The Web Catcher » Tools

The Poetry Foundation

K. Haugen — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:27:31 +0000

The online home of the Poetry Foundation – Use the Poetry Finder to find poems by poet, category, occasion, title, first line and glossary term. Also many other poems and poetry resources, including audio

(tags: literature literacy search teens ages09-12 cooltools audio authors poetry)

Wordsmyth GlossaryMaker

K. Haugen — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:24:33 +0000

The Wordsmyth GlossaryMaker allows you to generate a “miniature dictionary”. You can type or paste a list of vocabulary words in Step 1, and customize your dictionary’s level of detail in Step 2.

GhostReader from ConvenienceWare

K. Haugen — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:00:24 +0000

GhostReader (formerly TextParrot) reads text aloud with high quality voices and optional word-by-word highlighting. From ConvenienceWare, a part of AssistiveWare, which makes more fully featured accessibility software and utilities for people with disabilities

VoiceThread

K. Haugen — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:23:02 +0000

VoiceThread is an awesome tool for creating and sharing annotated online slideshows that you have to experience for yourself. Make your own slideshows or browse what others have done.

You can interact by recording or typing comments directly in others’ slide shows and then listen or read what others have said, which creates a non-linear conversation in which anyone can participate.

It’s also possible to doodle on your slideshows, and the doodles fade away (or stick, if you tell them to).

There are numerous examples of how one could use VoiceThread in the classroom.

ROGET’S Thesaurus Search Form

K. Haugen — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:35:50 +0000

ARTFL Project: ROGET’S Thesaurus Search Form provides a free, public domain, searchable thesaurus. You can search by head word (entry) or any word.

HELP! In order to develop this thesaurus together with the Webster’s dictionary into an encyclopedic knowledge base for use in intelligent programs, volunteers are needed with all levels of expertise who can contribute some time. If you are willing to share your knowledge with the world, click here for more info.

Crayola Digi-Color

K. Haugen — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 21:20:33 +0000

Draw online with digital versions of Crayola’s pens, paints, crayons and colored pencils. This simple site has no outgoing links, making it great for younger kids. Apart from one Crayola logo, there are no ads. This site would work great with a touch screen or graphics tablet!

The major downsides are no “undo” button and no “fill” or “bucket” but this does provide a simple, non-cluttered space for fun drawings.