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Endangered Animals in Africa - Africa Conservation Fund
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
Once you become familiar with specific naturalist bloggers on this site, you may want to revisit their posts throughout your unit on animals, biodiversity, or the environment. These real world connections would be good lesson starters. Teachers may also use this site when studying world cultures and geography of Africa. Elementary teachers will want to share selected portions of this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector as they teach about animal habitats and adaptations. Since some of the incidents that threaten the animals may be involve violence or be frightening to students, teachers should preview before sharing with younger students. The reading levels are adult, so this is not a good site to suggest for elementary students to use independently.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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ScreenPal (was Screencast-o-matic) - ScreenPal
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
You will need to know how to use whatever computer software, website, or skill you are demonstrating. Following basic directions and managing browser windows or tabs are a must, as well as the managing settings of the computer being used. There are plenty of tutorials to explore for PC's, Chrome Books, Mac's, and downloading their apps.Use the symbols in the upper right corner of the page to start. You will also find your content there and under the personal (could be a white circle) icon find settings, tutorials, support, and of course, your log-out. Select Capture Screen Screenshots. As a first-time user files for the Screen Recorder will need to be downloaded to your computer. Follow the prompts as they appear. Choose the screen size when played and whether audio will be needed (audio can be tested here as well, which is recommended: settings may need to be adjusted for different microphones.) Open a new tab or browser window and enter the web address of the site (or software) that will be the subject of your screencast. Drag the black frame by clicking the line and dragging it in order to choose what will be recorded during the screencast. The microphone icon has a green bar that shows recording levels. A green arrow showing instead of a green bar denotes that sound is not being captured. The red button is used to start recording while the black "X" stops the recording. Once you stop recording, click on your screencast tab or browser window and preview your recording. You can then either upload or discard your screencast. At this point you can create an account easily. Save your screencast to a channel of your own. Use the embed code to place your screencast into a blog, wiki, or other site. You can also use a widget code to embed the screencast player into a website. Screencasts can then be made from your other site and will save directly to your screencast channel. Screencasts can be set to different levels of privacy and comments can be turned on or off.
Teachers who must request certificate approval by tech staff may want to try this tool at home and create some sample projects to convince administration of its educational value. Unless checked to turn off comments, this site will allow comments on your work. Many districts prohibit such interaction and steps should be taken to prohibit commenting from others. When using the widget, the tool does not attribute work to specific students. You may wish to have the students identify their work while creating the screencast. Screencasts will only be able to be viewed when using an embed code in a site, wiki, or blog. By marking the screencast "searchable," it can be available to the public. Recently created screencasts do not appear on the home page of screencast-o-matic. Students are able to self-register, but you may want to keep a record of logins and passwords for students who forget.
Make how-to demos for communicating instructions on using and navigating your class home page, class wiki or blog, or other applications you wish the students to use in creation of classroom content. By narrating how you want students to navigate through a certain site or section, you can eliminate confusion, provide an opportunity for students to use the information as a refresher for the future, and maintain a record for absent students. Software demonstrations add an increased flexibility with helping students who need it while allowing students to begin and work at their own pace. Added audio is a great asset for many students including learning support and those who might need to access the material in smaller "chunks." Use this site for students to give "tours" of their own wiki or blog page. The presentation of their web-based projects and resources can be more engaging. Use screencasts to critique or show the validity of websites, identify a resource site they believe is most valuable, or explain how to navigate an online game. Challenge your gifted students to create a screencast as a final project rather than a more traditional project. Social studies teachers could assign students to critique a political candidate's web page using a screencast. Reading/language arts teachers could have student teams analyze a web site to show biased language, etc. For a powerful writing experience, have students "think aloud" their writing choices as the record a screencast of a revision or writing session. You will probably need to model this process, but writing will NEVER be the same! Math teachers using software such as Geometer's Sketchpad could have students create their own narrated demonstrations of geometry concepts as review (and to save as future learning aids). Teachers at any level can create screencasts to demonstrate a computer skill or assignment, such as for a center in your classroom or in a computer lab. Students can replay the "tutorial" on their own from your class web page and follow the directions.
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
Requires download/installation of software
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Easter Lesson Plans - Teachnology
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use these free lesson plans with your students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mysterious Places: Ancient Civilizations Modern Mysteries - Mysterious Places
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
This site might be offered to students doing independent research or included as "real" mysteries during a reading or literature unit on mysteries. The information could augment a lesson plan from a standard text with its lovely photos. It could be an option for exploration by accelerated students who have completed a unit on ancient history. Teachers should be aware that there is an on-line forum as a part of this site which requires registration. Its content is completely peripheral to the site, and students should simply be instructed to avoid it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Physics of Baseball - Alan Nathan, University of Illinois
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use this website to find content for your science and/or physics lessons. Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Helping Your Child Series - US Department of Education
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Hand these booklets out at back to school night, open house, or conferences. Encourage parents to become involved supportively.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English-Spanish Picture Dictionary
Grades
1 to 12In the Classroom
ESOL teachers can easily use this site to acclimate new spanish-speaking students, helping them begin the transition to speaking and understanding English. In many of the hyper-linked words are attachments of graphic organizers and handouts, so peruse the site for content being studied and see what's provided that can benefit your class!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Video: Saving Money - Compound Interest in Plain English - Common Craft
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share this video with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups research other aspects of economics and create their own videos. Include this video as you teach about interest in math class, then have students create a video advertisement for a savings program. Transform technology use by using (click on the tool name to access the review): Animatron, Renderforest, Powtoon, or MoocNote. Share the videos on Teachertube, explained here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Online France: Free online ESL/EFL Academic Reading and Writing Exercises - Glenys Hanson and Fiona Robertson, et. al.
Grades
4 to 12Be sure to check out the videos, which include commercials from the 1960s!
In the Classroom
This site has so much to offer, the possibilities are endless. Obviously, this site is handy with ESL and ELL students. But there is SO much here to explore for teachers of elementary (social studies or language arts), AND secondary teachers trying to reinforce grammar skills, connect history and writing, and more.Share portions of this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. With primary students, set up learning stations. Have cooperative learning groups explore the site together. Have groups investigate a specific area of this site and create a multimedia presentation to share with the class: wiki, blog entry, podcast, online book, or video. Need some "technology tips?" Try enhancing students' learning by having them create a podcast using podOmatic, reviewed here. Share "student-created" videos on a tool such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Transform learning and have students write online books using a tool such as Bookemon,reviewed here.
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Christmas Cookie Archive
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Consider putting a link on your class web page and ask parents to volunteer for a "cookie country" and a date to send the cookies to class. That would be a good day to present some of the customs for the country they chose using one of the links mentioned above.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Circle of Stories - PBS
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use the educators guide to find ways to incorporate this site into your classroom, either through lesson plans or classroom activities. This would be a very useful site for a US history or English teacher, studying Native American Culture and story-telling.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa - The Holiday Spot
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Use this source to teach your students about Kwanzaa. Divide your class into several groups. Have each group research one of the links at this site and present their findings to the class using an engaging bookmarking tool such as Wakelet, reviewed here. With Wakelet students can make their wakes distinctive by adding a cover image or symbol for their Kwanzaa topic, a background, and choose the layout. If your class is learning about Kwanzaa along with Chanukah enhance learning by having them compare these holidays using the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, if the comparison includes Christmas use the Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram. Another project idea would be to extend learning by challenging students to create an interactive, multimedia infographic using Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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50states.com
Grades
4 to 8In the Classroom
There are a lot of ads from this site, so if using be sure to forewarn students not to access any of the side links. Use this site if creating state profiles during an American History class. This activity works best if accompanied by a guided graphic organizer or worksheet - we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Biography of President Abraham Lincoln - Ducksters
Grades
1 to 5In the Classroom
This site takes out a lot of the "leg work" for teachers. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share the online quiz, animated activities, pictures, and more. Have students complete the online activities in cooperative learning groups. Challenge students to write their own questions to "Honest Abe."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mostly Medieval
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use the ballads on this site as a means to combine history and creative writing. Show students several of the ballad examples over the interactive whiteboard, allowing volunteers to read aloud some of the pieces. Based on the styles and lyrics seen, have students write their own ballads summarizing some point of Medieval culture or history. For a fun break, have students read aloud their ballads to the class - it's always interesting to see how creative people can get!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geni - Everyone's Related - Geni, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
This site is fairly simple to use. Join the site (free) and log in. Navigation of the site is simple. Click on Tree to start your family tree (or Timeline to use that free resource. For the family tree, arrows are provided to add family members. The arrows pointing up indicate a parent, arrows to the left or right are used to add a wife/husband or brother/sister, and arrows pointing down are used to add a son or daughter.This site allows users to set-up their family tree or timeline as PRIVATE. It allows you to control who can and can't view your profile, family tree, and other information. For more information about this feature, visit the Settings link (on the top right corner). Before you plan your family tree project, be sure to get parental permission.
Possible Uses: Use this site to create family tree projects in elementary or middle school classes. Have high school students create family trees as part of an immigration unit studying patterns in social studies classes. In science class, have students create fictitious "people" as they study genetics. With younger students, create a class timeline sharing important dates for individuals (i.e. birthdays) and class dates (field trips, tests, or other special events). Have students share their family trees on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to "advertise" this project on your class website (and newsletter, if applicable) so students have time to gather names, birthdates, and other information about family members. In world language classes, have student create a family tree using the correct vocabulary for relatives and talk about it as they share it on the interactive whiteboard. When researching famous people, reading biographies, or even reading literature have students create a family tree illustrating their discoveries about their famous person, writer, artist, musician, explorer, literary character, etc.
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)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Vocaroo - Vocaroo
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
You need to be able to navigate controls on the website and sound levels on your computer. Copy/pasting embed codes is also a necessary skill for insertion in a website. Email the sound clip very easily.Future saving of Vocaroos is unsure depending upon server space. Before using with students, you may wish to obtain permission from administration and/or parents. Be sure to check your school's acceptable use policy. Students should be made aware of acceptable use and consequences of misuse of the service.
Vocaroo has a wide variety of applications in any type of classroom! For basic technology integration extend and enhance learning with this tool. Record snippets of information as reminders on your class website or instructions for students to follow. This is terrific for learning support students or non-readers! Have students describe aspects of classroom learning experiences to share with others, such as what they learned from a science experiment or found out about life in Colonial America. Record a quick message for an absentee and email the link to him/her explaining how to catch up on missing work. Create tutorial pieces that students can use as study aids (or have them create them for each other). Use this site in world language classes or for ELL students: have students record and listen to their own pronunciation or send short messages to each other to translate. Have students use this site to practice speeches before the presentation to hear their speed, tone, and words. Use this site for research presentations, instructions for a substitute, or many other possibilities. With younger students, read a short story on Vocaroo, and have student follow along using a picture book. Or have the students read their own stories into Vocaroo and email the readings to their parents! For Mothers Day, why not have students record messages for mom or grandma? Another idea: create a class wiki where parents can "find" the entire selection of Vocaroos for Mother's Day (or another holiday). Record Vocaroos of each student talking about the importance of Moms for Mother's Day or how grateful they are for certain things at Thanksgiving. Embed them all in a class wiki to share with parents. Just email the URL for the collection.
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The Empire that was Russia - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use the images on this site to create a visual discovery activity in your classroom. Select 3-5 of the more powerful and descriptive images, placing them on separate PowerPoint slides. Share the slides on the interactive whiteboard, allowing students to view each image for 30-45 seconds each. During that time period students should jot down what they can observe, infer and predict about each image. After the class has gone through all the slides, have a class discussion based on student's notes. This is a great way to review a unit on Russia, allowing students to apply their knowledge from the previous classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Africa - BBC
Grades
4 to 10In the Classroom
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to take your students on an African visit. The main topic of this website is the drought in Africa, however there is a great deal of information on many African subjects. Include this on your teacher web page as one of several links on different continents as you study world geography, cultures, or climate change.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Great Corn Adventure - University of Illinois
Grades
4 to 6In the Classroom
Save this site on classroom computers as a favorite. Allow students to access it as a learning center or station. This site is a great addition to any lesson about Native Americans, Geography of the corn belt, or the impact of globalization on the farming industry.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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