S'Cool Tools of the Week: DKFindout!, DeStressify, Photos for Class, Ask a Mentor

TOO COOL (PERFECT FOR SCHOOL): We've got our favorite edtech teacher and administrator tools for the week right here, as highlighted in our Instruct newsletter. By the way--got a favorite S’Cool Tool you like to use? We would love to hear and share your recommendations! If you’ve got a tool that makes you or your students sing from the proverbial mountaintops, fill out this form to let us know. It might just get featured!

Our tools of the week are:

Free! What are dwarf planets? Where do geometrical forms appear in nature? How large can penguins grow? DKFindout!’s online encyclopedia serves up answers to thousands of such questions, on topics from dinosaurs to the human body. Check out DKFindout!’s teacher resources to create lesson plans using its resources and content.

Free! If your students are feeling test and grade pressures as the school year draws to a close, you might want to remind them of tried-and-true stress remedies including eating right, sleeping well and getting exercise. DeStressify, available on the App Store and Google Play, offers a way to keep these coping tools in mind, from five-minute yoga exercises to a nutrition pop-up reminder at lunch.

Free! It can be difficult to find appropriate, attributed images that you can use in the classroom. Photos For Class lets you search through tons of options, all G-rated according to Flickr’s standards and licensed for school use through Creative Commons. Downloads are automatically cited with the author. Note for you, elementary and middle school teachers: Students under 13 can only use Photos For Class when supervised by an adult.

Free! Looking for feedback and coaching from experienced educators? With Ask a Mentor, from the New Teacher Center, you can upload a video or explanation of your problem and get help from a specific mentor within 48 hours, delivered in writing or via video. Ask a Mentor suggests a match, but you get the final say--and can change mentors at any time.

Editor's Note: According to DeStressify, the tool does not offer five-minute yoga exercises, but focuses on strategies to tackle job-related stress and burnout, including breathing, emotional release, self-care, physical activity and visualizations.