Arts and Creativity Tools
Drawp for School
Collaboration tool makes digital sharing easy
Bottom Line: This handy tool encourages collaboration and creativity, and it makes sharing assignments and giving feedback a snap.
Minecraft: Education Edition
Stellar collaboration tools, controls make Minecraft classroom-ready
Bottom Line: An excellent tool to engage students in learning, collaboration, and critical thinking is now more accessible than ever to teachers.
WeVideo
Cloud-based multimedia editor elevates brims with possibility
Bottom Line: This is an excellent way to provide multimodal learning experiences to students.
Sutori
Build timelines, embed media with cool storytelling tool
Bottom Line: With a super-simple design and tons of flexible features, this is an appealing and intuitive way for teachers and students to organize and share class content.
Flat
Compose, perform, and practice with powerful music education tool
Bottom Line: This digital companion for in-person music study is an excellent tool for beginners and pros alike.
ELA, STEM, and Social Studies Tools
BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week
High-quality animated videos engage young kids in a variety of topics
Bottom Line: Great videos, though kids' learning should be enhanced with interactive elements to encourage deeper, more active learning.
Epic! - Kids' Books and Videos
Free, expansive digital library unlocks treasure trove of books
Bottom Line: This large collection of books and videos on a wide variety of topics is an easy -- and free -- enhancement to any classroom library.
Matific
Engaging supplemental resource encourages conceptual understanding
Bottom Line: An engaging conceptual supplement for math lessons with easy-to-find standards-aligned activities.
Corinth
Impressive, interactive 3D models augment classroom learning
Bottom Line: While some models are lower resolution and less appealing, Corinth is still a no-brainer for supplying mostly clear, professional 3D models for deep investigation.
BrainPOP Featured Movie
Incredibly engaging cartoons on a wide range of topics draw kids in
Bottom Line: These short videos are undeniably valuable as a teaching tool for elementary and middle school kids.
SAM Labs
Kids use block code and wireless blocks to program, design, and create
Bottom Line: With some perseverance, it's a great fit for PBL and STEAM, helping students learn programming skills and engineering concepts through invention.
Microsoft MakeCode
Bring code to life with circuits, robots, Minecraft, and more
Bottom Line: Once you purchase the hardware, MakeCode opens doors to an incredible diversity of coding applications.
GeoGebra
Create, share, and modify math models and simulations
Bottom Line: Free, open-source software that lets teachers build or adapt learning experiences to meet their kids' needs.
Codecademy
Excellent text-based coding site a great way to learn real-world skills
Bottom Line: For both introductory and higher skill levels, it teaches the breadth and depth of skills for programming careers.
Classroom Management and Productivity Tools
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.
Skype
Video communication site connects users; lacks bells and whistles
Bottom Line: Far-reaching communication tool helps teachers cultivate a connected classroom.
PlayPosit
Interactive video creator has great question variety
Bottom Line: This tool strikes a nice balance, offering teachers an easy intro to interactive video mixed with a large set of features that can lead to increasingly sophisticated lesson design.
Buncee
User-friendly slideshow tool offers customization, promotes creativity
Bottom Line: The robust design and accessibility features make creating dynamic presentations a breeze.
Kahoot!
Game-like student-response tool can spark competitive fun
Bottom Line: This is an effortlessly fun tool, but it shines best with creative implementation that tests its boundaries.
Classcraft
Motivate students and monitor behavior with clever gamified platform
Bottom Line: When used thoughtfully, this classroom gamification can encourage positive behavior and develop essential collaboration skills.
Showbie
Flexible desktop, mobile assignment tool works best with pro features
Bottom Line: A flexible way to collect student assignments and offer written and verbal feedback, especially with the premium features.
Verso
Flip the classroom, gather student feedback with easy-to-use tool
Bottom Line: Promote better discourse, participation, and accountability -- across devices -- with this thoughtfully designed platform.
Microsoft OneNote
Note-taking giant built for flexible, collaborative work
Bottom Line: A powerful (and free) tool for thinking and organization that's making smart strides in the education space.
Sway
Create dynamic visual presentations on flexible storytelling platform
Bottom Line: A seamless transition from design to presentation makes Sway a great fit for presenting carefully curated content.
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.
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.
myHomework Student Planner
Digital planner makes scheduling easy, if paired with teacher app
Bottom Line: If used on a regular basis with teacher guidance and motivation, students can be ready to tackle their complex schedules with ease.
OneDrive
Share files with Microsoft’s free but limited cloud storage tool
Bottom Line: For those in the MS ecosystem, it's great; it's even a solid choice for those in more, shall we say, indecisive schools mixing iPads and MS computers. However, others will likely prefer more full-featured competitors.