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AllSides - John Gable
Grades
4 to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
Look at political, national and international issues from all sides: left, right, and center. Colored banners identify the perspective. Current content focuses on political discussions,...more
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Look at political, national and international issues from all sides: left, right, and center. Colored banners identify the perspective. Current content focuses on political discussions, find other topics by clicking the Topics menu tab at the top. There you'll find health care, finances, parenting, abortion, gun control, and many others. Choose from different tabs to view issues, bias, and the site's blog. Especially interesting is the bias section. Readers rate their own bias on several issues to determine their bias toward left, center, or right. Don't miss the Schools tab. Email signup is available to become involved with the site but isn't necessary to access all of the articles and content.
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tag(s): elections (87), evaluating sources (54), media literacy (130), politics (121)
In the Classroom
This is an excellent site to easily find topics presented from various points of view. Use articles with students to demonstrate point of view in writing, bias in media, or for students to use as points for debates. Use an online tool such as Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to create a visual comparison of different points of view.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Sub Hub - Rachel Friedrich
Grades
K to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
This blog offers ideas and resources to help substitute teachers make the most out of every day. It includes practical ideas such as what to bring to school as a ...more
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This blog offers ideas and resources to help substitute teachers make the most out of every day. It includes practical ideas such as what to bring to school as a substitute (who would have thought to bring your own "teacher-friendly" pencil sharpener?). There are also free k-5 lesson plans. The best part is all of the tips, support, and stories provided for substitute teachers "in the trenches." Although geared toward elementary teachers, ideas and suggestions are appropriate for any grade level.
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tag(s): classroom management (147), newbies (9), substitutes (25)
In the Classroom
Regular classroom teachers might want to share this in their emergency lesson plans for subs. Substitutes, don't go into the classroom empty handed. Bookmark this useful website (or make it a TeachersFirst Favorite so you can find it anytime) and be prepared for the unexpected! New teachers and student teachers can learn from the many tips. If you are mentoring or working with a student teacher, share some of these ideas. For even more, be sure to check out Teachers First's Ideas and Resources for Substitutes here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TagCrowd: Make Your Own Tag Cloud From Any Text - Daniel Steinbock
Grades
K to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
TagCrowd is a web application to visualize word frequencies in any text through creation of a word cloud, text cloud, or tag cloud. Simply type or paste in any text, ...more
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TagCrowd is a web application to visualize word frequencies in any text through creation of a word cloud, text cloud, or tag cloud. Simply type or paste in any text, import from any website, or upload a file to begin the word cloud. Choose from options such as language to use, limit number of words, exclude words based on frequency, or exclude unwanted words. Save as a PDF, print, or embed the finished image using links included with the finished product. The most frequently used words appear larger and in a bold font.
tag(s): speech (66), vocabulary (253), word clouds (12)
In the Classroom
This is a great visual tool to use. Take a poll and have your students type their answers into the word cloud builder. Then display on an interactive whiteboard or projector and see which answer was the most popular. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or to "see" themes of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Use this site to surprise students with words that appear often in their writing. 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. More ideas for primary grades: Dolch words, class names, numbers to 20, words with the same beginning letters, collection of ALL the words that hang in the classroom (so students can walk around and find/touch them on a laminated Word cloud card in their hands), or any collection of similar words.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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KidsTV123 - YouTube Channel - KidsTV123
Grades
K to 3
3 Favorites
0 Comments
KidsTV123 offers a great YouTube channel with over 100 early learning videos. Find learning videos about time, colors, letters, spelling, states, and many other skills. There is a wide...more
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KidsTV123 offers a great YouTube channel with over 100 early learning videos. Find learning videos about time, colors, letters, spelling, states, and many other skills. There is a wide variety of topics, making this site very useful in nearly any K-3 classroom or for children at home. Video lengths run from 1-3 minutes, making them great for young students. Hover your mouse over the right-hand corner of each video icon to view the length. Sort by date added (old to new or new to old) or most popular. Subscribe to the KidsTV123 channel to receive notification of new videos or click on the Watch Later link to add to your YouTube watch list. (You must have a YouTube membership to subscribe or watch later.) The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, these videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): alphabet (46), alphabetical order (9), animals (283), colors (64), counting (59), countries (69), dental health (14), phonics (53), preK (328), spelling (92), states (128), time (98)
In the Classroom
View videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you allow students to explore on their own, take caution since they could click and go elsewhere on YouTube. To share a single video safely at a center, use a tool such as Nicer Tube, reviewed here, and create a shortcut to the View Pure page directly on the desktop. Share a link to this site with parents through your classroom website or newsletter for students to view at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Easy Bib - Imagine easy Solutions, LLC
Grades
3 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
EasyBib, the automatic bibliography and citation maker, instantly creates and formats citations for your sources in MLA format. Cite websites, books, newspapers, journals, and data...more
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EasyBib, the automatic bibliography and citation maker, instantly creates and formats citations for your sources in MLA format. Cite websites, books, newspapers, journals, and data bases correctly in seconds. All you have to do is enter your website URL, or the title or ISBN number of the book, journal, etc. in the form. You can copy/paste citations from Easy Bib into a document to create your works cited list. You will need to alphabetize the citations yourself. The paid version offers APA and Chicago/Turabian style and additional features. Pick up the latest tips and tricks in their research guide. Review the writing and citation process in an instant. and review citation rules for various styles using the reference guides.
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tag(s): citations (32)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard and projector to show students how to use this tool for citing their sources. Share this web site for all of your projects using research so students know the correct procedure for citations. Be sure to add it on your class web site as a useful reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Useful charts - UsefulCharts Publishing
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Find hundreds of helpful charts and diagrams that illustrate philosophy, English, history, science, current events, and more for free, online viewing. You will find PDFs, posters, timelines,...more
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Find hundreds of helpful charts and diagrams that illustrate philosophy, English, history, science, current events, and more for free, online viewing. You will find PDFs, posters, timelines, etc. Learn about topics such as: Most Famous Paintings, World Leaders Timeline, Muppet Voices Chart, New Seven Wonders, Human Evolution Timeline, and more. General "subjects" include Social Studies Charts, Most Popular Charts, Psychology Charts, Philosophy & Religion Charts, English Charts, Science Charts, and many others! The site sells charts and downloads, but some Zoom in to see more available for free download.
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tag(s): art history (105), charts and graphs (184), grammar (142), multiple intelligences (7), myths and legends (44), poetry (196), politics (121), psychology (60), religions (120), solar system (126), space (252), timelines (60)
In the Classroom
Share a visual overview of a topic on projector or IWB before teaching or as a reference before lessons that zero in on subtopics. Use this site to teach data and the graphic display of data. Allow groups of students to choose a graphic and report to the class on how the data was made more meaningful using the graphics that were chosen. You may also want to share this link as a research tool for debates or presentations on science or social studies topics. Share the timeline or graphic on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Discuss the science, history, or math behind the data collected. Discuss other information and ways of presenting the information in order to create a more interesting graphic. Have students try their hand at creating an infographic using a tool such as Snappa.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Twelve Ideas for Teaching with QR Codes - Andrew Miller
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
This short article provides some quick tips for using QR (Quick Response) codes in the classroom. Most ideas are easy to use immediately in a classroom setting. For example, use ...more
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This short article provides some quick tips for using QR (Quick Response) codes in the classroom. Most ideas are easy to use immediately in a classroom setting. For example, use QR codes to link to exemplars to provide examples of quality work for students or use codes to make learning stations that link to online content. If you are interested in using QR codes in your classroom, this article will help you get started. Be sure to read the comments from others for some additional ideas for using QR codes in the classroom.
tag(s): qr codes (15)
In the Classroom
Choose one of the ideas suggested in the article as a starting point for using QR codes in your classroom; then try additional ideas a little at a time. Share the article with other teachers and split up the ideas for each to become an "expert" in one of the strategies. Share your experiences as you learn together, perhaps in a staff meeting.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My American Farm - American Farm Bureau Foundation
Grades
K to 6
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn and explore everything about agriculture, food processing, sustainable farming, and equipment engineering interactively at this informative and entertaining site! The activities...more
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Learn and explore everything about agriculture, food processing, sustainable farming, and equipment engineering interactively at this informative and entertaining site! The activities feature different concepts and promote various aspects of agriculture, math, science, and society. Hover over the game icon with your mouse to view a short description of the activity, approximate playing time, grade range, curriculum area, and agriculture theme. At the end of each interactive, you can watch short, related video stories from the public television show "America's Heartland." Don't miss the Equipment Engineering challenge. The Educator Resources section contains standards, implementation ideas, and many activity sheets for classroom use. View resources by curriculum area or agriculture topic using the links on the left or the grade level at the top of this section.
tag(s): agriculture (53), animals (283), careers (184), conservation (98), game based learning (321), life cycles (22), plants (143), problem solving (285), rounding (10)
In the Classroom
This site is great during units on plants, farms, conservation, or even inventions and engineering. Create links to games on classroom computers. As students complete games, let them fill out the passport included on the site. Print and use classroom activities included on the site as a supplement to current lessons. Have students create their own comics to explain a topic from the site using comic-creation tools from this collection.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Turtlediary - Learning Games for Kids - Turtlediary.com
Grades
K to 3
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Turtlediary is a one stop shop for learning games and more for early elementary students. Choose from various categories: games, videos, quizzes, and worksheets. Included under each...more
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Turtlediary is a one stop shop for learning games and more for early elementary students. Choose from various categories: games, videos, quizzes, and worksheets. Included under each heading is an age range and description of each activity. Be sure to scroll down near the bottom of the page to find lists of all learning games sorted by subject, sort further by choosing a grade level from PreK through 5th grade. For full access to this site, you must register (which does cost a fee). However, most of the interactives are currently available for FREE to guests with no registration. Note that this site contains advertising.
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tag(s): addition (139), alphabet (46), alphabetical order (9), colors (64), counting (59), dinosaurs (48), gravity (52), human body (98), life cycles (22), map skills (64), noregistration (74), phonics (53), preK (328), puzzles (176), subtraction (117)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for learning games, videos, and read-aloud books. Demonstrate the activities on your interactive whiteboard; then create a link on classroom computers for students to try on their own. Share this link with parents on your classroom website or newsletter as a resource for practicing math and reading skills at home. Use videos from the site to introduce science lessons and concepts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Writing Prompts - Luke Neff
Grades
4 to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
These writing prompts are not as boring as the title sounds. Luke Neff has put together images and prompts that will truly inspire you and make you think. There are ...more
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These writing prompts are not as boring as the title sounds. Luke Neff has put together images and prompts that will truly inspire you and make you think. There are 57 pages full of creative, interesting ideas to explore. Click archive in the upper right to see a page of thumbnails of writing prompts by month. This allows you to view more prompts in less time.
tag(s): creative writing (126), expository writing (29), persuasive writing (50), writers workshop (30), writing (309), writing prompts (55)
In the Classroom
These prompts are perfect for writing in journals as quick writes or having your students develop into a full story or essay. There are plenty of unusual ideas to get even the most reluctant writer moving. Once completed, have students submit their story to the class using Google Docs, reviewed here. The class can then collaborate by proof reading and suggesting ideas for others' stories. Just because these are "writing" prompts does not mean you can't use them for ENL/ELL or speech/language students to prompt them to TALK and use oral language. World language teachers can also use these to promote conversation/oral language. To get started, project one in class; after that make the link available on your class web page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Video Online - PBS
Grades
3 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Watch full episodes of your favorite PBS shows without having to record them. Videos may be searched by show name or by subject. Use the subscribe button to automatically subscribe...more
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Watch full episodes of your favorite PBS shows without having to record them. Videos may be searched by show name or by subject. Use the subscribe button to automatically subscribe to the show so you will never miss a new episode again.
In the Classroom
Teachers you can now access videos from PBS without having to record them. Use the subject search to find videos relevant to a unit of study. Display videos with your projector or add a link to your class website so students can watch at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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QR Code Classroom Implementation Guide - Vicki Davis
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This short article contains all the information you need to get started using QR codes in the classroom. The blog post begins with reasons to use QR codes and moves ...more
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This short article contains all the information you need to get started using QR codes in the classroom. The blog post begins with reasons to use QR codes and moves on to three parts: getting ready to use QR codes, teaching students to use the codes, and ideas for using codes in the classroom. One notable section explains common problems encountered using QR codes; this is an excellent resource to look through if you have difficulty at any time. Be sure to read the comments at the bottom of the post for some additional ideas for using QR codes in the classroom.
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tag(s): qr codes (15)
In the Classroom
QR codes are a sure-fire motivator for any class equipped with their own smart phones or school iTouches/iPads. Choose one of the ideas suggested in the article as a starting point for using QR codes in your classroom; then try additional ideas a little at a time. Share the article with other teachers and split up the ideas for each to become an "expert" in one of the strategies, share your experiences as you learn together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Crickweb Useful Extras - Crickweb
Grades
K to 4
0 Favorites
0 Comments
If you need a resource for Promethean Flipcharts, Quizzes, Countdown Timers, or Phonics videos you may find what you need at this "extras" site from Crickweb. Promethean Flipcharts...more
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If you need a resource for Promethean Flipcharts, Quizzes, Countdown Timers, or Phonics videos you may find what you need at this "extras" site from Crickweb. Promethean Flipcharts are formatted in zip for easy downloading. Timers are for use on any PC or whiteboard and include countdown clocks in several formats such as a clock, timer, or "bomb." Some items require flash which is not available in all browsers.
In the Classroom
Download and save the timers for use during student work time. Set a timer on your interactive whiteboard for students to see time remaining. Promethean users can download and save flip charts for classroom use.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching Kids News - Teaching Kids News
Grades
2 to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Teaching Kids News is an excellent, visual newspaper for kids grades 2 through 8. Set up in a typical newspaper format, articles contain interesting images and easy to read text. ...more
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Teaching Kids News is an excellent, visual newspaper for kids grades 2 through 8. Set up in a typical newspaper format, articles contain interesting images and easy to read text. Use curriculum connections included with every article for an instant lesson plan or discussion starter. View by choosing category selections such as news, entertainment, science, politics, and more. One interesting and helpful feature is the use of tags with each article. Choose from clearly labeled tags to find other articles with similar topics. Included on the right side of the site are tags used most often on the entire site. Larger and bolder text indicates most widely used tags. Share articles easily using social media links included to most common sites such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Read the How to Use This Site page for ideas on how to make the most of this site with students.
tag(s): literacy (123), news (223), newspapers (87)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for interactive whiteboards or projectors. Display the site on your whiteboard when discussing current events. Use as a learning center for students to read and journal. Practice with Main Idea or summarizing using these interesting informational texts. ESL/ELL learners can also find accessible news stories here. Provide this link for students to use at home to keep up with current events. Challenge students to create a talking avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can be used to explain or summarize any article on the site. Use a site such as Blabberize.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iPiccy - iPiccy.com
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This tool is a terrific online photo editing and paint app. No account or registration is necessary. Upload a picture or find the URL of a photo from online or ...more
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This tool is a terrific online photo editing and paint app. No account or registration is necessary. Upload a picture or find the URL of a photo from online or Facebook. Re-size, flip, rotate, crop, or alter the exposure, saturation, and contrast. Use additional features such as fix image, smart blur, and reflections. Use even more effects such as a cartoonizer, artistic painting, or wanted photo. You will love the retouch section which features the standard red-eye and blemish fix, along with teeth whitening. Add captions or text to the pictures with a wide selection of fonts. You can also create collages, but you must enable local storage of images on your computer. The Painter section includes standard pen, brush, erase with a sponge, and burn effects to allow for drawings on the pictures. Once completed, download the finished picture to a computer, post on Facebook, share by URL, or upload to Flickr. Here is a sample of adding text to an online image without even creating an account.
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tag(s): images (273), photography (136)
In the Classroom
Use this tool anytime that photos need to be edited for use on class blogs, wikis, or sites. Encourage students to use on images for projects or presentations. Use the editor to edit pictures to fit styles of pictures when doing historical reports or to set a mood. Use caption bubbles for the photos themselves to tell the stories. Have students annotate or label Creative Commons online images of cells, structures of an animal, and much more, sharing the results (with an image credit) on your class wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EngVid - engVid
Grades
5 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Explore this huge collection of Youtube videos on various aspects of teaching the English language to international students. Real teachers narrate the videos which include three levels...more
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Explore this huge collection of Youtube videos on various aspects of teaching the English language to international students. Real teachers narrate the videos which include three levels and many subject areas. Included are the normal topics like speaking and pronunciation, grammar, writing, and vocabulary, as well as other helpful topics like test prep, tips, expressions, and slang. Most have a followup quiz to see how well you understand the lesson concepts. The videos are not particularly dynamic, mostly just views of a teacher standing and explaining. Topics include material appropriate for adult learners, such as pregnancy and having a baby. K-12 teachers will wan to select for their students.
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tag(s): grammar (142), grammar review (33), idioms (29), pronunciation (33), slang (16)
In the Classroom
Use video from this collection to introduce a topic or to do a quick review. Students recently mainstreamed from ESL/ELL into the traditional English or language arts classroom or students who need information presented several times in different ways may benefit from a short video lesson. Have students view lessons then create their own grammar lesson video. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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pageOrama - pageOrama.com
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Create your own web page almost instantly with this page editor and publisher. Select a page address and title then start adding content using the site's tools. The format is ...more
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Create your own web page almost instantly with this page editor and publisher. Select a page address and title then start adding content using the site's tools. The format is similar to Word documents. Highlight text to change font, size, and colors. Include images with a URL link or upload to the site. Image descriptions, height, and borders can all be modified. Include your email before publishing your page if you want to be able to edit your pages later; however, it is not necessary.
tag(s): multimedia (70)
In the Classroom
Use this site for students to post simple projects such as stories, poems, and art projects. Collect a master list of links to student pages on your classroom website, wiki, or blog for easy access. If students are creating pages, be sure to check with your district's policy on student use of email as well as publishing of student work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tesla - Master of Lightning - PBS
Grades
4 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Flash to PBS to get a bolt of learning about Nikola Tesla. Discover a compressive view of Tesla from his early years and his coming to America. Follow his ...more
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Flash to PBS to get a bolt of learning about Nikola Tesla. Discover a compressive view of Tesla from his early years and his coming to America. Follow his accomplishments while harnessing the Niagara. Discover the true mystery about who invented the radio. Trace his inventions and accomplishments. Inside the lab, discover the AC motor, the Tesla coil, radio, remote controls, and improved lightning. Resources include a timeline of electricity and radio, Tesla's patents, and articles about Tesla. Explore discussions from experts about Tesla's life and accomplishments. There are lesson plans for teachers. Some materials are for sale.
tag(s): electricity (64), energy (139), industrial revolution (21), inventors and inventions (89), motion (56), radio (16)
In the Classroom
Add intrigue and mystery, to your science unit on electricity, motion, or inventors as you study the life and accomplishments of Nikola Tesla. Excellent lesson plans include a concrete understanding of potential energy, mechanical energy to electrical energy. Use on an interactive white board to begin your unit or create a "Who Dunnit" with electricity or radio. Follow the structure of ideas presented to create an online "famous scientist" wiki, blog or PowerPoint to add to your class website. Use a Socratic seminar to debate which scientist should get credit for the induction motor, radio, and even the Industrial Revolution. Use the readings for older students, advanced readers, or gifted students, as they are far above the reading level of elementary and early middle school students. In language arts, writing topics could include "What a shock electricity is in my life" and "Will the true inventor of electricity please stand up?" The ideas and resources are electrifying!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Think - Cathy Sheafor
Grades
K to 8
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This blog shares many creative activities to encourage thinking outside the box. The activities use many easy to find materials. If you want to make a sculpture out of Twinkies, ...more
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This blog shares many creative activities to encourage thinking outside the box. The activities use many easy to find materials. If you want to make a sculpture out of Twinkies, or create a one man band, then this site is for you. Find links to other creative thinking blogs, too. Promote 21st century design thinking and innovation with activities that look like pure "fun." The sidebar include links to many engineering sites and activities to connect creativity as an important aspect of design and science. Don't miss the sidebar tips to parents and teachers, as well.
tag(s): creativity (93), critical thinking (191)
In the Classroom
Use this site to create a "think outside of the box" space in your classroom. Keep the area stocked with materials and activity sheets. Use the area as a place for students to go when they finish up work. Better yet, make design thinking part of your science curriculum by tying in some of these challenges with curriculum topics such as gravity, forces, materials, and more. Set one Friday a month aside as "think outside of the box" day, and use the activities from the site. Send home an activity as extra credit homework and create a museum of student's creations. Make this link available on your class web page for parents to access during school breaks or snow days.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scribophile, the Social Writing Community - Scribophile
Grades
10 to 12
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At Scribophile you can share your writing with others. It is self-professed as a community that takes writing seriously and wants to both give and receive feedback on writing. Publish...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:
At Scribophile you can share your writing with others. It is self-professed as a community that takes writing seriously and wants to both give and receive feedback on writing. Publish works, read others' work, write critiques of others' work, and interact with other writers. This is a good site for mature, serious writers. Joining is free but necessary to participate fully. The sample blogs given for each day are enlightening and have intelligent ideas presented in thoughtful ways. Within the "Community" section, read the spotlighted work and how others respond to it.
tag(s): creative writing (126)
In the Classroom
Caution is necessary with this site because it is completely open to the public. Be aware of what your district's restrictions are on this kind of activity. Depending on your circumstances and school district policies, this site might best be used under a teacher login. You can put models up on your interactive whiteboard for students to respond to either individually or as a class. You might have reactions to some of the blogs or have students write their own critiques of the spotlighted work before sharing what others on the site have posted. If your students are going to have their own accounts, create groups for your students to post their writing. In either of these circumstances using the "Community" section, you can read the spotlighted work and how others respond to it. That would be great for teaching students to critique each others' work in useful ways. All students would benefit from class or small group discussions of the daily blogs. Using this in class might also encourage students to seek out the writing on their own and may have them bringing in extra work for their classmates to comment on. This site might also be a good venue for students who work together on a high school literary magazine or high school gifted students seeking writing mentors outside teh school community (with parent permission, of course).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
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