39 Resources for Teachers and Home Schoolers During the Crushing Period of Lockdown due to COVID-19!
A few hours ago I saw a notice flash across my monitor.
I have been building a new blog website – for free this time – no expense!
Then I heard on TV a teacher say that she was going to set up assignments this evening.
So I had better get a hustle-in-my-bustle!
I thought I could use the “Inspect” tool to remember where I found this. If I had to guess, and I do, it was probably in Google Images.
I was using the “Capitalize My Title” website when I used the plugin offering 30+ FREE resources to teachers and home schoolers.
What a GREAT idea for a blog post.
Of course, I had no idea that it would take me two days and a few hours to type!
THE HEADLINE
It is on the site “Capitalize My Title” as I mentioned. I don’t want you to forget. I would like to try some of these apps. Some I have used and some I still use.
It is offering “30+ FREE Online Teaching Resources for Teachers Affected by Coronavirus.
It was posted on 3/18/20 at 1.15 PM so it is still pretty FRESH.
The staff at “Capitalize My Title” did a SUPERB job.
“Capitalize My Title” also offes excellent blogs on SEO and other criteria for an excellent blog site. I printed out 6 or 7 chapters.
I am going to use their layouts and texts since they did such a great job. Also, I think not using quotes will make reading a lot easier. There are 38 paragraphs with internet references!
I will post fairly close to the way they are described on the website.
But you know I have to make some lamebrain comments, RIGHT?
The team at “Capitalize My Title” puff out their chests – as well they should – for scurrying around finding all of these resources and diligently laying them out so legibly.
The kids should thank their lucky stars because I AM NOT a teacher by trade or luck.
That means that you teachers, you homeschoolers, you volunteers deserve all the kudos for the great job you do.
These tools are not geared toward teenagers. WHEW!
The Header:
https://capitalizemytitle.com/free-resources-for-online-learning/
Now if the tools hold up to your scrutiny I will have done a great job (I am going into this a non-educated OAF you understand.
The Tools
1.Discovery
Created a special Viruses and Outbreak channel to help educators discuss the coronavirus outbreak with students. (Remember to use my articles here and here.)
They are even offering FREE access to Discovery Education Experience through the remainder of the school year.
NOW THAT IS FORWARD THINKING AWESOME PROBLEM SOLVING!
Main Website: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://www.discoveryeducation.com/coronavirus-response
2.BrainPop
BrainPop is offering FREE, unlimited use of its platform for any schools impacted by the virus.
This includes animated movies, assessment resources, and creative tools for distance learning.
Main website: https://brainpop.com
COVID-19 Offering: https://educators.brainpop.com/2020/02/19/free-brainpop-access-for-schools-affected -by-the-corona-virus
3.Kahoot
Kahoot! Is a great distance learning tool. It offers self-paced games for students. In response to coronavirus, Kahoot! Is offering their premium service for FREE where educators can create their own games for students!
Main Website: https://kahoot.com
COVID-19 Offering: https://kahoot.com/blog/2020/02/27/kahoot-free-access-schools-higher-education-coronavirus/
4.Pronto
Is a communication platform that lets people communicate via chat and video. It is available FREE to teachers and teams during this time.
Main Website: https://pronto.io
COVID-19 Offering: https://pronto.io/coronavirus/
So far these seem like outstanding offers.
5. Book Creator lets educators create books for classrooms. This includes interactive stories, digital portfolios, poetry books, instruction manuals, and more. They have offered a FREE collaboration upgrade for educators affected by the coronavirus.
WOW! Will somebody let me take their class. This sounds AWESOME!
Main Website: https://bookcreator.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://bookcreator.com/2020/03/suppport-for-schools-affected-by-coronavirus/
6.Google is offering advanced Hangouts Meet for free and they’re recommending Google Classroom for distance learning. They also list some great ways to leverage these tools in these trying times.
I don’t know if you’ve used Hangouts but my brother in California and I use it to communicate almost exclusively. Hangouts is AWESOME!
Main Website: https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/distancelearning-COVID-1919/
7.Tynker
Tynker is a great tool for teaching kids how to code. It leverages Minecraft and other games to teach kids how to code interactively. They are giving away access to their platform to teachers who are affected by coronavirus AT NO COST! FREE
I’ll Sign uP! That’s my level of learning ability FER SHUR!
Main Website: https://www.tynker.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://mailchi.mp/tynker/in-support-of-schools-facing-health-related-closure
8.Buncee
Their Media person writes: “Buncee gives creation and communication tools to students and teachers through their all-in-one technology that empowers all users to easily create, and share visual representations of content, across grade, age and learning levels.” They are giving away FREE Buncee Classroom accounts to teachers through any closures due to top coronavirus.
Main Website: https://buncee.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://blog.buncee.com/supporting-remote-student-learning/
- 9. Pear Deck
“Pear Deck makes it easy for teachers to stay connected with students. It connects with existing videoconferencing software by Google, Microsoft, and Zoom.
Due to COVID-19, they are giving away FREE Pear Deck Premium access to educators.
Main Website: https://peardeck.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.peardeck.com/staying-connected
10.Kami
Kami is a document and PDF annotation app that lets teachers engage their students in new ways. They are giving away FREE access to teachers and students affected by the coronavirus.
Main Website: https://kamiapp.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://blog.kamiapp.com/remote-learning-with-kami-during-school-shutdowns/
11.Parlay
Parlay is an app that lets students have their own voice. They can participate anonymously in classroom discussions and respond to prompts from the teacher. Parlay will be FREE for everyone until May 15th, 2020
Main Website: https://parlayideas.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://parlayideas.com/school-closure-support/
12.Elementari
Elementari.io is giving away FREE access to their entire platform to teachers and parents affected by coronavirus. Elementari allows students in K-12 to create, write, and code interactive stories. It’s a great platform to help students learn how to read write, program and more.
Main Website: https://elementario.io
COVID-19 Offering: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ1LAywQdwvNKN_SpsypVA48XOaoCTQoGhuaP7e12fgwPnWA/viewform
13.EdPuzzle
Turn videos from YouTube, Khan Academy, Crash Course or others into engaging course, Teachers can make sure their students actually watch the videos and inject quizzes to test students’ comprehension. They are offering some relief for teachers affected by coronavirus.
Main Website: https://https://edpuzzle.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://support.edpuzzle.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039805612-Help-for-schools-affected-by-Covid-19
14.Wakelet
Wakelet allows educators to save, organize, and curate information they find across the web. They have curated some tips for educators to make the most of distance learning.
Main Website: https://wakelet.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://wakelet.com/wake/3af73ea4-a652-4e38-934d-765aefe0f35b
15.Twinkl
Educators can get a FREE month of Twinkl now. Twinkl has tons of U.S. teaching resources for use in the classroom covering key topics aligned with state standards. Educators can download these resources and share with their students.
Main Website:https://www.twinkl.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.twinkl.com/blog/how-to-utilise-twinkl-during-the-coronavirus-shutdown-a-guide-for-schools?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=corona
16.Hapara
Hapara is a leader in helping schools transition to digital learning. Teachers can create assignments and projects in the could that they can share with students who can then upload their work to the cloud as well. They are offering new schools/districts FREE access to Hapara until the end of June 2020.
Main Website: https://hapara.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://hapara.com/from-home/
17. Mangahigh
Mangahigh is a great tool to teach students math and coding. Teachers can set up advance quizzes and innovative games for students to learn crucial math and coding skills. They are offering full access to Mangahigh during school closures for any schools that are impacted by COVID-19=19.
Main Website: https://www.mangahigh.com
COVID-19 Offering:https://www.mangahigh.com/en-gb/blog/2020-03-06-free-access-schools-online-maths-coronavirus
18.Scholastic Learn at Home
Primarily targeted at parents who will now have their kids at home for long periods, Scholastic Learn at Home gives kids one week of content for PreK and Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6+.
Main Website: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
COVID-19 Offering:https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
19.ListenWire
ListenWire makes great podcast lessons from the best non-fiction storytellers. Feel good about having your students listen to educational content. They are offering free ListenWire Premium through April 30th for students affected by coronavirus.
Main Website: http://listenwise.com/
COVID-19 Offering:http://blog.listenwise.com/2020/03/listenwise-support-for-schools-affected-by-the-coronavirus/
20.MobyMax
MobyMax is an award-winning online differentiated learning platform that helps students close learning gaps. They are offering their software for FREE to all schools and districts forced to close to protect against COVID-19.
Main Website: http://mobymax.com/
COVID-19 Offering: http://press.mobymax.com/mobymax-to-provide-all-k-8-schools-and-school-districts-closed-by-covid-19-with-free-internet-learning-software
21.GoGuardian
GoGuardian is a great digital learning platform that lets schools manage their classrooms and administrative needs.
Main Website: https://www.goguardian.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://www.goguardian.com/blog/learning/goguardian-teacher-for-remote-learning/
22.Seterra Geography
Seterra offers map games to make learning geography easy. They are offering FREE Seterra memberships for schools affected by COVID-19.
Main Website: https://seterra.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://online.seterra.com/en/p/corona-support
23.We Video
We Video makes it easy for students to create fun, engaging videos and use the power of their voice to create them.
Main Website: https://www.wevideo.com/education
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.wevideo.com/education
24.Education Perfect
Education Perfect provides a progressive teaching and learning toolkit for the modern classroom. EP is providing FREE and unlimited access to all schools until May 1st.
Main Website: https://epforlearning.com/
COVID-19 Offering:https://epforlearning.com/2020/education-perfects-technology-minimising-impact-on-100-coronavirus-affected-schools-in-china/
25.Slido Education
Interactive Q&A session software that lets you curate and manage audience questions. A great way to poll the classroom or let students ask anonymously.
COVID-19 Offering:https://blog.sli.do/slido-for-education/
26.Breakout Edu
Breakout Edu has over 1500 Interactive learning games available that bring the challenges of an escape room to the classroom. Subjects range from language to math and science.
Main Website: https://www.breakoutedu.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome
27. Microsoft Education
Main Website: https://teams.microsoft.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2020/03/how-schools-can-ramp-up-remote-learning-programs-quickly-with-microsoft-teams/
28.NearPod
Main Website: https://nearpod.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://nearpod.com/coronavirus
29.Zoom
Zoom is a great videoconferencing software that makes it easy to do.
Main Website: https://blog.zoom.us/
COVID-19 Offering: https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/02/26/zoom-commitment-user-support-business-continuity-during-coronavirus-outbreak/
30. Screencastify
Main Website: https://www.screencastify.com/education/
COVID-19 Offering: https://twitter.com/Screencastify/status/1226934956930281472
31.Mystery Science
Main Website: https://mysteryscience.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://mysteryscience.com/
32. Age of Learning (ABCMouse, Adventure Academy, ReadingIQ)
Main Website: https://www.ageoflearning.com
COVID-19 Offering:https:/www.ageoflearning.com/schools
33.Genially
Genially lets teachers create interactive learning resources from presentations to infographics. In response to COVID-19, they are offering many of their premium templates for FREE.
Main Website: https://www.genial.ly/en
COVID-19 Offering: https://doitgenially.com/en/premium-templates-now-available-for-free-for-everyone-forever-genially-aims-to-facilitate-remote-and-distance-learning/
34.Canva
Canva is a great tool to quickly create infographics, Instructables, and other classroom activities. They have a FREE EDU offering.
Main Website: https://www.canva.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.canva.com/education/
35.Start.me
Start.me makes it easy to build start pages with links to lesson plans, education apps, games, and other online resources. They are making PRO accounts for FREE for all teachers affected by coronavirus.
Main Website: https://startme.com/education
COVID-19 Offering: https://blog.start.me/news/coronavirus
36.Carnegie Mellon University’s Open Learning Institute
CMU is offering FREE fee waivers to institutions affected by COVID-19 by making all of their Open Learning Initiative (OLI) courseware FREE for affected institutions. OLI courses act as textbook replacements or as supplemental material.
Main Website: https://oli.cmu.edu/educators/
COVID-19 Offering: https://oli.cmu.edu/fee-waivers-for-mid-semester-transition-in-spring-2020/
37.Kapwing
Kapwing is a collaborative online image and video editor with a cloud storage Workspace. It’s an excellent tool for teachers who are making video lessons to send to students for remote learning, for students working together on a group project, or a classroom looking for digital space to share multimedia projects with each other. They are giving away Kapwing Pro to educators whose schools are affected by the COVID-19 closures
Main Website: https://www.kapwing.com/
COVID-19 Offering: https://www.kapwing.com/resources/free-kapwing-pro-accounts-for-educators-affected-by-covid-19/
38.Pixton EDU
Pixton EDU is a web-app that gives teachers and students a unique way to create stories, demonstrate learning, and enhance writing assignments – in any subject- through digital comics. They are offering all-access for FREE for 30 days during the outbreak.
Main Website: http://pixton.com/
COVID-19 Offering: http://go.pixton.com/covid19
