Featured Sites Week of: Mar 29, 2020 -
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
ISTE Standards for Students - International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
Grades
K to 12
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The ISTE Standards for Students outline seven learning standards to empower student learning through technology in preparation for 21st Century skills. Choose any of the topics and...more
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The ISTE Standards for Students outline seven learning standards to empower student learning through technology in preparation for 21st Century skills. Choose any of the topics and click on the plus sign to open the outline and view specific goals and learning outcomes. Dig even deeper into the standards by clicking on the hyperlinked words to learn how the words and phrases correlate to information within the standard. Other links found under the standards outline offer downloads and information on how to adopt the ISTE Standards. Email signup is required to receive the free downloads.
tag(s): professional development (307)
In the Classroom
Use the ISTE Standards for Students as a guideline to using technology in your classroom. Download the printable standards for use when considering what type of technology to use, how to use it, and your expectations for learning. Incorporate the ISTE Standards into your professional development sessions within your school. Consider unpacking one standard per month during professional development learning. Use a curation tool like Wakelet, reviewed here to share resources with peers relating to incorporating the standards. Encourage your peers to share their ideas for using the standards by using Gravity, reviewed here as a conversation starter for your ongoing standards and technology discussions.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Be Internet Awesome - Google
Grades
2 to 6
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Be Internet Awesome is a series of resources from Google to teach digital safety. Resources include Interland, reviewed here, an online interactive...more
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Be Internet Awesome is a series of resources from Google to teach digital safety. Resources include Interland, reviewed here, an online interactive that offers participants the opportunity to practice skills to combat phishers, hackers, and cyber bullies. The free curriculum, available for download, is best suited for grades 3-5; however, it is easily adaptable to other grade levels. Click the Educator tab on the top menu bar to find a teacher curriculum, Google Slides-ready-to-teach lessons, an Internet safety poster, certificates, and badges for students, plus a lot more. All features of this site align with the ISTE Standards.
tag(s): cyberbullying (52), digital citizenship (112), game based learning (295), internet safety (117), OER (54)
In the Classroom
Discover the many free resources for teaching digital safety offered on this site. Share a link on your class website for parents. Include the interactive game in the computer center during Internet safety lessons. Use the free lesson plan to teach digital safety either as a one-time unit or as mini-units throughout the school year. Enhance learning by having cooperative learning groups create podcasts discussing digital safety information. Use a site such as Buzzsprout, reviewed here to create the podcasts.
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Telegra.ph - telegra.ph
Grades
2 to 12
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Telegra.ph is a free, no-login web publishing tool that lets anyone create clean, ad-free pages in seconds. Just click to add a title, author name, and content. Use the "+" ...more
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Telegra.ph is a free, no-login web publishing tool that lets anyone create clean, ad-free pages in seconds. Just click to add a title, author name, and content. Use the "+" icon to upload images or embed media from YouTube, Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter). When you're done, click "Publish" to generate a unique URL to share your work. Be sure to save the edit link that appears after publishing--it's the only way to revise your post later. Perfect for student blogs, quick updates, or storytelling projects.
tag(s): blogs (80), communication (126), digital storytelling (177), writing (303)
In the Classroom
Use this tool as an easy to use blogging tool in the classroom and in every subject area. Use in language arts classes to strengthen students' writing ability and 21st century skills. Teach about proper commenting etiquette on simple first blog posts. Use for student-written book reviews for the school library. Use as a tool for class or parent communication. Engage students in discussions on current events, independent reading, literature, and more. Ask students to play the role of a historical figure and write about their viewpoints or experiences. Use the site as a forum for any simulated or real task. Invite parents to join to give their points of view on upcoming elections or public policy issues by commenting on student posts. Share a blog in even the youngest of classes, for parents to use to learn about a specific unit of study, field trips, and more. Use this site in world language classes to have students write a blog entry in the new language. Include the principal or superintendent in class discussions of students' rights as you study the Constitution. Create incredible discussions of environmental, political, or economic issues. Create a standing assignment for elementary and middle schoolers on snow days. Have students write a post about the snow using Telegra.ph and share the URL on a class wiki. Post the various links on the class web page so students can comment on each other's posts after they come in from sledding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordClouds - wordclouds.com
Grades
2 to 12
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WordClouds.com is a free online word cloud generator that allows students and teachers to create colorful visual representations of words, phrases, and key ideas from text, documents,...more
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WordClouds.com is a free online word cloud generator that allows students and teachers to create colorful visual representations of words, phrases, and key ideas from text, documents, websites, or typed input. Users can customize shapes, fonts, colors, layouts, and themes while generating word clouds for vocabulary study, brainstorming, reading analysis, reflection activities, and classroom discussions. The site works on computers, tablets, and smartphones without requiring software installation or registration, making it easy to incorporate into lessons across subject areas. Finished creations can be downloaded, printed, or shared digitally for presentations, projects, and interactive classroom displays.
tag(s): editing (98), proofreading (18), speech (64), vocabulary (260), word choice (12), word clouds (12)
In the Classroom
WordClouds is a terrific visual tool to share on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Paste in a passage or URL for a political speech to visualize the politician's "message." Analyze advertising propaganda by visualizing the language used in TV or print ads. Create word clouds of historical texts of inauguration speeches as time capsules of the issues of the day. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or reading passages of great literature to "see" themes and motifs of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Students will be surprised to see what words appear to be dominant. ENL and ELL students will eagerly use this site since word order will no longer be a problem for them. Have students work in groups to create word posters of vocabulary words with related meanings, such as different ways to say "walk" or "said" and decorate your classroom with these visual reminders of the richness of language.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Believe It or Not? - NewseumED
Grades
8 to 12
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Use the lessons, discussion questions, and news articles provided by NewseumEd to help young adults understand what media literacy is and to tell the difference between good and bad...more
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Use the lessons, discussion questions, and news articles provided by NewseumEd to help young adults understand what media literacy is and to tell the difference between good and bad information. Though the lessons seem to center around a visit to Newseum and their galleries, there is a lot to be learned just by examining and discussing the materials presented here. There are discussion questions, media issues to think about, suggested in-class activities, and worksheets. Find a Unit plan with lessons that are standards aligned and Common Core compatible. The Unit plan and worksheets are available in both PDF and Word document formats. You must be a registered NewseumEd member to access this resource; however, membership is free.
tag(s): evaluating sources (58), media literacy (137), news (222)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lessons, discussion questions, sample articles, and worksheets offered for use in your classroom. Divide students into small groups and assign different discussion questions and activities to each group. Allow all older students to have a voice (and engage their interest) in the small group by using a chat service like Flock, reviewed here. Enhance learning by challenging the small groups to create a slide presentation using the free Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here, demonstrating information learned. With the online PowerPoint students can add videos, images and documents making them all interactive. Note: with Flock students can also start planning the presentation and keep the plan for 30 days. If you cannot make a field trip to the Newseum for the Gallery Guide Handout, you can do a Google search for Who Controls the News and find many free resources.
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Flock - Cookies Riva FZC
Grades
8 to 12
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Flock is a free chat and collaboration service. Start by signing up for a free account and begin chatting. Communicate one-on-one or create a group using text or video conference. ...more
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Flock is a free chat and collaboration service. Start by signing up for a free account and begin chatting. Communicate one-on-one or create a group using text or video conference. Add attachments, polls, a code snippet, or an emoticon. Create a to-do list for the group or project. With the free account, chat records are kept for 30 days. Be mindful of the laws and regulations. Use the web version or download the software.
tag(s): chat (41), communication (126), microblogging (14), polls and surveys (44)
In the Classroom
Teachers can use the chat feature to communicate with parents or students. Collaborate with other educators on lesson plans and activities. Create groups of students during group projects for collaboration. Attach the directions to the chat and monitor the conversation by including yourself in the group and promoting good digital citizenship. Use the poll feature to check for understanding or use the chat as an exit ticket.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Digital Compass - Common Sense Media
Grades
5 to 9
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Digital Compass is an animated, interactive design intended to teach middle school students about digital citizenship. Each of the eight characters demonstrates a different topic, such...more
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Digital Compass is an animated, interactive design intended to teach middle school students about digital citizenship. Each of the eight characters demonstrates a different topic, such as cyberbullying and Internet safety. Along the way, players choose various options. Some choices have positive results, and others have negative consequences. This tool is also available in Spanish. Find an Educator Guide for suggestions on how to use this tool in the classroom, along with PDFs for a Quick Start Guide and the Teacher's Guide. As of June 30, 2026, Digital Compass will be retired; however, some features may remain available indefinitely.
tag(s): digital citizenship (112), internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect to incorporate into any digital citizenship lessons. Complete activities together on your interactive whiteboard while making appropriate and inappropriate choices along the way. Create a link on your class website or blog for use at home. Be sure to share Digital Compass with parents to use as part of their online safety discussions at home. Enhance students' learning and create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.
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CommonLit - CommonLit
Grades
4 to 12
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Access commonly taught themes for classic literature and discussion questions for that theme. Plus, Text Sets are perfect for social studies teachers! Choose a Lexile''''''''® grade...more
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Access commonly taught themes for classic literature and discussion questions for that theme. Plus, Text Sets are perfect for social studies teachers! Choose a Lexile''''''''® grade level for reading and download the text in PDF format or read online. Each text has a menu across the top offering Paired Texts, Related Media, a Teacher's Guide, and a Parent Guide. The text includes critical thinking questions, an Assessment, and, in some cases, Guided Reading Mode. Choose the font size, listen to the Read Aloud (and pause it), translate to Spanish, and Highlight. Track student progress. You can search by Book, Genre, Grade Level, Literary Device, Text Set, Theme, and Spanish Texts. All of this for free! What else could one want? You can also request a text, and they will negotiate with the copyright holders to add it to their site. Check out their blog, too! You'll find lots of suggestions and thoughtful reflections for using nonfiction texts with your students.
tag(s): critical thinking (188), differentiation (103), literature (214), reading comprehension (145), spanish (113), substitutes (33), Teacher Utilities (233), themes (16)
In the Classroom
CommonLit is an excellent resource for literature, speech and debate, and history teachers. Share the site with students on an interactive whiteboard or projector, and ask the class which themes they want to investigate. Under each theme are two questions. Divide the class into small groups, each investigating one question from one theme and reading the accompanying text. Differentiate by having students read the same theme at their reading level. Challenge individuals, pairs, or small groups to create a graphic organizer for the story they read, replacing paper and pencil and using a tool like Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers, reviewed here. You could take this a step further by having two groups read different selections on the same theme, use a graphic organizer to compare how the theme is presented, and then challenge the groups to present their findings to the class via video. Use a simple video creator like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here. This site also works when you need to make substitute plans unexpectedly. Just include the link in your plans and tell the sub which theme you want students to read about, or, better yet, let the sub choose!
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Google Keep - Google, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12
4 Favorites
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Use Google Keep to save notes directly to your Google Drive account. This tool requires that you have a Google account. Unlike some similar services, such as Evernote,...more
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Use Google Keep to save notes directly to your Google Drive account. This tool requires that you have a Google account. Unlike some similar services, such as Evernote, reviewed here, notes kept in Google Keep are saved to your Google Drive account. Use Google Keep for notes, voice notes, lists, and photos. Access these on any web enabled mobile device. Keep works best with Chrome browsers (there is an extension for Chrome, also) and Android phones, but our editors had no issues using other browsers as well. Google Keep can also be also used with any school's Google Apps account. Keep is colorful, which is part of the design. Be sure to use the colors as an organizational tool. Keep has a low learning curve and is very simple to use. The quick note feature is invaluable: just type your notes in the text box without logging in or switching screens. To leave a voice note, tap the microphone icon and speak. Archive items easily when you are done. Though Keep is a more generic, basic tool, its value is in its simplicity and ease of use.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (134), note taking (36), organizational skills (92), study aid (175)
In the Classroom
Take pictures of things to do, buy, or finish. Create checklists of steps in a project. Place all of your notes in one place so you do not forget. Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have. They could "keep" assignment information, reminders, and more. Consider creating a class account that can be used by all students. Spell out the use of the site and what is allowed and not allowed -- and the penalties. Even though all students have the same login, create different notebooks for different tasks that students can use to upload information to be shared by all. Create separate accounts for student groups who can then share their notebook with other groups. Use Keep to snapshot and share links, documents, files, and pictures for any group project or class work. Whole class accounts can be used by a class scribe during class and accessed from home for review, by absentees, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Chartle - Zygomatic
Grades
6 to 12
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Create various types of graphs and charts - easily! Enter data quickly and explore multiple ways to show it using the available graph types. Quickly see the relationships between the...more
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Create various types of graphs and charts - easily! Enter data quickly and explore multiple ways to show it using the available graph types. Quickly see the relationships between the data as you play with the graphic. Note: Take (and save) a screenshot of your chart, as not all charts have been saved correctly. Once a chart has been published, it can no longer be edited.
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tag(s): charts and graphs (183), data (214), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
You will want to play with this tool before using it in class. Use it anywhere numerical data is collected and is best shown in a chart. Collect data in a science, survey, or math class and display it using different graphs to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using each graph type. Use for quick creation and sharing of created graphs. Create charts together easily on an interactive whiteboard when introducing the different types. Have students operate the board while others offer instructions on what to do next. Use graphs to portray different sets of data about a topic in a new and unique way. Use this tool to create graphs and charts for presentations and reports. Make quick charts students can share with others, such as "How I spend my time" and "Places I have visited." During political campaign seasons, create charts to better visualize what the pollsters are saying.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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