Activities to Teach Active Listening

WEBSITE ↬ Activities to Teach Active Listening

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Our students "hear" an incredible amount of content - whether it's academic or social. But do they really "listen"? There is a huge difference between the two and I think a lot of us hear, rather than listen. Can we practice and improve? Of course! Travis Muir shares 2 ready-to-go activities YOU can do with your students, regardless of age or content, to practice and improve listening skills.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this regularly to shine a light on listening skills. The better we listen, the better we learn and work together. Collaboration is a top requested skill. Try one, or both, out with your students soon.

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Wheel of Careers

WEBSITE ↬ Wheel of Careers: Get This Interactive Exploration Activity for Teens

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ career

GRADE LEVELS ↬ 6-12

If you teach middle or high school, I'm willing to bet the subject of future careers has come up in your classroom. Whether you are a content teacher or a special areas teacher, talking with teens about future careers has become a norm, but I don't feel like it always has a strong support or good activities to help teachers. This Wheel of Careers can help!  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this as a group guessing game to prompt students to discuss how skills learned in school (math, science, communication) apply to real-world roles. Or dig deeper by using the provided link to a FREE Everfi course to further explore a career path of the students choosing. This can tie into most content areas!

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Free Classroom Reading Poster

WEBSITE ↬ Free Classroom Reading Poster & Activities

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ ELA

GRADE LEVELS ↬ elementary & middle school

This is so fun!!!! What a great way to encourage your students to read ... and read a lot! And don't just stop at the poster, be sure to look at the activities that are also included.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to encourage students to read ... a lot!

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Get Started with Google AI in K12 Education

WEBSITE ↬ Get Started with Google AI in K12 Education

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I believe we adults need to learn about AI - and this course is 100% free to help with that! I've completed it myself and found it to be helpful. It's not a course that tells you AI is going to magically change your life and "fix" everything. Instead it provides an understanding and shares helpful ways for us to use AI in our lives. Anytime we can better understand, we can better guide and structure our use.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to help themselves have a better understanding of AI. This can also help teachers better understand where and how they can implement AI in their work. And you can earn 2 hours of professional learning once you've completed the course (provided your district allows it).

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RetroReport

WEBSITE ↬ RetroReport

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ History

GRADE LEVELS ↬ middle and high school

We can't deny it ... videos can be an important part of a classroom. There are a tremendous amount of videos out there and it's hard to weed through them. When I came across RetroReport (thanks to Matt Miller!), I was excited! As a history nerd, many of these videos support history classrooms, but there are a few other categories like biology and chemistry. Quality short documentaries that support learning will always be a win!   

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this in their classrooms to help support specific content. (I just went down a little rabbit hole myself with one of their documentaries!) These can also be great starters for classroom discussions. Be sure to check out the suggested lesson plans, too!

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ClickView Education

WEBSITE ↬ ClickView Education

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Finding and using videos at school is becoming increasingly difficult. There are a LOT out there ... which is part of the problem. Free video platforms come with their own headaches: comments, suggested videos, commercials, etc. I do not normally suggest resources that can come at a cost, but I know how powerful videos in the classroom can be. ClickView can help support this - and do it in a very school friendly manner. Best of all ... there is the ability to start for free!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to experience what ClickView has to offer. Pricing is available upon request. If your district is looking for a solution, check it out!

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Boclips

WEBSITE ↬ Boclips

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Videos in the classroom is a must. There are a TON out there, but not all great, and not all suitable for the classroom. And that means teachers take a lot of time to find the good ones - or they find out the hard way that the one selected isn't a good one. Enter ... Boclips! I try to keep my resources at free or minimal cost, and Boclips comes in at the cost side of things. I honestly do not know how much it costs, but I feel strongly it's something worth checking into. They proudly state on their site they have over 1.7 million safe, curriculum-aligned, & ready-to-use videos. Impressive!

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to find educational videos that align to their standards and activities in their classroom. Using Boclips should make it easy to search and locate appropriate videos using their filters. 

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FontBolt

WEBSITE ↬ FontBolt

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I love fonts. I love sites that provide "fun" fonts. This resource is entirely just FUN! Even just browsing and looking at the fonts available is fun ... which are your favorites? Where will you use one - at school? at home? 

And if you like this one, check out my Fonts Wakelet collection for more sites about fonts.

Thank you, Eric Curts, for sharing this!

HOW CAN TEACHERS ANYONE USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see everyone using this site to create lots of different items .... not exclusively for school. Maybe a custom t-shirt? Maybe a flyer for a community group you work with? Maybe for helping your own child on a project? Have fun!

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EOY Checklists & Close out

WEBSITE ↬ Angela Watson's End of Year Checklists & Classroom Close Out Plan

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I don't normally share resources that require purchasing when it's for use as an individual teacher, but this one is a MUST (& super cheap!). Angela Watson, of the 40 hour work week, shares this "complete plan" to help teachers close out their classrooms at the end of the year. I will not pretend like I've used her checklist, but I have read enough of her stuff and used several of her other lessons, that I KNOW I can share this one, too.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to help wrap up the school year on a good note. Decluttering, organizing, and putting things away in a place to allow for a positive and solid start next year will do amazing things for your sanity as a teacher. But it once, use year after year.

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Grouper

WEBSITE ↬ Grouper

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Brace yourself - this is SUPER cute! Making groups for my classes was always a headache ... I really just wanted something that would allow me to quickly make pairs or groups or teams without much fuss. I used an app at one point, but it was kind of clunky. Anything else I've seen comes at a cost ... and I like free.

Grouper fills this need! With a free account, you can make pairs, groups, and teams of various numbers all while adding a few preferences so depending on how you want the pairs/groups/teams to be, you can have a little control. Maybe student A shouldn't work with student B. You can do that! Yay!  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to help make pairs/groups/teams quickly and even "in the moment" after the initial set-up. Such a time saver! Try it out today! You can even import from your Google Classroom roster!

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70 Free and Easy Directed Drawing Activities Anyone Can Do

WEBSITE ↬ 70 Free and Easy Directed Drawing Activities Anyone Can Do

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ any & all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Hear me out ... April begins our month of testing (it at least feels like it lasts all month ...) so there will be plenty of required time in a very structured learning environment. How about planning for some non-heavy focused activities? Without losing the benefit of creativity and practicing those following directions skills, how about some directed drawing activities? To the tune of 70???

Let's give our students brains a little bit of a break from the testing environment without there being a free-for-all. I see kids, even the little ones, shying away from drawing. That makes me sad ... doodling and drawing is a fantastic way to relax, and I see our kids shying away from it. Let's give it back to them.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this in the short breaks of time. None of these have to be super intense or with the idea that you are encouraging the next Picasso (but wouldn't that be amazing???). Let's give our students space to try out drawing, but with some guidance. Enjoy!

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The Essential Retrieval Practice Handbook

WEBSITE ↬ The Essential Retrieval Practice Handbook

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Learning is not a "one & done" activity. All learning is something that you have to some back to over and over. In this fast paced world we teachers are having more and more heaped on them, it's super important to remember that we must go back to previous information - not only as a best practice, but often content builds on itself.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to help boost and reinforce the learning in their classroom. Since there is no one perfect path, teachers need to make sure they have multiple activities they can rely on to support all students'. Edutopia has created this resource to help us teachers out. Bookmark ... there are 4 categories of support for teachers. 

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150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity

WEBSITE ↬ 150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ ELA (writing)

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I made a super smart choice this year and I subscribed to the We Are Teachers daily newsletter. This is a gem that was shared in one of them ... and as a former ELA teacher, I love it! Ok, I only taught ELA for a few years, but I know a good resource when I come across it.   

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this as a starter to spark student creativity and just be in the habit of writing. It could also do nicely to focus students in on specific writing tasks like dialog, how to's, character descriptions, persuasion, and so much more that I am not super in tune with. Students can also swap and practice proofreading and peer reviews after doing the writing. 

*** Interested in more resources like this? Every Monday, I share a newsletter with a collection of Tech You Can Do resources. Interested? Sign up here!  ***

INFOhio: Decodable and Phonics eBooks for Early Readers

WEBSITE ↬ INFOhio: Decodable and Phonics eBooks for Early Readers

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ ELA, early reading

GRADE LEVELS ↬ preK-3

I am an INFOhio Coach and I love their resources. I believe it is a very under used resource and I wanted to be sure to share this one out. With the focus on early literacy, these books and resources can go a long way to help your students (and yourself!) with supporting their early reading.

Not only does this share books for your early readers, it also shares professional learning ebooks to support YOU in teaching.  

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers sharing the books with their students but also the ability to create collections to share with other teachers can be super helpful when you work as a team to support each other. While reading with physical books is super important, having access to quality ebooks is also a great classroom activity (or to share with home for times when parents ask what digital resources are available). 

Teachers can also take advantage of the professional resources included in this article.

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Headers That Move: The Missing Piece in Your Google Forms

WEBSITE ↬ Headers That Move: The Missing Piece in Your Google Forms

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

Ok, you have to check out this awesome guide from Tony Vincent on how to spruce up your Google Forms with custom headers! He walks you through exactly how to create eye-catching banners using tools like Canva and provides the perfect dimensions so your digital assignments look super professional. My favorite part is how it explains that Google automatically matches your theme colors to your image, making your forms look totally polished and fun with zero extra effort! 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this create more fun & engaging headers when they create Google Forms for surveys, class activities, or assessments. No need to be boring!

*** Interested in more resources like this? Every Monday, I share a newsletter with a collection of Tech You Can Do resources. Interested? Sign up here!  ***

Protect Young Eyes: App Reviews

WEBSITE ↬ Protect Young Eyes: App Reviews

AUDIENCE ↬ parents, teachers, & admins

CONTENT ↬ apps

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

This is not my standard, classroom focused resource. It is an AMAZING resource! Protect Young Eyes (the website host) is a fantastic, go-to resource designed to help you navigate the ever-changing digital world with confidence! This is their app review page which offers honest, detailed breakdowns of today’s most popular platforms—like TikTok, Roblox, and Discord—going well beyond the basic descriptions you’ll find in the App Store.

Think of this site as your digital "safety manual"; it provides clear insights into potential risks and helpful safety features so you can make informed decisions for the children in your care. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or youth leader, this site is a wonderful tool for creating safer online spaces and sparking meaningful conversations about technology!

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6 Ed Tech Tools to Try in 2026

WEBSITE ↬ 6 Ed Tech Tools to Try in 2026

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ all

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

I have followed Jennifer Gonzalez & her Cult of Pedagogy blog for many years. Every year in January, she and her team share out this small highlight of edtech tools they have found to be timely and valuable. This year their 6 tools are: Makers Making Change, BandLab, Brilliant, Napkin AI, Short Answer, & Retro Report. This blog & accompanying podcast will allow you to decide which of these you'd like to check out for yourself. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this to find new and reliable tools they might want to try for themselves and in their classrooms. Cult of Pedagogy (Jennifer Gonzalez) is a highly respectable educator who has been sharing 6 tools every year for a number of years. She and her team do a lot of research to find ones that will provide benefits and advantages to teachers who are interested. This is part of a bigger project - the Teacher's Guide to Tech - they put together to provide the support, reviews, and guidance we need in this ever changing world of edtech. 

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150 Engaging Debate Topics for Middle School Students

WEBSITE ↬ 150 Engaging Debate Topics for Middle School Students

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers

CONTENT ↬ ELA & History

GRADE LEVELS ↬ grades 4-8

Looking for a collection of engaging debate topics? This article has 150 topics that are designed to help middle schoolers develop critical thinking and respectful communication skills. The list covers a wide range of subjects, from lighthearted pop culture questions to more serious social issues, offering teachers a versatile resource for any classroom discussion. (I wish I had them when I taught communications class!)

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using the interactive activities like "Four Corners" or "Pair and Share" to help students practice their arguments in a dynamic and low-pressure setting. Additionally, you can foster empathy and critical thinking by asking students to research and defend the opposite of their personal opinions.

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TAPS

WEBSITE ↬ TAPS

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ phones in schools

GRADE LEVELS ↬ all grades

"The Toolkit for Assessing Phones in Schools (The TAPS) is a free, ready-to-use toolkit designed to help elementary, middle and high schools evaluate their phone policy. The TAPS was jointly developed by the Stanford Social Media Lab and the Tech and Society Lab at NYU Stern."  

I have become a big believer in the need to limit/eliminate the use of students' cell phones in school. I also believe we, as a society, need to push back on the "norm" of giving devices to kids at a young age. This resource is built for schools to help your school figure out what is best for you. I love that it is set up in a way for you to include ALL the "players" - students, parents, teachers, and admin. 

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers sharing this resource with their school leaders. Some of us need to start a conversation, some of us need to continue a conversation, and some are at the point of revisiting conversations to ensure the policy best fits their community.

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Robert Kaplinsky's Lessons - math

WEBSITE ↬ Robert Kaplinsky's Lessons - math

AUDIENCE ↬ teachers & admins

CONTENT ↬ math

GRADE LEVELS ↬ K-12

I love a good puzzle. I'm mostly referring to jigsaw puzzles, but I do enjoy "figuring things out", too. Math is the perfect subject to do that in. Robert Kaplinsky is a math teacher and creator of Open Middle problems, which typically requires higher level thinking to solve. I love sharing resources that will challenge your students but allow them to have fun at the same time.

HOW CAN TEACHERS USE THIS RESOURCE?

I can see teachers using this as bell ringers, activities for fast finishers, or just at random points to break up the regular flow of the classroom. These math problems encourage a different kind of thinking about math. Choose the appropriate grade level and you are set! 

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