Helpful Websites

Although, I am only on my second placement.  I have found and have been introduced to some excellent websites.  Here are a few:

1. Pinterest  -- This site is great for finding links to cute crafts, ideas for lessons, ideas for organization, and so much more.  It's an excellent resource!
2. Beth Newingham's website -- I always wondered why my cousin separated the books in her class library by genre, series, topic, and so forth.  After exploring Newingham's website, I learned the strategy behind the library organization.
3. Freeology.com -- This website was recommended to me by my first placement teacher after I asked where she found her Hamburger Paragraph organizer.  This site is full of free templates and graphic organizers for teachers.
4. Dollar Tree -- My first placement teacher also suggested finding less expensive teaching supplies at the dollar store (the Dollar Tree has a fairly nice teaching section).
5. Really Good Stuff -- My current placement teacher suggested this site for teaching supplies.
6. Oriental Trading  -- A family friend and my current placement teacher also suggested Oriental Trading for inexpensive teaching supplies.

Some nice educational website that I have found and/or used are:

1.  National Geographic -- When I was in Elementary school I loved reading National Geographic magazines in the school library.  Now students can go to the website and interact with the information.
2. Brittanica -- Before I had access to Kresge Library databases (in my K-12 years), the easiest way to research was to look up everything in a Encyclopedia.  This was a very useful tool to have.
3. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary -- This website is another great tool, as it always helps to have a dictionary around.  I even have the App on my phone. 
4. Citation Machine --  This site is great for helping with citing sources for a paper or project.
5. Sheppard Software -- The students at my current placement school use this site, and the educational games on it, for MEAP preparation.  It is a fun site and the students love it.
6. Reading Eggs -- This is another site that my current placement students are using for MEAP preparation.  The site is divided by age and skill level and contains many educational games that the students love.
7. Study Island -- This site is for assessing the level that students are at in a certain topic.  I used this site in Middle School for MEAP preparation (as my placement students are doing so now).  There is games, but the site is mostly assessments.
8. Career Cruising -- This site is useful for researching jobs, taking interest assessments, learning about colleges around the country and building a resume.  I first used this site in Middle School and later in High School -- I loved learning about what people do at their job.
9. Microsoft Office Templates -- I like this because I can find a template for just about anything.  If I want to make a brochure and I don't like the preloaded templates, I can go to this website and find a really good one.
10. PBS Kids -- There are many interactive games for reading or math that young students can play on this site.  My favorite part of this website is for the show Zoom -- where anyone can print out activities or experiments that can be performed at home.