Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Lifesaver is a crisis simulation that fuses interactivity and live-action film to teach how to help someone during a heart attack and CPR in a new way. View different crisis simulations while reacting within acceptable limits. Scores give feedback at the end of each scenario. In addition to the simulator activities, view answers to medical questions related to heart health, CPR, and choking by scrolling down to choices at the bottom of the home page. This simulator works on any device. However, the CPR demonstration does offer more ease in the free app versions than on a personal computer. This site was created in the UK. American English speakers may notice some slight spelling differences. Tip: you must check that you accept the terms to "Enter" the site!

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (146), heart (27), medicine (57)

Find many resources for using pattern blocks at this site. Choose from many different pattern block templates sorted by categories such as holidays, vehicles, and alphabet. Click any template to view the PDF for instant printing. When printing, do NOT "scale to fit page." Be sure to print at 100% or the actual size. The site is designed for use with standard pattern block pieces. However, if you don't have any, no worries! Select the Printable Blocks link for many print-and-cut options to use.

tag(s): geometric shapes (133), manipulatives (9), patterns (61), problem solving (234)

Celebrate 25+ years of the World Wide Web with this retrospective in interactive form. Scroll through to read about the first ideas and learn about the explosive growth and important events throughout the years. Choose auto-play to watch the timeline unfold or scroll at your own pace. As you progress through the story, watch for links to web stories. Viewers of the site share their personal memories each step along the way. Hover your mouse over the right side of your screen to link to the entire report in PDF format.

tag(s): computers (109), internet safety (116), inventors and inventions (81)

Watch as the point revolves around the unit circle to see the graphs of each trig function at this visually stimulating site. As the point on the circle revolves, the graphs of sin and tan project. Sin the "wave" is projected horizontally and cos projects vertically. This site was created using Javascript and works on all browsers except Internet Explorer.

tag(s): animation (66), charts and graphs (169)

Life Skills, created in the UK, offers programs for entering the 21st century work force. Begin by choosing the student (I'm here to help myself) or teacher (I'm here to help others) portal. Student information includes People Skills, Managing Money, How to Gain Work Experience, and more presented through videos and interactive activities. Access lesson plans, worksheets, and online activities through the teacher registration. Registration is free with email. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations, spellings, and use of currency will differ from those in American English. The principles are the same, once you figure out slight terminology differences.

tag(s): careers (182), financial literacy (95)

Solve My Math offers a wide selection of math calculators, games, and information for all different levels of math. Use the drop down box to choose a math category such as general math or complex numbers and trig. Some calculators offer only a solution while others show step by step ways to obtaining answers. Choose Math Courses for a basic overview of math content sorted by topic. The Math Games section offers games for learning basic math skills. Spend time exploring how the site is organized so you can avoid clicking the ads!
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): addition (127), calculators (36), charts and graphs (169), decimals (85), division (96), fractions (159), numbers (121), probability (99), statistics (121), subtraction (108)

Join the National Park Service and become a Junior Ranger Online! Don your ranger hat and go for a virtual tour and watch videos. Explore the online interactives, including visits to the Everglades and Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico. Choose from over 150 printable activities that offer opportunities to explore careers, build monuments, and learn about national parks across the United States. Learn how to complete activities and receive a Junior Ranger Badge and Certificate from the National Parks Service. The National Park Service also offers materials for educators, although they are a little difficult to find. Select the Menu icon with three bars and click on Educators or go here. Find lesson plans and activities using a keyword search and filters by subject, grade level, and Common Core Standards.

tag(s): animals (293), landmarks (21), national parks (29), plants (148), virtual field trips (131)

Looking for a challenge that can really make a change? The Biomimicry Design Challenge encourages participants to solve real-world problems as teams, basing their ideas on nature's own "design." Past challenges include Transportation and Water. You must be in a degree program to participate in the actual challenge, but anyone can read about current and past challenges. Read the Challenge details including judging criteria. View the Submission Gallery and past challenges to get ideas for your own challenge. Refer to the Biomimicry in Youth Education resource, reviewed here, for more information about the basics of Biomimicry.

tag(s): STEM (310)