Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Learn through two different timelines (the 1940s and 1980s) the story about the friendship of a Chinese American 12-year-old boy and a Japanese American girl. It is set in the city of Seattle and its cultural, musical, political, and social conflicts at the height of the WWII. The plot focuses on the painful separation of friends during the confining of Japanese Americans to internment camps. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 9-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards and ISTE Student Standards. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): 1940s (14), 1980s (7), cross cultural understanding (173), virtual field trips (128), world war 2 (161)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Edward Tulane is a special, porcelain rabbit, custom-made by 10-year-old Abilene Tulane's grandmother. Abilene treats him like a human. Then one day, while vacationing on the RMS Queen Mary, he falls overboard. Edward learns that real happiness comes from opening his heart to friendship. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 3-5. Content correlates to Common Core Standards and ISTE Student Standards. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): 1930s (20), character education (79), emotions (49), virtual field trips (128)

This collection shares a few simple tools and tips to get you started with remote teaching social studies for students in grades 6-8. The tips provide specific ideas for maintaining a calendar and sharing due dates with students. The instructional tool shared, Mission US, reviewed here, includes five simulations that engage students while learning about US History. Other ideas found in this collection provide links and resources for assessment and additional interactive challenges for your remote teaching needs.

tag(s): civil rights (209), game based learning (205), immigration (68), native americans (109), professional development (385)

Take your remote teaching activities to the next level with these research resources for grades 3-5. Each suggestion includes information about the online resource and how to get started. Additional resources include links to TeachersFirst blogs and other primary source links with ideas for classroom use.

tag(s): professional development (385), Research (87)

Remote teaching involves a different mindset than in-classroom lessons. This collection shares tips, resources, and assessment tools to get remote learning off to a successful start. Follow the advice to encourage continued interactions with students through the use of digital tools. Use the instructional tools to provide interactive learning activities. Follow up learning activities using the assessment suggestions offered in the collection. Extend learning with continued use of the shared resources following your return to your regular classroom routines.

tag(s): branches of government (65), capitals (16), maps (220), professional development (385)

Augment your remote teaching resources with this collection of instructional tools and tips for sharing ELA resources for students in grades 3-5. Take advantage of the General Tips provided to plan and implement remote teaching activities. The Instructional Tools section includes several free resources for finding and sharing ELA lessons and activities. Have students "Show What They Know" using the formative assessment ideas contained in the collection.

tag(s): differentiation (84), Formative Assessment (74), independent reading (81), professional development (385)

If you are teaching remotely on short notice, this collection is for you! The simple tips and tools share free resources to get started with providing social studies instruction to our youngest students. Browse through to find ideas on using 'listen and read' activities along with a plan for students to share what they know.

tag(s): animals (295), careers (156), communities (35), preK (271)

Sometimes educators need short notice ideas for student projects that try to fill in instructional gaps with limited guidance or teacher support. This collection shares ideas and resources to get you started with student projects, especially in remote learning situations. Browse through to find a variety of tools for students to "Show What You Know" for web-based formative assessment.

tag(s): assessment (147), Formative Assessment (74), professional development (385)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, Around the World Right Now. Travel through each of the 24 time zones and experience the people, places, and things that exist there. Introduce geography and time-telling as well as the richness and diversity of life on Earth. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades K-5. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts, National Association for Music Education, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): landmarks (22), time (91), time zones (7), virtual field trips (128)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, The 57 Bus. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 7-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): courts (20), emotions (49), racism (79), social and emotional learning (102)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book Buffalo Dance The Journey of York. Get to know York, the only enslaved man on the Lewis and Clark expedition, through these poems that provide insight into how and what York may have felt and thought. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 10-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): 1800s (75), commoncore (73), explorers (64), lewis and clark (14), poetry (193), westward expansion (39)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. Refugee is about three children all trying to escape violent homelands. Each is from a different region in the world, and each is living in a different decade. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using Refugee, written by Alan Gratz. Use the robust teaching guide with students in grades 6-9 as they learn about the struggles of Joseph and his family as they escape from Nazi Germany. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): europe (84), germany (28), immigrants (34), immigration (68), world war 2 (161)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, Every Single Second. In Every Single Second Nella lives in a blue-collar, Little Italy neighborhood where her life is changing as racism is tearing apart her community. This book is a coming-of-age story with an examination of change. Nella learns every second matters and the importance of empathy and kindness. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 5-9. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): character education (79), empathy (34), family (51), racism (79), virtual field trips (128)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book The Journey of York The Unsung Hero of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. York, the only enslaved man on the journey, did not choose to go. Slaves did not have choices. However, his contributions to the expedition were valuable, and this is his story. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 2-6. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): 1800s (75), commoncore (73), explorers (64), lewis and clark (14), native americans (109)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, American Born Chinese. American Born Chinese recounts the tale of three characters: Jin Wang, who moves to another area with his family to find that he's the only Chinese-American at his new school; the Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest Chinese tales; and Chin-Kee, who is typical of the negative Chinese stereotype and is destroying his cousin Danny's life. Their lives and stories meet up with an unforeseen turn in this current tale. Discover their journey to their identity and purpose in life while struggling with others' prejudices, especially how it applies to racism. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 7-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (173), identity (29), racism (79), virtual field trips (128)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks creates a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book, Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades K-4. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): 1900s (72), 20th century (62), elections (82), virtual field trips (128), womens suffrage (52)

TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still. This biographical picture book is about Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast, who had seven perfect scores in the 1976 Olympics. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades K-5. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): biographies (94), commoncore (73), europe (84), sports (82), women (151)