Classroom Ideas

These are some of my latest website findings that I thought to share.  This will be a running page with the most recent at the top.  I may also add a few ideas how to use in the classroom, too.

Check out the links along the left side as well for great resources.


******************************

Are your students having trouble with harder vocabulary words? Do you wish there was a video source to explain in motion these words? VocabAhead Study Room provides a distraction free environment with over 1000 difficult words explained using Vocabulary Videos and Flash Cards. More vocab videos continuously added. Join us, it’s FREE!

Sign up, too, for the Vocab Video of the Day
http://vocabahead.com/StudyRoom/tabid/61/Default.aspx

Have fun learning new words!

AND
Do your students have data that needs to be shared? Looking for a quick alternative to creating a graph in Excel. Try Create a Graph. Students will be able to read their data immediately and make sense of the numbers and comparisons.

Create A Graph http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/

Explains and illustrates the different types, and provides a step-by-step guide to creating examples for downloading and printing.

Graphic Map

I recently found this activity from the Read-Write-Think website. It is a great interactive tool for reading and writing. Any of the other activities on the main site are worth a look, too!

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/graphicmap/

The Graphic Map is designed to assist teachers and students in reading and writing activities. The organizer focuses on charting the high and low points related to a particular item or group of items, such as chapters in a book, amounts of money spent, events during a day, month, year, or life, or scenes in a play. The Graphic Map creates a graphic representation of these high and low points that displays related images and descriptions. The interactive can be used as a prewriting activity, as students map ideas for an autobiography; as a postreading activity, as students map the significance of events in a story; and as a reflection and assessment activity, as students map the high and low points of their inquiry process

Read-Write-Think More Student Materials

*********************

I found these sites that Wordle Presidential Speeches. You can choose from a list of presidents. Interesting to see the shift in “important” words based on the time of the presidency.

Behind the Speeches – Meaningful Words
and
Historic American Rhetoric

For our students….when they write speeches/reports, Wordle and compare the important words from their speeches with each other.

*********************

Exploratree -

  • Use the free online library of thinking guides
  • Print them out or fill in and complete your project on the exploratree website
  • Build up a personal portfolio of useful thinking guides
  • Change or customise them using images, text and shapes

Good alternative to Inspiration

*********************

VisuWords

Online graphical dictionary

WordSpy

A word lover’s guide to new words

*********************

Looking for links to learn more about Internet Safety? Try this school’s Internet Safety Resource Page

********************

Social Studies/Current Events

Bios 4 Kids http://www.biography.com/bio4kids/index.jsp Informative and fun series for children ages 8-12 telling of lives from historical figures to contemporary icons.
Kids dotGOV http://www.kids.gov/ Links to Government and other fun and educational sites

Dog House Fodder for young minds http://www.dogonews.com/ Great News source

Library of Congress Spotlight on Kids and Families http://www.loc.gov/families/

Snagfilms http://www.snagfilms.com/ find a documentary for free

PBS Teacher News Hour http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/ Provides teacher unique current events and resources for busy teachers

School Time Games http://www.schooltimegames.com/Social_Studies/WeekinRap.html The Week in Rap – A week’s worth of current events set to rap. New episode every Friday. Social Studies rocks the house!

The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Updated interactive site

Time for Kids http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids

*********************

Math

HIP Pocket Change http://www.usmint.gov/kids/games/ US Mint for Kids

Create-A-Graph http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/default.aspx
teach kids about creating graphs and reading data

Math is FUN http://mathisfun.com/

Math MovesU http://www.mathmovesu.com/ Students can enter a “virtual world” of math and engage with games, polls, flash cards, word problems, and factoids all centered on music, sports, and fashion.

Everyday Math Center http://66.99.60.11/math_enrichment.html Games to support the Everyday Math program

*********************

Reading/Language Arts


Sqooltube http://www.sqooltube.com/ Free educational videos for K-8 students

Awesome Library http://www.awesomelibrary.org/

Wacky Web Tales http://www.eduplace.com/tales/ From Eduplace; like mad libs

Historic Tale Construction Site http://www.adgame-wonderland.de/type/bayeux.php Create your own story

98. Rory the Zebra http://www.roythezebra.com/ emerging readers that includes free interactive reading games, guided reading stories, songs, online guided reading stories with lesson plan resources for teachers such as literacy worksheets and discussions sheets.

Writing Fun http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/writingfun/writingfun.html
Using text organizers to assist the writing process

Literactive http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp levelled guided readers, comprehensive phonic activities and a wealth of

Crossword Creator Adventure http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

Word Spy – http://www.wordspy.com/- The word lover’s guide to new words

Read, Write, Think – http://www.readwritethink.org/ - Resources for teachers and activities for students in reading and literacy instruction.

Exploratree – http://www.exploratree.org.uk/- Ready made thinking guides

Visu Words – http://www.visuwords.com/ – Online graphical dictionary

I.N.K. Intersting Non-Fiction for Kids http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/2008/12/childrens-nonfiction-book-lists.html

Google Lit Trips http://www.googlelittrips.com/ Using Google Earth, students discover where in the world the greatest road trip stories of all time took place

*********************

Science

Kid’s Health http://kidshealth.org/ Sections for parents, kids, and for teens. KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health; it’s fun!

Primary source science websites and links http://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/curriculum/science.htm

Science Bob http://www.sciencebob.com/index.php A great place to explore Science

WildearthTV http://www.wildearth.tv/home WildEarth Media is an up and coming South African media company delivering a high quality, entertaining and educational LIVE broadcast from the heart of the African bush.

How Stuff Works http://www.howstuffworks.com/ explains even the toughest tutorial in a very simple and easy to understand language

Biology for Kids http://www.biology4kids.com/

*********************

General Resources

Internet Safety

D102 Internet Safety - http://d102.org/teachinglearning/cybersafety.html

Internet Safety and Ethics - http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~kkcampbell/safety/teachers.htm

NetzSmartz Educators Home - http://www.netsmartz.org/educators.htm

Tools and Teaching Resources

Using Flip Video Cameras in the Primary Classroom http://www.pre-kpages.com/flip_video.html Ideas, testimonial, sample video

Awesome Library - http://www.awesomelibrary.org/

Teachers dotNET http://teachers.net/ Projects, lesson plans, and more!

Crossword Creator Adventure http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

Theme Units and Activities http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/~greentown/grtheme.htm

Skype http://www.skype.com/ providing free voice and video calling to other Skype users worldwide

elearnr http://elearnr.org The purpose of elearnr is to share links, resources and guides related to elearning.

Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ Uploaded documents, presentations, for sharing

Thinkfinity http://www.thinkfinity.org/ free educational resources for everyone

Internet / Technology Tutorials http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line.htm

Links for K-12 Education http://www.internet4classrooms.com/k12links.htm Curriculum, Student Populations, Tech Integration and more

Lovely Charts http://www.lovelycharts.com/ Online diagramming program

Graphic Organizers http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2983 from Scholastic

FREE http://free.ed.gov/ Teaching and learning resources from Federal Agencies

Timesavers for Teachers http://www.timesaversforteachers.com/

Library of Congress for Teachers http://www.loc.gov/teachers/

How Stuff Works http://www.howstuffworks.com/ explains even the toughest tutorial in a very simple and easy to understand language

Atomic Learning http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/home Atomic Learning provides web-based software training for more than 110 applications students and educators use everyday.

Scholastic Teaching Resources http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/teach.jsp

The best, free Interactive Whiteboard Resources http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Interactive.aspx Regularly updated to save you time!

Interactive Resources

CrickWeb.UK http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ Free interactive resources and activities; interactive; across grade levels and curriculum areas

Scholastic Computer Lab Favorites http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/clf/index.htm K-2 / 3-5

Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com Children’s educational web sites and games; creativity, learning, and enjoyment.

Day By Day http://classroom.jc-schools.net/mm/archives.htm Visit a month for a website a day

63. Cramberry http://cramberry.net/ new web application that uses flashcards to help people study, etc

Search Engines

Kids Click http://www.kidsclick.org/ Web search engine for kids

Ask Kids http://www.askkids.com/?o=0&l=dir Ask Jeeves-style search tool for kids

Instructional Strategies & Resources

Cognitive Strategys http://www.unl.edu/csi/index.shtml Strategy instruction and lessons

Teacher Tube http://www.teachertube.com An online community for sharing instructional videos

Apple Learning Interchange http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/index.php Educator created lessons, resources, movies, images, special content

Copy right issues in the classroom and beyond http://www6.district125.k12.il.us/staffdev/Copyright.html> >

Digital Directions http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2009/01/21/03techlit.h02.html Tech literacy confusion article for teachers

Chatzy http://www.chatzy.com/ Create your own free chat room

Images / Music / Sound


Presentation Zen: Where can you find good images? http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2006/01/where_can_you_f.html> >

Flickr: The Commons http://www.flickr.com/commons/ Shows you hidden treasures in the world’s public photography archives

Clipart ETC http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/index.htm Quality educational clip art

Grooveshark http://listen.grooveshark.com/ Millions of songs, listen for free.

Voki http://www.voki.com/ a text to speech generator

Images for Education http://images4education.ning.com/ NING Group digital possibilities to help learners develop 21st century multiliteracy skills through active learning

Pics4Learning http://pics.tech4learning.com/ Pics4Learning is a copyright-friendly image library for teachers and students.

Just Because It’s FUN!

Tux Paint http://www.tuxpaint.org/
Open Source Drawing Software for Children

TutPup http://tutpup.com/
Welcome to Tutpup, Compete in fun, educational games against other kids from all over the World!
Coloring 2.0 http://www.crayola.com/coloring_application/ My Crayola’s NEVER did this!

ToonDoo http://www.toondoo.com/Home.toon Welcome to ToonDoo! Create your own comic strips, Publish, Share & Discuss

Awesome Highlighter http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/ Lets you highlight text on a web page and giver you a link to the page

Kerpoff http://www.kerpoof.com/ site that provides a variety of creative tools for animation, drawing, and movie creation