Reading in the Content Areas
TeachersFirst offers this collection of web resources well suited to teach reading in the content areas, especially in science and social studies classes, but in almost ANY subject area. See "In the classroom" ideas and strategies for teaching reading across the curriculum and find texts to use on the computer, in print, or in interactive whiteboard/projector. Sometimes using web-based texts can be more engaging, and often these are more up-to-date. Practice with these resources is certain to help student mastery of informational texts.
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Dummies.com - John Wiley & Sons
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): sequencing (17), writing (321)
In the Classroom
Be sure to tell your students that they are NOT the "dummies" referred to in this site! Then go beyond the obvious use of this site as a reference to use it to teach informational writing, reading comprehension, or any curriculum content. Share text-based articles on a projector or interactive whiteboard and have students analyze the keywords and structure of sequential direction-writing or informational writing before they try it on their own. Use the pens and highlighters to note transitions and other ways of organizing directions, including formatting. Use articles to teach basic comprehension skills by copy/pasting sections and having students drag them into the correct sequence on the whiteboard to form logical directions. In science or social studies classes, enhance learning by having students view models on this site, then work in groups to write their own how-to wiki on curriculum topics such as "How to tell a fungus from a bacterium," "How to solve simultaneous equations," or "How to form a government." Use FlexClip, . If you have access to video equipment, have students write scripts and produce video versions of their how-to instructions and post them on a site such as TeacherTube.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Find a Book - lexile.com
Grades
1 to 12One disadvantage of the site is that you can only enter a keyword when you get to the third step. After a book list based on interests appears, then you can search by keyword to make the search zero in on specifics. When teachers or students select books for a reading list, they can then click to see the complete list of books they have selected. Clicking on a book title leads to another screen, but it does not contain a book summary; instead, it has a list of other keywords for the book along with other book data.
tag(s): book lists (165), independent reading (86), reading lists (77)
In the Classroom
This site is great for teachers searching for books at specific lexile levels. Learning support and ESL/ELL teachers can find books to accompany units in content area classes but on the correct lexile level. Students can also use the site by entering their grade levels and what kind of readers they are. Use this site to differentiate the learning experience for all levels of students. Rather than having students complete traditional book reports, why not have them complete a multimedia project? Provide some choices such as a podcast, using PodoMatic (reviewed here), interactive venn diagram comparing characters (reviewed here), or online book using Bookemon (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Starfall - Starfall Education
Grades
K to 3This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), phonics (50), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
This website could be used for an entire class using your interactive whiteboard or projector. You could also set up a learning center for use during your L.A. block. Use this site to differentiate reading levels for your students. Be certain to save this site in your class favorites and list this site on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ESL Bits - Skip Reske
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): reading comprehension (146), test prep (68)
In the Classroom
Since the subtitle for this page is "Reading Comprehension and Test Preparation," recommend this site to ENL and ELL students preparing for standardized tests. Save it in your favorites on class computers and provide the link on your class website for students to access both in the classroom and out. The activities would also work well on interactive whiteboard.Share the "Signs" link with your students. Challenge students to create their own signs, similar to those used at this site. Have cooperative learning groups create interactive posters featuring their signs using a tool such as PicLits - reviewed here. Share the "PicLits" on an interactive whiteboard or projector.
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Mother's Day in the Classroom - The Graphics Cupboard
Grades
K to 5tag(s): mothers day (13), preK (263)
In the Classroom
This site is a good one to search for quick and easy ideas to celebrate Mother's Day. Save this site in your class favorites and use this site as a learning center for partners to explore together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cinco de Mayo - abcteach
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): cinco de mayo (10), mexico (30)
In the Classroom
Share this informative site with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups explore this site together. Why not challenge students to create a news broadcast highlighting the holiday. Tape the broadcasts and share them on a site such as Teachers.TV (explained here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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St. Patrick's Day Theme Unit - edhelper.com
Grades
K to 8tag(s): critical thinking (117), holidays (178), st patricks day (12)
In the Classroom
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector and challenge your students with this St. Patrick's Day fun! Or, if you have computer stations in your classroom you could have students rotate through some of the activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading For All - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): amazon (11), area (52), reading comprehension (146), reading lists (77), reading strategies (100)
In the Classroom
No matter what you teach, these resources will help you target reading and study skills for better comprehension and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Better At English - betteratenglish.com
Grades
3 to 12This site does have several appropriate advertisements. There are also a few questionable links on the site (for example, "Uncensored English"), so be sure to supervise WELL.
tag(s): idioms (32), listening (92), slang (15), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
You will need headphones or speakers if you choose to assign students to listen to the podcasts individually. This site is excellent for enrichment or special topics. Include it on your teacher web page (with a disclaimer regarding content) for students to access both in and out of class. Use this site with intermediate and advanced level ELL and ESL students to help them improve their knowledge of English slang and idioms. If you are into video, consider creating your own student vodcasts about idioms and sharing them via TeacherTube ( reviewed here) and on your class wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading A to Z - learninga-z.com
Grades
K to 6Caution: although you are able to use many of these items for free, most downloads ask that you input your email address. You can bypass this by clicking submit without inputting your email address.
tag(s): reading comprehension (146), worksheets (70)
In the Classroom
The books can be projected on an interactive whiteboard for students to highlight new vocabulary, signal words, etc. with their fingers then read independently. You may want to create a guided reacing activity using Read Ahead, reviewed here. Tell your students' parents about this site to encourage them to read or download and print more stories for their children. Include the link in your class newsletter or on your website. Beginning readers, ELL, and ENL students will enjoy the wordless books whose stories they can tell themselves or tell in their own languages. Students may want to make up their own wordless picture books after seeing some of these examples.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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UsingEnglish.com - UsingEnglish.com
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
Regular classroom teachers will want to use this site with ESL and ELL students fwhen they need a quick review on a specific grammar point. Use the professional articles for your own edification as well as links to other topics of interest.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ABC Learning - Jack Armstrong
Grades
K to 2tag(s): alphabet (52), handwriting (16), numbers (119), reading comprehension (146), time (92), writing (321)
In the Classroom
The handwriting interactives would work well when traced by little fingers on an interactive whiteboard for "tactile" practice and a little "whiteboard magic" thrown in. A word of caution to teachers:This site is free, which means the countless games and activities must be paid through advertisement. Caution your students not to click on anything except the game components.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SIKids - Sports Illustrated for Kids &CNN
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Share this site on your teacher web page or classroom desktop for fast student access to sport statistics and a way to submit creative works. Use sports statistics for math practice and to teach graphing or data organization skills. Use the sports stories as non-fiction examples for reading comprehension. Share a Top Story on your interactive whiteboard as you ask students to highlight parts of speech, cause-effect words, main idea, and more. Suddenly your students will actually READ!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Citebite Bookmarklet - Abstract Factory
Grades
K to 12tag(s): internet safety (112), literacy (113), quotations (19), safety (69)
In the Classroom
Tool can be used in less than 30 seconds. Open TWO windows in Internet Explorer or any web browser. One should be open to citebite; the other to the web page you wish to reference. On that web page, locate and "highlight" the exact passage of text you want to "send" people to see. Copy/paste the passage into the quotation box at Citebite (copy, then change windows). Return to the target web page and copy/paste its actual URL into Citebite. Click "Make Citebite." Copy/paste the new url, indicated after "Your citebite link is:" Note: if the original quote is within a FLASH presentation, it will not copy/paste or generate a Citebite. See this example of a Citebite link to a tip about TeachersFirst Edge tools.Have your middle and high school students do a web page "credibility critique" on their potential sources by using Citebite before they start a research project. They can highlight passages as proof of credibility -- or lack thereof -- and give you the Citebite links. They will love this easy way to reference a specific portion of a page. You will love the ease of finding it. If you give them a Word document table as a web site evaluation rubric, they can paste the Citebites there, with their comments in the neighboring cell!
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Public Domain Books On-Line - Jeff Kelley
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): air (104)
In the Classroom
Because these books are in the public domain (i.e. older), their language is not "contemporary." The texts would make excellent pieces for reading comprehension passages or culture study of past times, and you need not be worried about copying/pasting text from these into other software and/or making copies. You could even use them as passages on an interactive whiteboard to practice "main idea" or parts of speech.The illustrations are simple and beautiful. Print out some great artwork for your classroom bulletin boards, copyright-free!
The myths/legends collection would be great for upper elementary or later mythology units. Students can also use the passages and illustrations to create multimedia "tales" of their own. Give them the opening passage and let them write the rest.
Comments
The myths/legends collection would be great for upper elementary or later mythology unitsDavid, VA, Grades: 4 - 8
The illustrations are simple and beautiful.David, VA, Grades: 4 - 8
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Headliners - Headliners/formerly Children's Express
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): journalism (72), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Use the stories to teach reading comprehension skills, especially inferencing, since American students will need to use context to figure out some of the terminology and background written by British students. Try projecting a story and asking student how to find context clues to explain what the story is about. If you have an interactive whiteboard or projector use the tools to mark clues. Then use these stories as models for writing activities on topics that matter to your students. You may want to create a guided reading activity using Read Ahead, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Graphic Organizer Maker - Recipes4Success/Tech4Learning
Grades
1 to 12In the Classroom
Use these printed organizers as study support for any content area topic. Many are excellent options for reinforcing reading skills in the content areas, even for senior high students. Include this on your teacher web page so students can create their own organizers to study for tests or prepare presentations.To make a new organizer, simply click "new," write title and directions, and print the small "print" icon. It may be easiest to take their default directions and change them for your purposes. Note that you LOSE your work when you close the page, so make sure you have printed first!
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WorldWise Schools - Teaching About Culture Lesson Plans - Peace Corps
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): cultures (140)
In the Classroom
Search for lessons on a specific region as you teach about it or use these selections as general readings for comprehension. Consider using a guided reading activity with a tool like Read Ahead, reviewed here. Read Ahead is perfect for introducing any reading passage to struggling readers, special education students, and ENL/ESL learners. The lessons may also be helpful in getting to know students who enter your classroom from other cultures. The lessons would be very helpful in developing background knowledge to understand cross-cultural literature selections in a language arts class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Black Wings: African American Pioneer Aviators - Smithsonian- National Air and Space Museum
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): africa (141), african american (110), black history (130), cultures (140), flight (31)
In the Classroom
Use this site and Read Ahead, reviewed here, as part of reading comprehension practice and find your students are actually interested in what they read. Have students create projects about their favorite aviator or aircraft on a poster using Genially, reviewed here, or PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Make sure students understand they have to give proper attribution to the images and information they use.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading Comprehension - RHL
Grades
4 to 6tag(s): reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Add to your arsenal of educational tools for state assessment testing preparation. Distribute the worksheets and divide your class into cooperative groups so that students can share in discussions of the readings and related activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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