TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Mar 18, 2018
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
BLVRD - Art. Virtually. Anywhere. - Robert Hamwee and Elizabeth L Reede
Grades
8 to 12
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BLVRD offers virtual field trips and access to the world's best-known art collections and cultural sites. View this site on any platform. For a virtual reality experience BLVRD is hardware...more
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BLVRD offers virtual field trips and access to the world's best-known art collections and cultural sites. View this site on any platform. For a virtual reality experience BLVRD is hardware agnostic (you can read about this under the FAQs). Select from the different museum and cultural topic options to begin your experience. Created in Great Britain, most content on this site features archives from British museums although there are a couple of American museums featured. Find curriculum ideas, timelines, and additional resources at the Educate link located on the top of the page.
In the Classroom
Take a "window walk" together with your students as you explore the large variety of art found on this site. Use a tool such as WordClouds, reviewed here to create and share word maps with features of art found in the different museums. Use this site to begin your exploration of different time periods in British history. Enhance learning by having students create an animated timeline including images and videos to share art from around the world during the same time frame or to demonstrate British art throughout the years. Use a timeline tool such as Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here that allows you to create interactive timelines.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Chrome Music Lab - Google
Grades
K to 12
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Experiment with music using interactive instruments and animations at Chrome Music Lab. Different tools teach the basics of chords, harmony, and rhythm. Choose any image to view the...more
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Experiment with music using interactive instruments and animations at Chrome Music Lab. Different tools teach the basics of chords, harmony, and rhythm. Choose any image to view the concept taught, then click to explore the interactive. Some interactives require access to your computer's microphone.
In the Classroom
Share Chrome Music Lab on your interactive whiteboard (or projector), and turn up your speakers. Use these activities to practice rhythm, rests, and more in music class or to illustrate basics about sound in a science class. Share a link on classroom computers for students to experiment with different music concepts (with headphones, of course!). Have students choose different interactives to explore then share with class members. Use a tool such as Screencast-o-matic, reviewed here, to record student work and share with others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MetKids - The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Grades
2 to 12
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Explore over 5,000 years of art in three exciting ways at this vibrant, interactive site from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the menu at the top find Explore the ...more
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Explore over 5,000 years of art in three exciting ways at this vibrant, interactive site from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the menu at the top find Explore the Map, where you choose and double click red or yellow markers to explore fun facts and videos about art worldwide. Next, hop into the Time Machine to learn more about specific times, geography, and big ideas such as inventions or creatures. Also, find Videos that teach about celebrations, share art made by kids, or provide detailed directions for creating your art, all on the menu bar across the top.
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on classroom computers or for a blended class for students to explore on their own. Streghthen student learning by asking them to find information for a specific period of time or country and label what they find important using Webnote, reviewed here; tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions with you and their peers. Next, transform classroom technology and extend learning by showing students how to embed media into an interactive time line using Sutori, reviewed here. With Sutori you can include images, text, and collaboration, or Preceden, reviewed here, for creating multi-layer timelines for over lapping events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Musink - Musink
Grades
4 to 12
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Musink is a free software download for music composition for Windows devices. Create sheet music by easily placing and clicking notes onto the desired location. Musink automatically...more
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Musink is a free software download for music composition for Windows devices. Create sheet music by easily placing and clicking notes onto the desired location. Musink automatically moves notes, rests, and more when adding notes or marks to the score sheet. When finished, publish your composition as a PDF, XPS, or PNG image file. Listen to or download your music in MIDI format. Be sure to view the introductory video and example page for a full understanding of options when using Musink.
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the art of composition while using Musink on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Share Musink with students and encourage them to create their own music. In Destination Imagination or Odyssey of the Mind, use your scores to showcase talent. In honoring multiple intelligences, highlight the students' with musical talent. While reading historical fiction novels, have students compose a song typical of that period with the commonly used instruments and style. Offer in after school clubs for music, guitar, or band.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Noteflight - Noteflight, LLC
Grades
4 to 12
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Noteflight is an online music creating and sharing tool. Create your own music or view and listen to the works of other artists. After creating your account, click to begin ...more
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Noteflight is an online music creating and sharing tool. Create your own music or view and listen to the works of other artists. After creating your account, click to begin a New Score. Use the tools in the program to add notes, notation, and more to your composition. Be sure to check out the User Guide, Tutorial, and Reference Videos for full instructions on available features. Registration is not required to browse and listen to compositions shared by other site members. Noteflight works on all browsers and Safari Mobile iOS 6.1. The free plan allows you to create 10 scores. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share students' musical creations online! Demonstrate the art of composition while using Noteflight on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Explore different musical instruments and how they affect the tone and mood of the piece. During a multimedia presentation, have students create their own music. In Destination Imagination or Odyssey of the Mind, use your scores to showcase talent. In honoring multiple intelligences, highlight the students' with musical talent. While reading historical fiction novels, have students compose a song typical of that period with the commonly used instruments and style. Offer in your after school clubs for music, guitar, or band.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Justin Guitar - Justn Guitar
Grades
4 to 12
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Pick up the guitar and go to your free online video lessons. Begin your free study by discovering how to choose the best guitar for you. Learn the correct body ...more
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Pick up the guitar and go to your free online video lessons. Begin your free study by discovering how to choose the best guitar for you. Learn the correct body posture and fingering while discovering the optimal practice schedule. Progress into beginners' lessons on chords, music theory, and rhythm. Challenge yourself in the intermediate course with scales, chords, and many different musical patterns. Move forward to blues, jazz, folk, rock and metal, and songwriting modules. Along the way, products are available for purchase. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Spark students' interest in guitar playing by encouraging free online guitar lessons. Offer as a challenge to gifted students, and have them teach other students. Highlight students multiple intelligences and let them shine! Make up a tune to go along with a multimedia presentation. Then, show students how to embed media transforming their work by uploading it to a digital storytelling using Presentious, reviewed here, or a digital story using a video tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, and then you have no worries with copyright. Tune up after school clubs with a little music. Make your music class come alive with guitars and free lessons. Share a link to this site on your class website for parents to use at home.
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CurriConnects Book List - Music and Musicians - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Dance to the beat with books about musicians, composers, and the way they make music. This list includes fiction and nonfiction books, as well as books about instruments and how ...more
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Dance to the beat with books about musicians, composers, and the way they make music. This list includes fiction and nonfiction books, as well as books about instruments and how they are made. Take note of music and the people who make it -- from long ago until today. This list includes books for ALL levels. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles'''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
In the Classroom
Share this list with students (and parents) during Music in Your Schools Month (March) or even during a unit on sound in your science classes. Bring the Arts into STEM to make STEAM!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Artyfactory - Artyfactory.com
Grades
1 to 12
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Learn to draw, paint, or design following step-by-step tutorials from Artyfactory. Discover basic techniques of drawing and painting through Still Life lessons. Practice perspective,...more
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Learn to draw, paint, or design following step-by-step tutorials from Artyfactory. Discover basic techniques of drawing and painting through Still Life lessons. Practice perspective, proportions, drawing animals and portraits, and more. Artyfactory's slideshows are an engaging way to increase your knowledge of art, art appreciation, and design.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
In the art classroom, find ways to add technology to instruction using your projector or interactive whiteboard and demonstrating different techniques found on Artyfactory. For project based learning in any class, share this tool as a resource to add visual impact to students' research projects. Social studies teachers can include lessons about making African masks during units about that continent. Include Egyptian Hieroglyphic Alphabet, Cartouche, and Gods during a unit on the Egyptians. Science (or geometry) teachers will want to explore the lessons on visual patterns in nature as a way to capture the interest of your visual learners. Use these tutorials to integrate visual arts into any topic. Encourage your artistically inclined students to explore on their own. Explore this site before a trip to an art museum or to find inspiration for a display or culminating project in any teaching unit. You may even find some bulletin board ideas for your classroom! Ask students to extend their learning and document the stages by taking photos of their art and editing them and making a collage with Photopea, reviewed here. Encourage older students to keep their work in a portfolio for future use with Spaces, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Drama Resource - David Farmer
Grades
K to 6
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Find drama instruction including lessons, games, and strategies. Choose the Games link to find a game of the week as well as many other activities for icebreakers, improvisation,...more
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Find drama instruction including lessons, games, and strategies. Choose the Games link to find a game of the week as well as many other activities for icebreakers, improvisation, storytelling, and more. Explore many different dramatic strategies through brief descriptions, videos, and downloadable templates. Choose from several primary drama lessons including one on anti-bullying. There are also history-related "dramas" such as World War II Evacuees to bring historical events to life. A new addition to the site is Making Drama Out of a Crisis - teaching drama online or socially distanced. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. If you are looking for ways to get students more involved with history lessons, drama may be just the thing. Take advantage of the free lesson plans included on the site. Use lessons and activities as part of your storytelling unit, for beginning of the year activities, or to promote higher level thinking skills. Have students create their own mini-drama moment: upload a photo they have taken and add voice bubbles for dialog using a tool such as Phrase.it, reviewed here. Have students create animated movies online demonstrating different drama techniques using Kizoa, reviewed here.
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Murder at the Met: An American Art Mystery - The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Grades
5 to 12
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Find a mystery in art, and use art to solve the mystery. Tour American paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts that reside at The Metropolitan Museum of Art to solve the ...more
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Find a mystery in art, and use art to solve the mystery. Tour American paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts that reside at The Metropolitan Museum of Art to solve the murder of Virginie Gautreau AKA Madame X, painted by John Singer Sargent. The scenario is an evening gala in 1899, and you put clues together using either your mobile devices or a computer. Players must examine the art work since you are witnesses. There are possible weapons and crime scenes. There are three possible avenues to take to reach the solution, so the game can be played multiple times.
In the Classroom
Whether teaching art history or a unit on mysteries and deductive reasoning, students will learn from using this program. Though there is a place for students to keep notes, they should also keep their own notes about the clues, especially why they chose the ones they mark "highly suspicious." Replace paper and pencil by using a tool like Memo Notepad, reviewed here, for digital note taking. If you and your students liked this site you might also enjoy "Mysterious Places: Ancient Civilizations Modern Mysteries," reviewed here, with its lovely photographs to go along with the mysteries. A natural follow up would be to have your students write their own mysteries. Expository Escapades - Detective's Handbook, reviewed here, is just the place to give you some ideas! Challenge gifted students to create similar mysteries using subject matter in any science or social studies class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Drama in the ESL Classroom - Jessica Davis
Grades
2 to 12
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Find a wealth of resources for using drama in the ESL/ELL classroom. The same activities can also be useful for other subjects. The improvisation resources are especially exciting,...more
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Find a wealth of resources for using drama in the ESL/ELL classroom. The same activities can also be useful for other subjects. The improvisation resources are especially exciting, offering definitions, examples of activities, links, and visual examples of how you can use improvisational techniques. In addition, information and activities on using plays, process drama, and reader's theater for language teaching abound. Use play writing for another aspect of language teaching. There is a complete curriculum for offering an independent class in drama for ESL/ELL students. Although this site may appear plain vanilla, there are sprinkles throughout, making this tool very valuable and informative.
In the Classroom
Use this site as the starting point for group projects like having the students write and produce their own play(s). This is a great find for gifted students as well as students studying any modern language as the play writing and acting techniques can easily be adapted. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos of the plays they write and produce then edit and save them using using wevideo, reviewed here. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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