Top+10+Websites

[|http://www.tumblr.com]
 * Tumblr**

A blogging site that sort of combines traditional blogs with the Twitter layout and idea. Your dashboard is filled with all of your followers' posts, rather than your own, and replying/reblogging their posts is very simple. Teachers can use Tumblrs in their classroom just like they used blogs or Twitter. It provides a medium for students to comment, interact, and create posts that are educational and reflective. Tumblr could be wonderful for the classroom; however, just like blogs or Twitter, you would run into many issues with monitoring and censorship. Needless to say, it's an exponentially growing site that should be looked at by educators.


 * Grade Level:** 5-12, Teachers

[|http://www.dropbox.com]
 * Dropbox**

It's easiest to describe it as an online flash drive. Upload your files to an online cloud drive and access those files from any computer, tablet, or smart-phone. It's a great tool to quickly transfer files between different devices. Students can use Dropbox if they're working on a project in school and at home (replacing the need for a flash drive). It also replaces the sometimes pesky business of emailing files to yourself. The best part of it is that the Dropbox site and Apps are all free for everyone and give you 2GB of virtual memory.


 * Grade Level:** K-12, Teachers

[|http://www.dropitto.me]
 * DROPitTOme**

A spin-off of Dropbox, DROPitTOme allows you to create a link that people can visit and directly send files to your Dropbox. This, once again, replaces the need to email files to other people, which can be deadly if your working with size limitations. For instance,let's say students have been working on a project on computers and you need some way to see their progress. Instead of having all of your students emailing you different files and documents (which is hard for those students who don't have email), they can just visit your DROPitTOme site and place it into your Dropbox. Now you have access to their files through your Dropbox.
 * Grade Level:** K-12, Teachers

[|http://www.spotify.com] A free online program that allows you to listen to thousands of songs. Sort of like Pandora, but you can search for certain songs and albums. Surprisingly, there are quite a few full albums that you can enjoy and give a listen. Spotify is more than likely blocked by filters (just like Pandora) but can be extremely useful in education to access lesson-relevant music or as a form of motivation. I personally use Spotify songs as timers during class bell-ringers, and students know that they must be finished writing by the end of the daily song.
 * Spotify**


 * Grade Level:** Teachers

[|http://www.youcanbook.me]
 * YouCanBook.Me**

This site allows people to automatically “book” appointments or conferences with you online. They can see what time you're free and select a time frame that works for them. Then their scheduled appointments are automatically transferred to your smart-phone calendar (through Google). It makes setting up appointments on Parent-teacher conference days so much easier (if the parents have internet access). You don't have to waste time emailing back and forth saying, “what time works for you” or “when are you free.” All you have to do is send your calendar link home, and the site does the rest!


 * Grade Level:** Teachers, Administrators

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 * RubiStar**

If you haven't used RubiStar yet to create a rubric, give it a try for your next project! The site provides hundreds of different templates for any and every type of project that you might be grading in class. You get to pick and choose which categories you want to focus on, and RubiStar does the rest. It makes the sometimes-time-consuming task of rubric making and turns into a simple and easy (and sort of fun) process.


 * Grade Level:** Teachers

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 * Short Run Posters**

Looking for that perfect poster to hang in your room but just can't find it in stores? Or don't want to spend $15-$25 for it? If you have the experience with photo-editing and publication software, why not make your own posters? Short Run Posters is an online company that prints out very heavy-duty, glossy, and professional looking posters for very cheap ($3 per poster)! It's cheaper than going to Staples or other printing stores and the end-product is much more durable than what you'll get from the schools' printers. It's also great to use at home if you want to blow-up pictures taken on digital cameras.


 * Grade Level:** Teachers

[|http://www.sourceforge.net]
 * SourceForge**

With the current budget cuts to education, more and more schools (especially colleges and universities) are moving towards using open source software, which basically means it's free to install and use. This site is the most comprehensive collection of powerful, free software. If you want students to create projects using expensive software like Photoshop (to create images) or FrontPage (to make websites) but can't find the funding to get these programs, research similar free software, such as GIMP or Kompozer that aren't as complex but can get the job done. SourceForge is the perfect index to find the programs you need for the advanced projects you want students to complete.


 * Grade Level:** Teachers, Administrators

[|http://www.evernote.com]
 * Evernote**

Evernote is an internet note-taking device that automatically syncs all of your notes between computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. You can also save pictures and recordings to your notes as well. Students and teachers alike can use Evernote to take notes, stay organized by making To-Do lists, or quickly jot down ideas through your smart-phone when you have no access to a computer. I use this App constantly and if I know of a student who has organization problems (but has a Smartphone), Evernote is the first thing I recommend for them to use.


 * Grade Level:** 5-12, Teachers

[|http://www.jeopardylabs.com]
 * Jeopardy Labs**

Jeopary Labs is just that—a site that allows you to quickly create Jeopardy games based on your topics of interest. Take your next review game to the next level when you can create an entire Jeopardy game online with incredible ease. The best part of this site is that your game is published online, which allows students to access the review outside of class as well. So if they're absent or want to continue to study at home, they can easily play the review game from their own computer.


 * Grade Level:** K-12, Teachers