Thanks to the Internet, today’s teachers have it good. A wealth of online educational resources for teachers is available at the click of a mouse button. Whether you are already a teacher or aspire to be one, being aware of the best online education resources for teachers will benefit your career and your students’ educations.
1. Smithsonian Education
Even if you’re too far away to bring your students to the Smithsonian, you can avail yourself of a wealth of free online educational resources through this convenient website. Smithsonian Education offers resources for educators, students and parents. Search for lesson plans in subject areas like Art and Design, History and Culture and Science and Technology. Search more than 2,000 free resources by keyword, grade level and subject. Brush up on state standards of learning, including Common Core standards. There’s even an entire section devoted to planning field trips to various Smithsonian locations.
2. Education World
Conveniently, Education World is available on the Internet and via a well-designed app. It’s devoted to arming teachers and administrators with a wealth of free resources that make their jobs easier while enhancing their ability to educate students. Teacher Essentials includes information for new teachers and substitute teachers, and resources for homework and back-to-school time are also available. The site is also loaded with free lesson plans, including tools and templates, worksheets, five-minute lessons, learning games, holiday lessons and more. Over in the technology section, you’ll find math, science and reading games along with reviews of popular educational apps.
3. Discovery Education
Enhance your lesson plans with free, expertly designed resources from Discovery Education. The site is brought to you by the same people behind the Discovery Channel, and it includes free classroom resources split into categories for grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Browse a wide array of worksheets and lesson plans to gain inspiration for your classroom instruction. Download free clipart to use in your assignments and correspondence. Create custom puzzles with the Puzzle Maker feature, and gain insights into solving a variety of math problems with the WebMath tool.
4. PBS Teachers
This site is especially useful for middle school and high school teachers, but there are resources for elementary school teachers as well. Use the search tool to zero in on crucial information regarding national and Common Core educational standards. Browse educator guides, lesson guides, news articles and more by subject and grade. Avail yourself of free, intuitive productivity tools like the Puzzle Builder, the Quiz Maker and StoryBoard, which lets you design dynamic presentations made up of PBS videos, text and graphics.
5. Scholastic
Scholastic, which is best known for its books and book fairs, also offers an entire site dedicated to providing free teaching resources. The Resources and Tools section features lesson plans, a planning calendar and detailed information regarding Common Core standards. The Strategies and Ideas area offers information about assessment, literacy and classroom management. You can also choose from a variety of student activities, including interactive whiteboard activities and computer lab activities that can be used to supplement your lessons. Scholastic’s website also includes the Teacher Store, where educators enjoy deep discounts on all kinds of useful educational tools, products and accessories. It should also be noted that the site is loaded with worksheets and activities. Some cost money, but many are free.
As you browse the resources highlighted above, you’re sure to be inspired to create all kinds of new learning opportunities for your students. If you are still working on becoming a teacher, being aware of these resources will help you immensely in your career.
Related Resource: 5 Great Online STEM Resources for Teachers
