As 2018 begins, here is a list of some of the best curriculum resources to start the year out right for teachers in K-12 and higher education.
1. Best for curriculum videos and flipped-classroom resources: Khan Academy
Bite-sized, comprehensive and thoughtful 10-minute videos ranging from math and science to test-prep and history that can be used as a resource for students that need extra help or as a component of a larger unit.
2. Best for curriculum resources and teacher-created materials: Teachers Pay Teachers
An enormous collection of curriculum resources, from worksheets and test prep to daily challenges and posters, created by teachers for teachers.
3. Best for K-12 reading resources: Scholastic Teachers
In addition to providing students around the world access to great books, Scholastic has built a dynamic online community for teachers that includes lesson plans, literature resources, and student activities for K-12.
4. Best for mindfulness and movement: GoNoodle
Activate kids’ bodies and brains (or survive yet another long, indoor recess!) with these free playful videos that inspire kids to get up and moving. With themed videos that feature dancing, music, and characters, students at home or at school will learn from and love GoNoodle.
5. Best for formative writing feedback: Revision Assistant
Turnitin channels adaptive technology to provide teachers an online writing resource where students can respond to standards-aligned reading prompts and write essays that receive immediate, actionable feedback with just the click of a button.
6. Best for age-appropriate media and lessons beyond the three Rs: Common Sense
Common Sense provides parents and teachers lessons that cover not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also pertinent issues like cyberbullying and internet safety. In addition, the website offers age-appropriate ratings for current media and suggestions on what to watch.
7. Best for a virtual field trip: Google Earth
Go on a virtual field trip to the Sahara Desert or have students explore the busy streets of Paris during Writers Workshop. Google Earth allows students to travel the world and experience interactive stories in almost every country from the comfort of their home or classroom.
8. Best for digital, interactive presentations: Glogster
Students and teachers can create interactive, multimedia posters in or outside the classroom that feature text, graphics, images, audio, and video with Glogster’s easy-to-use interface.
9. Best for videos in every subject area: TeacherTube
Search and play videos that are age-appropriate and subject-related for Kindergarten up through higher ed. Teacher Tube also features audio, video, and docs, in addition to offering a “Playlist” option to gather a set of specific links for students to watch.
10. Best for engaging history videos and lesson plans: Big History Project
The Big History Project provides teachers with free, standards-aligned, online history resources that include interesting videos, thoughtful lesson plans, and clear curriculum planning guides for middle and high school.
11. Best for free multimedia content for middle school up to higher ed: Hippocampus
In association with the NROC project, Hippocampus provides rich, multimedia content for students and teachers ranging from middle school to higher ed. Videos, animations, and simulations cover topics in math, science, social studies and the humanities and are all free: users do not need to register or log in to use the site.
12. Best for science and space exploration: Nasa
Reach for the stars with NASA’s online collection of lesson plans, teacher guides, classroom activities, video clips, games, posters, and more. Teachers and students in K12 and higher education will enjoy everything this website has to offer.
13. Best for Turnitin tips and tricks: Turnitin Blog
Whether searching for Turnitin Feedback Studio best practices or simply seeking posts on the latest news in EdTech, Turnitin’s blog offers educators a variety of links, resources, and downloadables for Turnitin software and beyond.
14. Best for STEM in K-12: Engineering: GO FOR IT! (eGFI)
Created by the American Society for Engineering Education, eGFI promotes STEM and engineering education with numerous K-12 lesson plans, classroom activities, outreach programs, and links to additional web resources.
15. Best for higher ed resources: Gates Foundation: Postsecondary Success
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is working to support students seeking postsecondary education with an online resource that houses information on financial assistance and scholarships, in addition to a variety of community resources that can help graduates to achieve their dreams.
About the Author
Audrey Nelson is a former elementary school teacher whose passions include reading, adventuring, and dressing up as Star Wars characters to teach social studies. From Vermont and Connecticut to California and Costa Rica, Audrey has helped students all over North and Central America discover their love of learning. Now working for Turnitin, she helps to develop meaningful teaching tools for educators around the world.
