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After the Deadline - polishmywriting.com
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): editing (84), proofreading (18), writing (305)
In the Classroom
Use this visual revision program with your students who are ready to refine and improve their writing. After the Deadline is a wonderful program to use for revision after self-editing of grammar and mechanics is complete. Put the URL on your website for students and parents to use from home. Remind seniors to use it for their college essays. Use this tool to polish your professional writing, parent newsletters, blog posts, and papers for grad classes!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Group Maker Tool - Instant Classroom
Grades
K to 12tag(s): Teacher Utilities (182)
In the Classroom
Although a bit awkward and slow to get started, this tool is helpful for creating random groups for many purposes. It is best to create your class list ahead of time then you can easily create groups anytime on the fly! Use this tool to create groups for cooperative learning, class plays, presentations, computer centers, field trips, and much more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Historic Aerials - Nationwide Environmental Title Research LLC
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): map skills (63), maps (215)
In the Classroom
Share photos on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Access either an aerial photograph or historic topographic map of the city you live in. How has the area changed over the years? What does that change tell you about the growth (or decline) of the population? What landmarks appear on later views or are missing from older views? These maps illustrate the way cities and towns grow and change or can provide helpful context and visual impact for discussions of historical events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Typing Lessons That Work - keybr.com
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): computers (109), keyboarding (27), noregistration (81)
In the Classroom
Everyone will benefit by learning to type faster. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students practice their touch typing independently. No need to have them sign up. They will see their speed and errors at the end of each list given to them. That information will accumulate for as long as they continue the practice. They could keep their results in a word document or a Google Doc. For more about Google Docs and Templates see the review here. Be sure to watch and see that students are using the proper touch typing position (no two finger typing!). Share this site with your students who are struggling with writing. Offer students the opportunity to learn to type in addition to write!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teach World War One History with Food - American Historical Association
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): nutrition (134), world war 1 (84)
In the Classroom
Use these short videos to make life during World War I come alive. Consider asking students to make some of these recipes themselves at home, or if it's feasible, prepare an authentic meal at school as a treat during the unit. Students might discuss the issue of food rationing during both World War I and II as a contrast to the widespread availability of all kinds of food today. How is food rationing a patriotic act? Challenge students to find other popular recipes from this time in history. Have students video the preparation and explanation of the recipe. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Getty Collection Images - Getty Images
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (255), photography (129)
In the Classroom
Use this site in every subject area where images can convey concepts or students make projects. Share an intriguing photo on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a writing prompt for a short story (or poem). Use images for extra practice when writing in world languages, by having students describe the scene or tell a story about it. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. When looking for free materials for use in projects or to place on websites, begin the search here. Be sure to keep a link to this site on your wiki, blog, or web page for students to use whenever they are working on a project. Not comfortable with wikis or blogs? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through and Blog Basics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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News in Pictures - BBC
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): news (220), newspapers (89), photography (129)
In the Classroom
Use the photos on this page as a jumping off site for many activities. Challenge students to read about the same topic/news using a different site and then writing a comparison essay. Students can submit their own photos for consideration. Students can learn summary writing by looking at these photos and writing briefly what happened. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Thinglink, reviewed here.This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to upload a copyright-safe photo, and then narrate as if it were a news report. Students of multiple ability levels can respond to the photos, each at their own ability level.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TrackStar - 4Teachers.org
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bookmarks (31), curation (22), gamification (94), webquests (8)
In the Classroom
Create an Internet activity that is useful for students and allows them to work independently or with a partner in class or at home. Demonstrate on an interactive whiteboard or projector how to use the track. Be sure to put the URL for the track on your class website. This tool would be great for flipping your classroom. Students could read and view the sites at home and come to class with their work and their questions ready for a discussion. Create a bank of resources for each content unit within your subject or classroom. Use for web treasure hunts to learn or introduce any topic within your content area. Use for directed research. Search the ready-made tracks by subject, grade level, theme, track number, etc. to find one to use with your class. Collect links to informational texts for students to read "closely" a la CCSS. Students or student groups can create Trackstars of the resources they use for a project. Use with faculty and staff to showcase a variety of tools for professional development. Create Tracks you can share with other teachers in your building or district. If you would like to know more about webquests see TeachersFirst Webquest 101Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Venn Diagram - 3 Circles - ReadWriteThink
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): graphic organizers (53), noregistration (81), venn diagrams (12)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the use of this with a student filling in the three circle Venn Diagram on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students compare and contrast three well-known topics such as three television shows or sports. Ask students to suggest the items for the list for each circle. Have your demonstrator show how to drag and drop the items into the circle or overlap area. Then have small groups or individual students create their own Venn Diagrams. Venn Diagrams may be used in any grade level or content area. Use the 3 Circle Venn Diagrams as an icebreaker or beginning of the year activity. Randomly place three students together and have them use the Venn Diagram to show their similarities and differences. Use when forming new small groups during the year for students to get to know each other better. Use the three circle Venn Diagram as a study aid when reviewing a unit in science or history before a test. Compare and contrast three characters, three different versions of the same story, or a literary work and a painting and song, or a painting and film. Another suggestion is to have students compare books in a series and the shared elements in the books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Texas Performance Standards Project - Texas Performance Standards Project
Grades
K to 12tag(s): differentiation (79), gifted (63)
In the Classroom
Use this site to meet the needs of your gifted students. Use guides and materials to differentiate instruction in your classroom. Share with other teachers as a resource for collaboration with students across classrooms.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Center on Representative Government - Indiana University
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): branches of government (60), civil rights (216), comics and cartoons (53), congress (39), politics (120), primary sources (119), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
Clearly, this is a great resource for those teaching civics or US government. These activities will also be useful to US History teachers, as the issues covered span important political eras. For example, there are activities related to women's suffrage, the child labor movement, the GI Bill and the development of the Interstate Highway system. Lesson plans range from those designed to cover several days, to short "Congressional moments" videos perfect for introducing a concept or sparking class discussion. A number of the lesson plans and activities are designed specifically for iPads. Of note also is the fact that the video clips on the site are not links to YouTube, so will not pose an access problem for school districts that block the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Climate Time Machine - NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/CIT
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): antarctica (25), arctic (32), carbon dioxide (9), carbon footprint (5), climate (95), climate change (110), temperature (33)
In the Classroom
Want to get students attention? Begin with the Average Global Temperature on an Interactive Whiteboard or projector. Start the slider slowly at 1884 and be sure to pause and back up when global temperatures become cooler. However, be sure to point out to students that even though temperatures cycle a bit through time, as you progress to present day, much warmer temperatures persist. Follow this demonstration. How does this visualization compare to Carbon Emissions? Spend time in class looking at the Sea Level changes and list the areas that will be affected the most because of sea level rise. Create reports or posters about the various facts about those areas (populations, points of interest, culture, and history) to understand what will be lost. Have students create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Create a campaign for halting climate change beginning with simple actions that EVERYONE can make. Take time to determine each student's carbon footprint and changes that matter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Statue of Liberty Virtual Tour - National Park Service
Grades
K to 12tag(s): american revolution (84), art history (102), landmarks (20), virtual field trips (130)
In the Classroom
In the age of shrinking opportunities for field trips, jump right in! Find out about the partnership between the United States and France and how they collaborated together. Explore partnerships between countries. Add this amazing piece of art into a unit about American Revolution and determine its significance.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nearpod - Nearpod
Grades
K to 12When in the "live presentation" mode (in person or remote web conferencing), teachers control the lesson's pace, and students do not move to the next screen until advanced by the teacher. With the "student pace" mode, students progress through independently, whether at home or in class. The third mode is "front of the class;" you project your presentation, and the students do not use their devices. Use the teacher version of the app to push out the presentation to your students. For the first two modes, every student uses their own student app to follow the screens and answer the questions. This provides immediate feedback about every student. The feedback can be emailed to the teacher for later review. This formative assessment tool is invaluable and a unique part of the app. The tool also includes drawing for students to work out problems. Teachers can identify students who are not "on task" and not working within the app when a little red light pops up. Absent students can complete the assignment at home.
The free version of Nearpod for Educators is called Silver; you get 100 MB of storage, 40 students per session/lesson, access to standard formative assessments features, pre-made interactive lessons up to your storage limit, pre-made interactive videos up to your storage limit, create interactive videos, lessons, and activities, upload PDF, PPT, and Google slides, and more. Again, how many lessons and videos will depend on your storage.
tag(s): assessment (130), classroom management (108), DAT device agnostic tool (125), differentiation (79), Formative Assessment (44), gamification (94), Learning Management Systems (18), multimedia (57), Online Learning (31), personalized learning (10), playlists (5), remote learning (31), slides (38), Teacher Utilities (182), teaching strategies (59)
In the Classroom
This is an exciting way to begin iPad (or BYOD), blended learning, or remote learning integration into the classroom. Initially it may be difficult to determine the best pacing of the lesson, the ability to slow down the advancement of the next screen allows more time to digest the information. Be aware that students needing more time may be very frustrated as the screen may advance before they are able to finish. Start small by uploading presentations and using JPEG and other images. Add interactive elements such as polls and videos. Grab students attention by using the first slide to deliver a piece of humorous information. Create guided learning stations and push out several presentations to different devices as students move through the various lessons to be learned. This technique can be helpful for struggling learners. Use this tool to help reinforce the most difficult parts of the lesson. Use the app to create schedules for training, clubs, and more. For English, learn about grammar rules, sentence structure, and other elements necessary for good writing. For ENL/ESL classes and world languages, practice various vocabulary words and learn tenses of verbs. Learn vocabulary and basic scientific concepts in any science class or facts about historical periods in history classes. This app is a valuable tool in any classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Newshour Classroom - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil rights (216), elections (83), holocaust (42), memorial day (19), news (220), pearl harbor (15), poetry (190), veterans (29), women (184), world war 2 (167)
In the Classroom
Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, extend student learning by having your students engage in a debate using a tool such as Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes - Lowell Milken Center
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): charactered (77), heroes (23), Project Based Learning (27)
In the Classroom
Share stories from the Unsung Heroes project on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Discuss traits that make a hero and find inspiration to search for heroes in your everyday lives. Use this site as a starting point for individual or group projects. All types of classes can complete a project about an unsung hero. P.E. classes can find out about veterans, surfers, or car accident victims who have lost limbs and used their challenges to make a difference. Math and science students can complete an Internet search for high school inventors. Students could also search through old Scholastic Scope magazines for articles about young people who have overcome adversity. Instead of a paper and pen written biography, extend students' learning by using Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a hero they have chosen. Modify student learning by challenging them to create an annotated image of a hero including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Copy Paste Character - Konst & Teknik & Martin
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to easily find symbols for use on your class webpage, newsletters, and lessons. Share with students as a resource for finding characters and symbols for use on any project. Add this link to your class website for students (and families) to access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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P.org - iParadigms, LLC & TurnItIn LLC
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): citations (30), plagiarism (31), Research (79), summarizing (25)
In the Classroom
Meet your Common Core standards for nonfiction reading using the pages at this informative site! In addition, every student who creates a report, presentation, speech, or project, in any subject, needs to know this information. Consider dividing and presenting this site with a teacher in another curriculum, so students get the idea that this is information for EVERY class. Modify learning and consider presenting the information, questions, and quizzes using a tool such as Vevox, reviewed here. Vevox will integrate with Microsoft Teams and PowerPoint, and you can have instantaeous question and answer sessions. Then you can quiz students on the information. Moreover, this program will make this text heavy, but necessary material, much more tolerable for your students. You may want to challenge your gifted and musically inclined students to create a rap highlighting the important information they learned about plagiarism and citing sources. Have them teach the rap to the rest of the class. Or enhance learning and have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. If you are flipping your classroom and having students to watch the videos residing on YouTube at home, you may want to use Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add your own voice or add questions within the video and hold students accountable.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PhotoFunia - Capsule Digital
Grades
K to 12tag(s): collages (17), comics and cartoons (53), DAT device agnostic tool (125), editing (84), images (255), photography (129), posters (42)
In the Classroom
You do not need to be artistic to transform a personal or stock photo into a stunning work of art or even an amusing image. Adjust any image's color intensity, value, and hue using the filters. Use this tool anytime that photos need to be edited for use in class blogs, newsletters, wikis, or websites. In primary grades, this tool can be helpful for teachers to use when editing pictures from field trips, science experiments, and other activities. Share the editing process with your younger students using your interactive whiteboard or projector. Edit together! Engage older students by encouraging them to use this site to find images for their projects or presentations. Use the features and effects to edit pictures to fit the styles of photos when doing historical reports or to set the mood.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - 20th Century America, Part 1 (1900-1945) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 1900s (80), 1910s (26), 1920s (17), 1930s (40), 1940s (68), 20th century (168), book lists (156), great depression (31), independent reading (81), world war 1 (84), world war 2 (167)
In the Classroom
Make the first half of the 20th century come alive during your unit on American History. Have students choose a book from this list and present their impressions from it in the form of a blog post from the times. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Tumblr, reviewed here. Collect the links to all the student posts on your class web page for students to browse and gather a "human" experience of history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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