Languages of the World is a visual map sharing information about the world's ten most widely spoken languages. Choose any language, then view map locations where this is the primary language spoken. Also, the map provides information on approximate time to learn that language and the approximate number of native speakers. Scroll below the map to find the estimated cost to learn each language.

In the Classroom

Use the code provided to embed the map on your class website. Have students explore on their own, then discuss information found such as why it takes longer to learn some languages than others. Share with students as they discuss world language learning options, point out most common languages around the world and languages used in any particular location of interest. After exploring this map, have students visit Langscape, reviewed here, to hear audio recordings of different languages.

OpenEd claims to be the world's largest online library of free education resources - videos, lesson plans, assessments, games, and more. Search with a keyword and filter by grade, subject, standard, resource type, or publisher. Save for later use, or assign to all students or just a few. There are several ways to register students: manually with email and password, give them a code, or upload students from Google Classroom or Edmodo. In the assessment area, a convenient feature is the ability for the teacher to assign videos to the student for review if they answered questions incorrectly. Then the student can try again. Both instructors and students can sign up with email and passwords or social media such as Google and Edmodo. Some videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

With 90% of the million resources free, you're sure to find something you need to supplement current curriculum materials. This site could also be used as a learning center or station during any unit or for review. Use activities from this site to differentiate learning within your classroom. Try flipping class and assign videos, slides or lessons to be completed at home and have a discussion (or question and answer session) about them the next day in class. Include this site on the class website for parents to find at-home math, language arts, science projects, and materials for review. Be sure to share with other teachers on campus.

GeoQuiz is a quick and easy to play geography game. Choose to respond using audio or text while playing. Players have one minute to correctly identify as many countries as possible based on pin placement on a map.

In the Classroom

Share GeoQuiz on classroom computers for use with learning centers. Play GeoQuiz together as a class on your interactive whiteboard as a quick transition to start social studies or other activities. Challenge students to increase their number of correct answers in a minute or have a class challenge with a small reward for each monthly winner.

Learn about the uses of 3D printing in the classroom with resources provided by MakerBot. Scroll down the page to find Webinars, Videos, and Case Studies. Use the search feature to find grant and white paper information for funding 3D printers and an essential information packet for pitching and implementing 3D printers in the classroom. Email registration is required to view and download information.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use this site as a resource for materials and information about 3D printing. Take advantage of the downloadable materials when trying to find funding for a 3D printer. Once you receive your 3D printer, find many ideas and downloads at Sketchfab, reviewed here.

Bring a Smithsonian scientist to class through live webcasts including the ability to respond to questions in real-time. Choose the link to the schedule to view and register for upcoming webcasts. No worries if you missed a session, go to the archives to see all previous sessions and view corresponding teaching resources. Resources include videos, lessons, online activities, rubrics, and more. Each webcast also provides correlation to Next Generation Science Standards.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the many free resources on this site to use in your classroom. Watch webcasts together on an interactive whiteboard, or have students view at home and bring their questions and comments to class. Use this site for enrichment for gifted learners to dig deeper into science concepts. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own science videos using a tool like Stupeflix, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Have students make a multimedia presentation demonstrating science concepts using Zeetings, reviewed here. Zeetings' features allow for audience participation, polls, video, embeds, web links, and more.

The Lowdown connects the newsroom to the classroom through timely multimedia articles featuring the latest news. Convert any post to PDF for easy printing and sharing. Search using a keyword or choose links to find lesson plans, interactives, and videos. Many features include alignment to Common Core Standards. If your district blocks YouTube, videos may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Achieve two goals with this very people-friendly site: provide quality non-fiction reading materials and the latest in current events. Use this site to differentiate reading materials by student interest. Encourage students to explore the site on their own. Be sure to include a link on classroom computers and your class website for students to access at any time. Flip your class and assign the reading to do at home. Then, have students create a simple infographic sharing findings from The Lowdown with their classmates using Piktochart, reviewed here. Have cooperative learning groups create weekly podcasts with news from around the world. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.

Constitute is a database of all available online constitutions from around the world with several comparisons and research tools built-in. Quickly find passages by tags such as "right to privacy" or "equality regardless of gender." Filter searches by period or geographic region. Compare constitutions side by side, then select comparisons to display highlighted similarities. "Pin" your results to export to Google Docs or as a PDF.

In the Classroom

Share Constitute on an interactive whiteboard or projector as part of any lessons studying nations around the world. Compare constitutions when discussing current events and cultural differences. Use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to demonstrate differences and similarities. Flip learning by sharing a comparison you create, then have students study comparisons before class discussions of materials.

Use this interactive to see the creation of the Bill of Rights and ratification of the United States Constitution. Begin with Delaware, the first state to ratify, and follow links to view records of debates, a timeline, and a map of voting history in the state. Continue along the interactive to see the progression of ratification of the Bill of Rights through completion in 1791 with Virginia's approval providing the 2/3 majority required. The timeline continues through to Rhode Island's ratification of the constitution.

In the Classroom

Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore it independently or in small groups. After exploring the site, challange students to make timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here, to demonstrate ratification of the Bill of Rights or the Constitution. Create a class newspaper detailing events from the time period using a tool such as the Printing Press, reviewed here.

Learn about 18th Century living through the many videos available on this YouTube Channel presented by a reenactment of this era. The majority of videos focus on food and cooking methods such as food preservation and different uses for cooking tools. Be sure to check out the many playlists such as Historic Sites, Block Printing Wallpaper/Fabric, Uncovering History in Art, and others that share information about 18th Century topics. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Flip your classroom and use a video as homework. Have students take notes on the material and write down questions they still have and topics that confuse them. Or, use a tool like EdPuzzle, reviewed here, for students to pause videos and ask or answer questions right on the video. These activities can uncover misconceptions. Show the video to the class, and then discuss the concept at length. For more advanced classes, provide time for students to choose a video to view and research the underlying concept.

Bring the beat into your classroom with this editor's choice curated list. All of these reviewed resources from TeachersFirst are all about music! Prepare for Music in our Schools Month or share these tools throughout the entire year. Find tools that incorporate history, drama, dance, and more.

In the Classroom

Use this site during units on sound in science class. Share the virtual instrument sites with students in music class, as they are learning to play a new instrument. If you are teaching (or learning) the piano, check out the virtual one. Consider displaying it on your interactive whiteboard.

This site offers full lyrics to all songs in the Broadway play, Hamilton. Choose any song title to view complete lyrics. Click on highlighted portions to see annotated notes about each of the songs. Listen to a portion of each song, or play the full track on the Spotify app.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use lyrics from Hamilton to introduce your unit on the Constitution. Have students explore the site on their own, ask them to take the time to through the annotations that provide historical context to the music. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own music related to the Consitution and record their music videos. Share them on a site such as TeacherTube,
reviewed here. Have students make a multimedia presentation about events leading to the writing of the Constitution using a tool like Sway,
reviewed here.

This Museum of Modern Art site, though "plain Jane" looking, shares a plethora of history of all exhibitions at the museum from 1929 through the present. Browse through collections by date, or filter by type of exhibition including film series, performance programs, and others. Choose the link to Art and artists to find collections by specific artists. Of particular interest in this section are audio tours including some specifically for kids.

In the Classroom

Art teachers will love this collection for use when teaching various types of arts and artists. Be sure to take advantage of the audio tours for a wide variety of art information for students. Include a link with specific information on your class website for students to view (and hear) at home. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread, reviewed here, to present information on an artist featured on the site. Voicethread allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from February 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Microsoft OneNote is a free tool that takes digital notebooks to the extreme while keeping everything together on all of your devices. Organize, create, and collaborate anytime anywhere with text, audio, video, files, digital ink, and so much more! Provide support, feedback, and encouragement from one simple application. Remember, it's OK2Ask''®. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Learn the basic use of Microsoft OneNote; (2) Explore ways to give feedback to students using OneNote; and (3) Collaborate with other educators on ways to use OneNote in the classroom.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Discover ideas for new, captivating literature to include in your classroom! Each blog entry focuses on a recently published book. In addition to a summary of the book, entries discuss several different teaching methods incorporating the book along with extensive lists of links to additional information and similar books. In addition to the blog entries, use links to find book lists by topic as well as classroom and curricular ideas. This blog is a must-read for teachers of all subject areas and is free! This blog is a sister to The School Library Journal which costs for a subscription. Clicking on the Print Issue Archive at the top of this blog will allow you to read past issues of The School Library Journal free of charge!This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Every teacher will want to bookmark this site as a resource for book ideas throughout the school year. Be sure to share this site with your school's media teacher for finding new materials to add to your school library. Search to find books on any topic or subject to use in your classroom library. Create a classroom center with books found through this blog. Don't forget to look through the many excellent classroom teaching ideas. Create a link to The Classroom Bookshelf on your class website for parents; they will appreciate the many book ideas to read at home. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create video book reviews using a tool like Moovly, reviewed here, or Powtoon, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.

My Simpleshow creates dynamic and professional-looking video explanations easily (and for free!). View examples for an overview of the different available templates. Create an account using your email to make your own videos. Start by writing a script or uploading a PowerPoint. Follow Simpleshow's step-by-step directions for using templates and adding images and text to create a video. Record your own soundtrack, or choose from provided voice-overs. Simpleshow works on any device with a web browser. Simpleshow recommends uploading published videos to your YouTube account for easiest sharing. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Challenge older students to create their own Simpleshow. Have students use this tool to share their ideas or to "prototype" an idea. Students can create videos to show math processes, explanations of complex concepts, review new learning, teach others, explain scientific processes, tell stories, or present research. The possibilities are endless, and students will come up with hundreds of more uses. Use Simpleshow presentations in blended learning or flipped classrooms. Use Simpleshow to create teacher-authored animations for students in ANY grade. This tool is an excellent way to present new information or ideas for discussion. It is an easy way to share information with the class when a substitute is in your classroom. Embed your Simpleshow creations on your website or blog for students to review at home. Use a Simpleshow video on the first day of school to explain class rules or to give an exciting introduction to the year ahead. Use Simpleshow to create presentations for back to school night or conference nights to display on your interactive whiteboard or projector.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from February 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Transform your classroom activities by learning how to use EDpuzzle. Engage students and deepen content area knowledge by using instructional videos. Learn how to select a video, make minor edits, and add questions to bring additional context to content area instruction for your students and monitor progress. Brainstorm with others how you and your students can use EDpuzzle in your classroom. Remember, it's OK2Ask ''®. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Learn basic use of EDpuzzle; (2) Explore three different ways to use EDpuzzle in the classroom; and (3) Plan for the use of EDpuzzle in the classroom.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from January 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Make the most of Google Forms to support effective classroom instruction and increase student engagement. Powerful, simple, and loaded with options, Google Forms can be used to create exit tickets, surveys, quizzes, and rubrics as well as to collect data and communicate with students and parents. Google Forms is the go-to web-based form tool for teachers. It is completely free and allows for unlimited questions and responses, as well as logic branching. Remember, it's OK2Ask '''®. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Explore the features of Google Forms; (2) Learn 12 ways to use Google Forms in the classroom; and (3) Plan for the use of Google Forms in the classroom. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from January 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. To be successful in today's ever-changing global marketplace, both students and teachers must be skilled digital citizens. Even students and teachers who are comfortable using technology in a range of areas may not be using it appropriately or effectively. Learn Mike Ribble's nine elements of digital citizenship and how to incorporate them in the classroom. Understand where to find copyright-friendly resources and how to have engaging conversations with your students about this important topic. Discover places to find digital citizenship curriculum. Explore strategies, resources, and best practices for weaving these core workplace readiness skills into the core curriculum and throughout the day. Remember, it's OK2Ask'''®. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Learn the nine elements of digital citizenship; (2) Discuss strategies for weaving digital citizenship skills into the curriculum; (3) Explore copyright-friendly resources; and (4) Begin creating a lesson plan for teaching one aspect of digital citizenship. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Use Revue to create a personal or professional email newsletter in minutes. No more tedious hours putting your newsletter together. Compose it in minutes, preview it, and schedule when you'd like it to be shared. Also, share on Twitter, Medium, Tumblr, Pocket, and RSS feeds. Revue has a browser extension to make it easy to add to your newsletter while searching the Internet and then load up content at any time. The free part of Revue allows you to have 50 subscribers. Sign up with your name and email, or Twitter, Google, or Facebook account. Be sure to check out the comprehensive FAQ section.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Consider using Revue to create a daily newsletter about what students learned in class, and then present it as a recap at the beginning of the next day. Be sure to add images and charts where possible for visual students. Eventually, students could do this on their own at the end of the class. A newsletter would build an excellent learning journal and could be used to study for a test, or as a source for writing a final essay. Writing for digital publication is an important element of Common Core writing. In science and math classes, students can design a newsletter about a famous scientist or mathematician. In science class, students can develop a newsletter to explain to a younger student about cells, life cycles, a biome, or any science topic. Do an author study with the end project being a newsletter. For literature circle end projects have the group create a newsletter about the plot and characters. Create digital newsletters for any subject or topic: explain an event in history, demonstrate different types of animals or habitats. With the Revue newsletter tool, it will almost seem effortless to send home a weekly or monthly newsletter to parents with ongoing news of class activities, announcements, schedules, and more.

Encourage and promote proper digital citizenship through the use of the Copyright Decision Tool. Choose the type of published work from options including periodicals, poems, books, and more to begin. Answer questions to learn if it is a permissible use of the published work. In addition to the decision tool, this site contains many other resources for teachers including articles and video presentations.

In the Classroom

Include this site as part of your digital citizenship lessons. Explore together what is the acceptable use, and what is not. Have students create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here, to demonstrate the acceptable use of published work. Be sure to include a link to this tool on your class web page for student use at home.