Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Bing Fun offers a selection of web-based mini games in a variety of formats like puzzles and trivia quizzes. Scroll down the page to choose from the available options including quizzes on current news and geography. Most quizzes offer several options for level of difficulty, the current news quiz allows students and teachers to select quizzes for several different weeks.

tag(s): logic (161), Microsoft (80), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), trivia (19)

Immersive Reader is a free Microsoft Learning Tool available for use with several Microsoft products including OneNote, Word, Outlook, and Edge. Immersive Reader dictates text and offers several options for personalization. Use the options to adjust the playback speed, highlight text during the audio reading, and adjust text size and spacing. Click on any word in your reading material to listen to the pronunciation. Additional options allow you to view words divided into syllables, use labels to color-code words by parts of speech, and increase the spacing between lines and letters. Use the line focus feature to highlight only small portions of text. Turn on the dictionary option to select words and view drawings representing the meanings. This tool is a wonderful resource for your special needs students and struggling readers!

tag(s): adhd (28), differentiation (84), disabilities (32), dyslexia (11), Microsoft (80), multilingual (77), reading comprehension (149), Special Needs (53), text to speech (20)

Design Wizard is an online photo editor app. Create an account using email or login with a Facebook or Google account and verify with a link sent to your email. Choose the link to create a new design to access tools on the dashboard. Choose from thousands of templates and images to create designs for social media, cards, posters, book covers, and much more. When finished, use links to download or share. Note: a great deal of the preloaded content is not free; however, Design Wizard allows users to upload their own images to edit and share.

tag(s): design (79), graphic design (49), images (263), social media (48)

Explore the many resources shared by National Geographic at their home base created for educators. Monthly features highlight and share information related to current events. Select the "Teaching Resources" link to find ideas, activities, lessons, and units all searchable by grade and topic. Also, this section includes educational games and teacher guides. Choose the "Reference" link to find news and media information from the past plus current events. Be sure also to visit the "Mapping" section to find printable maps, mapmaking kits, and interactive maps.

tag(s): animal homes (57), biodiversity (36), climate (84), climate change (99), democracy (24), energy (133), habitats (92), map skills (63), native americans (109), oceans (149), planets (113), preK (271), space (222), stars (71), women (151)

Think of everyone in the world living on one street; the poorest people are on the left and the rich on the right. Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. That is the setup of Dollar Street, a searchable, visual database sharing income features from 264 families from around 50 countries and including over 30,000 photos. Take a quick tour to learn how to use the interactive and understand financial guidelines used based on income per month. Use the drop-down boxes to select specific criteria including the number of beds, homes, or family snapshots. An additional dropbox allows you to select specific countries to view.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (173), cultures (180), family (51), financial literacy (93), globe (12), homes (5)

Do you need help finding interesting adjectives? Describing Words is your answer. Enter any noun into the search box to create a list of possible adjectives (and phrases!) to include. Click any word in the list to view a definition and select additional related words. Sort your list by usage frequency or by uniqueness. Other links provide more resources for related words to the one used initially.

tag(s): creative writing (124), parts of speech (39), writing (325)

Explore educational videos providing help with Google products on this YouTube Channel. The site provides playlists offering support for Chromebooks, protecting and using Google accounts, using Gmail and Drive, and much more. Choose individual videos or select playlists by topic to find up to date help in using Google tools. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): Google (47), video (266)

The Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) has an extensive collection of resources for integrating technology into classroom instruction. Find over 100,000 pieces of digital content including clip art, audio files, historical maps, and more for classroom use by students and teachers. Find resources and professional development in their Technology Integration Matrix (TIM), reviewed here, including graphics, PDF's, and evaluation tools. Each month FCIT curates and shares digital collections related to holidays and important events in history.

tag(s): images (263), maps (220), professional development (385), teaching strategies (50)

This site from New Zealand provides many different games focused on the environment and ecology. Select from various titles such as Electric Vehicle Race and Catch the Rubbish. Each activity includes a suggested age level and level of difficulty. Be sure to read the directions for how to play the games and earn points.

tag(s): earth day (60), ecology (103), forests (30), pollution (52), ponds (3), recycling (46)

Curate, organize and share web content with Weje (formerly Webjets). Create your account and begin working with your Weje desktop. Use links at the bottom of your workspace to add lists, mindmaps, folders, and more. Drag and drop content from your computer and add to your workspace. Install the bookmarklet onto your computer browser to automatically push information into your inbox. Weje operates on a system using "boardss." After creating a board, personalize content by changing backgrounds and adding information. Collaborate with others by sharing boards and allowing them to edit information.

tag(s): digital storytelling (154), microblogging (14), organizational skills (88)

Notion's goal is to be your all-in-one workspace as an alternative to using several different software tools. Use Notion to write, create lists and spreadsheets, collaborate, and more. Notion uses a concept called blocks to add information. Each block is a single piece of content such as a to-do list or an embedded file. Click the menu on each page to open items or add content. Notion's free plans offer up to 600 blocks on your workspace or unlimited blocks using a mobile device and up to 5MB per file upload.

tag(s): calendars (37), collaboration (93), organizational skills (88), spreadsheets (23)

Create interactive video experiences with Timelinely. Just paste your YouTube video URL to get started and bring up your video to annotate. Select any portion of the video timeline and add images, maps, links, and more to the annotation box. Edit and add as many highlights as you like, then publish when complete. You need to create a free account to publish your work. Share using social media links or the Timelinely URL provided after publication.

tag(s): communication (129), digital storytelling (154), video (266)

Create free posters in three easy steps without registration using DesignCap. Begin by selecting a template from the many offerings on the site. Use the tools to edit your poster's features including text, images, and background. Upload your images to use or choose from clipart available in DesignCap. When finished, share to social media using the provided link, download to your computer, or print your project. Registration isn't required; however, it gives you the ability to save projects to your online account.

tag(s): images (263), posters (43)

Androidify any image using this web app or the app on your Android device. Turn the green android into the look you desire. Follow the directions to customize clothing, appearance, and add a signature move. When complete, click the submit link to share on social media sites or download to your computer as a GIF.

tag(s): digital storytelling (154), images (263)

Create memes using your computer or mobile device with Meme Buddy. Meme Buddy works with Google Assistant to build a meme using your instructions for adding an image and text. Change options as you like until your meme looks the way you want. Save to your device to share as desired. Be sure to watch the video for an overview of how Meme Buddy works.

tag(s): creativity (86), DAT device agnostic tool (147), digital storytelling (154), images (263)

This simple site provides a valuable service for anyone with a need to share a daily schedule for a child. Just use the link to add new items to the planner including the time and specific details. When finished, print the completed schedule to share with caregivers.

tag(s): Special Needs (53)

Do you want to start a classroom blog but don't know how to start? This series of articles provides all the information you need from getting started through promoting your blog. Information on this site begins with the most basic information including choosing the appearance of your blog and moves on to cover using and customizing your site. All information in these articles pertains to using WordPress as your platform; however, the tips and information apply to anyone wanting to create a classroom blog.

tag(s): blogs (65)

Stay informed about the latest information on Congress and upcoming legislation with Countable. This site offers summaries of forthcoming and active legislation and includes links for viewers to share their thoughts with legislators. Follow trending information from the home page to view current topics and explore further. Find information on specific topics by choosing the "Issues" drop down box. Depending on the content, articles summarize information, offer options for commenting on either side of issues, and include specific bill information including Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores and possible impacts of the legislation.

tag(s): branches of government (65), congress (40), debate (42), house of representatives (8), persuasive writing (58), senate (10), white house (16)