Featured Sites Week of: Nov 11, 2018 -
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
For the Teachers - For the Teachers
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
For the Teachers is a large collection of free teaching resources, including lesson ideas, instructional strategies, differentiation supports, reading activities, classroom tools, and...more
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For the Teachers is a large collection of free teaching resources, including lesson ideas, instructional strategies, differentiation supports, reading activities, classroom tools, and printable materials for educators across grade levels and subject areas. Teachers can search for specific topics using the site's keyword search or browse the homepage to discover many of the site's most popular resources. Particularly valuable sections include "Reading Skills for Big Kids," which offers skill-based reading lessons paired with leveled articles, and the "Differentiation" section, which provides practical strategies and tools for adapting instruction, assessments, classroom activities, and learning materials to meet diverse student needs. The site contains a wide variety of helpful classroom content for teachers to explore. Teachers should note that links labeled "Download" may lead to advertisements or external programs rather than free classroom resources.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): characterization (16), charts and graphs (183), constitution (108), differentiation (103), graphic organizers (63), inferencing (8), mean (18), measurement (123), median (16), mode (12), multiplication (131), patterns (79), place value (42), plot (13), reading comprehension (145), rubrics (39), sequencing (22)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site to save as a favorite to find lesson ideas and activities throughout the school year. When planning for a substitute, look through the site to find useful ideas for lessons and planning organizers. There is so much material here to use, consider exploring the site with peers using techniques similar to a book study. Divide the site into sections to discuss at different times of your study. Organize your favorite materials from this site and your other resources using Padlet, reviewed here. Share your Padlet with peers to collaborate and create a useful time for organizing and sharing your favorite teaching materials. Supplement information included on report cards by using a site like Seesaw, reviewed here, to create portfolios for your students to demonstrate progress in reading, math, and other content areas. Include student-created projects based on activities found on For the Teachers.
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ytCropper - 10 Best Design
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you want to share just a portion of a YouTube video? ytCropper is your solution, no registration required. Enter the URL of the video and select Crop! to begin. ...more
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Do you want to share just a portion of a YouTube video? ytCropper is your solution, no registration required. Enter the URL of the video and select Crop! to begin. Use the handles on the timeline bar to adjust your video stop and start times then select Crop! again. When finished, ytCropper provides a direct link to your shortened video along with an embed code for use in websites or blogs.
tag(s): conversions (34), movies (51), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
Use ytCropper to highlight specific information from YouTube videos for student use. After creating a shortened clip, encourage students to predict what comes next or use the segment before showing the entire video. Flip your classroom and ask students to use ytCropper to share important information from videos or highlight portions that need further clarification. Using shorter video segments offers many opportunities to use video clips within other online tools. For example, have students enhance their learning by uploading an image related to their science research and add annotations. Use Google Drawings, reviewed here, to include shortened video clips, images, and text to describe the stages of plant growth, introduce a political figure, or provide background for a novel. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Google Drawings presents a variety of levels for technology use depending on teacher requirements for the project, or even student ability; it allows for adding narration, videos, text, and links to help explain what certain parts of the topic are about. Ask students to include shorter clips within multimedia projects created using a tool like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, to redefine classroom technology use and their learning and understanding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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STEAM Art Lessons - Tricia Fuglestad
Grades
K to 8
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you need inspiration for art and technology-rich STEAM lessons? Take a look at the many ideas on this site created by art teacher Tricia Fuglestad. Lesson topics include ideas ...more
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Do you need inspiration for art and technology-rich STEAM lessons? Take a look at the many ideas on this site created by art teacher Tricia Fuglestad. Lesson topics include ideas based on famous works of art like Edvard Munch's The Scream and Gilbert Stuart's George Washington portrait. Each lesson consists of a link to the blog post describing the lesson; many of these also include a video overview of the activity. Several ideas are also offered for Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat. Editor's Note: Some links in the lessons go to a paid site to purchase lesson materials such as PowerPoints. The free lesson ideas and suggestions on this site are sufficient for creating and teaching these ideas without buying anything additional.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): black history (133), coding (110), creativity (93), digital storytelling (177), dr seuss (10), drawing (57), environment (245), graphic design (57), great depression (33), literacy (122), nutrition (140), photography (136), poetry (194), problem solving (282), read across america (7), STEM (385), stories and storytelling (81), symmetry (31)
In the Classroom
If you feel that you are strong in the arts but not technology (or the other way around), find a teaching partner that complements your strength and work together to teach lessons from this site. Use ideas from here in your classroom makerspace. Use Wakelet, reviewed here, to add notes and questions as you prepare to teach lessons from this blog. Wakelet offers the ability to collaborate and share with others through the addition of written and audio notes to any web page. Use lesson activities found on this site as a replacement for traditional research projects, book reports, or written reports. Have students use a blogging tool like edublog, reviewed here, to share images and videos of their work from start to finish and to reflect upon learning. Have older students extend learning through the use of Canvas LMS, reviewed here. Ask them to research and find additional information on the topic of your lesson and create a learning path for other students to complete. For younger students, create a Symbaloo Learning Path for students to complete as a center activity to complement your STEAM learning activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Graphic Organizer Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection of reviewed resources includes tools for creating graphic organizers and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or grade. Be sure to read...more
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This collection of reviewed resources includes tools for creating graphic organizers and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or grade. Be sure to read the "In the Classroom" suggestions for examples of ways to use graphic organizers as part of a lesson or unit.
tag(s): graphic organizers (63), mind map (31), venn diagrams (14)
In the Classroom
Whether you call them concept maps, mind maps, KWLs, or graphic organizers, these visual diagrams show relationships between concepts and provide a powerful tool for learning and connecting new ideas. Use graphic organizers to help your visual learners build reading comprehension. Find something for all grade levels in this collection.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Substitutes - Ideas and Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Stepping into a classroom you don't know, with students you've never met, calls for resources you can trust to work right away. This collection brings together ready-to-go educational...more
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Stepping into a classroom you don't know, with students you've never met, calls for resources you can trust to work right away. This collection brings together ready-to-go educational games and interactives that require little to no prep, so you can fill instructional time with confidence the moment you walk in the door. You'll also find classroom management resources, icebreaker activities, brain breaks, and teacher guides to help you build rapport quickly and keep the day running smoothly. Whether you're covering a single period or a full week, these tools are designed to make substitute teaching easier for you and more engaging for your students.
tag(s): substitutes (33)
In the Classroom
Whether you are a substitute looking for some "filler" ideas or a classroom teacher looking for new sites, check out this list of resources. Share this list on your class website for families to use at home. This list includes resources for young readers and secondary students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mentoring Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection from TeachersFirst features resources to help teachers mentor students. Find tools to use with all grade levels. Here you will find tools to help students prepare for...more
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This collection from TeachersFirst features resources to help teachers mentor students. Find tools to use with all grade levels. Here you will find tools to help students prepare for college or a future career, anti-violence tools, ways to empower girls, character building, and more. Use these tools to coach, lead, teach, and mentor in your classroom and beyond.
tag(s): bullying (56), mentoring (6), social and emotional learning (221)
In the Classroom
Share sites with the entire class or find specific tools that are useful for individual students in your class. This is a great list to share with parents at the beginning of the year, and list on your class website!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Citizenship Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This editor's choice curated list of reviewed resources focuses on digital citizenship. Explore topics such as: protecting your digital footprint, protecting your identity, "netiquette,"...more
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This editor's choice curated list of reviewed resources focuses on digital citizenship. Explore topics such as: protecting your digital footprint, protecting your identity, "netiquette," and much more. Find varying levels of information for different age groups and materials to help parents cooperate in educating their children about digital citizenship.
tag(s): digital citizenship (112), internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
Use this entire collection or simply select the best ones for YOUR students to continually model good digital citizenship. Share the links with parents and among your colleagues so you can promote positive action instead of fear about the Internet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Tools and Timesavers Editor's Choice Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
This collection of Editors' Choice FREE, reviewed resources was selected to help teachers and students save time using handy online tools that get the job done and make your classroom...more
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This collection of Editors' Choice FREE, reviewed resources was selected to help teachers and students save time using handy online tools that get the job done and make your classroom run smoothly. Find tools for organizing and communicating, managing your classroom, do-it-yourself creating, sharing links, useful utilities, saving paper, and much more. For a more extensive collection, see our full listing of online tools.
tag(s): classroom management (154)
In the Classroom
Mark this one in your favorites as a sanity saver. You may not remember the name of each handy timesaver, but having the collection close "at hand" will help you find them easily. Use your free TeachersFirst membership to rate them or mark individual favorite tools and share them with your students on your public page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NameCoach - Praveen Shanbhag
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Never mispronounce a name again, thanks to the help of NameCoach! Record names using your own computer or any other device. Add phonetic spelling or pronunciation tips. You can listen...more
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Never mispronounce a name again, thanks to the help of NameCoach! Record names using your own computer or any other device. Add phonetic spelling or pronunciation tips. You can listen to the names as often as you wish. Create your account to make lists for Back to School, award ceremonies, graduations, and much more. After creating your name page, share a link with peers through email or as a link on your class webpage or blog. Share the link in your substitute plans, too! Create a master list with sublists for use in different departments, classes, or for individual events.
tag(s): classroom management (154), pronunciation (32), substitutes (33)
In the Classroom
Create a master list of student names in your school or class using NameCoach. Provide a subset for different activities such as award ceremonies, after-school programs, or for student tutors. Share with your school's ENL/ELL teacher as an authentic way to learn and practice unfamiliar names. Provide this list (and URL) to any substitute coming to your classroom. Use it in world language classes to help students learn pronunciation of new names.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Help! I lost my library/media specialist - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 5
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Help I lost my library/media specialist offers read along and activity ideas written by an experienced elementary library/media specialist for schools where budget cuts have forced...more
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Help I lost my library/media specialist offers read along and activity ideas written by an experienced elementary library/media specialist for schools where budget cuts have forced the elimination of the library/media specialist. Although nothing can replace the specialized knowledge of a teacher-librarian, you have students whose elementary years are passing quickly. Find new features about once a month, as well as suggestions that classroom teachers or parent volunteers can offer as positive experiences in the school library/media center throughout the elementary grades. Planned features will include both professional articles on promoting reading and activities to do directly with students.
tag(s): book lists (167), independent reading (85), literacy (122), reading lists (79)
In the Classroom
Mark this one in your favorites as you plan for classroom or library read-along and information literacy lessons. Share the ideas with parent volunteers and other teachers within your school as you struggle to "do more with less." Use the "share" widget to send great ideas to fellow teachers or afterschool program coordinators. Share the URL for the current read-along list on your class web page so parents can do a read-along at home, too. Need help finding the books you want from this list in your school library? Use the ISBNs to search for them on interlibrary loan from a local public library.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bulletin Board Hang Ups - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 12
17 Favorites
0 Comments
TeachersFirst provides this collection of printable quotations, ready for your classroom or bulletin board. Inspire, engage, or challenge your students to think with quotes from famous...more
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TeachersFirst provides this collection of printable quotations, ready for your classroom or bulletin board. Inspire, engage, or challenge your students to think with quotes from famous leaders, sports figures, thinkers, and writers.
tag(s): bulletin boards (12), quotations (18)
In the Classroom
They look great printed on brightly colored paper! As an opening day activity, challenge small groups of students to interpret the quote hanging closest to them and predict how it may be important in your course this year. For younger students, ask them to write a paraphrase or to illustrate the quote. Be sure to change the quotes periodically and give a prize to the first student who notices. Or give a pop-quiz during the last week of school, asking students to recall as many of the year's quotes as they can (working in small groups will probably help). If you have classroom blogs, ask students to choose and reflect on a specific quote and its relevance to your class throughout the past year.
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