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Actively Learn - Jay Goyal and Dr. Deep Sran
Grades
7 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Teach students how to develop close reading skills with Actively Learn. Choose from over 150 commonly taught texts that include embedded Common Core aligned questions and multimedia....more
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Teach students how to develop close reading skills with Actively Learn. Choose from over 150 commonly taught texts that include embedded Common Core aligned questions and multimedia. Choose from any public domain texts or any article from the Internet and be guided through creating your own Common Core aligned questions. Also, embed your own multimedia or images. Reading "school texts" becomes much more personalized when students are able to write notes, questions, or respond to their reading directly on the page they are reading. This is like the old way of using paper and pencil to annotate the text in the margin. Others can respond to questions and notes written by peers reading the same text. Actively Learn makes it easy to set up an assignment by having a "help" button for each area that will show a video for help, or download a PDF to read the instructions. Not only will you find poetry, drama, and stories, but also nonfiction for the sciences and the humanities. The introduction video requires Flash. The rest of the site does not.
tag(s): guided reading (33), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Choose a piece to use with your students and model for them how the program works on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). Then assign students to read a piece with a partner in class. Once students are familiar with the format and tools, assign reading for them to complete on their own. Upload current event articles into Actively Learn and write open ended questions for students to answer. Include images or video to go with the article. Use a tool like the Questioning Toolkit, reviewed here, to create some intriguing questions and writing prompts. This is a great tool to use for students with learning differences and ESL/ELL students due to the ability to adjust the text size, color and background, include audio, and the built in dictionary. Besure to check out the blog for ideas about teaching divisive topics, an infographic for close reading stategies, and more.
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Lessons on American Presidents - Sean Banville
Grades
4 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This American Presidents website contains lesson plans for teaching about each of the US presidents from Barack Obama all the way through George Washington. The site uses the informational...more
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This American Presidents website contains lesson plans for teaching about each of the US presidents from Barack Obama all the way through George Washington. The site uses the informational text about each president to teach, reinforce, and review English language concepts. This resource is directly geared toward ENL/ELL students. However, all users will benefit from materials provided. Choose any president to view a short biography. There are also language lessons such as fill in the blank and writing activities. Choose from links at the top of the page to print the lesson in PDF format, hear the article read in mp3 format, and view additional activities such as flash cards and word jumbles. There is some advertising, but this site is worth a look as a resource for activities and lessons about US presidents.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): jefferson (18), kennedy (19), lincoln (60), presidents (122), reading comprehension (142), washington (25)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource to accompany US presidents units or to supplement current materials used in teaching about the presidents. This is a great tool to use in English/language arts class for nonfiction readings. For younger students and weak readers you may want to use a guided reading tool such as Read Ahead, reviewed here. If you want to remove distracting advertisements, use a tool such as Readability Test Tool, reviewed here. Print activities and biographies about several different presidents to add to your substitute folder. Share this site with ENL/ELL and Special Education teachers as a resource for materials.
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Thirty Something and Fabulous: Using Marzano Question Stems in a High School Classroom - Stacy
Grades
6 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Stacy at "Thirty Something and Fabulous" has taken Marzano's rework of Bloom's Taxonomy and created questions that "address all the literary elements as well as purpose and style" for...more
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Stacy at "Thirty Something and Fabulous" has taken Marzano's rework of Bloom's Taxonomy and created questions that "address all the literary elements as well as purpose and style" for all levels and categories on the taxonomy. Use these questions with any type of reading. They are downloadable (with credit) from her blog. With Common Core and its emphasis on critical thinking and reading nonfiction, these questions are helpful. This review is for the May 17, 2012 blog entry only. TeachersFirst feels this blog post was valuable for teaching. The remainder of the blog is off topic and not a part of this review.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blooms taxonomy (7), critical thinking (112), literature (218), reading strategies (98), thinking skills (15)
In the Classroom
If you like to compare fiction or poetry with nonfiction, you can choose a few of these questions for students to answer for both pieces. Then ask students to compare which answers are similar and different for both pieces, and why that happens. If you would like to start pairing fiction with nonfiction you can start by using a site such as Earth Care, reviewed here. You will find a link for Focus on Books that has lessons for The Lorax, Diary of a Worm, and several others.If your students write in reading journals, you may want to assign a few of these questions as prompts for reflection. Challenge your students to think of additional writing prompts following this same pattern.
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ReadWorks - ReadWorks.org
Grades
K to 12
8 Favorites
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ReadWorks provides a free, research-based, and Common Core-aligned reading comprehension curriculum. Search through hundreds of lesson plans organized by grade level, topic, or titles....more
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ReadWorks provides a free, research-based, and Common Core-aligned reading comprehension curriculum. Search through hundreds of lesson plans organized by grade level, topic, or titles. Register to download materials and save lessons to your folder. (A valid email and password is required). Be sure to start with the Teacher Guide to see all the many features ReadWorks offers about using and teaching the provided lessons and differentiation. For a quick start, click Find Content then select options from the right menu: Text Options - Reading Passages, Aritcle a Day, and Paired Text, Curriculum Support, Grade, Topic, Text Types - Nonfiction, Fiction, or Poetry, and Lexile. There are thousands of reading passages along with question sets to support learning activities for grades K-12. Each selection contains the text with audio, a vocabulary link, and a questions set. In the left margin, you will find related resources such as standards and related materials.
Teachers can create classes to assign reading and track assessments (which are automatically graded). After signing up with email, click on Admin from the top menu and create a class. Students join the class by using a code and their Google account. No Google account? No problem. Create a roster and provide the class code to students. Easily create assignments for the whole class, or individuals as a way to differentiate. This is a perfect tool to use for remote (or distance) teaching and learning!
Teachers can create classes to assign reading and track assessments (which are automatically graded). After signing up with email, click on Admin from the top menu and create a class. Students join the class by using a code and their Google account. No Google account? No problem. Create a roster and provide the class code to students. Easily create assignments for the whole class, or individuals as a way to differentiate. This is a perfect tool to use for remote (or distance) teaching and learning!
tag(s): characterization (16), context clues (5), figurative language (15), guided reading (33), main idea (8), parts of speech (40), plot (9), point of view (7), reading comprehension (142), reading strategies (98), sequencing (17), Teacher Utilities (150), themes (10), vocabulary (236)
In the Classroom
Show students how to sign up and log in to ReadWorks using a projector or interactive whiteboard. Complete a sample assignment together. Use ReadWorks in blended learning or flipped classrooms leaving class time for asking questions and clarifying. Post the link on your website and consider assigning the Article-A-Day for at home reading. Rotate the subjects weekly and discuss the topic the next day in class. Consider using a back channel tool such as GoSoapBox, reviewed here, for the discussion, so even your quiet and shy students feel comfortable participating, and you can get analytics after the discussion. Teachers of all subjects, but especially science and social studies, can find topics for students to read for their subject. Then challenge students to research the topic further. Redefine learning by having students submit their findings to a special class magazine using Underline, reviewed here, created for the topic. Differentiation can be accomplished easily by assigning to individual students, or you can create multiple classes, which would actually be small groups, who read at the same level or have the same topic interest.Once the students are familiar with the site use Symbaloo Learning Paths, reviewed here, to assign reading to groups at the same reading level. Older students, once they know their reading level, can their select reading and create their own Symbaloo Learning Paths. Check these to make sure students include all types of reading, and that they are challenging themselves. After several selections, ask older students to choose the topic they were most interested in, find resources to learn more about the topic, then extend their learning by presenting their findings using a multimedia tool such as (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Maker, Marq (Lucidpress), Powtoon, or Adobe Express Video Maker.
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BiblioNasium - Marjan Ghara
Grades
1 to 7
2 Favorites
0 Comments
BiblioNasium is a READING social platform for learners ages six to twelve. Students, teachers, and parents all have their own login on the site. Students need a parent (or legal ...more
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BiblioNasium is a READING social platform for learners ages six to twelve. Students, teachers, and parents all have their own login on the site. Students need a parent (or legal guardian) to give permission to use this site. Teachers and parents can set reading goals and rate and recommend books. There are some similarities to Goodreads reviewed here in that this is a reading club where you can read reviews about books, write reviews, and rate books, too. Students will treasure finding new books recommended by others. Reluctant readers will become avid readers because it is easy to find topics of interest. Flash is used only for the introductory video.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (126), descriptive writing (38), independent reading (86), social networking (65), writing (317)
In the Classroom
Use BiblioNasium to manage an independent reading program from reading logs to tailored reading lists. Stack your virtual bookshelves with recommended or required reads: set reading goals, create challenges, and keep track of student reading by using BiblioNasium in your classroom. Your students can easily see what they have read, what they like, and what they plan to read. Be sure to have them evaluate the books they read using BiblioNasium to help others find their next book. Find books by Lexile reading levels with BiblioNasium's Search Field. BiblioNasium is partners with MetaMetrics''''''''''®, developer of the Lexile''''''''''® Framework for Reading. Knowing the reading levels of your students, you can set up leveled small groups for literature circles or nonfiction reading.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)
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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CurriConnects Book List: 100 Leaders - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
This CurriConnects list offers books for student independent reading about leaders. This list of leaders includes a wide sampling from politics to literature and the arts to entertainment....more
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This CurriConnects list offers books for student independent reading about leaders. This list of leaders includes a wide sampling from politics to literature and the arts to entertainment. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL/ELL levels and Lexiles'® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your school or public library does not have the books, try an inter-library loan!
tag(s): artists (78), book lists (162), politics (113), presidents (122), scientists (63)
In the Classroom
Use this list as you study any topic that features leaders: the founding fathers, famous scientists, and much more. Encourage students to read about leaders in diverse fields - including the one you are studying - to compare and discuss what makes someone a successful leader and why people rise to the top among their peers across time, place, and circumstance. You could also form an afterschool book club around this list or use the nonfiction listings as practice with informational texts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Recyclebank - Recyclebank, subsidiary of Recycle Rewards, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12
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Recyclebank offers current information to help live "greener." Their goal is to realize a world without waste, one person or community at a time. Recycling information is easy to ...more
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Recyclebank offers current information to help live "greener." Their goal is to realize a world without waste, one person or community at a time. Recycling information is easy to understand and engaging. Register to become a member and earn points by taking quizzes on environmentally friendly topics, by reading articles and learning more about recycling, and by recycling (if your center or borough participates in the Recyclebank program). Earned points lead to rewards of grocery or entertainment coupons and some gift cards. No registration is required to read resources posted on the website.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth (184), earth day (60), environment (238), recycling (45), sustainability (44)
In the Classroom
With the Common Core State Standards push for nonfiction reading, this site is a natural for any time of the year. Recyclebank will appeal to students who are environmentally conscious, but its intrinsic value is in teaching all students to think about how they can recycle in their everyday life. The advertising comes along with the prizes, so be sure to discuss where to click (or not). If your students have access to email, have them register with the website and start a class competition to see how many points students can earn individually or as a class. Conclude the competition by having students discuss (no matter who won the competition) how acting in greener ways allows everyone to win. There will be future "Green Schools" program competitions. This is a yearly competition where school groups design a green plan for their school that wins up to $2500.00. Posted on the website are the accepted projects where members from all over the country can award points to your school. For every 250 points donated to your school initiative, you earn $1.00. Promote Recyclebank to get as many people involved as possible. Ask them to donate their points to your school. Use this as an opportunity to teach students about grassroots movements and the difference that one bright idea and a few motivated people can make in the world. Why not plan an Earth Day project using this site?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Zinn Education Project - Zinn Education Project
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
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The Zinn Education Project provides teaching resources as a part of its effort to offer an alternative to traditional methods of teaching history. Inspired by the work of Howard Zinn,...more
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The Zinn Education Project provides teaching resources as a part of its effort to offer an alternative to traditional methods of teaching history. Inspired by the work of Howard Zinn, the site and its resources come from a clearly progressive point of view and focus heavily on issues of social justice. Understand there is a political agenda here. The website offers both lesson plans and other teaching materials and a bibliography of related books and other non-web-based resources. In order to access the teaching materials, you must register on the site.
tag(s): african american (111), bias (22), black history (128), civil rights (198), hispanic (28), racism (76), women (138)
In the Classroom
If you are looking for additional teaching materials that focus on issues of social justice, racism, or which provide information from a progressive point of view, you can search by time period or theme (i.e., African American, Mexico, Hispanic, Latinx, LGBT, War and Anti-War, Civil Rights, Racism, and many more). The teaching materials are in PDF format you can download once you log in. Language arts teachers will find the articles here great for nonfiction reading and terrific as discussion starters!
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Science Video Animation - Russell Kightley media
Grades
6 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Explore an impressive set of science and engineering animations to help explain difficult concepts. View animations and posters. Understand what the visual is about by reading the background...more
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Explore an impressive set of science and engineering animations to help explain difficult concepts. View animations and posters. Understand what the visual is about by reading the background information. Animations and posters cannot be used off the site without purchasing, but this is an excellent resource for viewing and sharing in its online version. Topics include different types of engines, how an eye works and vision problems, convection, waves, and more. There are also several animations about geometric solids.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): atoms (42), cells (81), colors (64), diseases (67), dna (44), earth (184), electricity (59), energy (130), engineering (120), geometric shapes (136), light (51), machines (14), molecules (42), solar system (109), sun (70), vision (45), waves (15)
In the Classroom
Use the simulations to help explain topics and concepts in class. Language arts teachers can use this site as a source for nonfiction reading comprehension. Science and language arts teachers can use the site as a learning center for students who need enrichment. Find great animations to help visualize various topics from different viruses to diesel engines, the Doppler Effect, to the garden sundial, and the vertical sundial to name just a few. Check the readability of the animations you want students to use on their own by using the The Readability Test Tool reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Forensics - Nancy Clark
Grades
7 to 12
4 Favorites
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This teacher-created Forensics site is a stunning compilation of ideas, resources, and laboratory activities to keep you supplied in forensic thinking for a good long time....more
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This teacher-created Forensics site is a stunning compilation of ideas, resources, and laboratory activities to keep you supplied in forensic thinking for a good long time. Lesson plans, worksheets, and even puzzles are available for downloading and printing here. Fuel your interest in forensics and increase your scientific background knowledge at the same time.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): forensics (13)
In the Classroom
Whether teaching a course that is purely forensic science or seeking a hook to capture student interest in science through the topic of forensics, this resource is extremely useful. Why do all that searching for yourself? Nancy Clark has taken the time and done all the work. Science and language arts teachers can team up together to use this site. Most students love a compelling mystery and the chance to solve it! There is nonfiction reading here that will fit both curricula. The science teacher can answer questions about DNA, fingerprinting, etc., and the language arts teacher can help students with strategies for reading nonfiction. First, try something short like a video clip, and if you like it, dig deeper and incorporate more into your lessons. The lessons here would integrate nicely into biology or chemistry. Looking for more? Try this TeachersFirst Exclusive unit for more science inquiry lessons using forensics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Book TV - National Cable Satellite Corporation & C-SPAN
Grades
6 to 12
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Watch and listen as popular authors talk about their nonfiction books on this C-SPAN companion website. Book TV features 48 continuous hours of nonfiction books every weekend. You can...more
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Watch and listen as popular authors talk about their nonfiction books on this C-SPAN companion website. Book TV features 48 continuous hours of nonfiction books every weekend. You can easily explore the archived programs, video library, or books and topics by searching the title, author, category, keyword, or browsing all of the listings. Watch the online videos or listen to podcasts of interviews with the authors from Book TV's After Words. There is a lot here to explore, and it appears to be ever-growing! You can find past telecast videos on YouTube, as well, in case you want to be able to download them to use offline. Click the YouTube menu. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): biographies (95), independent reading (86), interviews (14), politics (113)
In the Classroom
Use the online resources from this website to accompany your nonfiction literature. This collection is particularly useful when reading about historical figures. Make books and authors come alive for your students by accessing and projecting videos on your interactive whiteboard and sharing "Book Notes," biographies, and more. Lure students into independent reading by allowing them to explore the videos and find a book they might enjoy reading. After viewing a program or reading a book, have students share their opinions in a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Canva Inforgraphic Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Exploring Arthurian Legend - Edsitement - National Endowment for the Humanities
Grades
8 to 12
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This site explores the growth and transformations of the stories surrounding King Arthur beginning with the oral tradition in Medieval Europe as they develop to become important literary...more
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This site explores the growth and transformations of the stories surrounding King Arthur beginning with the oral tradition in Medieval Europe as they develop to become important literary works such as Christopher Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur in Renaissance England and Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King in Victorian England, and as we find them today in modern works such as T.H. White's Once and Future King and the musicals Camelot and Spamalot.
tag(s): literature (218), myths and legends (21)
In the Classroom
Written as one lesson to cover 4-7 class periods, this is a great site for showing students how oral history, visual art, writing (both fiction and nonfiction), as well as actual events shape the culture of a society. The stories themselves have a history and in their evolving shape carry the imprint of all the hands though which they have passed. Using the Internet, students can track the growth of a legend like that of King Arthur, from its emergence in the so-called Dark Ages to its arrival on Broadway and the silver screen.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Research Building Blocks - Read, Write, Think - International Reading Association
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This site offers a complete lesson plan to use with students prior to beginning a first research project. The lesson takes students through the process of analyzing book titles to ...more
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This site offers a complete lesson plan to use with students prior to beginning a first research project. The lesson takes students through the process of analyzing book titles to determine ones that would be helpful in their research. It then builds on class discussion to enable students to make informed decisions on appropriate research material. One especially useful part of the lesson is the Hints About Print interactive link included in the lesson plan. This would be a wonderful site to use on your interactive whiteboard to lead the class through basics of choosing materials for research. Other useful items on the site are the nonfiction book reviews and nonfiction book evaluation forms that are available in pdf form for easy classroom use. Find all resources and print material by choosing the Resources and Preparation tab near the top of the page.
tag(s): book reports (28), interactive stories (22), Research (83)
In the Classroom
View the Hints About Print interactive with your class on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to demonstrate different concepts on choosing appropriate resources for research. If you don't have an interactive whiteboard, create a link on your classroom computers for students to view as a center. This site is perfect to use with older students who may have already done research projects as a review for choosing materials. ESL and Special Education teachers may want to use materials included in this lesson as an aid for students who have been assigned research projects.
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Physics Today - The American Institute of Physics
Grades
10 to 12
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Physics Today is an online magazine of current physics topics. Although this site is not highly interactive, it is still a nice resource for contemporary physics reading.
Be...more
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Physics Today is an online magazine of current physics topics. Although this site is not highly interactive, it is still a nice resource for contemporary physics reading.
Be aware: you are able to comment on the articles. So you may consider previewing comments for appropriateness. Students can comment on the articles themselves without registering, however, an email address is required.
tag(s): news (229), newspapers (91)
In the Classroom
This is a great site for having students read science writing. The cross-curricular aspect of the articles is great. Nonfiction, especially in science, is harder for students to understand and read. This site can provide great practice for students in comprehension of informational texts. Have students read articles as homework and bring questions to class. Or assign an article on the class website and have students post responses. A good strategy for this type of assignment is to require students to create one original post and two responses to other students. This can begin the conversational ball rolling. Another idea for this site, is to use the obituaries section as a start for student research. Students are already exposed to historically important scientists, but this would bring more current physicists to the learning lime light.If you plan to have students write comments on the articles, an email address is required. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
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eGFI Magazine Online - American Society for Engineering Education
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
eGFI Online Magazine is great nonfiction reading in science and math. It is completely portable as it is online. It can be shared to your Delicious or Diigo site or ...more
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eGFI Online Magazine is great nonfiction reading in science and math. It is completely portable as it is online. It can be shared to your Delicious or Diigo site or other social networking sites. Use this site to enhance cross curricular teaching and learning of reading and interpreting nonfiction text. Plus, this is current and exciting stuff to read for students who are even vaguely interested in science. There are also video links throughout the magazine connecting the text to different, relevant videos. There are lesson plans and activities for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Some of the recent entries (at the time of this review) included the topics of velocity, Earth Day, robots, sports physics,
tag(s): engineering (120), tornadoes (15), watersheds (8)
In the Classroom
Share the link to this magazine with your students via your delicious or diigo links that can be posted on your wiki or website. Then have students sign up for an article to read on their own time using your wiki as a sign up location. Then have students share what they have read in class discussion or on an online discussion board or blog post. Modify learning and challenge students to create a multimedia presentation to share their topic. Have your students create an interactive online infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.
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Physics To Go - APS, AAPT, and NSF-NSDL
Grades
7 to 12
2 Favorites
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Physics To Go is an online, biweekly magazine with great ideas for physics related teaching, experiments, and pictures. The site is easy to navigate and is formatted much like a ...more
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Physics To Go is an online, biweekly magazine with great ideas for physics related teaching, experiments, and pictures. The site is easy to navigate and is formatted much like a page out of a newspaper. Archives are accessible through issue and topic organization, subjects under browse, and are fully searchable within the site. Many additional links for more research are available. This could prove to be indispensable for the high school physical science and physics teachers.
tag(s): experiments (52), motion (49), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Use this site to encourage your students to read about science outside of the classroom. Share the link on your website or class wiki. Start by assigning an article to students and have them highlight and annotate important information and questions they have and discuss it in class or on a blog. Have students use a digital tool like Hypothesis, reviewed here, for highlighting and annotating. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Weebly, reviewed here. Or, if you are teaching a unit on something specific, such as Earthquakes, once students have learned essential vocabulary, have them read the issue and follow the links on the page. Have students discuss in class what they have learned. Then, have small groups create "Top Five Facts" to summarize what they have learned. Challenge students to create a talking avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can be used to explain the "Top Five Facts" the group wishes to share with the class. Use a site such as Blabberize, reviewed here. Reading teachers can also use the articles on this site for reading comprehension practice with nonfiction selections.
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Adopt-an-Author - Steve Alten
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
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Choosing a book, particularly for reluctant readers, is sometimes a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly provide a different look for savvy teenagers...more
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Choosing a book, particularly for reluctant readers, is sometimes a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly provide a different look for savvy teenagers and give them some different ideas on reading. Initiated by author Steve Alten, this website uses this author's (and other's) books to excite reluctant readers with good stories, incorporating technology with planning. While this site has a complete program that is for sale, you can register free and use most of the materials without buying anything. It offers five books by Alten as well as several other fiction and nonfiction titles by different authors. Each book has materials that may include a PowerPoint of the curriculum, a chapter to peruse, activities, quizzes, etc. The variety of books offered is interesting, including an autobiography of Gerda Weissman Klein, a Holocaust survivor, and a finance nonfiction book to help teens prepare for their futures. This site does have sponsors and minor advertising.
tag(s): authors (105), holocaust (41), independent reading (86)
In the Classroom
Allowing students to choose among these books may encourage them to read. Having students "teach" their book to the rest of the class after they have finished it might be an activity that would urge other students to pick up those books, too. Extend learning by having students share their books creatively: write a blog post as a character using Telescope, reviewed here, make a video using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to post on TeacherTube or SchoolTube, or make a podcast "interview" of the main character, played by a classmate using Acast, reviewed here. Bring reading into the 21st century reality of your students and watch the two worlds "mash" together.
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Exploring Compare and Contrast Structure in Expository Texts - ReadWriteThink
Grades
3 to 5
1 Favorites
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Refine your students' ability to compare and contrast with this literature-based lesson that focuses on nonfiction writing. Using common objects, followed by an article on whale species,...more
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Refine your students' ability to compare and contrast with this literature-based lesson that focuses on nonfiction writing. Using common objects, followed by an article on whale species, students are asked to evaluate by isolating similarities and differences. A printable handout helps guide students as they identify ways in which an author relates ideas and relationships. Includes an interactive Venn Diagram Tool. Aligned to standards.
tag(s): reading comprehension (142), writing (317)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plan hosted on this site! Even if you don't have the time to complete the whole lesson, take a look and see if you can incorporate parts as the information is good. Be sure to save this site as a favorite to allow for easy reference later on.
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Eye on the Sky - Project FIRST
Grades
1 to 3
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This delightful site, created for early elementary students, provides activities and lesson plans (aligned to national standards) that encourage observation, investigation, and literacy...more
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This delightful site, created for early elementary students, provides activities and lesson plans (aligned to national standards) that encourage observation, investigation, and literacy skills. An interactive "Changing Weather" feature asks for student input regarding local weather conditions, and then generates a personalized weather report. Use the "Our Star the Sun" link to find more than a dozen outstanding lesson plans that focus on the sun-earth system and nonfiction reading and writing skills. Downloadable worksheets and materials are also provided in either GIF or PDF formats.
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Earth and Moon Viewer
Grades
5 to 12
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Includes various images and maps of the moon and Earth. Also included are views from satellites as well as an interactive Perigee and Apogee calculator. Images could be used in ...more
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Includes various images and maps of the moon and Earth. Also included are views from satellites as well as an interactive Perigee and Apogee calculator. Images could be used in research reports.
In the Classroom
Deepen your study of the planets through further reading and beautiful graphics. Focus on the use of nonfiction text in your classroom, combined with literature studies of space or planet fiction, such as Jules Verne's, "From the Earth to the Moon," or Roald Dahl's, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator." Find useful information, graphics, and diagrams for PowerPoints, Screencasts or Prezi's reviewed here. Include on your list of resources for science units on space on your classroom webpage. Be sure to show this tool on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to introduce space. Visit before your trip to the planetarium or science museum. Use to inspire artwork inspired by space. Deepen your students' background knowledge in writing about space travel, future, or creativity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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