TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 13, 2011
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
Houston We Have A Podcast - NASA
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
"Houston, We Have a Podcast" is the official podcast of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, offering weekly episodes that explore the world of human spaceflight -- from missions...more
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"Houston, We Have a Podcast" is the official podcast of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, offering weekly episodes that explore the world of human spaceflight -- from missions in Earth orbit to journeys to the Moon and Mars. Each episode features in-depth conversations with NASA astronauts, scientists, engineers, and mission specialists who share insights into space exploration, the challenges of space travel, and the science and technology behind NASA's programs. The podcast brings listeners closer to real stories from the people who make space missions possible, with episodes available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud.
tag(s): podcasts (150), scientists (71), space (238)
In the Classroom
Use Buzzsprout, reviewed here or Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here to make a class podcast come to life. Create great podcasts to share on your class site or blog! Have students listen to a short segment of an episode featuring an astronaut or engineer. Provide a simple listening guide with prompts such as Who is speaking? What is their role at NASA? What surprised you?You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Letterboxing Kids - Letterboxing.org
Grades
K to 4
1 Favorites
0 Comments
LETTERBOXING is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming "treasure hunt" style outdoor quest. The letterbox game is a treasure hunt...more
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LETTERBOXING is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming "treasure hunt" style outdoor quest. The letterbox game is a treasure hunt using a compass and directional clues. Directions are simple to follow and would be a great activity for students just learning cardinal directions. Another portion of the site gives information on how to create your own rubber stamps using an art gum eraser with some simple tools or using adhesive foam pads.
tag(s): directions (10), map skills (67), maps (222), mysteries (27)
In the Classroom
After showing students how to follow directions for the online treasure hunt, create a link on classroom computers for students to practice on their own. Have students create their own treasure hunts using premade maps or one they make on their own. Create your own personalized stamps using directions from the site to use in the classroom as incentives or motivation. If time permits, host a letterboxing day for your class or include the activity as an instrctional part of a holiday party. Hide the treasures around the playground or school grounds. More than likely, your school already has a pre-created map/floorplan of at least the inside of the building. Make copies for students to use as guides. Create clues for the students (using geography vocabulary, of course).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Business Insider Chart of the Day - Business Insider
Grades
7 to 12
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This site is dated but still has fascinating info found in chart form.
Find a new chart each day, based on real world events in different formats. Some days include ...more
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This site is dated but still has fascinating info found in chart form.
Find a new chart each day, based on real world events in different formats. Some days include more than one graph! The newer charts are shown first. Older charts are available on the site by following the "older" link. Topics vary from world news to sports to economics and more. There is a great variety of topics and chart types. When you click on the chart, a new page opens containing the chart and a description with difficult vocabulary underlined. Click on a word to learn the definition. You can also sign up to receive the daily chart by email.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): charts and graphs (193), cultures (270), data (199), financial literacy (93), infographics (67), sociology (24), sports (85)
In the Classroom
Share a daily chart on your interactive whiteboard or projector and have students recreate the chart into a different format (bar chart to pie chart or line graph). Have students use a tool such as Hohli. Ask students to analyze information included on the daily chart as a math journal entry. Create a class chart comparing student information to the daily chart provided. Use the daily chart as a class warm-up - discuss trends, information provided, information not included that might be useful, etc. Social Studies teachers may want to use the charts as a tie-in to current events. Reading teachers charged with teaching about charts as part of informational texts will find a treasure trove of examples here, especially as prep for BIG reading tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vi Hart's Math Videos - Vi Hart
Grades
5 to 12
8 Favorites
0 Comments
Vi Hart's math videos have become very popular. They have even been featured on various cable shows. She also includes her X (formerly Twitter) information, so you can follow her. ...more
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Vi Hart's math videos have become very popular. They have even been featured on various cable shows. She also includes her X (formerly Twitter) information, so you can follow her. In the link, "Math Doodling," are several videos on doodling in the math classroom sure to entertain Math teachers and students alike. Titles include Stop-Motion Silly Band Fight, Sick Number Games, Snakes + Graphs, Stars, Binary Trees, and others. Be sure to also check out the link to Mathematical Food which contains demonstrations of slicing apples into Platonic Solids, slicing a cubic apple to find a regular hexagon, and how to arrange candy corn into Sierpinski's Triangle. Another wonderful resource is the link on balloons. Directions for making tetrahedrons, icosahedrons, and other shapes are all included. If you like Vi Harts Vimeo site, check out her blog here.
tag(s): geometric shapes (152), humor (15)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for a Math fun day! Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector or set them up as stations on laptops. After catching students doodling during Math class, show one of the doodling videos to show students how their doodles can really be productive! Your visual learners will love it. Have fun with balloons creating shapes demonstrated on the balloon page. Challenge students to create the shapes after being shown a picture -- but before seeing directions. Use some of the topics when researching ideas for Math Fairs or Math Nights at school. Provide this link for student to explore outside of the classroom. Even girls may find they like math presented in such humorous ways.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Understanding Taxes - Student - IRS
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The IRS designed this site for students to build an understanding about the U.S. tax system, why people have to pay taxes, where the tax money goes, and more. It ...more
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The IRS designed this site for students to build an understanding about the U.S. tax system, why people have to pay taxes, where the tax money goes, and more. It includes virtual tours, tutorials, simulations, and activities. There is a companion site for Teachers here.
tag(s): financial literacy (93), money (113)
In the Classroom
Use the lesson plans at the Teachers site to teach the financial literary concepts. Then use a projector or your interactive whiteboard to show students how to navigate the student site. Allow students to explore the online activities on their own at a center, in the computer lab, or at home by putting the URL on your website. After completing the worksheets provided with the lessons, have students create their own worksheets for other classmates to complete. Challenge students to create their own financial literacy newsletter using Revue, reviewed here, for students in their school including money-saving suggestions, job ideas for students, and tips for creating a budget. Have students create posters sharing their newsletter using a site such as Padlet, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Science Fix - Darren Fix
Grades
5 to 12
3 Favorites
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ScienceFix is one man's blog to show the world his educational and scientific demonstrations. It is clear, straight forward, and entertaining. These video clips and explanations are...more
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ScienceFix is one man's blog to show the world his educational and scientific demonstrations. It is clear, straight forward, and entertaining. These video clips and explanations are fantastic. The site offers a great variety of topics: What Makes a Planet a Planet, Water Bottle Rockets, Flaming Dollar, Books Smash Eggs, Magnesium Reacts with Oxygen, Isotopes, and much more. At the time of this review, there were eighteen pages worth of science videos (and fun). This is truly a MUST SEE for any science class. The videos are all hosted on YouTube. These demonstrations would be great for science classes, students experimenting at home, or independent science fair projects. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may be blocked at school.
tag(s): blogs (71), density (20), experiments (62), fire (23), motion (55), planets (125), rockets (14), space (238)
In the Classroom
Share demonstration videos classes of students on your interactive whiteboard or projector. This helps if funds or time for actual labs are limited. Or they can be used to show students how to carry out an experiment before they are unleashed into the laboratory to do it on their own. Challenge students to create their own science videos (sharing an experiment and explanation.) Share these videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Radio Lingua Network: One Minute Languages - Radio Lingua
Grades
3 to 12
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Find quick language lessons of 2 - 3 minutes each for a wide variety of languages: Portuguese, Japanese, Catalan, Danish, Gaelic, Greek, Irish, Luxembourghish, Mandarin, Norwegian,...more
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Find quick language lessons of 2 - 3 minutes each for a wide variety of languages: Portuguese, Japanese, Catalan, Danish, Gaelic, Greek, Irish, Luxembourghish, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, and more. Each separate language site has a total of ten lessons. All the lessons have audio support. Most language packs cover basic conversational skills including greetings, counting, numbers, and common words and phrases. Although more advanced lessons are available for purchase, the 10 quick lessons are free.
tag(s): greek (45), japanese (52), portuguese (21), russian (24)
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of a specific country or new language. Mark this site on your classroom or lab computers so students can take advantage of the free lessons and use them for review. List this link on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom. In a world cultures class, have cooperative learning groups spend a class/period learning the basics of a new language. Have the groups create a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools and share their new language with the class. Gifted students would love to compare new languages discovered on this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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