See free resources for parents and educators to teach kids about social justice and racial equality.
TOP PICKS | 20 TOOLS
Best EdTech of 2019
Top Picks
RELATED
Print | Save as PDF
Best EdTech Award Winners
Nico & Nor Wonder Farm
Fun and engaging app will help basic plant growth concepts take root
Bottom line: There's little doubt that this app will help students understand the basics of plant growth, especially if the included lessons are used.
Grades: Pre-K–1
Price: Free
DoodleMaths
Short, daily practice and positive language make success accessible
Bottom line: A good, adaptive program that can be used to support a growth mindset along with strong math skills.
Grades: Pre-K–8
Price: Free to try, Paid There's a two-week free trial. Contact the developer for pricing options.
Lalilo
K-2 literacy program offers comprehensive, adaptive activities
Bottom line: An easy-to-recommend tool thanks to its broad coverage of key skills and nice balance of student-driven and teacher-differentiated learning.
Grades: K–3
Price: Free, Paid The free version includes a basic dashboard and phonemic awareness and phonics exercises. Paid version (contact for quote) adds sight word and guided-reading exercises, weekly reports, lesson assignments, and an advanced dashboard.
Tinybop Schools
Collection of STEM simulations that students will love to explore
Bottom line: Tinybop Schools offers meaningful scientific exploration to students, particularly when partnered with good teaching and discussion.
Grades: K–8
Price: Free to try, Paid 30-day free trial; Classroom plans are $150 per year for up to four teachers and 30 students. School plans are $900 per year up to 100 teachers and 500 students. Custom pricing for multiple schools is available.
Sky Guide
Awesome astronomy app takes students on a journey through the universe
Bottom line: A quality, affordable way to bring true astronomy study to the classroom, even during the day, with a plethora of viewing options.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Paid The base app is $2.99, and there's an optional $19.99 annual subscription to SUPERMASSIVE, which adds considerable material including more objects, high-def zoom, and cinematic tours. Educators signed up with Apple's educational program get a 50% discount on the app.
uHandy
Microscope attachment for mobile devices inspires field investigation
Bottom line: The use of stickers instead of slides helps students examine their world at the microscopic level with safety and convenience.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free, Paid The app is free; the cost of the microscope attachment and accessories range from the $34.95 uHandy Lite to the $129.95 uHandy Duet.
Race to Ratify
Great history game offers cool constitutional spin on persuasion
Bottom line: This super smart game will get students digging into and understanding the federalist and anti-federalist sides of the U.S. Constitution ratification debate.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
East of the Rockies
AR experience offers moving insight into tragic history of internment
Bottom line: Culturally rich and emotionally moving, with purposeful opportunities for interactivity.
Grades: 7–12
Price: $2.99
Youcubed
Research-backed resources that attack math myths head on
Bottom line: A fantastic resource for teachers working on changing attitudes toward math and teaching it in an innovate and engaging way.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free, Paid Most of the material is free; teacher courses are $99 (group discounts apply).
Parlay
Comprehensive discussion platform develops critical-thinking skills
Bottom line: A great tool in any subject or topic for teachers looking to make discussion a central part of their classroom.
Grades: 5–12
Price: Free to try, Paid Annual licenses start at $3 per student. Request additional pricing information through the Parlay site.
Model Diplomacy
Students become foreign policy experts in this real-world simulation
Bottom line: This impressive program has ready-to-use and expert-vetted content that'll help advanced students engage meaningfully with foreign policy issues and processes.
Grades: 11–12
Price: Free
Honorable Mentions
Root Coding
First-rate versatile robot for all ages
Bottom line: By encouraging artistic design and creative problem-solving, Root Coding fits right into your STEAM curriculum.
Grades: Pre-K–12
Price: Free, Paid The app is free; requires iRobot Root kit starting at $199. An optional Root Academy subscription is available starting at $60 for six devices. Root Education kits include Root Academy licenses.
Screencast-O-Matic
Create and share high-quality screencasts without breaking the bank
Bottom line: A well-designed screen and video recorder that lets teachers and students focus on creating engaging content from the get-go.
Grades: K–12
Price: Free, Paid Free accounts include recording, trimming, captioning, saving, and sharing features as well as three music tracks and 2GB bandwidth per month on the site. Deluxe and Premier plans cost $1.50 and $4 per month, respectively, and include additional recording and publishing features, video editing tools, and more.
KOOV
Robotics kit makes design possibilities virtually limitless
Bottom line: For schools with healthy budgets, KOOV helps kids design and code interactive robots with blocks, sensors, and imagination.
Grades: 3–8
Price: Paid The app is free to download, but the trial kit is $249.99 and the educator kit is $519.99. Live online professional development is available for $300.
StoriumEdu
Collaborative writing game inspires purposeful storytelling
Bottom line: With some planning and customization, this unique card game can motivate thoughtful and sustained creative writing in your classroom.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free to try There's a 30-day free trial, and then it's $10 per month (billed annually) for a teacher plan. School and district plans available; contact for pricing.
Tayasui Sketches
Slick and satisfying illustration app on par with the competition
Bottom line: This tool, while a bit of an adjustment from pen and paper, gives students ample room to grow creatively.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free, Paid The $5.99 Pro version adds new brushes and tools like cut and paste, smudge, wet watercolor, fill, and color mixing.
Unity Learn
Complete game creation curriculum gives students real-world experience
Bottom line: For any computer science or game design/development course, Unity Learn is a fun and effective way to get students building games right away, with plenty of room for depth.
Grades: 5–12
Price: Free, Paid Personal and education licenses are free. For companies of size, Plus and Pro subscriptions are available from $25 to $125 per month.
Annenberg Classroom
Civics website makes teaching the Constitution manageable, meaningful
Bottom line: Go for the videos, stay for the lessons: Annenberg Classroom saves teachers' prep time when teaching the Constitution, current events, or other civics lessons.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
Machine Learning for Kids
Authentic AI-powered projects make kids' creations feel like magic
Bottom line: It takes a topic that would be difficult to teach in any practical way and makes it accessible for the classroom.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
The 1619 Project
Striking resources can add depth, rigor to lessons on slavery's legacy
Bottom line: These high-level materials will add depth and context to lessons about slavery, but they need scaffolding to connect with students.
Grades: 11–12
Price: Free to try Users can access a limited number of free New York Times articles every week. It's $2 per week for unlimited articles. Hard copies of the 1619 Project are available for purchase for $6.