TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 23, 2022
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
Wottaread - Wottaread
Grades
4 to 12
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Wottaread is the home for lovers of fantasy books, including the latest information on new book series, film adaptations, book lists, and much more. Scroll through the site to find...more
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Wottaread is the home for lovers of fantasy books, including the latest information on new book series, film adaptations, book lists, and much more. Scroll through the site to find the proper reading order of book series, author interviews, and suggestions for books similar to familiar titles. Also, enjoy taking quizzes such as "Which Hogwarts house would you be in?"
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share this site with students (consider age-appropriateness) as a resource for encouraging reading and finding books that fit their love of fantasy. Use the suggestions on the website to find books to add to school and classroom libraries. Ask students to use tools found at Class Tools, reviewed here, to compare and contrast characters or book series, create a Fakebook page to create a fictional character profile, or use Qwikslides to create a multimedia presentation quickly. Ask students to make book reviews using Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here, then share their thoughts on your class webpage for peers to use when searching for new reading material.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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War to End All Wars: Looking at World War 1 Through the Eyes of Literature - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 12
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Discover and learn about events leading up to and including World War 1 by incorporating the many activities and literature suggestions found within this portion of TeachersFirst's...more
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Discover and learn about events leading up to and including World War 1 by incorporating the many activities and literature suggestions found within this portion of TeachersFirst's Help! I Lost My Media Specialist page. Begin with the Background Knowledge information to understand the events leading up to the World War and follow through to the global impact of the war. Next, choose from the shared book list to find books to share during your lessons, along with suggested teaching activities. Additional suggestions include extension lessons to enhance learning. All information correlates to AASL National School Library Standards.
In the Classroom
Be sure to see all of the many ideas and activities shared on this site to engage students as they learn about World War 1. Organize and share resources with students using a curation tool such as Netboard, reviewed here. Netboard makes it easy to share links, documents, text, and more into one easily accessible location. Extend learning by asking students to share their knowledge using the tools found at Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Options include tools for creating videos, web pages, and graphics to demonstrate understanding of learning objectives.
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks - Make Learning a Journey - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Your students can visit the world and build their background knowledge when they choose to read a book in conjunction with Reading Treks. Find fiction and informational books at every...more
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Your students can visit the world and build their background knowledge when they choose to read a book in conjunction with Reading Treks. Find fiction and informational books at every reading level. Each Reading Trek unit has a downloadable PDF with Common Core State Standards, ISTE Standards, Grade Level, Ideas and Activities for using the Reading Trek in class, and a list of Helpful Resources. There is also a Google Maps (KMZ) file. Under the About TeachersFirst Reading Treks on the home page find step-by-step instructions for when you're ready to use a Reading Trek. TeachersFirst is just getting started creating Treks for books. Do you have a suggestion? Select Suggest a Trek from the left menu to let us know about it. We'd love to hear from you!
In the Classroom
These units are perfect for use with a whole-class novel, literature circles, or individual reading! Ask students to keep a journal about what they are reading and learning. Replace traditional paper and pen journals using an easy virtual journaling tool such as Penzu, reviewed here. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. If you are conducting literature circles a good tool to use for small group assignments and communication is Asana, reviewed here, or Canvas Free LMS, reviewed here. For students or student groups to share their book with their peers, challenge them to enhance their learning and design an interactive multimedia poster using Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Classic Books - Library of Congress
Grades
K to 12
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Explore this collection of public domain, classic books for children and teenagers from the Library of Congress. They are organized in alphabetical order. There are 51 books for younger...more
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Explore this collection of public domain, classic books for children and teenagers from the Library of Congress. They are organized in alphabetical order. There are 51 books for younger children, 6 books for teens, and 6 books for adults. Each has a short summary, a link from which to read the book, and a link to more information about the book. Enjoy these stories online. Although they aren't audio books, they could be very useful with all ages.
In the Classroom
Share the classics on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Read the stories together as a class and consider converting an excerpt into an interactive text using Active Textbook, reviewed here. You could add to it yearly, with each class taking a chapter or section to "liven up" with media. Or challenge your tech-savvy or gifted students to bring a classic to life with such a project. Share this public domain collection on your class website, blog, or wiki as a good place to find classics (FREE). Create a learning station on your classroom computers using these books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Use CurriConnects to find books related to curriculum topics or subject areas. Build student literacy skills, reinforce the place of curriculum concepts in other contexts, and help...more
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Use CurriConnects to find books related to curriculum topics or subject areas. Build student literacy skills, reinforce the place of curriculum concepts in other contexts, and help students build the important reading strategy of connecting what they read to prior knowledge. Share CurriConnects as links on your class web page or wiki or share them with school and local libraries where students can select books to accompany what they are studying. Topics include Earth Science, Explorers, Frontiers and Settlers, Geographic Wonders (landforms), Inventors and Inventions, Maps, Math in Use, Medicine and Health, The Artists's Eye (books with outstanding illustrations and books about artists), What Do You Do? (careers). More are being added on an ongoing basis. Grade ranges vary.
In the Classroom
Share CurriConnects as links on your class web page or wiki or share them with school and local libraries where students can select books to accompany what they are studying. Explore the many ideas TeachersFirst offers for using CurriConnects in your classroom. Be sure to share these lists with ENL/ELL teachers for reading selections to build student vocabulary and understanding of curriculum.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Library of Congress Read.gov - Library of Congress
Grades
K to 12
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Here you will find the English teachers dream come true! Read.gov is from the Library of Congress and is a new website for readers of all ages. The site offers ...more
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Here you will find the English teachers dream come true! Read.gov is from the Library of Congress and is a new website for readers of all ages. The site offers pages specifically designed for kids and teens, as well as adults, educators, and parents. There is so much here: Contests, books online, book lists, and more. The webcast section is truly extensive. There are Webcasts from famous authors such as R.L. Stine, Jon Scieszka, Jan Brett, David Baldacci, John Grisham, Neil Gaiman, and many more. These webcasts also include interesting topics like "Mystery Writers Discuss Their Craft" and "The Nuts and Bolts of Historical Fiction" among others.
A special feature of the site is an exclusive story, called "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure." The Exquisite Corpse was a game in which someone would start a story, fold over their part, and the next person would add to the story and on it would go until the last person ended the story. For this Exquisite Corpse, Jon Scieszka started the story and passed it on to Katherine Patterson, who passed it on . . . and so it goes for 18 episodes. The entire story took a year to write to the finish.
A special feature of the site is an exclusive story, called "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure." The Exquisite Corpse was a game in which someone would start a story, fold over their part, and the next person would add to the story and on it would go until the last person ended the story. For this Exquisite Corpse, Jon Scieszka started the story and passed it on to Katherine Patterson, who passed it on . . . and so it goes for 18 episodes. The entire story took a year to write to the finish.
In the Classroom
Check out "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure" and have students listen to the stories. As a challenge ask students to look at the differences in writing style for each of the authors. Project a chart about the plot and the writing style on your interactive whiteboard or projector, and have students list the differences and similarities in writing style. Another idea for an activity is to have the students read the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling (not found on this site) and then have them read the very touching national contest winner letter to the author about his poem found here. Students could then write their own letters to an author of a favorite book or poem. Extend student learning and have students create podcasts to read their letters to the authors using a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Read Kiddo Read - James Patterson
Grades
K to 12
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"Dedicated to making your kids readers for life" is the sub-heading to James Patterson's new site ReadKiddoRead. This well-known author has put together a loaded site full of...more
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"Dedicated to making your kids readers for life" is the sub-heading to James Patterson's new site ReadKiddoRead. This well-known author has put together a loaded site full of inspiration, book suggestions, author interviews, and more to inspire educators and parents to promote reading. The titles are divided by age (0-8, 6+, 8+, or 10+). Search by category (within age levels) such as Fantasy & Other Worlds, Real World Fiction, Action/Adventure/Mystery, and others. Teachers who have reluctant readers at all ages will discover ample ways to help them find exciting books. The books at this site also include brief descriptions.
In the Classroom
Sign up for Patterson's newsletter (free) to keep updated on news from the youth literature world and get free chapters. This is definitely a site to save on your classroom favorites and also list on your class website. Provide this link for families to use to find summer reading resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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AdLit - adlit.org
Grades
4 to 12
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The focus of this site is to encourage better literacy and reading enjoyment among pre-teens and adolescents. Sister sites Reading Rockets, Colorin'Colorado, Start with a Book, and...more
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The focus of this site is to encourage better literacy and reading enjoyment among pre-teens and adolescents. Sister sites Reading Rockets, Colorin'Colorado, Start with a Book, and LDonline offer summer reading strategies, book lists, book clubs, classroom technique hints which encourage the development of reading attack skills, and a special section on authors and their best books. For a Spanish language version of the main topics available as an A to Z list, click on the left side of the screen En Espanol. This site has everything you need to know about teaching reading in easy-to-use formats.
In the Classroom
If you need ideas to get students reading for fun and to help develop their confidence, try this site. Highlight this on your class website so parents can try the activities with their older students. When doing author biographies, share this site with your class using an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to check out the "Classroom Strategies" link for even more literacy ideas.
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Adopt-an-Author - Steve Alten
Grades
7 to 12
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Choosing a book, particularly for reluctant readers, is sometimes a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly provide a different look for savvy teenagers...more
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Choosing a book, particularly for reluctant readers, is sometimes a challenge. Working online with some of these materials would certainly provide a different look for savvy teenagers and give them some different ideas on reading. Initiated by author Steve Alten, this website uses this author's (and other's) books to excite reluctant readers with good stories, incorporating technology with planning. While this site has a complete program that is for sale, you can register free and use most of the materials without buying anything. It offers five books by Alten as well as several other fiction and nonfiction titles by different authors. Each book has materials that may include a PowerPoint of the curriculum, a chapter to peruse, activities, quizzes, etc. The variety of books offered is interesting, including an autobiography of Gerda Weissman Klein, a Holocaust survivor, and a finance nonfiction book to help teens prepare for their futures. This site does have sponsors and minor advertising.
In the Classroom
Allowing students to choose among these books may encourage them to read. Having students "teach" their book to the rest of the class after they have finished it might be an activity that would urge other students to pick up those books, too. Extend learning by having students share their books creatively: write a blog post as a character using Telescope, reviewed here, make a video using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to post on TeacherTube or SchoolTube, or make a podcast "interview" of the main character, played by a classmate using Acast, reviewed here. Bring reading into the 21st century reality of your students and watch the two worlds "mash" together.
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TeenTober - American Library Association
Grades
6 to 12
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As of January 2019 Teen Read Week has been sunset and replaced with a new, month long celebration called TeenTober. You can still find...more
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As of January 2019 Teen Read Week has been sunset and replaced with a new, month long celebration called TeenTober. You can still find all the ideas and information for Teen Read Week on the Wiki for Teen Read Week. Use TeenTober and Teen Read Week to raise teen interest in reading and reading related activities; encourage your teens to participate in some of the Teen Read week activities! This annual event is held in mid-October. Be sure to sign up for updates to TeenTober.
In the Classroom
Stir up interest in reading by making these teen appealing activities available to your classes on your teacher web site, bulletin boards, or in class. Be sure to share this annual event with families.
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Children's Literature - Web English Teacher
Grades
1 to 8
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Search through this alphabetical list of children's authors, click on a link, and explore a great collection of resources (organized by book title) including vocabulary lists, activities,...more
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Search through this alphabetical list of children's authors, click on a link, and explore a great collection of resources (organized by book title) including vocabulary lists, activities, and lesson plans - many with an interdisciplinary flair. Many discussion questions and lesson plans can be downloaded in PDF format.
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite and use it as a resource in a literature class. Before introducing a new book to the class, check this site first for information under the author's heading. There you'll find lesson plans, resources, activities, etc. Great for teachers using a new novel or in need of some fresh ideas on teaching an old lesson.
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On-Lion for Kids! - NY Public Library
Grades
1 to 8
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The New York Public Library offers this just-for-kids portal featuring links to sites by subject (science and technology, arts, games, sports, people and places), reading and book lists,...more
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The New York Public Library offers this just-for-kids portal featuring links to sites by subject (science and technology, arts, games, sports, people and places), reading and book lists, book reviews written by kids, and helpful resources for parents and teachers.
In the Classroom
Post a link for this site on your teacher webpage or in your newsletter. Talk about it with parents at back-to-school night or at parent conferences. Share with your middle school reluctant readers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Americas Award for Children and Young Adult Literature - CLASP
Grades
3 to 12
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Here's a collection of outstanding books by Hispanic authors and/or about Hispanic themes for children and young people. Teachers and librarians may find this list helpful in selecting...more
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Here's a collection of outstanding books by Hispanic authors and/or about Hispanic themes for children and young people. Teachers and librarians may find this list helpful in selecting appropriate or attractive titles for their students. Click the title to see a description; some will have a classroom unit with reading levels and standards. Not only are the yearly winners listed here, but you can search by several categories such as Immigration, Civil Rights , Artists, Musicians, and Writers, various Latino countries, and several others. Clicking the category will produce a PDF you can take to the library or send home to parents.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free unit plans and classroom activities within the "resources" section of the page. Explore through these resources to find one to add a multicultural perspective to your history or language arts class. Be sure to save the site as a favorite to allow for easy reference later on.
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TeachersFirst's Reading List Collection - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 12
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Some students have trouble finding books that interest them. This collection comes to the rescue with reading lists for all sorts and types of interests. ...more
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Some students have trouble finding books that interest them. This collection comes to the rescue with reading lists for all sorts and types of interests.
In the Classroom
Try using these lists with your reluctant readers; there are dozens of possibilities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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