185 information-literacy-research results | sort by:
return to subject listingAll About Explorers - All About Explorers
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): explorers (66), internet safety (113), media literacy (106), webquests (8)
In the Classroom
The trick in using All About Explorers is to keep the real lesson a secret at the beginning and allow students to come to their own conclusion. Processing that "aha!" moment when students recognize that there is a hidden agenda here will have a much more lasting impression than simply telling students they cannot believe everything they read. Deep inside, students often believe they can easily tell the difference between the Truth and something that is misleading or downright false. All About Explorers will help them see how difficult that can be. They might also learn something about explorers in the process! Extend this lesson by having student groups find another suspect site and create a screencast of that "suspicious" site, pointing out characteristics that indicate an unreliable source. A tool such as ScreenPal, reviewed here, or Screencastify (Chrome app), reviewed here, will allow them to create a "tour" of the fallacies they find.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Scrible - Scrible
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): citations (32), curation (36), Research (84), summarizing (22)
In the Classroom
Your students' online research will be efficient and effective with Scrible. Students can take notes on their bookmarks. They only need to bookmark the part of the website they need for their assignment. Students can collaborate with peers on their research. Post articles and documents online for your students to highlight and annotate. Bookmark this tool on your website or blog for your students to access in or outside of the classroom. Use Scrible to annotate professional development articles or to highlight important information for your students. The best part? It will instantly create your bibliography for you!How many times have we heard students complain during a group project, "But I couldn't get to his or her house to work on it?" Tell them to use Scrible to interact online. The research and conversations created through highlighting and annotating what they read can greatly enhance both their research skills and their online interaction on academic level skills. Or use the site to post and share discussion assignments on specific articles or even parts of articles using the highlighting tool. Find a relevant article to your subject. Highlight the part that you want students to read. (If students are younger, keep it short to reduce the intimidating reality of too much information for kids.) Attach a note with a discussion question for the students. Have them comment on the link in a "class discussion" as an outside assignment. If you are fortunate enough to have all students with computer access in your class and at home, such as in one to one laptop (or BYOD) program schools, you can use this essentially to run your class. Post assignments or post readings. Science teachers can post online interactive labs, and more.
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RADCAB - Steps for Online Information Evaluation - Karen M. Christensson
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): evaluating sources (28), internet safety (113), media literacy (106), Research (84), rubrics (35)
In the Classroom
Share this site and content on your interactive whiteboard or projector as you begin a project involving research. Demonstrate how to use this site before allowing students to explore on their own. Print and use the rubric available on the site. Require that students (or groups) complete the rubric on their chosen sources for research. Share a link to the site on your class website and classroom computers for easy student (and parent) reference at any time. Another idea: to enhance student learning is to assign cooperative learning groups one part of the acronym. Each group could create a presentation to share with the class about what they learned about their part of the evaluation process. Have students create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Students will LOVE finding and sharing examples of "bad" sources!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Word Sense - codeLily LLC
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): antonyms (13), dictionaries (48), synonyms (16), thesaurus (22), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (90)
In the Classroom
Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site. Explore word meanings, connotations, and antonyms. Use a word cloud maker to create clouds of new words learned - WordItOut, reviewed here. Use Word Sense to understand and explore vocabulary words of the day or week. Share with students as a resource for preparing for standardized testing, such as the SAT/ACT.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WordSense.eu - dictionary - Dirk Moosbach
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): dictionaries (48), prefixes (10), root words (11), suffixes (9), thesaurus (22), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (90), word study (60)
In the Classroom
Use Word Sense on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to explore word origins, definitions, and more. This is a great site to use as a resource for a word of the day or word of the week. Choose a word and have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordClouds, reviewed here, or WordItOut, reviewed here. Share this site on your class website or blog for students to access at home for writing projects. Use this tool to decipher words when studying word roots and affixes. As students prepare for the SAT, have them explore and attempt to figure out words based on roots, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Engaging Students With Primary Sources - Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): primary sources (119)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use throughout the year as a guide for using primary sources. Use some of the lesson strategies with other primary source collectionsAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Every Second on the Internet - designly.com
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): internet safety (113), social networking (64)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) during lessons on computer use or Internet safety. Have students predict the number of Google searches, emails sent, etc. each second before displaying the actual number. Use information on this site as part of a lesson on comparisons, fractions, or number sense with large numbers. Share with parents during your Open House to offer an understanding of the impact of computers and social networks on their students lives.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Manifest Destiny - The Story of the US Told in 141 Maps - Michael Porath
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1800s (75), 1900s (73), 20th century (62), civil war (136), colonization (21), maps (207)
In the Classroom
Use Manifest Destiny as a resource for any American History unit. Share the maps on your projector or interactive whiteboard. The many maps are an excellent visual demonstration of the growth of the US. Use information from the site to have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Include this site in lessons about information literacy and evaluating sources in your history course. Challenge students to verify the accuracy of the information depicted. Was Wikipedia right?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spific - The Finding Engine - Spific.com
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Use Spific to find online newspaper content quickly and easily or compare definitions from different sources. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare information from two different sites. Provide a link for students to use this site to make searching easier when working on book reports, research projects, or presentations. Demonstrate how to use the search on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and point out how to narrow down results using links to individual sites. This site would be ideal to include in a search engine comparison for information literacy/fluency lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Public Library of America - Digital Public Library of America
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): 1910s (7), 1920s (15), 1930s (20), 1940s (14), 1950s (8), 1960s (26), 1970s (10), 1980s (7), 20th century (62), data (147), museums (47), primary sources (119), Research (84)
In the Classroom
Adding the DPLA to your classroom bookmarks or introducing students to this resource will put a wealth of information into students' hands, aggregated into one place. Consider this a museum/archive/library specific search engine. Because each search links to an artifact or document which may actually be the property of any of dozens of different entities, students will need to understand that copyright and the ability to download material may vary depending upon where the original item "lives." Be sure to demonstrate how to FIND the rights information. Challenge students to explore basics on an artist, an author, or a social studies topic such as "civil rights" or "Martin Luther King" to see an overview in many media using the timeline display. Be sure to test the searches in advance to know which terms yield reasonable results.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Good.is - GOOD Worldwide, LLC
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): enrichment (9), news (227), newspapers (91), politics (114), writing prompts (58)
In the Classroom
Good.is is perfect for enrichment, research, or a current events class. Include it on your class web page (if you are comfortable with the description: a community of people who give a d---) for students to access both in and out of class. Have students try out this site on individual computers, or as a learning center. For students who enjoy current events, Good.is is a terrific source of up-to-the-minute positive stories from across the web. There is advertising, but it is not too intrusive. Use this site as one of several current event options when asking students to find real world connections to curriculum topics. You can always send students directly to the full articles on their original sites to avoid displaying the Good.is frame at the top. Use articles as writing prompts for blog posts or practice writing informational texts or persuasive writing.Comments
Great reading resource on current events!Ladisha, VA, Grades: 9 - 12
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Scoop.it! - Scoop.it Inc
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): bookmarks (47)
In the Classroom
Create Scoops for projects so that students have a one stop shop to research. Create a Scoop with information and sites for students to use as a study guide. This also gives you some control over the information to which your students are exposed. Have students sign up for their own free account. Students could use this as a working bibliography of the resources they use for research, posters, and presentations for all classes. Assign students to create a collection of online literature about a specific topic as an assignment. Have students use the "add your insight" text box to provide a mini review of the articles.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CloudMagic - Webyog, Inc.
Grades
K to 12tag(s): organizational skills (89), search engines (49)
In the Classroom
"It's in here somewhere!" Use this site as a teacher organization tool for your classroom resources, parent contacts, and more. Are you trying to find your updated class list or notes for your Algebra 2 review? Search for class list or Algebra 2 to find it without having to search through all of your online and email accounts. Share this site with older students as a resource for organizing and finding their online resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Draggo - 2012 Draggo LLC
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (47), classroom management (122), curation (36)
In the Classroom
Use public and private options to collect different links. If you want to make your personal page (with your personal favorites) private, you can share school related links on a public page. Share resources with other teachers. Make group work easy for any age group with easily accessible links. Link directly to single categories or embed categories on other websites. No more students typing in the URL incorrectly! Younger children can easily use your recommended online activities, or enrichment sites. Label sites according to subject, or grade level. Older students can create their own accounts. Sharing links during group collaboration is a snap. Add Draggo as a link on your class website or blog. Explore using Draggo with your professional development opportunities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ReadWorks - ReadWorks.org
Grades
K to 12Teachers can create classes to assign reading and track assessments (which are automatically graded). After signing up with email, click on Admin from the top menu and create a class. Students join the class by using a code and their Google account. No Google account? No problem. Create a roster and provide the class code to students. Easily create assignments for the whole class, or individuals as a way to differentiate. This is a perfect tool to use for remote (or distance) teaching and learning!
tag(s): characterization (18), context clues (5), figurative language (15), guided reading (33), main idea (8), parts of speech (40), plot (11), point of view (8), reading comprehension (147), reading strategies (101), sequencing (17), Teacher Utilities (159), themes (11), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Show students how to sign up and log in to ReadWorks using a projector or interactive whiteboard. Complete a sample assignment together. Use ReadWorks in blended learning or flipped classrooms leaving class time for asking questions and clarifying. Post the link on your website and consider assigning the Article-A-Day for at home reading. Rotate the subjects weekly and discuss the topic the next day in class. Consider using a back channel tool such as GoSoapBox, reviewed here, for the discussion, so even your quiet and shy students feel comfortable participating, and you can get analytics after the discussion. Teachers of all subjects, but especially science and social studies, can find topics for students to read for their subject. Then challenge students to research the topic further. Differentiation can be accomplished easily by assigning to individual students, or you can create multiple classes, which would actually be small groups, who read at the same level or have the same topic interest.Once the students are familiar with the site use Symbaloo Learning Paths, reviewed here, to assign reading to groups at the same reading level. Older students, once they know their reading level, can their select reading and create their own Symbaloo Learning Paths. Check these to make sure students include all types of reading, and that they are challenging themselves. After several selections, ask older students to choose the topic they were most interested in, find resources to learn more about the topic, then extend their learning by presenting their findings using a multimedia tool such as (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Maker, Marq (Lucidpress), Powtoon, or Adobe Express Video Maker.
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Generate Data - Form Tools
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): data (147), mean (19), median (16), mode (13), population (48), variables (14)
In the Classroom
Use this site to generate data that can be used to determine averages, mean, or median. Use the data to practice with graphing or analyzing data. Download results to computers and allow time for groups of students to make sense of any portion of the data and present their findings to the class. Use as an introduction to a discussion of data and how results can be interpreted. Discuss the use of bias in reporting results and different ways that results can be presented.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Newsola - Nick Nicholaou
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): countries (73), financial literacy (89), news (227), sports (81)
In the Classroom
Use this site to select current events for the day. Follow the same news thread for a period of time to look at changes and possible reasons for the change in the news. Be sure to check news stories from other countries for a different viewpoint on issues. Create a class discussion for the differences in viewpoints. Challenge cooperative learning groups to explore ONE of the subtopics (Showbiz, World, Finance, etc..) and present the highlights to the class. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.Comments
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CiteThisForMe - Cite This For Me
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): citations (32)
In the Classroom
A great site to recommend to students for use at home to build properly constructed citations. The free version is limited in the information saved to the user's computer for only seven days, so it would not work well for classroom use where students use public computers. It is simple and easy, and until academics across the world decide on one format, this allows us to digitally "attach" a dynamic image of the resource to scholarly work: a great tool!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Easy Bib - Imagine easy Solutions, LLC
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): citations (32)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard and projector to show students how to use this tool for citing their sources. Share this web site for all of your projects using research so students know the correct procedure for citations. Be sure to add it on your class web site as a useful reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oolone Visual Search Engine - Oolone
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): search engines (49)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for your visual learners or weaker readers. Use this site on an interactive whiteboard to show students how to search for information. Use the page counter to show students how different search terms provide different results. Place on your class webpage for students to access at school and home. Be sure to check out their education page where you can find lesson ideas. Learning support and ESL/ELL students will appreciate being able to search without as much reading. Even very young students can LOOK for a site using this search tool, assuming they can type just a little bit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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