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Spore Creature Creator - Electronic Arts, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Use Creature Creator to make interesting and imaginative animals. Your students may recognize it as a tool for making characters for the Spore video game, but it is actually a ...more
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Use Creature Creator to make interesting and imaginative animals. Your students may recognize it as a tool for making characters for the Spore video game, but it is actually a useful tool for learning, as well. Use a pre-made creature or create your own custom creature. Add carnivore features to your creation that include mouths, ears, eyes, arms, hands, feet, and legs. Weapons such as horns, spikes, and clubs can also be added to the creature as well as wings. Change the position of the features and alter them through unbelievable joint changes which then alter how your creature walks and moves. Paint your creation when done and place it in its woodland environment. The creature can walk, show emotion, have offspring, and make sounds. Use the software to take a picture, record a movie, and make an avatar. By adding a description and tags, your creation can be uploaded to the spore website or to a You Tube account. Here is the first Spore tutorial , which is hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be viewable.
Creature Creator is a free download but is a limited version of the original purchased program. The purchased program provides many more choices for the features and environments used to make the creatures. The download is available for both PC and Mac.
Creature Creator is a free download but is a limited version of the original purchased program. The purchased program provides many more choices for the features and environments used to make the creatures. The download is available for both PC and Mac.
tag(s): adaptations (19), animals (283), animation (71), classification (21)
In the Classroom
User needs to be able to download and install the free program. Easy to use interface. Start with a blob, which you manipulate into a shape, pulling its spinal cord in any direction with the mouse, before adding a head, limbs and various optional extra body parts. Choose your part by using the onscreen catalog. Manipulate it further by changing the position of joints or through adding or deleting segments. Add a background and move your creature by dragging your mouse for it to follow. Continue to alter your creature to get the movement or features needed.Pressing "H" brings up the spore guide which includes topic categories such as "Welcome to Spore," "Getting Started," "Build Mode," "Test Drive," and "Paint Mode."
Check your district policy on downloading and installing of programs. Check with your IT department. Teachers who must request software installation by tech staff may want to try this tool at home and create some sample projects to convince administration of its educational value.
Uploading pictures and videos of creations to You Tube or the spore site may expose students to advertising as well as inappropriately created creatures. You may want to send students directly to URLs for their own projects, maintain the creatures on the classroom computer itself, or use Teacher Tube to upload the creations. Uploading creatures enables outsider comments without teacher control. Outsiders can interact or mark the creations as favorites. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. Student work can be saved as a picture and printed, as well, for sharing and showing. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online and what information is permitted, then enforce that policy with your students.
The tool does not show which work is attributable to each student. You may want to require student initials on projects in order to get credit.
Use Creature creator to create an unusual creature as a class project. Create a classification system of all the class creatures to demonstrate biology classification skills. When discussing the groupings in the Animal Kingdom, use Creature Creator to create a new organism for that group. Use the tool to create a class creature with adaptations to a specific environment. Have students create a creature and then write a story or poem about it and how it lives. Have students create a creature as a self-portrait of personality or other traits the students possess. Students can design and draw habitats that would house their creation including the calculation of the volume and area the housing would require. Use a classroom projector or white board to share/create creatures in class and discuss specific features of the creatures.
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bubbl.us - Kirill Edelman and Levon Amelyan
Grades
K to 12
15 Favorites
1 Comments
This simple and free online tool allows you to brainstorm ideas and create concept maps with no special software! Bubble.us offers several highly interactive features: saving your mind...more
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This simple and free online tool allows you to brainstorm ideas and create concept maps with no special software! Bubble.us offers several highly interactive features: saving your mind map as an image, sharing (emailing) your work with a friend, printing your organizer, creating colorful mind map organizers, embedding your work on a website or blog, and collaborating with friends. You can "play" on this site without registering; however, registration is required to save, embed, email, and use other features. NOTE: The free version only allows you to SAVE three maps, so you will want to save your completed maps as images, then delete them from your membership to make room for more freebies.
tag(s): brainstorming (17), graphic organizers (60), mind map (31), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
Click "Start Here" to type the subject of your concept map. Hitting your Enter key creates a new level (branch) within the map. Tab creates an additional branch on the same level as the current topic. Experiment with the small icons on each "element" to change colors, drag, make new connections, etc. Save and set sharing (read-only or open access) in the area at the right. You can "send" a read-only link via email or copy the embed code from the Menu at lower right), but you cannot find the URL directly from your map. "Send" it to yourself via email to copy the actual URL.There are countless possibilities at this mental mapping site. Demonstrate the tool on an interactive whiteboard or projector, and then allow students to try to create their own graphic organizers. Use this site for literature activities, research projects, social studies, or science topics of study. Use this site to create family trees. Have students collaborate together (online) to create group mind maps or review charts before tests on a given subject. Have students organize color-code concepts to show what they understand, wonder, question; map out a story, plotline, or LIFETIME; map out a step-by-step process (life cycle); map a real historical event as a choose-your-own-adventure with alternate endings(?) based on pivotal points; plan a "tour" for a "thought museum." Use this mapping website as an alternative to a traditional test, quiz, or homework assignment in literature or social studies: have students demonstrate their understanding by completing a graphic organizer about the main points. To minimize the number of maps on a free account, have students screenshot or print their results to turn them in. See more ideas in the linked example above!
Comments
david, TX, Grades: 9 - 12
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World Stories Bank - Whootie Owl Productions
Grades
1 to 6
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This site has free stories, mainly fairy tales and folk tales, indexed by topic. Highlights include various holidays, international stories of all types, free reader's theater pieces,...more
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This site has free stories, mainly fairy tales and folk tales, indexed by topic. Highlights include various holidays, international stories of all types, free reader's theater pieces, and free online recorded stories (click "Stories on CD" to access free downloads). All stories are "kid-tested" and uplifting. Students can make comments (and read other viewers' comments). They can search for stories by age (6-14), theme, story type, and location.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), folktales (34), listening (119)
In the Classroom
Use this site to find stories that represent the cultures of the students in your classroom, whether they are ESL students or from different ethnic backgrounds. Also, use this site to find stories for various school holidays. Play a story aloud on your speakers, then allow students to record their own stories with musical backgrounds.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lit2Go - Florida Educational Technology Clearinghouse
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Now you can listen to and read along with the classics and poems, thanks to the generosity of this site's creators. Download story files to your mp3 player or listen ...more
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Now you can listen to and read along with the classics and poems, thanks to the generosity of this site's creators. Download story files to your mp3 player or listen to the files on your computer. Don't want to listen to the classics and other stories? Then, view the text on a webpage or in a printable PDF. Easily browse the site by author or title to locate literature. You can also search by reading level; the levels are broken down by month (ranging from 0.0 to 12.0). Stories and poems are added frequently to this site, so check back often.
tag(s): audbk (25), audio books (43), folktales (34), literature (215), nursery rhymes (10), rhymes (24)
In the Classroom
Print out up to 25 PDF copies of stories and poems if you do not have print versions. Make your own books and leave blank sections for illustration to aid comprehension. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, you can download many of the selections directly into your iTunes library. Use individual laptops to read the stories online or as downloads. Make sure your sight-impaired students are aware of this helpful site. Special ed teachers and ENL/ELL teachers will love the availability of audio files alongside text.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Kids and Reading - John Rowlinson, Kids and Reading, UK
Grades
K to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Geared to teaching parents about reading, this site offers a great review of reading methods, classroom methods, special needs (i.e. ADHD, autism), booklists, motivation, tool and techniques...more
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Geared to teaching parents about reading, this site offers a great review of reading methods, classroom methods, special needs (i.e. ADHD, autism), booklists, motivation, tool and techniques to use, etc. Even though it is a British site, it is totally applicable to the USA and other areas throughout the world. You will find a wealth of information to share with your students' parents at Open House and throughout the year. There are some minor advertisements at this site (all related to the topic).
tag(s): adhd (21), dyslexia (11), guided reading (32), learning disability (20), learning styles (23), neurodiversity (15), Special Needs (45)
In the Classroom
Sign up for the newsletter to receive new information every month. Provide the link to this site in your class newsletter or on your class website so parents can sign-up for the newsletter also (and use the free resources).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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transl8it! - Translate it!
Grades
3 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Impress your class when you give them a taste of their own lingo. Stay informed about what your students are writing. Just key ( or paste) in your regular ...more
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Impress your class when you give them a taste of their own lingo. Stay informed about what your students are writing. Just key ( or paste) in your regular text (in ENGLISH) or your SMS (short message service) , TXT, emoticon, smiley, slang, or chat room lingo and let this site translate it. The site can translate "lingo" to English or English to "lingo." Since we always cry that regular English is going down the tubes, reverse the trend by giving students a dose of their short-cut text English and have them re-write it into normal English. Teach grammar skills by coming in the back door...this time the back door is the door most frequently entered by our youth. Want to give it a try? Translate this: dEr claS, I knO U typ wds dat L%k lIk DIS wen Im not l%kin. It iz important 4 U 2 knO how 2 wrte propR eng. n employer wiL eva hire U f U wrte lIk DIS. pls transl8 DIS pargrph in2 propR eng. U wiL earn a gud grade f U do. --yor Tcha
What's the translation? Dear class, I know you type words that look like this when I'm not looking. It is important for you to know how to write proper English. No employer will ever hire you if you write like this. Please translate this paragraph into proper English. You will earn a good grade if you do. -Your teacher
Translations are not always perfect, but you will get "the gist." Parents will also appreciate this site as a tool to help them understand their children's writings. There are some minor advertisements at this website. There is also a place to "log-in." Registration is free but is not required to use this site.
What's the translation? Dear class, I know you type words that look like this when I'm not looking. It is important for you to know how to write proper English. No employer will ever hire you if you write like this. Please translate this paragraph into proper English. You will earn a good grade if you do. -Your teacher
Translations are not always perfect, but you will get "the gist." Parents will also appreciate this site as a tool to help them understand their children's writings. There are some minor advertisements at this website. There is also a place to "log-in." Registration is free but is not required to use this site.
tag(s): bullying (40), internet safety (121), safety (63)
In the Classroom
Teachers (or administrators), you may need this translator to decode SMS/TXT text lingo used by your students when you cannot decipher it. You may also have concerns about your students' online behavior and need some assistance monitoring for bullying or risky behavior. Just type (or paste) in the message and click on the 'transl8it' button. Presto...it's English again.Use this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector during the first day of school to introduce yourself to the class using "their" language (and your expectations to use proper English). Be sure to share it on your teacher web page as a tool for parents, as well.
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Institute for Historical Dance Practice - Lieven Baert
Grades
9 to 12
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0 Comments
While very "plain vanilla" in design, this is a research site for a topic with very little online information available. It is worth exploring if you teach dance, theatre, or ...more
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While very "plain vanilla" in design, this is a research site for a topic with very little online information available. It is worth exploring if you teach dance, theatre, or humanities. The site is available in both Dutch and English. There are links to explore and an address in the Netherlands to write to for more information on such topics as advice and design for period dance costumes. Since they are located in the Netherlands, this is a great source for someone who is close enough to take advantage of some of the services they offer onsite. For those far away, the information itself is valuable and provides a different view of dance for those who are interested.
In the Classroom
For students interested in theatre and dance, learning about historical dances is important. Students can research the dances and the music that accompanies them and perform them or teach them to classmates. Writing for more information from the Institute for Historical Dance Practice also provides practice in asking for specific information and an opportunity to correspond with someone in a different company.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Timeline of Poetry In English - RPO Eds., U Toronto Eng. Dept & Press
Grades
8 to 12
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This is a very simple site with a wealth of information presented in a straightforward manner. It divides-- by years-- the traditional progression of English from Early to Middle to...more
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This is a very simple site with a wealth of information presented in a straightforward manner. It divides-- by years-- the traditional progression of English from Early to Middle to Early Modern to Present Day. Within Early Modern and Present Day English it also divides into categories within the genre. Present Day begins with the Romantics and continues through Post-modernism. Throughout the timeline there are links to representative poems included in the RPO database. Most of the poets have biographical information included with their poetry (family information, languages, education, religion, and more).
tag(s): poetry (196)
In the Classroom
Many of the poets mentioned along the timeline will be unfamiliar to students. Students might choose a poet and create a "life" for him/her within the culture and society in which he lived and present the poet with one of his works to the class. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own interactive timelines about the poet they research using a site such as Sutori, that can include images, text, and collaboration. Another project might be to have groups of students choose poems from each time period within present day English and compare the poems based upon the society of the time in which they were written, incorporating humanities and historical analysis. Use the biographical information provided with some of the poets to engage your students in the life and times of the poet. Have students complete research projects about one of the poets highlighted at this website or create a fictitious blog of his/her life. Challenge students to create their own original poetry in similar form to the poet they have researched.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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AdLit - adlit.org
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The focus of this site is to encourage better literacy and reading enjoyment among pre-teens and adolescents. Sister sites Reading Rockets, Colorin'Colorado, Start with a Book, and...more
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The focus of this site is to encourage better literacy and reading enjoyment among pre-teens and adolescents. Sister sites Reading Rockets, Colorin'Colorado, Start with a Book, and LDonline offer summer reading strategies, book lists, book clubs, classroom technique hints that encourage the development of reading attack skills, and a special section on authors and their best books. This site has everything you need to know about teaching reading in easy-to-use formats.
tag(s): authors (114), independent reading (84), reading strategies (87)
In the Classroom
If you need ideas to get students reading for fun and to help develop their confidence, try this site. Highlight this on your class website so parents can try the activities with their older students. When doing author biographies, share this site with your class using an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to check out the "Classroom Strategies" link for even more literacy ideas.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Better At English - betteratenglish.com
Grades
3 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This site features podcasts on subject areas of interest to ENL/ESL students and their instructors. Since August 2007, all material is also available as videos. The material presented...more
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This site features podcasts on subject areas of interest to ENL/ESL students and their instructors. Since August 2007, all material is also available as videos. The material presented features teaching techniques, information on new available technologies that assist students with schoolwork and language learning, and grammar and other communication techniques. Although this site was created for ENL/ESL students, it would also be useful for any students learning grammar. All podcasts include the text of spoken or video materials. The focus of these lessons is on acquiring more vocabulary and improving oral and reading comprehension. Some of the videos come from YouTube.
This site does have several appropriate advertisements. There are also a few questionable links on the site (for example, "Uncensored English"), so be sure to supervise WELL.
This site does have several appropriate advertisements. There are also a few questionable links on the site (for example, "Uncensored English"), so be sure to supervise WELL.
tag(s): idioms (29), listening (119), slang (16), vocabulary (254)
In the Classroom
You will need headphones or speakers if you choose to assign students to listen to the podcasts individually. This site is excellent for enrichment or special topics. Include it on your teacher web page (with a disclaimer regarding content) for students to access both in and out of class. Use this site with intermediate and advanced level ELL and ESL students to help them improve their knowledge of English slang and idioms. If you are into video, consider creating your own student vodcasts about idioms and sharing them via TeacherTube ( reviewed here) and on your class wiki.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Better at English Videos - betteratenglish.com
Grades
2 to 12
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You Tube videos at this site are organized by English learning subject categories like fruits and vegetables, cars, culture, and also by level of English. Levels go from beginning elementary...more
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You Tube videos at this site are organized by English learning subject categories like fruits and vegetables, cars, culture, and also by level of English. Levels go from beginning elementary up through advanced. The opening page features several videos with a humorous twist (such as interviewing Japanese celebrities about the difference between "like" and "hate"). A section for teachers includes suggestions of how to use specific videos and also teacher training videos. Many of the featured videos are products of professional ENL/ESL services, so this site does a good job compiling and organizing them. Although this site was created as an ENL/ESL site, much of the material would be useful for any students learning grammar.
Teachers will need to set up videos to be used in class (and supervise WELL) to control student viewing. There are some questionable links on this site including "Uncensored English" and "Sick Videos." There are also advertisements on the top and right side of the website. This site is slow to load at times, so opening the site before you are ready to use it in class may save you some time. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
Teachers will need to set up videos to be used in class (and supervise WELL) to control student viewing. There are some questionable links on this site including "Uncensored English" and "Sick Videos." There are also advertisements on the top and right side of the website. This site is slow to load at times, so opening the site before you are ready to use it in class may save you some time. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Use specially previewed and selected videos to make vocabulary lessons come alive. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share with the entire class. Be sure to preview and have the video before the class sees it. Encourage your students to make their own videos or vodcasts of items you are studying in class. If teachers are unsure of how to use the videos, check the for teachers section. Check this site frequently to see what's new. List this site on your class website (with a disclaimer regarding content), for ENL/ESL families to explore together at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Adopt-an-Author - Steve Alten
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
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Choosing a book, especially for reluctant readers, can be a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly offer a different look for savvy teenagers and give...more
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Choosing a book, especially for reluctant readers, can be a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly offer a different look for savvy teenagers and give them new ideas for reading. Initiated by author Steve Alten, this website uses this author's (and others') books to excite reluctant readers with good stories, incorporating technology with planning. While this site offers a complete program for sale, you can register for free and use most of the materials without buying anything. It offers five books by Alten as well as several other fiction and nonfiction titles by different authors. Each book includes materials such as a PowerPoint of the curriculum, a chapter to peruse, activities, quizzes, etc. The variety of books offered is interesting, including an autobiography of Gerda Weissman Klein, a Holocaust survivor, and a finance nonfiction book to help teens prepare for their futures. This site does have sponsors and minor advertising.
tag(s): authors (114), holocaust (42), independent reading (84)
In the Classroom
Allowing students to choose among these books may encourage them to read. Having students "teach" their book to the rest of the class after they have finished it might be an activity that would urge other students to pick up those books, too. Extend learning by having students share their books creatively: write a blog post as a character using Telescope, make a video using Adobe Express Video Maker, to post on TeacherTube or SchoolTube, or make a podcast "interview" of the main character, played by a classmate using Acast. Bring reading into the 21st century reality of your students and watch the two worlds "mash" together.
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Traci's List: 10 Unusual Sources for Research Papers - Traci Gardner
Grades
9 to 12
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Another of Ms. Gardner's "Lists of Ten," this one is a nice twist on getting students to think beyond the usual for sources for research information. While students often stick ...more
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Another of Ms. Gardner's "Lists of Ten," this one is a nice twist on getting students to think beyond the usual for sources for research information. While students often stick to what is in the school's library or what they can find with an internet search, this site offers some great ideas that explore humanities based approaches to research: such as art, interviews, music, advertising, and others. Although this site was originally created in 1998 and updated in 2005, nearly all of the information is still useful in today's classrooms. The link included with idea #5 (Web Evaluation Link) was inactive at the time of this review.
tag(s): advertising (24), interviews (18)
In the Classroom
An interesting way to teach this kind of research to your students would be to assign one topic to a class and have different students or groups of students investigate the different research ideas. This could serve as a model when assigning individual work for students later in the semester. Encourage students to think "outside the box" when looking for new and supportive information for their theses. Share this list on your teacher webpage as a reference for students to access outside of class, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Traci's List of Ten: Literature - Traci Gardner
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
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This is an idea site for those who teach literature. It is a plain vanilla site that offers ten interesting ways to involve students beyond mere essay writing on any ...more
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This is an idea site for those who teach literature. It is a plain vanilla site that offers ten interesting ways to involve students beyond mere essay writing on any piece of literature. Some of these ways are new twists on old ideas and several of them are rather innovative. Definitely worth a look if you are tired of reading the same things over and over. Although this site was created in 1998, the ideas are still relevant today.
tag(s): literature (215)
In the Classroom
The mix-n-match element of this particular list makes it interesting for students working on a novel or a longer story that could deal with several of these elements. Take one or two of the ideas and split them up among a class. Create a debate, complete with slide show, or webquest to involve students in the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
There is nothing twicky about a wiki. Learn about this online collaboration tool: what a wiki is, how you might use it in your classroom, how to explain it to ...more
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There is nothing twicky about a wiki. Learn about this online collaboration tool: what a wiki is, how you might use it in your classroom, how to explain it to parents and administration, and how to get started. There are over 50 examples of activities you can do with a wiki and links to a free tool to get started. A fresh revision of the Walk-Through in 2008 includes comparison reviews of the top three wiki tools for education. We even give you the downloadable handout to send home.
tag(s): wikis (15)
In the Classroom
This is listed as a TeachersFirst "edge" entry, but our step-by-step walk-through takes the edge off and makes your wiki a walk in the park. Check it out now, while there is still FREE classroom wiki space available from the three wiki tools we review in detail.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vocabulary Word Lists for Academic Vocabulary - Gerry Luton
Grades
8 to 12
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As an addendum to the Academic Vocabulary site, this site is invaluable for testing students interactively with the word lists created. As a general vocabulary checker, it is a great...more
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As an addendum to the Academic Vocabulary site, this site is invaluable for testing students interactively with the word lists created. As a general vocabulary checker, it is a great pre-testing tool as well. Check out the link The Exercises to find the free word lists.
tag(s): vocabulary (254)
In the Classroom
The interactive nature of this site makes it good way to involved students in their own learning. While it offers a purchase of the software used to create the list, you can use the exercises offered on the website for free. This is possible only if you use the list of words available on the site as sublists. Having students check their own work (the sentences offered are upper level, 8-12) frees you to work with individual students and allows all students to work at their own pace. You could also use selected lists (with credit, of course) as the basis for a student-generated class vocabulary wiki. Ask students to "define" the words creatively on the wiki and see what happens!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Polite English - English Portal.com
Grades
2 to 8
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Polite English offers practice with many frequently-used expressions by category. Students can select to see all offerings or just those at their level: beginning, intermediate, and...more
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Polite English offers practice with many frequently-used expressions by category. Students can select to see all offerings or just those at their level: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. All lists have a series of remarks, quick quizzes, and immediate evaluations of the students' work. The quiz types include drag and drop, true or false, and multiple choice. The drag and drop feature is a bit difficult to manage, just remember to click on the word first to make it "moveable." The British English spellings may surprise some students. Unfortunately, there is not a pronunciation feature.
tag(s): grammar (143)
In the Classroom
Use this site for ESL and ELL students, or even basic grammar review in a regular language arts class. Help students learn "survival language," such as greetings or saying thank you. Save this site as a favorite on your classroom computer(s) so ESL/ELL students can add new expressions to their present knowledge. Send this site home (or list it on your website) so your international families can benefit from it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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An Academic Writing Module: Paragraphs - Alison Hoffmann, Barbara Griffiths and Irina Elgort
Grades
7 to 12
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This site offers writing exercises for students' self-directed study. The exercises cover topic sentences, building paragraphs, incorporating sources (always good for practice in writing...more
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This site offers writing exercises for students' self-directed study. The exercises cover topic sentences, building paragraphs, incorporating sources (always good for practice in writing research essays or papers), and types of paragraphs. There is a sample essay that students are encouraged to read after doing the exercises, but it offers both a sample essay and an analysis of the writing and content. This site requires that JavaScript be enabled web browser. You can find directions at the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): paragraph writing (18), paragraphs (2), sentences (23), writing (309)
In the Classroom
This site offers the option for students to work independently on their basic writing. These exercises are a little more advanced than some on the web; however, they are especially good for high school students. It would make an interesting exercise to work through some of the examples as a class on interactive whiteboard, and then offer students the sample essay to analyze themselves or on the whiteboard before showing the final analysis on the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constructing the Paragraph - Dr. Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
Grades
7 to 10
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For students learning or struggling with creating effective paragraphs, this site is helpful, since it allows students to self-test and then go through the steps themselves. It includes...more
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For students learning or struggling with creating effective paragraphs, this site is helpful, since it allows students to self-test and then go through the steps themselves. It includes topic sentences, topics and comments, support statements, transitions, and organization. It is appropriate for any level of student who still needs help with the basic principle of writing a paragraph. The presentation is "plain vanilla" but effective.
tag(s): paragraph writing (18), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Perfect for middle school students who can work ahead independently or for high school students who are still struggling a bit, this site gives you the option of having students practice on their own, particularly through the self-testing stage. This would be great as a learning station on writing for students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Everywhere Collection - WGBH Foundation
Grades
7 to 12
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This is an amazing site with 12 notable poems that include a Quicktime video of the poem reading- either by the poet or an animated enactment (i.e. Emily Dickinson). Each ...more
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This is an amazing site with 12 notable poems that include a Quicktime video of the poem reading- either by the poet or an animated enactment (i.e. Emily Dickinson). Each of the lessons includes a broad spectrum of activities, lesson plans, and PDF worksheets. While you do have to register to fully access the material, it is free. Registration does require an email address (for teacher domains only: lesson plans, activities, etc..), so students do not need to register to view the videos.
tag(s): poetry (196)
In the Classroom
If you are looking for something worthwhile as a quarter ending or are deeply involved in poetry, this site is great. Billy Collins reading "The Lanyard" is tough not to love and you can choose any of the included features to use or not. Because the site uses Quicktime, you have the option of replaying the video or pausing for discussion where you choose. Share the video on your interactive whiteboard or projector. This is wonderful as a class discussion. Another use for this site is to assign different poems to small groups of students and have them explicate them and then present them to the class. You could even shock the world of traditional English class or school video news announcements with a video "poetry break" during Poetry Month (April). Why not video the presentations and share them using a site such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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