Reading Rockets–NEA Guide

Online Learning Resources for Educators

Providing high-quality online education has been a huge challenge for America's schools. We've highlighted the best of the best in this resource section to help educators find what you’re looking for more easily.

Here's a selected list of trusted sources for online learning. Most are free or offering free access while schools are closed due to COVID-19.

Resource and lesson plan collections

Wide Open School: Curated by Common Sense Media, a collaboration among leading publishers, nonprofits, and education and technology companies. A free collection of learning experiences and activities organized by grade band and subject (grades PreK-5+)
PBS Learning Media: Lesson plans across content areas and grade levels featuring PBS content (grades K-12)
Common Sense Education: Lesson plans, websites, apps and more reviewed and curated across content areas and grades (grades K-12)
NEA Lesson plans: Lessons across content areas and grade levels (grades K-12)
Amplify: Free lesson videos in foundational reading, science, and social studies, as well as novel guides and guided practice for literacy skills (grades K-5)
BrainPOP: Resources for schools in STEM, social studies, ELA, health, arts, and music (grades K-5+)
Khan Academy: Personalized learning through video with supplementary practice exercises and materials for teachers (grades K-5+)
Khan Academy Kids: Free app focusing on math, reading, and SEL (grades PreK-2)
Quarto Classroom: Free video library with educational content by Quarto Publishing’s authors. Videos focus on subject matter ranging from Engineering to Social Sciences to Arts & Crafts, with teachers' guides and activities (grades K-7)
131 Tools for Distance Learning & Strategies for Student Engagement: Curated by Albert.io, a collection of apps, tools, and platforms for ELA, science, math, assessment, collaboration, and engagement (grades PreK-12)

Reading, writing, and language arts

Early Literacy

Starfall: Learning-to-read, with an emphasis on phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, and reading comprehension through online books, songs, rhymes, and games (grades PreK-3)
Story Mentors: Focuses specifically on struggling readers, with 25 weekly lessons. Each lesson has guides and activities using common household materials (grades K-3)
Apps and Websites to Build Literacy Skills: Common Sense has reviewed apps for building literacy skills in this helpful guide (PreK-3)
EBLI (Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction): Teacher training in reading and writing skills. Free live lessons offered during school closures (K-3)

Writing and Language Arts

Common Lit: High-quality reading passages with aligned assessments (grades 3-5+)
826 Digital: Free online online platform for educators featuring writing lessons that inspires students to write across all genres with confidence (grades 1-5+)
NCTE's Resources for Online Learning: Activities, resources, and more to support online anguage arts instruction (grades K-12)

Social studies, history, and current events

Best Sites for Social Studies Lessons: We Are Teachers has compiled a range of History and Social Studies lessons across grade levels (grades K-12)
Facing History: Facing History has compiled their remote learning resources, training opportunities, and more in this online resource center (grades 3-12)
DOGONews: Thousands of news articles and new original content added daily in ELA, science, and social studies (grade 3+)
Newsela: Authentic content from the most trusted names with leveled articles. ELA, social studies, science, and SEL collections (grades 2-5+)

STEM

Code.org: Expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by girls and under-represented youth (grades K-5+)
Crash Course Kids: YouTube science show about earth sciences, biology, geology, astronomy, and more (grade 5)
SciShow Kids: YouTube show that explores all those curious topics that make kids ask “why” (grades 1-5)
Try This at Home: Science Experiments for All Ages: Three fun experiments taught on video by Jonte Lee, a high school physics and chemistry teacher in Washington, DC (grades K-12)
Best Math Websites Chosen by Teachers: We Are Teachers has compiled online math resources for teachers (grades K-12)
Online Resources for Math Teachers: The National Council for Teaching Mathematics has curated these recommended resources, as well as related guidance on teaching math in the coming school year (grades K-12)

Art and music

Kennedy Center: Interactive arts and music media for students of all ages (grades K-12)
Art in Action: Art curriculum for teachers and families (grades K-8)
Art Education Remote Learning Toolkit: The National Art Educators Association has compiled resources for the 2020-2021 school year (grades K-12)
Virtual Learning Resources for Music Educators: The National Association for Music Educators has compiled these lessons and webinars for music teachers (grades K-12)

More resources for sparking curiosity

YouTube Learn@Home: Curated resources for supplementary reading, math, and science, plus indoor activities, virtual field trips, and more (grades PreK-5+)
The Kids Should See This: Smart STEAM, history, and culture-focused videos for curious minds (all ages)
Scholastic Learn at Home: Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing (grades PreK-5+)
TED-Ed: Hundreds of TED-Ed Animations and TED Talks designed to spark curiosity. You'll also find thousands of video-based lessons organized by subject (grades 3+)
Virtual field trips: Online field trips, tours, webcams and more for students (grades K-12)

See additional resources families can use to support learning at home in this related resource collection.