4Teachers – A Site for Multiple Online Classroom Aids

4Teachers – A Site for Multiple Online Classroom Aids

This listing, like Teacher’s Domain, is just a bit different.  I don’t use it as much as I’d like, but I have to tell you that when I do, it truly is a lifesaver.  This is not a science site, but an excellent resource for those of us who dream big, but don’t have the time to do all of the paperwork that goes along with it.  This post will be a tad longer, but I want to make sure you know what all is available from here.

4Teachers has several components.  I haven’t used all of them, so I’ll just talk about the ones I know.  Links to them are on the right hand side of the page.  My only problem is that you have to register for each separately, but they’re all free, and a couple can interconnect, so that’s a minor issue.  I never get spam email from them.  And did I tell you it’s free?

QuizStar allows you to make quizzes and give them online.  Your students create an account and can track their scores from the site.  It will give you a report of how your classes are doing so you can track your classes.  For free.

RubiStar lets you create scoring rubrics/guides for projects or activities you have in class.  Even for writing assignments.  It’s quick and easy.  Create, store, print, use.  Free.

PersuadeStar helps kids write persuasive essays.  It lets you provide some guidelines for them, but takes alot of the work out of it for you.  All online, which is great because you’re not wasting paper.  And they can use it while they type.  Helps with planning, gives a writing area, spelling, sourcing, tells how many times they accessed help so when they say, “I’ve done that,” you can say, “No, you haven’t.  See?  It says so right here.”  Free stuff.

TrackStar is my favorite.  You can create webquests with next to no effort at all.  List your sites, give kids questions to answer.  Clickable links, everything all in one easy place.  You can even create a link from your own website to access the Trackstar.  I love this feature.  I even have a couple of tracks I’ll show you if you want to see them.  By the way, it’s free, too.

Assignment Calendar lets you create a place to list assignments for kids to access.  Great if you don’t have your own school website.  Even if you do, you might find it useful for those long term assignments to help kids keep track of what’s due when.  Free as well.

PBL (Project Based Learning) Checklists helps you create a checklist for kids to use as they’re doing projects in your classroom.  You can choose the subject area and grade level so the suggestions they give suit your group.  For science, it has suggestions for research or for labs.  A very quick and easy way to get a checklist done.

ThinkTank helps your kids narrow their topic for research.  It sort of forces them to list their subtopics so they know what it is they’re going to talk about.  It will give general suggestions and guide them along.  It will even work along with NoteStar.

NoteStar helps get those notes together for research papers or articles.  It gives them a place online to write their resources down and helps them remember to get sources, and tell whether it’s a quote or their own words.  It even allows teachers to see what the kids have done and send them emails to encourage or correct.  Great for when  you can’t get around the room to see everyone and you’re working from home.  When their notes are complete, they can print them and use them for writing their papers. But a copy is saved.  So if they lose the hard copy?  Not a problem. Notestar’s got them covered.  For free.  How much better could it get?