TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Aug 26, 2012
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
Writing Prompts - Luke Neff
Grades
4 to 12
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 (31), persuasive writing (58), writers workshop (31), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
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.QR Code Classroom Implementation Guide - Vicki Davis
Grades
2 to 12This 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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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): qr codes (19)
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.Center for PRobing the NanoScale - Nano Activities - Stanford University
Grades
2 to 12Nano has become a buzz word in our language, but what does it really mean? Find out by looking at this site from Stanford University. Do you have billions of ...more
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Nano has become a buzz word in our language, but what does it really mean? Find out by looking at this site from Stanford University. Do you have billions of things to do, and no time for things that are as small as a billionth of a meter? You need to make time to learn about this tiny scale that packs a mighty little punch today in science, technology, and even in our global economy. Make some time for this teeny tiny stuff because it's big, very big! This website provides a set of thorough, hands-on lesson plans that are excellent for magnifying this microscopic concept.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (81), measurement (123), microscopes (10)
In the Classroom
Are you struggling to wrap young minds around the tiny world of nanoscale? Lessons are appropriate for grades two to twelve, but could be adapted if you are teaching middle level students who have never been introduced to the world of nanotechnology. As an introduction for students who have never thought about nano, talk about how the use of this technology created better underwear that help prevent odor and decrease sweating. This is sure to start an interesting conversation. Just make sure that you set boundaries before you begin the discussion. See what other lines of clothing students could "create" with nanotechnology. Have them share their "inventions" on a class wiki or in a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Genially, Animatron, Renderforest, and Desygner.Zilladog - Zilladog
Grades
1 to 7Zilladog is the safe, monitored way of providing email addresses to students. Need a way to provide emails for a pen pal project? Need to help kids work on a ...more
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Zilladog is the safe, monitored way of providing email addresses to students. Need a way to provide emails for a pen pal project? Need to help kids work on a group project at home? Are parents asking you for a safe way to offer emails for their children? With Zilladog, a parent or teacher signs up to register a child. Parents enable the buddy list, and the only way a child can receive or send an email is with an approved buddy. Select to have parents copied on all communications. Zilladog has a teacher service, with an administrator function to set up student emails, and kids can only send and receive with approved buddies. The premium paid service offers more features.
tag(s): classroom management (118), digital citizenship (93)
In the Classroom
As with all student communications on the Internet, please check with school policies and parents. If permitted, set up the email accounts the first week of school to help students prepare for a great (organized) year! Zilladog provides students with an email of their own. Send messages to home for extra reinforcement or questions you had on an assignment. Make more personal contact acknowledging noteworthy behavior or successes. Group projects at home are possible with instant emails and sharing links or documents. Encourage communication between students doing study groups through email. At school, students can email parents questions or reminders for important times, dates, or assignments. Before use do a unit on Internet safety, email etiquette, and cyber bullying.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Foodskey - University of Nottingham
Grades
6 to 12Explore the science behind the food you eat. View interesting short videos on food science. The films cover a variety of topics: sensory science, food security, nutrition, and crop...more
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Explore the science behind the food you eat. View interesting short videos on food science. The films cover a variety of topics: sensory science, food security, nutrition, and crop technology. YouTube hosts the videos, and they can be shared by embedding or using a link. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
tag(s): nutrition (140)