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Building Schoolwide Literacy With Free Web 2.0 Tools: A Grade by Grade Elementary Model - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Source for Learning offers this model for elementary (or middle) schools to build skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening systematically in a schoolwide model including...more
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The Source for Learning offers this model for elementary (or middle) schools to build skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening systematically in a schoolwide model including students, teachers, and parents. The free Web 2.0 tools suggested here are by no means the only tools that might work. These exemplary tools were chosen by the TeachersFirst Editors for ease of use and versatility in classroom and home use and could easily be implemented at grade levels other than those suggested here. As students and teachers master a new tool at each grade level, they develop rich literacy skills and vital technology skills, all in the context of reading, writing, speaking and listening across the curriculum.
In the Classroom
Explore the tools and project suggestions by grade for your individual use as a teacher or work together with others in your school to build literacy across all subjects and grades by systematically adopting and repeatedly using a fixed collection of tools so students master the tool skills as an aside to reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Try the practical suggestions for implementing this model in your school or grade level team.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Web Resizer - webresizer.com
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
1 Comments
This site is quick, easy, requires no registration, and FREE. Upload your image to this site in order to create a smaller file size for use on other sites and ...more
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This site is quick, easy, requires no registration, and FREE. Upload your image to this site in order to create a smaller file size for use on other sites and applications as well as adding effects such as corner rounding, rotating, tinting, changing contrast/brightness, or adding borders/edges. Upload an image up to 5 MB to alter easily with this site. Web resizer automatically reduces the file size to create an optimized image. Be sure to click "apply changes" once you have finished making selections. Click "start over" to remove previous changes. Download the image easily in a JPEG format.
tag(s): images (268), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
Provide the link to this site for students to use in altering and resizing images for use in presentations and online applications. Be sure students understand the file size needed for the various sites that are used in class.Comments
Use this all the time. Easy to use and SO helpful. You can use online, don't have to download.Frances, CT, Grades: 6 - 8
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Safe Share TV - SafeShare.TV
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
This site allows you to safely share YouTube videos and crop the parts that you do not want from the video. The process is simple. Find a YouTube video that ...more
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This site allows you to safely share YouTube videos and crop the parts that you do not want from the video. The process is simple. Find a YouTube video that you would like to share with your students. Paste the link for the video into safe share TV, click to edit, and copy the link of your trimmed YouTube video. It can be pasted into powerpoint, webpages, social networking sites, and anything else you can think of! A safe and easy way to bring media into your class for free.
tag(s): noregistration (74), safety (63)
In the Classroom
Use this to put videos into your teaching presentations. Or, to help students create presentations without the typical YouTube distractions. Have students edit clips to include only the information that is relevant to their project. Or, add clips to your class webpage or wiki as part of homework assignments or discussions. You could even use a clip as a writing prompt.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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Jackson Pollack - Miltos Manetas
Grades
3 to 12
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Create your own piece of art using a style and technique similar to Jackson Pollack. Click on the screen to create art on the blank canvas. Just click your mouse ...more
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Create your own piece of art using a style and technique similar to Jackson Pollack. Click on the screen to create art on the blank canvas. Just click your mouse and watch the painting begin. Using your mouse, drag and click to disperse paint. Left-click to change the color of the paint. Right-click to save the image to your device.
tag(s): painting (49)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set on Jackson Pollack. Students can create a "painting" and share it with a partner or the class using a projector. Since the site paints via "mouse-overs," it can also work on interactive whiteboards that use a special "pen," but not on touch-sensitive ones, since these boards have no idea where your "mouse" is hovering. Research Jackson Pollack paintings and biographical information. Then go back to the site and have students again create a "painting" following Jackson Pollack's style. Have students explain why their painting follows Pollack's style. Create a class wiki to share paintings and explanations. Possibly compare these with images in other artist's styles. Want to learn more about wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Soft Schools - Soft Schools
Grades
K to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Soft Schools provides interactive quizzes and games for math, language arts, science, holidays, phonics, French, social studies, and more. Worksheets categorized under grade and subject...more
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Soft Schools provides interactive quizzes and games for math, language arts, science, holidays, phonics, French, social studies, and more. Worksheets categorized under grade and subject level make this a great teacher resource.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): calculators (36), grammar (139), quiz (64), quizzes (89)
In the Classroom
Save this site in your favorites on classroom computers and use it as a center. Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge prior to introducing a unit. Use it as a cumulative assessment by having students independently take a quiz and then print the results. Students can complete the quizzes and games independently or with a partner. After assessing students, create worksheets for students who may need more practice. Be sure to list this link on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom. Find a variety of calculators including windchill, cube root, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Goofram - goofram.com
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
Looking for the most from your search? Use Goofram to find the best of both Google and Wolfram alpha all in one place. View top Google searches using Safesearch as ...more
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Looking for the most from your search? Use Goofram to find the best of both Google and Wolfram alpha all in one place. View top Google searches using Safesearch as well as Wolfram alpha (which include definitions and abundant resources.)
tag(s): resources (79), search engines (42)
In the Classroom
This site is very simple to use. Simply type in the term you are searching and click "search."This site is as safe as any other search engine. Just be sure students are aware of the consequences of misusing the search engine.
Use Goofram the next time that you use search in your classes. Discuss the difference between each side of the screen where both parts appear. What is the advantage of Wolfram Alpha vs. Google? Use this site as you discuss how to search and use materials on the web. Practice showing different searches and aspects of the searches that are useful. Challenge students to use these sites for individual research projects.
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Stormboard - Edistorm.com
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Take brainstorming to a whole new level, including easy collaboration with others. Use Stormboard to place sticky notes, photos, and videos on a shared whiteboard. As you enter information...more
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Take brainstorming to a whole new level, including easy collaboration with others. Use Stormboard to place sticky notes, photos, and videos on a shared whiteboard. As you enter information on your sticky, new suggestions pop up along the bottom. Use this phenomenal aspect of Stormboard as suggestions by their "Idea Bots" may take you closer to your goal. Revisit "storms" as they are saved which adds more perspectives when viewing later. Let others' ideas incubate a bit and return to see what they have added. Free accounts allow up to 5 users, 1 administrator, and view only access with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Drive. Begin by entering the name of your storm, choosing privacy options, adding a description, and inviting users to join in (Stormboard members or by email). Type on the stickies. Drag them to arrange. Stormboard will suggest possible new stickies along the bottom. The center sticky on your screen will drive the "smart" suggestions. If Stormboard's suggestions take you away from your goal in your description, move another sticky into the center spot or close the suggestions area. Use the viewfinder to see where all your stickies are located. Group related ideas together by aligning them together or color-coding them. Contributors can drag an "idea vote" to mark the ideas that they like best. Click on the tab "Top Ideas" to view those with most votes. Click on "All Unrated" to view all, including those with no votes (great idea if you may have missed one).
tag(s): brainstorming (19), creative fluency (3), organizational skills (90)
In the Classroom
Consider creating a classroom account for use with your students. Require them to initial their stickies in order to know which idea is whose. Use for any decision-making activity such as "What kind of pet should I buy?" Also use to generate related vocabulary words about a topic by entering their first word and letting the "Idea Bots" suggest stickies along the bottom. This is especially good if students must find information for a presentation or learn about a particular theme or topic. Share this site with your gifted students to use for organization, brainstorming, or collaboration with others outside their class. Social studies classes could brainstorm on how they might travel back in time to solve a political crisis or avoid a war. Lit classes could "storm" better outcomes for a novel or play based on evidence from the first portion of the text (for example, what if Romeo and Juliet had used Stormboard first?). Many issue-based or ethics-based problems in Science and Health can also be organized, debated, and discussed in this space. Why are some ideas "Top rated" over others?Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
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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WordArt - WordArt.com
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This site takes any quotation or poem and creates a "word cloud" (graphical display) of the words in a passage of text. Paste in any passage or the URL for ...more
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This site takes any quotation or poem and creates a "word cloud" (graphical display) of the words in a passage of text. Paste in any passage or the URL for any blog entry or web page (including newspapers online) to create a word cloud of the text. Enhance basic word clouds by using this site to create clouds in various shapes, use mouse rollover options, use font effects, and more. Elevate your word clouds into an art form. Once registered, change your password by clicking the profile tab and entering your new password. Before creating a word cloud, agree to the terms that include only using appropriate content. Copy and paste a series of words or use the URL of a page where the words can be found. Choose a shape such as a heart, cloud, or geometric pattern. Choose a font and other options, then click "Build the Cloud." Preview your cloud before saving. WordArt.com is free for personal and non-commercial use. However, you can only download Standard Quality (SQ) images for free.
tag(s): images (268), vocabulary (251), word choice (12), word clouds (12)
In the Classroom
You must be able to copy and paste text or provide a URL to a page of text as well as determine parameters of more advanced word clouds. Alternately, these word clouds can be kept very simple. After creating the word cloud, be sure to save the image (or use a screen capture) to share with others. Another idea, use the url of the cloud or embed into a place to share such as blog, wiki, or site. This is a terrific visual tool to share on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Help students develop creative fluency by creating their own WordArt and ideas from scratch. Paste in a passage or URL for a political speech to visualize the politician's "message." Analyze advertising propaganda by visualizing the language used in TV or print ads. Create WordArt of historical texts of inauguration speeches as time capsules of the issues of the day. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or reading passages of great literature to "see" themes and motifs of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Students will be surprised to see what words appear to be dominant. ESL and ELL students will eagerly use this site since word order will no longer be a problem for them. Have students work in groups to create word posters of vocabulary words with related meanings, such as different ways to say "walk" or "said" and decorate your classroom with these visual reminders of the richness of language. Collect thoughts about the class subject at the beginning of the year and then again at the end of the year to determine changes in thoughts about the subject matter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Khan Academy - Sal Khan
Grades
4 to 12
9 Favorites
1 Comments
There are plenty of helpful sites to learn content. What makes this so special? Created by an uncle wanting to help his nieces learn material, Khan Academy has grown into ...more
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There are plenty of helpful sites to learn content. What makes this so special? Created by an uncle wanting to help his nieces learn material, Khan Academy has grown into a Creative Commons attributed site for helping all students. What information is available? Maybe one should ask: What are you looking for? View a vast array of videos on many topics: SAT prep, Algebra, Geometry, Chemistry, Biology, History, Trigonometry, Calculus, Economics, Brain Teasers, Banking and Money, Statistics, Finance, Physics, and more....Whew! The only problem? The videos are hosted on You Tube. If your district blocks You Tube, then they may not be viewable. Ed note: An alternative is to access Khan Academy through iTunes U FREE downloads, assuming you can load and access iTunes!
tag(s): atoms (45), cells (79), energy (139), functions (59), homework (26), matter (52), molecules (43), photosynthesis (18), respiration (10), structures (15)
In the Classroom
Share the site with your students in order to access at home for homework help. List this link on your class website. If you are unable to view this site on student computers but You Tube is unblocked for teachers, consider using a projector or interactive whiteboard to show to the whole class. Use your google account to log in once you click on the exercises link. From there, find access to exercises that students can complete that are related to each video. Encourage students to share links to specific videos they find helpful on a "Video Reviews" (yes, that is a pun) page of your class wiki. For a very real challenge, have students create their own simple review videos in the Khan Academy style using FlexClip, reviewed here. FlexClip is designed to allow you to create short animated or explainer videos to share on YouTube and other social media sites, then, upload to SchoolTube, reviewed here, TeacherTube, reviewed here, or YouTube, whichever works best in your school. Embed them on your class wiki for a year-to-year student-made study guide!Comments
Linda R., , Grades: 0 - 12
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Study Skills Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help students learn their most effective study strategies. The collection includes specific study tools, reading...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help students learn their most effective study strategies. The collection includes specific study tools, reading strategies, review ideas, and notetaking methods that students and teachers can try as lessons in themselves or --even better-- as they go about the regular curriculum. Whether you want to use a graphic organizer, create your own electronic flash cards, or simply learn how to approach a test, there is a resource to help. Learning Support teachers and teachers of gifted will also want to share these alternate ways for students to organize and retain concepts, vocabulary, and more.
In the Classroom
Make learning how to learn part of your class routine at any grade level and in any subject. Feature one or more new study strategy each month and share this entire list as a link from your class web page for students and parents to access both in and out of school.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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StoryCorps - Dave Isay
Grades
4 to 12
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0 Comments
StoryCorps is a nonprofit site where Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs can record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. It is one of the largest oral history ...more
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StoryCorps is a nonprofit site where Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs can record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. It is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind. At the site you can download a "Do it Yourself Guide", find resources for teachers, and a list of great questions. You can subscribe to their podcast, e-newsletter, and blog, or you can upload your own story or that of a loved one or friend for free. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
tag(s): questioning (37), writing (308)
In the Classroom
Grandparent's day is in September. What better gift to a grandparent than to be able to spend time with their grandchild and tell them a story about an important time in their lives? Of course, you'll want to prepare students with some interviewing skills and questions before they interview their grandparents, and show them how to record the interview with some type of recorder (tape recorder, cell phone, video camera, etc). This recording can then be submitted to StoryCorps and it will then reside at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Students can also interview parents about their first memories of school, and what they remember about the grade that the student is currently in. Share these interviews during the first week or month of the school year. Not only can these interviews be submitted to StoryCorp, but students could then do a write up of their interviews and publish them in a classroom book of memories. Have students create online books to share with the class about their interview. Use a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Or have students narrate a photo of the person they interviewed using a site such as ThingLink, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Brilliant Line - RISD Museum
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The beautiful, award-winning site explores the art of the engraving from the Renaissance and Baroque eras (1480-1650). Navigate through artworks, zooming in interactively as you read...more
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The beautiful, award-winning site explores the art of the engraving from the Renaissance and Baroque eras (1480-1650). Navigate through artworks, zooming in interactively as you read about the works, the artists, and the iconography of each work. An interactive map shows the location of the work, and a special "analyze lines" tool allows you to turn off and on each level of engraved line to see the work in layers of its complexity. There is also a video showing how the engraving process works. Many of the drawings of this time involve classical figure drawings (and some nudity).
tag(s): renaissance (38)
In the Classroom
Share this site on a projector or laptops so students can see the lines up close. This site would be an excellent way to introduce the power of line as a design element and as a way to form shading, contour, and more. Share the video on a projector to explain how these images were made. Beyond art and art history classes, this site also provides an interactive experience with the history of the Renaissance as part of a western heritage course. Descriptions are written at a very high reading level, so some assistance may be needed. Have students compare these works with other forms of art such as sculpture or painting from the Renaissance or perhaps write a blog post as an artist during the laborious process of producing an engraving. With middle school art classes, use the analyze lines tool for students to discover ways to use simple pen and ink or felt-tip markers to create rich drawings using only lines. Middle school students may not have the maturity to handle some of the figure drawings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Voice of America - Broadcasting Board of Governors
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Concerned about quality news? Voice of America's policy is to be a reliable and authoritative source of news. It claims accurate, objective, and comprehensive news reporting. It represents...more
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Concerned about quality news? Voice of America's policy is to be a reliable and authoritative source of news. It claims accurate, objective, and comprehensive news reporting. It represents all of America without more focus on some segments than others, providing balance in the news. Find the most recent and pressing news stories along the top. Search news stories divided by categories such as US, Africa, Asia, Americas, Europe, Middle East, Economy, Education, Arts and Entertainment, Health, Environment, and more. View interactive resources such as a You Tube channel, podcasts, webcasts, and newsletters.
tag(s): news (221)
In the Classroom
View news stories and compare them to similar stories in different news media. Discuss the differences and similarities of these stories and use a Venn diagram to portray. Try using the tool "Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram" (reviewed here).Discuss the focus of each article and reasons for the focus. Answer what the reporter is trying to convince and possible bias in various stories. Create an essay, letter, or blog post outlining viewpoints and linking these various sources for greater understanding of issues and how they are represented in the media. Have students share their letters or essays on a podcast using a tool such as (reviewed here).
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D Day Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 12
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0 Comments
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students honor D Day and the important events of World War II through related projects and...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students honor D Day and the important events of World War II through related projects and classroom activities. Whether you focus on D Day for one class or spend an entire unit on World War II, the ideas included within the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and meaningful projects for student-centered learning. Take your classes through the longest day to understand World War II.
tag(s): d day (11)
In the Classroom
Share this collection as the basis of a research project on D Day or as one of several for World War II. Choose from various project options in the reviews.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Newsvine - Newsvine
Grades
7 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
For those of us just venturing into Web 2.0, it's sometimes hard to know how to categorize a site: is it a social networking site? Is it a news site? ...more
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For those of us just venturing into Web 2.0, it's sometimes hard to know how to categorize a site: is it a social networking site? Is it a news site? Newsvine is a "bottom up" news aggregator site. Those who read news stories anywhere else on the web are encouraged to upload them to Newsvine. The stories that are uploaded most often are the ones that display most prominently in the Newsvine feed. You can either read Newsvine as a way of getting some quick snapshots of the news (and the Newsvine "live" feed goes by so fast you can hardly keep up with it!), or you can join Newsvine as a member and write your own blog/column about the news. The "leaderboard" link takes you to the most popular writers. There is a "Code of Honor" that writers and users are asked to follow which prohibits hate speech and advertising, but there is no agreement about whether the columns are "kid friendly" or not, so preview this carefully before you decide whether your students should be accessing this site.
tag(s): news (221)
In the Classroom
For students who are interested in current events, Newsvine is a good source of up-to-the-minute stories from across the web, all viewpoints, and all perspectives. If it seems appropriate for your students, it could be one of your favorites that students can access during self-directed time, or when they are looking to extend a lesson with current information. There is advertising, but it's not too intrusive. Use this site as one of several current event options when you ask students to find real world connections to curriculum topics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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US Geography Map Games - Shepard Software
Grades
2 to 8
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This site contains several interactive geography activities. Interactives are broken down into the categories of Capitals, States, and Landscapes. Each of those categories has several...more
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This site contains several interactive geography activities. Interactives are broken down into the categories of Capitals, States, and Landscapes. Each of those categories has several levels that are guaranteed to challenge all learners.
tag(s): capitals (14), landforms (35), map skills (68), maps (222), states (128)
In the Classroom
This site can be used in many ways. Use the tutorials on an interactive whiteboard or projector with the whole group to introduce the site. When using as a whole group, provide students with a map so everyone can participate in the activity. The site can then be used as a center, for individual work in a computer lab or can be assigned as a challenge activity for advanced learners. If your students are learning the regions of the United States, state capitals, state locations, or landforms, be sure to list this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. There are some ads but they are not overwhelming.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pennies for Peace - Central Asia Institute
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Inspire students to believe they can make a difference in the world. "Pennies for Peace" is an international service-learning project that does not ask families to contribute large...more
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Inspire students to believe they can make a difference in the world. "Pennies for Peace" is an international service-learning project that does not ask families to contribute large sums of money. The author of the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, and his young daughter Amira believe that by donating pennies children can help support education in Afghanistan and Pakistan while simultaneously promoting peace.
Register to receive a free, extensive toolkit that shows how to implement the campaign, provides background resources and curriculum materials. The toolkit is grouped by the grade levels, K-4, 4-8, and 9-12. The Pennies for Peace Curriculum directly links to grade level standards in social studies, math, and literacy. In order to participate schools need to register on-line. There is a page for "kids" that provides facts about a typical village and school and background information about Pakistan and Afghanistan. The tool kit contains videos and photographs as well as maps from National Geographic that are free for download. The videos will take participants through the steps of implementing the project to interviewing Greg Mortenson, possible classroom applications, and short clips to support sections of their curriculum. Address core subjects such as social studies, math, history, geography, science and language arts while enhancing cultural awareness in your students.
Register to receive a free, extensive toolkit that shows how to implement the campaign, provides background resources and curriculum materials. The toolkit is grouped by the grade levels, K-4, 4-8, and 9-12. The Pennies for Peace Curriculum directly links to grade level standards in social studies, math, and literacy. In order to participate schools need to register on-line. There is a page for "kids" that provides facts about a typical village and school and background information about Pakistan and Afghanistan. The tool kit contains videos and photographs as well as maps from National Geographic that are free for download. The videos will take participants through the steps of implementing the project to interviewing Greg Mortenson, possible classroom applications, and short clips to support sections of their curriculum. Address core subjects such as social studies, math, history, geography, science and language arts while enhancing cultural awareness in your students.
tag(s): critical thinking (180), cross cultural understanding (177), service projects (17)
In the Classroom
Launch this campaign together as a school-wide effort or keep it to your classroom. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. The toolkit gives very concrete lesson plans to follow fully or just in parts. One example is for younger students to examine a map of the area in which they live and then compare that to where children in Pakistan live. Essential questions such as "How does where we live effect how we live?" and "What are the similarities and differences between these places?" Ask students to visit the site and enhance their learning by creating an interactive book using a tool like Ourboox, reviewed here, about both geographic locations. Older students can extend their learning by creating an interactive map with a tool like Zeemaps, reviewed here. Use the printable images from this site for your bulletin boards. Older students can participate in book clubs that read either Greg Mortenson's original book Three Cups of Tea or his new book Stones to Schools There is a version of his book for Younger Readers, Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World...One Child at a Time which includes photos and illustrations and a children's picture book Listen to the Wind that may be useful for introducing the project.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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openverse - Word Press - Creative Commons
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Find digital images that are available for use without violating copyright. This search tool finds images licensed under Creative Commons. While most major search engines offer advanced...more
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Find digital images that are available for use without violating copyright. This search tool finds images licensed under Creative Commons. While most major search engines offer advanced features to filter content by copyright status, the CC search website makes it easy and convenient. Be sure to READ the information about verifying licensing. The results provide extensive options that can be legally (and ethically) used in wikis, blogs, reports, and more, as long as you provide the attribution information. What a fabulous tool for students to use for interactive or traditional projects!
tag(s): copyright (42), creative commons (28), images (268)
In the Classroom
Teaching students to understand and respect the copyright of digital information can be complicated and overwhelming. The first step in helping students understand digital copyright is to have them explore the terms of use and copyright for a variety of information. Create a scavenger hunt for students to find the terms of service and/or copyright for common websites. Once they realize that not all information is "free" for them to use, introduce the Creative Commons website and the symbols used to describe how the content is licensed. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to demonstrate how to search using the CC search site. Perform searches that yield results that show several different types of licenses. Discuss each type using scenarios of how users can and cannot use information. As an extension activity for this site, students can create their own work and publish it using a Creative Commons license. The work can be as simple as using a digital picture or as complex as creating a derivative artwork, such as a collage or a "photoshopped" image. It can be published on a commercial site, such as Flickr, or on your school webpage. Make sure to follow any school guidelines before publishing student work. Perhaps you can create a class wiki of annotated creative images created by students with explanations of where they found the "parts" and how they created the original works from these parts. What an excellent model to share with future students, as well. Teachers will also appreciate being able to find images you can freely use on class web pages and in online project samples, etc. (with attribution).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Head Magnet
Grades
3 to 12
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0 Comments
HeadMagnet is a new twist on flashcards. You can create flashcards for any subject that you wish or use cards already available on the site. Once the cards are made, ...more
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HeadMagnet is a new twist on flashcards. You can create flashcards for any subject that you wish or use cards already available on the site. Once the cards are made, there are different study modes to choose - slide show, self-test and normal (type in responses). Study sessions can even be timed. After completing the study session HeadMagnet predicts which items will need more study time, enabling you to spend more time on material that hasn't been learned yet. Study lists can be shared with others, and you can search for already created materials. After completion of a study session, you can access statistics that show your overall memory of the material. You need to register to create your own materials, but all items are free. Registration requires and email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
tag(s): flash cards (46)
In the Classroom
Create flashcards for any subject to review material being learned in class. Use this as a review for vocabulary before tests. As a pre-assessment, create a study list to use on the interactive whiteboard or projector to find out what students already know. Provide this link on your class website for students to use to create flashcards both in and out of your classroom. Learning support teachers may want to show students how to create their own cards. The process of creating the will actually reinforce skills, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Anne Frank House - The Anne Frank Stichting
Grades
5 to 12
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The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive ...more
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The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive on this website. Starting with 1940 photographs of the building known as Opekta factory, see and learn how the office space was transformed into the Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid for more than two years until the betrayal and arrest by the Nazis. Find out about the four employees who risked their lives to make the hiding possible. The rooms of the Secret Annex have been preserved in their authentic state and salvaged documents and objects belonging to the eight people in hiding are on display. Three short films are included on the website to place the significance of this personal story in a historical context. See Anne Frank's hiding place in 3D and meet the people that helped those hidden inside. After clicking on the secret bookcase, you will be taken behind the scenes of the house to see how Anne and others lived in the communal room, the front office, the attic and more. View the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures.
tag(s): 1930s (40), 1940s (70), 20th century (169), anne frank (8), holocaust (42), remembrance day (4), women (189), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to take your class on a virtual field trip to Amsterdam to visit the Secret Annex where they can realize what it was actually like for Anne Frank's family and four others to live inside a hidden space, with the constant fear of being discovered by the Nazis. Help the words in Anne's diary come alive by showing what the outside and inside of the building looked like, by viewing the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures. Students will be more likely to relate to Anne as a real person, instead of a fictional character, and admire her optimism, courage, and resiliency. Use this to initiate journal entries for students to reflect on how they would handle two years of hiding and sharing a small space with others, as well as what they would do to remain positive, or use the online exhibit to shed some light on a dark period in history and to strengthen the personal account of the hiding period and the deportation to the camps. Assign class members to read about one of the house members or helpers to research, then have them write a diary (or blog entry) from that person's point of view. Assign teams to debate who was the most important member of the household or if this situation could take place in today's society. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Have groups compare two people they learned about using a tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here). Create a class wiki for students to share their journal articles and respond to others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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