Embedded Files
Canva is an online graphic design software with various sized templates for creating posters, educational videos, Instagram graphics, Google Classroom headers, etc.
Affordances
Affordances
Tons of free content - an educator email can get you access to free education-specific resources and premium features.
Available graphics and options, as well as the option to upload your own.
Download options for png, jpeg, pdf, etc.
Pre-made worksheets with easy editing ability to fit your needs.
Collaborative features.
Constraints
Constraints
Premium content costs money for non-educators.
Students will have less access than teachers.
Some specific graphics and images cost money.
Google has many tools and platforms for educators, such as Google Classroom, Google Drive, Google Keep, and all the other fantastic tools in G-Suite. (This amazing website is even made with Google Sites.) Google Experiments is a lesser known section of the Google Workplace. It has over a thousand experiments in collections of arts, AI, stem, AR, creatability, and more for students and adults to play around with. It is fun, interactive, and educational.
Affordances
Affordances
Free to use and explore - don't need to login to access.
Experiments range in level of difficulty, so there is something to fit every age.
My students specifically love Chrome Music Lab.
Advanced coders and makers could submit their own experiments.
Constraints
Constraints
The amount of options can be overwhelming, especially for students. May need to focus in to find an experiment that fits your learning.
The loading time of the website and certain tools can be substantial. Some require a lot of bandwidth to run well.
Shannon McClintock Miller is an incredible educator with tons of blog posts and resources. I use her choice boards almost every month in my classrooms. She puts together eye-catching choice board for students will tons of STEAM and maker-centered resources on them.
Affordances
Affordances
All her choice boards are free to use.
Can save them to drive to edit in order to better fit your needs.
Supports other educators.
Constraints
Constraints
Occasional issues with links embedded in the Google Slides.
Some editing may be required to better fit your classroom.
Toy Theater is an interactive program that uses educational games and virtual manipulatives to engage students in their learning. It has manipulatives for both. You can also read a blog post that further explores the research of this tool.
Logo: https://toytheater.com/
Affordances
Affordances
Free! Accessible to all with internet access and is affordable to teachers with limited budgets and resources.
No distribution or clean-up needed.
Option for students to choose the tool that works for them.
Constraints
Constraints
Students with visual impairments and/or sensory impairments might benefit more from physical manipulatives.
May limit the ability for teachers to observe students’ thinking.
As with all technology, more unsupervised distractions available.
Constraints with specific tools.
Dash and Dot robots are easily programmable robots that use a blockly language and a variety of applications to teach students about computer programming and robotics.
Affordances
Affordances
Puzzles that show step by step software.
Projects that allow students to creatively program.
Math activities that are standards based for upper elementary to solve.
Attachments available for the robots.
Bluetooth connectivity.
More "human-like" robots that are particularly appealing to younger students.
A class connect option that syncs with Google Classroom and allows you to track student progress.
Constraints
Constraints
High cost to get a class set.
Add-ons cost extra, including the class connect subscription.
Most apps are available on iPad, limited usability for Chromebooks.
Some connectivity problems with student Chromebooks.
Code.org is a free online coding site for students. Games can be accessed without signing in, or students can have an account where teachers can see their progress and assign curriculum. Code.org is most well known for its participation in the Hour of Code initiative.
Affordances
Affordances
Free! Accessible during both school and at home for students.
Syncs through Google Classroom for easy assigning and monitoring of progress.
Students enjoyed the game-based interface of it.
Curriculum ranges to fit K-5 and all levels of previous coding experience.
Has lessons that teach about Artificial Intelligence. AI for Oceans is one of my students' favorites.
Constraints
Constraints
Sometimes the game-like elements can distract from the learning objectives.
I, personally, find students using Dance Party to listen to the music clips and less to complete programming information.
Younger students sometimes struggle to move through the lessons correctly, being slightly confused by the interface.
Another great online programming option is Scratch. Scratch is a free block-based software created by MIT for anyone interested in computer science. Students can follow tutorials, join your class, or create open-ended projects. Scratch has an easy to learn interface as is available both web-based and as an app.
Affordances
Affordances
Free! Accessible during both school and at home for students.
Teachers can create classrooms to see student work.
Tutorials make it easy for students to get started and follow along with easy first assignments.
Open-ended interface make it easy for students to create things that they are interested in.
Many students are experienced with it from clubs, camps, or own interest.
Has both easy options and has the ability to get more complicated with things like variables, arrays, and conditionals if students are ready for those.
Constraints
Constraints
Scratch has the opportunity to share projects, so students sometimes want to play games instead of working on creating their own projects.
If you are unfamiliar with programming, it can have a learning curve to get started.
Some students struggle with the open-endedness of the website and don't know what they want to create.
Students need to share their projects, and even with student accounts, there is no way to monitor everything they are working on.
Your Local Public Library
Your Local Public Library
A great place to go for both physical and digital tools is your local public library and their website. You'll often find an educator page or a youth resources page with lots of great digital options for your students.
Affordances
Affordances
May have free access to digital resources like BookFlix, Sora, and Tumblebooks.
Students in your district will all be able to get a free library card themselves.
Often have used books sales to stock up your classroom library.
Some libraries do Battle of the Books or other community-integrated reading initiatives.
Constraints
Constraints
Inequalities exist in libraries, so not every community will have the same access and resources.
Certain functions may require you to have your own library card to access.
Common Sense has resources for teachers, students, and caregivers. They teach about digital citizenship and other issues in the online world.
Constraints
Constraints
The lesson plans don't always fit perfectly with grade levels - sometimes too high or too low for my students.
Some information can be a bit dense to follow if you are new to digital citizenship.
This is an online database for students in Pre-K and older. I have had students up to second grade that were super interested in it. It has songs, videos, games, reading, and more for students to learn about the world about them. In Michigan, it is available for free through the Michigan eLibrary.
Affordances
Affordances
Easy to navigate for students, with tons of resources that will keep them engaged.
Each part of the website, even the games, are educational.
A great introduction to online databases for young students.
Can supplement read-alouds, science units, holidays, and more with all the topics available.
Constraints
Constraints
Not sure what the availability is in other states outside of Michigan.
Some of the activities are printables, not online activities. It will redirect students to PDFs, where they sometimes get confused about what to do next.
This is an older online database for students. Similar to Early Learning, it has videos, games, reading, and more for students to learn about the world about them. In Michigan, it is available for free through the Michigan eLibrary.
Affordances
Affordances
Great opportunity to teach research skills to students and gain online literacy.
Has topics and people that students are interested in and want to learn more about.
Give kids a chance to search that is safe and accurate, instead of relying on Google for research.
Constraints
Constraints
The website design is a little outdated and looks very 90s, which is not as appealing to current students.
Not sure what the availability is outside of Michigan.
Can be harder for students to navigate and relies on students online skills to go through the search results.
Heading image used with permission from Chris Sloan.
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