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How To SMILE - National Science Digital Library
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
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This site is a compilation of many math and science resources along with a social networking component. Currently there are almost 2000 activities, lessons, and videos and the site...more
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This site is a compilation of many math and science resources along with a social networking component. Currently there are almost 2000 activities, lessons, and videos and the site is constantly growing. There are several ways to use the site both as a registered user or without registration. Without registering for the site you can search and access lessons and information through the different search methods such as keywords, subjects, source institution, and more. Free registration allows the site to become much more personalized. After registering, you can make lists of resources for any different topic, share lists or searches with others, add comments, or add your own resources. Most activities on the site are free; however, there are some searches that deliver lessons that are paid - these are clearly indicated and not frequent enough to discourage use of this site. Searches can also filter out any paid activities and return only free items. Teachers may also want to subscribe to the site's blog and newsletter to receive updated information as it is added to the site.
In case you are wondering about the title, SMILE is the Science and Math Informal Learning Educators pathway of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
In case you are wondering about the title, SMILE is the Science and Math Informal Learning Educators pathway of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
In the Classroom
This is a perfect way to organize and sort lessons by topic or age range for future classroom use or to share with fellow teachers. Create a community list of lessons to use within your district. Share this site with other teachers in your building or district as a resource for STEM lessons. Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Online Conversion - Robert Fogt
Grades
3 to 12
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This site is the ultimate resource for any measurement or conversion need. Calculators are included for Math, Science, Cooking, Time, and much more. Categories are listed in alphabetical...more
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This site is the ultimate resource for any measurement or conversion need. Calculators are included for Math, Science, Cooking, Time, and much more. Categories are listed in alphabetical order from Acceleration to Weight/Mass. Within each category are the different converters/calculators. For example, after choosing volume, choices include acres, barrels (dry, federal, liquid, and wine), cubic units, gallons, quarts teaspoons, yards, and more. Other interesting conversions include your weight on other planets, your age in dog years, and translations to and from Pig Latin. You are sure to find exactly the conversion for any need within this site along with others to use just for fun!
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Following a lesson on conversions, allow students to access the site to check answers. Mark this site in your favorites and share it on your TeachersFirst public age for quick access. Use as a handy resource on your interactive whiteboard or projector anytime that conversions come up in your classroom. Share this site with students through your class web page or TeachersFirst public page as a resource to use outside of class-- even when cooking with mom or dad!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Innovative Technology in Science Inquiry - Concord Consortium
Grades
6 to 12
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ITSI-SU is a portal for using and creating interactive web-based labs and simulation activities. Brought to you by the research staff of the Concord Consortium, this free online programing...more
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ITSI-SU is a portal for using and creating interactive web-based labs and simulation activities. Brought to you by the research staff of the Concord Consortium, this free online programing uses an assortment of data collection tools from molecular modeling software and web-based simulations to computer sensors (which would need to be purchased if not already in the classroom). Interactives are standards based, thorough, and created with "backward design" in mind. Each activity begins with an inquiry question and a picture with real world relevance. One of the strengths of this program is that it can be used "as is," however all existing activities can be modified by the teacher using them. Any teacher can create new activities of their own as well. Once these activities are created and saved, they can be accessed by other teachers under the "DIY:Other activities area" of the Activities. This added value is something that is rarely found in online lab software. One warning for using this program: it is Java based so modules have to be downloaded. The download takes time and requires tat you "allow" it. Some school computers may block such downloads.
In the Classroom
There are different levels of use of this site with incremental time and effort. The most basic users will need to create an account. Once the account is created, the user can create classes in the "Home" section of the site. This can be found on the left side of the screen. Beside "My Classes" choose "add a class." Here you will create different sections of students. Name your courses what you wish, but remember the sign-up word. You will give this to students when they create their accounts, and it will automatically enroll them into your class. Once they have signed up, their names will show up in the "My Students" section. Once the class is named, choose the activities you would like to have in your ITSI-SU class. Save your choices and the sign-up word will be shown in green print on the screen. Again, save this word. (You can go back into class information to find it if you forget, but you can save yourself time by remembering it.) From this point, basic users need only to show the site to the students and perhaps make some instructions for signing up for their students. Modules are ready to go. As the teacher, you can view the students' work and answers once they have completed the activity they are assigned. More adventurous users can modify activities by following onscreen instruction or even creating their own.The only thing that could snag the use of this program is that the Java download may be prevented by your district's web filtering software. Please try this first ("preview activities"). One other concern is that downloading the Java app to every computer in a class of twenty students or more can pull a lot of bandwidth in a network. If your school's internet is not exactly top of the line, try running six computers with students working in groups to accommodate the internet capabilities. Have other students sit at their seat and work on preparing materials, so all students are learning and being productive. This program should be tried for the first time by the teacher to avoid any "tech" complications. Teachers who must request software installation by tech staff may want to try this tool at home so they can explain and convince administration of its educational value.
A great way to use this programing, on the smallest scale, is to share the initial lab question and picture to start a classroom discussion. Have students speculate about the possible answers to the question and possible "whys." Have students ask questions about the picture and attempt to explain its relevance to the question, and coincidentally the activity. From this point, you can have students log in to the site and create accounts. Either as individuals or have groups of students create a group log in, name, and password. (Student passwords are available to the teacher at any time from the teachers homepage. Please warn students of this when they are choosing passwords so that they choose something school-appropriate.) Another way to use this portal is to pick a modeling lab as an ongoing science enrichment project for students.
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National Phenology Network - USA National Phenology Network
Grades
7 to 12
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What is Phenology? It is the study of cycles in nature from bird and animal migration to changing of leaf colors. Many of our actions on the planet are affected ...more
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What is Phenology? It is the study of cycles in nature from bird and animal migration to changing of leaf colors. Many of our actions on the planet are affected by phenology. This site invites the general public to become observers. Identify the variety of plants and animals in your region and submit data after registering. You can also help in recoveringand recording historical data by entering scanned observation cards into a database.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Identify global issues and their consequences through participation on this site. Learn about seasonal changes with animals and plants, adaptations of organisms, and the interrelationships among organisms. Ask students the following questions: Could using herbicides and pesticides at other times of the year yield a better result? What cycles would you need to look at? What natural resources can be managed more efficiently if we followed cycles? What animal or plant cycles have been affected by environmental changes? Students can enter the information from the scanned cards for a community service project or a graduation project. By looking at data such as when insects emerge and when migrating songbirds arrive, students could also learn about the interdependence of plants and animals, and possibly more importantly, the consequences when that interdependence is interrupted by human activity. Challenge cooperative learning groups to investigate a specific topic on this website and make a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools. Or challenge student groups to make an infographic that depicts the impact of a specific human activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Student Produced Video Field Trips - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 12
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What is a student created video field trip? Simply put, it is an experience where a group of students goes to a site to shoot video, interviews, etc. and streams ...more
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What is a student created video field trip? Simply put, it is an experience where a group of students goes to a site to shoot video, interviews, etc. and streams the video (live and archived) to students, parents, and others unable to attend in person. TeachersFirst shares this how-to and why-to so you and your students will try it. Expand each point within these pages to learn what to do in detail---and skip the steps you already know or that don't apply!
In the Classroom
Read through the step by step and get started! TeachersFirst offers all the practical advice you need to try this 21st century approach to real world learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Visit to a School Garden - TeachersFirst/Meriwether Lewis Elementary
Grades
3 to 8
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Watch the archived version of a live webcast from Meriwether Lewis Elementary School garden on Earth Day 2009, a cooperative project with TeachersFirst. See students explain concepts...more
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Watch the archived version of a live webcast from Meriwether Lewis Elementary School garden on Earth Day 2009, a cooperative project with TeachersFirst. See students explain concepts of organic vegetable gardening, natural building with cob, composting, rainwater collection, planting their new bioswale, Pacific Northwest native plants, and more. TeachersFirst's complete how-to information for making your own video field trips is linked from this page, as well.
In the Classroom
Scroll down to a list of suggestions for using this archived webcast in your classroom. Talk about local sites where you might be able to take a team of students to create a local student created "video field trip" to share with other classes both in and outside of your school. See TeachersFirst's complete how-to information to try one of your own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachersFirst Brain Twister - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 9
46 Favorites
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These ten question quizzes, written by Thinking Teachers, are changed each Friday and are ready to go with one edition for middle school students and one for elementary students. The...more
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These ten question quizzes, written by Thinking Teachers, are changed each Friday and are ready to go with one edition for middle school students and one for elementary students. The quiz presents ten questions, one at a time. You have only ONE try to pick the correct answer, so think carefully. You get points for each correct answer, totaling up to a possible 100. When you finish, you see your score and how long you spent. Questions are intended to stretch your thinking. Printable versions are available along with answers to the previous week's Twister. A new version of the Twister is mobile-friendly and adjusts to any screen size. Take the Twister with you wherever you go!
In the Classroom
Since elementary and middle school curriculum content varies from location to location, it is unlikely that every question will fall within the scope of your school's curriculum. High point questions may fall outside standard classroom fare. Five-point questions tend to be at the knowledge/comprehension/application level of Bloom's taxonomy and closer to "normal" content. Ten pointers are more likely cross-curricular application/analysis, and twenty pointers require analytical thinking and a wider experience level, such as knowledge of current events or information beyond normal curricula. Twenty pointers may require more than one student's input.Do the questions as a whole-class activity with a projector or interactive whiteboard with students contributing the portions of knowledge they do know toward solving the question. Using teamwork and thinking aloud can often help the group reach a conclusion that no single member could do on his/her own. They can each test different math answers to see which one is correct. This process will not only foster thinking aloud and group communication, but also model test-taking skills for multiple choice.
Alternatively, do the Twister in small groups, with one student an answer entry but others as researchers on neighboring computers to find out what the group does not know. It may be helpful to assign roles: moderator (assigns what to find out and helps the group reach consensus), keyboarder (enters responses, may conduct research in a new window), or researchers (find information as assigned). Use the Twisters to model and teach information literacy skills in a high-motivation activity. Or offer the Twisters as an enrichment challenge or extra credit option for students to do at home. Ask parents to be on the honor system to sign a note indicating the score their child achieved. Since parents may be overly interested in helping, you may want to simply give extra credit for anyone completing the quiz, no matter the score. Be sure to mark this ready to go exclusive in your favorites and share it on your teacher class web page.
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Biomes of the World - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
40 Favorites
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Introduce the earth's different biomes with this unit, created by TeachersFirst. Biomes include coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, tundra, ocean, fresh...more
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Introduce the earth's different biomes with this unit, created by TeachersFirst. Biomes include coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, tundra, ocean, fresh water, desert, and the savannah. Each link includes information and pictures. Students can complete an on-line research project on a biome of their choice, using selected web resources, or they can learn the basics of biomes with the information provided in the unit. There are links to the introduction, to learn more about the project, and even a teachers link (with a TON of class activity ideas).
In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups to explore this site. Transform technology use and student learning by challenging students to create multimedia presentations about the biomes. Use Timeline JS, reviewed here; Timeline JS offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive, or Typito, reviewed here; a video creation tool where you add images and video, add text, choose templates and layouts, and add music to personalize your work, or Genial.ly, reviewed here, which allows you to insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more. With Genial.ly students will have a choice of presentation styles (posters, infographics, etc.). Last, you could use Thinglink, reviewed here, where technology use will range from augmentation (narration of an image) to redefinition (adding media links, explanation, narration). Other options might include creating a wiki or blog.
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Gizmos - Virtual Labs & Simulations - Explore Learning
Grades
3 to 12
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This is a collection of interactive activities that teach mathematical concepts from algebra up through calculus, and well-written instructional modules that introduce scientific concepts,...more
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This is a collection of interactive activities that teach mathematical concepts from algebra up through calculus, and well-written instructional modules that introduce scientific concepts, primarily in physics and life sciences from grades 3-12. Each module includes interactive elements that let students experiment with the topic concept. The presentation and subject matter are excellent for these high-interest interactives. A free acount gives you 20-40 free Gizmos, lesson materials, to teach with,
In the Classroom
There are lesson plans and teacher guides associated with the free modules. Bookmark this to incluce in your regular units for some high-interest, student-centered activities. Use these interactives for yur blended classroom. Introduce them in class, have the students explore at home, then come to class the next day with questions, impressions, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earthquake Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students understand how earthquakes happen and learn about famous earthquakes in history. Also...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students understand how earthquakes happen and learn about famous earthquakes in history. Also included are sites and tools well suited for projects about earthquakes.
In the Classroom
Share this collection as a Favorite on your TeachersFirst public page so students can use the resources as part of a project during your unit on plate tectonics or natural disasters. Use the collection as a starting point, noting the resources that are more challenging for your more able students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learning to Give - Points of Light Institute
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson ...more
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The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson plans for teachers, parents, and community leaders. Lessons are coded to state standards and can be searched by grade level, keyword, subject, or academic or philanthropy standard. Some lessons are geared toward private or religious schools and are clearly labeled as such. Lessons include subject, key concepts, vocabulary, objectives, materials needed, approximate time, procedures, extensions, handouts, and much more. An example of a grade 3-5 lesson would be Cool Kids Compost which explores responsible use of resources by gathering data about lunchroom waste. Don't let the concept of philanthropy keep you from exploring the site, there are many great classroom lessons available for all subjects.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for all subject matters, search for subject and browse resources. Share with other teachers in your building or district including teachers of the arts. Get your students involved! Challenge cooperative learning groups to create a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here discussing one of the topics at this site. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Maker, Lucidpress, Powtoon, and MoocNote.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Science Teaching Activities and Lesson Plans - Geology.com
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
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This site contains links to many lesson plans and resources for teaching Earth Science. The top of the page links to different topics of Earth Science such as Astronomy, Earthquakes,...more
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This site contains links to many lesson plans and resources for teaching Earth Science. The top of the page links to different topics of Earth Science such as Astronomy, Earthquakes, Rocks and Minerals, and others. Within each category are links to interactive information. One excellent portion of the site may be easy to overlook so be sure to look on the left side of the page for Categories. Here you will find a wealth of information on diverse topics such as historical geography, world records, careers, teacher resources, and more. Within these links are news, videos, and popular items.
Note: many of the links will take you to different websites so you will want to review before using with students.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to view videos and images from the site with your class. Use lesson plans provided as additional resources within Earth Science units. Augment technology use in your classroom and enhance learning by having cooperative learning groups create online books using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Extend learning and transform the use of technology in your classroom by assigning students different portions of the site to review and prepare multimedia projects to share with the class with Sway, reviewed here, or give students a choice of projects to complete with Genially, reviewed here. Both Sway and Genially will allow your students to create multimedia projects. Genially allows them to choose the type of project they want to create.
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Project Based Learning for the 21st Century - Buck Institute for Education
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Looking for more information on Project Based Learning (PBL)? Find videos, information, and examples on this site. Though some material on this site is for sale, there are plenty of...more
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Looking for more information on Project Based Learning (PBL)? Find videos, information, and examples on this site. Though some material on this site is for sale, there are plenty of free materials. Read about PBL, watch videos, or download word or PDF documents found under the Tools section. Sign up to participate in the forum for more interaction with the content and other educators using PBL. Click the PBL Do-It Yourself bar along the right side for more information and links. Be sure to check out the tweets on the bottom of the front page for great ideas and links to use.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use these ideas in any subject area classroom. Aspects of PBL can be used in introductory activities or whole units. Use driving questions to stimulate student curiosity to know more about how curriculum applies to their lives. Use this PBL framework to give students freedom to research aspects of the content or problem of personal interest. Be sure to view the resources to adequately plan for a successful unit project that incorporates 21st century skills utilizing engaging activities and content.
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Welcome to the Planets - GLS
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
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Enjoy NASA's images of planets and spacecraft used in space exploration. This site is a great reference site for concise information about planets, and spacecraft. An online glossary...more
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Enjoy NASA's images of planets and spacecraft used in space exploration. This site is a great reference site for concise information about planets, and spacecraft. An online glossary contains space terms, and the origins of names for planets, moons, or spacecraft that are from Greek mythology, Latin, or famous people. Spacecraft information includes the assembly, lift off, and mission information. Spacecraft information comes in an audio format too. A CD is offered for sale from the National Space Science Data Center.
In the Classroom
In science, this site easily lends itself to planetary studies. Science classes can compare mass, density, atmospheric components, and surface materials. Math classes can use information provided for many real life math applications comparing distances, revolutions, temperatures, distance from the sun, mass, and diameter. Practice place value and estimation in a universal way. An extra challenge for gifted students can easily lend itself to mean, median, and mode as well as graphing possibilities. Consider Earth day activities to focus on the uniqueness of our planet and the qualities of our planet to maintain life as we know it. Include as a reference on your web site, or as an informational piece to web quests in math or science. Challenge students to create multimedia presentation highlighting one of the planets or spacecrafts. Have students narrate an image using a site such as Thinglink, reviewed here. For quicker projects, create electronic "posters" or word graphics for adopted word using tools such as Piclits, reviewed here,, or WordClouds, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Astronomy Picture of the Day - NASA
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
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NASA offers a daily selection of pictures from its various space exploration on this site. Each day the image is explained by a professional astronomer. ...more
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NASA offers a daily selection of pictures from its various space exploration on this site. Each day the image is explained by a professional astronomer.
In the Classroom
The daily images would be an excellent stepping-stone to study other aspects of space and space exploration. Visit the archive to find any one item of particular interest. Better yet, allow students to choose an image from the archive for further exploration and research. Results could be reported as an infographic using Visme, reviewed here, for beginning technology teachers and students, or as an interactive newsletter using Sway, reviewed here, for those more advance in the use of technology with their class. Since this site is constantly updated, post a link on your webpage for those students and parents who want to check back frequently.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Video: Social Media - Common Craft
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
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What is social media? This video takes you on a journey to "Scoopville," a fictitious town used to demonstrate the many "flavors" of social media. The video is short (3:25-minutes)...more
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What is social media? This video takes you on a journey to "Scoopville," a fictitious town used to demonstrate the many "flavors" of social media. The video is short (3:25-minutes) and very easy to follow. Highlighted are blogs, podcasts, and videos. This site requires you to be a paying member to embed or download the video. However, you can still see the transcript for the video. Despite a paid membership model, Common Craft still offers this video for free. If you wish to share this with a group, they will need to view it on individual/partner computers (or IOS devices) or on a projector that has a zoom function to enlarge a selected area of the screen.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
If you are looking to learn more about various social media, check out this short video. Learn more about the "flavors" you could use in your own classoom. For research projects have students create a blog, wiki, or even a podcast and compare the pros/cons of each regarding communication and safety. Create podcasts using a tool such as podOmatic, explained here. If you use "centers" in your classroom, put the video on a "center" computer, do a "right click" on the video, select "save as" and save to the "center" computer.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Webquest 101 - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Newly revised, TeachersFirst's extensive tutorial explains what a webquest is, why it can be useful in the classroom, and how to create your own webquest on a topic of your ...more
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Newly revised, TeachersFirst's extensive tutorial explains what a webquest is, why it can be useful in the classroom, and how to create your own webquest on a topic of your choosing. Don't miss the section on url detective work and evaluating which sites are best for your students. Fid handy ways to collect resources for webquests and hints for checking reading levels and more. There are lots of examples, tool suggestions, and links to our ever-growing collection of sample webquests.
In the Classroom
Mark this in your Favorites as a professional reference. You may even want to assign students to create their own webquests following these guidelines. If you mentor new teachers, share this resource when they are designing their first web-based projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Questioning Toolkit - From Now On
Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites
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This site offers suggestions and examples of different types of questions to include in classrooms. Each type of question is explained and sample questions are included. For a visual...more
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This site offers suggestions and examples of different types of questions to include in classrooms. Each type of question is explained and sample questions are included. For a visual explanation of how questions work together, choose the Essential Questions link and scroll down to the diagram showing that this is center of all questions, then all other types of question serve to illuminating the Essential Questions. Links are included to additional information on each of the topics.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a guide when lesson planning. Demonstrate to older students how different types of questions will lead to further learning and strengthen critical thinking skills. Display the diagrams and information on the site on your interactive whiteboard to help students explore different questioning techniques. When studying a particular unit, challenge cooperative groups to create their own essential questions (and other types of questions) and create electronic "posters" or word graphics using tools such as Piclits, reviewed here, or WordClouds, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Select and Speak - Google Chrome
Grades
1 to 12
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Select and Speak (formerly (Speakit) is an easy to install, free program that converts written text on web pages into spoken words within the Chrome web browser. At the time ...more
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Select and Speak (formerly (Speakit) is an easy to install, free program that converts written text on web pages into spoken words within the Chrome web browser. At the time of this review, it works exclusively on Google Chrome. You can use this extension in many different languages. All you do is highlight the text, and it reads it aloud. The tool works only on website text, not documents, etc. This extension uses text to speech service and might not be accessible to those whose computers prevent download/installation of software. There are some errors in the program they are still fixing.
In the Classroom
Use Select and Speak as your teacher's helper. Be sure to test it out on classroom computers and devices before using it with students. During research or computer explorations, allow students to use this read aloud feature. Honor the students who heavily rely on hearing as their preferred form of comprehending material. In lower grades, research on computers now becomes an easier task. This extension is perfect for ENL/ELL or learning support students to help with vocabulary development, comprehension, fluency, and repetitions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lunar Phase Simulator - University of Nebraska Lincoln
Grades
5 to 12
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Scroll down the page to find this resource in HTML 5 that will work on most devices. Demonstrate how the moon and sun appear to us on Earth using this ...more
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Scroll down the page to find this resource in HTML 5 that will work on most devices. Demonstrate how the moon and sun appear to us on Earth using this clever application. View the main window to start the simulation and follow daylight and the movement of the Moon. Skip forward by minutes, hours, or days, or change the speed of the animation. The side window shows the phase of the moon present as it passes between the Sun and the Earth. Click angle, lunar landmark, or time tick marks to add more information for even greater understanding of moon phases. View the horizon diagram at the bottom to reveal how the Sun and Moon would move about the sky if one were standing on Earth.
In the Classroom
Consider having the class use this simulation prior to discussion in class and after an initial survey quiz to determine prior knowledge about lunar phases. After using this simulation in groups, encourage students to identify the movement of the Earth and the Moon over time. Allow students to use a projector or other light source and objects resembling the Earth and the Moon to demonstrate what they have learned to the rest of the class. Follow instructions to download and install the native apps on your device.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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