World Savvy’s Favorite Virtual Learning Resources

Across the US, many schools and workplaces are closing to help slow the spread of COVID-19. While this show of solidarity is encouraging and likely to keep our communities safer, we understand that this can be a difficult time for educators having to quickly shift their lesson plans for online learning, or for parents with children at home who don’t have an online learning option through their schools. 

At World Savvy, we want to support you through this challenging time – you can do it! Below are some of our favorite resources for educators and parents supporting youth in online learning!

All Grade Levels

Flipgrid – An easy way to introduce digital sharing into your classroom. This free platform allows educators and students to share short videos about their learnings, similar to your own private social media platform! Pro-tip: Pair Flipgrid with World Savvy Case Studies (below) for middle and high school students!

Khan Academy and Khan Academy Kids – With free, trusted, standards-aligned content in a multitude of subjects across K-12, personalized learning for each student, and resources created just for teachers, Khan Academy can help educators meet the needs of every student during this challenging time.

Share My Lesson Remote Learning Community – A remote learning community created just for educators and parents experiencing online learning for the first time due to COVID-19, Share My Lesson’s Remote Learning Community is a great place to learn and share ideas, lesson plans, and resources to address the needs of children who may have to stay home from school for prolonged periods of time.

Project Explorer – With free videos and lessons to inspire global citizens, Project Explorer has engaging content for all grade levels. Their video lessons will take learners all over the world, learning about art, nature, human rights, the environment, and so much more! (And did you happen to catch our partnership with Crash Test World for their premier!? Their engaging, motivating videos are on Project Explorer!)

We Are Teachers Free Online Learning Resources for Teaching Your Students Virtually – Over 75 resources for different grade levels, curated by teachers, for teachers!

Middle and High School

Global Oneness Project – Offering a rich library of multimedia stories, Global Oneness Project believes that stories play a powerful role in education. Their stories bring the world’s cultures alive in the (virtual) classroom, exploring cultural, environmental, and social issues. They even have companion curriculum and discussion guides for educators!

World Savvy Case Studies – Global issues are complex with a wide array of perspectives to unpack. Aimed at supporting student inquiry and deeper understanding, World Savvy Case Studies start with authentic examples that support students with the voices and ideas of people who are deeply impacted by the issue, as well as resources for further research and learning. 

Solutions Journalism Network’s SolutionsU – Connecting students to solutions stories about responses to the world’s challenges, SolutionsU features high-quality journalism searchable by issue, strategy, SDG, location, and more, as well as specific resources for teachers to integrate these resources into teaching practice. 

Grade School

PBS Kids – A wealth of educational games and videos for kids, as well as valuable resources to help parents and educators make the most of the platform. 

ABCMouse.com – With over 9,000 learning activities across 10 different levels and many different subjects, including reading and language arts, math, science and social studies, and art, ABCMouse.com motivates children to keep working through lessons that get more complex as time goes on. It’s currently free for 30 days.

Free Cultural Resources

Smithsonian Learning Lab – Access millions of digital resources from across the Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives, and more!

Explore Google’s Arts & Culture Collections to tour institutions such as the Guggenheim (New York), the Anne Frank House (Netherlands), Musée d’Orsay (Paris), The Getty (Los Angeles), Ford’s Theatre (Washington D.C.), National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico City), and hundreds more!

Tour a National Park – Explore 33 of the United States’ National Parks in your pajamas! 

NASA – Access NASA’s entire media library online!

And a bonus…

This Google Doc shared by Lucy Gray Consulting, with a whole host of additional resources, support groups, plans, and more for online teaching and learning – including a step-by-step guide for utilizing Zoom in your remote classroom! They have also started The Daily Connect, a daily virtual Zoom meeting for parents and educators!

We hope you find these resources helpful during this uncertain time. Connect with World Savvy on Facebook and Twitter for more resources and ideas to come, or to share resources you’re loving right now!