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.
Sketchboard - sketchboard.io
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Sketchboard is an online collaborative whiteboard tool that contains unlimited drawing space. The free plan allows up to 5 users, three private boards, and unlimited public boards....more
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Sketchboard is an online collaborative whiteboard tool that contains unlimited drawing space. The free plan allows up to 5 users, three private boards, and unlimited public boards. View the 3 step tutorial to learn how to add features and use the included features. Easily share your board with other participants using the provided link.
In the Classroom
Allow students to create collaborative drawings as responses to literature. They can map out the plot or themes, add labels, create character studies, and more. Share the finished products on an interactive whiteboard, projector, or your class website. Have a group of students create a drawing so that another group can use it as a writing prompt. Use a board as a brainstorming or sketching space as groups (or the class) share ideas for a major project or for solving a real-world problem. Use this site with students in a computer lab (or on laptops) to create a drawing of the setting in a story as it is read aloud. As an assessment idea, have students draw out a simple cartoon with stick figures to explain a more complex process such as how democracy works. If you are lucky enough to teach in a BYOD setting, use Sketchboard to demonstrate and illustrate any concept while students use the chat and drawing tools to interact in real time. If you are studying weather, have students diagram the layers of the atmosphere and what happens during a thunderstorm, for example. Introduce this tool to students who are working on group projects. Alternatively, have students use this to work as partners or as a small team to complete complex math problems or equations. Give students a problem by typing it on their board.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Discover the Forest - Discover the Forest
Grades
K to 8
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Bring the forest into your classroom with these educational interactives. Match animal tracks, learn how to use a compass, and create leaf rubbings. Download and print the "Book of...more
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Bring the forest into your classroom with these educational interactives. Match animal tracks, learn how to use a compass, and create leaf rubbings. Download and print the "Book of Stuff To Do" outside. Find Educator Resources (including lesson plans) under Get Involved on the top menu. Sound can be turned on or off along the bottom of the site.
tag(s): animals (319), climate change (73), environment (322), forests (33), natural resources (57), wetlands (11)
In the Classroom
Discover the forest from the classroom. Find nature sounds and create your own nature podcast or audio recording. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Collect leaves from around the area to create your own leaf rubbings and posters. Create animal tracks of domestic animals to view the difference in tracks. Take advantage of the Educator Resources and free lesson plans!
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Seesaw - Charles Lin, Carl Sjogreen , Adrian Graham
Grades
K to 10
8 Favorites
1 Comments
Seesaw is a digital portfolio that is totally free for all devices and on the web. Students can showcase their work, videos, text, drawings, and images, and get feedback from ...more
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Seesaw is a digital portfolio that is totally free for all devices and on the web. Students can showcase their work, videos, text, drawings, and images, and get feedback from teachers and parents. Create a class blog in your Seesaw for students to write blog posts. Teachers create an account with email and then start creating as many classes as needed. There is no limit on the number of students a class can have. Give students a "join" code for their class, and they sign up from there, choosing to access their account through a Seesaw generated QR code or their email. Teachers can enable or disable student likes, comments, and editing. Blog post and comments must have teacher approval before becoming public. Students will be able to reflect on their work with a voice recording or text, and can share artifacts from their portfolio by clicking the red button at the bottom of the screen and then either print or get the item QR code. Once you have an account, click Help & Teacher Resources to find Getting Started Tips, Tutorial Videos, FAQs, and Activity Ideas grouped by grade level. If your district blocks YouTube, the tutorials may not be viewable.
tag(s): blogs (79), DAT device agnostic tool (176), digital storytelling (141), portfolios (23)
In the Classroom
Sign up for Seesaw and generate a join code for the class from the menu at the upper right corner or by clicking your name or initials in the left corner to get a drop down menu. The join code expires in 15 minutes, so it is best to do this in your classroom or computer lab. Teachers can add photos, drawings, links, notes, and upload a file from this same menu by clicking the + symbol. You can even add a co-teacher! See Seesaw's FAQs for ways for parents to sign up and letters to send home. Use Seesaw portfolios for any subject or grade level. Once your account is set up, create a simple project or borrow one from the Activities on the Help and Teacher Resources page. Share the project on your interactive whiteboard or projector to get your students started. The teacher portal allows you to access and comment on student work. View the work of an individual or the entire class. The ability to import work from many creation apps to Seesaw makes this a perfect portfolio tool. Don't forget to watch the video about setting up blogs for your students. Remember, this is all free! Science teachers could have students write up their lab reports, take photos of their labs and label them in a portfolio. History teachers could set up portfolios for student report writing or digital storytelling projects. Seesaw is the perfect tool to use during parent conferences.Comments
I love using Seesaw with my elementary school students. It's great that parents can comment also.Katy, , Grades: 0 - 12
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CoSpaces - Delightex GmbH
Grades
4 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Build your own 3D spaces using CoSpaces, then view in virtual reality. Choose from the large library of items to include in your creation including characters and objects. To get ...more
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Build your own 3D spaces using CoSpaces, then view in virtual reality. Choose from the large library of items to include in your creation including characters and objects. To get a sense of how this works, visit the gallery to view creations built by CoSpace users. Register to create your account to start building your own 3D space. Be sure to visit the section for educators with many ideas on how to use CoSpaces in the classroom. Tutorials for CoSpaces reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.
tag(s): creativity (117), DAT device agnostic tool (176), digital storytelling (141)
In the Classroom
Recreate scenes from books or use CoSpaces to retell any story with 3D images. Encourage creativity and ask students to develop virtual exhibitions of artwork, animal habitats, or landforms. Have older students create infographics featuring data collections, for example comparing availability of Internet in different American towns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Book Creator - Red Jumper Limited
Grades
K to 12
11 Favorites
0 Comments
Create beautiful, multimedia digital books with Book Creator. Follow the site's prompts to add video, text, images, and audio to your book. When finished, publish and share your book...more
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Create beautiful, multimedia digital books with Book Creator. Follow the site's prompts to add video, text, images, and audio to your book. When finished, publish and share your book using the site's web-based reader for access on any device. Be sure to follow the short tutorial after signing up to learn about the many features for creating, storing, and sharing your books. The free plan offers one activity library with storage of up to 40 books. BookCreator 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 the art work.At the time of this review, Book Creator only works with Google Chrome or the iPad app.
tag(s): collaboration (46), digital storytelling (141), ebooks (35), preK (283), reading comprehension (133), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Create books together, as a class, as you move through a unit or topic. Enhance student learning by adding images and ideas your students suggestions. Use in a flipped classroom to deliver course information. Assign several student groups a different topic and redefine their learning by having each group create their own multimedia versions as they learn more about the topic. Students can combine their books later as a class book. Make a digital bookshelf of all the versions for all to use. Challenge gifted students to modify the "standard" class text with the additional material they discover, by going deeper and learning about related topics. In lower grades, create teacher-made e-books for your young readers, perhaps adding audio - your own voice reading the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Seaview - Underwater Earth
Grades
K to 12
9 Favorites
1 Comments
View unbelievable imagery of the sea with this interactive, undersea viewer. View life along Barrier Reefs and in the Sea. See the different fish and other organisms who call the ...more
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View unbelievable imagery of the sea with this interactive, undersea viewer. View life along Barrier Reefs and in the Sea. See the different fish and other organisms who call the reef their home. Discover the characteristics of the ecosystem that allows for such a varied amount of organisms to call it their home. This project is just getting started as it surveys the Great Barrier Reef and documents it visually. Read the details by clicking "The Science." Click on Seaview Demo to begin your exploration. Rotate your mouse to look at any direction under the sea. Use the map along the right to choose a different location to view. Several objects are available to click on and zoom to for a closer look.
tag(s): conservation (121), earth day (100), ecology (133), ecosystems (90), oceans (165), reefs (7)
In the Classroom
Explore this site as a virtual field trip under the sea during a unit on animal habitats, biomes, or oceans. Create a poem, song, or artwork using the images from the viewer as inspiration. Enhance classroom techology use by having students create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Transform classroom technology use by challenging students to create a multimedia poster using Adobe Spark for K-12, reviewed here, or Genial.ly, reviewed here, where students will have a choice to create impressive interactive posters, infographics, charts, presentations and easily insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more. Create a poster campaign (digital or traditional) to identify why conservation is important in these areas.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
Comments
Students will love taking an underwater dive and seeing many species of ocean animals, NJ, Grades: 0 - 12
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EcoKids - Earth Day Canada
Grades
K to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This clever, creative, and entertaining resource is a must for the elementary science classroom! Kids from all over the world can learn oodles from this Canadian ecology site. Teachers...more
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This clever, creative, and entertaining resource is a must for the elementary science classroom! Kids from all over the world can learn oodles from this Canadian ecology site. Teachers will find a trove of information and instructional materials as well. You will appreciate the Earth Day activities and information. There are also numerous educational resources highlighting the food chain, bugs, animal adaptations, acid rain, transportation, and other topics. Students can participate in interactive stories; play and learn with more than 50 ecology-based on-line games and activities; learn about a variety of topics including wildlife, energy, and environment issues; and print out word games or coloring sheets.
Be aware: recently, this site started to offer certain features of the Teacher's Lounge to "members only." Membership is FREE, but does require an email address. The link for students does NOT require membership to access the interactives, information, or printables.
Be aware: recently, this site started to offer certain features of the Teacher's Lounge to "members only." Membership is FREE, but does require an email address. The link for students does NOT require membership to access the interactives, information, or printables.
tag(s): acid rain (5), earth (224), earth day (100), ecology (133), transportation (47)
In the Classroom
There is SO much to look at and explore, so browse through the offerings, create a plan for your students based on their age and ability level, then mark the site as a favorite on classroom computers. Upper elementary students can use it as an independent learning center. Younger children may need help with some of the text, so consider using an interactive whiteboard or projector and exploring the activities as a class. Click on "Downloads" on the bottom left to find printables, including coloring sheets of Canadian wildlife and various ecology-related worksheets and lesson plans. Click on the 'games and activities' tab and use the interactive whiteboard or projector for whole class eco-minded fun. ESL and ELL teachers, don't miss the 'teacher' section for a cache of activities written for your ELL/ESL students. Interested students will use this one for hours, so some directions will be important for classroom use.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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The Recycling Game - BBC
Grades
K to 1
5 Favorites
0 Comments
This interactive recycling game challenges students to determine if various items are made of plastic, glass, or paper. Students simply click on the items and drag the items into one...more
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This interactive recycling game challenges students to determine if various items are made of plastic, glass, or paper. Students simply click on the items and drag the items into one of three bins (plastic, glass, or paper). spoken voice and word choices are British, so you may see some puzzled faces when the student first hear the terminology, but the illustrations will help them recognize the objects. And you will have a chance to talk about vocabulary in different parts of the English-speaking world. The website features a Teachers/Parents link that provides general standards for this interactive game. The entire activity requires Flash, get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
In the Classroom
Remember to turn on speakers or attach headphones for this activity. This website is a perfect "ready to go" learning center, especially around Earth Day. This challenge is a wonderful companion to teaching students about the importance of recycling.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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Earth Day Groceries Project - The Earth Day Groceries Project
Grades
K to 8
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Have your students decorate paper grocery bags for Earth Day! The "Earth Day Groceries Project" is cost-free and one of the largest and oldest projects on the Internet. The project,...more
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Have your students decorate paper grocery bags for Earth Day! The "Earth Day Groceries Project" is cost-free and one of the largest and oldest projects on the Internet. The project, managed by Mark Ahlness (a third grade teacher in Seattle, Washington), challenges students to decorate paper grocery bags for Earth Day featuring environmentally friendly messages. There are four steps to the project, all well-explained on the site. Be sure to visit the Project Starter Kit link. This link includes a PowerPoint presentation about the project, screensavers, project details, and more.
tag(s): creativity (117), earth (224), earth day (100)
In the Classroom
Use this interdisciplinary activity to integrate art, creativity, community service, science, and Earth Day events. Share the PowerPoint presentation with your class on a projector or interactive whiteboard to get students motivated about the project.Display pictures of some of the bags on your class website. Provide this link in your class newsletter or on your class website; challenge parents to make this a family activity.
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Quillionz - Harbinger AI
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Use the power of AI to create quizzes, questions, and assessments with Quillionz. Copy and paste your content or upload a PDF to begin, then select keywords and terms, Quillionz ...more
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Use the power of AI to create quizzes, questions, and assessments with Quillionz. Copy and paste your content or upload a PDF to begin, then select keywords and terms, Quillionz does the rest. Quillionz creates several different types of questions including multiple choice, short response, and recall. Choose the ones you want to use, or edit what is provided to suit your needs. When finished, save to text and download to your computer. Be sure to take note on the home page of the section labeled "Is Quillionz Right for Me?" This portion details the type of texts and defines the limitations of the types of questions provided through the site.
tag(s): quiz (75), quizzes (90), reading comprehension (133)
In the Classroom
Use Quillionz as a time-saver to create quizzes covering any content. Before teaching the material, use this tool to help define key terms and content you want to cover. Share Quillionz with older students as an excellent tool to help with reading comprehension and understanding content. Ask them to use the site to create questions to review before quizzes. Ask students to transform technology use and transfer their learning from quiz questions into the creation of an infographic using Canva, reviewed here. Have students include images, data, and links with additional research information into their infographic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: BreakoutEDU Digital - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from April 2019, opens in Adobe Connect. Breakout EDU Digital is the online version of the immersive learning games...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from April 2019, opens in Adobe Connect. Breakout EDU Digital is the online version of the immersive learning games platform. It's exciting! It's fun! And, it's an effective learner-centered teaching strategy you will reach for again and again. Learn how to implement this instructional strategy in your classroom. Understand the many benefits of this approach such as developing problem-solving skills, fostering a growth mindset, encouraging collaboration and teamwork, and promoting access to content knowledge. Participants will: 1. Understand Breakout EDU Digital as a learner-centered instructional strategy; 2. Explore a collection of Breakout EDU Digital examples to understand how to use the strategy in the classroom; and 3. Plan for the use of Breakout EDU Digital in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): collaboration (46), critical thinking (117)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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Z-A Quiz Generator - ClassTools
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Test students' knowledge of related items using this unique quiz creator. Create a quiz using a set of common terms or elements (presidents, types of animals, incorrect use of a ...more
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Test students' knowledge of related items using this unique quiz creator. Create a quiz using a set of common terms or elements (presidents, types of animals, incorrect use of a comma, etc.). Build your game by adding additional sets of items to add rounds. To play, divide students into teams and start the game. The alphabet appears beginning with Z and going backward, and letters begin to disappear. If the letter is in your set of terms it pops up into the appropriate place - think of Wheel of Fortune. When a player guesses why items are related, pause the game to hear their response. Continue playing if incorrect or move to the next round if correct.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): assessment (118), game based learning (149), quiz (75), quizzes (90)
In the Classroom
Use the Z-A Quiz Generator as a motivating way to introduce a new unit to students or to review information before quizzes and tests. Instead of asking students to memorize a set of dates or events, help them by organizing the information into common features. For example, during a Civil War unit group together events taking place in different cities as a way to help provide context for students. Include a link to your quizzes on your class webpage or blog for students to practice at any time using the URL or embed code. Enhance technology use and learning by having students create their own Z-A quizzes to share with peers when studying for tests or use as an introduction with class presentations. When sharing student-created multimedia presentations, modify technology use by using a tool like Sway, reviewed here, to share their final projects including a Z-A quiz for viewers. This quiz generator is also a great resource to use during professional development sessions with your peers. Create a quiz to increase your viewers' interest in your topic as you begin your discussions or as a final activity to review information shared.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flipgrid - Charlie Miller & Brad Hosack
Grades
2 to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
Flipgrid joined with Microsoft and now everything is FREE! Flipgrid is a video discussion tool with capabilities for sharing student responses through video. Click the Educator Login...more
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Flipgrid joined with Microsoft and now everything is FREE! Flipgrid is a video discussion tool with capabilities for sharing student responses through video. Click the Educator Login and then create an account from there. Begin by creating a grid and personalizing settings to fit your needs. Easy-to-follow directions guide you through the process of setting up a video response. When finished, use links to share the URL or embed your Flipgrid into a website. Students access your Flipgrid using the access code provided when sharing your topic. Be sure to investigate ideas from other educators. If you want your class to go global scroll down the page and check out the #GridPals resource and the GridPals guide.
tag(s): assessment (118), DAT device agnostic tool (176), Microsoft (59), video (264)
In the Classroom
Flipgrid is a versatile tool for use in any subject. Create prompts for students to respond to about anything and everything. Challenge students to reflect on their learning at the end of a unit, research project, or literature circle. Here are just a few example questions to ask: What are some things you did well on this assignment? What mistakes did you make on your last assignment that you did not make on today's assignment? What would you do differently? What would you like to learn more about?For professional use, create a topic for peers to discuss. Ideas might include discussing concerns with implementing new technology or curriculum. Have fellow teachers share articles of interest from professional journals. Use Flipgrid to implement a book talk on a topic of interest.
Use Flipgrid as a follow-up for a flipped or blended learning assignment. Ask students to explain what they understand and/or still don't understand about a concept. You can review the responses before class the next day. Use it as an exit "slip" before students leave class or as a warm up at the beginning of class (what do they remember about the lesson taught yesterday). World language students can practice speaking in their new language and choose the best video to turn into their teacher. Student or teacher can explain a series of steps in an assignment or concept, one at a time (great for differentiation). Math students can explain the steps they took to solve a problem and why. Art students can explain a creation, either theirs or a famous artists - talking about techniques. Music students can perform and explain their learning, or reflect on their performance.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Androidify - Google Creative Lab and Larva Labs
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Androidify any image using this web app or the app on your Android device. Turn the green android into the look you desire. Follow the directions to customize clothing, appearance,...more
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Androidify any image using this web app or the app on your Android device. Turn the green android into the look you desire. Follow the directions to customize clothing, appearance, and add a signature move. When complete, click the submit link to share on social media sites or download to your computer as a GIF.
tag(s): digital storytelling (141), images (265)
In the Classroom
Use Androidify to create GIFs for many occasions. Create an android and share on your interactive whiteboard to use as a creative writing prompt. Share your GIFs on your class website to add interest to information you share, change the mood of your android to reflect excitement or concern, or change the appearance of your android to demonstrate cultural norms in other areas of the world. Ask students to create an android reflecting the mood of characters in a story, to share their reaction to lessons, or to include with a blog post about any topic. Use Androidify with ESL/ELL learners to help learn colors, types of clothing, or mood.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hiveword - Zecura, LLC
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Hiveword offers a set of integrated writing tools. Use the Novel Organizer to organize characters, setting, and plotlines as part of your ongoing story writing process. Use the Knowledge...more
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Hiveword offers a set of integrated writing tools. Use the Novel Organizer to organize characters, setting, and plotlines as part of your ongoing story writing process. Use the Knowledge Base as a search engine featuring over 40,000 articles all about the craft of writing. Other handy tools on the site include random character name and location generators.
tag(s): creative writing (162), process writing (43), writers workshop (36), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Your students don't need to write novels to take advantage of the many features of this site. Start out simple and use the character name and location generators as inspiration for creative writing projects. Share an article a week from the Knowledge Base on your class website as part of your writing lessons. After sharing articles, ask students to revise their work within Google Documents or Microsoft Word by adding highlights and comments to share changes. Enhance classroom technology and their learning further by asking them to keep a blog using Penzu, reviewed here, documenting what they are learning about writing. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. Take advantage of the Novel Organizer to help students develop portions of any writing project. Ask them to take a screenshot of their story organization from Hiveword to include with their final project draft.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Erasures - Wave Books
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Use the texts presented and your imagination to create a found poem by removing just a few words. Erasures supplies the text which makes this the perfect site to practice ...more
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Use the texts presented and your imagination to create a found poem by removing just a few words. Erasures supplies the text which makes this the perfect site to practice developing a found poem! Start a poem by either clicking a text title or on the top menu click Make an Erasure. Clicking on words will erase them and clicking again on the empty space will bring them back. Save the poem and take a screenshot (Command-shift-4 on a Mac or Print screen on a PC).
tag(s): creative writing (162), poetry (225), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Use Erasures to practice creating found poems with your class. Use a projector or an interactive whiteboard to read one of the shorter texts, then look through the archived poems to see if you and your students can get an idea about which poems were created from that text. A Bundle of Letters by Henry James and the poem New York vs. Boston would work well for this exercise. Open two browser windows and compare the text and the poem side by side. Ask students why the author chose those words. Why did the poet leave the punctuation in front of Poor? Would they choose different words and punctuation? How does that effect the poem? Next, have student pairs try to match up a poem and text on their own and analyze the word choice and punctuation. Have students record their process and results using a note taking tool such as Memo Notepad, reviewed here; tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions with you and their peers. Allow students to work with a partner or alone to create their own poem from one of the texts. Have students record their poem in a blog entry using a tool like Loose Leaves, reviewed here, to share it with you and their peers. Students must remember to give credit to the author of the original text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Perfect Mate - Romeo and Juliet - TeachersFirst
Grades
9 to 12
3 Favorites
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Here's a lesson unit that lets students design a perfect mate, then compare it with their parent's concepts. Sounds strange, but this teacher-tested lesson has proven immensely popular...more
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Here's a lesson unit that lets students design a perfect mate, then compare it with their parent's concepts. Sounds strange, but this teacher-tested lesson has proven immensely popular with teachers, parents, and students alike. This lesson plan, one of TeachersFirst's long-popular resources, was one of the winners in a lesson plan contest sponsored by TeachersFirst. TeachersFirst editors have added technology options where appropriate.
tag(s): romeo and juliet (5), shakespeare (111)
In the Classroom
The survey handout included in this lesson makes it a perfect starter for the study of Romeo and Juliet. As you read the play, you could extend the idea by having students complete the same survey as Montague or Capulet parents!
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Interactive Folio-Romeo and Juliet - Daniel Fischlin-Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare Project
Grades
9 to 12
7 Favorites
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Read and explore Shakespeare's complete script of Romeo and Julieton your computer screen with this interactive, media rich edition. Take the mystery out of Elizabethan/Shakespearean...more
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Read and explore Shakespeare's complete script of Romeo and Julieton your computer screen with this interactive, media rich edition. Take the mystery out of Elizabethan/Shakespearean English by greatly enhancing students' understanding and enjoyment of the tragedy of two "star-crossed lovers" of Verona by simply clicking on underlined words and phrases for multiple interpretations of the vocabulary in context, including images, video, and audio. You can even have entire pages (or the entire story) read aloud as an audio book. What a brilliant way to increase reading comprehension. Also, enter the Resource section to find a synopsis of the plot, character descriptions, and other critical facts about the play.
tag(s): elizabethan (16), romeo and juliet (5), shakespeare (111)
In the Classroom
Students could work independently or in pairs on a set of class computers while having everything right at their fingertips for reading, visualizing, and fully understanding the dialogue, stage directions, plot, and setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Provide a direct link to the Interactive Folio on your class web page or wiki for students to complete independent reading assignments. Project this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector for a whole class look at specific lines; everything is organized and easily navigated and retrieved by act, scene, or page number. After students' initial reading, use the Resource section, as a study guide and teaching tool. Create a class wiki for students to use to discuss various acts or scenes. To learn more about wikis, check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Star-Crossed lovers Online - International Reading Association
Grades
9 to 12
2 Favorites
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This lesson plan puts a modern spin on the timeless story of Romeo and Juliet. Students are asked to create original, modern interpretations of specific events described in the play...more
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This lesson plan puts a modern spin on the timeless story of Romeo and Juliet. Students are asked to create original, modern interpretations of specific events described in the play and apply their knowledge of current technologies to each character. Would Romeo have used an iPod? How would blogging have affected the relationship between the Montagues and Capulets? This is a thought-provoking activity that challenges students to analyze literary elements while considering the effect of technology on behaviors and outcomes. Aligned to National Standards.
tag(s): blogs (79), romeo and juliet (5), shakespeare (111)
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Citizen King - PBS Online
Grades
8 to 12
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View this Youtube Playlist to see a PBS special focused on the last five years of Dr. Martin Luther King's life, from his "I Have a Dream" Speech in 1963 ...more
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View this Youtube Playlist to see a PBS special focused on the last five years of Dr. Martin Luther King's life, from his "I Have a Dream" Speech in 1963 to his assassination in 1968. Highlights include a discussion of his non-violence philosophy. This is a great resource for a 20th century American history class. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
tag(s): 1960s (30), africa (163), african american (107), black history (60), civil rights (124), martin luther king (37)
In the Classroom
Share the interactive videos clips and timelines on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Extend learning by using a tool such as playposit, reviewed here, where you can insert questions for students to discuss. Use this site for research about the civil rights movement or the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Then show your students how to embed media transforming their work into a multimedia presentation with a tool like Lucid Press, reviewed here, or Canva, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Marshmallow Challenge - Tom Wujec
Grades
K to 12
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Use a marshmallow challenge to motivate your students! The concept of this project is to have teams of people work together to create a free standing structure that supports a ...more
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Use a marshmallow challenge to motivate your students! The concept of this project is to have teams of people work together to create a free standing structure that supports a marshmallow. Sounds overly simple? Well, not always. The given materials for each team are simple, inexpensive, and require creative thinking and problem solving skills to use! All in all this adds up to a fun, interesting, and entertaining activity for young to older students, business people, and any group that needs to learn how to work and think together. Spaghetti, string, marshmallows and masking tape are all the supplies that you will need. Have fun with this, your students are sure to do so! The site recommends giving your class one hour to complete the project and activities. They also mention this project would work for smaller groups (4 students) up to larger groups (800), divided into groups of 2 or 4 and working together. There is a typo in the opening paragraph of the site. However the activity content was worth looking over the typo.
tag(s): creativity (117), design (88), engineering (133), problem solving (296), structures (23)
In the Classroom
This engineering challenge would be great during a unit on structures. However, in ANY classroom it would be a solid and creative way to teach design process, group skills, and creative problem solving. This activity is so versatile that it could be use in any grade, even at the college or business level. Of course in younger elementary grades, more instruction would be necessary and possibly some parent volunteers. Its lessons are multiple, from fluency, flexibility, possibility thinking, and promoting originality. In science classes, try including this activity in a lesson on gravity or forces. Prior to implementing this lesson, watch the TED talks video link for yourself. (These links are available at this site.) It is a worthwhile investment of seven minutes, and download and read the adobe acrobat file on the project. It may be a good idea, depending on the age of your students to create a short PowerPoint with the rules and instructions. Also, a visual timer and musical timer would be a great idea for this challenge. Use a site such as the Online Countdown Timer (reviewed here). Show the timer on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) so students are aware of how much time remains. The materials are best given to teams in a small brown bag so that there is an element of surprise and suspense during the instructional period. Another idea is to share this with your administrators, it would make a great challenge for a interactive faculty meeting especially if team building and thinking skills are trying to be built by the administration between faculty members.
This resource requires Adobe Flash and PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Quizlet: The End of Flashcards - Brainflare: Andrew Sutherland
Grades
3 to 12
5 Favorites
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This easy to understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study...more
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This easy to understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study in any language or a content area. Students may choose to create electronic tests, or the networking page allows them to interact and learn with other users who have the same words. Teacher or students can create groups to share word lists. Use this tool from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. The iOS and Android apps practice tests can be multiple choice, true/false, or written questions. Turn on "Instant Feedback" (new feature for the apps) that will give real-time feedback on right/wrong answers as you go; or wait and get your score at the end. As wonderful as this technology is, the coolest thing about Quizlet might be in its history--its creator was a high school student who tells his inspiring story and shares his blog through links at this site.
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tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (176), quiz (75), spelling (165), vocabulary (312), word study (76)
In the Classroom
Membership asks for an email. Email allows you to notify others that you want to share a word list or activity with them. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail subaccounts, explained here, this tells how to configure Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. This would provide anonymous interaction within your class. KEEP A LIST of students usernames (non-identifying) and passwords, incase they forget them! If you already use Google Classroom with your students, it only takes a few minutes to get them set up with a Quizlet Class.Quizlet has a very thorough "Help Center" to get the idea of how the site works. Save your "sets" and decide whether you want them to be entirely public, just for you personally, or shared with a "group." Create your own groups for each class or subject. Be sure to note the fact that you can upload vocabulary lists by copy/pasting from various formats--- a time real saver! Use this tool easily in your byod classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have.
Content and English teachers may set up their personal network of users. Pretest your gifted students and allow them to "test out" of material they already know. Learning support teachers will want their students to create their own Quizlet sets and help learn them in the process! Teachers may create your own sets of words, or let students do the work for themselves and each other. Use the interactive whiteboard for quick flashcard or electronic testing using your sets. World language and ESL/ELL teachers will find many word sets already built and ready to use at this site. If you team teach with others at your grade level, take turns making the online Quizlets to accompany your science or social studies chapters. Be SURE to share this tool on your teacher web page for students to use at home.
Be sure to see the classroom quiz game for groups, Quizlet Live (from the creator of Quizlet), reviewed here.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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e-learning for kids - Environmental Skills - Dr. Nick van Dam
Grades
K to 6
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e-learning for kids offers a small collection of resources for environmental learning with elementary students. At the time of this review, there were seven detailed lessons on various...more
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e-learning for kids offers a small collection of resources for environmental learning with elementary students. At the time of this review, there were seven detailed lessons on various topics: Global Warming, Energy, Earth's Resources, Homes for Living Things, and others. Choose any lesson to begin and follow prompts to complete each activity. If you receive a message that your computer doesn't meet minimum system requirements, try clicking the image to launch the course anyway. Our editor's computer accessed and completed all activities despite this message.
tag(s): energy (212), environment (322), habitats (110), natural resources (57), resources (105)
In the Classroom
These lessons are perfect for use as mini-lessons on your interactive whiteboard or projector. View and discuss activities as a class or create a link to lessons for students to complete on classroom computers. Be sure to provide a link to the site on your class webpage or newsletter for students to use at home. Use lessons on this site as part of your Earth Day activities. Replace pen and paper and ask students to write blog posts about what they are learning using Edublog, reviewed here. Enhance learning by having students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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English Literature: Frankenstein - BBC
Grades
9 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Although this page has been archived and is no longer updated, all links are functional. This site offers background on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and its convoluted...more
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Although this page has been archived and is no longer updated, all links are functional. This site offers background on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and its convoluted plot in a general way and does an excellent job of covering the basic themes of the book. There are links provided for context, plot, character, themes, and sample questions. The links provide an option for "revise" which reviews the information and "test" which provides a simple interactive quiz. Since this is a British site, you may notice some slight spelling differences. The term " revise" in Britain is what you would call "review" in the United States.
tag(s): literature (266), organizational skills (119), plot (11)
In the Classroom
While great for review, this site is also a good introductory lesson or wrap-up for this novel. Especially interesting is the sample question part with suggestions on time management for writing an essay and a model essay for a potential test question. The "Tests" are ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector with the group "composing" together on the board. Divide your class into teams and project the Test on the screen. Have the teams work together to answer the questions in seated groups, then share their ideas on the board.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Synth - Brian Lamb
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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Synth describes itself as a "bite-sized podcasting platform." Use this site to create audio recordings up to 256 seconds in length, then combine those recordings into a podcast. Think...more
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Synth describes itself as a "bite-sized podcasting platform." Use this site to create audio recordings up to 256 seconds in length, then combine those recordings into a podcast. Think of it as similar to a series of Tweets, but in an audio format. To create a recording, select the Podcast link then add the plus sign to create a podcast. Podcasts start in private mode by default, change sharing options after publishing your work. Synth also provides the opportunity for recording video from your webcam and the ability to add a transcription of recordings into the podcast. Invite participants to contribute by sharing the URL, the session code, or use the embed code to embed into your website or blog.
In the Classroom
Before using Synth with your classroom, be sure to practice setting up and sharing podcasts created with this tool. One way to practice is to set up a podcast with teachers in your building or district as a professional development opportunity. Create a "slow chat" discussing ideas for literature, thematic lessons, or professional book talks. Once you are comfortable using Synth with students, create exit tickets for students to reflect, enhance their learning, and discuss the day's lesson. Synth allows students to extend critical thinking by adding web links to recordings. Ask students to share their opinion on any subject and include a web address to support their conclusion. Have students transform learning by embedding a Synth podcast into a multimedia presentation created with a tool like Sway, reviewed here, and create an interactive discussion on the topic. Instead of using your standard pre-assessment materials, replace these with Synth and extend student understanding by sharing their knowledge (or what they would like to learn) as a quick way to gauge what students already know.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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