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Teaching Children Philosophy - Book Modules - The Prindle Institute for Ethics
Grades
K to 12tag(s): brain (58), charactered (86), cross cultural understanding (177), cultures (290), ethics (21), logic (170), psychology (60), religions (119)
In the Classroom
Although created using children's books, this site is perfect for introducing philosophical discussions to students of any age. Choose two books that represent different sides of an issue to share with your class. Create a mind map including different ideas represented within topics using a tool such as Mindmeister, reviewed here. Then have students create an annotated image demonstrating their viewpoint including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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ToonyTool - ToonyTool
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): comics and cartoons (67), communication (126), creative writing (123), digital storytelling (172), noregistration (74), summarizing (26)
In the Classroom
There is a multitude of ways to use comics/cartoons in the classroom. For instance, create one-page discussion starters to help students keep up with current political issues. Use comics to show sequencing of events, for example, explain the sequence of a story, a science concept, or current event! When studying about characterization, create a dialog to show (not tell) about a character. Use comic strips for literature responses. Another idea - why not use the comics for conflict resolution or other guidance issues (such as bullying). Sometimes it is easier for students to write it down (or draw the pictures) than use the actual words. Emotional support and autistic support teachers can work with students to create strips about appropriate interpersonal responses and feelings. World language and ENL/ESL teachers can assign students to create dialogue strips as an alternative to traditional written assessments; summarize through a comic. Challenge students who move through other assignments more quickly to create a cartoon for review of a topic studied in class. Make a class book of the comics created throughout the year using Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator includes features for students to easily create digital books using their own text, videos, and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jewish Kids: Passover - Chabad.org
Grades
K to 5tag(s): hebrew (17), holidays (282), jews (63), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
After learning about Passover, students can use Book Creator, reviewed here to create their own Passover Guide. Students can create a timeline of the history of Passover using Turbo Timeline Generator, reviewed here. Finally, students can create their own Passover song.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iCivics, Win the White House - iCivics
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): civics (129), elections (87), presidents (151)
In the Classroom
Start out using this site with your projector or interactive whiteboard with the whole class. Walk through the beginning of the game and demonstrate the built-in help which is useful for students who might need additional guidance. Have individuals play or create small group teams of campaign staff to guide the candidates. Students or groups may play multiple times. After registering, the site will save games and students can send messages. Use the Achievements badges and points for student assessments. Have students research the debate topics and compare the different aspects of the game to real-life examples in the news. An easy to use Extension Pack for Teachers provides more activities and assessments.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Geographic Kids - National Geographic
Grades
K to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (278), blended learning (28), countries (70), endangered species (29), environment (249), plants (142), reading comprehension (147)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for interactive whiteboards or projectors. Display the site on your whiteboard to use as a learning center for students. Select videos for lesson introductions for flipped or blended learning activities. For language arts, practice finding the main idea or summarizing stories using these interesting informational texts. ENL/ESL learners can also find accessible news stories here. Choose words from stories to include with weekly spelling tests or as vocabulary builders. Assign different stories to groups of students to summarize and present to the class. Enhance learning by challenging cooperative learning groups to create videos about any article on the site. Upload images (use Creative Commons or other copyright-safe pictures) and use Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, for this project. Then share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Use the site for learning games that will appeal more to younger students. Preview all videos since some feature animals hunting, which may upset some students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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USA Today Rio Olympics Guide - YouTube - USA Today
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): olympics (49), south america (80), sports (87)
In the Classroom
Share videos with your students as you follow the Summer Olympic games from your classroom. Use the "how to watch" sports videos as a model, then have students create their own videos describing how to watch their favorite sport. Share their videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Research Olympic athletes and their countries, then have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing news about the Olympics. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here to complete a podcasting project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Protecting Children's Privacy Guide - Paul Bischoff
Grades
K to 12tag(s): internet safety (121)
In the Classroom
Share information from this article with students as part of your ongoing lessons in cyber safety. Share a link on your class website as a resource for parents. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing online safety tips and suggestions. Use a site such as PodOmatic, reviewed here, for a podcasting project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Filming a Beluga Whale - National Geographic
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): climate change (110), migration (44), oceans (140), whales (12)
In the Classroom
Share this video on an interactive whiteboard or projector, or ask students to watch at home as an introduction to a unit on ocean animals or climate change. Challenge students to research whales further and learn more about their migrations and interactions as a unit. Have students create maps using Zeemaps, reviewed here, to show locations of whales around the world and their migration patterns. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose various locations on a map to show the locations of the whales.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Rio 2016 Olympics - International Olympic Committee
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): olympics (49), seasonal (47), south america (80), sports (87), summer (49)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard and allow students to explore on their own. Create a bulletin board to display the latest medal counts, have students update daily with information from the Olympics site. Have students create a simple infographic on their favorite sport using Venngage reviewed here. Have cooperative learning groups create daily podcasts to share the latest news from the Olympics. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Making the Grade - PBS NewsHour
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): news (223), newspapers (86), professional development (322)
In the Classroom
Use information from this site as part of your ongoing professional development and discussion within your school and district regarding educational issues. Have debate students use this site as a resource for topics or to find information for their viewpoint in a debate. Challenge students to read articles and write about how they would address the issues if placed in a position of power. Challenge students to create a multimedia presentation representing their viewpoint using Vevox, reviewed here. Vevox offers interactive features such as real-time polls and comments to keep viewers interested and involved in the presentation. Vevox allows adding polls, videos, embeds, web links, and PowerPoint.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover at Namib Dune (360 view) - NASA
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Share this video (or the images) with students using your projector or an interactive whiteboard as you explore the surface of Mars together. Have students use Twitter Fictional Account Template, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Twitter, or X, about an astronaut traveling to Mars. Challenge student to modify their learning and create a newspaper using a site such as Printing Press, reviewed here, with all the latest news on the exploration of Mars. Be sure to check out the NASA YouTube channel for additional videos from Mars and the Curiosity Rover.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PenPal Schools - Joe Troyen
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (339), collaboration (131), cross cultural understanding (177), DAT device agnostic tool (132)
In the Classroom
Help students create thoughtful responses and commentsby researching the provided topic by using the Venn Diagram Creator by Canva, reviewed here to compare and contrast information to discuss. Learn more about the countries in your group using Google My Maps, reviewed here to create a collaborative map of each country and add information about landmarks, large cities, and places of cultural importance.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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eLearning Infographics - e-Learning Industry LLC
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital storytelling (172), infographics (73), professional development (322)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the infographics on this site for both classroom use and professional development. Introduce a topic by sharing the Infographic and allowing time for students (or peers) to identify various items that they notice about the chart. Allow time to think-pair-share and list questions for further understanding. Choose a new infographic each week and use links for each image to embed on your website or share via social media. Make curriculum content more real with infographics that students can relate to. Consider creating Infographics of material students are learning in class for better understanding and connection with other topics and the world around them. You and students can create a simple infographic sharing information and/or findings using Snappa, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Election Central - PBS Learning Media
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): debate (37), elections (87), electoral college (24), presidents (151), speech (66)
In the Classroom
Include The Election Collection as part of any election unit. Have students research candidate information and compare and contrast points of view. Use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, or the Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Pose a controversial question about an election issue and have students answer as one of the candidates. Use a tool such as Dotstorming, reviewed here, for that exercise. Or, challenge students to use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a candidate's journey through the election process. Or, using Fakebook, have two candidates debate an issue. Be sure to take advantage of the free lesson plans offered on this site correlated to National History Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New York State K-12 Social Studies Standards - NYSED
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (143), commoncore (62), professional development (322)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use when teaching social studies concepts throughout the year. Although created for New York teachers, activities correspond to Common Core Standards used throughout the country. Be sure to take advantage of all resources available such as worksheets, assessment suggestions, and teaching tips. Share with other teachers as you collaborate and plan together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bystander Revolution - Take the Power Out of Bullying - MacKenzie Bezos
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): bullying (40)
In the Classroom
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to discuss bullying with your class using these videos. Use this discussion to prompt a journal entry, skit, or other personal response on bullying and how to handle it. Exchange pencil and paper and use a blogging tool like Edublog, reviewed here. Provide this link for parents to view at home with their students. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own videos addressing bullying issues. Replace paper and start with Story Map, reviewed here, for students to plan their skit. Share the skits on a site such as SchoolTube, reviewed here. Be sure to share this site with your school's counselors and anyone else who deals with students who are being bullied.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SheHeroes - sheheroes.org
Grades
2 to 10tag(s): careers (184), mentoring (6), women (189), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
Use SheHeroes as part of your Career Day or career unit resources. Add a link on classroom computers for students (male and female) to explore independently. Use the additional discussion questions to encourage students to consider the obstacles women face in business and society. Ask a prominent local businesswoman to speak to your class and discuss obstacles she has faced and how she was able to overcome those issues. Although the site is dedicated to girls from ages 8-14, share with both boys and girls from ages 8 and up as part of any unit on gender inequalities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Charity Navigator - Charity Navigator
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communities (40), problem solving (279), service projects (17)
In the Classroom
Inspire your students to find worthy causes to give back and help other people in need. Give character education programs real purpose by discovering the many ways people need help. Challenge students to become an active part of your community and help others. Each class can choose a favorite charity to support through time or donations. Throughout the year, find ways to volunteer, collect money, or make a difference. Keep a class blog documenting progress, plans, ideas, and experiences. Substitute pen and paper writing journals by having students create blogs sharing their experiences using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to create a blog using Edublog, reviewed here. New to blogging? Check out TeachersFirst's Blog Basics. Challenge each class to enhance their learning by highlighting the journey of giving to your community through a video documentary using a tool like Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here. Share videos using a tool like Schooltube, reviewed here.Comments
This is a "gift" to those who are interested in having their students realize that where they donate can be researched. Furthermore it shows how many are working to improve the world across multiple categories. This helps foster critical analysis. My students will be selecting a charity and arguing for its support.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
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Climate Change Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): climate change (110)
In the Classroom
Use these resources with your students to find ways you can all make a difference. Use this opportunity to teach about persuasive writing (letters to the editor or government officials), careers in science, current events, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TPS Teachers Network - Metropolitan State University of Denver
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (34), primary sources (134), professional development (322), social networking (56), Teacher Utilities (222)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save TPS Teachers Network as an excellent professional development and social networking site. Share with your colleagues to create your own professional learning network on the site. Create albums with primary sources for use throughout the year in one easy to find location.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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