Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The goal of this website is to become the easiest, fastest online dictionary available. Is it? Try it, you'll be impressed. An exciting tool is the audio component, allowing you to listen to the English pronunciation for selected words ( the triangular "play" button will show next to the word on the entry) . DefineItFast.com has a bookmarklet that you can drag and drop to your browser's link bar (if your computer is not "locked down" at school). When you look up definitions, highlight the word and click the linkbar button or you can directly type the word by clicking the button and click 'OK'. View the tutorial video to learn more about the bookmarklet feature. Note: The dictionary, like many real-world dictionaries, includes words that may not be classroom-appropriate. Decide how you will handle students who make inappropriate choices in using this tool.

tag(s): dictionaries (47)

A definitive authority on words, this free site gives you definitions, thesaurus entries, spellings, pronunciations, and etymology results. Add to that list an audio pronunciation system that allows you to hear the word as well. YourDictionary also provides resources to help you find foreign language translation sites. It even directs you to medical, computer, or electricians' dictionaries, and many more. Haven't you always wanted to say a tongue-twister in the Asante language? Words have never so much fun. This site does include some advertisements.

tag(s): thesaurus (22)

This series of free translating dictionaries allows students to search to/from English in these languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and German. Once a definition comes up in English, there are links to other dictionary pages where the word appears in a sentence. You can click on the audio button to hear the word spoken in both languages. This feature is only available in more commonly used words There are also immediate clicks to other languages, so a student could check the same word in Spanish and French very easily. In addition to the translation dictionaries, there are also "English Dictionaries" (non-interactive) available in Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Czech, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic (coming soon). Many of the foreign language dictionaries will increase in volume as the site developers add more vocabulary. Be aware: this site does include minor advertisements. There is a link to Language Forums. It is probably best to advise students to stay away from the forums.

tag(s): chinese (45), dictionaries (47), italian (31), japan (57), japanese (47), korea (21), portuguese (22), russia (36), russian (26)

Weekly printable Hunt the Fact Monster activity sheets encourage students to build research skills and internet literacy as they use the Fact Monster search engine to find the answers to the questions in the activity. There are separate sections for grades 2-3 and grades 4-8. This site requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

tag(s): search strategies (22)

By teaching young students how to evaluate web pages early, this site helps create critical consumers of information. By clicking on items arranged in a circle on the screen, students go on to further explanations, examples, and quizzes about the main points of web evaluation.

tag(s): evaluating sources (29)

This fairly extensive picture dictionary uses photographs, not drawings, to assist language learners to see the real thing! Besides defining the word the student selects to look up, other items in the photo are also labeled so that learning vocabulary can occur in chunks, thus making it more meaningful and comprehensive. Site users may add to an archive of quizzes on the dictionary's word list.

tag(s): speech (69), vocabulary (238)

Designed especially for the newby limited English speaker, this easy-to-use dictionary contains definitions in pictures and simple words ENL/ESL learners can understand. For example click the word anatomy and find many, many pictures that represent the word, such as an ear, bone, foot, intestines, and so on. Use the site for English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian.

tag(s): dictionaries (47), word study (59)

This site is much more than an on-line rhyming dictionary. Use it as a thesaurus, spell checker, or on-line source for all of Shakespeare's works. Other features include interactive quizzes on a variety of topics (high-school level), thousands of searchable quotations and poems, and the complete texts of several famous documents.

tag(s): shakespeare (99), thesaurus (22)

Knowing the specific rules about copyright terms can be a definite benefit when copying or scanning. This easy-to-read chart outlines the point at which published or unpublished materials enter the public domain. It may be more information than you care to know about the public domain, but it will keep you legal!

tag(s): air (102), copyright (44)

This highly interactive explanation of copyright laws helps students recognize and understand their responsibility in citing sources. Use as an introduction or refresher before assigning research projects. The site also contains teacher resources and tips on explaining copyright issues.

tag(s): air (102), copyright (44)

Educators who have lamented the demise of the AskERIC service will welcome its new incarnation, offering a robust, up-to-date collection of theme-based educator resources, and wealth of lesson plans, and archives of past questions. Managed by the Information Institute of Syracuse, the new format greatly enhances usability. Kudos!

tag(s): professional development (385)

Copyright Kids is a copyright primer created expressly for students. It provides a structured introduction to various aspects of copyright and their implications for students, especially those using the web for research projects. This one could be a great classroom reference or an integral element of a unit on copyright issues.

tag(s): air (102), copyright (44), plagiarism (34)

No matter what you want to measure, you'll find information on how to quantify it here. While some browsing is required, teachers will find applications for this information in science, math, geography, and other subject areas. The reference possibilities are also extensive. Add this one to your toolkit of web reference specialties.

tag(s): measurement (122)

Read about the basics by clicking the tab next to What is Copyright. The menu on the right includes Copyright and Artificial Intelligence information. Links to full text of copyright law, Congressional discussions on copyright revision, and numerous PDF files on specific or technical topics related to copyright.

tag(s): air (102), copyright (44)

Not all search engines are the same, and using the right search tool is critical to finding what you want on the web. This site offers both quick comparisons and in-depth reviews of the major search engines, to help you find a search tool that will work best for you. If you're into web research, this is a great starting point.

tag(s): computers (109), search engines (48)

Here's an on-line reference to thousands of facts, sorted into kid-friendly categories and with plenty of instructions. This site feels a lot like other search engines, but it's designed with kids in mind, and yields results that will keep young researchers enthused. Great starting point for any factual question or research topic. Ignore the advertising; the site content is worth it.

tag(s): resources (84)

The Journey Inside is 35 interactive, online lessons introducing students to the interworkings of computers and technology. The site teaches students and teachers the fundamentals of how a microprocessor does its decision-making. The animations make the presentation particularly interesting, and the topic can be integrated into a number of science or technology applications.

tag(s): computers (109)

Use this most-popular search engine because it ranks results by a unique combination of popularity and reputability, making the most reputable/popular sites appear in the first page of results. Don't stop there, however. Learn to use the Advanced searching tools, such as searching for definitions (add definition to your search terms), or even a timeline display of results, where applicable.

tag(s): search engines (48)

Discover a visual search engine that pulls in latest sites of today related to any topic, from professional to curriculum-specific. Enter your own search terms in the box at top right. See a map of the latest new sites. Use this site without registering, or register to customize the results. Education Eye maps the innovations and displays these visually. Once registered, view your history, a custom login page and widget, and receive email newsletters.

tag(s): maps (220), search engines (48)