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Middle East - BBC
Grades
4 to 12
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This site provides an eclectic mix of information about the Middle East. The BBC has created this up-to-date website that includes information guides, interviews, message boards, pictures,...more
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This site provides an eclectic mix of information about the Middle East. The BBC has created this up-to-date website that includes information guides, interviews, message boards, pictures, quizzes and more. The message boards pose some interesting discussion questions for students. This is an excellent, student-friendly source for current events and debate background. It also provides short, non-fiction texts for comprehension practice with remedial readers.
tag(s): iran (7), iraq (26), israel (15), middle east (51)
In the Classroom
Include this link on your teacher page for middle and high school students to use as a reference and build better understanding of this tumultuous region. It will help even younger students understand the region, but parts of this website are not appropriate for elementary students. Preview before you take your elementary class on a virtual field trip to the Middle East.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Haunted House Treat Carrier - Cara Bafile
Grades
K to 5
1 Favorites
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This website provides a lesson plan with detailed instructions, objectives, standards and more. Students are asked to make a haunted house carrier for their delicious Halloween candy....more
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This website provides a lesson plan with detailed instructions, objectives, standards and more. Students are asked to make a haunted house carrier for their delicious Halloween candy. Treat your students to this "yummy" lesson.
tag(s): halloween (46)
In the Classroom
Your students could also make these crafts as a service project for less-fortunate children and fill the carriers with small toys, stickers, and toiletry items to be shared with children in local homeless or domestic violence shelters. Consider making Halloween a time to share.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Monster Mash - Cara Bafile
Grades
3 to 12
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Students play inventor or entrepreneur and create a "monster mash" in this open-ended, creative activity. A detailed lesson plan, standards and an assessment are provided. ...more
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Students play inventor or entrepreneur and create a "monster mash" in this open-ended, creative activity. A detailed lesson plan, standards and an assessment are provided.
tag(s): halloween (46)
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Literary Bash - Cara Bafile
Grades
3 to 12
1 Favorites
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This website provides a lesson plan that was designed to use around Halloween. There are objectives, assessments, and standards provided. This lesson is all about throwing a "literary...more
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This website provides a lesson plan that was designed to use around Halloween. There are objectives, assessments, and standards provided. This lesson is all about throwing a "literary bash" in honor of your class's favorite piece of literature (Harry Potter is used an example). This activity is an excellent alternative to a traditional Halloween party.
tag(s): halloween (46)
In the Classroom
Use this lesson plan, and tailor it to fit your unit in almost any content area - math, english, history, science, etc. Though this lesson was intended just for Language Arts classes, most content areas also have books or common themes that this could apply to. Use this lesson plan after a test or towards the end of the year when students might need a break from the traditional classroom routines. This is a great way to make sure students get some substance of a "break" while keeping it academic! Be sure to save this as a favorite on your classroom computer to allow for easy reference later on.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Guess Who's Coming To Our Classroom - Cara Bafile
Grades
3 to 8
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This website provides a lesson plan, standards, reproducible worksheets and more. The lesson was designed to use around Halloween. The students are challenged to help Miss Terie (get...more
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This website provides a lesson plan, standards, reproducible worksheets and more. The lesson was designed to use around Halloween. The students are challenged to help Miss Terie (get it - mystery) research a new Halloween activity for her class. Everything is provided and excitement is guaranteed - kids love a mystery! This lesson integrates famous people from history, using technology, and solving a mystery.
tag(s): halloween (46)
In the Classroom
Use this as an alternative to the candy-filled holiday party. Ask parent volunteers to help out.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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literature.org - knowledge matters limited
Grades
6 to 12
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This online digital library offers authors only in the public domain but its advantage is that the list of authors is manageable, and items are easy to find. From ...more
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This online digital library offers authors only in the public domain but its advantage is that the list of authors is manageable, and items are easy to find. From Aesop to Lucy Maud Montgomery to the Bronte sisters, the featured writers are of high interest and often used in middle school and high school classrooms. Besides classical literature, works of philosophy by Descartes and Hobbes, a play by Voltaire, poetry by Milton, and children's favorites by authors such as L. Frank Baum, Louisa May Alcott, and E. Nesbit make up the body of selections. Users can search for the desired text by author.
tag(s): literature (214)
In the Classroom
Use the texts from these sites as samples for grammar study, literature, and more. Since the works are in the public domain, you may copy/paste the text into files to print, for use on an interactive whiteboard, or as the text portion of multimedia projects.Some ideas: Students can use these digital texts and add digital photographs, for example, for creative projects using poetry and images on a specific theme. Students could also collect examples of different literary devices and put them into a PowerPoint show with images or explanations.
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The Giving Tree Lesson - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 8
5 Favorites
0 Comments
A Christmas gift from one of our own staff, this lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree is sure to get students thinking about the Christmas spirit. We're ...more
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A Christmas gift from one of our own staff, this lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree is sure to get students thinking about the Christmas spirit. We're also offering a place for you to share your students' responses on TeachersFirst's own giving tree.
tag(s): charactered (86), christmas (31), empathy (67), guided reading (31), writing (307)
In the Classroom
This lesson can be adapted for use in a language arts class with students of varying ability levels in grades 2 - 8. This lesson is also well-suited to a multi-age activity with "big buddies" and "little buddies" from upper and lower grades working together. School counselors and emotional support teachers may find this activity helpful for small groups working on social skills, character education, and specific traits such as empathy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Official Kwanzaa Website - Official Kwanza Website
Grades
K to 12
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Developed with the cooperation of the man who began it all, this site offers lots and lots of detail on every facet of the Kwanzaa observance and celebration. This makes ...more
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Developed with the cooperation of the man who began it all, this site offers lots and lots of detail on every facet of the Kwanzaa observance and celebration. This makes it a great resource whether you're planning your own celebration or developing a lesson about the holiday. For students with Kwanzaa questions, this would be a great resource.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (177), holidays (280), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Enhance student learning by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) links. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Treasures & Trees, Dragons & Dreams - Lucy the Leprechaun - Spun Silk Web Design
Grades
K to 5
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Lucy the Leprechaun is a children's story about a little girl leprechaun and her encounter with a dragon. ...more
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Lucy the Leprechaun is a children's story about a little girl leprechaun and her encounter with a dragon.
tag(s): holidays (280), st patricks day (10)
In the Classroom
Share the short story on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Or have students read together in cooperative learning groups. You may want to use a guided reading tool like eMargin, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Librivox
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Download audio recordings of books and poetry in the public domain (free from copyright issues). All books are read and recorded by volunteers for this site. Several options are available...more
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Download audio recordings of books and poetry in the public domain (free from copyright issues). All books are read and recorded by volunteers for this site. Several options are available for downloading, including podcasts. Hear selections read in other languages (Note that the public domain applies in the U.S. and may not apply in other languages/countries). You can search for works by category, genre, author, title, or reader. The site welcomes volunteer readers. The collection is constantly growing, so check back often.
tag(s): audbk (25), audio books (43), listening (117), literature (214), poetry (195)
In the Classroom
Use these for read-along listening, to help weaker readers or ENL/ELL students, or to practice listening and pronunciation. World language and literature teachers can play poetry or passages from literary texts in class or assign them as homework. Make sure you have headphones or speakers for your computer, if needed. High school club advisers might like to offer this as a service opportunity for students to become readers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Public Domain Books On-Line - Jeff Kelley
Grades
3 to 12
3 Favorites
2 Comments
This privately done digitized library focuses on books published before 1923, primarily those with magnificent illustrations. Books digitized are in the public domain and are also available...more
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This privately done digitized library focuses on books published before 1923, primarily those with magnificent illustrations. Books digitized are in the public domain and are also available through the large digitization projects underway, such as Google Books. This site's charm is its ease of use. Users can search by the author's last name or by using a list of subject categories. Because the project is relatively small, it's fun to browse through the offerings before deciding on a specific choice. The quality of the digitization is excellent and appears to offer complete works. Some books have been reformatted, presumably to allow viewing consistency.
tag(s): digital reading (18), ebooks (49)
In the Classroom
Because these books are in the public domain (i.e., older), their language is not "contemporary." The texts would make excellent reading comprehension passages or cultural studies of past times, and you need not worry about copying/pasting text from these into other software or making copies. You could even use them as passages on an interactive whiteboard to practice "main idea" or parts of speech.The illustrations are beautiful and straightforward. Print out some great artwork for your classroom bulletin boards, copyright-free!
The myths/legends collection would be great for upper elementary or later mythology units. Students can also use the passages and illustrations to create multimedia "tales" of their own. Give them the opening passage and let them write the rest.
Comments
The myths/legends collection would be great for upper elementary or later mythology unitsDavid, VA, Grades: 4 - 8
The illustrations are simple and beautiful.David, VA, Grades: 4 - 8
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Story Corps - NPR
Grades
3 to 12
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NPR is amassing a collection of oral histories by traveling across the country and talking to average people. On this website, users can read or listen to the stories told ...more
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NPR is amassing a collection of oral histories by traveling across the country and talking to average people. On this website, users can read or listen to the stories told by a wide variety of Americans. Click "Tell your story" to find Locations & Reservations for traveling Mobile Booths or directions to record on your own. The Do It Yourself guide includes tips on interview questions and an interview check list. Started in 2003, the site has many stories in its archives and frequently adds updates.
tag(s): digital storytelling (166), podcasts (165)
In the Classroom
Use this site to reconnect your students with those of other generations and geographic locations. Turn up your speakers and listen to some examples in your classroom. You can even use the story collection site as a model to start your own oral history project for your class or the entire school. You may not want to actually place your recording on the NPR site but instead house them locally in your school or community web site. As major events occur in your community, such as an anniversary or the opening of a new school, engage your students in documenting the event. The general interview guides offer useful interview techniques for school newspapers or news broadcasts, as well.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Headliners - Headliners/formerly Children's Express
Grades
3 to 12
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Formerly Children's Express, this relaunched site offers contemporary stories, mostly about life in the UK, at levels children can easily understand. The site is intended to develop...more
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Formerly Children's Express, this relaunched site offers contemporary stories, mostly about life in the UK, at levels children can easily understand. The site is intended to develop learning through journalism for ages 8-19. Although a bit slow to load, the archive offers stories organized by subject matter. The focus is on young people, with lots of interviews and hot topics. Qualified UK youngsters can become writers for upcoming news pieces, and all readers can read about how these young people became reporters.
tag(s): journalism (74), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Use the stories to teach reading comprehension skills, especially inferencing, since American students will need to use context to figure out some of the terminology and background written by British students. Try projecting a story and asking student how to find context clues to explain what the story is about. If you have an interactive whiteboard or projector use the tools to mark clues. Then use these stories as models for writing activities on topics that matter to your students. You may want to create a guided reading activity using Read Ahead, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Kidspired Frostytales - Patricia Knox and Susan Silverman
Grades
K to 2
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Teachers from around the country participated in this online collaborative project and share their ideas and Kidspiration templates on this site. The activities are based on children's...more
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Teachers from around the country participated in this online collaborative project and share their ideas and Kidspiration templates on this site. The activities are based on children's literature with a winter theme. Kidspiration is required. Get a free demo from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page (click on Inspiration).
tag(s): concept mapping (17), writing (307)
In the Classroom
Pick your favorite winter book from the student sample section and download the template on to a classroom computer. Be sure to follow district policies for downloading information from the Internet. You need the software to make the template work. The demo versions are good for 30 days only, but doing a project using a demo is a great way to demonstrate to budget committees why they might consider purchasing the software for your school.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kidspired Tales: A Collaborative Project - Patricia Knox and Susan Silverman
Grades
K to 3
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Are you interested in using concept mapping but don't know where to begin? This site is loaded with activities teachers have created using Kidspiration. For this project, classes read...more
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Are you interested in using concept mapping but don't know where to begin? This site is loaded with activities teachers have created using Kidspiration. For this project, classes read a book and wrote a different ending or sequel as a class. Teachers then created a follow up activity in any content area using Kidspiration. Samples of the projects, tutorials and templates are available. Kidspiration is required to fully view the samples. Get a 30-day trial from the link provided. TeachersFirst is not recommending purchase of this specific program and is not affiliated with Inspiration or Kidspiration.
tag(s): concept mapping (17)
In the Classroom
Choose a book and template that fits your curriculum. Load Kidspiration on a classroom computer for students to complete when they have time. As always, follow your district's policies on loading software onto district computers. Many of these activities are easily adaptable to Inspiration, the "older" version of the concept-mapping program.For a free online software alternative see Gliffy .
Note: This site is on a school server and gets busier during the school day. Be patient waiting for it to open!
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Lateral Puzzles - WebRing
Grades
3 to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
Build higher level thinking skills, especially flexibility in how students visualize and interpret a brief story. This challenging and interactive website has Lateral puzzles, both...more
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Build higher level thinking skills, especially flexibility in how students visualize and interpret a brief story. This challenging and interactive website has Lateral puzzles, both "active" and "solved." Registration is required if you guess an answer to one of the "active" puzzles. Registration is not necessary for reading the puzzles and clues. This site gives a lateral puzzle, and then the readers can ask questions to the original poster. Some of the "solved" puzzles could be used with younger students. However, the site is geared towards middle school and high school aged students.
Not sure what a Lateral Puzzle is? Read the FAQ section!
Not sure what a Lateral Puzzle is? Read the FAQ section!
tag(s): gifted (63), puzzles (164), thinking skills (116)
In the Classroom
Challenge your class with a "lateral puzzle of the day". This site would be perfect for your gifted students or to get everyone thinking at the start of class. Be sure to include the link on your web page! For an extra challenge when students have mastered the puzzles, ask them to analyze how they work and write some of their own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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S. E. Hinton - S. E. Hinton & Limemachine Design
Grades
7 to 10
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Here is the official website of a popular young adult author. S. E. Hinton burst on the literary scene with the book "The Outsiders," written when she was only 17. ...more
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Here is the official website of a popular young adult author. S. E. Hinton burst on the literary scene with the book "The Outsiders," written when she was only 17. Her youth has always appealed to young readers, as well as her young subject matter. This is a typical official website that includes biographical information, with information on her books and movie adaptations. The book's pages include the author's comments, as well as short excerpts and summaries of the works.
In the Classroom
A good source of material about the author. This site will also steer kids to her other works. The BIO will probably answer questions many of your students have about her stories and where she gets her ideas, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hatrack River- The Official Website of Orson Scott Card - Hatrack Enterprises
Grades
8 to 12
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As official websites go, this one is comprehensive. The menus at the top of the page will take you to Card's biography, a "library" of his works -that allows you ...more
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As official websites go, this one is comprehensive. The menus at the top of the page will take you to Card's biography, a "library" of his works -that allows you to download one copy of any of his works, from novels to short stories, reviews, articles, plays, and a writer's workshop with an area just for teachers. This is a real find for anyone who teaches Card or is interested in getting students who do to write and research online.
tag(s): authors (114)
In the Classroom
There is plenty here to like. Card has made this site as user-friendly as possible and still include a wide variety of things. Clicking on the research area will give you the teacher links. Caution: there are ads on the left column and a store; however, you must register to purchase anything, so it's fairly safe at school. The site is too good to pass up because of ads, but you might want to just pull some of this yourself for your class. If you want to watch his version of "Romeo and Juliet," you must have Quicktime.You will definitely want to include this among your authors links if you have students doing research and reports.
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Avi - Avi
Grades
2 to 9
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The official site of the juvenile and young adult writer Avi, this homepage offers a list of titles from early readers to young adults, a biography, ghost stories, adventure stories,...more
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The official site of the juvenile and young adult writer Avi, this homepage offers a list of titles from early readers to young adults, a biography, ghost stories, adventure stories, and more. If you teach Avi, this is a good source of background information for teachers. Did you know Avi has a twin sister? Read a list of questions and answers about Avi to learn more. From the top menu, find "educators," "teaching materials," readers' theater," and "Avi and others read aloud." Show the kids a recent picture of this student-fascinating author. Share the section "writing tips" from the top menu and find Six Secrets to Good Writing to share with your students, as well.
In the Classroom
There is a link to click at the top "speaking" that shows how to have a "virtual visit," "personal visit," "presentations (teacher in-service, library presentation, and conferences,) and "upcoming events." Share this site on your teacher web page to encourage young writers or as a feature when your class is sharing an Avi book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Raise a Reader - Illinois Reading Council
Grades
K to 4
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The Illinois Reading Council has selected 12 favorite children's books and created many activities to go with the books. Many of the books may be ones you include in ...more
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The Illinois Reading Council has selected 12 favorite children's books and created many activities to go with the books. Many of the books may be ones you include in your classroom or find in your literature series. These activities include books and newspapers as well as reading and writing. The activities are designed to be used within families but most would be appropriate for classroom use. Besides the twelve featured books, there are more extensive bibliographies divided by grade level.
tag(s): family (53)
In the Classroom
Suggest this site to parents to help their children with reading by including the link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter sent home. You might want to share the list with your school librarian in case children ask for the books.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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