6th Grade

How It Works

Verse by Verse is an experimental poetry-creation project by Google that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help create poems using classic American poets’ suggestions. Begin by selecting up to 3 muses for inspiration. If you aren’t sure who they are, click on any image to view short biographical information. During the next step, choose a poem structure, syllable count, and rhyme. Enter the first line of your poem and become inspired by options presented by your muses! When finished, choose from options to copy the text or add a border, then download it as a PNG image.

In the Classroom

Introduce different forms of poetry and poets using Verse by Verse. Offer students time to explore and experiment with the different features to become familiar with the different types of formats and styles of the included poets. Have students share their poetry digitally by creating an audio podcast using Synth, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18458">reviewed here</a>. Synth features easy to use tools for creating short audio podcasts in up to 256-second increments. Encourage students to rehearse reading their poetry and add proper intonation, spacing, and reading techniques such as they would for an in-person poetry reading. Besides sharing poems, ask students to add images and record audio, read their poems, and then share their creative process when writing poetry. Share student recordings on a class blog created with a free blog tool such as Site123, <a href="/single.cfm?id=19044">reviewed here</a>, or in a series of blogs based on different forms of poetry.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

This interesting site uses maps not to convey information but as a tool to influence opinions or beliefs. The author’s selection of maps to persuade and influence others is a deliberate strategy because, unlike some other forms of communication, most people believe maps to be honest and factual. The collection includes more than 800 maps using various persuasive tools, including select use of color, intentional exclusion of information, and unusual choices of graphics and color. Browse the collection by subject, date posted, or look through the entire collection. Each link leads to a map found in the collection; open the thumbnail to view additional information, including the date of the map’s creation and collector’s notes providing context and background to the image.

In the Classroom

Explore this site together as a class or allow students time to explore on their own. Select maps that correspond to your current teaching units; for example, when teaching about the Civil War, browse through many maps related to that time period and slavery. Save several examples in a Padlet collection, reviewed here, and ask students to analyze the map features and how they might be used to influence and persuade others. Have students create webpages to share their discussions on the features of persuasive maps using an easy website creation tool such as Carrd, reviewed here. Ask students to use the download link provided with each image to download the image and share it on their webpage. Enhance learning further by using digital annotation tools to add text, videos, and additional information to the downloaded image using Thinglink, reviewed here, then embed the Thinglink image on the webpage along with other student work. Extend learning further by asking students to think of other examples used in modern times to persuade and influence options such as infographics, social media posts, and commercials.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

Each week, Useful Charts adds a new video that explores history through family tree charts. Follow along to find out who would be King of France today if still ruled by a monarchy or travel further back in time to explore Chinese emperors’ lineage. Select the Playlists to find several different compilations of videos, including several royal family trees. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

In the Classroom

Include links to videos found on this channel to help students understand the complicated family trees found throughout history. After watching the videos, ask students to use an organizational tool such as Genially, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17621">reviewed here</a>, to diagram family trees for American Presidents, European Royalty, Asian Dynasties, or other ruling families. When finished, use a timeline creator such as History in Motion, <a href="/single.cfm?id=16572">reviewed here</a>, to view information in chronological order that includes additional information such as text, images, and primary documents.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

The Earth Project is a global project that promotes sustainable Earth stewardship. Use the links found on the site to learn about current global challenges and current projects designed to bring about future changes. Of special interest to educators is the Young Ambassador’s Earth Project Discussion Series. This area features a series of video interviews conducted by students asking experts and policymakers about environmental issues.

In the Classroom

Include The Earth Project with your other resources when teaching about the environment or as part of lessons conducting interviews. Be sure to look at the Global Challenges section of the site to share when highlighting global tipping points due to climate change, pollution, and other issues. Ask students to choose one global issue to research in-depth either in groups or as an individual project. Use an organizational tool such as Draft, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18923">reviewed here</a>, to help students collaborate and manage information. Engage students by using Popped, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18662">reviewed here</a>, to create a social media feel to their work. Popped mimics the texting experience and converts information to a script. Have students choose from a variety of presentation tools such as Sway, <a href="/single.cfm?id=16373">reviewed here</a>, Powtoon, <a href="/single.cfm?id=13954">reviewed here</a>, or Venngage, <a href="/single.cfm?id=13706">reviewed here</a>, to share their findings and analysis with you and their peers.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

This standards-based lesson for upper elementary students provides directions that guide students toward understanding different identity aspects using diverse book characters. Students work toward answering essential questions that identify similarities and differences between themselves and others and explore how stories teach us about identity. This site provides video clips, small group discussion directions, and graphic organizers to use during the lesson.

In the Classroom

Include this lesson during character education lessons that teach students about racism, bias, and identity. Use edpuzzle, <a href="/single.cfm?id=15288">reviewed here</a>, to enhance students’ viewing of the video included with the lesson. Search the YouTube portion on edpuzzle to find the video, then place the discussion questions within appropriate portions of the video. edpuzzle integrates with several learning management systems, including Canvas, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18975">reviewed here</a>, making it easy to include your annotated video as part of a larger teaching unit. As students complete their book reviews during the lesson, use FlipGrid, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17677">reviewed here</a>, to create video book reviews. Use this FlipGrid topic throughout the year to add additional book reviews for students throughout the school year. Upload the book review graphic organizer to your topic for easy access whenever students are ready to add a new review.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

Mapping the Nation is the companion site to the book of the same title. It provides images and context to the book’s content that explores the rise of different mapmaking methods in the 19th Century. Browse the site by chapter, creator, or in chronological order to each map. In addition to the map images, each item includes extensive information including date of creation, type of map, notes, and much more. Many of the maps are available for download, use the notes included to find publishing rights.

In the Classroom

Bookmark and save this site to use in a variety of ways. Share maps with students that show information for different periods of time during the 19th Century. Because this site includes various types of maps, use these resources to provide a wider context of the time period. For example, choose the time from 1860-1870 to take a look at the Civil War era. Have students use the information found in the maps to research and understand population patterns in the United States, explore the slave population’s distribution, and understand the geographic locations of the south’s cotton regions. Help students understand the different content using Padlet, reviewed here, to organize and share information. Create columns within the Padlet to share maps, articles, and primary sources separated by content such as geography, weather, political information, or other important categories. Ask students to share their understanding using one of the many digital tools found at Adobe Spark in K-12, reviewed here. Have a group create videos that include downloadable maps found at this site to tell the story of the Civil War through a geographic lens, ask another group to create a web page sharing information from a journalist’s point of view, and have others create social media graphics featuring headlines of the day appealing to different areas of the country.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

PapersOwl monthly blog shares guidelines and tips for writers. The site also includes a series of guides divided into topics focusing on writing lab reports, essays, literature reviews, and many more. Each blog post and guide is written by professors who share helpful tips and how-to directions for each topic.

In the Classroom

Bookmark this site to share with students as an introduction to writing assignments. Be sure to share a link to the site on your class website for students to access at any time. Ask students to create their work within Google Documents or Microsoft Word to offer a variety of collaborative opportunities for revision of their work. Learn how to use Google Docs for Collaborative Revision, <a href="/single.cfm?id=11964">reviewed here</a>. As students become proficient at writing in different genres, ask them to share tips with their peers by creating infographics using Canva Infographic Maker, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17570">reviewed here</a>.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

Online Piano Lessons offers free weekly piano and music lessons through Zoom. Use the provided link to the calendar with Live Streamed Music Subjects to find dates and topics offered. Examples include composition, harmony, and piano technique. Calendar links also include links to online ebooks with additional information. Additional links share YouTube video archives of previous lessons for you to follow at any time.

In the Classroom

Share these lessons for advanced piano students to access to broaden their knowledge of music theory and piano. Share pieces of the videos as part of your music lessons in school, or include links on your class website for students to access from home. Encourage students to record using their new skills and as a guide to demonstrate growth in piano skills. Enhance learning by asking them to create short podcasts using Buzzsprout, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17015">reviewed here</a>, to share and demonstrate information on music composition for their peers.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How It Works

Learn about the Holocaust through the digital resources offered by the Holocaust Museum. Start with an introduction to the Holocaust containing key facts, articles, and a media gallery featuring a variety of Holocaust-related topics. Explore the many free resources for educators to teach about the Holocaust. These resources contain lesson plans, guidelines for teaching the Holocaust, poster sets, podcasts, and more. Explore the Museum’s collections to view documents, artifacts, and discover the first-hand stories of those that survived the Holocaust.

In the Classroom

Use these free materials as the starting point for any lessons on the Holocaust. Go on a virtual field trip of the museum to engage students’ interest in the causes and outcomes of the Holocaust. Be sure to help students understand the personal toll of the Holocaust by visiting the "Who Were the Victims?" portion of the site. Organize your lessons using ActivelyLearn, <a href="/single.cfm?id=14705">reviewed here</a>. Add articles, videos, and documents into an ActivelyLearn lesson to guide students through the learning process. Easily differentiate materials based on student interests and abilities within your ActivelyLearn unit. As a culminating project, and to enhance student learning, ask students to share what they learned using Story Maps, <a href="/single.cfm?id=14729">reviewed here</a>. Ask students to create story maps for individuals involved with the Holocaust, or to tell the story of events leading up to the Holocaust.

Technology Heads-up!

• Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.