Educational Resources
As a K-12 content and curriculum writer, I sift through and use many different online resources related to various fields of study and educational tasks. I thought some of you might find a few of them useful, too. I had planned to lead with general references, but given the prevalence of digital media in our lives , I decided to start there. Please take a few moments to view the media literacy video below, and when you have time, browse some of the resources. We, including our children, are more connected than ever before, with greater access to ideas and information and one another than ever before. That can be a wonderful thing. It can also be challenging and overwhelming to navigate. Resources for language arts, social studies, science, health and more follow.
Jump to sections on ...
>> American Sign Language (ASL) Still to come
Media Literacy
21st Century Schools Media Literacy Resources
CommonSense Digital Citizenship
CommonSense Digital Citizenship en Español
CrashCourse Navigating Digital Media
Fool Proof Me Academy (for middle school, high school, college and parents)
FTC Protecting Kids Online Resources
PBS News and Media Literacy Collection
Resisting Scientific Misinformation
I can't link to it, but if you have Netflix, you might also check out the film The Social Dilemma.
General References
These are free references. Many other online dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference sites are available by subscription.
English Language Arts
Check out the Kid Lit for Kids and Kid Lit for Writers pages for more resources!
Between the Lions Early Reading Collection from PBS
BookShare (ebooks for individuals with reading barriers)
The Genre of Epic Literature and Poetry
Haiku Foundation's Educational Resources
The Folger Shakespeare Library Collection
Learning Disabilities Association of America's Resources
LitWorld's Build-a-Story Challenge
LitWorld's World Read-a-Aloud Day
Nabati Poetry and Its Cultural Significance
National Geographic's K-2 ELA Resources
National Geographic's 3-5 ELA Resources
National Geographic's 6-8 ELA Resources
National Geographic's 9-12 ELA Resources
NIH's Reading and Reading Disorders Resources
NYPL's Resources for Educators
PBS Learning Media ELA Resources
Pennbrook's 15 Common Types of Poems
Poetic Forms in English Literature
Poetry of Japan (haiku, tanka and more)
Primary Sources
As a social studies writer, I spend a great deal of time working with primary sources. I love them, so I decided to put them next! These are some large repositories, but be sure to look up national, state and local museums and libraries for more wonderful stuff.
Digital Public Library of America
Fordham University Internet History Sourcebooks
Georgetown University: Civil Rights Primary Sources
Library of Congress Digital Collections
Library of Congress Primary Source Sets
National Archives: Founders Online
National Archives: Founding Documents
National Archives: Indians/Native Americans
National Women's History Museum's Primary Source Sets
Our Documents: 100 Milestone Documents
Teaching Tolerance Student Texts
Social Studies
As above, make sure to look up state encyclopedias, historical societies and museums for more great resources. Also, visit CrashCourse under Cross-Curricular Resources to view other subject matter.
America’s Story from America’s Library
Animated Map of Changes in Europe for Past 2,400 Years
CrashCourse U.S. Government and Politics
CrashCourse World History 1 (chronological)
CrashCourse World History 2 (thematic)
Library of Congress Classroom Materials
National Geographic Kids History
NEA's Black History Month Resources
PBS Learning Media Social Studies
Pigly's Financial Literacy Resources and Calculators
U.S. History from Independence Hall Association
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Science and Health
This is just a starter list! Lots more out there ... My kids love Mystery Science, which their public school teachers introduced to us through remote learning this year.
CDC BAM! Body and Mind Resources for Teachers
California Academy of Sciences Learn & Explore
Kids Environment Kids Health Resources
National Science Digital Library
Smithsonian Science Education Center
The National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Guide
25 Best Parks in the United States
I'm going to build a nature and conservation section soon to include more links like this.
Cross-Curricular Resources
These links provide a variety of resources. Some of subject-specific links from these resources appear above.
EDSITEment's Teachers' Guides (by content area)
National Geographic Education Resources
Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning, and Online Collections
Wonderopolis (I just found this and can't wait to explore!)
Sensory Learning
Resources about sensory processing issues as well as sensory learning resources for individuals with sensory challenges or teachers/caregivers of individuals with sensory challenges. I will try to add more soon!
Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder from STAR Institute
Downloadable Resources from Humber Sensory Processing Hub
How to Create the Perfect Sensory Room for Your Child
Helpful Ways to Deal with Sensory Problems
Sensory Learning Activities: An A-Z
How to Create a Sensory-Friendly Classroom
13 Easy Sensory Strategies for the Classroom
23 Ways to Create a Sensory Friendly Classroom
Make the Classroom Sensory-Friendly Today