Cool Tools for Cool Kiddos
Animation
http://fluxtime.com/animate.php
free animation activities for children - animate and play online, share clipart and collaborate with other animators
Moovl is a unique online tool which teachers and pupils can use to draw, animate and apply physical properties
to objects in order to bring their pictures and words to life.
3d animation
Avatars
http://www.shrinkpictures.com/create-avatar/
http://www.tektek.org/dream/ dream avatar creator
http://whuddle.crystal-dreams.us/whuddletar2.php
http://www.doppelme.com/create/step2.asp These look alot like a the Wii characters
http://www.funnypics.cc/media/create_your_avatar.php
http://www.meez.com/home.dm THis has been my favorite because you can animate them
http://www.gizmoz.com/create/head With gizmoz you upload a photo and using facial recogntion software you
can create a cartoon character of yourself
Biography Tool
This tool allows students to develop an outline of a person whose biography or autobiography they have just read; it can also be used before students write their own autobiography. Specific prompts ask students to describe a person’s significance, background, and personality. The finished printout can be folded into a fun cube shape that can be used for future reference.
Book Cover Creator
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Book Cover Guide
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C.A.D.
for Kids
http://sketchup.google.com/download.html
Google SketchUp 6 is a 3D modeling software tool that’s easy to learn, simple to use, and lets you place your models in Google Earth. Are you remodeling a kitchen, landscaping your back yard or adding a deck to your home? Google SketchUp makes it faster, easier and a lot more fun. From simple to complex, from conceptual to realistic, Google SketchUp helps you see your vision before you build it.
Once you've built your models, you can place them in Google Earth, post them to the 3D Warehouse.
http://www.ldraw.org/ LDraw™ is an open standard for LEGO CAD programs that allow the user to create virtual LEGO models and scenes. You can use it to document models you have physically built, create building instructions just like LEGO, render 3D photo realistic images of your virtual models and even make animations. The possibilities are endless. Unlike real LEGO bricks where you are limited by the number of parts and colors, in LDraw nothing is impossible. You can download
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Kids who like to be challenged
Anim8or is a 3D modeling and character animation program . You can download here http://www.anim8or.com/main/index.html
Be sure to follow the tutorials here to learn how to use the program http://www.anim8or.com/main/index.html
http://www.cadstd.com/ C.A.D studio CadStd is a general purpose, easy to learn CAD/drafting program for creating professional quality mechanical designs, house plans, blueprints, schematics and charts utilizing ANSI drawing standards. Free download here http://www.cadstd.com/lite.html
Character Trading Cards
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Circle Plot Diagram
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Comic Creator
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Compare & Contrast Map
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Comparison and Contrast Guide |
Bookmarks
Del.icio.us: Social bookmarking site where users can save bookmarks and organize them with tags. Users can also take advantage of their del.icio.us network allowing them to add friends to their account and keep track of bookmarks left by each friend.
Building on Line
Brio Track Builder Virtual Brio Train design http://brio.knex.com/customer/TrackBuilder.php
Built track and neighborhood http://funschool.kaboose.com/time-warp/games/game_all_aboard.html
Citation Machine
Click the link below to use the Citation maker from Calvin College. You can enter your reference information in, and the cite
maker will put it in proper order for you.
http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/
EasyBib: An “automatic bibliography composer” that lets users enter sources and fill out a simple forms to be given MLA style bibliographies. I’ve used this multiple times in the past for research papers.
Ottobib: Similar to EasyBib, Ottobib is a simple bibliography tool that allows users to enter multiple ISBN numbers for books at a time and retrieve the bibliographies in MLA, APA, AMA, or Chicago/Turabian format.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
- classroom tools that span the needs of Students, Parents, Teachers and School Administrators
My Note It - http://www.mynoteit.com/
Schoopy - http://www.schoopy.com/
School Tool - http://www.schooltool.org/
Teach Learning - Free K-12 curriculum materials on any topic
Engrade - http://www.engrade.com/ - online grading tool
Moodle* - http://moodle.org - open source course management system
Create Comics
at the sites below
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/ line comics
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/starslp/missionz/comic.htm Garfield Comic
http://www.stripcreator.com/make.php Comic strip creator
http://www.boyslife.org/games/online-games/235/comic-creator/
http://disney.go.com/surfswell/comiccreator.html disney comic creator on line
http://plasq.com/ Comic Life free 30 days
DATABASES only - those I don't think any of the Virtual Office have this feature
Drawing
face generator
http://www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html
picasso's head and face
http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/
On-line drawing and art program
http://www.imaginationcubed.com/Imagine
draw pain and stamp right on line
J-Painter is an image editor that allows drawing within a browser. You can install it on your website or embed it in your web application. The editor can be easy configured for many applications:
Sketchcast - Talk about creativity, you can sketch a drawing with or without voice or write content and save it to your PC.
Skrbl - It's like a virtual space. Simple and easy online multi-user whiteboard, Sketch, text, share files, upload pictures all in one common shared space.
Encyclopedias On line
The old reliable Britannica can be accessed online, but of course there is a fee once the free trial period ends. You can read more about the services they offer at their website: http://www.eb.com/index.html
Another example of an online encyclopedia but this one is free. It also includes a dictionary, atlas and many other features. It is supported through advertising so prepare yourself for some distractions. http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_/browse.html
This easy to use reference website is familiar to most students. This site also includes a
This website offers you a whole list of additional online encyclopedia resources including the ones listed above. It also has it's own search engine and plenty of catagories to browse. Check it out here: http://www.ipl.org/
Family Tree
This tool lets you instantly start building up a family tree and you can invite people you add by email so they can also start adding to the same tree. This was used in a school as part of an 'All About Me' topic and apparently it really got the community involved and families found it a really easy to use and useful tool.
Another similar tool to Geni where you can easily start setting up family tree information
family tree maker
family tree with pictures
add news videos pictures and text
Games
http://supertux.lethargik.org/
SuperTux is a classic 2D jump'n run sidescroller game in a style similar to the original SuperMario games
Created by Amanita Design, these lovely point and click games are guaranteed to enthrall all who play them. They would be awesome for using to prompt creative writing or instructional writing. The problem solving skills needed to play are also great brain gym. The first game features a smoking character who seems a little 'out of it' so may not be suitable for kids but the second game has no such issues. It is called a 'Point and Click' game as that is how you play - by clicking on areas of the screen to make things happen. This might seem to be an easy thing to do but finding the right places to click and in the correct order is no easy feat! Not all the levels of Samorost Two are included in the free online version and you need to pay to download the full version (but not very much).
This is a game specifically designed for the BBC education website and is to help children learn facts about English, Science and Maths. You still have to point and click in order to get the characters on each screen to ask the questions. Each correct answer means that you move to another level as your hot air balloon fills up. A great game.
This is a game I tripped over one day on the web and spent an engrossing number of hours making my way through the levels (and I am not someone that is a gamer as a rule). The game is set in a mysterious mansion with rooms that move and that contain magical items to help you make your way through. Using both mouse and keyboard, use the items you find and slide the rooms into the correct configuration to make your escape. It starts off deceptively easily and then gets quite difficult. A great problem solving game with excellent graphics. The only draw back is the large file sizes for it to load
Graphic Organizers
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
kwl flo charts venn diagrams
seating chart
Graph Makers
Graphic Map
The Graphic Map assists teachers and students in reading and writing activities by charting the high and low points related to a particular item or group of items, such as events during a day or chapters in a book.
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
Graphs and charts are great because they communicate information visually
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/grapher.html
http://www.schools.ash.org.au/stkierans-manly/Graph/graph.html
http://www.handygraph.com/free_graphs.htm
blank graph paper
Handwriting Maker
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
Make custom handwriting worksheets at the click of a button !
Select a handwriting style below and watch the magic unfold !
Free from your friends at TampaReads.com
Images Resources
freedigitalphotos.netbarrysfreephotos.com
FreeFoto
Image After
McCord Museum
Microsoft Clip Art
Pics For Learning
YotoPhoto
Morguefile, big size pics, organized by topics, of high quality. They are copyright free, and with very original content.
ImageAfter, all kind of pics. You can find textures, nature...
Free High Resolution Photos, very original photos that you can use freely.
Copyright Free Photos, maybe they are not too big, but they are useful and nice.
http://www.inmagine.com/ Watermarks the images
backgroundsarchive.com great background images
BestAnimation's Backgrounds, allows to make really amazing backgrounds.
All Free Backgrounds, you can choose a background by color, texture...
bgMaker, has a gallery of designs and you can pick a background color that you like.
Maps
This is a free download that you can get for your home computer here.
Don't forget you can also see what's going on all over the world too.
Online dynamic maps with all kinds of search features.
Same basic idea as Google Maps
MSN’s version of Google Maps
Math Blocks
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/topic_t_3.html
Virtual
Attribute Blocks – Learn color and shape concepts by sorting blocks. | |
Attribute Trains – Learn about shape and color patterns of by completing trains of blocks. | |
Congruent Triangles – Build similar triangles by combining sides and angles. | |
Geoboard |
http://www.e-tutor.com/et2/graphing/
pn line graphicing calculator
on line math tools
GeoGebra is a free and multi-platform dynamic mathematics software for schools
that joins geometry, algebra and calculus.
Mind Mapping
http://www.exploratree.org.uk/
thinking guide
mind mapping with sketch
more mind mapping
Mind Mapping
ReadWriteThink Webbing Tool |
Mystery Stories Mystery Cube
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Persuasion Map
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Puzzlemakers
http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/ Puzzlemaker is a puzzle generation tool for teachers, students and parents. Create and print customized word search, criss-cross, math puzzles, and more using your own word lists.
http://www.puzzle-maker.com/ Create word searches and crossword puzzles
Choose a picture from your computer (jpeg, png, gif, and bmp formats supported). You can use a photograph you took with your camera. ... |
Photo Stories
http://www.scrapblog.com/Scrapblog is the best place to share your digital scrapbooks with your friends, family, and the world. Enhance your photos, and express yourself
Photo Story 3 from Microsoft is great for making slide shows with music.http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx PhotoStory- free program creates photo slide shows . You can add effects, transitions, captions, and music.
http://www.dl4all.com/2007/11/21/wondershare-photo-story-platinum-v2.6.0.html Wondershare Photo Story Platinum offers a whole new way to create and share gorgeous animated picture albums. Built-in templates / themes, intro / end movie, and decoration make it unprecedented on designing your masterpieces. Easily publish it as any popular format – flahs, iPod / iPhone / Zune video, even author DVD.
Photography-Digital Editing
Flickr: Explore, upload, and share photos online. Includes commenting and neat note functionality where users can add blocks of notes on the photos themselves for others to see.
http://morph.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk//
morphing
http://www.xiberpix.net/SqirlzMorph.html
Sqirlz Morph allows you to mark features on several images, and the program mixes the images so that each feature on one image moves smoothly to the corresponding feature on the other images - a technique widely used in the film industry
Record a sketch with or without voice. Explain something, have fun, or create art.
slide shows
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/register?
on line slide shows
http://www.debugmode.com/wink/
Wink is a Tutorial and Presentation creation software, primarily aimed at creating tutorials
Zoho Show Zoho Show is an online tool to create, edit, publish, and show presentations. It's web-based. So, you don't need to download or install anything. All you need is a browser (Firefox 1.0 + or IE 6.0+ or Mozilla) and internet connection.
Printing Press ReadWriteThink Printing Press
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ReadWriteThink Webbing Tool
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Podcasting Resources
Podcasting Tools - http://www.podcasting-tools.com
Podcast Alley - http://www.podcastalley.com
PodcastBunker - http://www.podcastbunker.com
Podcasting News - http://www.podcastingnews.com
<p class='title'>Jjot helps you take online notes</p> <p>Think of these as online sticky notes. They're simple, fast, and you can access them from any ... |
Publishing
Import pictures add stickers, backgronds, text, even video
newsletter on line
create on-line photbooks and cards
Digital scrapbooking software
images, video pictures stickers to create an on-line poster
http://amaztype.tha.jp/US/Books/Title?q=KAYLEE
Create a word with books that have the word in the title
Search Engines for Kids
Sight Words
http://www.sightwordswithsamson.com/sw/sight_words.asp Sight Word Practice
Simulations-interactive
City Creator - Make your own city. |
Create A Car - Create your own car. |
Zanpo Virtual City - Create your own virtual city. |
Sound/Music Files we can Use
http://odeo.com/ ODEO
http://educationalsoftware.wikispaces.com/Garageband Garage Band
Space
You can explore other planets too
Explore the Universe for free. Try it at school or download it at home
More than just the Earth, check out the rest of the universe. Another free download here.
SPREADSHEETS only
Storymaker Programs
Digital storytelling program. Kae a picture, make a story make a movie 2-4
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-writing-storymaker.htm
Do you like writing? You can create your own story here. Click on 'next'. Then choose a fairy story, a horror story, or a science fiction story. Wait for the storymaker to load, then answer the questions - choose the characters, words and places or write your own! Then the story maker will 'make' your story - you can print it too!
http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/WritingCorner/StoryBuilder/LittleLostDog.html
Have fun making your own stories using Squigly's story builder. Squigly and his friends have written some stories that you can personalize with your own words.
http://pbskids.org/sagwa/stories/storymaker/index.html make a picture and then write about.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/colour/gingerbreadman.shtml create a story with pictures about the gingerbread man.
Study Tools
Text Maker
http://www.3dtextmaker.com/image_editor.html
Time Lines
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timelines/
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/timeline/ interactive time lines
http://www3.canisius.edu/~emeryg/time.html
A collection of timeline links on the web for history, science, arts, literature, popular cultures, science fiction. |
Video and Movies
Microsoft Movie Maker 2.1 is a great, easy to use download for editing simple videos
TVnima.com - TVnima is an online real time 3D application that allows anyone to create a TV news program using their personal media (photos, images, videos).
Eyespot - This tool is like iMovie, you can upload, edit, and mix your videos.
Terragen- create photo-realistic landscape images
Writing Tools
Diamante Poems
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Doodle Splash
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Drama Map
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Essay Map
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Eye on Idioms
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Fact Fragment Frenzy
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Flip Book
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Flip-a-Chip
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Fractured Fairy Tales
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Hints about Print
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Letter Generator
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Letter Poem Creator
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Line Break Explorer
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Literary Elements Map
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Literary Graffiti
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Multigenre Mapper
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Mystery Cube
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Persuasion Map
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Picture Match
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Plot Diagram
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Postcard Creator
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ReadWriteThink Notetaker
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Riddle Interactive
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Shape Poems
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Stapleless Book
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Story Map |
What's the Newest thing...things?
Create-A-Scape is a website that provides resources for creating digitally-enhanced learning experiences, using mobile technology to experience location-sensitive sounds and images that have been ‘attached to’ the local landscape. Free web tool: all ages/subjects.
Go to: www.createascape.org.uk
Iya-ola is a collection of language learning games with a difference: the player can only progress through collaborating with a learner in a different country. Initially focusing on English and Spanish, it has the potential to be developed for other languages. Prototype: KS2 languages
Go to: Iya-ola download page
The Language Train aims to create engaging tasks for students aged between 5 and 11 to practice phoneme recognition, by modelling different versions of words in Spanish. Prototype: KS1/2 languages.
Go to: Language Train download page
Developed by Immersive Education with research support from Futurelab, MediaStage is a fully immersive 3D production studio that puts control of scenery, props, actors, cameras and lights into the hands of learners. Commercial product: KS3/4 media studies, English, drama.
Moovl is an interactive unique online tool which allows children to create images that move according to the dynamics of a simple set of physics rules. Working demo and commercial product: KS1 science, literacy, creativity.
Go to: www.moovl.com and www.moovl.co.uk
Racing Academy is a racing videogame built on an advanced physics simulation engine. This prototype version has been trialled with older teenagers, and there is scope for it to become a multi-generational learning environment. Prototype: KS4 engineering, physics.
Go to: Racing Academy download page
Don't forget you can also see what's going on all over the world too.
Visit this interactive tool at: http://readwritethink.org/materials/bio_cube/.