4412 social-studies results | sort by:
return to subject listing
PixTeller - Alexandru Roznovat and Ovidiu Farauanu
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Turn words into beautiful images to use on posters, greeting cards, and more with PixTeller. Choose "Create Poster" to begin creating your design. Choose a background with your choice...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Turn words into beautiful images to use on posters, greeting cards, and more with PixTeller. Choose "Create Poster" to begin creating your design. Choose a background with your choice of colors, images, and size. Move through the rest of the steps to add text, icons, and other design elements. Create a PixTeller account to save your design and remove the watermark. When finished, share the image through social networking options or with a direct URL.
tag(s): book reports (37), collages (18), images (283), posters (41)
In the Classroom
Use PixTeller to create a simple end of unit or novel study project. Use posters for covers for research projects or a quick and colorful classroom display. Have students make posters "advertising" books from independent reading on your bulletin board, on the wall outside your classroom, or in the library/media center. Advertise a curriculum concept with posters such as "The Exciting Life and Times of Pi," "Plate Tectonic Superheroes," or "The Misunderstood Sentence Fragment." To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Compfight, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
TUZZit - Christophe Fruytier
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
TUZZit is an online graphic organizer with several options for organizing information. Choose from the canvases in the library or start with a blank board. Use TUZZit's tools to add...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
TUZZit is an online graphic organizer with several options for organizing information. Choose from the canvases in the library or start with a blank board. Use TUZZit's tools to add text, images from Flickr, stickers, maps, and more. When finished, save your work. Share using the export option to receive the URL for your board. Add a password for privacy if you wish. Account registration isn't required to create a graphic organizer, but it is needed to save and share any projects.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brainstorming (26), concept mapping (20), graphic organizers (39)
In the Classroom
Have student groups create presentations on TUZZit. The subtopics can serve as talking points. Have students begin projects by making an outline with TUZZit and sharing it with the teacher. As a whole class create a TUZZit organizer at the beginning of the unit showing what the class knows. Add information to the TUZZit throughout the unit. Create lesson plans on TUZZit by outlining the order of topics, links, and documents you will be using. Take notes about lessons/units using TUZZit. Hand out (or provide a link to) the organizer as a visual guide and summary of what they have learned, including documents and links. Share completed organizers with learning support teachers and parents to help struggling students. Ask students to create an organizer of a book or a chapter. Outline characters, setting, and events taking place in stories. Use TUZZit to create a graphic organizer or timeline of important historical events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Skim.it - Lloyd Jennings and Jack Hampson
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Skim.it is a Chrome extension that turns text intensive articles and websites into an easy to read 100 word summary. Save summaries into a topic-based Canvas for sharing and collaboration....more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Skim.it is a Chrome extension that turns text intensive articles and websites into an easy to read 100 word summary. Save summaries into a topic-based Canvas for sharing and collaboration. To download the extension, follow the directions and the link on the home page. Once installed, click the toolbar button to skim any website or right-click on any section of the site to skim that part.
tag(s): summarizing (17)
In the Classroom
Share Skim.it with students working on research projects as a way to quickly determine content and viability of using websites. Use to differentiate instruction with students. Use with learning support students as a resource to make content easier to understand (and shorter to read). Use Skim.it summaries when teaching how to summarize in English class. Compare the summary you create as a class or in small groups with the "automated" one. Are there subtleties or important distinctions that this tool misses? As a challenge for your more critical thinkers, have them try to figure out what signals the tool uses to create its summary.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Just Flip A Coin - My Tech Tailor
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you sometimes wish you had a coin in your pocket to make a quick decision? Just Flip A Coin does it for you! Open the site and watch the ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Do you sometimes wish you had a coin in your pocket to make a quick decision? Just Flip A Coin does it for you! Open the site and watch the coin flip a few times before landing on heads or tails. Choose "Flip Again" for a do-over!
tag(s): classroom management (152), probability (137)
In the Classroom
Although this site is extremely simple, you will find many classroom uses. Be sure to bookmark it for later use. Use Just Flip A Coin on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to choose leaders of teams, decide between options for classroom games or activities, or decide between two book choices. Have students use an actual coin to flip and compare results with Just Flip A Coin for a math probability lesson.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Wall Street Survivor - Greg Isenberg and Rory Olson
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn about the Stock Market and the world of finances without spending a cent with Wall Street Survivor. Create a free account to access free courses and stock market simulations....more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Learn about the Stock Market and the world of finances without spending a cent with Wall Street Survivor. Create a free account to access free courses and stock market simulations. Once registered, join stock market leagues. Set up your own practice portfolio for a no-risk option to dabble in stock trading and buying. Play against friends using your own settings and options for trading and selling. In addition to investing options, be sure to check out the large library of articles and tutorials teaching how the stock market works. Not all courses are free, but several basic introductory finance courses offer free lessons in an easy to understand format. If your district blocks YouTube, videos may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Tube Offline, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): business (58), financial literacy (90), money (184)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share articles on personal finance, investing, and more. Challenge students (or groups) to create their own Stock Market Leagues to learn about investing and trading. Use Wall Street Survivor as an after-school program for students to learn about finances and investing. Share this link on your class website for students to explore on their own. Your math-savvy gifted students and finance aficionados will love this one.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
EarthEcho International - Philippe Cousteau Jr.
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
EarthEcho International offers a collection of videos, lesson plans, and other materials designed to support high-quality classroom experiences and the exploration and protection of...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
EarthEcho International offers a collection of videos, lesson plans, and other materials designed to support high-quality classroom experiences and the exploration and protection of natural resources. Many are correlated to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Find and choose resources by filtering program offerings, grade levels, and type of activity. Program offerings include topics such as rethinking waste, water quality, energy, marine debris, and much more. Register with your email address for free access to materials.
In addition to teaching materials, follow EarthEcho expeditions with day by day updates from the field, including lesson plans, audio and video materials, and much more. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Tube Offline, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.
In addition to teaching materials, follow EarthEcho expeditions with day by day updates from the field, including lesson plans, audio and video materials, and much more. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Tube Offline, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.
tag(s): environment (322), oceans (166), recycling (59), water (132)
In the Classroom
Be sure to take advantage of lesson plans and teaching materials found on the site. Create a link on classroom computers and share on your class website for students to explore expeditions on their own. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here to demonstrate information found on EarthEcho. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut (reviewed here). Have students create maps of explorations using Animaps (reviewed here). Students can add text, images, and location stops!
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Free Video Lectures - Free Video Lectures (FVL)
Grades
9 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Free Video Lectures is a resource offering over 1000 free (upper high school and college level) online courses and 25,000 video lectures from more than 30 universities. Begin your search...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Free Video Lectures is a resource offering over 1000 free (upper high school and college level) online courses and 25,000 video lectures from more than 30 universities. Begin your search by choosing a subject or university to explore. Use the search bar to find specific content. Icons for each course offer a short description along with the number of included videos. Find topics ranging from accounting to web designing to business management and many others. Download or embed any videos using links and download instructions. Ignore the advertising; the site content is worth it. Note that these videos are NOT hosted on YouTube so may or may not be locked at your school. Downloading at home is easy -- if necessary. Use a tool such as Tube Offline, reviewed here, to download the videos.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): business (58), cultures (108), genetics (87), literature (267), medicine (68), oceans (166), psychology (64), video (272)
In the Classroom
If you are flipping your classroom, use videos from this site to introduce content to students. Embed videos onto your class website or blog for easy student access. Free Video Lectures is perfect for use with gifted students. Use videos to provide advanced instruction and lessons in content not offered in your school. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from a video using a tool such as Wordle (reviewed here) or WordItOut (reviewed here). Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi (reviewed here) to show what the have learned.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Rootbook - Rootbook
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Rootbook is a choose your own adventure interactive story reading and writing program. Without signing up, you can read Game Books and add what is called a Bookmark (a branch) ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Rootbook is a choose your own adventure interactive story reading and writing program. Without signing up, you can read Game Books and add what is called a Bookmark (a branch) to the stories. Once registered (requires an email, player name & password), you can create your own stories to save. You can also save the bookmarks you add to other stories. Registering allows you to submit reviews of the interactive stories available on the site. Rootbook says they will soon have filters to monitor inappropriate language. Until then, read stories and branches prior to sharing with young people. Leave a comment if you find anything offensive, and they will remove it.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (169), digital storytelling (152), interactive stories (28), narrative (19), writing (364)
In the Classroom
To use Rootbook and save work, students will need an email account. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail sub-accounts, explained here. This will provide anonymous interaction within your class, and you (as the Gmail account holder) will be able to go into each Rootbook account to check progress. Begin by choosing a story and reading it as a class. Give the students scratch paper to create storyboards and have them continue the story. Then collect the papers and have them write their continuation again on someone else's paper. Next, ask students to end the story and switch again, and write their ending on this new paper. Doing this will help younger students understand the "branching" story line. If students are sitting in groups of four, they can just rotate the papers around for this activity. When students want to create their story on Rootbook, be sure to have them upload an image for the cover first and plan the story using a graphic organizer! As subject matter for stories in any curriculum area, tell a science story, such as the life of a butterfly or a history story such as what happened (and could have happened) at the Boston Tea Party.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
SurveyRock - surveyrock.com
Grades
3 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Design, personalize, and distribute surveys easily with SurveyRock. Create surveys with up to 15 response items/questions and 125 responses/answers per survey using the free version...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Design, personalize, and distribute surveys easily with SurveyRock. Create surveys with up to 15 response items/questions and 125 responses/answers per survey using the free version of the site. Choose from several different formats such as multiple choice, textbox, and rating scales. You can also decide to make questions mandatory or optional. Add an optional start and end date. Share your survey using the unique URL or social networking links. Receive results on your reporting page in real-time as surveys are complete.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): polls and surveys (55)
In the Classroom
Copy/paste the link to the poll or use embed code to place in a wiki, blog, or a website. Be sure that students use the poll appropriately and that personal information is not offered in poll responses. Use polls to record quick responses to questions. Have students create a poll about their interests and allow time to analyze responses and report findings. Use this site to vote on correct answers in math class, project ideas for science or social studies, social issues in current events, and practically any other subject area. Encourage students to incorporate polls during class presentations. Provide options for students to gain confidence in generating and analyzing statistics they have created. Make a quick parent poll to include on a class website to keep the lines of communication open.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Bouncy Balls - Practicon
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Manage your classroom noise level with this visual presentation from Bouncy Balls. Bouncy Balls monitors noise levels from your surroundings. The quieter your environment is, the more...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Manage your classroom noise level with this visual presentation from Bouncy Balls. Bouncy Balls monitors noise levels from your surroundings. The quieter your environment is, the more settled the balls remain. If there is more noise, the balls start flying and jumping around the screen. In addition to bouncy balls, choose from bubbles, eyeballs, and smiley face icons. There is also a full screen option. Our editors had some trouble trying to figure out HOW to enable the microphones. Here are some tips that we learned. If you are using Firefox or Chrome, you must allow pop-ups. You should get a message in the narrow band below the address bar asking you to "Allow Microphone" for this site. At the time of this review, this site was not working properly on the Safari browser. Even so, this is still one site you will want to explore and "have a ball."
tag(s): classroom management (152)
In the Classroom
Display Bouncy Balls on your interactive whiteboard or projector anytime you want to monitor classroom noise levels. Share this tool with your class and let them "tech it out" by making noise and seeing how the balls react. Of course, the first time you use it, students will want to see just how MUCH noise they can make. Discuss how much the balls should be moving throughout the day. Use this tool during the Daily 5, learning stations, DEAR time, or other quiet times throughout the day. Challenge students to keep the balls as still as possible for the activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
ContextU: Understand Your World - ContextU
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Although it is still in Beta, ContextU seeks to provide important context to major events in US History. With its American Revolution and Civil War modules up and running, a ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Although it is still in Beta, ContextU seeks to provide important context to major events in US History. With its American Revolution and Civil War modules up and running, a table of contents allows you to select a person, place, event or theme relating to the broader subject. From that starting point, you can easily jump to a map, a brief biography of important characters, a hyperlinked timeline of events, or a flow chart of causes and effects. When so much of traditional instruction on US history consists of looking at discrete events without always understanding the larger framework and connections for these events, ContextU offers an important perspective for learning. Based on the site's table of context, future modules are planned for each of the larger wartime eras in US history.
tag(s): american revolution (85), civil war (142), timelines (57)
In the Classroom
Consider using the ContextU organizing framework as a regular touchpoint for a unit on either the American Revolution or the American Civil War. As you progress through the important events that comprise each era, return to the larger context to help students "see the forest" as well as the trees. ContextU might also be added to your storehouse of bookmarks for each unit so students could access it while doing outside assignments or projects. Find age-appropriate literature to share with your students about Colonial America and the Revolution or The Civil War and Slavery at TeachersFirst's CurriConnects booklists for all ages. Use class discussions or student essays to draw together what they learn from independent reading, this site, and their "regular" curriculum.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Blog Post Ideas Generator - Matthew Loomis
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Get some great ideas for writing ... anything... using this tool. Though the title says Blog Post, use these ideas for any writing. Click on the Generate a Blog Post ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Get some great ideas for writing ... anything... using this tool. Though the title says Blog Post, use these ideas for any writing. Click on the Generate a Blog Post button to get an open-ended sentence starter to write about. Don't like that one? Click again until you find one you like. You can also contribute your own ideas!
tag(s): writing (364), writing prompts (93)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students using an interactive whiteboard or projector. Scroll through the prompts ahead of time to find one for the entire class. Or have a student emcee choose the idea for today's freewriting time. Many of the ideas could be adapted for writing in science or social studies classes by substituting in a curriculum term or writing from the point of view of a historic figure. Scroll through with your class allowing them to pick one on their own. If you have class blogs, that's great. If you don't, that's O.K. Use the prompts for journals and quick writes, too. Ask students for prompts to add to the site. Post the URL for this site on your class webpage for students to use at home. Want to learn more about blogs and how to use them in any classroom? Try TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Where We Came From and Where We Went State by State - New York Times
Grades
7 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
The New York Times looks at each state in the US and charts movement both into the state and out of the state since 1900. With immigration in the news, ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
The New York Times looks at each state in the US and charts movement both into the state and out of the state since 1900. With immigration in the news, it's sometimes helpful to remember that with a country as large as the United States, there has been a great deal of INTRA-state movement over the country's history. Explore the states via these interactive charts. Mousing over each component of each chart brings additional clarifying information about that state's intra-state migration statistics. The set of charts begins with California, Florida, and Nevada, three states with the most dynamic population changes. The remainder of the charts follow in alphabetical order. Each state's chart also contains a brief narrative explaining significant components.
tag(s): census (19), demographics (19), immigrants (22), immigration (61), migration (58), states (164), transportation (46), westward expansion (31)
In the Classroom
A great introduction to population change and the changing nature of social and physical mobility in the United States, these charts can prompt discussion about why families move. Although the charts begin in 1900, they are still useful in looking at Westward Migration in the US. Also explore such issues as changing job markets, natural resources and industries, movement between high density and low density areas, and the places where non-native born residents are most likely to settle. Invite students to create their own infographics about a certain state or region based on what they discover here. Learn about infographics in the classroom and the tools to make them in TeachersFirst's Now I See!.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
QR Droid Zapper - Droidla LTD
Grades
5 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Instantly create a QR code for many purposes using the QR Code Generator at QR Droid Zapper. Choose the tab for the type of code to generate such as a ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Instantly create a QR code for many purposes using the QR Code Generator at QR Droid Zapper. Choose the tab for the type of code to generate such as a URL, your contact information, a calendar event, or a location. Add information to the required boxes and personalize size and color, if desired. Click to generate your code. Right-click to save the generated QR code to your computer or use the link provided to share through email or social networking. Embed the QR code in a webpage using the embed code provided.
tag(s): gamification (89), qr codes (18)
In the Classroom
Create a QR code that directs to your class website or blog. Include it on handouts for Back to School night. Create a QR code scavenger hunt for students or make a webquest more engaging. Add QR codes to documents for students to check their answers. Further develop knowledge of a topic by adding a QR code to a site that expands upon what is in the textbook. Create a data chart accessible via a QR code. Students can access the data and manipulate the information. Have students create a book trailer or review and affix a QR code to the outside of the book. Students may be more apt to read a book that has been reviewed by another student. Make a display completely interactive with a QR code that describes the assignment, the process, the research, students' reactions and more! Add extra help information to any assignment that asks students to solve problems. Create an online help tutorial accessible via a QR code, and place the code beside a similar problem. Link directly to a Google Map. Place QR code contact information for you and your school on contact cards to give to parents. Attach QR codes to physical objects around the room to provide information about the object. Instead of copying/pasting links in a newsletter, put them into QR codes for easier access by readers. Post QR codes to resource sites and new articles on your BYOD classroom bulletin boards for students to access information on their tablets or smartphones. As a time saver, post a QR code to the class wiki or web page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
PicResize - Internich, LLC
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
PicResize is the free, easy way to resize and alter photos online without requiring expensive programs! Use this tool for a quick altering of a single picture: resize, crop, or ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
PicResize is the free, easy way to resize and alter photos online without requiring expensive programs! Use this tool for a quick altering of a single picture: resize, crop, or shrink. Resize multiple pictures as well. Upload your picture from a computer or from the Internet. Use the Crop and Rotate menu to alter the picture. All changes are viewable in the preview window. Use the default options for resizing: 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% or customize as you like. Add image effects from a multitude of choices: Grayscale, Sharpen, Gaussian Blur, Oil Paint, Rotate, Polaroid, Brightness, Contrast, or Raised Frame. Save your finished image to your computer or the web as a GIF, JPG, PNG, or BMP. For privacy, PicResize keeps your pictures for 20 minutes for you to download and save it on your hard drive. After 20 minutes, picture(s) are automatically deleted from the server. PicResize offers an alternative to the usual image editor. For one, it's web based.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): editing (75), images (283), photography (156)
In the Classroom
Use this site to create artistic effects with student pictures. The ideas for picture taking, creating, and sharing are endless. Be sure to discuss with your class the importance of using copyright free materials from the web using tool such as Compfight, reviewed here. Use this tool to alter an image to meet website constraints such as when creating an avatar. Make this a link from your class wiki or website so students can cut down file sizes before uploading large photos. Art teachers will love the ability to alter photos with artistic effects without expensive software. Make creative bulletin board displays from multiple digital pictures of special events. Check understanding of concepts by taking or finding images that help explain a concept being studied in any content area. Use images to show what the students know. Use images to help ESL/ELL, language, and special students learn in the classroom. In primary grades, this tool can be useful for teachers to use to edit pictures from a field trip, science experiments, and more. Share the editing process with your younger students using your interactive whiteboard or projector. Edit together! Encourage older students to use this site themselves on images for projects or presentations. Use the editor to edit pictures to fit styles of pictures when doing historical reports or to set a mood. Be sure to keep this tool handy as a link from your teacher web page for quick access anytime!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Online Tools and Timesavers Editor's Choice Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection of Editors' Choice FREE, reviewed resources was selected to help teachers and students save time using handy online tools that get the job done and make your classroom...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This collection of Editors' Choice FREE, reviewed resources was selected to help teachers and students save time using handy online tools that get the job done and make your classroom run smoothly. Find tools for organizing and communicating, managing your classroom, do-it-yourself creating, sharing links, useful utilities, saving paper, and much more. For a more extensive collection, see our full listing of online tools.
tag(s): classroom management (152)
In the Classroom
Mark this one in your favorites as a sanity saver. You may not remember the name of each handy timesaver, but having the collection close "at hand" will help you find them easily. Use your free TeachersFirst membership to rate them or mark individual favorite tools and share them with your students on your public page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Geography From Space - Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Join the annual Geography From Space online contest from the Smithsonian every November! Enjoy exploring past quizzes from previous years. Review geographic locations based on satellite...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Join the annual Geography From Space online contest from the Smithsonian every November! Enjoy exploring past quizzes from previous years. Review geographic locations based on satellite images with activities from this program.
tag(s): map skills (80), maps (295)
In the Classroom
Hook students into geography (and more) with these challenges. Study the quiz questions as a model and create quizzes/activities of your own about geography related to a region you are studying. Use previous quizzes as a contest in geography class. Use them as examples for students when studying different countries, and have students determine what they would feature in their own quizzes. Use in math class to determine proportions by drawing maps or ratios. Have students create similar quizzes using Google Maps, challenging classmates to answer questions about areas, perimeters, and even shapes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Clip Syndicate - clipsyndicate.com
Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Clip Syndicate provides professionally produced news videos and timely feature clips from television stations and other media outlets around the United States and the world. You can...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Clip Syndicate provides professionally produced news videos and timely feature clips from television stations and other media outlets around the United States and the world. You can easily embed these clips in your own web site, blog, or wiki. Clips DO include ads, but they are not hosted on YouTube. Choose from videos offered on several different channels such as science and technology, government and politics, or education. Registration isn't required to view and embed videos, but it does allow you to save and view statistics from videos you embed.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use the code provided to embed any video or channel directly onto your class blog or website. Bookmark and save Clip Syndicate as a resource for current event stories for classroom use. Ask your students to visit Clip Syndicate and create a multimedia presentation from the information they learn there and by reading additional news coverage of the event. Embed any channel onto your website or blog as a current events writing prompt, and have students create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Loose Leaves, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. World language classes can look on this site for recent stories from other cultures to discuss in their new language. Science and social studies teachers will find current stories related to topics they teach, such as volcano footage or stories about conflicts and political tensions. Share a clip at the beginning of class to connect curriculum with the "real world."
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Lucidchart - Karl Sun and Ben Dilts
Grades
7 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Lucidchart is a free (and fun!) diagramming tool featuring drag and drop features. Try out the tour to view all the features available such as simple line drawing from the ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Lucidchart is a free (and fun!) diagramming tool featuring drag and drop features. Try out the tour to view all the features available such as simple line drawing from the edge of any object, color themes, and online collaboration. Create flow charts, mindmaps, graphic organizers, timelines, and more. Share your diagram using social networking links or with your diagram's unique URL. Registration isn't required, but is necessary if you want to save your diagrams for future use. Storage is limited to 25 MB for free accounts. The Pro version is free to K-12 teachers. K-12 educators use this link to sign up for the Pro version: Lucid Pro for K-12 Educators. To make sure you receive the news about activation of your Pro version put these two address in your email contacts: education@lucidchart and support@lucidchart.com
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brainstorming (26), graphic organizers (39), mind map (24)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the "ease" of this fabulous site! Have your class create organizers together, such as in a brainstorming session on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Assign students to "map" out a chapter or story. Assign groups to create study guides using this tool. Use this site for literature activities, research projects, social studies, or science topics. Use this site to create family trees or food pyramids in family and consumer science. Have students collaborate (online) to create group mind maps or review charts before tests on a given subject. Have students organize any concepts you study. They can color code concepts to show what they understand, wonder, and question. Have students map out a story, plot line, or plan for the future. Students can also map out a step-by-step process (such as a life cycle or how to solve an equation).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
National Geographic and the Common Core - National Geographic
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
National Geographic offers collections of resources aligned to Common Core ELA standards for grades K-12. Begin your search by exploring non-fiction resources grouped by grade range....more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
National Geographic offers collections of resources aligned to Common Core ELA standards for grades K-12. Begin your search by exploring non-fiction resources grouped by grade range. If you prefer, use a keyword search to find specific content. When searching by grade range groups, scroll through the presentation slide show to view all resources and click links to go directly to the page. Be sure to take some time to find all the collection offers; there is a great deal of content available. Look for Geostories, Article, or Encyclopedic Entry to find reading resources. Don't miss the Common Core Toolkit offering a large variety of lesson plans and media aligned to National Geographic books.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): charts and graphs (197), guided reading (47), reading comprehension (128)
In the Classroom
Use this National Geographic site to find high quality, high interest, non-fiction reading material for your students. Ask students to visit sites found through your search. Challenge students to share what they learned by creating multimedia presentations using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Use this site as an anticipatory set to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form