Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Test students' knowledge of related items using this unique quiz creator. Create a quiz using a set of common terms or elements (presidents, types of animals, incorrect use of a comma, etc.). Build your game by adding additional sets of items to add rounds. To play, divide students into teams and start the game. The alphabet appears beginning with Z and going backward, and letters begin to disappear. If the letter is in your set of terms it pops up into the appropriate place - think of Wheel of Fortune. When a player guesses why items are related, pause the game to hear their response. Continue playing if incorrect or move to the next round if correct.
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tag(s): assessment (148), game based learning (205), quiz (67), quizzes (91)

Create and share videos for social media platforms with Headliner. Add images, text animation, clip audio, add video, and more to personalize content. Choose from several video editor templates or go straight to the video editor to begin creating. Upload videos to add transcript, use the audiogram wizard to make a video from audio, or create a video from a URL linking to an online article. When finished, publish your video and download to your computer.

tag(s): communication (129), editing (93), multimedia (53), social media (48), video (266)

Create online charts, maps, and interactive stories from your spreadsheets using Flourish. Modify technology use by uploading any spreadsheet (or copy and paste directly from Excel) to create tables without downloading additional software. After creating your free account follow prompts to design and construct a visualization or animated story. When finished, publish and share using the provided link, download the image to your computer, or use the code to embed into your website or blog. Free accounts include features to share your information publicly.

tag(s): animation (64), charts and graphs (172), infographics (57)

Premiere Rush is an all in one app for creating, editing, and sharing videos. Download Premiere Rush and use it across any device. Access your work from anywhere with the site's cloud storage feature. Use your Adobe account to log in either on your computer or with the app for your mobile device. Create a project by importing video, images, or audio. Use the editing features to edit, add titles, transitions, and much more. Easily share finished projects using social media links. The free version offers three exports and up to 2GB storage. Be sure to check the system requirements necessary before attempting to install Premiere Rush on your computer.

tag(s): communication (129), digital storytelling (156), editing (93), video (266)

Game Builder offers ready-to-go games and templates for building digital games in a variety of formats. Choose from classic games like Bingo and Jeopardy or try different forms such as Squid Hunter or Chakalaka. Select a game option to begin making games, then follow prompts to add questions and responses. When finished, be sure to choose the option to make your game public making it available to share. Registration is required to create and share games.
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tag(s): assessment (148), game based learning (205), gamification (83), quizzes (91)

Frostbite Theater is a video collection of more than 80 science demonstrations and experiments hosted on YouTube. Many of the experiments feature the use of liquid nitrogen, dry ice, and electricity. Most videos are less than eight minutes long. The entertaining format helps maintain high-interest levels with even the most complex science topics. Be sure to discuss how to access YouTube on school computers with your school's tech department if necessary.

tag(s): butterflies (13), electricity (61), gravity (43), light (56), moon (73), water (104), weather (160)

Moment Zero is an immersive experience for viewing seismic activity around the world since 1970. View information in 360 degrees using computers and mobile devices, or in VR with a headset and mobile phone. Use the options on the site to explore the yearly timeline and view annual statistics.

tag(s): earthquakes (46)

Your Plan, Your Planet is an interactive that demonstrates how simple changes at home have a positive impact on our environment. The interactive focuses on three components: water, food, and energy. Select any of the three items to begin your exploration of ways to change individual habits at home for the greater good of the planet.

tag(s): energy (133), environment (252), recycling (45), water (104)

Review and practice your knowledge of elements found on the periodic table with these virtual flashcards. Use the options to personalize by the number of cards and use of proper capitalization. Also, select to include chemical names, symbols, and atomic number. Click the more options link to make additional selections based on types and sets of elements.

tag(s): elements (33), periodic table (44)

Use this interactive to learn about elements on the periodic table. This site offers two different options for games. The first challenges players to find the given element on the periodic table within 30 seconds. The second game increases difficulty by only providing hints about an element then providing 90 seconds for selecting the correct one on the table.

tag(s): chemicals (39), gamification (83), periodic table (44)

Solve interactive math and science puzzles based on current events with Expii Solve. Choose from over 70 sets of questions with topics including the Super Bowl, Star Wars, fashion, holidays, and more. Each topic includes a set of five problems with each question increasing in difficulty. If you need help, use links to tutorials at the bottom of each question. Registration isn't required; however, registering allows you to track progress in completing puzzles.

tag(s): cultures (180), holidays (189), logic (161), problem solving (233)

Play this game to solve the world's water crisis through careful management of resources and responses to global events. Before playing, be sure to check out the tutorial to understand the available options. Your mission is to make water available to all regions through a series of decisions based on cost and research. Be sure to check out the text alternative short story to the game sharing a tale of the importance of water within a small community.

tag(s): conservation (102), DAT device agnostic tool (147), game based learning (205), recycling (45), water (104), weather (160)

Have you ever told anyone, "Let me Google that for you?" That is what LMGTFY is all about! This site allows you to demonstrate how to Google (and much more) terms, then send a link with a step by step demonstration on how to complete the search. LMGTFY has grown beyond Google and now offers users the ability to select from several popular search engines including Bing, Yahoo, Ask, and DuckDuckGo. The drop-down box provides choices to search the web, images, video, and more. After making selections and entering a search term, click to get the link or choose preview to view the information.

tag(s): browser (8), search engines (48), search strategies (22)

This site offers a large assortment of ready to print worksheets with preschool through high school content. The majority of materials focus on content for elementary and junior high levels. Choose a topic and use the topic list on the left side of the screen to narrow down to specific needs. Be sure to check out the Teacher Printables section; this includes many helpful printables for report card comments, parent information, and organization.
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tag(s): calendars (37), grammar review (31), graphic organizers (49), holidays (189), organizational skills (88), substitutes (25), worksheets (70)

MSN Kids features content and search features geared toward elementary and middle-school aged kids. In addition to news stories around the world of interest to kids, the site also includes crafts and videos that appeal to students. Use the links to different categories including animals, science and tech, and more to narrow down features. One very nice feature for classrooms is that this site does not include any advertising or sponsored content.

tag(s): bookmarks (43), cross cultural understanding (173), search engines (48)

Explore the resources offered at ArchKIDecture - you'll find a list of books, links to other resources, lessons, and project ideas. A few project ideas include drawing a floor plan, building a toothpick structure, and building a geodesic dome. All projects include a materials list. Sign up for the free newsletter to receive notice of new project ideas. Don't forget to download the Teachers Guide.

tag(s): architecture (76), book lists (167), crafts (70), makerspace (40)

As you might guess from the title, this site is all about numbers. Their goals are to promote numeracy, develop number sense, and have fun along the way. Use the search bar to ask about any number; the results provide context and relationships to your query. Results might include comparisons to items that are bigger or smaller and equivalent items. Choose other links to learn number facts about countries, ratios, or take a number quiz.

tag(s): measurement (122), number sense (69), numbers (120), ratios (47)

Unhangout is a free platform for connecting community-driven learning opportunities. Participants gather in the site's lobby at the time of the event, introduce themselves, and possibly view a short presentation or video together. After introductions, participants choose breakout rooms based on their interest. Breakout rooms hold up to ten participants at a time and open in a new tab so they can continue to add to the main chat if desired. Within the breakout rooms, conversations focus on a common topic and include options for members to use their webcam to discuss topics, view videos together, or work on a shared document. Following the event, participants receive an email with a transcript of the event and email contacts of fellow participants. Create your event by logging into your account and adding information including date, time, and additional hosts if desired. Other options enable you to set privacy options, allow follow-up emails, and provide for a custom URL.

tag(s): chat (41), collaboration (93)

YoTeach! is a free backchanneling app created for teachers and students. Create a room and set a password then provide the URL to your students. Once in the platform, the site's features allow you to share chat discussions, use the online whiteboard, and upload images. Additional options include a simple polling tool, a "like" button, and student participation statistics. When finished, download the conversation to your computer as a PDF. When creating your room, use settings to control privacy and moderate participants. Students can now engage using anonymous mode.

tag(s): chat (41), communication (129), social networking (61)