TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Sep 8, 2019
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
Interactive Constitution - National Constitution Center
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Include this site with any lessons on the Constitution. Share on your interactive whiteboard to help students understand the meaning behind each article and amendment. Take your research into the Constitution a step further and have students compile bookmarks containing videos and online articles to use for research. Wakelet, reviewed here, is a bookmarking tool that allows students to collaborate through annotations and highlighting of text. Extend student learning by having students or student groups create explainer videos to tell the history of the Constitution or explain articles or amendments. Modify classroom technology use by using a tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create animated short videos.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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What So Proudly We Hail - University of Pennsylvania, Amy Kass, and Leon Kass
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many resources on this site for use with civics lessons, Constitution Day activities, and teaching about primary resources. Share documents found on this site on your interactive whiteboard and use the tools found in your software to highlight and explore specific parts of any document. Alternatively, enhance student learning and classroom technology use by having students use Edji, reviewed here, to highlight and comment on the document. Instead of reading documents in class, have students use an online voice recording tool like Vocaroo, reviewed here, to share important portions on your class website. Have students create an annotated image sharing information about primary sources or civics lessons including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Instead of writing a book report, extend student learning and transform classroom technology use by asking students to create an animated video slide show using a tool like Powtoon, reviewed here, to recreate or discuss historical events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Highlighting Our History: American Revolution Read-alouds PLUS for the Common Core - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6In the Classroom
Mark this article in your Favorites and take the book suggestions with you to the school library (or search for interlibrary loans). Consider using this as part of a "Then and Now" or "Past and Present" focus in kindergarten or first grade, or with middle elementary students as part of a unit related to the Revolutionary War. Take a look at the suggestions for connecting the read-alouds to CCSS-aligned writing prompts or for short, focused research projects to include as follow-up.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: By the People - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Encourage students to select independent reading from this list as part of a citizenship unit, as a focus for Constitution Day, or in a civics/government class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Center for Civic Education - Center for Civic Education
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share a link to the podcasts via your web page or blog. Have students answer the daily question then respond with a short journal entry or with comments on your webpage. Use lesson resources to supplement your current curriculum or commemorate events such as 9/11, MLK Day, Presidents Day, or Constitution Day. Assign podcasts to groups of students to use, then report to the class. Rather than a traditional report, challenge cooperative learning groups to collaborate on a topic found on the site using Netboard, reviewed here, to share ideas and information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constitution Day - ConstitutionDay.com
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share this site with students as a resource for reading and viewing the Constitution. Use Read Ahead, reviewed here with these articles as a guided reading activity for younger students. Read Ahead is perfect for introducing any reading passage to struggling readers, special education students, and ENL/ESL learners. Along with Read Ahead you may want to use Wordsift, reviewed here to help students identify the most important words used in the text. Challenge students to develop a fake social media presence about one of the founding fathers using Fakebook, reviewed here. This is a great resource for Constitution Day!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teacher's Portal - American Bar Association
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Use the lesson plan suggestions to meet the mandate for instruction on Constitution Day, but be sure and check out the other resources for lessons on civics, government, current events and the Constitution itself. The section called "Dialogues" provides resources to engage students and community members in discussion of fundamental American legal principles and civic traditions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iCivics - iCivics Inc.
Grades
5 to 10In the Classroom
As you study the Constitution or U.S. government, have students participate in the activities, stopping to write blog entries as their legal character discussing the results they have achieved in court or in their role within other interactive simulations. Students can work individually or with a partner. Be sure to demonstrate the activities on an interactive whiteboard or projector so students understand how they work. Another option is to enhance student learning and modify classroom technology use by having students create a multimedia guide to one of the constitutional rights learned in the games. Use a tool such as Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to make an interactive poster or infographic on each right. If your class is remote learning, try using Zoom, reviewed here, or another video conferencing tool, to demonstrate or introduce your class to iCivics and the individual activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constitution Day Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use the resources in this collection to supplement a unit on the American Constitution. The resources on this site could be used for webquests, learning centers, lesson plans & the like. American History teachers will love this one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constitution Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you don't have the time to complete online books, have students share the definitions using a class wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Constitutional Convention
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
Look at this site before planning your unit on the Founding Fathers and the New Republic in an American History class. Lloyd has provided a new take on the convention, creating a 4 day drama that summarizes the main events. There are a lot of primary sources and fresh takes on the convention here, making this site extremely beneficial to planning ahead for your unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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