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Common Core Standards - Pearson Education, Inc.
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): commoncore (89), professional development (161)
In the Classroom
Begin your transition in to the world of Common Core Curriculum by starting with great webinars and resources. The webinars are very informational and give great insight. Find ways to begin to align your own teaching by offering more rigor and challenge. Stay in touch with the latest blogs on Common Core Information.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Activity of the Month - Dr. Jean
Grades
K to 1This site includes advertising.
tag(s): crafts (39), literacy (104), poetry (222), preK (284), seasons (36), songs (53)
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for enrichment. Share this link on your teacher web page and/or in a parent newsletter for those who trying to encourage the habit of reading and handling books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordSift - Stanford University
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): dictionaries (58), reading comprehension (129), reading strategies (55), thesaurus (23), vocabulary (314), vocabulary development (120), word clouds (11), word study (78)
In the Classroom
This is a classic tool to promote "before reading" strategies and vocabulary development. Use WordSift to preview text to be used in class and define vocabulary before reading to increase reading comprehension. Have students use WordSift with different portions of text to identify key words and vocabulary for class presentations. Use WordSift to discuss different meanings of words using images presented through the site. This site isn't only for English teachers, share with Science and Social Studies teachers to use in their classrooms with reading texts in their content areas. ESL/ELL and learning support teachers will want to share this as a support for any reading assigned in regular classes. Be sure to show students how to copy/paste to WordSift texts from informational web pages and news stories on the web, as well. Share this link as a Favorite on your public page so students can use it anytime.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Yudu - Yudu.com
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): digital storytelling (151), ebooks (39), multimedia (54), news (258), podcasts (60)
In the Classroom
If you have a classroom newsletter, this would be the perfect place for you to publish it. You can then embed it on your website or wiki for parents and students to read.If your class is studying a certain time period and/or area in the world, have your students produce brochures or newspapers (called a magazine on Yudu) using Yudu. Have your students create their brochure using Word, and then upload it to Yudu for a very polished look. You can then publish these by embedding them, or sharing the url on your wiki or webpage for your class and their parents to view.
In science or math students could make a small magazine with pictures to describe a concept or equation to their peers, to younger students, , or as a final assessment. Instead of a book report, create a Yudu! In English (or L.A.) have students write creative stories or step by step instructions and publish them via Yudu. At the beginning of the school-year, create a class Yudu introducing everyone in the class (name, favorite subject, favorite sport, highlight of their summer, etc..). Share the books with parents online or at Back to School Night.
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 embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Multicultural Canada: Wayang Kulit - Lynn Copeland, Simon Fraser University
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): canada (31), myths and legends (26), readers theater (14), stories and storytelling (34)
In the Classroom
In language arts classes, study universal stories and myths while discovering the culture of Indonesia and shadow puppetry. Dramatize the elements of good versus evil, characterization, and plot. Discover a unique twist to Readers' Theater. Storyboarding opportunities allow for a simpler construction of a story performance with fewer background scenery or props necessary. Sound and musical accompaniments can add to the creativity of the performance. Reluctant readers through gifted learners will enjoy the flexibility and creativity of the art of shadow puppetry.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sumo Paint 3.0 - Lauri Koutaniemi and Aaro Vaananen
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): design (88), painting (62), photography (155)
In the Classroom
Previous experience with layer-based design software editing such as Photoshop is extremely beneficial. The "Sumo Paint Help" page provides helpful tutorials but individuals without previous training may need additional support.Challenge students to learn about the tools professional designers use today. Select and then project video help tutorials to the whole class. Before sending students off for independent practice, demonstrate how to use the image editing and painting tools on an interactive whiteboard or projector. The videos in this section link to YouTube, so systems that block YouTube access may not be able to access this. Rather than a traditional report, challenge students to write articles and create magazine covers for biographies, history or science reports using Magazine Cover Maker reviewed here. Have students create icons for logos for websites. Have students create artwork for CD labels for portfolios or multimedia projects using CD Cover Maker reviewed here. Post a link to Sumo Paint on your class website for student access outside of school. The beauty of this free cloud based software it that students can start a project in school, collaborate on a single image, and continue to work on it after school hours.
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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LiveBinders4Teachers - Barbara Tallent
Grades
K to 12tag(s): classroom management (147), teaching strategies (28)
In the Classroom
Use these prefabricated binders as the base for your own binders! Also, connect with other adventurous technology using teachers to glean new ideas and discover even more new tools.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Topmark Interactive Whiteboard Resources - Topmarks
Grades
K to 12tag(s): descriptive writing (42), energy (210), environment (321), forces (47), grammar (208), literacy (104), literature (264), map skills (80), maps (292), novels (22), persuasive writing (55), poetry (222), preK (284), religions (68), rhythm (21), rivers (24), seasons (36), shakespeare (110), speeches (19), spelling (165), water cycle (32), weather (205)
In the Classroom
Use activities offered on the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector either as a whole class activity or use your whiteboard as one of the learning centers in your class. Share with parents on your blog or classroom newsletter as a resource for practice at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quizbox - Quizbox.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use as a pre-test at the start of a chapter or unit. Identify misconceptions or basic knowledge to help determine instruction. Identify interests of students at the start of the school year. Use to poll students on project ideas or to determine reactions to current events. Do the questions as a whole-class activity on a multimedia projector or interactive whiteboard with students contributing the portions of knowledge they do know toward solving the question. Using teamwork and thinking aloud can often help the group reach a conclusion that no single member could do on his/her own. They can each test different math answers to see which one is correct. This process will not only foster thinking aloud and group communication, but also model test-taking skills for multiple choice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Max My Dream - Johnson and Johnson
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (170), parts of speech (67), writing (364), writing prompts (91)
In the Classroom
Practice writing skills. Share an example on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Embed the dream in a blog or site and challenge others to guess the dream by trying to rewrite it. Create visual representations of writing. Or create visual prompts to spark others to write their own interpretations or "what would come next?" Ask students to guess what words the tool focuses in on. Does it pick up verbs or nouns? Your more inquisitive students will enjoy experimenting to figure out how it works.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Student Produced Video Field Trips - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): video (269)
In the Classroom
Read through the step by step and get started! TeachersFirst offers all the practical advice you need to try this 21st century approach to real world learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Brain Twister - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 9In the Classroom
Since elementary and middle school curriculum content varies from location to location, it is unlikely that every question will fall within the scope of your school's curriculum. High point questions may fall outside standard classroom fare. Five-point questions tend to be at the knowledge/comprehension/application level of Bloom's taxonomy and closer to "normal" content. Ten pointers are more likely cross-curricular application/analysis, and twenty pointers require analytical thinking and a wider experience level, such as knowledge of current events or information beyond normal curricula. Twenty pointers may require more than one student's input.Do the questions as a whole-class activity with a projector or interactive whiteboard with students contributing the portions of knowledge they do know toward solving the question. Using teamwork and thinking aloud can often help the group reach a conclusion that no single member could do on his/her own. They can each test different math answers to see which one is correct. This process will not only foster thinking aloud and group communication, but also model test-taking skills for multiple choice.
Alternatively, do the Twister in small groups, with one student an answer entry but others as researchers on neighboring computers to find out what the group does not know. It may be helpful to assign roles: moderator (assigns what to find out and helps the group reach consensus), keyboarder (enters responses, may conduct research in a new window), or researchers (find information as assigned). Use the Twisters to model and teach information literacy skills in a high-motivation activity. Or offer the Twisters as an enrichment challenge or extra credit option for students to do at home. Ask parents to be on the honor system to sign a note indicating the score their child achieved. Since parents may be overly interested in helping, you may want to simply give extra credit for anyone completing the quiz, no matter the score. Be sure to mark this ready to go exclusive in your favorites and share it on your teacher class web page.
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Writer's Workshop Introduction - Teachersfirst
Grades
1 to 6tag(s): writing (364)
In the Classroom
Teachers can use this introduction to introduce Writer's Workshop elements in a variety of curriculum situations and classroom settings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plagiarism Checker - Darren Horn
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): plagiarism (36)
In the Classroom
Students can use this plagiarism checker to be sure they are turning in original work. Teachers can use this service to check the work of students (submitted electronically). Students should create accounts with their parents to check their work at home. Model this site to explain what plagiarism IS and how students can avoid it. The hands-on experience will help them understand this challenging concept. You might even want to provide several examples of plagiarized writing as an exercise for student to check and correct before they copy/paste their way to trouble in a research assignment. Another interesting exercise for researchers is to locate an article on a how-to topic, such as "How to Paint a Room," then see how many sites use the exact same text. As a class, discuss whether this proliferation is good or bad (is the web spreading misinformation, too?).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learning to Give - Points of Light Institute
Grades
K to 12tag(s): african american (106), animal homes (63), animals (319), charts and graphs (199), colonial america (107), communities (39), data (157), diversity (33), ecology (133), environment (321), heroes (24), money (184), recycling (59)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for all subject matters, search for subject and browse resources. Share with other teachers in your building or district including teachers of the arts. Get your students involved! Challenge cooperative learning groups to create a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here discussing one of the topics at this site. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Creator, Lucidpress, Powtoon, and Rooclick.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iNudge - Hobnox
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): musical notation (39), sounds (68)
In the Classroom
Use the songs in a writing class as a story prompt. In a language class, list the adjectives and adverbs come to mind while listening to the music prompt. Create music to describe a biome or an animal or plant. Use music to represent culture or reactions to an event in history. Use music to add pizazz to a blog or site. Identify various sounds and the mood they create. View the most listened and newest iNudges found on the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Squareleaf - Squareleaf.net
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): note taking (43)
In the Classroom
Students can easily store their notes and share with others. Use this tool to manage projects and schedule tasks. Help students organize the specific tasks necessary to finish a project. Use class discussion to decide what needs to be done and the intermediate steps to completing projects. Use different colors and shapes to manage different projects. Teachers of both gifted and learning support students can use this tool together with students to build organizational skills. Teachers can use this tool to manage and plan short term tasks, longer term units, and graduate class assignments from their busy lives.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Class Jump - Classjump.com
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): classroom management (147), forum (7), social networking (107)
In the Classroom
Manage your classroom with this resource. Use as a class hub to manage documents, photos, and files. Be sure to define the use of the message board. You may wish to create a practice student account to see what the tool looks like as a student. Be sure to share this link so students and parents can access both in and out of the classroom. Use Class Jump in teacher ed programs to show up and coming teachers how a website can enhance instruction.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
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
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Project Based Learning for the 21st Century - Buck Institute for Education
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): assessment (118)
In the Classroom
Use these ideas in any subject area classroom. Aspects of PBL can be used in introductory activities or whole units. Use driving questions to stimulate student curiosity to know more about how curriculum applies to their lives. Use this PBL framework to give students freedom to research aspects of the content or problem of personal interest. Be sure to view the resources to adequately plan for a successful unit project that incorporates 21st century skills utilizing engaging activities and content.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Environmental Graffiti - Chris Ingraham Brook
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): ecology (133), environment (321)
In the Classroom
Use these stories as writing prompts, prompts for further research, or sparks to learn about something new. Consider assigning students to find and share related information to share with the rest of their class. One idea for students to show they understand the consequences or implications of an article would be to have students write diary entries, in the first person, much the same as Diary of a Worm reviewed here. Have students publish their diary with Simplebooklet, reviewed here,to share with classmates and parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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