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WordSift - Stanford University
Grades
4 to 12
10 Favorites
0 Comments
WordSift helps anyone easily sift through texts -- just copy and paste any text into WordSift and you can engage in a verbal quick-capture! The program helps to quickly identify ...more
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WordSift helps anyone easily sift through texts -- just copy and paste any text into WordSift and you can engage in a verbal quick-capture! The program helps to quickly identify important words that appear in the text. After entering text several items will appear, first a word cloud will display the 50 most frequently used words in the text. The most frequently used word will display as a word web in a visual thesaurus. Google image and video search results are also shown. One interesting feature is the ability to click on any of the words in the word cloud to display it in the thesaurus and Google image and video searches. A great way to understand the WordSift tool is to try one of the sample texts offered, such as Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Be sure to check out the "About" link to discover many ideas for use in the classroom. Tips and videos are also available as guides. If you type in a shorter sentence, the site still creates a word cloud using their own related words (not in your original text). Be aware of the advertisements that appear with the word clouds. Advise students not to click on the ads.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This is a classic tool to promote "before reading" strategies and vocabulary development. Use WordSift to preview text to be used in class and define vocabulary before reading to increase reading comprehension. Have students use WordSift with different portions of text to identify key words and vocabulary for class presentations. Use WordSift to discuss different meanings of words using images presented through the site. This site isn't only for English teachers, share with Science and Social Studies teachers to use in their classrooms with reading texts in their content areas. ENL/ELL and learning support teachers will want to share this as a support for any reading assigned in regular classes. Be sure to show students how to copy/paste to WordSift texts from informational web pages and news stories on the web, as well. Share this link as a Favorite on your public page so students can use it anytime.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Painless Guide to the Branches of Government: Judicial Branch - United Learning
Grades
5 to 8
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This ten minute video gives a brief historical overview of legislative and executive responsibilities. Display full screen for projection in the classroom or use with headphones in...more
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This ten minute video gives a brief historical overview of legislative and executive responsibilities. Display full screen for projection in the classroom or use with headphones in the computer lab.
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The Democratic Party On-Line
Grades
6 to 12
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This is the Democrats' home page, with links to party positions and issues. ...more
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This is the Democrats' home page, with links to party positions and issues.
In the Classroom
Use this site during local or national elections. Use this site to help students understand one aspect of our two-party system. Compare the platform findings on this site to that of the Republican party in order to help students understand the similarities and differences. Use an online tool such as the 2 and 3 Circle Interactive Venn Diagrams, reviewed here. Learn to separate the issues of the parties from the personalities involved!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Civics Online
Grades
1 to 12
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This site is full of information about civics education and voting rights; The Civics Education links has topic s like Public Education Debate topics and more. ...more
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This site is full of information about civics education and voting rights; The Civics Education links has topic s like Public Education Debate topics and more.
In the Classroom
Be sure to save this site as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Colorado
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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National Constitution Center Lesson Plans
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
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The Education section of this site offers a collection of topical lesson plans and discussion themes on issues with constitutional implications. Topics include Voting Rights, Civil...more
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The Education section of this site offers a collection of topical lesson plans and discussion themes on issues with constitutional implications. Topics include Voting Rights, Civil Rights, National Elections and the Electoral College, and more. Each presentation presents Big Questions, Videos, Worksheets, and Lesson Plans, Along with the relevant constitutional issues.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities hosted on this site! Within the classroom resources page are plenty of online games and quizzes that can be used to help students review. Post the site on your class wiki or webpage to allow students to review it both in and out of the classroom!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Smithsonian Learning Lab - The Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
1 Comments
Discover, create, and share digital resources from the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and nine major research centers with this visually appealing site. Use the search feature...more
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Discover, create, and share digital resources from the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and nine major research centers with this visually appealing site. Use the search feature to find digital resources including photos, recordings, videos, and text. Sign up to create your own collections, including those found on the site and your own resources. Also, click Discover and use the search bar to find topics already on the site your class is studying like dinosaurs, explorers, black history, volcanoes, etc. Add annotations and develop quizzes. Easily share your creations or curated collections using social networking links provided. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
The Smithsonian Learning Lab is a must-add to your list of classroom bookmarks! Search for collections and information throughout the year on all topics. Add a link to classroom computers for the entire site or specific collections. Be sure to take advantage of the many features of this site to create customized collections, then have students add additional resources. Have students create quizzes for review of topics. Enhance student learning by challenging them to create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.Comments
Sal, , Grades: 0 - 12
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: Checks and Balances in Supreme Court Nominations - PBS
Grades
7 to 12
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US ...more
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US government. There are excellent discussion guides, a link to streaming video from the NewsHour, with an accompanying transcript that can be distributed, and a PDF version of a Chicago Tribune article on the issue. There is a nice vocabulary list. There is a good handout on the process of nominating a Supreme Court judge and a worksheet that accompanies it.
In the Classroom
There is a really nice "balance of powers" exercise that goes way beyond a simple discussion of the Supreme Court. Students look at all three branches of government and determine which branch has power in a variety of contemporary situations. This lesson plan is good as a stand-alone, but also provides a lot of jumping off places for further discussion and adaptation. Use a projector, as the plan suggests, to share the short video clips, available in several formats.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Ducksters - Technological Solutions, Inc. (TSI)
Grades
2 to 8
2 Favorites
1 Comments
Ducksters is a safe, extensive, educational portal for kids. Find a wide choice of content such as interactives, sports, movies, and music. Begin by choosing a category to explore choices....more
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Ducksters is a safe, extensive, educational portal for kids. Find a wide choice of content such as interactives, sports, movies, and music. Begin by choosing a category to explore choices. The study category includes extensive information such as world history, many biographies, science explanations, and information on all continents and many countries. Interactive subjects include math times tables, checkers, and guess the country. There is a TON here to explore.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This site is a perfect addition for use with a biography unit. Explore and share information categorized by topics such as Civil Rights, the Cold War, Ancient Greece, and WWII. Extend student learning by having students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president, famous scientist, or nearly any other real or fictitious person. Be sure to create a link to the site on your class webpage or newsletter for students to explore at home. Create a link on classroom computers for students to use the interactives during center time.Comments
Very safe and reliable. Everyone else is my school thinks ducksters is stupid but I love ducksters.Ry, CA, Grades: 6 - 12
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Supreme Court Historical Society
Grades
6 to 12
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This site offers one-stop shopping for a history of the Supreme Court and the ways in which it operates. There are additional links from this site to more complete anthologies ...more
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This site offers one-stop shopping for a history of the Supreme Court and the ways in which it operates. There are additional links from this site to more complete anthologies of court decisions and their interpretation. Middle schoolers could use elements of this one for basic research about the separation of powers and branches of government; high school students should find many uses for the additional materials.
In the Classroom
This would be a great resource in a civics or government class. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard and tour students through the make-up of the court today. Each Judge has his own separate biography that can also be explored to demonstrate the political alliances of the court. Assign cooperative learning groups different judges to research, with the intent of presenting the material to the class. Try something new, like a podcast! Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).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 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Center for Civic Education offers this site loaded with information and resources that support the democratic process. Choose the Teaching Resources tab to take advantage of many...more
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The Center for Civic Education offers this site loaded with information and resources that support the democratic process. Choose the Teaching Resources tab to take advantage of many lesson plans for all grade levels on topics such as President's Day, voting, Women's History Month, 9/11 and the Constitution, and many more. Choose the More Lesson Plans link to see a list of all lessons sorted by grade levels from K-12. Also under Teaching Resources find the 60 Second Civics option, reviewed here. 60 Second Civics is a daily podcast accompanied with a short question. Previous podcasts are archived for access at your convenience. Subscribe with iTunes or Podcast Alley or visit the page to listen.
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This 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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Monitor - Lincoln's Secret Weapon - Nova
Grades
5 to 12
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The PBS Nova site about the Civil War ironclad the Monitor offers some unexpected treats. Students can see whether they can run the steam engine without blowing it up, and ...more
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The PBS Nova site about the Civil War ironclad the Monitor offers some unexpected treats. Students can see whether they can run the steam engine without blowing it up, and the curious can take a simulated 360 degree tour of various parts of the ship. This site includes several lesson plans (most linked to standards), and more. There is a lot of information to learn from, but few activities required flash.
In the Classroom
Share the interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students work in cooperative learning groups to try some of the science experiments at this site. Challenge students to create fictitious blog entries (written by Lincoln) about what they learn at this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Colonial Charters - Yale University
Grades
6 to 12
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This collection from the Avalon Project at Yale University offers a collection of primary documents dealing with all the American colonies except Virginia and Vermont. The page includes...more
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This collection from the Avalon Project at Yale University offers a collection of primary documents dealing with all the American colonies except Virginia and Vermont. The page includes a search engine as well as links to specific documents. Good resource for exploring the various motives in colonizing the new world.
In the Classroom
Primary sources could be used to teach both the content and historical thinking skills in your classroom. Divide students into 5-6 groups, with each group assigned a different primary source to read and evaluate. (Sources should come from various perspectives to make the game more interesting) Have the groups present quick summaries of their source to the class, making sure to mention who the author is and whether or not there could be bias. After all have presented, have each team pick a representative to argue in front of the class as to why their source is the most reliable and valid. After all have made their argument, have the class vote off the least reliable "survivor style" until you are left with just one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Top Documentary Films - topdocumentaryfilms.com
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Top Documentary Films contains a large collection of documentaries from around the world. Choose "Browse" to explore the films available, or use the Categories menu on the right to...more
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Top Documentary Films contains a large collection of documentaries from around the world. Choose "Browse" to explore the films available, or use the Categories menu on the right to view by topics such as Politics, Science, etc. Choose List from the top menu to view a complete listing of all available films. Each listing includes a short description along with a link to view the video. Videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. Be sure to PREVIEW videos before showing to a class as they are unmoderated. Comments are also unmoderated. There is a wonderful disclaimer at the lower left of the home page about bias and documentaries. It is well worth noting as you watch ANY "documentary."
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use this site to find videos in a wide range of topics to share on your interactive whiteboard, on a projector, or as a link on your class web page. Use videos to demonstrate different points of view. Then use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. to compare and contrast information. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from any film using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Want to engage students WHILE they watch a video? Why not set up a backchannel chat using GoSoapBox, reviewed here. Be sure to ask your class if there could have been any bias in the video you watch together. What film techniques influence our thinking?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Delaware
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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Hawaii
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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Children and the Great Depression - Digital History
Grades
6 to 9
2 Favorites
0 Comments
This site has letters written to Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, during the Depression. Use them to teach lessons about that difficult time to younger students....more
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This site has letters written to Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, during the Depression. Use them to teach lessons about that difficult time to younger students. These may serve as an important discussion tool in helping students understand the very real distress suffered by many families during the Depression. Click Teacher Resources to find lesson plans for grades 3-12, PDF docuements categorized as Human Meaning of the Depression, Children Turn to the President, Government Responds to the Young, and Magpie Sings the Great Depression.
In the Classroom
This site might serve as an important resource during a study of the Great Depression. It can be helpful for students to appreciate the individual hardships suffered by families; these stories are more real than the more complex accounts of financial disasters and bank failures. Students might also be encouraged to compare the requests of these children to their own "wish lists," or consider the ways that social service agencies ought to focus their efforts to assist the poor. Because this is a part of a larger site focused on the New Deal (click at the bottom of the Teacher Resources page), the link leads to a photo archive that could be used as part of a presentation on an Interactive Whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This is the companion site to a PBS program of the same name. It offers an introduction to the Jim Crow laws that effectively institutionalized segregation throughout the South. There...more
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This is the companion site to a PBS program of the same name. It offers an introduction to the Jim Crow laws that effectively institutionalized segregation throughout the South. There are also numerous images of African American life in the South during the early 1900s.This looks like a promising resource, especially as a backgrounder for the study of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
In the Classroom
True to its claim, this is an educator's site; it contains lesson plans, simulations, narratives, and picture galleries and more. The site may be useful for both American History and American Literature classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Connecticut
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
The state's home page. ...more
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Star Spangled Banner - Smithsonian
Grades
6 to 12
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Learn about the flag that inspired the National Anthem at this Smithsonian site. The site includes a quiz, a teacher section, and descriptive information about the flag, the War of...more
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Learn about the flag that inspired the National Anthem at this Smithsonian site. The site includes a quiz, a teacher section, and descriptive information about the flag, the War of 1812, and the battle at Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an introductory activity for a lesson on the Flag's creating during a unit on the American Revolutionary War. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing students to explore it in cooperative learning groups on classroom computers. Have the students search the site with, answering specific questions on a follow-along (created by you) that encourages them to explore the site in depth. For help with making that follow-along, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here). Afterward, have a class discussion or some sort of reflection piece to allow students to vocalize questions and opinions about the information presented.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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