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The Latin Rhythms of Despacito - Teach Rock
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): hispanic (53), music theory (48), rhythm (23)
In the Classroom
Play short clips of Reggaeton, Musica Jibara, Cumbia, and Salsa to introduce students to the rhythms discussed in the lesson. Ask students to identify the unique rhythm patterns in each style and discuss how these rhythms are used in modern music. Divide the class into small groups, each assigned to one of the four Latin genres (Reggaeton, Musica Jibara, Cumbia, Salsa). Have groups create a playlist of songs that exemplify the genre and explain why these songs fit within the musical style. Introduce students to the dance styles associated with each genre (e.g., salsa dancing and Reggaeton movement). Discuss how music and dance are culturally interconnected and how they reflect the communities from which they originated. Have students listen to "Despacito" and analyze the lyrics for their cultural references, themes, and storytelling techniques. Students could compare the lyrics of "Despacito" to another popular song, discussing similarities and differences in themes, cultural references, and music styles. Compare lyrics using a tool such as ClassTools Interactive Venn Diagrams, reviewed here. You can click on the right side to choose between a two or three-circle Venn diagram.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Mayans - Teacher Planet
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): mayans (32), mexico (68), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Make a 3D model of a Mayan pyramid. Consider using technology such as Delightex (formerly CoSpaces), reviewed here. Have students make a Mayan calendar. Students can use Mayan glyphs and write messages to each other to decode. In ELA class, students can write short stories mentioning daily activities they learned in class for a cross-curricular activity. Create and share the stories using Sway, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Learning Media's Agriculture collection - PBS Learning Media's Agriculture collection
Grades
K to 12tag(s): agriculture (54), careers (184), ecology (115), food chains (22)
In the Classroom
Skim through the lessons available on the site to find ideal resources for your lessons. Have students watch two videos on the same topic and compare and contrast them using Figjam, reviewed here. Have students create a word cloud with Aha Slides, reviewed here with all words associated with agriculture that the class generates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Community Helpers - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 2tag(s): careers (184), communities (40), preK (322)
In the Classroom
Students can watch the videos and complete the activities from the site. Students can create a jobs book using the voice recording feature in WriteReader, reviewed here. Students can also list the jobs that they would like to have when they grow up.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mayan Civilization Lesson Plan: Time, Continuity, and Change - BrainPOP
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Use the Make-a-Movie feature under Deepen and Extend to create a video diary from the perspective of a person living in Maya society that describes a day in your life. Make a concept map using BrainPOP's Make-a-Map feature or MindMup reviewed here identifying key features and contributions of Maya society and culture. Creative Coding on the BrainPOP website can enable students to code a museum with artifacts representing key elements of Maya civilization.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sesame Street Career Exploration Games - WXXI Public Media
Grades
K to 2In the Classroom
Share this site with students and families to play the games and learn about the careers. Students can create a jobs digital story using the voice recording and drawing features in Imagine Forest, reviewed here. Students can list the jobs they want when they grow up.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teach Democracy - Teach Democracy
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): bill of rights (39), civics (129), civil rights (221), constitution (104), democracy (29)
In the Classroom
Based on the "Electoral College" lesson plan, organize a classroom mock election. Students can research candidates or create fictional platforms, hold debates, and vote, experiencing firsthand the process of elections and the importance of civic engagement. Inspired by the lessons on community engagement, challenge students to identify a local issue they care about (such as recycling, public transportation, or voting rights) and develop a plan to take action. They can create petitions, host awareness campaigns, or present their project to local leaders or school administrators. Use a list of key civics terms from the Teach Democracy collection (like "democracy," "rights," and "constitution") and challenge students to define each term, then use it in a sentence. To gamify the lesson, turn it into a class competition or game like "Jeopardy!" to test their knowledge. Use Classroom Jeopardy, reviewed here to make a game board.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Getty Center's Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art? - The Getty Center's Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art?
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): art history (105), artists (102)
In the Classroom
Share the lessons on the site with your class. Students can use Ourboox, reviewed here to create a book on different contemporary artists. Students could also virtually visit a museum or gallery that hosts a contemporary art collection.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SDGs - 17 BookWidgets Lessons - BookWidgets
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): climate change (110), cross cultural understanding (177), energy (140), flash cards (46), nutrition (137), sustainability (55), timelines (60), women (189)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this resource to find activities and ideas to use when planning activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Find additional resources on the TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Resources Related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reviewed here. Use the activities as inspiration to increase student engagement and understanding of the SDGs. For example, after viewing the invention timeline, ask students to research a specific invention or inventor, then create a timeline using templates available on Canva Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here or Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mice in the Museum - Google Arts and Culture
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (339), artists (102), museums (55)
In the Classroom
Mice in the Museum's playful conversations and perspectives offer an opportunity to introduce art and artists in a way that engages learners in a new way. Share this site with students and encourage them to explore the artwork and learn about artists that interest them. Use Project Zero Thinking Routines, reviewed here, such as See, Think, Wonder, to enhance student learning and discuss their findings. Extend learning by asking students to research their favorite artist and share their findings with the class by creating a short animated video using Animate from Audio, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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YouTube Kids - YouTube
Grades
K to 5This site includes advertising.
tag(s): enrichment (15), internet safety (121), personalized learning (12), playlists (8)
In the Classroom
Teachers can select age-appropriate educational videos for science, history, or art and share them with students to supplement lessons. Create individual profiles for students and set content levels based on their age. During independent study time, allow them to explore videos that align with a specific topic or theme, such as space exploration, environmental conservation, or creative arts. Set up an interactive learning station in classrooms with tablets or computers, where students can watch teacher-approved videos related to their current lessons. Assign specific videos from YouTube Kids for students to watch at home, along with questions or activities based on the content.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geography - American Association of Geographers and Esri
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): climate (95), critical thinking (187), cultures (290), ecosystems (108), maps (221), multimedia (63)
In the Classroom
Have students explore Geography.com to find answers to questions about landforms, climates, and world regions. Create a bingo-style worksheet with prompts like "Find a fact about the Amazon Rainforest" or "Identify a country with multiple time zones". Using interactive maps from Geography.com, students choose a continent or country to study, and create an illustrated map that includes physical features, climate zones, and key cultural landmarks. Students can present their maps and explain how geography affects life in that region. Each student picks a country or city and writes five geography-based clues about it. Clues should include landforms, climate, population, or cultural features found on Geography.com.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nature Conservatory: Youth Education Resources for Ages 5-11 - Nature Conservatory: Youth Education Resources for Ages 5-11
Grades
K to 5tag(s): climate change (110), environment (249), oceans (140), sustainability (55)
In the Classroom
Share the lessons offered on the website. Students can document their experiences and learning using Elementari, reviewed here, Google Slides, reviewed here, or creating a podcast using Acast, reviewed here. Students could also create flyers and public service announcements to share the importance of keeping the environment clean.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maya Masks - twinkl
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): crafts (111), mayans (32), mexico (68), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Students can create their own event or death mask. They can also research other cultures that used masks and compare the masks. Use a Venn diagram maker to compare the masks, such as Canva's Venn Diagram Creator, reviewed here. Finally, if students create an event mask, they can research the god or animal that inspired it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maya Archaeologist - Dr. Diane Davies
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): art history (105), mayans (32), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Students can complete the activities on the website. Students can research more about the usage of jade and other precious metals and their functions. Finally, students can use Google Drawings, reviewed here to compare the different materials that Mayans used with other civilizations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Women Artists - J. Paul Getty Museum
Grades
K to 5tag(s): women (189), womenchangemaker (80)
In the Classroom
Students can complete the lessons as presented on the site. Students can re-create the artwork that is in the lesson using a different medium. Finally, students can use Ourboox, reviewed here to create a book of female artists.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Google Indoor Map - Google
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (132), digital literacy (38), map skills (67), maps (221), problem solving (279), virtual field trips (142)
In the Classroom
Use this platform to plan field trips or as a tool in geography and technology lessons. Challenge students to plan routes through indoor maps of airports, malls, or stadiums. Analyze how indoor maps highlight accessible routes and features in public spaces. Discuss inclusivity in design and how technology can assist people with disabilities. Provide scenarios where students must solve problems using indoor maps (ex., locate emergency exits or the nearest restroom). Introduce the technology behind indoor mapping, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and floor-plan digitization.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Escape Room Templates - Genially
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): context clues (10), digital escapes (30), game based learning (315), gamification (90), puzzles (172)
In the Classroom
Create an escape room where students solve riddles and match definitions to unlock clues. Use synonyms, antonyms, or context clues to reinforce vocabulary skills in a fun, interactive way. Design an escape room where students "travel" through different historical events, solving primary source analysis puzzles, decoding ciphers, and answering questions to unlock the next time period. Students must solve multi-step word problems or algebraic equations to advance through a mystery-themed escape room. Each correct answer reveals a key to "unlock" the final solution. Simulate a science experiment gone wrong! Students analyze data, interpret graphs, and solve scientific riddles to find the missing formula or save the lab before time runs out. After reading a novel or short story, students could navigate an escape room based on key events, themes, and character motivations. They solve puzzles related to symbolism, figurative language, or plot twists to escape.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Library of Congress Research Guides - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): african american (129), architecture (83), black history (131), branches of government (70), civics (129), civil rights (221), civil war (138), conservation (110), energy (140), engineering (141), environment (249), foreign policy (15), hispanic (53), industrialization (12), jews (63), latin (23), literature (214), middle east (51), native americans (127), nutrition (137), photography (136), politics (122), population (53), religions (119), Research (90), sports (87), statistics (128), women (189), womenchangemaker (80), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
Assign students to explore a Library of Congress guide on a historical event (ex., Civil Rights Movement, World War II) and have them read and summarize a firsthand account or diary (or blog) entry. Students can then write a journal entry or letter from someone who lived through the event. Try a simple blogging tool like Telegra.ph reviewed here. Choose a literature-focused research guide related to a classic novel or author (such as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Great Gatsby) and have students create a timeline using Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here or a newspaper front page using a template from Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NPR- Breaking News, Analysis, Music, Arts, and Podcasts - NPR
Grades
K to 12tag(s): civil rights (221), cultures (290), journalism (74), news (223), podcasts (169), scientists (72), space (250)
In the Classroom
Have students listen to NPR's Student Podcast Challenge winners for inspiration and assign them to create a short podcast episode on a topic related to your curriculum. Use free tools like NPR's podcast resources or Buzzsprout, reviewed here to guide their scriptwriting and recording process. Choose an NPR article and a similar report from another news source and have students analyze the tone, word choice, and sources used. Use NPR's science and history archives to explore a key discovery or event. Have students present their findings through a timeline project using Turbo Timeline Generator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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