|
Mindcipher - - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Mindcipher provides riddles and mind puzzles in various subject areas including math, logic, physics, computer science, and lateral thinking. Puzzles are categorized based on easy, hard, most liked, and most commented on. Advertisements can be distracting. May work better as a resource for elementary teachers.
11645
In the Classroom:
Allow older students to sift through puzzles and identify one they want to solve. Have students present their problem solving strategies to the class by creating an interactive online poster ("glog") using Glogster EDU, reviewed here that showcases their thinking. Identify puzzles that younger students have the knowledge to solve, and then have them solve the puzzles with a partner. They can then showcase strategies in a glog. |
|
| Plastelina Logic Games - - Grades 3
to 8
- permalink -
|
|
Test your logic and patience with these interactive logic games. Plastelina offers the option of registration and payment for a password which allows access to all of the activities on the site; however, many are free and can be played without registration. Free interactives are clearly marked next to the titles. At the time of this review, five activities were FREE.
11591
In the Classroom:
Have a team competition as students use the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector and try to see who can solve the puzzles first. Use the puzzles as a quick time filler and revisit on occasion until the puzzle is solved. |
|
| Getting to Know You Ideas from TeachersFirst - TeachersFirst - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
TeachersFirst offers tried and true getting-to-know-you lesson plans, some with a creative twist. Get off on the right foot to establish your classroom as a learning community.
11574
In the Classroom:
Try these activities from TeachersFirst to help you and your students get to know each other early in the school year or for a "fresh start" for a new semester or move-in students. |
|
| LEGO Education Activities - LEGO Education - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Lego Education Activities are designed to be rich, fun-filled, creative learning experiences. They offer educators a means to use LEGO sets as essential tools that engage students while challenging their creativity and enhancing their knowledge and comprehension. As a thinking teacher, you only need to look on the Teachersfirst Editor’s Blog here to realize what a hot topic teaching creativity is and how it fits into the classroom. From role-playing and meeting the needs of early childhood development to theme-based sets for older students, LEGO Activities offer a multi-disciplinary approach to teaching. There are also specific sets designed to cover specific subject areas, including technology curriculum. As you browse the activities, you will find obvious connections to curriculum in simple machines and other science topics, as well. Stay current and find a lot more stimulating ideas by checking out the LEGO Education and LEGO Smart Blogs available from theLego Education Activities page.
11571
In the Classroom:
Expose your students to different levels of the learning spiral by challenging them to use problem-solving skills for increasingly difficult obstacles. Students can work in small groups to foster cooperation and teamwork as they sort, graph, follow and give directions, and discuss ideas. Of course you will need some LEGOs, so you might try raiding your own children’s toy boxes, include a request in your classroom newsletter for donations, look around for LEGO kits collecting dust on classroom shelves, or put it on your school’s PTA wish list. Be sure to have cooperative learning groups video their activities to share with the rest of the class using a site such as SchoolTube (reviewed here). |
|
| Only Connect - BBC - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This fast paced, highly interactive activity will keep students interested while developing vocabulary and thinking skills. Sixteen words are presented on a board, the goal is to sort them into four groups of four related words in three minutes and then name the word that connects all of them together. Patience and thinking outside the box are needed to be successful. There is no need to register to play for fun, and there are choices of many walls. Tournament play is also included; however, registration is required. Only Connect walls can be created for any subject or topic discussed in the classroom.
11549
In the Classroom:
Try this activity together as a class on the interactive whiteboard or projector to encourage discussion of vocabulary presented on the wall. Ask students to create their own Only Connect wall to share with peers. |
|
| Blank Game Board Templates - Donna Young - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This site, created for homeschooling families but useful in any classroom, provides downloadable game boards that can be used in any subject area. Game boards come in two varieties, start to finish and racetrack. The two varieties come in several different styles. Printable dice and game cards are also available as well as directions on how to assemble the game board.
11054
In the Classroom:
This site is a great way to add creativity to your teaching. Make games boards that can be used to review curriculum in any subject area. These games can be used as a center to support your curriculum. These boards aren't just for the teacher, have pairs of students work together to create their own games. Perhaps have them research a topic, then share the information with peers in the form of a game. Then have students exchange games for other pairs to play. This is a great way to differentiate an assignment by providing different versions of a game or having students create their own at an appropriate level of difficulty. For students who need more support, provide partially completed versions for them to "create" the rest from a word bank. |
|
| Fraction Webquest - Lynn and Samantha Fender - Grades 4
to 8
- permalink -
|
|
This Fraction Webquest entitled "Cooking with Fractions," takes students on a comprehensive journey through computation of fractions. The activities included in the webquest are thorough and engaging.
11182
In the Classroom:
Use Cooking with Fractions after introducing computation with fractions. This site would make an excellent review for a test on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions. Students could work independently or with a partner. After completing the webquest, have students create fraction story problems that go along with cooking and/or food. Maybe include the story problems in a class wiki or an online book using Bookemon, reviewed here. |
|
| Decimal Challenge - David Hellam - Grades 4
to 7
- permalink -
|
|
Decimal Challenge is a guessing game where students try to identify a decimal. The interactive tells you whether your guess is too high or too low. Students try to guess the decimal in the fewest amount of tries.
11063
In the Classroom:
A great interactive to use with students who need a little extra practice with decimal number sense. Use on an interactive whiteboard or projector to discuss strategies and then let students play independently or with a partner. Students would enjoy competing against each other during whole class time. |
|
| The Secret Millionaire's Club - AOL Kids - Grades 5
to 8
- permalink -
|
|
The Secret Millionaire's Club (SMC) will enhance any math, economics, language arts, or social studies lesson. This site provides students with financial and investing advice. The site is a partnership between AOL Kids and Warren Buffett. The site provides many areas for students to visit. There are episodes that students can watch that tackle a financial issue. The site also provides games for students to play and there is blog that is written by one of the kids in the SMC. In addition, students can sign up to participate in the Buffett Bucks stock exchange where they can earn Buffett Bucks.
11487
In the Classroom:
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Following the format of Radley's blog, present to the class one of the challenges from Radley's blog, then have students work in small groups to analyze the challenge and come up with a solution. When groups are finished do a comparison between the SMC's solution and the students solution. To practice letter writing have students use the "Ask Warren" section and email him a financial question they may have. Use the existing Q&A's that are there for examples. Have students use the interactives during free time or as a reward if they finish their work early.
|
|
| Math Wizz - the Statistician - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Mathwizz.com provides help with many math related topics ranging from arithmetic to decimals to financial math. Interactive calculators allow students to test their own knowledge. Brief lessons or descriptions provide simple explanantions to various concepts.
11051
In the Classroom:
Use this site as an informal assessment by having students complete a number of questions and then report their results to you. Many of the tests will require additional paper for solving problems. This activity would work well for individuals or pairs of students in a lab or on laptops, and would also be a great way to have a team competition as students use the site on an interactive whiteboard and try to solve problems. |
|
| Common Core State Standards - Common Core State Standards Initiative Team - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a nationwide effort led by the National Governor's Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to establish a common set of educational standards which aligns benchmarks and expectations across state lines. This system builds on what states are already doing by providing an opportunity to share experiences, best practices, and lessons, while maintaining high expectations that insure the quality of education across America to enable our students to maintain a competitive edge in the global economy.
Visit this website to find out exactly what the national K-12 standards are for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science and technology, as well as mathematics, and to find out if your state is one many states (at the time of this review) that have already committed to adopt the Common Core State Standards. Watch videos and the recorded webinar, and read about the key points and rigorous curriculum standards, including the content and skills related to the use of media and technology for critical analysis and production.
11432
In the Classroom:
Take a look at exemplars and sample performance tasks and students' writing to consider how you can integrate these ideas into your own planning to prepare students for the growing challenges of today's world. You can also sign up to receive updates via email. |
|
| Fly By Math - NASA Ames Research Center - Grades 5
to 10
- permalink -
|
|
Solve distance, rate, and time problems with this engaging site. View a video introduction, learn how to solve sample problems, read about experiments, and learn strategies for solving these types of problems. Click on sample problems to solve. This site offers teacher and student materials as well as other resources. Want to challenge your students, click on the link for the FlyBy Math Simulator which allows you to manipulate the parameters of the plane and the problem being solved.
11366
In the Classroom:
Use this great resource in a Math or Physics/Physical Science Course. Allow students to view the materials or show to the class using a projector or interactive whiteboard. Provide time to view the methods of solving the problem. Allow students to share with one another the method they found the easiest to use. Allow students to tutor each other in how to solve the problems. Consider having student create their own problems to solve and share with other groups. Have a group of students who have a great method to solve these problems and can explain it well? Consider creating a video (and sharing the video using a site such as SchoolTube (reviewed here) Be sure the video explains how to solve the problem and place on your site/wiki/blog. |
|
| Diigo - Education - Diigo, Inc. 2010 - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Teacher's First Edge Review: for slightly to extremely adventurous technology users, depending on how much you use it. This interactive social bookmarking and collaboration tool does so much more than any ordinary social tool! There is something here for everyone! It is a research tool, knowledge-sharing community, and social information network all rolled into one neat web-based package. So much more advanced in its capabilities that its creators prefer it be called "social bookmarking 2.0."
Setting this "social bookmarking 2.0" above the rest is the educational use possibility. As a teacher, you have the chance to apply for an educational account. There is an online application to be filled out here. and the Diigo team should respond within 48 hours, contact the website if they do not do so. The education account allows a teacher to create student accounts without emails, enhanced privacy and security, fewer adds, and collaboration and sharing with other teachers (great for teamed educators!). To get more ideas on the potential education uses of this site, see this SlideShare powerpoint here.
While all of this potential could sound a little overwhelming to a technology newbie, this site can be used as a basic bookmarking tool to start and gradually the user can ease into more advanced and interactive features. The site can be used to store bookmarks (obviously), highlight parts of sites, add stickie notes to parts of websites, pictures, screen-shots, documents, audio, and more. It allows you to do group based collaborative research. It is cloud based and just like other social bookmarking sites can be organized by tags. Additionally, there are messaging, group creation, and search features within the website. All in all this is one extremely neat tool to use on the web!
Whether you are the "play to learn" type or the "follow the directions" type of user, this site holds something for both, and for all of us in between the two extremes. There is an optional toolbar installation. This is not necessary to use the site, but once you start using it and love it, you will want the toolbar. The features are wonderful! It goes beyond simple bookmarking and adds options like highlight, capture, send, read later, comment, search bar and Diigo message options. You decide your own level of use and desired tools to be shown on the bar. If choosing not to install the toolbar, then there is an applet called Diigolet that will be used in its place. It is not as strong a tool as the toolbar, but will work well if the toolbar installation is off limits on school computers. Check our sample group.
11373
In the Classroom:
Skills Needed: This site requires email addresses that need to be verified to start a non-educational account. However, if you create an account and fill out an application for an educator account, you can add students without the need for personal emails. The application can be found here. To read a little more on the special features of Diigo for Education check out the FAQ here. To get the basic idea of how you can use this site, it is a good idea to check out: here. You will find a tutorial on the uses of Diigo. Beyond the basics of all website navigation, locating desired areas of the site through the links (top right of the screen) and folders (close to the top left of the screen), there is not much more skill needed. If you venture into creating your own groups or uploading files from your computer, you will need to be able to locate files. This is a "click and search" within your computer or other chosen folders. If choosing not to view the tutorial, feel confident that the more you use and "play" with Diigo, the more you will learn and love about its uses.
Safety/Security Concerns: Currently, this should be completely accessible from schools. While students will need an email accounts for ordinary sign up, if you create your account before using this in class and apply for the education account, this can be avoided completely. This should be accessible in any district, however if not check out our teacher's first Edge tips to work out the use of this site in your school.
Possible uses: Where to begin? There are so many applications and possibilities for this site! How many times have we heard as educators who assign group project, "But I couldn't get to his or her house to work on it?" Too many! Stop that comment and many others similar to it by using Diigo! Assign students to a topic and allow them to interact online. The research and conversations created through highlighting and annotating what they read can greatly enhance both their research skills and their online interaction on academic level skills. Or, use the site to post discussion assignments on specific articles or even parts of articles using the highlighting tool. Find a relevant article to your subject, highlight the part that you want students to read. (If students are younger keep it short, this helps to reduce the intimidating reality of too much information for kids.) Attach a stickie note with a discussion question for the students. Have them comment on the link in a "class discussion" as an outside of class assignment. If you are fortunate enough to have all students with computer access in your class and at home, such as in one to one laptop program schools, you can use this essentially to run your class. Post assignments, post readings, science teachers - post online interactive labs, and more. The site even allows students to submit work via the comment. |
|
| Jamendo - Sylvain Zimmer - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Published under Creative Commons license, Jamendo offers a great variety of copyright-free music. This makes a great addition to your technology resource list as both you and your students can use this site to create soundtracks for videos, use music in podcasts, and just download music to play for students during activities. Once you click on a song that you want to play or download, there is a screen that asks if you would like to make a donation to the musician. This is completely optional and not required to download. However, it may help you to discuss ethical music practices and copyrights with your students. One thing to keep in mind when using this website is that to keep the music, computers must have downloaded permission from your district. If this is a problem and this is a tool you want to use, try talking to your technology department and/or your administration for special, educational permission.
11374
In the Classroom:
Music teachers and content area teachers alike have a perfect opportunity to explicitly teach ethical use of internet materials and especially music. This discussion could spark a debate about plagiarism, patents or inventors rights depending upon the course that is being taught. Also, older students who are talented musicians could be encourage or just inspired to use Jamendo to post their own music from home for sale. Depending on district policies, this could be used as a take home lesson for upper level music classes. |
|
| A New Way to Lecture - Michael Zimmer - Grades 4
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
At this site you will find a slide show with at least fourteen different programs you can use instead of PowerPoint for your lectures. Are your PowerPoint lectures boring you and your students? Take a look at this online slide show, and choose one of fourteen different programs to convert just one of your PowerPoint lectures. Not only is each program explained, but many have suggestions for integrating your lectures with the program. Take a look. Learn about some great web 2.0 sites (Glogster, Prezi, TypeWith.me, Animoto, ToonDoo, and many others). Note that many of the tools mentioned are also reviewed on TeachersFirst in greater detail if you want to learn more.
11365
In the Classroom:
Surprise your students and yourself with how effective any one of these programs can be with your material or THEIR presentations. Create a comic strip to replace a traditional grammar lesson. Use a class wiki to discuss and debate topics in history class. Create an online poster “glog” on using Glogster to demonstrate a new math concept. Once you see a tool that sounds interesting, read its full review on TeachersFirst to find even more ways to use it. |
|
| PhotoPeach - Nota, Inc - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Teacher's First Edge Review: Good for even a beginning technology user! This site allows you to upload photos, create captions, and add music to a slideshow in minutes. It is fun and easy to use. Check out the reviewer's sample here. Shows can be shared or embedded into other social networking type sites.
11325
In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Create an account where an email is required but it does not need to be confirmed. 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.
You also must be able to locate files on your computer to upload. Follow onscreen instructions to create a project. The instructions are very easy to understand. In a few short steps, there is a finished product. Share the finished show by URL or embed code (for those who know how to copy/paste this code).
Safety/security concerns: Students will need email accounts to create an account on this site. However, it does not need to be verified so they will not need to access their email in school. There is a "creators" section that show cases other user shows. You may want to ask students to avoid that area. Keep them focused on their homepage and the creation at school.
Possible uses: Use this site in science class to make a slideshow of a completed lab as an alternative to a laboratory report. Use this in history class to create short videos about different people and places in history. Use in math to have students explain a word problem or complex algebra problems in a slide by slide (step by step) manner. In lower grades, use a whole class account to create a slideshow about a class project or special event such as pumpkin day and all the calculations you do with pumpkin seeds, the weight of pumpkins, etc. Share the slideshow as an embedded object on your class web page/wiki or share the link with parents so they can ask their child about the activity and reinforce the concepts simply by having him/her talk about it at home.
If students create their own shows using images from the web, be sure they are using Creative Commons licensed photos or images without copyright restrictions, sine the products are shared online. Of course you will want to require a credit for any photo used to be included in the show. |
|
| MathSlice - - Grades 1
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
The mission of MathSlice is to provide interactives and worksheets for elementary aged children; however this site contains much more. Basic math worksheets are available in many different areas of math concepts beginning with addition going up through scientific notation and percentages. In addition, there are links to ipad games that teach math skills. Many other interactives are available on the site including math millionaire, scrabble, connect 4 and dozens more. In addition to Math, there are activities for Geography, science, music, early literacy, and Spanish.
11336
In the Classroom:
Display games on the interactive whiteboard or projector for students during indoor recess times. Allow students to try the interactives during computer time to reinforce current concepts taught. This is a great link to post on your class website for students (and parents) to try at home. |
|
| Math Warehouse - Math Warehouse - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Math Warehouse offers numerous interactive Flash-based activities for middle school or secondary students. In addition to the interactives, Math Warehouse provides worksheets and links. The interactives provide ways to experiment with concepts followed by practice problems. Advise students to ignore the advertisements
11060
In the Classroom:
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. This site is ideal for an interactive whiteboard. Have the students open the site and use the whiteboard tools to demonstrate the concepts to one another. Share this site as a way to review before tests. |
|
| Quiz Me - Mercer County Community College - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Quiz Me provides students with interactive quizzes on various math topics. Students should have scratch paper available to discourage guessing. Quizzes provide instant feedback. Topics include decimals, fractions, proportions, algebra, problem solving, rationals, scientific notation, advanced geometry, formulas, and many more. This site was “Under Construction” at the time of this review; so expect even more topics in the future!
11282
In the Classroom:
To pre-test student background knowledge on a topic and on using spreadsheets, have students record the questions, their answers, and whether or not they were correct on a spreadsheet. As a class, tally correct and incorrect answers to show students what kinds of questions tend to be problematic. Provide this link on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom. |
|
| Fast Facts - Mercer Community College - Grades 5
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Fast Facts offers a refresher on various math concepts from decimals to geometric figures to algebra. Although the topics don't offer highly interactive presentations, there is a lot of great resource information available at this site.
11283
In the Classroom:
Post a relevant Fast Facts page for students to read prior to a lesson. Have students look through Fast Facts pages then create their own Fast Facts page using a more intriguing interface such as a "glog" (online poster) using Glogster EDU reviewed here. Provide a link to this site on your class webpage for students to access at home. |
|
|
Records 1
to 20 of 695
previous
20 - next
20 - New Search |
