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Better At English - betteratenglish.com
Grades
3 to 12This site does have several appropriate advertisements. There are also a few questionable links on the site (for example, "Uncensored English"), so be sure to supervise WELL.
tag(s): idioms (29), listening (119), slang (16), vocabulary (261)
In the Classroom
You will need headphones or speakers if you choose to assign students to listen to the podcasts individually. This site is excellent for enrichment or special topics. Include it on your teacher web page (with a disclaimer regarding content) for students to access both in and out of class. Use this site with intermediate and advanced level ELL and ESL students to help them improve their knowledge of English slang and idioms. If you are into video, consider creating your own student vodcasts about idioms and sharing them via TeacherTube ( reviewed here) and on your class wiki.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Better at English Videos - betteratenglish.com
Grades
2 to 12Teachers will need to set up videos to be used in class (and supervise WELL) to control student viewing. There are some questionable links on this site including "Uncensored English" and "Sick Videos." There are also advertisements on the top and right side of the website. This site is slow to load at times, so opening the site before you are ready to use it in class may save you some time. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Use specially previewed and selected videos to make vocabulary lessons come alive. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share with the entire class. Be sure to preview and have the video before the class sees it. Encourage your students to make their own videos or vodcasts of items you are studying in class. If teachers are unsure of how to use the videos, check the for teachers section. Check this site frequently to see what's new. List this site on your class website (with a disclaimer regarding content), for ENL/ESL families to explore together at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Adopt-an-Author - Steve Alten
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): authors (116), holocaust (42), independent reading (85)
In the Classroom
Allowing students to choose among these books may encourage them to read. Having students "teach" their book to the rest of the class after they have finished it might be an activity that would urge other students to pick up those books, too. Extend learning by having students share their books creatively: write a blog post as a character using Telescope, make a video using Adobe Express Video Maker, to post on TeacherTube or SchoolTube, or make a podcast "interview" of the main character, played by a classmate using Acast. Bring reading into the 21st century reality of your students and watch the two worlds "mash" together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Traci's List: 10 Unusual Sources for Research Papers - Traci Gardner
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): advertising (24), interviews (19)
In the Classroom
An interesting way to teach this kind of research to your students would be to assign one topic to a class and have different students or groups of students investigate the different research ideas. This could serve as a model when assigning individual work for students later in the semester. Encourage students to think "outside the box" when looking for new and supportive information for their theses. Share this list on your teacher webpage as a reference for students to access outside of class, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Traci's List of Ten: Literature - Traci Gardner
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): literature (214)
In the Classroom
The mix-n-match element of this particular list makes it interesting for students working on a novel or a longer story that could deal with several of these elements. Take one or two of the ideas and split them up among a class. Create a debate, complete with slide show, or webquest to involve students in the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): wikis (15)
In the Classroom
This is listed as a TeachersFirst "edge" entry, but our step-by-step walk-through takes the edge off and makes your wiki a walk in the park. Check it out now, while there is still FREE classroom wiki space available from the three wiki tools we review in detail.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vocabulary Word Lists for Academic Vocabulary - Gerry Luton
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): vocabulary (261)
In the Classroom
The interactive nature of this site makes it good way to involved students in their own learning. While it offers a purchase of the software used to create the list, you can use the exercises offered on the website for free. This is possible only if you use the list of words available on the site as sublists. Having students check their own work (the sentences offered are upper level, 8-12) frees you to work with individual students and allows all students to work at their own pace. You could also use selected lists (with credit, of course) as the basis for a student-generated class vocabulary wiki. Ask students to "define" the words creatively on the wiki and see what happens!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Polite English - English Portal.com
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): grammar (142)
In the Classroom
Use this site for ESL and ELL students, or even basic grammar review in a regular language arts class. Help students learn "survival language," such as greetings or saying thank you. Save this site as a favorite on your classroom computer(s) so ESL/ELL students can add new expressions to their present knowledge. Send this site home (or list it on your website) so your international families can benefit from it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Judy Moody Official Website - Candlewick Press
Grades
3 to 5tag(s): authors (116), book lists (167), printables (35)
In the Classroom
Plan a Judy Moody Day by using the 'rare' ideas in the Teacher's Guide section. Don't leave the boys out--plan a joint Stink Day as well. (Stink is Judy Moody's brother, and more information about Stink can be found at www.stinkmoody.com.) For writing fun, write a 'moody' scene to expand a Judy Moody or Stink book. Create a Judy Moody comic strip (or one in your own style, perhaps using one of the comic tools found in /content/edge.cfm "TeachersFirst Edge. Have your school's art teacher teach your class how to draw the perfectly temperamental Judy Moody or develop their own characters. (There is also a link at the Clubhouse showing how to draw Judy Moody.)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Little House Books - Harper Collins
Grades
1 to 5tag(s): reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Teachers, mark this site as a favorite to use when you plan your Little House or pioneer unit. If you need a quick quiz for any of the Little House books, you will find one already prepared for you. Directions to make your own autograph album, scrapbook, "Little House" recipes, and more are located in the Teachers section. The classroom activity guide features 17 pages of ideas!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Nile File - Liverpool Musems.org
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): art history (110), egypt (60)
In the Classroom
This site can be a great introduction to a unit on Egypt for young learners. Put a link to this site on a classroom computer that can be used as an activity center for the Egyptian unit of study. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to take the entire class on an interactive tour of life on the Nile.As a language arts activity, have students adopt the persona of an ordinary Egyptian and write a week-long journal or blog entries about their daily life. Tie in the visual arts by posing and tracing students' outlines on butcher paper on the floor. Students can strike an Egyptian-style pose that reflects their chosen person or occupation, and then draw in the clothing, headwear, and jewelry. Cut out these life-size images and combine them to create an Egyptian wall of stories. Let students fill in the background with hieroglyphic symbols.
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Visiting Authors - visitingauthors.com
Grades
K to 6tag(s): printables (35)
In the Classroom
Have your students pretend to be an author who visits your school. Make a video of the "visits" from several "authors." Make a wish list of their expectations from the students. Have students create fictional stories of why the author wrote a particular book. Share them with the author for huge laughs. If you do invite one of these featured authors, make sure you read their books well in advance of the visit. Many of these authors have their own websites, so visit those sites as well. As a school event, you may be able to arrange a 'Lunch with the Author' fundraiser.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Matt Christopher, Official Author Website - Dale Christopher
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): sports (91)
In the Classroom
Encourage fictional sports books by having a Matt Christopher Day. Have students read a M.C. book about their favorite sport. On M.C. Day, students may bring sports memorabilia and enjoy book talks. Perhaps bring in a well-known local sports figure who grew up reading Matt Christopher books. After all, M.C. books have been popular since the mid-fifties. Teachers, find a complete list of individual sports books by using the drop down menu Choose a Sport .Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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An Academic Writing Module: Paragraphs - Alison Hoffmann, Barbara Griffiths and Irina Elgort
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): paragraph writing (17), sentences (23), writing (309)
In the Classroom
This site offers the option for students to work independently on their basic writing. These exercises are a little more advanced than some on the web; however, they are especially good for high school students. It would make an interesting exercise to work through some of the examples as a class on interactive whiteboard, and then offer students the sample essay to analyze themselves or on the whiteboard before showing the final analysis on the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constructing the Paragraph - Dr. Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
Grades
7 to 10tag(s): paragraph writing (17), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Perfect for middle school students who can work ahead independently or for high school students who are still struggling a bit, this site gives you the option of having students practice on their own, particularly through the self-testing stage. This would be great as a learning station on writing for students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Everywhere Collection - WGBH Foundation
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): poetry (197)
In the Classroom
If you are looking for something worthwhile as a quarter ending or are deeply involved in poetry, this site is great. Billy Collins reading "The Lanyard" is tough not to love and you can choose any of the included features to use or not. Because the site uses Quicktime, you have the option of replaying the video or pausing for discussion where you choose. Share the video on your interactive whiteboard or projector. This is wonderful as a class discussion. Another use for this site is to assign different poems to small groups of students and have them explicate them and then present them to the class. You could even shock the world of traditional English class or school video news announcements with a video "poetry break" during Poetry Month (April). Why not video the presentations and share them using a site such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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YourDictionary - LoveToKnow Corporation
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thesaurus (21)
In the Classroom
Send students to this site to look up those difficult words. ESL and ELL students can use this site to practice the pronunciation of new words. Be sure to mark this site as a favorite or share on your teacher web page for easy access.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SUPER WHY! - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 2tag(s): alphabet (47), phonics (54), preK (342), sound (71), sounds (38), spelling (94)
In the Classroom
Turn up your speakers and use your interactive whiteboard or projector to display these engaging activities, and get ready for some excited students! Once the site is introduced, set this website up as a learning center (with headphones!) during your language arts block. Share this link with parents via your teacher web page so they can help struggling readers enjoy learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Free Kids Music - Uppbeat
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Turn up your speakers and incorporate the lyrics and songs into your reading program. Singing lyrics is a great way to motivate the struggling reader. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to display them.Note: This site is for personal listening only, which means you should not download for intentions of selling or distributing or playing before a large audience. They cannot, for example, be used as background for your class podcast!
Comments
I went through your webpage of Kid's Music. I think it is wonderful. Music is a wonderful way to keep children engaged. I use it almost everyday in my classes. Thank you, and keep those songs coming. Ray Rust Music TeacherRaymond, CA, Grades: 7 - 8
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Teachers' Guide: internet Field Trips - Scholastic, Inc.
Grades
K to 12tag(s): field trips (6), virtual field trips (153)
In the Classroom
This is a good practice site for working with students, particularly younger ones; and it advises you on how to accommodate the different skill levels students have with the Internet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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