World Explorers

The PBS site World Explorers contains brief five-minute videos on a host of major explorers (starting with Eric the Red and concluding with Alan Sheppard).  I like the openings (which features a timeline- something I think would help our students put the video in perspective). You can download or stream the videos.  This would be appropriate for grades 4-8.  For the complete post from TeachersFirst, please click here.

Paint by Pixels

Alice Keeler shared a spreadsheet in a recent blog post that reminded me of the paint by number kits.  She’s used conditional formatting to replace a number with a color.  Here’s my garden sample. I think this could be fun for learners of all ages and is a nice introduction to Google spreadsheets.

Math strategies in a minute

Here’s a new Youtube channel (Origo One) which provides one minute math strategies.  Richard Byrne shares it here on his blog.  

Voices from the past

The above newspaper stories were shared with me by Jessica Blier.  They were completed by her advanced ELL class at the Middle School.  The students used a Google Slide template to create their work!

Persuasive writing in K-5

Help K-5 students write persuasively with audience and multiple perspectives in mind. https://t.co/XeFmPljQyr pic.twitter.com/o33RLyVNjI

— ReadWriteThink.org (@RWTnow) March 13, 2016

Science videos for Young Learners

Fun Science Demos has a variety of brief YouTube videos to help you make science come alive for your students. These demonstrations are related to the Next Generation Science Standards.

For the complete post from TeachersFirst, please click here.

THE election site

If you only bookmark one website for the upcoming election, I would select PBS Election Central. From updated maps of the current location of the candidates, input on the debates, and interactive activities (not to mention the virtual field trips), this site has it all!  Use the videos (and related lessons) to help your students understand the election process.

For the complete post from TeachersFirst, please click here.

So what is a hero?

Heroes! (a virtual display of Olympic heroes) is not something just for a unit about the Olympics.  From ancient times to today, watch the changes in heroes (body type, personna, equipment, and more).  This infographic like displace gives students a chance to compare heroes across the centuries.  It would be great as a station or on an interactive whiteboard.

For the complete post from TeachersFirst, please click here.

The Smart Farm- Virtual Field Trip 4/5

From Discovery Education- join the virtual field trip! The Smart Farm: Where Technology and Innovation Meet Join the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance and Discovery Education on a Virtual Field Trip to Deere & Company World Headquarters and learn how innovative technologies aid today's farmers & ranchers as they produce America's food. Irrigation systems managed from iPads, animal diets tracked by computer chips, and tractors that drive using GPS are only a few examples of the ways farmers and ranchers are using technology on their farms and ranches to produce food in a sustainable manner. Conversations with leaders in agriculture will allow you to explore new techniques that have revolutionized the industry and the career opportunities that these advancements have brought to the field. April 5 at 1PM EST/10 AM PST

What was your favorite part of

kindergarten?  My friends at Truman shared their thoughts in this ChatterPIX.  We're thinking of doing another one closer to the end of the school year so they can share what they want to learn in first grade!  I had a great time and look forward to returning to their class.