Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The Do Now Activity Generator uses AI to create five-minute activities that engage students of any grade or content area. After selecting to start, enter the learning objective and grade level to generate activities. The Do Now generator provides students with questions based on a possible scenario. Make changes and find additional ideas by selecting the Request Change button and providing details on changes.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), assessment (147), classroom management (120), Formative Assessment (74), questioning (36), Teacher Utilities (197), teaching strategies (50), thinking skills (17)

Create charts, diagrams, flipbooks, and more with tools offered by Visual Paradigm Online Productivity Suite. Visit the pricing page for the robust list of free offerings, including 2D and 3D character animations and PDF editing tools. Get started with the Explore dropdown at the top of the page and select from available options. As you begin creating, choose from the many templates and follow the links to build and edit your design. When complete, share designs as images or PDF files, copy them to Microsoft Office as images, or download them to your device. Exports also offer the option to copy the embed code to insert the image on a website. Registration isn't required; however, creating a free account allows users to return to the site to edit and reuse their designs.

tag(s): animation (64), charts and graphs (171), data (151), ebooks (43), editing (93), presentations (23), slides (43)

You can learn more about anything by asking questions and adding files and images in Google Learn About. To begin your learning journey, explore recent topics or ask a question. Upon sharing a response, Google Learn About encourages you to dig even deeper into the subject by suggesting additional topics for exploration that relate to the original question. Continue the conversation in Google Learn About if you want to follow the curated topics and explore the many options shared.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), differentiation (84), search strategies (22)

Visme's AI Presentation Maker offers a simple platform for creating visually engaging presentations for various educational needs. Teachers can benefit from the platform's smart tools, such as customizable templates, data visualization options, and a simple design interface that streamlines the process of building presentations for the classroom. For those interested in sharpening their presentation skills, Fill in a basic information form (name and email) to sign up for "Visme 101," which can be an excellent professional development opportunity.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), presentations (23), Teacher Utilities (197)

Leonardo AI is a creative platform that uses artificial intelligence to generate images and graphics. With tools like customizable art styles and design templates, teachers can use this website to make engaging classroom visuals, project-based learning, or creative prompts. Teachers can use Leonardo AI to create custom artwork, illustrations for storytelling or presentations, and graphics for class projects. The free version offers 150 tokens a day with a limited number of image generations per day, and tools for experimenting with various styles, making it an accessible resource for classroom creativity.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), graphic design (49), Teacher Utilities (197)

Transform over a thousand classic books into choose-your-own-adventure games using Playbrary and artificial intelligence (AI). Playbrary works with the free version of ChatGPT, reviewed here to generate interactive game choices using over one thousand books. Create games in one of two ways: use the "Play With Our Prompt Generator" link to select one of the books in the dropdown list, such as Jane Eyre and The Jungle Book, and choose "Generate." Follow the prompts in ChatGPT to play the interactive game. Use the "Play Now" link to select from a more extensive library of books on Playbrary and begin the choose-your-own-adventure game. After playing the game, players can borrow a digital version of their book. Always verify the accuracy of information shared when using AI tools.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), digital storytelling (154), game based learning (205), gamification (83), literacy (121), literature (221)

Owler AI uses artificial intelligence to leave feedback and grade essays using a rubric you design or choose from available rubrics on your Owler AI account. Create an account to begin, then add an assignment that includes grade level, background information, and the essay prompt. Next, choose from available rubrics or design your own. Upload up to 40 student documents to grade. Owler AI accepts PDFs, DOCx, and text files and submits them to receive feedback. When complete, Owler AI explains the score received, suggestions for improvement, and follow-up questions that can be shared using the provided link. As always, when using AI tools, it is important to remember that they aid teachers; however, they don't replace personalized teacher feedback.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), assessment (147), feedback (12), Teacher Utilities (197), writing (324)

Staying current with the latest AI tools is time-consuming, and choosing appropriate tools becomes difficult when there are so many available options. TeacherServer is your hub for finding and using AI tools that save time and increase efficiency. Create a free account to begin using TeacherServer, then explore content by selecting from categories that include general resources, content area tools, and professional topics such as leadership and tools to use with parents. Each category contains dozens of tools, such as lesson plan generators, standards navigators, and assessment generators. After selecting a tool to describe grade level and objectives, fill in the form and add personalized instructions if desired. Copy the results, add them to a Word or Google document, or save them to your TeacherServer account. Save your favorite tools to find and access them easily from your account dashboard.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), professional development (385), Teacher Utilities (197)

Add polls, quizzes, word clouds, and more to your presentation with AhaSlides. AhaSlides works with Google Slides, PowerPoint, Teams, Zoom, and more to share and receive participant responses using premade templates or creating your own. In addition, take advantage of the AI features to instantly create quizzes from a prompt or an uploaded PowerPoint or PDF document. The education templates include commonly used teaching strategies such as random name spinners, brainstorming, and thinking strategies such as I Know, I Wonder. After selecting a template, edit the text and personalize the slides to fit your needs. Choose "present now" to begin your activity. Participants can join using the customized link or with the attached QR code. Results appear instantly within your presentation and are available in your AhaSlides dashboard. Free plans include audience sizes of up to fifty participants, five questions per quiz, three poll questions, and collaborative editing.

tag(s): data (151), Formative Assessment (74), polls and surveys (49), questioning (36), quizzes (90)

Blogger is a free blogging platform from Google that includes free templates and custom URLs. Select "Create your blog" and sign in with your Google account. Follow the prompts to add a new blog, provide a title, and then customize using features on your dashboard, including layout, theme, and settings, such as the ability to add comments and shared authors. After customizing the look and information on your blog, use the link to publish and share the content. At the bottom of the main page find the Help tag to see videos such as How to publish a blog post, How to post your blog from your mobile phone, and more.

tag(s): blogs (65), communication (129), digital storytelling (154), writing (324)

ClassQuestion is an easy-to-use tool for getting feedback. Send questions and receive instant feedback with a plot of the results. Create a free account, then use the menu to locate how to create a new class. After making a class, follow the prompts to create a question by adding the number of answers and identifying the correct answer; choose none if conducting a poll or if only recording student participation. Save your question, then share it from your classroom folders. To respond, students create an account and access questions on their own devices using your classroom code. Your results are available in the Question Data section of the account dashboard.

tag(s): assessment (147), data (151), Formative Assessment (74), polls and surveys (49), questioning (36), quizzes (90)

Blooket is a digital review game built for classroom use. Educators create game sets, and students join on their device to play a variety of game options using the provided code. Games include options for solo or group play. Build sets using your own questions or search Blooket's library to find games created by other educators. Save favorite sets to your account for later use, then duplicate sets and edit to fit your needs when ready to play. Blooket also offers the option to import quizzes directly from Quizlet, reviewed here. As students join a game, they choose a Blook, a character that serves as an avatar. When ready, choose the "host" option to begin play by selecting a game mode and following prompts. Some games offer the ability to assign homework, allowing students to complete the game within the selected time frame.

tag(s): assessment (147), Formative Assessment (74), game based learning (205), gamification (83), quizzes (90), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (93), worksheets (69)

Adobe Express for Education (was Adobe Spark for Education) offers this version of it's popular presentation tool, reviewed here, specifically for education. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education to create multimedia projects or presentations using the available templates and graphics tools. The Education version provides enhanced data privacy and the ability for students to log in with a code. This tool can be available through your school's Adobe Admin Counsel if your IT team already uses Adobe products. If not, follow directions on the site to set up and begin using this tool as an individual educator.

tag(s): communication (129), creative writing (124), multimedia (53), posters (43)

Telegra.ph is a simple to use web publishing tool for even the most novice creators. Click and type to fill in the title, your name, and add content. After starting your writing, click on Your Story to choose the camera icon to upload images from your computer or select the brackets to paste a YouTube, Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) link. When finished, click on the publish button. That's it! Your work is now online. Just copy the URL to share. Add or delete content at any time using the link to edit.

tag(s): blogs (65), communication (129), digital storytelling (154), writing (324)