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return to subject listingYear-End Roundup, 2016-2017: Questions for Writing and Discussion - New York Times/The Learning Network
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for writing prompts, current events discussions, or as a springboard to debate topics. Before writing, encourage students to research their topic and take notes. Use an online note-taking site like Google Keep, reviewed here, to save and share notes. Have students share their completed projects in a blog and ask for feedback from their peers using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. There is no registration with Telegra.ph and you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. Take completed writing projects one step further and ask students to create a Odyssey, reviewed here. Odyssey offers the ability to tell a story through interactive maps including video, images, and more.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Global Speed Chat - Jennifer Hesseltine
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Visit the archives to view activities from previous years. Join the Global Speed Chat with your class as an excellent way to learn about other students and countries through questions tailored to learn more about different cultures. Have students use a mapping tool such as Mapskip (reviewed here) to create a map of locations sharing responses on the site's Padlet (with audio stories and pictures included)! this site as a model to set up your own Padlet reviewed here for to share information about students in your class or school.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Syrian Journey: Choose Your Own Escape Route - BBC
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Include this interactive with any lessons on current events or the Middle East. Allow students to explore on their own to learn about the choices faced by the refugees and the outcomes of their decisions. Share the locations using Google Earth, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a refugee as they attempt to make their way out of Syria. Alternatively, have a student or group of students write a memoir in the voice(s) of a refugee about their experiences using Book Creator, reviewed here, or Ourboox, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Miles of Ice Collapsing Into the Sea - New York Times
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Include these animations and text with any lessons on climate change, oceans, or weather. Enhance learning and build student understanding for your weaker readers and ENL students by creating and sharing a guided reading activity with Read Ahead, reviewed here, prior to reading. Share the locations using Google Earth, reviewed here, and have students research other locations experiencing the effects of climate change.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Climate Kids Time Machine - NASA
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Share these timelines on your interactive whiteboard as an introduction to your unit on weather and climate change. Include a link to the site on your class webpage and classroom computers for students to explore on their own. Have students research causes for climate change, then make a multimedia presentation using Powtoon, reviewed here, or Sway, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Amaze - Ann-Kathrin Grebner, Michael Durgner, G Widschwendter, M Ardelt
Grades
5 to 7In the Classroom
Be sure to follow suggestions for age appropriateness and have appropriate parental permission when using this site in the classroom. Share this site with school counselors and teachers of sex education. Use Amaze as a resource for discussions involving relationships, personal safety, and other teen and preteen issues. When appropriate, share a link to videos on your class webpage. Amaze is an excellent site to share with parents as they face difficult issues that arise during the teen years. Have students create personal blogs for their private reflection about these videos and discussions.Comments
I have used Amaze videos for 9th gradersLinda, IL, Grades: 9 - 12
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Childnet Resources - Childnet International
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free resources found on the site including classroom lessons about cyberbullying and Internet safety. Share information with parents on your website or during Open House activities. Redefine learning by having students make a multimedia presentation such as a poster, brochure, or infographic about information learned using Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Social Media: Digital Literacy + Citizenship - New York City Department of Education
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Share information from this site with your peers and other staff members as you work to develop guidelines for social media lessons and acceptable use in the classroom. Include a link to this site on your class webpage for parent use at home. During your social media lessons have students share tips and ideas using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. Sort ideas on the Padlet into columns based on different social situations, types of online media, or consequences of inappropriate behavior. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create weekly social media advice videos using a tool like Typito, reviewed here, which is a simple tool to use to modify student technology use. Then 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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Twitter Chat: Social Studies When Time is Limited - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Is your social studies time limited? Check out this archived chat for tools and tips to use in your class to make social studies stretch past the limited time allotted. Share this tool with your colleagues interested in learning more tips and tools to use in social studies lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mind Over Media - Media Education Lab
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Discover the many ready-to-go free lesson ideas to include with classroom discussions of propaganda and persuasive advertising techniques. Share the Learn section with students as part of a flipped lesson, then have students provide examples of propaganda they find on TV or the Internet. Ask students to find advertising demonstrating two opposing points of view, then, with younger or less technically experienced students, use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here to compare and contrast information found. With older or more technically experienced students, use a tool such as Whimsical Mind Maps, reviewed here to create charts or a mind map to make the comparison.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EarthCam Live Webcam Network - EarthCam, Inc
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This site would be an excellent addition to any science, social studies, or world cultures class. Teachers click on a webcam in different parts of the world to see things like weather and basic geography. Share the videos on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. In early elementary, use webcams to introduce the world visually with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard. Select specific webcams and create shortcuts on classroom computer desktops for students to "see what's happening" on a certain continent as you study the seven continents. Use this resource to visit different areas that have been effected by natural disasters. Use animal webcams for students to observe animal behavior and keep a "lab journal" of what they see. Instead of the traditional paper and pencil "lab journal," have students keep a virtual journal about what they are learning. Use an easy virtual journaling tool such as Penzu, reviewed here. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. Challenge students to further research the animal(s) they observed and to create an interactive map showing where the animals can be found with a tool like MapHub, reviewed here. With MapHub students can include display markers featuring text, photos, and videos!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching Children Philosophy - Book Modules - TeachingChildrenPhilosophy.org and Squire Family Foundation
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Although created using children's books, this site is perfect for introducing philosophical discussions to students of any age. Choose two books that represent different sides of an issue to share with your class. Create a mind map including different ideas represented within topics using a tool such as Mindmeister, reviewed here. Then have students create an annotated image demonstrating their viewpoint 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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ToonyTool - ToonyTool
Grades
2 to 12In the Classroom
There is a multitude of ways to use comics/cartoons in the classroom. For instance, create one-page discussion starters to help students keep up with current political issues. Use comics to show sequencing of events, for example, explain the sequence of a story, a science concept, or current event! When studying about characterization, create a dialog to show (not tell) about a character. Use comic strips for literature responses. Another idea - why not use the comics for conflict resolution or other guidance issues (such as bullying). Sometimes it is easier for students to write it down (or draw the pictures) than use the actual words. Emotional support and autistic support teachers can work with students to create strips about appropriate interpersonal responses and feelings. World language and ENL/ESL teachers can assign students to create dialogue strips as an alternative to traditional written assessments; summarize through a comic. Challenge students who move through other assignments more quickly to create a cartoon for review of a topic studied in class. Make a class book of the comics created throughout the year using Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator includes features for students to easily create digital books using their own text, videos, and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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When Tragedy Hits - NewseumEd
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Read all materials before presenting this simulation to the class. You may decide participation may be too difficult for some students - those with a personal connection to this or similar tragedies. Make a copy of Setting the Scene and Scenarios for each student. Project the PDFs with the projector and ask students to volunteer for a read-aloud - read-around with all listening to one person and then another. Use the accompanying discussion questions. Consider giving all students a chance to voice their opinions (even the shyest and quiet ones) by using a tool like Backchannel Chat, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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World Press Freedom Map - NewseumEd
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Begin by showing students the Freedom House interactive map and read the information in the right column about what a genuinely free press is. Compare that info to a partly free press (explained just under it). Then have students work in small groups or with a partner to fill out the worksheet/chart. Complete a class discussion of the chart, and then have the small groups or pairs choose one of the countries with partial freedom of the press and research what other freedoms the U.S. enjoys that are restricted or repressed for the citizens of that country. Add these to the chart. Challenge students to convert their paper worksheet/chart to an online digital infographic to present their findings using Visme, reviewed here, or to set up their own graphic organizer to show the comparisons using an online tool such as TUZZit, reviewed here. TUZZit allows you to create diagrams, mindmaps, and other visual graphic organizers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Who, Me? Biased? - New York Times
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share videos with students either with a projector, an interactive whiteboard, or use the link or embed codes on your class website to view at home. Have students view from home and enhance learning using Acclaim, reviewed here where you can stop the video and ask questions about the parts where students may need clarification right on the video! Have cooperative learning groups extend their learning by creating podcasts sharing their insight into biases and racism along with suggestions on ways to address each problem. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Share this site with your school's counselor for use with ongoing lessons in tolerance and diversity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vanishing: The Extinction Crisis is Far Worse than you Think - CNN
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on interactive whiteboards as an introduction to any unit on animals, habitats, or earth conservation. Explore together, then allow students to explore in depth on their own. Have students either individually or as groups choose a topic found on this site to research further. If you are new to integrating technology you may want to have students create a presentation using Visme, reviewed here. Looking for something different? Have students use Microsoft Sway, reviewed here, to create an interactive presentation including charts, videos, and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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World of 7 Billion - Population Connection
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Encourage students to take part in World of 7 Billion's annual video contest. Benefit from the free lessons for middle and high school students as well as the ideas for school-wide events. Provide time for students to browse through the site and to generate questions about it. Brainstorm not only questions but what students learned from it. Allow groups time to research the economic and social issues that have caused such a change in population and how people live. Challenge students to create a presentation with their findings using Prezi, reviewed here. Have students use a mapping tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to create a map of population changes around the world (with audio stories and pictures included)!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pic4Carto - Adrien Pavie
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Use any part of this map for your school projects. Share the maps on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create stories about visiting in these places to share with others. Challenge students to create a digital presentation on a map location rather than write an essay or present a paper poster. If you're just beginning the process of integrating technology in your classroom, use Prezi, reviewed here, which is much like PowerPoint or Keynote but allows for "zoomable" content. If you are more experienced in the integration of technology, try Lucidpress, reviewed here, where students could produce a variety of products. If you teach geography, Pic4Carto is a must; it is also helpful for showing students WHERE a story or news event takes place. If you have a new road in your area, share the difference between this map and older ones found online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Born Free USA - Belton Mouras and Ken Guerrero
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and more to include with your animal unit. After introducing the site with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard, allow older students to explore on their own then choose a topic of interest for further research. Have students make a multimedia presentation or create a digital story about their animal topic using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Younger students could create a digital story around their animal topic using My Storybook, reviewed here. Consider bringing in a local animal advocate to speak to your class about issues in your area. Post a link to this website for students to share with parents at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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