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The Museum of Underwater Archaeology - The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): oceans (149)
In the Classroom
Who isn't fascinated by treasure buried under the seas? This site will help you sneak in history lessons by engaging students in the process of underwater archaeology. The site also makes a strong effort to integrate various curriculum areas from art to biology along with the historical importance of various excavations. Students might also want to follow one of the underwater blogs with information about ongoing projects. Have cooperative learning groups create a multimedia project related to one of the blog stories. For visual students, use an online poster creator such as Padlet. Have students use a tool such as Zeemaps. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map) where the story takes place.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Life and Voyages of Henry Hudson - Ian Chadwick
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Have the students make a cumulative map of all Hudson's voyages together in order for them to get a chance to become intimately familiar with the map making process. Try a site such as Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location on a map where each story takes place. Have each cooperative learning group focus on a different exploration. Compare their creations with the online map which has all four voyages combined. Assign students in a group each a few pages of an imagined journal Henry might have written on each voyage. The most interesting part will be to imagine what happened to him after people no longer heard from him! Use this site as the starting point for individual research papers. Encourage students to find other resources that contribute to their knowledge of Henry Hudson. Have students write a talk Hudson might give if he suddenly woke up today (like Rip Van Winkle). Or make it more Web 2.0 and have students write blog entries. The text passages on this site are also ideal for reading comprehension practice. Project them on an interactive whiteboard for practice in main idea, summarizing, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National History Day Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): history day (39)
In the Classroom
Share this link on your class web page or use it as a jumping off point for students beginning research for National History Day projects or you school's own history celebration. Have students create their projects using free web based tools, such as those reviewed as part of the TeachersFirst Edge. To provide a way for students to help each other with the technology tasks, limit options to one or two tools such as ThingLink (,reviewed here,) for interviews or Bookemon (reviewed here) for creating interactive books. Or create a whole-class wiki with student group history projects on separate pages. Learn more about wikis from the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Public Domain Clip Art Blog - sookietex
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Find images to illustrate curriculum topics, such as historical photos and cultural images. Include them in activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Art teachers can use images freely to illustrate design concepts. Create montages of images from eras in history, a culture, or scientific concepts to give visual learners a way to remember new content. "Harvest" images for students to use in their own projects, saving them on a local drive or computer (copying these images is OK!). Have students select an image as an inspiration for a writing assignment or blog post. Upload images to Google Drawings, reviewed here, and have students critique or explain it orally in a world language, science, or social studies class. 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. Have student groups use these copyright-safe images (with credit, of course) in their online Bookemon books, reviewed here, about a curriculum concept.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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20 Questions - 20Q.netInc.
Grades
5 to 12When you arrive at the site, click your language (there are MANY languages from which to choose). Enter your gender, age, and location (optional). Then choose the "game" you wish to try. Some are more commercial (Disney, The Simpsons, or Star Trek). Others have educational value (Harry Potter, Earth, or Classic, Famous people). This is an interesting and challenging activity. There are disclaimers that the "game gets smarter" the more you play because the game compiles facts over time. It is involving and entertaining to play. The site does include some advertisements.
tag(s): back to school (55), firstday (22), trivia (19)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Teachers could have students research a person, place or thing and then use their research to play twenty questions against the computer. It could also be used as review if posted to the class wiki and then completed independently by students at home. Use this as a first day or first week activity, have students try the 20 question game about names and see if the computer can figure out their name. Use the Earth activity for geography practice in cooperative learning groups or as a class activity. In world language classes, choose the appropriate language to practice vocabulary about animals and other categories of information. Extend learning by having students create their own 20 question activity and quiz the class! Use Involve.me, reviewed here, What a great culminating project in any class. You will be teaching HOTS (higher order thinking skills) as students use classification to create their questions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Big Picture - Boston.com (Part of the Boston Globe)
Grades
6 to 12You are able to post comments. You may want to preview the comments before allowing students to view. Posting comments requires an email address. Check your school's acceptable use policy regarding student email use. 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.
tag(s): news (229)
In the Classroom
This site would be great for a multitude of subjects and may be best implemented with an interactive whiteboard or projector. One suggestion is to show a picture on the board as students enter the room and pose one question about it. It would create a great prompt for discussion or journaling. Students could also access pictures and create their own stories or presentations of the actual events. Students could create a news story and post it to the classroom wiki where available. Do you want to learn more about wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Short Stories of Science and Invention - Today in Science History (Stories are from Charles Kettering)
Grades
6 to 12There are a number of short stories from all areas of science taken from Kettering's Radio talk shows. The general topics include "Introduction to Science and Invention," "Science and Invention in Transportation," "Science and Invention in War." Specific topics vary from Energy from the Sun to The Wright Way to Unraveling the Atom and many others.
tag(s): aviation (40), history day (39), inventors and inventions (80), scientists (67), sun (71), transportation (31)
In the Classroom
This site would be a helpful alternative text in the science classroom. Use this site for research projects or explaining some famous inventions. Extend reading into an online journaling project or even a classroom blog or wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. The opportunity for collaboration, reflection, and eventually creating their own stories of their projects is wonderful. Have cooperative learning groups create multimedia presentations. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using Lucidpress, reviewed here. Have groups create news reports using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, and share them using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Audio Pal - Oddcast
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): communication (129), speech (68), text to speech (20)
In the Classroom
If using a phone, understanding calling plans and additional charges is needed. You must know how to use embed codes to place audio files within your blog, wiki, or website. No login is required! Simply click the "Get Yours It's Free" button. Choose the method to create the audio and preview and edit the file. Enter your email address to receive a link to your file. Click on the link to grab widgets. Copy the code and place in your blog or website.The tool does not show which work is attributable to which student. You may want to require that students mark their contributions in order to get credit. Consider using a class email account set up for this purpose. Be sure students understand the appropriate use of this email account.
Classroom use: Use this service to record audio of passages used in class, homework assignments, and other written material. Young students can practice reading aloud at this site (and listen to themselves), showing improvement in fluency as the year goes on. Have students use this site in place of a traditional book report. Have cooperative learning groups create a news broadcast and share it using this site. Use this site with ESL/ELL students just learning the English language. Use this site in world language classes for students to hear and learn the pronunciations. Place the embed code in a site that students can access outside of class for review, identifying directions, and listening to text. Speech and language teachers can use this tool to record student articulation and demonstrate progress through the year.
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Study Stack - John Weidner
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): flash cards (44), greek (47), hebrew (16), latin (23), test prep (69), vocabulary (239)
In the Classroom
Encourage parents to use this site as a study-at-home tool for their students. Link your blog or website to this site by entering your url at the bottom of the homepage. Make sure your guidance counselor at your school is aware of this site as a tool for studying those college entrance tests. Be sure to save this site in your favorites.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Over the Top - Canadian War Museum
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): europe (84), world war 1 (77)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector, if individual computers aren't available. If students are working in groups or individually, don't forget the headsets!Students can pass through the scenes by recording vocabulary words. Have students identify the minor and major difficulties that soldiers during world War I faced. Research how the needs of soldiers were met those days and the agencies or people that helped the troops. Have students create a podcast, or other multimedia project to share their findings. For a podcasting site, try PodOmatic (reviewed here). Compare and contrast military stories today with those of the past to find parallels and differences in military service throughout history. Have groups create an online Venn Diagram comparing the similarities and differences, try a FREE site like this one, (reviewed here). Create class discussions of propaganda, expectations of the military, and different ways that soldiers are portrayed by the media, the public, and in other print materials.
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Teaching with Historic Places - National Park Service
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): cities (17), inventors and inventions (80), landmarks (22), maps (220), states (124)
In the Classroom
Search for your state and see what this site has to offer. Looking for a specific topic (i.e. Civil War or Pearl Harbor), search using topics. Take advantage of these ready to go lesson plans. Infuse your lessons with technology by creating a class wiki about the lesson/topic being discussed. Maybe make a wiki guidebook to your state. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. Save this site in your favorites, and check back as you plan throughout the year.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Real Clear Politics - Real Clear Politics
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): politics (118)
In the Classroom
Make this site available in Favorites on your classroom computer for students to refer to often when they have questions about current events or politics or build deeper understanding. You may also want to list this link on your class website or wiki, so students can access the page both in and out of the class. Consider using the site as an icebreaker at the beginning of a class: pick one of the polls or short video clips (share it on your interactive whiteboard or projector) and discuss. Use the site to demonstrate how to negotiate the partisanship in political reporting on television and to teach students about how political bias affects the tenor of the conversation about current events. After doing research, have cooperative learning groups create podcasts or video commercials highlighting a recent event or political figure. Create FREE podcasts using a site such as PodOmatic. Share student-made videos on a site such as Teachers TV.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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AllMyFaves - AllMyFaves
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): dictionaries (47), literature (222)
In the Classroom
Why search for these sites, when the links can all be found in one place? Use this site in combination with TeachersFirst's rich reviews. Students can use these links as a springboard to research and projects. Be sure to save this site in your personal favorites! There is a lot to explore. List this site on your class website and/or wiki for students to access both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): african american (112), black history (133), civil rights (207), holidays (187), martin luther king (45), vocabulary (239)
In the Classroom
Use this site to reinforce and support vocabulary as you study MLK Jr. Share the word puzzles on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create their own word activities from the same vocabulary list, such as matching or ranking challenges for their peers to try on the interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bubbabrain - Bubbabrain
Grades
K to 12Click the "Go" button to start your activity. Click on the correct answer to the question and then a new question appears. Prompts to try again appear if the answer is wrong and a percent right appears on your screen as you progress. Click on the teacher's link in the upper right hand corner for more information on becoming registered. Once registered, teachers can create their own games for the site. Your teacher ID can be entered by students to access created games.
tag(s): psychology (65), sociology (23), time (90)
In the Classroom
Use these activities for review of concepts or terminology with your class on specific topics/subjects. Wish there were a review game for a missing topic? Request a teacher ID, and have groups of students create the questions. Enter the information for the game and students can review by playing their game or one created by another group. Share the student-created games on your interactive whiteboard or projector.These games would be great to both help students review and help them figure out what kind of study methods work best for them.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) - Southern Poverty Law Center
Grades
K to 12The Classroom Resources link offers Lessons, Learning Plans, Student Texts, Students Tasks, Film Kits, and other helpful pages. There is also a link to receive FREE kits and handbooks! There are online activities, recommended books, "talking points," and more.
In the Classroom
Of course, the obvious uses for this site include preparing for Black History Month or Women's History Month, consult this site for more than that! Don't just visit the Classroom Resources, but check out the Topics and Podcasts that you can share on your projector or interactive whiteboard. If you are unsure of how to approach a touchy subject with your students--either a subject from the news like the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rules, or something that is happening in your school or community, this site can provide resources for you and your students. Subscribe to Learning for Justice's emailed newsletter, or order one of the curriculum kits; the newest one is Viva la Causa about Cesar Chavez and the struggle for justice for farmworkers in the 1960s. This is a great addition to your school's anti-bully program! Take advantage of the free lesson plans, class activities, interactive, and book recommendations. This is definitely one to list on your class website!Comments
This houses a WEALTH of resources! Thank you, Teaching TOLERANCE.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
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BusSongs.com - Keith Mander
Grades
K to 12tag(s): lyrics (15), nursery rhymes (9), rhymes (22), songs (46)
In the Classroom
Use these silly songs in primary grades for those early readers who benefit greatly from rhyme time. For the elementary level, these songs would be helpful when introducing poetry and alliteration. Teach the historical, political and cultural connections that go hand-in-hand with many of these tunes and rhymes. Middle school students will be quite surprised with some of the hidden meanings of the songs such as Ring-Around-The-Rosy. For fun, choose a couple of tunes to sing as a group during the long bus ride to a class fieldtrip location! Have cooperative learning groups explore songs and create a video explaining (and singing) the songs. Or have them write and video record their own lyrics about a historic event or science concept, accompanied by the audio recording of the tune (available for some songs). Have students share the videos using a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constitution Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): constitution (96)
In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you don't have the time to complete online books, have students share the definitions using a class wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Halloween - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): halloween (32)
In the Classroom
Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work with a partner to try out the puzzles on their own. Have students (or groups) create their own word puzzles to share as a class challenge as a student-run interactive whiteboard activity or share them on a class wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Universcale - Nikon
Grades
2 to 12In the Classroom
Have individuals or groups work to identify object size and make connections not only about size, but other physical properties. Use creative writing for students to express what they feel as they are moving through the size differences. What a great way to teach proportion on math class! Identify the sizes to determine increases or decreases, proportion, scientific notations, etc. Identify how the understanding of a specific item has changed throughout history. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic (comparing two items) to share using Lucidpress, reviewed here. Even elementary teachers can use this "viewer" to help students understand science concepts of size. Try it on an interactive whiteboard and have students operate the controls.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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