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| HeartPower! Online - American Heart Association Grades 0
to 8
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|
HeartPower! Online is a curriculum-based program about heart health. The site provides educational information about nutrition, physical activity, living tobacco-free, and how the heart works. The curriculum guide is loaded with printables, lesson plans, stories, songs, games and other science-based resources organized according to grade level. There is no fee or registration for this site. Just click and go!
10266
In the Classroom:
The site is so simple, you can utilize the entire pre-prepared curriculum and lesson plans or just add pieces of it to your current curriculum. Integrate the lessons into your language arts component as cross-curricular activities. The pre-K to 1st grade activities and curriculum are available in Spanish. Choose the Spanish version for ESL/ELL lessons or enrichment activities. The Spanish version would be a great supplement for secondary Spanish teachers. Have your science or health class create a Heart Health wiki or use Mapskip (reviewed here) to map out walking landmarks for your community. |
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| Language Arts for Dummies - John Wiley & Sons Grades 7
to 12
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|
Filled with a variety of essential language art skills, this site is a super teaching opportunity to be followed by students working on their own. With 42 lessons ranging from “Differentiating between who/whom" to “Writing Sonnets” to "Crafting Your Character's Dialogue in Your Screenplay," there is plenty to suit your particular class needs. You are able to write replies (comments), however an email address is required. Registration is not required for any other part of this site.
This site does offer the option of signing up for RSS feeds. There are some unobtrusive advertisements at the site.
9956
In the Classroom:
These lessons give great examples as well as "pop quizzes" as you go through them. It would be great to do these on a projector or interactive whiteboard, having students comment as you go; then you can assign their own writing to follow up. Of particular interest is the lesson on "note taking on a computer." As essential as computers are to writing these days, it may be the best place to begin. This might also be a good site to link from your class website. It is very easy for students to explore on their own and get extra help where needed. Or have small groups investigate a specific area together and then create a multimedia presentation to share with the class. Have the groups create a podcast to share using a tool such as Podomatic (reviewed here). |
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| Nepantla: Between Worlds - Race Bridges for Schools Grades 6
to 12
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|
This lesson plan set uses a Latino story teller whose stories to promote tolerance and embrace diversity. Short MP3 extracts are provided, which can be heard on Windows Media Player or your computer’s chosen audio program. At the time of this review, some of the MP3 tracks include “My Own Rhythms,” “Why Do You Want To Go To College,” “Bridge Between Worlds,” and many others. With a complete lesson plans accompanying the story sections, this resource is ready to use in a variety of situations. Other lesson plan topics on ths site include : Feathers of the Wind: A Jewish-American Story, A More Perfect Union, Hidden Memory: Japanese American Internment, and several others. New lesson plans and story excerpts appear often. This site requires Windows Media Player (or similar MP3 audio player) and Adobe Acrobat. You can get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
9840
In the Classroom:
Social studies and language arts teachers will enjoy this site when talking about diversity, second generation immigrants, living between two cultural worlds, etc. Use some of the story extracts when your school is celebrating holidays around the world. Share the audio clips. And be sure to TURN UP THE VOLUME. When studying folk literature and culture, have your students search through the extracts for evidence of underlying myths and universal tales. Have your ESL students from Hispania compare their experiences to those in the stories. |
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| ELT Portal: Movies - Robet Palmer Grades 5
to 12
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This site features interactive ESL and ELL lessons to go with popular movies and TV commercials. The activity formats include matching and cloze passages. The lessons are divided by "Easier," "More Challenging," or "Most Challenging." Two types of lessons include vocabulary previews and "fill-in-the-blank cloze" of the movie dialog which appears while the movie or TV clip is playing. The site is growing, with more commercials and films appearing regularly.
There is also a supplementary section in WORD which contains discussion questions for the movies. Some of the clips require QuickTime and/or Flash. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
9868
In the Classroom:
Share this site (and the activities) on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Print the list of vocabulary words and have students keep the list with them at their seats while they view the video (or listen to the audio). ESL and ELL students will benefit from the ability to re-watch the video clips and hear the dialog several times. Learning support students will also benefit from the comprehension check and vocabulary development. Although all material appeared appropriate, you may want to preview any video or audio you plan to share, to avoid any “surprises.” |
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| Taking a Spin on Shakespeare - Ashton, Caroline, Gracie, Samantha Grades 7
to 10
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|
This student-generated website won a Thinkquest competition in 2006. It is rather delightful since it is presented from a student point of view. It offers perspectives on Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, and includes summaries, a biography, costumes, Shakespeare's influence on his time, and a cute take on Hamlet called “To Make a Hamlet, You Have to Break a Few Legs.” There is also a quiz related to Shakespeare and his writings.
9742
In the Classroom:
This site can be both fun and inspirational for students to get them involved in Shakespeare's plays. While this site is specific to two of the Bard's works, it is adaptable to any of the plays that you study. Having students create their own websites or projects using this as a model might be a great idea. Why not have students write a blog entry FROM Shakespeare or one of his characters? |
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| Interactive-Learning.com.au - K.O'Regan Grades 6
to 12
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Don’t let the simple appearance fool you! This site is a smorgasbord of interactive lessons on history, English, and music. Wonderful for the Humanities teacher, it allows teachers of any of those subjects to pick and choose what best fits their plans. Some examples of topics include archaeology, ancient Rome, South American Empires, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, letter writing, gorgeous grammar, common spelling errors, the Renaissance, the Middle Ages, poetry, the theatre, film, composers, and at least twenty other topics. The site declares itself "student self-directed (self-explanatory)." The links are functional, the graphics are attractive, and, while some of the activities are simple and straightforward, many of them take students into analysis and synthesis without them even realizing they are thinking on higher levels and producing work with more depth. Many of the activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
9715
In the Classroom:
The world is open on this site. Choose any activity your students are interested in and this site can help you mold it into what you want for your curriculum. Students interested in fantasy? Have them investigate and write from the "Fantasy-Myths and Legends" prompt. Trouble with grammar? Have them print off the worksheets from "Gorgeous Grammar" and play online, interactive, Grammar Gorillas. This site's use is only limited by your imagination! From virtual site studies to student web projects-- it's all here! |
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| Wonder How To - Wonder How To, Inc. Grades 6
to 12
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|
This creative site offers "how to" videos on a WIDE variety of topics. Anyone is able to view the videos, but you must be a member (which is free) to comment on the videos, grade the videos, or submit your own "how to" video. Topics vary; some are appropriate for the classroom - others are definitely NOT appropriate. Some of the general topics that may be useful in the middle school or high school classroom include: alcohol, autos, motorcycles, and planes, business and money, computers and programming, diet and health, education (which features a variety of science experiments and more), film and theater, language (English, Chinese, Hungarian, Russian, Finnish, sign language, Polish, and countless others), music and instruments, travel, and several other topics. Within each of these general topics, there are thousands of specific "how to" videos.
Membership is free and has many perks. You are able to comment and/or grade the video clips or even submit your own video. Registration does require some personal information: a username, password, email address, and date of birth. ALL USERS MUST BE OVER 13-years of age! Check with your administrator about allowing the students to register for this site using fictitious names. You may wish to set up a class registration instead of entering true data into the registration site. Another option is to create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
Warning: not all videos are suitable for the classroom. Be sure to preview what you wish to share. If you choose to allow your older students to navigate this site on their own (for research or a class project), be sure to set boundaries on which videos to watch, consequences for going elsewhere, and WATCH CAREFULLY! Some videos explain "how to" do things that are unsafe or inappropriate for school-ages audiences. Wonder How To does include unobtrusive advertisements. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
5390
In the Classroom:
Use these fabulous "how to" videos for informative writing projects in speech, science, or even with your gifted students. The site does provide excellent research. You may want to link directly to the specific videos you want students to see in order to avoid other, less-desirable options. Share the "how to" videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector as an anticipatory set for a new lesson. For a final project, have students create and submit their own "how to" video using YouTube or using a tool such as SchoolTube (reviewed here).
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|
| Humane High School - Humane Society Youth Grades 6
to 12
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|
Come to Humane High School to learn all about animal protection, service projects to protect the animals, puppy mills, cruelty to animals, caring for pets, animals in entertainment, and other sensitive topics. This site features video clips (warning: preview before sharing, some are rather graphic), a FREE online course for students, student activity guides, printable PDF pages on HOT topics, and service learning ideas (in the areas of art, business/marketing, drama, language arts, health, physical education, life skills, math, music, science, social studies, technology, world languages, ESL, and ELL). There is also information about the legislative process of protecting animals. This site is geared towards grades 6 through 12. The link Mission: Humane provides even MORE ways to GET INVOLVED!
The Mission: Humane projects have recently won the prestigious Harris Wofford service award from Youth Service America. The projects are provided and easy to understand in a step-by-step format. Be aware: this site does include a Community link that has message boards, registration, and sign-in options (which are not required to use this site), and some other collaborative features. Be sure to watch students carefully if you allow them to navigate this site independently. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
9297
In the Classroom:
Use this eye opening site in any of the subject areas listed above. Share the videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to check out the activity guides, they are ready to go and very easy to follow. Present this site and an opposing one as part of a discussion of web sites and even or slanted presentation of information. Ask students to decide whether they see any “bias” on this site.
Use this site for research projects. Print off the list of service project ideas for students to use to earn credit in community service. Share the online course link with students that may be interested in pursuing this topic even further. Use the site as one of several sources for a class debate on animal rights or charge students to explore alternate points of view on animal issues, such as from the AKC or the meat industry. Then invite students to write a position paper with supporting facts. |
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| Sleepover Planet - BBC Grades 3
to 8
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|
This highly motivating website demonstrates step-by-step how to prepare a school musical. The website includes lyrics, drama vocabulary terms, musical notations, scenery, props, and an introduction to various types of music (including calypso). There is a Directors link that includes curriculum information, a glossary, and more. Use the website to teach your class about calypso music, drama vocabulary terms, and many other details pertaining to music and drama. This website requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
9095
In the Classroom:
Use this website to prepare a drama and/or musical with your students. Or pick and choose smaller segments of the website to incorporate into your lesson plans. If you plan to have students write and perform short plays as part of a social studies or interdisciplinary unit, this site is a great reference. Share this lively website with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector (be sure to turn up the volume). |
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| English Listening Practice - English the International Language Grades 5
to 8
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This site contains six short recorded clips students can listen to (see the short list near the TOP of the page). Following listening, there are comprehension questions to answer. Students can select "text" to see the full text. Students can select answers to the questions while they are listening. They also have the choice of familiarizing themselves with the questions before listening. Getting immediate feedback on their answers is a useful feature. Although the speaker uses British English with a British accent, the recordings are clear. Most of the subjects relate to life in Britain. Students can download the stories to a computer or an MP3 player. If the stories are downloaded onto a computer, Flash is required. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
9167
In the Classroom:
Encourage students to build vocabulary by listening to these short pieces. Share the stories with groups on an interactive whiteboard or projector (turn up the speakers). Students could also write and record their own similar talks on closely related subjects or on similar occurrences in other locations. Learning support teachers will find the option of offering a written text along with audio a good option for comprehension practice with weaker readers. |
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| The Art of Ancient Egypt - Metropolitan Museum of Art Grades 4
to 7
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|
Lead your students on an exploration of the art of Ancient Egypt! The Metropolitan Museum of Art has created a treasure trove of lesson plans and activities built around their stellar Egyptian collection. The educational resources integrate Egyptian art into language arts, social studies, math, science, and visual and performing arts. This would be a terrific launch point for a gifted enrichment unit. Dig into the Resources area to get an overview of the printable worksheets, bibliographies, maps, and online features. Be sure to click on the Curriculum Connection area for specific lesson plans and activities for your students.
9165
In the Classroom:
After exploring the various activities, students can create their own Egyptian-inspired artifacts for a classroom museum. Invite other classes for a student-docent tour of the museum. Discuss the stylized Egyptian figures that communicate ideas and stories and ask students to strike poses which others try to decipher. Students can add contemporary items to a time capsule and bury it somewhere on the school grounds to be discovered by future archeologists. Discuss why items in the time capsule might mystify people in the future. |
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| Skip's Radio Scripts for Language Learners - Skip Reske Grades 6
to 12
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|
These adapted radio scripts assist ESL/ELL students with learning how to use articles and grammar correctly, increase vocabulary, and improve reading comprehension. A highly motivating site, students can see photos of old movies and even enjoy clips from the movies as they work with the scripts. Vocabulary definitions appear when you mouse over difficult words. There are vocabulary and comprehension quizzes at the end of the scripts. Students can choose normal or interactive versions of the movie scripts. In the interactive version, students must input articles. The link Skip's Bits provides additional reading comprehension practice.
8826
In the Classroom:
This website is particularly useful if your ESL/ELL students want to perform a portion of a play. If your students are having difficulty with article usage, try a different approach to teaching the skill in the context of drama. If you have access to DVDs of the films used, you may want to play a few clips for the students. |
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| Readers Theater - Educator's Circle Grades 2
to 8
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|
This collection of Readers Theater resources has lots of hints and teaching tips on how to use this timely technique. ELL students and, indeed, any student will enjoy reading, hearing, and acting out the words as a way to increase and demonstrate their fluency. Links to both books and online sources for readers theater texts include plays and other writings at a variety of levels.
8900
In the Classroom:
Invite your students to perform in small groups or even to go further and actually present one of the mini-plays included here with costumes and more. Reasders Theater adapts perfectly to audio podcasting, as well. Why not rotate among your various groups as you record a weekly podcast for parents and other classes to hear? You can use simple tools, such as this one. |
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| The Online Guide to Traditional Games - James Masters Grades 8
to 12
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|
Clearly, students love playing games of all kinds. This website takes a look at the history of games from board games to lawn games. It both describes the pieces, the boards, the rules, and the history. Since many of the games are from other places around the world, this site affords the opportunity to investigate how game playing relates to life in different times and places. This is a great site to get kids involved in history, games, and creativity. Not only can they learn about games from the Renaissance and before; they will laugh at names like "Toad in the Hole" and "Ringing the Bull." While many of these games will show the origins of games they play today, it will give students ideas on how to create their own games.
8873
In the Classroom:
Have students design gameboards or cards, game pieces, and rules to play variations of the games on the site. In your world cultures class, have students play and compare games from different cultures. Use game-creation as the culminating project at the end of a content or research unit or simply as a way to teach writing: both informational (directions) and creative. Have students role-play characters who might play original or historic games by writing character sketches and then performing them. Let the games begin! |
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| Cinema: How are Hollywood films made? - Annenberg Media, Learner.org Grades 8
to 12
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If you teach film or plan a video project with students, this is a great site for students to see and practice the step-by-step process of basic film. As you click through each step, the site provides some history. It then asks students to create their own screenplay scenes from a given (already filmed) scenario. Students can see what other student writers have said as well as see the actual screenplay that was used. The site follows this format through each step, with varying degrees of interaction all along the way: from directing to producing, acting to editing.
8789
In the Classroom:
After using some of the brief history of film, teachers could have students create their own movie by assigning them different roles in the process (screenwriter, director, editor, actor, etc.) Some students might be responsible for blogging the process for another class and the end product could be shared among classes.
The resource links at the end are great for extending activities outside the classroom or getting students interested in their own research on film. Gifted students could use this as the start of a year-long project! |
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| Aaron Shephard's RT (Reader's Theater) Page - Aaron Shephard Grades 3
to 12
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|
This page provides lots of info and resources for using reader's theater in conjunction with plays, manuscripts, and folktales. Besides displaying Shephard's books for sale, click on Aaron's Extras to find scripts for plays and tales you can use in the classroom. Other offerings include worksheets, examples of scripting sheets you can use or learn to do it yourself, tips for using RT, and links to other references. You can search among the many materials available by genre, country, historical period, theme, etc.
8756
In the Classroom:
Use this website to find hints on how to dramatize the literature or folklore you're studying in the classroom. ESL students will find using Reader's Theater particularly helpful as they can read, speak, and listen to the materials and have more chances at comprehension. Similarly, students who are visual or oral learners will benefit from the multi-sensory presentations. |
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| Retelling the Classic Tales - Adrienne Somera Grades 6
to 12
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|
Billed as a drama webquest, this is a project that outlines clearly and simply the different roles involved in creating a live play: from what blocking is to the responsibilities of prop and costume masters. For older students, it can serve as an introduction to more detailed or more difficult projects. This lacks some key elements of a webquest in design (e.g.,no process or evaluation), but it is highly useful for students with little or no real experience in the realm of play production.
8473
In the Classroom:
Allowing students to use the site as information and note-taking relieves the burden of classroom lecture and moves your students quickly to the "fun" part-- the actual production. If you are reading a play as a literature selection, consider having students perform a few scenes, using this background to help them know their jobs. |
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| Radio Days: A Webquest - Cynthia Matzat Grades 6
to 10
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This is a simple webquest to introduce students to many of the techniques used in radio that are still used in film production today. It also familiarizes students with the era of radio -- an important experience for those trying to understand history of the first half of the twentieth century. The webquest is almost deceptively simple. The age of your students and the sophistication with which they approach the task can determine the level you want to teach. It includes the elements of typical webquests from introduction through evaluation in an easy, step-by-step manner.
8474
In the Classroom:
Although this was written for 6-8th graders, it is a lesson easily adaptable to older students. The list of resources is very good, and the kinds of embellishments you can make on the tasks are limitless. It is a great project for students to work on in small groups, allowing students of all abilities an opportunity for success.
If you ever considered podcasting, this webquest is the perfect lead-in. Your social studies(or language arts) students will love actually producing their scripts for "broadcast" on the web. See TeachersFirst's tutorial on podcasting, coming in fall, 2007. Bring the 1930s to life in your classroom! |
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| Elizabethan Theatre: The Dawn of Modern Drama - William Eyerly Grades 7
to 12
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|
Constructed by a practicing teacher, this webquest is simple, but very good. It takes students through a series of searches that lets them think about the difference between society and theatre of that time. While Mr. Eyerly has constructed the quest in such a way as to take the place of or significantly augment a unit plan (covering 45 days) on Elizabethan drama, with the culminating project being a student film, many parts of this are adaptable to shorter periods and less ambitious outcomes.
8470
In the Classroom:
There are many ways you can use this webquest to assist in teaching the beginning of modern drama, Elizabethan theatre, or Shakespeare. He goes through the quest process of introduction, task, process, and evaluation, but he also includes a teacher page with tips and ideas that is useful to the classroom teacher. If you have never done a complete webquest, why not consider trying ONE per year to see the benefits of a project-based approach, especially if someone else has already created the project for you. A grading rubric is includede in the Student Pages. |
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| Homework High - 4Learning Grades 5
to 10
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This is a great website to provide for your students to use at home. If they get stuck on a homework question, they can try searching for the answer at Homework High. The variety of topics includes math, science, history, geography, English and language (including French, German, and Spanish). The website also provides links to other websites for additional practice. There are also tips for improving study skills.
8451
In the Classroom:
Include a link to this website on your classroom newsletter or from your teacher web page for student help at home. |
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