For teachers and educational professionals, having the right resources is important. Optimal teaching tools and resources can save time and create new avenues of learning for students. Thanks to the Internet, there is now a dizzying array of options when it comes to learning and teaching resources.
[RELATED] How to Advance Your Career: A Guide for Educators >>
Yet, while this plethora of resources is great, it can be hard to navigate. That’s why we have put together a list of the top 11 learning and teaching resource websites for educators broken down by specialization.
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics)
NASA: Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology
NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology programs offers activity guides for k-8 educators and after school program directors. These guides focus on teaching the engineering design process through student teamwork using materials that are easily found in the home or classroom. Activity guides include objectives, worksheets, materials, and procedures. This is an awesomely all-inclusive tool for teachers.
The Kennedy Center: Arts Edge
Arts Edge offers free lesson plans, tip sheets, articles, standards and more for elementary, middle and high-school educators. Hence the name, Arts Edge focuses on incorporating the arts with the other disciplines of English, math, science, geography, history, physical education and so on. It is the perfect STEAM resource for teachers looking to incorporate the true concept of STEAM in their classrooms. Clear and intuitive, Arts Edge digital learning center is one of the best resources for educators looking to bring the true concept of STEAM to fruition in their classrooms.
Smithsonian
The Smithsonian has curated a robust arsenal of resources for educators, covering topics across almost every discipline, from American history to air and space, art and zoology. Through the Center for Learning and Digital Access and the Smithsonian Science Education Center, teachers can access teaching materials and links to hundreds of online resources.
Inclusive Learning: Special Education and Universal Design
Gentle Teaching
Gentle Teaching (GT) assists educators in creating inclusive and safe learning environments for everyone but particularly for children and adults who have “intellectual disability, autism or mental illness, or who suffered sexual abuse, domestic violence or exclusion and do not always feel safe and connected with others.” GT offers courses and training as well as articles, research and advice on teaching to those with vulnerabilities. An excellent resource for all teachers and education professionals.
CAST
CAST focuses on bringing Universal Design to classrooms in order to make education more effective for all learners. They offer an array of resources for educators including research, case studies, professional learning and capacity building as well as a host of free learning tools.
Museum of Disability History
The Museum of Disability, a project of People Inc., helps educators teach inclusion and acceptance through understanding disability. The Museum has a multitude of lesson plans for educators in grades pre-K through 12th grade.
>>Watch Now: Online Teaching Myths & Top 10 Best Practices for Educators
Curriculum and Design
Buck Institute for Education (BIE)
When it comes to project-based learning BIE has it all. They offer online tools, articles, blogs, webinars, project rubrics and student handouts for educators at all grade levels and across all subjects. They also offer professional development and have programs specifically targeted towards teachers, schools and districts.
Literacy and Digital Learning
Storybird
Storybird is an engaging, free, digital storytelling tool that helps educators encourage creativity and inspire a love of reading and writing in their students. By curating artwork from illustrators and animators around the world, Storybird helps students of all ages create books, poems and long-form stories. Teachers also benefit from the enhanced lesson plans and digital sharing platform that Storybird offers. Storybird is an exciting and friendly digital learning tool for every age from grades K- 12.
Popplet
Popplet is a tool for the iPad and web that helps students and teachers capture and organize ideas. Great for visual learners, Popplet is described as a “mind map” that allows students to think and learn by capturing thoughts, facts and images in one place.
Padlet
Padlet is another digital application that allows teachers to create lessons and plans online. Through Padlet, teachers can monitor student progress and sharing activity as well as view analytics and create student profiles and portfolios.
Character Lab
Character Lab supports research, projects and teachers interested in helping kids develop and understand character skills that allow them to “learn and flourish.” They offer tools and resources made specifically for classrooms, support and fund research, and partner with schools.
Hopefully, these websites will give you new and effective tools to use in your classroom and assist you in bringing the latest in learning innovation and research to your students. At USD we offer a 100% online Master of Education program, with specializations in STEAM, Literacy and Digital Learning, Curriculum and Design, and Inclusive Learning: Special Education and Universal Design. To learn more about our nationally ranked program, visit our program page.
