TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jun 24, 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
Design Wizard - Design Wizard
Grades
K to 12
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Design Wizard is an online photo editor app. Create an account using email or login with a Facebook or Google account and verify with a link sent to your email. ...more
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Design Wizard is an online photo editor app. Create an account using email or login with a Facebook or Google account and verify with a link sent to your email. Choose the link to create a new design to access tools on the dashboard. Choose from thousands of templates and images to create designs for social media, cards, posters, book covers, and much more. When finished, use links to download or share. Note: a great deal of the preloaded content is not free; however, Design Wizard allows users to upload their own images to edit and share.
tag(s): design (83), graphic design (50), images (271), social media (53)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many features included with Design Wizard to upload and edit images. Have students use their images to create book covers instead of assigning a traditional book report. As students learn about advertiser tactics, use the ad template and have students create truthful advertisements for products. Create flyers to invite parents to school programs. Ask students to create a flyer that might have been used to invite others to a historical event. The possibilities are as endless as you and your students' imaginations.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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ABCYA Paint - ABCya!
Grades
K to 4
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Engage in digital storytelling using the many features included at ABCYA Paint. Choose from the included tools to spray paint, draw, add stickers, and more. When finished, save as a...more
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Engage in digital storytelling using the many features included at ABCYA Paint. Choose from the included tools to spray paint, draw, add stickers, and more. When finished, save as a PNG file to your computer or print.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), drawing (60), painting (56), preK (254)
In the Classroom
Share how to use this site on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector then allow students to explore on their own. Have students create drawings to demonstrate math problems, share science experiments, or draw scenes from a story. Include students' drawings in a digital portfolio like Seesaw, reviewed here. Seesaw offers tools for uploading images and creating an audio recording to share their reflections on their work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Weather - Science Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
Explore this editor's choice list of resources related to the weather. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites ...more
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Explore this editor's choice list of resources related to the weather. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites may be more challenging reading, while others may offer solid basic information. There is also an additional link to all of TeachersFirst's resources tagged weather (over 200 additional resources to explore)!
tag(s): weather (163)
In the Classroom
If you can't find your ideal resource on the editor's choice page, check out the tagged resources list. Share the interactives on your projector. Use the content sites for deepening understanding prior to a test. Share this link on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Get Your Hands Dirty Guide - Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens
Grades
K to 12
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Get Your Hands Dirty is a guide to growing plants and keeping animals at school. Download this packet for specific information on enhancing learning opportunities through the nurturing...more
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Get Your Hands Dirty is a guide to growing plants and keeping animals at school. Download this packet for specific information on enhancing learning opportunities through the nurturing of growing things. Also, this guide provides tips and directions for getting started in many different situations including those with little or no land. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English.
In the Classroom
Download this guide as a resource for starting "growing" opportunities at school, or for suggestions on keeping animals in the classroom. If your school has a gardening club, this guide is perfect as a resource for new ideas. If you don't have a gardening club, use the guide as a starting point. Perhaps find a parent volunteer to get your club going!
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Educators Guides to Lyme Disease - Bay Area Lyme Foundation
Grades
3 to 8
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This site offers a free mini-unit on tick bite prevention and Lyme disease. Download the teacher overview (correlated to Next Generation Science Standards), PowerPoint, and student...more
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This site offers a free mini-unit on tick bite prevention and Lyme disease. Download the teacher overview (correlated to Next Generation Science Standards), PowerPoint, and student packet for use in any classroom. The full-color presentations include easy to understand information and activities including a graph, crossword puzzle, wordsearch, fill-in-the-blank worksheet, and a design your own brochure assignment.
In the Classroom
Explore these free materials when teaching about insects or disease. Are you integrating technology in your class? Instead of the traditional brochure suggested, enhance classroom technology use by having students use Lucidpress, reviewed here. As a follow-up, you could assign students to investigate and create reports on other insect-born diseases, then use PDF to Flipbook Converter, reviewed here to turn their Word documents, PDFs, and images into an online book. Have students create an interactive image describing ticks and Lyme disease including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Genially, reviewed here. Genially can be used for a variety of assignments in any classroom that is integrating technology as an enhancement, modification, or transformation.
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Tread Lightly! - Tread Lightly! Inc
Grades
5 to 12
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Tread Lightly! is an organization devoted to balancing the needs of outdoor recreation with environmental stewardship. Learn about conservation methods and ideas through Tread Lightly!'s...more
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Tread Lightly! is an organization devoted to balancing the needs of outdoor recreation with environmental stewardship. Learn about conservation methods and ideas through Tread Lightly!'s blog and education resources. Be sure to follow links to teaching resources including many files available for free download. There are also videos to watch under the Education tab. 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): conservation (83), environment (240)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free materials for use in classroom lessons about the environment. Use the magnifying glass and search bar to find the Quick Tips Home Page. Then, have students explore the Quick Tips portion of the site and create their own environmental Quick Tips online posters individually or together as a class. For the novice technology user try these two tools to enhance technology use in your classroom: PicLits, reviewed here, or Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here. For the more experienced transform the use of technology in your class with Sway, reviewed here, or give students a choice of projects to complete with Genial.ly, reviewed here. Both Sway and Genial.ly will allow your students to create multimedia projects. Consider becoming a Tread Lightly! member as a class or school and apply for a recreation stewardship grant to organize a clean-up day in your community.
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Ultimate Camp Resource - Ultimate Camp Resources
Grades
K to 12
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Enter the world of Ultimate Camp Resources and find a myriad of songs, games, and more to use at home, at camp, or in a classroom. Download and print all ...more
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Enter the world of Ultimate Camp Resources and find a myriad of songs, games, and more to use at home, at camp, or in a classroom. Download and print all skits, songs, games or just the one you're interested in. Some of the songs even have videos!
tag(s): back to school (63), crafts (53), family (53), makerspace (41), seasonal (17), songs (44), sports (77), summer (28)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this tool for the first week of school or any time that you want to experience some "team-building" in your class. Use this site to find games and activities for classroom icebreakers. Find ideas on this site to build relationships among students. There is even an Art Project section (scroll to the bottom menu to find it) that has lots of crafts for your makerspace! Share this site with parent helpers to find ideas for classroom parties.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ranger Rick - National Wildlife Federation
Grades
K to 7
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Access trivia, jokes, interactives, and information about animals and people that are helping wildlife and the environment. Ranger Rick includes information geared more toward the primary...more
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Access trivia, jokes, interactives, and information about animals and people that are helping wildlife and the environment. Ranger Rick includes information geared more toward the primary grades and the Ranger Rick Magazine is geared toward grades 4-7. Find videos, projects, crafts, songs, printables, recipes, and outdoor activities to use with individuals or a class. It is full of bright colors, kid-friendly graphics and real life pictures that go along with the information. There is no login required for this site; you can hop on and dive right in. Be sure to see the Parents and Educators sections. Ranger Rick will work on any device with a browser and Internet connection.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animal homes (56), animals (280), game based learning (171), guided reading (32), independent reading (85), scientists (62)
In the Classroom
In the Animals sections, elementary students can conduct research on different kinds of animals including their place in the animal kingdom. At computer stations/centers have students look at the sets of animal pictures and identify common characteristics that are found for each set of animals to determine why they are categorized into each part of the animal kingdom. Use the interactive games as a center at an interactive whiteboard/projector. The games are fast and simple and can be used as a lesson opener to engage and capture the students attention.As a culminating activitiy, challenge students to write an adventure story where Ranger Rick and his animal friends have to get our of a sticky situation. Use a tool such as Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, for a nontech rough and final draft. If you're new to using technology with your students, or teach younger students augment techology use with ToonyTool, reviewed here, for their final drafts. To modify tech use in your class and for more experienced, older students try Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here.
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Roadtrippers - Roadtrippers
Grades
1 to 12
11 Favorites
3 Comments
Jump onto your computer and start your road trip! Choose a destination, and start planning the Hotels, Attractions, Natural Wonders, and Weird Stuff for your trip. Plan your trip by...more
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Jump onto your computer and start your road trip! Choose a destination, and start planning the Hotels, Attractions, Natural Wonders, and Weird Stuff for your trip. Plan your trip by entering the starting address and the final destination. Instantly discover the journey's duration, the amount of money needed for gas, and the mileage. Choose the dates you will travel and save your trip. Print your plans, email them to yourself or others, or access your trip plans on the app. Plan several trips and save them in your account. Not sure where you want to go? Discover interesting areas by viewing the stories posted on Roadtrippers. Be sure to preview what you will show students as not all journals are kid friendly.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (143), field trips (8), virtual field trips (80)
In the Classroom
Bring the world of road tripping to your class! Plan journeys as math challenges to determine the amount of money required. Give students a budget and see what happens. Challenge students to create a dream trip and a budget trip. Find the difference between the two. You could use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to replace a paper and pencil Venn Diagram. Bring the settings of your favorite stories to life! Introduce a travel blog by pursuing the saved trip journals. Again, preview what you will show students as not all journals are kid friendly. Post the trips with pictures and a travel diary on your class blog or learning management system (LMS) class group.
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Comments
This is a great tool to explore the world.Melissa, , Grades: 0 - 5
Tammy, OR, Grades: 0 - 9
Great resource!Lacey, , Grades: 0 - 5
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How Does Your Garden Grow? A Project-Based Approach to Learning - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6
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Implement every aspect of the curriculum through gardening using this TeachersFirst special Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist article. Find suggested books (many with links for...more
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Implement every aspect of the curriculum through gardening using this TeachersFirst special Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist article. Find suggested books (many with links for activities for the book), background knowledge, a section on gathering information (with suggested activities), suggested activities for growing your garden, ISTE Standards for Students and AASL National School Library Standards, extension activities and more. The ideas and activties can range in grade levels from kindergarten to seventh grade. This is only one of many classroom-ready articles in our Help! I lost my library/media specialist!. If food and nutrition are more of a focus, you will want to check out this article from the Help! I lost my library/media specialist! series.
tag(s): book lists (161), life cycles (21), plants (144), soil (16)
In the Classroom
After reading one or two of the suggested books as a class, brainstorm what students know about gardens using your interactive whiteboard or projector. Consider setting up stations around the room with the other recommended books and their activities; be sure to request some of the books on inter-library loan if you do not have them in your school. After completing the stations, return to the brainstorm and revise what students know about gardens and planting. Use some of the ideas from Gather Information to implement spring garden planting, literacy, and a growing understanding of science. Next step, planting! Use one or more of the ideas in this article for planting your garden. You might even consider working across grade levels and subjects and planning a school garden together. Your health/PE teacher will probably join in the effort! Follow through with one or more of the Show What You Know suggestions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Weather, Climate, and Earth's Atmosphere - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 9
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Brace yourself for the weather in these books about storm phenomena, weather disasters, climate change, and weather's causes and effects. These non-fiction selections offer possible...more
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Brace yourself for the weather in these books about storm phenomena, weather disasters, climate change, and weather's causes and effects. These non-fiction selections offer possible informational texts to practice Common Core science literacy skills and experience with "close reading." The interest levels for this list are predominantly elementary and middle school but include selections for more able readers. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles''''''''''''''® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. For more on text complexity and Lexiles''''''''''''®, see this information from the Lexile Framework. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!
tag(s): atmosphere (23), book lists (161), climate (80), earth (185), independent reading (85), weather (163)
In the Classroom
Encourage students to select from this list for independent reading to support your unit on disasters, weather, or the Earth's atmosphere. Share it with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your science units. Extend the experience by having students create visual presentations of the concepts they learn. If you're a novice to using technology in your classroom, or you have young students, you may want to use a tool such as Fotor, reviewed here. For more experienced technology users try an online simple web page using WebNode, reviewed here, or a brochure, newsletter or poster using Sway, reviewed here. You could also look for a different tool for creation and sharing from this TeachersFirst Edge list of reviewed presentation tools .Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kids Gardening - National Gardening Association
Grades
3 to 8
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Get involved with gardening throughout the community using ideas from Kids Gardening! Scroll down the home page to see an overview of what is offered for educators and caregivers (at-home...more
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Get involved with gardening throughout the community using ideas from Kids Gardening! Scroll down the home page to see an overview of what is offered for educators and caregivers (at-home activities and more). Then, explore the menu at the top to see all topics available. For instance, under the What's New tab, you will find The Latest, Garden Stories, and Recent Posts. Next, click Learning Tools to see specifics for Getting Started for Educators and Caregivers. The Learning Tools tab also offers Resources and Activities for Play and Learning, and Growing a Garden. Choose from these categories to find how-to guides, lessons, and projects. Learn how to make the most of "gardening moments." Be sure to take some time to explore this site for many valuable ideas for indoor and outdoor gardening projects.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
If you aren't lucky enough to have outdoor gardening space, take advantage of ideas offered for indoor gardens, such as terrariums and container gardening. Check out the extensive lesson library to search by theme, standards, season, and more. You will also find lessons and activities appropriate for science and math. Use the Growing Poems, found here, to enhance your classroom poetry unit. Whatever activities you choose, have students record the growth in their garden or container by taking photos. As a summation for your gardening project use Photo Joiner Collage Maker, reviewed here, to create a collage of your garden photos with special effects, text, frames, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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