August 1, 2021

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Featured EDTECH Resources Reviewed by TeachersFirst
 

As summer winds down and you start thinking about back-to-school plans, explore these free PD opportunities to help engage and inspire your students this fall! Learn about assessments and projects at an upcoming workshop, vet integration ideas with our tech coaches during a Twitter chat, or check out the OK2Ask archives to catch up on sessions from Google MANIA and MIE Day!

Get Off to a Great Start!

August has arrived, and it’s time to get ready for a great start to your new school-year! In this section, we’re highlighting several resources and ideas for the first week of school and sharing tools related to classroom management. 

First Day of School Icebreakers

No matter what level you teach, establishing rapport with a new group of students is key to knowing how to help them learn. This curated list provides resources, strategies, and ideas to help you and your students get to know one another.

Use these ideas during the first day or week of school »

Back-to-School Read Alouds

Start building classroom community right away during those all-important first six weeks of school. Read this article to learn about read-aloud books to use during the start of the school year. Books are included for all elementary grades.

What can you read to your students? »

Online Tools and Timesavers

This curated list includes everything from text-to-speech tools to electronic signature options. Find tools to share with your students for organizing and communicating, printing free graph paper, sharing links, creating groups, and much more.

Find ways to save time using these tools »

Classroom Management

Classroom management covers a wide range of tasks and routines: collecting assignments, designing seating charts, promoting positive behaviors, creating cooperative learning groups, and much more. Find tools to help you prepare to manage your classroom.

Find resources to use with all grades »

This Week at TeachersFirst

Join us this week for professional learning workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday, and come tweet with us on Thursday during our bi-monthly Twitter chat! We are also sharing a unique reading option, a related blog post, and our weekly poll. 

OK2Ask: Sway Cool Student Projects image

Tuesday, 8/3, 6 PM ET

OK2Ask: Sway Cool Student Projects

This workshop will introduce you to a wide range of projects designed with Sway. Learn the basics in minutes and translate your new learning into powerful formative and summative student projects that focus on content rather than bells and whistles.

Plan for the use of Microsoft Sway in the classroom »
OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire Digital Escapes with Google image

Wednesday, 8/4, 6 PM ET

OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire Digital Escapes with Google

Digital Escapes are the online version of immersive games where teams discover clues, solve puzzles, and accomplish tasks to escape from the game site. Explore a collection of Digital Escape examples and learn how to use the strategy in the classroom.

Understand Digital Escapes as a learner-centered instructional strategy »
Twitter Chat: Maximizing Learning with Microsoft Edu image

Thursday, 8/5, 8 PM ET

Twitter Chat: Maximizing Learning with Microsoft Edu

Come and tweet with us using the hashtags #OK2Ask and #TeachersFirst. During this chat, we will discuss strategies to empower students with Microsoft 365 and explore strategies and resources for using Microsoft Edu to enhance instruction.

Share integration ideas for using Microsoft resources in the classroom »
Libro.fm Complimentary Audiobooks image

Find books for your students and yourself

Libro.fm Complimentary Audiobooks

Join the Audiobook Listening Copy (ALC) program for complimentary audiobooks offered by Libro.fm. Simply create your free account and fill out the form on the page to complete your application to receive new (and free!) audiobooks every month.

Create a free account and get started »
Back-to-School: Building a Community image

Infusing Technology Blog

Back-to-School: Building a Community

Engage with this blog post that highlights communication strategies and resources that will help you to establish a classroom community and connect with your families and students. Learn about communication tools and screencasting strategies.

Build class community this fall »
Weekly Poll image

Share your thoughts with our community

Weekly Poll

This week our poll asks "When does (did) your school return for the new school-year?" View the replies of other educators after you click to submit your choice.

When do you go back to school? »

Six More Educational Resources

Discover an additional six areas of TeachersFirst to use in your back-to-school lessons.


Dates that Matter

Brain Twisters

Utility Tools for the Classroom

Classroom Planning Calendar

Special Topics

Tools for the BYOD Classroom

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About TeachersFirst
TeachersFirst is a collection of curated, classroom-ready content and ideas — including teacher-authored reviews of thousands of web resources. Built-in guidance from seasoned professionals makes effective classroom technology use trouble-free. TeachersFirst is made available free to K12 teachers by The Source for Learning, Inc., a nonprofit that has been providing educational resources for more than 40 years.