Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Create a personalized dashboard that pulls together feeds and tools into one place -- for any topic. Optional registration allows access to updated information at anytime. This tool has power as s simple resource collector "on the fly" or as a customizable way to monitor many tools from one place. Creation of multiple dashboards requires an email address and password or Facebook sign-in. Use it the simple way by typing in any topic into the search bar; wait a few seconds while information is compiled then explore the results. Results are posted in widgets that can be moved around to personalize the dashboard as needed. A wizard will walk you through it if you wish. Tabs are also included that separate news items, videos, conversations, and more. View pages in reader format or with widgets by choosing from options at the top of the page. You can copy the url of a basic topic dashboard to access over and over. Signing in on a free account allows you to customize and save your dashboards and harness the real power to pull everything into one place.

tag(s): Research (87)

Answerbag is a collaborative online database where questions are asked and answered by you. Search through questions using categories such as arts, education, science, and more. Responses are posted in order of ratings. Email registration is required to post and answer questions. An optional poll can be added to each question. Share questions using links to email share, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and many other share tools. Warning: if you are using questions from their database, be aware, questions may update frequently so it is a good idea to take a look immediately before sharing in front of young people.

tag(s): polls and surveys (49), questioning (36)

ShowMe is an open learning community where you can learn or teach any subject. Explore topics such as math, science, world languages, social studies, art, and more. Explore the links on the home page; results are divided into subtopics. Click Learn - teachers may be especially interested in the Common Core Lessons available through a link at the bottom of the page. On that page is where you'll find a search bar, too. Creating a ShowMe of your own requires logging in or a download of the app from the iTunes store (and an iPad). The download is free. If you are worried about students seeing questionable material, you may want to provide the link directly to the video you wish students to view. At the time of this review, all material appeared appropriate.

tag(s): blended learning (37), OER (43), test prep (69), tutorials (52), video (266)

This attractive library of Shakespeare's literary works is organized just as you want it: each poem, comedy, history, and tragedy is bound in its own volume and placed in alphabetical order on the appropriate shelf of the bookcase. The titles link to the 1914 edition of The Oxford Shakespeare at Bartleby and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare from Jeremy Hylton at MIT. This is truly a delight for librarians, English teachers, or any lover of literature! You can find the actual text of any Shakespeare work.
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tag(s): literature (221), shakespeare (99)

ThinkExist is a Quotation Search Engine and Directory with over 300,000 quotations by over 20,000 authors in the English language. Find quotes by author, topic, keywords, or contributors. Narrow your search by subtopics such as nationality or theme such as love or wisdom. Membership to the site isn't required to find and share quotes; however, registration with email allows you to save favorite quotes, receive a quote of the day email, and become a contributor. This site does include significant advertisements that seem to adjust depending on what you search. Preview and monitor young people suing the site. Depending on what search terms they enter, the ads may not be "student appropriate."
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tag(s): famous people (19), quotations (19), search engines (48), writing prompts (61)

Blog your way into the latest social technology using edublogs. Use the free service to set up a blog as a student, teacher, or campus. This education friendly tool avoids some of the "public interaction" that can offer inappropriate content. Upgrade to more advanced features, to include more options. The additional information on blogging makes this site very valuable even if you already have a blogging platform. Find a plethora of advice, tutorials, PDFs, and lesson plans for blogging. This site is a great reference site for all who are beginning to use blogs, or even look for more varied and effective ways to blog with students, or even other classes. Compare this tool to other free blogging tools mentioned in TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom . This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.
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tag(s): blogs (65), communication (129), writing (325)

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.
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tag(s): biographies (94), independent reading (81), interviews (17), politics (118)

This is a "Wheel of Fortune" style guess-the-title game. There are 60 seconds on a visible count-down clock. To start, you must type in a nickname. (You could simply type in your initials.) The challenge is to quickly type in letters to guess the title of the displayed picture. Immediate feedback is provided and as the seconds tick away; clue letters appear to provide hints. The titles are not limited to books, stories, or movies. As a matter of fact, they could be just about anything that names the picture. When the 60 seconds are up, a new picture automatically reloads.
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tag(s): main idea (8), puzzles (149), vocabulary (238)

Quiz Factor offers quizzes that are not about your typical "education" topics. There are both popular and specialist subjects. Some topic examples are: Animals and Nature, Cinema and Actors, Fashion and Design, History and Politics, Religion and Traditions, Science, Sports and Games, Technology and Manufacturing, and many more. At Quiz Factor you can climb the Leaderboards and win prizes. There are three types of quizzes: The Ladder, Time Trials, and True/False. You can also make your own quizzes. (At the time of this review, this feature was "coming soon.") This site is from the UK, and some questions in the General Knowledge section test facts you would know if you've been to the UK.

tag(s): animals (294), cultures (180), design (79), fashion (12), quiz (67), quizzes (90), radio (20), religions (95), sports (82), substitutes (25)

A Thunk is a beguilingly simple-looking yes/no question that stops you in your tracks to look at the world in a whole new light. Over a thousand Thunks are included on the site with simple yes or no responses. View results easily, read comments, or submit your own comment by including your name, email (will not be displayed), and comment. Thunks can be chosen by categories such as good and bad, human condition, or friendship. At the time of this review, we found no evidence of inappropriate public comments (and we looked hard!) , but you might want to preview before turning young people loose on the site.
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tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), questioning (36)

Use this "easy-to-use" tool to help collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share research sources. Under the Documentation tab, find many quicks start and other guides to help you understand all Zotero can do. Downloadable versions run as a stand-alone or as a Chrome Connector. Once installed, the tool saves information several ways: through a click at the bottom of the web browser, by a click on favorite/bookmark bar, or manually. Files already on computers can be included with files saved from the internet. Items can be grouped and sorted according to individual needs. Information saved through Zotero can be accessed on any computer that has the computer/browser extension downloaded. The site includes a helpful quick start video guide explaining features included with the program.

tag(s): citations (33), curation (32), evaluating sources (29), note taking (36), primary sources (117), Research (87)

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). Find TEDTalks under the Watch tab on the top menu. 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.

tag(s): cultures (180), politics (118)

Use this visual bookmarking program to help you keep your online favorites/bookmarks organized. Choose to make shortcuts (tiles with the logo of the site you are bookmarking) for places you visit repeatedly. The tiles make it visual and so easy to use! Can't find the logo? Submit a site by clicking on a button at the bottom of the home page. Access and add to your Skloog bookmarks from anywhere using any computer, your mobile phone, or email. Make Skloog one of the tools on your browser's tool bar in order to add to your favorites quickly and easily. Add or change the preset category tabs that show at the top. Search your favorites by tags, URL, or website name. An added feature is the Skloog tab in the upper right corner of the menu on your short cut page. Click to find some of Skloog's favorite sites.

tag(s): bookmarks (43), curation (32), resources (84)

Want to make flashcards using tools you already know? Follow these step-by-step directions for making flashcards from a Google Spreadsheet. Directions also include screenshots, making the process much easier. You need a Google Doc account and some familiarity with using spreadsheets. This site does include comments. At the time of this review, all comments were appropriate for classroom use.
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tag(s): flash cards (44)

Find practice and skill interactives for many grade levels at PowerMyLearning. This site collects learning games, videos, and other activities from around the web and presents them via simple search so you can learn and practice concepts across many curriculum areas. The actual interactives and videos are created by other organizations and displayed within PowerMyLearning's colorful frame and subject/grade level organizational structure. Brief descriptions and keywording accompany activity listings. To view an activity on full screen and in a new tab/window (with its own url), click the "expand window" arrow in the top right corner. The site is designed for cooperative use by teachers, parents, and students and has been used successfully in schoolwide efforts to raise student achievement in targeted cities. To actually view any of the activities, you must join the free site. There are varied management options for students, teachers, and parents.
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tag(s): operations (72)

Picturing Words is an online exhibit featuring 40 illustrated, rare books from history, science, and art. The illustrated books go back to the 1400's with illuminated manuscripts from The Canon of Medicine (980-1037) up to 1996 and The Graphic Alphabet. The categories include: Inspires, Informs, or Influences. Also included is a section on the process of illustration, detailed images, and examples organized by theme. Suddenly, you will notice illustrations!

tag(s): artists (84), medieval (32), primary sources (117), renaissance (38)

Take a look at this online graphic organizer creator/drawing tool that requires NO membership. Although a bit "plain vanilla" in appearance, this is a wonderful tool! Research shows that graphic organizers promote strong thinking skills and comprehension for all ages. Draw.io is a simple, free online tool for creating mind maps -- or diagrams for any purpose -- using shapes and arrows. Just drop and drag the shapes (or nodes) you want to the panel, connect the nodes by dragging the arrow, and double-click in the shape to add text. Use the simple toolbar at the top to insert images, change, bold, color and enlarge text, etc. Printing and exporting is also an option. If you click on the "Help" tab at the top, you will see "Video Tutorial" which uses flash. Draw.io uses JavaScript, not Flash, so it works on iOS devices.

tag(s): brainstorming (18), concept mapping (15), graphic organizers (48), mind map (27), venn diagrams (15), visual thinking (8)

Shmoop Mythology allows you to peek into the social networking world of the gods using online profiles, walls, in-boxes and diaries of the gods. Shmoop Mythology also provides study guides to several myths. With younger students, you may want to preview BEFORE you share. Some of the profiles may include more information that you are comfortable sharing in the classroom setting. (Those Olympians did not always behave so well.) Also, at the time of this review, nearly all links were working. However, our editor did find two links that were not active. .

tag(s): greek (47), greeks (46), myths and legends (37), romans (52)

Explore this site to find collected and organized oral lessons about every ESL/ELL language skill from sites all over the Internet. Since all are oral-based, the studies incorporate two kinds of lessons: the skill type (grammar, reading, vocabulary, dictation, holidays, etc.) and an oral presentation on YouTube or another oral presenter. Find any type of lesson you need since the links are well organized and subdivided into even more categories: Holidays, Reading, Vocabulary, Life Skills, Grammar, Conversation, and others. Even the writing section includes audio; see Writing Practice with a Robot! A demonstration video shows how to make the most of this site. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): grammar (137), listening (93), pronunciation (34), vocabulary (238)

Spice up creative writing activities with this random word generator. Choose from a list of either verbs, nouns, adjectives, or adverbs to find creative, thought-provoking combinations or alternatives as prompts for writing. Lists include 20 words in each column and can be changed by choosing the Generate More! button. Click on the word to view the definition.

tag(s): creative writing (124), creativity (86), vocabulary development (94)