Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

See remarkable and astounding scientific discoveries and inventions on this amazing site. Categories of science include Earth and Nature, Energy and Power, Medical Marvels, New Materials, Quantum Leaps, Space and Time, Science Fiction, and Weird Science. Young scientists will be amazed, engineers inspired, and even the disinterested will find accomplishments to make them curious. Even middle school girls will find something that they like about science on this site. There is some advertising, but the science images and information outweigh it.

tag(s): cells (82), engineering (137), inventors and inventions (82), medicine (57)

Do you know the difference between a tropical rainforest and a temperate rainforest? This site takes you deep into the rainforest with a wide array of topics: plants and animals of the rainforest, rainforests endangered, where rainforests are located, and many others. This rainforest site is also a web resource for the TeachersFirst interactive Biomes of the World Unit for grades 4-8.

tag(s): biomes (110), climate (85), landforms (39)

Visit and listen to a forest and its wildlife without going outside. Listen to narrated portions or click on areas in the forest to learn about inhabitants. You can even zoom in to learn more about specific topics. As you move through the screens, you will understand the meaning of sustainable forestry. Click on the map at the bottom to choose between various topics such as mature forests, bioenergy, and wetlands. Click on Sustainable Forestry to learn about topics related to the economic, environmental, and social uses of forests. The site creator, UPM, is a "...forest industry company. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and Pulp, Paper, and Engineered Materials."

tag(s): forests (30), habitats (92), sustainability (51), trees (18)

Use this online biology study guide to find the answers to more than 1800 questions on a variety of topics. Read through the questions from beginning to end in order to completely understand the material as it is arranged in order to completely understand the concepts. Click on a variety of topics including "Biochemistry," "Zoology," "Ecology," and "Diseases" among others. Click "Search Answers" and enter your question to find items that can answer your search.

tag(s): diseases (66), ecology (103), evolution (88), genetics (79)

Use this site to find some GREAT word searches that are ready to go! Whatever topic you are looking for, you just might find a word search here. If you can't find one, make your OWN ONLINE word search. What a fantastic tool to use and/or create in any subject!

tag(s): photography (131), puzzles (149)

Human Anatomy Online is so packed with information, students could spend hours maneuvering through the text. This site provides detailed information about the entire body as well as common procedures and interesting facts. The simple, colorful visual aids make it very easy to understand the make-up of all of the systems as well as many of the body processes such as reproduction, muscle strength, cardiovascular health and much more. Be careful to keep students focused on the area of concentration. Otherwise, they could become overwhelmed with the quantity of information and get off track. Great for research projects and health units. Make sure to check out the fantastic tutorials, animations and description index.

There are some minor advertisements at this website.

tag(s): body systems (40), brain (56), heart (27), human body (91), olympics (46), respiration (11)

Many museum sites are little more than a set of on-line directions to get to the brick-and-mortar museum and a few promotional photographs. This site, however, is designed to be used as an online museum. You can start by searching the museum by geographic location or keyword. You can also search by time period from the "Teaching Kit" area. Or click on one of the featured exhibits which range from excavations of the CSS Alabama, the remains of an 18th century fleet sunk in New York's Lake George, to the HMS Serapis. A link to a "teachers' kit" gives information about ordering (free with the exception of shipping costs) a hands-on set of materials to keep and get free updates for as long as they would like to use it. For younger students, there is a slide show that introduces the concepts of underwater archaeology in an interactive whiteboard-friendly format (see featured exhibit: A Children's Introduction).

tag(s): oceans (149)

GeneBoy is the application creator's genetic version of a "GameBoy." It is an interactive science tool of variations that can be made with gene sequencing. To use the site, select a sequence from the left side of the GeneBoy, or use the "your sequence" button to copy and paste your own sequence into the application. To copy the original sequence, press clone on the bottom of the screen. The sequence can then be analyzed or manipulated through the tools on the right.

Need some help navigating this site? Check out the "How To" button to learn how to use Gene Boy.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (79), sequencing (17)

Explore the science of fear with this fun and interesting site. Click on "Explore Fear Online." View "Fear and the Brain" to understand how the brain responds to fear. Learn animal responses in "Fear in the Wild." Other links include "Fear and the Media," "The Fun Side of Fear," and "Dealing with Fear." Each link includes several more specific topics. There is also a Parent's Guide with some of the topics.

tag(s): brain (56), emotions (52), halloween (33), psychology (65), stress (7)

Interested in the chemical changes that occur during cooking? Have food related cooking questions? Find your answer here on this free site. Learn proper food cooking techniques and identify the science behind them. The menu at the top offers topic such as Recipes, Cooking Techniques, a Food Encyclopedia, and more.

tag(s): cooking (33)

This site is filled with study tools to help students learn information in a variety of subject areas. Stacks of topics related to geography, history, math, languages, medical, tests (SAT, ACT, etc.), science and more are linked with collections of learning tools that include virtual study cards, matching games, word search puzzles, and hangman games. There really is something here for nearly all subject areas and grade levels! Students can select the tool that works best for them and work at their own pace until they are satisfied with their progress. If you can't find a stack to fit your needs, you can edit existing lists or create customized study stacks. The site also allows you to print out study cards, or export flash cards to study them via cell phones, PDA, or iPod. Email the stacks to peers or connect with Study Stack through Facebook. Some of the activities require Java. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): flash cards (43), greek (47), hebrew (16), latin (23), test prep (69), vocabulary (242)

Water is a basic human need and also a human right. Water and Sanitation is Sustainable Development Goal (SD) 6. Read about this goal and the UN's progress towards it. Explore the statistics, controversies, and issues concerning water use around the globe. Click the "Water Facts" tab to learn important information about Water Ecosystems, Human Rights, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Climate Change, Quality and Waste Water, Scarcity, and more.

tag(s): climate change (100), conservation (102), earth (183), earth day (61), pollution (53), resources (83), sustainability (51), water (105)

Looking for interactive review activities for your subject area? Use Bubbabrain's vast array of activities created for many levels and subjects. Registration is not required to play. When Game ID is checked (this is the automatic default for the site,) you choose a level ranging from Elementary to College (be sure to click the circle in the appropriate grade level) and then choose a subject area from the drop down box at your level. Subject areas vary by grade level and may include: telling time, government, family and consumer science, world languages, sociology, technology, and countless others. Click 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 (91)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Insects. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Insect-related vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): insects (67), vocabulary (242)

Ever wonder what it would be like to have open access to lectures at Harvard? Stanford? MIT? Academic Earth gives you that access in a limited fashion. This site contains thousands of video lectures by some of the most well-regarded professors at several of the top universities in the US. You can sort the lectures by subject, by lecturer, by university, or by "playlist." The playlists sort lectures from various topics and multiple professors into thematic groups. Within individual subjects, there are individual lectures and courses--collections of lectures by the same professor on a general subject. Watch a lecture on "The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877," or "The American Novel since 1945," or "Linear Algebra." The topic possibilities go on and on.

tag(s): college (45)

Fascinated by the oceans? Water plays an important role in our lives. Many topics in Biology and Chemistry can use ocean data as a way for learning. Capture the importance of the oceans through high quality scientific research and great educational materials. View links to the many COSEE centers around the globe. View and use different resources, including real time data to download simulations, links to lecture series, educational opportunities, games, and more.

tag(s): biodiversity (36), diversity (43), oceans (149)

This site is a great source of information about the novel and character of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Although the site is not highly interactive, there is A LOT of information and interesting photos. Divided into four parts, "The Birth of Frankenstein," "The Celluloid Monster," "Promise and Peril," and "The Modern Prometheus," this offers photographs as well as passages from the book to correspond with the photos. The way it is presented makes dealing with the language of this interesting story easier for students to understand by coupling it with pictures. This site goes well beyond the "story" and examines the history behind the novel, more recent history that is related to the novel (such as cloning), and the science behind many subjects. This interesting look at Frankenstein does a great job correlating literature, history, and science.

tag(s): literature (221)

HeartPoint has created this site that takes a creative approach to teaching students (and adults) about the heart, heart functions, and heart problems. Highlights include "Foods You Will Love" and "Health Tips". Be sure to visit the "HeartPoint Gallery" for detailed pictures, descriptions and other information.

tag(s): heart (27), nutrition (139)

This is yet another terrific online periodic table. Click on an element to learn about basic information, properties, and history. View different information about the element by clicking on topics above the periodic table. For example, topics include "Chemistry," "Biology," "Bond enthalpies," "Crystal structures," and "Isotopes."

There are some advertisements on the site, and students should be cautioned not to click on these. Many of the activities at this site require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): atoms (43), periodic table (43)

This creative site offers "how to" videos on a WIDE variety of topics. Anyone is able to view the videos, but you must be a member (which is free) to comment on the videos, grade the videos, or submit your own "how to" video. Topics vary; some are appropriate for the classroom - others are definitely NOT appropriate. Some of the general topics that may be useful in the middle school or high school classroom include: alcohol, autos, motorcycles, and planes, business and money, computers and programming, diet and health, education (which features a variety of science experiments and more), film and theater, language (English, Chinese, Hungarian, Russian, Finnish, sign language, Polish, and countless others), music and instruments, travel, and several other topics. Within each of these general topics, there are thousands of specific "how to" videos.

Membership is free and has many perks. You are able to comment and/or grade the video clips or even submit your own video. Registration does require some personal information: a username, password, email address, and date of birth. ALL USERS MUST BE OVER 13-years of age! Check with your administrator about allowing the students to register for this site using fictitious names. You may wish to set up a class registration instead of entering true data into the registration site. Another option is to 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. Warning: not all videos are suitable for the classroom. Be sure to preview what you wish to share. If you choose to allow your older students to navigate this site on their own (for research or a class project), be sure to set boundaries on which videos to watch, consequences for going elsewhere, and WATCH CAREFULLY! Some videos explain "how to" do things that are unsafe or inappropriate for school-ages audiences. Wonder How To does include unobtrusive advertisements.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): aircraft (17), business (53), money (114), russian (26), sign language (11)