Review by Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Education | Updated December 2016

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LearnZillion

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Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers

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Grades

K-12 This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.

Great for:

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Browse the collection of lesson plans complete with everything teachers need to prepare, present, and assess.

Teaching presentations mix images, videos, and step-by-step instructions with teacher's notes and additional resources.

Math and ELA lessons and videos cover a wide range and are searchable by topic, grade, and lesson type.

A video lesson on writing persuasively reviews the important points to include in a concluding paragraph.

Math lessons on ratios use clear drawings to demonstrate the concept.

Pros: It's super customizable, which means you can assign kids the lessons they need to work on most.

Cons: Lacks an element of fun, which could make using the site feel like work for some kids.

Bottom Line: An innovative way to enhance lessons and tailor learning for individual needs.

Lesson & Activity Ideas

Use LearnZillion to give your students an extra learning boost, to give them review on topics you've covered in class, or even to give them a springboard for new exploration. You can also find new lessons, give yourself inspiration, or learn how to explain a concept a different way. Full lesson plans, complete with teaching notes, necessary prerequisites, and more, provide a lot of the background work necessary for teaching a new concept.

You and your students can do these lessons as a whole class, or students can do them in small groups or on their own. For example, hold a “math lab” where kids work on slightly different sets of problems that are specifically tailored to their needs. Assign "just right" practice exercises to each student based on their level of understanding. As students work, move around the classroom to check in, guide, and assist where needed. Afterward, use the videos as a follow-up for homework or classwork. As needed, you can assign extra practice as an extension or for intervention.

Tool Overview

LearnZillion is an online database of short video lessons that address learning topics aligned to individual Common Core standards. The lessons cover a wide variety of math and English Language Arts topics for the whole K through 12 grade span. Experienced teachers create the 3- to 5-minute videos and lessons, complete with leveled practice problems, anchor texts, and writing prompts. Whole lesson plans offer teacher hints, background information, and additional guidance in a ready-to-present slide-like presentation that incorporates videos, visuals, and hands-on practice. Content is available on the web and on iOS and Android tablets.

For kids, the videos feature commentary, extra hints, tricks, and a “try it yourself” segment to help them practice on their own, using pencil and paper to follow the video’s guidance. Multiple-choice quizzes help assess students' learning. When both kids and teachers create accounts, teachers can assign lessons to individual students or to the whole class, see who's completed a lesson, and view students' scores.

Learning Value

At its best, the site acts as a mix of a teacher’s assistant and mentor. Not sure how to explain a new or difficult concept? You can get helpful guidance from another teacher who's found a successful method. Teachers who are spread thin, or those whose students may need extra help, can use LearnZillion to provide targeted attention to help students right where they need it most. For instance, before students try any particular math lesson, a series of links help teachers identify the necessary skills students will need to know. This is very useful in helping teachers identify any gaps in students' knowledge before they begin. Lessons also offer teachers a variety of extension and intervention ideas.

Teachers should know LearnZillion isn't a game; it's better as a teacher’s tool than as a super-exciting activity for kids. However, what it may lack in fun factor, it makes up for in clear, instructive content. LearnZillion does so much of the background and presentation work for you, it may feel like a virtual teacher. But rather than thinking of it as a teacher substitute -- there's no replacement for hands-on, face-to-face interaction -- think of it as a teacher enhancement. Live teachers are essential for choosing assignments wisely, tracking progress, and filling in the gaps when kids struggle. While the multiple-choice quizzes may not align perfectly with each lesson's content, they're serviceable. Teachers may still choose to do their own learning assessments offline. While the site provides answer keys, the inclusion of authentic student work samples and assessment criteria would offer a stronger picture of what quality work looks like.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

It's easy to use, and visuals are appealing. While it may lack obvious hooks for engagement, kids should be drawn in by the desire to learn in a personalized way.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Developed by experienced teachers, the lessons are clear and concise. The practice exercises and prompts encourage kids to learn independently. With a teacher's help, personalized assignments can meet students right at their problem areas.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Many of the how-to videos and lesson plans are helpful and demonstrate the site’s potential and utility in the classroom. Teachers can keep track of students’ progress as well.

Common Sense Reviewer

Mieke VanderBorght Researcher

About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Expressions And Equations
6.EE: Apply And Extend Previous Understandings Of Arithmetic To Algebraic Expressions.
6.EE.2.a	Write expressions that record operations with numbers and with letters standing for numbers. For example, express the calculation “Subtract y from 5” as 5 – y.

6.EE.2.b	Identify parts of an expression using mathematical terms (sum, term, product, factor, quotient, coefficient); view one or more parts of an expression as a single entity. For example, describe the expression 2 (8 + 7) as a product of two factors; view (8 + 7) as both a single entity and a sum of two terms.

6.EE.2.c	Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include expressions that arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations, including those involving whole- number exponents, in the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations). For example, use the formulas V = s3 and A = 6 s2 to find the volume and surface area of a cube with sides of length s = 1/2.
Reason About And Solve One-Variable Equations And Inequalities.
6.EE.5	Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question: which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true? Use substitution to determine whether a given number in a specified set makes an equation or inequality true.

6.EE.6	Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

6.EE.7	Solve real-world and mathematical problems by writing and solving equations of the form x + p = q and px = q for cases in which p, q and x are all nonnegative rational numbers.
7.EE: Solve Real-Life And Mathematical Problems Using Numerical And Algebraic Expressions And Equations.
7.EE.3	Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making $25 an hour gets a 10% raise, she will make an additional 1/10 of her salary an hour, or $2.50, for a new salary of $27.50. If you want to place a towel bar 9 3/4 inches long in the center of a door that is 27 1/2 inches wide, you will need to place the bar about 9 inches from each edge; this estimate can be used as a check on the exact computation.

7.EE.4.a	Solve word problems leading to equations of the form px + q = r and p(x + q) = r, where p, q, and r are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently. Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is 54 cm. Its length is 6 cm. What is its width?

7.EE.4.b	Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form px + q > r or px + q < r, where p, q, and r are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.
Use Properties Of Operations To Generate Equivalent Expressions.
7.EE.2	Understand that rewriting an expression in different forms in a problem context can shed light on the problem and how the quantities in it are related. For example, a + 0.05a = 1.05a means that “increase by 5%” is the same as “multiply by 1.05.”
8.EE: Analyze And Solve Linear Equations And Pairs Of Simultaneous Linear Equations.
8.EE.7.b	Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.

8.EE.8	Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.

8.EE.8.b	Solve systems of two linear equations in two variables algebraically, and estimate solutions by graphing the equations. Solve simple cases by inspection. For example, 3x + 2y = 5 and 3x + 2y = 6 have no solution because 3x + 2y cannot simultaneously be 5 and 6.
Geometry
8.G: Solve Real-World And Mathematical Problems Involving Volume Of Cylinders, Cones, And Spheres.
8.G.9	Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
Understand Congruence And Similarity Using Physical Models, Trans- Parencies, Or Geometry Software.
8.G.3	Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations, and reflections on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.

8.G.5	Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles. For example, arrange three copies of the same triangle so that the sum of the three angles appears to form a line, and give an argument in terms of transversals why this is so.
Number And Operations In Base Ten
3.NBT: Use Place Value Understanding And Properties Of Operations To Perform Multi-Digit Arithmetic.4
3.NBT.1	Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.

3.NBT.2	Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.

3.NBT.3	Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10–90 (e.g., 9 × 80, 5 × 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of operations.
5.NBT: Understand The Place Value System.
5.NBT.1	Recognize that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left.

5.NBT.2	Explain patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying a number by powers of 10, and explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied or divided by a power of 10. Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10.
4.NBT: Generalize Place Value Understanding For Multi-Digit Whole Numbers.
4.NBT.1	Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right. For example, recognize that 700 ÷ 70 = 10 by applying concepts of place value and division.

4.NBT.2	Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.

4.NBT.3	Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.
Use Place Value Understanding And Properties Of Operations To Perform Multi-Digit Arithmetic.
4.NBT.4	Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.

4.NBT.5	Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.

4.NBT.6	Find whole-number quotients and remainders with up to four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.
Number And Operations—Fractions
5.NF: Apply And Extend Previous Understandings Of Multiplication And Division To Multiply And Divide Fractions.
5.NF.3	Interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator (a/b = a ÷ b). Solve word problems involving division of whole numbers leading to answers in the form of fractions or mixed numbers, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. For example, interpret 3/4 as the result of dividing 3 by 4, noting that 3/4 multiplied by 4 equals 3, and that when 3 wholes are shared equally among 4 people each person has a share of size 3/4. If 9 people want to share a 50-pound sack of rice equally by weight, how many pounds of rice should each person get? Between what two whole numbers does your answer lie?

5.NF.6	Solve real world problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem.

5.NF.7	Apply and extend previous understandings of division to divide unit fractions by whole numbers and whole numbers by unit fractions.1

5.NF.7.b	Interpret division of a whole number by a unit fraction, and compute such quotients. For example, create a story context for 4 ÷ (1/5), and use a visual fraction model to show the quotient. Use the relationship between multiplication and division to explain that 4 ÷ (1/5) = 20 because 20 × (1/5) = 4.
Use Equivalent Fractions As A Strategy To Add And Subtract Fractions.
5.NF.1	Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators. For example, 2/3 + 5/4 = 8/12 + 15/12 = 23/12. (In general, a/b + c/d = (ad + bc)/bd.)
4.NF: Build Fractions From Unit Fractions By Applying And Extending Previous Understandings Of Operations On Whole Numbers.
4.NF.3.a	Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole.

4.NF.3.d	Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole and having like denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem.

4.NF.4.a	Understand a fraction a/b as a multiple of 1/b. For example, use a visual fraction model to represent 5/4 as the product 5 × (1/4), recording the conclusion by the equation 5/4 = 5 × (1/4).

4.NF.4.b	Understand a multiple of a/b as a multiple of 1/b, and use this understanding to multiply a fraction by a whole number. For example, use a visual fraction model to express 3 × (2/5) as 6 × (1/5), recognizing this product as 6/5. (In general, n × (a/b) = (n × a)/b.)

4.NF.4.c	Solve word problems involving multiplication of a fraction by a whole number, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, if each person at a party will eat 3/8 of a pound of roast beef, and there will be 5 people at the party, how many pounds of roast beef will be needed? Between what two whole numbers does your answer lie?
Extend Understanding Of Fraction Equivalence And Ordering.
4.NF.2	Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.
3.NF: Develop Understanding Of Fractions As Numbers.
3.NF.1	Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

3.NF.2.a	Represent a fraction 1/b on a number line diagram by defining the interval from 0 to 1 as the whole and partitioning it into b equal parts. Recognize that each part has size 1/b and that the endpoint of the part based at 0 locates the number 1/b on the number line.

3.NF.2.b	Represent a fraction a/b on a number line diagram by marking off a lengths 1/b from 0. Recognize that the resulting interval has size a/b and that its endpoint locates the number a/b on the number line.

3.NF.3.b	Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3). Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

3.NF.3.c	Express whole numbers as fractions, and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. Examples: Express 3 in the form 3 = 3/1; recognize that 6/1 = 6; locate 4/4 and 1 at the same point of a number line diagram.

3.NF.3.d	Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.
Ratios And Proportional Relationships
6.RP: Understand Ratio Concepts And Use Ratio Reasoning To Solve Problems.
6.RP.1	Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. For example, “The ratio of wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings there was 1 beak.” “For every vote candidate A received, candidate C received nearly three votes.”

6.RP.2	Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship. For example, “This recipe has a ratio of 3 cups of flour to 4 cups of sugar, so there is 3/4 cup of flour for each cup of sugar.” “We paid $75 for 15 hamburgers, which is a rate of $5 per hamburger.”1

6.RP.3.a	Make tables of equivalent ratios relating quantities with whole- number measurements, find missing values in the tables, and plot the pairs of values on the coordinate plane. Use tables to compare ratios.

6.RP.3.c	Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent.
7.RP: Analyze Proportional Relationships And Use Them To Solve Real-World And Mathematical Problems.
7.RP.1	Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units. For example, if a person walks 1/2 mile in each 1/4 hour, compute the unit rate as the complex fraction 1/2/1/4 miles per hour, equivalently 2 miles per hour.

7.RP.2.a	Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for equivalent ratios in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the graph is a straight line through the origin.

7.RP.3	Use proportional relationships to solve multistep ratio and percent problems. Examples: simple interest, tax, markups and markdowns, gratuities and commissions, fees, percent increase and decrease, percent error.
The Number System
7.NS: Apply And Extend Previous Understandings Of Operations With Fractions To Add, Subtract, Multiply, And Divide Rational Numbers.
7.NS.1	Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram.

7.NS.3	Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers.

Teacher Reviews

Write a review

GREAT resource for videos and "how to's"
2

Marcello S.
Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary School
San Jose, CA

5

November 4, 2013
I'll use these lessons in my flipped classroom!
2

Barb M.

5

November 4, 2013
Great Common Core--aligned video resources to guide reading instruction
2

Bryan M.
Common Sense Media
San Francisco, CA

4

October 30, 2013
Quality Teacher Made Videos aligned to the Common Core Standards
2

Katie D.
Thorp O A Elementary Scholastic Academy
Chicago, IL

5

October 30, 2013
Perfect resource for differentiation of standards based instruction!
1

Lisa M.
Tamanend Middle School
Warrington, PA

5

August 10, 2014
CCLS Aligned ELA/MATH Lessons With Narrated Powerpoints for grades 2-12 at Your Finger Tips!
1

Jonathan S.
The Science and Medicine Middle School
Brooklyn, NY

4

August 7, 2014

See All 47 Teacher Reviews

Language
L.8: Conventions of Standard English
L.8.1c	Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.8.5	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Reading Informational
RI.2: Craft and Structure
RI.2.4	Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
Key Ideas and Details
RI.2.1	Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.3: Craft and Structure
RI.3.6	Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.3.7	Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
Key Ideas and Details
RI.3.2	Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

RI.3.3	Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.3.10	By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
RI.4: Craft and Structure
RI.4.5	Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.4.7	Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
Key Ideas and Details
RI.4.1	Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.4.2	Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI.4.3	Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
RI.5: Craft and Structure
RI.5.4	Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
Key Ideas and Details
RI.5.1	Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.2	Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI.5.3	Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.5.10	By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

LearnZillion

Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers

Subjects and Skills: LearnZillion

Lesson & Activity Ideas

Tool Overview

Learning Value

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Key Standards Supported

Expressions And Equations

Geometry

Number And Operations In Base Ten

Number And Operations—Fractions

Ratios And Proportional Relationships

The Number System

Key Standards Supported

Language

Reading Informational

Reading Literature

Writing

Teacher Reviews

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