TOP PICKS | 40 TOOLS
Top Picks for Connecting the Classroom and Real World
Top Picks
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Community Engagement
Teaching Tolerance
Thought-provoking classroom resources support diversity education
Bottom line: It's an invaluable teacher tool to help reduce prejudice and encourage tolerance in schools, as well as within society as a whole.
Zooniverse
Real research powered by volunteers makes classroom content relevant
Bottom line: Engage in meaningful, relevant research with citizen scientists from around the world.
GooseChase EDU
Digital scavenger hunts provide dynamic, fresh learning experiences
Bottom line: Students and teachers will enjoy the powerful learning of a modern scavenger hunt.
SDGs in Action
Empowering sustainable development app organizes, educates
Bottom line: It's a well-packaged way for teachers to educate students about the current challenges facing the world and to give them a conduit for social justice.
Project Noah
Engaging online community for relevant, hands-on science fieldwork
Bottom line: Project Noah is a free and easy way to take part in biodiversity research with the support of a knowledgeable and global community.
iCivics
Exceptionally well-designed games, lesson plans demystify government
Bottom line: This excellent addition to a civics classroom simplifies complex topics.
Open Explorer
Compelling digital field journal site engages kids on multiple levels
Bottom line: An eye-opening, fascinating way to explore the world from a personal perspective; students will learn about geography, culture, and science along the way.
The Harry Potter Alliance
Fan site promotes real-world heroics with activism for social justice
Bottom line: A fun, empowering community for Potter fans who want to talk Hogwarts and make the world a better place while they're at it.
Siftr
Collect images in the field with simple, collaborative app
Bottom line: An easy way to crowdsource location-based data.
Career Exploration
Khan Academy
Missions boost learning with balance of focus and freedom to explore
Bottom line: A solid resource for math and science instruction as well as foundational knowledge in a number of other high school subjects.
Edheads
Realistic, appealing simulations deliver superb science content
Bottom line: Definitely one for your “love it” list, the site helps kids simulate science and engineering career activities while covering related content.
KidsThinkDesign
Projects inspire creativity; a place for kids' sharing would boost fun
Bottom line: A go-to site for teachers looking for well-presented project ideas; kids will need opportunities to share work locally.
Engineer Girl
Female engineers give girls career advice on this visually appealing site
Bottom line: Empowering tool encourages girls to explore engineering but is mostly static and best-suited for choosing courses and looking at colleges.
Couragion
Individualized STEM career exploration targets students' values
Bottom line: Students identify career values and use them to evaluate STEM options.
The Sports Network 2
Make news and build ELA skills with this cable sports show sim
Bottom line: It's a great blend of important cross-disciplinary critical reading skills and a fun newsroom context that'll show students how learning translates to working life.
C'reer
Free app helps kids refine career search, connect to universities
Bottom line: For students who are unsure where to begin, this app helps jump-start the college and career application process.
Design and Creation
Makers Empire
Stellar 3D design hub promotes innovation, collaboration, and creation
Bottom line: This is a great design and creation tool that teachers and students can use to be innovative and share ideas with a vibrant community of makers.
Gizmos & Gadgets
Top-notch tool empowers kids to invent, build, and control wirelessly
Bottom line: Easy-to-use, versatile electronic invention set that works wirelessly with your hand-held device.
Wizard School
Curated videos and creative challenges ignite active learning
Bottom line: There's plenty of material to inspire kids to embark on learning adventures that get them to explore, create, and share safely on the screen and off.
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.
MAD-learn
Create mobile apps with extensive help from start to finish
Bottom line: Intuitive platform encourages students to engage in design thinking and coding with loads of support.
Tour Creator
Simple Google tool puts kids at the helm of creating VR experiences
Bottom line: Allows teachers and students to create compelling tours for viewing in VR or on a web browser.
Stencyl
Code-free game development tool helps kids program and publish
Bottom line: It ups the sophistication of building block coding by connecting student work to major publishing platforms.
Autodesk Design Academy
Outstanding project-based tutorials for popular engineering software
Bottom line: The projects found here are a great way to teach and learn digital design; all are truly fantastic (and free!), with everything you need ready to go.
Instructables
Endless collection of DIY projects; good for sharing and inspiration
Bottom line: User-generated projects inspire sharing and learning, though more refined navigation would make it easier to sift through all the great ideas.
WhiteBox Learning
Design, analyze, and then build STEM applications
Bottom line: Complete learning modules include simple CAD design simulation tools, a digital competition, and options for hands-on building.
Anchor
Podcasting app is super easy to use, if you can do it all in one take
Bottom line: There are few easier ways to publish a podcast, but that ease of use comes at the cost of one-take creation and few tools for post-production.
Google Applied Digital Skills
Practical PBL lessons teach critical computer skills
Bottom line: Thorough digital literacy curriculum offers mix-and-match options to fit any classroom.
HowStuffWorks
Explore the world's nuts and bolts in this fab interactive info hub
Bottom line: Interesting, well-researched articles make this free resource a gem.
STEM Learning
Defined STEM
Stellar collection of STEM resources supports project-based learning
Bottom line: Excellent, well-thought-out resources for developing problem-solving skills in the classroom.
Coach's Eye - Video Analysis
Robust video analysis for sports, science, fine arts performances
Bottom line: Cool video-analysis tool is great for the sports field and beyond, but prepare for an onslaught of hidden costs to access all features.
Tuva Labs
Dynamic data-exploration tool offers large collection of data sets
Bottom line: Partner with another teacher (preferably a data whiz) and work together to develop cross-curricular activities.
UL Xplorlabs
Safety engineering site blends in-class experiments with online sims
Bottom line: Middle school students get to design and test solutions to actual safety problems.
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.
Mathalicious
Toughest palates can't resist appetizing look at real-world math
Bottom line: Easy-to-deliver lessons use real-world topics tweens like.
Science Journal by Google
Turn your phone into a lab sensor to collect and analyze data
Bottom line: Science Journal does a good job recording real-time motion, sound, and light data using phones.
The PocketLab
Gather and analyze live data anywhere
Bottom line: A science sensor that pairs with your device to gather and analyze data is perfect for inquiry-based learning.
Get the Math
Solve real-life algebra problems with diverse crew, delightful video
Bottom line: Proof that algebra is used to solve real problems in kid-approved professions: basketball, music, gaming, and fashion.
Solve the Outbreak
Become a disease detective -- read clues, analyze data, save lives
Bottom line: Solve the Outbreak is a free, engaging resource that teaches kids about disease control and prevention.
