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The Biography Maker - Jamie McKenzie and the Bellingham Public Schools.
Grades
4 to 12
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Writing biographies is a staple of English and history classes. This site takes students through the process in a way that will make reading them more palatable. It will also ...more
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Writing biographies is a staple of English and history classes. This site takes students through the process in a way that will make reading them more palatable. It will also help students delve deeper into a person's life , making it memorable for them. Divided into four groups (Questioning, Learning, Synthesis, and Storytelling), it helps students understand how to take facts and apply them to a real live person. It wraps up with the six effective traits of writing, reminding students that biography writing shouldn't just be a recitation of facts. The "learning" section does link students to Yahoo encyclopedias and Google (with search hints included), so be aware of that feature. This site serves as a guide for writing a biography of anyone (including students themselves).
In the Classroom
All material at this site is copyrighted, so it must be viewed online. For students who do best with step-by-step instructions, this site is a gem! You might have one group research authors from a particular country while others do artists, musicians, scientists, etc. A class report from each of these groups would do a good job of encapsulating a country or area of the world within any given time period. Teachers seeking independent projects for students who "test out" of a unit can assign this site's step-by-step instructions as a meaningful alternate activity.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Kids' Vid - Mike Keating
Grades
3 to 8
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Leap into video production with help from the Kids' Vid site! Kids' Vid steps you and your students through the process with tips on scripting, storyboarding, shooting video, and editing...more
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Leap into video production with help from the Kids' Vid site! Kids' Vid steps you and your students through the process with tips on scripting, storyboarding, shooting video, and editing it into a visual masterpiece. The site has classroom ideas, short exercises for story writing and learning video shots, an online storyboard creator, and lots of useful help from experts and kids on how to make the whole process an exciting educational experience.
In the Classroom
Start the activity by showing the student-produced videos on the web site. Use the resources on the site for a whole class jig-saw exercise. Assign small groups the task of learning one aspect of the process and then reporting and showing it to the rest of the class. Share the knowledge by creating working groups, which contain an expert from each aspect of the process. Use one of the many class ideas as practice activities for students to learn the finer points of video production before they start their masterpieces.Video is a great tool for authentic assessment - especially for ESL, ELL, and Special Education students. Think about letting each of your students create a short video about what they know for their parent conference meeting or Open House. Explore the realm of possibilities by having students develop and ask peers a "Question of the Week" and document the responses on video. Let students produce a walking tour of the school and key personnel as an introduction for new students. Post this video on the school website, but check the district and students' Acceptable Use Policies before videoing any student faces. You may want to ask your school's funding sources to consider purchasing a few USB plug-in "flip" video cameras that cost about $100 each so students can do these projects with an "indestructible" tool.
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Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips - QDTips
Grades
6 to 12
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Invite Grammar Girl into your English/Language Arts classroom! Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, Grammar Girl makes complex...more
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Invite Grammar Girl into your English/Language Arts classroom! Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, Grammar Girl makes complex grammar questions simple with memory tricks to help your students recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Through audio podcasts and written transcripts, get those short, friendly tips to improve student writing. Be sure to check out the "Top Ten Grammar Girl Episodes" and the "Related Grammar Girl Episodes." There is an archive link to all past episodes, an email newsletter signup option, and an RSS subscription option. Grammar Girl invites comments and questions.
The site includes ads and each podcast starts with a short commercial announcement. The transcript can be accessed online, sometimes with a short accompanying video that illustrates the grammar issue of the day. Grammar Girl tips can be heard as podcasts, which are played through an embedded online audio player. The podcasts can also be downloaded as Mp3 files and played through iTunes, QuickTime Player and RealPlayer installed on a local computer. You can get QuickTime and RealPlayer from the "Teachers First Toolbox page.
This site includes advertising.
The site includes ads and each podcast starts with a short commercial announcement. The transcript can be accessed online, sometimes with a short accompanying video that illustrates the grammar issue of the day. Grammar Girl tips can be heard as podcasts, which are played through an embedded online audio player. The podcasts can also be downloaded as Mp3 files and played through iTunes, QuickTime Player and RealPlayer installed on a local computer. You can get QuickTime and RealPlayer from the "Teachers First Toolbox page.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Check with your Information Technology Department to make sure the site is unblocked at school. If it is blocked, consider installing the free iTunes, QuickTime Player or RealPlayer on a computer at home and downloading the Mp3 files to play later at school. External speakers connected to the computer will help broadcast the sound throughout your classroom. IMPORTANT NOTE: This site includes tools for blog users to interact with others. Any visitor can comment on the posts and podcasts or participate in Forums. There are also links to other tip blogs on the web page. Check your school policies on students posting comments, etc. to the web and whether they are permitted to do so anonymously and/or with name or initials. Extend the concept of Grammar Girls by having students write and produce their own Grammar Girls style podcasts to explain the grammar demons that haunt their writing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scratch - Lifelong Kindergarten Group, MIT Media Lab
Grades
1 to 12
12 Favorites
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Want to get in touch with your inner child? Get Scratch! Warning: The use of this application is quite fun and engaging! Scratch is a downloadable program that creates interactive ...more
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Want to get in touch with your inner child? Get Scratch! Warning: The use of this application is quite fun and engaging! Scratch is a downloadable program that creates interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art. This application can be used for bringing simple ideas and projects to life. It has great use as a paint program without using the animations. Download/install files are available for Mac or PC. Menu tabs include an Idea tab where you will find a Getting Started Tutorial, Activity Guides, Coding Cards, and Starter Projects. FAQs and support pages are also available for help in using the application.
Material created can only be viewed within the program. Drawings are not saved as a JPG or pic file. However, a "snapshot" of the screen can be created by using these keys in Mac: apple, shift, and 4 and click/drag to surround the portion to save. In PC use: control/print screen. These snapshots can be uploaded or used as a picture in other applications.
Material created can only be viewed within the program. Drawings are not saved as a JPG or pic file. However, a "snapshot" of the screen can be created by using these keys in Mac: apple, shift, and 4 and click/drag to surround the portion to save. In PC use: control/print screen. These snapshots can be uploaded or used as a picture in other applications.
In the Classroom
Be sure to "play" with this program before you present it to students; or, you could have computer savy students in your class pair up with not so savy students to investigate together. There are many tabs, folders; and icons to investigate. You (or students) could click Create and in the center pane, click on the tutorial. To begin your creation follow the steps in the tutorial. Once you have the idea, choose your own features from the menu on the left, and on the bottom right are two more menus; Look for the cat icon and the backdrops. Different colors, pens, and materials can be used to create the background or an image can be brought in from your computer. Objects in Scratch are called a Sprite and can be added in by choosing the folders below the screen. By clicking the script tab, blocks can be moved in to create motion, add sounds (even record your own message), and change the look of the Sprite. Blocks are linked on to each other to create a series of events. A control block dragged to the top of the blocks control which key starts the event. Advanced options include adding variables and other controls.Be sure to check with your Technology Department, as many districts require authorization to download or install new applications. Projects can be shared online; however an account is required.
Work is saved to the computer itself and only shared online via an account. To avoid problems concerning content made by outsiders or issues with sharing, save the work locally and either create your own gallery on a supervised class website/wiki or set up a single account where you share the "best" projects online via your own log-in. Remind students of the school's Acceptable Use Policy and consequences of violations, if you do allow them to join/share. Images used should adhere to all copyright rules. Use pictures taken in class or those with Creative Commons licensing (and provide attribution!).
Practical tips: Students quickly catch on to this program when allowed to play and easily see what they can make from it. Provide a simple assignment with defined rules/tasks to learn the tools. Younger students may familiarize themselves more easily working with a partner. Have students use a storyboard to write down what they will do/draw/say in their creation in order to keep tabs on what students and their creations.
Possible uses: For the lower grades, Scratch provides unlimited possibilities. Use as a new way to show vocabulary usage. Use the paint program to add information to a picture from your class field trip or science experiment. Use Scratch to help in storytelling a concept in a new and unique way, such as how rocks are formed. In the upper grades, use Scratch to show complex material in a new way. For example, students can draw DNA and show replication, etc. through their drawings and storytelling. Draw the different movements of landforms in plate tectonics. Draw or illustrate solutions to Math problems.
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Ten Creative Writing Activities - Traci Gradner
Grades
4 to 12
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This site offers ten widely-varied creative writing activities that range in level from upper elementary grades through high school. In some way, they all help the students be invested...more
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This site offers ten widely-varied creative writing activities that range in level from upper elementary grades through high school. In some way, they all help the students be invested in their writing by making the topic personal, from "found treasures" to "show and tell" which works as well (although differently) with high school students as elementary ones.
In the Classroom
These are great activities to have at the tip of your fingers for days when inspiration just runs dry or you are looking for a new approach to creative writing. You might have each student bring in one thing for your "found treasures" bag and then pull them out at random for a class story. The "jumble story" idea is also great because you can substitute current events or topical characters or settings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Paragraph a Week - One Stop Teacher Shop
Grades
4 to 7
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Paragraph a Week is designed as a yearly writing program for fifth and sixth graders. It could easily be adapted to other grades or writing levels. The site provides a ...more
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Paragraph a Week is designed as a yearly writing program for fifth and sixth graders. It could easily be adapted to other grades or writing levels. The site provides a writing prompt for each week of the school year as well as set criterion for each topic. The prompts offer opportunities for students to write in various styles and in paragraph form. Rubrics, instructions, and parent letters are included. Simply print out the topic of the week and students can get busy!
In the Classroom
Have students publish their completed writings on the computer. Select a few students each week to share their ideas and successes! The program includes parent participation. Include the Prompt-of-the-Week link on your class webpage and save some trees! Or use the prompts on a class blog, asking students to respond there. Students and parents will love looking back over their progress through the year in this paper-free "portfolio" of progress.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Literature Board Games - Gary Brooks
Grades
7 to 12
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This site is a practical explanation of how to create board games based on literature students have read. It gives the list of supplies needed and suggestions on how to ...more
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This site is a practical explanation of how to create board games based on literature students have read. It gives the list of supplies needed and suggestions on how to encourage students to be original.
In the Classroom
Using this idea as a "final" evaluation of text is a good way for students to remember. A more technologically advanced idea is for students to create a PowerPoint game or other multimedia presentation. Have the students share their projects on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Board games are also a more innovative way to have students do individual book reports, particularly if several students in the class are reading the same book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Meg Cabot - Meggin Cabot
Grades
6 to 12
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This official website for author Meg Cabot is a tool to encourage journal writing. It has journal writing tips, downloadable journal pages, a bibliography of other journal selections,...more
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This official website for author Meg Cabot is a tool to encourage journal writing. It has journal writing tips, downloadable journal pages, a bibliography of other journal selections, an opportunity to journal with the author, and more. This website requires Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
In the Classroom
Use this site to encourage daily writing. Help students improve their sentence structure and use grammar painlessly through frequent personal writing. ESL and ELL students will enjoy journal-writing as a safe place to practice without corrections. Some journal-writing can also take place on classroom blogs, though you may want to keep uncorrected student blogs behind passwords until students are comfortable with the more public setting.
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NaNoWriMo's Young Writers' Program - NaNoWriMo.org
Grades
6 to 12
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Give students the chance to write a novel, either individually or as a group, by participating in this annual event. Register for a free account, fill in your profile, go ...more
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Give students the chance to write a novel, either individually or as a group, by participating in this annual event. Register for a free account, fill in your profile, go to your dashboard, and start creating your classes; yes, you can have more than one class! Give your students the unique code for their class (the site also provides a Website Permission Form for districts requiring consent from student families). Click the "How it Works" tab at the top and slide down to "For Educators" to get complete instructions for the challenges and more. By its own admission, this is about quantity, not quality, but the idea is to get words on paper. Be sure to check out all of the tabs at the top; there is a wealth of information and resources for teachers, students, and families. All of the novel work students do remain the author's property, so there's no problem with ownership. You do have to register for an account (student or teacher), but it is free.
In the Classroom
Engage your students with the free classroom kits, workbooks, and Common Core-aligned K-12 lesson plans. Teachers can use this challenge and the resources to get their kids writing. It also offers the chance to be published online. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to get your students started filling in their profiles. Show students that they are to click "yes" whether or not there is a current challenge (they can still get started writing). Then have them click the link for detailed instructions for getting started.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Self-study Grammar Quizzes - Internet TESL Journal/ teacher contrbutors
Grades
6 to 9
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This website offers various interactive quizzes all related to grammar. Although written for ESL/ELL students, this is a good practice site for middle school students who have trouble...more
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This website offers various interactive quizzes all related to grammar. Although written for ESL/ELL students, this is a good practice site for middle school students who have trouble remembering grammar basics. All of the quizzes are interactive, with the answers underneath each question for immediate feedback. It encompasses a wide range of grammar-related rules, everything from "a or an" to "active-passive voice." This would make a good review or independent study site.
In the Classroom
Choose which of these quizzes would most benefit your students and make the links available from your teacher web page for them to access the quizzes quickly. As students work independently on them, you can do individual support and final testing with them as they finish each section. The "Other Quizzes" section offers some challenging quizzes that ask students to identify sentence problems and various other questions.Why not use an interactive whiteboard or projector to share the more challenging quizzes with your class. Divide the class into teams, project the questions on the screen, and see which team can answer the most questions correctly. This is great review before standardized testing.
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6+1 Trait Writing Lesson Plans - Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Grades
1 to 12
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This site provides several professional learning resources related to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model. Scroll down past the "Services" to find the resources offered. Some options, such...more
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This site provides several professional learning resources related to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model. Scroll down past the "Services" to find the resources offered. Some options, such as the rubrics, require users to complete a free registration form to access the information. Rubrics are available in two versions - one for grades K-2 the other for grades 3-12. Next, follow the link to the Trait Definitions to view a summary of each of the six traits. An additional resource includes a 45-minute video of a training session on using text sets to increase student writing skills.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point to understanding the 6+1 Writing Traits Model or as a refresher on your previous understanding. For more in-depth knowledge, be sure to visit the FAQ section on this site to find answers to many common questions related to implementing and understanding this writing model. As you introduce this writing model to students, share curated examples using the column features of Wakelet, reviewed here, or Padlet, reviewed here. Create a column for each of the seven traits and share highlighted examples of the use of the featured trait. As students create text to share, use the same method to share their work in each category. Ask students to share their work in a writing portfolio created with Seesaw, reviewed here. Include a self-reflection work of writing for students to reflect and share their growth in writing.
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Kidlink - Kidlink
Grades
3 to 12
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To investigate Kidlink, click Teachers Room, and follow the directions on that page to register for free and see what the site has to offer. This website provides an online ...more
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To investigate Kidlink, click Teachers Room, and follow the directions on that page to register for free and see what the site has to offer. This website provides an online connection to students from various areas of the world. There are links provided for students, families, and teachers. The website is available in various languages - English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese. Students can share stories, artwork, and more. The educational content includes life planning skills (careers), social studies (geography, government, history, etc.), writing, and many other academic areas. Free registration is required for each student and teacher. All content is monitored by volunteer moderators. What a fabulous resource to use in geography or language arts class. This website doesn't just teach students about countries throughout the world, but also allows students to interact with students of various cultures as they write and respond to each other in this safe environment.
In the Classroom
Students need not have their own email to use this site. Kidlink explains that they are permitted to use the teacher's email address (which allows you to monitor their activities, as well). You might want to use your "extra" email account. Set up accounts for your students to communicate in your world language class or as part of your study of other continents. With younger students, you may want to communicate as a whole-class activity, composing on a projector or interactive whiteboard.If your school policies limit your ability to use such a site, see the FAQ information and ready-to-go presentation explaining Kidlink. Share it with your principal and parents. ALWAYS get written parent permission when sharing student work/ideas online.
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Wolf Quest - Minnesota Zoo
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
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This fabulous website about wolves and habitats in Yellowstone allows participants to "live" as a wolf, raise their young, explore the wilderness, go hunting, and survive. Students...more
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This fabulous website about wolves and habitats in Yellowstone allows participants to "live" as a wolf, raise their young, explore the wilderness, go hunting, and survive. Students can work alone or with partners, as they learn about wolves in the wild. Students can consult biologists, write original stories, create drawings, and more. This is the first episode; future installments are expected in late 2008. Students and/or teachers must register (free)to use the program. We recommend using a single class/teacher registration or parent/student written agreements for student registrations in order to prevent inappropriate postings "clever" students might make on the community discussion boards. There are also detailed lesson plans (click on Wolf Info > classroom activities). The lesson plans include national science standards.
In the Classroom
Introduce this free resource on interactive whiteboard or projector. The lesson plans and interactive activity are both perfect tools to drum up enthusiasm in biology class. The Game Info provides excellent descriptors and instructions for using this program. Be sure to check back for updated episodes. Include this website on your teacher web site (and the activities) as one of a set of activities on animals and their habitats to be done in class or outside. Then challenge your students to work together in documenting local animals and habitats in a class wiki or group science fair project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thoughtful Learning - Write Source: Writing Topics - Houghton Mifflin Co.
Grades
K to 12
6 Favorites
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The authors of Write Source have moved their materials to Thoughtful Learning. Explore this great site to find free minilessons, student writing topics, and models of good writing....more
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The authors of Write Source have moved their materials to Thoughtful Learning. Explore this great site to find free minilessons, student writing topics, and models of good writing. The writing topics are divided by grade level in elementary and intermediate, then grouped as 9-12 for high school. Each section includes many writing prompts --enough to whet the appetite of almost any student. The minilessons are a treasure! Many have a short video explanation and some have templates to print! The student models are shown by type (creative writing, persuasive, research, response to literature, business, etc.) and level. As for writing assessments see the elementary and middle school models in all of the major modes of writing, and rubrics that assess each example as "Strong," "Good," "Okay," or "Poor." Download blank rubrics to use with your students. The upper levels of this site, such as persuasive writing or literary analysis, open the door to higher level thinking. There are free curricula Teaching Guides for K-3, however, the other levels of curricula books have a cost. Though the videos display on this site, they reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Have the students choose their own prompt from the list and then share their writing within a small group, with the class, or on their own blogs. Replace paper and pencil and have your younger students create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here., while older students can use Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. Use the models and anonymous sharing on an interactive whiteboard to create a "safe" way for students to share writing as process and hear how others do it. Take this a step further and enhance student learning by having them use a collaborative writing tool like Penflip, reviewed here, or Google Docs. There is also the option of altering student learning and PUBLISHING student models with Book Creator, reviewed here, or Ourboox, reviewed here, as a motivator. Be sure to get parent permission!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timeless Ideas for Teaching - Concord Monitor Publishing
Grades
6 to 12
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Posted by the New Hampshire Concord Monitor Newspaper in the Classroom program, this website offers many interactive ideas that students can use either with a physical newspaper...more
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Posted by the New Hampshire Concord Monitor Newspaper in the Classroom program, this website offers many interactive ideas that students can use either with a physical newspaper in front of them, with an online news service such as CNN, or with online editions of newspapers that you find here. The examples used all refer to the New Hampshire newspaper, but are easily adaptable to whatever topic you want the students to deal with. This site includes such varied activities as creating a database and writing recipes. It covers every section of a newspaper. Students could create their own classroom newspaper using some of these activities or simply create journalistic articles based on whatever topic you are currently teaching. This is adaptable to almost any grade level and subject area.
In the Classroom
Whether you use hard-copy papers or electronic editions, many of these ideas will work even better using technology: word processing, wikis, blogs (for editorials), graphic organizer tools, digital cameras, etc. Use today's tools to study this powerful medium as it goes through transition into an electronic world. Consider asking students to compare electronic vs. hard-copy newspapers and their pros/cons, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fridge Magnet Poetry Board - Nitric Interactive
Grades
3 to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Introducing fridge magnets on the web! This interesting site could provide great creative writing entertainment and engaging grammar for students. The site provides a variety of words,...more
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Introducing fridge magnets on the web! This interesting site could provide great creative writing entertainment and engaging grammar for students. The site provides a variety of words, on magnet-looking pieces, that the students can manipulate to create their own stories or poems. Younger students may need assistance with some of the more difficult vocabulary words. The actual "magnets" appear in a new window and require Java. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
In the Classroom
This site would be great on individual classroom computers or a cluster or as a whole class grammar or figures of speech lesson on interactive whiteboard. Another idea: Have students create a story related to a current classroom topic or skill. Have students submit their creations to share on the site by submitting a screen "dump" (also known as a screen shot). Use the PrtSc key to "copy" your screen and PASTE it into a document for submission. We recommend making the submission anonymous or using the class as the name.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Common Craft - Common Craft Productions
Grades
K to 12
8 Favorites
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This is a TeachersFirst Edge Entry for ANYONE who wants to know more about new technologies. No special skills needed. Watch and learn. If you are embarrassed to say that ...more
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This is a TeachersFirst Edge Entry for ANYONE who wants to know more about new technologies. No special skills needed. Watch and learn. If you are embarrassed to say that you don't know what all the "new web 2.0" terms are all about, this one is for you (and probably for your students' parents, as well). Common Craft uses a very simple, visual method of explaining all the latest technologies so that anyone can understand, using short video clips narrated by a positive and respectful voice. The next time you hear someone talking about RSS feeds or some other new doo-dad, stop here first so you will know what they are talking about. Did you think you were the only one who did not know? Fear not. This site has incredible popularity because there are LOADS of people quietly questioning -- just like you. To view the video clips FREE, click on "Video Library" and the topic that you wish to view. Despite a paid membership model, Common Craft still offers the videos for free, but it does have a watermark saying, "For evaluation only." 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
Start by looking at "Most Viewed" and "Most Popular Right Now," but don't be afraid to search for other topics that have you wondering. You will definitely want to make this site a Favorite and tag is as "professional" information to keep you informed. Share it on your teacher web page to help out your parents, too!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Letter Writing Generator - Read Write Think (Iron Monkey Interactive)
Grades
3 to 8
2 Favorites
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Despite text messaging, the formal letter still has its place in our world. Students write either a business or friendly letter through the prompts of this interactive tool. ...more
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Despite text messaging, the formal letter still has its place in our world. Students write either a business or friendly letter through the prompts of this interactive tool. While generating their letter, they also learn the five parts of the letter and punctuation clues. Along the process, prompts ask for the needed information. When finished, print a well-formed letter. The online tool supplies the format; the student still must supply the words.
In the Classroom
Note: the tool does NOT save letters, so allow enough time to complete the activity and print before closing the site. Teachers, you may want to print out the 'addressing an envelope' tip sheet. This activity would work well in a letter writing computer center on a single classroom computer or cluster, or as a whole class activity in the computer lab. High school teachers, don't be shy to use this online tool for a refresher course on the rudiments of letter writing, perhaps to thank teachers for recommendation letters! Even though it may be geared for upper elementary use, your students will benefit from generating letters through prompts.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Quizlet: The End of Flashcards - Brainflare: Andrew Sutherland
Grades
3 to 12
5 Favorites
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This easy to understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study...more
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This easy to understand web and mobile app tool allows you or your students to enter vocabulary terms and definitions to create electronic flashcards and quizzes to enhance word study in any language or a content area. Students may choose to create study sets, electronic tests, or the networking page allows them to interact and learn with others who have the same words. Teachers or students can create groups to share word lists. Use this tool from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. The iOS and Android apps practice tests can be multiple choice, true/false, or written questions. Turn on "Instant Feedback" (new feature for the apps) that will give real-time feedback on right/wrong answers as you go; or wait and get your score at the end. As wonderful as this technology is, the coolest thing about Quizlet might be in its history--its creator was a high school student who tells his inspiring story and shares his blog through links at this site.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Membership asks for an email. Email allows you to notify others that you want to share a word list or activity with them. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail subaccounts, explained here, this tells how to configure Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. This would provide anonymous interaction within your class. KEEP A LIST of students usernames (non-identifying) and passwords, incase they forget them! If you already use Google Classroom with your students, it only takes a few minutes to get them set up with a Quizlet Class.Quizlet has a very thorough "Help Center" to get the idea of how the site works. Save your "sets" and decide whether you want them to be entirely public, just for you personally, or shared with a "group." The new version of "study sets" allows you to scan your notes with your phone or tablet and create study sets designed for your specific needs. You can now highlight main ideas, underline key concepts and bold important study terms to create custom content. Create your own groups for each class or subject. Be sure to note the fact that you can upload vocabulary lists by copy/pasting from various formats--- a time real saver! Use this tool easily in your BYOD classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have.
Content and English teachers may set up their personal network of users. Pretest your gifted students and allow them to "test out" of material they already know. Learning support teachers will want their students to create their own Quizlet sets and help learn them in the process! Teachers may create your own sets of words, or let students do the work for themselves and each other. Use the interactive whiteboard for quick flashcard or electronic testing using your sets. World language and ESL/ELL teachers will find many word sets already built and ready to use at this site. If you team teach with others at your grade level, take turns making the online Quizlets to accompany your science or social studies chapters. Be SURE to share this tool on your teacher web page for students to use at home.
Be sure to see the classroom quiz game for groups, Quizlet Live (from the creator of Quizlet), reviewed here.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Icebreakers, Games, and Fun Group Activities - icebreakers.ws
Grades
K to 12
22 Favorites
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Start the first day of school or a new marking period with a getting-to-know-you activity from this great, searchable collection. The activities are designed for all ages, so some will...more
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Start the first day of school or a new marking period with a getting-to-know-you activity from this great, searchable collection. The activities are designed for all ages, so some will not work well with very young ones (such as writing things on slips of paper). The site is easy to navigate and sorts ideas by group size and activity level for easy retrieval. There are also activity suggestions for distance and remote learning. You are invited to submit your own ideas. Since the site is designed for general use, not for schools, some ideas may be impractical in a classroom setting but could be easily adapted. Substitutes - check out some of these icebreakers, the kids will love them....and you!
In the Classroom
New or veteran teachers who want students to get to know each other as they enter a new school (starting middle school, for example), want to observe them so YOU get to know them, or need to build better team skills with a challenging class or club, will find ideas to try. Mark this one as a Favorite so you can find it again, since "first day" activities tend to get lost in the flurry ---and in the fading memory-- during the year.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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