Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Discover "how the tournament would play out if 32 countries were competing in things other than soccer." This site compares world countries statistics on scores of topics, instantly drawing a "bracket" of the top 32 countries for that statistic around the world. Find out which country "wins" in categories as diverse as milk consumption, population density, or ticket sales for the movie Frozen! Click the topic at left to display the "bracket" instantly. Try predicting who will win as you check out all kinds of topics.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (173), demographics (13), statistics (121)

Typeform offers an interactive method to ask and answer questions online. Use the form builder to create visually rich and engaging questions. Drag and drop features make it easy to add and personalize content such as different question choices, images, backgrounds, and more. The "live" preview allows you see your typeform evolve as you create it. When complete, share using your unique URL or embed your Typeform using provided HTML. Go to the Help Center and under Dashboard, read more about your options for sharing your Typeform. Choose options for receiving and tracking visits to your form in your configuration settings. Track visitor behavior and demographics with your Google Analytics tracking code; you can also export your result to a spreadsheet in Excel (XLS) or CSV file formats, or Google sheets. Through Typeform you can have your Google sheet automatically update as answers come in--no need to export data manually.
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tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), polls and surveys (49), quizzes (91)

Pinup is a web-based canvas for creating and storing sticky notes. Create a new canvas by clicking anywhere on the blank canvas. You can also click and drag your mouse to create a new note from anywhere on the board. Click the plus sign to add a new text pin, and the image symbol below it to add images or a document. Use the menu across the top of the sticky to change the background color, duplicate the pin, move it to another canvas or turn it into a checklist. You can also drag and drop images directly from your desktop. Personalize stickies by changing the color of sticky notes. Edit the text options using bold and strikethroughs. Change the size of your notes quickly and easily. Once you have created more than one canvas, choose the one you want to be your default canvas when you use Pinup. Any device with a web browser can access and use this organizer! Share your canvas with one click by adding email recipients. Note that collaborators must have email addresses.

tag(s): bulletin boards (15), homework (29), organizational skills (88)

Numeracy Tasks offers a large selection of open-ended problems for grades K-12. Choose from titles sorted by grade level (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, or 10-12). Each task is listed individually. Click to download the Word document including instructions and any necessary materials. Although this site is rather "plain vanilla," there are some very engaging topics: Cell Phone Plans, Nine Hole Golf Course, Building a Garden, Trip to the Waterslides, and many more.

tag(s): number sense (69), problem solving (233)

What better way to learn than through making? Collaborate and make items for the web using these webmaker tools. These Hacktivity Kits are easy for anyone to organize a session and learn about creating items for the Internet. Use these kits to facilitate classes that focus on webmaking. Each section includes what you will need to consider to prepare for using the kits. Kits include sample lessons, projects, and activities. Find documents (cheat sheet for HTML!) that can be printed in each of the Resources sections. Use activities that assess progress and even provide badges. Each kit has a Big Picture, Objectives, Questions, and all related material. Find a variety of kits: X-Ray Goggles, Popcorn, Thimble, Online Storytelling, Revolutions in Media, Make It Share It, and more. As the name suggests, the Hacktivity kits can be hacked as well. Choose the parts that work for your class and expand upon others when more resources are needed. Since the products are created for the web, the tools used to make them are web applications. The recommended browsers include Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Note: It is important that all browsers be updated to the latest versions in order to use the web application effectively. Be sure to click "View Additional Resources" for one page documents including readings, cheat sheets, checklists, how-to's, and FAQ's. Click "View All Hacktivities" for simple activities such as Icebreakers. Explore Hands on Hacking, to delve deeper into the material.

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), images (264), stories and storytelling (58), video (266)

Looking for real-time feed back from your classes? Use tests and quizzes to get immediate feedback with this tool. You can even upload a document to Formative for students to annotate. Enter questions that require a variety of answers including true/false, text answers, or student drawings. It will even mark answers for you! Setup a marking key and view instant data on who is correct. Students can create an account to get access to the materials you create. The site works on all devices and integrates with Google Classroom. Formative is aligned to many standards including Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and many other common standards. Create a free account. All assignments are organized in the dashboard. Click on New Assignment to begin and choose to start from scratch or upload a document. Choose the type of question and even add content such as text, whiteboard, or YouTube videos. Be sure to set up a key for automatic grading and watch the live results as they come in. Formative is optimized to work on any device with a modern web browser and an Internet connection. Formative now has AI in beta. There are directions for signing up for the AI part of Formative.

tag(s): assessment (148), commoncore (73), personalized learning (10), playlists (8), polls and surveys (49), quizzes (91)

Get Caught Engineering is an excellent resource for elementary and middle school STEM lessons and experiences. Follow the link to the blog to find many ongoing ideas for incorporating engineering into classrooms, as well as a blog full of articles with more ideas. Sign up with email to get all blog updates. Choose from several lessons ready to print and use. Many lessons offer quick activities using a minimum of materials, ideal for effortlessly incorporating engineering and STEM activities into any classroom!
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tag(s): computational thinking (40), engineering (129), gravity (43), problem solving (233), scientific method (48), simple machines (19), STEM (298)

Math Fair Problems offers a large selection of problem solving activities for classroom and math fair use. Choose from topics such as Number Concepts, Patterns & Relationships, Statistics & Probability, or Shapes & Spaces. Use problems for both elementary or secondary students unless otherwise marked for a specific grade level. Links for each activity include complete instructions, how to play, variations, and math found in the activity. Use the provided link to download in PDF format. Be sure to click the link with the explanation on how to introduce and use these activities with students.

tag(s): charts and graphs (172), data (151), equations (119), functions (52), geometric shapes (134), measurement (122), number sense (69), numbers (120), order of operations (29), patterns (61), probability (99), problem solving (233), statistics (121), transformations (12)

Create boards of links to your popular tools and bookmarks curated into one beautiful and simple interface! Use Papaly to collect links from X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, news sites, Pinterest, existing computer bookmarks, and new bookmarks. Follow the pop-up messages to learn the controls from the tutorial. Hover over Boards to click on the + sign, and then name the new board. Select from popular categories to instantly populate your board with common tools. Use Papaly with any browser, however, you can import computer bookmarks by installing the Chrome extension or creating an HTML file of them by following the tutorial. Click on Board Properties in the upper right corner to change your board to Secret (private), make your board Invisible for Google, alter your settings, and change the layout of the board. Share boards by email, X, or Facebook. Note: If using the boards with students, be sure not to import information from personal sites such as email, X (Twitter), Facebook, etc. as the login information would be visible to students.

tag(s): bookmarks (43), collaboration (93), news (228), social media (48), social networking (61)

Do what Simon Says at this virtual game similar to the old favorite! Follow the pattern of lights and sounds and repeat back to Simon. Start with one sound/light. Simon plays that and adds another. Repeat back, and Simon adds one more every time. Earn a point for each time you repeat back the sequence correctly. Continue for as long as you can remember. This is the online version of the handheld game, Simon.

tag(s): game based learning (205), patterns (61), preK (271), puzzles (150)

Teampedia is a comprehensive and collaborative resource for finding icebreakers, team building, and leadership activities. Browse through almost 100 categories on this wiki. Find trust activities, getting to know you, and online/remote team building. Explore activities based on the group size involved. If you have a great activity and don't see it, add it to Teampedia by following the steps provided. Each game or activity includes a list of materials needed, number of players, time required, and directions for play. Some directions for strategy games also include strategy options.

tag(s): back to school (55), creativity (86), firstday (22), problem solving (233)

These high quality, high-resolution photos can be used for free. No worries, it is not a stock photo site. Find a small number of new photos added weekly. Use any photo for either personal or commercial projects. Find a variety of landscapes, animals, people, and situations in the black and white or colored photographs. Though these are free, the work should be attributed to the artist. At the time of this review our editors found nothing inappropriate in the photos. However, we always recommend to PREVIEW!

tag(s): images (264), photography (131)

PastBook is a wonderful site for creating online photo albums,wall calendars, poster,cards, or photo books. You can even use your Facebook and Instagram photos, etc. into a photobook! Choose "Create" to begin. Add a title, description, and pictures by uploading from your computer or social network accounts. Provide the text to describe images and a date if desired. When ready, choose "Create Your Book/Calendar, etc." to complete the process. View finished products online or download for free in PDF format. Invite others to collaborate on your product through social networking links. Privacy settings allow only those with the URL to view your work. This tool is available on the web and iPhone. Sign-in using your email or FaceBook account. You can invite people via email or SMS.
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tag(s): calendars (37), digital storytelling (156), images (264), photography (131), portfolios (24), posters (43)

Ducksters is a safe, extensive, educational portal for kids. Find a wide choice of content such as interactives, sports, movies, and music. Begin by choosing a category to explore choices. The study category includes extensive information such as world history, many biographies, science explanations, and information on all continents and many countries. Interactive subjects include math times tables, checkers, and guess the country. There is a TON here to explore.
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tag(s): addition (129), african american (116), american revolution (82), animal homes (57), animals (294), artists (84), biographies (94), china (81), civil rights (209), civil war (139), cold war (31), continents (33), countries (73), data (151), division (98), egypt (56), elements (33), energy (133), environment (252), explorers (64), fractions (160), friction (9), geometric shapes (134), greece (47), habitats (92), human body (93), inventors and inventions (80), keyboarding (28), mean (19), median (16), mode (13), multiplication (122), planets (113), presidents (136), puzzles (150), recycling (45), renaissance (38), rome (37), solar system (107), sound (72), sports (82), subtraction (110), sun (70), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)

Retronaut is an archive of historical photos, though not your typical photos. These images are sometimes quirky, and generally unexpected. Many have explanations about the period. View images of 1970's rock stars with their parents (Elton John, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton to name a few). See Selma's Children, What Parisian Fancy Ladies wore in 1906, history's first women aviators, and much more. Explore the site by Most Popular, Featured, or The Latest. Click on an image to view a "capsule" with other related images. Some of the images have links under them for attribution, and you can see and read even more about that topic. Under latest, this reviewer found topics that were just added five days before, so you may want to check back if you do not find what you're looking for. Warning: At the time of this review there were two topics that may be inappropriate for the classroom. Use the URL of the topic you wish to share in a new window or tab of your web browser.
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tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), advertising (26), cultures (181), images (264), maps (220), medicine (57), politics (118), transportation (31)

What do you do in a day? Join a worldwide classroom sharing project for students to learn about life in other schools and cultures. This teacher-driven project, begun as a collaboration between schools in Tai Pei and California, collects "unique student-generated global dayta" about students' daily life using a simple, online Google Form. Day + data = DAYTA. The dayta is available for your classroom to use in loads of different math, social studies, and writing activities. Click to add your class using the Contact button. The project encourages you to form collaborations with another school. Click the link to the Idea Guide to find curriculum connections and lesson ideas. The project is adding new classes, so why not join in? Be sure to check out the community area where you can share your successes and questions with other teachers.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (173), data (151)

Plan and build interactive presentations directly from your Google Drive! Share your presentation on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Your participants can contribute to your presentation using their own device! You and your students will find Pear Deck to take the stress out of presenting and following a presentation, reinforcing SEL (social-emotional learning). Simply install Pear Deck and go to your Google Drive. Next, click Create and choose the Pear Deck icon (in your Google Drive). An untitled Pear Deck file can be found in your drive. Click on "Untitled Pear Deck" and rename this file. To create slides, choose "Normal slide" for standard text slides that are not interactive. Add images and text blocks, and a title. Choose a "Draggable slide" to enter a question for input. Add a line or dot for participants to answer the question. Use the "Multiple Choice" slide to enter a question and answer choices. To present, click "Start Presenting." You can use the option to "Open Session Dashboard" and see all of the participants who joined the presentation. You can also choose "Open Projector View." While presenting, use the "Add a Question" tool to enter a last minute question. That can be as simple as a thumbs up or thumbs down choice to check on understanding. Make sure you "End Session" to save the results from the questions. The free account provides basic interactive questions and is especially good for formative and summative assessments and automatic graded answere. Help can be found by clicking on Menu and then Support. Find more information about Google Drive here.
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tag(s): assessment (148), differentiation (84), emotions (49), gamification (83), slides (43), social and emotional learning (103)

Learn money management skills with this thirteen-step tutorial covering topics such as money management, banking, and retirement planning. Choose any lesson to begin. It isn't necessary to go in order, but it may be easier to follow as basic concepts build upon each other throughout lessons. Lessons include quizzes, worksheets, and interactive calculators in addition to informative articles.

tag(s): banks (8), financial literacy (94)

Big Brown Bear interactives are for whole class teaching in support of the National Literacy Strategy. Activities include several keyboarding and literacy resources. Literacy resources begin with virtual magnetic letters and numbers; continue to phoneme frames, counting, and blends. There are also activities to support learning nouns, verbs, adjectives, and bingo. This site was created in the UK. American English speakers may notice some slight spelling differences.
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tag(s): keyboarding (28), literacy (121), maps (220), numbers (120), prefixes (10), preK (271), suffixes (8), verbs (26)

Canva presents a simple way to design almost anything with drag and drop technology. Create custom timelines, posters, business cards, infographics, presentations, badges, flyers, charts and graphs, and more using a custom layout or a blank page. Begin by choosing the type of design you want to create. Choose pre-made templates or design your own. Upload images from your computer or your Facebook account. Change your background, add text, and personalize as desired. When complete, choose link and publish to save and download your creation as an image or PDF file or copy the link to share via URL. For creating charts and graphs go to the Features tab. There are iOS & Android apps (free) available for this tool. Canva has recently made the desktop application available for Windows as well as Mac OS. Note: you must register (with email and password) before you can access this site.
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tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), graphic design (49), images (264), posters (43), slides (43)