TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 22, 2023
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
Spent - Urban Ministries of Durham
Grades
8 to 12
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Spent is an online game that teaches the challenges of poverty and the difficult choices facing low-income earners. Throughout the game, players make choices related to income options...more
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Spent is an online game that teaches the challenges of poverty and the difficult choices facing low-income earners. Throughout the game, players make choices related to income options and spending needs. Choices include decisions that affect the health, education, and living conditions of the player's family. The game ends when you run out of money or reach the end of the month.
In the Classroom
Include Spent as a learning resource to use with your lessons on empathy or difficult conversations. Ask students to spend time playing Spent as a way to explore how choices they make affect their living situation. Enhance learning by asking students to take a screen recording of a difficult choice they make while playing Spent and discuss their thinking behind the option chosen. Use ScreenPal (was Screencast-o-matic), reviewed here, to record and share student's recordings. If you teach older high school students, use Spent to introduce a research unit into understanding poverty in your community. Have students share their learning using multimedia presentation tools like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or Visme, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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New York Fed's Educational Comic Books - Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Grades
6 to 12
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Learn about basic financial concepts and the Federal Reserve's part of the process through these free, downloadable comic books created for middle and high school students. Many of...more
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Learn about basic financial concepts and the Federal Reserve's part of the process through these free, downloadable comic books created for middle and high school students. Many of the comic books also include lesson plans for middle and high school levels correlated to state and social studies standards. Download the comic books in color or black and white PDFs.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free comic books and lessons when teaching economic and financial lessons as a supplement to your current teaching materials. Instead of printing each comic for individual students, provide a link to students using Padlet, reviewed here. Create a Padlet to share all of your online resources for your unit in one place. Use these comic books as inspiration and modify student learning by asking them to use a comic creation tool like ToonyTool, reviewed here, to create single frame cartoons explaining financial concepts. Find more uses for using comics in the classroom by viewing the archive of our OK2Ask session Engage & Inspire: Comics in the Classroom reviewed here.
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The Inflation Calculator - Morgan Friedman
Grades
5 to 12
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Compare the adjusted amount of money from its value in any year, from 1800-2022, using The Inflation Calculator. Enter the dollar amount, the initial year, and the final year for ...more
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Compare the adjusted amount of money from its value in any year, from 1800-2022, using The Inflation Calculator. Enter the dollar amount, the initial year, and the final year for comparison to view the adjusted amount. For example, enter $100 in the year 1900 and compare to the 2017 value to find that the same item would cost $2988.86 in 2017!
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In the Classroom
Although this calculator seems relatively simple, use it for many purposes in your classroom. When reading stories set in different times throughout the 1900's use the calculator to compare costs in the story to 21st-century costs. Use the calculator for student writing projects set in the past to add authenticity to information included. Take student learning a step further and ask them to create an infographic comparing prices, technology, populations, workforce, or other important indicators of two different eras. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, will modify student learning and is a very easy to use tool for creating infographics using their many available templates. Challenge math or economics students to enhance learning and create an inflation calculator based on different sets of statistics using Microsoft Excel or Google Forms. Work together with a history teacher to include those statistics on a history timeline with a tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Budgeting for the Future - Committe for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12
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Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories...more
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Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories to view proposals. Compare up to three plans at one time. Although this interactive compares plans from 2021, the information is still valuable for those interested in understanding the impact of policies on any budget.
In the Classroom
Share this interactive with students to increase understanding of different budget options. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast options found in different plans.
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The Reformer: An Interactive Tool to Fix Social Security - Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12
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How do we fix Social Security to make it sustainable for future generations? Try your hand at making changes using this interactive calculator. Select from options to adjust benefits...more
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How do we fix Social Security to make it sustainable for future generations? Try your hand at making changes using this interactive calculator. Select from options to adjust benefits and revenues to view long-term modifications to the solvency of the Social Security trust fund.
In the Classroom
Include this interactive with your other resources on lessons about government and government spending. Before making choices on the interactive, ask students to interview and record relatives to get their input on Social Security financing. Students may not understand a lot of vocabulary and terms related to Social Security, get a fast assessment of their understanding using Baamboozle, reviewed here. This is a quick and easy game creator that offers users multiple types of games for two teams and keeps score as you play. Consider asking students to create podcasts discussing different issues related to Social Security. Choose from several different free podcasting tools including Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Fiscal Ship - Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings
Grades
8 to 12
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Your challenge in this game is to manage the federal budget and keep it on a sustainable course. Choose from a menu of tax and spending options to reduce debt ...more
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Your challenge in this game is to manage the federal budget and keep it on a sustainable course. Choose from a menu of tax and spending options to reduce debt levels over the next 25 years. The real challenge to winning is to manage the budget while maintaining your values and priorities. Scroll down the page to download the game guide, and click the link to start the game.
In the Classroom
Share this game with students as part of your study of government and economics. Choose YouTube video explanations of taxes and entitlements to help students understand these topics, then use a tool like Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions and comments to the videos to increase student understanding. Ask students to explore one of the topics found during the game and create an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What is Fiscal Policy? Interactive Teaching Tools - Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Grades
8 to 12
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Learn about and understand complex financial policies through this interactive teaching option. Learn about the federal budget with The Fiscal Ship, a game that challenges players to...more
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Learn about and understand complex financial policies through this interactive teaching option. Learn about the federal budget with The Fiscal Ship, a game that challenges players to keep their financial ship upright through policy and debt choices. Use the search bar to encourage students to think about a variety of different types of financial concerns facing individuals and the government.
In the Classroom
Engage students and extend their knowledge with the interactive offered on this site during your current finance lessons. Ask students to explain a financial concept using Google Drawings, reviewed here. If you need help this tool, you could watch an archived OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Use Google Drawings with any appropriate image to add links to websites, videos, and images. Upon completion of your finance unit, ask students to create an interactive book using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox offers tools for publishing digital books that include images, video, and audio in addition to text
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Economic Games - Nicolas Gruyer and Nicolas Toublanc
Grades
8 to 12
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Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction...more
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Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction to the stock market. All games include complete details and an introductory demo. To create multiplayer games the instructor selects the number of players and chooses the Get Logins link. Student logins and passwords display in a popup; players use this information to access and begin play. Be sure to view the How to Play link for full information on starting and sharing games. The site was created in France, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. Currency is in Euros, not dollars.
In the Classroom
Include games from this site as part of economics and financial literacy lessons. This site is perfect for use with gifted students for independent study with peers. After completing games, ask students to use a digital storytelling tool like Book Creator, reviewed here, to explain complex financial concepts in an easy to understand manner.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dollar Street - Gapminder
Grades
3 to 12
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Think of everyone in the world living on one street; the poorest people are on the left and the rich on the right. Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. ...more
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Think of everyone in the world living on one street; the poorest people are on the left and the rich on the right. Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. That is the setup of Dollar Street, a searchable, visual database sharing income features from 264 families from around 50 countries and including over 30,000 photos. Take a quick tour to learn how to use the interactive and understand financial guidelines used based on income per month. Use the drop-down boxes to select specific criteria including the number of beds, homes, or family snapshots. An additional dropbox allows you to select specific countries to view.
In the Classroom
Most teachers will want to bookmark this site to use in many different situations. Share Dollar Street on your interactive whiteboard to compare and contrast your community and living situation to those around the world. When reading books mentioning other countries, look up financial information using this site to help students understand typical living situations. Use Dollar Street as a starting point for research projects. Ask students to create a virtual field trip to their chosen location using Google My Maps, reviewed here. Google My Maps includes tools for labeling stops on a map as participants follow locations created.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Investing for Beginners - Fidelity Investments
Grades
8 to 12
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Investing for Beginners is a YouTube playlist created by Fidelity Investments. The playlist includes 17 videos covering topics such as Investing for Beginners and How to Define Your...more
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Investing for Beginners is a YouTube playlist created by Fidelity Investments. The playlist includes 17 videos covering topics such as Investing for Beginners and How to Define Your Investing Personality. Videos all run less than five minutes in length, making them perfect for quick introductions to financial topics. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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In the Classroom
Share videos with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. You may be interested in continuing the investment study by having students set up their own practice portfolio for a no-risk option to dabble in stock trading and buying. Use a program like Wall Street Survivor, reviewed here, to do this. Extend student learning by having cooperative learning groups research other aspects of economics or business, then challenge the groups to create videos using FlexClip, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WeTheEconomy - 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss - Vulcan Productions/Cinelan
Grades
9 to 12
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Build your understanding of the U.S. economy through a creative, well-organized collection of short films (5-8 min) designed to explain 20 key concepts that any informed citizen needs...more
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Build your understanding of the U.S. economy through a creative, well-organized collection of short films (5-8 min) designed to explain 20 key concepts that any informed citizen needs to understand. Unlike many informational films, these are quite engaging. The collection is divided into five chapters on Economy, Money, The Role of Government, Globalization, and Inequality. All of us can better understand how our economy works from watching these films and exploring some of the follow-up discussion suggestions, even among adults. Teachers can obtain a link to free, downloadable lesson materials, activities, and extensions by filling out a form with their email address. (The email comes within a few minutes, but watch your SPAM filter. Requesting the link via a home email may be better to avoid school filtering!) The teacher materials include correlations to CCSS standards in ELA, Math, and Writing. The content of the films and lessons supports many major concepts of economics and government included in state and other standards. App versions are available for both iOS and Android.
In the Classroom
Sign up to download the support materials and plan one or several lessons to demystify the economy as part of a civics/government class or an economics course. Transform the technology use in your class by assigning students to watch films in small groups and create digital booklets explaining the key concepts to the class using a multimedia tool such as Calameo, reviewed here. As economic issues come up in current events or during an election cycle, use these films to explain the underlying issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wall Street Survivor - Greg Isenberg and Rory Olson
Grades
8 to 12
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Learn about the Stock Market and the world of finances without spending a cent with Wall Street Survivor. Create a free account to access free courses and stock market simulations....more
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Learn about the Stock Market and the world of finances without spending a cent with Wall Street Survivor. Create a free account to access free courses and stock market simulations. Once registered, join stock market leagues. Set up your own practice portfolio for a no-risk option to dabble in stock trading and buying. Play against friends using your own settings and options for trading and selling. In addition to investing options, be sure to check out the large library of articles and tutorials teaching how the stock market works. Not all courses are free, but several basic introductory finance courses offer free lessons in an easy to understand format. If your district blocks YouTube, videos may not be viewable.
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In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share articles on personal finance, investing, and more. Challenge students (or groups) to create their own Stock Market Leagues to learn about investing and trading. Use Wall Street Survivor as an after-school program for students to learn about finances and investing. Share this link on your class website for students to explore on their own. Your math-savvy gifted students and finance aficionados will love this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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People's Pie - iCivics.org
Grades
5 to 12
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People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to ...more
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People's Pie is a simulation where YOU control all of the money of the United States. Start by setting taxes to fund government programs. Set the age for citizens to receive entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. Be careful; set taxes too high or entitlement age too high, and the citizens will be unhappy! Next, make funding decisions for services such as military, finances, and more while viewing citizen satisfaction along the way. Use available options for borrowing money, but beware of high interest rates! The goal is to make it through three budget years; however, the game ends early if citizen dissatisfaction is high. Use the Extension Pack to give your students a deeper understanding while using this gamebased learning activity. Although login and registration are available on the site, they aren't necessary to play the game. Choose "no thanks" at the prompt to begin play.
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Have students create "talking pictures" to debate funding (or lack of) for a particular budget item using Blabberize, reviewed here. Use this game as a springboard for an economics or government class to debate and discuss the impact of financial decisions on different segments of the community. Have students research current candidates' financial plans and play the game using the politician's strategies. Have students compare and contrast the impact on the economy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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