Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This digital exhibit from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) is an interactive platform highlighting the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The exhibit provides an immersive learning experience that fosters understanding and appreciation of AAPI experiences through multimedia storytelling, artwork, historical artifacts, and personal narratives. Educators can use this resource to engage students in discussions about identity, resilience, and cultural heritage while integrating primary sources and creative expressions into their lessons. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): artists (87), asia (136), authors (108), cultures (226), famous people (28), japan (62), japanese (54), multimedia (55), scientists (71)

Let's Learn Mind and Movement provides free, engaging videos that encourage children to stay active and practice mindfulness through "Let's Move" and "Let's Be Mindful" segments. Perfect for brain breaks or transitions, these short videos--ranging from 1 to 10 minutes--help support physical wellness and emotional regulation. Educators can sort content by themes such as Transformation, Feelings, My Five Senses, Animals, Plants, Colors, and more, making it easy to integrate movement and mindfulness into daily routines.

tag(s): emotions (53), social and emotional learning (110)

The Cool Cat Teacher features three fast, free lesson plans to fight fake news. The lesson ideas include Breaking News Bellringer, Viral Video News Story, and To Share or Not to Share. Each lesson has an example as a reference.

tag(s): character education (81), digital citizenship (93), digital literacy (18)

CTRL-F's Fact-Checking Tools -- Video 2: Looking up Claims and Website Owners is a three-minute YouTube video. It features information on how to investigate websites and their owners. It shares tips and tricks to use, a website to find out the owners of websites, and other websites associated with them.
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tag(s): digital citizenship (93), digital literacy (18)

Charm Words is a daily affirmations podcast for children of diverse backgrounds that inspires and brings self-worth at the start and end of the day. Help your students deal with feelings of emotional distress while learning new self-care abilities. Episodes include I Have Endless Strength, I Can Say 'No' to Protect Myself, I Have Good Qualities, I Am Important, and more. On average, podcasts are two to five minutes in length. Access the episodes via iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

tag(s): character education (81), podcasts (118), social and emotional learning (110)

WorldReader is a free website that contains digital books. The themes of the books include African Books in local languages, climate and environmental awareness, CreceLee Spanish collection, DEI and social justice, gender equity, rapid response Ukrainian collection, social emotional learning, sports and health, STEM/STEAM, WorldReader originals, young changemaker collection, and more. Books can be translated into Spanish and Ukrainian. Some books have an activity before reading. The site allows you to search based on age range.

tag(s): book lists (168), cultures (226), digital reading (18)

Sesame Street is an engaging site that contains links to games, videos, art, and muppets. In the games section of the website, students can learn how to play memory and their ABCs, remember where an object is, and learn how to use the potty. The videos section includes a morning routine, ABC song, kindness, and raise your hand. Children can create a pizza, birthday cake, caterpillar, and window in the art section. In the muppet section, children can explore the various muppets' living areas. Some sections require a sign-in with a free account.

tag(s): alphabet (52), back to school (55), behavior (43), preK (291)

Sandy Hook Promise offers proven, evidence-based programs like Start With Hello and Say Something that teach students to recognize warning signs of potential violence, reduce social isolation, and promote inclusivity. This is an excellent resource for teachers looking to create safer, more connected classrooms. These flexible, easy-to-implement resources empower educators and students to prevent violence and support mental health, fostering a culture of kindness and safety.

tag(s): mental health (50), school violence (10), social skills (23)

Rock your lessons using popular music and pop culture to engage students. The standards-aligned lessons provide interdisciplinary connections using music as the starting point for in-depth explorations and guided activities. Use the search feature to find lessons and collections sorted by subject, music genre, type of activity, and topic. Subjects range from Civics to CTE to STEAM to Art/Design and many others. Each lesson begins with an essential question and includes procedures, student handouts, and videos.

tag(s): artists (87), cross cultural understanding (178), dance (33), empathy (37), jazz (17), musical instruments (54), social and emotional learning (110), sociology (23), STEM (312)

KidsKonnect shares helpful information and resources for teaching Rosh Hashanah to young children. It begins with advice on providing experiences rather than teaching history that includes abstract ideas. Additional information includes a short list of book recommendations based on grade levels and downloadable sample worksheets. Recommended activities include writing a self-reflection letter, creating holiday cards, and a traditional celebration of dipping apples in honey.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), holidays (194), jews (52), religions (113), rosh hashanah (13)

Rosenfeld Community of Practices offers this resource site to teach students about Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur. The site includes videos, songs, books, lesson plans, and much more. Each lesson plan includes teaching instructions, incorporating Jewish values, teaching materials, and extension activities. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), cultures (226), holidays (194), religions (113), rosh hashanah (13), yom kippur (15)

Unlock the power of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in your classroom with resources from the SCRED SEL website. Designed to support teachers at every grade level, this site offers a wide range of tools, strategies, and curricula-like Be Good People reviewed here -to help students develop critical life skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and responsible decision-making. Whether you're just beginning your SEL journey or looking to deepen your practice, this website provides everything you need to create a supportive, emotionally intelligent classroom that promotes academic and social student success. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): child development (24), emotions (53), empathy (37), social and emotional learning (110)

This resource shared by PJ Library offers many ideas for learning and teaching about Rosh Hashanah. Complete a short form to download a free family guide in several languages and receive free monthly Jewish storybooks. Read blog posts that share activities for children and families to celebrate the High Holidays, visit links to discover crafts and activity ideas, listen to a podcast, or find kid-pleasing recipes to make at home or school.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (178), cultures (226), holidays (194), jews (52), rosh hashanah (13), yom kippur (15)

Empower your classroom with the Be Good People curriculum, a comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) resource designed to foster positive relationships, empathy, and responsible decision-making. Perfect for educators aiming to create a supportive and inclusive environment, this curriculum offers practical, easy-to-implement lessons that build students' emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): child development (24), emotions (53), empathy (37), social and emotional learning (110)

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society presents the Veterans Day Lesson Plans connected to their Medal of Honor Character Development Program. Scrolling down the page, you will find three lessons for Middle and High School students, plus several lower and upper elementary lessons to use in your classroom. On the top menu of this page, you will see a tab For Educators. Clicking that will bring up a drop-down menu with an Overview, Lessons, Training, Webinars, Resources, and Path to Honor. The lessons are grouped by Elementary and Secondary. Scroll down the page and find a link for a book list for elementary students and a link for the 12 Dear Young Americans lesson plans and the video.

tag(s): character education (81), veterans (27)

The Crash Course has over 45 videos on topics ranging from Anatomy to Zoology, Artificial Intelligence to Outbreak Science. There are the more common topics one might want to learn about, like Ecology, Films, Geography, and much more. All videos are free to watch. Each video also includes a short description (some with lesson stem ideas). Crash Course videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district/school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable. The good news for teachers whose schools block YouTube is that you can download the video if you fill out a form. Go to the Download tab from the top menu, select Students & Teachers, scroll down the page, and follow the directions.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), black history (135), branches of government (64), business (54), climate (86), computers (109), copyright (43), ecology (105), energy (133), engineering (137), human body (91), literature (221), media literacy (113), myths and legends (42), plants (148), politics (118), space (220), statistics (121), video (267), zoology (18)

Reflect is a well-being app that uses check-ins to support connections in learning communities and promote a culture of self-awareness and empathy. Reflect is built into Teams education accounts and requires signing in with a valid school account to use within Google Classroom, Canvas, and other Learning Management Systems. Some available activities include brain breaks, guided meditation, and 2-minute stretching routines.

tag(s): classroom management (118), communication (130), social and emotional learning (110), Teacher Utilities (201)

MirrorTalk uses AI to create meaningful opportunities for cognitive and emotional reflection in any classroom while also serving as an assessment tool to support continued student growth. After creating a free account, educators can set up a group by selecting a name and grade level, then choose how students will access the reflection activity. Access options include login groups (student email required), session groups (name only, no email), or open groups (no name/email, but video is required). Responses can be submitted via video or audio and are available in English or Spanish. Teachers create reflections by defining objectives and selecting focus areas such as depth of knowledge, mindset, or problem-solving. The AI generates thoughtful, personalized prompts that guide students through the reflection process. Prompts are shared through assignment links, and as students respond, the teacher dashboard updates with visual charts and AI-generated insights that help monitor student progress and provide targeted suggestions for support.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (188), assessment (146), DAT device agnostic tool (146), Formative Assessment (73), preK (291), social and emotional learning (110), Teacher Utilities (201), teaching strategies (52), thinking skills (17)

Monkey Pen offers free downloadable books and coloring pages for children ages four to twelve. Scroll through to find book titles and visit the link to view books online or download them as a PDF document. Each book is up to twenty pages or more long and includes a short story and colorful images. Visit the free resources links to find downloadable coloring books on farm animals and musical instruments. Sort the coloring pages by topics, then download the PDF documents for personal use.
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tag(s): ebooks (47), preK (291), printables (36)

ADL Education provides professional learning resources, educational programs, and strategies for building and sustaining equitable and inclusive environments. Program topics include Anti-Bias, Antisemitism, Holocaust Education, and Bullying and Cyberbullying Education. Browse all content or use the filters to find online learning, classroom, and family resources. The classroom resources include a booklist, lessons for K-12 classrooms, monthly featured books, and more. Most lesson plans correlate to Common Core and SEL Standards.

tag(s): bias (28), bullying (48), civil rights (219), cross cultural understanding (178), cyberbullying (44), difficult conversations (57), disabilities (32), holocaust (43), racism (83), religions (113), social and emotional learning (110), women (154)