TOP PICKS | 30 TOOLS
Lesson-Planning Apps and Websites
Top Picks
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Digital Planners
Common Curriculum
Sleek lesson planner replaces bulky binders, promotes collaboration
Bottom line: Ditch pen-and-paper planning; embrace the flexibility of collaborative lesson planning and calendar design.
Planboard
Handy one-stop digital lesson planner saves time in the long run
Bottom line: Although it requires a lot of setup time, this snappy tool centralizes the essential components of lesson planning.
Standards Planner
A step up from standard calendars but has room to grow
Bottom line: With proper maintanenance, good curation of relevant resources, and up-to-date classroom lessons, Standards Planner can give teachers and students a learning advantage.
Versal
Slick course creator is full-featured, but lessons remain traditional
Bottom line: A great option for putting your course materials online in a clean, attractive way, but don't rely on it for all your instruction.
Ogment
Get beyond binders with digital, remixable lesson-planning tool
Bottom line: If you invest some serious time in preloading your content, this is an exceptional tool for building and using your lesson plans.
PlanbookEdu
Pretty basic online planner with a few teacher-friendly bonus features
Bottom line: Create and organize all your classes and then some on this glorified day planner, but it's not a whole lot better than the paper version.
Teachers.io
Organizational tool helps teachers plan, communicate with students
Bottom line: Scheduling solution for teachers is at its best when used alongside student homework app.
Creation Tools
Nearpod
Interactive slideshow tool engages students, promotes collaboration
Bottom line: This effective tool leverages the capabilities of 1-to-1 environments and offers both teacher- and student-paced learning.
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.
Spiral
Provide instant feedback with collaborative, multimedia assessment tool
Bottom line: Engaging, easy-to-use tool that supports both formative and summative assessment while allowing for student collaboration.
Edpuzzle
Crop, customize, and remix online video content with interactive tool
Bottom line: As a flipped classroom or student creation tool, there are lots of opportunities for use, but teachers will need to be creative if they want students to engage.
LessonUp
Flexible interactive presentation tool engages kids at school and home
Bottom line: LessonUp is for teachers who like designing unique lessons to reach every learner.
TES Teach with Blendspace
Create multimedia lessons with engaging but not-so-interactive style
Bottom line: Allows you to incorporate lots of multimedia resources, but be discerning with content and assessments to avoid lazy teaching or learning.
ClassFlow
Robust lesson-creation, presentation tool offers built-in assessment
Bottom line: This powerful tool supports connected and blended learning from instruction to assessment, though it's best used to enhance already great instruction.
Online Resources
BetterLesson
Exemplary Common Core-aligned lessons from rock star peers at large
Bottom line: Get a head start on the Common Core transition with this professional community for great classroom-ready lessons.
PowerMyLearning Connect
Create playlists and differentiate with quality third-party content
Bottom line: A curation of some of the best educational content on the web made easily accessible, both for students and teachers.
ReadWriteThink
Excellent free resource for all things reading and writing
Bottom line: A language arts teacher's dream; lesson plans, professional development, and all-around quality support.
ACT Academy
Personalize and differentiate with expansive multimedia resource library
Bottom line: Whether it's skill-building, test prep, interactive lessons, or games you're after, this extensive site has it all in an easy-to-use platform.
LearnZillion
Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers
Bottom line: An innovative way to enhance lessons and tailor learning for individual needs.
OER Commons
Free, easy access to a wealth of resources
Bottom line: Impressive resource opens access to quality materials for all educators.
ReadWorks Digital
Research-based site makes it easy to assign, differentiate readings
Bottom line: An effective digital reinvention of the trusted ReadWorks platform that makes it simple to distribute and track high-quality reading assignments.
Gooru
Personalized tool fosters exploration, teacher-led meaningful learning
Bottom line: A great portal for supplementing classroom instruction; supports independent and personalized learning.
Standards and Goals
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.
Common Core Standards
Complete Common Core State Standards in convenient, searchable, free resource
Bottom line: Love 'em or hate 'em, this resource puts them at your fingertips.
Next Generation Science Standards
Free resource puts Next Generation Science Standards at your fingertips
Bottom line: Super-handy resource makes science standards easy to access anytime, anywhere.
Learning Management Systems
Kiddom
LMS offers tangible options to differentiate learning
Bottom line: An excellent option for monitoring individual progress toward goals, but teachers will need to be deliberate when selecting and assigning content.
Otus
Free LMS feels rich in offering data-driven differentiated instruction
Bottom line: This teacher-created site solves more problems than it causes, but it will take some up-front professional development to take full advantage.
Google Classroom
Simplify communication, collaboration, and document sharing
Bottom line: Google Classroom is a great way to manage and organize learning, though teachers who need more features may need to look elsewhere.
Schoology
Top-tier LMS for digital classrooms
Bottom line: To make the most of Schoology, you'll need some ramp-up time and great tasks and assessments, but it can offer rich learning and collaboration experiences.
PowerSchool
Full-featured LMS great for instructional design
Bottom line: With planning for content and design, and some restraint, teachers can create and manage relevant pages ideal for extending and transferring learning.
