TeachersFirst's Free Image Resources
This curated list of resources provides free image tools. As educators, it is important for us to set good examples of digital citizenship. Image usage is a perfect time to discuss the important topics of copyright, Creative Commons, and more. Use your discussions related to copyright and Creative Commons to fuel the discussion about digital citizenship. Read the classroom use suggestions for additional ideas about how to implement these tools in your classroom.
Don’t miss our Special Topics Page – Copyright and Fair Use Resources.
View our complete list of tagged items related to Copyright.
View our complete list of tagged items related to Creative Commons.
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Picryl - GetArchive
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), primary sources (118), search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Share this link with students and make it available on classroom computers. Consider using a curation tool such as Skloog, reviewed here or Symbaloo Edu, reviewed here, to share Picryl and other sites easily with students. Picryl provides an excellent opportunity to include lessons on copyright and fair use. Find many resources that teach and provide an understanding of fair use at the TeachersFirst Copyright and Fair Use Resources Special Topics Page located here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Rawpixel - Rawpixel Ltd.
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (28), graphic design (49), images (260)
In the Classroom
Include Rawpixel with your other image resources for your professional use and share with students. Be sure to include discussions of proper attribution of images and Creative Commons Licensing. Consider using a curation tool such as Wakelet, reviewed here, or Padlet, reviewed here, to share image resources with students. Ask students to enhance presentations using images and elements found on Rawpixel. For example, when creating presentations on the American Revolution using Google Slides, reviewed here, or Canva Edu, reviewed here, ask students to find a PNG image of a smartphone, then add chat boxes into the phone to depict a conversation between George Washington and one of his generals. This site contains many useful images and graphic design resources; it is worth saving and using in all classrooms!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PixCove - PixCove
Grades
K to 12tag(s): images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Explore PixCove as a resource to find images and backgrounds for any digital projects and presentations. Select interesting images to display for creative writing prompts or ask students to select a photo to inspire a creative writing project. Ask students to write their stories (displaying the image) with Telegra.ph, reviewed here, to share with the class. Telegra.ph is a very easy-to-use single web page creator with options for including images or video links.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bioicons - Simon Duerr
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): animals (285), cells (83), charts and graphs (170), genetics (79), images (260), molecules (44), STEM (274)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use in science classrooms throughout the year. Include images with research projects and science presentations. Make images interactive using Image Annotator, reviewed here. Use Image Annotator for students to add hotspots within the images to label and describe different features such as different parts of a cell. Add an image to an interactive Google Jamboard, reviewed here, and ask students to add sticky notes sharing what they know about the image or what they need to learn. Include images in student presentations created using Sway, reviewed here, as a final project to show what they know. The uses are endless, be sure to save this site and share it with students in many different ways. Be sure to emphasize proper attribution of images when using this site or any other images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EDUimages - All4Ed
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), preK (262)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for professional use and share it with students whenever using images for class projects and assignments. Be sure to discuss how to use and attribute images within their work properly. Use these images on your class web page, in newsletters, or in slide presentations. Many of the images also work well for use with creative writing projects. For example, display one of the interesting images on your whiteboard or share it with students in their learning space to use as a writing prompt. Ask students to include the image on a simple webpage created with Telegra.ph, reviewed here, then write a short story based upon the picture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Black Illustrations - John D. Saunders
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use images from this collection with any digital projects, and be sure to share with students to use with their digital work. These images are perfect to use with any projects that involve discussions and presentations on racism. Use images in a variety of ways such as to include in explainer videos created with Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, in digital books made with Book Creator, reviewed here, and in multimedia presentations made with Sway, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bing Images - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12tag(s): clip art (11), creative commons (28), images (260), Microsoft (80), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Bing images to use when searching for images to use in newsletters, your class website, research projects, and more. Choose an interesting image from one of Bing's categories to use for writing prompts. Then, extend students' learning by asking them to create a simple one-page website using a free webpage maker like Carrd, reviewed here, to share their creative writing projects. Create a Microsoft account and log in to save images. Add your saved images to collections to organize and share content with others. Use images to create animated videos using a video tool like Typito, reviewed here. Typito offers drag and drop features for uploading your images and video, text, music, and templates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Stockio - stockio.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Before using, share this site with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and demonstrate how to save files. Ads by images can be deceiving and lead to other download sites, not to the download of your requested file.Use Stockio in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Even though the site says "no attribution required," it is a good idea to have students acknowledge, or as the site says "appreciate," the origin of the image; this will help to get them into the habit of citing their sources. Student groups can use Stockio to find the best image to use for a project collectively. Challenge students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc.). Use images as a writing prompt or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo-montages (with attribution or "appreciation" as they say on the site). For an easy online photo editor and montage maker, try using Pixlr, reviewed here. Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ESL/ELL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.
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picjumbo - Viktor Hanacek
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Use this site to search for photos for presentations, projects, or research. Take advantage of this opportunity to discuss proper use and sharing of online images and information. For ENL/ESL students or speech/language, use the pictures for them to create their own visual dictionary. World language teachers can also challenge students to use images to illustrate vocabulary or accompany writing. Use photos for writing prompts or even to create descriptive sentences. Have one student describe the picture as another sketches the image. Now compare the described image to the real image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freepik - Alejandro Blanes, Pablo Blanes, and Joaquin Cuenca
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): clip art (11), graphic design (49), images (260), vectors (16)
In the Classroom
These graphics and templates are free to download and use (with appropriate credit). This site is great if you need some clever clipart to jazz up student handouts, classroom bulletin boards, or PowerPoint/Keynote presentations. Special Ed, speech/language, or ENL/ESL teachers may find these images helpful when working with non-readers or non-verbal students. There is also web clipart that you can use for your blog, class webpage, or wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Getty Collection Images - Getty Images
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Use this site in every subject area where images can convey concepts or students make projects. Share an intriguing photo on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a writing prompt for a short story (or poem). Use images for extra practice when writing in world languages, by having students describe the scene or tell a story about it. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. When looking for free materials for use in projects or to place on websites, begin the search here. Be sure to keep a link to this site on your wiki, blog, or web page for students to use whenever they are working on a project. Not comfortable with wikis or blogs? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through and Blog Basics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wellcome Collection - Images - Wellcome Images
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), medicine (56), photography (118)
In the Classroom
History, science, and art teachers can explore the galleries dedicated to those subjects to include pictures in newsletters, blogs, and class websites. Share the site with students on an interactive whiteboard or projector when they need images for projects. Find images from locations you are studying in world cultures or geography class. Find images to use in student online projects such as Bookemon (to create online books), or Phrase.it, reviewed here (an image editor to add speech bubbles to your image). Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photomontages (with credit). Use images for writing prompts or even to create descriptive sentences. Have one student describe the image as the other sketches the image. Now compare the described image to the real image. Keep this site as a reference link on your class web page for any time students are creating wikis, blogs, or electronic projects where they need images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TinEye Labs - Idee, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): colors (63), creative commons (28), design (80), graphic design (49), images (260), media literacy (104), psychology (67)
In the Classroom
Use this tool when you seek specific color(s) to coordinate with a presentation or other class project. Use it to talk about the emotional impact of different colors, such as during a psychology unit on perception, a media literacy lesson on advertising color, or a discussion of color schemes in art class. Be sure to discuss the ethical use of images with proper credit, including Creative Common images. Start by having students carefully NAME files as they download and save them (include the photographer's name and a title). Remind them that they still need to give credit even if it is Creative Commons. This is a great site for looking at contrast, analogous and complementary color schemes, and other artistic expressions. Use TinEye Labs to uncover various elements of graphic design found in images. Art teachers will love the many options for demonstrating different color palettes on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the photo examples from Tineye Labs together with a tool such as Color Hunter, reviewed here, or Colour Lovers, reviewed here, to play hands-on with digital color. Share this with your gifted students who are especially interested in art or design.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pixabay - Pixabay
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), photography (118), search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Use in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Be sure students are aware that any time another person's image is used, they must give full credit for it, even if that owner cannot see it. Student groups can use Pixabay to collectively find the best image to use for a project. Enhance classroom technology use by challenging students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc). Use images as writing prompts or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo montages (with credit). Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ENL/ESL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.Comments
A legal (yet, illegal in every sense) extortion letter from Getty Images ignited my need to find another source of genuinely free images online. Hence, ended up finding this awesome free source of truly free images online i.e. pixabay.com. I fear all the time that such a great source could easily be bought (gobbled up) by greedy and infamous businesses i.e. Getty and we will have to find some other source for genuinely free images. Until that happens, let's all enjoy the free ride.pin, , Grades: 0 - 12
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IconBug.com - ClipArt Free - IconBug 2011
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): clip art (11), creative commons (28), images (260)
In the Classroom
Share this link with your students so they have safe images to use in projects beyond the standard images in their computer software. If you worry that students will spend far too much time making up their minds, download a smaller collection, including the links to give proper credit, to share locally as part of a project assignment. Use clipart to spice up your activity sheets and rubrics. Use clipart images in learning support, speech and language, or life skills classrooms to teach words using images. This method could also be applied for students learning a new language. World language teachers can create a presentation of pictures and speak the words in the world language to help students learn. An extension of this type of activity could also be helpful with ENL/ESL students in your classroom. The handy icons here would also work well for sharing link collections visually using a tool such as Symbaloo, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Copyright free/Public domain images - Jen Presley
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
When looking for copyright free materials for use in projects or to place on websites, begin your search here. Be sure to keep a link to this site on your wiki, blog, or web page for students to use whenever they are working on a project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Public Domain Pictures - Bobeck Ltd.
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): graphic design (49), images (260), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Share this website on your class web page so that students have easy and legal access to pictures for their projects and presentations. Of course, you will still require proper image credits! Be sure to offer clear instructions about how to download FOR FREE. In an art or photography class, have students post their work to get exposure and recognition for their great images. Read tips for safely managing email registrations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wikimedia Commons - Wkimedia Foundation
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (28)
In the Classroom
Address the needs of the visual learner and include media files as part of the research process. Wikipedia Commons offers a way for students to gain an understanding of content through images, sounds, and video. Give students the opportunity to communicate their knowledge by narrating a slideshow of images found on Wikipedia Commons or create multimedia presentations on a site such as Lucidpress, reviewed here. These free media files will also help ENL/ESL teachers explain concepts and key vocabulary. This site is a valuable resource for imagery useful when creating presentations, lectures, digital stories, reports or to include on a class websites. Students learning a foreign language may benefit from using Wikipedia Commons to learn about more about the culture and lifestyle of the country whose language they are studying.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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openverse - Word Press - Creative Commons
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): air (104), copyright (46), creative commons (28)
In the Classroom
Teaching students to understand and respect copyright of digital information can be difficult and overwhelming. The first step in helping students understand digital copyright is to get them to explore the terms of use and copyright of a variety of information. Create a scavenger hunt for students to find the terms of service and/or copyright for common websites. Once they realize that not all information is "free" for them to use, introduce the Creative Commons website and the symbols that are used to describe how the content is licensed by the owner. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to demonstrate searching using the CC search site. Perform searches that yield results that show several different types of licenses. Discuss each type using scenarios of how the information can and cannot be used. As an extension activity for this site, students can create their own work and publish the work using a creative commons license. The work can be as simple as using a digital picture or as complex as creating their own derivative artwork, such as a collage or "photoshopped" image. It can be published on a commercial site such as flickr or on your school webpage. Make sure to follow any school guidelines before publishing student work. Perhaps you can create a class wiki of annotated creative images created by students with explanations of where they found the "parts" and how they created the original works from these parts. What a wonderful model to share with future students, as well. Teachers will also appreciate being able to find images you can freely use on class web pages and in online project samples, etc. (with attribution).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Vecteezy - Eezy Inc
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (28), images (260), search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Users need to be able to use good search terms to find the best pictures possible as well as knowing how to save images on their computer. Use in the classroom any time that an image is needed for projects, even if it is not going to be put on a website for others to see. Be sure students are aware that any time another person's image is used, they must give full credit for it, even if that owner cannot see it. Demonstrate Vecteezy on a projector or interactive whiteboard so students know how to use it. Student groups can use Vecteezy to collectively find the best image to use for a project. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Image Annotator, reviewed here. For example, students studying renewable energy can use Vecteezy to find images of various renewable energy sources, then explain them using Image Annotator. Teachers can collect Creative Commons images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc). Never assume that your students, even the gifted ones, understand about giving proper credit and only using copyright-safe images (CC or public domain). Vecteezy makes it easier. Be sure to hold students accountable by including a "digital citizenship" category in your project rubric, requiring proper credit for all images. You will want to spot-check a few of the URLs to be sure they are actually correct credits. Share Vecteezy as an important tool on your class web page, wiki, or blog so students can access it anywhere, anytime.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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