3221 reading results | sort by:
return to subject listing
Social Studies for Kids
Grades
1 to 8
5 Favorites
0 Comments
This is a general "go-to" website all about social studies. There is information about current events, culture, holidays, languages, religion, economics, geography, maps, government,...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This is a general "go-to" website all about social studies. There is information about current events, culture, holidays, languages, religion, economics, geography, maps, government, U.S. presidents, timelines, and many other social studies topics. The highlight of this website is the Current Events segment. This is an easy way to incorporate age-appropriate current events in your classroom.
Note: an annoying audio ad plays when you first enter the site. Turn OFF your sound!
Note: an annoying audio ad plays when you first enter the site. Turn OFF your sound!
tag(s): holidays (292), maps (220), presidents (151), renaissance (36), timelines (60)
In the Classroom
Use the current events segment as weekly discussion starter or assignment in your social studies class. Share this link on your teacher web page for students to access outside of class. To really build a stronger sense of current events, start a class year-long current events "log" on a wiki and have a differnet student write a "week in review" each week throughout the year, based on the current events provided here or others he/she may know about. Reading teachers may also want to use the articles on this site to teach informational text reading skills on an interactive whiteboard. Reading levels are challenging for grades 1-3. Teachers will need to provide help by reading aloud or partnering readers.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Myth, Legend, Fable - Snaith Primary School
Grades
1 to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This website provides descriptions and examples of myths, legends, and fables. The stories are from all around the world. The comprehension levels vary from early elementary school...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This website provides descriptions and examples of myths, legends, and fables. The stories are from all around the world. The comprehension levels vary from early elementary school through primary (grade levels are listed with the stories). At first glance, this website may appear too juvenile for middle school students. However, many of the activities and stories are quite age-appropriate and would be both educational and enjoyable for middle school classrooms.
tag(s): folktales (34)
In the Classroom
Incorporate this website into your mythology or folktale unit. Make a shortcut to this site on your desktop and use it as a center. The website would also work well with cooperative learning groups or class activities (don't forget your interactive whiteboard).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods - Ralph Lengler and Martin J. Eppler
Grades
8 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Who says the chemistry department can monopolize the periodic table? This site highlights various charts, graphic organizers, tables, and other ways to express information visually....more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Who says the chemistry department can monopolize the periodic table? This site highlights various charts, graphic organizers, tables, and other ways to express information visually. The presentation makes the sell (or better grade). Teachers, especially secondary school, will appreciate this page to show the various ways to make their students' presentations more meaningful. Those who teach advanced reading skills and how to interpret visual data will love all the examples, as well. Hold your mouse or cursor over each square of the periodic table to view each type of visual.
tag(s): design (77), graphic organizers (60), mind map (31), periodic table (47)
In the Classroom
Viewing this with the entire class will be more effective with the interactive whiteboard or projector. Teachers in any subject will find this site invaluable in teaching how to make strong visuals for oral or written presentations. What powerful evidence for multiple intelligences! Your visual/spatial students will LOVE this one, and others will learn to build that intelligence. Try these same strategies in YOUR PowerPoint presentations to communicate ideas visually, without being "powerpointless" at back to school night!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Quizlet: The End of Flashcards - Brainflare: Andrew Sutherland
Grades
3 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
This easy-to-understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This easy-to-understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study in any language or content area. Students may choose to create study sets, electronic tests, or a networking page, which allows them to interact and learn with others who share the same interests. Teachers or students can create groups to share word lists. Use this tool from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. The iOS and Android app practice tests can include multiple-choice, true/false, or written questions. Turn on "Instant Feedback" (new feature for the apps) that will give real-time feedback on right/wrong answers as you go, or wait and get your score at the end. As wonderful as this technology is, the most remarkable thing about Quizlet might be in its history--its creator was a high school student who tells his inspiring story and shares his blog through links at this site.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (133), flash cards (47), Formative Assessment (44), quiz (58), spelling (92), vocabulary (255), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Membership asks for an email. Email allows you to notify others that you want to share a word list or activity with them. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail subaccounts, explained here. This tells how to configure Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. This would provide anonymous interaction within your class. KEEP A LIST of students' usernames (non-identifying) and passwords, in case they forget them! If you already use Google Classroom with your students, it only takes a few minutes to get them set up with a Quizlet Class.Quizlet has a very thorough "Help Center" to get the idea of how the site works. Save your "sets" and decide whether you want them to be entirely public, just for you personally, or shared with a "group." The new version of "study sets" allows you to scan your notes with your phone or tablet and create study sets designed for your specific needs. You can now highlight main ideas, underline key concepts and bold important study terms to create custom content. Create your own groups for each class or subject. Be sure to note the fact that you can upload vocabulary lists by copying/pasting from various formats--- a time saver! Use this tool easily in your BYOD classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have.
Content and English teachers may set up their personal network of users. Pretest your gifted students and allow them to "test out" of material they already know. Learning support teachers will want their students to create their own Quizlet sets and help learn them in the process! Teachers may create their own sets of words, or let students do the work for themselves and each other. Use the interactive whiteboard for quick flashcards or electronic testing using your sets. World language and ESL/ELL teachers will find many word sets already built and ready to use at this site. If you team teach with others at your grade level, take turns making the online Quizlets to accompany your science or social studies chapters. Be SURE to share this tool on your teacher's web page for students to use at home.
Be sure to see the classroom quiz game for groups, Quizlet Live (from the creator of Quizlet), reviewed here.
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
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
World News - WN Network
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
This is a wonderful compilation site of news from all over the world. Users can read the home page or search news of a specific geographic region. An ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This is a wonderful compilation site of news from all over the world. Users can read the home page or search news of a specific geographic region. An excellent plus here is the ability to choose to read the news in a variety of languages. World Photos today, multimedia, global weather, and sports are just a few of the many attractive sections that add to this site's appeal.
tag(s): news (223)
In the Classroom
Share this site with your school's foreign language teachers. Have students do comparisons between English and foreign language versions of the news. If you teach writing, you can find controversial topics as writing prompts for persuasive writing among the articles, as well, and have students find facts to support their positions. Make this site available from your teacher web page for current events assignments. Reading teachers will want to use the articles on an interactive whiteboard to teach main idea and summarizing: highlight key words to use in a main idea or summary sentence you write together below the article.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities - icebreakers.ws
Grades
K to 12
22 Favorites
0 Comments
Start the first day of school or a new marking period with a getting-to-know-you activity from this great, searchable collection. The activities are designed for all ages, so some will...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Start the first day of school or a new marking period with a getting-to-know-you activity from this great, searchable collection. The activities are designed for all ages, so some will not work well with very young ones (such as writing things on slips of paper). The site is easy to navigate and sorts ideas by group size and activity level for easy retrieval. There are also activity suggestions for Zoom if you use distance and remote learning. You are invited to submit your own ideas. Since the site is designed for general use, not for schools, some ideas may be impractical in a classroom setting but could be easily adapted. Substitutes - check out some of these icebreakers, the kids will love them....and you! Warning: By clicking the "Download Templates - Free" you will go out of the Icebreaker website to the Shift website that has templates (unrelated to icebreakers) for free.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (56), firstday (27), newbies (9), remote learning (32), substitutes (25)
In the Classroom
New or veteran teachers who want students to get to know each other as they enter a new school (starting middle school, for example), want to observe them so YOU get to know them, or need to build better team skills with a challenging class or club, will find ideas to try. Mark this one as a Favorite so you can find it again, since "first day" activities tend to get lost in the flurry -- and in the fading memory -- during the year.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Mem Fox: Teaching, Learning, Living - Mem Fox
Grades
K to 7
4 Favorites
0 Comments
This author page offers plenty of ideas for helping kids enjoy reading and includes many stories. Hear Mem Fox reading her own stories. She advises on how to read ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This author page offers plenty of ideas for helping kids enjoy reading and includes many stories. Hear Mem Fox reading her own stories. She advises on how to read to children and gives excellent examples. This author page has many good suggestions for promoting literacy and love of reading. There is also a section of advice on writing your own picture book for children.
In the Classroom
Create a shortcut to Mem reading aloud on your classroom computer for a center activity for primary grades, and place a copy of Mem's book there for students to follow along. Print Mem's suggestions for reading aloud to give to parents at conferences, or share this site on your teacher home page so parents and students can access it from home. For older students, this site is an excellent resource for planning cross-grade reading activities for Read Across America or other special times, including having middle school students write picture books for young students, then share them at an in-person visit or on a podcast recording using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Use PowerPoint Online, Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here since slides are an easy way to "create" and share large-format picture books electronically.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Kids Book Club Book - Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This site, a companion to a print book, focuses on ideas and activities for book clubs, including short summaries of books, recipes, and activities paired up with featured books. ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This site, a companion to a print book, focuses on ideas and activities for book clubs, including short summaries of books, recipes, and activities paired up with featured books. Books included are of many levels and genres, all of high interest for children. Children's authors write some of the book reviews; book club members are welcome to list their book club, book descriptions, and activities on the site as well. Links include an author section with a comprehensive list of authors who will speak to your book clubs by phone and authors and illustrators willing to visit your school.
In the Classroom
Find food ideas and activities to promote reading on this site! Mention this site to your school librarian for use with school book clubs. FCS teachers may want to coordinate some of the recipes with books featured in language arts class. Parents would appreciate the link on your teacher web page or newsletter so they can encourage reading at home. Your school parent organization can find great ideas, as well. Make this link part of your family literacy treasury.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Little Critter World Wide Network - Mercer Mayer
Grades
K to 3
3 Favorites
0 Comments
The Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer have more to offer on this site. Listen to the author read stories, join in with sing-alongs (turn up your speakers!), watch ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
The Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer have more to offer on this site. Listen to the author read stories, join in with sing-alongs (turn up your speakers!), watch videos of the books, and find games, art, and other activities on this great website. The Interactive Read and Play Ativities and the Sing Along require Shockwave and Flash, but this site has a lot more to offer. Students can also read about the author and even write a letter to Little Critter. This is a great reading reinforcement site!
tag(s): preK (327)
In the Classroom
Select items on this site to use as a center or whole-class activity after you read a Little Critter book to your class. Share this link on your teacher web page and/or in a parent newsletter for those who love these books. ESL students will enjoy listening to having the books read as they follow along on the pages of the book. You will want to be sure that students steer clear of the "store" section where Little Critter items are sold.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Proverbia.net - Vicent Jorda
Grades
3 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Finally, a rich resource of proverbs to use for classroom bulletin boards, quotes of the day, and, most importantly: teaching figurative language and idioms. Find proverbs alphabetically,...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Finally, a rich resource of proverbs to use for classroom bulletin boards, quotes of the day, and, most importantly: teaching figurative language and idioms. Find proverbs alphabetically, by topic, or by author. Click for the Spanish version of the site, as well. Spanish teachers will love this way of teaching the nuances of the language. If you teach about Ben Franklin, you could spend a full class on his proverbial sayings found here. ESL/ELL students will benefit from exposure to the idioms included in the proverbs, as well.
tag(s): figurative language (19), franklin (12), idioms (29), spanish (112)
In the Classroom
Ask students to find three proverbs unknown to them and explain them visually on a PowerPoint slide (can easily be printed into a big book or poster). Feature a proverb a week in your classroom or on a bulletin board to build analogous thinking, cultural literacy, and inferencing skills as you ask students to explain what it means. This will gently ease your concrete thinkers into broader understanding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Placing Characters on Trial - Sharon B. Jenkins and Jennifer H. Slinger
Grades
8 to 11
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Placing Characters on Trail aligned to the novel "Of Mice and Men" will teach students in grades 6-12 a greater understanding of the moral implications of the characters' actions, how...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Placing Characters on Trail aligned to the novel "Of Mice and Men" will teach students in grades 6-12 a greater understanding of the moral implications of the characters' actions, how to judge characters' actions citing evidence from the novel itself and the basics of the jury trial system taking on roles as lawyers, defendants, plaintiffs, jury members, and judges. The lesson includes an Overview, Materials Needed/Preparation, Estimated Time, Procedures, Post Activity/Takeaways/Follow Up and Assessment. The lesson is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The lesson can be downloaded as a Word Document.
tag(s): branches of government (70), civil rights (223), debate (39), literature (215)
In the Classroom
As you plan to teach the novel, set aside the time to do this webquest, or intersperse the steps during the time spent reading. Students will have more of a purpose in their reading. If you do not teach "Of Mice and Men," consider using some of the links from this webquest to make a similar activity for a "trial" of a character from another book. Most of the work has been done here. Simply create a word processing document with your own directions and the links for students to use or put your new webquest in the form of a PowerPoint show with links from there so students can navigate the task.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Activities: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
TeachersFirst offers a chapter-by-chapter set of activities for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Designed to be used after each chapter, the activities include science searches,...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
TeachersFirst offers a chapter-by-chapter set of activities for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Designed to be used after each chapter, the activities include science searches, writing, and art projects suitable for individual or group use. The ideas and activities ask you to respond, extend, discuss, create, and more. There is simply no better way to try new "After Reading" strategies. Don't miss this great collection as a way to encourage anyone to get the most from reading and re-reading a new favorite. Find links to two other sets of Harry Potter book activities on the Intro page.
tag(s): harry potter (9)
In the Classroom
Share this link on your teacher web page or in a parent newsletter, if you don't have time to do all the activities at school. Ask students to design their own activities to accompany other Harry Potter books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
ESL Lessons and Help - Karin M. Cintron
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Originally written for ESL students to practice language skills, these interactive quizzes are very useful for allowing all levels of students to test their skills online in a nonthreatening...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Originally written for ESL students to practice language skills, these interactive quizzes are very useful for allowing all levels of students to test their skills online in a nonthreatening way. These interactive quizzes seem to touch on all bases from business English to grammar to vocabulary (including idioms), making them great for either pretesting, practice or review. They also allow the teacher to individualize what students need from a variety of choices.
In the Classroom
Assign individual or mini-lesson practice on laptops or a computer cluster in your classroom after grading writing assignments or while studying grammar. Learning support and ESL teachers will also like the extra practice options to help students with grammar skills and idioms. Since there is no "scoring" function, you may want students to raise hands and SHOW you how they did as they complete activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Women in Poetry - Carolyn Kohli/The Academy of American Poets
Grades
9 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This unit (an extensive set of lesson plans) uses both critical writing and the Internet to explore women in poetry. It helps to make students familiar with the work of ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This unit (an extensive set of lesson plans) uses both critical writing and the Internet to explore women in poetry. It helps to make students familiar with the work of women poets and confident in understanding poetry. Students get practice reading poems critically, learn technical poetry vocabulary, do research on the web, write responses, and more. Examples of themes explored in the unit include "Entering the Darkness Out of Childhood," "Voices of the Mothers," and "The Body Electric." The culminating project is creating a webpage. The lesson plans are very detailed, so that even teachers reluctant about teaching poetry will engage their students with this literary form.
In the Classroom
Choose the lesson options that best meet your needs and time limits or simply use the research and project portions. Although the site suggests making a web page on your school server, a wiki would be an easy place to create the culminating projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Newpapers in Education - Capital Newspapers
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This wonderful collection of lesson plans and activities using e-newspapers offers a wide variety of motivating plans including how to use different sections of the newspaper for educational...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This wonderful collection of lesson plans and activities using e-newspapers offers a wide variety of motivating plans including how to use different sections of the newspaper for educational purposes and how to match curricular content an levels with various newspaper activities. A Special Report section offers timely, short-term projects that correspond with STEM and current hot topics.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (67), fashion (14), news (223), newspapers (87), sports (90)
In the Classroom
All of the lessons described here require online versions of newspapers, but you may be able to find any article in a hard copy newspaper as well. You could also use online newspapers from this resource to find online papers and conduct some of the same lessons. In the course of the discussion, or possible read the article from a different point of view, a topic of basic information literacy in the 21st century.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Braingle: Brain Teasers, Puzzles, Riddles and More - Braingle
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Exercise your gray matter by solving one of the 12,000 'braingles' at this site. It purports to be the largest collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, etc, on the ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Exercise your gray matter by solving one of the 12,000 'braingles' at this site. It purports to be the largest collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, etc, on the Internet. Once you explore the site, you trust their word. The site is mobile phone and wii-friendly. Don't miss the section with SAT vocab (in Mentalrobics). There are articles on study skills and strategies such as clearing your mind before studying, "chunking" when reading, or various strategies to memorize material. Engage students into math and reading exercises through the endless riddles and puzzles at this site. They won't even be aware they are 'reading' or 'solving math.'
tag(s): brain (59), puzzles (176), riddles (15), vocabulary (255)
In the Classroom
Start class with a "warm-up" brain teaser. Or include this link on your teacher web page (with a caution about parental supervision for younger ones). Site creators claim the entire site is family-friendly, safe for classroom use. Portions of the site require membership, and the membership level that displays ads is free. You may want to set up a CLASS account and use it under controlled circumstances since there are forums and chat rooms, however. Or ask your tech folks to block the portion of the site that includes "community" in the URL (http://www.braingle.com/community/) to avoid having to deal with forums, chat rooms, etc.(If you are lucky enough to have such helpful tech support, make them cookies once in awhile!)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Mr. Nussbaum's Language Arts - Greg Nussbaum
Grades
1 to 6
5 Favorites
0 Comments
This page out of Mr. Nussbaum's extensive educational resource site offers teachers an abundance of interactive language arts activities. Play games, work crossword puzzles, take comprehension...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This page out of Mr. Nussbaum's extensive educational resource site offers teachers an abundance of interactive language arts activities. Play games, work crossword puzzles, take comprehension quizzes, or become a sentence surgeon at the click of your mouse. Topics include ABC order, contractions, cloze activities for comprehension, phonics, spelling, and much more. Mr. Nussbaum, of course, would like for you sign up for the $18 a year membership for more activities, but he's generously given teachers many free options at this site. You need the latest version of Flash to use some of the interactive games. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
tag(s): grammar (143), literacy (122), puzzles (176), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Make this site available on your classroom computer or cluster for practice and reinforcement. Many of the activities would also work well as whole-class lessons on a projector or whiteboard, followed by individual practice. Don't forget to put the link on your teacher web page, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Simple English Wikipedia - Wikipedia Foundation
Grades
3 to 10
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Simple English Wikipedia is a new production of Wikipedia, focused on readers and learners with less vocabulary than native speakers of English. According to the producer, the pages...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Simple English Wikipedia is a new production of Wikipedia, focused on readers and learners with less vocabulary than native speakers of English. According to the producer, the pages featured here contain simpler words and shorter sentences than the regular Wiki pages. The number of pages is more limited as well, though this should grow with educators and learners contributing information. Another difference is that any slangs or idiomatic language is carefully explained to accommodate the ELL reader. The HELP pages explain how to write and submit articles for Simple English Wikipedia and have suggestions for simplifying English.
tag(s): writing (309)
In the Classroom
Share this site with your school ESL teachers as well as classroom teachers who may have ESL students who are involved in researching and possibly even writing new articles. Bookmark this for your classroom computer. If you do recommend wikipedia as a source for research, be sure to have the discussion about its unknown authorship and usefulness as a general information tool but not as a "scholarly" resource. As a challenge to your better writers, consider asking them to write entries that you can submit to this encyclopedia on classroom topics in simpler English. They will have to analyze their own language and writing style with far greater scrutiny than ever before. Or have the class create a two-version wiki glossary of your own on curriculum topics in any discipline, using this as a model for the "easy reading" side.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Teaching That Makes Sense - Steve Peha
Grades
4 to 10
6 Favorites
0 Comments
This is an exciting site for teachers because of the practical worksheets and ideas that absolutely fill it. It is geared to writing, particularly writing about what we read. While...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This is an exciting site for teachers because of the practical worksheets and ideas that absolutely fill it. It is geared to writing, particularly writing about what we read. While it may seem geared for intermediate and middle school students, it has a lot to offer to older students as well-- particularly ones who are not good writers and need more engaging, closer work to become better writers. In light of NCLB, this is a great site for working with slow or disabled older students or really just any students who need to become better communicators.
tag(s): writing (309)
In the Classroom
The PDF files that are downloadable from this site are great! It is divided into 6 sections that you can use to plan, or you can use portions directly with students in a lab or on laptops. Have students do different parts of the same projects, working from the templates provided. A great exercise for older students is to go through the writing samples and evaluate them as a class. Since there are multiple examples posted, it would be an excellent lesson to work with an interactive whiteboard. The ideas are limited only by your imagination!
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Leveled Books Database - A to Z Teacher Stuff, LLC
Grades
K to 6
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This comprehensive database for determining the level of books is a MUST for elementary and reading teachers. Just type in the book's title, and this handy tool tells you ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This comprehensive database for determining the level of books is a MUST for elementary and reading teachers. Just type in the book's title, and this handy tool tells you the level for guided reading, Accelerated Reader, and/or Reading Recovery.
tag(s): guided reading (31)
In the Classroom
The database of books is vast. The Lexile level of the text is not provided. This offers a level comparison table for general knowledge. The usefulness of knowing the level of books for guided reading, AR, or RR deems the site very worthy, especially since it is so fast and easy to use. The site offers to connect you to Amazon to buy the books, but simply being able to look up books you already have is very helpful---and free! TeachersFirst members who teach reading will certainly want to make it a Favorite.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form