Here are quick, safe spots to send students for research (click here for updates to the list):

1. CoolKidFacts–kid-friendly videos, pictures, info, and quizzes–all 100% suitable for children
2. Dimensions–academic research geared for college-level
3. Fact Monster–help with homework and facts
4. Google Earth Timelapse–what changes to the planet over time
5. Google Trends–what’s trending in searches
6. History Channel–great speeches
7. How Stuff Works–the gold standard in explaining stuff to kids
8. Info Please–events cataloged year-by-year
9. National Geographic for Kids
10. Ngram Viewer–analyzes all words in all books on Google Books
11. TagGalaxy–search using a cloud
12. Wild Wordsmyth–picture dictionary for kids
13. World Book–requires membership

Citing Resources

1. BibMe
2. Citation Machine
3. EasyBib

Kids Search Engines

1. Kiddle–visual search engine for kids
2. Kidtopia

How to Research

1. A Google A Day
2. How to Search on Google
3. Power Searching (with Google)
4. Teaching students to search/research
5. Internet Search and Research–a lesson plan for K-8

Lesson Plans

1. Image Copyright Do’s and Don’ts
2. Internet Search and Research

Resources/Research

1. BrainPOP–Bring learning to your fingertips™ with the BrainPOP® Featured Movie app
2. Kids Picture Dictionary
3. Primary Source Documents
4. SparkVue–collect and display live data from iPhone etc to the iPad
5. Talk to Books–research your topic based on books
6. TED app–TED’s official app presents talks from some of the world’s most fascinating people

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Here are some Winter activities to share the joy of winter (click here for updates to list):

1. 5 Videos to teach about winter
2. Winter Facts and Worksheets
3. The Winter Solstice, from PBS–a video for youngers
4. Winter Vocabulary–a video
5. What is a Solstice, from National Geographic–a video
6. What is the Winter Season–a video
7. Winter Coloring Pages, Printables, and more
8. Winter Games–digital

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Natural disasters is a related discussion to any number of topics–geography, ecology, Earth Day, even problem solving. Here are 17 websites that bring the power of these natural forces to students (click here for updates to the list):

• Avalanches
• Earthquakes
• Earthquakes–an animation
• Earthquakes for Kids

• Earthquakes–USGS
• Every Natural Disaster Explained in 12 Minutes (video)
• Flood—hugefloods.com

• Hurricanes
• Natural Disasters–for kids–video
• Natural disaster videos

• Natural Hazards–from Crash Course–video
• Savage Earth
• Storm Chasing

• Top 10 Natural Disasters for Kids–video
• Tsunamis
• Volcano videos
• Volcanoes

Click image below for slideshow of many natural disasters

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Need a few websites to fill in free minutes? Here are holiday websites that will keep students busy while teaching them (click for updates to list):

1. 12 Days of Christmas
2. 55 Christmas Project Ideas for Elementary Schoolage Students
3. Christmas Celebrations Across the World (video)
4. Christmas puzzles and games
5. Christmas—history—fun video
6. Christmas Traditions Around the World (video)
7. Gift Hunt–updated version of 12 Days of Christmas–just as much fun
8. Holiday Crossword
9. Holiday Elf Games
10. Holiday—Math Facts
11. Holiday—North Pole Academy
12. Holiday STEM Activities
13. Phone call from Santa
14. Santa Tracker

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169 tech-centric situations—tech topics most important to your teaching as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations

Today’s tip: Evaluate websites

Category: Parents

When students use the internet to research a topic, likely they get hundreds—or thousands—of possible resources. Beyond selecting based on key words and extensions (such as selecting websites that end in  .edu and .gov), how can they make choices that will inform their learning rather than misguide it?

Here’s a poster with seven tips on how to evaluate websites:

• Is the author knowledgeable?
• Is the website publisher credible (one the student knows to be accurate)?
• Is content accurate (based on student knowledge)?
• Does the content include a depth of knowledge on the subject?
• Is the information included on the website up to date? The definition of ‘up to date’ will vary with the topic. History probably doesn’t change much, but science might (such as Pluto is no longer a planet).
• Is the website unbiased? Are they sharing information so readers can draw their own conclusion or trying to get them to agree with an agenda?
• Is the website age-appropriate? Does it use words and concepts that fit the age group that will be using it?

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

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As you prepare for the holiday break and then a new year, it’s a great time to think about resources available in your classes for students with special needs. Ask a Tech Teacher has a long list of online websites and apps for a variety of special needs, but if you’re looking for a good overview of general tips, check these out:

Tips for Supporting Students With Special Needs Using Technology

You might not realize that over 60% of students with special needs benefit remarkably from technology-integrated learning environments. To effectively support these students, you can start by understanding each student’s unique challenges and strengths. Have you considered how assistive technologies like text-to-speech can be tailored to individual needs? By engaging students in selecting personalized tools, you empower them to take charge of their learning journey. Parental involvement and open communication also play vital roles. But how do you guarantee these strategies lead to meaningful progress? There’s a lot more to explore in optimizing these approaches. (more…)

Three holidays are fast-approaching–Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If you’re a teacher, that means lots of tie-ins to make school festive and relevant to students.

Here are ideas for Halloween projects, lesson plans, websites, and apps (check here for updated links):

Websites and Apps

1. 30-day Halloween fitness challenge
2. Build a Jack-o-lantern (in Google Slides)
3. Carve-a-Pumpkin from Parents magazine – Resolute Digital, LLC (app)
4. Enchanted Learning
5. Halloween games, puzzles–clean, easy to understand website and few ads!
6. Halloween Kahoot Games (video for teachers)
7. Halloween Science
8. Halloween Voice Transformer (app)
9. Make A Zombie – Skunk Brothers GmbH (app)
10. Meddybemps Spooky
11. Pumpkin Patch Games
12. WordSearch Halloween – AFKSoft (app)

Projects

1. ASCII Art–Computer Art for Everyone (a pumpkin–see inset)
2. Lesson Plan: Halloween letter for grades 2-5
3. Make a Holiday Card
4. A Holiday Card
5. A Holiday flier

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Ask a Tech Teacher has a passel of online resources to help you introduce, teach, and reinforce digital citizenship to your students. Here’s our long list–and click here for updates if you arrive at this page late: (more…)

Here are popular online resources to teach about using games in education (click here for updates to the list):

1. Battleship on Google Sheets
2. Breakouts by BreakoutEdu.com — a bit like Webquests but more comprehensive
3. Breakout Room Template
4. Game Show Templates–Frazzle, Jeopardy, Family Feud, Price is Right, more
5. Gamified Syllabus–a template to create games
6. A Google A Day

Economics and Finance

1. BizKids–games to teach business and finance

History

1. Beat the Bard–using Shakespearean characters
2. Classtools History Timeline Game–read here for directions
3. Oregon Trail–a browser-based edition
4. Digital Breakouts–review or assessment in a gamelike format; includes mostly history, but other topics; high school

Math

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1. Autumn Facts for Kids
2. Don’t “Leaf” Out Fall’s Most Valuable Lesson
3. EEK! A Tree’s True Color
4. Fall Bucket List For Families Printable
5. Fall Crafts, Decorations, and Printouts
6. Fall Books & Short Stories For Kids about Autumn
7. Primary Games’ Fall Fun
8. Science Made Simple: Why Do Leaves Change Color in Fall?
9. Why Leaves Change Color

Click for an updated list (more…)