Teaching content and teaching students are different experiences. While the first focuses on conveying information, the second is student-centered, seeking to meet students’ needs and bring out the best in them. That’s whole-child education.
This page is intended as a resource for whole-child education, offering both content resources as well as SEL and other resources that more fully address all that students are.
Character Education
The Ned Show–A school-wide program to build character
Inspirational
Students’ “Happy Notes” Encourage Others and Combat Bullying
Motivating Students Never to Give Up (Video)
Skills-Building
Fostering Student Creativity
About.Me – great way for students to create digital resumes for college admission, job hunting, etc
Learning Chocolate– Builds vocabulary through visual and auditory expression of each word
5 Tips for Developing Students’ Listening Skills
How to Develop Ideas in Students
Ways to Teach Students to Overcome Setbacks
Social and Emotional Learning
Social Learning Group – Social Learning Books, Curriculum & Resources for Parents & Educators
Student Engagement
5 Excellent Ways to Make Learning Fun
6 Classroom Management Ideas that Engage Students
Engage Now!–Teacher Jeromie Heath’s tips on engaging students
5 Tips for Making Education Fun
5 Tips for Engaging Students Who Are Hard to Reach
4 Student Engagement Tips (Audio Presentation)
Professional Development
8 Steps to Support Struggling Students
8 Great Classroom Management Tips
Class Flow– A free, cloud-based platform that makes planning, teaching and learning easier
10 Commandments of Innovative Teaching
5 Excellent Ways to Make Learning Fun
6 Classroom Management Ideas that Engage Students
3 Tips to Encourage a Growth Mindset via Failure
Teaching Channel Teams– Private collaboration platform that allows educators to connect and collaborate within their own school, district or other education organization
5 Characteristics of Learner-Centewhite Teaching
5 Practices for Building Positive Relationships with Students
10 Things Your Students Need from You
Projects vs. Project-based Learning
8 Steps to Inquiry-Based Learning
20 Essential Technology Terms for Teachers
8 Things Skilled Teachers Think, Say and Do
7 Qualities that Impact Lesson Plans
20 Tips for a Smoother Running Classroom
12 Benefits and Fun Aspects of Mobile Learning
The Abundance Model: Building on Student Strengths
6 Great Ways to Capture Student Responses without Costly Clickers
Online Professional Development Resources
LearnZillion–teachers’ resource of 2000+ lesson plans
27 Ways to Be a 21st Century Teacher
CONTENT RESOURCES
Differentiated Teaching
Fabulous Digital Differentiation Tools for Teachers
A Multitude of Links on Differentiated Instruction
Elementary School
Feed Me Fractions – Game reinforces knowledge of adding fractions with common denominators (contributed by math teacher Anna Quinn)
Whole Wide World 2–Social Studies app teaches elementary students about world cultures and geography.
Engage
Now!–Teacher Jeromie Heath’s tips on engaging students
Learning Chocolate– Builds vocabulary via visual and auditory expression
Wanderful Storybooks–App brings award-winning storybooks to life
Room Recess–Free educational games for elementary students
Activities Children–Fun activities to do with elementary-age children
Thumbtack Painter– App helps kids create, share and save their creative works
Kid Sites–A guide to the best sites for children
NASA–App teaches elementary students all that the agency does
Say the Secret Word: Great Classroom Management Tool
Video Science–App contains short science experiments for elementary students
Geo Dash Wild Animal Adventure– National Geographic app is a game about animals
English/Language Arts
Newseum–Interactive digital museum of news/journalism
Shakespeare in Bits – App (for iPad, iPhone) breaks Shakespeare into clear, manageable portions
Flocabulary–Vocabulary-building via online K-12 library of songs, videos, activities
Newsela– News site offers topical issues, at students’ own adjustable reading levels
Hemingway–App offers detailed proofreading at students’ fingertips
Grammar Pop– App uses a game to teach grammar
Wanderful Storybooks–App brings award-winning storybooks to life
Digital Is–Resource for teachers on using digital tools for teaching writing
Persuasive Writing through the Arts
A Fun Way to Increase Student Literacy through Student Blogging
Capzles–Offers variety of templates for digital storytelling
Stretch a Sentence–Guides students in expanding sentences
English Companion– A place where English teachers share ideas and resources
Math
Feed Me Fractions – Game reinforces knowledge of adding fractions with common denominators (contributed by math teacher Anna Quinn)
Tutpup–Math and Spelling as a Global Game
Illustrative Mathematics–Math resources, lesson, standards, etc.
Music
Flocabulary–Site offers vocabulary-building via online library of songs, videos and activities for grades K-12
Preschool
Gracie and Friends Birthday Cafe – App teaches numbers by numerals and quantity
PBS Kids – Offers educational games that correspond to children’s programming on PBS
Zula Patrol – Fun science games for PreK-2
PLAY-DOH Create ABCs – App helps children learn to write letters by using play-doh virtually
Zorbit’s Math Adventure–Using play and a storyline, this app teaches math skills and concepts in line with Common Core for preschoolers
Reading
Starfall – Teaching reading via phonics
Storyline Online–Professional actors reading children’s books aloud
Audacity–Downloadable audio program that enables children to hear their own voices as they read (great for improving reading)
Free Reading–Free reading program for Pre-K-6
Story Creator–Free app allows child to take a picture and record own voice to create a book
Read, Write, Think–Students write and perform own scripts to improve reading fluency
Science
Exploratorium– digital learning
lab providing interactive way for students to explore science
Sparticl.org– Offers science videos, games, articles and STEM resources for high school students
Science of Everyday Life–K-12 Videos and interactives highlight science all around us
Video Science–App containing short science experiments for home or elementary classroom
Geo Dash Wild Animal Adventure–App from National Geographic is a game about animals
Kids Biology–teaches children everything they might want to know about animals
NASA–App teaches elementary students all that the agency does
Social Studies
50 Ways to Teach Current Events
(Contributed by EducatorLabs)
Newseum–Interactive digital museum of news/journalism
10 YouTube Channels for the Social Studies Classroom
Whole Wide World 2–Social Studies app teaches elementary students about world cultures and geography.
Timeline 3D–Beautiful, multimedia timeline app
Newsela–Wonderful news site provides non-fiction reading, on topical issues, at students’ own adjustable reading levels
AP Human Geography–National Geographic’s excellent resources for AP Human Geography
Teaching Tolerance–Free DVDs, teacher guides and magazine subscription on topics that promote civil rights, racial harmony and human relations skills
Resources for Celebrating Black History Month
5 Must-Have EdTech Tools for Social Studies
Teach with Movies–Lesson plans, lesson guides and 40-minute movie clips all based on historic events (yearly subscription 11.99)
Mayan Mysteries–App enables grades 5-9 to explore the ancient Mayan culture and civilization
History Pin–Thousands of historical photos uploaded, captioned and pinned to maps
Dipity–Students create and share stories via an interactive timeline
Visualizing Emancipation–Provides geographic context for abolition of slavery
Project-Based Learning: Teaching About Social Justice Issues
Students Become Famous European Explorers
Special Education
Dyslexie Font–Typeface that can be installed in all software programs as well as internet browsers to facilitate reading for students with dyslexia.
Standardized Testing
Ways to Build Play into Test Preparation
STEM
Backyard Engineer– App use engineering skills to help students build a catapult to launch water balloons!
Technology/Online Resources
100 Online Collaborative Learning Tools for Teachers and Educators
(Contributed by EducatorLabs)
Outwhiz–An app/website that makes practicing math and English fun.
Dyslexie Font–Typeface that can be installed in all software programs as well as internet browsers to facilitate reading for students with dyslexia.
Knowmia Teach–Free app enables teachers and students to create and narrate slideshare videos via iPad and upload them to your websites.
FlipGrid–Allows teachers to make questions on grids and receive video responses that are viewed and shawhite by all.
Studystorm – App prepares students for college admissions as well as exams, including SAT, ACT and AP exams.
Backyard Engineer– App uses engineering skills to help students build a catapult to launch water balloons!
Newseum–Interactive digital museum of news/journalism
Timeline 3D–Beautiful, multimedia timeline app
10 YouTube Channels for the Social Studies Classroom
Dropr – free and easy service to create online portfolios of images, videos, and audio files
Class Flow– A free, cloud-based platform that makes planning, teaching and learning easier
College Students Guide To Tablets and Mobile Devices– A resource for college students considering mobile technology. Contributed by Aaron, a student
Hemingway–App offers detailed proofreading at students’ fingertips
6 STEM Resources Incorporating the Winter Olympics</a
Great Civil Rights Video Set to Music by Teacher Jeromie Heath
Quiz Bean–Makes online quizzes for instant assessment of students
One Globe Kids– App in which children around the world tell the stories of their lives
TED-Ed– Excellent educational videos on myriad topics via YouTube
Aurasma–App enables users to create their own Augmented Reality experiences
Activate Learning– App personalizes learning for K-12 students with resources/curriculum all in one place
Sparticl.org– Offers science videos, games, articles and STEM resources for high school students
Teaching Channel Teams– Private collaboration platform that allows educators to connect and collaborate within their own school, district or other education organization
Quick Key–eliminates hand-grading of quizzes, tests, and formative assessments
Zorbit’s Math Adventure–Using play and a storyline, this app teaches math skills and concepts in line with Common Core for preschoolers
Learn Big– Offers a wealth of education resources and links
Remind 101–Free site enables teachers to text parents/students without using cell number
Wanderful Storybooks–App brings award-winning storybooks to life
Room Recess–Free educational games for elementary students
Activities Children– A great site filled with fun activities to do with elementary-age children
Kidblog.org– Offers teachers a free blog for every K-12 student
Thumbtack Painter– App that enables kids to create, share and save their artwork and other creative works
Class Dojo–A Classroom Management App . . . yes, really!
Animation Chef–Site where students make and learn all about media and animation
Planbook.com–Site to create customized lesson plans online
MyCreate–App enables kids to make animated stories
Educreations–An app to create and share video lessons
Fotobabble– Brings textbook photos to life by adding voice (Imagine talking war generals!!)
Infographic– Offers a variety of creative ways to use Pinterest as a teaching tool
Yacapa– Great tool for creating quizzes and e-portfolios
Dipity– Students create and share stories via an interactive timeline
Capzles–Offers variety of templates for digital storytelling
My Homework–An app that organizes students’ assignments, projects etc. Sends reminders of due date as well!
Stretch a Sentence–Guides students in expanding sentences
Visualizing Emancipation– Provides geographic context for abolition of slavery
12 Benefits and Fun Aspects of Mobile Learning
6 Great Ways to Capture Student Responses without Costly Clickers
Innovative Ways to Use Technology without the Internet</a
Memplai–Innovative site where students can collaborate and create videos free
Chart Tool–Online chart creator
Zoo Whiz–Curriculum-based motivational learning
Tutpup–Math and Spelling as a Global Game
NASA–App teaches elementary students all that the agency does
World Languages
Middlebury Interactive Languages– Digital world language courses for K-12, including AP
10 Great Tips for Teaching World Languages via Social Media
Great Games For World Language Classes
Denise Fawcett Facey 