Ah! I love going to Costco or Sam’s Club on the weekends to get those free samples! A bite-sized treat that requires no changing of money. Well, we’re here today to give you the educational equivalent of a free sample Saturday. However, there is one BIG difference. Instead of finding tiny, tasting-sized samples, these resources have entire free lessons, units, and for some, even courses that you can use in your classroom. That’s the opposite of bite-sized! Check out this introduction to FOUR free, educational resources at your disposal.
VDOE– If you are a seasoned teacher in Virginia, it may have been a while since you have visited the Virginia Department of Education website for resources. But for many disciplines, this is a gold mine! Not only is it already vetted for any curriculum, but it grows with each new school year. To navigate to your discipline, go to the VDOE website, select “Instruction” on the left panel, and then select your discipline on the right panel. For most subjects, you will want to look for the word “resources.”
Google Applied Digital Skills – I am continually impressed with what Google creates for educators, and this is a true gem: Google Applied Digitals Skills. Sign in with a Google account, and select “Browse lessons.” You will find numerous technology integration lessons that walk you and your students from start to finish. Subjects range from topical like “Black History Month” to content-specific like computer science. The filter feature is very user-friendly!
#GoOpenVA – This open education resource database has come a long way in the past few years. The first thing I love about this site is that you don’t have to log in to begin your search. If you navigate to the site and select “Advanced search,” you will find a plethora of filter options. Another wonderful feature- you can discover whole courses ready to go. Since this is a creative commons database, make sure to check on whether you can download, remix, or if you must give credit to the creator. You can easily find that by looking for the “cc” mark next to each lesson description.
eMediaVA – And of course, where would we be without eMediaVA? If you are new to us, well, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Through eMediaVA’s search engine, you can find SOL-specific lessons, videos perfect for the Virginia curriculum, and interactive lessons that engage and inform. You can also create playlists and save resources so that your entire unit collection is in one spot. Searching by a vendor is another great way to discover new content. Plus, you get webinars and blog posts showcasing some of the fantastic resources found here!
If you want to learn more about these resources or see them in action, join our upcoming webinar where we’ll discuss even more great features of each of these sites.