Tag: lists

93 First Grade Websites That Tie into Classroom Lessons

These are my 93 favorite first grade websites. I sprinkle them in throughout the year, adding several each week to the class internet start page, deleting others. I make sure I have 3-4 each week that integrate with classroom lesson plans, 3-4 that deal with technology skills and a few that simply excite students about tech.

Here’s the list (check here for updates):

169 Kindergarten Websites That Tie into Classroom Inquiry

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These are my 120 favorite kindergarten websites. I sprinkle them in throughout the year, adding several each week to the class internet start page, deleting others. I make sure I have 3-4 each week that integrate with classroom inquiry, 3-4 that deal with technology skills and a few that simply excite students about tech.

Here’s the list (check here for updated links):

9 Reasons For Online Training and 5 Against

A few weeks ago, I polled you-all about your interest in online training. The results were mixed. Setting aside the obvious reason that online classes are much more affordable for both offeror and offeree, here are some of the comments I got (I’ve summarized):

For

students can attend class from a car, their home, a library, while they’re waiting for their sister to finish ballet.
classes are flexible–adaptable to student schedules
online classes allow non-verbal students to participate fully with writing, drawing, and other non-audio approaches. This is a huge plus if the student is shy, easily intimidated and/or distracted by others
class members in online classes are highly diversified, offering an opportunity for students to learn about different cultures, attitudes, and approaches to learning
classes are self-paced–students move exactly as quickly or slowly as they want (with the fast forward and rewind)
no distractions–students sit down and go to work without the chatter that usually starts a class, the goofing off that often distracts a lesson, and then interference from other students who don’t or won’t get whatever is included in the lesson
no commuting, which means no traffic jams, no school house parking lots, less money spent on cars/gas/maintenance
prepares students for future education in high schools and colleges
content is managed through the online course framework, which means students can go back to review

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Weekend Websites: 50 websites about animals

Here are 50 animal websites for grades K-5, everything from Dinosaurs to the wildly popular Wolfquest (click here for updates):

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24 Keyboarding Websites for Summer

Did you promise that this summer, your child would learn to type with more than two fingers, keep his eyes off his hands, and learn to like keyboarding? Your teachers consider that important–Common Core requires

students type between 1-3 pages at a sitting without giving up from boredom, frustration, fatigue. To do that requires a knowledge of where the keys are on the keyb oard and what habits faciliate speedy, accurate typing.

It doesn’t have to be rote drills, drudgery. There are a lot of options that make it fun. Here are 32. I think they’ll find a few they like:

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17 Memorial Day Websites for Students

Memorial Day is the time we remember all of those soldiers (and anyone in the Armed Forces) who gave their lives in the defense of American freedom. In war and peace, they made the ultimate sacrifice, and because of them we are privileged to live the American Dream.

Once a year, we honor them, their sacrifice, and those they left behind. Here are some activities to help students understand the import of this day:

7 Educational Websites Students Will Ask to Visit This Summer

The most popular website at my school is Minecraft–hands down, starting in 1st grade (I’m amazed parents let six-year-olds use this sometimes violent game, but they do and students do and the mania starts). Because kids would live in this blocky virtual world 24/7, I only let them play it two lunch periods a week. Those days, my lab is always packed. Kids have no idea they’re learning math (estimation, geometry, shapes), science (geology, rocks, minerals), building, or softer skills like thinking and reasoning, problem solving, hypothesis-testing, risk-taking, and collaboration. They don’t realize they’re exercising that delicate skill called ‘creativity’ or care that Common Sense Media raves that “Minecraft empowers players to exercise their imagination and take pride in their digital creations as they learn basic building concepts.”

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16 Memorial Day Websites for Students

Once a year, we honor them, their sacrifice, and those they left behind. Here are some activities to help students understand the import of this day:

12 Great Simulations to Gamify Your Class

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Here are 15 websites I’ve found that do an excellent job of using games to promote critical thinking, problem solving skills, and learning:

Bridge Builder—learn how to design and test bridges
Coffee Shop—run a coffee shop business
iCivics—experience what it means to be part of a democracy
Lemonade Stand—run a lemonade stand business
Making History: The Great War—WWI strategy game
Minecraft (links to MinecraftEdu—fee required)
Mission US––students role play the American Revolution or the Civil War
Past/Present—life as an American immigrant in the early 1900’s
Science simulations—lots of choices at 7^th grade level
Second Life—simulates just about anything if you can find it
SimTower—learn how to run a skyscraper as a business

Suggestions for using Bridge Builder:

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Dear Otto: I need reading resources for ELL/ESL

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Dear Otto is an occasional column where I answer questions I get from readers about teaching tech. If you have a question, please complete the form below and I’ll answer it here. For your privacy, I use only first names.

Here’s a great question I got from Shelley:

Tomorrow is a half day planning day so I can’t wait to look at all of the websites you have for 1st grade. I’m wondering what recommendations can you give for ELL/ESL students? One of my student’s home language is Spanish and the other home language is Pashto. Thank you for any recommendations!

I found these websites that share story books in lots of languages:

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