Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) has an extensive collection of resources for integrating technology into classroom instruction. Find over 100,000 pieces of digital content including clip art, audio files, historical maps, and more for classroom use by students and teachers. Find resources and professional development in their Technology Integration Matrix (TIM), reviewed here, including graphics, PDF's, and evaluation tools. Each month FCIT curates and shares digital collections related to holidays and important events in history.

tag(s): images (264), maps (220), professional development (385), teaching strategies (50)

This site from New Zealand provides many different games focused on the environment and ecology. Select from various titles such as Electric Vehicle Race and Catch the Rubbish. Each activity includes a suggested age level and level of difficulty. Be sure to read the directions for how to play the games and earn points.

tag(s): earth day (60), ecology (103), forests (30), pollution (53), ponds (3), recycling (45)

Curate, organize and share web content with Weje (formerly Webjets). Create your account and begin working with your Weje desktop. Use links at the bottom of your workspace to add lists, mindmaps, folders, and more. Drag and drop content from your computer and add to your workspace. Install the bookmarklet onto your computer browser to automatically push information into your inbox. Weje operates on a system using "boardss." After creating a board, personalize content by changing backgrounds and adding information. Collaborate with others by sharing boards and allowing them to edit information.

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), microblogging (14), organizational skills (88)

Notion's goal is to be your all-in-one workspace as an alternative to using several different software tools. Use Notion to write, create lists and spreadsheets, collaborate, and more. Notion uses a concept called blocks to add information. Each block is a single piece of content such as a to-do list or an embedded file. Click the menu on each page to open items or add content. Notion's free plans offer up to 600 blocks on your workspace or unlimited blocks using a mobile device and up to 5MB per file upload.

tag(s): calendars (37), collaboration (93), organizational skills (88), spreadsheets (23)

Create interactive video experiences with Timelinely. Just paste your YouTube video URL to get started and bring up your video to annotate. Select any portion of the video timeline and add images, maps, links, and more to the annotation box. Edit and add as many highlights as you like, then publish when complete. You need to create a free account to publish your work. Share using social media links or the Timelinely URL provided after publication.

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

Create free posters in three easy steps without registration using DesignCap. Begin by selecting a template from the many offerings on the site. Use the tools to edit your poster's features including text, images, and background. Upload your images to use or choose from clipart available in DesignCap. When finished, share to social media using the provided link, download to your computer, or print your project. Registration isn't required; however, it gives you the ability to save projects to your online account.

tag(s): images (264), posters (43)

Androidify any image using this web app or the app on your Android device. Turn the green android into the look you desire. Follow the directions to customize clothing, appearance, and add a signature move. When complete, click the submit link to share on social media sites or download to your computer as a GIF.

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), images (264)

Create memes using your computer or mobile device with Meme Buddy. Meme Buddy works with Google Assistant to build a meme using your instructions for adding an image and text. Change options as you like until your meme looks the way you want. Save to your device to share as desired. Be sure to watch the video for an overview of how Meme Buddy works.

tag(s): creativity (86), DAT device agnostic tool (147), digital storytelling (156), images (264)

This simple site provides a valuable service for anyone with a need to share a daily schedule for a child. Just use the link to add new items to the planner including the time and specific details. When finished, print the completed schedule to share with caregivers.

tag(s): Special Needs (53)

Do you want to start a classroom blog but don't know how to start? This series of articles provides all the information you need from getting started through promoting your blog. Information on this site begins with the most basic information including choosing the appearance of your blog and moves on to cover using and customizing your site. All information in these articles pertains to using WordPress as your platform; however, the tips and information apply to anyone wanting to create a classroom blog.

tag(s): blogs (65)

Stay informed about the latest information on Congress and upcoming legislation with Countable. This site offers summaries of forthcoming and active legislation and includes links for viewers to share their thoughts with legislators. Follow trending information from the home page to view current topics and explore further. Find information on specific topics by choosing the "Issues" drop down box. Depending on the content, articles summarize information, offer options for commenting on either side of issues, and include specific bill information including Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores and possible impacts of the legislation.

tag(s): branches of government (65), congress (40), debate (42), house of representatives (8), persuasive writing (58), senate (11), white house (16)

The Academic Word Finder identifies academic vocabulary (tier 2) words found in any text. Register using email to create an account before beginning. Copy and paste any text you want to analyze, (the site recommends starting with two to three paragraphs) and select your grade level. The Word Finder identifies the vocabulary found in the text and provides additional context with grade range, part of speech, meaning, and an example sentence. Email or print the results using links found on the site. Each entry is automatically saved to your Achieve the Core account for future reference.

tag(s): multilingual (77), parts of speech (39), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (93)

Yellkey makes it easy to share a long URL with fewer characters for a short time. Copy the long URL into the address bar and choose a time - from 5 minutes to 24 hours and click "generate yellkey." Share this new, shortened address with others to quickly share any web address.

tag(s): browser (8), internet safety (114)

Learn what to do before, during, and after a disaster with these fact sheets from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). From the top menu select Information and slide down to Immediate Needs and a topic to view information (some in PDF format). There are several available types of disasters including hurricane, drought, tornado, and more. Each fact sheet is two pages long and includes a quick fact check, words to know, and advice for dealing with the disaster.

tag(s): disasters (37), earthquakes (46), fire safety (16), floods (10), heat (14), hurricanes (32), snow (17), tornadoes (14), tsunamis (15), weather (160)

Learn about the United States Constitution through discussions from constitutional experts and their thoughts on how the Constitution's history has implications for today. Begin by selecting an article or amendment to view the wording contained in the Constitution, along with at least one feature discussing the specific impact of that piece. At the end of each article, go further in-depth with additional presentations titled Matters of Debate. These selections present two different interpretations about the legal applications of the specific portion of the Constitution within society.

tag(s): colonial america (95), constitution (98), philadelphia (10)

Design a free logo with DesignEvo, no download or registration required! Find icons from the millions in the site's library, then add and customize text and shapes to create your logo. Change colors, add backgrounds, and much more. When finished, download to your computer. One caveat, before downloading you must give credit by sharing DesignEvo on your social media account or using the embed code on your website.

tag(s): design (79), drawing (62), graphic design (49), images (264)

Easily convert Microsoft applications to PDF with the installation of CutePDF onto your computer. Follow the directions and system requirements to install. Once installed, select print for any Microsoft document that allows printing, then select to save as a PDF.

tag(s): conversions (37), Microsoft (80), worksheets (70)

Think of Memo Notepad as the online version of your spiral notebook. Replace that paper notebook by just clicking on the pencil to type your notes onto the lined paper. Write as many pages you like without even creating an account. To share any page, choose the email icon and send. Create an account to save your pages and access your notes on any device. Download the iPad or iPhone app for easy use on an iOS device. An Android app is in the works at the time of this review.

tag(s): note taking (36)

These handy infographics provide viewers with tips and tricks for using Google for online research. Scroll down the page to find helpful tips for searching smarter, narrowing down results to needed information, and keyboard shortcuts for viewing and finding information on your computer.

tag(s): Google (47), search engines (48), search strategies (22)