Tools for Student Exploration and Inspiration
Thrively
Cool assessment targets kids' strengths; sprawling content overwhelms
Bottom Line: A great starting point for conversations about students' strengths; skip some of the digital content.
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.
DIY
Design, build, and share new things offline and online
Bottom Line: DIY motivates kids to tackle a wide range of problems with independent and scientific thinking.
TED-Ed
Support kids' sense of wonder with outstanding short video lessons
Bottom Line: TED-Ed includes excellent, engaging videos and support for flipped-class lessons with an incredible community of thinkers and doers.
Digital Public Library of America
Organized digital library features piles of useful primary resources
Bottom Line: DPLA is at the top of the list of high-grade, online primary source collections if teachers make effective use of what's on offer.
Google Arts & Culture
Well-curated art and history site inspires curious learning
Bottom Line: A beautifully presented one-stop shop for compellingly curated and contextualized art, history, and culture resources, but it's lacking educator supports.
NOVA
Compelling science videos have high-quality classroom applications
Bottom Line: Unparalleled science documentaries offer a window into real-world scientific topics in a high-interest way.
Couragion
Individualized STEM career exploration targets students' values
Bottom Line: Students identify career values and use them to evaluate STEM options.
Research and Citation
PebbleGo
Easily accessible, kid-friendly database for the littlest researchers
Bottom Line: Delightful, safe introduction to the world of research, databases, and reporting, with interesting content and stellar supports.
PebbleGo Next
Safe nonfiction database develops students' research skills
Bottom Line: Student-centric research site gives kids a just-right amount of information to build foundational research skills.
Simple English Wikipedia
Adapted resource can help some ELLs, with potential for other students
Bottom Line: This empowering research tool for more advanced English learners has the potential for wider, more creative applications.
ZoteroBib
Fewer clicks and less clutter equal a new go-to site for citing sources
Bottom Line: An intuitive site that takes the stress out of citing sources, but students will still need instruction to tweak auto-generated citations.
SweetSearch
Search engine with filtered results leaves room for critical thinking
Bottom Line: SweetSearch supplies valid, reputable websites that can help kids learn about a variety of topics.
NoodleTools
Expansive research tool uniquely melds learning and productivity
Bottom Line: While the complex, old-school design isn't ideal, NoodleTools gives students specific assistance where they need it the most -- with citations, paraphrasing, elaboration, and organization.
Weava
Chrome extension helps organize web-based research
Bottom Line: For Chrome users and mostly digital classrooms, this is a fairly intuitive tool that'll help students wrangle their research.
Google Scholar
Academic search engine, an excellent source for credible research info
Bottom Line: This smart tool can help teens locate credible material for paper and report writing, general research, and other school projects.
Tools for Student Collaboration
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.
Mural - Visual Collaboration
Multifaceted interactive whiteboard promotes collaboration
Bottom Line: Mural facilitates lesson presentation and group project collaboration from anywhere by making idea sharing a simple, visual process.
Edublogs
Encourage student expression and maintain digital portfolios with easy-to-use blog creator
Bottom Line: Edublogs is a fantastic platform for any teacher committed to providing consistent opportunities for creation and reflection.
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.
Project Pals
Unique project-based learning tool focuses on collaboration
Bottom Line: Once teachers get their bearings, they'll find this to be a uniquely useful workflow and project management tool that can guide students through collaborative work.
CueThink
Social approach to problem-solving promotes deep math learning
Bottom Line: An innovative, community-based platform that helps students plan, strategize, and collaborate.
Spinndle
Student-centered platform makes project organization, tracking easier
Bottom Line: This platform gives teachers options for structuring a learning experience that students truly own.
Tools for Student Portfolios and Student-Driven Assessment
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.
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 Classic
A fresh way to capture, document, and share student learning
Bottom Line: Multimedia documentation tools and a customizable grade book help communicate learning and expand both summative and formative assessment.
Sown to Grow
Cultivate a growth mindset with reflective, student-driven learning
Bottom Line: If developing a growth mindset is an important part of your teaching practice, this is a solid choice.
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.
Pathbrite
Create, organize, assess sleek digital portfolios
Bottom Line: A simple PBL tool that promotes digital literacy and lets kids create flexible, accessible digital portfolios.
Project Foundry
Helpful, yet complex, management tool for project-based learning
Bottom Line: A powerful, though sometimes complex, tool for providing inquiry-based, student-centered learning.
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.
Kritik
Adaptive writing tool rewards effective peer feedback
Bottom Line: A cool tool for helping students develop as careful writers and thoughtful critics.
