TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 17, 2021
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 go to the Featured Sites Archive
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Social Media Test Drive - Cornell University and the Cornell Research Foundation, Inc
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Social Media Test Drive provides a series of interactive modules offering practice in digital citizenship skills through a social media simulation. Each module includes tutorials, guided...more
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Social Media Test Drive provides a series of interactive modules offering practice in digital citizenship skills through a social media simulation. Each module includes tutorials, guided activities, free-play, and opportunities for reflection. Topics include how to shape your digital footprint, online privacy, addressing cyberbullies, and how to recognize and identify "fake news." The Teacher's Guide provides ideas on using the site along with key terms and information found within the modules.
tag(s): character education (64), cyberbullying (42), digital citizenship (73), social media (46)
In the Classroom
Share these modules for students to complete during any lessons on Internet safety. Ask students to contribute to a collaborative document sharing examples they have seen of cyberbullying or deceptive news practice. Replace pencil and paper notetaking by sharing an online tool such as Webnote, reviewed here, for students to use to take notes on any website. When finished, have them share their notes using the URL created for use in classroom discussions. Reinforce online safety concepts through gameplay using Baamboozle, reviewed here. Enhance student learning by asking students to create a game in Baamboozle for their peers to play to identify best practices in creating a safe online presence. After completing your digital safety unit, modify classroom technology use and extend learning by asking students to create explainer videos using FlexClip, reviewed here, with suggestions on how to identify fake news, how to create a positive digital footprint or ways to support peers when faced with cyberbullying. Share student videos on your class website and with younger students.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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0 Comments
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. Other features from the site include a teacher training course, an Internet safety poster, and certificates and badges for students. All features of this site align to ISTE Standards.
tag(s): cyberbullying (42), digital citizenship (73), internet safety (112), OER (31)
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 as part of a 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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Digital Compass - Common Sense Media
Grades
5 to 9
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Digital Compass is an animated interactive designed to teach middle school students about digital citizenship. Each of the eight characters demonstrates a different topic such as cyberbullying...more
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Digital Compass is an animated interactive designed 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 different options. Some choices have positive results, and others have negative consequences. This tool is also available in Spanish. Find an Educator Guide for suggestions about how to use this tool in the classroom and PDFs for a Quick Start Guide and the Teacher's Guide. As of October 31, 2019 Digital Compass apps (iOS and Android) were retired. Digital Compass will be available on the web, through your browser.
tag(s): digital citizenship (73), internet safety (112)
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 Easelly, reviewed here.
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We Do Listen Foundation - We Do Listen Foundation
Grades
K to 3
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Songs, audio books, lesson plans, and more abound at this fabulous site for young children! At We Do Listen you will find activities to build character traits (such as honesty)...more
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Songs, audio books, lesson plans, and more abound at this fabulous site for young children! At We Do Listen you will find activities to build character traits (such as honesty) and social skills (such as anti-bullying). There are many audio books, with text included. Choose the lessons link to find printable lessons to accompany each book to teach character traits and social skills. There is also online coloring and a place to write and color your own story! Download song videos to your computer for use at any time. Choose the color and print your own book to color on paper, computer, and create stick and paper puppets.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bullying (52), character education (64), ebooks (35), preK (230), social skills (24)
In the Classroom
All primary classrooms should take advantage of this wonderful tool. Share the interactive books and songs on your projector and interactive whiteboard. Use the songs, stories, and lesson plans to teach about various character traits: honesty, anti-bullying, good sportsmanship, courage, and more. Use these stories during class meetings to discuss issues happening in your own classroom. Share a link to the site with parents as a resource for use at home. Share the songs with your PE teacher to reinforce the concepts during movement activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List: Books for Tough Situations - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Use this CurriConnects list to find independent reading books to help students facing difficult circumstances such as divorce, loss, bullying, deployed parents, friendship issues, eating...more
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Use this CurriConnects list to find independent reading books to help students facing difficult circumstances such as divorce, loss, bullying, deployed parents, friendship issues, eating disorders, and more. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ENL/ESL levels and Lexiles''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
tag(s): difficult conversations (41), disabilities (26), divorce (5), eating disorders (8), emotions (44), social and emotional learning (52), social skills (24)
In the Classroom
Build student literacy skills and help students facing personal challenges. Reading about personally meaningful topics will help students work through them. It will also build the important reading strategy of connecting what they read to what they already know. Keep this list handy in your Favorites to suggest options when a student seems to need them. Since the list includes topics for all levels of maturity, you might want to share portions of it rather than the entire list. You may also want to tell parents about it during parent conferences or when situations arise. As always, allow students to self- select independent reading books from a list of options. Don't forget to share the list with the school and local libraries so they can bring in some of the books on interlibrary loan, if needed. Your school counselor will also appreciate this list. CurriConnects are a great help for teachers and parents who have lost school library/media specialists due to budget cuts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inspire My Kids - Mike Stutman and Kevin Conklin
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Find inspiring, age-appropriate, real-life stories, videos, and projects to share with children and teens. The site hopes to help these students take positive actions and become the...more
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Find inspiring, age-appropriate, real-life stories, videos, and projects to share with children and teens. The site hopes to help these students take positive actions and become the best people they can be. Stories offer great examples of values like courage, determination, honesty, humility, kindness, responsibility, and tolerance. The stories range from incredible kids inspiring other kids, to amazing animals demonstrating admirable qualities, to the invention of inspirational social causes. Stories are searchable in several ways - by values, topics, age range, and format. Formats include articles, podcasts, reference, and videos. You can also sign up for the site's newsletter including updates and new article information.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): behavior (43), bullying (52), character education (64), disabilities (26), diversity (30), identity (24), school violence (13), service projects (16), tolerance (9)
In the Classroom
Share stories from the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector when learning about character traits such as sportsmanship, perseverance, and responsibility. Use the site as a resource when problems arise in the classroom such as bullying, intolerance, or special needs awareness. Have students use resources from the website as models for writing their own articles or expand learning with the challenge to create a podcast. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Use the stories as models for writing activities and essays. Your students could also draw inspiration from this site to create values comics. Have students create printed comics (or rough drafts) using Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, or exchange paper for a digital online comic with one or two characters. Use ToonyTool, reviewed here. Students can create an online comic strip by using Write Comics, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Thin Line - MTV
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
A Thin Line provides advice to teens so they can recognize unsafe online behaviors. This website, produced by MTV, provides young adults with fact sheets, videos, and discussions on...more
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A Thin Line provides advice to teens so they can recognize unsafe online behaviors. This website, produced by MTV, provides young adults with fact sheets, videos, and discussions on several online safety issues.
tag(s): bullying (52), cyberbullying (42), internet safety (112)
In the Classroom
This will be a great addition to your health, guidance, or Internet safety program. Before showing the site, have students take the quiz. The quiz can even be embedded on your website. Afterwards, using your interactive whiteboard (or projector), have students watch the different videos. Using the information found on the site, have students create skits to show proper or improper ways to behave online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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No Name-Calling Week - GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
Are you looking for some "fresh" ideas to put an end to bullying in your classroom but are not sure where or how to start? Well, you are in the ...more
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Are you looking for some "fresh" ideas to put an end to bullying in your classroom but are not sure where or how to start? Well, you are in the right place. This web site brings attention to No Name-Calling Week: an annual week of realistic educational activities designed to end all types of name-calling. No Name-Calling Week was inspired by the young adult novel, The Misfits, and presents an opportunity to address bullying as an increasingly, ongoing issue. Whether you are a teacher, student, administrator, counselor, or parent, there is an abundance of useful ideas, activities, and materials for elementary, middle, and high schools to promote anti-bullying awareness, and they are all free!
tag(s): bullying (52), character education (64), sports (81), tolerance (9)
In the Classroom
Use the resources from this web site to plan and implement lessons that students will relate to, and help to bring an end to harmful name-calling and "dissing." Select some of the many safe Web 2.0 tools reviewed by TeachersFirst Edge, such as Automotivator, reviewed here for extending learning and designing digital posters that can be printed, or PhotoPeach, reviewed here, for creating a digital slideshow that includes music, captions, and more. Alternatively, create comic strips: First have students create a rough draft of their comic using Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here. then use the online comic creator Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here, to drive home the message that bullying is never a laughing matter.
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Do Something.org - Do Something.org Team
Grades
7 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Do Something.org is one of the largest organizations in the United States that helps young people take action to promote causes they care about and motivates them with realistic,...more
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Do Something.org is one of the largest organizations in the United States that helps young people take action to promote causes they care about and motivates them with realistic, creative inspiration to create a culture of volunteerism. By tapping into the web, television, mobile devices, and popular media, DoSomething.org empowers and celebrates today's youth as the "Do Something" generation: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Explore this site for ideas for starting your own project and browse the many causes and volunteer opportunities already in your own area and beyond. Help students discover ways to make a difference. The rules are simple: No Money, No Car, and No Adults permitted for putting your plans into action.
There are suggestions, resources, and support to empower young people and give them the energy to take action and make a difference. Whether their passion is to feed the homeless, end bullying, help even the playing field of educational inequalities, or many more needy causes, this website is chock full of easy to access information and strategies that encourage teenagers to decide for themselves how they can contribute their time and desire to make a difference.
There are suggestions, resources, and support to empower young people and give them the energy to take action and make a difference. Whether their passion is to feed the homeless, end bullying, help even the playing field of educational inequalities, or many more needy causes, this website is chock full of easy to access information and strategies that encourage teenagers to decide for themselves how they can contribute their time and desire to make a difference.
tag(s): character education (64), Project Based Learning (10), service projects (16)
In the Classroom
Do you believe that kids can change the world? What are you doing about that? If you have been thinking about involving your class in some type of community service and project based learning, but need some direction, DoSomething.org is a phenomenal place to "shop" around for ideas. Perhaps you may want to start by showing the film, Pay It Forward, or with a writing prompt, "If you were given time in school to come up with one idea that could be put into action right now by people your age that would make this school or this community a better place, what would it be and how would you put your plan into action?" Have students share ideas in small groups, then introduce them to DoSomething.org by projecting it on your classroom whiteboard or projector, viewing some of the short videos, and using the power of the internet to empower them to act now. Challenge students to collect Internet resources for their cause using Wakelet, reviewed here, where they can add a cover image, background, collaborate with others, and chose the layout they prefer. Next, enhance learning by asking your students to create an interactive infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to explain their ideas about their cause and how they would put their plan into action. Club advisers, school counselors, and teachers of gifted can use the empowering resources of this site to inspire students to ACT.
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Bullying and Cyber-Bulling Prevention Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers, parents, and students manage the tough issues of bullying and cyberbullying. Whether you plan...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers, parents, and students manage the tough issues of bullying and cyberbullying. Whether you plan a special unit or lesson on this topic for Bullying Prevention Week or select from these resources on an as-needed basis, you will find useful ideas and strategies for students and adults to work together to erase bullying from your class and school culture. Be sure to share these resources with parents and your parent organization via your class or school web page.
tag(s): bullying (52)
In the Classroom
Use the resources in this collection if ever in need of help concerning bullying online or in the classroom. Be sure to pass this one along to parents, counselors or peers if bullying is ever a concern or issue.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) - Southern Poverty Law Center
Grades
K to 12
8 Favorites
1 Comments
Learning for Justice is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center and seeks to provide educators with tools to reduce prejudice of all kinds. You might already be familiar ...more
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Learning for Justice is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center and seeks to provide educators with tools to reduce prejudice of all kinds. You might already be familiar with this group's "Mix it Up" initiative which seeks to get middle school and high school students to sit with someone new for one day during lunch at the cafeteria. This site contains lesson plans, links for teachers, parents, teens, and kids, current topics related to prejudice, an on-line version of the Learning for Justice
magazine, an order form for free curriculum materials, and links to other resources.
The Classroom Resources link offers Lessons, Learning Plans, Student Texts, Students Tasks, Film Kits, and other helpful pages. There is also a link to receive FREE kits and handbooks! The "Parents" link offers activities and ideas for ages 2-17! There are online activities, recommended books, "talking points" for parents, and more. The "For Teens" link includes a wealth of resources: video clips, lessons, 10 steps to take action, downloadable posters, essays, and true stories. The Kid's link offers "read," "Explore," and "Play" options for elementary (and younger middle school) students. A "sign up" box appears when you first enter the site, click on the X to remove the box.
The Classroom Resources link offers Lessons, Learning Plans, Student Texts, Students Tasks, Film Kits, and other helpful pages. There is also a link to receive FREE kits and handbooks! The "Parents" link offers activities and ideas for ages 2-17! There are online activities, recommended books, "talking points" for parents, and more. The "For Teens" link includes a wealth of resources: video clips, lessons, 10 steps to take action, downloadable posters, essays, and true stories. The Kid's link offers "read," "Explore," and "Play" options for elementary (and younger middle school) students. A "sign up" box appears when you first enter the site, click on the X to remove the box.
In the Classroom
Of course, the obvious uses for this site include preparing for Black History Month or Women's History Month, consult this site for more than that! Don't just visit the Classroom Resources, but check out the Topics and Podcasts that you can share on your projector or interactive whiteboard. If you are unsure of how to approach a touchy subject with your students--either a subject from the news like the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rules, or something that is happening in your school or community, this site can provide resources for you and your students. Subscribe to Learning for Justice's emailed newsletter, or order one of the curriculum kits; the newest one is Viva la Causa about Cesar Chavez and the struggle for justice for farmworkers in the 1960s. This is a great addition to your school's anti-bully program! Take advantage of the free lesson plans, class activities, interactive, and book recommendations. This is definitely one to list on your class website!
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Comments
This houses a WEALTH of resources! Thank you, Teaching TOLERANCE.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
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Stop Bullying - US Department of Health
Grades
2 to 8
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Your one-stop place for bullying resources, whether it is cyberbullying or face to face, this site is loaded with examples, advice, videos, and more. Click the tabs on the top ...more
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Your one-stop place for bullying resources, whether it is cyberbullying or face to face, this site is loaded with examples, advice, videos, and more. Click the tabs on the top menu to choose from various topics such as Prevention and Resources. Be sure to see Outside Resources for a list of links to other recommend sites about bullying. The videos on this site, under kids, specifically would be a great way to show students the varying types of bullying, and how to recognize it in school or at home. The site is primarily geared towards Elementary students as Middle Schoolers most likely will not be attracted to the cartoon approach this site takes, but it would benefit an Elementary classroom.
A Spanish version of this entire site is available with a click from the Home page.
A Spanish version of this entire site is available with a click from the Home page.
tag(s): bullying (52), character education (64), cyberbullying (42)
In the Classroom
Choose a video to show the class to start a discussion about bullying. As a way to keep the discussion going choose a video weekly or monthly, to keep this topic foremost in students thoughts. To enhance learning, divide your class into small groups to create their own websites against bullying using a simple web page creation tool like Hashify, reviewed here.
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Pacer Kids Against Bullying - National Center for Bully Prevention
Grades
2 to 6
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This interactive site, geared toward the elementary school-aged child, highlights the signs and repercussions of bullying. Your students can play games or watch webisodes to learn about...more
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This interactive site, geared toward the elementary school-aged child, highlights the signs and repercussions of bullying. Your students can play games or watch webisodes to learn about this hot topic. Your students may want to enter the continuously-running essay contest at any time of the year. For Bully Prevention Awareness Week, this fun site is your one-stop place for information.
tag(s): bullying (52), character education (64), cyberbullying (42), social skills (24)
In the Classroom
On your interactive whiteboard or projector, show the webisodes of bullying scenarios to spark conversations about this problem. After watching the webisodes, divide your class into small groups to create their own real-life anti-bullying 'webisode' to perform for the class. For Bully Prevention Awareness Week, create your own poster contest against bullying using Adobe Spark for Education, reviewed here.
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Be Safe Sprigeo - looking out for you! - Sprigeo
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
This simple site allows you to report bullying at your school. Students, teachers, parents can click to report a bully and turn in a report so school administration can look ...more
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This simple site allows you to report bullying at your school. Students, teachers, parents can click to report a bully and turn in a report so school administration can look into the incident. Though there is the potential for bogus reports, this site would likely work well with elementary students or even middle schoolers IF you explained it to them in advance and spoke specifically about the consequences of false reports. The benefit is that the service allows students to report an incident without fear that a bully might "see them in the office."
tag(s): bullying (52), cyberbullying (42), DAT device agnostic tool (166)
In the Classroom
Teachers and principals will like the written record the system generates by emailing the report to the designated contact.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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