Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

ClickUp is a task organizing tool that offers the option to integrate information easily from other productivity applications and to collaborate with others. After creating an account, follow the prompts to create lists, folders, and tasks. Create task lists for projects and use labels to prioritize jobs, import a calendar, add and assign items to collaborators, and much more. Learn more about using and organizing ClickUp by viewing the On-Demand Demo videos found in the Learn tab. Free accounts include up to 100MB storage with unlimited tasks and users.

tag(s): calendars (37), organizational skills (88)

Engage and inspire others with simple six-word memoirs. Six in Schools shares teaching guides, videos, and examples for classroom use. Browse through the examples, or use the filters to find examples and articles about the impact of using the six-word technique to reflect and share learning through short, concise wording.

tag(s): writers workshop (31), writing (325)

ziplet is a free student response system that works on all devices. Use ziplet to send questions to students instantly or schedule them in advance. After registration, follow the steps to create a group, invite students, and ask questions. Choose from different options for student responses, including multiple-choice, short answer, emoji reactions, or a scaled score from 1-7. Invite students into your group using the provided code. Students use their Google account to login and access questions. Upon receiving responses, Loop provides options for responding to students. Free accounts allow two teachers to use the application with three groups and 50 students per group.

tag(s): assessment (147), game based learning (205), gamification (83), polls and surveys (49), quizzes (90)

This crowdsourced ebook created using Book Creator, reviewed here, shares technology tools and teaching tips specifically for librarians. As you turn the pages, find videos and examples for using digital resources for both in-person and distance learning situations. Browse through to find ideas for creating book clubs, using QR codes, hosting virtual field trips, and much more. Although created by librarians for librarians, this ebook contains many ideas and inspiration for all educators.

tag(s): ebooks (43), professional development (385)

Find free, high-quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) resources for all grade levels at this fantastic site! Each week educators from MIT provide thematic grade-level learning "packages" that include video, activities, and challenges in various topics. Content includes inventions, outer space, and music and sounds, among other topics. Many subjects also include activities that don't require Internet access. Additional links provide a curated list of learning games that promote 21st Century skills. All content is created for teaching in online or in-person situations.

tag(s): design (79), diseases (67), earth (184), engineering (129), game based learning (205), inventors and inventions (80), makerspace (40), sounds (43), space (222), STEM (297)

As the title states, this site converts PDF documents to Excel documents. Upload a file of any size from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive without having to create an account. Files remain on the site's server for six hours before being automatically deleted. Once converted, all information imports into an Excel file, and any tables in the original document become fully editable and formatted. The conversion speed depends on the file's size and server speed; our practice document was ready to use within a minute.

tag(s): conversions (37), worksheets (69)

Parlay is a virtual round table student-driven discussion tool. Browse the discussion prompts on the site or create your own. Each round table starts with a statement of the learning goals for the activity. Students then view added content and multimedia, including videos, articles, and other information to support the discussion. After reviewing the content, students participate by responding to discussion questions followed by peer feedback. After creating a round table, invite students to participate using the join code or link to your activity. Another option available on the site is Parlay Genie, an artificial intelligence-based tool that creates discussion prompts based on your topic, grade range of students, and additional information such as weblinks and the number of students. In addition, Parlay connects to Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, and other school platforms, allowing educators to assign to students automatically. The free option offers up to twelve round tables and one custom content request.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), business (52), civil rights (209), civil war (139), digital citizenship (85), ecology (103), ethics (21), genetics (80), journalism (74), listening (93), literature (221), literature circles (4), media literacy (109), novels (34), politics (118), renaissance (38), Teacher Utilities (198), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)

Wooclap takes smartphones into the classroom for use as an interactive learning tool. Use Wooclap to ask multiple-choice questions, polls, and ask students to locate areas on images. Use the messaging feature to gather and display messages from participants. Wooclap also features options for add-ins to include PowerPoint Slides, Google Slides, PDF's, and more. Free Wooclap accounts allow users two questions for up to 1,000 students; however, it is free for educators in K12 by following the directions found here. Create an account to begin, then add an event. Choose the type of activity from the provided options such as a poll, open-ended question, word cloud, and more. Share your activity using the event code or link created for it.

tag(s): assessment (147), polls and surveys (49), quizzes (90)

Zight (formerly known as CloudApp) is a screen recording tool with features for collaboration and integration with other cloud-based tools. After downloading Zight, follow the directions to install and use it on your device. Use the included tools to trim and cut videos or create GIFs. When finished, save and generate a link to your clipboard. Other features include the ability to do real-time annotations while you are recording your screen and editing tools to trim and cut recordings. Zight integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and others. Free accounts offer one user up to twenty-five items with ninety-second recording times.

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

Create and customize interactive games and activities with Wordwall's easy to use tools. Choose from many different options, including quizzes, matching games, drag and drop activities, and more. After creating an account, choose from shared activities, modify them to fit your needs, and then share them with your students as an assignment or link. Create a new activity by selecting a template and following the directions to add information and images if desired. At the time of this review, free plans offer access to 18 interactives, 15 printables, and the ability to create five resources.

tag(s): assessment (147), game based learning (205), quiz (67), quizzes (90)

Trace is a simple to use photo editing tool that instantly removes backgrounds from images and changes backgrounds. After creating an account, upload your photo, and Trace removes the background and leaves the image's main focus. Download the edited image as a PNG file or continue through the additional options to add a new color background, upload a new image for the background, use one of Trace's background images, or edit using the crop tool. When finished, download your image to your device.

tag(s): editing (93), images (263), preK (271)

PapersOwl monthly blog shares guidelines and tips for writers. The site also includes a series of guides divided into topics focusing on writing lab reports, essays, literature reviews, and many more. Each blog post and guide is written by professors who share helpful tips and how-to directions for each topic.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): creative writing (124), descriptive writing (42), essays (21), expository writing (31), letter writing (19), persuasive writing (58), process writing (37)

Crossword Clues is a helpful tool for solving crossword puzzles and much more. Use the Crossword Solver feature to enter the clue and number of letters to receive suggestions for puzzle answers. Play Crossword Boss to challenge your ability to answer crossword questions quickly or use the Anagram Solver to unscramble letters to find matching words and phrases.

tag(s): crosswords (19), puzzles (149)

"What will you create?" asks Smithsonian as they share a digital collection of over 3 million items available to download without use restrictions. Materials include images and data from across Smithonian's varied resources, including museums, the National Zoo, research centers, and more. Find information with keywords in the search bar or explore featured platforms such as Smithsonian Learning Lab, 3D Voyager, or Developer Tools. After obtaining search results, use filters to narrow down the results to fit your needs. For a better understanding of how others use downloaded materials, explore the remixes found on the site.

tag(s): art history (103), creativity (86), images (263), primary sources (117), Research (87), sculpture (18)

Canvas is a free learning management system that provides tools for delivering instruction through course modules. Use the included features to set up your class, add students, add assignments, distribute quizzes, and access the online grade book. Use the included calendar to add assignment due dates, upcoming events, and other important information. Canvas also includes ePortfolios for students to share and display their work as part of the learning process. Be sure to visit the tutorials included on the site to learn how to add classes and assignments, and also to understand how to adjust privacy settings to meet your requirements.

tag(s): classroom management (120), Learning Management Systems (20), portfolios (23), remote learning (54), Teacher Utilities (198)