We could ALL use more time. But what happens when we are in need of a lesson idea or activity and the clock is ticking? Here are 15 go-to resources for teachers who are short on time.
There is one thing that all teachers agree we need more of. One thing we can never have enough of and one that we seem to always be running out of in our classrooms.
Time.
Although it may not be possible to actually add hours to our day, we can utilize the resources available to us to spark our imagination and give us ideas for lessons we can use right away.
In a recent #Ditchbook chat, moderated by Stephanie DeMichele and Rachel Marker, we asked the community to share the best places to go if they need a quick idea or lesson right now. And if you are looking for even MORE ideas scroll all the way down or click here for 30 tips, tricks, and tools to save you time!
15 go-to resources for teachers short on time
1. There’s a good chance that you’ve played a Kahoot! game, where teachers ask students questions on a projector or big screen and students respond using devices at their seats. Kahoot is a great tool and you can utilize the pre-made Kahoot quizzes to review a concept previously learned, spark interest in a new topic, or just for a bit of fun.
A1: kahoot! if i’m in a jam, Kahoot always has a quiz ready to go for me that another teacher has already created (also, primary teachers, so many picture books read aloud on youtube even if you don’t have them in your own library) #ditchbook
— Miss Chris (@schristopherwp1) March 1, 2019
2. Podcasts are an excellent way to stay up to date on new tools and great ideas from other educators. They often include show notes with links to tons of resources or even ready-to-use lessons shared by guests or hosts of the show.
A1 I lean on my incredible PLN, especially the #ditchbook family. 👊This crew is always brimming w wonderful ideas & resources.
🔊Podcasts by @GTeacherTribe@cultofpedagogy
#️⃣Hashtag inspiration always found at #TOSAchat #hyperdocs #FlipgridFever #elemmathchat #G2great— Rachel Marker (@rachelmarker) March 1, 2019
3. The Wonder of Science is a fabulous website for science teachers looking for resources and ideas to support instruction, assessment, unit planning and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
A1 – As a science teacher, I love the Argument-Driven Inquiry series for finding labs and https://t.co/MB0tf3VwJn for NGSS-aligned authentic assessments. #ditchbook
— Floop (3D Feedback Tool) (@FloopEdu) March 1, 2019
4. Facebook can serve as a fantastic place for teachers looking to find ideas and lessons. Check out resources like Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources page, the HyperDocs Facebook group, Edutopia, and more. Also be sure to like and/or follow the Ditch That Textbook Facebook page to connect with amazing educators there too!
A1: I turn to Twitter and some of my facebook education groups….@lhighfill has a great you tube playlist as well. #DitchBook
— Kimberly Voge (@KVoge71) March 1, 2019
5. The games we loved as kids can give us inspiration for a fun and engaging lesson or activity anytime we need a fresh idea. Looking for resources you can use tomorrow? Check out Gameshow Classroom: Formative assessment that ROCKS.
A1: i reflect back to my childhood and the game shows I watched when I was home sick and try to find ways to create them digitally. #DitchBook pic.twitter.com/k9nRH4WwYS
— Derek Haney (@MrHaney17) March 1, 2019
6. PBS Learning Media is a website chock-full of ready to use resources for any subject. Browse by grade level to find videos, interactive lessons, lesson plans, galleries, audio files, documents, images, collections, and more to fit your needs.
A1 #DitchBook
With its constant evolution and additions, I’ve been promoting https://t.co/cuRl1z7ZE7. Interactives, videos, self-paced lessons are perfect for 1:1 learning. And it syncs with #GoogleClassroom! pic.twitter.com/uUNSXDIQ8u— Stephanie DeMichele (@sdemichele) March 1, 2019
7. Taking a look back at books that you have found inspiring in the past can give you fresh ideas for tomorrow. Teach Like a PIRATE is part inspirational manifesto that ignites passion for the profession and part practical road map filled with dynamic strategies to dramatically increase student engagement. You can download the free ebook: “The Digital PIRATE,” tech and PIRATE teaching for 20 lesson ideas that combine PIRATE hooks and technology for engaging lesson ideas you can use right away.
A1: I browse back through “Teach Like a Pirate” or “NOW” Classrooms” books. Also listening to the @GTeacherTribe on the way to work always SPARKS some lesson creativity! #ditchbook
— Jen Walter (@JWalterTeach) March 1, 2019
8. Using a resource like Feedly allows you to keep up on your favorite hashtags, blogs, youtube channels, and more so that you don’t miss any of your favorite content. You can bookmark great ideas or collect them using Wakelet so they are ready to use whenever you need them.
A1: my first stop is Twitter on the #mtBos hashtag. Next stop is my @feedly feed under my math tab. #DitchBook
— Mandi Tolen (@MandiTolenEDU) March 1, 2019
9. Did you know that there is a website where teachers upload and share ready-to-use resources all for FREE? Teacher’s Give Teachers is a website created by Lisa Highfill, Sarah Landis, and Kelly Hilton which allows teachers to “give one” by uploading their own creations or “take one” through a searchable database of lessons and activities.
A1 @TsGiveTs or a quick #ditchbook hashtag search! SO many great ideas being shared. Also can’t go wrong with the @DitchThatTxtbk blog! #ditchbook
— Karly Moura (@KarlyMoura) March 1, 2019
10. There is no shortage of teaching ideas on Pinterest but wading through all of the resources can be time-consuming. Bookmarking a few of your go-to’s or creating a collaborative board with other educators can help you make the most of this resource. Looking for new accounts to follow? Kasey Bell of Shake Up Learning put together a list of 50 educators you should follow on Pinterest.
A1. Things I hear on #gttribe podcast and I can spend a lot of time on Pinterest. #ditchbook
— Mrs. A (@MrsAteachTech) March 1, 2019
11. Let the trends of the world spark a discussion in your classroom. What do your students notice? What do they wonder? Use the most relevant topics for a lively debate, writing topic, or as Josh suggests, find an article to discuss as a class.
A1 Check out Google Trends (https://t.co/wBt6aXjR0a) I will always be able to find and article or a topic that is trending enough to get my Ss interested. #ditchbook
— Josh Howard (@joshchoward) March 1, 2019
12. YouTube has tons of resources that can inspire teachers with a new idea or lesson. You can also harness the power of YouTube by sharing tutorial videos with students to give them an opportunity to learn about a new topic or tool that interests them. Check out these 10 inspiring YouTube channels for teachers for links to some of the best educational YouTube channels. The Ditch That Textbook YouTube channel also has tons of videos available for even more inspiring ideas.
A1: Twitter is always helpful but YouTube is another source of inspiration. I’ve also been tapping into the minds of the veteran teachers on my campus to see how they stay motivated and inspired. #ditchbook https://t.co/88VibiBCQS
— Raul Cortez (@istaylearning) March 1, 2019
13. Twitter is a great place to find an idea you can use right away. You can search by user or hashtag to browse through tons of resources being shared. Use the advanced search feature to narrow down your results and find just what you’re looking for.
A1: I find myself on Twitter a lot! I also read my favorite ed tech blogs to inspire ideas for teaching and learning. #DitchBook
— Evan Mosier (@emosier3) March 1, 2019
14. Your friends and family members can serve as a fabulous resource for new lessons and activities. Ask them for their ideas and run with them. Those outside of the world of education can give us some fresh ideas that we may have never thought of otherwise.
A1 My idea generator is a toy store, trending searches, student news sources, Twitter and my own son #DitchBook pic.twitter.com/xtAFc0ssMS
— Donna Marie Schies (@dmschies) March 1, 2019
15. You may have heard the David Weinberger quote: “The smartest person in the room, is the room.” Utilizing the expertise of those educators you work with each and every day can serve as your best idea generator yet!
A1: too many blogs and podcasts to mention, but nothing better than talking with other educators and getting ideas. Some of the best PD I’ve had has been at the lunch table in the teachers lounge #ditchbook
— Craig Klement (@craigklement) March 1, 2019
Looking for more time-saving resources? Check out this collection of 30 tips, tricks, and tools from the #Ditchbook community.
Want to get in on the next #DitchBook Twitter chat?
- They happen every Thursday at 7 p.m. Pacific / 8 p.m. Mountain / 9 p.m. Central / 10 p.m. Eastern.
- They often run for 30 minutes. Many times, moderators will offer bonus questions for those that want to continue chatting.
- Check out what’s happening on the #DitchBook Twitter chat by clicking here. (Even if you don’t have a Twitter account!)
- New to Twitter? Want to know the basics? Check out our Beginners Guide to Twitter for Educator’s free ebook.
- Want to sign up for Twitter? Here are the directions.
Having trouble? Still unclear on how a Twitter chat works? Feel free to tweet to these #DitchBook ambassadors and they’ll help — Karly Moura @karlymoura, Sean Fahey @seanjfahey, Sandy Otto @sandyrotto, Rachel Marker @rachelmarker, Evan Mosier @emosier3, Mandi Tolen @TTmomTT, Craig Klement @craigklement, Tara Martin @taramartinedu, Krista Harmsworth @zonie71, Anne Kamper @annekamper, Rayna Freedman @rlfreedm, Lance McClard @drmcclard, Stephanie DeMichele @sdemichele or David Platt @herrplatt!
For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links:
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- check out the #DitchBook community on Twitter
- follow Ditch That Textbook on Pinterest
- listen to the Ditch That Textbook Podcast on Anchor
- subscribe to the Ditch That Textbook YouTube channel!
Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e-mail!
Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events:
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