National Geographic Kids
Kid-friendly science and social studies info via videos, games, and more
Bottom Line: Large collection of approachable, fun multimedia resources about animals, habitats, countries, and cultures.
National Geographic Education
Top geography resource site provides global exploration opportunities
Bottom Line: This is a must-bookmark site for classrooms across the curriculum hunting for inspiring place-based resources.
Roots & Shoots
Lessons, activities, and projects promote social and environmental change
Bottom Line: Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots will inspire you to lead change in your community.
Homes by Tinybop
Explore homes -- and cultures -- around the world in exquisite detail
Bottom Line: Offers a delightful and accessible way for kids to learn about the world's cultures.
Google Earth
Dazzling globe-trotting tool has endless classroom applications
Bottom Line: This tool defines engagement and offers a completely open-ended experience perfect for use across the educational spectrum.
Touchable Earth
Videos of kids from around the world encourage global citizenship
Bottom Line: Brief, high-interest videos present a wonderfully authentic way for kids to find connections with other kids from across the globe.
Better World Ed
Wordless videos link core subjects, SEL; connect students to the world
Bottom Line: If your school or home can afford it, Better World Ed is a well-done interdisciplinary curriculum that will expand students' global view.
Newsela
Great stories, just-right leveled reading; now mostly by subscription
Bottom Line: While pricey, Newsela has ascended into an all-in-one destination for leveled, non-fiction reading.
Oddizzi
Kids travel the world, cultivate global curiosity and responsibility
Bottom Line: Kids get a sense of culture and global responsibility via kid-friendly articles and great multimedia.
Belouga
Impressive cross-curricular platform establishes global connections
Bottom Line: Versatile video-based curriculum inspires reflection and action.
Google Earth VR
Explore the world with an incredible new perspective and sense of scale
Bottom Line: An amazing experience that brings the world to life, despite the heavy investment in VR required.
PenPal Schools
Give students global perspective with pen pal projects in any subject
Bottom Line: This is a thoughtful, ready-to-go platform that facilitates authentic and safe cross-cultural collaboration.
SDGs in Action
Empowering sustainable development app organizes, educates
Bottom Line: It's a well-packaged way for teachers to educate students about the current challenges facing the world and to give them a conduit for social justice.
ePals
Kids learn together in well-rounded, collaborative global classroom
Bottom Line: A safe communication system and excellent learning materials help create a global youth community.
Geoguessr
Addicting gameplay jazzes up geography
Bottom Line: Game-based platform can get kids interested in world geography and expose them to different cultures on a surface level.
Fantasy Geopolitics
Impressive fantasy "sports" game engages students on current events
Bottom Line: This game could be the hook that gets students engaged with international news.
Google Maps
Hugely popular mapping tool has tons of learning potential
Bottom Line: This familiar tool can go beyond here to there and take kids to new educational destinations.
My Hero
Global community of storytellers share inspiring examples of humanity
Bottom Line: Free resource that teaches kids about all kinds of heroism, gives them skills to tell stories, and offers a platform to share them.
When Rivers Were Trails
Point-and-click story shares Native perspectives on forced migration
Bottom Line: Offers a valuable alternative perspective to the colonial history found in U.S. classrooms, through a familiar, Oregon Trail-style format.
Facing History and Ourselves
A wealth of resources explore racism, prejudice, and anti-Semitism
Bottom Line: These valuable materials empower students to understand and address difficult ethical choices -- past and present.
Proven Sustainable
Globally minded materials spotlight the wisdom of resilient cultures
Bottom Line: This is a valuable resource, with perspectives often kept out of curricula, but it'll require a motivated teacher to turn it into actual lesson plans.
Gapminder
Interactive animated charts explore global development trends
Bottom Line: Gapminder brings meaning to what otherwise might be considered “boring” numbers; students learn about social, economic, and environmental development.
Stop Disasters!
Slick sim explores global natural disasters
Bottom Line: Few other browser-based sims better illustrate the potential of gaming for learning about serious issues in our world.
YourCommonwealth
Engage with passionate international perspectives from youth
Bottom Line: Offers a rich variety of news and opinion stories on global issues, and its young writers will get U.S. students hooked on civic engagement.
Write the World
Global community helps young writers write, revise, think, and grow
Bottom Line: With interest-based writing prompts and thoughtful feedback from peers and pros, this is a great tool for writing for authentic audiences.
Bury Me, My Love
Moving portrayal of the dangers and uncertainty of a Syrian refugee
Bottom Line: It effectively connects students with the harrowing journey of a Syrian refugee, even though some of the interactive elements are underwhelming.
Global Oneness Project
Captivating, cross-curricular stories increase cultural awareness
Bottom Line: Teachers looking to enrich their curriculum with high-quality, thought-provoking videos and photos will find plenty of inspiration, but may need to create or fine-tune some lessons.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database
Deep, complex database is challenging but a peerless research tool
Bottom Line: This is a highly academic site for better and for worse; it's filled with deep, research-backed resources and primary sources but is intimidating without clear guidance.
1979 Revolution: A Cinematic Adventure Game
Violent, immersive view of revolution engages despite tricky interface
Bottom Line: This important historical experience is the perfect start for more global understanding, but the challenging interface may get in the way of learning.
