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Power Poetry - The Teacher's Corner
Grades
2 to 12
tag(s): figurative language (19), writing (302), poetry (195), creative writing (122)
In the Classroom
Share this page with students during a unit on poetry or to inspire a poetic look at content in any class: maybe science or even math! Allow students to choose from all the poetry forms or from a selection of options. Use poetry as a way for students with verbal-linguistic strengths to explain challenging concepts and terms. In elementary classes, the simple "about me" and basic figure of speech poems will introduce students to poetry and figurative language. Be sure to keep electronic copies of the results, not just paper print outs. Copy/paste the poems students create into an online class literary magazine (on a wiki or blog) or have students illustrate and read poems.Have students use Flipsnack, reviewed here, to turn their PDFs into an online book, There is even a page-turning effect! If you only have a word doc or image use CutePDF, reviewed here, to convert them to PDF format.This is a perfect activity for Poetry Month!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Word Hippo - Wordhippo.com
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): spelling (96), antonyms (16), synonyms (20), vocabulary development (111), dictionaries (40), vocabulary (260), word study (58), noregistration (74)
In the Classroom
Use this site for vocabulary development and word study assignments, such as writing sentences, paragraphs, or essays using new words. Since the site permits translation, this would be a valuable tool in world language classes, ENL/ELL classes, and more. Introduce this site on an interactive whiteboard and elicit examples to show the class how quickly it works. Have students create their own word walls with synonyms, antonyms, sentences, and more for their latest vocabulary words. Try a tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, for each student to create an online "wall" with words aligned to color coded stickies for synonyms. antonyms, etc. Alternatively, have students create class challenges for their peers with color coded matching activities for the interactive whiteboard matching words to synonyms, antonyms, and an appropriate fill in the blank sentence. Share this as a favorite on your teacher public page for handy reference any time students encounter an unknown word. Even subject area teachers such as science and social studies will find this tool handy for students with weaker vocabulary levels.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TPR Exercises - Henny Jellema
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): listening (120)
In the Classroom
Assign this exercise to students who are reluctant to answer in class but who can, in fact, answer basic questions in English. Demonstrate the site using your interactive whiteboard or projector before having groups of students try it together or in pairs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ESL Base - ESL Base
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): professional development (317), resources (77), grammar (143), grammar review (34), verbs (25)
In the Classroom
Check here if you need a new way to teach a specific grammar skill or if you want to find support from the TEFL community. This is a great professional resource, so don't miss out on the many helpful articles. Provide the direct link to interactives/practice games on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Socrative - Socrative.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): game making (58), DAT device agnostic tool (135), questioning (37), social networking (54), polls and surveys (44), chat (41), gamified learning (61)
In the Classroom
If you've ever wanted greater student engagement, increased student interest, and heightened discussion and interactivity in your classroom, Socrative is the answer. Students can give their input and express their views anonymously, if you wish.In any curriculum area, ask open-ended questions and display student responses with your projector or interactive whiteboard. Alternatively, students could respond on a tool like Padlet, reviewed here, and also vote on the options.
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.
Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Requires registration/log in (NO email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
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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Busy Teacher - busyteacher.org
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): Teacher Utilities (234), vocabulary (260), vocabulary development (111), multilingual (84), speaking (23), reading comprehension (145), grammar review (34), pronunciation (31), listening (120), creative writing (122), descriptive writing (40)
In the Classroom
This site offers multiple levels and themes, so it is easy to differentiate for ability levels and interests within your class. Peruse the many printable pages available and determine which are useful for your students. Provide this URL on your class website for students to access (for practice) at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Language World - Janet Castrejon
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): speaking (23), listening (120), reading strategies (85), reading comprehension (145)
In the Classroom
Mark this site on your classroom computer for ELL/ESL students who wish to work on their English during their free time. Share this link on your class website for students to access (and practice) at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Readability Test Tool - David Simpson
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): readability (5), independent reading (85), writing (302)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to offer differentiated resources for the different reading levels in your class. At the beginning of the year, as you learn your students' capabilities, use this tool to find reading at the appropriate level to eliminate frustration. This is perfect for finding the "just right" level for your highly advanced/gifted students and those needing extra remediation. If you do discover that a website you want to use is over your students' independent reading level, you can still use it, just use Read Ahead, reviewed here as a guided reading activity for younger students. Read Ahead is perfect for introducing any reading passage to struggling readers, special education students, and ENL/ESL learners. View readability levels of websites before sharing with students to find appropriate reading levels for differentiation. On an interactive whiteboard or with a projector, test passages of public domain texts from sites like Project Gutenberg, reviewed here, by famous authors to see how their writing ranks when discussing their writing style.Why not have students put in the URL for their blog or wiki (or simply paste in a writing sample) to see the level at which they are writing? This is one way to encourage writing as a craft and challenge students to include more varied vocabulary and sentence structure in their writing.
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Presidents' Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): vocabulary (260), vocabulary development (111)
In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have them create word games for interactive whiteboard, if you have one, such as matching or ranking activities that use these words. Have the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon reviewed here. Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you don't have the time to complete online books, have students share the definitions using a class wiki. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pearltrees - pearltrees
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (135), webquests (8), bookmarks (33), curation (26)
In the Classroom
In the simplest form, Pearltrees could be used to store links for classes that you are teaching or taking. More creatively, however, you could use this site to create a guided online field trip from one site to another. Even try pairing Pearltrees with the use of a highlighting style website such as Twiddla, reviewed here to direct students to the information on the site that you, as their teacher, want them to see. Try turning the tables on your students and have them create a Pearltree for short research projects or as a working bibliography for their research papers. 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.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
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
Requires download/installation of software
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Science (and more) to Music - Dr. Lodge McCammon
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): factoring (28), equations (128), ratios (48), water (102), area (51), inquiry (42), matter (51), functions (60), songs (50), branches of government (69), constitution (111), rainforests (16), sound (71), oceans (142), cells (82), atoms (44), elements (31), nutrition (140), order of operations (30), integers (26), volume (32), factors (29), quadratics (27), exponents (38), africa (162), world war 2 (168), civil war (148), bill of rights (48)
In the Classroom
Play songs related to math, social studies, or science concepts in class to supplement current lessons. Download and play the tunes on iPods or mp3 players in a listening corner. Have younger students sing along with the songs (reading the lyrics). ESL/ELL students will benefit from such an alternate presentation of concepts, as will any who have strong musical/rhythmic intelligence. Give students copies of song lyrics, and have them create their own songs. After listening to a song, have students create their own song relating to current classroom topics. Suggest some familiar tunes so students do not have to start from scratch. Create a video of the songs and share using a site such as SchoolTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Alan Cooper's Homonym List - Alan Cooper
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): word study (58), word choice (12), editing (97), homonyms (9), spelling (96)
In the Classroom
Challenge your students to use both homonyms in a meaningful sentence. Each word's meaning should be obvious in the context of the sentence. Then give the students a fill in the blank test on the words where they have to choose the correct spelling of the word. Challenge students to put some of the more difficult words/homonyms on a poster using Automotivator, reviewed here. For a creative challenge, have students create simple animations distinguishing the homonyms using one of the animation tools from the TeachersFirst Edge. Award Homonym Oscars for the best animations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Natural Reader - Natural Soft Limited
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): study aid (171), Special Needs (46), learning disability (20), learning styles (23), text to speech (25), writers workshop (28), dyslexia (11), artificial intelligence (371), DAT device agnostic tool (135), listening (120)
In the Classroom
Bring Natural Reader into any classroom to support students in many different ways. Use this resource as a helpful tool to increase reading comprehension, support English language learners, and help students with dyslexia and other special needs. Upload tests, worksheets, and other assessment documents to support students who have materials read to them. Share NaturalReader with parents and students for use at home. Clone your voice to include it as a personalization option and a means for engaging students. Ask students to clone their voices and upload presentations to rehearse for speeches.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lyrics Gaps - lyricsgaps.com
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (163), cultures (282), greek (45), russian (26), japanese (54), portuguese (20), german (50), italian (32), songs (50), french (73), spanish (110)
In the Classroom
This is a wonderful find for ENL/ESL and world language teachers. Teachers may prefer to do a class registration and use the offerings of the site with the entire class. Challenge your students to create (and submit) their own songs/activities in a new language. If school policy does not allow students to share songs on a site, have students create their own in-class presentations of songs and similar exercises using one selection from this site as a model.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Compare & Contrast Map - Read, Write, Think - International Reading Association
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): graphic organizers (64), charts and graphs (183), concept mapping (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site to introduce comparisons to your students on your interactive whiteboard or projector. After demonstrating how to use the site, create a link on classroom computers so students can make their own comparisons, which they can print and share. Divide students into 3 groups - one for each type of comparison essay - and have them create comparisons for their type, then share and compare with other students. Change student learning by having them create "annotated pictures" to illustrate the different types of comparisons using Annotely, reviewed here. Use this site with gifted students to help them explore subjects more deeply than is discussed in class. Use this site with ENL/ELL students to help organize information easily and as a visual representation of class material.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Knoword - Trevor Blades
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): study aid (171), vocabulary development (111), word study (58), vocabulary (260), game based learning (294)
In the Classroom
Try this activity at the start of class on your interactive whiteboard or projector; it's perfect for vocabulary development with a lively twist! Offer this site to your students who are trying to assess and/or improve their vocabulary for standardized tests such as the ACT or SAT. ENL/ELL students may also enjoy the challenges and additions to their vocabulary. Share this site on your class webpage or blog for students to access (and practice) at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Curriki - EnterpriseDB Postgre SQL company
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): resources (77), literacy (121), graphic organizers (64), rubrics (40), operations (70), OER (54)
In the Classroom
Curriki has several ways to benefit teachers and students. Use Curriki as a resource listed on your website to have extra opportunities for additional practice or enrichment for parents and students. If you have a blended classroom, Curriki is the perfect tool to use for your students to access assignments. Use as a way to organize your digital resources. The lesson plan and Webquest templates are user friendly and promote best practices. While growing in your professional development by connecting with teachers worldwide, let your class learn with other classes worldwide. Curriki encourages you to think critically about your own lessons, and also the lessons suggested.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Huffduffer - Huffduffer.com
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): listening (120), stories and storytelling (82), podcasts (190)
In the Classroom
When finding incredible audio files, be sure to huffduff them in order to share by specific tags. The most popular Huffduffer users are featured on the site, and many interesting podcasts can be found that way. Create podcasts of your own to host online and huffduff those to be tagged and listened to. Find podcasts to share with your students (or parents) on your website. Huffduff audio files from foreign language sites as a listening assignment in your world language class. Share the podcast url to assign the task. Have students create their own Huffduff podcasts of politician soundbytes, poetry readings, or music samplers.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be shared by URL
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Learning Chocolate - learningchocolate.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): chinese (39), japan (61), japanese (54), spanish (110), vocabulary (260), word study (58), vocabulary development (111)
In the Classroom
Save/bookmark this site on your classroom computers to serve as a vocabulary resource for ESL/ELL and also world language students. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Share this site with Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish teachers as well as with special needs professionals for help with vocabulary development and articulation. You could also have students create their own photo narrations (similar to this site) using a tool such as Google Drawings. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more.Comments
This is one of my favorite resources! Works great with ESL students from 4-104!Marina, VA, Grades: 0 - 12
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DOGOnews - Meera Dolasia
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): reading comprehension (145), news (221), sports (107), journalism (73)
In the Classroom
Non-fiction reading and background knowledge have found a new emphasis with The Common Core State Standards. It is more important now than ever to help connect students with quality, non-fiction reading and viewing material. Find great news resources and videos of the week to create assignments for your class at DOGOnews. You may want to create a class page and load several news articles. Have students choose from the articles and email it to themselves. Have students print out the article and complete a "close reading" of the article by annotating it. Then have students who chose the same article get together in groups to discuss their reactions about the article, create a summary together, and create four or five open-ended questions about the article. Lastly, create groups of four, with each student having a different article, and have them present their article to the others in the group and ask them their open-ended questions to trigger a discussion. Create a class magazine from the articles. Or better yet, have students create a multimedia presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint Online. This site allows you to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced) and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. Strengthen reading comprehension by having an 'article du jour' on your interactive whiteboard or projector as students arrive. Link this site on your homepage.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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