Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This collection of Cinco de Mayo videos and more from The History Channel explores many angles on this important day. Learn about the food and fun! Learn about the historical impact of the holiday and its significance to Mexicans (and folks from other countries, as well). There is even a Meciao Memory game (click "interactives"). Read the backgound historical information and explore related articles, even a Mexico timeline.

tag(s): cinco de mayo (10), hispanic (36), mexico (37)

Padlet offers many tools and resources for creating online bulletin boards to display and organize information on any topic. Create a new board from scratch or choose from many templates, including timelines, maps, storyboards, KWL boards, and many more options. Padlet also offers AI features to use as a tool to automatically create interactive activities and custom boards based on topic, grade level, and additional details such as standards or teaching objectives. Padlet Sandboxes allows members to interact and collaborate in real time using sticky notes, drawings, and more. Customize the appearance and format of your Padlets using options such as allowing comments on posts, moderating posts and comments before they are publicly posted, and sorting options for easier viewing. When adding posts, you can add links, images, videos, documents, polls, and more. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting a video or an image. Free accounts allow you to make 3 Padlets that include search, themes, stats, premium wallpapers, and cross-device support for uploaded videos. You can always delete an old Padlet to create a new one. Find video tutorials and examples by scrolling to the bottom menu and clicking "Support" on the left side of the page. Padlet is a device-agnostic tool available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), biographies (94), blogs (65), book reports (28), brainstorming (18), bulletin boards (15), DAT device agnostic tool (147), images (263), journals (15), rubrics (37), timelines (56)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Lewis and Clark's Exploration. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Lewis and Clark related vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): lewis and clark (14), louisiana (6), louisiana purchase (5), vocabulary (238)

This is a fun (and easy to use) site to add to an Egyptian unit or any unit based on historical types of writing or communication. By simply typing in their name, students will see how it might have been written in hieroglyphs by an ancient scribe. The maximum number of letters is 16. After you enter your name and click inscribe, you are linked to a page with your name written in hieroglyphics.

tag(s): egypt (56)

Although this site is constructed for students who are learning English, the language and the writing, it is a great site for all students who need practice in such skills as writing paragraphs, listening skills, word choice, reading strategies for academic texts, and reading for thinking. Almost all of the links include interactive exercises which allow students to work independently, testing themselves as they go. The site includes tutorials, self-quizzes, and more. There are links to podcasts, videos, songs, "Grammar Safaris," and many other English topics. If you go to Internet Resources (the link is found at the top of the page), you will find addition subject areas: Business English, Science and Technology, Reading, Art, and others. There is also a link to Primary Level. Go there to find interactive flashcards, online stories, and printable pages, and much more.

Be sure to check out the videos, which include commercials from the 1960s!

tag(s): vocabulary (238), writing (325)

Ever wonder what it would be like to have open access to lectures at Harvard? Stanford? MIT? Academic Earth gives you that access in a limited fashion. This site contains thousands of video lectures by some of the most well-regarded professors at several of the top universities in the US. You can sort the lectures by subject, by lecturer, by university, or by "playlist." The playlists sort lectures from various topics and multiple professors into thematic groups. Within individual subjects, there are individual lectures and courses--collections of lectures by the same professor on a general subject. Watch a lecture on "The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877," or "The American Novel since 1945," or "Linear Algebra." The topic possibilities go on and on.

tag(s): college (45)

Comprised of images of women working (both inside and outside of the home) from the 18th and 19th centuries, this site is a good source of primary images of women from the time period. The images are organized in several themes: domestic work, women as merchants, women and war, teaching and education, factory workers, performers and artists, and miscellaneous workers. Each theme contains some brief discussion and several primary images.

tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), images (263), women (150)

This is a great site to mine for quick lesson plans, ideas on thematic units, or simply daily writing prompts. There are detailed lesson plans available for math, arts and crafts, nutrition, health, music, math, reading, physical education, technology, writing, science, and social studies. Visit the Seasonal Items link to find even MORE resources related to Read Across America, 100 Days ideas, Daily seasonal writing prompts, and much more! Many of the links will take you to other sites, but the onsite printable worksheets and calendars make it worth a visit. Note: the site is laden with advertising, something TeachersFirst users may not appreciate!

tag(s): fractions (160), nutrition (140), parts of speech (39), phonics (51), speech (69), themes (16), writing (325)

"How Stuff Works" created this simple explanation of the history of Mother's Day. This is a great reference for teachers to have while preparing for their classroom's Mother's Day activities. This site highlights the connection of Mother's Day to Greek Mythology, U.S. history, European history, and more. There are some unobtrusive advertisements at this site.

tag(s): greek (47), mothers day (13)

Use the "On Roman Numerals" page to learn how Roman Numerals are used. Visit the Roma Nova main page for more information about Roman culture.

tag(s): latin (23), roman numerals (7), rome (37)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Abraham Lincoln. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Lincoln-related vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): lincoln (66), presidents (135)

Explore vocabulary and word activities related to the Gold Rush on this extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more. Find interactive vocabulary activities the same list of using Gold Rush vocabulary words. There are printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): california (17), gold rush (15)

Explore vocabulary and word activities related to Memorial Day on this extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more. Find interactive vocabulary activities the same list of using Memorial Day vocabulary words. There are printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): holidays (187), memorial day (11), vocabulary (238)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for April Fools Day. Find interactive vocabulary activities using April Fools vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): holidays (187), vocabulary (238)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for St. Patrick's Day. Find interactive vocabulary activities using St. Patrick's Day vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): holidays (187), ireland (11), st patricks day (12)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area about Women in History. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Women in History vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): vocabulary (238), women (150), womenchangemaker (36)

If you are looking for a new way to involve students in literature, this is a great idea. This site offers a two-day plan for students to create dramatic monologues for different characters in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. The lesson does require that students research sources for authenticity and suggests that students work in groups to come up with the monologues. The lesson includes standards, extension activities, vocabulary words (with audio) and links to other resources. This site requires Media Player. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): writing (325)

The Library of Congress has collected this exhibit of 2,100 early baseball trading cards, published at a time when collecting was a passion among adults, not children. The site is interesting as a reflection of cultures and interests at the turn of the century, and also for its portrayals of some of the greats of the game as their contemporaries saw them. Click "View All" to see the trading cards.

tag(s): baseball (32)

This Library of Congress collection has information on Jackie Robinson and lots more. As always, the images are the star of the show, and there are pictures of early teams, documentation about Robinson's entry into the big leagues, and much more. Students can click on a time period (1860s-1890s, 1900s-1930s, 1940-1946, 1947-1956, 1957-1961, or 1962-1972) to learn more about the history of African-Americans and baseball.

tag(s): 1800s (75), 1900s (72), africa (148), african american (115), baseball (32), black history (133)

The close relationship between promoting physical fitness and the White House can be followed through the many topics at this site: Learn the Facts, Eat Healthy, Get Active, Take Action, and Join Us. Some of the more specific topics highlight how to limit TV time, the importance of trying new fruits and vegetables, planting a garden, and more.

tag(s): fitness (39), myplate (18), nutrition (140), presidents (135)