Embedded Files
3.11.25 - Padlet Sandbox for Interactivity
Padlet Sandbox is a collaborative digital canvas with tools for drawing, writing, and adding media. It’s simple yet capable. You can use it for: whiteboard messaging, engaging lessons and presentations, and interactive documents, activities, and games. It's beautiful!
More information and training for use with Padlet can be found at the following websites:
3.9.25 - Free Fun Reading through Libby's Magazine Collection
Dive into a world of knowledge, entertainment and inspiration with TSCPL's access to Libby's extensive magazine collection of more than 4,000 digital magazines! From fashion to science, there’s something for everyone. Look for the magazines button in the Libby app. You can search by category, language (Spanish, Chinese, Japanese) and specific titles. If you subscribe to a magazine(s), the latest issue will automatically arrive on your shelf. Magazines don't count against your monthly Libby book checkout limit.
Students have accounts to the public library through the school system, per this TSCPL@School program. Teachers can sign up for an educator account through this site. If you'd like a librarian to help you or any students with accessing public library resources, please email, text or visit us in the WRHS Library anytime! 785-260-0015
3.4.26 - World News Digest
Another State Library of Kansas resource for educators! Search or Browse World News Digest for current news articles from Reuters and view Social Media Reaction, Videos from a range of reputable news sources plus Infographics. Additionally, there is content back to the 1940s with Primary Sources, Editorials (including Political Cartoons), and more.
Under the menu in the upper right you'll find Curriculum Tools which include resources on the topics identified to the right.
3.2.26 - NEW! ASK Britannica: Your Questions, Our Answers, Powered by AI
Ask Britannica is powered by ChatGPT but sourced from trusted content produced by Britannica. Student prompts are character limited to prevent academic misuse like copying and pasting an entire assignment. Ask Britannica won't answer inappropriate questions outside of its educational scope. The AI responses have links to cited sources for further and deeper exploration on a topic.
The State Library of Kansas provides Kansans access to Britannica for high school and college level researchers. Britannica Academic is designed for university-level research, including academic journals and dictionaries, while Britannica High School offers curriculum-aligned resources, multimedia, and tools tailored for 9 through 12 grades.
2.18.26 - Re-Get-To-Know Padlet - Finney
Dr. Monica Burns is an edTech consultant that I follow and get email updates from regularly. Her recent update from January 15th, 2026, “5 Things You Might Not Know About Padlet,” explores how the popular education and collaboration tool Padlet has upgraded and changed for the better. No longer restricted to collaboration boards, Padlet now allows you to build custom learning experiences for students. Want to learn more? Click here!
2.2.26 - News Literacy Week
Help students distinguish news from other types of information and practice with Daily Do Now news slides, linked below and updated daily.
Info Zones online video activity and infographic of 6 Zones of Information
What is News online video activity and infographic about What Is News
Daily Do Now news slides can help to maximize news literacy. The slides are designed to boost student engagement. Slides are updated every Friday at 5 pm ET.
News Literacy Standards
Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.
Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.
Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.
Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.
Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.
Contact Marcy Sandberg, Victoria Finney or Sarah Thomas if you'd like to collaborate on a News Literacy lesson in your subject area! :)
1.21.26 - free online magazines from TSCPLs access to Flipster & Hoopla Binge Pass
Ask a librarian for details or assistance if needed by you or your students to access these resources from TSCPL. Still need a free teacher account at the public library, in addition to a personal account, sign up today. Students have accounts at the public library through the TSCPL@School program. Visit with a librarian about how we can help you share available resources with students.
12.9.25 Read & Write Extension
12.9.25 Read & Write Extension
Since the Snap & Read extension is ending December 31, 2025, you are encouraged to learn about the Read & Write extension. Questions or requests for additional support should go to Walker Wilson WRHS Assistive Technology Aide. wilsowal@usd437.net
The 6 minute video is WELL WORTH your time to see the tremendous features available to students! Features included are:
Play audio, Pause & Stop feature
Screen Masking to keep track of which line you are reading
Talk & Type for speech to text transcription
Translate
Highlighting features
Check It for spelling and grammar corrections
Prediction, guesses word being spelled
Dictionary and Picture Dictionary
Collect Highlights gathers words for use, think vocabulary list with definitions and pictures provided
Audiomaker converts text to an audiofile
Web Search for definitions, etc.
Simplify Page to remove ads and other distractions
Rewordify will change difficult words to simplier to understand vocabulary
Practice Read Aloud to record yourself reading
Voice Notes for comments on google docs
Hover Speech to have any text read aloud
11.10.25 - Flipster & other sources for free online magazine subscriptions
10.20.25 - TSCPL @ School for Research
9.22.25 - Incorporate Trusted Resources into Canvas Classrooms
The WRHS Library subscribes to three databases from the Gale/Cengage company: Global Issues in Context, Opposing Viewpoints in Context and Science in Context. You are able to connect learners with trusted content from current magazines, newspapers and other known credible sources in Canvas. Follow the steps on this linked document to access and embed trusted Gale content into your Canvas courses.
The Consumer Key is: klnb_washburn and the Secret is: 4b47c0f146d243df876edaf918b1a379
9.17.25 - Bookshare + Read&Write extension
Students' reading experiences can be customized to suit their learning styles. Virtually any book which students need for school, work, or the joy of reading is available through Bookshare. People with dyslexia, learning disabilities, visual impairments, physical disabilities, and other reading barriers qualify for a Bookshare account. Bookshare has empowered hundreds of thousands of people to study for school, pursue careers, and read for fun. Learn more about this valuable resource in the Bookshare Basics for Educators YouTube video.
The Read&Write extension is a literacy support tool that offers help with everyday tasks like reading text out loud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work. Read&Write is compatible with Chromebooks, Windows PCs, Macs, iPad and Android tablets. It can be used to enhance the Bookshare reading experience by providing higher quality text-to-speech voice options, vocabulary tools, screen masking, language translation, picture and standard dictionaries and more.
Librarians Victoria Finney and Marcy Sandberg can create accounts for students to access Bookshare and provide resource training in Bookshare and Read&Write.
9.15.25 - Learning Express Library for skills, test prep, career exploration and more!
Please encourage students to create an account with the The Learning Express Library from the State Library of Kansas! library.ks.gov/LEL
AP Test Prep, ACT Test Prep, Career Entrance Exams, Scholarship search and so much more!
Ask a Library for a demonstration of all the offerings.
08.27.25
Create NY Times Connections style games
Here is the website for creating a Connections style of game, similar to that from the daily New York Times puzzles.
Librarian Jennifer LaGarde has a Connections creation template you may wish to try out.
Here is some additional food for thought, "Analyzing to Make Connections" from a Writing Curriculum Unit posted in The New York Times Learning Network.
08.25.25 Turn it in: plagiarism detection software***
Turn It In is a great online tool available to WRHS teachers to assist in improving student writing. If you are unfamiliar with Turn It In, it is an online tool which strives to "empower students to do their best, original work". This resource assists in checking students' academic integrity through plagiarism and now AI (Artificial Intelligence) detection for papers written in English or Spanish.
Turn It In allows teachers to:
create "canned" comments for use with frequent writing issues
apply grading rubrics to writing assignments
provide brief voice comment feedback to individual students
feel reassured that students are producing original work, not plagiarizing
have students read and review writing from their peers
Students receive immediate feedback on their writing assignments about spelling, grammar and plagiarism.
Canvas Integration is accomplished by selecting Settings then Apps and search for Turn It In.
Click to Add the App with Consumer Key 81416 and Shared Secret wrhsblue.
Learn more about the system from the company's video tutorials. Victoria Finney or Marcy Sandberg to create a Turn It In account for you.
There are numerous frequent users of Turn It In at WRHS, primarily in the English department but it's not reserved just for English. Any teacher may have an account, just ask!
Last spring's professional development session from the company, with the English Language Arts department, was recorded as a resource for the entire teaching staff at WRHS. Other resources are also linked below.
Link to Digital Resource Room with resources that are accessible anytime!
***for instructional lessons about resource evaluation, google versus library resources, credibility of sources, etc. - contact a librarian about co-teaching opportunities! (PACE University of NY shares some great resources, which is an example of activities the WRHS Librarians would review with your students)
Quick Start Guide for Instructors
Quick Start Guide for Students
4.28.25 - Learning Express Library for College Admissions Test Prep
The College Admissions Test Preparation center from the Learning Express Library has numerous test preparation tools! See the image below for details about the ACT resources. Share this link with students and recommend they Register for an account to track progress usage of materials. https://library.ks.gov/CollegePrep
4.9.25 - Creativebug from the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
The Creativebug platform provided by the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library offers classes on art & design, sewing, quilting, crochet, paper, knitting, food & home, jewelry, holiday parts and more.
Yes, there is YouTube for crafty creations but Creativebug provides video classes by top designers and artists, providing inspiration and instruction. Creativebug gives you access to thousands of classes and downloadable patterns, templates and recipes. The tutorials are easy to understand and are broken down into small video segments that guide you through the process step-by-step. Each class includes a detailed list of needed materials and a place to take electronic notes with the flag icon in the videos.
Students have accounts to the public library. Their Library Card number is 437+ID number and their PIN is their 4 digit graduation year. Access Creativebug anywhere, anytime with your library account. Download or print any material off the site. Creativebug will be your companion as you embark on your next crafting journey.
Teachers may request an educator card to the public library, separate from your personal account. Use the following link to apply. https://form.jotform.com/240375037724051
4.2.25 Free Resource for Language Learning
Mango Languages from the State Library of Kansas
Here is a direct link to the learning resource, Mango Languages, a tool to prepare for realistic conversations in over 70 world languages.
Learn how this resource operates from the 1 minute YouTube video.
Start by moving to the Sign Up option below "Use Mango as a Guest" in order for the system to keep track of learning progress.
12.9.24 Go Guardian: Monitor Students' Online Activity
If you were unable to attend the Go Guardian session on November 26th with Nicole Richmond, the work aide is available to learn more about that tool.
Go Guardian is accessed easily through Classlink. If you have yet to use the tool then all classes from a sync with Infinite Campus will be in a "pending" status.
If you have class within a class rosters, two classes in Infinite Campus during any given hour, then by creating a Google Classroom, you can import all students so they'll appear in one Go Guardian classroom. There are also steps about adding a co-teacher to the Go Guardian classes.
Go Guardian does allow for a bit more individualized supervision of students' online activity.
BTW, I learned the hard way, if you are using WiFi from a hotel or other secondary providers then GoGuardian may block internet access. So, the best advice is to speak with the Tech Dept in advance of attending conferences or other plans for use of remote WiFi services.
9/9/24 - MVW Sandberg
8.26.24 - Student Created EdPuzzle Content
Empower students to create their own video lessons.
Students can use their own videos or videos from YouTube.
Students can trim the video and add questions.
Once graded these student created lessons can be assigned by you from EdPuzzle content.
Students Get Creative with Web Tools
Students Get Creative with Web Tools
4/17/24: Free Creative Tools for Projects
Want to expand student creativity beyond a google slides show? Here is a list of optional creative project ideas and tools: animation, audio (podcast), book or magazine, game, infographic, photo collage, timeline, videos, and websites with some tools having AI assistance.
Some points for students to consider when deciding what to create from their learning...
What kind of product or presentation will allow me to present my conclusions and evidence effectively to the intended audience?
What technology will help me create a product or presentation?
Have I organized the product/presentation to make my major points and present convincing evidence?
Does my product/presentation fulfill the requirements of the assignment?
If you have suggestions for free online tools great for project creations, PLEASE share so we can add them to the site! :)
Also, when using images, students should remember to properly attribute the images you use to their creators, and provide citations for the images used. You may wish to use images in the public domain or that have a Creative Commons license. In Google Images, select Tools and Usage Rights for Creative Commons licenses, or use their own photos.
3/4/24 - Cool Class Openers in First Five
When I’m visiting classrooms, I often see the schedule for the day either posted on the whiteboard or on the teacher’s screen (see the post on using classroomscreen.com here). Visual schedules are a great way to model executive functioning skills and can bolster--but not replace--the learning objectives for the day or unit. One way to level-up your beginning-of-the-hour routine would be to use the ready-made resources in First Five, a platform that comes to your email inbox daily and gives you access to different content every day! There are SEL check-ins, funny memes, quotes of the day, and a LOT more.
This is also a great resource for those of you who do roll call questions, as they’re right there for you!
Here’s a sample meme that might resonate with those of us still basking in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win!
2/23/24 - Automagical Forms Creator
Automagical Forms generates short answer, multiple choice, and true/false questions from Google Docs and Slides, Images, or PDFs to create a pre-populated Google Form with no copy & pasting! Get started from viewing the video to the right. Then, learn more about the Automagical (Unicorn Magic) teacher helper tools from their YouTube channel! :)
BONUS CONTENT: Need a quick way to generate QR Codes...try this tool!
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
11/14/23: Adobe Express - Get Creative
If you like Canva for creating flyers, infographics, brochures, presentations, etc. you may also love Adobe Express. The ability to edit PDF documents, remove backgrounds plus video editing and more, are part of the unique features within this free resource.
The Adobe Express for Beginners video is rather lengthy but thankfully has an index to jump right to what you find interesting.
Become an expert from their Learn Adobe Express tutorial videos series.
Lightbox Resources
Lightbox Resources
10/10/23: Lightbox Resources from the WRHS Library
Lightbox resources are more than just interactive books, it's an educational platform. Try some examples for yourself from THIS WEBSITE.
There are nearly 100 varied Lightbox titles in the WRHS Library catalog.
Visit http://library.usd437.net, Select Washburn Rural High School then use the Catalog tab to search lightbox.
The following unique interactive features are in each lightbox title.
Video Demonstration interactive parts of the book in bold
3:10 - What is Lightbox 4:27 - Homepage 5:12 - Curriculum Tool
6:45 Audio - High-quality narration using an advanced text-to-speech system that ensures all students can understand
7:50 Videos - Embedded high-definition video clips that make learning come alive
6:00 & 8:31 Activities - Printable PDFs that can be emailed and graded, ideal for assessing student progress
9:17 Weblinks - Carefully curated links to external, child-safe esources
10:05 Slideshows - Pictorial overviews of key concepts to engage and inspire visual learners
10:42 Transparencies - step by step layering of maps, diagrams, charts and timelines
11:30 Featured Collections - Additional curated teacher and student tools in Collections by Destiny
13:32 First Hand - letters, diaries and other primary sources
14:18 Docs - speeches, newspaper articles and other historical documents
15:07 Interactive Maps - maps and aerial satellite imagery
16 More - Interactive maps and satellite imagery that provide context
17:03 Quizzes - Multiple choice assessments that are automatically graded and emailed for teacher review
16:34 Key Words - Highlighted important terms matched with their definitions to enhance vocabulary and understanding
Ed Puzzle
Ed Puzzle
Many educators including literacy specialist, Rebecca Alber, believe that using video is an engaging way for students to access class content. Video helps teachers provide multiple ways for students to learn class concepts and in this Edutopia article, Ms. Alber highlights tips for using video. This is where Ed Puzzle comes into play.
If you are not familiar with EdPuzzle here is a video that explains how it works. This video goes into more details about creating an Ed Puzzle. Videos paired with Ed Puzzle can
~provide initial instruction
~provide reteaching opportunities
~provide enhancement opportunities and
~provides an opportunity for student to watch multiple times,
If you got a little burnt out using Ed Puzzle during the pandemic that’s understandable. But now is a good time to explore it again because we have a school wide pro subscription and this tool can support our visual learners.
When you log into Ed Puzzle using our .usd437 log in, you will automatically be in the pro subscription. Enjoy!
9.8.2023
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