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Draw A Stickman

— drawastickman.com

K-9 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.drawastickman.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

<i>Draw A Stickman</i> is a delightful, entertaining site that encourages creativity and fun! This is a mini interactive story that has students reading and following directions, solving mysteries, thinking creatively, and solving problems. To begin the adventure, you draw a simple stick figure and then bring him or her to life. Your figure is faced with several challenges; you must follow directions and draw several props for your stick figure to use. You will love the hero of the story (the character you created) and the villain (a dragon). Finished stories can be replayed or shared on Facebook, Twitter, or email. There is also an online gallery for students to explore and view others’ creations.

In the Classroom

Aside from just fun practice at following instructions, Draw a Stickman would be a great fictional story prompt. Students have the bones of a story and can fill in details, vivid verbs, adjectives, etc. to tell the story. This would be a good practice activity with writing sequences of "first, then, and next." Students can elaborate on their hero, the plot of the story, the details, the setting, etc. Students can write a moral for a story to add in the customized ending. These stories would be fun to share as a class...how wide a variety can come from the same basics? Share finished stories with a talking avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can "read" the story. Use a site such as Blabberize, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10380">reviewed here</a>. Teach story mapping easily with this activity: On an interactive whiteboard (or projector), students can go through the stick figure story together, labeling the different parts of the story (beginning, problem, climax, resolution, ending). This interactive can help students identify story elements, including setting, characters and plot. This site would also be perfect for ESL/ELL students for practice in reading and following directions or for speech/language students to practice retelling a story from the visual prompts. Another idea: use this activity for verb/vocabulary practice in a world language class.

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Tag(s): digital storytelling, interactive stories, creative writing, drawing,

Alan Cooper’s Homonym List

— Alan Cooper

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.academia.edu/33091882/Alan_Coopers_Homonym_List Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Here you will find the most extensive list of homonyms ever seen! Download this PDF list of over 460 homonyms (words that sound alike but have a different spelling and meaning) organized for us by Alan Cooper. If you’ve exhausted your list of homonyms to use with your students, check this site out. If you’re still confused by which witch is which, use this site to cite the correct word!

In the Classroom

Challenge your students to use both homonyms in a meaningful sentence. Each word’s meaning should be obvious in the context of the sentence. Then give the students a fill in the blank test on the words where they have to choose the correct spelling of the word. Challenge students to put some of the more difficult words/homonyms on a poster using Automotivator, <a href="/single.cfm?id= 10401">reviewed here.</a> For a creative challenge, have students create simple animations distinguishing the homonyms using one of the <a href="/content/edge.cfm?c=2">animation tools</a> from the TeachersFirst Edge. Award Homonym Oscars for the best animations.

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Tag(s): spelling, homonyms, editing, word choice, word study,

The Readability Test Tool

— David Simpson

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.read-able.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Test any website’s readability using <i>The Readability Test Tool.</i> Test readability by URL or direct text input from any source (such as copy/paste of student writing). Simply enter the web address (URL) and get the readability of the site on several scales. You can also check your own webpages by using the "referer" section. You will get a score for the most used readability indicators: Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease and Grade Level, Gunning Fog Score, Coleman Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index (ARI). These tell much more than a simple "grade level." View sentence info such as total characters, number of words, average word length, percentage of short and long sentences, and more. View word usage of types of verbs, conjunctions, and other parts of speech as well as type of words used to begin sentences. Click the link provided to view an explanation of each type of score.

In the Classroom

Use this tool to offer differentiated resources for the different reading levels in your class. At the beginning of the year, as you learn your students’ capabilities, use this tool to find reading at the appropriate level to eliminate frustration. This is perfect for finding the "just right" level for your highly advanced/gifted students and those needing extra remediation. If you do discover that a website you want to use is over your students’ independent reading level, you can still use it, just open Lingro, <a href="/single.cfm?id=9067">reviewed here</a>, first; then enter the URL you want them to read. Lingro is a study aid and open content dictionary that makes all of the words (on a particular website) clickable for definitions and translation. Of course, if the sentence length or complexity is at a much higher reading level, simple word definitions will not make it "readable" for struggling readers. View readability levels of websites before sharing with students to find appropriate reading levels for differentiation. On an interactive whiteboard or with a projector, test passages of public domain texts from sites like Project Gutenberg, <a href="/single.cfm?id=1188">reviewed here</a>, by famous authors to see how their writing ranks when discussing their writing style. rn<br><br>rnWhy not have students put in the URL for their blog or wiki (or simply paste in a writing sample) to see the level at which they are writing? This is one way to encourage writing as a craft and challenge students to include more varied vocabulary and sentence structure in their writing.

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Tag(s): readability, independent reading, writing,

Eclipse Crossword Creator

— Eclipse Crossword

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.eclipsecrossword.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Create crossword puzzles quickly and easily with this fast and free site. Crosswords can easily be customized with settings within the program. Advanced users can fine-tune the settings to the way they like them, everything from the positioning of the first few words to how important it is to have a compact puzzle. To get started, download the software and install on your computer (be sure to follow school rules regarding download and installation of software if using school computers). Next, input your list of words and clues, then create your puzzle. Once created, you can print puzzles, save it as a web page, or choose from different types of interactive pages that your visitors can play right in their web browser, without installing new software.

In the Classroom

Create puzzles for any subject or topic for review or introduction to new materials. Allow students to create puzzles for other students to solve. Add a puzzle to your classroom newsletter or blog to create interest. Share puzzles on your interactive whiteboard for students to solve together.

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Tag(s): puzzles, crosswords,

Festisite Text Layout

— Festisite

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.festisite.com/text-layout/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Make a PDF using the text you enter and a creative layout you choose. Simply type or paste in your text into the large box, choose from one of the three available fonts, font size, and paper size. Then choose a layout for the finished project. Text can be produced as a banner, maze, rebus, spiral, Valentine (heart), or waves. Students will love seeing their work reproduced in a new way! The finished product is generated as a PDF file to be saved and easily printed.

In the Classroom

Motivate reluctant writers. When they complete work, allow them to use the site to generate a copy in whatever way they choose. Share student work on your bulletin board using this site to create interesting layouts to use. This is a must-have at Valentine season. Have students write a series of words they use to describe their mom or dad, then paste them into the heart layout generator. Poof! Instant Valentines, ready to print on colorful paper and send home! Older students will appreciate making creative layouts of vocabulary words and more, including world language classes. Make spelling practice more fun by having students make their own layouts or personal spelling lists.

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Tag(s): creative writing, vocabulary, poetry, valentines day, vocabulary development, posters,

Writing Prompts Resources

— TeachersFirst

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/writingprompts.cfm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

This collection of reviewed resources includes many types of writing prompts, both visual and verbal, to inspire writing. Whether you want students to try their hand at poetry or informational writing, there are ideas here to help. Make this collection available for students to find their own inspiration for open-ended, creative writing assignments. Teachers can also use this list to find 2-3 possible choices for a targeted writing assignment. Student choice is key in helping student voice come through in their writing.

In the Classroom

Make this collection available for students to find their own inspiration for open-ended, creative writing assignments. Teachers can also use this list to find 2-3 possible choices for a targeted writing assignment.

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Tag(s): writing prompts, creative writing,

ClassMarker

— ClassMarker Pty Ltd.

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.classmarker.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Create your own tests to be taken online and graded instantly and accurately. With a free account, you can save 100 test results a month. ClassMarker allows you to add your own tests to be taken online and graded instantly. ClassMarker will randomize questions and answers, add time limits, and preset test availability dates. You can choose from multiple choice, short answer, essay &amp; more question types.rn<br><br>rnRegistration is not required. You can embed the tests on your own web page. This method is useful for practice tests since test results are only saved when students are registered and logged into ClassMarker. To register students, you create a group, add the student names (use a code for online safety), and create a password for the group. Or students can register themselves using a registration code you give them. You can then transfer users to multiple groups after they are registered if you wish.

In the Classroom

Create, assign, and practice tests easily with this resource! Create and manage your tests as well as view activity reports about those who have taken the test. Use this resource as a way to practice material and improve students’ scores in preparation for an actual test. Use this resource to practice involved questions that like those found on the state tests. Practicing with various question formats builds confidence and improves performance. Create quizzes and tests that students must pass before moving on to other content or other harder tests. Use these as progress steps along the way to help students learn the content as they progress through a unit. Learning support teachers may want to work together with small groups to create their own "practice" quizzes before major tests.

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Tag(s): quiz, quizzes, test prep,

Groundhog Day History

— StormFax

K-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

This site offers a history of Groundhog Day along with a year by year recap of the groundhog’s forecast. It is divided into sections for easier viewing, sections include origins of Groundhog Day, information on the movie of the same title, along with the history and a list of each year’s shadow observations. Although very simple, this site is worth a visit to gather facts and information about the Groundhog Day observance.

In the Classroom

Share information and facts from the site with students on Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast has only been accurate 39% of the time according to this site, share this fact with students and have them research how this percentage would change if there had more or less correct observances. Have students research weather conditions in your city for the same dates and compare that to see how it could have worked out if Phil were from your hometown.

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Tag(s): holidays, weather,

World Biomes: TUNDRA

— Kids Do Ecology

-K 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/tundra.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

At this site you will learn about the tundra: location, plants, animals, people, weather, and more. This tundra site is also a web resource for the TeachersFirst <a href="http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes">interactive Biomes of the World Unit</a> for grades 4-8.

In the Classroom

Have cooperative learning groups explore specific areas of this site and create a multimedia presentation to share with the class. Have students create a UtellStory, <a href="/single.cfm?id=14414">reviewed here</a>. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be uploaded), and then narrate the photo as if it were a news report. Or, bring even more geography skills into the project by having groups create a as Zeemaps, <a href="/single.cfm?id=15592">reviewed here</a>, showing exactly WHERE the tundra is located (with audio stories and pictures included)!

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Tag(s): tundra, arctic, biomes,

Aesops Fables Online Collection

— John R Long Star Systems

K-9 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.aesopfables.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Come on in and enjoy the ageless and timeless wisdom of Aesop and his Fables at this award winning site. There are a total of 638 Fables, indexed in table format, with morals listed. Aseop lived 2,500 yeas ago and never wrote any tales down. Ambrose Pierce, Jean De La Fontaine I, Rev. George Fyler Townsend, and Hans Christian Andersen have retold these tales. A life history of Aesop is included. Some tales include audio narration, while all are in written format.

In the Classroom

Aesops Fables, comprehensive resource for fable collection is necessary for every classroom. Have a very extensive collection of life, history, morals, and fables. Use during language arts as part of a genre study or as part of literary themes. Use on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use on individual computers and include in centers. During Writing Workshop, find ways to change the morals into modern stories. Use as scripts for Readers’ Theater, podcasts, or reading comprehension. During character development, challenge students to find ways to incorporate into lessons.

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  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
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Tag(s): folktales,
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