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WordClouds - wordclouds.com
Grades
2 to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
WordClouds generates custom word clouds using your text. Create using their "wizard" with step-by-step directions to add documents or text and personalize features. Another option is...more
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WordClouds generates custom word clouds using your text. Create using their "wizard" with step-by-step directions to add documents or text and personalize features. Another option is to use the dashboard at the top of the page to add and customize the look of your word cloud. Choose colors, type of display, and font. The most frequent words appear larger and darker. When finished, select file to save in your choice of format or share online.
tag(s): editing (90), proofreading (21), speech (66), vocabulary (236), word choice (14), word clouds (13)
In the Classroom
WordClouds is a terrific visual tool to share on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Paste in a passage or URL for a political speech to visualize the politician's "message." Analyze advertising propaganda by visualizing the language used in TV or print ads. Create word clouds of historical texts of inauguration speeches as time capsules of the issues of the day. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or reading passages of great literature to "see" themes and motifs of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Students will be surprised to see what words appear to be dominant. ENL and ELL students will eagerly use this site since word order will no longer be a problem for them. Have students work in groups to create word posters of vocabulary words with related meanings, such as different ways to say "walk" or "said" and decorate your classroom with these visual reminders of the richness of language.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Grammarly - Max Lytvyn and Alex Shevchenko
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Check your blogs, emails, and other written content for grammar and spelling using Grammarly. Consider it your second set of eyes for proofreading any document. Copy and paste text...more
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Check your blogs, emails, and other written content for grammar and spelling using Grammarly. Consider it your second set of eyes for proofreading any document. Copy and paste text into Grammarly's text editor, or install the browser extension for use on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Grammarly also includes an add-in for Windows OS for use in Microsoft Word and Outlook. Use Grammarly to flag 250 types of errors, including context-optimized synonym suggestions. Click on underlined words to view and correct errors. This review is for the free edition of Grammarly, which includes the browser extension.
tag(s): editing (90), grammar (133), Microsoft (83), proofreading (21), spelling (95), writing (317)
In the Classroom
Use this visual revision program with your students who are ready to refine and improve their writing. Have students copy and paste writing projects into the text editor for a final check for spelling and grammar mistakes after making their last revisions. Continued use of Grammarly helps students correct writing on their own after seeing common errors in their writing. Never send out a newsletter or post to your web page with spelling or grammar errors again! Use Grammarly to spell check and suggest corrections for any published writing projects. Although Grammarly offers premium accounts, the free features provide a robust set of tools for use in all classroom situations. Add the browser extension to class computers for students to click on an unknown word when reading on the web.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Summer of Possibilites - Play Your Way - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 3
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Possibilities. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures such as using bath...more
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Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Possibilities. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures such as using bath time to explore math or learn how to make a bird feeder. Scroll through the site to find reading charts, map skills, activity booklets, collections such as Observing Nature, Sharing Your Creativity Through the Arts, and much more. Did you find this site too late for summer? No worries, there are plenty of activities to do throughout the entire year. Be sure to check the bottom of the page for the "What's On Today" PBS shows.
tag(s): calendars (37), literacy (110), preK (258), reading lists (79), seasonal (18), summer (30)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free activities on this site; be sure to share with parents for ideas on learning at home. Consider having a "summer" day in the middle of winter as you enjoy summer activities in the warmth of the indoors. Share with parents at the end of the school year as a great resource for learning during the summer months.
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Skimcast - Bill Hollingsworth
Grades
5 to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Read less to find out more! Pressed for time? Use Skimcast to pare down articles you need to read. Just get the facts - choose a summary anywhere from 1 ...more
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Read less to find out more! Pressed for time? Use Skimcast to pare down articles you need to read. Just get the facts - choose a summary anywhere from 1 - 99% of the material. Paste in a URL or upload a PDF. Not only will you get the entire document back with the summary highlighted, but also see a list of clickable theme words and phrases to the right of the text. Click one and see it highlighted where ever it appears in the article. Use Skimcast on the web or find a button at the bottom to add it as a Chrome browser extension on your toolbar. To more fully understand this tool, read the Top Tips.
tag(s): multilingual (67), note taking (33), reading strategies (98), summarizing (22)
In the Classroom
Skimcast would be the perfect tool to show students how to take notes for a report or speech or create a study guide during, or at the end of a unit of study. Work together as a class and read the sentences that are just the relevant facts. Then show students how to pull out just the important words - deleting all prepositions, articles, and connector words. Resource teachers can use Skimcast to make reading from core classes shorter and easier for their students. ESL/ELL teachers can use this tool to make the text more understandable to limited English speakers.
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bioGraphic - California Academy of Science
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
bioGraphic is a stunning multimedia magazine showcasing nature and solutions to sustaining life on earth. Scroll down the home page to browse through the latest articles and be prepared...more
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bioGraphic is a stunning multimedia magazine showcasing nature and solutions to sustaining life on earth. Scroll down the home page to browse through the latest articles and be prepared to be drawn in through the beautiful imagery included! Browse by specific topics such as wildlife, places, or people, or use the keyword search. Be sure to click on the three dots next to the search icon that enables you to choose from specific types of content such as videos, photos, or immersive experiences.
tag(s): animal homes (56), animals (284), deserts (16), habitats (86), multimedia (43), natural resources (38), oceans (149), rainforests (18)
In the Classroom
Even if you don't teach science, you and your students will love this magazine because of the beautiful images shared! Use bioGraphic for informational reading in your Language Arts classroom. Include a link on classroom computers for students to read on their own. In science class share bioGraphic articles as a starting point for any unit on animals, for social studies, use bioGraphic to learn more about places around the world and the people that live there. Have cooperative learning groups create online books about information learned on this site using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Don't forget to subscribe to bioGraphic to receive updates as new articles are added to the magazine.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WriteReader - WriteReader
Grades
K to 5
4 Favorites
0 Comments
The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice...more
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The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice recordings. Adults/Teachers have space on the page to write comments and make corrections. The interface is so simple that even a young child can use it successfully after some adult guidance. Open the Features tab on the top menu to see an index to all features categorized by Literacy Development, Easy Book Creation, Publishing and Sharing, and Teacher & Student Management, all with several links to explore. Click the Resources Center tab on the top menu to select Lesson Plans, Templates, Writing Prompts, Videos, and more. The basic plan offers 60 books and all the essential features. Register by email or your Google account. After logging in, use the menu bars in the upper right corner and find Guides, which has a Parent Letter, a Quick Start Guide, a Template, and a few other get-started items.
For creating student accounts, you can enter students manually, or students can join the class with a class code. WriteReader has upgraded its page templates to support older students. US English, UK English, Dansk (Danish), and Svenska (Swedish) are available. There is also an introductory video on the landing page that will help everyone get started. This video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable. WriteReader has added new premium features such as Read Aloud, Voice Search, Book Templates, and several others. For these, you must pay.
tag(s): digital storytelling (144), literacy (110), multilingual (67), reading strategies (98), science of reading (33), writing (317)
In the Classroom
WriteReader is so simple that very young students can use it successfully after a whiteboard or projector demonstration. While creating their books, students will be able to add images, multiple pages and delete pages, include voice-over, use color on the pages, view one page at a time or the entire book, and toggle between letters' names/sounds or no audio. Use this tool to design simple projects using student drawings to tell the story. Have students draw and annotate stories about their summer at the beginning of the year and share them with classmates. Students of any age love to draw, so why not have them draw their impression of what the message to the reader was after hearing a story and then explain it in writing? Nonreaders and ENL/ESL students especially will benefit from hearing the letter sounds as they begin writing in their new language.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
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)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Toppsta - Georgina Atwell
Grades
K to 12
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Read, review, and discover the best books for all ages at Toppsta. Use the keyword search to find books or search for ages up to 18 years old and young ...more
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Read, review, and discover the best books for all ages at Toppsta. Use the keyword search to find books or search for ages up to 18 years old and young adult. Each book title includes a summary along with reviews submitted by site members. Reviews indicate the age of the reviewer and number of reviews. Login to Toppsta to save books to your wishlist or create your own book reviews. This site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English.
tag(s): book lists (162), independent reading (86), preK (258), reading lists (79)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students as a resource for finding books for independent reading. Include a link on your class website or blog for access at home. Present a new book each week to students on your interactive whiteboard or share your wishlist with your school's media center to include with book orders. After reading reviews, enhance student learning by having students create a video sharing their own book reviews. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, for this video project. Have students or groups share their own book suggestions using Dotstorming, reviewed here. Dotstorming creates free online bulletin boards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Libib - Javod Khalaj
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you have a home library of cookbooks or magazines with recipes you want to try? How about a classroom library? Libib is a tool for cataloging books and other ...more
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Do you have a home library of cookbooks or magazines with recipes you want to try? How about a classroom library? Libib is a tool for cataloging books and other media in the cloud. Organize books, movies, music, magazines, and video games using Libib's cloud cataloging features. Catalog your media, then add tags, leave notes, and share with others. Gather opinions about current books and movies. Scan items or search using ISBN numbers to add cover art and other pertinent information automatically.
tag(s): book lists (162), DAT device agnostic tool (144), preK (258)
In the Classroom
Libib is perfect for organizing and cataloging your classroom book collection. Use the tag features to organize your collection by genres, subject, authors, or any way you need. Tag books for specific students or reading levels. Post a link on your web page and share Libib with your students as a way for them to give opinions on current books and movies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Glean - Digital Literacy Teaching Tools - The Public Learning Media Laboratory
Grades
6 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Small but mighty, this site has several lesson plans for the digital classroom. Use, share, and help create digital literacy lesson plans using Google Docs at Glean. Also, use the ...more
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Small but mighty, this site has several lesson plans for the digital classroom. Use, share, and help create digital literacy lesson plans using Google Docs at Glean. Also, use the hashtag #lessonhack on Twitter to follow the development of ideas and the lessons. Use the drop-down menu for Lessons to view plans for Media, Data, Information, Network Literacy, and also find Security and Privacy lessons. Find plans already created that include, To Teach Memes, Teaching Media Making, Terms of Service, and there are several others about the Internet and IPs. One lesson on Safer Sexting states, "This is not intended to condone sexting; rather it is designed to provide young people (at risk through their sexting behavior) with digital literacies and personal practices to mitigate negative impacts of the sexting they've done."
tag(s): computers (106), digital citizenship (90), internet safety (113), media literacy (103)
In the Classroom
Computer Literacy teachers and those responsible for teaching Internet safety in any course are sure to find a lesson they need. Take advantage of these free lessons to educate students about the basics of the Internet from safety to reading the terms of service to creating or sharing memes. After these lessons, challenge students to create a simple infographic about what they learned using Infogram, reviewed here. The lessons and (some of) the descriptions include resources you may want to share with parents and school counselors so they can have a conversation about the topics with their students. Discuss topics on this site as part of Internet safety lessons. Share this site with school counselors as a resource for teens facing online safety issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Epic! For Educators - Suren Markosian and Kevin Donahue
Grades
K to 6
8 Favorites
1 Comments
Epic! offers thousands of high-quality free books for educators teaching grades K-7. Create an account using your education email to begin. Add up to 30 student profiles to your account...more
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Epic! offers thousands of high-quality free books for educators teaching grades K-7. Create an account using your education email to begin. Add up to 30 student profiles to your account to receive personalized recommendations based on reading ability and interests. Students can freely access books on any device, but only during the school day. Educators receive feedback including time spent reading, page flips, and books read. Students earn badges and rewards as they reach milestones. Resources include classroom posters, lesson plans, teacher tips, presentations, and letters to parents in PDF format. Find educational videos by Smithsonian, Blue Wonders, Animal Wonders, and Encyclopedia Britannica. Epic! also offers titles in Spanish. Tutorial videos reside on YouTube as do some of the educational videos. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (126), DAT device agnostic tool (144), ebooks (39), movies (51), reading lists (79), video (260)
In the Classroom
Create your free educator account and share with students as part of your reading activities. Adjust reading preferences and profiles as students increase skills or change interest in reading materials. Be sure to share with parents to use at home. What a wonderful, engaging way to keep students accountable for reading at home and for remote learning.
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Comments
Wendy, OK, Grades: 2 - 4
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SparkFun Tutorials - SparkFun Electronics
Grades
8 to 12
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0 Comments
SparkFun tutorials teach the basics (and beyond) of electronics. Over 400 tutorials include topics such as computers, circuits, and wearable technology. Browse through the list of tutorials,...more
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SparkFun tutorials teach the basics (and beyond) of electronics. Over 400 tutorials include topics such as computers, circuits, and wearable technology. Browse through the list of tutorials, or choose topics by tags to find specific content. Each tutorial includes complete instructions as well as suggested reading lists to help fully develop the understanding of concepts used. Most projects require several different materials, be sure to check each tutorial's supply list before starting any project. Many projects have an intro video that resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): circuits (20), computers (106), electricity (59), engineering (120), weather (164)
In the Classroom
Share SparkFun Tutorials with students competing in electronics or computer competition. Use tutorials as guides for projects in Makerspace classrooms or with after-school clubs. SparkFun Tutorials are the perfect challenge for gifted students. Encourage them to choose projects of interest either individually or as a group to complete as a "self-directed" lesson. Share the Wearables or Pokemon Go projects with students to show them this can also be for creating a fashion statement or patches for caps, backpacks, tee shirts and more. Be sure to photograph finished products for next year's students to view. Challenge students to create an "explainer" video tutorial for their project using ScreenPal, reviewed here, and then share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Financial Literacy Resources - KQED Education
Grades
9 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Financial Literacy Resources offers financial lessons targeted for English language learners. However, this is an excellent unit for any student to learn about money management! Topics...more
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Financial Literacy Resources offers financial lessons targeted for English language learners. However, this is an excellent unit for any student to learn about money management! Topics include managing money, credit, debt, banking, and more delivered through six lesson plans. Each lesson features new media tools such as a budget builder calculator and an online writing interactive. Click on any lesson plan to view in PDF format for easy printing. Note: at the time of this review several of the interactive activities didn't work; however, the lessons and other information available on the site make this worth considering for use during your financial literacy lessons.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): financial literacy (92)
In the Classroom
Discover the many ready-to-go, free resources that go with these free lesson plans for use with all students, not just English language learners. Include this site on your class web page for students and parents to access as a reference when discussing financial issues at home. Use the calculators found on the site as part of any financial unit or as a math problem solving lesson. Oh, and by-the-way, students will also practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Owl Eyes - Alex Bloomingdale
Grades
8 to 12
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0 Comments
Read, annotate, bookmark, and share literature, poetry, and nonfiction with Owl Eyes. Read any available selection without registration; however, free registration (with email) opens...more
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Read, annotate, bookmark, and share literature, poetry, and nonfiction with Owl Eyes. Read any available selection without registration; however, free registration (with email) opens up a world of options. Add any book to your library to add your own highlights or annotations. View analysis available on the site broken down by chapters and literary context. Options for annotating include adding highlights, questions, tags, and correlation to Common Core Standards. Create a classroom to assign books. Video tutorials reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): authors (105), book lists (162), literature (218), poetry (190), reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Use this site to assign reading of classic texts, nonfiction, poetry, and stories. Take advantage of the included annotations found with literature selections to build Common Core skills analyzing informational texts. Use this site to post and share discussion assignments on texts and selections from the text. Share Owl Eyes with students for use with literature circles (or small groups reading) as a tool to collaborate, improve reading strategies skills, and to present their book to the class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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First Book - Kyle Zimmer
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
1 Comments
Studies show that owning a book increases interest in reading. First Book supplies free reading materials to children in need (at least 70% of the group come from low-income families)....more
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Studies show that owning a book increases interest in reading. First Book supplies free reading materials to children in need (at least 70% of the group come from low-income families). Register the recipient group such as a school, early childhood program, or after-school program to access free books and book grant opportunities.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Register with First Book to view available free materials if you teach in a low-income setting. Share with youth groups and other organizations that can benefit from this service. Share First Book with students, then organize a book drive to help families and groups in your community.Comments
This is so true. I brought in books from daughters when they were young and gave each student a book. If you could have seen their faces, it would have melted your heart. People fail to realize some kids are introduced to books or read to at school only. I love your post.Hollie, SC, Grades: 0 - 3
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KidLit TV - Julie Gribble
Grades
1 to 6
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Parents, educators, children's literature authors, and filmmakers join together at KidLit TV to bring wonderful books to kids through different media formats. KidLit TV Radio features...more
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Parents, educators, children's literature authors, and filmmakers join together at KidLit TV to bring wonderful books to kids through different media formats. KidLit TV Radio features podcast editions of KidsLit TV shows featuring authors and illustrators participating in book talks. Other portions of the site include lots of craft ideas to bring books to life, and there are book trailers for upcoming book releases. If your district blocks YouTube, the book trailer videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): authors (105), book lists (162), literacy (110), podcasts (81)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many features of this site to educate parents on literacy and motivate students to enjoy reading. Share podcasts and book trailers on your class website to recommend books your students may enjoy. Use the podcasts as an example, then have cooperative learning groups create podcasts as book talks for books they enjoy. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here, for student podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Internet Safety for Kids Resource Guide - SearchRPM
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Hosted by an Internet marketing company that understands the importance of children's safety online, this extensive collection of articles, infographics, and links should encourage...more
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Hosted by an Internet marketing company that understands the importance of children's safety online, this extensive collection of articles, infographics, and links should encourage conversations with kids about Internet safety. Sure to be helpful for parents and teachers because of practical steps to improve online experiences for children; plus everything is free to use, print and share. Find resources organized in two areas: Internet safety tips for children and parent safety and Internet monitoring resources. The one-page articles are text heavy, so this site will be most useful with older teens. Areas covered include the usual topics, but also include some not so often covered: Kids' Online Personas & Activity, Internet Video Safety Tips for Kids, Internet Game Safety Tips for Kids, Internet Radio Safety Tips for Kids, and A True or False: Internet Safety Facts for Kids. Parental Internet Monitoring Resources provide a helpful compilation of parents' essential information. These include Cyber Bullying Prevention, Digital Parental Controls, Laws and Organizations for Kids Online, Online Stranger Danger: Stop Internet Stalkers, Protecting Financial & Personal Information, Safe Browser Settings for Kids, Social Media Safety Tips for Kids, and Monitoring Your Kids Internet Usage.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bullying (49), cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (90), financial literacy (92), internet safety (113), media literacy (103), parents (58), safety (71), social media (54)
In the Classroom
Use "A True or False: Internet Safety Facts for Kids" as pre or post assessment or discussion starter. Project the infographics for students and/or parents to introduce or summarize a topic. Since information is mostly text, except for two infographics, use the articles for informational text reading selections. Improve learning and help students identify important words by having them use Wordsift, reviewed here. The text might be difficult to follow for ESL/ELL and younger students. Use Select and Speek, reviewed here, a text to speech tool that will allow these students to follow the text as the article or passage is read to them. Have students discuss or blog responses.The articles will make useful resources for a parent information night, to send home in newsletters, or to post on school websites. The pages are embedded into the SearchRPM website, so it can be easy to stray into the corporate side. Also, there is a very large contact box that seems related to business inquiries at the bottom margin of each page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iCivics, Win the White House - iCivics
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Make the presidential election process personal. Run for U.S. president by playing this free interactive online game which is best played on a computer using most current browsers....more
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Make the presidential election process personal. Run for U.S. president by playing this free interactive online game which is best played on a computer using most current browsers. In this lively, colorful simulation, students will experience being part of a campaign, including creating a candidate avatar, selecting either Democratic or Republican issues, participating in debates and developing a media campaign. Choose your level to start: elementary, middle, or high school and complete the easy-to-follow tasks which do involve some reading, especially the debates section. The "Campaign Manager" will lead you through the process ending with your final probability of winning. Loading the game may take a few moments. Sound begins immediately, but may be toggled off. Online assistance is available by clicking the Help button (a ?) in the top right corner at each step of the game. Also, the Back button in the top left corner allows easy do-overs of sections. Students may play without registering, but will access more content, compete with others and earn badges after logging in. You can have separate accounts for students and teachers, but must have email addresses. An automatic username is generated when registering. The easy to use Extension Pack for Teachers provides more activities and assessments. Registered teachers can message students and create classes to give students a virtual class code to join without needing an email. If students register, they can check their My iCivics accounts to see points and message members of their groups which can be controlled by the teacher.
tag(s): elections (80), presidents (122)
In the Classroom
Start out using this site with your projector or interactive whiteboard with the whole class. Walk through the beginning of the game and demonstrate the built-in help which is useful for students who might need additional guidance. Have individuals play or create small group teams of campaign staff to guide the candidates. Students or groups may play multiple times. After registering, the site will save games and students can send messages. Use the Achievements badges and points for student assessments. Have students research the debate topics and compare the different aspects of the game to real-life examples in the news. An easy to use Extension Pack for Teachers provides more activities and assessments.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kiddle - Google
Grades
K to 12
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Kiddle is a search engine for kids powered by Google Custom Search, and it provides results oriented for kids. Results appear with larger thumbnails and large font to make reading ...more
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Kiddle is a search engine for kids powered by Google Custom Search, and it provides results oriented for kids. Results appear with larger thumbnails and large font to make reading the results easier. Search options include web, image, video, and news options. Inappropriate searches result with an "Oops, try again!" message.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Use Kiddle as the default search engine on classroom computers. Share on an interactive whiteboard or projector and demonstrate how to search using the different options, and how to choose keywords that make searching easier. Share a link on your class website and in your classroom newsletter for parents to use at home. Learning support and ESL/ELL students will appreciate being able to search without as much reading. Even very young students can LOOK for a site using this search tool, assuming they can type just a little bit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry By Heart - poetrybyheart.org
Grades
K to 5
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Poetry by Heart not only offers this collection of poems by children submitted for a poetry contest, but many poems from favorite poets through the ages. Choose choose Poetry Collections...more
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Poetry by Heart not only offers this collection of poems by children submitted for a poetry contest, but many poems from favorite poets through the ages. Choose choose Poetry Collections and choose an age group, then scroll through to availabe poets and poems. Click your choice of poet and poem to see the entire poem. Under Learn a Poem find specific activities for memorizing a poem. Read and record the poem using the link to the microphone icon; you may have to allow your computer access to the microphone before recording is allowed. Some of the activities ask you to watch a YouTube video. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): creative writing (119), poetry (190)
In the Classroom
Be sure to use this site as inspiration for poetry writing for your students. Take advantage of the activities offered with each poem. Allow students to record themselves reading poems, perhaps let them try several times to develop fluency. When your students are ready to write their own poems, use Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox creates beautiful page-flipping digital books in minutes, and you can embed video, music, animation, games, maps and more. View all of TeachersFirst's Editor's Choices for Poetry Month here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nanotechnology: Super Small Science - NBC Learn
Grades
7 to 12
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Explore the science behind the hidden world of nanotechnology, where you measure objects in the billionths of meters. Six videos offered by NBC Learn in partnership with the National...more
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Explore the science behind the hidden world of nanotechnology, where you measure objects in the billionths of meters. Six videos offered by NBC Learn in partnership with the National Science Foundation discuss Nanotechnology at the Surface, Nanoelectronics, Nanoarchitecture, Nano-Enabled Sensors, and Nanoparticles, plus quantum dots and working in nanoscale. Videos are approximately 5 to 6 minutes in length with a transcript. Although part of a larger site that charges for access, these videos and lessons are all free. This video now resides on NBC Learn's YouTube channel. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): careers (139), chemicals (39), engineering (120), scientists (63)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson in chemistry or physical science class. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have each group choose a video to use as a launching pad for further study. Have students create an annotated image, including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Place the videos on your classroom website or blog for students to explore on their own. Flip your instruction and as an assignment have your students watch the videos before class time to build background knowledge. Review nonfiction reading strategies with students before having students read transcripts. Have students explore STEM careers by researching the jobs of the scientists interviewed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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