8th Grade

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IFTTT

— IFTTT

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.ifttt.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

IFTTT is a service that connects and consolidates social media tools. With this service, you can browse "recipes" for having social tools interact with each other. Some examples are: text the morning weather, send free nook books from Barnes and Noble to your Gmail account, send the iTunes app of the week to your email, or download videos you like to your Dropbox. Create your own recipes to help you make life easier by having one social media communicate with another.

In the Classroom

IFTTT can make recipes for students and teachers alike. Teachers can drop photos into Dropbox and automatically send them to a place they have chosen. This will help save time with classroom photos, field trips, and other events. Be reminded of birthdays for students and friends. Send amazing professional website bookmarks to your Gmail. Older students can receive emails or text messages about classes, tests, quizzes. Students can receive immediate feedback when they turn in assignments. Add tweeting to students’ own personal learning networks. Have technology classes find unique and creative ways to create recipes to save time and improve productivity. What kind of recipes can you create? Hold an IFTTT "potluck" where you and your savvy colleagues (and students) swap "recipes" to save time and effort. Invite more savvy students to share a recipe a week with fellow students. The better-organized ones can perhaps teach others how to become more organized!

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.
Tag(s): communication, DAT device agnostic tool, social media, organizational skills,

Saxon Math Courses 1, 2, and 3 - Teacher Activities

— Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

4-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://saxonpublishers.hmhco.com/en/onlineactivities123t.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Practice middle school math skills with calculator activities provided to accompany the Saxon Math series. Although intended for use with Saxon Math, use these activities as a supplement for any math curriculum. Sorted by grade level, these activities include the specific Saxon Math lesson they follow. Calculator activities link to graphing calculator activities that include demonstration and practice tips as well as a template to provide your own problems. Course 3 also includes six real world investigation activities that provide a problem to research on the Internet with instructions for solving the problem then sharing a response.

In the Classroom

Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos on how to solve one of the real world investigations. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube <a href="/single.cfm?id=9419">reviewed here</a>. Use the real world investigation cards for homework or as a week-long project in the classroom or computer lab.

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.
Tag(s): coordinates, equations, multiples, factors, fractions, functions, data, charts and graphs, calculators,

Knoema

— Knoema

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.knoema.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

This easy to use site is a large collection of maps and data sets for access by the public. Find maps, data, and charts for almost all countries. Choose from data categories that include Per Capita Income, Government Debt, Housing, Energy Consumption, Agricultural Production, and more. Select a data set to view. Choose the available countries from the drop-down. Export, download, or embed the data into your blog or site. Peruse community boards for information on statistics and apps for sharing (Facebook and Twitter) on Knoema. Upload data and create presentations and pages with the data simply and easily. Find tutorials about all you can do with Knoema here.

In the Classroom

Use in Social Studies or World Cultures to compare economic indicators of countries. Create data sets and visualizations of environmental data around the world. Use data in the writing of papers or creation of presentations on the country statistics such as GDP or exported goods. Trying to find meaningful data to include in an infographic? Knoema has it! Math teachers can use data sets for practice activities with statistics.

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.
Tag(s): charts and graphs, maps, data, countries, statistics,

Nature Works Everywhere

— The Nature Conservancy

2-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.natureworkseverywhere.org/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Explore and understand nature through the use of these great videos, interactives, and lessons. Learn the science behind nature and why it is very important for every living thing on this planet. Find overarching topics such as Water, Stuff (how nature creates the stuff that we use), and more! View field trips and featured videos with lesson plans on the homepage. Take a video tour of the site, find lesson plans, and read about scientists involved in the project through the tabs along the top.

In the Classroom

Be sure to save (bookmark) this page on your blog, wiki, or class website for easy access. Provide a link on a classroom computer for ease of access during an ecology unit. Allow opportunity for students to look at the information on the site to find a topic of interest to them for further research. Or choose a project to do together as a class or school in connection with Earth Day. Create an awareness campaign for students to educate others in the community about the science behind nature, why it is important to conserve, and simple actions that everyone can do. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class. For the novice technology user try these two tools to enhance technology use in your classroom: PicLits, <a href="/single.cfm?id=9822">reviewed here</a>, or Web Poster Wizard, <a href="/single.cfm?id=7332">reviewed here</a>. For the more experienced transform the use of technology in your class with Sway, <a href="/single.cfm?id=16373">reviewed here</a>, or give students a choice of projects to complete with Genial.ly, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17621">reviewed here</a>. Both Sway and Genial.ly will allow your students to create multimedia projects.

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.
Tag(s): water, scientists, natural resources, conservation,

All My Tweets

— AirTight Interactive

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.allmytweets.net/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

All My Tweets is an easy way to see the tweets of a certain user. The result of the search is a list of tweets through time. It loads a maximum of 3,200 tweets. Try entering teachersfirst in the search bar to see an example. Note: adults should preview results before using this tool with students, since unintended results may include inappropriate content.

In the Classroom

Use on an Interactive whiteboard or projector to introduce a class topic or follow current events. This site could be used for students to submit an assignment of their own tweets they did over a period of time. Or use this site during a presentation on how Twitter works, showing the information contained in a succession of tweets. Have students submit a record of tweets that show their learning over time. Follow a Twitter user who often shares resource links for a diary of resources that have been shared. Trace the tweets from the White House, any high profile political figure, or author over a period of time. Follow discussions about current events or new events in science or medicine. See <a href="http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=12505">this list of tweeting authors</a> for some possibilities.

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.
Tag(s): twitter,

Paying For College

— Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.consumerfinance.gov/payingforcollege/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Figuring out the TRUE cost of college is tricky. One college may appear to be out of financial range, but once financial aid is applied, the same college may actually require fewer out-of-pocket dollars for a prospective student and family. Comparing the true cost of one college to another has been even trickier when college describe their costs and financial aid awards using different terminology. Beginning in 2011, colleges are now required to include standardized college cost calculators on their websites. This site is working toward a centralized utility that would permit students to aggregate this information and do a meaningful cost comparison. At this point, the site is in its earliest stages, and families are asked to give it a test drive and provide feedback so the site will continue to improve. During the test drive, however, families will surely discover information that will help them in the short run as they evaluate college costs and financial aid award packages.

In the Classroom

Teachers who work with high school students, regardless of their curriculum specialties, would do their students a great service by recommending this site, and sites like it, that offer concrete financial data about the actual cost of attending college. If you teach in a field that touches personal financial planning or consumer awareness, asking students to give this site a try would make a great class, group, or individual project.

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.
Tag(s): college, financial literacy,

Chemistry Regents Exams with Explanation

— Kent Chemistry

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.kentchemistry.com/RegentsExams/regentsexams.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Review and practice for Chemistry Regents exam with this site that contains over 1000 questions with answers and explanations. Choose from previous exams beginning in 2002 on up to current exams. Questions are displayed, answers are provided in the same color as the background making them invisible when first viewing the page. To find some answers, you must click a link, depending on how new the practice test is. Highlight the answer or explanation box to see the correct response along with are short explanation. Each page contains 10 questions. Be sure to follow links to view all of the questions from each exam.

In the Classroom

Share this site with students to use when preparing for Regents exams. Display sample questions on your interactive whiteboard or projector and practice together. Share this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the class.

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.
Tag(s): test prep,

Whales and Dolphins for Children

— Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society

1-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.wdcs.org/wdcskids/en/index.php Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Learn about and explore the world of dolphins and whales with this educational site. Find out if your school serves "whale-friendly" lunches, make an origami dolphin, or watch a video demonstrating how dolphins get caught in fishing nets. Be sure not to miss the life-size whale animation that provides an up-close perspective on just how large whales are. Lesson plans are available on the site under the Info Box and include PDF lesson plans and worksheets for students. Some activities require flash which is not supported on all web browsers.

In the Classroom

The life size whale animation is perfect for use on interactive whiteboards or projectors. Display the animation and move the box around to give different perspective on the size of a whale. The red box on the whale on the right-hand corner of the screen shows what part of the whale is being displayed. Challenge cooperative learning groups to research dolphins or whales and create a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools <a href="/content/edge.cfm?c=18">reviewed here</a>. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): <a href="/single.cfm?id=18378">Adobe Spark in K-12</a>, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17166">Zeetings</a>, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17424">Animatron</a>, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18291">Renderforest</a>, and <a href="/single.cfm?id=17570">Canva Inforgraphic Maker</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.
Tag(s): marine biology, whales, ecology, habitats,

Polar Bear Cam

— polarbearcam.com

-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.polarbearcam.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Watch a live feed of Siku, the Danish polar bear at Scandinavian Wildlife Park, Denmark. Find other resources and videos by clicking on Take Action at the top and bottom of the page. That link goes to Polar Bear International, and here you will find various lesson plans and a clip for the IMax movie <I>To the Arctic</I>.

In the Classroom

Use this site when discussing climate change or habitat destruction. View the live feeds and note the characteristics that polar bears have and research the difference between them and every other type of bear. Discuss these similarities and differences when discussing animals structures, adaptations, classification or characteristics of living things. Write stories about a polar bear’s life, create a campaign to save endangered species, and recognize other threatened species near where you live. Be sure to investigate the lesson plans by clicking on the Take Action buttons. Most of the lesson plans aim to inform and to prevent destruction of the polar bear’s habitat in the Arctic. In primary grades, have the class keep a basic observation journal at a polar bear center where they can watch the webcam and record what they see. Consider sharing several different animal cams for students to gain practice at observation.

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.
Tag(s): adaptations, habitats, ecosystems, endangered species, animals,

Grand Challenges for Engineering

— National Academy of Engineering

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.engineeringchallenges.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49 share

How It Works

Grand Challenges for Engineering shares information on several engineering problems that are just waiting for 21st century solutions. Engineering challenge information is presented and followed by a moderated response forum. Anyone may submit ideas, and no registration is required. Share your name and location on the planet, and your comments may be featured in the forum. There are video clips, interactives, ready to go activities, and more. Information about world needs and next steps towards solutions are available. These topics can be controversial, so preview before you share with the class.

In the Classroom

Use Grand Challenges for Engineering topics as class conversation starters in science, biology, and engineering classes and an inspiration to make STEM a possible career choice. Stimulate a rich discussion by previewing the topic to students at the beginning of a week and discussing at the end of the week. Share the videos on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Encourage them to research the idea outside of class, and provide this website as a major source. Have students summarize the concept and the new things that they have learned through the discussion on an exit slip before they leave for the week. Challenge your students to think of other Grand Challenges that we face. In a gifted program these challenges could serve as themes for extended investigations or individual projects.

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.
Tag(s): STEM, scientific method, nuclear energy, medicine, carbon, mars, critical thinking, problem solving, engineering,
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