Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Asana is an easy to use tool for organizing projects and tasks as a team or group. Register with your work email address to be connected as a team. If you don't have a work email, no problem, use your regular email address. Once registered, create a project and divide into tasks. Assign tasks to team members and set due dates. Follow updates and progress in real time. Free accounts offer unlimited tasks and projects for up to 10 team members.
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tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), organizational skills (88)

Class123 is a classroom management tool containing several features for organizing classrooms and communicating with students and parents. Tools include a timer, seating chart, attendance manager, random name picker, and more. Sign up for free to add your rosters and avatars. Parents and students sign up with a code provided. Once enrolled, members receive or send communications privately or within groups. Please be aware that Class123 falls under the FERPA laws for "directory information" and "educational records." Any school getting funds from the Department of Education (public schools) is required to disclose to parents and get written consent to use Class123 with their child.

tag(s): behavior (45), classroom management (120), communication (129), DAT device agnostic tool (147), parents (57), Teacher Utilities (200)

Rambox is a free download for organizing online messaging services into one convenient place. This service allows access to several services in one place and also offers the availability of the included mobile apps onto your desktop computer. Some of the services include Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, Voxer, Linkedin, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, and much more. Not finding the service you need? Add it manually. Follow links to download Rambox onto your computer, then choose from provided services to enable them. Personalize each of the setting notifications to meet your needs.

tag(s): communication (129), organizational skills (88)

Animaker is an easy to use animated video creation tool. Create an account to begin your video and choose a template to customize. Be sure to watch the tutorials before starting to learn all of the features included with Animaker such as auto lip-sync, extensive facial expressions, smart move, and more . When complete, download the video to your computer or directly to YouTube or Facebook. Free accounts allow you to upload your own files with a size limit of 2Gb and five exports per month. The tutorials reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): animation (64), creativity (86), movies (54), video (266)

Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center is a set of six mobile apps for use in elementary and middle school collaborative learning situations. The apps include a spreadsheet, word processor, KWL tool, PDF, Flipbook, and a mind mapping tool. Two or more students work together using their own devices to collaborate on any project either face to face or from a distance. In addition to the apps, the site also offers a few starter activities, called Roadmaps for download. Apps use Google logins and work best in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers. The demonstration videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): collaboration (93), mind map (28), spreadsheets (23), Teacher Utilities (200)

Build your own 3D spaces using Delightex (was CoSpaces), then view in virtual reality. Choose from the large library of items to include in your creation including characters and objects. To get a sense of how this works, visit the gallery to view creations built by CoSpace users. Register to create your account to start building your own 3D space. Be sure to visit the section for educators with many lesson plans and ideas on how to use CoSpaces in the classroom. Tutorials for CoSpaces reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): augmented reality (9), coding (85), creativity (86), DAT device agnostic tool (147), digital storytelling (156)

Does your school block YouTube and other video sites? Download and save online videos with ClipGrab. Download the app to your computer to save videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Metacafe, and more. When downloading, choose the original format for best quality or convert to MP3, WMV, MPEG4, or OGG file formats.

tag(s): conversions (37), movies (54), video (266)

iExloreSTEM is a volunteer community dedicated to bringing STEM activities and festivals to local communities in and near Iowa; the ideas and resources can apply to any state. The site includes information and resources for planning STEM festivals and creating safe activities. Scroll down the page to find several sample activities listed by discipline including architecture, engineering, and more. Other useful resources include links to STEM career information and STEM links to specific states.

tag(s): animals (294), architecture (76), engineering (129), environment (252), plants (146), STEM (298)

This visual dictionary includes over 800 math definitions with almost 800 illustrations. Over 200 of the illustrations are animated examples of math terms and concepts. Use the keyword search to find specific terms or browse by letters of the alphabet. Most definitions also include a link to related concepts and additional information.
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tag(s): dictionaries (48), vocabulary (238)

OpenStax offers free access to high-quality textbooks in core subject areas. View resources by subject, including humanities and AP options. View books online or download in PDF format. The search options in the online viewer allow users to locate content easily in the digital format.

tag(s): advanced placement (26), book lists (167), ebooks (43), STEM (298)

Just as the title implies, this site converts text to speech. Enter any text up to 4000 characters, select a voice and speed, name the file, then choose "Start." After processing, click play to listen or choose from download options as an mp3 or wav file.
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tag(s): listening (93), multilingual (77), pronunciation (34), text to speech (20)

Learn about the uses of 3D printing in the classroom with resources provided by MakerBot. Choose Resources from the top menu to find Webinars, Videos, and Case Studies. Click the Industries tab from the top menu and slide down to Education to find grant and white paper information for funding 3D printers and an essential information packet for pitching and implementing 3D printers in the classroom. Email registration is required to view and download information.
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tag(s): crafts (70), creativity (86), drawing (62), makerspace (40), modeling (8), robotics (24)

Guinness World Records offers an eight-page teacher's guide including STEM-friendly activities and Common Core connections for quick and easy download to your computer. Fill out the short form with your name and email to access the guide. Based on actual world records, activities challenge students to engage in research then share their findings through maps, drawings, or writing projects.

tag(s): animals (294), area (53), measurement (122), STEM (298), weather (160)

Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show! is the website created by a California teen to share her enthusiasm for science through demonstrations and web shows. View videos as Sylvia demonstrates how to to make sidewalk chalk, builds a cardboard periscope, experiments with squishy circuits, and much more. In addition to the entertaining videos, the site also includes several printables with additional directions for creating projects. If your district blocks YouTube, the web shows may not be viewable.
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tag(s): engineering (129), experiments (55), makerspace (40), STEM (298), video (266)

Discover ideas for new, captivating literature to include in your classroom! Each blog entry focuses on a recently published book. In addition to a summary of the book, entries discuss several different teaching methods incorporating the book along with extensive lists of links to additional information and similar books. In addition to the blog entries, use links to find book lists by topic as well as classroom and curricular ideas. This blog is a must-read for teachers of all subject areas and is free! This blog is a sister to The School Library Journal which costs for a subscription.
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tag(s): blogs (65), book lists (167), literacy (121), literature (221), preK (271), reading lists (77)

Encourage and promote proper digital citizenship through the use of the Fair Dealing Decision Tool. Choose the type of published work from options including periodicals, poems, books, and more to begin. Answer questions to learn if it is a permissible use of the published work. In addition to the decision tool, this site contains many other resources for teachers including articles and video presentations.

tag(s): copyright (44), digital citizenship (85), ethics (21), plagiarism (34)

Creator Basics offers a series of online video courses designed to maximize YouTube success. Although this isn't the goal of every video creator, the courses provide many valuable lessons in video production and creating engaging content. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): creativity (86), journalism (74), social media (48), video (266)

Write the World provides an online space to practice writing, earn badges, get feedback, join and create public or private groups, find prompts, rubrics, and resources for all genres. Oh, and they have monthly competitions where the winner receives $100, and the runner-up and best peer-reviewer receive $50. Sign up with a Google or Facebook account or email, answer a few questions and start exploring. This tool is for students over the age of 13.

tag(s): creative writing (124), descriptive writing (42), editing (93), expository writing (31), persuasive writing (58), process writing (37), proofreading (21), writing (324), writing prompts (61)

Writer is a distraction-free writing app for online and offline typing. Register using email to begin using the typewriter. The free version allows saving an unlimited number of documents, and it automatically saves documents as you write. Customize your experience to include typing sounds or not, change background colors, fonts, and more. When finished, export as a PDF or text document. this is a great writing tool for students with distraction issues!

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), editing (93), journals (15), process writing (37), proofreading (21), Special Needs (53), Teacher Utilities (200), writing (324)