Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

For educators looking for some great links and help with Google Earth (as well as other Google products.) Even though this site was developed for a training in-service, find some great screenshots, tutorials, and links to great Google Earth examples. Be sure to check out the navigation list on the left for tutorials of other Google products and technology hints. For more information on Google Earth, find our review here. Also, find more support at Google Earth in the Classroom.

tag(s): earth (184), landforms (39), landmarks (22), maps (220)

Understand basic math and algebra, as well as advanced math topics like calculus and statistics. These free CliffsNotes articles can help when you're doing math homework and taking math tests. Articles begin with Algebra 1 and basic math skills and continue through Statistics and Trigonometry. Each article gives a written overview of the topic along with diagrams and charts. Each also contains a link on how to cite the article. Resources also include glossaries for Pre-Agebra, Geometry, and Statistics. Although the site is set up as a supplement to the familiar Cliff Notes books available as study guides, these materials are free and useful as resources in the math classroom. This site does include some unobtrusive advertisements.

tag(s): statistics (121)

Create your own motivational posters easily and simply. Choose a random picture (one from Flickr or Facebook) or use one already on your computer. Choose colors and other options as well as the type of text to be used. Enter your text and preview the result. Once complete, save to Flickr, your computer, or print. Remember you can use a saved image in PowerPoint shows and on a class wiki, as well as blogs and other sites.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): collages (17), images (263), photography (130), posters (43)

This website is designed for math students who need an easy-to-use, easy-to-understand math resource all in one place. It is a comprehensive listing of formulas and definitions from beginning algebra to calculus. The explanations are readable for average math students, and over a thousand illustrations and examples are provided. Terms can be searched alphabetically and by subject area. Multi-media entries are also identified separately - these include QuickTime movies, LiveGraphics3D, and JavaSketchpad. This site does include some unobtrusive advertisements.

tag(s): vocabulary (238)

This site offers tutorials for concepts taught in Pre-Calculus, Single Variable Calculus, Multi-Variable Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations. Each tutorial includes explanations, examples, key concepts, and extensions of concepts taught. Some images are included; however, most explanations are written. Tutorials can also be downloaded in pdf form. At the end of each tutorial there is a quiz; these are only for Harvey Mudd College students and cannot be accessed by the general public.

tag(s): equations (119), tutorials (52), variables (14)

This site offers practice with math and challenging problems for all grade levels. If you teach math to grades 1-12, this site is a MUST SEE. It contains a graduated set of over 1,000 problems starting from very easy and working up to very difficult levels. Each problem contains a short description and an image to help visualize the problem. Problems adapt to the skill of the person answering problems, grade levels cannot be increased until 5 correct problems in a row have been solved. The tests concentrate on understanding, spatial reasoning, and problem solving rather than math rules and theorems.

tag(s): decimals (85), fractions (160), logic (161), operations (72), order of operations (29), test prep (69)

Text Mechanic is a collection of free, online, browser-based, text manipulation tools. All tools are simple to use. Basically, click on the tool of your choice, like the Count Characters, Words, and Lines or Remove Lines of Text Containing, copy and paste or type your text into the box, and submit. Results are instantaneous. There is even a tool to change and choose the color of the background, text and border of your web page. The sight is plain vanilla, but that is the beauty of it; there's nothing to hunt for - what you see is what you get.

tag(s): editing (93), grammar (137), spelling (98)

Looking for a great search tool for quantitative information? Use Wolfram Alpha to find responses in a whole new way. Use the power of Wolfram Alpha to get to the heart of computational and mathematical data with corresponding information and explanations. You must be exact in the wording of your query since Wolfram Alpha may not know what to do with your request. Wolfram alpha is peer reviewed vs. user generated and should be considered a valuable resource. To better understand this entirely different approach, watch the "Take the Tour" video available by clicking on "About." Browse the examples to notice the subtleties. To see the vast differences between Wolfram Alpha and Google using Goofram, reviewed here.

tag(s): resources (84), search engines (48)

This site accompanies a PBS series on money management, however, the entire series is available to video stream from the website. Pick and choose from segments such as making money, getting out of debt, saving money, understanding insurance, and entrepreneurship. Along with each segment, there is a facilitator's guide, web exclusive content, activities and simulations. There is a comment section associated with the site, and limited advertising for other PBS products, so preview before making available to students. A written transcript of the segments can be made available to ELL/ESL students.

tag(s): money (113)

Homestyler is a free online interior design planner. Members choose a layout plan, add details such as doors, windows, and furnishings, and then decide on color schemes for interior decorating. Designs are viewable in both a 2D and 3D format. This is a free online program that requires no downloading. Registration does require an email address. This site may or may not be fully accessible inside your school filtering. Check to make sure all portions of this site are available when using your school's network. Homestyler does have a retail component that suggests certain name brands for appliances, and building supplies but the 3D designing capability outshines this form of advertising.

tag(s): architecture (75), area (53), design (79), volume (33)

This application for note-taking is extremely simple to use, but performs in a very sophisticated way. There is a very easy text tutorial and FAQ to tell you about such features as creating an outline, accessing the DuckDuckGo search engine or looking up a word on the Merriam-Webster online dictionary without ever leaving your notes. It also connects to definitions from Wikipedia. And, you can automatically send your notes to your Amazon Kindle device. For math and science, the text tutorial will also show you how you can enter equations in your notes using the LaTeX format.

tag(s): note taking (36), organizational skills (88)

"Play and learn" Math on this interactive site loaded with lessons and flash activities. Topics range from Algebra, Probability, and up to Higher Calculus. Each lesson is divided into different subtopics which contain lessons using real-world examples and images. Many lessons include information obtained with the Live Math Viewer which can be downloaded from the site for free. Be sure to check out the "flash highlights" link which includes activities sure to appeal to students such as a Calculus Math Millionaire game, Math of Beauty, and an interactive World Population display. The advertising is worth ignoring to access the good content.

tag(s): charts and graphs (171), differentiation (84), probability (99)

This 16 lesson course in Trigonometry offers an overview of Trigonometry for beginners and experts alike. The course begins with a discussion on who needs Trigonometry, Applications, and then moves on through Chords, Sines, Cosines, and more before ending up with a summary. Although a little dry in tone, this site would make an excellent addition to review resources for any Math classroom.

tag(s): homework (29)

This site offers a vast array of resources and information for working with Fibonacci Numbers, Golden Section Numbers, and the Golden String. Although the site design is "plain vanilla," the content is quite good. Be sure to check out the quick introduction page mentioned at the beginning of the site to find information on Fibonacci in nature along with images and activities. Links to activities are clearly marked with a pencil icon for quick access. Also included is an in-depth biography of Leonardo of Pisa who became known as Fibonacci in his later years. Students will love some of the number tricks found on the site under the Mathematical Magic of Fibonacci Numbers.

tag(s): puzzles (149)

This site offers a comprehensive look at Daylight Saving Time. The introduction gives a brief explanation of how Daylight Saving Time was implemented to allow us to receive more benefits of available sunlight. Be sure to check out the link with incidents and anecdotes related to Daylight Saving Time. In addition, there is a map demonstrating the use of Daylight Saving Time across the globe and explanations of the history of the adoption of DST. One interesting feature of the site is the ability to switch from a "normal" page view to "nodes". The nodes view looks like clouds, each one is labeled with a topic and is linked to additional information. There is also a link to SpicyNodes, where you can create your own clouds to be used on web pages, blogs, presentations and more.

tag(s): cultures (180), measurement (122), sun (71), time (91)

Create online sticky type bulletin boards to view from any online device using lino. Click to try it first without even joining. The "Give it a shot!" button has a "How to" canvas has stickies explaining how to use lino. Join and create your own canvases to share stickies, reminders, files, and more. Change sticky colors from the menu in the upper right hand corner or use the easy editing tools that appear when the sticky is selected. Use the icons at the bottom of each sticky note to "peel them off," share, edit, and more. Create a group from your lino page to share and collaborate on canvases. You can also share canvases publicly so anyone with the URL can participate. This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.

tag(s): bulletin boards (15), collaboration (93), collages (17), creative fluency (5), creativity (86), DAT device agnostic tool (147), gamification (83), note taking (36)

Every ten years, the United States participates in a census; the census represents both a raw count of the country's population, but also how that population is distributed demographically. The US Census Bureau has begun unrolling the data collected during this most recent census. This site will continue to update, so check back often for more. The ability of the Internet and computer data to be distributed widely has changed significantly since the 2000 census, and this site reflects increased transparency and ease of access to this vital information.

tag(s): census (13), demographics (13), population (51)

This handy website contains three egg timers that can be set to run individually or simultaneously. Simply click the arrows above or below the numbers to set the time, and click "start." All three timers have the same "ring tone."

tag(s): classroom management (120), experiments (55), preK (270)

This site offers an in-depth look at statistics starting with looking at numbers then discussing ways to "lie and cheat using statistics." Range, median, mode, and standard deviation are explained with examples then methods of collecting data are discussed. The third page takes a look at ways that data is presented and what it really does or does not tell us. Although this site is rather "plain vanilla" as many math sites are, it does offer a lot of useful information on a topic that is sometimes hard to find.

tag(s): data (151), statistics (121)