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Reading Resources for Parents

Share these web resources on your teacher web page or copy the printables to encourage parent involvement and help them know how best to support their students.
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Tips for Parents of Second Graders Grade 2 to 2 - Reading Rockets- 6817
Includes printable Acrobat files Read this web page or download a single sheet of suggestions to make reading together fun and funny for parents and kids together, while encouraging the skills to make a lifelong reader. Teachers can download the tips for th in NINE languages in addition to English to print out and send home with your ESL/ELL students. Their parents will appreciate the opportunity to participate in their learning, and everyone wins. Printables require Acrobat Reader.

In the Classroom:
Bring in the parents to help prepare children for third grade reading testing by getting them involved. Send home the printable, give it out at conferences, and/or include the link on your teacher web page. Everyone will win!

Tips for Parents of Third Graders Grade 3 to 3 - Reading Rockets- 6818
Includes printable Acrobat files Read the tips on this web page or download a single sheet of suggestions to make reading together fun and funny for parents and kids together, while encouraging the skills to make a lifelong reader. Teachers can download the tips for third grade in NINE languages in addition to English to print out and send home with your ESL/ELL students. Their parents will appreciate the opportunity to participate in their learning, and everyone wins. Printables require Acrobat Reader.

In the Classroom:
As students approach their first high-stakes testing, every little bit helps. Give these tips out at conferences, in backpacks, or as a link on your teacher web page.

Tips for Parents of First Graders Grade 1 to 1 - Reading Rockets- 6816
Includes printable Acrobat files Read this web page or download a single sheet of suggestions to make reading together fun and funny for parents and kids together, while encouraging the skills to make a lifelong reader. Teachers can download the tips for first grade in NINE languages in addition to English to print out and send home with your ESL/ELL students. Their parents will appreciate the opportunity to participate in their learning, and everyone wins. Printables require Acrobat Reader.

In the Classroom:
Send these home in the backpack parade or include the link from your teacher web page (or both).

Every Child Ready to Read Grade K to 2 - Public Library Association- 7315
Includes printable Acrobat files This group of pdf printable brochures suggests behaviors and activities that can assist parents, preschool teachers, and early elementary teachers in getting children ready to read. Available in both color and black and white formats, the brochures are also downloadable in Spanish. The brochures encourage people to use books, songs, stories, and word games to reinforce the importance of reading in education. This site requires Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Make these brochures available to parents of the very young. The added bonus of having some of the brochures available in Spanish makes the development of good readers a task shared by parents and educators alike. PLace some on the table in your conference waiting area or send them home in backpacks!

Kids and Reading Grade K to 8 - John Rowlinson, Kids and Reading, UK- 9457
Geared to teaching parents about reading, this site offers a great review of reading methods, classroom methods, special concerns (i.e. ADHD, autism), booklists, motivation, tool and techniques to use, etc. Even though it is a British site, it is totally applicable to the USA and other areas throughout the world. You will find a wealth of information to share with your students’ parents at Open House and throughout the year. There are some minor advertisements at this site (all related to the topic).

In the Classroom:
Sign up for the newsletter to receive new information every month. Provide the link to this site in your class newsletter or on your class website, so parents can sign-up for the newsletter also (and use the free resources).

TogetheRead Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies.com- 7198
Share family reading and activities around a monthly theme using this outstanding series by our partner site, TeachersAndFamilies. Interwoven into each TogetheRead theme are questions and activities based on reading strategies for effective readers. Parents and children of all ages can select books from the annotated lists, read together, and do related free or low-cost activities. Written in language understandable to parents and without education "jargon" so familiar to teachers, these themes will help any child become a a better reader and enjoy sharing family time. Books are grouped into "bands": preschool/picture books, early elementary, upper elementary to middle school, upper middle school to young adult, and mature teen to adult books. Activities accompany each age group, and participants can contribute their own activity suggestions, as well.

Libraries, schools, parent organizations, and teachers will find free, downloadable materials to promote good reading and family time. They can also sign up to receive advanced notice of upcoming themes to be able to locate the books for their families. There is even an FAQ-style page to help parents get started. Sound reading strategies help EVERY child!

In the Classroom:
Share this link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter. You might even talk to your parent organization about promoting TogetheReads as a whole-school activity. Maybe even host a TogetheRead family evening in the gym or library.

Ready Set Read for Families Grade K to 1 - U.S. Department of Education- 1458
This is the family section for the Department of Education's Ready-Set-Read program, which is designed to foster reading readiness skills in preschool children. The site contains ideas and activities that parents can use with their children to help them practice the speaking and observation skills that will help them learn to read.

In the Classroom:
This site offers tips for parents from the Department of Education.

Children's Book Council Grade 1 to 12 - Children's Book Council- 69
This great site offers a helpful set of resources for parents, teachers, and librarians. There are lists of newly published books, links to ordering and other book-related resources, and a list of "not to be missed" titles and authors for various grade levels. The resources are updated regularly, so there's always something fresh to offer to students or other teachers.

In the Classroom:
Be sure to include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access to learn more about recommended reading lists. Use the site as a starting point for crafting summer reading lists or to design a reading challenge for your class.

Booklist Home Page Grade 1 to 12 - Amer. Library Assoc.- 56
This is the web incarnation of the American Library Association's periodical of the same name. The web version includes listings and reviews of popular books for children, young people, and adults, as well as articles of interest to librarians and those in the business of making reading and reference accessible to students and adults.

In the Classroom:
Check this site for book lists to accompany upcoming units or to create independent reading challenges/contests for your class. Share the link with parents on your teacher web page so parents and students can use it when planning a trip to the library.

Play Grow Read Grade K to 2 - Kent District Library- 8279
Includes lesson plan This library-prepared website is all about helping parents develop early literacy skills. Options include video demonstrations of how to read books to kids and many developmental activities including things to do around the house, pre-reading activities, early reading skills information available in TWENTY-SEVEN languages, and many printable reading activities. Check out the Make and Take section: hands-on activities that help children develop the habit of using books. Activities include Activities for Print Motivation, Print Awareness, Phonological Awareness, Vocabulary, Narrative Skills, Letter Knowledge etc. These well-explained activities are fun and original. Many parts of the site are available in Spanish as well as English. Videos on this site require RealPlayer and Windows Media Player. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Share the printables and information about the website with parents at open house or conferences and include the link on your teacher web page. Spanish-speaking families will enjoy hearing about this site as well.

103 Things to Do Before/During/After Reading Grade K to 8 - Reading Rockets- 8150
This site has an (almost) endless supply of suggestions for what students, parents, and teachers can do to encourage more and more reading and literary involvement. Students participate in reading, dramatic, discussion, and artistic activities to reinforce their connection to the printed word and build comprehension in a very active way!

In the Classroom:
Use this list as an idea generator for book report alternatives or even for lesson ideas. Share the link or some of the ideas on your tecaher web page for students to choose a book report product/project/performance. Print these suggestions out and share all or some of them with parents in a newsletter,at conference times, or before summer vacation. Give credit for your source, of course!

Reading Lists" for Teachers and Parents" Grade 1 to 12 - Council for Exceptional Children- 2016
The Council for Exceptional Children presents these pages, which offer teachers and parents lists of pointers on how they can encourage reading with children, especially those who have a learning disability. The site includes tips on strategies which can make reading easier and more rewarding for these students.


Tips for Parents of Kindergarteners Grade K to 0 - Reading Rockets- 6815
Includes printable Acrobat files Read this web page or download a single sheet of suggestions to make reading together fun and funny, while encouraging the skills to make a lifelong reader. Teachers can download the tips in NINE languages in addition to English to print out and send home with your ESL/ELL students. Their parents will appreciate the opportunity to participate in their learning, and everyone wins. Printable require Acrobat Reader.

In the Classroom:
Send these home in the backpack parade or include the link from your teacher web page (or both).

Ed Pubs Grade K to 12 - US Department of Education- 9386
Includes printable Acrobat files Resource aligns to standards This site offers free publications about teaching, literacy, reading instruction, child development, math, and school safety. The offerings include materials for all levels (brochures, posters, videotapes, newsletters, and more). The intended audiences include students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Many publications and also site information come in Spanish and English.

In the Classroom:
Share this site on your class website so parents can learn about this free resource. Include links to specific publications tha fit your class’ needs. Or choose helpful information with your particular parents/students and share the pdf files as print-outs at conferences or via email to help parents.

Stories from the Web 0-7 Grade K to 1 - Birmingham Library Services- 7809
This resource requires Flash This site offers stories on line to listen to or read. Students can search for books by themes or alphabetically to read short reviews. Audio portions have a slight British accent. Pop up blockers may need to be turned off for some parts of the site. Flash is required. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. Companion sites for ages 7-11 and 11-14 provide age-appropriate reading activities for other groups.

In the Classroom:
List the URL in your next class newsletter or on your teacher Web page for parents and students. Adult Info gives post-reading suggestions for discussions or activities that parents could use. Encourage individual students to write then submit stories to this site either at home or during free time on a classroom computer. (The site will not accept submissions from a whole class.) When they are posted, share the stories with the class using a projector. Don’t forget headphones for individual students or speakers if using with the whole class.

Children's Picture Books Grade 1 to 3 - - 6429
This site provides guidance for teachers and parents in selecting the perfect picture book for a child and offers suggestions for instilling a life-long love of reading in young students. Includes book reviews and links to author and illustrator Web sites. This is a wonderful resource to share with parents via your classroom, school, or library newsletter.


Book Sense Grade 1 to 6 - BookSense.com- 5919
Before sending your students out of the classroom for summer vacation, give them some suggestions for filling those unstructured days. This list of suggested summer reading for elementary and middles school students, covers a range of topics and includes something for everyone. Brief annotations provide useful information for teachers, parents, and librarians. You might want to recommend this site to parents in your end-of-year newsletter.


Tikatok Grade 1 to 8 - Tikatok- 9273
Includes lesson plan Teacher's First Edge Review: for very slightly adventurous technology users and their students. NOTE that we have directed you to the TEACHER registration page for this tool. Students and teachers can write your own original books, add your own images and artwork as illustrations, and read your published books in interactive, online form. This is the ultimate in "digital storytelling." Here are examples of sharing a completed book: by a link to this an example, created by the TeachersFirst Edge editors or "embedded" in our page below. Once you set up free membership in this site, students (or teachers) can select the general type of book you wish to write and then see "Story Sparks," templates to help you write the story. These teach common story map patterns as students write.

As you fill in the pages, you can also upload or add illustrations on each page. You can choose page color and a number of other options to make the book their own. After you save and publish the work, people can read the entire thing online, either among the audience you choose or publicly. There is an option to have the book printed for a fee, but this is not required. You can also read books by others (if they make them public), and comment or vote on favorites. You can even make a collection of “favorite” books to read from. You can also invite “friends” to write with you. This site requires Quicktime. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

This site requires a simple registration. In the Teacher or Educator? paragraph, click to go to the Teacher Registration Form . Teachers can create an account for use in the classroom with monitoring of what your students publish. You can even make separate groups for each of your classes. New classroom-friendly features were added just in time for the start of the 2008-2009 school year, and the Tikatok people promise to continue their support of teacher-friendly features.

When viewing the “books” in the online, interactive version, be sure to click Full Screen (at top left when looking at others’ books or lower right of any book) to enlarge your view. Even if you are not ready to try creating your own, your students will enjoy reading the work of others you place in your “favorites.”

If you or your class' parents decide that you would like to order print copies of a book, you can elect to request that Tikatok donate a portion of the proceeds to support TeachersFirst. To request a Tikatok donation to non-profit TeachersFirst, make a list of your order number(s) and send the number(s) in an email mentioning TeachersFirst to neal (at) tikatok.com (@ symbol replaced here so the spam machines cannot find this address-- be sure to type it with the @ and no spaces). [This is Tikatok's way of thanking us for our ideas and support of student learning. It was offered AFTER our review and without the knowledge of the review team.]

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Join the site and log in. Teachers should go directly to the TEACHER registration form from the Teacher or Educator paragraph.You must activate the registration via email (adults). Child accounts do not require email, but must register with an associated adult (teacher or parent) account. Take a quick video tour or explore on your own. Help and FAQ pages will assist those who want to move ahead carefully. The Studio is where you start or work on a book. You can also click to edit from your Bookshelf. Follow prompts for a new book: type of book or make your own. Find simple tools down the sides of pages. Drag pages into order below. Find tools to add images, upload image files, change text size and color (the little wrench), change paper color, etc. Make friends (must know their nickname) and invite them to work with you on a book or control this feature for your students, if they are writing. Find settings on each book you. Complete, determining who can see your books, comment on them, and print them. Share books via URL, email, or embedding the code in your blog, wiki, or web page.

Safety/security concerns: The opening page for outsiders and members shares featured, popular, and most active books, so you will want to preview for possibly inappropriate books created by others. As with any site where students can create content, you will want to obtain parent permission before posting student work online. This site is cautious about users under age 13, so it will email you when any student under your account does ANYTHING, and the audience appears to be mostly K-6 schools as of this writing. Be sure you are familiar with the sharing, friends, and book settings to control who can see student work.

Possible uses: See an example, created by the TeachersFirst Edge editors . The example is full of ideas for classroom use from Kindergarten to high school, including science concept tales, poetry books, general writing, math problem solve-its, and more. ANY grade can use this tool. By the way, the correct answer to the problem in the sample book is c. 27.

Tips: Set up the accounts for your students using your Gmail account and subaccounts. Do this in advance of your writing activity. At the time of this review the site is in beta, but they are changing that soon. They will be adding full teacher-features to make your life easier, as well (by fall, 2008). This one is worth trying now. You might consider creating a private “club” for your class to share and discuss books they create with each other. This safe introduction to social networking would provide an excellent teaching opportunity for 21st century literacy skills and online safety discussion. Here is our embedded example:

The Story Connection Grade 2 to 6 - Dianne de las Casas- 9009
Includes printable Acrobat files This resource requires Flash This website offers printable (retold) stories by Dianne de las Casas. She offers quite a collection, and adds new stories each month. The stories come from all around the world. Other offerings on the site include holiday stories, fingerplays, play scripts, activities to do with stories, and puzzles. Don't forget to check out the extensive suggestions under Resources such as Story telling games. These help teachers and parents know what to do after they've all read a story together. Teachers, school librarians, and even parents can sign up for a free monthly newsletter about using stories in education; The Story Connection Express. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Use the activities in class after reading one of her stories from a country you have represented among your ESL or ELL students. Have your students write their own story activity suggestions after you have used a few of Dianne's. Be sure to include this link on your class website and in your letter home to parents. Suggest that they read just one short story and find accompanying activities for the family to do.

Mrs. Cassidy's Leveled Reading Web Page Grade K to 2 - Kathy Cassidy- 8808
This resource requires Flash This site, chock full of links to interactive sites, sends the student to activities according to the guided reading levels used in their primary classrooms. Mrs. Cassidy, web creator of Browser Books (accessed by clicking link on this homepage), encourages parents to promote literacy by allowing their child to try the activities at home. Skills learned at each level will be reinforced by playing the games linked through the color-coded tab.

In the Classroom:
Teachers, click on the “Note to Parents and Teachers” link below the home page title. Mrs. Cassidy explains her log-in system for her classroom. This system rewards better reading and advanced games and activities by encouraging the student to advance through a color-coded system. You may want to duplicate this practical system. A word of warning: You may want to tell your primary child that “colour” isn’t misspelled, according to Canadians (British English).

Raise a Reader Grade K to 4 - Illinois Reading Council- 7758
Includes printable Acrobat files The Illinois Reading Council has selected 12 favorite children's books and created many activities to go with the books. Many of the books may be ones you include in your classroom or find in your literature series. These activities include books and newspapers as well as reading and writing. The activities are designed to be used within families but most would be appropriate for classroom use. Besides the twelve featured books, there are more extensive bibliographies divided by grade level.

In the Classroom:
Suggest this site to parents to help their children with reading by including the link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter sent home. You might want to share the list with your school librarian in case children ask for the books.

Daily Lit Grade 8 to 12 - Daily Lit. LLC- 9593
Description Daily Lit offers short clips of literature sent to you daily by email or by RSS feed. You can receive the episodes on a Blackberry, RSS reader, email, web-enabled cell phone, or any “connected” device. You students would find it “cool” to read their daily lit excerpt on the cell phones! Most offerings are classics and in the public domain, but some recent selections are available for free due to Creative Commons licenses. Most books are free but some have a charge. Since only a few pages arrive in your email at intervals you select, it takes quite a while to read a complete book. You do have the option of receiving another section when you finish your daily reading. Students can browse for books by category or search by title, author, etc. Currently hot titles are displayed on the home page. There is a Children’s book category, as well, so you can have a daily reading “arrive” on your desktop RSS reader without using email, thrilling your young readers! There are also books written in various world languages.

Because this is a site for the general public, there may be some books with content not desirable for your classroom. Avoid sending students directly to the home page to see “Featured” books without previewing the page that day and/or announcing a policy about which books they are allowed to investigate.

RSS feed to a classroom RSS reader account such as Google Reader might be the safest way to control the content that “arrives” without safety/policy concerns. If you want students to receive emails from this site, check with your school’s Acceptable Use Policy AND be sure to check with the parents! You may want to consider creating a Gmail account (rather than your personal or work email). If you are having students create email accounts, consider Gmail which allows you to set-up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

In the Classroom:
Suggest this site to advanced high school students who want to increase their knowledge of classical literature. Set up an RSS feed of a foreign language book to appear on your class web page or blog or even go to student cell phones: a new episode each day without ANY work by you! Use this also when teaching classic children's titles. Be sure to check with your principal and parents first to be sure receiving this type of email is OK with everyone. Have the pages sent to your RSS reader, personal or professional email address and share the pages with your students on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create a class wiki to discuss the current class book being read or make comments on the class blog about the episode that day. In world language classes, this is an easy way to “prompt” a writing lesson IN the language for grammar and writing practice.

TeachersFirst Personalized Grade K to 8 - TeachersFirst- 9555
This set of "take home" fliers is designed to help parents help their students. You can personalize each of these fliers with your own name so they look like you created them especially for your class. (Well you did, didn't you?) These fliers will print directly from your browser; there are no special plug-ins required. You can also preview each flier in a new window before personalizing it. Topics include reading tips, homework tips (separate ones for elementary and middle school), and customizable SuperGram!! - Give a compliment to a student who has earned one!

In the Classroom:
Use this handy link to make handouts for back to school night, end-of-summer letters to greet new students, or conference handouts. Of course you'll love the convenience of sending "Supergrams" in a flash to reinforce GOOD things in your classroom. Mark this one in your Favorites, for sure.

Kids Reading to Kids Grade K to 6 - Norma Krasinski and Don Marx- 9538
Start your own Kids Reading to Kids program. Focusing on underachievers, KRTK provides a free DVD, a sample book, and other resources to show how to boost the reading and develop character of elementary students. Some of the material does have a shipping and handling fee. Sign up for the Educator’s Guidelines to learn how you can begin. There are links for teachers, parents, and students.

In the Classroom:
Take advantage of this free resource in your classroom. Share the link on your class website, so parents can use the information at home. Or set up a service project school-wide to help boost reading and more.

Boostcast Grade 6 to 12 - Boostcast- 9492
Teacher's First edge Review: For moderately adventurous technology users. Create your own TV channel using Boostcast! Boostcast is a user-owned and user-generated video “home” that you control. Create and manage your own video site with your own chosen name and customized access and features. Boostcast itself is a user-friendly, web-based application that takes very little programming to operate. The site is designed for people to create video collections, possibly for profit, but the potential for classroom use is terrific.

Note: Ads do run on the site, and some may not be school-approriate. Preview and decide if your students can ignore them. Some revenue made through those ads could go to you by attracting visitors. It is unlikely that your school will permit this, but you can always ask!

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Sign up is free and easy to complete. You must register and remember your login and password. Membership requires an email address. Users will need to be able to locate and upload a video from a computer and use links or embed codes to share. Managing of comments and emails to approve videos is also necessary.

Quick start: After making your site, view the "5 things to do when you start" which is on the front page of your boostcast site. Follow all directions.

How to use: Click on the "Start Your Video Community Now" button and fill out the form. Personalize Your video community by adding a logo or image, changing colors, as well as other options. Invite your friends (parents?) by sending emails from your address book. Friends can join your video community or create their own. Publish pictures, videos, audio tracks, and multiple blogs on your Boostcast site. By clicking the "Share" button, your community can be seen by the rest of the world. If you do not “share” it, the general public will not see it to comment, upload, etc. Share your uploaded videos by using an "Embed code" or a "Direct link code." Make comments on the videos, flag comments, and moderate them. There is messaging between site members. Other options include a search feature, site statistics, and email alerts. You can be alerted about video uploads and any flagged comments. Settings allow approval before videos can be seen on the site.

The controls for the site are on the tabs at the top : "Create my space," "Add video," "Add image," "Add audio," "View video," View image," and "Listen audio."

Safety/Security concerns: Users must register and create a login. If you allow students to self-register, be sure to keep a written record of their passwords for when they “forget.” It may be worth your time to do advanced registration for your younger students or simply use a single classroom account. Individual accounts require email. Check your school policies about accessing or sharing student email on school computers. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to establish Gmail accounts for user registration on any online service.

The red tabs along the top can take you to other Boostcast sites, so students should be advised not to click these. “Featured” content contributed by the general public and may not be suitable for the classroom. You may want to prohibit and/or have specific rules in place for students accessing ads on the page. Uploaded videos and comments from those outside the classroom can be denied. Additionally, by not sharing your Boostcast site, you can keep a classroom site from becoming public. Check your school policies on whether student work may be displayed online and what information is permitted, then enforce that policy with your students.

Possible uses: Boostcast is easy to use and provides an alternative for students needing to upload a video in order to embed code in a website. Create a classroom or school boostcast to house video and audio from projects that students create. Embed these videos anywhere you would want to share the projects. Use the comment feature as a microblogging exercise for students to obtain feedback from their peers. If you shoot videos of classroom events during the year, make parents members of your private Boostcast to see and comment on school-day events they have missed. As students complete their own mock newscasts of informational videos, share them and allow students to peer-evaluate using comments. Or a teacher can place a collection of videos for students to watch on a curriculum topic, such as student-produced examples from a previous year, how-to use lab equipment video made by teacher/students, student-made book review videos (to promote independent reading), student-made math videos such as the ones on Mathtrain reviewed here and more. If you plan to enter the StoryTube competition reviewed here, this is a terrific place for your school to “collect” possible entries in order to select your “best” one.

ALA Summer Reading List of Books Grade K to 12 - American Library Association- 9337
Need suggestions for a summer reading list? Check out this comprehensive site by the American Library Association. From the Newbery and Caldecott winners to the 100 Best Paperbacks, you will find incredible lists of book suggestions.

In the Classroom:
Make sure you post this link on your class web page or classroom newsletter so parents can find quality book suggestions for summer reading. Reward students if they read a certain number of books on a particular list. Or design a "themed" readng challenge using one of these lists and a clever name, such as "The Path to Good Books" (with footprint-shaped recording sheets) for students to post in a "path" around the room when they return to school or complete the challenge.

Higher Bitesize Revision - Trigonometry Grade 9 to 12 - BBC- 9325
This resource requires Flash This website, created by the BBC, includes review information (referred to as "revise") and online tests created specifically for trigonometry students ages 16+. Some of the material would be useful in the lower secondary grades also. Although this website may appear "plain vanilla," there is a wealth of information and activities just waiting to be explored. There are three higher-level trigonometry topics: Radians and Equations, Compound and Multiple Angles, and The Auxiliary Angle. Once you click on the main topics, there is a list of countless subtopics.

The website includes a Site Guide (to assist teachers, parents, and students in navigating the site) and an "Ask a Teacher" link for students to read previous questions from students (and the answers) about specific difficult concepts. Since this site was created by the UK, you may notice some slight language differences. Much of the information is available in a printable format. A few of the activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Project the "Revise" information on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the information as an anticipatory set for a new lesson or as a review prior to a quiz or test. Project the quiz and have students work at their seats. (Students will need a piece of paper to complete the online quiz, it is not interactive.) Be sure to include this link on your class website, so students can access the site and practice at home.

Higher Bitesize Revision - Calculus Grade 9 to 12 - BBC- 9324
This resource requires Flash Although this website doesn't appear especially engaging, there is a wealth of information and activities just waiting to be explored. The two main topics, Differentiation and Integration, both include numerous subtopics with a great deal of information. This website, created by the BBC, includes review information (referred to as "revise") and online tests created specifically for calculus students ages 16+. Some of the material would be useful in pre-calc.

The website includes a Site Guide (to assist teachers, parents, and students in navigating the site) and an "Ask a Teacher" link for students to read previous questions from students (and the answers) about specific difficult concepts. Since this site was created by the UK, you may notice some slight language differences. Much of the information is available in a printable format. A few of the activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Use this website in your Calculus class on an interactive whiteboard or projector. The "Revise" information would work as an anticipatory set for a new lesson or a review prior to the test. Have students work on individual computers to try the online quiz. Students will need a piece of paper to complete the online quiz, it is not interactive. Be sure to include this link on your class website, so students can access the site for practice at home.

Higher Bitesize Revision - Geometry Grade 7 to 12 - BBC- 9323
This resource requires Flash This website, designed by the BBC for geometry students ages 16+, could be useful in lower levels of geometry instruction. The website features three main topics; The Straight Line, Vectors, and The Circle. Each of the topics includes buttons for "Revise" or "Test." The "revise" button offers a detailed review of the topic. (Revise is the word used by the British to convey the American word Review.) The website also includes a Site Guide (to assist teachers, parents, and students in navigating the site) and an "Ask a Teacher" link for students to read previous questions from students (and the answers) about specific difficult concepts. Since this site was created by the UK, Americans may notice some slight language differences. Much of the information is available in a printable format. A few of the activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Use this site in your geometry classes on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the "Revise" information to review for a test or quiz on the specific topic. Then have students work on computers in pairs or independently to take the online test. If computers aren't available, simply print out the online test and have students work together or independently.

Be sure to list this link on your class website, so students can use the information to review and practice at home.

Higher Bitesize Revision - Algebra Grade 9 to 12 - BBC- 9322
This resource requires Flash Created by the BBC, this website offers higher-level algebra information and practice activities for algebra students ages 16+. Some of the information would be useful in pre-algebra classes also. Specific algebraic topics include Function, Polynomials, Recurrence Relations, Quadratic Theory, & Logarithms . Each topic includes a link to review activities (referred to as "Revise" on this British website) and online practice tests.

The website also includes a Site Guide (to assist teachers, parents, and students in navigating the site) and an "Ask a Teacher" link for students to read previous questions from students (and the answers) about specific difficult algebra concepts. Since this site was created by the UK, Americans may notice some slight language differences. Much of the information is available in a printable format. A few of the activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Be sure to list this link on your class website, so students can use the information to review and practice at home. In the classroom, use an interactive whiteboard or projector to share the information and take the online test together. The Revise activities could be used as an anticipatory set for a new lesson or a review prior to a test. Have students try their hands at the online test using individual computers. If individual computers aren't available, print out the tests and send them home for additional practice.

Literactive Grade K to 3 - Entertainment & Information Industries Ltd - 8891
This resource requires Flash This site assists beginning readers by providing screen sized, illustrated stories with limited rhyming vocabulary. You are required to go through a free registration. You can play rhyming games with the newly-learned words. The site also has a sections of stories for ESL and ELL students, guided reading for kindergarten students, downloadable traditional picture books, e-poetry, and many learning activities! Some of the topics of the learning activities include Match the Sounds, Sequence Game, and several others. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Provide this link in your class newsletter and on your class website, so parents can reinforce the reading skills you are teaching their children in school. Share the activities link with your students on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have your students explore the activities with a partner on your classroom computer center or cluster.

Games Parents Teachers: A Parent-Teacher Toolkit Grade 3 to 12 - Marc Prensky and games2train.com- 8579
Computer gaming occupies much of your students' or child's time. This site equips you with the knowledge of what different games are about and what questions you -- as teacher or parent -- should ask of your child. Just click on the game's title and read the recommendations for parents and teachers. This site houses resources and recommended websites for understanding computer gaming and gamers as well. Note that the site is created with a positive bias about computer/video games. Some of the ideas for discussion are, however, good ones, especially if you know your students are playing the games anyway!

In the Classroom:
There are options for teachers to share their ideas for using games as part of instruction, though few have conrtributed as of the time of this review.

podOmatic Grade 1 to 12 - podOmatic- 8094
This resource requires Flash TeachersFirst Edge Entry: for moderately adventurous technology users. Create simple audio podcasts using this online tool and the free space they provide. Simply put, this tool lets you create and place sound recordings online for people to listen to and/or download from a web site. The site itself is a "web 2.0," social networking style site, so some schools may have it blocked. Ask about unblocking just YOUR teacher account so you can have students access it from school.

What can it do? You can record sound directly with the microphone built or plugged into your computer and make it available for people to listen to online or download to their MP3 player. See and hear a sample we made for you. Some possible uses: You record your homework assignments or directions; students create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events; students create advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!); students write and record their own stories; language students or beginning readers record their fluency with reading passages; allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud,etc.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Join site (free), attach a mike or use a built-in computer mike, create the podcast by clicking a record button,(you may have to tell your computer to "allow" nonsecure items over and over), carefully select or SKIP many sharing mechanisms for safety's sake, limit any identifiable information with the podcasts, choose a background for your podcast page, share the link only with your students and parents. If you have students record podcasts as assignments, you may need multiple accounts because the free accounts have limited file space. An elementary teacher might have enough space for 25 students to keep a limited number of products, depending upon length. The site will tell you how much space each podcast takes and how much you have left.

Traumatized children: Tips for Parents and Educators Grade K to 12 - Stephen E. Brock, PhD, NASP- 8077
Includes printable Acrobat files Parents and educators can find valuable information on helping students handle traumatic situations, both close by and in the media, by reading this article offered by the National Association of School Psychologists. Requires Acrobat Reader. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Share this article with colleagues and parents at times of crisis.

Tips for School Administrators for Reinforcing School Safety Grade K to 12 - NASP- 8075
Includes printable Acrobat files Though titled for administrators, this article is a must-read for all education professionals interested in making their schools safe and secure. There are ideas for planning, communication, parent information, and general security that should be automatic in every school.

In the Classroom:
Share this with your building faculty, perhaps at a meeting so you can all be on the "same page." There is a printable version available for download (Acrobat file)so you can include it with your agenda.

Kwanzaa Fun from Billy Bear for Kids, Parents and Teachers Grade K to 5 - Billybear4kids- 7968
This site is very informative and appropriate for elementary students. There are numerous reproducible crafts, pages, writing and reading activities. There are also interactive Java games (coloring, tic-tac-toe and more). This site has 20+ ideas and activities that could easily be incorporated into an elementary classroom.


Parental Control Software Grade K to 12 - Consumer Search- 7589
The online magazine article (updated 2006) is actually a compilation of several reviews of Internet filtering tools for parents to use on home computers. Read the full article or skip to the "Fast Answers."


Bus Safety Basics Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7582
This site provides helpful tips on bus safety. It is useful as parent information, but can also be part of your lessons on bus safety with younger elementary children. Since they are not able to read at this level, the site is best shared with parents at the same time as your classroom discussions on the same topic.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page or in a newsletter or note sent home.

TeachersFirst Reading Suggestions Grade K to 12 - TeachersFirst- 7492
Reading lets students create their own adventures. Our teacher-editors have selected titles that have shown continuing appeal, whether for school or recreation. We add new titles all the time, so check back here frequently.

In the Classroom:
Share this link on your teacher web page and in your newsletters to parents to promote reading.

My Hero Grade K to 12 - My Hero Project- 7433
Includes printable Acrobat files Includes lesson plan This resource requires Flash Looking for an online project-based interactive website that encourages literacy and cross-cultural communication? Looking for an alternative culminating project or process writing project for your secondary classes? Trying to help your high school juniors and seniors create an interesting college "essay" or portfolio piece? Join other adults and children from around the world by adding your essay, artwork or video about a hero on this non-profit, ad-free web site. You and your students can use this site with basic word processing knowledge -- or take it further if you are more technically capable.Site registration is required. Site is available in Spanish. Flash, Acrobat Reader and Quicktime are required. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Be sure to visit the Teacher’s Resource section for helpful hints and links. Use any word processing program to type essays, then copy and paste into the My Hero class page. Provide a link to the class page on your teacher web page so students, parents, and relatives can read the essays. As always follow your district policies regarding posting student work on the Internet. It is HIGHLY advisable to get written parent permission for such a project!

Very young students could work together as a class to write their entry. Older students and those with more technology available will definitely want to try the videos! If you know iMovie or Windows Moviemaker, this is a terrific project. It is well-suited for gifted students, as well.

Clifford the Big Red Dog Grade K to 2 - PBSkids- 7230
This resource requires Flash This site offers interactive stories about Clifford and his friends. Students can read along as they listen to the story or read on their own. Story builder allows students to customize the story by choosing the topic and who the story will be about. Flash is required. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as a center (if several computers or laptops are available) or as an activity that students can do when finished with other work. Don’t forget headphones to prevent distractions to other students. Provide a link on your teacher web page for parents to visit the parents and teachers section for activities they can do with their child at home after reading other Clifford books.

Marcia's Lesson Links Grade K to 5 - - 7013
Includes lesson plan This is an exceptional site for elementary links of all sorts. It was last updated, with links checked on 9-9-06. Ordinarily I would not recommend a site full of links; however, this has so many good ones compacted in one place, it seems silly to turn it down. There are links for math, reading, seasonal and holiday activities, as well as links specifically for parents. The site contains a wealth of rubrics and organizers which are great for the elementary student. Some new activities can spice up your plans and add to what you already do. The variety of things offered really does add depth to your well of tricks. The Math Tubs activities are ready-to-go, original lesson ideas.

In the Classroom:
Unlike TeachersFirst, this page does not offer the ability to search. The best way to check out these resources may be to click through on a day off or weekend to find the best selections for your classroom use and mark them in your Favorites. Be sure to give each Favorite a meaningful name and to file them in folders to find them easily. If you are an adventurous user, you might want to try using Del.icio.us, a "social bookmarking" tool you can click to add as you go through the sites. Learn more about Del.icio.us at the TeachersFirst Edge .

Find your kid’s online blog Grade 3 to 12 - Kim Komando- 6967
Parents concerned about Internet safety and their teen (or preteen)'s online information-sharing should read this article. It may sound devious to check up on your children, but the era of social networking makes it a must-talk topic. Your child or young adult may not realize the serious safety issues involved with having online space. Trying to "just say no" will not work on this issue. Have the conversation. Although this may not be a classroom issue, the negative sides of social networking tools are harming the positive tools for learning made available through the same technologies.

In the Classroom:
Teachers may want to share this article with parents to help them get the dialog started.

PBS Kids' Stories Grade K to 2 - PBS- 6885
Interactive online stories support and add to the PBS Between the Lions series for early readers. Additional activities, related books, songs, games, and further activities create a rich resource for both teachers and parents. All stories and materials are also available to print for classroom or home use. This excellent-quality site is constantly being updated with curriculum and tech support. There are suggestions for further reading following each story.

In the Classroom:
Students will enjoy having this opportunity to have their "own" book! When they see what they've been reading in school is also on TV, they'll be delighted. Print out some take-home books or include the link on your teacher web site.

Helping Your Child Series Grade K to 8 - US Department of Education- 6865
Includes printable Acrobat files Encourage parents to become involved with their children's education using these helpful, downloadable booklets on helping your child with science, history, math, reading, homework, early adolescence, preschool, general success in school, and being a responsible citizen. Some are geared for elementary only and others extend through middle school. Most are also available in Spanish version. Download as a pdf (Acrobat file) or Word document. You can order copies, but it may be easier and faster to simply print your own. Remember that you need Acrobat Reader to open pdf files. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Hand these booklets out at back to school night, open house, or conferences. Encourage parents to become involved supportively.

Introduction to Web 2.0 Grade 9 to 12 - Joshua Porter- 6720
MySpace, Xanga, FaceBook, Moodle, blogs, Flickr, wikis, podcasts, and more! Is geek-speak Greek to you? If you have not heard the term yet, you will soon: Web 2.0 is the term for the new generation of web-based collaborative tools and other uses of the web. Your students use them in MySpace and Xanga, but these are just two small pieces of a much larger picture. If you are technology-curious or want to know what your students are talking about, take the time to read this explanation by one of the movers and shakers of web 2.0. The discussion includes some tech jargon and some of tuhe underlying philosophy behind it--not a "light" read in some spots, but it makes sense. The page is actually created with one of web 2.0's tools: Squidoo.

In the Classroom:
Read for your own professional knowledge to stay ahead of the tech game, or share this site with mystified-but-curious parents and administrators, as well.You could even assign your computer students, tech ed classes, or techie students to use this site as a reference for a research project on the future of the web. Gifted classes would find it particulaly useful. The reading and conceptual level is definitely hgh school to adult.

Grow Up Reading Grade K to 2 - West Bloomfield Township Public Library- 6570
This Web site, developed by a public library, is filled with excellent information on instilling a joy of reading in young children. Includes helpful book suggestions, book selection tips, and a list of do's and don'ts when reading aloud.

In the Classroom:
Keep your primary students interested in reading even during summer vacation by sharing this resource with parents before the end of the year.

Book Hive Grade 1 to 6 - Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County- 6473
Both students and parents can use this wonderful collection of reviews to help find books appropriate for specific reading levels and areas of interest. Search by author, title, level, topic, illustrator, and number of pages. (Click "advanced search" for more options.) The site also offers a "storytelling" feature (headphones needed) and a page filled with interactive and printable activities.


Aunty Math Grade 2 to 4 - Dupage Children's Museum- 5563
Twice each month, Aunty Math will post a math challenge in the form of a story taken from her life. Solve the problem, post the answer, and check back in a few days to read Aunty Math's personal reply. Click on the "Modify/extend this Challenge" link to find helpful parent and teacher tips for using the challenges with a variety of learners.


Checkpoints for Progress Grade 1 to 12 - US Dept. of Education- 5392
This helpful checklist of reading and writing skills outlines what parents should expect to see from their children at each grade level. The site provides reading lists and practical tips for helping students to hone their language arts skills.


On-Lion for Kids! Grade 1 to 8 - NY Public Library- 5319
The New York Public Library offers this just-for-kids portal featuring links to sites by subject (science and technology, arts, games, sports, people and places), reading and book lists, book reviews written by kids, and helpful resources for parents and teachers.


A Page-Turner Guide to Kids’ Books for Summer Grade 1 to 7 - - 5222
Even if it's not summertime, this reading list can provide librarians, teachers, and parents with great suggestions. "Best bets" in picture books, chapter books, and teen books are provided along with summaries and "alerts" regarding language or subject matter. A variety of reading level, subjects, and styles are included.


Katerpillars and Mystery Bugs Grade 2 to 8 - University of Kentucky Department of Etymology- 5066
This site provides activities, projects, games, and reading lists that can enhance a life science lesson on creepy-crawlies by introducing the real thing! Browse through the "Teacher/Parent Resource Materials" and check out the collection of units and lesson plans that require students to observe, interact with, and record their experiences with a variety of insects. The "Teacher’s Guide to Six-Legged Science" provides invaluable background information and helpful tips, especially for teachers who are a bit tentative about welcoming bugs into their classrooms.


World of Peter Rabbit Grade 1 to 4 - Frederick Warne & Co- 5040
Introduce your students to the charming and gentle world of Beatrix Potter with this beautifully designed site. Students can visit the "Fun!" section and print out coloring book pages; meet her most beloved characters including Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten, Jemima Puddle-Duck, and Squirrel Nutkin; and participate in "Storytime" with audio reading of her famous stories, complete with animated illustrations based on her original watercolors. Biographical information about the author and her life in the Lake District of England is also included along with some simple crafts that children can make with help from teachers or parents. Available in British, American, German, French, and Japanese versions.


Parents’ Choice Foundation Grade 1 to 6 - - 4630
This non-profit organization recommends books and educational toys and games for young people.

In the Classroom:
Teachers may want to suggest this one to interested parents.

Nutrition for Parents Grade 1 to 12 - USDA- 4600
This US Department of Agriculture site provides valuable information for parents interested in teaching their children healthy eating habits. The site has a seasonal guide for healthy eating, ten tips for planning healthy school lunches, activities that parents and children can do together, and a list of health conscious reading resources sorted by age-group.


Understanding University Success Grade 8 to 12 - - 4400
Includes printable Acrobat files While there’s a wealth of “common knowledge” about what it takes to succeed in higher education, specific discussions of the factors and preparation that let students succeed is harder to find. Developed by a consortium of leading universities, this online PDF reference is the sort of reading that counselors, parents, and students should have available when they begin to plan their high school careers.Remember that your computer will have to open Acrobat Reader to open the reference pages and booklet. Be patient if you are on a slower connection.

In the Classroom:
Guidance counselors will find this one especially useful.

History - MIT Open Courseware Grade 9 to 12 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 4066

In the Classroom:
High school history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT’s online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.

Political Science - MIT Open Courseware Grade 9 to 12 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 4065

In the Classroom:
High school government and history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT’s online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.

Chemistry - MIT Open Courseware Grade 9 to 12 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 4063

In the Classroom:
High school chemistry teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT’s online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.

Economics - MIT Open Courseware Grade 9 to 12 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 4062

In the Classroom:
High school economics teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT’s online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.

Mathematics – MIT Open Courseware Grade 9 to 12 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 4061

In the Classroom:
High school math teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT’s online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.

Mathematical Cartwheels Grade 6 to 12 - The Irascible Professor- 3970
Teachers and parents alike will be interested in this parent’s saga of their son’s experience with an overwhelming advanced math class. Readers should be sure to read the editor’s response, which offers a helpful commentary on when “advanced” coursework becomes excessive. The editor, a faculty member at a California University, publishes commentary on educational issues from time to time.


LD OnLine...The Interactive Guide to Learning Disabilities Grade 1 to 12 - - 2012
An information-loaded site for parents, teachers, and children dealing with learning disabilities. It has a special section just for teachers with constantly updated material, as well as an online ordering service where you can read about and order books and videos. The "LD in Depth" section is especially helpful: you can find the latest news and articles by the experts on an array of topics, including Early Identification, Reading, Social Skills, Transition, Gifted/LD, and more. Click on "for Teachers" in this section to find teaching strategies, or visit the bulletin boards to exchange ideas with other teachers. Kidzone affords children with Learning Disabilities a place to "publish" their work. This is a "must see" site!


Helping Your Child Use the Library Grade 1 to 6 - U.S. Department of Education- 1456

In the Classroom:
This site offers tips for parents from the Department of Education.

Helping Your Child Get Ready for School Grade 1 to 0 - U.S. Department of Education- 1446

In the Classroom:
This site offers tips for parents from the Department of Education.

Helping Your Child Become a Better Reader Grade 1 to 5 - U.S. Department of Education- 1213

In the Classroom:
This site offers tips for parents from the Department of Education.

Electronic Read-Arounds and Other Computer-Writing Grade 7 to 12 - NCTE- 985
Includes lesson plan Use the computer to teach writing in new ways using the ideas in this article. Scholarly references and practical ideas are both included. This site give teachers or involved parents new ways to emphasize writing process and willing revision.


Scholastic Grade 1 to 12 - Scholastic- 394
This site is for reading and distance learning. It contains book clubs, parent, teacher, student, magazines. It also has teacher to teacher forums and a software club.


First Grade Backpack - Reading Grade 1 to 2 - Privately Published- 356
Here's a selection of book and author sites compiled expressly for primary students. They provide quick access to a group of reading resources for first or second grade. Some can be used by students directly; others may require some help from the teacher or parent. This site also contains arithmetic and geography sections.


Book Adventure Grade 1 to 6 - - 339
A commercially sponsored contest site designed to encourage students to read. There are sections for teachers, students, and parents, as well as a list of sponsors. Could be useful for teachers seeking incentives for reading.


EServer Grade 9 to 12 - - 18
The EServer (originally founded as the English Server) is a cooperative which has been publishing humanities materials since 1990. It currently offers over thirty-five thousand works. A few of its many general topic categories include: 18th Century Studies, Cultural Theory, Recipes, Literacy and Education, Marx and Engels, and Rhetoric. This is a comprehensive and rich site well worth a look.

In the Classroom:
Include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access as an extensive reading resource.

America Reads Grade 1 to 12 - US Government- 1
This site provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Education’s program America Reads Challenge, including explanations of Legislation, federal initiatives and Title I programs. Although the initiative is no longer ongoing, the site provides examples of successful after-school tutoring and in-home tutoring programs.

In the Classroom:
Share this link on your teacher web page and/or in a parent newsletter for those who are dealing with these challenges.

Mrs. P.com Grade K to 9 - Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC- 9687
Includes printable Acrobat files Recently added This resource requires Flash You almost want to toast marshmallows on the open fire as you cyber-curl under Mrs. P’s feet by the fireplace. No need to bring a book; she has quite a selection. This interactive site will thrill your eager readers for hours. Actress Kathy Kinney tells delightful intro stories and expertly reads the books. Best viewed on a high speed Internet connection, it’s a breeze to navigate. On the homepage, click on the various items around the warm room to find intriguing, sometimes outlandish, stories about Mrs. P. Extend the learning by clicking on the book on the stand to find a loaded dictionary. Play the Title game as an amusing way to listen to one-liners about the stories at this site. And… the reason we all want to stay in Mrs. P’s library is the book stacks themselves. Click on the stack to find a healthy assortment of stories to listen and view. When you choose a book, click on ‘options’ to turn on or off ‘show the words.’ Each book is rated for age-appropriateness. (The rating of A, B, C, and D is a bit confusing as they refer to age-level rather than a “grade” rating.) Keep an eye on this site for future improvements and enhancements. Not only will you be able to listen to the stories, but soon you will be able to purchase them via convenient download, as well. They will always be free to listen to online!



Warning: This is a beta product. Expect some glitches here and there, however, it appears to be nearly glitch-free as is. If you do find a problem, send a bug report as seen at the top of the screen. There are some hints available for turning on and off some features to make the site operate more smoothly if your connection speed is super-fast. Do NOT even try this one on a slow connection! This site requires Flash. Get it here TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Teachers, check out the first link at the bottom on the homepage. Submit student stories and Mrs. P. may choose to read them on this site. Be sure to get parental consent before submitting any stories.

What a valuable tool for ESL and ELL students and teachers of emergent readers as students follow the words on the screen as Mrs. P. reads a story. Create a corner in your room to read stories the way Mrs. P. does! Use your first initial, let your imagination run wild, change your accent of course, and you can become another Mrs. P.

Be sure to share this treasure on your teacher web page for students (and parents) to access outside of class. You may find students become interested in some of those "old books" in the library!

Geni - Everyone's Related Grade 4 to 12 - - 9613
This resource requires Flash Teachers First Edge Entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. This tool allows you to create an interactive family tree. Once you are registered, you can easily create a family tree. You are able to include family member's birth-dates, death-dates, email addresses, pictures, video clips, and more. This site also has the capacity to create timelines for births, deaths, weddings, divorces, education, occupation, and other important events and information. The family tree and some of the other activities require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Skills Needed: this site is fairly simple to use. Join the site (free) and log in. Registration requires an email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

Navigation of the site is simple. Click on Tree to start your family tree (or Timeline to use that free resource. For the family tree, arrows are provided to add family members. The arrows pointing up indicate a parent, arrows to the left or right are used to add a wife/husband or brother/sister, and arrows pointing down are used to add a son or daughter.

Safety/Security Concerns: This site allows users to set-up their family tree or timeline as PRIVATE. It allows you to control who can and can't view your profile, family tree, and other information. For more information about this feature, visit the Settings link (on the top right corner). Before you plan your family tree project, be sure to get parental permission.

Possible Uses: Use this site to create family tree projects in elementary or middle school classes. Have high school students create family trees as part of an immigration unit studying patterns in social studies classes. In science class, have students create fictitious "people" as they study genetics. With younger students, create a class timeline sharing important dates for individuals (i.e. birthdays) and class dates (field trips, tests, or other special events). Have students share their family trees on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to "advertise" this project on your class website (and newsletter, if applicable) so students have time to gather names, birthdates, and other information about family members. In world language classes, have student create a family tree using the correct vocabulary for relatives and talk about it as they share it on the interactive whiteboard. When researching famous people, reading biographies, or even reading literature have students create a family tree illustrating their discoveries about their famous person, writer, artist, musician, explorer, literary character, etc.

blist Grade 3 to 12 - blist- 9441
TeachersFirst Edge Entry: for moderately adventurous technology users. This online database-creation tool allows you (and your students) to create a database online, including images, links, and more. A "blist" is a "web list." Blists can be shared with others as totally public or by invitation only. They can also be entirely private (accessible only to the person who created them). The tool is in beta as of summer, 2008, and was designed for general consumer use, not education, but it has many potential uses in the classroom, for teachers, and parents. As Blist explains it, "A blist can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be. Compared with a spreadsheet like Excel, blist is much more visual and intuitive - plus, blist is really social, it's easy to share with other people and groups. What's more, you can also find blists created by other users, so you don’t have to start from scratch." You can view the data through a "lens" or filter (show data that meets certain criteria, such as only the entries from a certain city in an address list, include photos, create groups for sharing the blist, allow others to input their information, import and export with Excel, and more. Here is a sample blist about ways to use blist in the classroom from the TeachersFirst Edge Team. Add your ratings to our ideas or add more ideas for how to use blist!

In the Classroom:
Skills Needed: Explore and experiment with blist without even creating an account (our review team recommends this exploration). You can stop and create the account at any time to save what you have already done. Joining blist requires an email address, but you do not have to activate from email (so you could use a pretend account). Just remember that you will not be able to send password reminders to a "pretend" account or receive email invitations to join groups, etc. Explore options under the Dashboard (icon at top right. Explore some blists created by others to see examples (teachers should do this without students, since these are public blists that may not be classroom-appropriate). Create a blist from another model or from scratch using simple drag and drop arrangements. Set the privacy level of your blist to public, shared with specific users, or private. Our example is public, with specific permissions for what others may do. See recent changes to your blist made by others from your dashboard. Explore the options for creating contacts to "share" blists, including emailing a blist to someone (shows as an table in the email). Blist will even save contacts you enter.

Safety concerns: Registered users set their own screen display name or choose "undisclosed." We recommend using generic display names for students so only the teacher can identify them, since "undisclosed" will not tell a teacher which student did which work. Although single blists can be private or limited to groups you create, students can easily see other "popular" blists (possibly not classroom-appr