Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Meet the "Scrub Club" on this fun and interactive website where using proper hygiene is a must to prevent everyday bacteria from making you sick. Created by the NSF International, there are downloadable games, webisodes, and even a story about hand sanitizer. Try interactives that teach about how to keep bacteria and other germs at bay.

tag(s): bacteria (22)

This site contains how-to videos for kids. Topics include science, paper airplanes, cooking, origami, cartooning, puppets, music, dance, math, and holidays. A summary next to the activity title gives the appropriate level, the number of views, and a starred evaluation of the demonstration. Craft ideas and demos finish up the educational portion of the offerings. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): air (101), comics and cartoons (55), cooking (32), dance (31), easter (10), origami (14), preK (270), thanksgiving (24)

This is an extensive collection of ready to go, teacher-made SMART Notebook activities. This collection covers all grade levels and subject areas. Click Elementary, Middle School, Jr. High, or High School to find the many (MANY) resources). The topics vary greatly and the quantity is impressive. You must have Smart Board software installed on your computer to open these files. Some files will work using the SMART Notebook Express online viewer available here. (Download the notebook file from Longwood's collection to your desktop and then upload to SMART Notebook Express site.)

This site is all about teeth! There are quizzes, infographics, terms, definitions, and more. This site includes interactive quizzes for elementary, middle, and high school students. Some examples of topics include: Dentist Office, Cavity Prevention, Types of Teeth, Parts of the Mouth, Tongue Anatomy, Facial Anatomy, and others. All of the quizzes include options to learn more about the terms and definitions before taking the quiz.

tag(s): dental health (14)

Are you looking for some "fresh" ideas to put an end to bullying in your classroom but are not sure where or how to start? Well, you are in the right place. This web site brings attention to No Name-Calling Week: an annual week of realistic educational activities designed to end all types of name-calling. No Name-Calling Week was inspired by the young adult novel, The Misfits, and presents an opportunity to address bullying as an increasingly, ongoing issue. Whether you are a teacher, student, administrator, counselor, or parent, there is an abundance of useful ideas, activities, and materials for elementary, middle, and high schools to promote anti-bullying awareness, and they are all free!

tag(s): bullying (48), character education (79), sports (82), tolerance (8)

This site provides excellent practice and review with different Science topics. Be sure to click "See All Topics" which includes plants, human body, the solar system, weather, matter and more. After choosing a topic, various additional choices are offered. For example, under Force and Motion options are available to choose inertia, action and reaction, simple machines, acceleration, and gravity and inertia. Key vocabulary is presented along with a short video explanation of the topic. Don't miss the videos about each topic. In addition to the video, there is an option to test your own ability. Each topic can also be printed to use in the classroom and there is a link to related "jams."

tag(s): earth (184), ecosystems (83), inquiry (24), matter (45), motion (47), weather (160)

Learning Games has a large selection of games divided into easy to find categories. Topics include typing, music, history, science, health and more. For example, in the Social Studies category there are games to learn U.S. presidents and women in history. Each game includes an explanation of game rules. There is even a category with education songs and videos that includes Science songs!

tag(s): keyboarding (28), women (151)

With the use of familiar characters from the Arthur book and television series this science interactive will help young students understand what allergens can trigger an asthma attack. Students must capture allergens that can trigger an asthma attack. If they catch enough allergens then the the throat will close up and the game is over. Before each new "capture challenge" there is a short informational talk from Buster Baxter about the specific allergen.

tag(s): air (101)

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program has a colorful new "cool" website that cleverly teaches students how to resist peer pressure, abstain from drugs, violence, and gangs. Fun features such as Lucky Kat TV provide cartoons and videos about Internet safety, confronting bullies, and the correct use of prescription drugs. There are opportunities to share photos, poems, and videos and engage in interactive activities. Follow the adult link for more in-depth information meant for parents and caregivers.

tag(s): bullying (48), red ribbon week (9)

The goal of Girls Health is to "promote healthy, positive behaviors in girls between the ages of 10 and 16." The site addresses issues all young teenage girls face. It provides constructive advice on a number of health issues such as; body changes, nutrition, relationships, bullying, Internet safety, drugs, alcohol, and smoking. There are separate sections for educators and parents that include additional links and materials free to download.

tag(s): red ribbon week (9)

Download a free planning guide and additional resource materials for Red Ribbon week. The National Family Partnership was the sponsor of the first Red Ribbon week back in 1988. They work to educate youth about dangers of underage drinking and drug abuse. Articles on this site include tips on how to prevent substance abuse and inspire adults to participate in drug prevention activities.

tag(s): red ribbon week (9)

This site contains links to many different sources for rubrics. You can search by grade level, subject, or type making it easier to find an appropriate rubric.

tag(s): assessment (147)

As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, Vocabulary.com has added a themed area for health and nutrition. Find interactive vocabulary activities using nutrition-related (not limited to nutrition) vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same 18 theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.

tag(s): nutrition (140), vocabulary (238)

Use the resources on Project Wet to create awareness and learn more about water as an important resource for our planet. View resources by topics such as "Programs (Clmate, Early Childhood Education ," "WASH," and "Clean and Conserve," among others. Click on "Use Project WET" or the icons along the bottom to view resources by teachers, student, and parents. View "News and Events," read blog posts, and find a variety of great resources on this site. There are interactive games about hydration and the water cycle in the "Children and Young Adults" area. Advise students to avoid the store link along the top as well as other ads that may appear along the sides of the site.

tag(s): environment (252), sustainability (50), water (102)

Create authentic-looking magazine covers sure to attract double-takes. Simply upload a photo to create your cover. If you do not need to SAVE the photo for online access later, you do not even need to join the site. Covers you create can be downloaded as completed images or sent via email and other sharing tools (Facebook, etc). Photos can be uploaded from your files, Flickr, your website, or other photosharing sites. Fill in your desired text for the titles and sub-titles and choose colors for them. It's that simple. Click 'Create' at the bottom and you have a magazine cover that will leave others in awe. For more creative ideas using Big Huge Labs, go to the top of the page and click on Big Huge Labs Blog or Forum. Big Huge Labs offers MANY similar tools, such as Mapmaker, reviewed here. Of course, this site offers advanced options for a fee or with free registration, but neither is necessary.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): bulletin boards (15), collages (17), firstday (22), flickr (2), images (263), posters (43)

"This web site is dedicated to those individuals who see the world in different ways." Find activities, printables, and interactive games to help students with exceptionalities; learn about basics, master organization, and deal with interpersonal challenges on this site. Many of the resources are useful for "regular ed" as well as special ed. Although the site includes items for sale, there are many lesson plans and interactives offered for free. See the Disabilities menu for quick explanations of various disabilities: OCD, Asperger's, Autism, PDD, Learning disabilities, and more. The Games menu offers interactives to help students learn position words (in/out/left/right, etc), facial expressions, emotions, time, first-then-next sequencing, synonyms/antonyms, and more. Check out the safety songs with animated illustrations (turn up your speakers!). The Get Organized menu has some terrific offerings, including an interactive Emotions Color Wheel.

tag(s): aspergers (7), autism (15), emotions (49), empathy (34), safety (68), Special Needs (53)