Favorite Resources
This page is a collection of educational technology resources or ideas that can make learning better for students and teachers. Youtube channels, Virtual Manipulatives and Field trips, Free teacher resources, and more. Check back often as this page is updated regularly.
Browser
EDGE
Edge combines all of the functions of Chrome with the accessibility features of Microsoft. There are so many reasons this is my favorite browser. Here are just a few: Remove distracting content from an online article, have any page read aloud in multiple languages, annotate directly on pdfs and save, instantly get a QR code for any URL, create collections of sites and open them all at one time or email to colleagues, take snips of whole pages or small portions of a page, import bookmarks and extensions from another browser and more.
Watch Mike Tholfsen show new features in Edge
Free Resources For Educators
Educators can now get a free account at Canva and start creating professional looking products for use in the classroom. Don't miss out on this amazing FREE resource.
The Khan Academy has been around for many years and continues to grow and improve. Resources across content areas from Pre-K all the way to College prep. Khan also syncs with Google Classroom.
Slides Carnival
Slides Carnival is a great site to find beautiful slide templates that work for both Power Point or Google Slides. Wow your audience, no matter what age, with a pre-made template.
Zearn is for K-5 Math. Teachers can assign work, monitor progress using a variety of reports, and students like the variety and look of the interface.
Slides Mania
Slides Mania is similar to Slides Carnival. Another great collection of free templates for Power Point or Google Slides that make creating a professional looking presentation easy.
Virtual Field Trips
Apple Orchard
Visit a real apple orchard. This trip can be customized to fit your grade level and content area. Find recipes, learn about apple harvesting and so much more.
Long Vue Farms
Take your students to a real working farm in middle Tennessee. This field trip can be customized to meet many standards for multiple grade levels.
Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Patch
Visit this wonderful fun filled family owned pumpkin farm with games, pumpkins, and a real catapult! This trip can be customized to meet your specific grade level and content area. Come and see what's great in Tennessee!
Louvre for Kids
Louvre Kids provides a variety of activities that are designed for elementary students. A combination of videos, high-resolution images, and text provide a rich learning experience.
National Geographic Son Doong 360
Explore the world's largest discovered cave, the Hang Son Doong located in Vietnam. Created by National Geographic, this virtual tour includes an interactive map, 360 tours, and text that explains each step along the tour.
National Geographic Buck Island Reef
Go on a virtual dive into the Buck Island Reef. Use a smart phone and 360 goggles to increase the engagement. 360 video is about 6 minutes long.
Great Hammerhead Shark Encounter
Experience an encounter with a hammerhead shark. Filmed in 360 from National Geographic. Video is interactive and about 2 minutes long.
360 Sky Diving Interactive Video
Experience a virtual sky-diving trip from take-off to landing.
Virtual manipulatives
Math Learning Center
Math Learning Center provides web or app virtual manipulatives for a variety of math concepts. These tools are good with any computer but even better if used with a touch screen.
Classroomscreen.com
Classroomscreen.com is a free web-based application that provides widgets to help with classroom management. Post QR codes, draw on a whiteboard, monitor sound levels and more.
Bingo Baker
Bingo Baker allows teachers to create custom Bingo games to use with students over any content, or search pre-made games to save time. Students can play online with a link or on a printed card provided by the teacher.
UNDRR Disaster Simulator
The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) provides this digital simulator that is great for students to learn about how disasters like Tsunami, Earthquake, Wildfire, and Floods impact communities. This resource provides opportunities for students to create a plan for growing a community and testing how human interaction with landforms can make natural disasters cause more harm or less harm.
Phet Interactive Simulations
Phet Simulations are created by the University of Colorado Boulder as a free resource to be used by the education community. Science and Math concepts come alive with this powerful resource.
Wheel Decide
Wheel decide is a wheel of fortune style random selector that can be customized. Wheels can be embedded on other sites. Load up to 100 choices.
Snotes
'S' stands for secret in Snotes. Create a secret note the reveals clues that students use to solve a question. Students can use the note online or a printed copy.
Bee-Bot Emulator
The Bee-Bot Emulator from Terrapin allows students to learn about coding without the need for additional devices. Students can 'code' their Bee-Bot in the online environment. There are many mats from which to choose that can be applied to many content areas and ability levels. Some mat options include the Community Mat (pictured below), alphabet, blank grid, country road, CVC words, dice, number line, old west, school, shapes, and more.
YouTube Channel Favorites
Mr. Betts Class - Mr. Betts is a history teacher who creates parody videos using historical content and popular songs.
EdTech Tools in 30 Seconds- This playlist, produced by Common Sense Education, provides quick explanations of tools they think are worthy of your time.
EDU in 90 - Google users will love this YouTube channel. 90-second tutorials to keep up-to-date on all things Google in the classroom.
Tech Tip Tuesday - This playlist is created by a team of technology integration coaches from Clarksville Tennessee. A new tip is added each Tuesday to support teacher in CMCSS as they use technology with their students.
NCCE Live Events are 30 minute webinars from NCCE Learning Specialists on popular educational topics.
Richard Byrne Practical EdTech Tips playlist is a great collection of short videos designed to show how to do techy tasks with no fluff. There are over 800 videos in this ever-growing playlist.
Mike Tholfsen - Following Mike is the best thing you can do for yourself if you are a Microsoft user. His channel provides timely updates relating to all things in education from Microsoft.
Getting Started with Flipgrid - Flipgrid is an amazing free tool that teachers can use to interact with students in a virtual environment. Learn all you need to get started using Flipgrid today.
Other Teacher's Sites
Teach With Magic is a great site for teachers who are looking to add some excitement to their lessons. Kevin Roughton has created many resources that are worth looking into.