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Four Directions Teaching - 4D Interactive Inc.
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
A Canadian site focused on five "first nations" central to Canada's history, Four Directions Teaching, uses technology to create a visually beautiful site about the Blackfoot, Cree,...more
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A Canadian site focused on five "first nations" central to Canada's history, Four Directions Teaching, uses technology to create a visually beautiful site about the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi'kmaq tribes. There are also extensive teacher resources, sorted by challenge level, to download, a photo collection, audio narration, and printables. These resources are appropriate not only for use by Canadians, but also for understanding the development of Native American culture throughout North America. (The Native Americans preceded any national boundaries!).
tag(s): canada (23), cross cultural understanding (155), cultures (132), native americans (91)
In the Classroom
The series of animated mini lessons are perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) and help anchor the learning activities available for download. They could also be used as stand-alone resources to complement lessons you have designed. You might choose to look at creation myths across the various tribes or how each culture constructed shelters or conducted ceremonies. These themes make the lessons useful even for those not studying specifically Canadian history. Have students make a multimedia presentation on a chosen topic using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): PBWorks (wiki), Site123 (blog), Renderforest (newscast video), and Genially (poster/bulletin board).
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Wondermind - Tate Liverpool
Grades
4 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Wondermind is a set of four mini-activities with accompanying videos, illustrating the fascinating ways our brains work. Experience the activities/illustrations to help prepare for...more
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Wondermind is a set of four mini-activities with accompanying videos, illustrating the fascinating ways our brains work. Experience the activities/illustrations to help prepare for the interactive video that explains an aspect of the brain, such as how we learn language, how the brain develops from childhood to adulthood, how memory works, how we sense our own location, and how we learn self-control. Wondermind, set to the theme of Alice in Wonderland, will delight you with the quirky, clever, or just plain weird art inspired by Alice in Wonderland and used as part of the designs. The activities can be skipped if you prefer to just view the videos.
tag(s): body systems (40), brain (55), human body (93), logic (165), psychology (67)
In the Classroom
Create a link on classroom computers for students to try the challenges and then view videos on your interactive whiteboard together. Check out the learning resources link to view a video with additional ideas for visual perception games and activities. Use as part of your Alice in Wonderland or Lewis Carroll units. If you teach psychology, anatomy, or health, this exploration will offer a new angle into how the brain works. Use the game and video about memory during a unit on study skills and discovering how students learn best. Teachers of gifted may also want to explore this site as part of a unit on the gifted mind. Learning support teachers may also want to use portions to help students better understand why their minds operate differently -- not "badly." Bright Asperger's students might be fascinated by the portion on the prefrontal cortex and how we learn self-control.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TED - TED staff
Grades
6 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
TED is the home of the award-winning TEDTalks video site, a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. In the beginning, the TEDTalks mission was to bring together people from...more
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TED is the home of the award-winning TEDTalks video site, a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. In the beginning, the TEDTalks mission was to bring together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design. However, its scope has broadened to challenge the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers to give the talk of their lives (in approximately 18 minutes or less). At the time of this review, TED.com has more than 1,100 of the best talks and performances by speakers with powerful ideas from around the world. The talks are free and the collection continues to grow. The goal of the foundation is to foster the spread of great ideas, thus it aims to provide a platform for the world's smartest thinkers, greatest visionaries, and most-inspiring teachers, so that millions of people can gain a better understanding of the biggest issues faced by the world, and a desire to help create a better future. Easily search the site by topics, disciplines, newest releases, or most favorite. TEDTalks offers subtitles in various languages which enhances the accessibility for the hearing-impaired, and for those who speak English as a second language.
In the Classroom
If you are looking for a clearinghouse that offers free inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, this ever-evolving site is perfect for engaging your students with digital videos of the global issues facing our world today. Use your projector or interactive whiteboard to project videos. Watch your students' enthusiastic reactions in science, social studies, or English classrooms as they view a TED video and then follow-up with a debate on the future or the impact of technology on society, or use them as a springboard for interesting writing prompts or to spark a discussion connected with a unit of study. Challenge students to do a compare/contrast activity using an online Venn Diagram tool (reviewed here). Most of the videos are less than twenty minutes, which makes it real doable to embed in a one-period class lesson.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Money Management - Money Management International
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
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Teach students how to manage money using the resources and tools available at Money Management International. Be sure to investigate the resource section where you'll find calculators,...more
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Teach students how to manage money using the resources and tools available at Money Management International. Be sure to investigate the resource section where you'll find calculators, articles, quizzes, infographics, videos, and lesson plans. The lesson plan section contains over 50 lesson plans and activities for classroom use. Many appealing stories for children and adolescents are the focus for the financial explanations and advice. The lessons are quite thorough including objectives, assessments, extensions, and printables for activities. Another useful resource on the site is Youth and Money found under the Financial Education link. There is a great section for teens to explore when considering buying a first car, as well as videos from kids offering money advice to adults. This site is worth spending some time exploring for the many resources offered.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): financial literacy (92), money (119)
In the Classroom
Have students create "talking pictures" to illustrate financial concepts learned on the site using Blabberize, reviewed here. Have students take the online quizzes on the site including the one asking kids how much allowance they should get. Compare the online results to your classroom results. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using DesignBold, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Get Your Walk Score - Front Seat
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Type in an address and determine the walkability of any location. A map of the address entered displays nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and more that are within one mile of ...more
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Type in an address and determine the walkability of any location. A map of the address entered displays nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and more that are within one mile of that location. Many, but not all, addresses will also display a walk score rating demonstrating how walkable that area is with a score from 0-100. What a fun way to workout "around the town." More "green" communities often have a better walkability score.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): fitness (38), map skills (56), maps (207)
In the Classroom
Use this site as part of a school-wide physical fitness program to determine places that students can walk to instead of driving. Have students use their home address to determine walkability and locate destinations nearby. Physical Education teachers may want to use this site to demonstrate easy ways students can improve fitness by walking to nearby locations. Compare different communities around the country for walkability. Have student groups research to discover the fitness level of these communities and/or the importance of environmental concerns to the citizens there. For a big challenge, have student create an infographic that shows the relationship between walkability and health or pollution data. Or have them design a "dream" walkable neighborhood to practice map skills. Share this link on your website for families to view together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Marshmallow Challenge - Tom Wujec
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Even though the site says the "challenge is coming soon" just click the video and it will come up in YouTube. The Download works perfectly. Use a marshmallow challenge to ...more
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Even though the site says the "challenge is coming soon" just click the video and it will come up in YouTube. The Download works perfectly. 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 (91), design (79), engineering (120), problem solving (225), structures (18)
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.
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izzit.org - Izzit.org
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Teaching Current Events has become easier by using izzit.org's website. This site offers daily lessons linked to news articles that include discussion questions designed to promote...more
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Teaching Current Events has become easier by using izzit.org's website. This site offers daily lessons linked to news articles that include discussion questions designed to promote critical thinking, challenge assumptions, and stimulate class discussions. Lessons also highlight key vocabulary to define and discuss from the articles. In addition to the daily lessons, educational videos are available on the site. Daily lessons are available without registration to the site along with a vast archive of previous lessons. Registration provides access to one free video per year, access to educational standards alignment, and daily lessons provided through email.
tag(s): critical thinking (112), news (229), vocabulary (236)
In the Classroom
Choose one current events lesson as a Problem of the Week for class discussion along with some of the questions provided in the lesson. Challenge students to create their own lesson with local newspaper or magazine articles. Search the archives for articles that relate to lessons taught in class. Display the article on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and discuss, use whiteboard tools to highlight vocabulary and search for context clues in finding definitions.
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TallJerome Math Songs/Video - Jerome White
Grades
8 to 12
2 Favorites
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New Orleans Math Teacher, Jerome White, has created this site to share his classroom productions with others. He has produced videos fashioned after popular songs with Math themes....more
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New Orleans Math Teacher, Jerome White, has created this site to share his classroom productions with others. He has produced videos fashioned after popular songs with Math themes. Examples are Super Geek sung to the tune of Super Freak, I Solved for X to the tune of I Kissed a Girl, and many more. Videos are presented through YouTube and most are also linked to an original posting with an explanation of the contents. Be sure to also check out his Math Nerdiness page which features his Mathematical explanation of Parallel Parking, Sine Cradle, Rational Functions explanations, and other "Nerdiness." Other linked portions of the site are for more mature students, such as the tattoo designs done by calculus students. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
tag(s): angles (51), geometric shapes (136), humor (16), quadratics (26)
In the Classroom
This is a great find for gifted students or to lure in disengaged math students. Allow them to explore the Math Nerdiness and investigate the Mathematical explanations contained there. Share the videos with students on your interactive whiteboard or projector to add a little humor to Math class. Challenge students to create their own video or multimedia presentations using current Math content. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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FFFBI: Missions - WGBH
Grades
4 to 9
2 Favorites
0 Comments
FFFBI (Fin, Fur and Feather Bureau of Investigation) Academy is designed to help upper elementary and middle school kids -- especially those with attention issues -- manage the problems...more
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FFFBI (Fin, Fur and Feather Bureau of Investigation) Academy is designed to help upper elementary and middle school kids -- especially those with attention issues -- manage the problems they face with schoolwork, homework, and even managing their binders. Each interactive is designed to teach useful skills and strategies, while continually encouraging you to complete increasingly difficult tasks. To increase interest, the FFFBI Academy uses its humorous spy theme and frequent reinforcements for successful game play. National Geographic has partnered to help produce this series of geography-themed missions. In each, students are introduced to a new country and receive a dossier of documents to help complete a mission. Each dossier contains maps, forensic information, media and wiretap intercepts, background information, and images. Each mission requires students to exercise geography skills and basic problem-solving in six interactive challenges. Each mission follows National Geographic's geography standards. Upon completion, a short Coffee Guy quiz debriefs students about the knowledge they have gained. There is an excellent teacher's section of the site containing a summary of each activities with tips and an approximate time to complete.
tag(s): map skills (56), mysteries (20), problem solving (225)
In the Classroom
Share the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector; then assign a challenge each week for students to work on during centers or on laptops in geography/social studies class. Use activities from different countries as an introduction to the country before starting classroom activities. Special Education teachers may want to offer this active alternative to traditional lessons for students with attention issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New York State for Kids - New York State Department of Economic Development
Grades
3 to 8
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This site includes activities and fun facts that help students learn about the state of New York. The state facts list includes some interesting items such as the highest mountains...more
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This site includes activities and fun facts that help students learn about the state of New York. The state facts list includes some interesting items such as the highest mountains and waterfalls, number of miles in the barge canal system, and the longest river in the state. Some items also include links to pictures. The history of New York is divided into two sections - pre and post 1900. Information included is fairly sparse but may be a good starting point for further research. The site includes a crossword puzzle, word search, and word scramble with New York words and information. Be sure to check out the state facts portion of the site to find state symbols and interesting facts.
In the Classroom
Copy the crossword puzzle on the site for students, then have them explore the site to find answers. Share this site with students as they work on state research projects. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using DesignBold, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Understanding Taxes - Student - IRS
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The IRS designed this site for students to build an understanding about the U.S. tax system, why people have to pay taxes, where the tax money goes, and more. It ...more
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The IRS designed this site for students to build an understanding about the U.S. tax system, why people have to pay taxes, where the tax money goes, and more. It includes virtual tours, tutorials, simulations, and activities. There is a companion site for Teachers here.
tag(s): financial literacy (92), money (119)
In the Classroom
Use the lesson plans at the Teachers site to teach the financial literary concepts. Then use a projector or your interactive whiteboard to show students how to navigate the student site. Allow students to explore the online activities on their own at a center, in the computer lab, or at home by putting the URL on your website. After completing the worksheets provided with the lessons, have students create their own worksheets for other classmates to complete. Challenge students to create their own financial literacy newsletter using Revue, reviewed here, for students in their school including money-saving suggestions, job ideas for students, and tips for creating a budget. Have students create posters sharing their newsletter using a site such as Padlet, reviewed here.
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Coal Cares - Coal Cares
Grades
6 to 12
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As teachers, we often look for ways to help students sift through the enormous amount of information on the Internet, and to help them discriminate among those that are reliable ...more
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As teachers, we often look for ways to help students sift through the enormous amount of information on the Internet, and to help them discriminate among those that are reliable and those that are not. The site "Coal Cares" might be a wonderful tool to use in this effort.
First, coalcares.org is a spoof, a site purposely written to deceive. Although it looks perfectly legitimate on the surface--professionally created, and full of "facts"--a close reading of it soon reveals that it is designed to make fun of sites which try to put a positive spin on a negative issue.
tag(s): consumers (14), energy (130), environment (238), propaganda (9)
In the Classroom
Consider using this site to teach students to read carefully and evaluate the claims made on websites. You might divide the class into teams and have each group examine one of the page links from the site. One link provides paper and pencil games for kids. What can they find in these games that is ironic or reveals that the site is a spoof? (Hint: look for words in the word search that are not listed in the word bank!). Another link offers free inhalers for kids. Where do the links lead? Do students find anything strange about "baby's first inhaler"?After students have dissected the site and discovered all the misleading statements and "propaganda," encourage them to read the blog post at Coal Cares Site a Brilliant Hoax, reviewed here, for more information about the hoax, and how it was devised. Then, discuss the implications of this example. How can it make them better internet consumers? Challenge groups to create multimedia projects sharing their finding. Have students use one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.
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YouTube Play: Live from the Guggenheim - Youtube Play
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Join YouTube and the Guggenheim Museum in recognizing a biennial review of the best online videos from around the world. As a form of modern and contemporary art, celebrate free ...more
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Join YouTube and the Guggenheim Museum in recognizing a biennial review of the best online videos from around the world. As a form of modern and contemporary art, celebrate free access every day for your virtual field trip from a Webby award-winning nominee site for 2011. A panel of 20-25 experts chooses from a selection of over 23,000 videos submitted. Explore art, music, movement, poetry, and prose on this creative video site. The option of subscribing to recent uploads is available at no charge. Click "continue" to see thumbnails of all available winners. If your district blocks YouTube, then this site may not be viewable. Not all comments posted are appropriate and videos should be previewed before viewing in the classroom setting.
In the Classroom
Capture your students' interest in the modern world of technology. Share this video on your interactive whiteboard or projector (be sure to use full screen mode). YouTube Play can be used in a variety of classroom settings; art, music, technology, language art, drama, science, or political science.In the art classroom, explore the emerging world of creative video. Determine elements of design, technology, photography, and movement. Discover the integration of music, sound, and movement in video in many creative ways. Use the site to demonstrate how to convey a message through creative animation. Express a creative editorial on a current events or important issues that challenge our world such as over-population, fossil fuels, or pollution. Have students create innovative political campaign videos. Take your technology classes to a new level of excellence. Add a visual component to poems, prose, or narratives as an additional interpretation device. Introduce storyboarding techniques to create videos with a tool like online sticky notes that can be move around such as Webnote, reviewed here, easily share Webnote using the URL. Have your students make their own videos using a tool such as Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, and then share them via TeacherTube, reviewed here.
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Ask, Listen, Learn - Century Council
Grades
5 to 9
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The site uses teen role models to show students how to eat nutritious foods, exercise, participate in sports, etc. in order to stay healthy. This site encourages preteens and young...more
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The site uses teen role models to show students how to eat nutritious foods, exercise, participate in sports, etc. in order to stay healthy. This site encourages preteens and young teems to stay active, achieve academically, and involve themselves in community projects. You can become a member of the Ask, Listen, Learn team with a simple registration (a parent's email address is required). The site uses those who've registered as their "superstars," those whose stories and life habits appear on the pages. The motto for the activities on these pages is "Say yes to a healthy lifestyle, and no to underage drinking." The site includes the "Ecochallenge" which helps students become more aware of their environment. The site was originally designed to help combat underage drinking and drunk driving. However, there are many other topics here to explore.
tag(s): environment (238)
In the Classroom
Have your students create an online photo essay about themselves, modeling the project on Lolo's page which emphasizes the whole person: one's body, spirit, emotional well-being, community participation, etc. Use a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here), or use an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here). Have students make checklists for themselves following the criteria they notice in the other stories at this site.Be sure to include this link on your class website as parents may be interested in exploring this site.
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Our Documents - 100 Milestone Documents - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
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This site, a collaborative effort among the National Archives, National History Day, and USA Freedom Corps, highlights the most important documents in US history. Each of these "milestone"...more
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This site, a collaborative effort among the National Archives, National History Day, and USA Freedom Corps, highlights the most important documents in US history. Each of these "milestone" documents is detailed and photographed on a separate page; the photo can be enlarged for presentation on an interactive whiteboard. What is most helpful for teachers, however, is the link to DocsTeach, reviewed here, with tools for educators. This site was clearly designed with teachers in mind! Click the items from the menu on the right.
tag(s): history day (40), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
The use of primary sources in teaching has been greatly increased by our digital access to documents like these. Peruse the list of "milestone" documents, and commit to using the photographs on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) when the document comes up in a lesson or discussion. For teachers who are supporting student projects for National History Day, this site also has a link to specific tips, although it appears the site has not been kept up to date with current information on individual competitions. Challenge cooperative learning groups to investigate one of the documents and create a multimedia project of their choice. Looking for some inspiration? How about having groups create a podcast using podOmatic, reviewed here. Or have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Have students narrate a photo of the document (using a FREE and LEGAL photo) with a too 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: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Science Geek - Mr. Allan
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Find terrific resources for chemistry and biology classes at this informational site. You'll find PowerPoints, procedures for labs, and general notes. This site was originally designed...more
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Find terrific resources for chemistry and biology classes at this informational site. You'll find PowerPoints, procedures for labs, and general notes. This site was originally designed to be one teacher's online classroom spot. However, the resources are very helpful in teaching chemistry, biology, and science in general, and this teacher is willing to share.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use the printables in your classroom when students do not have easy access to the internet. Try something more adventurous by showing a chemistry video on your interactive whiteboard. To use this site even further, have students try out a virtual lab tool as an alternative to a hands on lab assignment. Assign groups to different (specific) topics and challenge the groups to present their lab and results by creating a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Make this link available as an alternate way to look at concepts when students are "stuck" or confused.
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Sumo Paint 3.0 - Lauri Koutaniemi and Aaro Vaananen
Grades
6 to 12
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Sumo Paint is a free, web-based painting and photo editing application. Without even having to create an account, you can edit images from a URL or personal desktop file. Simply ...more
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Sumo Paint is a free, web-based painting and photo editing application. Without even having to create an account, you can edit images from a URL or personal desktop file. Simply go directly to the site and begin editing images or creating work directly from a web browser, or download the app to your desktop. The painting tools included are layering, cloning, blur effects, a magic wand, shape tools, paint bucket, lasso selecting, filters, and the ability to add text. The photo editing tools allow for the adjusting contrast, hue saturation, and color balance. The application works with JPGs, GIFs and PNGs and saves work as a JPG and PNG format. The support tutorials provide tips on how to use these various features. Sumo Paint also serves as a global network of artists and is available in over fifty different languages. Without an account, you can view work but cannot share or post comments. Signing up for a free account will provide artists an opportunity to share their work, comment, view, and rate the work others artists. A free account also grants access to features such as the ability save the layer data incomplete artwork, back up files, and participate in collaborative image creation.
tag(s): design (79), editing (90), painting (55), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Previous experience with layer-based design software editing such as Photoshop is extremely beneficial. The "Sumo Paint Help" page provides helpful tutorials but individuals without previous training may need additional support.Challenge students to learn about the tools professional designers use today. Select and then project video help tutorials to the whole class. Before sending students off for independent practice, demonstrate how to use the image editing and painting tools on an interactive whiteboard or projector. The videos in this section link to YouTube, so systems that block YouTube access may not be able to access this. Rather than a traditional report, challenge students to write articles and create magazine covers for biographies, history or science reports using Magazine Cover Maker, reviewed here. Have students create icons for logos for websites. Have students create artwork for CD labels for portfolios or multimedia projects using CD Cover Maker, reviewed here. Post a link to Sumo Paint on your class website for student access outside of school. The beauty of this free cloud based software is that students can start a project in school, collaborate on a single image, and continue to work on it after school hours.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
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
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Re-Energy - GreenLearning
Grades
7 to 12
3 Favorites
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Integrate clean air technology into your physical science units. Re-Energy.ca highlights five basic forms of renewable energy; solar electricity and heat, wind power and energy, and...more
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Integrate clean air technology into your physical science units. Re-Energy.ca highlights five basic forms of renewable energy; solar electricity and heat, wind power and energy, and biomass energy. All the necessary background information needed to better understand renewable energy and with a list of valuable links, resources and videos. Included are detailed construction plans for renewable energy models such as a solar oven or wind turbine. The site also addresses larger environmental issues such as global climate change and is dedicated to educating the public on ways to reduce the consumption of natural resources.
tag(s): climate change (88), design (79), electricity (59), energy (130), engineering (120), heat (15), natural resources (38), sustainability (43)
In the Classroom
The projects outlined are in simple steps to show students how to create their own renewable energy technologies. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to get hands on experience with engineering, design, and sustainable energy technologies. It also could be a resource for science fair projects.If you live in Canada, you can participate in a solar oven design challenge. Teachers from other countries may want to have their class host an on-line collaborative project to compare and contrast the performance of their home made solar ovens
The website provides a unit plan meant to be completed in 11 class periods. You can download free complete lesson plans with detailed instructions. A student planning worksheet outlines research procedures, project guidelines, timeline for completion dates and evaluation criteria they are expected to meet.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Get the Math - The Moody's Foundation
Grades
8 to 12
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Use this hip site to reinforce the need for algebra in today's world. Beyond architecture, view videos that explain how musicians, fashion designers, and video game designers use algebra...more
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Use this hip site to reinforce the need for algebra in today's world. Beyond architecture, view videos that explain how musicians, fashion designers, and video game designers use algebra in their work. View videos on the site or embed into a blog, wiki, or other site for your students. Though the Challenges use Flash, there is certainly a lot more to learn at this entertaining site. Teachers will find a video introduction on using the site with classes as well as lesson plans either as a word document or Adobe PDF format.
tag(s): problem solving (225)
In the Classroom
Share the catchy introduction video on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the Introduction to raise awareness of using math in careers and the real world. Use the lesson plans provided on the site as a whole class activity or with groups of students. Have students create a podcast using a tool such as podOmatic, (explained here), blog post, or other multimedia presentation of their use of Algebra to solve the problem. Have students carefully view their world and find problems or phenomena where math can answer the question.
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Color Vision and Art - Michael Douma
Grades
6 to 12
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Color, Vision and Art examines both scientific and artistic interpretations of color. This is one of many interdisciplinary exhibits found on WebExhibits online museum. This particular...more
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Color, Vision and Art examines both scientific and artistic interpretations of color. This is one of many interdisciplinary exhibits found on WebExhibits online museum. This particular showcase makes the connection between the birth of Modern art and the scientific revolution of the 19th century. Articles include historic investigations into the psychological effect of color upon the emotions, the anatomy of the human eye, color vision theory, and the brain's perception of color. The site also provides fascinating information about oil and egg tempera painting and how each achieves the illusion of light and space. They examine not only Western Art of the 19th, 20th and 21st century, but also African Art.
tag(s): art history (87), colors (64), human body (93), newton (21), psychology (67)
In the Classroom
Color, Vision and Art offers students a unique opportunity to make cross-curricular connections and is a great starting point for individual or group projects. Students interested in Anatomy, Neuroscience, Painting, or Art History, will enjoy exploring this site independently. Each individual chapter comes with a selection of extension tasks from which students can choose. The "Exhibit" tab also offers suggestions for directing class discussions and provides tasks that initiate higher order thinking. Guiding questions about the neurobiological interpretation of color, will simultaneously develop student ability to analyze and interpret color used in art. Have students create a multimedia presentation to report about what they have learned using Thinglink, reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a reproduction of a painting (legally permitted to be reproduced), and include a narration about the artist's use of color. There are also interactive activities to demonstrate aspects of color theory. Project these interactive tools on an interactive whiteboard to the whole class and experiment with simultaneous color contrast, and luminance together. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. This site is excellent for enrichment. Include it on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class, especially when they are designing their own multimedia projects and want to take advantage of color's subtleties.
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