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StoryCorps - Dave Isay
Grades
4 to 12
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StoryCorps is a nonprofit site where Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs can record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. It is one of the largest oral history ...more
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StoryCorps is a nonprofit site where Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs can record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. It is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind. At the site you can download a "Do it Yourself Guide", find resources for teachers, and a list of great questions. You can subscribe to their podcast, e-newsletter, and blog, or you can upload your own story or that of a loved one or friend for free. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
tag(s): questioning (37), writing (308)
In the Classroom
Grandparent's day is in September. What better gift to a grandparent than to be able to spend time with their grandchild and tell them a story about an important time in their lives? Of course, you'll want to prepare students with some interviewing skills and questions before they interview their grandparents, and show them how to record the interview with some type of recorder (tape recorder, cell phone, video camera, etc). This recording can then be submitted to StoryCorps and it will then reside at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Students can also interview parents about their first memories of school, and what they remember about the grade that the student is currently in. Share these interviews during the first week or month of the school year. Not only can these interviews be submitted to StoryCorp, but students could then do a write up of their interviews and publish them in a classroom book of memories. Have students create online books to share with the class about their interview. Use a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Or have students narrate a photo of the person they interviewed using a site such as ThingLink, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Poetry Month Editor's Choice Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected by our editors from the hundreds of reviewed poetry resources and creative tools listed on TeachersFirst. Now April...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected by our editors from the hundreds of reviewed poetry resources and creative tools listed on TeachersFirst. Now April can be Poetry Month in any classroom. Even if you teach science or math, there is a place for poetry in your curriculum. Poetry is as brief and economical as a number sentence, but with feelings or messages between the words. Why not throw some poetry lines amid your chemical or algebraic equations to connect with verbal/linguistic learners and spark a new way of seeing any subject? Take time to plan a "poetry break" using these ideas from the TeachersFirst Editors.
tag(s): poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Make Poetry Month a participatory experience. Have students compose a limerick explaining a science term or historic figure. Have students collect a list of words from your current unit. Then offer extra credit for a poetic interpretation to be shared as a daily "poetry break" during April. Use one of the tools featured here to share poetic visions of biology, geometry, and more during April. Cover a classroom wall with white paper for "curriculum poetry" during April. Encourage students to share poetry graffiti (classroom appropriate, of course). Or, replace the papered wall for an online bulletin board like Padlet, reviewed here. For more poetic ideas check out the "In the classroom" suggestions included in each review.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Stories Behind the Songs: Introduction - Jonathan Chase
Grades
8 to 12
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This site is part of the Musicians United for Songs in the Classroom, (M.U.S.I.C.), nonprofit website that promotes the educational use of songs by teachers in all subject areas. Here,...more
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This site is part of the Musicians United for Songs in the Classroom, (M.U.S.I.C.), nonprofit website that promotes the educational use of songs by teachers in all subject areas. Here, the use and study of songs extends beyond traditional general music classrooms. Lyrics are a timeless expression of the human experience that captures the history that shapes our people and culture. The creative process of analyzing and interpreting song lyrics helps students to develop critical thinking and media literacy skills. In each song entry you will find information including artists' commentary, discussion of corresponding songs, referenced and related works for study and comparison, music and lyric resources, and samples of classroom activities. Song lyrics are a powerful teaching tool that engage, excite, and motivate young people. Some songs only include lyrics, while others include video and/or audio. All students can learn, but first you must get their attention. This resource is music to their ears.
tag(s): lyrics (15), media literacy (130), poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Many students' favorite past time, when not texting or social networking, is listening to their music. Why not use that venue to hook them into understanding the 'music of poetry?" Stories Behind the Songs; Introduction includes the music, lyrics, song-based lessons, projects, and activities for many popular songs and ballads that express universal themes of poverty, hunger, discrimination, and hope. Students listen to the music and examine the origins and inspiration for contemporary lyrics. Popular songs can be used in a classroom setting to facilitate meaningful discussions on a particular theme or topic. Songs also create an emotional hook and may be used as a springboard to introduce poetry, literature, and historic documents. Students enter the Song Guide by clicking on the song's title to enjoy the full authentic cultural experience the music and lyrics offer. Follow up with asking students to write poems or short essays describing their feelings and impressions of the lyrics, or have them create new poetic verses and images to accompany the music. Enhance learning by challenging students to label their image by using Image Annotator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Animoto - Animoto Productions
Grades
8 to 12
4 Favorites
1 Comments
This animation tool will help create a video or a video slideshow with pizzazz. Add personal sounds, videos, and other media to elevate your video content to the next level ...more
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This animation tool will help create a video or a video slideshow with pizzazz. Add personal sounds, videos, and other media to elevate your video content to the next level for your classes. This tool is great for schools without access to different free video or multimedia creation software. Create 30-second videos, including music choices from over 50 soundtracks. A typical thirty-second video requires twelve images, making this a reasonable option for projects with middle and high school level students. Also look through their many templates making this video creator easy to use for anyone. Students aged 13 and above can set up their own Animoto account if they have a school email address.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animation (62), images (269), movies (51), photography (136), slides (37)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate how to sign up for Animoto and use it with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Students need a basic understanding of how to upload pictures, videos, and other media, especially when adding personalized content. Use stock images and media available through the site if you prefer. Once you are registered, click the "Create" button and follow the on-screen instructions. When adding personal images and videos, the program lets you search your computer files. Add music from the site bank or from personal music sources (copyright-free, of course). Finalize the video with the last click, then view it. Share easily using the provided codes or export tools. Use Animoto to make commercials, science fair previews, and animated shorts in any content area. Have students create "advertisements" for an organism or a literary character. Make a travel commercial for a country being studied or for cultural sites in a world language class. Be sure to share the presentations on your projector or interactive whiteboard.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)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Comments
My favorite movie site.Barbara, , Grades: 0 - 12
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Tux Paint - Bill Kendrick
Grades
K to 6
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Are school budget cuts cramping your style? Then look at this award winning, FREE drawing application! Tux Paint is an "open source" drawing software for young students (preK - grade...more
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Are school budget cuts cramping your style? Then look at this award winning, FREE drawing application! Tux Paint is an "open source" drawing software for young students (preK - grade 6) and is available to the public at no cost. If you are familiar with Kid Pix, you will feel right at home with Tux Paint. The design is straightforward, and easy to navigate. The center of the screen serves as a large canvas with drawing tools on either side. Beneath the screen is a color palette. A cute penguin cartoon character directs students through the program and provides helpful tips. Some of the features include a large, kid friendly mouse pointer, brushes, stamps, sounds, erasers, letters, numbers, "magic effects," and an undo/redo option. Save artwork directly onto a slide finder page without having to create a file name.
The installation is quick and easy even for older computers. First, download the application itself, and then the stamp collection. The number of stamps and the variety of images is amazing! Feel free to install Tux Paint on as many computers as you wish. Tux Paint will work on a variety of operating platforms such as Windows, OS X 10.3, and Linux. The "Tux Paint Configuration" tool is a separate file found on the "Tux Paint" download page. Having the controls in a different location makes it difficult for students to adjust the settings. Simply open the Tux Paint Configuration file and a main control panel will come up. From here, the supervising adult can control the screen size, sound, mouse, print settings, and save functions. Adjust the settings and simplify the program for younger children. Choose from approximately 80 different languages to run Tux Paint.
tag(s): creativity (87), drawing (57), painting (49), preK (323)
In the Classroom
Introduce this fabulous site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students take turns trying the program. Include a link to Tux Paint on your class website and encourage families to download Tux Paint onto their family computer. Elementary teachers will enjoy all the options Tux Paint provides for image making. Classroom teachers can have students draw a response to a class glyph, illustrate stories, label scientific images, write and illustrate word problems or create self-portraits. You will need headphones or speakers for the audio portions of this site. Dazzle parents at Open House or Back to School Night with a viewing of the slide show presentation or looping animation of student work. Save student work as a JPG and export images into a multimedia presentation with narration using Visme AI Presentation Maker, reviewed here. Ask older students to design and submit new stamps to Tux Paint. Explain to them the premise behind Open Source software and how to participate in collaborative software development. Tux Paint is also a great way to teach young students how to control a mouse, type, drag, and cut or paste imagery. Stuck for lesson ideas on how to use Tux Paint, just ask the students!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Primary Resources: English - RM
Grades
K to 6
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Primary Resource's English page has useful materials for teaching: phonics, spelling, parts of speech, punctuation, literary terms, handwriting, and writing fiction and non-fiction...more
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Primary Resource's English page has useful materials for teaching: phonics, spelling, parts of speech, punctuation, literary terms, handwriting, and writing fiction and non-fiction and much more. There are handouts, presentations, graphic organizers, e-books, and even rubrics for student assessment. These valuable resources come from teachers across the world. Contributions range from catchy mnemonics to help students remember tricky spelling words, SMART board lessons about adjectives, how to use reference materials, and PowerPoint presentations on writing plays from stories. Most activities include a key that indicates the appropriate age group, grade level, or required skill level needed as well as its file format. The key indicates the equivalent United States grade level. The British Key Stages are equivalent to the following age groups; KS 1 = 5to 6 year old, KS 2 = 7 to 11 year old, KS 3 = 12 to 14 year old, and KS 4 = 15 to 16 year old. This site is from the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. If you have some of your own literacy resources you treasure, feel free to contribute them to this site. This site does include some unobtrusive advertisements.
tag(s): handwriting (15), idioms (29)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson materials and presentations. A few activities include tasks for an interactive whiteboard or projector and others provide handouts or reproducible activity pages. Be sure to save this site in your favorites, there is lots here to explore.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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openverse - Word Press - Creative Commons
Grades
4 to 12
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Find digital images that are available for use without violating copyright. This search tool finds images licensed under Creative Commons. While most major search engines offer advanced...more
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Find digital images that are available for use without violating copyright. This search tool finds images licensed under Creative Commons. While most major search engines offer advanced features to filter content by copyright status, the CC search website makes it easy and convenient. Be sure to READ the information about verifying licensing. The results provide extensive options that can be legally (and ethically) used in wikis, blogs, reports, and more, as long as you provide the attribution information. What a fabulous tool for students to use for interactive or traditional projects!
tag(s): copyright (42), creative commons (28), images (269)
In the Classroom
Teaching students to understand and respect the copyright of digital information can be complicated and overwhelming. The first step in helping students understand digital copyright is to have them explore the terms of use and copyright for a variety of information. Create a scavenger hunt for students to find the terms of service and/or copyright for common websites. Once they realize that not all information is "free" for them to use, introduce the Creative Commons website and the symbols used to describe how the content is licensed. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to demonstrate how to search using the CC search site. Perform searches that yield results that show several different types of licenses. Discuss each type using scenarios of how users can and cannot use information. As an extension activity for this site, students can create their own work and publish it using a Creative Commons license. The work can be as simple as using a digital picture or as complex as creating a derivative artwork, such as a collage or a "photoshopped" image. It can be published on a commercial site, such as Flickr, or on your school webpage. Make sure to follow any school guidelines before publishing student work. Perhaps you can create a class wiki of annotated creative images created by students with explanations of where they found the "parts" and how they created the original works from these parts. What an excellent model to share with future students, as well. Teachers will also appreciate being able to find images you can freely use on class web pages and in online project samples, etc. (with attribution).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Head Magnet
Grades
3 to 12
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HeadMagnet is a new twist on flashcards. You can create flashcards for any subject that you wish or use cards already available on the site. Once the cards are made, ...more
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HeadMagnet is a new twist on flashcards. You can create flashcards for any subject that you wish or use cards already available on the site. Once the cards are made, there are different study modes to choose - slide show, self-test and normal (type in responses). Study sessions can even be timed. After completing the study session HeadMagnet predicts which items will need more study time, enabling you to spend more time on material that hasn't been learned yet. Study lists can be shared with others, and you can search for already created materials. After completion of a study session, you can access statistics that show your overall memory of the material. You need to register to create your own materials, but all items are free. Registration requires and email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
tag(s): flash cards (46)
In the Classroom
Create flashcards for any subject to review material being learned in class. Use this as a review for vocabulary before tests. As a pre-assessment, create a study list to use on the interactive whiteboard or projector to find out what students already know. Provide this link on your class website for students to use to create flashcards both in and out of your classroom. Learning support teachers may want to show students how to create their own cards. The process of creating the will actually reinforce skills, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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60 Second Recap - DimSum Media
Grades
9 to 12
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60 Second Recap introduces students to literature in one-minute video bites. Most are YouTube video clips. Before you decide that this is what's wrong with education today, take a look....more
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60 Second Recap introduces students to literature in one-minute video bites. Most are YouTube video clips. Before you decide that this is what's wrong with education today, take a look. Each book in the 60 Second Recap library (classics like Lord of the Flies, Frankenstein, Brave New World, Hamlet and Jane Eyre) is summarized with a one minute "teaser," an overview, a look at the cast, the plot, the theme, motifs, symbols--all the elements we would want students to pay attention to when encountering a new work of literature. There is also a general section on the analysis of literature, and a "Pick of the Week" which introduces students to a more contemporary book for leisure reading. The site is still in development and more works of literature are being added. Since many of the videos are hosted on YouTube, you may need to view them at home due to school filtering.
tag(s): independent reading (83), literature (214)
In the Classroom
These short film clips are perfect for introducing lessons with a quick attention-grabbing recap. The clips preview material that you can discuss more in depth as you analyze the works in question, and provide a useful review for students throughout the unit. It may be tempting to treat them like all the other on-line cheats for students who don't actually want to read the book, but these are more likely to help focus attention and clarify main points. They would also be good for less-able readers as a way to increase interest in the classics. The clips are perfect for your interactive whiteboard or projector. As a special challenge, assign students to create their own 60 second recaps of works they have read and share them on TeacherTube reviewed here or SchoolTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Anne Frank House - The Anne Frank Stichting
Grades
5 to 12
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The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive ...more
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The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive on this website. Starting with 1940 photographs of the building known as Opekta factory, see and learn how the office space was transformed into the Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid for more than two years until the betrayal and arrest by the Nazis. Find out about the four employees who risked their lives to make the hiding possible. The rooms of the Secret Annex have been preserved in their authentic state and salvaged documents and objects belonging to the eight people in hiding are on display. Three short films are included on the website to place the significance of this personal story in a historical context. See Anne Frank's hiding place in 3D and meet the people that helped those hidden inside. After clicking on the secret bookcase, you will be taken behind the scenes of the house to see how Anne and others lived in the communal room, the front office, the attic and more. View the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures.
tag(s): 1930s (40), 1940s (70), 20th century (169), anne frank (8), holocaust (42), remembrance day (4), women (189), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to take your class on a virtual field trip to Amsterdam to visit the Secret Annex where they can realize what it was actually like for Anne Frank's family and four others to live inside a hidden space, with the constant fear of being discovered by the Nazis. Help the words in Anne's diary come alive by showing what the outside and inside of the building looked like, by viewing the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures. Students will be more likely to relate to Anne as a real person, instead of a fictional character, and admire her optimism, courage, and resiliency. Use this to initiate journal entries for students to reflect on how they would handle two years of hiding and sharing a small space with others, as well as what they would do to remain positive, or use the online exhibit to shed some light on a dark period in history and to strengthen the personal account of the hiding period and the deportation to the camps. Assign class members to read about one of the house members or helpers to research, then have them write a diary (or blog entry) from that person's point of view. Assign teams to debate who was the most important member of the household or if this situation could take place in today's society. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Have groups compare two people they learned about using a tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here). Create a class wiki for students to share their journal articles and respond to others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dreambeast Poems - Mark C. Bird
Grades
3 to 12
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Poems and Stories for Kids, created by poet Mark C. Bird, offers collections of poems that speak to kids and focus on relevant themes like explore, think, and laufh. While ...more
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Poems and Stories for Kids, created by poet Mark C. Bird, offers collections of poems that speak to kids and focus on relevant themes like explore, think, and laufh. While Bird's poetry speaks to kids, you will want to be selective in using his poems due to some sensitive issues. Besure to look at his blog to find more poems and stories for kids.
tag(s): poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Select one or two poems to share with students using an interactive whiteboard or document camera. After discussing the poems, have students come up with questions for the poet. Post the questions on the blog. Or, modify classroom technology use and have students create an online poetry poster using Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, and list their questions. Leave the URL to your poster on his blog. It is sure to get his attention!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry.com - LLEI Inc
Grades
6 to 12
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Poetry.com is a place for poets of various ages to connect with others and receive reviews and feedback on their poetry. The site offers a section about great poets and ...more
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Poetry.com is a place for poets of various ages to connect with others and receive reviews and feedback on their poetry. The site offers a section about great poets and poems and an online poetry quiz. This site also offers free poetry contests. Be sure to double check your district's policy on students publishing and posting poems to this website.
To enter poems, students must be registered members (email and password are required). Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
To enter poems, students must be registered members (email and password are required). Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
tag(s): biographies (96), poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Students can use a rhyming dictionary such as Rhyme Zone, reviewed here, when writing poems. Poetry.com would also be a great site to discuss the idea of great poetry. The site lists great poets and poems, which would help incite a discussion on what makes a great poet or poem. Have students select one of the best poems and present it to the class using an interactive whiteboard or document camera. Students can share why they agree or disagree with its status as a great poem. Why not have students read their favorite poem (and offer their own opinions) on a podcast using a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Everywhere - PBS
Grades
3 to 12
2 Favorites
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Poetry Everywhere includes selections of poems from several categories on the left menu, such as Arts and Dance, Culture and Identity, Family and Marriage, and several others. Once...more
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Poetry Everywhere includes selections of poems from several categories on the left menu, such as Arts and Dance, Culture and Identity, Family and Marriage, and several others. Once you're selected a category and poet, find a video and link to a biography of the poet on Poetry Foundation. Many of the videos feature the poet reading their poem for the chosen category. To the right of the video are links to a Background Essay and Discussion Questions. Be sure to select poets and poems that are age-appropriate for students.
tag(s): poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Share several poems with students and then have them create similar poet and poem podcasts. Enhance student learning and augment classroom technology use by using a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here, to present to their classmates. Post the podcasts to a class wiki or website. Not familiar with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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International Children's Digital Library - University of Maryland
Grades
K to 8
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The International Children's Digital Library, consisting of digital books in many languages, aims to inspire students to become members of the global community through literature. The...more
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The International Children's Digital Library, consisting of digital books in many languages, aims to inspire students to become members of the global community through literature. The focus of the digital stories is on identifying materials that help students to understand the world around them. The materials in the collection reflect similarities and differences in cultures and people around the world. Check out the Using the Library section for ideas on how to incorporate the library into your classroom. Note that the books are in text format, not audio. There are three different styles of "readers" to view the books.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (177), cultures (290), folktales (34)
In the Classroom
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to share stories and incite discussion among students. Have small groups construct mini-lessons on the theme or a reading strategy using one of the digital books, and then teach the class using an interactive whiteboard. Rather than having students complete traditional book reports, try a project such as a podcast about the literature using a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freeology - Free Printable Graphic Organizers - Freeology.com
Grades
1 to 12
8 Favorites
0 Comments
This site offers a variety of downloadable PDF graphic organizers for English/Language Arts classroom. Many of the graphic organizers (like the Venn diagrams) could be used in various...more
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This site offers a variety of downloadable PDF graphic organizers for English/Language Arts classroom. Many of the graphic organizers (like the Venn diagrams) could be used in various subject areas. Some of the organizers include SQ3R, Pros and Cons Scale, KWL, Pyramids, and 10+ pages of other forms of graphic organizers!
tag(s): alphabet (46), calendars (36), grammar (141), graphic organizers (58), numbers (121), reading comprehension (146), Teacher Utilities (219), worksheets (71), writing prompts (55)
In the Classroom
This is a great site to help students sequence, brainstorm, and organize information. Use on an interactive whiteboard or projector and fill out organizers after a lesson. Print out organizers and have students use them in cooperative reading groups. Use the organizers to differentiate for students who need extra scaffolding or for students who need extension activities. As students get older and learn which study skills help them best, they will want to access this site on their own to study for tests. Be sure to save this site in your personal favorites!
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Rhyme Brain - Steve Hanov
Grades
4 to 12
3 Favorites
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This dynamite site makes rhyming all right. Save it as a favorite quick pick to have a slick trick for poets to click. The process is simple; just type in ...more
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This dynamite site makes rhyming all right. Save it as a favorite quick pick to have a slick trick for poets to click. The process is simple; just type in a word and Rhyme Brain finds ones that sound similar and sorts them so that the best rhymes appear first. You can also click to alliterate. Some of the choices are a bit of a stretch, so take what it reveals and appeals, without any waste-of-time ordeals. Some of your advanced poetry writers have the options of not only clicking on the link for instantaneously generating a list of rhymes, they can type in two words and then click on alliteration for another organized list. Sophisticated, witty language users may also have fun with the Invent-a-Word button (click Tool, slide to Rhyme and choose), which is similar to the British humor of rhyming Cockney slang.
In the Classroom
Demonstrate how simple it is to find a word that rhymes on your projector or interactive whiteboard and then, provide a link to Rhyme Brain on your class web page for your students to have easy access to this tool. Transform classroom technology use and have your students share their created poems on an interactive online poster using Marq (formerly Lucidpress) or Canva This resource is a real time saver! Use it to fascinate elementary students with the numerous single and multi-syllabic rhyming words and various spelling combinations that are generated. Older students will enjoy the play on words that it quickly reveals, saving them time to do the higher level thinking that the figurative language of poetry requires.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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For Better for Verse - Herbert Tucker, John C. Coleman: Professor of English
Grades
10 to 12
3 Favorites
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For Better for Verse is an interactive learning tool that can help you understand what makes metered poetry in English tick. Think of it as a tutorial for sophisticated poetry...more
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For Better for Verse is an interactive learning tool that can help you understand what makes metered poetry in English tick. Think of it as a tutorial for sophisticated poetry analysis involving meter, rhythm, voice, prosody, and complex stress and foot patterns that challenge beyond appreciation of the poem to illuminate the life in it. The tools are composed of a List of Poems, a Poem Workbox, a Glossary, and the Resources tab, where you will find a short scholarly bibliography and selected audio clips. There is also an extensive Help page for guidance. High school English, honors, and advanced placement courses will welcome this site.
In the Classroom
Plotting the patterns of poetic meter and rhyme can be as hard to study as learning a foreign language. It takes long hours of practice to develop an ear and a feel for the kind of verse that was standard during Chaucer's time. At For Better for Verse poetry enthusiasts practice by trial and error opportunities, and receive instant feedback as they analyze the syllables' stress, without becoming too stressed, themselves. How do you know where the slacks and stresses fall? You listen; so instead of relying on repeating the verse out loud, click on the audio to hear it read. Listening to a vocal performance is helpful in the early stages of the tutorial. Students build confidence as they turn their stride into a gallop and waltz across the poem with their mouse and curser. Soon they will progress to using their eyes, rather than their ears to "listen" to the poem.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Literary Glossary - EDSITEment
Grades
2 to 12
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Literary Glossary offers definitions for virtually any literary term from Allegory to Villanelle. Simply click on the term that you are looking for and a definition will follow. Each...more
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Literary Glossary offers definitions for virtually any literary term from Allegory to Villanelle. Simply click on the term that you are looking for and a definition will follow. Each definition includes an option for lesson plans relating to the specific term. The lesson plans also include assessments, extensions, and website links that pertain to the terminology and lesson.
tag(s): literary devices (13), literature (214)
In the Classroom
This site can be used as a teacher tool if you are unsure of a definition or simply looking for a new way to teach a literary concept. It can also be used as a terminology resource for students. Be sure to provide this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. Have young students use this site in cooperative learning groups and create online books providing the definitions to several new vocabulary words, along with examples they collect or create. Use a site such as Bookemon, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Newspaper Blackout - Austin Kleon
Grades
4 to 12
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Newspaper Blackout is a clever way to unlock the secret poetry hidden within any printed page. This Tumblr site shares examples (unmoderated, so preview before sharing in a classroom!)....more
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Newspaper Blackout is a clever way to unlock the secret poetry hidden within any printed page. This Tumblr site shares examples (unmoderated, so preview before sharing in a classroom!). Poetry no longer needs to be a gray area; this activity makes it black and white! There are no gimmicks, no magic pens, and no camouflage paper, but this is certainly a tricky way to write a poem! All you need are newspapers and black markers. Hunt for and select a few words from each of the lines as you read a newspaper or magazine article. Remember to start with the title. Instead of the typical bottom-up approach to writing a poem by starting with a blank page and filling it with words, try this fresh, top-down approach by starting with a page already crowded with words. Then use permanent markers to blacken out all the trivial words in each line until the poem appears. (Put something under your page so the ink does not bleed through on furniture!) Click Share your poem to learn how to upload your work to the site.
tag(s): creative writing (124), poetry (195)
In the Classroom
This poetry activity (aka Found Poetry) opens the doors to so many learning objectives. In a social studies or history classroom, you could direct your students to search for newspaper or magazine articles on topics that you have been studying, or current events. Suddenly you have social studies poetry! In an English language arts lesson, you might instruct students to blacken out all the words that are not nouns or verbs or select other parts of speech. You could change the task to eliminate any word that is not part of the simple subject or predicate and simultaneously teach or reinforce main idea. For classrooms with individual computers, students could access articles online. Copy the text into a document. Then, instead of blackening out words with markers, they could get the same effect by highlighting over them with black or changing the font color of the text to white, and printing them or saving a screenshot image. Another option is for students to email their Newspaper Blackout poems to the teacher. Each poem could then be put into a Power Point slide show for the class to see on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use this site to offer your students a new twist on Poetry Month (April). Enhance classroom technology use and take your new poetry collection to the world by uploading the PowerPoint to Voxer, and have each student record a reading in his/her own voice. Make poetry a participatory experience, no matter what the subject. If your school permits, have students take photos of their paper poems -- or screenshots of ones done on the computer --and share them on Voxer. You may want students to start saving their work in a digital portfolio. Suggestions are Mahara, for high school students, and Seesaw, for younger students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Read-a-Thon - Academy of American Poets
Grades
5 to 12
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The goal of the Poetry Read-a-Thon is to have students read and write about poetry. Students are asked to choose a poem and then write a 75-100 word response to ...more
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The goal of the Poetry Read-a-Thon is to have students read and write about poetry. Students are asked to choose a poem and then write a 75-100 word response to the poem. The response should focus on one or two of the following categories: images of the poem, sounds of the poem, subject(s) of the poem, emotional effect(s) of the poem, the poem's meaning(s), questions about the poem, or questions the student would like to ask, if he/she could speak to the poet.
tag(s): creative writing (124), poetry (195), writing (308)
In the Classroom
This is a great way to introduce a poetry unit to a class. It is also ideal for Poetry Month (April). This read-a-thon can also be used throughout the entire semester. A teacher guide is included as well as a student log. If used throughout the semester, teachers can start out each lesson period with one or two students sharing their responses with the class. Teachers can also choose a poem and assign students a particular response focus. Students can then compare and contrast each other's responses to the same poem. Have cooperative learning groups share their poems on a podcast using PodOmatic (reviewed here).
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