The Social Studies FIELD Guide (book & resources)

WEBSITE ↬ The Social Studies FIELD Guide

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ history

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I am going to revert to being a social studies teacher for a little bit while I sing the praises of this book & it's accompanying website with resources. 

Amazing!

I've linked the website here, but it's really all about a book - The Social Studies FIELD Guide. The FIELD is an acronym for "Foundational Evidence, Inquiry, EdTech, and Lesson Design". This can help every history teacher ... and to top off the pedagogy, the website provides a lot of resources for you to explore.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to improve their own teaching. Even a veteran can learn a thing or two. There's also the ability to join the community and connect with other like-minded educator's. 

Explore even more in an article written for Matt Miller's blog, Ditch That Textbook, from the book's authors --> "Ditch the lecture, dig into learning: Level up your Social Studies classroom with the FIELD Guide" 

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Lego Cards for Inspiration and Creation

WEBSITE ↬ Lego Cards for Inspiration and Creation

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades, mainly elementary

I found this little nugget last summer and used it when I taught a summer camp. It was awesome! Only two things are required ... the cards printed and Legos. And my campers loved when I pulled them out. The cards provide "simple" challenges and the creativity is endless. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this as a brain break or a station for students. 

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Questions to encourage students to use intuition

WEBSITE ↬ Questions to encourage students to use intuition

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I came across this PDF on Twitter and held onto it. It isn't glamorous. It isn't pretty or fancy. But I believe it is powerful and can help all teachers. Two pages of questions teachers can ask their students for many different purposes but all stretch their thinking. This gathering of was published by Tracy Zager in her book, Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had: Ideas and Strategies from Vibrant Classrooms.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to push their students' thinking. To challenge them. The PDF can be kept on hand and used at various times. No preparation is needed. Teachers might also embed specific questions in lessons to purposefully encourage students to use their intuition.

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Digital Inquiry Group: Reading Like a Historian

WEBSITE ↬ Digital Inquiry Group: Reading Like a Historian

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ History, ELA

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I cannot tell you how I connected with this website, but am I glad I did! Wow!!! I had a conversation with a SS teacher in my school about teaching her students to read historical material and help them make sense of it and the very next day, I received an email highlighting this activity. (Ironic?) This site works on that very skill! I really wish I had this when I was teaching history! Amazing! The two big sections are US History and World History, and then you can dig in by era. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to teach students how to better read historical material. It will also allow teachers to introduce students to historical material and provide a better understanding of events of the past. This is a bookmark for sure!!! 

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A Soft Murmur

WEBSITE ↬ A Soft Murmur

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Ok. At first, I kind of did an eye roll when I came across this website. Then I started playing with the ambient noises and I realized how helpful it can be. I cranked up the chirping birds along with some waves and took a deep breath. Ahhhh, relaxing. Which is your favorite? 

You can set a timer so the sounds turn off. And you might miss it at first, but there is a little squiggle line to the left of the play button. It is the "meander" function which will randomly change the volumes of various sounds.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this as background noise for their classroom. I know there is a place for silence and a place for noise. Sometimes our students need help regulating this. I think this site can help - possibly on their own, possibly for the entire class.

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US Mint Coin Classroom

WEBSITE ↬ US Mint Coin Classroom

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students

CONTENT ↬ coins / math

GRADE LEVELS ↬ K-6

Oh my goodness! How fun is this website?! I just played the "Counting with Coins" game on this site and, while it's geared for elementary students, I enjoyed identifying & sorting the coins. I KNOW your students will enjoy this game and the others. And it's created and supported by the US Mint, so you know you can trust it. No ads, either, so give your students the website and let them get to work learning and practicing coins.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this in their math classrooms to reinforce students' identification, counting, and adding up of coins. There are 17 games available (as of this publishing) and when you hover over each tile, you are given guidance for the grade level the game is geared toward. 

And if you have a way to share with parents, this might be a really good site to share. After all, if parents are going to give their kiddos time to play games, why not suggest this as an option?

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Number Hive

WEBSITE ↬ Number Hive

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students

CONTENT ↬ math

GRADE LEVELS ↬ 3 & up

I'm impressed! 100% a game format, Number Hive is going to appeal to your students. And it will 100% force your students to think about math and apply math. It's focus is on number relationships, number operations and multiplication facts. 

If you teach math, you will definitely want to check this out ... if for no other reason than the free printables where you can try it out for free.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this exactly how it's presented - whole class, individual students, as homework, as a game, digitally or print. So many options and depending on your budget, you could gain insights with their analytics. 

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Doodle3D

WEBSITE ↬ Doodle3D

AUDIENCE ↬ students

CONTENT ↬ 3D drawing; art

GRADE LEVELS ↬ any ... for beginners with 3D printing

New to 3D printing? Want to provide your students the opportunity to create or draw digitally but in a whole different way? Then you simply must check out Doodle3D. This FREE - and non-account required - website will allow your students the ability to draw and have it turn into a 3D version. 

This website can also be used as a "free time" activity or in conjunction with a content area for your students to design and draw freely.   

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this if they teach an intro to 3D printing and design class or if 3D printing is part of a course. Another way teachers can use this is as a free time activity for students to exercise their creativity. 

For more information, feel free to check out this great article from TCEA & Peggy Reimers: https://blog.tcea.org/doodle3d-transform/

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girls4tech

WEBSITE ↬ girls4tech

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ technology/ STEM

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Created in connection with Discovery Education, girls4tech is a resource to help support and engage with girls in the world of technology. Videos and classroom resources are a highlight. As stated on their site, girls4tech "empowers young people to embrace digital connectivity and explore creative solutions to real-world challenges in tech."

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this with after school clubs and groups to encourage students, girls in particular, to learn more about technology. Don't miss out on the career profiles so your students can also have a peek into future possibilities.

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12 brain breaks to energize your classroom

WEBSITE ↬ 12 brain breaks to energize your classroom

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ preK - 6

We all know it's not ideal for any student to sit through lesson after lesson. We ALL need breaks - even teachers! Matt Miller brings us 12 brain breaks that you can incorporate into your classroom, regardless of your content. Each brain break is easy to implement and doesn't require a ton of prep work or resources. Rotate through them to provide a variety of activities.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to build in solid, short breaks for their students. Once part of a routine, these brain breaks will allow students the opportunity to give their thinking a quick break in before continuing to learning. 

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Lauren Tarshis: "I Survived" resources

WEBSITE ↬ Lauren Tarshis: "I Survived" resources

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ ELA & History

GRADE LEVELS ↬ grades 3+

I am not on social media as much as I have been, but one day I was scrolling through Twitter/X and I stopped and stared. The much beloved "I Survived" author, Lauren Tarshis shared a post stating she has classroom resources to support her books on her website. AND ... she provides it all free! Did you know this? I did not! I had to jump on and see it for myself.

This isn't too good to be true. It's true. Amazing! Thank you, Lauren! Thank you for supporting teachers! Not only are your books amazing, so are you!!!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this whenever they use an "I Survived" book in their classroom, or if they have small groups, or even individual students reading these books. From related books and videos to book club activities and resources, you can find them all on the "I Survived" resources pages. 

... and several of the books are in Spanish! They, too, have a resource page. Awesome!

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Unite for Literacy

WEBSITE ↬ Unite for Literacy

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students of ESL/ELL

CONTENT ↬ ESL/ELL

GRADE LEVELS ↬ mostly primary and lower elementary, although it can be a resource for older students if you feel it's appropriate

My previous district was experiencing an influx of non-English speakers. We've had very limited experience with this, so any resource we could find we were grateful for. Our students spoke a variety of languages ... not just Spanish.

The website I'm sharing today would be one of those awesome resources! Simple books students can choose from and listen/read in both English and about 20 other languages.

NO accounts are needed, just provide the link to this site and students can read and enjoy!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this with younger students who do not speak English as their primary language, or are learning to speak English. In a primary or lower elementary class, this site can definitely become a great way for ESL/ELL students to independently choose books and hear both the English and native language version.

While the books are simple, this has the potential for helping older students with recognition and independent practice & learning. Older ESL/ELL students might like having the independence to use the books as reference for learning pronunciation or specific vocabulary on a topic. 

For students learning a second language, this might also be a great resource helping them to learn a language other than English!

I can't even begin to guess how many books are available! 

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Book Creator Toolkit for Schools & Districts

WEBSITE ↬ Book Creator Toolkit for Schools & Districts

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I LOVE Book Creator and I have been using it in my own classroom for numerous years. I have also shared it with several colleagues and supported their use. My favorite project has been with a 7th grade ELA class writing holiday stories and then sharing the libraries with our elementary buildings right before winter break. Always a highlight of the year! 

Over the last few years, Book Creator has added some wonderful updates and features that make it even more wonderful. This share is the perfect example of what makes Book Creator awesome. The templates built in to Book Creator are also an easy start ... your students can focus on the content, while customizing the templates to create a beautiful product.

I love that any teacher can start using Book Creator for free! It will give you the opportunity to try it out and fall in love. A few years back, I even did the professional learning with Book Creator and became a Certified Author and then was honored to join in the Ambassador program. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this book a number of different ways:

• be inspired with the number of ways Book Creator can be used
• use the Teacher Training & Support to teach yourself how to use/improve use of Book Creator 
• share with colleagues to demonstrate Book Creator's possible uses
• share with administrators should they want to request a paid account. 

So much is packed in this resource - how to use it in various contents, professional learning about Book Creator, example books, and so much more!

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Green Guardians

WEBSITE ↬ Green Guardians

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ Science

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

It's not often I come across a site with well organized and filterable lessons for science teachers. Green Guardians does both of these well. One of the filters is by grade level, which makes it so helpful for teachers. If you want to teach about the environment, make sure you head over and check out Green Guardians.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to identify high quality and appropriate lessons for their classes. Not only can you find a lesson, you can find a collection of lessons. 

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Puzzlemaker!

WEBSITE ↬ Puzzlemaker!

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Puzzles might not be everyone's idea of high-impact learning, but they sure can be fun little breaks for all ages. I also believe they push a person to use their brain in a different way, so as long as it's not the only method of learning, puzzles can be great additions to your classroom. Discovery Education shares this FREE website with the ability to make 10 different types of puzzles. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to create fun activities for students. Brain breaks - teasers - revealing a special surprise - fast finisher activities - puzzles can be used for many reasons in classrooms of all ages. Maybe even allow students to help create them for other students.

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A reading challenge for your classroom

WEBSITE ↬ A Reading Challenge for your classroom

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ reading/ELA

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Are you looking for a tech-infused way to encourage reading in your class? How about a reading challenge that shows off the parameters you decide to challenge your students with ... whether it's number of pages, number of books, or something else. John Sowash has created and shared this reading challenge using Google Forms to collect and ultimately share this with your students, and possibly your families.  He even includes ready-to-go templates to help you get going. Thanks, John!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to inspire and encourage their students to level up their reading in a friendly class challenge way. And since John has the templates ready-to-go, it makes it easy for teachers to get started with this immediately.

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The Math Learning Center

WEBSITE ↬ The Math Learning Center

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students

CONTENT ↬ math

GRADE LEVELS ↬ K-5

Whoa. Do you teach math? If so, this resource is pure GOLD! Created by Bridges in Mathematics, this resource has all of your digital manipulative needs - and it's available freely to all of us! Everything from fractions, money, a clock, a number line, vocab cards, and so much more! Be sure to use the tabs at the top to navigate to "App Activities" page where you will find a filter-able collection of activities to guide your use of these tools.

This is a bookmark resource for sure!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this on their projector - bonus points if yours is interactive. Teachers can also share this website with their students so students can have endless manipulatives (that will never fall on the floor and get lost!) to support every math lesson.

Do your students use chromebooks? Great! Use the web app option.

Do your students use iPads? Perfect! Grab the iOS version.

Want to be "super fancy"? Add the Chrome App for your students use. 

The tools which line the bottom of each "mat" will allow for more sophisticated use of the manipulatives, so be sure to explore them and show your students how to utilize them as well.

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AutoDraw

WEBSITE ↬ AutoDraw

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students

CONTENT ↬ any & all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ grades 3 & up

I am not great at drawing. I wish I was. I've practiced and tried really hard to be good at it. When I was younger, I would find something I liked and copied it. I wish I had Autodraw ... it allows me to attempt drawing, but then rescues me in guessing what it is that I tried to draw. It's awesome!  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to help themselves when creating resources for their students. Often teachers aren't looking for super fancy graphics and we certainly don't have time to sit and create. Autodraw is an easy - and fast! - way to create them.

Students can use Autodraw to help them create graphics, too. No worries about copyright or using images they aren't supposed to also allowing them to be creative and make custom graphics they can use.

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Storyvoice

WEBSITE ↬ Storyvoice

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students & families

CONTENT ↬ ELA & history

GRADE LEVELS ↬ grades K-5

Scholastic offers this website to help inspire the love of reading. Authors come on and read their books. It's a treat for every classroom to enjoy. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this during their class as a great supplement. It is also a great way to bring the human element to their students. Seeing and hearing from authors will allow students to make connections.

This can be a "quick break" or part of a larger unit studying authors.

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Bouncy Balls

WEBSITE ↬ Bouncy Balls

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & students

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬  K-5

Spring is a tough season to teach. Everyone is comfortable around each other - maybe a little "too" comfortable; the year is winding down, yet it's crazy busy; the weather is getting warmer, but not always enough to enjoy being outside; and let's face it ... we are all tired.

Are you looking for something to introduce to break up your "usual"? I've got it with Bouncy Balls! It's a website you can customize & change based on the day or maybe allowing students to choose the theme and encourage the students to keep noise at a "decent" level. I love how you can have the same number of balls as you have students ... just a cool way of customizing the screen for your students.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this website to help encourage students to keep volume at a "decent" level without the teacher having to "shhhh" or interrupt. The kids can visually see how high the balls bounce and hopefully use it as a self-regulation tactic. It's also fun to use different themes ... maybe it's the star student who gets to choose the theme ... maybe it's a reward for something. You can adjust the sensitivity of the volume. Use this to help students visually SEE their noise level.

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