TeachersFirst BYOD Dream Tools: Free Tools that Work on ANY device!
This collection of reviewed resources and tools from TeachersFirst includes web tools and apps that are available for FREE on iOS (iPad, iPhone), Android, and web devices. Come here to find tools that your students can use as they do instructional activities in your BYOD or 1-1 classroom. In this collection, you will find tools and resources that include calculators, quiz creators, game makers, curation tools, interactive lessons, Venn-diagram creators, literacy accessibility tools, online time trackers, meme creators, podcast makers, translator tools, task list creators, and many other free tools that will work on any device.
Even the best device-agnostic resources have slight differences in capabilities on different devices. Encourage your students to share what they discover about additional or missing features on each type of device. Your class will quickly appoint experts for each resource or tool. TeachersFirst encourages our members (membership is FREE) to add comments and ratings to help other teachers and students who are trying these tools. Free resources and tools change quickly, so we welcome your comments on any changes that may occur to these tools and their free status.
(image credit: Jeremy Keith)
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MyNetDiary - MyNetDiary, Inc.
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): calories (8), DAT device agnostic tool (129), fitness (35), nutrition (135)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and share this site with your school's physical education teacher and coaches. Share a link on your class website as information for parents. Include a link to this site on your class website for parent viewing at home. Ask students to upload a photo they have taken when exercising and add an explanation about how this improves physical fitness using a tool such as Edit Photo, reviewed here. Share this site with older students as part of any health unit, and ask them to create a home health plan based on the guidelines provided on the site Shape America, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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MyFitnessPal - Under Armour, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), fitness (35), nutrition (135)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and share this site with your school's physical education teacher and coaches. Share a link on your class website as information for parents. Ask students to upload a photo they have taken when exercising and add an explanation about how this improves physical fitness using a tool such as Add Text, reviewed here. Have students create an online graph using ChartGizmo, reviewed here, to document calorie intake and physical activity over the course of a month. Share this site with older students as part of any health unit, and ask them to create a home health plan based on guidelines provided on the site Shape America, reviewed here.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 (304), 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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Great Big Story - Great Big Story and CNN Worldwide
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), DAT device agnostic tool (129)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the content found on this site to find reading material that appeals to students. Share stories as examples of how to write and share topical information or as inspiration for student writing projects. Use the search feature to find content that matches your current classroom curriculum. For example, when learning about countries around the world, use the search bar to find articles and videos of real-world information and share stories of people from that country. As students find and share information, use Edublogs, reviewed here, as a platform for sharing student work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Venn Diagram Creator - Canva
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), graphic design (49), images (266), venn diagrams (14)
In the Classroom
Work together as a class to complete a 4-Circle Venn Diagram on your interactive whiteboard (or with a projector) to represent an overlap of topics in any subject. For example, use this tool to compare and contrast students' involvement in four different sports, compare events or settings in four novels, or characteristics of four groups of animals. Once students become comfortable with Venn Diagrams, ask them to include them in a longer presentation created using a tool like Wakelet, reviewed here. Use Wakelet to modify classroom technology by having students include their writing, images, diagrams, videos, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Aquation - Smithsonian Science Education Center
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): conservation (109), DAT device agnostic tool (129), game based learning (304), recycling (45), water (105), weather (177)
In the Classroom
Include this activity with any unit on the environment, water cycles, or weather. Extend this activity further to learn more about water conservation in your community. Ask students to take pictures around the school or at home showing the inefficient use of water. Use PhotoCollage, reviewed here, and have students create a collage of their images to use as a starting point for research. Ask students to enhance their learning and upload their collage to a blog, and write, analyze, and share ideas for water conservation based on their collage. Use a blog tool such as edublogs, reviewed here. Use Nearpod, reviewed here, to create a differentiated learning experience for your students for your entire unit. Add videos, quizzes, embed this game, and add all the information for students to follow. Nearpod offers options for differentiation to cater to students' varying interests and ability levels. Ask older students to enhance their learning by creating their own Learning Path, which will enable them to demonstrate and share their learning throughout the unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Clockify - Nenad Milanovic
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): calendars (36), DAT device agnostic tool (129), organizational skills (88), Teacher Utilities (214)
In the Classroom
Have you ever had students complain about group projects and class members not participating fully? Clockify is an excellent tool for managing these projects. Share this site with team members and ask them to include time spent on the project and use tags to categorize time spent on different activities of the project. Clockify is also an excellent resource for teaching data and statistics in math class. Create a project and use the site's tools to add information on time spent on class activities, chart time spent on homework, or hours spent on after-school activities. Ask students to take the data and analyze the results. Use a simple online chart-creation tool like ChartAccent, reviewed here, to display the data.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Radiooooo - Benjamin Moreau
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 1900s (83), countries (74), DAT device agnostic tool (129), noregistration (75), radio (16), songs (48)
In the Classroom
Social studies teachers will have a heyday with this program! Complement any period in time with its music. Use music from the site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Play music from the period you are studying during reading or research time. Use during current events for students to hear the music and language of the country of the article. Allow students to explore the site on their own, and then share their findings with classmates. Ask students to exchange paper journals and write about their impressions of the music and make comparisons to their favorites of today using a blog tool like Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube, or Vimeo links. This blog creator requires no registration. Redefine classroom technology use by challenging students create multimedia timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Any teacher will appreciate Radiooooo. Play music selections quietly during any subject and student work time. Filter distractions by finding instrumentals to play during silent reading time, test taking, lab activities, or any other quiet time during class. World language teachers can use this tool to introduce music from all the countries whose population speak the language they teach. This tool would also be perfect for performance groups such as drama clubs or musicals that need background music. Use background music for poetry readings during poetry month.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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oodlu - Wayne Holmes and Douglas Lapsley
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), flash cards (44), game based learning (304), gamification (93)
In the Classroom
Use oodlu to differentiate learning in your classroom. Assign question sets to different groups of learners according to their specific needs. Be sure to show students how to log in and access questions (if your class is remote learning, show students the log in, etc. by using a video conference room such as Zoom, reviewed here, and then include a link to the site on your class webpage for students to play at home. At the end of your unit, enhance learning and augment technology use by asking students to plan a multimedia presentation using a tool like Milanote, reviewed here, where you can turn your notes into a storyboard for this project! Extend learning and modify technology use by having students use the Storyboard to create a multimedia presentation with a tool like Sway, reviewed here, to share their learning. Have students include text, images, videos, and a link to oodlu learning games in the Sway.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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myHomework - myHomeworkapp
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): calendars (36), DAT device agnostic tool (129), homework (26), organizational skills (88), Teacher Utilities (214)
In the Classroom
Share myHomework with students as an excellent way to organize and plan homework assignments. Create a link on your class website for students to access, and discuss using this app during back to school meetings. This site works on computers and has apps for all devices so information is available across platforms.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Meme Buddy - Mike Bodge
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): creativity (84), DAT device agnostic tool (129), digital storytelling (166), images (266)
In the Classroom
Use Meme Buddy to quickly create memes on the fly. Share a meme on your interactive whiteboard as a discussion starter for the beginning of your lesson. Ask students to create a meme as a one sentence summary of the day's activity and use as an exit ticket. Meme Buddy translates information into other languages, create a meme in a different language as an anticipatory set for learning about a foreign language. Foreign language teachers will love creating memes to teach phrases to students!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dictionary.com - Dictionary.com, LLC
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), dictionaries (48), game based learning (304), thesaurus (21), word choice (12)
In the Classroom
Use this online dictionary instead of printed dictionaries and thesauruses in the classroom. Be sure to share a link to this site on your class website. Display the word of the day on your interactive whiteboard as a lesson starter during writing or language arts lessons. Ask students to include featured words during writing activities using Google Docs, then highlight each time the word is used. Take it a "tech" step further and have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Dive even deeper and have students or groups of students create daily video presentations featuring their choice for word of the day (or week) using a tool like Powtoon, reviewed here. Share their videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PyeongChang 2018 - PyeongChang2018
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), korea (21), olympics (49)
In the Classroom
Use this site to follow and compare the latest information from the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Ask students to share stories from the Olympics using an online bulletin board like Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet allows users to create columns for posts, add columns to sort information by country, sport, or daily events throughout the Olympics. Have students make video recordings sharing daily updates during the Olympic Games using a tool such as Vmaker, reviewed here. Share videos using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spotify for Podcasters - Michael Mignano and Nir Zicherman
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): communication (122), DAT device agnostic tool (129), digital storytelling (166), podcasts (161)
In the Classroom
Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Looking for even more ideas? Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their understanding and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth-graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning, and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. Language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
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
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LyricsTraining - LyricsTraining.com
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), french (72), german (49), italian (32), japanese (53), multilingual (82), portuguese (21), spanish (112)
In the Classroom
Ways to use this site are limited only by your imagination! Share with ENL/ELL learners for practice in English. The many choices on this site ensure that all viewers will find music to enjoy. Foreign language learners will love practicing their new language using the options on the site. Be sure to share a link on your class website and school computers for practice at home and during independent work time. Use this site as a 5-minute transition at the beginning or end of class. Register on the site and create customized exercises to meet the needs of your students, or let them create practice activities for fellow class members.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bitmoji - Bitstrips Inc
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creativity (84), DAT device agnostic tool (129), emotions (71), faces (5), images (266)
In the Classroom
Create a Bitmoji to use as your avatar on your class website or blog. Update your avatar to reflect current lessons, holidays, or events. Use emojis to appeal to students and draw their attention to important information. For example, choose the bitmoji with praying hands and "please" as a reminder to read all of the directions before beginning work. Choose a Bitmoji with an interesting background or phrase to use as a writing prompt. Insert a bitmoji into a Google form as feedback for student responses. Have older students (13+) take a picture of a portion of text and add a Bitmoji to share a connection or response to the text (also known as BookSnaps).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Microsoft Translator for Education - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12tag(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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Book Creator - Red Jumper Limited
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collaboration (112), DAT device agnostic tool (129), digital storytelling (166), ebooks (49), literacy (124), preK (322), reading comprehension (146), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Create books together, as a class, as you move through a unit or topic. Enhance student learning by adding images and ideas your students suggest. Use in a flipped classroom to deliver course information. Assign several student groups a different topic and redefine their learning by having each group create their own multimedia versions as they learn more about the topic. Students can combine their books later as a class book. Make a digital bookshelf of all the versions for all to use. Challenge gifted students to modify the "standard" class text with the additional material they discover, by going deeper and learning about related topics. In lower grades, create teacher-made e-books for your young readers, perhaps adding audio - your own voice reading the text. Find much more information and ideas for using Book Creator in any classroom by exploring the Book Creator Toolkit for Schools and Districts available here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Taskade - John Xie & Stan ChangKhin Boon
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), noregistration (75), note taking (34), organizational skills (88)
In the Classroom
Create checklists of steps in a project. Place all 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 use Taskade for assignment information, reminders, and more. Consider setting up 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. Set up separate accounts for student groups who can then share their notebook with other groups.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wakelet - Jamil Khalil
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (34), collaboration (112), communication (122), curation (25), DAT device agnostic tool (129), multimedia (63), news (223), personalized learning (13), playlists (8), social media (61), social networking (56)
In the Classroom
The possibilities for using Wakelet in the classroom are endless! Create collections with tips for writing in different genres, current events, information about specific countries or cities, math games, and much more. Have students set up their own collections as part of a research project. Put together a scavenger hunt to introduce a new unit or as a review at the end of a unit. Share your collections on your class web page for student use at home to review and practice class content. Having a cover image and background for your collections makes them much more interesting and easier to identify, especially for younger or visual learners!Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
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
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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