Classroom teachers around the country have worked to understand the ins-and-outs of distance learning and have been on the hunt for free online resources.
The good news is help is available! Many companies offer teachers free or discounted access to their online learning platforms. We have put together a list of free online resources for schools, educators, and administrators to help them navigate the formation of this new education landscape.
A new education landscape is forming and dozens of free online resources for schools are available for educators and administrators.
Whenever you are looking at utilizing a new online learning platform, it’s a good idea to check with your school and/or district to make sure it meets security and confidentiality guidelines. Zoombombing, where uninvited participants interrupt meetings, is prompting many schools and districts to take a closer look at how to protect students’ information. Northwestern University has shared guidelines for their staff to protect their meetings and respond to disturbances that you can apply to your own meetings. Knoji also released this list of tips for Teachers and Parents. If the resources on our list meet confidentiality requirements (FERPA, COPPA, etc.) we have listed that information in the description!
We will continue to monitor and update the resources listed here as new ones become available. Know of a resource we missed? Reach out to us at info@schoolchoiceweek.com to let us know.
For even more great content, check out our list of offline learning activities!
Glean Start Coaches Newsletter
List of resources to help special education students and families during home learning. Resources are available in the following categories: visuals and social stories, parent guides, language arts and reading, math, additional academic resources, and social skills/social emotional skills. Free Resources Offered: Free read!
Curriculum for Autism
The Teachers Pay Teachers account Curriculum for Autism, run by Kristen who is a single mom to a young adult with autism, has a free guide to starting home learning for parents of kids & teens with autism. This guide provides support and reassurance as parents start having to educate their child/children at home. Free Services Offered: Free Guide
How to Use: Download today from Teachers Pay Teachers (you will need to sign up for a free account)
Helperbird
Helperbird is a browser extension that gives you features to help make websites accessible. The extension includes features such as dyslexic fonts, an immersive reader layout, changing of font sizes, screenshots, reader mode, Google Translate, color blindness underline, and color blindness text stroke. Free Services Offered: Free download of the extension.
Special Education with Pat
Pat Noonan is a special education teacher from Methuen, MA, who has launched a YouTube channel dedicated to putting out weekly videos for students with autism and intellectual disabilities. The videos incorporate Boardmaker pictures into a familiar TV show format that students enjoy. Free Services Offered: Free videos and downloadable worksheets.
Special Needs for Special Kids
Special Needs for Special Kids is a website run by a mom-turned-teacher. She develops and sells curriculum material online to teachers – and offers access to some of her resources for free! The Free Resource Library contains social stories, content resources, digital resources, and other free resources. You will need to sign up to receive the password for the library.
How to Use: Visit Special Needs for Special Kids and sign up for access to the library.
Stages Learning Language Builder ARIS Curriculum
Stages Learning is giving free lessons, materials, activity sheets, and behavior management tools to those who are working with children with autism or other special needs at home. These materials are a sampling of lessons and are 100% free to families. Free Services Offered: ARIS Emergency Home Education Program Overview, Language Builder ARIS Manual – Abbreviated for Home Use, and more.
Tar Heel Reader
Tar Heel Reader is a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics in multiple languages. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys with custom overlays, and 1 to 3 switches (instructions are available online). Free Services Offered: Free, accessible books.
Big River Journey Online
Big River Journey is an amazing science and riverboat adventure field trip, geared for grades 4-5, that is now available to teachers and students in a free online format! This interactive website was designed with Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education. Free Services Offered: Free online science and riverboat adventure field trip.
How to Use: Visit Big River Journey Online to explore today!
Generation Genius
Generation Genius is a science teaching resource that brings school science standards to life through fun and educational videos paired with lesson plans, activities, quizzes, and more. The videos are produced in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association and have been aligned to standards in all 50 states. Free Services Offered: Free access to videos and resources.
How to Use: Visit Generation Genius to access the science content!
Living River Online
Living River is a riverboat field trip program, geared for grades 3-4, that is now available as an interactive online site! Recognized by the National Park Foundation, this site provides students with an understanding of how floodplain forests help support two very important species: mighty mussels and powerful pike. Free Services Offered: Free, virtual riverboat field trip.
How to Use: Visit Living River Online to start your adventure!
Mystery Science
Mystery Science offers science lessons in English and Spanish for Kindergarten through 5th Grade. There are full and mini-lessons available with out having to create an account. Full Lessons come with a hands-on activity. You can also create a free account to access even more lessons. Free Services Offered: Free trial through June 30, 2022!
How to Use: Visit the website to register for your free trial today!
OLogy
OLogy is a science website for kids from the American Museum of Natural History. OLogy not only has science content, but through a partnership with ReadWorks they have created dozens of OLogy articles and paired them with vocabulary lessons and formative assessments. Free Services Offered: Always Free!
Omni Calculator
Omni Calculator is a website that has hundreds of custom-built calculators. Each calculator is meant for a specific type of problem – chemistry, ecology, physics and more! With each calculator you will find an explanation, links to other related topics, and a FAQ section. You can also embed them into your website or presentation. Free Services Offered: Always Free!
Certell
Certell is a collection of forever free social studies content that is created by teachers, for teachers. It is trusted, standards-based, media rich, digitally delivered content at your fingertips across any device. They offer everything you need to teach economics, government, and American history. Free Services Offered: Always Free Social Studies Content
The Daily Bellringer
The Daily Bellringer is a YouTube channel designed to be a resource for American History educators to use in their classrooms. Each video has questions in the video description for students and includes an EdPuzzle link. Free Services Offered: Free American History videos.
HipHughes History
HipHughes History is a series of upbeat, personable, and educational lectures designed for students and lifelong learners. The videos primarily focus on US History and Politics but span across World History and general interest. Free Services Offered: Free videos on YouTube on a variety of topics.
How to Use: Visit the HipHughes History channel to watch.
For a complete list of videos, visit the HipHughes Video Index.
Seminary Ridge Museum
During this time of digital learning, the Seminary Ridge Museum is offering access to their student-paced digital lessons free of charge using Nearpod Student Engagement software. On the education page, you will find virtual lessons for High School and Middle School. Free Services Offered: Free access to digital lessons.
How to Use: Visit the website today to access the lesson of your choice.
Stossel in the Classroom
Stossel in the Classroom is a collection of videos related to subjects like economics, government, and current events designed to encourage critical thinking. The video library currently consists of over 300 videos with new videos correlated to your state’s standards for grades 6-12. Free Services Offered: Always free for teachers and students.
How to Use: Visit Stossel in the Classroom and register for your free teacher account!
The National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center offers free online civic learning opportunities, including Scholar Exchanges. Teachers can sign up for Classroom Exchanges where classes interact with other classes. Free Services Offered: Free lectures, civil dialogue sessions, daily live constitutional conversations, classroom exchanges, and resources.
The White House Historical Association
The White House Historical Association has put together virtual education resources for learners of all ages to utilize. The resources are broken up into two grade level spans, K-5 and 6-12, with content such as reading lists and a digital library of White House and presidential images. Free Services Offered: Free virtual education resources.
How to Use: Visit the website to access the free resources today!
Didax
Didax has a whole host of virtual manipulatives available online to enhance at-home learning. The tools can be embedded using the iframe command to use within your online learning platform. You can download the iframe texts for each of the tools by following the link on their website. Free Services Offered: Always Free!
How to Use: Visit the website today to start using these tools!
EquateIO
EquatIO is software that allows you to create mathematical equations, formulas, and more directly on your computer. You can type, handwrite, or dictate any expression, and EquatIO will convert it to accurate digital math which then can be added into a Microsoft Word doc or G Suite apps with a click. Free Services Offered: Always free for teachers!
Free Math
Free Math is an online platform that allows students to show their work step-by-step for your to review. Students create their assignments directly from problems in your assigned materials. As a teacher, you can simultaneously review all assignments and analytics. Free Math integrates with Google Classroom, Canvas, Blackboard, and more. Free Services Offered: Always Free!
Omni Calculator
Omni Calculator is a website that has hundreds of custom-built calculators. Each calculator is meant for a specific type of problem – percentages, algebra, arithmetic, coordinate geometry, fractions, linear algebra, trigonometry, 2D geometry, triangle, 3D geometry, sequences, and more! The calculators also come with code that you can use to embed them into your website or presentation! Free Services Offered: Always Free!
ORIGO Education
ORIGO Education is offering a collection of free math learning resources to support teachers, parents, and caregivers. ORIGO at Home features free weekly, digital plans for home use. These weekly plans contain activities for each day, along with digitally accessible or downloadable resources. In addition, most of the student resources are available in Spanish. Free Services Offered: 9 Free Weekly Lesson Plans for Pre-K through Grade 6.
How to Use: Visit the website and choose your grade level to access the materials.
Prodigy
Prodigy is an engaging, curriculum-aligned math platform for students and teachers from 1st – 8th grade. The platform encourages self-paced math practice for both in and out of school that is leveled based on your students progress. Prodigy meets ESSA Tier 3 in partnership with John Hopkins University. Free Services Offered: Always Free.
Tailor-ED
Tailor-ED provides holistic learning experiences tailored to the needs of the teacher, the classroom, and each student. The Teacher Basic Plan is free and includes K-8 standard aligned math resources, smart differentiated lesson tools, and SEL-based exit tickets. You can create up to 4 units with the free teacher account. Free Services Offered: Always Free.
Take Charge Today
Take Charge Today is a program and curriculum with a decision-based approach to personal finance for Grades 7-12. The program provides a consistent framework for thinking through financial choices. They provide educators with ready-to-teach, activity-based lesson plans. Free Services Offered: Always Free
Zearn Math
Zearn is a comprehensive math program that supports teachers in creating engaging daily learning. Zearn Math brings together hands-on teaching and immersive digital learning. Zearn has top-rated intervention materials and implementation tools to make Zearn Math work for your classroom. Free Services Offered: The K-5 curriculum is available for free.
How to Use: Follow these instructions to create your individual teacher account.
Conjugemos
Teach the verbs, vocabulary, and grammar of Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portugese, Korean, and Latin through fun activities and games. This platform has engaging activities for practice and quizzes. The free account will store up to 25 grades in their gradebook. Free Services Offered: Free accounts for teachers and students.
