Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Ready to think big? How about an interactive timeline that covers all of time from the Big Bang to today? Chronozoom is an ambitious project, just launched (at the time of this review), that seeks to create zoomable, interactive timelines for the entire history of time. At present, the site is still under construction, but it is visually stunning and a little overwhelming. You will need to set aside some time to watch the video tour and to tinker with the site before presenting it to students. Every move of the mouse, every click, seems to create "explosions" of graphs and timelines; you'll need to be patient and get the hang of navigation.

The site's creators freely admit that they don't really know where the project will lead, and what technologies might emerge that will help them create more content for the site. There are some caveats for using the site. First, the site assumes a particular theory of the creation of the universe, and the timeline of its existence. Second, the site can lend itself to aimless "mousing," or the temptation to simply click and move the mouse to see how the site will react, with no attention to the content at all.

tag(s): charts and graphs (171), evolution (89), Microsoft (80), timelines (56)

Find great information and interactive activities about the human body and brain on this exciting site. Choose from tabs along the top from Body and Brain as well as Nature, Planet Earth, and more. Click on the NOVA Education tab to find great lessons and ideas to use these materials for a variety of subjects and ages. View video clips as well as slide shows and other information. Preview these resources before sharing in class. Some parents/communities may consider some material controversial or inappropriate for younger students.
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tag(s): carbon dioxide (10), carbon footprint (5), earth (184), environment (252), human body (93), nuclear energy (20), nutrition (140), solar energy (34), space (222)

This site documents how four Native American communities are responding to changes in the environment where they live. First click the link in the first paragraph or the picture on the right to find this unit. Through videos and primary sources, you can explore these four Native American cultures. Each tribe's section is broken down into the following areas: Getting Started, Meet the People, About Our Homeland, Our Environmental Challenge, Our Strategies, and Our Future.

tag(s): environment (252), native americans (109), natural resources (37)

This New York Times site addresses many classroom needs. Scroll down the main section to find current event articles, photos, polls, and more. Find lesson plans by category, a student opinion section, contests, a daily news quiz, and timely articles connecting current events to thinking questions. Find many opportunities for a quick learning game or to express your opinion. There is even a student crossword. This site is frequently updated and includes a wide variety of subjects.

tag(s): news (229), vocabulary (238), writing prompts (61)

Explore plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean at this terrific site. Click Educators on the top menu, and fine several lessons, videos, toolkits, and more. Be sure to check out the Students tab at the top to see Student Spolights to explore accomplishments of students from around the world.

tag(s): environment (252), oceans (149), plastics (4), pollution (52)

Find great Infographics about a variety of topics. Use the beautiful arrangement of data to uncover relationships between various pieces of information. Easily share or embed the chart where needed. Click on References and Data Table to look at the raw data and origins of the information. Choose from major topics in the tabs above such as Country Information, Environment, Food and Agriculture, and more. Search your own topics with the search bar.
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tag(s): business (52), charts and graphs (171), data (151), infographics (56), maps (220)

Create various types of graphs and charts - easily! Input data quickly, and explore multiple ways to show the data using the various types of graphs available. Quickly see the relationships between the data as you play with the graphic. Note: Take (and save) a screenshot of your chart as not all charts have been saved correctly. Once a chart has been published, it can no longer be edited.
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tag(s): charts and graphs (171), data (151)

Search any question related to energy use or production to this content specific search engine. Examples of how to use the resource is given. Be patient to get the results and enjoy the messages that show as it is progressing: Charging flux capacitor or deploying ninjas to name a few. Click for more information about each of the results.

tag(s): conservation (102), energy (133), nuclear energy (20), solar energy (34)

Digg is a social news network similar in some qualities to Facebook and other such social media. You can post stories you find interesting and browse "Top Stories" which are more or less the most popular stories shared by others on the Internet. It is meant to share a snapshot of the most interesting, relevant, quirky, and fun content on the web! Once you sign up, you can start to Digg your own favorites. This site also features "Digg Dialogg" where members submit questions to notable leaders and community members decide on which questions will be asked, and interviews are shared on the site. Be sure to preview items that you wish to share. Noted were a few "violent" warnings at the time of this review, but the other 99% of the shared items were excellent for use in the classroom.

tag(s): debate (42), news (229), social networking (61)

Find science news featuring the latest research, discoveries, and questions facing science today. Find interesting questions to inspire all of your students to wonder why and continue guessing. Examples of articles include: Second "Mozart effect" Premature Babies May Grow Faster, Huge Hidden Saturn Ring Found, and New Anti-Cancer Strategy Makes Tumors Age. Latest breaking news and science in images add a greater depth to the site.
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tag(s): animal homes (57), animals (295), diseases (67), genetics (80), news (229), planets (113)

SoundCloud is a sound sharing site. Upload your favorite sounds and share using your SoundCloud free account. Share via a link or a choice of embed widgets to add into a website, blog, podcast, Wordpress, email, instant message, or social network. You can choose to use previously recorded sounds or record your own sounds using this site. Share the sounds on the web, with your group, or privately between users. Use your drop box to receive recorded material from others. This is the perfect place to create your mixtapes!
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tag(s): creative writing (124), descriptive writing (42), expository writing (31), songs (46), sound (72), sounds (43)

IndyKids is an online newspaper for kids. This online version is the same as the printable version that produces 10,000 copies of each issue, reaching kids in 36 states of the US. Articles are written by both kids and adults, featuring topics related to current events and topics of interest to kids. Articles written by kids are noted as such and include the writer's age. At the time of this review, some of the "kid written articles" included Growing Poverty: Hard to Ignore At Home, Wasps: Do I Know You, and several others. Be sure to check out the category search on the lower right-hand portion of the site with topics such as: Kids Around the World, Culture and Activism, Education, and much more. Newspapers are archived in PDF format for easy printing and dated back several years.

tag(s): creative writing (124), expository writing (31), journalism (74), persuasive writing (58), writing (325)

Find fascinating Infographics on a variety of topics: Technology, Environment, Business, Food Facts, Politics, Health Safety, and even Interesting Facts. What are Infographics? A graphic visual representation of information, data, or knowledge.
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tag(s): charts and graphs (171), data (151), graphic design (49), infographics (56)

FORA.tv's claim to fame is as the Web's largest collection of conference and event videos. These videos come from sources such as universities, think tanks, and other intelligent discourses. Videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

Please preview anything before you share it with your students. At the time of this review there was a subcategory "Sex" which may not be appropriate for most classrooms. But always preview! Teachers may want to share ONLY specific video links.
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tag(s): business (52), cultures (180), elections (82), energy (133), environment (252), evolution (89), genetics (80), investing (8), news (229), politics (118), psychology (65), religions (95), sexuality (15), stock market (11), sustainability (50), video (266)

This employment/economics site leads you through the process of looking for a job, trying to make it through the month on a limited income, understanding the repercussions of participating in a strike, and facing a time when there is no money. It is similar to a "real life" choose your own adventure. Most choices offer three options and share some pros/cons for each. After you select the job you would like to try for, the activity leads you to the requirements and possible pre-tests. If you do not qualify, you must apply for one of the remaining and less desirable jobs. Once you choose your job, you learn about costs of health insurance, taxes, housing, transportation, child care, and more.

tag(s): financial literacy (93), money (113)

Yummy Math shares mathematics problems and scenarios based on things happening in the world today. In January, some of the topics related to the NFL playoffs. Yummy Math lists activities chronologically as well as by mathematics topic. Topics include Algebra, Number Sense, Geometry, Food Math, Sports, and many more. The site is sure to be highly motivational for students as they complete math problems based on items of current interest such as the Super Bowl, American Idol, and American candy sales. Most problems contain a printable word or pdf document with questions. Some also include video or audio clips. Especially helpful is the Contents link which provides an alphabetical listing of all activities on the site.

tag(s): number sense (69), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), sports (82)

News and information from top thinkers and doers around the world, screened so that it is condensed to that which is significant, relevant, and applicable, that is Big Think. This website is a phenomenal source for information and news. The philosophy of Big Think is that as we "move to the knowledge era" that you will be able to better function if you know more and understand what you know. This website was awarded one of TIME magazine's best websites of 2011 for news and information. Please screen any articles that you wish to share BEFORE sharing with your students. Some content is NOT appropriate for the classroom. This is not a site you want to send students off to explore on their own.
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tag(s): brain (56), business (52), cross cultural understanding (173), environment (252), news (229), politics (118), psychology (65)

Nobelprize.org is the official website of the Nobel Prize. Here you find information about Alfred Nobel, the prizewinners, interviews, and photos. Videos of interviews of Nobel peace prizewinners, speeches, ceremonies, interviews, banquets, lectures, announcements, award ceremonies, and documentaries fill the gamut of all of the prizewinners. The Nobel prizes awards are in literature, chemistry, medicine, peace, economics, and physics. Under the Education tab at the top find arieties of educational games/activities and lesson plans help explain many of the Nobel Award winners' work. This site clearly explains and illustrates the purpose of the awards, the award winners, and their ideas. Videos give an insider look at each of the winners.

tag(s): creativity (86), literature (222), medicine (57)

Students can learn responsible consumerism by becoming active evaluators and reporters of defective products using this site. Unsafe products reported on this site go onto the Product Safety Commission's publicly available Consumer Product Safety Information Database, after the reported products are evaluated and the reviews are screened by professionals. Along with the founders of the site, students active in reading the database and reporting dangerous products participate in protecting the public from harm, injuries, and possible death. A business portal allows private companies to register and participate in the formation of the database, as well.

tag(s): consumers (14), safety (68)

This site provides a wonderful chronology of mathematical information starting about 3000 BC on up to the 21st Century. Information can be accessed in several ways. Upon entering the site there is a timeline across the top and all information included is in list form on the main page, simply scroll through to view all items. Searches can be narrowed to defined time periods by mousing over that area on the timeline or typing dates into the blank box at the right of the timeline. There is also a link to a chronology index which leads to time periods already broken into smaller portions. Also available is a biographical index which can be used by time period, or choose female mathematicians or use the alphabetical index as an option.

tag(s): biographies (94), cross cultural understanding (173), timelines (56)