solving (226), puzzles (143)
In the Classroom
Share games on classroom computers for students to play as a math center on probability. Have students locate and share other online probability games using a bookmarking tool like Raindrop.io, reviewed here. Ask students to share their data and analysis using an online video tool like Flip, reviewed here. On Flip, have them respond to their peers and discuss similarities and differences in their data collection. Create an interactive class book using Book Creator, reviewed here, to share findings from each of the games, including video of gameplay, pictures of data results, and charts to share student findings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Games for Thinkers - Accelerated Learning Foundation
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Use reasoning skills to solve problems through science and math game play activities at Games for Thinkers. Register with your email to play Math Science Quest or Online Equations....more
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Use reasoning skills to solve problems through science and math game play activities at Games for Thinkers. Register with your email to play Math Science Quest or Online Equations. Math Science Quest is also available for download. Learn how to play through video instructions available on the site.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): equations (119), game based learning (171), gamification (74), logic (164), problem solving (226), puzzles (143), scientific method (47)
In the Classroom
Share this site with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard to demonstrate how to play then allow students to play individually or with a partner on classroom computers. Share ideas for problem solving using an online bulletin board like Padlet, reviewed here. After students become comfortable with playing these games, ask groups to use a tool like Clipchamp, reviewed here, to create their own video explanation. Have students create their own online games using GameMaker Studio, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Microsoft Visual Studio - Microsoft
Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Microsoft Visual Studio offers a variety of free tools and services to create and develop apps on any platform. Transform your classroom technology use by downloading Visual Studio...more
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Microsoft Visual Studio offers a variety of free tools and services to create and develop apps on any platform. Transform your classroom technology use by downloading Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio Community, and sign up for a free account on Visual Studio Team Services providing tools and information for integration across platforms. Sign up also for training sessions and additional downloads.
tag(s): coding (88), computers (106), design (82), logic (164), Microsoft (84), problem solving (226)
In the Classroom
Share Microsoft Visual with students interested in computer coding. Have students sign up for training that meets their interests. Transform classroom technology use by encouraging students to design apps that help fellow students and others in your school. For example, design an app for tracking assignments or an app for collaborating on school projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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International Dot Day - Reynolds Center for Teaching Learning & Creativity
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Become part of a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration on International Dot Day. Formed in response to The Dot written by Peter H. Reynolds, this day is...more
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Become part of a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration on International Dot Day. Formed in response to The Dot written by Peter H. Reynolds, this day is set aside to rekindle and inspire the power of creativity in all of us. Register (sign up) for a free to download Educators Handbook. Explore the site to find many posters, badges, pictures of Dot Day in action, and more. Don't forget to follow International Dot Day on Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch with all of the latest updates from around the world. Sign up to become a member of the Dot Day Community and celebrate with others around the world each September! Some of the videos are on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): creativity (91), cross cultural understanding (157), literature (217)
In the Classroom
Although the official International Dot Day is in September, use ideas from the site to inspire creativity and collaboration throughout the year. Read The Dot to students and encourage them to collaborate ways they can make their mark in the world. Celebrate by joining the Fllip, reviewed here community with a live stream featuring the author and his twin brother. Challenge older students to explore their place in the world through the use of a blog. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Penzu, reviewed here, with Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. Or, use Webnode, reviewed here. Take this a step further by joining ePals, reviewed here, and sharing your Dot Day activities with your global friends. Consider following International Dot Day on Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch with all of the latest updates from around the world.
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The Wonderment - Kidnected World
Grades
3 to 9
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Enjoy and challenge creativity and problem-solving skills in a world of wonder. Once you sign up for The Wonderment, a social platform for kids, choose a bot or secret identity. ...more
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Enjoy and challenge creativity and problem-solving skills in a world of wonder. Once you sign up for The Wonderment, a social platform for kids, choose a bot or secret identity. Given a choice to follow many different paths, kids determine the subject of interest. The paths are real-world problems from around the globe. View a video, story, or idea. Design a response using text, photos, or a video. Join a chat to allow comments or ask questions to make global connections. After each posting, special points are added to make the bot design more elaborate. A personal Wondermeter rises with each response. Through donations, this non-profit brings technology to children around the world. A call for adults to serve as mentors to respond to each child challenges adults to join in the fun and make the world a better place. Register with email. Children under 13 need parent or teacher approval to participate. Click How it Works from the upper right menu to watch the short videos to explaining paths, projects, communities, and generally how The Wonderment works.
tag(s): communication (136), cross cultural understanding (157), enrichment (9), gifted (65), listening (68), Problem Based Learning (13), problem solving (226), social media (53), social networking (67), social skills (22), speaking (22), sustainability (44)
In the Classroom
The Wonderment is a problem based learning adventure for each student around the world to communicate and collaborate with other students. This venue allows great lesson ideas for digital citizenship and digital footprints. Begin by choosing a path for the entire class and feature on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Have students work in small groups to choose their best response. Discussions can focus on creativity, problem solving, and collaboration between the group and others from around the world. In a gifted class, use as a way to challenge kids to break through the "right answer" and find the "best answer." Use this as a model for finding authentic needs in your community. Be sure to share a link to this tool on your class blog, website, or learning management system (LMS). Use this tool as the answer for the parents who always want more challenge and enrichment for their students at home. Be sure to share at a staff meeting to spread the wonder for other students and adults.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)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Educator Innovator - MacArthur Foundation
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Constantly challenging your students to the highest level of Bloom's taxonomy, creating? The time has come for you as a teacher to jump into creativity in teaching. Join the blog ...more
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Constantly challenging your students to the highest level of Bloom's taxonomy, creating? The time has come for you as a teacher to jump into creativity in teaching. Join the blog and growing community of educators and organizations that support you to change education. Get inspired with webinars, podcasts, and videos by educators who have found new ways of meeting and challenging students. Grant opportunities and webinars of successful, innovative teachers challenge you to look for more. Some of the videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): grants (16), professional development (394)
In the Classroom
Dare to be different and engage your students in learning that is unique and meets their needs, designed by you! Share this site with a colleague and let your imaginations run wild. Do what teachers do best: engage, motivate, and inspire students to love learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sway - Microsoft
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Use Sway to create interactive presentations across all devices. Drag and drop content from your device, social networks, and the web directly onto your Sway canvas. Log in using your...more
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Use Sway to create interactive presentations across all devices. Drag and drop content from your device, social networks, and the web directly onto your Sway canvas. Log in using your Microsoft account to begin or create a new account using your email and a password. Add content to your storyline using links to add text, images, and media. Change the look of your Sway using the Design tool to change the color palette, layout, and fonts. When finished, click the Share button for options to share to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, URL, or copy the embed code. Sway will work on any device with a modern Internet browser and an Internet connection. They also have an iOS app. The introduction video and tutorials are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
tag(s): communication (136), digital storytelling (141), Microsoft (84), multimedia (43), slides (45), visualizations (11)
In the Classroom
Use Sway as an alternative to Prezi or PowerPoint presentations. Sway is perfect for use in your BYOD or 1:1 classroom. Use during your presentations to increase student engagement and interaction. Check understanding of your ENL/ESL students by having them respond or pose questions throughout the presentation. Enhance student learning and understanding by sharing with students for them to use during their own presentations, inviting other students to comment and answer questions. During Open House night with parents, demonstrate how Sway provides interaction. Use Sway during professional development presentations to invite discussions from colleagues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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moovly - Brendon Grunewald
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
moovly is a wonderful animation tool for creating videos and presentations. Create an account with your email and watch the two-minute video about how to use this tool. Click on ...more
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moovly is a wonderful animation tool for creating videos and presentations. Create an account with your email and watch the two-minute video about how to use this tool. Click on "New Moov" to begin. Give your Moov a title and description then choose from templates offered or create your own Moov from scratch. Modify slides, text, font, image holders, and props. Preview your creation at any time with the play button. Stop and make changes as needed. Upload sounds from your computer in MP3 format: voice, music, or noises. These can be used in parallel, or click the microphone to record your voice. You can also make your moovly interactive by using Flash. Save and share via YouTube, Facebook, or email. You can also download to your computer using MP4 (video) or SWF format. Download the 28-page PDF guide for step-by-step directions and answers to specific questions. Emailing customer support will get you answers within 24 hours.
Click Solutions from the top menu bar, and choose For Educatin and then Teachers. This is the version of moovly that offers special FREE plans to teachers, students and employees with email addresses from educational email domains. Members from educational email domains known by moovly automatically get a free Education license. If your educational email address is not recognized on sign-up, you can request access. You can now search the VideoBlocks catalog of stock video, sound and graphics via the extended library search. And upload it into your story in just one click! Free accounts can create unlimited videos that are each ten minutes long. The intro videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
Click Solutions from the top menu bar, and choose For Educatin and then Teachers. This is the version of moovly that offers special FREE plans to teachers, students and employees with email addresses from educational email domains. Members from educational email domains known by moovly automatically get a free Education license. If your educational email address is not recognized on sign-up, you can request access. You can now search the VideoBlocks catalog of stock video, sound and graphics via the extended library search. And upload it into your story in just one click! Free accounts can create unlimited videos that are each ten minutes long. The intro videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): animation (62), communication (136), movies (51), multimedia (43), slides (45), video (257)
In the Classroom
Enhance learning and technology use by challenging older students to create their own moovs. Students can use moovly to share their ideas or to "prototype" an idea. Students can create videos to show math processes, explanations of complex concepts, review new learning, teach others, explain scientific processes, tell stories, or present research. Flip your classroom using moovly presentations. Use moovly to create teacher-authored animations for students in ANY grade. This is a great way to present new information or ideas for discussion. It is an easy way to prepare information for the class when a substitute is coming. Embed moovly creations on your website or blog for students to review at home. Use a moovly video on the first day of school to explain class rules or give an exciting introduction to the year ahead. Use moovly to create movies or presentations for back to school night or conference nights to display on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Teacher-librarians can ask students to create moovly book reviews to share kiosk style in the library/media center.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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I Am an Artist - RTE and the National Centre for Technology in Education
Grades
K to 5
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Bring art alive for young students. Paint and color, clay, fabric and fiber, drawing, construction, and print are the six strands of visual art covered by I Am An Artist. ...more
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Bring art alive for young students. Paint and color, clay, fabric and fiber, drawing, construction, and print are the six strands of visual art covered by I Am An Artist. Click on a strand to view short videos, about six minutes in length, designed to keep your attention. Each strand also has a "Look and Respond" stimulating slide show with discussion questions. The "Can You?" section under each visual strand provides steps for a hands-on explanation. I Am an Artist allows you to explore the visual arts with various materials and tools, allowing students to express their world in a visual, tangible form. The "For Teachers" section on each strand page provides child-centered lessons developed to foster creativity and design with printable activity sheets. The site also provides weblinks and interactive games on a wide range of visual arts topics. Explore the I Am an Artist Gallery for examples. Find information about how to submit your own work to the gallery. The content for I Am an Artist has been created in consultation with Irish teachers.
tag(s): colors (64), crafts (54), creativity (91), design (82), drawing (59), makerspace (41), painting (56), sculpture (21)
In the Classroom
Become art smart with resources from the I Am an Artist site. Use the collection of videos to flip your art instruction. Search through the lesson plans and activity sheets to provide hands-on, minds-on activities for your students. Use the videos or the slide shows as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students or groups collect ideas and thoughts from the slides using Padlet, reviewed here. Use a visual blogging tool such as Telegra.ph, reviewed here, to upload the students art work - no registration required! If you are teaching younger students try using Seesaw, reviewed here. The students can blog about their work, upload their artwork, and even create an online portfolio. Browse through the resources to see what can be used in your makerspace. Host an art show at your school for families and the communities to showcase the students' creativity. Your students can describe their work as visitors explore the gallery. Use the activities as stations during your art show for participants to create their own art. Many of the lessons on the site are cross-curricular.
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