Teacher+Tools

Teacher Tools -A variety of sites that help you to be a better or more effective teacher: Also, be sure to check out Web 2.0 Tools page, Project Format Ideas Page, Puzzles and Games page, and Lesson Plan Websites page.

**GENERAL RESOURCES** (also see LESSON PLAN SITES page) media type="vimeo" key="76775812" height="281" width="500" 
 * [|4Teachers.org] works to help you integrate technology into your classroom by offering online tools and resources. This site helps teachers locate and create ready-to-use Web lessons, quizzes, rubrics and classroom calendars. There are also tools for student use.
 * [|Amazon Inspire] is a free service for the search, discovery and distribution of digital educational resources. Get [|early access] and contribute to the future of K-12 education.
 * [|Annenberg Learner]- multimedia resources for teachers (K-12 and college levels) to teach their subjects and to stay up-to-date in their fields. Includes video series, lesson plans and interactives in the areas of art, foreign language, language arts, math, science and social studies.
 * [|Apple Teacher Learning Center] - If you are a fan of Apple products, you can sign up for the new Apple Teacher Learning Center. You can find guides and learning modules for both beginners and advanced users of the iPad and Mac. In addition, there is a section where teachers share lessons and how they are using their Apple products and apps in the classroom.
 * **BrainPop for Educators** is a //**free**// awesome site for teachers. //**Register**// and then look through all the available resources --including videos and great resources including activities that you can use in class or download to your iPad or even your blog.
 * [|ClassTools.net] -Create free games, activities and diagrams or search hundreds of thousands of classtools templates for resources you can use straight away with your classes. Have students create projects and email to you. No sign up and no passwords!
 * [|Common Sense Education] - find sites, games and apps reviewed by educators. Searchable by subject, grade level, app device and rating.
 * [|CyArk] - a free, 3D online library of the world's cultural heritage sites. This is a cool site that has applications to many subject areas. Lesson plans available for grades K-12 in history, math, art, foreign language, science...
 * [|EducationWorld.com], a resource that includes
 * original content, including lesson plans, practical information for educators, information on how to integrate technology in the classroom, and articles written by education experts;
 * Web site reviews;
 * e-mail newletters
 * [|Edshelf] - a directory of websites, mobile apps, and desktop programs that are rated & reviewed by parents & educators, for parents & educators. We help you find the right educational tools for your specific needs.
 * [|Federal Resources for Educational Excellence] - includes materials for the classroom ranging from visual arts to math to Arctic explorers. Awesome collection of links to websites, pictures, photos, information and more!
 * [|Front Row] - Differentiated resources to help students develop Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies skills (K-12)
 * [|Great Websites for Kids] is a compilation of exemplary websites. Suggested sites are evaluated by a committee made up of members of the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The site says it is geared for ages birth-14, but I found many that could be used with high school as well.
 * Hippocampus **-** a repository of high-quality multimedia learning objects and collections (including videos, animations and simulations) from The NROC Project, Khan Academy, PhET, SIATech, and others. **Search a wide range of subjects, some of which have text book correlations**. You can create an account to create a customized playlists.
 * [|Learning Navigator] Blend powerful assessments and analytics with a catalog of free and open learning resources to help meet the needs of your students.
 * [|The Learning Network]- educational resources based on the articles, photographs, videos, illustrations, podcasts and graphics published in The New York Times – all for free.
 * The [|National Geographic Education Portal] offers free geography, science, and social studies content resources for K-12 educators and learners. The award-winning Education Portal is recognized as one of the most innovative sources for educational and reference content.
 * [|Teaching Resources] Standards-based lessons and activities are searchable by grade, subject, and audience.
 * [|Reference and News]Geography and geoscience encyclopedia
 * Real-world profiles of [|explorers and scientists].
 * [|Neo K-12] - All videos on this amazing site are 100% safe. Also, there is a complete suite of educational tools for educators to choose from, such as quizzes, presentations, and more.
 * __[|PBS LearningMedia]__ is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and interactives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans.
 * [|Power My Learning] - a free digital learning platform for K-12. Find carefully curated academic games, videos, and interactives aligned to the Common Core State Standards and across a range of subjects like math, English Language Arts, science, social studies, technology and more.
 * **ReadWriteThink**  is a website that provides free lesson plans, **interactive student materials**, mobile apps and printouts for teachers. The **resources** are created by **teachers and they are searchable by grade level or subject (includes ELA, Science and Social Studies).**
 * **[|Rhythm Rhyme Results] -** educational rap and hip-hop songs and worksheets to help students learn all kinds of information - ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Songs do cost some $, but seem to be fairly reasonable.
 * [|SAS® Curriculum Pathways®]  interactive, standards-based resources in English language arts, math, science, social studies, and Spanish (grades K-12). Below is a sampling of the resources available:
 * [|Writing Reviser] Revise your writing with the help of this tool.
 * [|Interactive Atlas] Explore the world and create your own maps
 * [|Spanish Video Library] intended for beginning-level Spanish learners. Vocabulary words and phrases are presented in context by native speakers.
 * [|DNA Replication - Virtual Lab] Explore DNA replication and the roles of various components in this process
 * [|Japanese Internment] Explore the history of Japanese immigrants to America and the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor
 * [|Sheppard Software] - Hundreds of online educational games and activities for all grade levels and subjects. Registered versions of their [|educational software programs] are also completely free for teachers and schools to download. (Elementary-High School)
 * ** [|Simple K12] Shared resources - Browse by subject, grade or resource type **
 * //[|Smithsonian Learning Lab] // a platform for users to find and interact with Smithsonian digital content.
 * [|Discover] more than a million resources,
 * [|create] personal collections and educational experiences, and
 * [|share] your work with students and collegues.
 * [|Statistics in Schools] - the U.S. Census Bureau provides data, tools, and activities that educators can incorporate into their lessons to help teach statistics concepts and data analysis skills to students. The activities and resources are segmented by subject (geography, history and social studies, mathematics and statistics, and sociology) and grade (from kindergarten through high school) so statistics education can be brought to any classroom.
 * **__[|TeacherTopia]__ ** is designed to provide resources, lesson plans, and more for K-12 teachers
 * [|TeacherPlanet]was created by Teachers, for Teachers. Whether you are looking for **Assessment Rubrics, Lesson Plan Templates, Theme Units and Resources**, or trying to find an Educational Grant or Fundraising Ideas for the Classroom, we offer all of this and more. And best of all, it's completely Free.
 * **<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[|Wizer.me]- Interactive online worksheets - Create your own or access thousands of worksheets from the community. Then assign via URL. **
 * **<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Wolfram for Educators **<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> is perfect for use in math, science and social studies. Check this out to see how you can use it for mapping, calculating, finding lessons online and more!!! **This is truly wonderful!!!!**
 * < [[image:http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/right_nav_pods/wonderopolis.png link="@http://wonderopolis.org/"]] ||< ** Wonderopolis **[[image:http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/img/external.gif]]a whimsical, fun website providing "Wonders of the Day" such as "Do Rabbits Have Good Eyesight?" to "When is Technology Old?" New questions are posted each day. A vocabulary list provides a learning base for each lesson. The questions prompt curiosity and motivation to dig deeper in the information to learn more. The engaging informational text can be used to address Common Core Standards in reading while incorporating related images and videos. Grades K - 12. ( AASL 2013 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning ) ||

= BEHAVIOR/CLASS MANAGEMENT =
 * [|Class Dojo] - a behavior management system you can use on your laptop or Smartphone. During class, when a student displays a certain characteristic, such as teamwork or generosity, you can reward them points. Teachers can also give negative points that take away from the rewards. After tracking points, you can print out the results and share it with parents and the administration.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Merriweather,Georgia,;">[|GoNoodle] is an online resource that provides teachers with a library of “brain break” videos to use in their classrooms. The videos - ranging in length from two to ten minutes - are geared toward students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and they cover a variety of activities, such as exercise, song, dance, mindfulness, and coordination.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Merriweather,Georgia,;">[|Randomly](app) - Use the Random Name Selector feature to randomly call on a students.This app can also be used to randomly generate groups for you. (Thank you Kevin Curtis!)

= CHARTS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Useful Charts and Timelines** Purchase charts and timelines for your visual learners. Charts available for: history, mythology and science. = COMMUNICATION TOOLS =
 * [|Appletree] - free communication tool that partners teachers with parents and engages them in their child's classroom life.
 * [[image:http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/right_nav_pods/bloomz.jpg caption="best website icon" link="@http://www.bloomz.net/"]] ** Bloomz -** AASL 2016 Best Websites for Teaching & Learning - teachers can safely communicate with parents, share class photos & updates, and coordinate volunteer and conference signups. ||
 * [|ClassDoJo Messenger] - APP -Simple, positive communication with parents. Send updates home in seconds. No need to share contact details.
 * [|Remind] - This service allows you to send one way texts to parents and students. This is a great way send reminders of upcoming deadlines and events. Teachers never see students/parents phone numbers, nor will students/parents see theirs.

= FLASH CARDS <span style="color: #808080; display: inline !important;">ALSO SEE "CREATE FLASH CARDS" ON STUDENT TOOLS PAGE =
 * **Educational Press Flashcards -**<span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica; font-size: 12.8px;">Create free educational worksheets such as flashcards, game boards, and quizzes to print directly from your browser.
 * Memory Lifter - **Free educational learning software** MemoryLifter is a free virtual flashcard system. Download your free copy to make studying fun and easy!

= FORMS AND TEMPLATES =
 * **[|Certificate Maker] -** make free personalized certificates. Simply select a template, fill in the blanks and print. (Includes certificates in Spanish)
 * **Teacher Tools** This site is no longer updated, but has many document forms and templates that teachers may want to use. Select "forms and letters" in the left hand column.

= GRADING = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #545454; font-family: Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">[|Zipgrade] - Several teachers at the high school are u <span style="font-family: Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">sing this instead of Scantron. (Thank you Kevin Curtis, Jeff Nienaber, Conor Thomas and Eric Meyer!) Quickly s<span style="font-family: Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">et up classes, create quizzes and answer keys, and print answer sheets. Then scan the answer sheets with your phone or tablet. It provides instant feedback on total score and a breakdown of responses to every question.
 * Free download and 100-scans per month
 * Unlimited Scanning: $6.99 for 1 year

= LESSONS- = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">SEE THE LESSON PLAN SITES, VIDEOS ONLINE- FREE OR **MIMIOS AND SMARTBOARDS PAGES, also Organization Tools below** = MIMIO BOARDS/SMART BOARDS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Using the __**Mimio Board**__ and not sure how to best utilize it? Go to the **Mimio Smart Board Page**. = OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Also see COMMON CORE page)
 * ** Academic Content State Standards **
 * ** [|Ohio School Report Cards] **
 * A [|new technology landing page] highlighting technology-related resources is now available featuring four categories: Instructional Technology, Assessment Technology, Technology Supports and Technology for Families.

=See the Organization Tools page for resources on ASSIGNMENT MANAGERS, BOOKMARKS, CURATION, GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS/DIAGRAMS, NOTE TAKING, SCHEDULING/CALENDARS and more!=

= Plagiarism Detectors__**:**__ = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #001dff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">(Also see the Copyright and Plagiarism Page for more tools.)
 * ** Plagiarism Checker ** - If you want to know if a text is copied from somewhere or not, just copy and paste the text and see if the text is original or not.
 * ** [|Plagiarisma] ** - Great site to check to see if an ** item/document is being plagiarized; ** allows you to copy and paste in words and then checks for you.

= PROJECT BASED LEARNING - (See PROJECT BASED LEARNING page) =

= [|PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY] = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Resources for Teachers
 * The [|Child-Only or Teen-Only Card] allows a minor to get a library card without the need of a parent or guardian signature. The Child-Only or Teen-Only Card works in the following ways:
 * **Child-Only:** Children aged 12 and under can checkout up to seven print items cataloged for children.
 * **Teen-Only:** Teens aged 13 to 17 can checkout up to seven print items cataloged for children or teens.
 * Both types of cards allow access to the Internet and online databases, as well as access to downloadable materials.
 * There are no fines associated with a Child-Only or Teen-Only card. Borrowing privileges are suspended once seven items are checked out, and restored when one or more of the items are returned.
 * [|Teacher collections] Let Library staff prepare a collection of materials relevant to your curriculum.
 * [|Educator Cards]. Educators are entitled to a special Library card with unique borrowing privileges. Educator Card holders may:
 * Have up to 150 items (except videocassettes and DVDs) checked out on the card
 * Request a [|teacher collection] in person, by phone, fax, or [|online]. In two weeks, pick up the teacher collection at the library of your choice
 * Have monthly collections delivered to your school (ask your children's librarian for details)
 * [|Educator Downloadable Option]. Learn more about this educator card feature that makes it easy for your students to download books onto their mobile devices for class use.
 * [|Research databases]. Use our collection of databases to locate information on a broad range of subjects from magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and books.
 * [|Education databases]
 * [|Homework help databases]

= PUZZLES AND GAMES CREATION =

= QUIZ AND TEST CREATORS =

RESEARCH
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">(See Resources for Research page)

= RUBRICS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">
 * **Rubrics for Teachers**- is a great site for teachers as the rubric choices are grouped by ** Subject .**
 * **Rubistar** is a site that helps teachers create their own **rubrics.** There are many templates and all you have to do is choose from a drop-down menu. Then, you can print the rubric. You will have to create a user-name, but it is free!
 * [|TeAchnology] - You will find tools that help guide you through the process of creating these assessment tools for evaluating student performance. You will also find over five hundred printable rubrics on our web site.

= Search Engines- see the **Search Engines** page. = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Also, try:
 * **Infotopia** -- it is like using Google but all of the sites are reliable! It was created by a professor and each site given as a choice has been carefully checked out before being added to the list!
 * Be sure to check out the reliable Search Engine called **SWEET SEARCH**.

= SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION TOOLS =

= Social Networks __** - **____** for Educators and Students **__- See Collaborative Tools on the WEB 2.0 TOOLS page. =

= STUDY SKILLS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Also see, STUDENT TOOLS page) = SURVEY TOOLS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Need to create a __ survey __? See Quiz and Survey Generators page. = TECH TOOLS = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Also see WEB 2.0 TOOLS page)
 * **<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Study Skills Handouts from Dartmouth] **
 * ** Digital Literacy Resources-This is a great NEW site by the government--aimed at making ALL KINDS of resources available to teachers. **
 * ** FREE Tech for Teachers ** is a FABULOUS blog that provides all kinds of tech tools and tips for teachers. This includes over 100 PowerPoint templates, explanations of tech tools, how to find them, when to use them, etc. You MUST check this one out!
 * [|Practical Ed. Tech Tips] - YouTube videos - from Richard Byrne - <span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: rgba(17,17,17,0.6); font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Directions, tips, and tricks for using popular ed tech apps and sites.
 * ** [|Tools for the 21st century Teacher] - This online handbook provides a nice overview of several internet tools that can be incorporated into the classroom.  **
 * ** LINK to another site that has a MAJOR list of different Technology Tools- Tech Tools Resource **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">** FILE/FORMAT CONVERTERS ** > <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #545454; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">The original PDF remains in your Drive and a new, converted document is created. You can open your new document and rename, edit, annotate, share, etc. just as you can do with any other Google Doc, Slides or Sheets. This works best with PDF documents that are clear and mostly text-based. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #545454; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> <span style="background-color: #ffce00; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> **FILE SHARING**
 * ===<span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #545454; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">Convert PDFs to Google Docs ===
 * 1) <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #545454; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">Upload a PDF document to your Drive
 * 2) <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #545454; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">Right-Click on the document once it is uploaded.
 * 3) <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #545454; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">Choose Open with>Google Docs
 * ** Cometdocs ** has many choices for different file conversions.
 * ** DocsPal ** is a free online file converter that supports all kind of documents, audios, videos, images, e-books. You can also view your documents directly on your browser.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Format Factory **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> - <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">a convenient utility that lets you convert files into different formats to facilitate sharing, save disk space, or make compatible with a mobile player.
 * **Foxit Reader -** Free PDF creation and conversion
 * ** FreePDFConvert **
 * ** PDF to JPG Converter ** allows Adobe ** PDF documents to convert to JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, and TIFF ** . The converter also allows you to put multi-page PDFs on one single page.. It just takes a couple of clicks.
 * ** [|Primo PDF] ** is a download that allows you to ** convert any of your files to PDF format- ** -includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
 * is one the easiest file converter sites available. It
 * ** [|Dropbox] ** is a free service that lets you store and share your documents, photos, lesson plans, and videos in the cloud so that you have access to them wherever you are. Never email yourself a file or use a flash drive again!
 * __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ee; font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;">[|FileDropper] __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ee; font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"> lets you to upload your file and share it with others on a link.
 * ** Media Fire ** is another great site for sharing files--including video! Go here for a free account. You just __ **drag and drop the file** __ and you are good to go!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> **WEB PAGE CREATION** - also see Website Creators Page (<click here)
 * [|Dead Link Checker] - If you have classroom website with a lot of links, this is a quick way to make sure they are all still working.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #808080; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> ** WIKIS **- You are looking at a WIKI- you can save information and sort the information and sites in one place. Others can contribute as well--great for a class project! For more information, see WIKIS and How to Create One = Timers: =
 * <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; color: #2779d6; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">Classtools Countdown Timer - Run multiple timers in sequence or all at once. You can also add music or YouTube video to each timer!
 * ** Cool Timer ** is a great program that provides a ** timer ** for you to use in school or at home.
 * [|Google] - Another <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;"><span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">timer option is to simply type "set timer" <span style="background-color: #f4f5f6; font-family: Georgia,Utopia,;">into Google search . Set the time and an alarm beeps when time is up. There is also an option for a stopwatch. You can make the timer appear full screen without advertisements by clicking a little box icon to the right of the timer.
 * ** Stop Watch Timer ** is a great site--there are a variety of stop watches and timers that can be used for a multitude of ideas. There is an interval timer, a chess timer, and a ton more!