Empower yourself with the tools you need to create dynamic and effective lessons that will inspire and motivate your students.
Welcome to the Lesson Plan Resources page, your go-to destination for finding a curated collection of high-quality lesson plans. As an educator, I understand the importance of accessing well-designed and engaging lesson materials that enhance student learning experiences.
On this page, you’ll find a handpicked selection of websites and platforms that offer a wealth of valuable lesson plan resources. These sites have been carefully chosen based on their reputation for providing educators with reliable, creative, and effective teaching materials across various subjects and grade levels.
Whether you’re a new teacher looking for inspiration, or a seasoned educator seeking fresh ideas to invigorate your classroom, this resource page is designed to save you time and connect you with reputable sources of lesson plans.
Check back regularly as we continue to update and expand our list of recommended resources.
| Smithsonian Learning Lab Grades K-12 | Access the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex with Smithsonian Learning Lab—a free, interactive platform that brings millions of authentic digital resources, online content creation tools, and a vast community of knowledge and learning right at your fingertips. |
| The New York Times- The Learning Network | The Learning Network is a valuable resource that empowers educators and students to bring the world into their classrooms. As a part of The New York Times, we provide a wide range of resources designed to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Our curated collection of lesson plans, activities, and interactive features harnesses the power of The Times’ journalism to foster critical thinking, media literacy, and global awareness. With engaging content spanning various subjects and grade levels, educators can find innovative ways to connect real-world issues to classroom discussions. |
| BetterLesson Grades PreK-12 | Explore an exceptional collection of comprehensive and effective lesson plans shared by our Master Teachers, a select group of high-performing educators from around the world, as we collaborate with generous supporters like The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The National Education Association, and The Learning Accelerator to advance authentic instructional practice and empower teachers globally. |
| PBS Learning Media Grades PreK-12 | Access a world of educational resources for your classroom with curated, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more, brought to you by KMOS and PBS, all available for free. |
| Teacher.org Grades K-12 | Discover comprehensive and dynamic lesson plans created by experienced teachers at Teacher.org, dedicated to fostering conceptual understanding and lifelong learning; explore lessons organized by subject and grade level, featuring clear objectives, detailed procedures, assessments, and modifications, with the collection continuously expanding as the Teacher.org community shares their valuable contributions, inviting you to join in and share your own brilliant lesson plans. |
| OER Commons Grades K-12 | Embark on a transformative journey of exploration, creation, and collaboration with OER Commons, a vast digital library of free open educational resources, connecting educators worldwide to enhance curriculum and revolutionize teaching and learning. |
| TeachRock Grades 5 – 12 | TeachRock’s mission is to enrich students’ lives by bringing the captivating sounds, compelling stories, and scientific aspects of music to every classroom, offering impactful, no-cost lesson plans spanning from The Beatles to Beyoncé, catering to students of all ages and subjects, whether in-person or remote, fostering profound learning and comprehension through the transformative power of music; established by Stevie Van Zandt alongside the esteemed Founders Board including Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen, Teachrock.org has been empowering teachers, students, and families with free, standards-aligned resources for over a decade. |
Social Emotional Learning
| Peekapak Grades PreK-5 | Empower educators with a narrative-based learning experience that seamlessly integrates academic standards and social-emotional learning, fostering engaging classroom experiences, student ownership of learning, and family support for SEL. |
| Wallace Elementary Focus | Guide to social and emotional learning programs. |
| Education.com Grades PreK-8 | Explore Education.com’s Learning Library, a comprehensive resource of Social Emotional lesson plans for grades PreK-8, designed to foster emotional intelligence and well-being in students through engaging and age-appropriate activities. |
| HMH Grades K-12 | Discover HMH Shaping Student Success, a robust digital platform dedicated to empowering K-12 teachers and enhancing student achievement. Access a wide range of SEL activities and lesson plans, complete with engaging resources such as writing prompts, posters, worksheets, reading lists, and more, fostering essential social and emotional skills for lifelong success. |
| CenterVention Elementary & Middle School | Explore Centervention, your go-to resource for Social Emotional Learning activities and resources. Explore the 95 free activities designed for elementary and middle school students. This site also provides resources for promoting SEL at home. These age-appropriate resources are commonly utilized in classrooms or small group settings, often requiring materials readily available in your classroom or office. |
| The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM Grades K-12 | Discover the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, the leading online professional development provider for educators and leaders embracing arts-integrated approaches. Access 25 innovative Social Emotional Learning activities designed to foster creativity and emotional growth. |
Social Studies
| USCensus Grades K-12 | Immerse K-12 students in a dynamic learning experience with Statistics in Schools (SIS), where real-world Census Bureau statistics bring various subjects to life; discover engaging resources and activities in social studies, math, English, geography, sociology, and more, all teacher-designed and customizable, promoting statistical literacy and preparing students for a data-driven world. |
| Zinn Education Project Grades 6-12 | The Zinn Education Project champions the teaching of people’s history nationwide, revolutionizing students’ understanding of history by providing an accurate, nuanced, and captivating perspective that surpasses conventional textbooks and curricula; with over 150,000 registered members and an annual growth of over 10,000 new registrants, it has emerged as a prominent resource for teachers and teacher educators. |
| Digital Civics Toolkit Grades 7-12 | The Digital Civics Toolkit empowers educators with a comprehensive set of resources to guide young people in exploring, acknowledging, and actively embracing the civic possibilities of digital life, leveraging insights and findings from the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics (YPP); the Toolkit encompasses five modules—Exploring Community Issues, Investigation, Dialogue, Voice, and Action—to delve into diverse civic opportunities and challenges. |
| Facing History & Ourselves Grades 6-12 | Facing History & Ourselves is a transformative organization that utilizes the lessons of history to empower educators and students, inspiring them to confront bigotry and hate, fostering a collective commitment to connecting historical choices with present-day challenges, and working together to build a future rooted in justice and equity. |
| Learning for Justice Grades K-12 | Learning for Justice, in alignment with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s mission, actively works to promote racial justice by collaborating with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all individuals, focusing on areas such as culture and climate, curriculum and instruction, leadership, and family and community engagement; offering free educational resources and expanded engagement opportunities, including articles, guides, lessons, films, webinars, frameworks, conferences, workshops, and partnerships, to foster shared learning, reflection, and collective action for educators, students, caregivers, and communities. |
| iCivics Grades 6-12 | iCivics is dedicated to fostering meaningful civic learning by offering teachers well-written, inventive, and free resources that enrich their teaching practice and ignite inspiration in their classrooms, engaging students in the exploration of civics education. |
| OER Project Grades 9-12 | Powering amazing classrooms with history curriculum, our teacher- and scholar-created resources offer complete social studies courses aligned to state standards, all provided for free, along with planning resources, professional development opportunities, and a supportive online teacher community. |
| Annenberg Classroom Grades 6-12 | Access an abundance of free resources at Annenberg Classroom, including a vast collection of over 65 videos exploring constitutional concepts and Supreme Court cases, engaging games, comprehensive lesson plans, informative timelines, downloadable books, a comprehensive glossary, and a helpful constitutional guide, providing educators and learners with valuable tools to deepen their understanding of the Constitution. |
Reading and English Language Arts
| Read Write Think Grades K-12 | ReadWriteThink’s mission is to provide educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with free, high-quality materials and lesson plans aligned to the highest standards in reading and language arts instruction, including IRA/NCTE Standards and individual state and Common Core State Standards. |
| ReadWorks Grades K-12 | Unlock the power of effective reading comprehension instruction with ReadWorks, backed by cognitive science research, offering free content, curriculum, and tools for Kindergarten to 12th Grade to enhance teaching and learning. |
| 826 Digital Grades 1-12 | Ignite the power, brilliance, and delight of writing through a wealth of free lessons that await you; discover writing prompts, lessons, projects, and an extensive Resource Library for all grade levels, curated by the 826 Network, the largest youth writing network in the United States. |
Math & Science
| California Academy of Sciences Grades K-12 | The California Academy of Sciences offers expert research and a wide range of engaging lessons that inspire future scientists in grades K–12, covering critical thinking, science, and social studies, making it an ideal resource for instructional design, lesson planning, and professional learning. |
| NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Grades K-12 | Ignite curiosity and inspire students with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. Discover a universe of engaging science, technology, engineering, and math activities and resources that bring the wonders of space to your classroom. |
| NASA STEM Engagement Grades K-12 | Discover a wealth of STEM resources for K-12 educators through NASA STEM Engagement. Explore engaging activities and educational materials designed to empower both students and educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. |
| Discovery Education Grades K-12 | Discover an extensive range of K-12 curriculum resources encompassing Science, Social Studies, Math, STEM, and Coding through our Discovery Education Programs. |
| LEGO Education Grades K-8 | Empowering educators and inspiring students through natural science, stories, and data, we provide engaging opportunities to explore the living world. |
| Youcubed Grades 8-12 | Stanford Graduate School of Education Lessons provide teachers with tasks and ideas that foster students’ mathematical mindsets through effective concept explanations. |
| BioInteractive | Empowering educators and inspiring students through real science, stories, and data, we provide engaging opportunities to explore the living world. |
| howtosmile Grades PreK-12 | Discover over 4,000 top-notch STEM activities from renowned science museums, public television stations, universities, and educational organizations—all accessible for free—by utilizing our search feature and filtering options based on age, material costs, and learning time, ensuring you find precisely what you require for your educational program, class, or family. |
| Inside Mathematics Grades K-12 | Inside Mathematics is a professional resource dedicated to supporting teachers, coaches, and administrators in their mission to enhance students’ mathematics learning and performance. |
| Defined Learning Grades K-12 | Defined STEM offers teachers standards-aligned project-based lessons that engage students with real-world applications, answering the question of why they need to learn through the Understanding by Design Framework® developed by award-winning author Jay McTighe. |
| Next Gen Personal Finance Grades 6-12 | NGPF offers a comprehensive and free collection of lessons, resources, and professional development opportunities to empower educators in confidently teaching financial skills. |
| Citizen Math Grades 6-12 | Citizen Math sparks curiosity, encourages dialogue, and engages students through immersive and participatory supplemental math lessons for grades 6-12, providing a rewarding learning and teaching experience. |
| TryEngineering Grades 3-12 | Welcome to TryEngineering, where we empower educators to inspire and engage the next generation of technology innovators through a variety of resources, lesson plans, and activities. |
| The Concord Consortium Grades 6-12 | Since 1994, the Concord Consortium has been creating and sharing trusted, scientifically accurate STEM resources and tools funded by esteemed organizations like the National Science Foundation, helping educators worldwide bring STEM practices to life for over a million learners, all accessible for free. |