This document provides a list of 10 helpful websites for teachers along with brief descriptions. The websites cover topics such as virtual body simulations for science teachers, drama mapping tools, visual organizers for comparing and contrasting ideas, comic creation tools for creative writing, biography cube makers, outline interactives, virtual field trips on various topics, webcam feeds from around the world, an online library, and an educational fact website for K-8 students. The author encourages teachers to use 21st century technology in their classrooms and checks in regularly to find the best websites to share.

1. We are a new generation of teachers. Most of us won’t even touch a chalkboard throughout our entire teaching career; what we will use, and often, is the internet. It is essential that we have a comprehensive list of go-to sites that can help us in the classroom. Since we are twenty-first century educators, we must use twenty-first century technology as we educate. Check in regularly as I find the best-of-the-best websites for teachers. I will rate them on a star scale of 1-5; 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Achieve!<br /> Some Helpful Websites:<br />1.) Science teachers for all grades will love this site for its “virtual body simulations.” I’m not even a science person and I thought it was cool! http://medtropolis.com/VBody.asp <br />2.) Part of the READ-WRITE-THINK campaign, this ”drama mapping“ graphically organizes plays that students have studied in class or can make up on their own. Check it out! http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/dramamap/<br />3.) Compare and Contrast map. Perfect for the middle grades teacher. Enter information and this virtual bot spits out a cool organizer to give a visual understanding of two like or unlike things, then PRINT out results.http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/compcontrast/map/<br />4.) Comic Creator is an interactive activity that can work for students of all ages. It is particularily effective as a visual planner for creative writing, or in introducing the rising and falling action concepts in the secondary classroom. This could be used by groups of students, individual students, or on the Smart Board in front of the whole class. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/<br />5.) Bio Cube to summarize a person’s life after reading or before writing a biography or autobiography. You enter the information and then print out the results and fold and cut to create a cube. This can give students a visual representation of a well rounded character. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/bio_cube/ (Perfect for grades 4-12 Language Arts/ History).<br />6.) The Student Outline Interactive create a visual of an outline before writing short stories or even argumentative reports. Very organized! (8-12) (Language Arts) http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=722&title=<br />7.) Virtual Fieldtrips is an amazing site that works for any grade K-12. Click on any link that suits your class (anything from Ancient Egyptian Art to The Grand Canyon to Le Louvre in Paris). http://www.simplek12.com/virtualfieldtrips (K-12)<br />8.) Visual Fieldtrips is a site that features webcam feeds from all over the world. (View live safari cams in Africa/ the Artic to see live polar bear cams and even more!) http://mrssmoke.onsugar.com/2959452 (K-12)<br />9.) Questia is tha largest online full-text library. http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp Not everything is free, but most are.<br />10.) Fact Monster is a really cool site for younger students. It provides games, interactives and resources for all students grades K-8. http://www.factmonster.com/<br />**Create your own website or blog. It can organize your educational planning, create a profile of resources and can help your fellow teachers. I’ve created one at www.becomingteacher.blog.com<br />