Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

TeachThought stretches teachers to think beyond the norm, and try new exciting ideas such as learning in a digital world, flipped classrooms, project based learning, and simulations. A few examples of the articles include: 10 Team Building Games that Promote Critical Thinking, 25 Reading Strategies That Work In Every Content Area, 55 Free Apps For iPads, 249 Bloom's Taxonomy Verbs for Critical Thinking, 14 Brilliant Bloom's Taxonomy Posters For Teachers, and 20 Things You Can Do in 10 Minutes For A Smoother Running Classroom. Join in the conversation, add your opinion, or ask a question. Sign up for TeachThought's newsletter.
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tag(s): blooms taxonomy (7), classroom management (120), critical thinking (127), flipped learning (9), professional development (385), reading strategies (96)

Never leave your easy chair as you journey beyond the road to faraway places using Google Maps Treks! Choose Gombe National Park, Pyramids of Giza, Angkor Wat, Colorado River, or the polar bears at Churchill. Tour Taj Mahal, Venice, Galapagos Islands, Eiffel Tower, Mt. Fuji, Everest, Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon Basin, and more. Click on the option and then click the open in Maps or Views button. On maps with multiple placemarks, click the placemark to view information about the location, and then click the title to go to the map. Choose from a variety of images taken at various locations found along the bottom. Some images are photospheres and can be manipulated using the sphere icon along the bottom right. Use the arrows in the sphere to rotate the image, giving a panoramic view of the location as you click. Use the familiar Google map tools to zoom in and out. Some Treks offer short videos that are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): cultures (180), environment (252), images (263), maps (220), photography (130), virtual field trips (128)

YouTube EDU features some of the most popular educational videos across YouTube. Explore both elementary and secondary topics. This channel integrates content across 100 colleges and universities and offers access to campus tours, research, and lectures. Scroll through to find videos sorted into many categories such as science, mathematics, arts, languages, and much more. Subscribe to receive updates about new videos added. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): video (266)

Choosing color schemes for web pages, projects, and displays becomes easier with Color Schemer! Click on any color in the color bar at the bottom of the page to view a display of compatible colors along with hex and font color numbers for HTML use. Choose "lighten scheme" or "darken scheme" to adjust and personalize colors as desired.

tag(s): colors (63)

Quickly convert, share, and manage documents with Cometdocs. Upload any file from your computer then choose from options to convert, transfer, share, or host the file. Options or file conversions include to and from PDF, Word, Excel, image, and text formats. Create a free account to receive up to 2 GB in storage, upload files up to 150 MB, perform up to 5 conversions per week. Other options include downloading web and iOS apps for use. Login isn't necessary to do simple file conversions but is required for storage and hosting of files.
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tag(s): worksheets (69)

Find out instantly if the problem you are having opening a web site is YOUR problem or a website that is down. Is It Down Right Now (iidrn.com for short) instantly "pings" a site so you can tell whether the site is down for everyone or just for you (perhaps due to a glitch with your Internet provider). The Internet is never a sure thing, but this tool tells you whether it's just YOU having trouble. Although it sounds geeky, it's easy. Copy/paste or type the URL you are trying to reach into the box at top right, and click "Check." The results tell you how long it takes for the site to respond and how long it has been down (if it is). What a handy tool for ANYONE using the web! What this tool will not tell you is if you are mistyping the URL, so always double check.
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Find a collection of resources for teaching and learning shapes and measures. This site works well on any web enabled device. Teaching resources include: angle measurer, grids for measuring areas of virtual shapes, coordinate practice, isometric grid for 3D shapes, perimeter practice, rotation, symmetry creator, rotational symmetry of shapes, translations, and a virtual mirror. Each of these tools allows demonstration and some practice. Shapes and Measures will bring your geometry class alive!
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tag(s): geometric shapes (134), measurement (122)

Get free professional development in Common Core math. Watch the YouTube video produced by Scholastic: Number Talks created by Sherry Parrish. Number Talks supports the Standards of Mathematical Practice in the Common Core Standards for all grade levels. The video helps one understand the process of number sense, flexible thinking in problem-solving, and fluency. Examples of the Number Talks are shown in use in real classrooms where students manipulate numbers to gain a deeper understanding. Students reason abstractly and quantitatively to help persevere in solving problems. Students use models to find structure and use reasoning to provide evidence for answers and thought processes. Gain a fuller, deeper understanding of the process of Number Talks. Number Talks are often used in many schools' curriculum. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): number sense (69), problem solving (233), video (266)

Common Core Conversations is your place to find Common Core resources. The Standards, Resources from state education departments, free resources in all subject areas, using tech tools for learning the standards, and a section for parent information provides a great basis for your Common Core needs. Resources include: ENL/ELL, library, careers, family and consumer sciences. Join the online community to join in the conversations.

tag(s): commoncore (73)

BotLogic is an online activity that teaches programming and code. Enter by clicking play. First go through the short tutorial. Choose the player link to begin playing without a code. Select your age to begin at the proper level. Each level offers a tutorial with directions for play. BotLogic shows the window of code as you create your line of icon instructions. As an extra challenge, try to use as few instructions as possible to earn rewards.

tag(s): animation (64), coding (85), computational thinking (40), computers (109), logic (161), problem solving (233), STEM (297)

Use Sway to create interactive presentations across all devices. Drag and drop content from your device, social networks, and the web directly onto your Sway canvas. Log in using your Microsoft account to begin or create a new account using your email and a password. Add content to your storyline using links to add text, images, and media. Change the look of your Sway using the Design tool to change the color palette, layout, and fonts. When finished, click the Share button for options to share to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, URL, or copy the embed code. Sway will work on any device with a modern Internet browser and an Internet connection. They also have an iOS app. The introduction video and tutorials are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. Note: "New video and audio uploads will be discontinued June 10, 2024. We recommend that you embed video and audio files." There is a link to instructions after that statement.

tag(s): communication (129), digital storytelling (154), Microsoft (80), multimedia (53), slides (43), visualizations (11)

Still wrestling with Common Core? Let Shmoop help with math and language arts Common Core resources. Search for any standard or browse through standards links to begin. Links to each standard offer a tab explaining the standard and another tab with aligned resources. Resources may include videos, teaching guides, sample assignments, and more. Not all standards include resources, but most do.
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tag(s): commoncore (73)

Virtual dice can be addicting when trying to figure out what number will come up next, and they are quiet! You'll never have these dice roll off the table and under furniture. Choose from one, two, or three virtual die at a time. Simply click Roll and start the guessing.

tag(s): game based learning (205), mental math (19), operations (72), probability (99)

The Kentucky Center for Mathematics offers this excellent math intervention website with Math Recovery lessons and printables. Free registration provides access to their database of proven numeracy-developed activities searchable by standard, grade level, fluency benchmark, task group or setting. Registration requires approval before accessing the site but is free using your email and school information. Approval was received within minutes of submitting registration.

tag(s): commoncore (73), number sense (69), numbers (120)

This PDF explains the teaching strategies of Cubing and Think Dots. Cubing is an instructional strategy that asks students to consider a concept from different perspectives. Use ideas from the site to understand how to use cubes to differentiate teaching for various groups of students. Similar to cubes, Think Dots incorporates the idea of students constructing the meaning of concepts through the use of activity cards correlated to the roll of a dice. The PDF starts with an overview of Bloom's Taxonomy and its revision.

tag(s): blooms taxonomy (7), differentiation (84), learning styles (18), professional development (385)

Technology Tailgate is a collaborative blog network for teachers to collaborate, share ideas and show ways to incorporate technology into primary classrooms. Specifically designed to meet Common Core Standards through technology, entries offer viewers ideas for infusing technology in everyday lessons. Use the keyword search bar to find specific information, scroll through daily posts, or click on tags for subject-specific posts. Search through archives dating back to 2012 for earlier posts.

tag(s): blogs (65)

Common Core Math is a PDF document providing an overview of mathematics skills developed through Common Core Standards. Designed for use with curriculum nights or conferences in mind, information on each grade level fits on the front and back of one page when printed (two pages for high school). View advice for use as a parent or teacher on the first page. Be sure to scroll down to the two last pages providing an excellent overview of the big picture of teaching math and general tips for parents.

tag(s): commoncore (73), parent conferences (21), parents (57)

Choose from primary or secondary level Advent Calendars with different themes such as planet earth or food and drink. Don't let the years bother you, use these calendars as you please and at any time. Click on your choice of calendar then on a number to view the problem of the day. Problem formats include video questions, problem solving, and games. Note: The age levels terminology for lessons is from the UK, so you may need to "translate" for U.S. curriculum topics and spelling.

tag(s): addition (129), division (98), equations (119), fractions (160), geometric shapes (134), logic (161), multiplication (122), numbers (120), patterns (61), prime numbers (26), problem solving (233)

Do you need to choose items in a truly random way? If so, this site is for you! Random.org offers many different categories for receiving randomized information. Choose from the links for random lists, coin flippers, dates, passwords, dice rolls, and much more. Follow directions on each page to set the form and receive results. There is also an app for both Android and iOs devices.

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), gamification (83), probability (99), resources (83)

Science Trek is an integrated web and broadcast T.V. project introducing science topics to elementary students. In addition to the broadcasts, Science Trek provides accompanying material for teacher and parent use. Each month of the school year a new broadcast answers students' science questions and provides additional resources. Currently, there are more than 90 topics available. Choose from any topic to view the web broadcast and explore resources such as games, facts, and glossaries. Some games lead to outside resources such as PBS and NASA.
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tag(s): animal homes (57), animals (294), archeology (28), body systems (40), brain (56), earthquakes (46), ecology (103), endangered species (27), food chains (19), forces (37), fossils (41), gravity (43), habitats (92), heart (27), human body (93), mass (19), moon (73), planets (113), plants (146), rocks (35), simple machines (19), soil (16), sound (72), STEM (297), volcanoes (55), water (102), weather (160)