TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Mar 27, 2022
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
Microsoft Whiteboard - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital online whiteboard web tool that integrates with Microsoft 365 Education products. The whiteboard includes features for adding collaborators through...more
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Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital online whiteboard web tool that integrates with Microsoft 365 Education products. The whiteboard includes features for adding collaborators through Teams or by email invitation. Use the tools on the whiteboard to draw, type, add images, and much more. Your whiteboards save automatically to the cloud for easy access at any time or from any device. Sign in to your school's Microsoft 365 account or follow the directions to download the app for Windows or iOS. The download provides additional resources beyond what is available on school accounts.
tag(s): collaboration (112), iwb (29), Whiteboard (12)
In the Classroom
Use Microsoft Whiteboard to collaborate with students to share and organize information instantly. Use the whiteboard through Microsoft's Teams to differentiate instruction with groups of students. Allow students to create collaborative drawings as responses to literature. They can map out the plot or themes, add labels, create character studies, and more. Share the finished products on an interactive whiteboard, projector, or your class website. Have a group of students create a drawing so that another group can use it as a writing prompt. Use the whiteboard as a brainstorming or sketching space as groups (or the class) share ideas for a major project or for solving a real-world problem. Use this site in a computer lab (or on laptops) to create a drawing of the setting in a story as it is read aloud. As an assessment idea, have students draw out a simple cartoon with stick figures to explain a more complex process such as how democracy works. If you are lucky enough to teach in a BYOD setting, have a blended classroom, or are distance teaching, use Microsoft Whiteboard to demonstrate and illustrate any concept while students use the chat and drawing tools to interact in real-time. If you are studying weather, have students diagram the layers of the atmosphere and what happens during a thunderstorm, for example. Introduce this tool to students who are working on group projects. Alternatively, have students use this to work as partners or as a small team to complete complex math problems or equations. Give students a question by typing it on their whiteboard.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Microsoft Translator for Education - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Microsoft Translator provides translation between languages in two ways. Use this tool to converse with individual participants or groups on iOS or Android devices or on a computer....more
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Microsoft Translator provides translation between languages in two ways. Use this tool to converse with individual participants or groups on iOS or Android devices or on a computer. Begin by choosing "start conversation" and enter your name and language choice. Microsoft Translator provides a code that participants can share to log in to the conversation on their device via the Translator website or app. There are two options: click on the conversation option to start a conversation, and then speak or type your words. Participants on the other end hear and view the text in their desired language. Option 2 is to click the text option to translate. Copy and paste text or a webpage URL into the first box and choose "Translate." The translator converts the text into your choice of many different languages. At the time of this review, Translator supports 10 languages, and up to 100 people can participate in a single conversation.
tag(s): chinese (38), DAT device agnostic tool (129), french (72), german (49), greek (45), hebrew (17), italian (32), japanese (53), Microsoft (55), russian (25), spanish (112)
In the Classroom
Use Translator to greet "other language" speaking students and make them feel welcome in your classroom; encourage conversations between them and your class. Take advantage of Translator to broaden your classroom's global perspective by engaging in conversations with others worldwide. Use this site in world language classrooms to have students copy their text to convert it into the language being studied (or vice versa). Enhance student learning by having students create presentations about other countries in the native language of the nation using a presentation tool like Canva, reviewed here. Enhance your technology presentations by incorporating multimedia elements. Use a tool such as Genially, reviewed here, to incorporate multimedia like maps, surveys, video, audio, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ResponsiveVoice - ResponsiveVoice
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
ResponsiveVoice (formerly known as Text2VoiceOver) is a user-friendly tool that allows you to add voiceovers to any YouTube video or video file from your computer using over 15 different...more
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ResponsiveVoice (formerly known as Text2VoiceOver) is a user-friendly tool that allows you to add voiceovers to any YouTube video or video file from your computer using over 15 different voices and 13 languages. To get started, click "Create VoiceOver," upload or link your video, choose the point where the voiceover begins, then type your script and select a voice and language. The platform guides you through the process to preview and generate your voiceover. A tutorial video is available to help, but note that if your district blocks YouTube, the tutorial may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communication (122), text to speech (23)
In the Classroom
Have students select a short historical video or upload a class project, then write and record a voiceover from the perspective of a historical figure (e.g., George Washington, Harriet Tubman). Have students retell a scene from a novel or short story using a new point of view (e.g., the antagonist's or a minor character's) by adding their own voiceover to a related video or slideshow. For ELL or world language classes, students can practice writing and pronunciation by creating voiceovers in a target language. ResponsiveVoice's multilingual features make it ideal for reading scripts in Spanish, French, Mandarin, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kid World Citizen - Becky Morales
Grades
K to 6
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0 Comments
Kid World Citizen offers a large variety of resources to encourage kids to become global learners and thinkers. Explore categories such as books, food, and art to find international...more
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Kid World Citizen offers a large variety of resources to encourage kids to become global learners and thinkers. Explore categories such as books, food, and art to find international learning activities. Look for topics on specific countries using the map search. Be sure to check out the For Fun area with links to movies, music, games, and toys.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (52), chinese new year (5), christmas (38), cross cultural understanding (178), earth day (62), hanukkah (22), hispanic (54), holidays (285), italy (29), Juneteenth (32), mexico (70), native americans (131), ramadan (10), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use throughout the year when teaching about countries, holidays, and for cross-cultural literature resources. Choose a country to explore each month using resources found on the site. Learn about your students' backgrounds to find countries and regions to explore using activities on the site. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast your culture with that of a different country.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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FreeConferenceCall.com - freeconferencecall.com
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Conduct virtual conferences with up to 1,000 people at one time with Free Conference Call. Instantly share your screen during online calls for participant viewing or use the active...more
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Conduct virtual conferences with up to 1,000 people at one time with Free Conference Call. Instantly share your screen during online calls for participant viewing or use the active speaker mode. Other features enable recording and sharing meetings upon completion. After creating an account, follow the instructions to invite participants and set up the conference call. This tool works on any device with a modern web browser and Internet access, or download the free iOS or Android app.
tag(s): blended learning (29), chat (39), communication (122), DAT device agnostic tool (129), parent conferences (20), parents (52), remote learning (32)
In the Classroom
Use Free Conference Call to set up virtual parent/teacher conferences with participants located anywhere in the world. This is especially useful when multiple teachers are involved or when parents may not reside in the exact location. Share your screen as needed to provide information on assessments and student work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NowComment - Fairness.com
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Turn any document, image, or video into an online conversation with the NowComment collaborative tool. Choose any of the public documents available on the site or upload your own (using...more
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Turn any document, image, or video into an online conversation with the NowComment collaborative tool. Choose any of the public documents available on the site or upload your own (using the free membership). NowDocument works best with Microsoft Word and HTML web documents. They offer PDF conversions. but say they are not as reliable. Invite members to join private conversations or choose to make conversations public (use caution with students!). Link comments to specific portions of any document such as a sentence, image, or even video. Sort documents in several ways to view by commenter's name, date of the comment, or included tags. Be sure to check out NowComment's FAQ and Features Gallery for in-depth presentation of features. The introduction video is hosted on YouTube. If YouTube is blocked at your school, be sure to view this video at home.
tag(s): communication (122), media literacy (122), questioning (37), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Consider using NowComment as a resource in your classroom to increase student interaction with materials and each other. Use a class account for students using this tool for group projects. Library/media specialists could use this tool for online book clubs. Teach on a team? Collaborate with other teachers for assignments and more using this site. Create quick questions or even a short quiz using NowComment. Use this with ENL/ESL students, encouraging them to add questions about passages of text they do not understand. Make NowComment an integral part of your flipped classroom by assigning readings and student comments as part of at-home learning. Use NowComment for peer reviews, collaborative authoring, and online assignments. Share web pages and have students comment on media bias in online articles or practice CCSS close reading skills to comment to show where the writer includes supporting evidence in opinion pieces. Since commenting requires an account, you will either have to set up class accounts or use this with students who have email to set up their own accounts.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)
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Online Voice Recorder - 123apps
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Just as the name says, Online Voice Recorder allows you to record your voice from your computer and save the file. With no membership required, this is a free and ...more
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Just as the name says, Online Voice Recorder allows you to record your voice from your computer and save the file. With no membership required, this is a free and simple recording treasure! Simply push the record button and follow screen prompts to ALLOW the application access to your computer's microphone. Talk as long as desired. Then listen to the recorded playback. Trim and edit the length using easy sliders as desired. Save your finished version in MP3 format using the link.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blended learning (29), communication (122), fluency (32), noregistration (75), preK (322), speech (66), spelling (93)
In the Classroom
Have students practice spelling words orally, record speeches, practice reading fluency, and much more using Online Voice Recorder. After recording, allow students to listen to the playback and reflect upon the quality of their work. Do before and after recordings of students to share with parents during conferences to demonstrate reading progress. Have students record weekly summaries for what has happened in your class to share on your class website or blog (you will have to upload the files). Record weekly or daily homework assignments and share as a voice recording on your website. Save file space by replacing old files with new ones. Online Voice Recorder would be an excellent resource for recording and sharing more complicated directions for projects and assignments (adding you voice intonation and cues!). Your weaker readers and ENL/ESL students may do better with a combination of written AND auditory directions. Provide the link on your class website for students to use at home for additional practice in spelling, reading, practicing reports, and more. Share this site with parents at Back to School Night. Have students write and record audio book reviews others can play on iPads in the school library. If you have gifted students in your classroom, this tool is simple enough for even the youngest to be able to record audio mini-dramas portraying a historic figure, poetry readings, and more. Be sure to show them how to NAME and download the files to the local computer! Anything they can say out loud can become a creative project recording. Don't forget about recording musical performances or practices.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Across the World Once a Week: Collaborative Microblogging for Cross-Cultural Understanding - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Across the World Once a Week (XW1W) is a teaching idea that uses today's instant technologies to share answers to the same question across the world once a week. XW1W ...more
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Across the World Once a Week (XW1W) is a teaching idea that uses today's instant technologies to share answers to the same question across the world once a week. XW1W is a simple, social way for students to learn about real life in other cultures from real kids all across the world. By simply "hashtagging" X (formerly Twitter) or blog responses to a weekly question about daily life, students can share and learn about other cultures from their international peers. Find out more and read the details of this offering from TeachersFirst. The page displays the current weekly question as well as a X (formerly Twitter) feed of recent responses. (If you see a black "box," your school may be blocking X (formerly Twitter) feeds.) Don't miss the FAQ page to help you get started.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), cultures (292), twitter (11)
In the Classroom
Join XW1W with your class using a single X (formerly Twitter) account or any blog or wiki tool where you can share student answers to the weekly question. If you cannot access X (formerly Twitter) at school, that is not a problem. You do not even have to use X (formerly Twitter) (though this is a great way dip your toes into X - formerly Twitter). See the FAQ page for specific hints on using XW1W with your students. Share the XW1W idea with teaching colleagues in other places, and perhaps even with families to try at home. Want to learn more about X (formerly Twitter) and teaching? See TeachersFirst's X (formerly Twitter) for Teachers page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ePals - ePals, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
ePals, a global community, offers students the chance to connect with other students around the world (200+ countries). This site is one of the largest worldwide communities for global...more
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ePals, a global community, offers students the chance to connect with other students around the world (200+ countries). This site is one of the largest worldwide communities for global collaboration. Don't worry about student email accounts as they are no longer needed! Don't worry about the language barrier either, there is a built-in language translation! This content-rich site offers a free "how to" webinar on the Support page on the bottom menu. There are several support videos on YouTube. If you district blocks YouTube they may not be available in you classroom. The program offers teacher to teacher and teacher to student communications, pen pal exchanges, Classroom Collaborative Projects, Spark!Lab Invent It Challenges, and more. In addition, you can click on the Collaborative Projects link to find several ready to use projects (Self Driving Cars, Hamilton, Habitats, Maps, Natural Disasters, Water, and others).
tag(s): black history (131), collaboration (112), communication (122), disasters (35), environment (254), habitats (103), maps (225), natural disasters (21), water (105)
In the Classroom
Navigating this site is rather simple. Simply scroll through the slide show at the top to find your area of interest: Collaboration Projects, Spark!Lab Invent It Challenge, etc. Parts of this site require log-in. Registration does require an email address. A lot of safety features are already put into place at this site. To learn more about the safety features at this site, check out the ePals webinar on YouTube link on the FAQ page. This site offers an amazing assortment of class activities and possibilities. Collaborate with schools in Africa (or 200 other countries) for a geography project. Have your students find ePals to correspond with and practice writing skills in English or in a language you are studying. Get additional ideas for projects, by visiting the "Projects" link or propose one of your own based on ideas from TeachersFirst suggestions you read in other reviews, lesson plans, and articles. After viewing one of the informative videos, challenge your students to study one of the topics available at this site and extend their learning by creating their own videos using FlexClip, reviewed here. Use a tool such as TeachersTube, to share the video clips.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
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)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oxfam Education - Oxfam
Grades
6 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Oxfam's Teacher Resource site contains a wealth of information about global issues and human rights. There are plenty of articles, stories, images, and videos on water, health and...more
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Oxfam's Teacher Resource site contains a wealth of information about global issues and human rights. There are plenty of articles, stories, images, and videos on water, health and education, fair trade, social justice, sustainability, and many other issues to create a unit. Some of the topics include a teacher's guide. Click the Oxfam Education big green box and use the search function to enter keywords for your areas of interest.
tag(s): climate change (116), environment (254), water (105), women (188)
In the Classroom
Teachers who focus on current events will find much to explore. Oxfam as an organization clearly has a political point of view, but the depth of resources represented is remarkable. Enhance student learning by having students reflect about what they learned at this site using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) links. This blog creator requires no registration. Extend student learning by challenging students to take information from their blog and create an interactive infographic using Infogram, reviewed here to present their learning and understanding.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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