Resources for Educator’s and their Students
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most educators to go online with their instruction. This unusual situation has created a need for additional access to digital resources. The Black River Technical College library has created this page specifically to help area K-12 teachers as they transition to online and alternate method instruction. All these resources can also be accessed through the Arkansas Traveler Portal or online, but we tried to organize and categorize them here to make it easier to find just what you need. If you have questions or other needs we might be able to help with, please feel free to contact us.
Mark Warnick
Library Director
870-248-4061
Email
GENERAL RESOURCES
A cross-disciplinary research tool with 39 databases that can be searched together or individually.
The most recent premium U.S. news content, including archives as far back as the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites in active full-text format. One of the largest collections of local and regional newspapers, and is cross-searchable on the ProQuest platform.
GRADED RESOURCES (by ProQuest)
Access to cultural reports, statistics, and primary source material for countries across the globe, including the United States and Canadian provinces. Includes unique information such as native recipes, interviews, photos and videos. Contains four modules: Kids, Provinces, States and World. – (grade: K-12)
An online resource for preschoolers & children in early elementary that includes three interactive learning environments. There is also a read aloud feature and an educator’s tool page for curriculum correlations, guided reading programs, and more. – (grade: early elementary)
Collection of 1 million+ ebooks from ProQuest on a range of subjects: arts, business management, education, general knowledge, health & medicine, history & political science, law, literature & language, religion & philosophy, science & technology, and social science. – (grade: elementary & up)
- Note: Use the “Browse Subjects” link to browse by topic, including “Education,” and “Juvenile Literature.”
General reference collection of periodical and digital media content for high schools and colleges, covering a variety of subjects including business, education, general interest, health, language arts, sciences, social sciences, and many other curriculum-specific subject areas. – (grade: high school & up)
eLibrary: Guided Research Interface
One of the largest general reference collections of periodical and digital media content designed to support every range of users, including middle and high school students, college-prep and college-level researchers, and professional educators. – (grade: middle school & up)
- Educators can search for resources that correlate to state and national standards, including Common Core State Standards. More than 2,090 full-text magazines, newspapers, books, and transcript titles, plus a collection of over 7 million maps, pictures, web links, and audio/video files.
Collection of primary and secondary sources on global history from ancient times to the present. – (grade: middle school & up)
Author biographies, contemporary criticism, reviews, and multimedia resources from medieval times to the present.
- Educator tools include standards-based lesson plan templates and open-URLs (permalinks) to resources that can be directly shared with students. – (grade: high school & up)
Primary and critical text database for literary research at all levels. The collection includes full text of more than 350,000 works of poetry, drama, and prose stretching back to the 8th century through the present day. Special features include audio and video files of literature being read. – (grade: middle school & up)
Public Video Online (ProQuest)
Over 50,000 streaming videos on History, Science, Engineering, Health, Performing Arts, Religion, and films for research. Institutional access limited to school and public libraries. – (grade: high school & up)
Developed to help students do more effective research and assist educators in teaching the information literacy core principles of finding, evaluating, and using information. – (grade: high school & up)
General reference database for elementary and middle school learners, researchers, and educators covering curriculum areas and content sets such as reading, language arts, current events, science, social studies, history, health, and technology. SIRS Discoverer provides editorially-selected, indexed, and curated materials from over 2,100 newspapers, magazines, and websites offering guided research for young researchers. – (grade: elementary & middle)
Background and analysis on 350+ leading issues, providing pros and cons on social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political, and global issues. – (grade: high school & up)
Testing and Education Resource Center with Career Module – (grade: high school & college)
- Email librarian for access code
A reference tool for 8th grade and up that includes an encyclopedia, multimedia, e-books, and primary source databases all fully integrated in a single search interface. – (grade: 8-12)
Reference resource with content and tools specifically tailored for students reading below grade level because of language or learning difficulties. – (grade: remedial)
A select collection of classic and proprietary World Book titles and articles suitable for K-12. Mostly designed to promote reading or provide general curriculum support. Some selections include a “read aloud” feature. – (grade: K-12)
General reference tool for young students with easy-to-read articles, thousands of illustrations, videos, comparison tools, and a wealth of engaging games and activities, including an atlas, interactive maps, flags, and over 200 game and activities. – (grade: elementary)
A research tool tailored for students in elementary & middle schools with over 40,000 encyclopedia and reference articles, 10,000 biographies, multimedia, videos, animations and student activities.
- There is also a link to World Book’s Educator Tools page which provides a range of resources, including correlations from World Book content to state and provincial curriculum, links to external lesson plans and professional education links, and webquests to build foundational knowledge of specific topics. – (grade: elementary & middle)
A resource for accessing or creating timelines for projects in the arts, literature, notable people, science & technology, world history, geography and more. Users can select a built timeline and make changes or create new timelines then images and videos. – (grade: high school)
FREE ACCESS (Online)
Real news stories written in plain language. Levels of difficulty range from easy to advanced. Students can read and summarize the articles, or answer questions for comprehension. Daily practice with these will certainly help both vocabulary and writing skills.
Distance Learning Resources from the Smithsonian
Access to millions of digital resources from across the Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives, and more. Pre-packaged collections that contain lessons, activities, and recommended resources made by Smithsonian museum educators as well as thousands of classroom teachers.
Tool for teaching students how to write and revise their papers. Teachers can record their voices and iPad screens to create dynamic video tutorials that students can access and revisit any time they need. It’s great for editing sample papers and explaining the revision process.
Network where teachers and professors can access and share course materials.
Standards-based resources for Pre-K to 12th grade students. Materials include lesson plans, videos, news articles, activities, and more. There’s even a section on professional development, where teachers can find tips for better planning and preparation, as well as more effective instruction.
Offers a vast array of tools and resources created by K-12 teachers from across the United States. From lesson plans organized by grade level and subject, to teacher guides and helpful articles, Teacher.org has everything covered. Best of all, they also offer scholarship information for teachers continuing their own educations.
Films, photos, animations, and picture books that add to literary themes. Although most films are aimed at elementary school students, there are quite a few that even the “big kids” will love.
Resources and Tools for lesson plans, a planning calendar and detailed information regarding Common Core standards. The Strategies and Ideas area offers information about assessment, literacy and classroom management. Choose from a variety of student activities, including interactive whiteboard activities and computer lab activities that can be used to supplement your lessons.
- Note: the site is loaded with worksheets and activities. Some cost money, but many are free.
A wealth of free online educational resources. Search for lesson plans in subject areas like Art and Design, History and Culture and Science and Technology. Search more than 2,000 free resources by keyword, grade level and subject. Brush up on state standards of learning, including Common Core standards.