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The Best and Worst Places to Grow Up: How Your Area Compares - New York Times
Grades
10 to 12
Take a look at county by county income mobility in the U.S. using this interactive map. Click a county to read about the differences in income for children who grow ...more
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Take a look at county by county income mobility in the U.S. using this interactive map. Click a county to read about the differences in income for children who grow up in that county when they reach age 26, as compared with the national average. Note that the site is "smart" and senses where you are located to tell you about your area. You can also enter in any county in the U.S. in the search box or drag the map to other locations. The accompanying text explains the results in more detail, including differing mobility for boys and girls. The map may surprise you and cause you to wonder why. Read the full explanation or click the link to the related article. Note the importance of education in income results, but that is not the only factor.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): demographics (13)
In the Classroom
Share this interactive on students' devices for them to discuss in small groups. Share on a projector/interactive whiteboard for whole class discussion of the factors that might lead to these results. Why do poor children have greater income mobility than richer children in some areas? What about gender? What might be misleading about these statistics? Take a broad look at the country to talk about what cultural factors may be different in different areas. For a good exercise in digital citizenship and critical thinking, ask students to find out where the data came from and to write three questions that might dig into the "why" behind these stats. Ask them what else they would like to know after seeing this map -- and how it might influence their own decisions and future plans (if at all). In a government/civics class, the discussion naturally will move to how this information might influence elections and candidates' strategies in one county vs another. This same interactive is also important for teachers as professionals. Know your community and what happens to the children you teach. You may want to share it with administrators for some staff conversations about the impact of your school.80 Years of Canadian Geographic Maps - The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Grades
6 to 12Explore nearly 50 maps created over the past 80 years of publication of Canadian Geographic Maps. Browse through themes such as Exploration, Conflict and Borders, People, Wildlife,...more
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Explore nearly 50 maps created over the past 80 years of publication of Canadian Geographic Maps. Browse through themes such as Exploration, Conflict and Borders, People, Wildlife, and more. Choose Cartography 101 to find explanations of mapping techniques and technologies, and learn more about map making. Be sure to explore the Learning section to find several interesting lesson plans based on topics such as natural disasters and wildlife in an urban world. The lessons can be downloaded in Word or PDF formats.
tag(s): animal homes (57), canada (24), disasters (37), explorers (64), maps (220)
In the Classroom
Even if you do not teach in Canada be sure to explore this site for lesson plans and map making information applicable to any country. Adjust lesson plans to your particular area of study. Challenge advanced students to create a presentation using Swipe, reviewed here, demonstrating similar themes. Use an online tool such a Canva, reviewed here, to create diagrams, mindmaps, and other visual graphic organizers comparing and contrasting information found on different maps.The eLearning Coach - Connie Malamed
Grades
5 to 12Get ready to sharpen your information and visual presentations! Discover resources to make your presentations pop at The eLearning Coach. Find downloadable storyboard templates, editing...more
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Get ready to sharpen your information and visual presentations! Discover resources to make your presentations pop at The eLearning Coach. Find downloadable storyboard templates, editing tools, and examples of online learning. Included are various podcasts to support instructional design. Articles also support audio, authoring tools, graphics, video, mobile learning, and more. The site also provides support and advice. They offer many free templates, ready to go! This site contains some products for purchase. This review is for the free part of this tool.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital storytelling (156), multimedia (53)
In the Classroom
Bring students to the next level of technology literacy. Bring the eLearning coach into your classroom to present different ideas and lessons. Begin with an article and allow exploration time. Offer as a resource when using multimedia. Use as a resource for yourself to make your presentations more professional and stand out! Be sure to share this tool with other teachers.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Grasswire - Grasswire
Grades
8 to 12You are the reporter on Grasswire, a collaborative Internet newsroom! Scroll through to read the most current, most popular stories, or view recent submissions on the right-hand side...more
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You are the reporter on Grasswire, a collaborative Internet newsroom! Scroll through to read the most current, most popular stories, or view recent submissions on the right-hand side of the screen. Create an account and sign in to submit your own stories, comment on articles, or up-vote newsworthy items. Since these are user-submitted, take caution in allowing students to explore on their own. Some grammatical errors were noted in a few of the articles. Challenge your students to be the editors and see if they can find any errors.
tag(s): journalism (74), news (228), newspapers (93)
In the Classroom
Share Grasswire on your interactive whiteboard or projector as part of any current events discussion. Since the readers submit the articles on Grasswire, have students browse articles to find information that may be untrue, misleading, or opinion instead of facts. Use articles as examples, and then have students write their own current events submissions. ELA teachers may want to have students correct articles with grammatical errors as a lesson in proof-reading. Have students make a multimedia presentation for the topic of the article they will submit using Zeemaps, reviewed here, where they can include text, audio and images on an interactive map.The American Civil War: Then and Now - The Guardian
Grades
6 to 12The American Civil War was one of the first major conflicts for which we have a photographic record. For the 150th anniversary of the war, photographer David Levene traveled to ...more
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The American Civil War was one of the first major conflicts for which we have a photographic record. For the 150th anniversary of the war, photographer David Levene traveled to the sites of 23 iconic Civil War photographs and captured the same view as it exists today. Using a simple slider button, shift watch as the scene transforms from the past to the present. Along with each photograph is a brief narrative, and an audio interview related to the scene with more detail about the changes over the last 150 years. Don't forget to click on the associated article for important background information from Levene about the project and his reflections on what he learned.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): battles (18), civil war (139), photography (131)
In the Classroom
It is tempting to scroll through the photographs quickly, but each deserves time for study and reflection. What is pictured in the original photograph? What is being communicated to the viewer? Challenge students to predict what the modern photo will show (you will need to hold the slider button to keep the photograph from changing automatically). What would Civil War-era soldiers think if they could see the modern photograph? What responsibility do we have to preserve sites like these in their original condition?Google Maps Book Mash-up - Lovereading
Grades
6 to 12Google Maps Book Mash-up chronicles some of the greatest and most popular stories of English Literature and their settings. Click on any book icon to see the book, author, and ...more
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Google Maps Book Mash-up chronicles some of the greatest and most popular stories of English Literature and their settings. Click on any book icon to see the book, author, and the setting. Type in the name of any location to zoom in on the map and find books using that location as the setting. Participate on the site by submitting book information to be included on the map.
tag(s): book lists (167), literature (221), maps (220)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for finding reading material with settings from all over the world. Encourage students to choose a place that interests them, and then find books set in that location. Use this tool as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard about setting or geography. Be sure to share a link to this tool on your class website or blog for students to use at home. After reading a book, have students create an annotated image of the setting, including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here.Plickers - Nolan Amy
Grades
1 to 12All-inclusive student response is what Plickers is all about. Students do not need to have Internet access. Responders use individualized QR Code cards (print a set FREE from Plickers),...more
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All-inclusive student response is what Plickers is all about. Students do not need to have Internet access. Responders use individualized QR Code cards (print a set FREE from Plickers), to answer questions. You use your mobile device to read the QR Code cards that students hold up. Create an account and get started immediately. No need to wait for an email response. There is a demo to use, or see the Support page on the bottom menu for detailed instructions for adding classes, students, questions (with or without images), and folders to organize your questions by unit, topic, lesson and more. You can save student responses to your online Plicker account.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): assessment (148), DAT device agnostic tool (147), game based learning (205), gamification (83), qr codes (19), questioning (36), quiz (67)
In the Classroom
Create greater student engagement and increased student interest in your classroom with Plickers. Students give their input anonymously. Print out Plickers' cards and hand out to students. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to explain how the Plickers cards work. Create questions, with or without images, and add multiple choice answers. Project your questions and possible answers. Have students hold up their card in the position that reflects their answer. Use your mobile device and Plickers mobile app to scan the cards. You will see a bar graph with student responses on your mobile device. These can be saved to your Plickers account. Use Plickers to answer exit questions or to see what students remember from the previous day. Use for formative assessment to identify misconceptions that students may have at the start of a unit. There are cards with larger fonts for young students or the visually impaired. ENL/ESL teachers could use this for vocabulary or sentence structure practice. Unless your school or district has access to a matte-finish for laminating or matte-plastic pockets, you may want to collect the cards at the end of class.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Wimp - wimp.com
Grades
K to 12Wimp offers a wide variety of videos with family-friendly content. Browse through the site using a keyword search or choose categories such as popular, life, culture, learning, and...more
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Wimp offers a wide variety of videos with family-friendly content. Browse through the site using a keyword search or choose categories such as popular, life, culture, learning, and more. Choose a video to read a short description and view. Videos are imported from many different locations such as Vimeo, YouTube, and individual websites. Also, view Wimp on your mobile device by clicking on their link that is optimized for mobiles. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
Although the content is family-friendly, this site contains comments that aren't monitored. If sharing with students, go to the direct link provided with each video for viewing without some of the distractions (and possibly inappropriate comments).
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (294), musical instruments (52), video (266)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Wimp as a resource for finding videos for lessons and activities. Share the direct link to individual videos on your class website or blog. To remove the distracting advertisements on video sharing sites and more, use a tool such as Clipchamp, reviewed here, or Watchkin, reviewed here.Black History Month Resources - PBS
Grades
K to 12Commemorate Black History Month with 20 lesson plans and resources covering a variety of topics including racial discrimination, civil rights, and discussions about race in current...more
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Commemorate Black History Month with 20 lesson plans and resources covering a variety of topics including racial discrimination, civil rights, and discussions about race in current events. Scroll through the page to view topics and grade level suggestions. Content ranges from a history of discrimination through current events such as debating race through the Trayvon Martin shooting. Some lessons also contain Common Core correlations.
tag(s): black history (133), civil rights (209), cultures (181), martin luther king (45), racism (79), video (266)
In the Classroom
Explore this site for many different lessons and resources to use during Black History Month and with lessons on racism and bias throughout the year. Use lessons found here to differentiate for students of different levels. Be sure to check out the Discrimination - fair or unfair? lesson plan that is designed specifically for students who have difficulty with verbal and written expression.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Data - The World Bank - The World Bank Group
Grades
5 to 12Just the facts and lots of them! The World Bank offers an extensive array of data about the countries of the world. Sort either by country (from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe) ...more
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Just the facts and lots of them! The World Bank offers an extensive array of data about the countries of the world. Sort either by country (from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe) or by topic (agriculture to urban development). Look at zoomable, color-coded maps, and analyze rankings by topic. The interface is simple and direct, so if you are just looking for a statistic, you will find it quickly and easily. If you are looking at masses of authentic data to analyze or compare, you'll find that too. Click to download data in several formats.
tag(s): agriculture (51), atlas (5), climate change (100), data (151), energy (133), environment (252), infographics (57), map skills (63), maps (220), natural resources (37), resources (83), united nations (6)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for student research, whether it be for individual country data or for comparative data by topic. Use the maps on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) to provide a visual representation of the data. This is a great source for authentic data for students to practice their analytic skills, or just to find out what the GDP of Antigua and Barbuda is. This is a resource that will see frequent use. Share it during math units on data, as well, so students have authentic numbers to "play with." Have them write their own data problems and questions for classmates to solve. Challenge your most able student to determine why two countries are so different.Preparing For The Oath - Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Grades
6 to 12Could you pass the U.S. Naturalization Test? Preparing For The Oath offers learning opportunities and a practice test. Practice listening, reading and oral skills as you take the practice...more
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Could you pass the U.S. Naturalization Test? Preparing For The Oath offers learning opportunities and a practice test. Practice listening, reading and oral skills as you take the practice test. As you check for correct answers, use the Review This Question link to learn and practice more information. Additional links offer lesson plans and guides for teachers, word lists, and full transcripts of resources.
tag(s): immigration (68)
In the Classroom
Share this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on US history or citizenship. Take advantage of the video lessons on this site to teach and review topics pertaining to the United States. Be sure to share with your school's ESL/ELL teacher as an informative resource for students and parents.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Trends24 - Trends24
Grades
9 to 12Track trending topics and Xs (formerly tweets) in any country you specify with Trends24. Select a country by clicking Worldside from the top menu bar and view the breakdown of ...more
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Track trending topics and Xs (formerly tweets) in any country you specify with Trends24. Select a country by clicking Worldside from the top menu bar and view the breakdown of the trending tweets by hours. Choose between the Timeline breakdown or click on Cloud. Tweet trends show as a word cloud, with the most popular topics showing in a larger font. Click any hashtag name to view the tweets showing for that trend. Are you new to X (formerly Twitter) and hashtags? Find information to help you at TeachersFirst's X (formerlyTwitter) for Teachers page.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): microblogging (14), twitter (13)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to look at the topics that are trends in the various countries. Compare and contrast the top trends and how they differ from other countries that are neighbors or are far away. This tool is helpful in understanding political or cultural issues that extend worldwide or affect more than one region. Use the trending topics to understand the point of view of various countries. Look at news reports or causes for the change in the trend. X (formerly Twitter) trends could be useful in any subject area but especially useful for current events, civics, health, and economics.Earliest Voices - Michigan State University
Grades
6 to 12We are accustomed to hearing the voices of celebrities and important leaders today, but it has been less than 150 years since the invention of sound recording technology. Earliest Voices...more
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We are accustomed to hearing the voices of celebrities and important leaders today, but it has been less than 150 years since the invention of sound recording technology. Earliest Voices is an archive of recordings from the earliest years between 1877 and 1927. Hear Booker T. Washington speak about race relations or William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech. Listen to Thomas Edison (who was the inventor of the technology) speak about advances in technology and electricity. Find a short biography and images along with the recordings.
tag(s): biographies (94), inventors and inventions (80), oral history (13), politics (118), sound (72)
In the Classroom
Bringing early voices to life in the classroom can help connect students with these important figures from history. Do their voices sound as you expected? Along with the audio records, you'll find important contextual information about early audio recordings, and about the circumstances surrounding each speech or recording.Choosito! - Eleni Miltsakaki
Grades
K to 12Choosito! is a search engine providing safe access to the worldwide web through filtering of reading levels and subject areas for education. Create an account to add class information...more
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Choosito! is a search engine providing safe access to the worldwide web through filtering of reading levels and subject areas for education. Create an account to add class information and add your collections. Search Choosito! using filters for reading level and subject. Limit searches to Choosito's Library, your collections, or Choosito! Web. Easily share searches using social networking links or save to your library. Be sure to check out the Choosito! Start Guides for a quick overview to getting started with this search engine.
tag(s): bookmarks (43), learning disability (21), Learning Management Systems (20), search engines (48), search strategies (22), Special Needs (53), Teacher Utilities (200)
In the Classroom
Create a classroom account and provide a link on classroom computers for student searches at any time. Differentiate in your class by assigning reading by reading level. ESL/ELL and resource teachers will find this especially helpful when looking for reading material at your students' level for topics assigned in core classes. Be sure to introduce Choosito! on an interactive whiteboard or projector for students to understand how to use this search engine. Share Choosito! with parents for use at home.Newswordy - Josh Smith
Grades
K to 12We hear new buzzwords all of the time, but what do they really mean? Newswordy provides those answers. Each day Newswordy features a buzzword, definition, and its uses in articles ...more
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We hear new buzzwords all of the time, but what do they really mean? Newswordy provides those answers. Each day Newswordy features a buzzword, definition, and its uses in articles and tweets from trending topics. Find the previous day's buzzword by clicking the link on the bottom of the page or click the three bars on the top-right hand side of the page for a list of previous words. Click the title to have random words revealed.
tag(s): media literacy (109), news (228), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (93)
In the Classroom
Newswordy is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Display the word of the day as students arrive in class as a great warm up for current events lessons. Share a link to the site on your class webpage. Tweak your students' interest in what is happening in the world by reading the excerpts of the articles and tweets at Newswordy. Have students bring in examples they find on the Internet or when watching T.V. Next, students can create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here.Roadtrippers - Roadtrippers
Grades
1 to 12Jump onto your computer and start your road trip! Choose a destination, and start planning the Hotels, Attractions, Natural Wonders, and Weird Stuff for your trip. Plan your trip by...more
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Jump onto your computer and start your road trip! Choose a destination, and start planning the Hotels, Attractions, Natural Wonders, and Weird Stuff for your trip. Plan your trip by entering the starting address and the final destination. Instantly discover the journey's duration, the amount of money needed for gas, and the mileage. Choose the dates you will travel and save your trip. Print your plans, email them to yourself or others, or access your trip plans on the app. Plan several trips and save them in your account. Not sure where you want to go? Discover interesting areas by viewing the stories posted on Roadtrippers. Be sure to preview what you will show students as not all journals are kid friendly.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), field trips (8), virtual field trips (130)
In the Classroom
Bring the world of road tripping to your class! Plan journeys as math challenges to determine the amount of money required. Give students a budget and see what happens. Challenge students to create a dream trip and a budget trip. Find the difference between the two. You could use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to replace a paper and pencil Venn Diagram. Bring the settings of your favorite stories to life! Introduce a travel blog by pursuing the saved trip journals. Again, preview what you will show students as not all journals are kid friendly. Post the trips with pictures and a travel diary on your class blog or learning management system (LMS) class group.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
America Goes to War: an Infographic - New England College
Grades
8 to 12What does it mean to go to war? This simple infographic shows the Constitutional process by which the United States declares war, traces the history of each of the U.S. ...more
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What does it mean to go to war? This simple infographic shows the Constitutional process by which the United States declares war, traces the history of each of the U.S. declarations of war, and differentiates among formal declarations, military actions, and Presidential or Congressional authorizations of force.
tag(s): civil war (139), congress (40), constitution (98), presidents (136), war of 1812 (15), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Was the U.S. at war? What powers does the U.S. President have to declare war, and how have Presidents used those powers historically? A powerful, but simple infographic delineates the legal and Constitutional differences among U.S. wars historically. Share the infographic on an interactive whiteboard, or embed on your classroom website for reference.Clash - Clamp Studios
Grades
5 to 12Capture your audience's attention with audio messages from Clash. Type in your message of up to 140 characters and let Clash work its magic. Clash uses audio content from music, ...more
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Capture your audience's attention with audio messages from Clash. Type in your message of up to 140 characters and let Clash work its magic. Clash uses audio content from music, movies, and TV. It creates a unique message that is sure to capture anyone's interest. Edit individual words using options from different sources. When finished, choose the Save/Share button and share using the URL or social networking options. Clash seem to work best on Microsoft's Edge. Clash will work on any device with a modern web browser and an internet connection.
tag(s): communication (129), speech (69), text to speech (20)
In the Classroom
Create a message for your class using Clash as an attention-getter as students enter the room. Send out a tweet using a Clash message to remind students and parents about upcoming events, homework, or other classroom events. Make professional development more fun by adding Clash messages to any presentation!Google Photos - Google
Grades
K to 12Find, organize, edit, and share your photos from one place with Google Photos. Automatically upload pictures from any device to one storage platform. Use keywords to locate any uploaded...more
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Find, organize, edit, and share your photos from one place with Google Photos. Automatically upload pictures from any device to one storage platform. Use keywords to locate any uploaded image. Use the editing tools to create animated GIF's from images or combine related images and videos into a movie with a matching soundtrack. Google Photos allows you to upload photos from any mobile device and provides free unlimited storage for photos up to 16 megapixels or videos up to 1080 HD.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), images (264), Storage (6), video (266)
In the Classroom
Create a classroom Google account for students to upload video projects or images for projects. Share raw materials for student multimedia projects, such as photos of lab experiments or local historic sites. Share classroom projects privately and easily from your Google account. In elementary classrooms, teachers can use this tool to share photos from field trips, assemblies, project presentations, and other special events. Share the password with parents only. Have older students create their own Google account for collaborating on multimedia projects.George Washington's Mount Vernon - Virtual Tour - Mount Vernon
Grades
6 to 12Take a virtual tour of Mount Vernon, the home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. Beautifully executed, and packed with special features, the tour is billed...more
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Take a virtual tour of Mount Vernon, the home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. Beautifully executed, and packed with special features, the tour is billed as the "second best way to visit Mount Vernon," and doesn't disappoint. Click on the three dots with a checkmark in lower right corner to find a menu of places to look. Click the video play button in the middle of the page and watch the tutorial so you don't miss any of the many tips and tricks to get the most out of your virtual tour.
tag(s): 1700s (36), presidents (136), virginia (15), virtual field trips (130)