TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of May 25, 2025
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
STEM Bootcamps - Numerade
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): statistics (128), STEM (364), test prep (70), tutorials (50)
In the Classroom
Flip your classroom and have students watch Numerade Bootcamp videos at home to learn foundational concepts before class. They then can apply their learning through in-class lessons. Have students create and take practice quizzes based on Numerade's standardized test prep Bootcamps using a program like Quizlet, reviewed here. This will engage them in active test prep, enhance recall through repeated practice, and extend readiness for exams. Have students summarize a Numerade bootcamp topic by creating short review videos with Padlet, reviewed here, helping their classmates understand key points from the videos. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Purdue University Kids STEM Degree - Purdue University
Grades
K to 8tag(s): adaptations (16), colors (62), energy (139), environment (254), forces (46), fossils (44), habitats (103), mass (22), number sense (74), plants (142), seasons (59), soil (16), sound (74), space (245), STEM (364), summer (50), sun (87), tides (6), volcanoes (62), water cycle (25), weather (177)
In the Classroom
Use this site to offer your students STEM "degrees" in several ways. As a class, complete an activity weekly as an introduction and review of science content by including the video as part of a computer center activity. Work together to complete the quiz for each video, then request a certificate to recognize your class's accomplishment. Another option is for students to work toward achieving certifications on their own. Share this site on your class newsletter for students to complete over the summer as an exciting way to engage in science activities and earn a STEM degree. One benefit of having the option to choose from different grade levels is the ability to differentiate learning by offering various courses to students based on their interests and abilities. Some students may choose to earn several degrees in different grade levels. Support and encourage students to pursue STEM degrees by taking pictures of completed degrees and adding them to your class website. Extend learning by asking students to research one of the topics, then share a presentation with peers using Canva Edu, reviewed here. Canva Edu offers many options for creating and personalizing presentations including slides, infographics, and flyers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scholastic Home Base - Books - Scholastic
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): game based learning (303), summer (50)
In the Classroom
Engage and motivate students to read over the summer by sharing Scholastic with parents or your web page. Consider creating a Microsoft Whiteboard, reviewed here, for students to share their experiences with classmates when playing the games and suggest books for others to read.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BOOK IT! Summer Reading Program - Pizza Hut
Grades
K to 6tag(s): independent reading (83), seasonal (48), summer (50)
In the Classroom
Share Camp BOOK IT! with parents to encourage reading over the summer months. Use this program as an opportunity to collaborate with parents to engage students in reading by providing a reading list for students that includes books that appeal to your students. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share suggested titles of books for students, and use the stream feature to organize the titles into different categories. Encourage students to add comments to your Padlet, sharing their book reviews. Enhance your students' summer reading experience by creating a topic using Gravity, reviewed here, and ask students to contribute video book talks discussing their reading. Another idea is to create a Summer Bingo topic. Attach a Bingo form to your Gravity topic with different squares to complete. Ideas might be reading a biography, starting a new book series, or sharing a book with a friend.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Kids - PBS
Grades
K to 5tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), game based learning (303), literacy (124), preK (322)
In the Classroom
Discover and share the many free resources available on PBS Kids. Show clips on your interactive whiteboard, or with your projector, then have students complete an accompanying activity. With younger students, use Gravity, reviewed here, as a video response platform for students to share how they would use what they learned by watching the videos or using the interactives. Alternatively, you might try using Acast, reviewed here; Acast is an extremely easy to use tool for creating audio to share as podcasts. PBS Kids is perfect for sharing with parents. Include a link to activities on your class website along with suggestions on how to use activities at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SplashLearn - StudyPad, Inc
Grades
K to 5tag(s): addition (137), alphabet (46), blended learning (29), decimals (94), division (109), equations (132), fractions (179), game based learning (303), geometric shapes (152), Learning Management Systems (20), measurement (127), multiplication (133), number sense (74), place value (43), preK (322), sight words (22), spelling (93), subtraction (118)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free games and activities to provide practice and support with your math and reading curriculums. Differentiate learning based on student ability and confidence. Assign content based on students' learning goals. Share this site with parents to provide practice and support for math and ELA concepts at home. Use SplashLearn's reports and assessment results to guide your lesson planning and make adaptations to adjust to students' learning needs. Share this site with other practice activities using a bookmarking tool such as Symbaloo, reviewed here. Share your Symbaloo link with parents and on classroom computers for easy access to all learning tools shared. Use activities found in SplashLearn as part of a blended learning experience using Pear Deck, reviewed here. Include a link to the site along with videos and other learning activities found online or uploaded from your computer.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BeeLine Reader Collection - Reading is Fundamental
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): independent reading (83), multilingual (82), reading comprehension (146), reading strategies (93), Special Needs (46), Teacher Utilities (212)
In the Classroom
These BeeLine Reader PDFs are an excellent addition to the already valuable reading materials found at Reading is Fundamental - Literacy Central, reviewed here. Be sure to bookmark this site to find leveled reading passages with the enhanced function of BeeLine Reader. These PDFs are wonderful to share with ENL/ELL and Special Education specialists to use with their students. Remember, all teachers are reading teachers. Share this tool with your science, social studies, and math teachers, too!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Whooo's Reading - Whooo's Reading
Grades
K to 8tag(s): classroom management (134), reading comprehension (146), reading strategies (93)
In the Classroom
Although recommended for students in grades K-8, teachers of younger students should review questions and consider writing ability levels before including them in the program due to the written responses required. Consider using Whooo's Reading as an alternative to Accelerated Reader due to the use of short response answers instead of multiple choice questions. After reading books, substitute paper and pen journals by asking younger students to create a blog using a tool like Penzu, reviewed here, to share a book review with fellow students. Engage older students, or literature circle groups, by having them create a poster for the book using a tool like DesignCap, reviewed here, and then upload the poster to their blog about the book. A great blogging tool for older students is Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph have students click on an icon to upload related images, add a YouTube or Vimeo link. This blog creator requires no registration. For all age students, enhance learning by creating a class book review site using Gravity, reviewed here, where students create short video book reviews and can comment on each others reviews.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Study Jams - Scholastic
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): addition (137), animals (274), climate (100), decimals (94), differentiation (92), division (109), ecosystems (102), energy (139), estimation (36), forces (46), fractions (179), game based learning (303), human body (98), landforms (37), light (56), matter (50), measurement (127), minerals (14), multiplication (133), number lines (33), percent (62), place value (43), plants (142), probability (130), problem solving (273), rocks (44), solar system (123), sound (74), subtraction (118), weather (177)
In the Classroom
Excite your students with the Jams! Share the Jam videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students sing along and learn more about science and math. Especially younger students will enjoy this feature. Create a link to the site on your classroom website or blog for students to use for review and practice at home. Use the many topics available to differentiate for all students in your classroom. Create learning centers using this site or use it on individual laptops. Print out the quizzes for students to take as an assessment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Zearn - zearn.org
Grades
K to 5tag(s): addition (137), classroom management (134), data (212), decimals (94), differentiation (92), division (109), fractions (179), geometric shapes (152), measurement (127), multiplication (133), numbers (120), operations (71), subtraction (118)
In the Classroom
Use Zearn on a projector or an interactive whiteboard to demonstrate specific concepts or use as weekly math centers for student practice. Zearn provides data to target instruction to specific students or concepts needing additional reinforcement. Since Zearn is a complete math program, with individualized lessons for students to work on, teachers can conduct small group instruction while others work independently. Zearn is perfect to use for gifted or advanced students, allowing them to work at their own pace. Be sure to put a link to Zearn on your class web page for students to use at home. Zearn does not support Android devices but will work on all other devices with a browser and Internet access.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Prodigy - Math and English Games - Rohan Mahimker and Alex Peters
Grades
K to 7tag(s): addition (137), division (109), fractions (179), game based learning (303), number sense (74), numbers (120), subtraction (118)
In the Classroom
This activity would be perfect for practicing math concepts just introduced in class! Share this tool on your interactive whiteboard or projector. This site offers applied experience with math skills and provides critical thinking experience. Students will learn at their pace, and you can get real time reports about how and what your students are doing. There is an option to have the questions read aloud, so have the headphones/earbuds ready. Students will love the multiplayer experience and will forget they are practicing math. Bookmark this tool on your classroom computers and post it on your website for students to use at home. This is perfect to recommend to prevent summer slide.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ABCya - ABCYA.com, LLC
Grades
K to 6tag(s): alphabet (46), audio books (43), audtxt (19), decimals (94), drawing (57), fractions (179), game based learning (303), geometric shapes (152), keyboarding (28), latitude (9), literacy (124), longitude (8), number sense (74), numbers (120), operations (71), preK (322)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector, demonstrate how to use the specific tool/activity. Create a learning center on your whiteboard or on individual laptops and allow students to try it out on their own. List this as a student and parent resource on your classroom website. Use this site to informally assess skills to tell you which students to allow to do alternative work or go ahead. Allow your gifted students to explore new concepts while providing necessary reinforcement for those learners that need a technology-inspired method to help master learning goals. This is an excellent tool for differentiating. Provide as an anticipatory guide for new units.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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