Digital Learning
Tools & Experiences
Need a Really Cool Digital Tool or Teaching Resource?
In case you were in search of some cool, new-to-you, digital learning tools to help put a little excitement in your classroom, I have gathered a few. I hope you can find something that will work with your content and classes. All of these resources are FREE! Let me know if you have any questions.
Get the Math
Get the Math is about algebra in the real world. See how professionals use math in music, fashion, videogames, restaurants, basketball, and special effects. Then take on interactive challenges related to those careers. Get the Math mixes video and web interactivity to help middle and high school students develop algebraic thinking skills for solving real-world problems. This site has great teacher resources and student hand-outs.
It's Okay to be Smart
It's Okay to Be Smart is a free online program about science from PBS Learning Media's Digital Studios and APT. Search by grade, subject and media for a vast array of teaching and learning resources and exciting explanations of science and science related topics.
http://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/its-okay-to-be-smart/
Math Science Music
MathScienceMusic.org is a free toolkit for teachers, bringing together the best resources in math, science and music. Designed for students, kindergarten through college there are a wide-variety of lessons, resources and outside links for musicians of all levels.
Tween Tribune
Tween Tribune is a free news site hosted by the Smithsonian Institution that provides K-12 students with articles selected by professional journalists on current events and trending topics. Stories are organized by grade range with Lexile levels and lesson plans filtered by topic, grade and CCRS standards. Articles are also available in Spanish and the teacher interface is really extensive allowing you to even assign stories from your phone.
Free Primary Sources
The Digital Public Library of America provides free Primary Source Sets designed to help students develop critical thinking skills by exploring topics in history, literature, and culture through primary sources. Drawing online materials from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States, the sets use letters, photographs, posters, oral histories, video clips, sheet music, and more. Each set includes a topic overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee. You can search by subject or time period and subjects covered include literature, history, culture and science.
Zoom In
Zoom In is a free, Web-based platform that helps students build literacy and historical thinking skills through “deep dives” into primary and secondary sources. Zoom In’s online learning environment features 18 content-rich U.S. history units that supplement your regular instruction and help you use technology to support students’ mastery of both content and skills required by the new, higher standards: Reading documents closely and critically, Identifying author's point of view and purpose, Engaging in higher-order, text-based discussions, Writing explanatory and argumentative essays grounded in evidence.
Spell UP
To promote the speech synthesis capabilities of Chrome and to help nonnative speakers improve their English skills, Google created this free, voice-activated game that is like a spelling bee. Students spell works aloud, letter by letter. Although geared towards nonnative speakers, many students could really use some spelling practice. Students will need headphones with microphones. These are available for check-out in the Media Center.
Read Works
Read Works is a free tool focuses on reading comprehension and includes lessons, passages and units that teach 20 different comprehension skills. An account is free and you can search by grade, subject or lexile level. Passages have reading comprehension questions and answer sheets.
Course Hero Literature Study Guides and Infographics
Course Hero Literature Study Guides are very much like Spark Notes; however, the infographics for each novel are really eye-catching and informative.
Grindl Weldon, Media Specialist
Email: gweldon@blountboe.net
Website: http://locustforkhs.blount.k12.al.us/
Location: Locust Fork High School, School Road, Locust Fork, AL, United States
Phone: (205) 681-7846
Facebook: facebook.com/GrindlCookWeldon
Twitter: @GrindlWeldon