Awesome Teachers Know Where To Find FREE Lesson Planning and Curriculum Tools

Let’s face it, you could spend hours and hours on lesson planning. It’s hard to know when to call it “good enough.” But teachers who have a good work life balance, know how to find free resources that make lesson planning and creating a snap. Locating free options takes a bit more effort up front, but once you know what’s available, it will save you loads of time in the long term.

What It Does For You

  • Saves time formatting your own worksheets.
  • Provides new ideas or ways to present a lesson.
  • Allows you to help other teachers locate helpful resources.

Where Are The Free Resources?

All Ages And Subjects:

  • CommonLit : This website provides interesting and leveled reading passages across an array of subject areas.
  • PBS Learning Media : Lesson plans for PreK – 12.
  • Scholastic : Provides free lesson plans, print-ables, and lexile levels for many novels.
  • National Women’s History Museum : Provides resources focusing on the history of women’s rights.
  • Library of Congress : Provides lesson plans and access to primary sources for the classroom.
  • Newsela : Provides a wide range of reading topics and levels. These also come with comprehension questions.
  • We Are Teachers : Provides support for K-12 and in all subject areas.
  • Education.com : Provides free printable worksheets. These are primarily geared for elementary kids.
  • Teacher Planet : Organized printable worksheets.
  • SoftSchools.com : Free printables in tons of different subjects!

ELA Specific Resources:

STEM Specific Resources:

History Specific Resources:

Teacher Lesson Plan Collaboration Websites:

Wrapping It Up

I have checked out all of these websites and there are unique things on each. My only advice is to not spend hours pouring over each website. That would make this tool less valuable to you and way more than 5% more effort. Think of what you need to plan, then look up two or three websites that fits those needs best. I personally try not to spend more than 1 hour a week “researching” ideas.

All right, that’s it! Let me know if I missed any great ones!

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