Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The African American Innovation and Invention guide from the Library of Congress highlights the significant contributions of African Americans in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This resource provides access to primary sources, including patents, photographs, and historical documents, showcasing groundbreaking achievements in medicine, agriculture, and transportation. Teachers can use this collection to introduce students to influential inventors, start discussions on perseverance and creativity, and encourage research projects on African American innovators. The site supports cross-curricular learning by connecting history, science, and social studies, making it a valuable tool for exploring both historical and modern advancements.

tag(s): african american (119), agriculture (52), photography (131), STEM (306), transportation (30)

Step In, Step Out, Step Back is an instructional strategy that helps students analyze information from different cultural viewpoints and perspectives. Choose the link to the interactive version to create a prompt based on a person or character in a particular situation. Follow the steps to add a prompt and create a link to share the activity with students. Students then respond to the prompt using the three steps of the strategy, and teachers receive feedback with each student's response. Download the PDF available on the site for complete instructions on using this interactive tool with students.

tag(s): empathy (36), social and emotional learning (109), thinking skills (17)

Creating effective and engaging blended learning lessons requires time and professional knowledge. The Blended Learning Planner uses AI to increase productivity by providing ideas and learning activities based on your input. Start by following the steps to create a class, then add the lesson topic, length of class time, and the blended learning components to include. Use the request changes and Beans, the chatbox, to request modifications and additions to the completed plan.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), blended learning (36), flipped learning (9), Teacher Utilities (203)

Create learning games with the AI-based Learning Game Generator for any topic or grade level. Begin by adding vital information, including grade level, learning outcome or objective, and the game's length. The Game Generator provides a document with instructions for playing the game, any required materials, and setup instructions. Use the provided tools to request changes to create a game that works for your classroom. Copy or download the document using the Manage Content Dropbox options when satisfied.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), assessment (146), Formative Assessment (73), game based learning (207), gamification (85), Teacher Utilities (203)

Planning lessons that provide engaging activities and meet curriculum standards can be challenging. The Plan My Lesson Tool uses AI to match both objectives in just a few seconds. After selecting start, complete the form by adding grade level or band, subject, and learning outcome and selecting to generate the result. After creating the document, use additional features to edit and adjust the activity to fit your needs. You can also choose sections of the document to request changes by chatting with Beans, this site's chatbot. Find options to download or export the finished document by visiting the Manage Content dropbox at the top of the page. You do need to create a free account to access this feature.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), professional development (390), Teacher Utilities (203)

WorldCat is a global library catalog that allows teachers to search for books, articles, and other educational resources available in libraries worldwide. By entering a title, author, or keyword, educators can locate materials in nearby libraries, access digital resources, and discover new teaching materials. WorldCat is beneficial for finding hard-to-access texts, historical documents, and academic research. Teachers can use it to expand their classroom library, recommend reading materials to students, or enhance lesson plans with diverse sources.

tag(s): authors (108), book lists (167), digital reading (18), Research (88), resources (83), Teacher Utilities (203)

Yourway offers a suite of AI-generated tools for educators. Choose from many generators to create lesson plans, assessments, and classroom activities. After selecting a generator, follow the prompt to access a form to add information such as grade level, topic or learning objective, and other directions. After the tool generates a response, you can request changes, edit the information manually, or save the document. Choose the Manage Document dropdown box to copy the document to your clipboard, save it as a PDF file, export it to Google Docs, or download your activity as a Microsoft .docx file. As you create activities, they are saved in the My Content area to revisit and reuse as needed.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), assessment (146), cross cultural understanding (176), differentiation (85), rubrics (36), social and emotional learning (109), Teacher Utilities (203), vocabulary (242)

The MLA Digital Escape Room, developed by the John S. Bailey Library at The American College of Greece, is an interactive online tool designed to help students master MLA citation style in an engaging and fun manner. Through a series of challenges, participants learn to navigate the MLA Citation Guide, distinguish between various in-text and works cited citations, and identify the components of an MLA-formatted paper. Upon completing the escape room, students receive a score and a downloadable certificate, making it an effective resource for reinforcing citation skills in the classroom.

tag(s): citations (33), digital escapes (17)

Take your students on a citation scavenger hunt with this engaging activity designed to enhance students' research and analytical skills. In this exercise, students are challenged to locate and cite textual evidence supporting specific details about characters, plot points, or themes within a text. This interactive approach reinforces the importance of backing assertions with concrete evidence and aids in developing critical thinking and comprehension abilities. Accompanying resources, such as the Citation Hunt Printout, are provided to facilitate the activity and guide students in recording their findings.

tag(s): character education (81), critical thinking (136), plot (15), reading comprehension (150), themes (16)

The Plagiarism Game from Lycoming College's Snowden Library is an interactive online tool designed to educate students about academic integrity and proper source citation. Through engaging scenarios and quizzes, students confront "plagiarism goblins" aiming to undermine academic honesty. This game helps students understand the importance of citing sources, recognizing common knowledge, and paraphrasing correctly, thereby reinforcing essential research and writing skills.

tag(s): evaluating sources (29), plagiarism (34)

PBS Kids Design Squad features four activities: Design, Build, Watch, and Games. In the Design section, you can draw scenes of the outdoors, fashion, sports, food, animals, and more. In the Building section, you can create buildings, machines, toys, and vehicles. The Watch section features videos on learning with the Design Squad, do-it-yourself, and clips. The fidget games from the Games section include learning about electricity, farm life, natural disasters, and floods.

tag(s): crafts (74), design (79), engineering (137), game based learning (207), machines (17), musical instruments (54)

Sesame Street Career Exploration Games is an interactive site that visits different careers. The first interactive activity features neighborhood jobs with Elmo and Abby. The highlighted jobs include scientists, firefighters, architects, musicians, delivery persons, and veterinarians. Other games include Elmo and Grover visiting a farm, Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck Game allowing for following a recipe, and Bert and Ernie's Super Salad for finishing food orders.

tag(s): careers (178), preK (286)

The YouTube Kids platform provides teachers a safe, engaging tool to incorporate kid-friendly video content into the classroom. The site offers a simplified and safer experience for children exploring videos, with customizable parental controls and personalized student profiles. There is also a free app available. Teachers can tailor content to specific age groups (4 and under, 5-8, or 9-12), ensuring that videos align with students' developmental levels. The platform also allows educators to share relevant content directly with students, manage screen time, and block inappropriate videos when necessary. With its smaller, curated content library and protections like automated filters and human reviews, YouTube Kids offers a secure way to enrich lessons with videos while fostering responsible media consumption habits in students.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): enrichment (13), internet safety (114), personalized learning (10), playlists (8), video (267)

PBS Kids Work it Out Wombats contains games, videos, activities, and podcasts. One game featured, titled Road Repair, is an interactive game in which you repair a road with shapes. The other game, Story Emporium, allows you to create a story to read. The story asks you to select a who, what, and where. The Toy Maker enables the creation of a toy. The site also features the Wombats video series, printable activities, and podcasts. The podcasts run about eleven minutes long and include topics like campout playdates, detective playdates, snout party playdates, and cloud ship playdates. English and Spanish are available for both the games and activities.

tag(s): game based learning (207), interactive stories (22), podcasts (114), video (267)

Remini AI is a photo and video enhancement tool that uses advanced AI technology to restore old or blurry images, sharpen details, and improve resolution. The website offers a free version where you can enhance photos by watching ads, making it accessible for occasional use or small projects. This platform can be a useful resource for educational projects involving historical photos or creative presentations.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), photography (131), Teacher Utilities (203)

Genially's Escape Room Game Templates provide educators with interactive and customizable digital escape room experiences. These templates allow teachers to create engaging, gamified learning activities where students solve puzzles, answer questions, and unlock clues to progress. The platform supports multimedia elements such as images, animations, and clickable objects, making lessons more immersive. Teachers can use these escape rooms for review sessions, team-building exercises, or subject-specific challenges across various grade levels.

tag(s): digital escapes (17), game based learning (207), gamification (85), puzzles (149)

Explore this valuable tool for educators; it offers curated collections of primary sources, historical documents, and research materials across a wide range of subjects. These guides help teachers incorporate authentic historical artifacts, government records, and literary works into their lessons, enhancing students' critical thinking and research skills. With ready-to-use teaching resources, topic guides, and bibliographies, this site supports interdisciplinary learning and provides rich content for inquiry-based projects in history, literature, civics, and more.

tag(s): african american (119), architecture (84), black history (135), branches of government (65), civil rights (217), civil war (140), conservation (102), energy (133), engineering (137), environment (252), foreign policy (13), hispanic (36), industrialization (12), jews (50), latin (23), literature (221), middle east (50), native americans (117), nutrition (139), photography (131), politics (118), population (51), religions (112), Research (88), sports (84), statistics (121), Teacher Utilities (203), women (152), womenchangemaker (37), womens suffrage (52)

NPR (National Public Radio) is a valuable resource for educators, offering high-quality news, podcasts, and articles on current events, culture, science, and history. The site features engaging audio stories, in-depth journalism, and educational content that can enhance classroom discussions and critical thinking skills. Teachers can use NPR's stories to connect lessons to real-world events, introduce students to diverse perspectives, and encourage media literacy. Additionally, NPR's student-friendly resources, such as NPR Ed and Student Podcast Challenge, provide interactive and project-based learning opportunities.

tag(s): civil rights (217), cultures (211), journalism (74), news (226), podcasts (114), scientists (71), space (220)

Britannica's main website is a comprehensive and reliable resource for teachers seeking accurate, well-researched information across a wide range of subjects. It offers encyclopedia articles, biographies, timelines, images, videos, and primary sources, making it a valuable tool for classroom instruction and student research. The site includes Britannica School, which provides leveled content for different grade levels, and Britannica Kids, designed for younger learners. With its fact-checked, up-to-date content, Britannica helps educators enhance lessons, support inquiry-based learning, and promote critical thinking skills.

tag(s): biographies (95), primary sources (120), Research (88), resources (83), timelines (57)

The Do Now Activity Generator uses AI to create five-minute activities that engage students of any grade or content area. After selecting to start, enter the learning objective and grade level to generate activities. The Do Now generator provides students with questions based on a possible scenario. Make changes and find additional ideas by selecting the Request Change button and providing details on changes.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (186), assessment (146), classroom management (119), Formative Assessment (73), questioning (36), Teacher Utilities (203), teaching strategies (52), thinking skills (17)