Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

How can I learn about AI and use this technology to enhance instruction? This article from the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series, reviewed here, shares background knowledge and practical resources to help educators integrate AI into everyday activities to increase productivity and introduce AI to students using interactive learning activities. Choose from a variety of activities, including books, videos, and learning games, suitable for both educators and students.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (346), help article (2), professional development (296), STEM (380)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from February 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Get ready for a fast-paced exploration of powerful digital storytelling tools! This smackdown-style session will introduce you to a diverse collection of platforms for video creation, podcast production, comic strip design, interactive storytelling, and multimedia narratives. Through rapid-fire demonstrations and guided exploration, you'll discover both beginner-friendly and advanced tools designed to help students share their stories in creative ways. We'll show you how to make the most of TeachersFirst--where you'll find trusted reviews of tech tools and instructional resources, ready-to-use teaching ideas, and more. Leave with a curated toolkit of storytelling platforms, practical strategies for implementation, and the confidence to evaluate new tools as they emerge. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Explore and compare digital storytelling platforms. 2. Navigate TeachersFirst resources effectively. 3. Design authentic storytelling experiences. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): assessment (140), digital storytelling (179), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296)

Take a virtual field trip with this Reading Trek and travel back to the 1930s Great Depression in Mississippi with Mildred D. Taylor's historical novel - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Nine-year-old Cassie Logan is a young black girl who experiences and witnesses the harsh realities of racism: night riders terrorizing Black families, a boycott her family organizes against a racist store owner, and the constant threat of violence. This Reading Trek includes a Teacher Guide that uses Google My Maps reviewed here. Additional suggestions include using this book in lessons on map use and in extension activities across several core content areas. Teaching suggestions are correlated to National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, National Core Standards for Visual Arts, Next Generation Science Standards, and Social Justice Standards.

tag(s): great depression (32), racism (82), Reading Treks (56)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from February 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Ready to nurture the Creative Communicator in your students with a tool that's refreshingly easy for you and intuitive for them? Discover Big Huge Labs, a free website packed with user-friendly templates that transform student work into visually compelling creations. This session will guide you through project options that help students demonstrate learning by creating movie posters, magazine covers, trading cards, and more. Learn to pair these templates with copyright-friendly images to create classroom-ready projects that work across all content areas and grade levels. Explore this free tool built for educators who want to spark creativity without getting bogged down in tech setup and walk away with ready-to-implement ideas and the confidence to help every student become a creative communicator. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Master Big Huge Labs and its templates and features. 2. Integrate copyright-friendly image resources. 3. Design creative communication assignments. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): assessment (140), communication (125), creativity (93), Formative Assessment (42), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from January 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Discover the power of learning bentos and give students a new way to demonstrate their learning! Inspired by Japanese bento box meals, this approach invites students to curate and arrange images that represent their understanding of novels, historical events, scientific concepts, and other topics from any content area. We'll explore the pedagogical foundations of choice-based assessment, learn to design effective learning bento assignments, and create rubrics that honor both creativity and academic rigor. Through hands-on practice, you'll build your own assessment using copyright-friendly image resources and explore digital implementation options. Leave with ready-to-implement materials that give students meaningful choice in showing what they know. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Design effective learning bento assessments. 2. Develop authentic assessment rubrics. 3. Integrate visual assessment into classroom practice. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): assessment (140), Formative Assessment (42), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from January 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Transform how students engage with texts across all subjects! This updated session explores research-based literacy strategies that work with material in any content area--from science articles to historical documents to mathematical word problems. Discover how to scaffold reading comprehension before, during, and after reading using proven techniques like THIEVES, Chunk & Chew, Frayer Models, and summarization. You'll also learn how free technology tools can enhance these strategies. Whether your students struggle with complex texts or need more challenge and engagement, these practical approaches will help every learner access and deepen their understanding of the content. This session is perfect for teachers across all disciplines who want to support literacy development while maintaining their subject area focus. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Implement comprehensive literacy strategies. 2. Enhance literacy instruction with technology. 3. Design content-specific literacy activities. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): literacy (123), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296), reading strategies (87)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from January 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Turn your classroom communications into professional-looking materials that save time and enhance engagement! This hands-on session teaches essential Canva skills through three focused practice areas: parent communication, student-facing materials, and school community outreach. Learn to navigate Canva's template library, customize designs to match your needs, and maintain visual consistency across all of your communications. Through guided practice, you'll modify templates for newsletters, classroom announcements, student certificates, event flyers, and more, and explore the pedagogy behind effective visual communication--how design choices impact readability, engagement, and accessibility for diverse audiences. This session is perfect for educators who want to create polished materials without design experience or extensive time investment. No prior Canva knowledge required! As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Navigate and customize Canva templates. 2. Design audience-appropriate communications. 3. Establish efficient design workflows. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): communication (125), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296), resources (80)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from November 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

While Google Maps helps us navigate from place to place, Google My Maps unlocks unlimited potential for dynamic, interactive learning experiences that transport students anywhere--whether they're learning about ancient civilizations, modern scientific discoveries, mathematical patterns in architecture, or historical events that shaped our world. In this session, you'll discover how location-based storytelling can revolutionize instruction in any subject and grade level. You'll learn practical strategies for empowering students to guide their own explorations, tell compelling location-based stories, visualize complex data, and demonstrate deep learning through interactive digital maps. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Create a functional Google My Maps project with multimedia elements that's aligned to curriculum standards. 2. Identify cross-curricular applications of location-based learning for enhanced student engagement. 3. Plan student-centered My Maps activities that promote collaboration and authentic assessment. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): map skills (64), maps (221), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from November 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Ever wonder how to make your math lesson as engaging as a zombie thriller? This hands-on workshop reveals the secret: instructional storytelling that transforms students from passive consumers into active problem-solvers and creators. You'll experience four distinct storytelling approaches that progressively increase student agency--from analyzing compelling case studies to designing their own learning adventures. This session focuses on strategies that support learner choice and personalization. Whether you're teaching elementary math, middle school science, or high school history, you'll leave with immediately applicable techniques that honor student voice while meeting rigorous academic standards. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Design lessons using four storytelling approaches that increase student agency. 2. Integrate free digital tools to support narrative-based learning. 3. Apply storytelling strategies to their own curriculum content. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296), stories and storytelling (80)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from October 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Revolutionize literature instruction with Reading Treks--interactive maps that chronicle characters' journeys while building critical background knowledge and cultural connections. Whether you're working with limited resources or seeking to make literature more accessible to all students, Reading Treks offer a powerful way to contextualize stories, connect learning to real-world geography and cultures, and provide visual supports that enhance comprehension for every learner. In this workshop, we'll explore proven instructional strategies for integrating ready-made Reading Treks into your classroom to support multilingual learners and strengthen family engagement--perfect for immediate classroom application. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Implement Reading Treks to build background knowledge and support diverse learners. 2. Use existing Reading Treks to design differentiated lessons for varied student needs. 3. Create family engagement opportunities that bridge home and school learning. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296), reading strategies (87), Reading Treks (56)