Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Curriki is a nonprofit organization that encourages teachers and learners' to collaborate in developing quality educational materials in a global community. Click What We Do from the top menu and slide to CurikiStudio, and click Creators to create a free account and find resources like questions, photos/images, multimedia, and more for interactive lesson creation. Next under Solutions is CurrikiGo, where you will publish your lessons, etc. Last on the dropdown list is the CurrikiLibrary, where you can search by subject area, grade level, or resource type (interactive, video, or podcast). For a thorough summary of Curriki click the Explore a CurrikiStudio Activity. Join different groups for a more involved way to explore new areas in online learning, subject area interests, or focus questions. Create collections of your resources to keep private or share with others. This site focuses on providing free access to teachers, schools, students, or parents to many new creative ideas for in-class learning, digital learning, and hybrid or blended learning in a global community. Free membership includes monthly newsletters. Follow Curriki on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or blogs.
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tag(s): graphic organizers (48), literacy (122), OER (43), operations (72), resources (83), rubrics (37), Teacher Utilities (198)

Studyladder offers a sequential learning program with videos, interactive activities, worksheets and assessments for reporting to teachers and to parents. Activities are highly engaging and motivating. You can create classes, have unlimited access to all features on the site, and students can access homework features from home. Topics included on the site are Math, Literacy, Numeracy, Spelling Bee, and Interactive Whiteboard activities. Each section provides many activities categorized in several ways such as topic, type of activity, grade levels, and extras. Registration also allows access to progress reports on school and homework results, 2000 printable worksheets, and student rewards such as certificates, special avatars, and access to reward rooms. The site is free for teachers and for limited homework use with one student after registration. However, there is also a paid portion of the site if desired.
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tag(s): factoring (25), fractions (160), homework (29), iwb (31), literacy (122), negative numbers (13), number sense (69), numbers (120), prime numbers (26)

Find all the practical information you need in preparing your science, nutrition, and health lessons using the government's food plate recommendations for daily eating. Nutrition for a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important pieces of information of education for our students. Early interest, information, and healthy habits will carry them into a life of good health. Find the basic information about nutrition, exercise, and diet. The interactive program and multimedia presentations pique interest of even the most picky eaters and learners! A variety of printed information is available for student research, parent education, or even a problem based learning activity. The First Lady's campaign of Let's Move is also explained. At ChooseMyPlate.gov, you will find the latest guidelines, recommendations, and recipes. Learn the basic information about the food groups and options in each group. There are food planners for moms, tots, kids, or any age. Find nutritional information on vegetarian diets, eating out, and food trackers. A section with interactive tools provides a Foodapedia, A Daily Food Plan, Food Tracker, and a Child cost calculator providing even more helpful nutritious information. Weight loss information provides all kinds of up to date ideas, plans, and tips.

tag(s): fitness (39), myplate (18), nutrition (140)

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 (52), geometric shapes (134), humor (15), quadratics (27)

If you are looking for puzzles, this site offers hundreds of choices in many different forms. Try solving weight puzzles, color sum puzzles, or pyramid puzzles. If unsure, puzzles are also sorted by easy, medium, or hard levels. Solutions are available for all puzzles.

tag(s): logic (161), puzzles (149)

Scroll down the page to find the video "100 Most Common Words in English Speaking." These are the little words that make a huge difference to understanding what someone is saying such as be, and, to, with, they, her, and so on. The video focuses on the speakers lower face so student s can pause the video and see facial expressions and tongue placement. The video resides on YouTube so it may not be viewable at your school

tag(s): pronunciation (34), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (94), word study (59)

At 4teachers.org find resources to help infuse and develop your classroom technology with online tools and resources for teachers and students. Discover ways to integrate technology with teacher success stories, technology assessment, resources in Spanish, and technology use policies and safety. Educator's resources include: explore assessment, technology planning, special needs, assistive technology, grant resources, and bilingual tutorials.

You will also find links to make your own rubrics (or adapt others), adapt or create problem-based checklists, find Webquests or Thinkquests, find tools for students to write persuasively, and you can view online lessons or create your own. Those are just a few of the resources you'll find at 4teachers.org. Enjoy 4teachers video channel to see tutorials and educational videos. You might also consider joining in a weekly teacher blog on structured topics and see the featured site of the week.
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tag(s): note taking (36), persuasive writing (58), rubrics (37), spanish (109)

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 (63), mysteries (23), problem solving (233)

Find inspiring, age-appropriate, real-life stories, videos, and projects to share with children and teens. The site hopes to help these students take positive actions and become the best people they can be. Stories offer great examples of values like courage, determination, honesty, humility, kindness, responsibility, and tolerance. The stories range from incredible kids inspiring other kids, to amazing animals demonstrating admirable qualities, to the invention of inspirational social causes. Stories are searchable in several ways - by values, topics, age range, and format. Formats include articles, podcasts, reference, and videos. Under Educators investigate the lesson plans categorized by grade levels. You can also sign up for the site's newsletter including updates and new article information.
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tag(s): behavior (45), bullying (48), character education (79), disabilities (32), diversity (40), identity (29), school violence (10), service projects (17), tolerance (8)

Plimoth Plantation (that's the original spelling) is a reconstruction of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth. Take a field trip to the Plimoth Plantation just in time for Thanksgiving. From Learn at the top menu, find and slide down to Bring Plimoth Patuxet to Your School and take a virtual field trip to an English village and Wampanoag home site from 1627. Go inside a Wetu, or home, and look. Become a historian and uncover what really happened on the first Thanksgiving. Primary sources give accounts from the Wampanoag traditions to the English home of Pilgrim Mary Allerton. Each student will finish with a printed exhibition panel. Dig into your ancestry to find out if you are a pilgrim. Find actual genealogical profiles. Explore the museum collections of artifacts. Find these resources under the Learn tab at the top menu; slide down to Teachers Tools, and scroll down the page until your find the resources menu on the left. Besure to check out the Digital Resources!
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tag(s): colonial america (95), pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (24)

Vi Hart's math videos have become very popular. They have even been featured on various cable shows. She also includes her X (formerly Twitter) information, so you can follow her. In the link, "Math Doodling," are several videos on doodling in the math classroom sure to entertain Math teachers and students alike. Titles include Stop-Motion Silly Band Fight, Sick Number Games, Snakes + Graphs, Stars, Binary Trees, and others. Be sure to also check out the link to Mathematical Food which contains demonstrations of slicing apples into Platonic Solids, slicing a cubic apple to find a regular hexagon, and how to arrange candy corn into Sierpinski's Triangle. Another wonderful resource is the link on balloons. Directions for making tetrahedrons, icosahedrons, and other shapes are all included. If you like Vi Harts Vimeo site, check out her blog here.

tag(s): geometric shapes (134), humor (15)

Find quick language lessons of 2 - 3 minutes each for a wide variety of languages: Portuguese, Japanese, Catalan, Danish, Gaelic, Greek, Irish, Luxembourghish, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, and more. Each separate language site has a total of ten lessons. All the lessons have audio support. Most language packs cover basic conversational skills including greetings, counting, numbers, and common words and phrases. Although more advanced lessons are available for purchase, the 10 quick lessons are free.

tag(s): greek (47), japanese (47), portuguese (22), russian (26)

This lesson plan about engineering bones uses inexpensive materials and is engaging for students to complete. Beyond teaching about biology and health, this can also help students understand some of the problems with being disabled, especially disabled people who have lost limbs in the armed services or through tragic accidents. While teaching science concepts or health topics, students are developing a greater awareness and appreciation for differences in people.
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tag(s): body systems (40), engineering (129), medicine (57), science fairs (20)

This site offers many puzzles and math logic activities in an easy to use format. Puzzles are sorted by difficulty level and topic such as logic, geometry, or math. New puzzles are indicated on the home page and is updated often. There is also a quiz of the day and that solution can be accessed without registration. Puzzles can be accessed without registering to the site; however, to receive solutions, you must register then solutions will be sent via email. You may want to consider setting up a separate email account (gmail) specifically for the site so that each student doesn't have to register individually.
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tag(s): logic (161), puzzles (149)

This site was created by a university-level Math instructor; however, it can be useful for high school Math students and teachers also. Contained within the site are downloadable notes and tutorials for Algebra, Calculus I, 2, and 3, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations. Each set of notes is quite in-depth and includes detailed definitions, examples, and tips. Notes can also be printed in PDF form. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom portion of the site for an Algebra/Trig review, Common Math errors, and advice on how to study Math.

tag(s): functions (52), test prep (69), tutorials (52)

If you are looking for many different variations of math puzzles, look here. This site contains many puzzles of all kinds, together with links to other puzzles and mathematical recreation pages. The puzzles are marvelous, though many are a bit hard to understand -- often the author starts talking about a group of puzzles without explaining what the puzzle is. You may also have to work your way through some other random thoughts by the author; however, the puzzles on the page are worth sifting through the page to find them. Puzzles are listed in order of being added to the site, it may be easier to find items by looking on the right-hand side of the page and following the links listed under "Math Games". Activities are listed here by title without any explanation or picture, it would have been easier if they were in alphabetical order; however, this is still easier to find than scrolling through the long page of activities.

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), trivia (19)

This site offers well over 1000 logic puzzles to solve online. Puzzles are searchable by genre, level of difficulty, author, and date. Difficulty levels range from 1 to 5 stars with 5 stars being the most difficult. Over 50 different types of puzzles are included from Sudoku, Battleship, Disconnect Four, and Diamonds. When searching by genre there is a link explaining the puzzle type included under that heading. Membership in the site is free and not necessary to solve puzzles; however, members can see puzzles they have already solved, statistics, and perhaps most interesting - can create their own puzzles to upload to the site. Membership does not require an email address.

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149)

MrNussbaum.com was developed with the idea that crucial concepts, themes, ideas, and fact sets taught in the classroom can be enhanced over the internet through interactivity. Furthermore, for teachers to have a reliable k -8 internet site to use in the computer lab or in the classroom, that likely covers one or many themes currently being taught. The Math portion of the site contains dozens of interactives labeled by grade level and topic. Directly below the links to all different topics offered on the site, there is a color-coded display to help correctly identify grade-level suggestions for activities. For example, red for 1st Grade, orange for 2nd, and so on. Many different topics are offered including fact practice, estimation, rounding, fractions, decimals, money, time, coordinate grids, metric and standard units, and more. Many of the games offer an introductory video explaining how to play. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. Some activities require a name, Mr. Nussbaum recommends that students never use their actual name but makeup something. Names are not stored and login isn't required to play.
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tag(s): charts and graphs (171), coordinates (15), decimals (85), estimation (33), fractions (160), measurement (122), money (113), number sense (69), operations (72), rounding (8), time (91)

This site offers a large collection of math resources that can be used on your interactive whiteboard or individual computers/learning stations. Activities include interactives such as broken calculator, fraction spinners, ice cream combinations, and many more. Be sure to check out the Starter of the Day with an activity for each day of the week, there are archives so you can choose from many different options.
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tag(s): calculators (36), fractions (160), logic (161), number sense (69), probability (99), time (91)

ABCya.com, created by a web developer turned computer teacher, provides educational games, videos, and activities for elementary students. Nearly every subject is included. Simply click on your grade level (K-5) and find what is available under language arts, math, and other subjects. Specific topics range from basic typing activities to creating word clouds to grammar games (at all levels) and so much more. The interactives are teacher approved and offer colorful and attention grabbing ways for learning. Opportunities for sharing on Facebook, tweeting, and sharing on social bookmarking sites are incorporated. This is a MUST SEE site for elementary teachers looking for some great practice sites for basic skills!

tag(s): alphabet (53), decimals (85), drawing (61), fractions (160), game based learning (205), geometric shapes (134), keyboarding (28), latitude (10), literacy (122), longitude (9), number sense (69), numbers (120), operations (72), preK (270)