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Picturing America - National Endowment for the Humanities
Grades
5 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Picturing America brings masterpieces of art into classrooms and libraries. Click to "Enter the Gallery." or choose from many lesson plans from art available on the site. However, the...more
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Picturing America brings masterpieces of art into classrooms and libraries. Click to "Enter the Gallery." or choose from many lesson plans from art available on the site. However, the link is a little hard to find. Look on the bottom left-hand corner of the main site above the yellow bar to see the link to lesson plans and more. View a list of lessons by poster number and name. Enter the image gallery from the home page to view images along with a short description and biography of the artist. Choose View Resources for a list of resources to accompany the image. Move your mouse along the timeline at the bottom of the gallery to find images by date.
Note: Posters of artwork were available for free to classrooms and libraries 2008-2010, but are no longer available. You can, however, download the "images for the Classroom" PowerPoint file to be used offline. Find it at the bottom of the Educator Resources page.
tag(s): 1800s (50), 1900s (38), african american (108), american revolution (85), art history (81), artists (81), civil war (144), industrial revolution (26), lincoln (84), native americans (80), north america (18), painting (67), presidents (123), war of 1812 (15), washington (29)
In the Classroom
Share artwork and descriptions on your interactive whiteboard or projector to accompany or introduce Social Studies units on the presidents, American Revolution, the 20th Century, and more. Assign different images to groups of students as a starting point for an artist study or biography of the portrait's subject. Have students create "talking pictures" to illustrate or discuss content of an image using Fotobabble reviewed here.
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Playfic - Andy Baio and Cooper McHatton
Grades
4 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Create interactive, text-based games with this simple tool. Perhaps you remember a text-based game called "Adventure" from back in the early days of computers. Be sure to watch the...more
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Create interactive, text-based games with this simple tool. Perhaps you remember a text-based game called "Adventure" from back in the early days of computers. Be sure to watch the tutorial on the home page that also teaches you how to navigate the stories themselves. By clicking on the "Learn More" when you're signed out, or the "About Us" when you're signed in, you can view the "cheat sheet" that will certainly make your first creative attempt at Playfic more enjoyable. Experiment with Playfic games created by others and time yourself. if you get stuck, you can look at the source code. Create your own Playfic for any topic that interests you, whether it's fiction or not. Note that there is no moderation on games created by others, so preview before sharing with young people.
tag(s): creative writing (166), creativity (117), digital storytelling (153), gamification (88), mysteries (22), puzzles (204)
In the Classroom
"Gamification" of learning is a hot topic in 21st century learning. Use this simple tool to make it happen. Use for any digital storytelling: fact or fiction. In social studies, have students create an interactive game based on life during the Depression or any historic era. Have them create a "Where in the world is ..." for geography. World language students could make a simple game (in the language they are studying) about daily life. Gifted students will love creating games on their favorite topics, so make this a research-and-create-a-game approach for independent projects. Science students could make a game about what might happen in certain weather or life as a fossil. Have your language arts students create mystery or survival stories or even a different ending to a story you've read together. Warning: all stories are PUBLIC and your students will be able to view other's stories. You'll either want to have a class account or monitor this closely.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Field Trips Station - Dickinson College - Jeff Mummert
Grades
8 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Take a virtual field trip of Underground Railroad sites using this collection. Embark on Google Earth tours of underground landmarks, important sites visited by Harriet Tubman and John...more
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Take a virtual field trip of Underground Railroad sites using this collection. Embark on Google Earth tours of underground landmarks, important sites visited by Harriet Tubman and John Brown, and the site of the Lincoln/Douglas debates. View 3 dimensional models of Harpers Ferry, Lancaster and York, or view image galleries of Harpers Ferry. Each section contains descriptions of how to use the information. New users of Google Earth tours or models can get tips on using the links contained in the site. Some files require Quicktime or Windows Media for full viewing.
tag(s): civil rights (119), civil war (144), underground railroad (12), virtual field trips (55)
In the Classroom
View field trip resources on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) during your Civil War or Civil Rights units. Use this site to demonstrate Google Earth tours and Google Sketchup (used to create 3 dimensional models of buildings). Challenge students to create their own model or tour of any place discussed in class. For more information about Google Earth see our full review (here). Likewise, if you want to learn more about Google Sketchup see our full review (here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PDFescape - Red Software
Grades
K to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this site to be able to edit PDF documents. It is free and easy to use. Upload your PDF document or link to an existing online PDF. Add additional ...more
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Use this site to be able to edit PDF documents. It is free and easy to use. Upload your PDF document or link to an existing online PDF. Add additional text or free hand writing. Create drawings or add images. You can create PDFs, edit PDFs, fill-out existing PDFs, save/print PDFs, and more. When finished, download the final product. No sign up is required to use most features. If you must complete entry forms, applications, or otehr pdf forms, this tool can be a lifesaver.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use to alter documents that may have been saved as a PDF in the past. Save this site in your professional resources. If you work with students who request college recommendations or need to fill out forms for scholarships or jobs, be sure to share this tool with them!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Slide.ly - EasyHi
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Easily create a slideshow of your photos! Simply upload your photos or pull your Flickr, Instagram, or Facebook photos into your slideshow. Create beautiful slideshows by adding music...more
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Easily create a slideshow of your photos! Simply upload your photos or pull your Flickr, Instagram, or Facebook photos into your slideshow. Create beautiful slideshows by adding music and then sharing them with others. Connect all the accounts that you use for your photos. Click on the photos from any of your sources to be included in your slideshow. Drag your photos around to put them in the order you want. Add music to the show by using YouTube videos or SoundCloud music. Finish by adding a few effects to your show to liven it up a bit. Embed the slideshow on your site or share it on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, or Facebook easily. There are public slideshows created by others on this site. Some may not be appropriate for the classroom setting so please preview..
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (179), images (285), slides (68)
In the Classroom
Use to create educational videos and projects to introduce and interest students in a topic. Use to generate questions prior to the discussion of topics. Create a multi-image slideshow where students brainstorm how the images are all connected. Students can use Slide.ly to create projects for class. Be sure to add the link to your blog, wiki, or site for easy access when needing a tool for projects.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Wix - Giora Kaplan, Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami
Grades
7 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Wix makes creating your own website EASY! Wix has over 100 visually rich templates for you to choose. Or you may choose a blank template and upload your own material. ...more
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Wix makes creating your own website EASY! Wix has over 100 visually rich templates for you to choose. Or you may choose a blank template and upload your own material. The easy, "drag and drop" elements allow even the novice technology user to create their own website. Choose to have your website in Flash or HTML. Wix does all the work for either of these. Choose from 100s of images, fonts, menus, music files, buttons, and widgets, or upload your own. There are video tutorials that will take you from beginner to website designer in 8 steps!
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blogs (83), game based learning (137), gamification (88), portfolios (32), social networking (111)
In the Classroom
Your students, 13 and over, may register by email if you want them to create a page to present a project, or for club web pages. Use a whole class account for students under 13. This program would be nice for developing student portfolios, small group presentations, even journals about career research. Create a Wix website page to publish biographical information about any historical figure in any subject area. Use Wix to create pages about characters in a novel. Create pages about scientists and their contributions including reactions of others to their discovery or invention. Research why these inventions were particularly important and the scientific knowledge that changed as a result. Create a page about artists, musicians, politicians, etc. using the same guidelines as above with scientists. Challenge students to step into the person's character to create an informative understanding about the person and their contribution. In upper elementary grades, have all students generate a starter page offline about a famous person (or people) you are studying. Then vote on one to publish as a class using this online tool. Have teens begin a "Me" portfolio in middle grades, one that they can continue to develop as they approach college and/or career. Encourage them to showcase links to online projects, favorite images they have taken or created, artwork, music, writing samples, and personal interests. This is the ideal way to build a positive digital footprint that students can actually use well into the future. If you teach gifted students, encourage them to add suitable projects from your class to their portfolio site, especially projects that involve connections with the "real world."Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be shared by URL
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CurriConnects Book List: Immigrants and Immigration - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this CurriConnects list to find books about immigrants, immigration, and the American immigrant experience. Include this list while studying Ellis Island, periods of immigration,...more
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Use this CurriConnects list to find books about immigrants, immigration, and the American immigrant experience. Include this list while studying Ellis Island, periods of immigration, or multiculturalism in the U.S. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles'® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
tag(s): book lists (131), immigrants (22), immigration (60)
In the Classroom
Allow students to select books at their own level to understand immigrants and how their own ancestors may have felt upon arriving in the U.S. Perhaps have them write a blog post as if they had just arrived. Have students meet in literature circles as they discuss these books or hold an immigration day where students share the experiences they have read and how immigrants contribute to the many cultures in the U.S.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List: Civil War and Slavery - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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This CurriConnects list features books about the U.S. Civil War and slavery. This is a great match for student independent reading during units about the Civil War at any grade ...more
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This CurriConnects list features books about the U.S. Civil War and slavery. This is a great match for student independent reading during units about the Civil War at any grade level. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles''''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
tag(s): book lists (131), civil war (144), slavery (67), underground railroad (12)
In the Classroom
As you study the Civil War and slavery, let students select books from this collection of fiction and historical fiction. As we honor and move beyond the 150th anniversary of many Civil War events, what better way for students to make a more personal connection to the people who lived during those tumultuous times.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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In Their Footsteps: Walking the Picket Line - Brett Kelley
Grades
6 to 12
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This blog follows the journey of Brett Kelley (Curator at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA) as he spent two weeks recreating the life of a Civil War ...more
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This blog follows the journey of Brett Kelley (Curator at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA) as he spent two weeks recreating the life of a Civil War Picket Soldier. Daily posts include handwritten documents, images, and links to Brett's YouTube channel with videos from his time as a soldier. The blog displays in reverse chronological order, most recent first (as all blogs do). you will Scroll all the way to the bottom and work your way up to read entries in the order they occur. Another option is to choose "week 1" from the categories at the right of the blog and scroll to the bottom to begin, then choose "week 2" to finish.
tag(s): 1800s (50), civil war (144), gettysburg (26)
In the Classroom
Include this journal as part of your Civil War unit. Have students read this along with diaries and journals of actual Civil War soldiers. Compare and contrast his experience with those of the soldiers. Share one entry per day and have students create their own blog posts in response with possible questions they may have, how they would feel in the same situation, etc. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Pen.io, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. For a more major project, create a blog as a class, having students take turns playing the role of one civil war soldier and adding to the blog daily.
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The Mind is a Metaphor - Brad Pasanek
Grades
7 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
The Mind is a Metaphor is something like a dictionary for finding metaphors. There are over ten thousand of them. Though many are mental metaphors, there are some that don't ...more
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The Mind is a Metaphor is something like a dictionary for finding metaphors. There are over ten thousand of them. Though many are mental metaphors, there are some that don't relate to the mind. This site originally started with an "expanded eighteenth century" list, but now has metaphors from as late as the 1990's. Search for a metaphor by literary period, author, genre, gender, and several others. You may also enjoy the creator's blog with his interpretations of his favorite metaphors at Blog for The Mind is a Metaphor.
tag(s): literary devices (12)
In the Classroom
High school AP literature and history teachers or IB capstone classes will especially love this site. Share a metaphor a day as students are entering the class or on your class web site. Allow a student to choose one as today's Metaphor Master! Discuss the meaning together or use it as a quick writing prompt. Use the time period to discuss the historical context of the metaphor. Use these in your own presentations or require students to create a presentation explaining the metaphors you assign. Younger students just beginning to study metaphors can benefit from trying to interpret the metaphors as a group and presenting them to the class. Challenge students to try to create their own metaphors. Develop a class Metaphor Wiki for students to share metaphors. Not familiar with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Koshland Science Museum Challenges - Koshland Museum of Science
Grades
4 to 12
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Empower your students to get involved and solve some of the world's pressing problems. Join Koshland's Museum of Science Challenges. Join in by learning new skills, thinking critically,...more
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Empower your students to get involved and solve some of the world's pressing problems. Join Koshland's Museum of Science Challenges. Join in by learning new skills, thinking critically, and solving a problem. Challenges include background information. Look at the past challenges and discover the critical thinking and unique problem solving that won. Peek into future challenges to lead your students in new directions. Find resources, lesson plans, activities, virtual field trips, and web quests. Share your challenges and solutions on Facebook.
tag(s): brain (67), climate change (69), critical thinking (119), diseases (71), dna (65), energy (209), light (53), pollution (66), problem solving (297), space (225), water (134)
In the Classroom
In your classroom, offer challenges first as a problem based learning situation. Have students discover the background information and thought processes involved. Using these skills, apply to your own community. Start challenges at your school, community, state, or country level. Create a challenges competition at your school. Explore the teacher resources that apply to your classes.
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PDFmyURL - OpenTracker.net
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Turn any web page into a PDF document instantly with this incredibly easy tool! Simply type or copy and paste the url into the box and click the "P" button. ...more
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Turn any web page into a PDF document instantly with this incredibly easy tool! Simply type or copy and paste the url into the box and click the "P" button. Instantly the page converts to a PDF document and downloads to your computer for immediate use. Drag the site's bookmarklet onto your browser's toolbar for easy use at any time with any page.
In the Classroom
Use this site to print any web page without all of the headings and other extras that generally appear. Make print outs for students to practice highlighting and looking for main ideas in informational texts (especially if you do not have an interactive whiteboard to do this). Upload PDF's to your website for student use of single pages of websites instead of having students go through unneeded pages. Be sure to show students that you must make a note of the DATE when you made the pdf, since you should always include the "date accessed" in a project bibliography entry for a web site. Talk about "fair use" in making web page copies for temporary use as part of research or class activities vs copying web pages to hang them up as locker decorations! This may be a good site to share with parents via your website. (Help them save paper and print only what they need, not an entire website.)
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Civil War Trust - Civil War Trust
Grades
6 to 12
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The Civil War Trust website is a comprehensive collection of all things related to the Civil War. Find battlefields by searching by state, year, or name of the battle. Each ...more
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The Civil War Trust website is a comprehensive collection of all things related to the Civil War. Find battlefields by searching by state, year, or name of the battle. Each battle listed includes a short recap with pertinent information such as dates, union and confederate commander names, number of forces engaged, casualties, and end result. Links to maps and other articles are also included. There are lists of sites offering many lesson plans for elementary through high school level, a glossary of civil war terms, links to primary sources, coloring book and crossword puzzle pages, and overviews of the Civil War. The student section contains links to photos, books for kids, and websites geared towards kids. Be sure to also check out the links to photos, battle apps, news, and more located under the site title at the top of the home page. Another great portion of the site is the gallery of pictures in 3-D. Click the link provided to receive a free pair of 3-D viewing glasses! There is so much more to see on this site. It is a must-see for anyone interested in Civil War resources.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): battles (20), civil war (144), emancipation proclamation (12), gettysburg (26), gettysburg address (18), lincoln (84), slavery (67)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as an excellent resource for Civil War materials. Display different battle information on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector to discuss as a class. Share this site with students to use as a resource for class projects. Ask them to collect facts and resources using a bookmarking tool such as Wakelet, reviewed here. Have students use a mapping tool such as Google Earth, reviewed here, to create an audio (and visual) tour of pertinent battle sites. Challenge your students to use a site such as (it can include video, audio, images, a quiz, interactive questions and comment) using Hstry, reviewed here, to create an interactive timeline of important battles. Have students make a multimedia presentation using Genial.ly, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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People's Pie - iCivics.org
Grades
5 to 12
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People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to ...more
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People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to receive entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. Be careful; set taxes too high or entitlement age too high, and the citizens will be unhappy! Next, make funding decisions for services such as military, finances, and more while viewing citizen satisfaction along the way. Use available options for borrowing money, but beware of high interest rates! The goal is to make it through three budget years; however, the game ends early if citizen dissatisfaction is high. Be sure to check out the quick overview and instruction guide located here. Although login and registration are available on the site, they aren't necessary to play the game. Choose "no thanks" at the prompt to begin play.
tag(s): branches of government (51), financial literacy (91), game based learning (137)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Have students create "talking pictures" to debate funding (or lack of) for a particular budget item using Fotobabble reviewed here. Use this game as a springboard for an economics or government class to debate and discuss the impact of financial decisions on different segments of the community. Have students research current candidates' financial plans and play the game using the politician's strategies. Have students compare and contrast the impact on the economy.
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ClipChoose - ClipChoose.com
Grades
3 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
ClipChoose makes polls based on YouTube videos -- not your typical polling/survey site. Create an account with only your email and password. Enter a question, then enter the URLs of...more
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ClipChoose makes polls based on YouTube videos -- not your typical polling/survey site. Create an account with only your email and password. Enter a question, then enter the URLs of up to eight YouTube videos. Share your poll by url or via Twitter or Facebook. The rest is up to your audience to make choices. The total votes for each choice show under the video clip. Not sure you want to make your own poll? Browse the site for polls already created. Be sure to choose before sharing with young people. This is a public site and content isn't moderated. Currently all polls are public; however, private polls and more management features will be available soon. View an example poll created here in less than 10 minutes. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then 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 KeepVid reviewed here to download the videos from YouTube.
tag(s): polls and surveys (55)
In the Classroom
Challenge students to create their own polls then search for YouTube videos to support or explain each response. Create a ClipChoose poll as a teacher or whole class. Have students respond then write a response using quotes from videos to back up their choice. Administer a poll, then use the data for graphing practice. Display sample polls (made by you or the class) and data for practice with interpreting graphs. Collect parent or student opinions about any topic. Take a poll at back to school night to find out what parents' greatest concerns or misconceptions are. Obtain quick feedback from students about which curriculum topics are confusing them. Allow students to create polls as part of critical thinking exercises such as how poll wording may bias the results. Encourage students to include polls in oral presentations to increase audience engagement. Teach students about types of propaganda using up to 8 example videos in ClipChoose. Ask students to select the one that demonstrates the use of a particular propaganda technique.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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3D Photo Cube - Hame
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Create a digital photo cube with MySpace 3D photoCube. Upload your favorite photos or images and add special digital effects. Make your photo cube glow, disappear, or control how ...more
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Create a digital photo cube with MySpace 3D photoCube. Upload your favorite photos or images and add special digital effects. Make your photo cube glow, disappear, or control how it spins. Copy the html code into your MySpace, blog, or website.
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tag(s): creativity (117), images (285), photography (159)
In the Classroom
This tool is obviously too complicated for your elementary students to use independently. However, it could be used as a whole group/teacher led activity with any grade level. Visualize photo cubes with pictures of special class events, field trips, or just the usual day! Change the cube daily, to feature different activities, subjects, or kids. Bring into subject area content and add public domain images to add visual information for the content you are studying. For vocabulary words, add images to explain. Use photo cubes to show the main idea of historical events, literature, or even math concepts. Make a photo cube with related or unrelated images and use as a writing prompt. Use photo cubes for sequencing practice. Have fun with extra curricular clubs and highlighting events. Begin your school news show featuring the cube from different places in your school during the day. Have older students create their own photo cubes to accompany poetry in an online literary magazine (using Creative Commons or their own images). Art students can create a cube with images of their own work as an opener to a portfolio web site. Share this tool as an option for a "visual aid" during speech units pr to present images as art of a research report. Embed cubes on your class wiki to support conepts such as environmental concerns or local history. Challenge gifted students to create visual "puzzles" where viewers must guess the word or concept that the images have in common. Teach creative flexibility!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PDF Converter - pdfconverter.com
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Quickly and easily convert PDF to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Create a PDF from almost any file using the converter. To use, select the type of conversion. Locate the PDF ...more
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Quickly and easily convert PDF to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Create a PDF from almost any file using the converter. To use, select the type of conversion. Locate the PDF file you want to convert on your computer (even if it is only in your download folder). Enter your email address. You will receive an email with a link to your converted file. Be sure to check your "junk filter" on your email in case it does not show up directly in your inbox. Click on the attachment and download your brand new Word file! Maximum file size of an uploaded file is 2MB.
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tag(s): worksheets (64)
In the Classroom
Ever find really neat activity sheets, but they need to be tweaked a little to make them work for your classes? This tool helps you save time by allowing you to edit PDF files in Word to avoid reinventing the wheel. (Beware of copyrighted materials, however). Science teachers can take lab activities and refine questions or add instructions as needed for their classrooms. English teachers can add standardized test prompts to preexisting general worksheets to tailor the activity to suit their state's test needs. This is a helpful utility for students entering contests or completing applications offered only in pdf form.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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AllSides - John Gable
Grades
4 to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
Look at political, national and international issues from all sides: left, right, and center. Colored banners identify the perspective. Current content focuses on political discussions,...more
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Look at political, national and international issues from all sides: left, right, and center. Colored banners identify the perspective. Current content focuses on political discussions, but as the site evolves the plan is to include other topics such as health care, finances, and parenting. Find other specific topics by choosing the issues tab, then choosing from keywords such as energy, taxes, or violence in America. Choose from different tabs to view issues, bias, and the site's blog. Especially interesting is the bias section. Users rate their own bias on several issues to determine their bias toward left, center, or right. Email signup is available to become involved with the site but isn't necessary to access all of the articles and content.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): elections (73), media literacy (64), politics (97)
In the Classroom
This is an excellent site to easily find topics presented from various points of view. Use articles with students to demonstrate point of view in writing, bias in media, or for students to use as points for debates. Use an online tool such as Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to create a visual comparison of different points of view.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Overlap Maps - Sunflower Education
Grades
2 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Overlap Maps is a wonderful resource to easily and instantly compare any two places on earth! Choose from countries, lakes, states, man-made features, other natural resources, or wildfires...more
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Overlap Maps is a wonderful resource to easily and instantly compare any two places on earth! Choose from countries, lakes, states, man-made features, other natural resources, or wildfires in each of the two columns. (The site states that new categories will be added soon.) Then click the arrow to see the result. The first choice is instantly displayed as an overlay on top of the second via Google maps, along with a description stating what the map shows. Find the URL to your map by clicking Share. You can also share via Twitter or Facebook. There is an option to print your map.
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tag(s): area (73), continents (51), countries (81), map skills (80), maps (294), measurement (178), rivers (25), states (165), visualizations (13)
In the Classroom
Use an overlap map on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to compare states, countries, rivers, and more. Use this to give students a perspective on geographic size of earth features that they can't see by looking at a standard map. Challenge students to find states or countries that are similar in size, then compare and contrast geographic features. This tool would be especially important when explaining the concept of map scale or square miles/meters. In math class, use it to show a practical application of the concept of area. Have students use an overlap map when presenting state reports. Find a similar sized state (or country), then use the map as part of the presentation. Have a new student from another state or country? Create an overlap map to begin discussion of comparative size of where they came from to where your classroom is located. Try an overlap map to compare locations students read about in Globetracker's Mission or books they are reading. Include it in discussions about the impact of a country's size on its culture in world language or cultures classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sub Hub - Rachel Friedrich
Grades
K to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
This blog offers ideas and resources to help substitute teachers make the most out of every day. It includes practical ideas such as what to bring to school as a ...more
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This blog offers ideas and resources to help substitute teachers make the most out of every day. It includes practical ideas such as what to bring to school as a substitute (who would have thought to bring your own "teacher-friendly" pencil sharpener?). There are also free k-5 lesson plans. The best part is all of the tips, support, and stories provided for substitute teachers "in the trenches." Although geared toward elementary teachers, ideas and suggestions are appropriate for any grade level.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): classroom management (155), newbies (15), substitutes (18)
In the Classroom
Regular classroom teachers might want to share this in their emergency lesson plans for subs. Substitutes, don't go into the classroom empty handed. Bookmark this useful website (or make it a TeachersFirst Favorite so you can find it anytime) and be prepared for the unexpected! New teachers and student teachers can learn from the many tips. If you are mentoring or working with a student teacher, share some of these ideas. For even more, be sure to check out Teachers First's Ideas and Resources for Substitutes here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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