Thinkfinity

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 WOW! Sites that will blow your socks off!

 

Hotlinks

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Edlink tools:

http://www.econedlink.org/cyberteach/tools.cfm

 

http://www.poets.org/

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/

 

Building bridges--

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html

 

The site is a portal to French and Spanish language resources on the Internet. The topics include art, French and Spanish, and teacher resources. The links are annotated and indexed as an activity, resource, teacher link, or tool. 

http://www.casadejoanna.com/

 

“Using new technologies to enhance teaching and learning,” Digital History includes a variety of primary and secondary documents, maps, images, audio archives of speeches and lectures by historians, a database of more than 1,500 annotated links, and a rich interactive timeline.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

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ARTSEDGE...

 Absolute Shakespeare

This comprehensive site houses e-texts of William Shakespeare's plays, sonnets, and poems. Study guides provide in-depth plot summaries, commentary and character analyses for each of his major works.

 

This folklore site contains retellings of American folktales, Native American myths and legends, tall tales, weather folklore and ghost stories from across the United States. Larger-than-life characters like Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Jesse James, Davy Crockett, and Daniel Boone can provide inspiration for a variety of drama activities.

 

Have students ask their parents whether they have seen any of James Thurber's drawings or read any of his stories or cartoons. Copies of "The Fox and the Crow" by James Thurber and Aesop (Reading Literature, pages 9 and 13-14; see the Sources section for complete bibliographic information.) Examples of illustrations by James Thurber (optional; see the Sources section for suggested resources) Paper, pens, and/or pencils Markers...

 

International Reading Association

The National Council of Teachers of English

Developed by the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), ReadWriteThink.org provides educators and students access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and English language arts instruction. The site features standards-based lesson plans, interactive student materials, and a literacy calendar.

 

Can get this site free if go through ReadWriteThink---http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/spanish.shtml-- all in Spanish

 

Student Materials----

****Show these-----

 

Comic Creator -- could be used in all content areas...

The Comic Creator invites students to compose their own comic strips for a variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and postreading activities, response to literature, and so on).

 

Alphabet Organizer

Alphabet Organizer has numerous applications for classroom instruction. Students can use the tool to print an alphabet chart or pages for an alphabet book.

 

Bio-Cube

Bio-Cube is a useful summarizing tool that helps students identify and list key elements about a person whose biography or autobiography they have just read. It can also be used as a prewriting activity for student autobiographies.

 

Flip Book

The Flip Book is designed to allow users to type and illustrate tabbed flip books up to ten pages long. Students and teachers can use the flip book for taking notes while reading, making picture books, collecting facts, or creating question and answer booklets.

 

Character Trading Cards

The interactive Character Trading Cards tool is a fun and useful way for students to explore a character in a book that they are reading or as a prewriting exercise when creating characters for original stories.

 

Fractured Fairy Tales

Fractured fairy tales are traditional fairy tales with a twist – for example, telling the story of Jack and the Beanstalk from the giant’s perspective. The Fractured Fairy Tale tool encourages students to create their own fractured fairy tales.

 

******Web Resources-- be sure to check these in each area

100 Best Books for Kids   

http://www.teachersfirst.com/100books.htm

This list was selected by the National Education Association, is posted on the TeachersFirst.com website, and recommends best books for kids grouped by age level. There are also site links to Reading Resources, Storytelling Resources, and Reading Lessons.

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American Association for the Advancement of Science

Developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science NetLinks provides resources for K-12 teachers and students. The site includes lesson plans, interactives, hands-on activities, and reviewed resources, all of which provide opportunities to bring science and technology discovery into the classroom. Science NetLinks resources are matched to Project 2061's Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

If your computer's browser is relatively recent (Netscape 6.0 and Internet Explorer 5.0 and later), use the Animal Gallery of the Smithsonian National Zoological Park to extend student learning about animal attributes, similarities, differences, and environments. Choose the option View Slide Show and page through the photos. Since there are more than 30 photos in the slide show, you may want to limit the number of pictures viewed, depending upon the capabilities of the class. Ask questions about each animal and encourage students to offer their own questions and observations.

 

Tools---

All Systems are Go!

In this online activity, a fictional character, Arnold is missing a number of body parts. Students are presented with a body system and a variety of organs. Students drag and drop all the organs that belong in that particular body system to Arnold's body. Once all four systems are complete, a clothed Arnold will appear.

 

Note: if students drag in an organ that doesn't belong, all the organs pop out and students have to start that system over.

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/systems.html

 

Lunar Cycle 2: The Challenge

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/moon/moon_challenge/moon_challenge.html

 

The primary component of this tool is an online activity in which students "drag" moons to their correct places in lunar cycles. There are calendars that include illustrations of the phases of the moon for most days, and the challenge is for students to complete the calendars by filling them with the correct moon phases for all days. A child's voice narrates the activity, providing students with ongoing feedback and guidance (e.g., Well done! and Check for a pattern.). There are three levels in this Lunar Cycle Challenge, and after students successfully complete all three levels they can print out a certificate of completion.

 

Kids Health

http://www.kidshealth.org

Target Audience

Grades -   3-5    6-8    9-12  

Review

KidsHealth.org is a website devoted to the health of children and teens. The site has three main areas: one for kids, one for parents, and one for health care professionals (i.e. pediatricians). The Parents page has a lot of good information on topics like childhood stress, attention disorders, allergies, keeping the home safe, and a comprehensive, detailed listing of childhood infections. The Kids section includes many great learning lessons that contain excellent life science content. For example, a section called My Body contains engaging and well-illustrated articles on topics such as the eye, the brain, the ear, and the heart. Elementary-school teachers could use these articles to supplement a health unit. Some of the children's learning lessons would also be appropriate for adult learners, especially those in family literacy settings. This is one of the best websites I've ever seen.

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National Geographic Society

Developed by the National Geographic Society, Xpeditions brings rich, standards-based geography content to teachers and students. This site includes materials for K-12 teachers and students and their families, including an interactive atlas with over 1,600 printable maps and Xpedition Hall, a virtual learning museum with exhibits aligned to the U.S. National Geography Standards.

 

My Wonderful World

National Geographic is leading a campaign to increase geographic learning at school, at home, and in the community. Join thousands of people like you who believe geography is essential. Visit MyWonderfulWorld.org to sign-up learn about the campaign and sign-up for our monthly newsletter.

How's your Global IQ? Test it, then try to outsmart GeoSpy and the GeoBee Challenge. If you're in fourth through eighth grade, you can compete in the National Geographic Bee.

 

Kidlink’s Multi-Cultural Calendar

Students and teachers can learn about holidays around the world, sorted by day and month or by region.

 

*** Geography at Quia.com

The online geography quizzes and games at this site engage students’ attention as they reinforce geographic skills.

 

Expedition Hall: Welcome to the interactive “museum” that takes you on geography journeys. Here you’ll climb a mountain, hover over the Earth, speed across Europe, visit an archeological dig, and even order sushi—plus games, animations, and more!

 

A Look at the Population Density of the United States

Overview:

"Population density" is the term that describes the number of individuals occupying an area in relation to the size of that area. The population density is derived by dividing the number of people by the area they occupy. This lesson focuses on the spatial distribution of the population density of the United States at different levels of scale. Geographers can "see the world in spatial terms" by using different scales of analysis (local, state or province, national, and global). Geographers use maps as tools to discern patterns and to understand why things are where they are. Students will create maps showing the population density of the U.S. at different scales. This will enable students to organize spatial information in categories, analyze the information, and draw conclusions.

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John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Created by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ARTSEDGE provides resources and exemplars for teachers to teach in, through, and about the arts. The site includes lesson plans, advocacy and professional development resources, and up-to-date information on arts programs from around the world.

 

This site presents a history of Jazz music, styles, and musicians. It features a photo gallery, timeline, festivals, webcasts, piano chords, scales, online lessons and music teacher locator. 

A Passion for Jazz!

 

National Council on Economic Education

Developed by the National Council on Economic Education, EconEdLink provides teachers and students with lessons and classroom learning activities based on economics topics in the news and real-time economics data. EconEdLink content is designed to help integrate economic concepts across the curriculum as outlined in the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics.