OneLook Reverse Dictionary

Have you ever experienced a time where you had a word on the tip of your tounge, yet you were unable to recall it? You were able to describe the word while, and still your brain would not cooperate..

Well my friends, OneLook is your solution! Simply type in the characteristics of a concept and you will receive a list of related words. If you are a crossword puzzle fanatic, you might find OneLook really helpful.

I can foresee a variety content areas using OneLook in order to have students create word clouds showing how different vocabulary words are related. I have found that if students can make a visual connection between multiple vocabulary concepts, they have an easier time learning, understanding, and internalizing the vocabulary.

13 Websites with FREE E-Books & Textbooks!

I just discovered this great resource that provides 13 websites that offer free e-books and textbooks. Some of the sites have been around for a while, though I did see some new ones. 

My favorite is the Flatworld Knowledge site...great place for FREE college textbooks. 

If you teach science, there looks to be a great one called "Science Books Online" that has a variety of articles and e-texts related to many different science fields. 

I know students in my school read 1984 and The Great Gatsby, thus why not have them download the books to their mobile devices they are already using!

Times Machine from the New York Times

I recently discovered this GEM of a resource. The New York Times (love them or hate them) has a large catalog of newspapers going back to 1851! They put some of their highlights at the opening screen of their webpage...including the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the sinking of the Titanic.

I foresee using the front pages as a way to get students interested at the beginning of the lesson. If you teach history or journalism, this should be right up your alley!

Here is a sample...