TeachersFirst - What's Popular
This page shares the 25 resources most frequently marked as Favorites by TeachersFirst Members in the past 60 days. See what tops the list of TeachersFirst's database of well over 15,000+ educator-reviewed web resources. Find out what other teachers are excited about. Not a TeachersFirst member yet? See the time saving benefits of free TeachersFirst membership.
Paying for College - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Grades
10 to 12
8 Favorites
0 Comments
The cost of college continues to rise, and student debt has a significant impact on the US economy. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers several important resources for those...more
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The cost of college continues to rise, and student debt has a significant impact on the US economy. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers several important resources for those thinking about how to pay for college. An overview of student loans and how they work provides important consumer information. Also, some brief money management and banking can help those just starting out. The best part of Paying for College, however, is the financial aid offer comparison tool, which allows you to evaluate up to three financial aid offers from colleges using real "apples to apples" data. Finally, there is excellent advice about repaying student debt.
tag(s): banks (11), college (46), financial aid (16), financial literacy (108), money (179)
In the Classroom
The cost of college represents a real life example of the importance of financial literacy to high school students. If you teach money management, career planning, or consumer awareness, the units on student banking and student loans provide practical advice on financial management and planning for young people. Of course, this is also a resource you will want to share in the library/media center and college guidance offices.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Bean Game - Jana Darrington Utah State University Extension
Grades
6 to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn to manage money while having fun living on a 20 "bean" salary using this printable game. Use the directions and discussion questions to play two rounds of the game. ...more
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Learn to manage money while having fun living on a 20 "bean" salary using this printable game. Use the directions and discussion questions to play two rounds of the game. Although it is possible to play with individual players, the site recommends groups of between 2 and 5 players for optimal results. Even though this game is "low tech," it is a great teaching tool!
tag(s): financial literacy (108)
In the Classroom
Use the Bean Game as part of your financial literacy unit as a center activity. When finished, have students create blogs. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Tumblr, reviewed here.
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Promoting A Sense Of Self: Experiences And Activities - Virtual Lab School
Grades
K to 1
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn how to support and encourage children by understanding anti-bias teaching methods that recognize and support individual student needs with this self-paced professional development...more
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Learn how to support and encourage children by understanding anti-bias teaching methods that recognize and support individual student needs with this self-paced professional development lesson. Learning activities include embracing diversity, multiple social identities, and embracing character through understanding the six pillars of character education. This lesson also includes strategies for strengthening family relationships and ideas for developing student interests through short and long-term projects.
tag(s): bias (13), bullying (56), character education (68), diversity (38), identity (20), professional development (265)
In the Classroom
Share this lesson with your peers to use as a learning opportunity or review the included ideas to support students' identity and awareness of others' diversity. Consider sharing a link to this article with parents to help them develop skills for discussing character issues and diversity at home. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share this article with parents and curate other information from a variety of resources to support and provide education with dealing with character education issues at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Economic Games - Nicolas Gruyer and Nicolas Toublanc
Grades
8 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction...more
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Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction to the stock market. All games include complete details and an introductory demo. To create multiplayer games the instructor selects the number of players and chooses the Get Logins link. Student logins and passwords display in a popup; players use this information to access and begin play. Be sure to view the How to Play link for full information on starting and sharing games. The site was created in France, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. Currency is in Euros, not dollars.
tag(s): business (54), financial literacy (108), game based learning (161), stock market (11)
In the Classroom
Include games from this site as part of economics and financial literacy lessons. This site is perfect for use with gifted students for independent study with peers. After completing games, ask students to use a digital storytelling tool like Book Creator, reviewed here, to explain complex financial concepts in an easy to understand manner.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WeTheEconomy - 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss - Vulcan Productions/Cinelan
Grades
9 to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
Build your understanding of the U.S. economy through a creative, well-organized collection of short films (5-8 min) designed to explain 20 key concepts that any informed citizen needs...more
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Build your understanding of the U.S. economy through a creative, well-organized collection of short films (5-8 min) designed to explain 20 key concepts that any informed citizen needs to understand. Unlike many informational films, these are quite engaging. The collection is divided into five chapters on Economy, Money, The Role of Government, Globalization, and Inequality. All of us can better understand how our economy works from watching these films and exploring some of the follow-up discussion suggestions, even among adults. Teachers can obtain a link to free, downloadable lesson materials, activities, and extensions by filling out a form with their email address. (The email comes within a few minutes but watch your SPAM filter. It may be better to request the link via a home email to avoid school filtering!) The teacher materials include correlations to CCSS standards in ELA, Math, and Writing. The content of the films and lessons supports many major concepts of economics and government included in state and other standards. App versions are available for both iOS and Android.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (172), financial literacy (108), money (179), supply and demand (5)
In the Classroom
Sign up to download the support materials and plan one or several lessons to demystify the economy as part of a civics/government class or an economics course. Transform the technology use in your class by assigning students to watch films in small groups and create digital booklets explaining the key concepts to the class using a multimedia tool such as Calameo, reviewed here. As economic issues come up in current events or during an election cycle, use these films to explain the underlying issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Manipulatives - Toy Theater
Grades
K to 6
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This site shares a large variety of virtual math manipulatives that are useful for many occasions. Select from virtual dice, number lines, place value disks, and much more. It even...more
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This site shares a large variety of virtual math manipulatives that are useful for many occasions. Select from virtual dice, number lines, place value disks, and much more. It even includes play money from several locations around the world! Many of the virtual manipulatives include interactive content to adjust settings, change color, and suggestions for use. Most items also include a link to further explanation of how to teach the content along with links to printables and worksheets.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): charts and graphs (193), decimals (127), fractions (233), measurement (169), money (179), number lines (36), number sense (97), place value (55), tangrams (13)
In the Classroom
If you teach elementary math, this site is a must-have to include with your bookmarked sites. Include manipulatives from this site with online and remote teaching lessons to provide students opportunities to explore and practice math content. Include a link to manipulatives and other student sites using Symbaloo, reviewed here, and share with students as a resource for practicing math concepts. Items to include might be instructional videos, online games, and other practice activities. Add manipulatives within a learning system such as TES Teach Blendspace, reviewed here, to create a complete online lesson that has opportunities for students to share and discuss their learning. Encourage students to share their findings by creating a screen recording using Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here. Ask students to conduct a math talk as a response to a teacher prompt after having the opportunity to explore and interact with the virtual manipulatives.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Evolution - Science Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Uncover resources related to evolution. Introduce your class to Darwin. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites may ...more
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Uncover resources related to evolution. Introduce your class to Darwin. 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. Be sure to try several sources. We have included a mix of interactives, lesson ideas, content, and more.
In the Classroom
List these tools on your website for students to use for review and preparation for a test. Share the interactive sites on your projector with the class. Have students work in cooperative learning groups and investigate the sites.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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News and Media Literacy Resource Center - Common Sense Media
Grades
6 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection of vetted resources provides activities and lessons for current news and social discussion topics. In addition to materials found for specific lessons, scroll further...more
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This collection of vetted resources provides activities and lessons for current news and social discussion topics. In addition to materials found for specific lessons, scroll further down the page to find curated collections for news and literacy, media literacy, and social and cultural literacy. Each collection includes regularly updated resources specially chosen to reinforce and practice each literacy skill. Pay particular attention to activities with a green heart icon; these are the site's favorite resources.
tag(s): journalism (70), media literacy (87), news (260), social media (43)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to take advantage of the many curated resources for teaching media and news literacy. Use a curation tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to save and share favorite resources found on this site with students. Use the shelf option in Padlet to create columns and organize information by topic, type of content, or for use by different groups of students. Enhance instruction by asking students to become creators of information as they share their learning. Have students use Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to create infographics to demonstrate different forms of media bias or to share facts learned from news articles. Extend learning even further by asking students to create blogs using Edublogs, reviewed here, to demonstrate how to write and share the news using credible information and factual resources.
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People's Pie - iCivics.org
Grades
5 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to ...more
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People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to receive entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. Be careful; set taxes too high or entitlement age too high, and the citizens will be unhappy! Next, make funding decisions for services such as military, finances, and more while viewing citizen satisfaction along the way. Use available options for borrowing money, but beware of high interest rates! The goal is to make it through three budget years; however, the game ends early if citizen dissatisfaction is high. Although login and registration are available on the site, they aren't necessary to play the game. Choose "no thanks" at the prompt to begin play.
tag(s): branches of government (61), financial literacy (108), game based learning (161)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Have students create "talking pictures" to debate funding (or lack of) for a particular budget item using Blabberize, reviewed here. Use this game as a springboard for an economics or government class to debate and discuss the impact of financial decisions on different segments of the community. Have students research current candidates' financial plans and play the game using the politician's strategies. Have students compare and contrast the impact on the economy.
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Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego? The Tutankhamun's Mask Caper - Google
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Help Carmen Sandiego track villains across the globe to recover some of the world's stolen treasures. Follow the prompts to investigate the crime scene and track the criminal members...more
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Help Carmen Sandiego track villains across the globe to recover some of the world's stolen treasures. Follow the prompts to investigate the crime scene and track the criminal members of Vile. Use magnifying glasses found in each city to interview suspects and collect clues to the next location. Each city stop includes three areas for finding clues to the following site.
tag(s): game based learning (161), maps (292)
In the Classroom
Share a link to this site on your classroom computers for students to use as a geography center. Use the locations contained within the game as a starting point for student research projects. Allow students to choose from different locations for their project using a polling tool like Dotstorming, reviewed here. Dotstorming allows participants to add comments, use this option to let students sign up for their choice of location. Encourage collaboration between groups of students by using Padlet, reviewed here, to correlate a list of links and resources to use. Create a column for each country or location being studied and ask students to share resources as they find them. As students begin to gather facts and information, help organize their thinking by asking them to create infographics using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. Provide a list of topics to include such as population, main imports and exports, climate, etc. Instead of a typical written report, enhance learning by asking students to tell the story of their chosen location using Google My Maps, reviewed here. Google My Maps is more than a map-making tool; it includes features that allow you to add images, videos, and more to take viewers on a virtual trip anywhere in the world. Once students become familiar with Google My Maps, ask them to create their own geography game by providing clues to different locations found on their map.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Shop Til You Drop - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 8
15 Favorites
0 Comments
A math and consumer science lesson that lets students build a budget and and menushop to fit their allotted funds and menu. Designed for use on-line, this unit could ...more
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A math and consumer science lesson that lets students build a budget and and menushop to fit their allotted funds and menu. Designed for use on-line, this unit could also be done off-line using newspaper sale advertising. This lesson plan was one of the winners in a lesson plan contest sponsored by TeachersFirst. TeachersFirst editors have added technology options where appropriate.
tag(s): money (179)
In the Classroom
Teachers may also find this lesson useful with older special education or life skills students. Technology options include using web sources for shopping information and coupons and for creating the student projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Elections and Civics Lesson Plans - GrowingVoters. org
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Find lesson plans and activities for voting and campaigning for all grade levels at GrowingVoters.org. Begin your selection by choosing from the different grade levels bands beginning...more
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Find lesson plans and activities for voting and campaigning for all grade levels at GrowingVoters.org. Begin your selection by choosing from the different grade levels bands beginning with elementary school on up through college-level assignments and exercises. The activities include a variety of learning experiences, such as creating E-trading cards and producing candidate commercials. Click on any lesson to view the PDF file that includes the lesson objectives, procedures, and rubrics for evaluation. Many activities also include the incorporation of technology by suggesting resources.
tag(s): elections (73), electoral college (15), journalism (70), politics (106)
In the Classroom
Be sure to see the many free lessons and activities shared on this site for use as a complete civics and election unit or as a supplement to your current curriculum. For polling activities, consider the use of online polling tools such as Dotstorming, reviewed here, or Poll Everywhere, reviewed here, as quick polling options. Select activities from the site to use with other learning tools such as videos, online articles, and documents to create a blended learning activity using ActivelyLearn, reviewed here. Have students create campaign posters and flyers using PhotoCollage, reviewed here, or Canva Edu, reviewed here, using the templates provided or created from scratch. Engage students in the electoral experience by providing options for them to promote a personal platform or a fictionalized candidate using Adobe Spark in K-12, reviewed here. Adobe Spark allows inclusion of student-created videos and artwork along with student persuasive writing examples.
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The Halloween Collection - PBS Learning Media
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Explore the concept of fear through this Halloween Collection based on PBS T.V. shows. The collection includes videos and lessons for students in PreK through high school. Each item...more
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Explore the concept of fear through this Halloween Collection based on PBS T.V. shows. The collection includes videos and lessons for students in PreK through high school. Each item included on this site provides links to standards, and many include lesson support materials. Use links to share directly to Google Classroom or social media accounts.
tag(s): emotions (44), halloween (35), macbeth (10), preK (287), salem (7), shakespeare (108), sound (105), spiders (11)
In the Classroom
Instead of viewing videos on this site as a class, enhance student understanding by using EdPuzzle, reviewed here, to create a complete lesson within the video. Students could then view videos in class as partners, or at a learning center on their own. In blended learning classes, students could watch the videos on their own at home if you post them on your website. EdPuzzle offers features for inserting questions into videos and provides quick feedback on student understanding. To wrap up your unit, substitue a paper and pen project by having younger students work together to create a class book using WriteReader, reviewed here, to share different types of scary situations and suggestions on how to address them. For older students, have them redefine their learning by using a multimedia tool like Book Creator, reviewed here, to analyze supernatural or historic events like the Salem Witch Trial included in this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids - Discovery Education and Jackson Charitable Foundation
Grades
K to 6
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Cha-Ching is a financial literacy program developed for use with students in grades K-6. Animated videos provide lessons on saving and earning money, entrepreneurship, and charity....more
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Cha-Ching is a financial literacy program developed for use with students in grades K-6. Animated videos provide lessons on saving and earning money, entrepreneurship, and charity. Each lesson includes classroom activity guides and several also include family activity guides. Educator guides provide complete details for teaching with the videos and correlation to financial literacy and social studies standards.
tag(s): financial literacy (108), money (179)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free lessons and videos to teach financial literacy in your classroom. Collect student ideas on how to save and earn money onto an online bulletin board like Lino, reviewed here. Lino offers the ability to include images, videos, and comments. Have students take pictures of different ways financial situations were faced over the course of a month then create a collage for your class using an image editor like Fotor, reviewed here. Extend learning by challenging students use their imagination to create a financial adventure game using Scratch, reviewed here. Scratch is an easy to use program that brings adventures to life through interactive stories, animations, and games.
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Rich Kid, Smart Kid - The Rich Dad Company
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
These activities provide an introduction to financial concepts and tips to getting on the right financial footing for a secure future. There are four different activities. Each contains...more
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These activities provide an introduction to financial concepts and tips to getting on the right financial footing for a secure future. There are four different activities. Each contains interactives by grade level-- up through high school. Even though the cartoons appear juvenile, the concepts are adapted to be appropriate at each level. Concepts included are debt, making profit, and investing assets. In addition to the games, there is a portion of the site for adults. Here you will find lesson plans for each of the activities by grade level: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12. Lesson plans include handouts, additional activities, questions for the classroom, and learning objectives.
tag(s): financial literacy (108), money (179)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for financial literacy activities. Create a link to grade-level interactives on classroom computers or lab computers after demonstrating how to play on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Differentiate activities for students using the grade-level option. After trying the interactives and completing classroom activities, enhance classroom technology and challenge students to create a newspaper article about finances using the Newspaper Clipping Generator, reviewed here.
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Physics Girl YouTube Channel - Dianna Cowern
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
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Learn all about physics with this YouTube Channel "for every atom and eve." Topics explore physics from an everyday point of view with titles such as "How to not get ...more
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Learn all about physics with this YouTube Channel "for every atom and eve." Topics explore physics from an everyday point of view with titles such as "How to not get shocked exiting a car" and "5 weird ways to put out a candle." Be sure to check out the playlists with videos sorted into topics including Everyday Physics, Brainteasers and Paradoxes, and Space and the Universe. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cryptography (5), energy (201), gravity (51), hurricanes (33), magnetism (41), measurement (169), motion (71), space (233), waves (22), weather (200)
In the Classroom
Flip your classroom and use a video as homework. Have students take notes on the material and write down questions they still have and topics that confuse them. Or, use a tool like EdPuzzle, reviewed here, for students to pause videos and ask or answer questions right on the video. These activities can uncover misconceptions. Show the video to the class, and then discuss the concept at length. Set up a video chat time for one of the YouTube videos using a tool such as Watch Together, reviewed here. For more advanced classes, provide time for students to choose a video to view and research the underlying concept.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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60 Minute Physics: The Course - Henry Reich
Grades
10 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
60 Minute Physics is a free online course inspired by the very popular YouTube Minute Physics videos. Physics topics include light and energy, space and time, quantum physics, and more....more
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60 Minute Physics is a free online course inspired by the very popular YouTube Minute Physics videos. Physics topics include light and energy, space and time, quantum physics, and more. Enrollment in the courses opens up discussion areas, the ability to download videos for offline viewing, and online tracking of progress throughout the course. Easy registration requires your name, email, and a password to begin.
tag(s): energy (201), evolution (106), forces (47), gravity (51), light (56), magnetism (41), matter (64), solar energy (38), space (233), temperature (35), video (273)
In the Classroom
Enroll in 60 Minute Physics to access the many videos and lessons available. These videos are perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use as a short introduction to lessons or to supplement current materials. Share 60 Minute Physics with students as an excellent resource for enrichment or differentiation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Breakaway - Emergent Media Center
Grades
3 to 10
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Breakaway is an online learning game designed for students ages 8-15 to learn how to deal with real life situations (peer pressure, bullying, and negative stereotypes). Included is...more
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Breakaway is an online learning game designed for students ages 8-15 to learn how to deal with real life situations (peer pressure, bullying, and negative stereotypes). Included is a facilitator's guide in four languages) with learning goals, teaching options, and supplemental activities. Activities provide opportunities for collaboration and group decision making discussions. Learn more at the "About the Game" link. Create a username (email required) to get started with the game.
tag(s): bullying (56), school violence (14)
In the Classroom
Create a link on classroom computers and use as a classroom center. Use the facilitator's guide to choose portions of the game or lessons as applicable in your classroom situation. Choose portions relating to bullying, for example, if that is a problem in your class. Demonstrate how to use this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share this site during your weekly class meeting and with other educators in your building.
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Alison - Mike Feerick
Grades
10 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Alison is a free learning platform offering courses for education and skills training provided by the world's leading experts. Find courses using the dropdown boxes at the top of the...more
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Alison is a free learning platform offering courses for education and skills training provided by the world's leading experts. Find courses using the dropdown boxes at the top of the site sorted by Course Categories, Course Types, and Courses for Jobs. Browse the home page to find the most popular courses and most recent offerings. Complete the free registration to begin. Upon selecting a class, view information on the number of modules, topics, and approximate length. Upon completion, Alison provides a certificate or diploma, depending on the duration of the offerings.
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tag(s): careers (151), chinese (50), coding (81), engineering (129), french (85), german (60), literature (260), Online Learning (16), politics (106), psychology (66), sociology (24), spanish (111), STEM (218)
In the Classroom
Use Alison to find professional learning courses, learn the basics of a new language, or for personal development. Share Alison with students to learn skills not offered in school or share with ESL/ELL students to use when learning English. Use Alison with student cohorts interested in learning about a new topic or preparing for college-level courses.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bad News - Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab and DROG
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
How bad can you be? This game teaches you how fake news and disinformation spreads as players take on the role of the bad guy to acquire as many followers ...more
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How bad can you be? This game teaches you how fake news and disinformation spreads as players take on the role of the bad guy to acquire as many followers as possible while raising their credibility ratings. Follow the prompts and make selections on how to spread disinformation and take advantage of others' fears and emotions as you proceed through the game. As you make choices, watch how that affects the number of your followers and learn how to use celebrity and fear to influence others. Throughout the game, players earn up to six badges recognizing accomplishments such as impersonation and emotion.
tag(s): digital citizenship (78), game based learning (161), internet safety (120), media literacy (87), social media (43)
In the Classroom
This game is perfect for use as an introduction to lessons on digital citizenship, media literacy, and social media. Share the site with your students to explore on their own and encourage them to play several different times using the different options provided. Your students won't mind playing over and over; it is easy to get hooked on trying to find the best way to gain as many followers as possible! Once students become familiar with the game and the different options presented for spreading misinformation, ask them to apply their findings to online content. Have them do some online research to find sites or information using tactics such as emotion and the others featured in Bad News. As they research sites and online information, have them add links to the sites they find on a class Padlet. Padlet, reviewed here, offers an option to create columns, use this option then label a column for each badge found in the game and ask students to share a link to their sites in the appropriate column. In addition to adding a link, have students include a comment providing information on why their site belongs in the category. Instead of assessing learning with quizzes or a written report, enhance learning and transform your assessment by having students create infographics to share information learned. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, provides easy to use templates to create interesting and informative infographics. Extend leaning and ask students to become the teacher using Symbaloo Learning Paths, reviewed here, to create an online learning activity teaching others on how to recognize and avoid disinformation found online. Be sure to share your assessment rubric with students as part of your assignment. Find many ideas for implementing rubrics for assessment along with examples and online tools at TeachersFirst Rubrics to the Rescue, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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0h h1 - Martin Kool
Grades
3 to 12
9 Favorites
2 Comments
Oh h1 is an addicting and challenging interactive for problem solving and logic. Choose from four different grid sizes to play. Click on squares to make them red or blue. ...more
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Oh h1 is an addicting and challenging interactive for problem solving and logic. Choose from four different grid sizes to play. Click on squares to make them red or blue. The goal is to never have more than 2 squares of the same color in a row, and to have equal numbers of colors in all rows and columns. The rules are explained as you play. Increase difficulty by increasing the number of grids and completing in the shortest elapsed time.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (172), game based learning (161), logic (237), problem solving (284), puzzles (200)
In the Classroom
Oh h1 is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site as a computer learning center or on individual computers. Challenge students to increase difficulty levels and elapsed time. Share this engaging site with your gifted students for some mind stretching fun! Be sure to include a link on your class website or blog (parents may want to try this one too). Have students challenge their parents to see who can complete puzzles the quickest!Comments
Great for logic practice.Melissa, , Grades: 0 - 5
Fun logic game-kids won't realize they are learning.Tammy, OR, Grades: 0 - 9
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CSI: Web Adventures - Rice University
Grades
4 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Bring CSI to your classroom! Use this entertaining and interactive website to learn science concepts using forensic studies. Follow one of three adventures: Rookie Training (Beginner,)...more
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Bring CSI to your classroom! Use this entertaining and interactive website to learn science concepts using forensic studies. Follow one of three adventures: Rookie Training (Beginner,) Canine Caper (Intermediate,) or Burning Star (Advanced.) Collect evidence, ask questions, and use the evidence to act as a forensic scientist while using scientific inquiry. Create a conclusion and form theories by using evidence to solve problems. Registration is not required, but doing so allows students to save their work. Registration does NOT require an email, just a username and password. You might want to save the students usernames and passwords somewhere safe! Students not registering can enter as a guest. Teachers can view additional activities, links, and materials by clicking on "Fun Stuff." Click on "Game Features" to find information on roles of different forensics investigators, a walk through to assist in the adventures, and FAQ's. This site requires Adobe Reader. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): dna (62), forensics (25), inquiry (30), scientific method (67)
In the Classroom
Bring CSI to your classroom! Use this interactive site when discussing the scientific method, inquiry, or the tools of scientists. Students can report on uses of lab equipment and follow up work on this site with additional in class or web simulation activities such as viewing cheek cells in the lab or online DNA simulations as reviewed here. This site is engaging and also sheds light on the various science and technical careers students may be interested in pursuing. Challenge gifted students to create their own forensic science unsolved cases for others to try! Use a wiki to share the casebooks.
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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ThingLink - Thinglink.com
Grades
2 to 12
8 Favorites
0 Comments
ThingLink is an interactive image tool offering a unique way to link "things" within images. Teachers and students should register using the EDU area. Although the example on the home...more
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ThingLink is an interactive image tool offering a unique way to link "things" within images. Teachers and students should register using the EDU area. Although the example on the home page uses Facebook to share a ThingLink, you do not have to use Facebook at all. Start with an image from upload, online URL, or Flickr. Select specific items within your image (called "things") and link them to resources or other websites. By clicking an area within the image, viewers can access the "thing" (website) that you have linked. Add multiple links to separate items from areas within a single image. Choose or upload an image and click on the ThingLink icon on your image to begin editing. Click on specific spots to add information to the link. If you plan to create many ThingLinks from your own images, it may be easier to use a class or personal Flickr account to pull images from instead of using the maximum number of images to upload. Preload your images to that Flickr account before starting your ThingLinks. ThingLink presents a variety of levels for technology use depending on teacher requirements for the project, or even student ability; it allows for adding narration, videos, text and links to help explain different parts of the image. Free Android and iOS apps are available. Teacher tools include making student groups and more.
tag(s): bookmarks (54), DAT device agnostic tool (172), game based learning (161), gamification (80), images (273)
In the Classroom
Use digital images of lab experiments or class activities for sharing on a class wiki or blog with clickable enhancements offering additional information. Have students add links or even a blog reaction or explanation to their project or experiment image. Use the site for making a photography or art portfolio blog. Have students annotate images to explain their work or various techniques they used. World language or ESL/ELL teachers can enhance images with links to sound files or other explanations for better understanding. Use in world language to label items in an image with the correct words in that language. Young students could write simple sentences to practice language skills while explaining about a favorite picture or activity. Use in Science to explain the experiment or in a Consumer Science class to explain cooking or other techniques. Consider creating a class account for student groups to use together. Teachers can create a ThinglLnk of an image with questions and links that students must investigate to respond as a self-directed learning activity. An image of a tree could have questions and links about types of leaves, photosynthesis, and the seasons, for example. Gifted students could create a collection of annotated images that link to sound files to add "personalities" to science objects (think of the talking trees in the Wizard of Oz) or create an annotated image of a almost anything they research to go beyond regular curriculum they have already mastered: Annotate an image of a food product to link to information about its sources and potential harms. Annotate an image of a campaign poster and "debunk" its claims with links to video clips that show the politician in action, etc. Annotate an advertisement with links its propaganda techniques. Teens with a sophisticated sense of humor will especially enjoy linking to ironic examples that debunk or offer a satire of the original!Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Typing Trainer - Typing Master, Inc
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Typing Trainer provides a variety of games and activities using a step-by-step approach to keyboarding and typing skills. Each lesson includes skills practice, a review including targeted...more
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Typing Trainer provides a variety of games and activities using a step-by-step approach to keyboarding and typing skills. Each lesson includes skills practice, a review including targeted practice, and a final skills test.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): game based learning (161), keyboarding (38)
In the Classroom
This site includes many ads. Before having students use the tools on their own, share this site on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and demonstrate how to avoid the advertisements. Once students understand how to use the site, share a link on classroom computers and your class website for individual practice. Challenge students to increase typing speed and create a spreadsheet to record progress. Convert spreadsheets into a more visual table format using Tableizer, reviewed here. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts with a typing tip of the week to share with the class. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Be sure they type their script ahead of time!
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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Ancient History Encyclopedia - Jan van der Crabben
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
If you think ancient history is dull and boring, you haven't seen the Ancient History Encyclopedia! Discover the ancient world through engaging text, video, and interactive features....more
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If you think ancient history is dull and boring, you haven't seen the Ancient History Encyclopedia! Discover the ancient world through engaging text, video, and interactive features. Explore the site in many different ways including the index, timeline, maps, and media library. Each portion of the site includes a robust search feature including filters for narrowing down information to desired dates, media formats, and more.
tag(s): aztecs (9), cultures (116), greece (30), japan (60), maps (292), mayans (13), mesopotamia (7), myths and legends (25), religions (68), romans (37), vikings (11)
In the Classroom
Use the Ancient History Encyclopedia as an activator before teaching any unit on ancient times to share the stories of any period instead of just learning dates. Share the period in time with your students and allow them to explore the site to find items of interest to share with others. Replace paper and pen by using an online bulletin board site like Pinside, reviewed here, and have students share their findings. As you move on through your lessons, extend learning by asking students to use an animated map-making tool like History in Motion, reviewed here, to tell the story of events from their chosen topic. History in Motion offers tools for using current or historical maps to create an animated path including text and uploads of source materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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