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Essential Resources for Teachers to Enhance Lesson Planning and Material Creation

Writer: Kseniia BegmaKseniia Begma

As a teacher, having the right tools and resources can significantly streamline your lesson planning and the creation of educational materials. The following is a curated list of resources designed to help you plan effectively, create engaging and accessible content, and manage your classroom efficiently.


1. Google Classroom

  • What It Is: A free web service developed by Google for schools that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments paperlessly.

  • Why It’s Useful: Google Classroom integrates with other Google tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and offers a central platform for managing class activities, sharing resources, and communicating with students.

  • Where to Find It: Google Classroom


2. Microsoft OneNote

  • What It Is: A digital notebook that teachers can use for lesson planning, note-taking, and organizing teaching materials.

  • Why It’s Useful: OneNote allows you to easily organize lesson plans, collaborate with colleagues, and integrate multimedia elements. It also supports handwriting recognition and tagging, making it a versatile tool for educators.

  • Where to Find It: Microsoft OneNote


3. Planboard by Chalk

  • What It Is: An online lesson planning tool designed specifically for teachers.

  • Why It’s Useful: Planboard allows you to plan lessons, schedule classes, and track curriculum standards. It’s user-friendly and helps you stay organized throughout the school year.

  • Where to Find It: Planboard


4. Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT)

  • What It Is: An open marketplace where teachers can buy, sell, and share original educational materials.

  • Why It’s Useful: TpT offers a wide range of resources, including lesson plans, worksheets, and classroom activities created by other educators. It’s an excellent platform for finding ready-made materials that can save you time.

  • Where to Find It: Teachers Pay Teachers


5. Khan Academy

  • What It Is: A non-profit educational organization that provides free video tutorials and exercises across various subjects.

  • Why It’s Useful: Khan Academy offers high-quality educational videos that can be integrated into your lesson plans. The platform also includes practice exercises and progress tracking for students.

  • Where to Find It: Khan Academy


6. ReadWriteThink

  • What It Is: A resource site offering free educational materials, lesson plans, and interactive tools for English Language Arts (ELA) teachers.

  • Why It’s Useful: ReadWriteThink provides well-organized lesson plans and classroom resources focused on reading and writing, which can be easily integrated into your curriculum.

  • Where to Find It: ReadWriteThink


7. Nearpod

  • What It Is: An interactive classroom tool for teachers to engage students with multimedia presentations and activities.

  • Why It’s Useful: Nearpod allows you to create interactive lessons that students can engage with on their devices. It supports real-time quizzes, polls, and collaboration, making lessons more dynamic and interactive.

  • Where to Find It: Nearpod


8. Seesaw

  • What It Is: A student engagement platform that allows students to document their learning and share it with teachers and parents.

  • Why It’s Useful: Seesaw enables students to create and reflect on their work through photos, videos, drawings, and text. Teachers can also use it for lesson planning and providing feedback.

  • Where to Find It: Seesaw


9. Edmodo

  • What It Is: An educational platform that connects teachers, students, and parents in a social learning environment.

  • Why It’s Useful: Edmodo offers tools for posting assignments, sharing resources, and fostering communication in a classroom community. It’s particularly useful for blended and online learning environments.

  • Where to Find It: Edmodo


10. Common Sense Education

  • What It Is: A platform offering free digital citizenship resources, lesson plans, and teaching strategies.

  • Why It’s Useful: Common Sense Education provides resources to help teachers integrate digital literacy and citizenship into their curriculum, preparing students for safe and responsible use of technology.

  • Where to Find It: Common Sense Education


11. TED-Ed

  • What It Is: An education platform offering free video lessons on various topics, often paired with discussion questions and supplementary resources.

  • Why It’s Useful: TED-Ed allows you to incorporate engaging and thought-provoking videos into your lessons. It’s a great resource for sparking classroom discussions and inspiring deeper exploration of topics.

  • Where to Find It: TED-Ed


12. ClassDojo

  • What It Is: A classroom management tool that helps teachers communicate with students and parents, track student behaviour, and build a positive classroom culture.

  • Why It’s Useful: ClassDojo allows you to give students instant feedback, reward positive behaviour, and keep parents informed about their child’s progress. It also offers features for sharing lesson plans and activities.

  • Where to Find It: ClassDojo


13. Teach Starter

  • What It Is: A platform offering various teaching resources, including lesson plans, worksheets, and classroom decorations.

  • Why It’s Useful: Teach Starter provides high-quality, ready-to-use materials to help reduce the time you spend planning and creating classroom resources.

  • Where to Find It: Teach Starter


14. PBS LearningMedia

  • What It Is: A free service that offers thousands of educational videos, interactive lessons, and other resources across all subject areas.

  • Why It’s Useful: PBS LearningMedia is an excellent resource for finding high-quality educational content that can supplement your lessons and engage students.

  • Where to Find It: PBS LearningMedia


15. Flipped Learning Network

  • What It Is: A community and resource hub for teachers interested in the flipped classroom model.

  • Why It’s Useful: The Flipped Learning Network offers resources, case studies, and professional development opportunities for teachers who want to implement flipped learning in their classrooms.

  • Where to Find It: Flipped Learning Network


Conclusion

Having the right resources can make lesson planning and material creation more efficient, effective, and enjoyable. The tools and platforms listed here provide a wide range of options to help you manage your classroom, create engaging content, and ensure that your students have a rich and inclusive learning experience. By leveraging these resources, you can focus more on what truly matters: inspiring and educating your students.


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