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Democracy Kids - Duckster
Grades
2 to 8
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This site provides introductory information for both young and middle school-aged students about some facets of democracy and our legislators. The main topics addressed include the...more
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This site provides introductory information for both young and middle school-aged students about some facets of democracy and our legislators. The main topics addressed include the idea of democracy, types of democracy, the characteristics of a democracy, and more. Students can select any of the topics and read about them, or read and listen to them. At the bottom of the page find a quiz and links to many Duckster pages about the branches of the government, the constitution, and more.
tag(s): branches of government (70), congress (39), democracy (29)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a basic introduction to social studies lessons on the Houses of Congress and the judicial and executive branches by exploring the links at the bottom of this page. Encourage your students to write letters to senators or representatives after learning about their accessibility. Assign students specific government officials to research and prepare a multimedia presentation to share with the class. Have students create a Thinglink, reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Have students create a simple online posters using PicLits (reviewed here). Rather than a traditional report, challenge students (independently or collaboratively) to create an online book using Book Creator, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Our Documents - 100 Milestone Documents - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12
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This site, a collaborative effort among the National Archives, National History Day, and USA Freedom Corps, highlights the most important documents in US history. Each of these "milestone"...more
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This site, a collaborative effort among the National Archives, National History Day, and USA Freedom Corps, highlights the most important documents in US history. Each of these "milestone" documents is detailed and photographed on a separate page; the photo can be enlarged for presentation on an interactive whiteboard. Use this site with DocsTeach, with tools for educators. This site was clearly designed with teachers in mind! Click the items from the menu on the right.
tag(s): civics (128), history day (38), primary sources (133)
In the Classroom
The use of primary sources in teaching has been greatly increased by our digital access to documents like these. Peruse the list of "milestone" documents and commit to using the photographs on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) when the document comes up in a lesson or discussion. For teachers who are supporting student projects for National History Day, this site also has a link to specific tips, although it appears the site has not been kept up to date with current information on individual competitions. Challenge cooperative learning groups to investigate one of the documents and create a multimedia project of their choice. Looking for some inspiration? How about having groups create a podcast using podOmatic, reviewed here. Or have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as PicLits, reviewed here. Have students narrate a photo of the document (using a FREE and LEGAL photo) with a too such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Americans and the Environment - National Humanities Center
Grades
4 to 12
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Created by the National Humanities Center, this collection of scholarly essays on Americans' relationship with the environment may be over the heads of most students. BUT teachers and...more
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Created by the National Humanities Center, this collection of scholarly essays on Americans' relationship with the environment may be over the heads of most students. BUT teachers and parents will find the subject matter fits nicely with most American History curricula, and the "guiding discussion" sections provide some new strategies and insights for teaching material that may have become too routine for students. If history (at any level) is your field, this one is worth a visit.
tag(s): conservation (110), ecology (117), environment (252)
In the Classroom
While this site is a little text-heavy, it is truly an excellent site for exploring the way the North American environment has been impacted by recent history. Select the time period that is appropriate to your unit, and introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students explore the rest of the site on classroom computers. To ensure that they're doing more than skimming the text, Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Michigan Kids! - Michigan.gov
Grades
2 to 6
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Find facts, play games, and learn about Michigan at this kid-friendly site. At first glance there doesn't appear to be much to the site, however; there is a great deal ...more
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Find facts, play games, and learn about Michigan at this kid-friendly site. At first glance there doesn't appear to be much to the site, however; there is a great deal of information found by exploring the links on the left-hand side of the home page. Games and internet safety information are available through the links on the main portion of the home page. The history link on the left includes many interesting and unique resources such as Tweets from "A Boy at Fort Mackinac: Diary of Harold Dunbar Corbusier 1883-1884" recounts adventures of a 10-year-old boy on Mackinac Island. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) to learn what it was like to grow up on the island in the late 1800's. State symbols and facts are also available through a link on the left portion of the home page. Some information, such as the Getting to Know Michigan booklet, is available for easy printing in pdf format.
In the Classroom
Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram to create a visual comparison of life in the late 1800's vs life today. Share the site with students to use as a resource for state research projects. Read how a bill becomes a law in Michigan and compare it to the law-making process in your state.
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About Illinois - State of Illinois
Grades
4 to 8
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If you are looking for facts and figures about the state of Illinois, then this is the site for you! Each set of links from this page takes the user ...more
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If you are looking for facts and figures about the state of Illinois, then this is the site for you! Each set of links from this page takes the user to specific categories of information such as agriculture, history, and economy. Most useful for teachers and students will be the History & Culture and State Symbols links. The History & Culture page includes a historical timeline of the state beginning in 1673 with the arrival of Louis Jolliet and Father Marquette in the state all the way through to the 2005 World Series win of the Chicago White Sox. Learn about state symbols such as the official state snack food and state amphibian while exploring the State Symbols portion of the site.
In the Classroom
Share the site on your interactive whiteboard with your students to help them find portions useful for research, then allow them to explore on their own. Create a scavenger hunt for students to search the site to find facts about the state.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maryland Kids Page - Maryland Secretary of State
Grades
3 to 8
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Learn about the state of Maryland and its' laws, history, symbols, and more at this site presented by the Secretary of State of Maryland. The site is divided into sections ...more
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Learn about the state of Maryland and its' laws, history, symbols, and more at this site presented by the Secretary of State of Maryland. The site is divided into sections with sub-categories included on the home page. The history portion includes a great deal of information including a timeline of Maryland, women's history, Native American history, and African-American history, plus famous Marylanders. The government portion of site includes a very nice graphic demonstrating the bill-creation process. Learn all the state symbols such as the state song, bird, and even the state dog in the state symbols portion of the site. Be sure to visit the geography links and choose fun stuff to find lots of fun facts and state trivia.
tag(s): biographies (96), maryland (7), states (128)
In the Classroom
Challenge your students to go past PowerPoint and make an online presentation using Animoto (reviewed here) or another reviewed presentation tool from the TeachersFirst Edge. Share the page with the bill-creation process on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) with students and have them compare with other states' processes. Create a scavenger hunt including information from the site and have students explore the pages to find answers. Share the site with students as a resource for state research or famous American projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maine Secretary of State Kids' Page - Maine Secretary of State
Grades
3 to 8
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Learn all about Maine (for kids) without having to leave the room! The "All About Maine" portion of the site includes information about the state including famous people, a history...more
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Learn all about Maine (for kids) without having to leave the room! The "All About Maine" portion of the site includes information about the state including famous people, a history timeline, maps, state symbols, and more. Be sure to check out the "Tree of Facts" that includes information outlined in the image of a tree. Another useful link takes you to a list of children's books about Maine. The "Fun and Games" section includes several activities for kids including a symbols matching game, recipes, a coloring book, and more.
In the Classroom
Challenge your students to go past PowerPoint and make an online presentation using Animoto (reviewed here) or another reviewed presentation tool from the TeachersFirst Edge. Review the list of books about Maine to use as resources for Guided Reading or class read-alouds. Share the site with students when preparing state research projects. Demonstrate the Tree of Facts and challenge students to create their own Tree of Facts for the state they are researching.
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Louisiana Kids Page - Louisiana House of Representatives
Grades
3 to 6
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This easy to navigate site includes basic information for kids about the state of Louisiana. Click on each of the icons to go to a different place on the site ...more
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This easy to navigate site includes basic information for kids about the state of Louisiana. Click on each of the icons to go to a different place on the site such as state symbols, learning about how a bill becomes a law, activity and coloring books/pages, and a quiz on state facts. Note: completing the quiz online requires entering your institution (school) name and email address before answers can be submitted. Rather than using your personal or professional email, create a FREE gmail account. Activity book pages can all be easily printed by using the print portion of your toolbar.
tag(s): branches of government (70), louisiana (6), states (128)
In the Classroom
Share the portion of the site on How a Bill Becomes a Law on your interactive whiteboard and compare to your state's law-making procedures. Have your students create an online "scrapbook" on states using Smilebox (reviewed here). Allow students to explore the site to gather information for state research projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Just For Kids - Idaho - State of Idaho
Grades
3 to 6
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Learn a Little and Have Some Fun! Idaho's government website for kids offers facts, information, and history about the state. Capital Building Trivia offers an extensive history...more
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Learn a Little and Have Some Fun! Idaho's government website for kids offers facts, information, and history about the state. Capital Building Trivia offers an extensive history about their capital building including construction dates, materials used (four types of marble among them), and estimated replacement cost in today's dollars. The School Report Resources section contains all the vital state information such as the state seal, motto, flag, population statistics, and more. Be sure to check out all of the information about the famous Idaho state potatoes included in this section. At the time of this review, one of the links on the "Student Links" page, was no longer active.
tag(s): states (128)
In the Classroom
Have students use a tool such as Padlet (reviewed here) to create an online bulletin board to use to display information they learn about Idaho. Share this site with students on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). Then allow students to explore on their own when researching state information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Interactive Colorado - Colorado.com
Grades
2 to 6
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You can find interesting facts and information about the state of Colorado by visiting this interactive website. Learn about 14er's (no, not 49er's) found in the state, people and places,...more
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You can find interesting facts and information about the state of Colorado by visiting this interactive website. Learn about 14er's (no, not 49er's) found in the state, people and places, and Colorado facts. Be sure to visit the link with Colorado podcasts to view many videos about wildlife found in the state, activities to do such as biking and water rafting, and snowshoeing. Also available for download from the site are puzzles and pictures in pdf format. Many portions of the site containing facts that are also available to print easily.
In the Classroom
Have students create a simple online posters using PicLits, reviewed here, to show information learned from the site. Share the site with students to use when researching for state reports. Create a scavenger hunt with facts from the site for students to explore and find during computer time.
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Mr. Donn's Social Studies - Mr. Donn
Grades
K to 8
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This is a site that contains numerous links to lessons and websites on various social studies and world history subjects. There are numerous subjects: Ancient History, American History...more
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This is a site that contains numerous links to lessons and websites on various social studies and world history subjects. There are numerous subjects: Ancient History, American History and American Government, World History, Geography, and others. For each subject there is a For Teachers with lesson plans, links, quizzes, and more.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1920s (17), africa (162), archeology (26), china (79), civics (128), civil rights (220), civil war (135), colonial america (96), egypt (60), great depression (32), greece (47), holidays (280), immigration (85), india (34), industrial revolution (21), japan (62), mayans (32), mesopotamia (31), native americans (128), psychology (60), religions (119), renaissance (38), resources (80), rome (36), slavery (77), westward expansion (42)
In the Classroom
This is the perfect site for Social Studies and History teachers. Use this site for background information when planning lessons. Place this link on your classroom computers to provide students with safe places to research. Several topics have video clips that are perfect for showing on a projector or interactive whiteboard. If using this site for research, enhance learning by challenging students to create a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.
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What Does One Trillion Dollars Look Like? - PageTutor
Grades
4 to 8
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This site offers a visual perspective of what one trillion dollars looks like. It begins with a $100 bill, moves on to $10,000 and on up to the trillion dollars. ...more
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This site offers a visual perspective of what one trillion dollars looks like. It begins with a $100 bill, moves on to $10,000 and on up to the trillion dollars. One interesting portion of the site is a link at the bottom of the page that includes the step by step calculations and dimensions used for calculations. There is also a link (at the bottom) to "see" the U.S. National Debt.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): financial literacy (90), money (112), number sense (73)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for demonstrating place value and exponents of 10 on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Ask students to draw each amount as they would visualize it before revealing the actual size from the site. Challenge students to change the representation used ($100 bill) to something different (popsicle sticks, bricks, etc.) to find how proportion changes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Arizona Kid's Page - State of Arizona
Grades
3 to 8
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Learn more about the state of Arizona with this site offering facts and information just for kids. Choose the Natural Wonders link to learn about the many natural wonders and ...more
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Learn more about the state of Arizona with this site offering facts and information just for kids. Choose the Natural Wonders link to learn about the many natural wonders and national parks within the state such as the Grand Canyon, the town of Tombstone, and the Apache Trail. Get all sorts of information on the state by choosing the Arizona Library that includes an Activity Book, Almanac, Research Topics, and more. Check out the left menu on the library page for even more topics. Learn about state facts, emblems, motto, and much more in the State Facts section (did you know Arizona has official state neckwear?). Be sure to view the state photos section for realistic images of many portions of the state and of its natural wonders https://www.arizonahighways.com.
tag(s): national parks (29), native americans (128), natural resources (33), westward expansion (42)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students when working on state research projects. Display photos included on the site with your interactive whiteboard or projector when discussing Arizona, the Grand Canyon, or other areas of the state. Copy and use the coloring pages with the state seal, flag, and other images when learning about the state of Arizona. Rather than having students create a traditional research project, enhance learning by having students create a multimedia presentation using Thinglink. This site allows you to narrate a picture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Alaska Kids' Corner - State of Alaska
Grades
3 to 8
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Explore and learn all about Alaska with this site dedicated to kids. Learn interesting facts, such as there are 70 volcanoes in Alaska, in the Facts section. Student Information includes...more
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Explore and learn all about Alaska with this site dedicated to kids. Learn interesting facts, such as there are 70 volcanoes in Alaska, in the Facts section. Student Information includes basic state information such as the state motto, nickname, state seal, flag, and state emblems. An especially informative section of the site provides a wealth of information on the state's history. Here, students can explore Famous Alaskans, Homesteading, Russian Heritage, and more. From bear watching to wildlife, many outdoor activities are offered as examples of ways to enjoy all the state has to offer. Another section, Geography, includes information about glaciers, climate, and daylight hours throughout the state. Be sure to check out the portion of the site that addresses common misconceptions about the state.
tag(s): alaska (21), animals (276), flags (18), volcanoes (62)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students when they are researching information for state reports. Have students use a mapping tool such as MapHub, reviewed here, to create a map of local landforms (with display markers featuring text, photos, and videos!), Add this to your list of resources when reading books about Alaska, such as Balto. Ask students to share their thoughts about Alaska, then share the site's common misconceptions section to see if any of your students have these misconceptions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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News English Lessons - Sean Banville
Grades
4 to 12
7 Favorites
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This site, created by Australian Sean Banville, offers high-interest, "easier" news for students to read and many teaching materials to go with it. Though the site's look is cluttered...more
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This site, created by Australian Sean Banville, offers high-interest, "easier" news for students to read and many teaching materials to go with it. Though the site's look is cluttered with advertising and plain text, the content is worthwhile. Developed for ESL/ELL students and teachers, the site would also work well in a subject-area, learning-support, or reading classroom. There are MANY articles "ready to go," including mp3 audio files for listening. At the time of this review, there were 200+ new additions! Each article includes several activities, such as "online gap fill" (a Cloze reading activity), vocabulary flashcards, Hangman, and matching. A complete script is available as a PDF. There is also an online, interactive quiz for students. The articles and a lot more activities can be downloaded and printed, too.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): audio books (43), audtxt (19), diseases (58), listening (117), news (221)
In the Classroom
The articles are short and interesting, a perfect match for non-fiction reading comprehension. With so many different activities to choose from, it will be easy for the classroom teacher to differentiate. There is an mp3 audio version of each article so students can listen as they read. Assign small groups of students to present the news each week, using the interactive whiteboard to show others the country and city from which the article originated. Make the newscasting experience even more real by having students read scripts of these news stories or their own original stories using a EasyPrompter, reviewed here. Students can then go to another news source such as News for Kids, reviewed here, to see what else is happening in the news. For a project and to enhance student learning, have the small groups create a "talking map" using a site such as Zeemaps, reviewed here. This site allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (where their article/story took place). What a fabulous way to share the article with the rest of the class!
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Florida Kids Page - Florida Division of Historical Resources
Grades
4 to 12
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This site was created to provide resources for students learning about Florida. Categories include state symbols, Florida history, Seminole history, the Capitol, Florida governors,...more
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This site was created to provide resources for students learning about Florida. Categories include state symbols, Florida history, Seminole history, the Capitol, Florida governors, and quick facts. After choosing a category, there are subtopics listed in some of the categories to help narrow down searches for information. There are some images; however, most information is in text and some students may need help reading the information.
tag(s): native americans (128), states (128), symbols (19)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students researching state symbols, native americans, or Florida. For students studying Florida, challenge cooperative learning groups to create online books about one part of this website. Use a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordSift - Stanford University
Grades
4 to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
WordSift helps anyone easily sift through texts -- just copy and paste any text into WordSift and you can engage in a verbal quick-capture! The program helps quickly identify important...more
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WordSift helps anyone easily sift through texts -- just copy and paste any text into WordSift and you can engage in a verbal quick-capture! The program helps quickly identify important words in the text. After entering text, several items will appear; first, a word cloud will display the 50 most frequently used words in the text. The most frequently used word will display as a word web in a visual thesaurus. Google image and video search results are also shown. One interesting feature is the ability to click on any word in the word cloud to display it in the thesaurus and in Google image and video searches. A great way to understand the WordSift tool is to try one of the sample texts offered, such as Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Be sure to check out the "About" link to discover many ideas for use in the classroom. Tips and videos are also available as guides. If you type in a shorter sentence, the site still creates a word cloud using its own related words (not in your original text). Be aware of the advertisements that appear with the word clouds. Advise students not to click on the ads.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): dictionaries (49), reading comprehension (146), reading strategies (93), thesaurus (21), vocabulary (252), vocabulary development (102), word clouds (12), word study (58)
In the Classroom
This is a classic tool to promote "before reading" strategies and vocabulary development. Use WordSift to preview text to be used in class and define vocabulary before reading to increase reading comprehension. Have students use WordSift with different portions of text to identify key words and vocabulary for class presentations. Use WordSift to discuss different meanings of words using images presented through the site. This site isn't only for English teachers, share with Science and Social Studies teachers to use in their classrooms with reading texts in their content areas. ENL/ELL and learning support teachers will want to share this as a support for any reading assigned in regular classes. Be sure to show students how to copy/paste to WordSift texts from informational web pages and news stories on the web, as well. Share this link as a Favorite on your public page so students can use it anytime.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Brain Twisters - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 9
46 Favorites
0 Comments
These ten-question quizzes are refreshed each Friday -- one edition for middle school students and one for elementary students. Questions are presented one at a time as multiple-choice....more
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These ten-question quizzes are refreshed each Friday -- one edition for middle school students and one for elementary students. Questions are presented one at a time as multiple-choice. You have only ONE try to select the correct answer, so think carefully! Points are awarded for each correct answer, up to a possible 100. When you finish, you see your score. Questions are intentionally designed to stretch thinking: 5-point questions tend to fall at the knowledge/comprehension/application level of Bloom's taxonomy; 10-pointers are more likely cross-curricular; and 20-pointers require analytical thinking, broader experience, or knowledge of current events -- and may benefit from more than one student's input. Printable versions are available for both editions, along with answers to the previous week's Twisters. A new version is also available for students to take on mobile devices.
In the Classroom
Brain Twisters work well as a whole-class activity projected on a screen or interactive whiteboard, with students pooling their knowledge to work through questions as a team. Thinking aloud together -- eliminating wrong answers, testing possibilities, debating what they know -- builds both content knowledge and test-taking strategies. Alternatively, use them in small groups with assigned roles: a moderator to guide discussion, a keyboarder to submit answers, and researchers to look up what the group doesn't know. This makes Brain Twisters a natural fit for teaching information literacy and research skills in a high-motivation context.Offer Twisters as an enrichment challenge or extra-credit option for students to complete at home -- consider giving credit simply for completing the quiz rather than for the score, since family members may want to help. The printable version and last week's answers make it easy to use Brain Twisters even without live internet access. Be sure to mark this as a favorite and share it on your class webpage.
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The 50 States - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
18 Favorites
1 Comments
TeachersFirst's states project for students combines the usual "almanac" facts with narratives on native people, early history, economy, and landforms and geography. The result is a...more
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TeachersFirst's states project for students combines the usual "almanac" facts with narratives on native people, early history, economy, and landforms and geography. The result is a one-stop site for upper elementary and middle school students studying their own states, or someone else's.
tag(s): california (18), new york (23), states (128), texas (7)
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of the 50 states. One easy use would be for testing students on knowledge of the capitals. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector, and you can test students not only by state recognition on the map but with what the capitals are. State location and capitol information are not clearly stated until clicked on, so this would be a fairly easy formative assessment or review of the information.Comments
Great resource!Ladisha, VA, Grades: 9 - 12
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Learning to Give - Points of Light Institute
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson ...more
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The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson plans for teachers, parents, and community leaders. Lessons are coded to state standards and can be searched by grade level, keyword, subject, or academic or philanthropy standard. Some lessons are geared toward private or religious schools and are clearly labeled as such. Lessons include the subject, key concepts, vocabulary, objectives, required materials, approximate time, procedures, extensions, handouts, and more. An example of a grade 3-5 lesson would be Cool Kids Compost, which explores responsible use of resources by gathering data about lunchroom waste. Don't let the concept of philanthropy keep you from exploring the site; there are many great classroom lessons available for all subjects.
tag(s): african american (129), animal homes (54), animals (276), charactered (86), charts and graphs (180), colonial america (96), communities (40), data (204), diversity (55), ecology (117), environment (252), heroes (23), money (112), recycling (46)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for all subjects; search for a subject and browse the resources. Share with other teachers in your building or district, including teachers of the arts. Get your students involved! Challenge cooperative learning groups to create a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here discussing one of the topics at this site. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Maker, Lucidpress, Powtoon, and MoocNote.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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