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MindMeister - MeisterLabs GmbH
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
MindMeister is a free mind mapping program. It is easy to use online, on your mobile, or offline. Only the BASIC plan is free, allowing you up to 3 free ...more
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MindMeister is a free mind mapping program. It is easy to use online, on your mobile, or offline. Only the BASIC plan is free, allowing you up to 3 free collaborative mind maps. This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly. There are many highly interactive features: printing, sharing (emailing), and collaborating with others in "real time."
tag(s): brainstorming (19), DAT device agnostic tool (129), graphic organizers (57), mind map (33)
In the Classroom
Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom, as all students will be able to access it for free, regardless of their device. Realize that you can only make three maps for free, but you can always delete old ones to make room. Play with the tools and toolbars to create a mind map; use toolbars to collaborate, publish, or print diagrams. Creating the organizers is of easy to medium difficulty depending upon how elaborate you desire your organizer to be (don't miss the notes feature!). A handy revision "history" helps you see what changes were made when. See the blog for helpful video tutorials and tips. Note: To use the "real-time" collaboration feature, collaborators need individual email accounts to gain access. Note that maps that are "published" can be seen by the public (read-only, so they cannot be altered). If a map is shared via a URL, only those who were "invited" to view the map will be able to see it. However, this does require each viewer to sign up (free) on MindMeister to view this map. You can specify members who may collaborate and make alterations to a map that is not "published." You can also invite other members to view (but not change) unpublished maps. The class can create organizers together, such as in a brainstorming session on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Or, you can assign students in cooperative groups to create a mind map as a study guide for unit content, to collect information for a group research project, or to show examples of an important concept. Use this site for literature activities, research projects, social studies, or science topics. Use this site to create family trees. Have students collaborate (online) to create group mind maps or review charts before tests on a given subject. Have students organize any concepts they study; color-code concepts to show what they understand, wonder, and question; map out a story, plotline, or plan for the future; map out a step-by-step process (life cycle).Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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I Write Like - Coding Robots
Grades
7 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this online tool to check which famous writer you write like. Simply type or copy and paste any text: a journal entry, poem, comment, essay, or a work in ...more
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Use this online tool to check which famous writer you write like. Simply type or copy and paste any text: a journal entry, poem, comment, essay, or a work in progress. For reliable results, include at least a few paragraphs before clicking the analyze button. It's as easy as that. Your word choice and writing style will be compared with those of famous authors. The program doesn't store or use your input for any other purposes. A pop-up may appear asking students to register. You can simply click on the X to close the window. No registration is necessary to use the site.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): authors (113), creative writing (123), noregistration (75), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Use this online tool in a variety of ways. Treat your students to a fun, thought-provoking way for discovering which well known author their writing most resembles. It works like a charm for motivating students to complete their writing assignment in a timely fashion. On the flip side, as an assignment after reading a literary work by Poe, Shakespeare, Dickens, or others, challenge your students to write a piece that resembles that author's style and word choice. Currently the data base has 50 famous authors. No list is available, to enhance the intrigue and keep the fun. If students come across an author they aren't familiar with, have students research the individual.Also, give your students a "heads up" to let them know that teachers and universities book mark this and similar sites to catch plagiarism.
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Semicolon Wars - Mr Nussbaum
Grades
3 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This humorous interactive challenges students to place punctuation correctly into sentences. Semicolons have been abused for years and now they are fighting back! Head over to Punctuation...more
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This humorous interactive challenges students to place punctuation correctly into sentences. Semicolons have been abused for years and now they are fighting back! Head over to Punctuation Island to help semicolons fight the abuse they have suffered from periods, commas and colons. Students will be able to practice all forms of punctuation. Place punctuation correctly into sentences to win this game.
tag(s): punctuation (24)
In the Classroom
Try this activity as a class on your interactive whiteboard or projector. You could print out sentences for students to complete, or use a tool such as Wizer.me, reviewed here, and enter the sentences on an interactive worksheet for student use. Then check together on the interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Use as review before a quiz on semicolons. Share this link on your class website for students to use both in and out of class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Grammar and Words - British Council
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Although this is intended as an ESL/ELL site, the focused activities, exercises, and games apply to teaching grammar in any classroom. The straightforward approach is a rich resource...more
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Although this is intended as an ESL/ELL site, the focused activities, exercises, and games apply to teaching grammar in any classroom. The straightforward approach is a rich resource for those hard-to-grasp grammatical rules and structures. Complete with a quick reference section and explanations, Grammar and Words provides a number of options for practicing grammar and usage. This could also be very useful in an elementary class just being introduced to these concepts of grammar.
In the Classroom
Use this website as a resource to supplement your grammar lessons and as another approach to those "foreign" grammar terms, like clauses and phrases that students find difficult to wrap their heads around. Some of the activities are even appropriate for the upper elementary grades. Make a shortcut to an activity on your classroom computer by RIGHT-clicking in the middle of the page and choosing the option to Create shortcut, to give yourself a quick, easy way to open an introduction or review of the grammar you expect students to be familiar with, and project it on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Why not provide this link on your class website for students to access at home?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ask Philosophers - Ask Philosophers
Grades
9 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Sometimes, right in the middle of an ordinary lesson, a student asks a question that is so profound, so abstract, that it brings the entire class to a screeching halt. ...more
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Sometimes, right in the middle of an ordinary lesson, a student asks a question that is so profound, so abstract, that it brings the entire class to a screeching halt. It's so tempting to say to the student, "We don't have time for that right now..." This site is about those big questions, and it's really very simple. Ordinary people send questions to a panel of philosophers, and the philosophers answer the questions. There are over 3000 questions answered on the site, all indexed by topic or keyword, and be aware that one of the topics is "sex." It's not pornographic, but the questions are direct.
tag(s): questioning (37)
In the Classroom
If you're looking for meaty writing prompts, this site is full of interesting and open-ended questions. The questions might also serve as a good data base for a class learning debate. It may also be helpful for students to see that philosophers use formal rules of thinking in answering their questions; they don't just say what they "feel" is right. Understanding that moral and ethical decision making is based on a set of predetermined principles is a concept that many students struggle with. This site would be useful for teaching ethical decision making with students whose thinking has progressed to the point where they are able to think more abstractly and philosophically: a gifted class perhaps? Have a class wiki dedicated to philosophy and profound questions. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the "TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poll Everywhere - Poll Everywhere
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Create polls that can be answered online or through the use of text messaging. Voters submit answers by sending SMS messages to a short number. Poll everywhere tallies the responses...more
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Create polls that can be answered online or through the use of text messaging. Voters submit answers by sending SMS messages to a short number. Poll everywhere tallies the responses which can then be accessed and viewed. Use the free plan for unlimited question and unlimited voters. Make it visual by creating a word cloud of the responses. Use the apps for PowerPoint or Keynote slides of the poll results and create charts that can be embedded into a web page. There are several other apps such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and ohers. Simple and easy to use!
tag(s): noregistration (75), polls and surveys (43), quiz (62), quizzes (91)
In the Classroom
Users must be able to determine the question and possible responses to generate the poll online. Practice creating your first poll even before creating a login. Enter the suggested question and possible responses to see how the codes are generated and displayed. Respondents text the code word to a specific number displayed on the screen. Be sure to check out the easy to use controls along the side of the screen.Ask a question. Voters choose from the responses and use the SMS code with their mobile phone to send their vote. Cast a vote also using X (formerly Twitter) or on the Internet. Click the gear icon next to the poll to change the size and color of various aspects of the poll. Use the panel along the side to view either a static or live chart, summary table, or response history. Be sure to click on the tab "Ways People Can Respond" to check not only SMS but other methods as well: Web Voting, X (formerly Twitter), and Smartphone. X (formerly Twitter) uses @poll followed by a keyword to tabulate responses. Use the "Download as Slide" tab to choose the type of slide you would like to create. "Share and Publish" using Posterous, X (formerly Twitter), or Blog/web page.
This tool does not show the individual votes of students. Though this tool can be used by students, it may be best used by a teacher.
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study by asking questions about the material. Discuss in groups why those in class would choose a particular answer to uncover misconceptions. Use for Daily quiz questions to gain knowledge of student understanding and a means of formative assessment.
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The Unit on Chinese Mythology - University of the Pacific
Grades
7 to 12
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This easy-to-use lesson plan is focused on helping students understand Chinese Mythology. The lesson suggests an informal discussion for assessment or to assess one of the many activities...more
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This easy-to-use lesson plan is focused on helping students understand Chinese Mythology. The lesson suggests an informal discussion for assessment or to assess one of the many activities suggested. The many recommended websites to read lend themselves to reading comprehension strategies.
tag(s): china (79), chinese (38), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities on this site! This lesson plan would be great for a Philosophy, History, or Chinese language class. Be sure to bookmark the site as a favorite for easy reference later.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Smilebox - Smilebox, Inc.
Grades
5 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This resource allows you to create slide shows, greeting cards, scrapbooks, invitations, collages, and more. There is a free basic program, and paid upgrades are available if desired....more
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This resource allows you to create slide shows, greeting cards, scrapbooks, invitations, collages, and more. There is a free basic program, and paid upgrades are available if desired. For educational purposes, the upgrades are not needed. Photos, videos, and music can all be added to your creations. A Smilebox template must be used to make your creations. Products made with this program can be shared on web pages, blogs, and social networking sites, or emailed for free. Several themes in each category are free. You no longer have to download this program.
tag(s): blogs (77), images (266), movies (52), photography (135), slides (37)
In the Classroom
Upload images from your computer. You can save web images or use screenshots, as well, to be used in your creations. Watch copyright! Check out Awesome Screenshot, reviewed here, for details for a screen shot taker. From there, it is easy to simply click and follow the on-screen instructions. The program is simple to navigate and very user-friendly for those who are accustomed to web tools.With the variety of formats, Smilebox has a wide variety of applications in any type of classroom! For basic technology integration, extend learning with this tool. Use in history class to have students create collages of different time periods, such as the American Civil War. Create topics such as Lincoln's Election, the Gettysburg Address, the Battle of Antietam, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Battle of Gettysburg, and Lee's Surrender. Have pairs or groups of three select topics at random, then create a collage or "scrapbook" of the event. Try having students choose a role from which to create their assignment, such as a Rebel soldier, a Union Soldier, a volunteer nurse, or a mother or father of children fighting on different sides of the war. Have students collect copyright-free images online for their use, or create their own by reenacting scenes and taking photos for their productions. Unleash student creativity by showing them this tool as a resource in creating presentations and projects for your class and others. What a fabulous tool to use on the first day of school (as a welcome), at the beginning of a new unit, or at a back-to-school night with parents! Elementary classes could create whole-class scrapbooks of curriculum projects, such as their science garden or Colonial Days celebration.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Library of Congress Read.gov - Library of Congress
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Here you will find the English teacher's dream come true! Read.gov is from the Library of Congress and is a new website for readers of all ages. The site offers ...more
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Here you will find the English teacher's dream come true! Read.gov is from the Library of Congress and is a new website for readers of all ages. The site offers pages specifically designed for kids and teens, as well as adults, educators, and parents. There is so much here: Contests, books online, book lists, and more. The webcast section is truly extensive. There are Webcasts from famous authors such as R.L. Stine, Jon Scieszka, Jan Brett, David Baldacci, John Grisham, Neil Gaiman, and many more. These webcasts also feature interesting topics such as "Mystery Writers Discuss Their Craft" and "The Nuts and Bolts of Historical Fiction," among others.
A special feature of the site is an exclusive story, called "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure." The Exquisite Corpse was a game in which someone would start a story, fold over their part, and the next person would add to the story, and on it would go until the last person ended the story. For this Exquisite Corpse, Jon Scieszka started the story and passed it on to Katherine Patterson, who passed it on . . . and so it goes for 18 episodes. The entire story took a year to write to the finish.
A special feature of the site is an exclusive story, called "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure." The Exquisite Corpse was a game in which someone would start a story, fold over their part, and the next person would add to the story, and on it would go until the last person ended the story. For this Exquisite Corpse, Jon Scieszka started the story and passed it on to Katherine Patterson, who passed it on . . . and so it goes for 18 episodes. The entire story took a year to write to the finish.
tag(s): audint (13), audio books (43), authors (113), digital storytelling (166), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Check out "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure" and have students listen to the stories. As a challenge ask students to look at the differences in writing style for each of the authors. Project a chart about the plot and the writing style on your interactive whiteboard or projector, and have students list the differences and similarities in writing style. Another idea for an activity is to have the students read the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling (not found on this site) and then have them read the very touching national contest winner letter to the author about his poem found here. Students could then write their own letters to an author of a favorite book or poem. Extend student learning and have students create podcasts to read their letters to the authors using a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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conjugation.com - Best Practice
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
See the conjugation of any English verb for free. This site conjugates over 15,000 verbs in all 3 forms: affirmative, interrogative, and negative, and in all tenses, genders, persons,...more
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See the conjugation of any English verb for free. This site conjugates over 15,000 verbs in all 3 forms: affirmative, interrogative, and negative, and in all tenses, genders, persons, voices, and moods. An added advantage at this site is you can see the definition of the verb. Other nice features are an example of the verb used in a sentence and a synonym of the verb used in a sentence. If you are a world language teacher, you may want to check back at this brand new site. They say they will next be developing pages to conjugate verbs in languages other than English.
tag(s): grammar (139), parts of speech (40), speech (66), verbs (25), writing (309)
In the Classroom
This site has a source code you can embed on your own wiki or website. In class you can use your interactive whiteboard or projector to show students conjugation.com and have them suggest verbs to be entered and conjugated. They will also learn the names of the verb forms and tenses. Have the ESL and ELL students in your class use this site to check their writing. Underline the verbs in their writing that are not conjugated correctly and let them make the corrections using conjugation.com.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Common Core State Standards - Common Core State Standards Initiative Team
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a nationwide effort led by the National Governor's Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to establish a common set...more
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The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a nationwide effort led by the National Governor's Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to establish a common set of educational standards which aligns benchmarks and expectations across state lines. This system builds on what states are already doing by providing an opportunity to share experiences, best practices, and lessons, while maintaining high expectations that insure the quality of education across America to enable our students to maintain a competitive edge in the global economy.
Visit this website to find out exactly what the national K-12 standards are for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science and technology, as well as mathematics, and to find out if your state is one many states (at the time of this review) that have already committed to adopt the Common Core State Standards. Watch videos and the recorded webinar, and read about the key points and rigorous curriculum standards, including the content and skills related to the use of media and technology for critical analysis and production.
Visit this website to find out exactly what the national K-12 standards are for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science and technology, as well as mathematics, and to find out if your state is one many states (at the time of this review) that have already committed to adopt the Common Core State Standards. Watch videos and the recorded webinar, and read about the key points and rigorous curriculum standards, including the content and skills related to the use of media and technology for critical analysis and production.
tag(s): commoncore (61)
In the Classroom
Take a look at exemplars and sample performance tasks and students' writing to consider how you can integrate these ideas into your own planning to prepare students for the growing challenges of today's world. You can also sign up to receive updates via email. For more information about the Common Core and implementing it in your classes, see TeachersFirst's Common Core: The Fuss Over Non-Fiction, a Q/A article for elementary teachers, and TeachersFirst's resources tagged Common Core for many helpful sites.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Tar Heel Reader - University of North Caroline
Grades
K to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Find free online books perfect for emergent readers. The author of the site, the Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies at the University of North Carolina, aims to provide free...more
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Find free online books perfect for emergent readers. The author of the site, the Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies at the University of North Carolina, aims to provide free resources so everyone can learn to read and write. For free registration, you will need a code. Just email them, and it will come within 24 hours. All books are free and available for download as slide shows in PowerPoint or Impress. Book topics include biographies, fairy tales, history, science, math, nursery rhymes, poetry, food, animals, and more! All stories have speech-enabled features, can be delivered in up to 14 languages, and are compatible with touchscreens. Since a wide range of age groups use this site, they have a rating system to suggest what is suitable for younger readers. Tar Heel Reader is also a great way to write books. Upload images from your computer or Flickr, add text, create, and share student stories with an authentic audience of readers. Tar Heel Reader is a great way to engage students with reading material, increase class participation, and create inclusive instruction for those with illiteracy or learning disabilities.
** This site does contain some materials NOT suitable for all classrooms. Be sure to read the "rating" system, and contribute your own opinions (as the ratings are only as reliable as the pool of contributing voters). Books rated 'E' are meant for everyone, but a 'C' means to use caution, as it may not be proper material for some. Determine what titles are suitable and save them to the favorites file for students to access.
** This site does contain some materials NOT suitable for all classrooms. Be sure to read the "rating" system, and contribute your own opinions (as the ratings are only as reliable as the pool of contributing voters). Books rated 'E' are meant for everyone, but a 'C' means to use caution, as it may not be proper material for some. Determine what titles are suitable and save them to the favorites file for students to access.
tag(s): audbk (25), audint (13), audio books (43), audtxt (19), book lists (161), digital storytelling (166), literacy (124), writing (309)
In the Classroom
Increase your big book collection ten fold by projecting Tar Heel Readers onto an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use interactive shared reading lessons to strengthen student recognition of common sight words, concepts of print, decoding skills, and use syntax cues and unlock the meaning of text. Ask students to circle known sight words, count the number of words in a sentence, trace capital letters, or point to the first letter of a word during a choral read. Help ESL/ELL students by creating books out of photos from class field trips, events, or experiments. Integrate text that uses key vocabulary words and creates reading materials that are both relevant to grade level curricular standards and match your student's readability level. All books you publish on the web site are public domain and available to all other users. Be sure to get parent permission before publishing student books on-line. In order to create a book, users will need to register. Unfortunately, this requires users to email gb@cs.unc.edu to request of an invitation code. With this code, simply create a username, submit your name, and email address. Set up a single teacher account and have all the students use that login to avoid safety concerns. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class for further reading practice.
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Pullfolio - pullfolio.com
Grades
8 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Create an online portfolio created from your flickr set of specific photos. Choose your photos by choosing a set or a specific tag. Pictures are displayed in an elegant and ...more
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Create an online portfolio created from your flickr set of specific photos. Choose your photos by choosing a set or a specific tag. Pictures are displayed in an elegant and beautiful format. Since Pullfolio is not flash based, the ipod/iphone app is another plus. Pullfolio instantly updates as you update your flickr set or continue to use the tag. Use the free version or go pro to use your own domain and access additional features.
tag(s): flickr (2), images (266), photography (135)
In the Classroom
Users must be able to add pictures to a set on flickr or use a specific tag for particular pictures. Be sure to choose your username carefully as it becomes part of the url of your portfolio. Follow the directions to identify your flickr account with Pullfolio.Have students create their own pullfolio, but why not create a class pullfolio that showcases student work? If using as a class pullfolio, pictures will not be attributed to the individual students. Create some way of identifying pictures to various students. Require students to tag their pictures with their initials as well or create a comment with their initials in the picture's description.
This tool would be a great asset to a photography or art class but can be used in any subject area. Create a pullfolio of pictures that showcase life around us, or in a Math class to show various Math functions in man made structures and nature. Use this site to take your geography class around the world (virtually). Have students create presentations in any subject area and narrate the pictures rather than doing a traditional oral report. Speech and language on lower grades or ESL/ELL teachers could create pullfolios for vocabulary development, tagging them for positions, feelings, etc. Involve students in taking the pictures, then share the resulting pullfolios for them to practice their new words.
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Web Resizer - webresizer.com
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
1 Comments
This site is quick, easy, requires no registration, and FREE. Upload your image to this site in order to create a smaller file size for use on other sites and ...more
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This site is quick, easy, requires no registration, and FREE. Upload your image to this site in order to create a smaller file size for use on other sites and applications as well as adding effects such as corner rounding, rotating, tinting, changing contrast/brightness, or adding borders/edges. Upload an image up to 5 MB to alter easily with this site. Web resizer automatically reduces the file size to create an optimized image. Be sure to click "apply changes" once you have finished making selections. Click "start over" to remove previous changes. Download the image easily in a JPEG format.
tag(s): images (266), noregistration (75)
In the Classroom
Provide the link to this site for students to use in altering and resizing images for use in presentations and online applications. Be sure students understand the file size needed for the various sites that are used in class.Comments
Use this all the time. Easy to use and SO helpful. You can use online, don't have to download.Frances, CT, Grades: 6 - 8
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Goofram - goofram.com
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Looking for the most from your search? Use Goofram to find the best of both Google and Wolfram alpha all in one place. View top Google searches using Safesearch as ...more
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Looking for the most from your search? Use Goofram to find the best of both Google and Wolfram alpha all in one place. View top Google searches using Safesearch as well as Wolfram alpha (which include definitions and abundant resources.)
tag(s): resources (80), search engines (42)
In the Classroom
This site is very simple to use. Simply type in the term you are searching and click "search."This site is as safe as any other search engine. Just be sure students are aware of the consequences of misusing the search engine.
Use Goofram the next time that you use search in your classes. Discuss the difference between each side of the screen where both parts appear. What is the advantage of Wolfram Alpha vs. Google? Use this site as you discuss how to search and use materials on the web. Practice showing different searches and aspects of the searches that are useful. Challenge students to use these sites for individual research projects.
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Stormboard - Edistorm.com
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Take brainstorming to a whole new level, including easy collaboration with others. Use Stormboard to place sticky notes, photos, and videos on a shared whiteboard. As you enter information...more
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Take brainstorming to a whole new level, including easy collaboration with others. Use Stormboard to place sticky notes, photos, and videos on a shared whiteboard. As you enter information on your sticky, new suggestions pop up along the bottom. Use this phenomenal aspect of Stormboard as suggestions by their "Idea Bots" may take you closer to your goal. Revisit "storms" as they are saved which adds more perspectives when viewing later. Let others' ideas incubate a bit and return to see what they have added. Free accounts allow up to 5 users, 1 administrator, and view only access with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Drive. Begin by entering the name of your storm, choosing privacy options, adding a description, and inviting users to join in (Stormboard members or by email). Type on the stickies. Drag them to arrange. Stormboard will suggest possible new stickies along the bottom. The center sticky on your screen will drive the "smart" suggestions. If Stormboard's suggestions take you away from your goal in your description, move another sticky into the center spot or close the suggestions area. Use the viewfinder to see where all your stickies are located. Group related ideas together by aligning them together or color-coding them. Contributors can drag an "idea vote" to mark the ideas that they like best. Click on the tab "Top Ideas" to view those with most votes. Click on "All Unrated" to view all, including those with no votes (great idea if you may have missed one).
tag(s): brainstorming (19), creative fluency (3), organizational skills (89)
In the Classroom
Consider creating a classroom account for use with your students. Require them to initial their stickies in order to know which idea is whose. Use for any decision-making activity such as "What kind of pet should I buy?" Also use to generate related vocabulary words about a topic by entering their first word and letting the "Idea Bots" suggest stickies along the bottom. This is especially good if students must find information for a presentation or learn about a particular theme or topic. Share this site with your gifted students to use for organization, brainstorming, or collaboration with others outside their class. Social studies classes could brainstorm on how they might travel back in time to solve a political crisis or avoid a war. Lit classes could "storm" better outcomes for a novel or play based on evidence from the first portion of the text (for example, what if Romeo and Juliet had used Stormboard first?). Many issue-based or ethics-based problems in Science and Health can also be organized, debated, and discussed in this space. Why are some ideas "Top rated" over others?Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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WordArt - WordArt.com
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This site takes any quotation or poem and creates a "word cloud" (graphical display) of the words in a passage of text. Paste in any passage or the URL for ...more
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This site takes any quotation or poem and creates a "word cloud" (graphical display) of the words in a passage of text. Paste in any passage or the URL for any blog entry or web page (including newspapers online) to create a word cloud of the text. Enhance basic word clouds by using this site to create clouds in various shapes, use mouse rollover options, use font effects, and more. Elevate your word clouds into an art form. Once registered, change your password by clicking the profile tab and entering your new password. Before creating a word cloud, agree to the terms that include only using appropriate content. Copy and paste a series of words or use the URL of a page where the words can be found. Choose a shape such as a heart, cloud, or geometric pattern. Choose a font and other options, then click "Build the Cloud." Preview your cloud before saving. WordArt.com is free for personal and non-commercial use. However, you can only download Standard Quality (SQ) images for free.
tag(s): images (266), vocabulary (251), word choice (12), word clouds (12)
In the Classroom
You must be able to copy and paste text or provide a URL to a page of text as well as determine parameters of more advanced word clouds. Alternately, these word clouds can be kept very simple. After creating the word cloud, be sure to save the image (or use a screen capture) to share with others. Another idea, use the url of the cloud or embed into a place to share such as blog, wiki, or site. This is a terrific visual tool to share on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Help students develop creative fluency by creating their own WordArt and ideas from scratch. Paste in a passage or URL for a political speech to visualize the politician's "message." Analyze advertising propaganda by visualizing the language used in TV or print ads. Create WordArt of historical texts of inauguration speeches as time capsules of the issues of the day. Use this site as a way to help students see and memorize text, especially visual learners. Use it also when writing poetry or reading passages of great literature to "see" themes and motifs of repeated words and images. Have students paste in their own writing to spot repeated (and monotonous) language when teaching lessons on word choice. Students will be surprised to see what words appear to be dominant. ESL and ELL students will eagerly use this site since word order will no longer be a problem for them. Have students work in groups to create word posters of vocabulary words with related meanings, such as different ways to say "walk" or "said" and decorate your classroom with these visual reminders of the richness of language. Collect thoughts about the class subject at the beginning of the year and then again at the end of the year to determine changes in thoughts about the subject matter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Evernote - Evernote
Grades
9 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this fantastic application for note-taking and idea collecting from ANY device. Think of Evernote as a ubiquitous set of notebooks ready for you to add and read from ANY ...more
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Use this fantastic application for note-taking and idea collecting from ANY device. Think of Evernote as a ubiquitous set of notebooks ready for you to add and read from ANY computer or web-connected device. Evernote is available on the web, but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly. Take snapshots of whiteboards, products, or whatever you like and upload them to Evernote. Search your uploads through the search function, which will also search handwritten or printed text sections in photos and images. Sync everything through Evernote across all the platforms. Use Evernote to create notes and to-do lists and even clip entire Web pages. Use to manage passwords or even record audio. Everything added to Evernote is automatically synchronized across platforms and devices and made searchable. Evernote offers a free account as well as a premium paid version. The free account offers 250 MB of new uploads per month, as well as the creation of fifty notes and one notebook. Keep track of several projects with the "Notebooks" feature. Use the web version or downloadable version of Evernote to share read-only notebooks with others. Download Evernote to add an extension to your browser to do web clipping with a click of a button. Click "New" to create a new document in your notebook. Use the search function at the top and even save searches for later use. Safety/security tip: If you have sensitive information (such as passwords, etc.) on your Evernote notebook but want to share other parts? Highlight and right-click to choose "Encrypt Selected Text" to remove it from the page to be shared.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (129), images (266), organizational skills (89)
In the Classroom
Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom, as all students will be able to access it for free, regardless of their device. Consider creating a class account that all students can use. Spell out the use of the site and what is allowed, not allowed, and the penalties. Even though all students have the same login, create different notebooks for different tasks that students can use to upload information that all can share. Create separate notebooks for student groups, allowing them to share their notebooks with other groups. Use Evernote to snapshot and share links, documents, files, and pictures for any group project or class work. Whole class accounts can be used by a class scribe during class and accessed from home for review, etc. If your students are permitted individual accounts, they can collect notes in Evernote and share their research notebooks with you as evidence of completion of that phase of long-term projects. Encourage creativity with your gifted students (or any students) by having them set up individual Evernote notebooks to use as "idea bins." Idea bins are a place to collect quotes, snippets of writing or poems they have started, questions and thoughts, artistic project ideas, images they like, or even voice memos to remember creative inspirations. Students need to know that idea bins (by whatever name) are an essential part of the creative process, even for engineers!Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Requires download/installation of software
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Animoto - Animoto Productions
Grades
8 to 12
4 Favorites
1 Comments
This animation tool will help create a video or a video slideshow with pizzazz. Add personal sounds, videos, and other media to elevate your video content to the next level ...more
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This animation tool will help create a video or a video slideshow with pizzazz. Add personal sounds, videos, and other media to elevate your video content to the next level for your classes. This tool is great for schools without access to different free video or multimedia creation software. Create 30-second videos, including music choices from over 50 soundtracks. A typical thirty-second video requires twelve images, making this a reasonable option for projects with middle and high school level students. Also look through their many templates making this video creator easy to use for anyone. Students aged 13 and above can set up their own Animoto account if they have a school email address.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animation (61), images (266), movies (52), photography (135), slides (37)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate how to sign up for Animoto and use it with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Students need a basic understanding of how to upload pictures, videos, and other media, especially when adding personalized content. Use stock images and media available through the site if you prefer. Once you are registered, click the "Create" button and follow the on-screen instructions. When adding personal images and videos, the program lets you search your computer files. Add music from the site bank or from personal music sources (copyright-free, of course). Finalize the video with the last click, then view it. Share easily using the provided codes or export tools. Use Animoto to make commercials, science fair previews, and animated shorts in any content area. Have students create "advertisements" for an organism or a literary character. Make a travel commercial for a country being studied or for cultural sites in a world language class. Be sure to share the presentations on your projector or interactive whiteboard.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Comments
My favorite movie site.Barbara, , Grades: 0 - 12
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The Anne Frank House - The Anne Frank Stichting
Grades
5 to 12
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0 Comments
The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive ...more
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The Anne Frank House has been a museum since 1960. The history of the former hiding place where the Frank family and four other Jews lived in secrecy comes alive on this website. Starting with 1940 photographs of the building known as Opekta factory, see and learn how the office space was transformed into the Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid for more than two years until the betrayal and arrest by the Nazis. Find out about the four employees who risked their lives to make the hiding possible. The rooms of the Secret Annex have been preserved in their authentic state and salvaged documents and objects belonging to the eight people in hiding are on display. Three short films are included on the website to place the significance of this personal story in a historical context. See Anne Frank's hiding place in 3D and meet the people that helped those hidden inside. After clicking on the secret bookcase, you will be taken behind the scenes of the house to see how Anne and others lived in the communal room, the front office, the attic and more. View the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures.
tag(s): 1930s (40), 1940s (70), 20th century (168), anne frank (8), holocaust (41), remembrance day (4), women (189), world war 2 (169)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to take your class on a virtual field trip to Amsterdam to visit the Secret Annex where they can realize what it was actually like for Anne Frank's family and four others to live inside a hidden space, with the constant fear of being discovered by the Nazis. Help the words in Anne's diary come alive by showing what the outside and inside of the building looked like, by viewing the painstaking ways that were taken to keep them safe, and by looking at the space where Anne ate, slept, and hung her pictures. Students will be more likely to relate to Anne as a real person, instead of a fictional character, and admire her optimism, courage, and resiliency. Use this to initiate journal entries for students to reflect on how they would handle two years of hiding and sharing a small space with others, as well as what they would do to remain positive, or use the online exhibit to shed some light on a dark period in history and to strengthen the personal account of the hiding period and the deportation to the camps. Assign class members to read about one of the house members or helpers to research, then have them write a diary (or blog entry) from that person's point of view. Assign teams to debate who was the most important member of the household or if this situation could take place in today's society. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Have groups compare two people they learned about using a tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here). Create a class wiki for students to share their journal articles and respond to others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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