10 Online resources for your classroom

By Cait Ferguson

Online resources are now invaluable in education. From lesson plans to instructional strategies, teachers find inspiration and assistance from the many classroom resources and educational platforms available. So, how do we find the right resources that will work for our Five Keys classrooms and students? Searching through the google results to find the gems can be time consuming and hit or miss, so we have done some searching for you!  

We have compiled a "Technology Resources List", with recommended resources sorted by the content or task they address. The list includes a brief description and a link for each resource, as well as an "internet friendly" and "no access friendly" recommendation. This recommendation is designed so in custody and community site teachers can quickly identify resources that will work with limited access. These recommendations also usually include whether the resource can be easily printed, and if the resource is intended for teacher use, student use, or both.

Ten of the resources from the list are provided below. Expand each of the tabs to find the recommendation that may just work for you!

The full "Technology Resources List" is now on the curriculum page of the intranet.  Find it here. 

GENERAL CURRICULUM RESOURCES

Teachers First! 

Find it here: https://teachersfirst.com/matrix.cfm

According to Teachers First, the website provides "a rich collection of lessons, units, and web resources designed to save teachers time by delivering just what they need in a practical, user-friendly, and ad-free format."

Resources cover most disciplines, and the search function makes it easy to find specific topics in your desired TABE range. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

ReadWriteThink!

Find it here: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/

Resources for all grade levels and a wide range of writing tasks, including a library of "printouts" with graphic organizers . You can search for resources by type, or by theme or learning objective to find materials that will work for your classroom. 

sOCIAL STUDIES

Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)!

Find it here: https://sheg.stanford.edu/

Document based lessons in world history and U.S. history. Both student and teacher versions easily available for download.

Social justice 

Speak Truth to Power!

Find it here: http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/curriculum/

This curriculum includes specific stories about social activists, called “defenders”, also has lesson plans and recommendations for additional resources.

math 

Brilliant!

Find it here: https://brilliant.org/

Online practice for many different science and math subjects. Includes problems and feedback as students practice.

General science

CK-12!

Find it here: ​​https://www.ck12.org/teacher/​

According to the site, good to “create digital classrooms, customize textbooks, and learn K-12 STEM concepts.” CK-12 covers many content areas, and adapts readings to different lexile levels. 

English Language Development 

American English!

Find it here: ​https://americanenglish.state.gov/

According to the site, "The American English website provides resources for teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), exploring American culture, and encouraging conversation within the global EFL community." 

art 

Smarthistory!

Find it here: https://smarthistory.org/

Smarthistory is a leading resource for the study of art and cultural heritage. Collection of videos and essays are designed to be engaging and conversational and cover art that ranges from the Paleolithic to the present.

technology

GCFLearnFree.org!

Find it here: https://www.gcflearnfree.org/subjects/technology/

​Free how-to lessons for common computer need to knows, like word, excel, PPT presentations and more.

​SPED

Teacher Vision!

Find it here: https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-strategies/special-needs

In their own words, “information for teaching students with ADHD, Autism, Asperger's, Giftedness, and Handicaps. We'll help you figure out ways to create an inclusive classroom, adapt and supplement your classroom materials, make assessment accommodations, and provide you with other useful tips.”

The "Technology Resources List" will be updated periodically. If you would like to suggest a resource to add to the list, please comment below or fill out the google form here.