TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Sep 30, 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
Twitter Chat: Using Social Media Practice Spaces in the Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): social media (41), twitterchatarchive (98)
In the Classroom
Share this chat with your colleagues looking for sites and information about using social media practice spaces in the classroom. Explore the various tools that are shared.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Free Image Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): copyright (46), creative commons (22), images (270)
In the Classroom
Use these tools to help students to understand digital citizenship, copyright, Creative Commons, and more. Find tools for students to use to locate "safe" images to use for projects and even within your own lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nimbus Screenshot Capture - Nimbus Web Inc
Grades
K to 12tag(s): drawing (73), editing (77), images (270), tutorials (46), video (259)
In the Classroom
Check with your school's tech department for the appropriate procedure for adding this tool to classroom computers. This very handy tool serves many purposes. As a substitute for handwritten notes, have students take a screenshot and add information to document research findings. If students are stuck at a specific point on a web page or when working with a web tool, ask them to take a screenshot and add their question then share it with you. Augment learning by having students take screen shots to upload into a video presentation. Use a tool similar to Rawshorts, reviewed here, that can be used to create short, animated video explanations. Take screenshots of new websites you share with students and add notes on how to use the tool or create a video recording by screen sharing how to use any site. Share your images on your class website for students to access at any time or use your images to create a simple explainer video using Biteable, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative (ESCEI) - Air Force Association
Grades
K to 12From this landing page also find the home page with all the information about CyberPatriot and check out the competitions that are for middle school, high school, and beyond. CyberPatriot brings you these real-world competitions in conjunction with the Cisco Networking Challenge. There is online training for competitors. Videos on this site reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): computers (107), cyberbullying (47), digital citizenship (74), internet safety (119), STEM (215)
In the Classroom
Include materials from this site with any lessons or units for on online safety. For basic technology integration have younger students use a video response tool like FlipGrid, reviewed here, to reflect on their learning and share tips for their peers. Older students could use Flipgrid, too, or to take technology integration to the next level have students take notes about what they are learning about cyber safety using a tool like SuperNotecard, reviewed here. Next, have small groups of students share and compare their notes. Students can then use their notes as a storyboard to organize a presentation for their peers sharing safety tips. With their storyboards students or student groups can create online books sharing cybersafety tips using Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator includes tools for making digital books that include images, text, and audio recordings. As a modification to the above, instead of using Book Creator, challenge students to create a multimedia presentation with a tool like Genial.ly, reviewed here, or Powtoon, reviewed here. Include links to learning modules on a bookmarking tool like Symbaloo, reviewed here, on classroom computers for students to easily access materials.High school students and your tech-savvy middle school students may be interested in the competitions where they will focus on network security. The competition would be very good for the student who thinks they would like a career in IT or computer science.
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Google Help - Google Support
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark this site on classroom computers for easy reference when working with Google products. Have students create their own support videos using a tool like Powtoon, reviewed here, or My Simpleshow, reviewed here, for any technology issues that arise in your classroom. Remember, you can take screenshots (Printscrn button on Windows or Command+Shift+4 on Mac), and include those in a video. You will need to convert the screenshot to a JPG. This can be done easily and quickly using CloudConvert, reviewed here. Share the students created videos using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Computational Thinking - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): computational thinking (33), engineering (128), logic (229), problem solving (277), STEM (215)
In the Classroom
Bring problem-solving and computational thinking into your classroom with these tools. Share on your class website, projector, whiteboard, or on individual devices. Topics range from coding to charts to logic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TechTerms Computer Dictionary - Sharpened Productions
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): computers (107), dictionaries (51), quizzes (81), STEM (215)
In the Classroom
Save this site on your computer and student computers to quickly look up any technology terms. Have students create online posters individually or together as a class sharing technology terms using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Consolidate information learned from the site to create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Take your student's learning to a higher level and ask them to create commercials or short video discussions of technology using a tool such as Powtoon, reviewed here, then share them using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Class123 - Choong Hee Lee
Grades
K to 6tag(s): behavior (45), classroom management (143), communication (27), DAT device agnostic tool (169), parents (60), Teacher Utilities (100)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to communicate specific behaviors with parents - both positive and negative feedback. Share this site with students on the first day of school as you go over class expectations and your behavior plan for your classroom. Take advantage of the other tools to take attendance or rearrange your seating chart quickly and easily.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Citizenship Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (74), internet safety (119)
In the Classroom
Use this entire collection or simply select the best ones for YOUR students to continually model good digital citizenship. Share the links with parents and among your colleagues so you can promote positive action instead of fear about the Internet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Baamboozle - baamboozle.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (169), flash cards (37), game based learning (160), preK (277)
In the Classroom
Save Baamboozle in your bag of tricks for a quick review of any content. Engage students by having them create games to share with the class when reviewing for quizzes and tests. Bring excitement to professional development by creating a Baamboozle with materials you are sharing. Be sure to provide a link to Baamboozle games on your class website for students to play at home. Use Baamboozle if your class is remote learningAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Compass - Common Sense Media
Grades
5 to 9tag(s): digital citizenship (74), internet safety (119)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect to incorporate into any digital citizenship lessons. Complete activities together on your interactive whiteboard while making appropriate and inappropriate choices along the way. Create a link on your class website or blog for use at home. Be sure to share Digital Compass with parents to use as part of their online safety discussions at home. Enhance students' learning and create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BrainPOP Digital Etiquette - BrainPOP
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cyberbullying (47), digital citizenship (74), internet safety (119)
In the Classroom
Use resources on this site as part of any digital etiquette and online safety lesson. Create a link to the site on classroom computers for students to explore on their own. Replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. You could modify learning and challenge older students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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USPTO - United States Patent and Trademark Office - United States Patent and Trademark Office
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): crafts (40), digital citizenship (74), inventors and inventions (82), sound (96), sports (92), STEM (215), video (259)
In the Classroom
Whether an elementary, middle, or high school teacher you'll find ideas for building model rockets, a mechanical grasper, and more. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector and start by viewing the video on the home page titled Extraordinary Innovations. Or, in your blended or flipped class have students watch the video at home and enhance their learning by using playposit, reviewed here, to take notes, make comments, or ask questions to document what they learned from the video. Be sure to have a small or whole group discussion about what they learned from the video using their notes & comments the next day! At the end of your lesson or unit on patents and trademarks, transform learning by challenging students to create a timeline for the invention of the snowboard, or motorcycles, or another topic of interest. Why not modify classroom technology and make this an interactive timeline with music, photos, videos, and more using Timeline JS, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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