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Algodoo - Algoryx
Grades
6 to 12
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0 Comments
Algodoo is a 2D-simulation software to create simulation scenes using simple drawing tools like boxes, circles, polygons, gears, brushes, planes, ropes and chains. Interact with objects...more
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Algodoo is a 2D-simulation software to create simulation scenes using simple drawing tools like boxes, circles, polygons, gears, brushes, planes, ropes and chains. Interact with objects using click and drag or tilt and shake. Add physics to any simulation using fluids, springs, hinges, motors, thrusters, light rays, tracers, optics and lenses. Explore and play with gravity, friction, restitution, refraction, and attraction within each scene. Begin by downloading to your Windows or Mac computer following instructions on the site. Algodoo is also available as an iPad app. To make the most of all the site features, be sure to visit the Learn It link for a three-session tutorial to help understand the software. Videos on this site are hosted by YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): friction (12), geometric shapes (151), gravity (50)
In the Classroom
Download and use Algodoo for an interesting science center. Share with students to use at home, and then allow experienced users to become "experts" for helping other students. Use Algodoo as part of a Science fair project. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos of their creations and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Code - Hadi & Ali Partovi
Grades
K to 10
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Code.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to computer science education and increasing participation by young women and students from underrepresented groups....more
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Code.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to computer science education and increasing participation by young women and students from underrepresented groups. It offers free, standards-aligned curricula for K-12 students, including courses like Computer Science Fundamentals for elementary students, CS Discoveries for middle school, and CS Principles for high school. The platform provides interactive tools such as App Lab, Game Lab, and Dance Party to make coding engaging and accessible. Educators can access comprehensive teaching resources, including lesson plans, videos, and assessments, as well as professional development opportunities like self-paced and facilitator-led workshops. Code.org also hosts the annual Hour of Code event to promote global participation in computer science.
tag(s): coding (106), computational thinking (45), computers (114), critical thinking (168), problem solving (268), STEM (353), women (186)
In the Classroom
Have students participate in a fun, self-paced Hour of Code activity, such as "Minecraft", "Dance Party", or "Frozen" coding tutorials. Using Storytelling with Scratch or Sprite Lab, students can code their own interactive short stories featuring characters, dialogue, and choices. Students use Game Lab to build a simple, playable video game. They can design the characters, code interactions, and add sound effects. Teach a lesson from Code.org's Internet Safety or Digital Citizenship units, which help students understand how to behave responsibly online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Museum of Endangered Sounds - Brendan Chilcutt
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
1 Comments
We all know about endangered plants and animals, but what about endangered sounds? The Museum of Endangered Sounds offers a collection of sounds unfamiliar to many young people. Click...more
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We all know about endangered plants and animals, but what about endangered sounds? The Museum of Endangered Sounds offers a collection of sounds unfamiliar to many young people. Click on any thumbnail to hear sounds such as the ka-ching of a cash register, dialing a rotary phone, the sound of dial-up Internet, or the click and winding of a film camera. Although the collection is quite small, it is worth a visit for a trip back to the past! Warning: the clip with TV Snow features a provocative photo. You may want to avoid that example with an immature audience.
tag(s): 1960s (55), 1970s (30), 1980s (21), inventors and inventions (87), sounds (40)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard and speakers to launch your modern history or technology unit. Include it in a unit on inventions and inventors or even in "sounds of the decades." Challenge students to research and find other "endangered" sounds from the past. Have them interview parents and grandparents to discover long-missing sounds. Create a class wiki museum of more endangered sounds and images. Challenge students (and parents) to find these items (in real life) and bring them in to share. Have students include sounds from the museum as part of a multimedia project. Use this site to launch discussions about the impact of technology and its rapid changes on such things as home design, economics, and even clothing. Share this site as part of Grandparent's Day activities and have grandparents share memories of these and other obsolete objects.Comments
Really neat site...Just be forewarned that there's a racy photo of a girl in a bikini on the old TV sound part. You don't see it until you click on the TV. Other than that, cute stuff.Angie, GA, Grades: 4 - 6
Editorial Note: Yes, we saw that racy photo also. It is mentioned in our review already, towards the end of the description.
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Story of the Web - Jack Schofield
Grades
5 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Celebrate 25+ years of the World Wide Web with this retrospective in interactive form. Scroll through to read about the first ideas and learn about the explosive growth and important...more
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Celebrate 25+ years of the World Wide Web with this retrospective in interactive form. Scroll through to read about the first ideas and learn about the explosive growth and important events throughout the years. Choose auto-play to watch the timeline unfold or scroll at your own pace. As you progress through the story, watch for links to web stories. Viewers of the site share their personal memories each step along the way. Hover your mouse over the right side of your screen to link to the entire report in PDF format.
tag(s): computers (114), internet safety (117), inventors and inventions (87)
In the Classroom
Story of the Web is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector in a unit on technology and invention or in a computer literacy class. Share this site with students who have grown up on the Internet to provide an understanding of how quickly technology has developed. Compare it to the development of a human being over 25+ years! Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, comparing communication 25+ years ago to 2018.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Data Never Sleeps 12.0 - Domo
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The infographic "Data Never Sleeps 12.0" from Domo, Inc. offers a fresh, compelling snapshot of our digital world in 2024, showing how much data is generated every 60 seconds across...more
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The infographic "Data Never Sleeps 12.0" from Domo, Inc. offers a fresh, compelling snapshot of our digital world in 2024, showing how much data is generated every 60 seconds across search engines, email, app downloads, and more. With a global Internet population of 5.52 billion and emerging shifts toward generative AI, the infographic lays out how streaming, shopping, work, and social activity continue to reshape our connected lives.
tag(s): infographics (68), internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
Have students complete a "One Minute of the Internet" quick-write where they describe what surprises them most about the amount of online activity shown in the infographic, then share their thoughts with a partner. Have students create their own micro-infographic using Infographics Presentation Templates, reviewed here by choosing a statistic from "Data Never Sleeps 12.0" and redesigning it using icons, numbers, and a short explanation of why the data point matters. Assign students to build visual vocabulary cards for key technology terms from the infographic and participate in a walk-and-teach activity to share their definitions with classmates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Educators New to X (formerly Twitter) - Kyle Calderwod
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn what you need to do and know to start using X (formerly Twitter). Sign up to get a X (formerly Twitter) mentor or BE a mentor! Find out what ...more
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Learn what you need to do and know to start using X (formerly Twitter). Sign up to get a X (formerly Twitter) mentor or BE a mentor! Find out what to do before creating an X (formerly Twitter) account, get advice about whom to follow, explore programs to use to help you manage your X (formerly Twitter) account, and read how to keep track of everything. Learn about all the terms needed to be successful using X (formerly Twitter) as a teacher. This site is clean, simple, and very helpful!
tag(s): chat (40), microblogging (14), social networking (56), twitter (12)
In the Classroom
After creating an account, look at the page for what else you can start doing. Find other educators to follow on the Before You Begin page, and also look at participating in a X (formerly Twitter) Chat. Find a list of chats to join, and the day and time they meet at Cybraryman Educational Chats on Twitter. As a teaching tool, X (formerly Twitter) is amazing! If your school permits access, have a class account for your class to follow people who work in fields and topics you study. Even primary grades can connect with other classes or "follow" many learning experiences via X (formerly Twitter). Learn much more about teaching ideas and tools for X (formerly Twitter) in the many resources listed on X (formerly Twitter) for Teachers page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nitro Type - FTW Innovations, Inc
Grades
4 to 12
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Spend some time with this real-time typing competition to increase your typing speed AND accuracy. Nitro has multiplayer typing car races where competition is against either other unknown...more
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Spend some time with this real-time typing competition to increase your typing speed AND accuracy. Nitro has multiplayer typing car races where competition is against either other unknown members or with friends. At the signal to go, racers type the words they see on the screen and mistakes are highlighted in pink as you go. Correcting a mistake while racing is do-able. The faster you type, the faster your race car will speed ahead. Race as a guest to try this typing game, or sign up to keep track of your progress or to race against friends.
tag(s): game based learning (296), keyboarding (28)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently, or have a team competition as students use the site on an interactive whiteboard to see who is the fastest AND the most accurate keyboarder. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers to use it as a center. Get the ear-buds or headphones out as the races are noisy! Be sure to monitor the multiplayer chat function when students are using this program in class. Nitro Type is not a "teach typing" website; it is purely for practice. To teach typing visit Typing Web, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fake iPhone Text - fakeiphonetext.com
Grades
2 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Fake iPhone text is a tool to create fake screenshots of a series of iPhone text messages. Enter your conversation including name and message. Click the link "Create" to view ...more
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Fake iPhone text is a tool to create fake screenshots of a series of iPhone text messages. Enter your conversation including name and message. Click the link "Create" to view the picture. Take a screenshot or copy the URL to share.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (126), digital storytelling (160), gamification (93), writing prompts (57)
In the Classroom
Have students create texts between two characters from a book or two famous people. Create short poetry in text message form. Provide some opening text and ask students to write their ideas for the other person's answers. Use a text sequence as a prompt for creative writing. Have students practice creating a short dialogue or questions and answers. Create a fake text of a conversation and have students use inference skills to determine what happened before and after the conversation. Teach proper texting etiquette and digital citizenship using this tool. Use a fake text on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to display word definitions in a new way. Create fake texts of homework or project reminders and post them on your class wiki or web page. Make fake text book promotions to share on the dust jackets.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Video Lectures - Video Lectures Net
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Enjoy and use award-winning educational science (and some math) videos. Presented by distinguished scholars and scientists, the videos originated during conferences, summer schools,...more
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Enjoy and use award-winning educational science (and some math) videos. Presented by distinguished scholars and scientists, the videos originated during conferences, summer schools, workshops, and science promotional events. Peruse the Nobel laureate speakers section to become inspired. Categories featured include architecture, arts, astronomy, biology, business, chemistry, computers, computer science, Earth sciences, environment, events, health sciences, humanities, life sciences, mathematics, medicine, military, philosophy, physics, regional, science, social sciences, sports, and technology. There is a free newsletter where you can stay up to date with the latest science information.
tag(s): cells (82), computers (114), creativity (84), data (210), engineering (136), machines (17), scientists (71)
In the Classroom
Keep your students minds wondering with the latest thoughts in science. Use this to create your own, science news events day. Use one of these videos as a center when students are studying a related topic. Share the videos on your projector or interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ShareDrop - Cowbell Labs
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Frustrated when trying to transfer files from one device to another? This resource is a free service that easily transfers files between devices without creating any kind of account....more
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Frustrated when trying to transfer files from one device to another? This resource is a free service that easily transfers files between devices without creating any kind of account. Use this resource in Opera, Chrome, or Firefox (not Safari or Internet Explorer!). It will work on your laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile device. Please note: both devices must be connected to the same wireless network. Simply drag files into ShareDrop on one device and then open it on the other. For users familiar with AirDrop on Apple products, this tool looks and works similarly.
In the Classroom
This would be a good tool to use in a computer lab or with laptop carts, iPads, or Chromebooks where students don't have email addresses or Google Accounts for sharing work with their teachers or each other. Students and teachers simply go to the ShareDrop site. When students are ready to share their work with their teachers, they can drag it into the ShareDrop page on their laptops, desktops, or tablets. For those interested in security, files are not actually uploaded to a server. Instead, ShareDrop is a peer to peer connection. Teachers can "push out" files to students quickly and easily using this tool. During curriculum development and other professional development activities, members of a specific department (or even school-wide) can share resources and documents easily to each other. This is a MUST in 1:1 and BYOD classrooms! Student groups working on projects in class can gather and share files easily.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Planet Nutshell - Joshua Gunn
Grades
4 to 12
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Planet Nutshell offers short, comic videos hosted on Vimeo explaining diverse topics such as Internet safety, financial aid, and climate change. Click More, then For Teachers, and choose...more
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Planet Nutshell offers short, comic videos hosted on Vimeo explaining diverse topics such as Internet safety, financial aid, and climate change. Click More, then For Teachers, and choose your topic, Many videos include a suitable grade range with the title and run three minutes or less in length. Share videos using the share link provided with the direct URL to the Vimeo site or embed code. Save videos for later viewing on your Vimeo account.
tag(s): climate change (116), financial aid (11), internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
Include videos during your Internet safety or climate change unit and view on your interactive whiteboard. Embed on your class website or blog and have students create animated movies online using CapCut, reviewed here. Consider sharing one of the short Internet safety videos with parents during an Open House or Meet the Teacher night.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Top Documentary Films - topdocumentaryfilms.com
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Top Documentary Films contains a large collection of documentaries from around the world. Choose "Browse" to explore the films available, or use the Categories menu on the right to...more
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Top Documentary Films contains a large collection of documentaries from around the world. Choose "Browse" to explore the films available, or use the Categories menu on the right to view by topics such as Politics, Science, etc. Choose List from the top menu to view a complete listing of all available films. Each listing includes a short description along with a link to view the video. Videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. Be sure to PREVIEW videos before showing to a class as they are unmoderated. Comments are also unmoderated. There is a wonderful disclaimer at the lower left of the home page about bias and documentaries. It is well worth noting as you watch ANY "documentary."
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): advanced placement (24), animals (270), artists (98), biographies (94), drugs and alcohol (29), environment (251), evolution (88), hiv/aids (16), humor (14), media literacy (113), mental health (59), money (113), politics (124), psychology (61), religions (121), sports (87), vietnam (40)
In the Classroom
Use this site to find videos in a wide range of topics to share on your interactive whiteboard, on a projector, or as a link on your class web page. Use videos to demonstrate different points of view. Then use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. to compare and contrast information. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from any film using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Want to engage students WHILE they watch a video? Why not set up a virtual bulletin board using Mentimeter, reviewed here. Be sure to ask your class if there could have been any bias in the video you watch together. What film techniques influence our thinking?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oppia - Oppia.org
Grades
8 to 12
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0 Comments
Oppia is a wonderfully interesting tool for creative learning explorations. The goal of Oppia is to create a one-on-one learning situation similar to that found in a learning dialogue....more
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Oppia is a wonderfully interesting tool for creative learning explorations. The goal of Oppia is to create a one-on-one learning situation similar to that found in a learning dialogue. As you proceed through each Oppia and enter responses, feedback stimulates thinking without providing answers. Browse the gallery to begin exploring math, languages, science, art, social sciences, and programming options. Be sure to choose the "Show beta explorations" option to find many more activities with topics from "Art" to "Welcome to Oppia." The activities offer an exploration of the background and use of the website. If you feel comfortable with technology, try to create and add your own Oppia to the site.
tag(s): coding (106), computational thinking (45), cooking (34), electricity (60), equations (132), fractions (179), homonyms (8), homophones (6), india (32), latin (23), light (56), logic (162), politics (124), puzzles (159), quadratics (28), ratios (52), statistics (128), STEM (353), Teacher Utilities (205)
In the Classroom
Assign Oppia explorations to gifted students as part of your differentiated learning lessons. Use Oppia explorations as part of your flipped classroom. Have students complete explorations and then discuss in class. Add links to (or embed) Oppia explorations on your class website or blog for students to explore at home as a review tool or as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson. Join the Oppia Users Group to collaborate with others to create your own Oppia explorations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Diigo - Education - Diigo, Inc. 2010
Grades
1 to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
This interactive social bookmarking and collaboration tool does so much more than any ordinary bookmarking tool. It is a research curation tool, knowledge-sharing community, website...more
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This interactive social bookmarking and collaboration tool does so much more than any ordinary bookmarking tool. It is a research curation tool, knowledge-sharing community, website annotation tool, and social information network all rolled into one "cloud" package. To get started, check out the About link. You will find information and videos on the uses of Diigo. Set up an account, being sure to click the FREE education edition upgrade. This 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. At this time Diigo is experiencing issues with the "Top 10 Tags" from the menu on the left.
This tool can be used as a basic bookmarking tool, simply allowing YOU to save, sort, and access your own bookmarks from ANY computer or mobile device (once you are logged in). You have the choice whether your bookmarks are public or private. You can gradually ease into more advanced and interactive features: highlight parts of sites and save or share those annotations, add sticky notes to parts of websites, pictures, screen-shots, documents, audio, and more. Do group collaborative research. Organize your bookmarks by tags. Unlike sorting bookmarks into file folders, adding tags permits you to put multiple tags or "labels" on one site. The same site you tag for book reports could also be tagged for biographies, for example. Additional Diigo features include groups (a way to share and exchange bookmarks with a certain group of Diigo users), messaging, and search features. You can search all the public bookmarks made by others and discover other people with similar interests, already bookmarked and ready for you to mark as your own. There are many groups you can join, such as those with a specific teaching interest or hobby. See "Tools" for many helpful options, including bookmarklets to make bookmarking instant on multiple devices. Bookmarklets drag directly to the toolbars on your computer and are well worth it. It goes beyond simple bookmarking and adds options like highlight, capture, send, read later, comment, search bar and Diigo message options. You decide your own level of use and desired tools to be shown on the bar. If choosing not to install the toolbar, then there is an applet called Diigolet that will be used in its place. It is not as strong a tool as the toolbar, but will work well if the toolbar installation is not possible. Check our sample group. You can also install a widget on your blog (or class web page) that will show your bookmarks there.
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This tool can be used as a basic bookmarking tool, simply allowing YOU to save, sort, and access your own bookmarks from ANY computer or mobile device (once you are logged in). You have the choice whether your bookmarks are public or private. You can gradually ease into more advanced and interactive features: highlight parts of sites and save or share those annotations, add sticky notes to parts of websites, pictures, screen-shots, documents, audio, and more. Do group collaborative research. Organize your bookmarks by tags. Unlike sorting bookmarks into file folders, adding tags permits you to put multiple tags or "labels" on one site. The same site you tag for book reports could also be tagged for biographies, for example. Additional Diigo features include groups (a way to share and exchange bookmarks with a certain group of Diigo users), messaging, and search features. You can search all the public bookmarks made by others and discover other people with similar interests, already bookmarked and ready for you to mark as your own. There are many groups you can join, such as those with a specific teaching interest or hobby. See "Tools" for many helpful options, including bookmarklets to make bookmarking instant on multiple devices. Bookmarklets drag directly to the toolbars on your computer and are well worth it. It goes beyond simple bookmarking and adds options like highlight, capture, send, read later, comment, search bar and Diigo message options. You decide your own level of use and desired tools to be shown on the bar. If choosing not to install the toolbar, then there is an applet called Diigolet that will be used in its place. It is not as strong a tool as the toolbar, but will work well if the toolbar installation is not possible. Check our sample group. You can also install a widget on your blog (or class web page) that will show your bookmarks there.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bookmarks (34), collaboration (110), curation (24), DAT device agnostic tool (127), forum (2), organizational skills (84), social networking (56)
In the Classroom
Teachers even in very early grades can use Diigo simply to share links with students and parents. To get more ideas on the potential education uses of this site, see this SlideShare powerpoint here. 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.Assign students a research topic and allow them to use Diigo collaboratively to collect and share resources. Share teacher-selected options (complete with comments or directions) easily using Diigo. The research and conversations created through highlighting and annotating what they read can greatly enhance both their research skills and their online interaction on academic level skills. Or use Diigo to post discussion assignments on specific articles or even parts of articles using the highlighting tool. Find a relevant article for your subject, highlight the part that you want students to read. (If students are younger, keep it short to reduce the intimidating reality of too much information for kids.) Attach a sticky note with a discussion question for the students. Have them comment on the link in a "class discussion" as a homework assignment. If you are fortunate enough to have all students with computer access in your class and at home, such as in one to one laptop program schools, you can organize many assignments using Diigo. Use this site to help all of your students stay organized. Share this resource with your (not so organized) gifted students to help them manage projects and not "lose" the information they "found somewhere." Post assignments, readings, online interactive labs, and more. The site even allows students to submit responses by adding a comment. Of course others will see what they said, so you may not want the comments to be the only thing they do! If you assign gifted students to do projects beyond the regular curriculum, consider having them curate and annotate a collection of resources on a higher level topic. For example, extend your study of World War II by having them collect web-based primary sources showing the propaganda leading up to the war, political cartoons during the war, and advertisements from the time. Have them annotate the collection explaining each artifact and how it reflects the sentiments and biases of certain groups. That same collection could provide other students a class opportunity to interact with "objects" from the time. If you have contact with other teachers of gifted students, they could collaborate across different schools or classrooms.
Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
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
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Screencastify - Chrome Web Store
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
1 Comments
Screencastify is a screen capture/screencast software created for use ONLY with Chrome browsers. It even runs on Chromebooks. Choose the "Free" link to add the extension to your Chrome...more
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Screencastify is a screen capture/screencast software created for use ONLY with Chrome browsers. It even runs on Chromebooks. Choose the "Free" link to add the extension to your Chrome browser. Screencastify lets users record their desktop, browser tab, and/or webcam. In addition, users can edit videos from their browser and YouTube and translate and add voice-overs in over ninety languages. Screencastify can also add interactive questions to YouTube videos. Find the application icon on your browser toolbar and click Record to capture presentations, tutorials, and more easily. Be sure to ALLOW Screencastify access to your microphone to enable voice recordings. Once your recording is complete, please return to the Screencastify icon on your browser to name the recording, download it to your computer, save it to Google Drive, or upload it to YouTube.
tag(s): tutorials (49)
In the Classroom
Create screencasts showing how to do various computer tasks or navigate websites. Demonstrate how to use a website or software for specific tasks within the classroom. For example, show how to use the comment feature in Word for annotating class notes, reading passages, and other items. Make how-to demos for instructions on using and navigating your class home page, class wiki or blog, or other applications you wish the students to use in creating their own projects. By narrating how students should navigate through a certain site or section, you can eliminate confusion, provide an opportunity for students to replay the information as a refresher for the future, and maintain a record for absent students. Software demonstrations add an increased flexibility with helping students who need it while allowing students to begin and work at their own pace. Added audio is a great asset for many students, including learning support and those who might need to access the material in smaller "chunks." Use this site for students to give "tours" of their own wiki or blog page. The presentation of their web-based projects and resources can be more engaging. Use screencasts to critique or show the validity of websites, identify a resource site they believe is most valuable, or explain how to navigate an online game. Social studies teachers could assign students to critique a political candidate's web page using a screencast. Reading/language arts teachers could have student teams analyze a website to show biased language, etc. For a powerful writing experience, have students "think aloud" about their writing choices as they record a screencast of a revision or writing session. You will probably need to model this process, but writing will NEVER be the same! Math teachers using software such as Geometer's Sketchpad could have students create their own narrated demonstrations of geometry concepts as review (and to save as future learning aids). Teachers at any level can create screencasts to demonstrate a computer skill or assignment, such as for a center in your classroom or in a computer lab. Students can replay the "tutorial" on their own from your class web page and follow the directions. As a service project, have students write and record how to screencasts to help elderly or less tech savvy computer users navigate the web, register to vote, or find important health information. Writing for such a project would fit right in with CCSS informational writing and digital writing standards in middle and high school.Comments
Great tool!Barbara, , Grades: 0 - 12
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10 Minute Mail - Devon Hillard
Grades
5 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
10 Minute Mail quickly creates a "disposable" email address to use with web tools that require email registration/activation. The best part is that no registration is required to use...more
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10 Minute Mail quickly creates a "disposable" email address to use with web tools that require email registration/activation. The best part is that no registration is required to use this EASY site! Use 10 Minute Mail as your solution for registration on free, membership-required sites requiring individual sign-up using an email address. This is the spam, update, and junk email dumping ground! Your disposable email is only available for 10 minutes unless you click the link to extend your session another 10 minutes. The genius of this site is that it is temporary but completely functional for protecting individual identities. The only downside to using a short term email address is that you will never receive the "forgot my password" emails. You won't receive the endless annoying emails, either!
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
Have students create a 10 Minute Mail address in the beginning of the school year as part of your introductory lesson on acceptable use procedures. Use 10 Minute Mail anytime you visit a site that requires registration, but you don't want to receive additional information. Be sure to share a link on your class website or blog for students (and parents) to use at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Down For Everyone Or Just Me? - downforeveryoneorjustme.com
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Are you trying to reach a website, and it just isn't working? Down For Everyone Or Just For Me provides a quick answer. Enter the url for the site you ...more
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Are you trying to reach a website, and it just isn't working? Down For Everyone Or Just For Me provides a quick answer. Enter the url for the site you are checking (such as google.com) and click "or just me?" to find out. The result will tell you if it is just you or if there is a network outage. There is no registration required! This is especially handy to help diagnose partial Internet outages such as when your Internet provider cannot reach a site, but the REST of the world can ... or if your school's filter is blocking the site.
tag(s): noregistration (78)
In the Classroom
Add Down For Everyone Or Just For Me to your bookmarks for quick and easy checks when websites won't connect. Share a link on your class website or blog for students to find and easily use this tool at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Typing Club - TypingClub.com
Grades
3 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Practice and learn keyboarding with this free online program. Click on a lesson level to begin. Follow tutorials that teach the correct hand and finger placement. Continue moving through...more
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Practice and learn keyboarding with this free online program. Click on a lesson level to begin. Follow tutorials that teach the correct hand and finger placement. Continue moving through different lessons by earning three stars based on accuracy and speed. Save your work and track progress by creating a free account. Create a school account to add up to three classes and two instructors with unlimited students and the ability to create and customize lessons. You do not have to register to use this site, only to track your progress.
tag(s): computers (114), keyboarding (28)
In the Classroom
Create a link to Typing Club on classroom computers or in the computer lab. Demonstrate how to use this site (for younger students) on your projector. Use this site for students to practice and learn keyboarding skills. Share a link to the site on your class newsletter or website for students to practice at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Crunchzilla - Crunchzilla
Grades
3 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn basic computer coding skills using this tool. There are three difficulty levels: Code Monster for preteens (or even younger), Code Maven for teens and young adults, or Game Maven...more
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Learn basic computer coding skills using this tool. There are three difficulty levels: Code Monster for preteens (or even younger), Code Maven for teens and young adults, or Game Maven for ages 16+. Code Monster prompts younger students to change various parameters of an already given code. As they enter different parts to the code, the changes in the object can be seen immediately. Simply click on the dialogue bubble and a new lesson will appear. Unfortunately, creations cannot be saved. (Students can screenshot their creations.) Use Code Maven with older teens, though it appears to have the same lessons as Code Monster. Game Maven is the third and most advanced programming tutorial in this series. Use this to teach a little about programming by creating easy games. In all three tools, skip to further lessons by clicking on the dialogue balloons. Use the back button to return to previous lessons. It is also easy to undo a lesson and start a code over with the reset button. In all tools, if you return to the same browser on the same machine, it will return to the last lesson you were on. Note: Be sure to have played with Code Maven prior to using Game Maven as those lessons are needed to understand how to program (unless there is prior coding experience).
tag(s): coding (106), computational thinking (45), computers (114)
In the Classroom
When discussing computer science and how technology touches all of our lives, be sure to discuss coding and that it is a language that everyone can learn. Show the HTML markup of a page to show what the computer "reads" to form what websites look like. Use these tools to show basics in coding. When students are working, be sure to not rescue them with answers. Encourage learning by telling them to ask three other students first before asking the teacher AND that it is okay if we learn it together. Use other coding programs such as Scratch, reviewed here. Have students create a tutorial or a quick reference guide for using coding. Create a class wiki using TWiki, here, to share your reference guide. If you want to learn more about wikis, check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. Share this site with your young gamers to lure them into the logical world of coding -- and actually build STEM skills in the process.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Strong Random Password Generator - Passwordsgenerator.net
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Create safe passwords easily. Set the parameters for creating your new password: character length, use of capitals, numbers, characters, and more. Click "Generate secure password" to...more
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Create safe passwords easily. Set the parameters for creating your new password: character length, use of capitals, numbers, characters, and more. Click "Generate secure password" to obtain the password and a way to remember it (also generates a phonetic password to remember). Be sure to note their great advice about passwords for safety and security.
tag(s): internet safety (117)
In the Classroom
Have student partners share the advice about passwords. Discuss these and why they are important. Use this tool anytime a password is required for students. Display this link at the beginning of the school year on your class web page for students (and parents) to use, too!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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