Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

PBS Learning Media's Agriculture collection features various resources, including videos, audio, documents, lesson plans, and collections for grades kindergarten through 12. There are over nine hundred resources available to search. Videos are available on going green, genetically modified food, the food chain, regenerative agriculture, and many more. Lesson plans include organic v, non-organic farming, the food chain, global oneness project, and more. Lesson plans contain a summary, time allotted, learning objectives, preparation, procedure, and standards. Filters are available to sort by grade level, subject, resource type, length of video/audio, language, accessibility, and additional features. You can share everything in the collection via Google Classroom, a link to students, and social sharing. Members can build on the lessons once they log into the site.

tag(s): agriculture (49), careers (156), ecology (103), food chains (19)

PBS Kids' Community Helpers features media clips, printables, games, extension activities, articles, and crafts. The helpers include bankers, bus drivers, dentists, farmers, firefighters, meteorologists, paleontologists, scientists, and veterinarians. The videos feature characters from other PBS shows such as Clifford, Sid the Science Kid, Daniel Tiger, Nature Cat, Dinosaur Train, and Peg and Cat. Videos range from one to five minutes. Resources are also available in Spanish.

tag(s): careers (156), communities (35), preK (271)

This engaging lesson plan from BrainPOP Educators helps teachers introduce students to the Maya Civilization's rich history and cultural contributions. It features interactive videos, discussion questions, and activities. The lesson encourages critical thinking and historical analysis. Teachers can access various resources, including quizzes, graphic organizers, and extension activities, to deepen student understanding. With its user-friendly format and standards-aligned content, this lesson is a great way to bring ancient history to life in the classroom!

tag(s): mayans (23), mexico (37)

Sesame Street Career Exploration Games is an interactive site that visits different careers. The first interactive activity features neighborhood jobs with Elmo and Abby. The highlighted jobs include scientists, firefighters, architects, musicians, delivery persons, and veterinarians. Other games include Elmo and Grover visiting a farm, Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck Game allowing for following a recipe, and Bert and Ernie's Super Salad for finishing food orders.

tag(s): careers (156), preK (271)

Stuff You Should Know: The Mayan Civilization is a fifty-three minute video podcast on YouTube. The video starts by highlighting the other podcasts they have done on the Ancient Mayan and sharing other Ancient Mayan podcasts they will be doing. Over the course of the fifty plus minute podcast, narrators Josh and Chuck share the highlights of the civilization, the cities, whether or not the civilization is really gone, the geography, the different periods/ages of the civilizations, and comparisons to other civilizations, regions, and/or societies. Note that there is a reference to genocide, mass graves, human sacrifices, and more. We always recommend previewing if you are unsure if the content is appropriate.

tag(s): mayans (23), south america (47)

Learn Bright's Mayan Civilization contains lesson plans that introduce students to the Mayan Civilization and the events during its time in history. The lesson plans teach about the origins of the civilization, places, people, and things, beliefs, daily life, and more. You must sign up for a free account to access the lesson plans. The lessons are aligned to the Common Core Standards for ELA literacy.

tag(s): mayans (23), mexico (37), south america (47)

The Teach Democracy section on the Share My Lesson website provides educators with a wide range of resources to teach civics, democracy, and government to students. View lesson plans, activities, and multimedia materials designed to help students understand democratic principles, the Constitution, and the importance of civic participation. These resources are ideal for grades K-12 and include engaging materials like simulations, debates, and primary source analyses. The website helps teachers foster critical thinking, civic engagement, and active citizenship, aligned with national and state standards. The videos are hosted on YouTube.

tag(s): bill of rights (33), civil rights (209), constitution (96), democracy (24)

The Getty Center's Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art? challenges students to discover how "traditional" works of art have inspired and informed contemporary artists. On the right side, "For the Classroom" links directly to lesson plans, image banks about contemporary art, and a glossary bank. The four lessons featured are titled A Bug's Journey, Chairs, Rooms, and Time Travel, Moving Pictures, Moving Stories, and Sculptural Space/s. Each lesson tells you the time allotted, an overview, the objectives, materials, steps, assessment, and extensions. The lessons are aligned with the California Visual Arts Standards and the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts.

tag(s): art history (103), artists (85)

Visit the items shared in this group by BookWidget users to find and use several different SDG-related activities. After registering for a BookWidgets account, you can use all the items for free. Resources include an invention timeline, quizzes, flashcards, and more. Click on any link to view the resource. Share activities using one of the options to share items with students, including links to send activities to Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams.

tag(s): climate change (99), cross cultural understanding (173), energy (133), flash cards (44), nutrition (140), sustainability (50), timelines (56), women (150)

The Library of Congress guide on the 13th Amendment is an invaluable resource for teachers exploring the history of slavery, emancipation, and the evolution of civil rights in the United States. This comprehensive guide provides primary source documents, historical context, and legal insights into the amendment that abolished slavery. Designed for educators, it offers easy access to speeches, legislative records, and images that bring the historical significance of the 13th Amendment to life. Whether you're teaching a civics, history, or government class, this guide equips you with the tools to foster meaningful discussions about freedom, justice, and the enduring impact of this landmark amendment.

tag(s): civil rights (209), constitution (96), emancipation proclamation (13), slavery (79)

Follow two curious mice, August and Pearl, as they explore the artwork in over one hundred museums worldwide. Their easy-to-understand observations and conversations provide a unique and playful perspective. After launching the activity, choose to explore by art or museum view. Replay conversations and toggle on subtitles if desired. After listening to the conversation, return to choose a new selection or choose the link to explore other art available in the museum.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), artists (85), museums (52)

The YouTube Kids platform provides teachers a safe, engaging tool to incorporate kid-friendly video content into the classroom. The site offers a simplified and safer experience for children exploring videos, with customizable parental controls and personalized student profiles. There is also a free app available. Teachers can tailor content to specific age groups (4 and under, 5-8, or 9-12), ensuring that videos align with students' developmental levels. The platform also allows educators to share relevant content directly with students, manage screen time, and block inappropriate videos when necessary. With its smaller, curated content library and protections like automated filters and human reviews, YouTube Kids offers a secure way to enrich lessons with videos while fostering responsible media consumption habits in students.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): enrichment (13), internet safety (114), personalized learning (10), playlists (8), video (266)

Geography.com is an engaging educational resource that helps teachers bring geography to life in the classroom. The site offers interactive maps, quizzes, articles, and videos covering physical geography, human geography, climate, and world cultures. It provides student-friendly explanations, real-world examples, and multimedia content to support lessons on global issues, ecosystems, and geographic concepts. With its interactive approach, Geography.com is a valuable tool for fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and spatial awareness in students of all grade levels.

tag(s): climate (84), critical thinking (127), cultures (180), ecosystems (83), maps (220), multimedia (53)

Discover these free resources for students to investigate photojournalistic images from the 1940s through the 1970s. The featured photographs were used to illustrate stories in newspapers and magazines, providing visual accounts of events shaping 20th-century history. On the right side, "For the Classroom" links directly to lesson plans, image banks, photojournalism overviews, and questions for teaching. The four lessons featured include: Extra, Extra, Write all about it!, Newsworthy Images, Debating the Bomb, and Vietnam and the Long-term Effect of War. Each lesson has a time allotted, overview, objectives, materials, steps, assessment, and extensions. The lessons are aligned with the California Visual Arts Standards and the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts.

tag(s): images (263), newspapers (93), writing (325)

African American Artists: Resources in the Library of Congress, serves as a comprehensive guide to the vast collections and resources on African American art and artists. It provides an introduction to significant artworks, movements, and figures, offering insights into their historical and cultural contributions. The guide is organized into sections that highlight primary sources, exhibitions, photographs, manuscripts, and reference materials available in the Library's collections. It is a valuable tool for educators, researchers, and students seeking to explore the rich legacy and impact of African American artists.

tag(s): african american (115), art history (103), black history (133), civil rights (209)

Explore this detailed guide to the history of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during World War II. It highlights the battalion's critical role in clearing a massive backlog of mail to boost troop morale and their perseverance in the face of racism, sexism, and challenging conditions. The guide offers access to primary sources, such as photographs, official records, and news articles, along with historical analysis that situates their contributions within the broader context of the war and civil rights. This resource is a valuable tool for educators, featuring side tabs with timelines, related collections, and teaching resources, making it ideal for lessons on women's history, African American history, and military history.

tag(s): black history (133), civil rights (209), women (150), womenchangemaker (36), world war 2 (161)

The Nature Conservatory is a free website that offers lesson plans on the following three topics: Protect Ocean, Land, and Freshwater, Provide Food and Water, and Tackle Climate Change for ages 14 through 18. Each of these topics has 1-5 lessons, including Gray, Green, Blue: Water Security and YOU!, Sustainable Fishing, and Urban Runoff: Stormwater Management. Each lesson has a teacher's guide that includes essential questions, an overview, materials and resources, videos, vocabulary, handouts, and an evaluation. Lessons are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core.

tag(s): climate (84), climate change (99), environment (252), oceans (149), sustainability (50)

The Nature Conservatory is a free website that offers lesson plans on the following three topics: Protect Ocean, Land, and Freshwater, Provide Food and Water, and Tackle Climate Change for ages 11 through 14. Each of these topics has 1-5 lessons, including Reforestation: Impact on Climate, Fighting Fire with Fire, How Natural Areas Filter Water, and more. Each lesson comes with a teacher's guide that includes essential questions, a lesson overview, materials and resources, videos, vocabulary, handouts, and an evaluation. Lessons are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core.

tag(s): climate (84), climate change (99), environment (252), sustainability (50)

The Nature Conservatory is a free website that offers lesson plans on the following three topics: Protect Ocean, Land, and Freshwater, Provide Food and Water, and Tackle Climate Change for ages 5 through 11. Each of these topics has 1-5 lessons. Each lesson comes with a teacher's guide that includes an essential question, lesson overview, materials and resources, videos, vocabulary, handouts, and an evaluation. Lessons are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core.

tag(s): climate change (99), environment (252), oceans (149), sustainability (50)

Mayan Masks gives a brief overview of the importance and value of masks in the Mayan civilization. It also briefly describes the different types of masks that the Mayans created. Finally, it challenges you to design your mask.

tag(s): crafts (64), mayans (23), mexico (37), south america (47)