Posts Tagged ‘definitions’

Vocabulary Lesson, Puzzles & Word Lists!

June 22nd, 2022

It’s Wednesday, June 22, 2022, and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

MyVocabulary.com

(www.myvocabulary.com/)

Grades 4-10, with parental supervision

MyVocabulary.com offers over 2,500 pages of a variety of free, interactive vocabulary development and enrichment activities including lesson plans, word searches, crossword puzzles, and quizzes.

When you get to the site, you’ll see a menu in the center of the screen that includes:

  1. Root Word Lesson – Get multiple lesson plans for various grade/difficulty levels that include practice exercises such as fill-in-the-blanks, match-games, crosswords, word finds, true/false and word stories.
  2. Subject Puzzles – You’ll find calendar-themed vocabulary puzzles for holidays and events such as Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more.
  3. Subject Word Lists – Access hundreds of “A-Z” word lists by subject including animals, books, business/economics, fine arts, history/social studies, math, science, religion, sports, and general interest (from “accessories” to “Yellowstone”). Use them to help students learn the definitions of new words, or as story-starters, or to identify parts of speech.
  4. Test Prep – Try the practice activities for learning top SAT/ACT/GRE vocabulary words to get better test results.

The extensive content at this ad-free, self-paced website is a great resource to supplement vocabulary and language arts studies. It is based on state standards and is printable for use offline.

Explore Castles of Whales & Welsh History!

June 9th, 2022

It’s Thursday, June 9, 2022, and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Jeffrey L. Thomas: Castles of Wales

(www.castlewales.com/home.html)

Grades 3-12, with parental supervision

This non-profit, educational resource website created by Jeffrey L. Thomas features photographs and/or information relating to over 400 different medieval castles of Wales. Not only will visitors be able to view images of the well-known and lesser-known castles, but they can also learn about the castle builders and Welsh history.

When arriving at the site, you can read the introduction, and then use the upper text link menu to navigate through. Select “Main Menu” to easily arrive at areas of interest such as:

  • Main Castle Index – Use the hyperlinked, alphabetized index of castles to quickly arrive at the castle you wish to visit.
  • Complete Castle Database – provides a larger annotated list of the castles in Wales, including those that no longer remain but have been mentioned in historical records
  • Castle Locator Maps – maps showing the locations of the major castles of Wales
  • Historical Essays – historical overviews, the evolution of the castle in Wales, and additional essays
  • Castle Builders – Discover the Welsh and Norman castle builders.
  • A Timeline of Medieval Wales and A Timeline of Welsh Castles
  • Castle Terminology – short definitions for terms associated with medieval castles, some of which are hyperlinked to examples
  • Abbeys & Other Religious Sites in Wales – includes a hyperlinked list of holy wells, abbeys, cathedrals, priories, and churches
  • Pre-Medieval & Other Historic Sites in Wales – a selection of other historical sites and monuments
  • Welsh Language Pages – In an effort to preserve the ancient Celtic language of Wales, some pages are available in Welsh. There are also a few links to Welsh language sites.
  • Drawings and Illustrations of Welsh Castles

And there’s so much more. This website would make an excellent resource for geography and history studies of Wales and castles.

Design Your Own Opera

March 26th, 2022

The Creative Kids Education Foundation: Hansel & Gretel: Learning about Opera

(goclassical.org/kids/opera/opera-game)

All grades, with parental supervision

The Creative Kids Education Foundation offers this free interactive game called “Hansel and Gretel Design Your Own Opera” that provides players with music education while they pick different settings for the technical elements of creating an opera.

When you get to the site the game will launch. Try your hand at being:

  • A Costume Designer
  • A Choreographer
  • A Property Manager
  • A Lighting Technician
  • A Set Designer
  • A Technical Director
  • A Stage Director
  • A Technical Effects Director

With each scene, as you engage in activities, the music from the opera “Hansel and Gretel” is played and the meaning and nuances are pointed out by a narrator. Not only that, the lyrics that are being sung are on the screen making it easier to understand the storyline.

During Intermission, you get to try your hand at being an orchestra conductor! Learn about the instruments including strings, percussion, and brass.

When the show is over, take a virtual trip backstage and see how the production was put together. Use the spotlight menu to learn all about:

  • The Composer – Learn about the German composer, Engelbert Humperdinck.
  • Opera – Find out what an opera is and explore links to opera websites.
  • Fairy Tales – Get links to sites about Fairy Tales along with some downloadable activities.
  • Voice Studio – Learn the definitions of a Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Tenor, and Baritone. Visit a Master Class with Placido Domingo. Meet famous opera singers.
  • Teacher Resources – Download free lesson plans for the opera along with games and activities to enhance learning. Take a fun quiz to see what you’ve learned.

This activity takes about 45 minutes to complete. It is SO WORTHWHILE – and fun, educational, engaging, and entertaining for the whole family!

Explore the World of Astronomy with NASA!

August 17th, 2021

StarChild

(starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html)

Grades 1-8, with parental supervision

NASA created this website to introduce kids to astronomy through colorful, animated pictures and interesting text accompanied by audio narration. 

When you get to the site, choose between Level 1 (easier reading) or Level 2 to learn more about: 

  • Solar System – Sun, Moon, Planets, and more
  • Universe – Galaxy, Stars, Black Holes, and more
  • Space Stuff – Astronauts, Space Travel, Hubble, and more

Each section has audio or video and activities such as Planet TicTacToe, Moonlight Madness, Draw a Space Shuttle, and more.

There is also a Glossary – to look up the definitions of words used on the site.

Peruse this Visual Dictionary Reference Tool!

July 21st, 2021

The Visual Dictionary

(infovisual.info/en)

All grades, with parental supervision

This ad-supported website offers a free online Visual Dictionary. It’s different from a regular dictionary – instead of just word definitions, it provides colorful visual images that enhance the meaning of the words and concepts you explore. Concise textual definitions (in three languages) are included, but it’s secondary to the images.

When you get to the site, you’ll see an icon menu of the list of topics that are in The Visual Dictionary. We suggest you click on “List of Topics” on the menu tab because then you can see each topic area with a drop-down list of what it covers as follows:

  • Biology Vegetal – See images (with text) that define and describe plant cell structure, structure of a leaf, leaf shapes, types of roots, flower germination, diagram of the stages of mitosis, fruits, vegetables, and much more.
  • Biology Animal – Learn about the structure of a bacterial cell or an amoeba or paramecium, find out about the anatomy of an earthworm, starfish, jellyfish, snake, frog, fish, shark, fly, bee, cricket, spider, bird, bat, cat, dog, deer, gorilla and more.
  • Human Body – Explore cells, muscles, skeletal system, finger nails, parts of a tooth, nervous system, eyes, ears, nasal and oral cavities, digestive system, respiratory system, human heart, reproductive system, and more.
  • Music – Discover a wide variety of instruments from around the world including Europe, India, China, Africa, and South America. Get info on percussion, wind, brass, and string instruments. Learn about music notation.
  • Transport – Learn all about automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, trains, boats, planes, hot air balloons, and rockets. Get details on engines, air filters, brakes, shock absorbers, tires, and more. Explore roads and bridges.
  • Clothing – Everything you ever wanted to know about clothing and accessories including info on cultural differences in styles. Check out uniforms and costumes too!

This is a great reference tool. Just exploring The Visual Dictionary is sure to springboard interest in a wide variety of topics. Bookmark it to return often!

Literacy Through Greek Mythology

April 28th, 2021

Mythweb

(www.mythweb.com/)

 

Grades 5 and up, with parental supervision

This website offers many free resources to help students learn about Greek mythology!

Learn about the gods, creatures, and heroes from ancient Greece that equip kids to understand vocabulary and references in literature, poetry, the newspaper, blogs, and all forms of communication and entertainment. Consider these basic examples provided at the website: 

  • In tribute to Hercules and his Labors, a huge or heroic task is said to Herculean.
  • The Midas touch, or the gift of profiting from whatever one undertakes, is named for a legendary king of Phrygia.
  • A book of maps gets its name from Atlas, the Titan who supported the heavens on his shoulders.

You’ll find many more examples in the “Teachers” section of the website that you can access from the home/landing page. It also includes free suggestions for mythology-themed activities and lesson plans designed to build skills in creative writing, vocabulary development, and art appreciation, along with two free downloadable ebooks titled, “The Heroic Myths” and “The Illustrated Odyssey.”

When you get to the site you’ll see the main menu that includes: 

  • Gods – Learn about 12 deities that dwelt on Mount Olympus through engaging text and colorful graphics.
  • Heroes – Read the comic-book-style biographies of Jason, Hercules, Bellerophon, Theseus, Odysseus and Perseus – in English or Latin! Print them out to read offline too!
  • Today – Find out how the Greek myths are relevant today.
  • Encyclopedia – Get definitions and descriptions of various characters, places, and events in Greek mythology.

You’ll also find links to other websites with more in-depth information about Greek mythology.

This website is actually a commercial site that offers a CD-ROM of a Greek Mythology game for sale. However, that is one small aspect of this mostly free educational site.

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