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American Bald Eagle Foundation - Bald Eagle Foundation
Grades
1 to 12
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Visit the Bald Eagle Foundation, in Haines Alaska, dedicated to the preservation of this national symbol. Discover eagle facts and incredible image galleries. Read more about the museum...more
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Visit the Bald Eagle Foundation, in Haines Alaska, dedicated to the preservation of this national symbol. Discover eagle facts and incredible image galleries. Read more about the museum and preserve in Haines, Alaska. Be sure to click Discover on the top menu to find information about the Resident Birds, Natural History Museum, Programs, and the Bald Eagle Festival.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Study the bald eagle and its current status as no longer endangered. Use as a research site for bald eagle information. Consider showing one of the videos from the YouTube channel for the American Eagle Foundation. If you do not wish to show all scenes in the video use a program like Clipchamp, reviewed here to show only the portions of the video you want your students to see. Look for an animal in your area, and research it. Do a Problem Based Learning Project on creating dioramas and information for creating public awareness. Create a festival to promote the preservation of the species. Have students create commercials and posters to meet speaking and listening standards. For online posters use a program like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Create a public blog for an ongoing research watch using Webnode, reviewed here.
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ProCon - Procon.org
Grades
7 to 12
7 Favorites
2 Comments
Procon presents controversial issues in a non-partisan manner. Find current issues with balanced information to promote critical thinking without bias. Categories include Education,...more
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Procon presents controversial issues in a non-partisan manner. Find current issues with balanced information to promote critical thinking without bias. Categories include Education, Entertainment & Sports, Elections & Presidents, Science & Technology, and New Topics among others. Issues can include Abortion, Euthanasia, Climate Change, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Health Care Reform, Obesity, and the Death Penalty, just to name a few. Read the information on each issue in a Pro and Con format along with background information, and discussion questions. Some included video clips. Some topics are controversial, so adults using this site with young people may want to go directly to a single issue rather than having them browse openly.
In the Classroom
Using controversial topics that have more than one side is a great way to develop critical thinking and problem solving. Find issues on this site that relate to your curriculum and use them as an entry point for a new unit. Use the teaching resources found on the top menu under the Teacher's Corner. Use this site to teach how to distinguish facts from opinions, using information to write essays or create speeches, or hold a class debate. You may want to facilitate student persuasive writing by using an outline such as Persuasion Map, reviewed here, to help them organize their thinking. Help students develop flexibility in their thinking by having them take part in a difficult conversation and argue a side they do NOT agree with. This will also help students think about how to refute a point the opposition will make. Focus on critical thinking with your students to develop skills needed for life. Use as a whole class activity or for individual students to find an issue of interest to them. Gifted students often think deeply on such issues at an early age and will find these topics of great interest. Use this site to guide a deliberate discussion or debate.Comments
I also love this site, but I don't see any advertising on there at all. The site is free. Not sure how they stay afloat but I'm glad they do. For me, it is better than Opposing Viewpoints database for its depth, ease of use, and lack of registration/passwords. I use it for student debates on current events, and my wife (an English teacher) uses it for persuasive essays and role play debates.ProCon, , Grades: 0 - 12
I've used this and it's great! Balanced, has good resources. Helps students see both sides of an issue.Frances, CT, Grades: 6 - 8
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AnyFlip - Wonder Idea Technology
Grades
K to 12
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Instantly convert any PDF document into a flipbook using AnyFlip. Add links, audio, video, animation, and other interactive features to create multimedia books by adding a few more...more
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Instantly convert any PDF document into a flipbook using AnyFlip. Add links, audio, video, animation, and other interactive features to create multimedia books by adding a few more steps. After creating an account, upload a PDF document of up to 150 MB, and AnyFlip converts your document to a flipbook that can be shared using a QR code or link. Access the advanced functions by downloading the desktop version that is available for Windows or Macs. The downloadable version includes functions for editing book designs, adding multimedia links, creating clickable hot spots, and more. Free accounts allow up to 150 uploads per month and 100G of storage.
In the Classroom
Use AnyFlip in a variety of ways in the classroom. Upload multipage PDF documents to create easier to read flip-style books. Download the desktop version for you and your students to create interactive books for any subject. Make books for younger students to teach colors or ABC's. Have students create interactive books to show what they know at the end of any unit. For example, have groups of students create books that share information about the 50 states, make books sharing interactive instructions on completing a lab activity, or use in art class to share information about different styles of art and artists.Edge Features:
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be shared by URL
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The Hunger Games Challenge - Educurious - Educurious
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
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Would you like to use The Hunger Games to provoke your students into thinking about real world issues? Educurious has just the mini unit for you! Download the free PDF ...more
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Would you like to use The Hunger Games to provoke your students into thinking about real world issues? Educurious has just the mini unit for you! Download the free PDF titled "Avoiding the Path to Panem" and be on your way to creating the thinking citizens of tomorrow. In this one-to-two week project based unit, students will use primary sources, contact experts, and write a final informative essay about sustainability, poverty, racism, economics, or war. In the essay students are to recommend specific ways our country can avoid the post-apocalyptic world of The Hunger Games. The essay will be part of a "Glog" or another form of a public post, to represent their findings and recommendations visually. The unit includes three short videos about directing The Hunger Games movie, surviving high school, and writing. Not only does this unit support the Common Core State Standards, but also the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-S).
In the Classroom
You could use this unit with the entire class reading The Hunger Games, or, with some fine tuning of ideas and materials, possibly use it with other dystopian novels in literature circles. A couple that come to mind are The Giver and The Maze Runner. This unit suggests Glogster, but you can also use a program like Webnode, reviewed here, or Sway, reviewed here. They will do just about everything Glogster will do, and they have more free features.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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ThinkExist - Harold S. Geneen
Grades
4 to 12
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ThinkExist is a Quotation Search Engine and Directory with over 300,000 quotations by over 20,000 authors in the English language. Find quotes by author, topic, keywords, or contributors....more
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ThinkExist is a Quotation Search Engine and Directory with over 300,000 quotations by over 20,000 authors in the English language. Find quotes by author, topic, keywords, or contributors. Narrow your search by subtopics such as nationality or theme such as love or wisdom. Membership to the site isn't required to find and share quotes; however, registration with email allows you to save favorite quotes, receive a quote of the day email, and become a contributor. This site does include significant advertisements that seem to adjust depending on what you search. Preview and monitor young people suing the site. Depending on what search terms they enter, the ads may not be "student appropriate."
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use the site to have a quote of the day (or week) for your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the site with students to use when in need of a quote for classroom projects. FInd writing prompt quotes based on a search term. In literature or social studies classes, look at the list of quotes by an author or famous person. Invite students to create online posters (or traditional bulletin boards) about the author/person using selected quotes. Use an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Boom Cards - Boom Learning
Grades
K to 12
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Boom Cards is a resource for creating and curating interactive, self-checking lessons. Create a free account to begin making and assigning content from the site. A free account offers...more
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Boom Cards is a resource for creating and curating interactive, self-checking lessons. Create a free account to begin making and assigning content from the site. A free account offers you the ability to include one classroom with five students and five self-made decks. Also, Boom Cards offers many free pre-made decks for use. Browse to find decks by grade level and content, then save items to your library or "purchase" for zero points. Once decks are added to your library, use the actions dropdown box to assign to students or use the fast pin option for students to play without logging in to an account. Be sure to watch the tutorials on the site to take advantage of the different features available in Boom Cards.
In the Classroom
Although the free version of Boom Cards limits you to five students, it is a viable resource for differentiating instruction for students and using it in small group settings. Browse through the many free decks available to include in your library to use for review with students who need remediation in any topic or share a more advanced deck with students looking to engage in specific topics or advanced information. Enhance student learning by including Boom Cards activities within personalized lessons created using Curipod, reviewed here. Use Curipod to build a complete series of lesson activities for the class. When finished, duplicate your lesson and edit it to include activities such as Boom Cards that reinforce learning for those that need additional support. Extend learning further by asking students to share what they learned by creating digital books made with Book Creator, reviewed here, or simple explainer videos created with Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Clipdrop - Jasper
Grades
K to 12
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Clipdrop uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create images from your doodles and a short prompt. Add a simple drawing to the blank box and add a description of what your ...more
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Clipdrop uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create images from your doodles and a short prompt. Add a simple drawing to the blank box and add a description of what your image should be in the prompt area. Choose the type of image style from several options, including photographic, origami, 3D model, and more. After providing the drawing and information, choose generate to choose from several options. Select individual images to download as PNG files, or use the Share Results link to save the grid with all the generated images to your device. Although registration isn't required, the number of generations is limited each day. Use your email to create a free account and receive unlimited image generation.
In the Classroom
Anytime students use images, discuss the proper use of copyright. Currently, copyright laws do not apply to AI-generated images; include this in your discussion and consider why this might be true. Create images to use as starters for creative writing projects, to include in multimedia projects, or for students to use as avatars for blogs. Use images created with Clipdrop in digital storytelling projects, such as those created with Canva Edu, reviewed here or with Canva Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here. In art class, use one doodle to create images in different art styles and ask students to compare the different features of each style. Ask students to choose one art style to use in creating drawings by choosing from different options of media and supplies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Character.AI - Character Technologies Inc.
Grades
9 to 12
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Imagine conversing with George Washington, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Edison, or any other historical character. Character.AI provides the tools to engage in fictional chats with any character...more
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Imagine conversing with George Washington, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Edison, or any other historical character. Character.AI provides the tools to engage in fictional chats with any character or group of characters, real or made-up. Search for the name of a character, and a chat window opens with a conversation starter. Use the arrows in each character response to view additional options. Registration isn't required to create conversations but is necessary to save conversations.
In the Classroom
Always tell students that these chats are made up, not conversations. Use Character.AI in many ways to encourage student discussion and critical thinking activities. For example, choose Thomas Jefferson as a character and ask questions about his thoughts on today's Federalist Society. Scroll through the different responses provided and ask students to select one of the responses to research further. As another option, ask for responses from several characters, such as James Madison and Benjamin Franklin, and then compare them. Use Padlet, reviewed here to share resources and information for students to use when conducting their research. Include links to primary source documents, videos, and articles. Extend learning by asking students to create multimedia presentations using Canva Edu, reviewed here to share their findings. Check out the Books section to see if there is an author or character your students are interested in.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Flipped and Blended Learning - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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0 Comments
This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Do you want to...more
Do you want to...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Do you want to engage your students while still being able to give extra support to those who need it? Then you need to use flipped and/or blended learning! In this session, we will simplify these instructional models and introduce tools that support them. Learn to use free teaching resources to deliver instruction digitally while allowing flexibility for student pacing. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the instructional case for flipped and blended learning and the differences between the two; 2. Explore tech tools that can deliver digital content; and 3. Plan an authentic learning activity using a flipped/blended learning approach. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Do you want to engage your students while still being able to give extra support to those who need it? Then you need to use flipped and/or blended learning! In this session, we will simplify these instructional models and introduce tools that support them. Learn to use free teaching resources to deliver instruction digitally while allowing flexibility for student pacing. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the instructional case for flipped and blended learning and the differences between the two; 2. Explore tech tools that can deliver digital content; and 3. Plan an authentic learning activity using a flipped/blended learning approach. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: Tech Integration Made Easy with Nearpod - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from February 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Nearpod is a free...more
Nearpod is a free...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from February 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Nearpod is a free tool that can enhance interactivity in your instructional presentation. Use Nearpod on any device to engage students with interactive multimedia and formative assessments and learn to use data gathered through activities to inform instruction. Learn about the features of each tool and understand how to add them to your instructional toolkit. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Explore Nearpod library; 2. Customize a digital lesson; 3. And plan for the use of Nearpod as part of instruction. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Nearpod is a free tool that can enhance interactivity in your instructional presentation. Use Nearpod on any device to engage students with interactive multimedia and formative assessments and learn to use data gathered through activities to inform instruction. Learn about the features of each tool and understand how to add them to your instructional toolkit. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Explore Nearpod library; 2. Customize a digital lesson; 3. And plan for the use of Nearpod as part of instruction. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: More Authentic Learning Activities with Jamboard - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from February 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Keep on jammin'...more
Keep on jammin'...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from February 2021. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Keep on jammin' with Jamboard - Google's power-packed whiteboard app. We are back with more great classroom collaboration and integration ideas. Simple enough for even young learners, Jamboard gives students tools to share what they have learned and demonstrate content mastery. Use Jamboard to facilitate active learning strategies that include individual and group work. Come prepared to learn strategies that can be used in traditional and remote classrooms across multiple content areas and grade levels. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn the basics of using Google Jamboard for remote learning; 2. Explore strategies that foster 21st-century skills; and 3. Share ideas for using Jamboard in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Keep on jammin' with Jamboard - Google's power-packed whiteboard app. We are back with more great classroom collaboration and integration ideas. Simple enough for even young learners, Jamboard gives students tools to share what they have learned and demonstrate content mastery. Use Jamboard to facilitate active learning strategies that include individual and group work. Come prepared to learn strategies that can be used in traditional and remote classrooms across multiple content areas and grade levels. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn the basics of using Google Jamboard for remote learning; 2. Explore strategies that foster 21st-century skills; and 3. Share ideas for using Jamboard in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Designer - Microsoft Designer
Grades
K to 12
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Designer uses artificial intelligence (AI) to produce images from your text. If you don't have a Microsoft account, you will be prompted to create one. Add your text to the ...more
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Designer uses artificial intelligence (AI) to produce images from your text. If you don't have a Microsoft account, you will be prompted to create one. Add your text to the chat box using as much descriptive language as possible. After selecting enter, Designer produces four images that match your request. Select any image, edit your prompt, or regenerate based on the original text to view more options. After selecting an image, download it to your device, save it to Bing, or use the option to customize the image with the edit button.
In the Classroom
AI-generated images are an excellent tool for use with many classroom purposes. The image creator supports over 100 languages, so it is accessible for use by almost all students. Teach students how to write descriptive sentences by creating AI-generated images; students quickly learn how to add specific details to create a desired output. Use Bing Image Creator to engage students in creative writing projects by generating images based on anything their imaginations share. Include AI-generated images in your classroom newsletter, website, or worksheets as an easy resource for adding pictures without spending much time searching for the right photograph. Share this site with students to include images in multimedia projects, such as those created using Sway, reviewed here or Google Sites, reviewed here. When using any AI resource, be sure to provide guidance on using AI tools ethically, creatively, and responsiblyAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MyLens - DataMotto
Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
MyLens is a beneficial and easy-to-use visual creation tool that offers four representation options. From your personalized prompt, generate timelines, mindmaps, quadrants, and tables....more
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MyLens is a beneficial and easy-to-use visual creation tool that offers four representation options. From your personalized prompt, generate timelines, mindmaps, quadrants, and tables. Upload an image or CSV file to summarize information and gain insights through the visual representations. When complete, download visuals to your device as a PNG file. MyLens supports multiple languages, making it available for multilingual learners. Free accounts allow users to create three stories (visuals) daily.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of this visual resource creator to create and share timelines in advance and on the fly that engage students for many classroom uses and content. For example, create a timeline of events in a novel or historical event, use a timeline to show steps in a progression of events such as turning a bill into law, or create a timeline that shows historic events in your hometown. Ask students to create a timeline using this generator and include a link or the image in a multimedia presentation created with Genially, reviewed here or Canva Edu, reviewed here. Use the quadrant tool to support student understanding of complex issues or generate mindmaps to break content down into smaller, more manageable information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeacherMade - Brad Smith and Laura Bresko
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Reduce your paper load and grading time with TeacherMade's easy-to-use tools. Upload worksheets and PDF files, assign to students with a link through Google Classroom or Clever, and...more
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Reduce your paper load and grading time with TeacherMade's easy-to-use tools. Upload worksheets and PDF files, assign to students with a link through Google Classroom or Clever, and post questions in various formats. TeacherMade even automatically scores responses and provides opportunities for feedback. Register to create your free account, then follow the directions to upload a file of up to 12 pages or start from a blank page. Options allow for several different file formats, including PDF, DOCX, and JPG files. After creating and editing your file, follow the steps to create and share your assignment. Learn more about all of the features of TeacherMade by following their online community forum.
In the Classroom
TeacherMade is perfect for use in several teaching and learning situations, including blended learning, remote teaching, and differentiated instruction. Upload work assignments and create copies to differentiate activities and scoring options. Use this site to create interactive assignments for students to complete at home or during computer center activities. TeacherMade provides many options for helping and enhancing learning for individual students, use for homework, or as a temporary option for providing instruction to home-bound or remote learning students. Have students upload completed assignments of their choosing to an online portfolio creation tool like kudosWall, reviewed here. Use kudosWall to help students build their work resumes, including reflections on their creative process and personal growth.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Quadblogging - David Mitchell
Grades
2 to 12
1 Favorites
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Give your student writers an audience... possibly an international one! Sign up for Quadblogging and be guaranteed that your students will have at least three other classrooms...more
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Give your student writers an audience... possibly an international one! Sign up for Quadblogging and be guaranteed that your students will have at least three other classrooms to read and respond to their blogs. We all know that having an audience for our writing makes us better writers. The creator of this program has hard evidence of that. His students (in the UK) were scoring at 9% on the British writing achievement test before Quadblogging. After a school year of using Quadblogging, his students increased their scores to 60%. In subsequent years, these students continued to have their scores grow by two grade levels per school year. There are two short videos on the home page. One video explains the concept of Quadblogging, and the other is the creator speaking at BETT, the world's largest ed tech conference. You will also find the form to fill out to have your class join others in Quadblogging.
In the Classroom
If you never blogged before, you might want to check out TeachersFirst Blog Basics for the Classroom. Have your students choose a question from Thought Questions reviewed here. Have students respond to the question, and then have them ask the reader to respond to their writing and answer the question from their point of view, too. The benefits go beyond just writing. You can also build cultural understanding and world language skills through blogs. Help your students become aware of environmental issues or how to live "green" for our planet. Try Greenlearning.ca, reviewed here, or choose something from the Environmental News Network, reviewed here, for students' Quadblog projects.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Calendly - calendly.com
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Calendly is an appointment scheduling tool that syncs with your Google Calendar. Sign in with your Google login and set up scheduling pages with your availability preferences. Choose...more
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Calendly is an appointment scheduling tool that syncs with your Google Calendar. Sign in with your Google login and set up scheduling pages with your availability preferences. Choose from several options for length of appointments. Next, describe your event and even add additional questions for invitees if desired. Advanced options allow for making events public, limiting the number of participants, and minimizing schedule notice time. You can add buffer time before and after appointments. Share the link with anyone needing to schedule an appointment with you. They simply visit your calendar to schedule an appointment, and it appears automatically on your calendar. Invitees receive a confirmation screen upon completion of scheduling that includes a link to add the event to their own calendar.
In the Classroom
Use Calendly to schedule parent or student conferences that meet mutual scheduling needs. Create events for professional development sessions. Have participants choose a time for attending or presenting at sessions. Share with your school's Parent Teacher Organization as an excellent scheduling tool for any event. Link this up with your Google Calendar and save time, emails, phone calls, and more!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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RecordCast Screen Recorder - PearlMountain Ltd
Grades
K to 12
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RecordCast Screen Record is a free, easy to use screen recorder that doesn't require registration or downloads. RecordCast is more than a screen recorder; it also includes editing tools...more
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RecordCast Screen Record is a free, easy to use screen recorder that doesn't require registration or downloads. RecordCast is more than a screen recorder; it also includes editing tools to add text, music, and transitions after downloading your recording. Use RecordCast's options to record your entire screen or just a tab or application. When finished, save to download to your device. Although registration isn't required, it allows you to save recordings and export completed videos in different formats for easier sharing.
In the Classroom
Use this handy screen recording tool in a variety of ways in your classroom. Record tutorials for students to demonstrate how to access and use online sites, create recordings for substitutes to explain how to find and use the software on your computer, or make a how-to demo on where to find information on your class website to share with students and parents. Help students understand how to use the different features of documents, such as creating a tutorial showing students how to format cells in Excel, add comments to a Google document, or find and insert images in slides. Share this site with students to use when analyzing websites as part of your ongoing digital safety lessons. Ask them to include a video as part of a larger multimedia presentation. After exporting their video, ask students to include it within a presentation created using Sway, reviewed here, or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Acast - Acast
Grades
K to 12
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Start or convert your podcasting to Acast's free account. There are many benefits to a free account, such as unlimited hours of audio and editing; with Acast, there are no ...more
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Start or convert your podcasting to Acast's free account. There are many benefits to a free account, such as unlimited hours of audio and editing; with Acast, there are no limits for storage, uploads, or downloads. In addition, you will have your own podcast website that updates automatically, and, unlike other podcast programs, there are no limits to which podcast app you use, and a bonus to that is a one-click distribution to all podcast listening apps. Another advantage with Acast is that you get a free web player that can be embedded on your website, blog, and social media. On top of all that, you get free analytics that shows episode performance, geography, and more. As if all of this isn't enough, if you use another podcasting program, easily switch over to Acast. Be sure to look at the Acast Essentials Toolkit which is free and will explain all areas of podcast production and it features insights from well-known podcast creators.
In the Classroom
With older students (and strong readers), you may want to pair them up and have them read Aclass Essentials for the basics of podcasting. Using Fiskkit, reviewed here, with this article will enhance student learning. For younger students or weaker readers, use Read Ahead, reviewed here, on your whiteboard or with a projector for a guided reading session. There are many uses for podcasting in a classroom! Create regular podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their learning and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. English language learners or students just beginning to read could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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Persuasion Across Time and Space Lesson Plan - Stanford University Graduate School of Education
Grades
6 to 12
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Stanford's Understanding Language offers this free five-lesson unit plan for English Language Learners on persuasive writing. Although geared towards middle school students, it could...more
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Stanford's Understanding Language offers this free five-lesson unit plan for English Language Learners on persuasive writing. Although geared towards middle school students, it could be useful with high schoolers as well. Each lesson includes an overview of content and goals for the end of lesson. Download the introduction and each of the five lessons using the PDF links provided. All lessons include correlations to Common Core standards and take approximately 4 to 5 days to complete. Each lesson includes all necessary handouts and assessment suggestions. Lesson topics relate to important events and people from American history: Gettysburg Address, civil rights, and others.
In the Classroom
Print and use lessons (or portions of lessons) in your classroom. Although geared toward middle school ESL/ELL students, these materials can be adapted and used for any middle and high school students. Challenge your students to write their own persuasive writing pieces. Use this site to teach about historical events in America's past (Gettysburg Address, civil rights, Martin Luther King Jr, and more).
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Mahara - New Zealand's Tertiary Education Commission
Grades
8 to 12
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Mahara is an open source e-portfolio creator. Download the Mahara software to begin creating your e-portfolio including journals, social media resources, and uploading files. Once created,...more
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Mahara is an open source e-portfolio creator. Download the Mahara software to begin creating your e-portfolio including journals, social media resources, and uploading files. Once created, share your portfolio using access permissions, allowing members to determine who can view their work. Other features include a resume builder and social networking system connecting members to online learning communities. Scroll to the bottom to find Mahara Support which includes links to a User Manual and Wiki. There is even a demo for you to use for the day to preview Mahara.
In the Classroom
Record classroom activities and student learning with photos or videos. Show students how to create a portfolio, then document their learning and make comments in their portfolio. Share portfolios with parents, not just at conference time, but any time the student portfolio is updated to keep parents in the loop.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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