TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Mar 10, 2013
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
Teaching Tree - teachingtree.co
Grades
9 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Teaching Tree is a free resource for learning about computer science. View videos organized into five categories with dozens of topics inside each category. Main categories include...more
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Teaching Tree is a free resource for learning about computer science. View videos organized into five categories with dozens of topics inside each category. Main categories include Algorithms and Data Structures, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Databases, Graphics and Animation, and Programming Languages. Most topics have 10+ specific lessons. University professors provide most videos that are a mix of short and long tutorials. Find tags within the longer videos to key concepts that they contain. Clicking on a tag jumps you to the spot in the lecture that addresses the concept you want to learn about.
In the Classroom
Use Teaching Tree as a great resource for students who want to learn about computer science on their own. This is a great tool to share with students considering a major in computer science in college or wondering about computer careers. If you teach computer science courses, Teaching Tree could be useful for locating review materials to share with your students. You may also consider having your students search for or create videos to share on Teaching Tree and then tag them to help other people learn from their work. Use a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Snapshot Serengeti - Serengeti Lion Project
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Snapshot Serengeti helps researchers count and locate animals living in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. More than 200 remote camera traps placed in the park capture images. The...more
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Snapshot Serengeti helps researchers count and locate animals living in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. More than 200 remote camera traps placed in the park capture images. The movements of animals trigger capture of images. View a short tutorial to learn to categorize and identify animals. Identify the type of skin, the pattern of the fur or skin of an animal, and the style of horns (if any) that an animal has. Based on those classifications, Snapshot Serengeti will suggest a few animals that match what you're seeing.
tag(s): animal homes (57), animals (289), classification (22), habitats (88)
In the Classroom
Introduce the site and watch the tutorial together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students try to identify animals on Snapshot Serengeti as a great way to learn about the various animals that they see and the adaptations of animals to their African habitat. One thing to note about Snapshot Serengeti (before you turn your students loose on it) is that students may end up going through a lot of blank pictures that don't have any animals on them before they get to ones that do show animals. This is because remote cameras can sometimes be triggered by strong gusts of wind blowing something in front of them. Have your students create an online "scrapbook" on Serengeti animals using Smilebox, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Learning Zone - Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Grades
K to 6
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this free site to learn about animals, fossils, insects, rocks, and minerals. Try the activities and games to learn more about each. Explore the life cycle of humans, nutrition,...more
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Use this free site to learn about animals, fossils, insects, rocks, and minerals. Try the activities and games to learn more about each. Explore the life cycle of humans, nutrition, respiration, endangered animals, and more. Don't miss the "Fun Stuff" link for some "fun" educational activities to try. Although this site doesn't have a lot of extra "glitz," there is a ton of information to be found.
tag(s): animals (289), endangered species (27), fossils (41), insects (68), life cycles (21), minerals (13), nutrition (137), respiration (10), rocks (35)
In the Classroom
Place a link to this site on your class computer or your class web page for students to access. Use to introduce or reinforce topics learned in class. Students can work individually or in groups. Assign specific topics for cooperative learning groups to explore. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Visualead - Quick & Easy Visual QR Code Generator - Nevo Alva, Uriel Peled, and Itamar
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Turn any image into a fully functional QR Code in 3 easy steps that take less than one minute. Upload your image or choose one from Visualead's online gallery. Set ...more
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Turn any image into a fully functional QR Code in 3 easy steps that take less than one minute. Upload your image or choose one from Visualead's online gallery. Set the desired destination for your QR code. Place the QR code where you choose on the image. Upload your image from your computer file or drag and drop from a folder on your computer. Choose from options for the QR link: choose url, vCard, YouTube video, Facebook, or many other web-based media choices. Drag, resize and place your code anywhere on the image. When finished, click on generate to complete the QR code generation process. Login using Facebook, Google, or email to receive the finished image. Share using the social media links or download to your computer. Here is a (link to an example).
A tip: when creating your QR Code, you will see a link to "generate your image" on the last step. It will give you the options of "try again" or "next." Choose "next" to go to the final step. "Try again doesn't mean that your image wasn't created, it just gives you the option for personalizing the code differently before completing the process.
A tip: when creating your QR Code, you will see a link to "generate your image" on the last step. It will give you the options of "try again" or "next." Choose "next" to go to the final step. "Try again doesn't mean that your image wasn't created, it just gives you the option for personalizing the code differently before completing the process.
tag(s): qr codes (16)
In the Classroom
Create a QR code that directs to your class site or blog and include it on handouts for Back to School night. Create a QR code scavenger hunt for students, making a webquest more engaging. Add QR codes to documents for students to check their answers to questions. Expand knowledge of a topic by adding a QR code to a site that expands upon what is in the textbook. Create a data chart accessible via a QR code. Students access the data and manipulate the information. Have students create a book trailer or review and affix a QR code to the outside of the book. Students may be more apt to read a book that has been reviewed by another student. Make a display completely interactive with a QR code that describes the assignment, the process, the research, student's reactions and more! Add extra help information to any assignment that asks students to solve problems. Create an online help tutorial accessible via a QR code, and place the code beside a similar problem. Link directly to a Google Map. Place QR code contact information for you and your school on contact cards to give to parents. Attach QR codes to physical objects around the room to provide information about the object. Place the links in a newsletter using QR codes instead of a series of words that need to be typed. Be sure to search TeachersFirst resources for many other great ways to use QR codes in the classroom!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Silk - Interactive Generative Art - Yuri Vishnevsky
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Create magical looking artwork as you click and drag with this beautiful site. Personalize the images using the color and format links at the bottom of the screen. Choose from ...more
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Create magical looking artwork as you click and drag with this beautiful site. Personalize the images using the color and format links at the bottom of the screen. Choose from vertical or four-way symmetry or symmetry off. Include new age music to add to the magical effects or turn music off with a simple click. Share your creations through links to Twitter, Facebook, email, or copy the link. Share your art with using email, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Althought there is no option to print or save a finished design, you could take a screenshot (Shift+ Command +4 on a mac or Prtscrn key on Windows) and save or paste it into a document to write about or save.
In the Classroom
Use this site to explore symmetry with your students on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Watch what happens when you choose from the different available options. Discuss what emotions certain colors can induce. Have students create their own artwork then print and post to a class bulletin board display (or share on your class website or blog). Challenge students to identify the type or types of symmetry shown in each design. Use this site in both art and math class while learning about symmetry. Have students take screenshots and write about their creations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Daniel Tigers Neighborhood - The Fred Rogers Company
Grades
K to 1
0 Favorites
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Join four year old Daniel Tiger, Mom Tiger, Dad Tiger, and Tigey in games, videos, and printables. Topics explore socio-emotional themes: sadness, anger, and bedtime anxieties. There...more
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Join four year old Daniel Tiger, Mom Tiger, Dad Tiger, and Tigey in games, videos, and printables. Topics explore socio-emotional themes: sadness, anger, and bedtime anxieties. There are also activities about doctor visits, music, exploring around the house, daily health routines, riding the trolley through the neighborhood and more. The collection of videos has many different segments from the television series. Don't miss the printables.
tag(s): dental health (15), difficult conversations (61), disabilities (31), emotions (48), preK (263), social and emotional learning (96)
In the Classroom
Use this at a center, or a way to start difficult conversations about feelings or situations. Share the interactives or videos on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the printables for students to create their own adventures for Daniel Tiger. Have your class create an adventure for Daniel Tiger. Put the stories into a class book. Take this idea to a new level, and create your own "neighborhood" in your class. Each student can add their own experiences with podcasts, videos, or writing. Have students create podcasts using a site such as Spreaker, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Learn English Teens - British Council
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This teens' branch of Learn English, reviewed here, contains interactives, short stories, poems, grammar bits, and a video zone with many short videos....more
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This teens' branch of Learn English, reviewed here, contains interactives, short stories, poems, grammar bits, and a video zone with many short videos. You can also write captions for humorous photos. The vocabulary zone organizes words into various categories. The exam section gives advice on exam preparation for all types of tests including listening, speaking, and reading as well as study tips. Don't miss the free time section and a magazine with articles written by peers. A free log-in allows teens access to printed versions of the stories (with questions), the ability to make comments, enter competitions, answer polls, and even submit writings. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. Since this site was created in the UK, you will notice some spelling differences from American English.
tag(s): creative writing (123), grammar (135), test prep (69), video (263), vocabulary development (91)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site to your class on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and have your ELL/ESL students use it as one of your learning stations. Short stories and other interactive features of the site would work well with weaker readers and learning support students, too. Encourage your ESL/ELL students to share their writings on Learn English Teens (if allowed by school policy).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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