Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Find the location of current lightning strikes in the World (U.S., Europe, and Oceania) in real time. Click the various areas to jump to that portion of the map, or grab the map to move to the desired location. This resource uses Google Maps and portrays the lightning strikes as flashing dots. Choose the delay in the upper left-hand corner from strikes within the last hour to those in the last minute. The sound is set to create a "tick" sound for every strike. Change the volume in the tools in the upper right. Other tools include Fullscreen, Thunder sound, Clouds, and Rain Radar. Turn on the location of the various reporting stations. Those familiar with Google Maps will see the option of switching from Map to Satellite view.
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tag(s): weather (160)

Create an interactive categorization activity with The Vortex. Give the activity a title and begin adding categories. Add items in up to four different categories. When finished, drag and drop items as quickly as possible into the correct bin. Use the provided links to share the activity, embed into a blog or web page, or print it. Use password protection if desired to limit access. Click the question mark on the bottom right toolbar, and scroll down that page to find many templates for inspiration or use.
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tag(s): game based learning (205), quiz (67), quizzes (90)

Design professional looking front pages for a newspaper with this tool. Simply fill in the pertinent information (headline, date, place, and more) and an image. Share via URL, Twitter, or download to your computer. Be sure to view the several samples available, and click on the little question mark at the end of the title to see ideas for use of this tool. No registration is necessary.

tag(s): digital storytelling (154), images (263), newspapers (93)

Every Last Drop is an interactive site sharing information about the amount of water wasted each day in the United Kingdom. It offers suggestions for small changes that make big differences. Scroll down through the site to view water usage during a typical day. Watch the video at the end of the presentation for many more suggestions on water saving. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English and measurements use the metric system.

tag(s): conservation (102), earth day (60), environment (252), water (102)

Conduct virtual conferences with up to 1,000 people at one time with Free Conference Call. Instantly share your screen during online calls for participant viewing or use the active speaker mode. Other features allow for recording and sharing meetings when finished. After creating an account, follow instructions for inviting participants and setting up the conference call. This tool works on any device with a modern web browser and Internet access, or download the free iOS or Android app.

tag(s): blended learning (37), chat (41), communication (129), DAT device agnostic tool (147), parent conferences (21), parents (57), remote learning (54)

Above the Clouds is an interactive experience celebrating the Earth. Follow the adventure set to text written by Carl Sagan in his book Pale Blue Dot. While watching this interactive, move your mouse to explore different views. Use icons at the bottom of the screen to toggle sound and captions on or off.

tag(s): conservation (102), earth (184), earth day (60), environment (252), planets (113)

The 180 Days Challenge is based on the PBS series 180 Days: Hartsville documentary. Take the challenge as a teacher, administrator, or parent to answer problem-based scenarios related to education. After completion, view results that provide insight into your education style and how it relates to the current educational climate. In addition to the challenge questions, this site includes several video excerpts from the series featuring events such as conferences and a discussion of generational poverty. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.

tag(s): classroom management (120), professional development (385)

Looking to identify a wild bird? Visit the Merlin site to download the Merlin ID app for any phone or device. When using a mobile device, the Merlin app asks a series of five questions starting with when and where, followed by choosing a basic body type and other questions. View the generated list of possibilities to find your bird and identify it! Merlin is capable of recognizing 400 of the most commonly encountered birds in the US and Canada. When you choose the bird, data is recorded with Merlin. Read more about your identified bird and listen to its bird song. The Merlin bird identifier is designed for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. Note: When using Merlin on the web upload a photo of the bird, and then follow the prompts to place "pointers" on the bird image. The web version cannot be used to identify a bird and is different from The Merlin ID app.

tag(s): birds (46), DAT device agnostic tool (147), ecosystems (83), habitats (92)

Learn about pandas through a visit with Wang Wang and Funi, residents of the Adelaide Zoo (in Australia). Watch videos, explore the panda exhibit, and learn about Wang Wang and Funi's family tree. Learn about their natural habitat, and the different types of conservation efforts. The videos on this site reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): animal homes (57), animals (295), australia (28), habitats (92)

Visit Canada's prairie habitats and learn about plants and their pollinators through videos, games, and activities. Take a tour of the Plant and Pollinator Gallery for photos of important and rare species. Choose the Virtual Tour option to observe wild plants and pollinators in their natural habitat. Test your pollination IQ, create your own pollinator in the Honey Hunt Game, or go on a virtual museum hunt to find out more about other plants and pollinators.

tag(s): canada (24), habitats (92), insects (69), plants (146), prairie (6)

This resource is an excellent online activity to learn Python through coding challenges. Choose a challenge and solve the problem to move onto another challenge. Complete each of the tasks to gain points and move to the next area. Designed for beginners and experts students will have to stick with it to be able to move past the beginning as the backstory is lost moving from one action assignment to another. The story can be the one item that makes this site different from other coding challenges. After most of the challenges, the solutions are shown. Create an account or log in through Google or Facebook.

tag(s): coding (85), critical thinking (127), problem solving (233)

Learn the basic steps for creating a grading rubric with this informative site. Find out why you need rubrics and the six basic steps for designing a rubric for any project. Most of the steps also include links to examples and templates for different situations such as discussions, presentations, and other types of projects.

tag(s): assessment (147), professional development (385), rubrics (37)

Oakland Schools provides an extensive collection of Common Core aligned resources for all grade levels. Read through the information on the main page for how to use the site to browse and search features. Items include unit calendars, curriculum maps, and standards alignment in all subjects and for grades K-12. Be sure to check out the Reference pull-down for many resources to use in teaching and planning using Common Core Standards.

tag(s): commoncore (73), professional development (385)

This graphic is a wonderful visual of nine of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Read a quick overview of the works of Newton, Pythagoras, Archimedes, Euclid, and others who offered significant contributions to our understanding of the world around us.

tag(s): biographies (94), famous people (19), newton (21), pythagorean theorem (19)

Browse through over 9,000 resources at the National STEM Centre's eLibrary for ages five and up. Search by keyword or use filters to sort by age range, subject, or type of resource. Resources include videos, presentations, activity sheets, and much more. Optional account creation allows you to save resources and add activities to favorites. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English.

tag(s): engineering (129), STEM (297)

Learn how to engage students through digital learning, integrate technology into any curriculum, and effectively use digital resources in the classroom with these free, online courses. Multimedia contents include animated eLearning tutorials and interactive learning exercises. Begin any of the self-paced courses anytime and complete them at your own pace.

tag(s): professional development (385)

Crash Course Kids features countless videos all about science. Read the description for each video and the Next Generation Science Standards. Go to the preview video to view the standards addressed in the first 95 videos. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): animals (295), gravity (43), matter (46), moon (73), planets (113), plants (146), seasons (37), sun (71), video (266)

Journey to the farthest regions of space with this infographic from BBC. Scroll down to see the rocket from Earth's closest cloud layer and continue to the outer edges of our solar system 46 billion light- years away. Notes at the bottom of the page change to tell the distance in kilometers, travel time at warp 1 speed, and miles represented per pixel.

tag(s): planets (113), rockets (11), solar system (110), space (222)

Never look at molecules or reactions the same again! Find great videos of reactions slowed down in order to see what is happening. Look at a variety of reactions including precipitation, color change, crystallization, smoke, bubbling, metal displacement, and more. View molecules including DNA nanostructures, amorphous substances, and crystals including nanocrystals and quasicrystals.

tag(s): atoms (44), chemicals (41), molecules (44)

Lead up to this annual event in September with resources that teach about the features of the Moon! Find events around the World, create your own event, and find classroom and home activities. Be sure to click on the Resources tab at the top to find Activities and information about Moon phases, Spotting Craters, Ideas for viewing, and more.
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tag(s): moon (73)