Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Finding Dulcinea is a tool that selects and annotates credible, trustworthy websites into an online newspaper format. In addition to current content, the site also offers over 550 web guides providing resources for topics such as health, teacher resources, and global warming. Be sure to check out the Beyond the Headlines section of the site for in-depth looks at topics such as Why Do We Have Daylight Savings Time? View the site tour video located here to understand the set-up and how to use the site.
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tag(s): careers (183), cultures (226), financial literacy (95), mental health (50), news (226), newspapers (94), religions (113), sports (85)

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 (101), financial aid (13), internet safety (116)

Investigate leadership and entrepreneurship with Stanford University through videos, podcasts and speakers. Study creativity and innovation, product development, finance and venture capital, leadership and adversity, team and culture, globalization, marketing and sales, social entrepreneurship, and marketing and sales. This program works on Windows, iPhone, and iPad platforms.

tag(s): creativity (87), engineering (137), speeches (23)

Find a constantly updated collection of informational articles about the environment of the Great Lakes. Subscribe to receive news of current feature articles. The variety of article topics is sure to catch the interest of almost any reader. The articles have Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike licenses so are free to use and recopy (be sure to attribute!).
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tag(s): animals (293), fish (18), insects (68), plants (148), pollution (53), water (105), watersheds (8), weather (160)

Find science current events and more with this wonderful site. This section also includes information on STEM careers and teaching science to teenagers. Find interesting articles and information about Atoms and Forces, Earth and Sky, Humans and Health, and more. Below each article is words used in the article and their meanings. Find information about science projects in the Student Resources section.

tag(s): news (226), science fairs (20), scientific method (48), scientists (71)

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."
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tag(s): advanced placement (26), animals (293), artists (87), biographies (94), drugs and alcohol (28), environment (251), evolution (88), hiv/aids (15), humor (15), media literacy (113), mental health (50), money (113), politics (118), psychology (65), religions (113), sports (85), vietnam (38)

Explore statistics and data about what it takes to be happy in different locations. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you have the best life? Of course, it all depends on what you think contributes to a better life. The OECD presents the opportunity to choose from among 11 indices related to happiness. Rank them in order of importance to you, and then see graphically which countries in the world have the best quality of life based on those considerations. Want to have a high income? Then the United States ranks first in that category. Is the cost and quality of available housing what matters? Norway ranks first in that category. Other indices include Environment, Education, Safety, Work-Life Balance, Health, and Jobs. A slider bar on each index allows you to select your priorities and then watch as the countries realign themselves according to your preferences.

tag(s): communities (38), cross cultural understanding (178), environment (251), politics (118), safety (68)

Think you know about food and the food system responsible for growing, processing, and getting it to your table? Begin with the quiz to see what you really know. Along with the right answers, you will receive background information and some shocking statistics. View the Get The Facts tab to access an assortment of Infographics about what is in the grocery aisles.
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tag(s): nutrition (140)

The National Film Board of Canada documented the economic crisis through short films and photo essays between 2008 and 2010. We hear about economic downturn every day, but it can be easy to forget the human side of hard times. Economic failures are more than statistics on a graph; they are the realities that affect lives. GDP presents these stories in 135 episodes and 53 photo essays. Search the stories by theme--community action, real estate, farming, natural resources--or by using the interactive map. Although the stories are from Canada, their appeal is broader, and they parallel what occurred in many countries.

tag(s): canada (25), media literacy (113), photography (131)

NCES Kids' Zone offers enrichment and informational data. Explore This Day in History, updated daily. Take a poll and compare your own answers with others. Try your problem solving skills with the mindbender. Learn (and use) the word of the day. The Dare to Compare button leads to short quizzes where you can compare your knowledge with others. You can also explore data about your local schools and libraries and even find college information. Note that the upper menus do not work in all browsers, so not all areas of the site are readily accessible.

tag(s): charts and graphs (169), probability (98)

Inspire people to practice kindness and empathy and pass it on to others. The Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Foundation is a non-profit organization founded upon the powerful belief in kindness. It is dedicated to providing resources and tools that encourage acts of kindness. Discover inspirational quotes, stories, and posters. They also have a new program titled Kindness at Home and a new High School Curriculum. Explore lesson plans, classroom materials, projects, ideas for courses, and RAK clubs. Find research, videos, and stories about random acts of kindness. Sign up for the newsletter, daily texts, or join the blog.

tag(s): character education (81), classroom management (118), emotions (53), empathy (37), service projects (17)

Visit four of the world's poorest slums through this powerful collection of stories, images, and sounds. Following the introduction, choose a city: Caracas, Venezuela, Nairobi, Kenya, Jakarta, Indonesia, or Mumbai, India. Hear each family's story by choosing from images at the top of each page or view the slideshow including images, audio, and facts about the region.

tag(s): africa (170), cross cultural understanding (178), india (32)

The Historical Marker Database is an illustrated and searchable website for finding and viewing historical road markers. Information includes photographs, marker locations, and more. Search and browse the site in several ways. Find markers near your location, enter a keyword in the search bar, or choose from category options. Most entries include a short description, map location of the marker, the transcription, and links to other nearby markers. This site is rather text-heavy. It is full of great information. There is also a link to a free Google Field Trip app that uses these markers.
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tag(s): 20th century (62), american revolution (86), anthropology (10), california (17), civil rights (219), civil war (142), disasters (37), explorers (64), heroes (24), hispanic (46), immigration (84), labor day (5), mexico (46), native americans (116), natural disasters (19), natural resources (37), texas (7), vietnam (38), war of 1812 (15), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (163)

Media Smarts is a comprehensive Canadian site devoted to media literacy and critical thinking skills for children and youth. Browse through several topics such as digital and media literacy to explore articles related to television, Internet, and gender issues. An extensive teacher resource section offers many lessons and resources searchable by grade, topic, and media type. Download lessons in PDF format using links in the lesson description.

tag(s): media literacy (113)

Budget and plan for prom with 10 easy questions using this "prom planning" site. It's never too early to start saving! Begin with information on how long there is until prom, money you will have, and more. Include projected expenses for a dress, transportation, tickets, food, and more. When complete, the planner will let you know if you are on track to have enough money for your dream prom!

tag(s): financial literacy (95)

Teaching NGSS Engineering Design Through Media offers a large collection of media-based resources to bring engineering (and Next Gen Science) to students at all grade levels. Think of design as problem solving by applying science and math. Begin browsing by choosing from grade level options for descriptions of activities including grade level and type of resource offered. Each activity includes additional resource links, correlations to Next Gen Science Standards, and support materials. Discover the most popular resources by viewing the number of times other users designated them as favorites. Learn about wind powered vehicles, mechanical arms, designing a skyscraper, and much more. Everything on the site is free; however, after viewing three resources you will be prompted to create your free account. Account creation offers the ability to save and favorite resources.

tag(s): architecture (84), energy (133), engineering (137), problem solving (233), robotics (26), STEM (312), structures (18)

Discover graphical displays of statistics about education, death, employment outlook, migration, income distribution, and more. The best way to understand our world and to educate people is to know what is happening in the many aspects of our lives. Hover over a graph to view an abstract of the data used for the graph. Each graph is interactive. Choosing various countries or other parameters changes the graph. Click on the "Create Your Own" button on most of these graphs to enter your own data for viewing and comparison. Compare your graph to others and share. Graphs even showcase gender differences in responses. The Better Life Index is a great place to start.

tag(s): agriculture (52), charts and graphs (169), critical thinking (137), cross cultural understanding (178), financial literacy (95), foreign policy (13), migration (45), writing prompts (60)

Worldcrunch delivers news from top world-language outlets, translated into English and providing a non-U.S. "view" via reputable sources. The collection was created by a former NY Times bureau chief and foreign correspondent for various U.S. publications. He has teamed with a media collaborator from France. Worldcrunch is a great resource for locating news and culture from around the world. During periods of controversy or high international tension, this is an informative source for teens to adults. Explore the interactive map to find news from specific locations or browse through headlines on the main page. This site is very up to date and includes articles from the news today around the world. Choose from topics such as Geopolitics, Economy, Future, Green, or Society. Easily share articles using social networking and email links. Use the "Read Later" link to email, send to Pocket, reviewed here.
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tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), journalism (74), media literacy (113), news (226), newspapers (94)

The Authentic History Center provides a catalog of popular culture images and primary sources from the 1600's throughout American history (final timeframe is 2009 - 2020). Explore by time period: World War I, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, Great Depression, and more. Artifacts range from posters to magazine covers to cartoons. There are also audio and video recordings. You can "hear" what popular music was like in the lead-in to World War II, for example. Many topics include a great deal of text to read and explore. Choose a specific time period and category such as photographs, music, or technology to explore content. Most sections include a short overview of the time period with links to artifacts. What makes this collection especially useful is the sorting and grouping they have done for you so you can choose and experience an era. A few of the video clips are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. Most of the materials are Creative Commons licensed, so they can be used in multimedia projects if you give proper credit. Click the CC icon on the page where you find a clip or source to see specific rights.

tag(s): 1600s (20), 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), civil war (142), cold war (31), great depression (30), photography (131), vietnam (38), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (163)

Use the popularity of The Hunger Games books and movies to teach about gender empowerment and gender roles in society using this complete lesson plan. This lesson includes three activities focusing on gender relationships found within The Hunger Games . Explore features of the main characters through ratings charts, writing activities, and class discussion. This lesson is in PDF format for easy download and printing.

tag(s): book reports (28), characterization (19), creative writing (125), sociology (23)