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Sparknotes - Twelfth Night
Grades
9 to 12
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Literature summaries and resources created by enterprising Harvard alumni. ...more
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Literature summaries and resources created by enterprising Harvard alumni.
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Speakable - Speakable
Grades
6 to 12
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Speakable is an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze a person's speech and provide real-time feedback to improve their pronunciation and overall...more
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Speakable is an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze a person's speech and provide real-time feedback to improve their pronunciation and overall speaking ability. Choose from many different languages to set as the course language and the speaker's native language. Teachers may create a free account using Google, Clever, or an email account. Allowing microphone access to the site from your browser is required.
In the Classroom
Teachers can use Speakable to support students with speech difficulties, English language learners, or world language students. Create assignments from the lesson library or create your own vocabulary lists. Speakable analyzes the person's speech and provides instant feedback, making this an excellent resource for distance learning or independent practice. Creating activities can help you teach new vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and language pronunciation. In addition, instructors can easily embed assignments into other learning sites such as Formative or Google Classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SpeakPipe - Speakpipe.com
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
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SpeakPipe offers a widget to install on your blog, website, or podcast so readers and listeners can send you an audio message of up to 90 seconds in length. Other ...more
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SpeakPipe offers a widget to install on your blog, website, or podcast so readers and listeners can send you an audio message of up to 90 seconds in length. Other features for the free plan include recieving 30 messages per month, one Widget, and email notification. The message goes to your Speakpipe inbox, and you receive an email notification. You also receive a URL for the message that you could post on the blog or your podcast so others can hear the comments. Visitors click the "leave voicemail" button to access. Next, the visitor records a message for you. Visitors have the option of including their names and email addresses.
In the Classroom
When installed on a school website, SpeakPipe provides a good way for parents to leave voicemail messages. Unless one of you shares the URL, the communication remains confidential. Download messages to your computer as a simple way for students to record their voice responses for use in a multimedia project on your classroom blog. After posting student work on your classroom website or blog, allow students to record information responding or explaining each project. Encourage emerging readers to record their own voices reading a blog post they write. Auditory learners will truly benefit from this tool. Install this on your class blog or wiki so parents who visit can leave audio comments for the class. World language teachers could post an image on a class web site and ask students to record a response in their new language. School library/media centers can invite students so comment about new books listed on the web page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Special Occasion Ideas for the Classroom: TeachersFirst Editors' Choices - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Check out this collection for classroom ideas and custom-made gifts (both "hard copy" and electronic). Special occasions give students a chance to recognize special people: moms, dads,...more
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Check out this collection for classroom ideas and custom-made gifts (both "hard copy" and electronic). Special occasions give students a chance to recognize special people: moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, secretaries, school custodians, librarians, and more. Stretch your students' creative thinking, writing skills, and problem solving skills as they create projects to honor special people on special occasions or just as a surprise "thank you." Create memories for special people as your learners show what they know and how much they care.
In the Classroom
Stretch your students' creative thinking, writing skills, and problem solving skills as they create projects to honor special people on special occasions or just as a surprise "thank you." Create memories for special people as your learners show what they know and how much they care. Share this collection as a link from your class web page for students and parents to use from home or during vacations and holidays.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Speechify - Speechify Inc.
Grades
K to 12
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Speechify uses AI to convert text to speech and works in many different formats, including web pages, PDF documents, Microsoft Word, emails, and texts. The free plan offers a choice...more
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Speechify uses AI to convert text to speech and works in many different formats, including web pages, PDF documents, Microsoft Word, emails, and texts. The free plan offers a choice of ten voices and allows you limited options for controlling text speed. Register to create an account; when you reach the page that asks for billing information, do not add this information. Here is how you can get the site for free. Without clicking the page closed, return to the home page by opening a new window and clicking on "Speechify" in the title of this review. You will see a link to the web app materialize; click that, and your account dashboard will appear. Follow the directions to select a document or web page. After the information loads, click play on any text portion to listen. Options on the left side of the page allow you to change voices, adjust the speed, and change options for the page's appearance, including highlighting, scrolling, and dark mode.
In the Classroom
Use Speechify as a helpful tool to increase reading comprehension, support English language learners, and help students with dyslexia and other special needs. Upload tests, worksheets, and other assessment documents to support students who have materials read to them. Share Speechify with parents and students for use at home. When sharing Speechify, consider making a short tutorial video using Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here to demonstrate how to create a free account, where to find the dashboard, and how to upload and view reading materials.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Speechnotes - Speechlogger & TTSReader
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
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Speechnotes provides a distraction-free, easy to use speech to text notepad for use with Chrome browsers. Just click on the microphone to begin speaking. Be sure to view the hints ...more
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Speechnotes provides a distraction-free, easy to use speech to text notepad for use with Chrome browsers. Just click on the microphone to begin speaking. Be sure to view the hints for inserting punctuation. When finished, email or print your document. Saving options allow you to upload files to Google Drive or download as a text file. This tool is for speech to text, not text to speech.
In the Classroom
Speechnotes is a very versatile tool, for students, parents, and teachers alike. Bypass poor typing skills, dysgraphia, dyslexia, and physical disabilities. Use this tool to create emails, documents, or anything requiring typed text. Use in your writing class so students can get their thoughts into text without having to also think about typing. Be sure they edit their work. Use when you are in a hurry with emails requiring long text. Use for your newsletters or family emails. Share this on your class website and at Back to School Night. Emerging literacy students will enjoy the success they have with their oral language into written word. Improve content and forget about mechanics of writing or typing. Focus in on grammar and mechanics after seeing the recognized mistakes. Include this website on every toolbar and as a favorite on your class web page. ENL/ESL students can speak English, play it back, and correct it until it "sounds right" and expresses their ideas correctly.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spell Up - Google Chrome
Grades
3 to 12
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Practice spelling a new way with Spell Up. This activity requires the Chrome browser. Allow your computer's microphone to connect to the website to begin. Choose from beginner, intermediate,...more
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Practice spelling a new way with Spell Up. This activity requires the Chrome browser. Allow your computer's microphone to connect to the website to begin. Choose from beginner, intermediate, or expert level to play. After hearing the word to spell, say a letter and wait for it to appear and continue on until the word is completely spelled (wait to speak when you see the orange dot). Correctly spelled words become part of a tower of words. Incorrect words fall off the screen with the opportunity to try again. Options within the game include a dictionary to hear the definition of words, a keyboard to hear letter pronunciations, and a translator to translate words into many different languages.
In the Classroom
Demonstrate HOW to use this website on your interactive whiteboard or projector (with your mike nearby!). Divide your class into teams and test out the site together. Create a link to Spell Up on your class website or blog for students to play at home. Use Spell Up at varied levels for different students to differentiate challenges for your students. Share this link on your class website for students to use at home (especially for spelling practice during the summer).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spell with flickr - Erik Kastner
Grades
K to 12
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Looking for a clever way to display a title? Enter your words, and this site will look through flickr pictures to create titles from individual pictures. Note that ads display ...more
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Looking for a clever way to display a title? Enter your words, and this site will look through flickr pictures to create titles from individual pictures. Note that ads display throughout the site as well as while the images are loading. Simply take a snapshot of the words (use print screen for PC or command-shift-4 on a Mac) or drag each letter image to your desktop. Alternatively, use the embed code provided. Don't like one or more of the letters? Simply click each letter and a new one will be generated. See an example here.
In the Classroom
Students can use this site to create interesting and unique titles for projects, presentations, or blog titles. Use this site to make your lessons grab your students' attention (which isn't always easy). Decorate your classroom with intriguing signs and reminders created using this tool. Have students use this site themselves for projects, intriguing spelling practice, or more. Kindergarten teachers might like to "show" students what their names look like in multiple type fonts and to make bus list bulletin boards using these creative lettering forms. Art teachers can use this tool to demonstrate different types of letter graphics and letter collages. This might be a good link to list on your class website so families can access the site at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spelling Bee - Interactives - Annenberg Media
Grades
1 to 12
6 Favorites
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Are you looking for a new way to integrate spelling into your lesson plans? This helpful website offers interactive spelling challenges for grades 1-12. Students type in their names,...more
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Are you looking for a new way to integrate spelling into your lesson plans? This helpful website offers interactive spelling challenges for grades 1-12. Students type in their names, and are directed to short stories. The stories are cloze passages, i.e. have blanks for missing words. The website will read the stories to the students, or the students can read the stories themselves. There is also an option to click on the speaker sign next to the blank, to hear the word that needs to be spelled.
In the Classroom
What a fabulous language arts resource - integrating reading, listening, and spelling skills. Project the stories on an interactive whiteboard or screen and have students take turns reading the story aloud to the class. Then have the students record their spelling words at their seats. Once you have gone through the entire short story, ask students to share how they spelled each word. Take a class poll to determine the correct spelling and have students take turns typing the "winning" word into the blank space. Or have teams take turns at the interactive whiteboard, trying to get the best possible score and "defeat" the other groups' scores. You will see some arguments, no doubt!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spelling Police: Literary Devices - Site Overseer
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
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This literary device site includes the easy (metaphor, personification) to the hard (anaphora, aposiopesis, zeugma), literary devices that students may encounter in reading and studying...more
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This literary device site includes the easy (metaphor, personification) to the hard (anaphora, aposiopesis, zeugma), literary devices that students may encounter in reading and studying literature. Some of the examples include clip art and some do not, but they all include both the answer and good examples.
In the Classroom
This may work for teachers as a reference site or even as a quiz review for students. The best part is discovering (or rediscovering) the names for those devices that are used less often, but students often ask about. This list would also work as an addition to AP literary terms that many English teachers give their AP students. Consider having your students create an ongoing class glossary wiki of literary devices with examples from your own literature study during the year. Require them to contribute or give extra credit for their additions and any clever examples or illustrations they may add.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spider Scribe - SpiderScribe.net
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
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Organize thoughts, create mind maps, and brainstorm ideas using Spider Scribe mapping tools built with drag-and-drop technology. Free accounts for individual use offer unlimited public...more
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Organize thoughts, create mind maps, and brainstorm ideas using Spider Scribe mapping tools built with drag-and-drop technology. Free accounts for individual use offer unlimited public maps, three private maps, and storage of images and files of up to 3MB. Begin by creating a personal account with your email address and password. Next, take advantage of the demo to learn how to add and edit items using your dashboard. When ready, create a new mind map or folder by clicking the blue plus button. Next, add text, images, a calendar, maps, and files. When finished, use the share link to copy the URL, print it, or export it as an image file.
In the Classroom
Use SpiderScribe to create chapter or story maps as a collaborative project, or work together as a class to create a story map on your interactive whiteboard. Use this tool for literature activities, research projects, social studies, or science topics. Use this to create family trees or food pyramids in family and consumer science. 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. They can color code concepts to show what they understand, wonder about, and question. Enhance student learning using SpiderScribe and ask students to demonstrate a step-by-step process, such as the life cycle of a butterfly. Include students' SpiderScribe creations as part of larger multimedia projects created using Sway, reviewed here or Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spific - The Finding Engine - Spific.com
Grades
6 to 12
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Spific is search engine designed to narrow down searches by the use of filters (they call them "refinements"). Although it is powered by Google's search algoithm, it is not affiliated...more
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Spific is search engine designed to narrow down searches by the use of filters (they call them "refinements"). Although it is powered by Google's search algoithm, it is not affiliated or endorsed by Google. Enter your search term as usual. Choose where you want results to come from among several categories. Categories include news and newspapers, Internet directories, dictionaries, videos, movies, and much more. Refine results even further by choosing specific newspapers or websites within results. A date range narrows news results.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use Spific to find online newspaper content quickly and easily or compare definitions from different sources. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare information from two different sites. Provide a link for students to use this site to make searching easier when working on book reports, research projects, or presentations. Demonstrate how to use the search on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and point out how to narrow down results using links to individual sites. This site would be ideal to include in a search engine comparison for information literacy/fluency lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spigot - spigot.org
Grades
9 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
This free tool is an aggregation site for news, research, information, and opinion about learning and technology. Hover over the titles to read an abstract or click to be taken ...more
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This free tool is an aggregation site for news, research, information, and opinion about learning and technology. Hover over the titles to read an abstract or click to be taken to the site. There are video clips, slideshows, articles, and more. Share easily with others through email, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media. Interested in a specific topic? Use the tags on the left to view an entire category of related information. The site operates "automatically" by following certain feeds and web news searches, so new items appear very often. Although the title is Spigot, it could seem like "Firehose"! The content seems appropriate for secondary classrooms, but you might want to preview just before you turn students loose to be sure.
In the Classroom
Use these articles to discuss the future of education and the use of technology both in high school and higher education. As students are the most important stakeholders in education, many of these articles are relevant to them and their future. Students will especially be interested in the Practice and Alt. Culture sections of this site. Discuss current events in your classroom and ask students to investigate an angle on technology and/or education for a persuasive writing piece or debate. Students have incredible insight into their own learning and technology use. Keep this link bookmarked on your classroom computer or linked to your blog, wiki, or class page. Use examples from this site to look for bias or editorial slant as part of an information literacy unit. Select articles for experience with informational texts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spinner Wheel - spinnerwheel.com
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
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Spinner Wheel isn't just your ordinary customizable spinner; it offers the ability to include several spinners to use simultaneously. Add spinners and customize colors, text, select...more
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Spinner Wheel isn't just your ordinary customizable spinner; it offers the ability to include several spinners to use simultaneously. Add spinners and customize colors, text, select images, and themes. Customize backgrounds by color or select images from Unsplash, reviewed here. Creating an account isn't necessary, but it allows you to save and share wheels. Scroll down the page for complete directions and a selection of examples shared for inspiration on using this resource. .
In the Classroom
Simultaneously spinning multiple wheels opens the door to unlimited uses to engage students. For example, create six wheels with the numbers on dice as a virtual dice roller. In addition, customize wheels for creative story writing prompts that include options for random characters, setting, and story theme. Use this tool to practice math facts by creating wheels that prompt players to solve math problems based upon a spin of the wheel. Engage students when reviewing for upcoming quizzes and tests by creating wheels to check facts. For example, in social studies, create one wheel with names and another with characteristics such as date, place, important event, other characters involved, etc. Use during math lessons on probability to have students record outcomes when spinning the wheel.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spiral - The Social Learning Network
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Discover Spiral's free app for classroom assessment that will work on any device with a web browser. Sign up with your email and use Quickfire to ask a question and ...more
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Discover Spiral's free app for classroom assessment that will work on any device with a web browser. Sign up with your email and use Quickfire to ask a question and see answers in real-time. Engage your audience and knock down participation barriers with this free response system. Display answers anonymously. See their Support and FAQ page for setting up classes, the Teacher Dashboard & Admin, and more.
In the Classroom
Spiral is a terrific set of tools to use whether you are just starting to incorporate tech with students or if you are a long time user of tech with students. After creating an account, start out simply with Quickfire. Students must create an account (no email required) and select their school. Teachers must approve students to join a class. You can also download Spiral's spreadsheet, fill it out, and upload it. You could also use Quickfire for back-channel discussions which encourages timid students to participate.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Spirit of Trees
Grades
4 to 12
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Originally designed as an education resource for the DC Memorial Tree Groves Project, a national memorial to the victims of September 11th, this delightful site contains a collection...more
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Originally designed as an education resource for the DC Memorial Tree Groves Project, a national memorial to the victims of September 11th, this delightful site contains a collection of poetry, essays, and multicultural folktales that share tree-related themes. Search by country, type of tree, or category (humorous, scary, or mythical). The curricular resources are designed primarily for the elementary classroom, but older students will enjoy the on-line essays and poems. Use these materials to create a curriculum link between environmental science, literature, and multicultural studies.
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Sploder - Geoff P. Gaudreault
Grades
5 to 12
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Modify classroom technology use by designing online games at Sploder. Register on the site to save and share your creations; however, registration isn't required to play the free games...more
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Modify classroom technology use by designing online games at Sploder. Register on the site to save and share your creations; however, registration isn't required to play the free games available. Choose from four different game options to create games without any coding skills. Scroll down on the home page to select games by topic including two-player games and girl games.
In the Classroom
Show Sploder to students who love to play games as an excellent source for creating their own games. Ask them to create educational games for classroom topics such as identifying parts of speech or multiples of numbers. Share a link to games on your class website for review.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sporcle - Sporcle, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12
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Try these interactives, available in a variety of subjects: Geography, History, Language, Literature, Movies, Music, Religion, Science, and others. Sporcle tests memorized knowledge...more
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Try these interactives, available in a variety of subjects: Geography, History, Language, Literature, Movies, Music, Religion, Science, and others. Sporcle tests memorized knowledge against a timer. Accessing the comments below can lead to spoilers that reveal answers. Become stumped during a game? Click on "Give up" to end the game and reveal the rest of the answers. Teachers should preview and provide the DIRECT link to the games or section (such as geography) they wish students to use. The "popular" listings and some advertising on this site may include questionable content for classrooms. . These games would be great study tools for students, both in and out of the classroom!
In the Classroom
Share specific activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Teachers should provide the address URL of the actual game to prevent students from accessing other games (or advertisements that you may wish to avoid). Use these interactives as individual activities or in groups to learn a variety of data. For example, play "Element by Symbol" to review the names of the elements of the periodic table by knowing the names of the symbols. This game entertained this science teacher editor and her chemistry student son for fifteen minutes. Enjoy other science games or in subjects such as Geography, History, or Literature. Use the unknown answers that are shown at the end to create study cards in order to improve scores the next time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spore Creature Creator - Electronic Arts, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12
7 Favorites
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Use Creature Creator to make interesting and imaginative animals. Your students may recognize it as a tool for making characters for the Spore video game, but it is actually a ...more
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Use Creature Creator to make interesting and imaginative animals. Your students may recognize it as a tool for making characters for the Spore video game, but it is actually a useful tool for learning, as well. Use a pre-made creature or create your own custom creature. Add carnivore features to your creation that include mouths, ears, eyes, arms, hands, feet, and legs. Weapons such as horns, spikes, and clubs can also be added to the creature as well as wings. Change the position of the features and alter them through unbelievable joint changes which then alter how your creature walks and moves. Paint your creation when done and place it in its woodland environment. The creature can walk, show emotion, have offspring, and make sounds. Use the software to take a picture, record a movie, and make an avatar. By adding a description and tags, your creation can be uploaded to the spore website or to a You Tube account. Here is the first Spore tutorial , which is hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be viewable.
Creature Creator is a free download but is a limited version of the original purchased program. The purchased program provides many more choices for the features and environments used to make the creatures. The download is available for both PC and Mac.
Creature Creator is a free download but is a limited version of the original purchased program. The purchased program provides many more choices for the features and environments used to make the creatures. The download is available for both PC and Mac.
In the Classroom
User needs to be able to download and install the free program. Easy to use interface. Start with a blob, which you manipulate into a shape, pulling its spinal cord in any direction with the mouse, before adding a head, limbs and various optional extra body parts. Choose your part by using the onscreen catalog. Manipulate it further by changing the position of joints or through adding or deleting segments. Add a background and move your creature by dragging your mouse for it to follow. Continue to alter your creature to get the movement or features needed.Pressing "H" brings up the spore guide which includes topic categories such as "Welcome to Spore," "Getting Started," "Build Mode," "Test Drive," and "Paint Mode."
Check your district policy on downloading and installing of programs. Check with your IT department. Teachers who must request software installation by tech staff may want to try this tool at home and create some sample projects to convince administration of its educational value.
Uploading pictures and videos of creations to You Tube or the spore site may expose students to advertising as well as inappropriately created creatures. You may want to send students directly to URLs for their own projects, maintain the creatures on the classroom computer itself, or use Teacher Tube to upload the creations. Uploading creatures enables outsider comments without teacher control. Outsiders can interact or mark the creations as favorites. Many school policies prohibit such interaction, so be sure to check your school policy. You will want to discuss these features in the context of Internet Safety or establish specific written class rules and consequences for interacting with outsiders. Student work can be saved as a picture and printed, as well, for sharing and showing. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online and what information is permitted, then enforce that policy with your students.
The tool does not show which work is attributable to each student. You may want to require student initials on projects in order to get credit.
Use Creature creator to create an unusual creature as a class project. Create a classification system of all the class creatures to demonstrate biology classification skills. When discussing the groupings in the Animal Kingdom, use Creature Creator to create a new organism for that group. Use the tool to create a class creature with adaptations to a specific environment. Have students create a creature and then write a story or poem about it and how it lives. Have students create a creature as a self-portrait of personality or other traits the students possess. Students can design and draw habitats that would house their creation including the calculation of the volume and area the housing would require. Use a classroom projector or white board to share/create creatures in class and discuss specific features of the creatures.
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Spotify for Podcasters - Michael Mignano and Nir Zicherman
Grades
1 to 12
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Turn audio into a podcast using any device with Spotify for Podcasters. Add songs from Apple Music or Spotify, upload audio from your computer, or record your voice to create ...more
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Turn audio into a podcast using any device with Spotify for Podcasters. Add songs from Apple Music or Spotify, upload audio from your computer, or record your voice to create your podcast. Choose a name when finished, then upload your content as a finished podcast. For ideas on what to include in your podcast, listen to other podcasts shared on the site by members.
In the Classroom
Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Looking for even more ideas? Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their learning and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. Language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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