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Ready Set Read for Families - Ready, Set, Read!
Grades
K to 1
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This is a family site designed to foster reading readiness skills in preschool children. The site contains ideas and activities that parents can use with their children to help them...more
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This is a family site designed to foster reading readiness skills in preschool children. The site contains ideas and activities that parents can use with their children to help them practice the speaking and observation skills that will help them learn to read.
tag(s): reading strategies (93)
In the Classroom
This site offers tips for parents from the Department of Education. Teachers can also use the reading lists to help in book selection for reading centers. Make sure to refer the site to parents via teacher webpage if they ever ask for resources on reading.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Geni - Everyone's Related - Geni, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This tool allows you to create an interactive family tree. Once you are registered, you can easily create a family tree. You are able to include family member's birth-dates, death-dates,...more
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This tool allows you to create an interactive family tree. Once you are registered, you can easily create a family tree. You are able to include family member's birth-dates, death-dates, email addresses, pictures, video clips, and more. This site also has the capacity to create timelines for births, deaths, weddings, divorces, education, occupation, and other important events and information.
tag(s): family (53), genetics (84), immigration (85), migration (45)
In the Classroom
This site is fairly simple to use. Join the site (free) and log in. Navigation of the site is simple. Click on Tree to start your family tree or Timeline to use that free resource. For the family tree, arrows are provided to add family members. The arrows pointing up indicate a parent, arrows to the left or right are used to add a wife/husband or brother/sister, and arrows pointing down are used to add a son or daughter. This site allows users to set-up their family tree or timeline as PRIVATE. It allows you to control who can and can't view your profile, family tree, and other information. For more information about this feature, visit the Settings link (on the top right corner). Before you plan your family tree project, be sure to get parental permission. Possible Uses: Use this site to create family tree projects in elementary or middle school classes. Have high school students create family trees as part of an immigration unit studying patterns in social studies classes. In science class, have students create fictitious "people" as they study genetics. With younger students, create a class timeline sharing important dates for individuals (i.e. birthdays) and class dates (field trips, tests, or other special events). Have students share their family trees on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to "advertise" this project on your class website (and newsletter, if applicable) so students have time to gather names, birthdates, and other information about family members. In world language classes, have student create a family tree using the correct vocabulary for relatives and talk about it as they share it on the interactive whiteboard. When researching famous people, reading biographies, or even reading literature have students create a family tree illustrating their discoveries about their famous person, writer, artist, musician, explorer, literary character, etc.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
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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AAA Spell
Grades
1 to 8
2 Favorites
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Are you looking for ready to go spelling and vocabulary words and activities? If so, check out this site, AAA Spell. The site offers spelling and vocabulary lists for grades...more
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Are you looking for ready to go spelling and vocabulary words and activities? If so, check out this site, AAA Spell. The site offers spelling and vocabulary lists for grades one through eight, suggestions for review and practice activities, and ready to go interactives for all lessons. Each grade level has several lessons and lists. You can also create your own spelling and vocabulary lists. Although this site isn't highly interactive, it does offer some very basic and well prepared spelling and vocabulary activities. Be aware: there are advertisements at this site.
tag(s): spelling (91), vocabulary (254), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Use this website to create spelling and/or vocabulary lists for your class. Learning support teachers will appreciate the ready-to-go practice activities for a wide variety of lists. If your school already uses a spelling curriculum, use these words for the highly capable students who are looking for more of a challenge. Each lesson includes additional teacher ideas. List this link on your class website, so students know the spelling words and have access to practice at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ScreenPal - ScreenPal
Grades
4 to 12
7 Favorites
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Use this simple and free tool to create a video recording of your screen to upload and share on a teacher web page, wiki, blog, etc. This is an easy ...more
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Use this simple and free tool to create a video recording of your screen to upload and share on a teacher web page, wiki, blog, etc. This is an easy way to create a tutorial from your own computer screen. When you visit sites that have tutorials on how to use their software, you are looking at a screencast. Use this site to communicate specific directions on how to use different applications in and out of the classroom. Audio is not necessary for the screencasts but may be beneficial, depending upon the tutorial. Free features include: 5 video quizzes, 15-minute recording limit, full video editor, and automated captions.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): communication (123), tutorials (51)
In the Classroom
You will need to know how to use whatever computer software, website, or skill you are demonstrating. Following basic directions and managing browser windows or tabs are a must, as well as the managing settings of the computer being used. There are plenty of tutorials to explore for PC's, Chrome Books, Mac's, and downloading their apps.Click the Create button in the upper right corner of the page to start. You will find a selection of activities there like Capture Screenshot, Record Screen/Cam, Upload Content, Create a Quiz, and several others. Select Capture Screen Screenshots. As a first-time user files for the Screen Recorder will need to be downloaded to your computer. Follow the prompts as they appear. Choose the screen size when played and whether audio will be needed (audio can be tested here as well, which is recommended: settings may need to be adjusted for different microphones.) Open a new tab or browser window and enter the web address of the site (or software) that will be the subject of your screencast. Drag the black frame by clicking the line and dragging it in order to choose what will be recorded during the screencast. The microphone icon has a green bar that shows recording levels. A green arrow showing instead of a green bar denotes that sound is not being captured. The red button is used to start recording while the black "X" stops the recording. Once you stop recording, click on your screencast tab or browser window and preview your recording. You can then either upload or discard your screencast. At this point you can create an account easily. Save your screencast to a channel of your own. Use the embed code to place your screencast into a blog, wiki, or other site. You can also use a widget code to embed the screencast player into a website. Screencasts can then be made from your other site and will save directly to your screencast channel. Screencasts can be set to different levels of privacy and comments can be turned on or off.
Teachers who must request certificate approval by tech staff may want to try this tool at home and create some sample projects to convince administration of its educational value. Unless checked to turn off comments, this site will allow comments on your work. Many districts prohibit such interaction and steps should be taken to prohibit commenting from others. When using the widget, the tool does not attribute work to specific students. You may wish to have the students identify their work while creating the screencast. Screencasts will only be able to be viewed when using an embed code in a site, wiki, or blog. By marking the screencast "searchable," it can be available to the public. Recently created screencasts do not appear on the home page of screenPal. Students are able to self-register, but you may want to keep a record of logins and passwords for students who forget.
Make how-to demos for communicating instructions on using and navigating your class home page, class wiki or blog, or other applications you wish the students to use in creation of classroom content. By narrating how you want students to navigate through a certain site or section, you can eliminate confusion, provide an opportunity for students to use the information as a refresher for the future, and maintain a record for absent students. Software demonstrations add an increased flexibility with helping students who need it while allowing students to begin and work at their own pace. Added audio is a great asset for many students including learning support and those who might need to access the material in smaller "chunks." Use this site for students to give "tours" of their own wiki or blog page. The presentation of their web-based projects and resources can be more engaging. Use screencasts to critique or show the validity of websites, identify a resource site they believe is most valuable, or explain how to navigate an online game. Challenge your gifted students to create a screencast as a final project rather than a more traditional project. Social studies teachers could assign students to critique a political candidate's web page using a screencast. Reading/language arts teachers could have student teams analyze a web site to show biased language, etc. For a powerful writing experience, have students "think aloud" their writing choices as the record a screencast of a revision or writing session. You will probably need to model this process, but writing will NEVER be the same! Math teachers using software such as Geometer's Sketchpad could have students create their own narrated demonstrations of geometry concepts as review (and to save as future learning aids). Teachers at any level can create screencasts to demonstrate a computer skill or assignment, such as for a center in your classroom or in a computer lab. Students can replay the "tutorial" on their own from your class web page and follow the directions.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
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
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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1000 Images on the Tip of my Tongue - Centre collegial de developpement de materiel didactique
Grades
5 to 12
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This tri-lingual site: English, French, and Spanish, presents idioms organized in categories. After choosing a category, students see a list of matching expressions. They can hear...more
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This tri-lingual site: English, French, and Spanish, presents idioms organized in categories. After choosing a category, students see a list of matching expressions. They can hear the idioms pronounced and used in sentences. This site offers a new and different feature than most idiom sites: a link to an equivalent idiom in French or Spanish! The only idioms here are idioms with similar expressions in the three languages, though they are not directly translated. By clicking on Activities, students can see selected idioms in animated cartoons with sound; there is also the text of the utterance available at another click. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
In the Classroom
Use this in reading classes studying English idioms and figures of speech or in middle level French and Spanish classes to help students remember idioms in those languages by aligning them with similar expressions in English. Include the site in your class web page for easy access from computer labs or home.Challenge your class to create an illustrated idiom wiki in English or the language you are studying, adding digital pictures to "illustrate" the idiom literally and in its figurative meaning: Ex. "feeling blue" with a photo of a person shaded blue, then one of a SAD person. Be sure to include the text and a link to the page on this site for visitors to hear the clip, as well.
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Daily Lit - Daily Lit. LLC
Grades
8 to 12
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Daily Lit offers short clips of literature sent to you daily by email or by RSS feed. You can receive the episodes on a Blackberry, RSS reader, email, web-enabled cell ...more
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Daily Lit offers short clips of literature sent to you daily by email or by RSS feed. You can receive the episodes on a Blackberry, RSS reader, email, web-enabled cell phone, or any "connected" device. You students would find it "cool" to read their daily lit excerpt on the cell phones! Most offerings are classics and in the public domain, but some recent selections are available for free due to Creative Commons licenses. Most books are free but some have a charge. Since only a few pages arrive in your email at intervals you select, it takes quite a while to read a complete book. You do have the option of receiving another section when you finish your daily reading. Students can browse for books by category or search by title, author, etc. Currently hot titles are displayed on the home page. There is a Children's book category, as well, so you can have a daily reading "arrive" on your desktop RSS reader without using email, thrilling your young readers! There are also books written in various world languages.
Because this is a site for the general public, there may be some books with content not desirable for your classroom. Avoid sending students directly to the home page to see "Featured" books without previewing the page that day and/or announcing a policy about which books they are allowed to investigate.
RSS feed to a classroom RSS reader account such as Google Reader might be the safest way to control the content that "arrives" without safety/policy concerns. If you want students to receive emails from this site, check with your school's Acceptable Use Policy AND be sure to check with the parents! You may want to consider creating a Gmail account (rather than your personal or work email). 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.
Because this is a site for the general public, there may be some books with content not desirable for your classroom. Avoid sending students directly to the home page to see "Featured" books without previewing the page that day and/or announcing a policy about which books they are allowed to investigate.
RSS feed to a classroom RSS reader account such as Google Reader might be the safest way to control the content that "arrives" without safety/policy concerns. If you want students to receive emails from this site, check with your school's Acceptable Use Policy AND be sure to check with the parents! You may want to consider creating a Gmail account (rather than your personal or work email). 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): literature (214)
In the Classroom
Suggest this site to advanced high school students who want to increase their knowledge of classical literature. Set up an RSS feed of a foreign language book to appear on your class web page or blog or even go to student cell phones: a new episode each day without ANY work by you! Use this also when teaching classic children's titles. Be sure to check with your principal and parents first to be sure receiving this type of email is OK with everyone. Have the pages sent to your RSS reader, personal or professional email address and share the pages with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create a class wiki to discuss the current class book being read or make comments on the class blog about the episode that day. In world language classes, this is an easy way to "prompt" a writing lesson IN the language for grammar and writing practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Shakespeare's Staging - Regents University of California
Grades
11 to 12
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This great site gives serious Shakespeare students something to dig into deeply. Of particular interest is a full-length, documentary video titled "Shakespeare and the Spanish Connection."...more
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This great site gives serious Shakespeare students something to dig into deeply. Of particular interest is a full-length, documentary video titled "Shakespeare and the Spanish Connection." Use the search bar to find this video. The documentary links Spanish and Elizabethan theatres in style of performance, architecture, and background. Find this video by using the search box and Spanish Connection. From the homepage, you can look at galleries (basically online picture albums) of Shakespearean productions from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Clicking on the "Videos" tab will enable you watch short excerpts of plays performed in various venues including open air theatres.
Due to the academic nature of the presentations, this is probably best used with upperclassmen or gifted students who have some familiarity with the Elizabethan Renaissance and Shakespeare. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If you district blocks YouTube, they maynot be viewable.
tag(s): literature (214), shakespeare (98)
In the Classroom
The ideas presented on this site offer imaginative teachers great scope. Using the short videos and/or the albums as jumping off points, students can create their own videos of their own productions. Enhance student learning by using a video tool such as Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here. Share the videos on YouTube or another tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.One of the central topics can be the ease or difficulty in staging some of the scenes. Since there are several of the videos where actors describe the experiences playing certain characters as well as short documentaries showing authentic Elizabethan music, dance, etc., students can incorporate their own ideas in making their own scenes more genuine.
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Literary Webquest: Shakespeare's Othello - Russ McDonald
Grades
10 to 12
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This webquest grabs student interest by examining the character of Othello as a man set apart from his peers by his race. The task, process, resources, and evaluation are all ...more
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This webquest grabs student interest by examining the character of Othello as a man set apart from his peers by his race. The task, process, resources, and evaluation are all clear and provide ample fodder for interesting class discussions on homeland security, racial profiling, and societal pressure. The quest casts the student in the role of a CIA agent, a proposition most students would find attractive!
Note: the first link relating to how to write a report is not working and neither is the Horizon Magazine, but all of the other article links and MLA source links are fine.
Note: the first link relating to how to write a report is not working and neither is the Horizon Magazine, but all of the other article links and MLA source links are fine.
tag(s): othello (2), shakespeare (98)
In the Classroom
This is a great activity to meld literature and social studies or humanities-based curriculum. Students can choose different areas to search for information and this can be tailored to the students in a given class. Using the information found will spark new interpretation as students then read the play Othello. As a writing activity, have students write a blog post as one of the investigators, reflecting on what he/she has learned!Since the webquest was made, 3 of the links have ceased working, so teachers need to be sure to take the time to test all of them and find replacements if need be.
In regards to the final product, consider using a tool such as Google Docs,reviewed here, to have students digitally share the end product, vs having a stack of papers on your desk at the end of the day.
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ProProfs Quizmaker - Proprofs QuizSchool
Grades
1 to 12
16 Favorites
0 Comments
This site allows you to create and customize online quizzes. Once registered, create quizzes using the shared templates or make your own from scratch. Current templates for educators...more
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This site allows you to create and customize online quizzes. Once registered, create quizzes using the shared templates or make your own from scratch. Current templates for educators include quizzes in several subjects, including geography, math, and language arts. This site also consists of an extensive database of ready-made questions to use. Customize your quizzes by adding images, changing backgrounds, and more. Use the preview feature to review your quiz before sharing. Share quizzes with a link, use the embed code to embed onto a website, print, or share with social media links.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): quiz (64)
In the Classroom
Use this site to create online quizzes. Create a quiz as a review to share on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students take the quiz independently or in cooperative learning groups. Have students create their own quizzes to use for review or as a final project. Embed your quiz (or provide a link to it) on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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After the Deluge - Smith Magazine
Grades
6 to 12
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This issue of Smith Magazine features an online graphic novel of the events of Hurricane Katrina and its effects on New Orleans and related communities. Since there are very few ...more
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This issue of Smith Magazine features an online graphic novel of the events of Hurricane Katrina and its effects on New Orleans and related communities. Since there are very few words, it's perfect for students of all ages and English ability levels. The drawings are in chronological order and include weather pictures and before and after pictures, as well as specific events of the hurricane.
Warning: Be sure to PREVIEW each section before you show it to the class since there is some profanity in the speech of some characters.
Warning: Be sure to PREVIEW each section before you show it to the class since there is some profanity in the speech of some characters.
tag(s): graphic novels (3), hurricanes (36), novels (34)
In the Classroom
In light of the increase of hurricane activity, this is a wonderful resource to introduce this weather topic. Use it also in art class, graphic design, and with ESL and ELL students learning to tell stories. Use this site to introduce the world of graphic novels to students who are reluctant readers. Have your class make their own graphic novel about another catastrophic or historical event, either in groups or individually. Check with your administration to be sure it's OK to use this site at student computers since there are spaces for students to respond and also to submit their own work. If that's a problem, use it with your classroom computer and project the novel on the whiteboard (avoiding scenes with questionable vocabulary). Extend the lesson by having students create their own collaborative graphic account of a local history event or fictional tale in small groups.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Fail Blog - Englishfailblog.com
Grades
9 to 12
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Here is a site to whet student interest in looking for English errors! This site encourages submissions of photos that depict those cringing mistakes people make with the English language....more
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Here is a site to whet student interest in looking for English errors! This site encourages submissions of photos that depict those cringing mistakes people make with the English language. Mistakes can be found in signs, headlines, advertisements, or anywhere people can mangle the language with misspellings, incorrect punctuation, misplaced modifiers, etc. The site calls these an "English FAIL." Not only is this hilarious, it teaches students how to spot those errors and with guidance how to fix them.
Caution: This is an open blog. While students may submit their own pictures, you should preview what you want to show them and supervise site use while in the classroom. Some of the topics or images are questionable (i.e. Erotic Cat Food). There are plenty to share without crossing the line, but teachers MUST control the sharing to avoid the occasional inappropriate choice.
Caution: This is an open blog. While students may submit their own pictures, you should preview what you want to show them and supervise site use while in the classroom. Some of the topics or images are questionable (i.e. Erotic Cat Food). There are plenty to share without crossing the line, but teachers MUST control the sharing to avoid the occasional inappropriate choice.
In the Classroom
This is a great way to get students involved in proofreading and looking at the ambiguities of inexact language. Share one or two at the start of class on a projector/whiteboard as grammar check-ups. You might create a FAIL wall in your classroom, allowing students to post pictures they find in your community (give exrta credit for thier analyiss and suggested corrections to the errors). This would also work well as a class wiki. Invite English classes from other schools to join your class in adding to the wiki (and thus avoid the more questionable content of a "public" version). Share the wiki address via your professional network or groups such as NCTE for teachers to request access. The advantage of a wiki: start it this school year and keep adding from year to year. Your former students will return to see the latest or contribute to such a humorous endeavor.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Daily Writing Tips - Daniel Scocco, et. al.
Grades
7 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Discover a simple, yet sophisticated blog about all things related to writing. The information is presented as text only (nothing visual or slick), but it is helpful, especially as...more
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Discover a simple, yet sophisticated blog about all things related to writing. The information is presented as text only (nothing visual or slick), but it is helpful, especially as a reference or guide to improving your writing. The variety of tips offered is perfect whether you need help or are simply curious. The list in the left column offers the archived articles on everything from business writing, fiction writing, and writing basics to misused words, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. This is a great site for information both students and adults can use in their writing.
tag(s): creative writing (123), expository writing (29), grammar (141), process writing (35), punctuation (24), spelling (91)
In the Classroom
Focus on the topics that repeatedly occur in a student's writing by sharing a link to the topic they need most right now. The Misused Words and Expressions sections are especially helpful for explaining how to correct for cliches, etc. As always, the timing of seeing the tip matters most. Share it when you see the problem. Encourage students doing peer editing or collaborative revision to use this site and find the tip to help a classmate when something "sounds funny." That way every writer in your class can become an expert in supporting other writers, not just you, the writing guru/teacher! While learning centers are generally considered an elementary tool, they can be exciting and valuable for secondary students as well. Use sections of this site as the focus for different writing centers. The links from this site can help students move through areas where they are having difficulty and enjoy the process of interaction as well. Have them create a clever writing tip video or a quick podcast about the tip that resonated with them personally. Try Spreaker. Collect links to the tip videos or podcasts on a class writing wiki. Teachers will also find this reference useful as a writer of graduate papers or newsletters for parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Brief Timeline of American Literature and Events - D. Campbell
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
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Are you looking for a way to connect literature to cultural and historical elements? Making connections between the arts and humanities and the social atmosphere that spawns them is...more
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Are you looking for a way to connect literature to cultural and historical elements? Making connections between the arts and humanities and the social atmosphere that spawns them is invaluable and this site will help students see how it all "fits." The site offers a great interactive timeline from 1500-1920's. Clicking on a year lines up the political and social history next to the literature of the time. Beginning with the 1890's you can match literature with music and movies as well. This is a great tool for use with the whole class or as a resource for individual students.
In the Classroom
Students could use this as a starter for more specific comparisons, including specific regions or states. Use this site as an example for students to create a similar timeline for literature and art from other countries or other cultural areas, such as dance or theatre.Be sure to share the music and sounds from the time periods. Have students analyze what they think is the meaning behind the songs. What historical names do they hear? Then have students create their own songs or video clips about the literature and/or culture of that time period. Record and share the video clips on TeacherTube (explained here).
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Persuasion Map - IRA/NCTE
Grades
6 to 10
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Read Write Think has another winner with an interactive "Persuasion Map" that helps students use persuasive language to make an argument by walking them through the process with their...more
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Read Write Think has another winner with an interactive "Persuasion Map" that helps students use persuasive language to make an argument by walking them through the process with their own words. They can print the map, or work online. Clicking on the interactive tool, students enter their name and title (keep the title short). Students can then work back and forth with main points and reasons to support them. They can preview, print, or make changes to their map at any time. To make changes, you must click the "back button" in the top left corner. The page also has a lengthy list of lessons facilitated by the persuasion map; however, it can be used with any persuasive topic. Note: the tool does NOT save their work! Be sure to have them print before ending their session, even if they are not done. At the time of this review, the save feature only worked in an RWT file.
tag(s): persuasive writing (50), writing (308)
In the Classroom
This tool is very useful in getting reluctant writers to consider using persuasive language. Demonstrate/model first as a cooperative exercise on your interactive whiteboard or projector. It is easy to see the arguments when laid out in the map, and students will enjoy using the computer to construct their arguments. It is handy that the map can be printed and is then available for the student while writing the actual essay.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SchoolTube - Lightspeed Technologies
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
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You can be as adventurous or not as you wish! This safe, free site lets students and teachers show off their talents by sharing their appropriate videos to be viewed ...more
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You can be as adventurous or not as you wish! This safe, free site lets students and teachers show off their talents by sharing their appropriate videos to be viewed all over America. With a simple registration, you can upload your classroom video, which then goes into a "holding" area. That video then awaits approval by the website's moderator before becoming available. Because of the layering of approval, this site poses no security concerns to students or schools. Not only can teachers and students upload videos, but administrators may also want to post welcome or informational videos to be viewed by parents and students. You may also wish to share some of these videos with your class. Teachers will find videos suitable for classroom instruction (and lesson plans). Use the search box at the top of the webpage to look for topics that relate to your current units of study. Searching the site and simply viewing the videos does not require any registration or log-in. There is a link to SchoolTube Games , as well.
In the Classroom
If you wish to upload your own SchoolTube video, you must register as a user at the site. Registration is free. Create and save your edited videos where you can find them on your computer. (Windows Movie Maker or iMovie are great, free tools for video). Then upload to SchoolTube. You can share the video via link or by embedding it in another web page. See our editor's SchooTube video here. If the teacher is the one uploading, the only potential concerns include posting videos with identifiable information or images about your students, school, or class. Check your school policies about posting pictures of your school. If you post student videos, obtain written parent permission to post student work, again within school policies. Any student visible in a video should also have parent permission in accordance with school policies. Students can use SchoolTube to share videos with sister schools, or to broadcast weekly news from their school or classroom. Students can also produce project videos on any curriculum topic. Try making "You Are There" videos about different events in history! Teachers may want to use this site to share ideas and lesson plans with other teachers across the nation. Make "how to" videos to share with parents and friends. Embed SchoolTube's video player into your school's website and encourage parents to view school news or clips from events they were not able to attend.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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I'm Reading! - Starfall Education
Grades
K to 2
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I'm Reading! is the highest level of the Starfall.com reading activity levels. This site offers various books, with or without audio, and students can highlight the words of each read-along...more
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I'm Reading! is the highest level of the Starfall.com reading activity levels. This site offers various books, with or without audio, and students can highlight the words of each read-along story at their personal pace. Through literature options such as plays, fiction/non-fiction, comics, Chinese fables, Greek mythology, and folk tales, students can experience a wide variety of literary genres.
tag(s): spelling (91)
In the Classroom
Have students work independently or in small groups to read the books. Students can read in a choral manner or as repeated readings in order to increase fluency. Students can take turns as characters in the easy-to-read plays and present the plays to the class as an extension activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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It's Fun to Read - Starfall Education
Grades
K to 1
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It's Fun to Read provides simple reading activities for beginning readers such as read-along, labeling, poetry, and tongue twisters. The activities provide opportunities for students...more
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It's Fun to Read provides simple reading activities for beginning readers such as read-along, labeling, poetry, and tongue twisters. The activities provide opportunities for students to learn color words, number words, descriptive vocabulary, and spelling rules. All About Me! is a great activity for labeling rooms in a house, creating their own self image and talking about their favorite toys and pets. There is also an Art Gallery, Music, Bird Riddles, and more. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
In the Classroom
Display the site on an interactive white board to introduce word wall vocabulary, such as number and color words, to beginning readers. As the students see the words appear on the web site, have them place the word card on the class word wall.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Free Sounds - Creative Commons License
Grades
K to 12
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Need a sound for your digital storybook or PowerPoint presentation? This site offers free sounds, copyright free, for your personal use. These are sounds, not songs. They will need...more
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Need a sound for your digital storybook or PowerPoint presentation? This site offers free sounds, copyright free, for your personal use. These are sounds, not songs. They will need to be downloaded, so beware that your school's security may not allow this. Another option is to download the sounds at home onto a stick to bring to the classroom. Don't let the "geek speak" of some of the "blog posts" on the site intimidate you. Just click "search" on the left to find what you want. These sounds are licensed under Creative Commons, which means you may use them in PowerPoint shows and other multimedia as long as you GIVE CREDIT ("attribution"). See the link for "Rules" for downloaded sounds. Model ethical use of resources by viewing this together with your students, even little ones.
In the Classroom
During creative writing, play a 'soundbyte' or a sequence of sounds to inspire a story and activate creativity. You can download a "Sound of the Week" to be used as a task changer alert. (Ringing the bell meets technology.) As you study sound in science class, use examples from this site to talk about sound characteristics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Starfall ABC's - Starfall Education
Grades
K to 1
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Starfall's ABC site provides letter-sound examples for students in a user-friendly manner. It focuses on each letter of the alphabet and breaks down the vowel sounds. Students can click...more
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Starfall's ABC site provides letter-sound examples for students in a user-friendly manner. It focuses on each letter of the alphabet and breaks down the vowel sounds. Students can click a letter to watch several examples of words, pictures, and sounds related to that letter.
In the Classroom
Combine the explicit instruction provided on the site with phonemic awareness instruction in kindergarten or with ESL and ELL students for better letter-sound relationships. Allow students to use this site during center time for reiteration of the lesson or for areas in which they are struggling. Be sure to have students check out the sign language symbol for enrichment to the traditional spoken alphabet. Add this link to your class website so students can use this outside of class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Remember The Milk - Remember the Milk.com
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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Your busy life needs a manager. Now you have one: RememberTheMilk.com (also known as RTM). Don't worry about missing a date; any or all of these applications or programs will ...more
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Your busy life needs a manager. Now you have one: RememberTheMilk.com (also known as RTM). Don't worry about missing a date; any or all of these applications or programs will send you a reminder. Set up a free account in minutes. Secondary students will embrace this tool to remind them of tests, assignments, or sporting events. List-making has made it to a whole new level.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (132), organizational skills (91), time (94)
In the Classroom
Read the Blog at this site to learn many cool ways to interact with your personal computer and devices using RTM. Learning support teachers and teachers of disorganized gifted students may want to "model" using such an online tool to help middle and high school students learn better personal organization. Make a demo account for a "mythical" student and organize him/her together so students can see how it works. You will need to check your school's policies and access to some messaging tools; however, some may be prohibited in your school. Learning support and gifted teachers will welcome this online tool as an engaging way for students to become better organized.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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