Social and Emotional Wellbeing
AIM Buddy Project
Well-organized SEL program pairs older and younger students for discussion
Bottom Line: The AIM Buddy Project is an enjoyable, effective program for teaching SEL concepts and making elementary students feel more connected with each other.
Sanford Harmony Game Room
Low- to no-prep activities for community-building SEL
Bottom Line: Simple SEL integration with conversation starters and team building.
Empatico
Connect with classrooms around the world using built-in activities
Bottom Line: Teachers will find almost everything they need to create the opportunity for meaningful exchanges with students from faraway places.
Along
Messaging tool helps classrooms forge and foster meaningful dialogue
Bottom Line: This tool opens up avenues for conversation and relationship building between teachers and students.
inspirED
Uplifting one-stop shop for social and emotional learning resources
Bottom Line: inspirED delivers exactly what it claims: empowering, easy-to-search content for social and emotional learning.
Curriculum and Lesson Planning
Common Curriculum
Sleek lesson planner replaces bulky binders, promotes collaboration
Bottom Line: Flexible and collaborative lesson planning, calendar design, and classroom site creator save teachers precious time.
Goalbook Toolkit
Set tailored targets with pricey but worth-it kit of tools, strategies
Bottom Line: You pay for quality with Goalbook Toolkit, including access to clear, well-crafted learning goals and strategies that allow for far easier differentiation.
TeachingBooks.net
Comprehensive site collects resources on authors and books in one place
Bottom Line: This rich database of literary resources is a must-bookmark for teachers looking to extend learning experiences with books and their authors.
OER Commons
Free, easy access to a wealth of resources
Bottom Line: Impressive resource opens access to quality materials for all educators.
Planboard
Handy -- and free -- one-stop digital lesson planner saves time
Bottom Line: This platform simplifies lesson planning with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.
Wizer
Digital worksheet builder lets students show learning in multiple ways
Bottom Line: Students will appreciate this 21st-century take on worksheets, and teachers will love all the different options for creation and assessment.
Feedback, Assessment, and Portfolios
Book Creator
Magically easy way to create and publish digital books and multimedia
Bottom Line: This is a top-quality creation tool that lets students of many ages and abilities publish their own digital books.
Classkick
Assign, assist, and assess with real-time, interactive classroom
Bottom Line: It's a great option for teachers who want to go paperless, provide specific feedback, and encourage collaboration among students in virtual or 1-to-1 classrooms.
Mentimeter
Call on everybody at once with flexible, interactive presentation tool
Bottom Line: This tool's dynamic presentations strike a nice balance between information and interaction.
Seesaw
Versatile digital portfolio appeals to teachers, students, and parents
Bottom Line: A powerful multimedia learning and communication tool that demonstrates student progress over time.
FreshGrade Connect
Multimedia digital portfolios connect students, teachers, and parents
Bottom Line: It's designed with student learning in mind, and teachers can encourage students to submit quality content and engage in reflective feedback.
Flip
Pose questions, spark thoughtful video responses with stellar tool
Bottom Line: This accessible, approachable tool offers connection, multiple means of expression, and creativity to apply to almost any topic.
Formative
Superb real-time assessment tool a fit for 1-to-1, BYOD classrooms
Bottom Line: This smart tool helps teachers gather a variety of student response types and then offer targeted feedback.
Quizizz
Quiz tool has evolved to become interactive lesson platform
Bottom Line: More than a quiz tool: With Quizizz you can create interactive learning experiences, but you'll need a school subscription.
Kaizena
Nifty add-on enables audio and text feedback in Google Docs
Bottom Line: If your classroom relies a lot on Google Docs, this might just be the feedback tool you're looking for.
Bulb
Slick portfolio tool has cool features, limited feedback options
Bottom Line: A neat tool for publishing online, possibly better suited to teacher content creation than student publishing.
Organization and Productivity
Google Classroom
Exceptional, simple communication, collaboration, and document sharing
Bottom Line: Though it doesn't have it all, it's an incredible tool for managing and organizing learning.
Kami
Versatile annotation tool helps users critically connect with content
Bottom Line: Kami is an effective way to promote student interaction with texts, authentic documents, and pictures.
Microsoft Teams
Collaborative LMS platform helps manage classes, groups, and projects
Bottom Line: Educators will likely find that the wide variety of features Teams offers is worth the time it takes to learn how to use it.
Notability
Flexible note-taking tool empowers learners of all abilities
Bottom Line: An excellent tool that lets students make their notes thorough and useful in the way that best suits their learning styles and abilities.
Diigo
Social bookmarking encourages discovery, collaboration, and sharing
Bottom Line: With a Diigo educator account, teachers and students have a safe space to organize, customize, and share Web content while learning about a variety of subjects.
Parent and Student Communication
TalkingPoints
Multilingual messaging tool enhances school-to-home communication
Bottom Line: Easy-to-use tool for supporting communication and engagement with families in 150+ languages.
ClassDojo
Exemplar bridge between home and school also aids learning
Bottom Line: When used thoughtfully, ClassDojo can help adults support students' growth through goal-setting, reflection, and celebration.
Bloomz
Effective district-wide communication platform for school and home
Bottom Line: This multifunctional platform provides many ways for districts, admins, teachers, families, and students to connect and offers a ton of features—perhaps even too many, for some.
Remind
Messaging platform offers tight focus on school-to-home connection
Bottom Line: Well-designed, highly effective messaging tool delivers on its promise to connect home and school.
Skype
Video communication site connects users; lacks bells and whistles
Bottom Line: Far-reaching communication tool helps teachers cultivate a connected classroom.
Google Meet
Communication, collaboration, and learning converge with Google Meet
Bottom Line: It runs great, works on all devices, and can be used to enhance interactive learning.
Backchannel Chat
Real-time, moderated online discussions can engage and encourage
Bottom Line: This tools offers a fun, simple, and safe way to hold real-time online discussions that might just increase engagement, interest, and even learning.
Presentation and Video
Boclips
Safe-for-classroom videos curated by teachers for teachers
Bottom Line: It's a pressure-free place to start looking for high-quality videos to supplement existing lessons in traditional, one-to-one, or flipped classroom models.
Nearpod
Engage and assess students with media, videos, and interactive slides
Bottom Line: The teacher- or student-paced learning can improve 1-to-1 environments and the learning activities are top notch.
Screencast-O-Matic
Create and edit sophisticated screencasts without breaking the bank
Bottom Line: This is the most flexible screencasting tool, but it requires patience -- and perhaps a subscription -- to unlock all of its possibilities.
Edpuzzle
Crop, customize, and remix online video content with interactive tool
Bottom Line: As a tool for the flipped classroom or for student-led creation, a cool tool for teachers to create and share engaging video content.
Pear Deck
Interactive slideshows offer a variety of ways to engage and assess
Bottom Line: It’s an appealing platform that can improve formative assessment, particularly for teachers using Google Classroom.
ClassFlow
Robust lesson creation and delivery tool aids assessment
Bottom Line: With some creativity, this interactive platform can support instruction and assessment.
Professional Growth
BetterLesson
Exemplary lessons, strategies, and coaching from master teachers
Bottom Line: Take advantage of the offerings of this professional community to improve the quality of your classroom instruction.
KQED Teach
Super PD resource for making media in the classroom
Bottom Line: Stay on top of the trends and take the fear out of media-making in the classroom.
Teaching Channel
Quality videos challenge educators to grow within a PD environment
Bottom Line: Professional educators can watch, share, and learn in a continually updated environment.
The Current
Engaging space for tech-forward instruction and teacher collaboration
Bottom Line: A great resource to share and gather ideas on teaching with technology and media, but there are some bugs that need fixing.
Smart classroom tool if used with care; priceless for PLNs
Bottom Line: Twitter offers something for everyone: information, resources, and an easy way to connect with just about anyone.
