Lesson Planning | 51̽��

Coming Soon for 2026:��Science��Techbook

David Bryan — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:22:22 +0000

Key takeaways

Approachable Tier 1 instruction motivates students to keep learning
Lessons build foundational math and literacy skills along with science and critical-thinking skills
Teachers benefit from an intuitive interface, slideshow format lessons, and a range of time-saving tools and supports

What’s New for 2026

51̽�� is constantly working to improve our programs so that teachers can be even more effective and students can make greater progress. Science Techbook is no exception! During the 2026–2027 school year, we’re launching a brand new program based on feedback from educators and leaders like you. We’ve heard that you want:

Ways to engage and motivate students each day
Help building foundational math and literacy skills
Reduced teacher workload and more instructional impact

How will the new Science Techbook address these priorities? Let’s look at three areas we’re especially excited about: motivating students with approachable Tier 1 instruction, strengthening critical-thinking and core skills, and empowering every educator.

Motivate Students with Approachable Tier 1 Instruction

When learning is engaging, relevant, and developmentally appropriate, that’s a recipe for capturing student interest and motivating them to continue exploring. Science Techbook provides phenomena-driven storylines with hands-on activities and interactives that��ask students to take on the role of scientist or engineer. They get to make discoveries by asking questions, investigating, analyzing, and collaborating. These types of authentic, yet accessible, experiences with science content help learners better understand and retain concepts—plus, they’re fun!

Strengthen Critical-Thinking and Core Skills

Phenomena-based instruction in Science Techbook asks students to solve real-world problems, during which they develop their critical-thinking skills. Teachers can extend learning by incorporating STEAM Project and STEAM Careers activities, which help students grasp the how and why behind STEAM and engineering topics (and don’t require extra work from teachers!).

That’s not all phenomena-based instruction can do. It also puts math and literacy practice into context to help students understand and remember. And since Science Techbook lessons naturally incorporate math/ELA standards, teachers can reinforce multiple skills at one time. Here are some examples:

Authentic, Applicable Math

Students collect and analyze data as they conduct hands-on and virtual investigations. They also learn to use mathematical models to explain scientific phenomena.

Lifelong Literacy Skills

Learners complete readings after hands-on experiences that introduce phenomena, so they have context for what they’re reading about. They also have accessible ways to improve their literacy skills with lessons presented in slideshow format and tools such as interactive glossaries and the Immersive Reader. With before, during, and after literacy strategies, teachers can focus on vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and phonics.

Empower Every Educator

Regardless of their background or experience,��educators can make an instant impact��ɾ��ٳ� Science Techbook’s classroom-ready lessons offering implementation guidance. Slideshow format lessons with hands-on activities and an intuitive interface translate into less time needed for planning and prepping! What’s more, clear time estimates, lesson sequencing, and built-in scaffolds help teachers stay on track and meet instructional goals.

Incorporate Three-Dimensional Learning

Three-dimensional learning aligned to the NGSS is built into Science Techbook: y�ǳ�’l�� find science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas in embedded, point-of-use notes and prompts. Plus, discussion prompts throughout lessons offer helpful ideas for getting students to talk about the science they’re doing with peers.

We’ve got an interactive overview of our new program that you can check out.

Would you like to get a more in-depth look at the new Science Techbook?��Watch our on-demand Engage K-12 webinar!��

Watch Now

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5 Tips for Simplifying Substitute Planning with 51̽��

Leia DePalo — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:34:30 +0000

As an elementary STEM teacher, I can confidently say that planning for a substitute sometimes feels more complicated than planning the lesson itself. In a classroom built on hands-on exploration, collaboration, and problem-solving, being out for a day requires more than leaving a worksheet and hoping for the best.

And while my specialty is STEM in an elementary setting, every educator—regardless of grade level or content area—faces the same challenge: how do we ensure learning continues smoothly when we’re not there?

Effective substitute planning is about clarity, structure, and providing meaningful learning experiences that can stand on their own. When teachers have access to ready-to-use, standards-aligned, engaging resources, planning for an absence becomes less stressful—and far more sustainable.

51̽�� Experience makes that possible.

Why Substitute Planning Feels So Complicated

Substitute plans carry unique challenges:

Lessons must be clear enough for someone unfamiliar with your routines.
Activities must engage students independently.
Instructions must anticipate questions before they happen.
Learning must continue—even when you’re not in the room.

The goal isn’t simply to “keep students busy.” It’s to keep them learning.

Having consistent, reliable digital resources helps transform substitute days from survival mode into structured, purposeful instruction.

Tip 1: Use Consistent Tools to Build Substitute Confidence

Students thrive on routine. When substitutes can use tools students already know—like 51̽�� Experience—the classroom feels familiar and organized.

Instead of navigating unfamiliar materials, substitutes can:

Launch ready-made activities
Assign interactive resources
Facilitate structured discussions using built-in prompts
Guide students through self-paced learning experiences

Because students are comfortable with the platform, they can focus on content rather than confusion.

Tip 2: Choose Plug-and-Play Resources by Grade Band

51̽�� Experience offers flexible resources that work seamlessly in substitute plans across grade levels and subject areas.

��

Elementary: Structured Exploration

For younger learners, clarity and visual engagement are key.

Virtual Field Trips allow students to explore new topics while completing guided reflection prompts.
Spotlight on Strategies (SOS) activities such as Three Facts and a Fib or Circle of Viewpoints provide structured thinking routines that substitutes can easily facilitate.
Studio Boards organize directions, videos, and student tasks into one clear space.

Tip: Create a pre-built Studio Board titled “Sub Day Learning.” Include a welcome message, clear instructions, a video segment, and a short reflection prompt. Everything the substitute needs is in one link.

Middle School: Guided Inquiry and Choice

Older students benefit from structured independence.

Ready-to-Use Activities aligned to standards keep instruction moving forward.
Instructional slides and video segments allow substitutes to pause for discussion.
Collaborative prompts encourage accountable talk without requiring deep content expertise from the substitute.

Example prompts a substitute can use:

What is one new idea you learned today?
How does this connect to something we previously studied?
Why might this information matter beyond the classroom?

These types of questions keep thinking visible and discussions purposeful.

High School: Self-Directed Learning with Accountability

At the secondary level, substitute plans can incorporate:

Career Connect resources for real-world relevance
Civics Connected or STEM Channels for subject-specific exploration
Short video analysis paired with written reflection to maintain rigor

Tip: Pair a video segment with a structured response strategy such as a digital Venn diagram or a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning paragraph using Studio. This ensures meaningful output rather than passive viewing.

Tip 3: Build a Digital “Sub Folder” for Emergencies

Instead of starting from scratch each time you’re out, consider building a reusable digital substitute folder inside 51̽��.

Include:

Two or three emergency ready-to-assign activities per subject
A favorite Virtual Field Trip
An SOS strategy students already know
A simple discussion protocol
Clear login and classroom management directions

When everything lives within one consistent ecosystem, substitute planning becomes streamlined and far less stressful.

Tip 4: Empower Students to Own Their Learning

One unexpected benefit of using 51̽�� for substitute plans is the growth in student independence.

Because resources are interactive and structured:

Students navigate learning confidently.
Directions are embedded and easy to follow.
Engagement increases through multimedia and inquiry-based tasks.

Rather than pausing progress, a day with a substitute can reinforce digital literacy, collaboration, and self-management skills.

Tip 5: Sustain Instruction With High-Quality, Ready-to-Use Content

In my STEM classroom, I want students to continue questioning, designing, and thinking critically—even if I’m not physically there. The same is true for every classroom. Whether students are analyzing primary sources, solving equations, exploring scientific phenomena, or engaging in civic discussion, learning should not lose momentum.

Substitute planning doesn’t have to feel like an interruption. With the right tools, it becomes an extension of your classroom environment.

51̽�� Experience supports continuity by offering:

Standards-aligned, ready-to-use content
Interactive strategies that promote active learning
Flexible tools like Studio for organized delivery
Grade-appropriate resources across subject areas

With thoughtful systems in place and trusted tools like 51̽�� Experience, substitute days can still be purposeful, engaging, and aligned to your goals. Students continue exploring, questioning, analyzing, and creating. Substitutes step into a structured environment with confidence. And teachers gain peace of mind knowing their classroom culture and momentum remain intact.�� Great classrooms don’t skip a beat—they simply adjust, adapt, and keep learning right on schedule.

Leia DePalo

Leia DePalo is a K-4 Elementary STEM and Future Forward Teacher in the Northport-East Northport UFSD who loves helping students explore, design, and think like engineers while supporting teachers in using technology with purpose.

Learn More About 51̽�� Experience and How it Saves Teachers Time

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Lesson Plan Template | How to Write a Lesson Plan

Katie Wickliff — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:27:44 +0000

Key takeaways

An effective lesson plan has clear objectives, purposeful activities, and meaningful assessments
Activities should be closely aligned with learning goals; no “busy work.”
Lesson plans should contain a mix of formative and summative assessments to check for understanding.
Reflection helps create stronger teachers and is an essential part of any lesson.

Get Our Free Lesson Plan Template

Download the lesson plan template to start designing clear objectives, aligned activities, and meaningful assessments that strengthen instruction and support student success.

Lesson planning is an integral part of teaching and serves as the blueprint for purposeful instruction and deeper learning. However, lesson planning is much more than choosing “fun” activities and games that students will enjoy. While engagement is incredibly important for learning, an effective lesson plan outlines clear learning goals, carefully chosen teaching strategies, and effective ways to assess student progress. In this article, we take a closer look at lesson plans, breaking down the essential components and providing step-by-step guidance. Plus, we share a free lesson plan template to help you get started designing lessons that truly transform learning.��

What is a Lesson Plan?

Simply put, a lesson plan is a detailed guide of what students need to learn, how the teacher will facilitate that learning, and how the learning will be measured. It should always be written out–physically or digitally–well before the lesson takes place. A well-prepared lesson encourages organization, time management, and is key to feeling less stressed out in the classroom! While every lesson plan is unique, just like every student and classroom, all include several key components that we’ll examine more closely.��

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How to Write an Effective Lesson Plan

There are six main steps to writing an effective lesson plan, and each deserves as much time and care as the others. If that seems overwhelming, please don’t worry! Designing a purposeful lesson does take patience and flexibility, but with practice, y�ǳ�’l�� naturally begin to consider the important questions in each step.��

Lesson Objectives and Learning Goals

The most important part of lesson planning is identifying clear objectives and learning goals. What do you want your students to understand and be able to do? This backward design ensures that your lesson is meaningful, effective, and focused. There are many ways to determine your objectives, but using the SMART goal-setting criteria is especially helpful for planning.��

Specific: Do the objectives clearly state what students should learn?��
Measurable: How can the learning be measured?��
Attainable:�� Are the goals realistic for your students, and can they be met in the learning environment?
Relevant: Do the goals align with state or school standards and clearly support what students are expected to learn?��
Timely: Does your lesson have a specific, realistic timeframe for completing the activities and reaching the learning goal?

Although this process may seem overly detailed at first, breaking objectives into manageable steps makes lesson planning more straightforward. Even more importantly, it helps you feel confident that your lesson is teaching students the concepts or skills they need.

Design the Assessment

In this second stage of planning, design the assessments students will complete to demonstrate their learning. Following the principles of backward design, assessment is designed before lesson planning, keeping the focus on learning outcomes rather than activities or “busy work.” Lessons should offer both formative and summative assessments.��

Assessments

Formative assessments are quick ways to gather information throughout the lesson to determine how well the students are learning and monitor their progress. These assessments can also help identify misunderstandings so you can address them before the lesson progresses. Examples of formative assessments include“fist to five,” where students hold up fingers to show how much they understand; online polls or quizzes on an interactive learning platform; or exit tickets to find out what kids remember or what questions they still have. Formative assessments can be as straightforward or as creative as you want, like drawing a sketch or writing a letter to a friend explaining what they learned.��

On the other hand, summative assessments are formal measures of how well your students have learned. Summative assessments are higher-stakes and often count for a larger portion of students’ grades. Examples of summative assessments include: traditional exams, written reflections, group projects, or portfolios. In addition to measuring whether students have achieved learning objectives, summative assessments provide teachers with data to use as they reflect on their lessons and make adjustments for the future.��

You likely won’t have a summative assessment after each lesson; these typically take place at the end of a unit or the entire course. However, it’s important to design the summative assessment before planning the learning activities, because knowing the final goal helps students understand what they are working toward. It also helps teachers focus their instruction and avoid getting sidetracked by activities that don’t contribute to students’ success on the final learning evaluation.

Lesson Procedure

After you identify the learning objectives and create the assessments, develop the lesson procedure. This is a step-by-step guide to how the lesson will progress from beginning to end.��

Hook/Introduction

Spend time developing the introduction, because captivating your students’ attention from the beginning is important. In fact, that students who feel positive at the beginning of a lesson feel more motivated and confident, which supports their overall learning.��

To design a creative introduction that sparks your students’ interest, you could share a powerful personal anecdote, show a short video, or conduct a fun, hands-on quiz. As you plan, ask yourself:��

How will I find out what students already know about this topic?��
What opinions, beliefs, or ideas might they already have?��
Are there any common misunderstandings about this topic?

Learning Activities

After you’ve created your hook, the next step is to map out the learning activities, or what students will actually be doing. Remember to include quick formative assessments and finish with a summative assessment (if appropriate). A strong lesson usually includes a balance of direct instruction, guided practice, and independent work.

With direct instruction, the teacher explains the concept, models the skill, and demonstrates how to do the work. Then, guided practice allows students to try the activity with the teacher’s support and feedback, building the confidence to work independently.��

When planning activities, keep your unique students and classroom in mind. Questions to ask yourself include:��

What type of instruction works best for this lesson?��
How will I model the skill?
How will I adjust this for students who need more support or a deeper challenge?��
How/where can I pause to check for understanding?��
Is the allotted time realistic?��
Does the activity help students achieve the overall learning goals?��

When it comes to planning specific activities, the sky’s the limit! The most effective activities depend on the topic, time, or environmental constraints, and the specific knowledge or skills you want students to gain. Some activity ideas can include:��

Think-Pair-Share: Students think about a question and then discuss their answers with a partner. Finally, the partners share their ideas with the whole class or another small group.��
Debate: Students research and then debate the best method for solving a problem.��
Jigsaw: Students become “experts” on a different type of problem or concept and then teach it to other students in their group.��
Journaling: Students answer prompts, solve problems, and reflect on what they’ve learned. Journaling can also be a way for students to ask the teacher questions they may not feel confident enough to ask aloud.��
Logic Puzzles: Students solve puzzles or problems that require critical and flexible thinking. They can be collaborative or independent and are a low-stakes way to promote stamina and curiosity about a topic.��
Real-World Projects: Working independently or in small groups, students apply their knowledge and skills to tackle a challenge they might encounter in everyday life.
Online Learning Platforms: Students use online learning platforms or apps to practice skills through interactive games and challenges. This allows each student to work at their own pace and get instant feedback.

Reflection

Another essential part of lesson planning is reflection, but this important step is often overlooked. The school day is hectic, and many teachers feel pressure to quickly move to the next learning objective. However, making space to reflect on a lesson provides invaluable information that helps you become a stronger teacher. Here are some questions to get you started:��

What went well? How do you know? What evidence do you have?
What would you change?��
What surprised you?��
Were the students engaged? Why or why not?��
Did I adjust instruction for different learners?��
Was the pacing too fast/too slow?��

Reflection doesn’t have to be as formal as the main lesson plan. What matters most is choosing a method y�ǳ�’l�� consistently use. Whether making quick notes on your phone, writing in a journal, or using a structured template, the goal is to take time to self-reflect.

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Pedagogy First, Technology Second: Playing with Purpose

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:07:25 +0000

In the ever-growing world of educational technology, it’s tempting to reach for the newest, flashiest tool to grab students’ attention. But the real magic doesn’t come from the technology itself – it comes from the way it’s used. Without a clear connection to learning goals and a real understanding of the��principles of immersion, even the most dazzling tools risk becoming just another distraction.��

51̽��’s primary principle of immersive learning is pedagogy first, technology second. Engagement is important, but purposeful engagement – grounded in curriculum, skills, and outcomes – is what truly transforms learning.

Immersion without the Price Tag

When people hear the term immersive learning, they often picture classrooms stocked with expensive VR headsets. While high-end hardware can be exciting, powerful immersive and experiential learning doesn’t require thousands of dollars of investment. What matters is creating moments that spark curiosity, ignite imagination, and build deeper understanding.

Take 51̽��’s immersive tools:��

– A 3D creation space where students can build worlds, model ideas, and explore concepts at any scale.��
��– Bite-sized interactive journeys through time and space, blending AR storytelling with problem-solving challenges.��
��– Browser-based explorations that transport students to unique locations, from ocean depths to historic landmarks.��

��All of these can be accessed with devices many classrooms already have, such as iPads, Chromebooks, or standard laptops.

The ‘Jelly in the Doughnut’

Think of the immersive moment – whether it’s stepping into an ancient city, exploring a science phenomenon in 3D, or manipulating a virtual ecosystem – as the jelly in the doughnut. It’s the sweet, memorable part that students will look forward to and look back on, but it’s only one piece of the whole and simply doesn’t hold up on its own.��

The rest of the doughnut – the structure, substance, and nourishment – comes from what you do with that moment. That’s where pedagogy leads.��

Every immersive experience from 51̽�� comes with��robust supporting classroom activities��designed to:��

Draw out key concepts��
Link directly to curriculum standards��
Provide opportunities for reflection and application��
Encourage collaboration and discussion��

��In other words, the immersive tool is the spark; the learning comes when teachers connect that spark to deeper exploration, skill-building, and assessment.

From Hook to Habit of Mind

Imagine your students exploring a virtual coral reef. For a moment, they’re surrounded by colorful fish, intricate corals, and shifting sunlight – an awe-inspiring scene. Without follow-up, that moment might fade as just “something cool we did in class.”

But with the right pedagogical framing, it becomes much more:��

Science: Students investigate biodiversity, food chains, and the effects of climate change.��
Math: They measure reef growth rates or calculate fish population changes.��
ELA: They write persuasive speeches or informational texts about reef conservation.��

The immersive moment is the hook which amplifies outcomes through increased knowledge absorption, contextual understanding, and retention; the lesson plan turns it into a habit of mind.��

Practical Ways to Capture and Extend Learning in Sandbox

One of the most versatile examples is Sandbox, the free environment-building app from 51̽��. This 3D creation space can be a powerful way for students to show what they’ve learned, not just tell it. Teachers can ask students to:

Recreate a historical event or location – e.g., building a World War II trench system to explain conditions on the front line.
Model a scientific process – e.g., demonstrating the way shadows move and change with the position of the sun in the sky.
Understand perspectives – e.g., exploring the thoughts and feelings experienced in a specific location.

To make the learning visible, students can record their Sandbox creations as videos, narrate their thinking, or take screenshots and annotate them.

For more ideas, see��“Measuring Engagement: Tools to Capture Learning Evidence with Sandbox.” Y�ǳ�’l�� find practical strategies for using built-in features to document student work – turning engagement into assessable evidence.

Why ‘Playing with Purpose’ Matters

The best learning happens when students are active participants, not passive consumers. Immersive and experiential tools tap into curiosity, but purpose ensures that curiosity leads somewhere meaningful.

When we lead with pedagogy:

Technology becomes a vehicle, not the destination.
Engagement is sustained because it’s tied to a bigger question or challenge.
Students can make connections between their immersive experience and the wider world.

A Call to School Leaders

As school leaders, you set the tone for how technology is adopted in classrooms. Encourage your teams to:

Start with the learning goal. Ask: What do we want students to know, understand, or be able to do by the end?
Choose technology that serves that goal. Resist the urge to adopt tools solely for novelty.
Support professional learning. Give teachers time to explore, experiment, and plan how to connect immersive moments to curriculum standards.
Celebrate purposeful play. Immersive learning doesn’t have to be serious all the time – play and exploration can be deeply educational when guided by intentional design.

Immersive learning can be transformative – not because of the technology itself, but because of the way it’s woven into the learning journey.��

So the next time you introduce a new digital experience into the classroom, remember: the technology is the jelly in the doughnut.��

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Benefits and Strategies for Teacher Collaboration

Michael Healey — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:11:40 +0000

Key takeaways

Strong schools rely on strong teams—and the strongest teams are built through meaningful teacher collaboration.
Working together builds trust, reduces isolation, and creates a more supportive school culture for staff.
Collaboration works best when leaders provide time, direction, and structures that make teamwork a natural part of the school day.

As a former principal and current superintendent, I’ve learned that teacher collaboration is essential to teaching and learning. When teachers work together, students benefit, and your staff feels more supported. Collaboration turns ideas into practice and helps schools navigate everything from curriculum shifts to behavioral trends to new district initiatives.

Understanding what teacher collaboration looks like in practice—and why it matters—helps districts build a culture where teacher collaboration becomes the norm and where effective collaboration with teachers strengthens instruction, encourages problem-solving, and leads to schoolwide improvement.

What Is Teacher Collaboration?

Let’s start by clarifying what teacher collaboration is not. It is not two adults standing in the same classroom or one person teaching while another monitors behavior. Genuine collaboration is far more intentional. It is the practice of educators working together to support student learning and strengthen instruction.

��Effective collaboration with teachers happens when educators:

Plan together on a regular basis.
Analyze student data as a team.
Reflect collectively on instructional strategies.
Observe one another and share their feedback.
Align academic expectations across their classrooms.

At its core, teacher collaboration is a mindset—the belief that we are better together and that student success is a shared responsibility. In schools where teacher collaboration is embedded in the culture, no teacher is left isolated, and no student slips through the cracks.

Examples of collaborative teaching include Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), co-teaching, cross-grade team meetings, curriculum committees, and data discussions. No matter the format, the most important elements are consistency, trust, and purpose; when these are present, collaboration can transform instruction.

What Are the Benefits of Teacher Collaboration?

Over the last 20 years, watching teachers work in classrooms across different schools, I’ve come to see that teacher collaboration is one of the most meaningful practices we can invest in. Its benefits extend beyond instruction and help make schools better places to learn and work.

As districts strengthen their approach to collaboration, many also rely on an educational resource to support shared planning, instructional tools, and consistent access to high-quality materials across classrooms.

Better Results for Students

Schools with teachers collaborating effectively often see higher student achievement. Teachers align expectations, assessments, and instructional strategies, giving students a more consistent and supportive learning experience. Effective teacher collaboration ensures that strong strategies spread schoolwide—not just remain isolated to one effective teacher in one classroom.

More Effective Instruction

When educators share ideas, discuss best practices, and review data as a team, instruction improves. Teachers collaborating learn more from one another, can better identify what works well, and are able to continuously refine their practice.

Stronger School Culture

Collaboration strengthens relationships. When staff are connected, they work better as a team—supporting and challenging one another and creating a more positive and inclusive work environment. This culture of trust and collaboration with teachers naturally extends to students.

Higher Teacher Satisfaction and Retention

Teachers are far more likely to stay in schools where they feel supported. Collaboration with teachers provides that support—creating an internal professional learning network where teachers feel comfortable seeking advice, sharing frustrations, and celebrating success.

Increased Innovation and Problem-Solving

Schools face a variety of complex challenges: learning gaps, technology changes, shifting standards, and evolving student needs. When teachers collaborate, they bring together a wide range of perspectives, often resulting in more meaningful, creative, and innovative solutions for students.

Greater Consistency in Student Learning

Collaboration helps ensure students receive effective, consistent instruction regardless of which teacher they have. When collaborating teachers align expectations and share effective strategies, they create more meaningful learning opportunities for every student.

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How to Foster Collaboration in Your School

As a school leader, your involvement is essential to fostering teacher collaboration in your district. We can’t just mandate collaboration—it requires intentionally designing opportunities for it to occur. Effective school leaders foster collaboration by:

Building Time into the Schedule

Time is the biggest barrier teachers face. Schools must do everything they can to build time for teacher collaboration into the schedule through:

Dedicated PLC blocks
Early-release or late-arrival days
Common planning periods
Monthly curriculum meetings

When collaboration with teachers is built into the school schedule, it communicates that this work matters.

Setting Clear Purpose and Expectations

Collaboration succeeds when teachers know:

The goals of collaboration
The expected work (data analysis, planning, reflection, etc.)
How the team will measure progress

��Clear expectations turn meetings into meaningful, results-driven work rather than informal conversations.

Providing Access to High-Quality Data

Strong teacher collaboration requires access to high-quality data. Leaders should provide:

Assessment data
Student work samples
Engagement and attendance reports
Curriculum maps
Instructional frameworks

When teachers have meaningful data at their fingertips, collaboration becomes far more focused and productive.

Investing in Professional Development

Teachers need guidance on how to collaborate with other teachers effectively. Provide regular professional development opportunities on:

Running effective PLC meetings
Giving and receiving peer feedback
Analyzing data collaboratively
Navigating change as a team

When teachers feel confident, collaboration becomes more effective and easier to maintain.

Modeling Collaboration as a Leadership Team

Collaboration starts from the top. Teachers notice when administrators collaborate effectively—and when they don’t. When leaders model shared decision-making, open communication, and mutual respect, staff follow suit.

Start Small and Build Momentum

Trying to roll out teacher collaboration across an entire district all at once rarely works—it’s too overwhelming. It’s more effective to start with a small group of teachers who are ready and build on their momentum.

FAQs About Teacher Collaboration

What are the 4 C’s of collaboration?

Effective teacher collaboration is built on a few key practices that make the work teachers do together meaningful and productive.

The “4 C’s” of collaboration outline what teams need to work effectively in our schools:

Communication – Talking openly about ideas and feedback so everyone stays on the same page.
Cooperation – Ensuring everyone involved is working toward the same goals
Coordination – Aligning expectations, strategies, schedules, and resources
Contribution – Making sure each team member participates meaningfully

The more these four practices become the norm in your school, the more teacher collaboration will flourish.

What is an example of collaboration in teaching?

One of my favorite examples of collaborative teaching is a grade-level team analyzing student writing. This group of teachers shared writing samples, identified what students were doing well and where they struggled, and talked openly about what worked and what didn’t. Together, they adjusted their lessons, developed new instructional strategies, and created common rubrics.

Another example was two of my middle school teachers—a math teacher and a science teacher—co-planning a shared unit. One developed the instructional flow while the other created assessments and materials. After the lesson, they regrouped, evaluated student responses, and refined their plan. It wasn’t a simple process, but it strengthened instruction every time.

Teachers collaborating together aren’t just attending another meeting—they’re actively working to improve student engagement and student learning.

How to effectively collaborate with teachers?

Effective collaboration with teachers depends on a few key elements. It starts with respect and trust; teachers need to feel comfortable working together. Teachers benefit from clear goals and regular meetings to stay focused. Open, honest communication helps teachers better understand each other’s ideas, and shared leadership ensures everyone has a voice.

When these pieces are in place, collaboration becomes smoother and more meaningful.

What is the 80/20 rule of teacher talking time?

The 80/20 rule is simple: students—not teachers—should speak for roughly 80% of classroom instructional time. Teachers guide, prompt, and support learning, but students drive engagement. Teacher collaboration helps teams share strategies for increasing student talk and participation.

Teacher collaboration is the foundation of strong schools. When educators share expertise, align their efforts, and take collective responsibility for student learning, the entire system becomes stronger. As leaders, our role is to create the structures, time, and trust that allow teachers to collaborate and thrive—because when teachers succeed together, students succeed with them.

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Curriculum-Aligned Resources in 51̽�� Experience

David Bryan — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:04:51 +0000

Key takeaways

High-Quality Alignment Boosts Student & Teacher Success
Alignment Is More Than Just Matching Content
Districts Must Avoid Common Adoption Pitfalls

Emily is a third-grade teacher who’s passionate about her work. She loves seeing each student make progress on foundational skills throughout the school year, and she puts in extra time and effort to ensure that everyone can. While she likes the curriculum and resources provided by her school, sometimes she has to find and adjust additional resources to meet individual needs or change things up in her classroom.

Derek is a seventh-grade math teacher who enjoys using real-world problems to bring relevance to concepts discussed in his classroom and to show students the importance of math in life. Working from the district-adopted core curriculum, he has assembled a set of instructional resources that he can draw from, but he wants to incorporate current events and use new activities to prevent student boredom.

Though Emily and Derek have very different teaching responsibilities and challenges, they share a need for resources that can help them drive student learning more effectively. While they are willing to spend the time and effort to identify and modify more resources on their own, this may be difficult and stressful in light of their typically heavy workloads.

One way district leaders could address this is by offering high-quality curriculum-aligned resources to their teams. Let’s explore what we mean by this, why these resources matter, and what adoption mistakes districts should avoid.

What Are Curriculum-Aligned Resources?

Curriculum-aligned resources are resources like instructional materials, strategies, and supplemental tools for teachers or content students access directly, such as videos, interactives, or hands-on activities, that directly connect to learning objectives and outcomes in accordance with the adopted curriculum’s content and pedagogy. Teachers can use curriculum-aligned resources to enhance unit topics, review skills, or find instructional strategies to meet individual student needs—whatever it takes to support effective learning.

Key Factors in Positive Student Outcomes

Ultimately, all the work that educators put into each classroom, school, and district is designed to set students up for academic and career success. Recent studies and surveys reveal that the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), accompanied by professional learning, is instrumental in boosting student achievement.

Standards alignment also plays a key role. EdReports’ State of the Market report says: “Teachers using aligned materials are more likely to implement high-impact instructional practices, such as engaging students in scientific models or justifying mathematical solutions. These practices promote critical thinking and deepen student engagement across subjects.” Plus, districts using aligned materials see less variance in teacher efficacy and are better able to support all of their students.

The best curriculum-aligned resources will include or support HQIM and align to state standards without requiring extra effort from teachers. This not only increases teacher satisfaction but also improves the quality of their teaching, leading to greater student performance gains.

Curriculum Alignment Is More Than Content

The content that curriculum-aligned resources provide may be a primary consideration when searching for and choosing them, but you need to determine whether a particular resource meets your expectations for learning. For example, the * give educators and education leaders a framework for evaluating types of learning (creativity, collaboration, authentic problem solving, etc.) within digital tools that’s research based. And don’t forget interoperability: look for proof that curriculum-aligned resources will actually integrate with your other tools and systems, including your LMS and assessments.

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*For over 20 years, the��ISTE Standards��have been used, studied, and updated to reflect the latest research-based best practices that define success in using technology to learn, teach, lead, and coach.��

Curriculum-Aligned Resources Adoption Considerations

Curriculum‑aligned resources can become essential components of coherent, equitable instruction across the schools in your district. When you’ve adopted the right program, you can see the results in higher student achievement and teacher satisfaction. However, make sure you avoid these five adoption mistakes that can impede your success:

A tech‑first, curriculum‑later approach: This can lead to misalignment, require teachers to find workarounds, and limit the impact of the resources.
Minimal teacher voice involved: Teacher buy-in and fidelity could be significantly affected.
“One‑and‑done” professional development: Orientation does not support the same success as ongoing professional learning.
Ignoring interoperability: Hidden integration costs may be expensive, and data silos can interfere with a real understanding of student progress.
No plan to evaluate effectiveness: Without quantitative and qualitative measures of usage and efficacy, funding may be wasted on subscription renewal.

More Impact with 51̽�� Experience

Experience combines ready-to-teach lessons, activities, and engaging content with research-backed instructional strategies and user-friendly tools. In its Curriculum Aligned Resources section, teachers will find content directly aligned to popular K–8 literacy, math, and science curricula. Each curriculum has resources that are thoughtfully organized by grade level and unit, making it easy to find age-appropriate content to meet student learning needs.

Suggested resources vary depending on what point of the curriculum a teacher is in, but they often include a mix of instructor and student resources. Choices may include:��

Ready-to-teach lessons��
Reading passages��
Videos��
Activities��
Interactives��
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Research-based instructional strategies��
And more!��

Finding the perfect curriculum-aligned resources in Experience is faster than ever with Personalized Content Recommendations, so whether teachers can get right to extending content, building background knowledge, or reteaching. It also includes customizable assessments and connects to a variety of LMS’s.��

Why not try��today to explore ��Գ��’s curriculum-aligned resources in more detail?��

The post Curriculum-Aligned Resources in 51̽�� Experience appeared first on 51̽��.

#CelebrateWithDE: National STEM Day

DE Staff — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 22:26:06 +0000

Do your students ever imagine themselves as a pilot, video game designer, environmentalist, or surgeon? STEM professionals work in nearly all industries and for a variety of organizations. In their everyday lives, people with STEM backgrounds engage in investigative and diagnostic experiences to seek solutions to real-world problems and enhance technological innovations—sharing their exciting findings and successes with the world. It’s no wonder that today’s students are easily captivated by the rich variety of STEM career paths they can take.

Step into the World of STEM

National STEM Day is a great chance to start your STEM journey! The offers a variety of tools and resources that will help you reinvent your STEM curriculum. You’ll find over 175+ hands-on activities spanning grades K-12 and a teacher support center with educator activities!

Exploring STEM topics can be fun and offer students a brain break to practice thinking outside the box. The�� teaches younger students about a variety of STEM topics. Learn about the wetlands, robots, food, bees, and more through these engaging videos!

To excite older students about STEM, dig into the ! Created in partnership between Freeport-McMoRan and 51̽��, this interactive educational program for students grades 6-12 uncovers the use of metals such as copper in our everyday life and provides students a deeper understanding of today’s hard rock mining industry with dynamic resources. A new STEM learning game, , lets students take the wheel of a 2-story high mining truck to practice mathematics and explanation skills.

Connect the Classroom to the Real World

A great part of STEM learning is the potential for connections to the real world. Make your lessons relevant by helping students connect their in-class learning to out-of-class challenges and topics! 51̽�� has resources to help explore real-world topics that could have a direct impact on your community!��

connects students and teachers from all communities to the��breadth of education and career pathways across biotechnology. With these ready-to-use resources, students can discover the possibilities of biotech— from molecule to medicine!
With videos that highlight topics like forces and motion, stability and instability, and interactions between different materials, the helps students embrace STEM problem-solving in any learning environment through standards-aligned interactive digital resources centered around creativity and collaboration.��

More Engaging Resources for Exciting STEM Activities

ASME and 51̽�� are partnering to engage K-12 students nationwide in the biggest challenges of today while helping them unlock success tomorrow using the universal key of Engineering. Join us as we teach students to turn passion into an in-demand career in Engineering with standards-aligned resources designed for ALL learners and communities.

Explore the American Petroleum Institute, the only national trade association representing all facets of the natural gas and oil industry, with career profiles and instructional activities. API’s more than 600 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms.

Did you know November is Career Development Month? Celebrate National STEM Day and Career Development Month with the STEM Careers Coalition! The STEM Careers Coalition's mission is to empower educators to teach STEM effectively in the classroom, focusing on equity and access to quality education, and building the next generation of solution-seekers at no cost to schools.

Take a Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Field Trips can create an exciting learning experience to highlight real-world STEM��professionals in action! No need to schedule a bus to pick your students up for a National STEM Day field trip on November 8—51̽�� helps bring the field trip to your classroom!

Step into the world of Extended Reality (XR) where innovation bridges our physical and digital worlds! to discover how XR is more than gaming. XR is saving lives, revolutionizing education, and impacting industries as well as how cyber experts are ensuring responsible technology development to prepare for this new digital landscape.

With the , students can join Katie Ledecky, 3-time Olympian, 7-time Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer, proud STEM advocate and Team Panasonic athlete, for an immersive deep dive into game-changing tech that’s creating better ways forward for all people. The Virtual Field Trip transports students to five Panasonic Innovation Centers around North America for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the everyday inspiration Panasonic’s team uses to power groundbreaking new ideas that improve people’s lives and make the world a better place.

The Illumina Foundation and 51̽�� partnered to create to inspire middle and high school teachers to unlock the power of genomics and impact the future of their students. The Virtual Field Trip��transports students to the Illumina labs in San Diego, California to meet real-world experts who are harnessing the power of the genome to improve lives and support the Earth’s natural resources.

Inspire the Next Generation with Career Exploration

What are some ways you show students how STEM skills can lead to life-changing careers? Perhaps you can invite local STEM professionals to give a presentation on their career paths and how they achieved it or ask students to select a famous STEM professional for a report! There are many creative ways to engage students with STEM career paths, starting with the career resources in 51̽�� Experience.

Next, dive into the energy-water nexus with the , an educational initiative from Itron and 51̽��. This innovative, standards-aligned program encourages middle school students to explore the relationship between water and energy through the lens of conservation, with career profiles and STEM sit downs to highlight people who are making cities smarter and moving us toward a more energy-efficient future.

Get Girls Interested in STEM

Inspiring all students to explore STEM careers is important, but shows that early influences have a big impact on women entering STEM careers. 60% of women surveyed said a parent or a teacher encouraged them to study computer science, demonstrating the pivotal role particular adults play in supporting women at a young age. 51̽�� has great resources to help girls see (and learn from) real women working in STEM careers!

The IF/THEN Initiative is committed to showing young girls exactly what a scientist looks like. The seeks to further advance women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers.��

“I teach with the ‘see it, be it mentality.’ I believe we need to show students, particularly girls, that their ideas are valid, and they already have the power to make their dreams come true. With curated resources from 51̽�� and their partners, I can empower my students today to become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Cecilia Wilburn-Davis

South Carolina 5th Grade Teacher

helps bridge the gap between opportunity, awareness, and readiness by providing schools and community organizations with free resources to educate, inspire, and equip young girls with the skills and confidence they need to envision themselves as future professionals in STEM fields. Find classroom activities, careers profiles, digital lesson bundles, and more in the !

Don’t miss National STEM Day on November 8! Sparking students’ interest in STEM careers and topics can extend past one holiday and you never know—it could create a lifelong passion!

The post #CelebrateWithDE: National STEM Day appeared first on 51̽��.

Get Students Moving: Why Physical Immersive Activities Boost Engagement and Learning

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:33:28 +0000

As educators know, sitting still for hours isn’t how children learn best. Decades of research and modern neuroscience all point to the same conclusion: physical movement improves attention, memory, motivation – and ultimately academic performance.

A��of over 7,300 participants found cognitively engaging physical activities (like movement requiring decision-making and rule-following) produced improvements in working memory, fluid intelligence, on-task behaviour, and creativity.
Less than 42% of U.S. children ages  6–11 meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity – .
A campus tech‑services team��: just ten minutes of standing or gentle movement raises concentration, reduces stress, and improves retention – even at the college level.
A��of children with ADHD found physical activity interventions improved working memory.

Movement enhances brain function by increasing circulation, activating cerebellar coordination centers, and strengthening recall pathways. When students move – whether via brain breaks, gesture-based math, or kinesthetic games – they stay alert and motivated, and they process concepts more deeply.

Immersive Learning: AR/VR Experiences Provide Opportunities for Movement

Immersive learning environments – think augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), simulations, role‑plays – are natural allies of physical, experiential learning. These technologies encourage learners to move through scenarios, manipulate virtual objects, and act out scenarios in ways that traditional instruction simply can’t.

When students move, they don’t just activate their muscles – they awaken a network of senses that feeds the brain with rich, multisensory input. Shifting position, changing perspective, and engaging in tactile interaction stimulates sight, sound, touch, and even balance, creating a layered sensory experience. These moments act as cognitive attractors – memorable, high‑engagement events where attention sharpens and information “sticks” more deeply. In immersive learning, physical movement amplifies this effect, making the experience feel real, personal, and memorable.

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TimePod Adventures turns students into the main character in narrative‑driven, 3D storylines – such as historic journeys or scientific explorations – played out in AR on an iPad or iPhone. Students physically move through space to investigate clues, collaborate in groups, and solve problems. The combination of spatial movement, story immersion, and peer interaction naturally promotes engagement, memory retention, and higher order thinking.

Sandbox AR

Sandbox AR enables students to build, share, and inhabit virtual topical worlds using augmented reality on an iPad. Whether constructing ecosystems, exploring ancient civilizations, or modeling scientific phenomena, learners physically move around their creations, manipulate objects in 3D space, and collaborate with classmates. It transforms abstract concepts into tactile, shared experiences – driving engagement and deep understanding.

Connecting Research to Practice

So how do these AR tools bridge the gap between research on movement and real classroom application?

Movement-Inspired Engagement & Retention

Stepping into a TimePod Adventures scene or walking around a Sandbox AR build turns learning into a physical experience. This movement taps into embodied cognition – boosting attention, memory, and concept retention.

Intrinsic Motivation and Autonomy

Physically active learning has been shown to raise motivation, independence, and mastery. Both apps put students in the driver’s seat, letting them explore, create, choose paths, and solve problems in ways that feel personally meaningful.

Active Collaboration and Social Interaction

Group work comes naturally here. Students move together, share observations, and make real‑time decisions. These moments mirror the benefits seen in active learning research, where collaboration, role‑play, and simulation strengthen critical thinking and achievement.

Classroom Management Support

Movement doesn’t have to mean chaos. Sandbox AR’s “table scale” mode keeps students seated while they build, discuss, and explain their choices, then “life scale” mode delivers that big immersive moment. TimePod Adventures’ 10‑minute AR episodes pair with full‑length classroom activities, giving students a structured, reflective segment to settle, focus, and capture their learning on paper.

Tips for Educators: Putting AR Movement to Work in Your Classroom

Plan for shared space: Clear an area where students can stand and move with tablets. Let them rotate roles – navigator, clue‑tracker, builder – to keep energy flowing.
Blend movement with content: Ask students to gesture concepts – map routes, act out historical events, or build with Sandbox pieces. Embedding learning in physical activity strengthens memory.
Reflect on experience: After each AR session, invite groups to discuss: What did moving around reveal? How did acting it out help you remember or understand?
Alternate formats: Use TimePod Adventures for narrative exploration, and Sandbox AR for creative building. That variety keeps engagement high and supports different learning objectives.

Explore K-12 Classroom Management Resources

See how 51̽�� can support educators.

Browse Resources

Ready to Get Your Students Moving?

Bringing physical movement into the classroom isn’t about turning lessons into PE class – it’s about following the science. Students who move stay more alert, engaged, motivated, and they learn better. Immersive learning tools like TimePod Adventures and Sandbox AR deliver movement-rich, experiential learning that echoes what decades of research tell us: embodied, active classrooms help students thrive.

By combining high‑quality AR experiences with flexible classroom design and purposeful reflection, educators can turn content into lived experiences – boosting engagement, memory, and outcomes in ways that traditional methods simply can’t match.

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain

David has spent over 10 years in various roles with companies seeking to improve lives through effective teaching and learning. He values the empowering nature of adding knowledge and strengthening understanding, whether personal or professional.

The post Get Students Moving: Why Physical Immersive Activities Boost Engagement and Learning appeared first on 51̽��.

Watch On Demand: Educator-Led Webinars to Power Your Classroom��

Amy Reiss — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:13:07 +0000

Faced with teaching a unit on bacteria, two seventh-grade teachers paused to consider how their students would best learn the information. Watching a video? Exploring interactive simulations? Reading engaging content?��

They quickly realized the answer was—all of these options. Or maybe just one of them. It simply depended on each student’s particular learning style. Enter 51̽��’s choice boards, interactive “digital menus” which allow students to choose how they learn a topic or standard. Choice boards cater to different learning styles, foster deep engagement, and allow students ownership of their learning. They’re one of the many curriculum-aligned tools our educator panelists will be discussing in our upcoming Educator Essentials Fall Webinar Series.

Real Classrooms. Real 51̽��. Real Impact.

Our Educator Essentials Webinar Series will feature short, practical sessions led by educators in our 51̽�� Educator Network (DEN) and aim to provide a deeper understanding of how to use DE tools in a meaningful way. �ճ��’l�� focus on real classrooms, real solutions, and real impact, and y�ǳ�’l�� walk away with fresh strategies you can put into practice immediately.��

The Presenters

Rita Mortenson

Instructional Coach, Verona Area High School, Wisconsin

The Experience webinars will be hosted by Rita Mortenson, Instructional Coach at Verona Area High School in Wisconsin. Rita is a 20-year veteran user of 51̽�� and incredible advocate for Experience solutions. She brings a wealth of classroom insight and professional development expertise, making her uniquely equipped to guide educators in leveraging Experience solutions for transformative learning. �龱�ٲ�’s co-presenter will be Jessie Erickson. ��

Sarah Yonts

Library Media Specialist, L.I. Wilder Elementary School, Wisconsin

The DreamBox Math webinars will be hosted by Sarah Yonts, Library Media Specialist at L.I. Wilder Elementary School in Wisconsin. Sarah is in her 23rd year with Green Bay Area Public Schools, and has also worked as a music educator, classroom teacher, and middle school ELA teacher. A longtime DEN member, Sarah started using DreamBox Math in 2020 and acts as her school’s tech lead, helping teachers and students navigate its powerful features. Sarah’s co-presenter will be Kelsy Rusch.��

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Join us live to ask questions or watch on-demand when it fits your schedule!��

The Lineup

Power Up Your Practice with 51̽�� Experience

Tuesday, October 28, 7:00 PM ET

Explore how 51̽�� Experience can elevate your instructional practice and boost student engagement. This session will spotlight the Instructional Strategy Center, Careers Hub, and Curriculum-Aligned Resources—three powerful tools designed to save time, personalize learning, and connect classroom content to real-world relevance.��

Engaging Every Learner with 51̽�� Experience

Monday, November 3, 7:00 PM ET

Student engagement is at the heart of effective teaching—and 51̽�� Experience offers flexible, standards-aligned resources to help you reach every learner. This webinar will explore how to use  Experience to personalize instruction, support core curriculum, and close learning gaps in literacy and math.��
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Unlocking the Power of DreamBox Math Features

Tuesday, November 4, 7:00 PM ET

Explore how DreamBox �Ѳ��ٳ�’s most powerful features—Curriculum Guide, Assignments, and Progress Monitoring—can streamline instruction and elevate student engagement. This session will walk educators through how to plan, assign, and monitor learning with DreamBox Math, all while keeping students at the center of the experience. ��

Engaging Every Learner with DreamBox Math

Thursday November 6 7:00 PM ET

Student engagement is the key to meaningful learning—and DreamBox Math is designed to meet every learner where they are. This webinar will explore how DreamBox Math supports differentiation, connects to core curriculum, and helps close gaps in math understanding. Learn how to use DreamBox Math to foster confidence, personalize instruction, and make math meaningful for all students. ��

Ready to energize your classroom with tools that help every learner? Join us!��

Learn more about 51̽�� Experience and DreamBox Math today!

DE Experience

DreamBox Math

The post Watch On Demand: Educator-Led Webinars to Power Your Classroom�� appeared first on 51̽��.

Life Is a Puzzle—Solve It with Healthy Choices

Lindsey Davis — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:21:43 +0000

Find the to spread awareness and empower

all students for Red Ribbon Week!

Observed annually from October 23–31, honors the legacy of Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena and serves as a nationwide call to action for promoting wellness, safety, and prevention. It’s a time to recognize the impact of substance misuse and to encourage students to make healthy, informed choices that support their well-being and future success.

In celebration of the 2025 Red Ribbon Week theme, “Life Is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free,” we’re sharing proactive strategies and to help educators spark meaningful conversations and support students in building lives full of purpose, resilience, and connection.

Medication Safety

As part of the Pharmacists Teach program, empowers educators, pharmacists, parents, and community members to guide students in making smart decisions about medication safety and mental health. These K–12 standards-aligned resources include everything educators need to teach students about responsible choices and wellness.

��, a choose-your-own-adventure animated experience that helps students practice decision-making and explore the consequences of their choices in a safe, engaging way.

Preparing for Positive Choices

The classroom activities are designed with the whole child in mind.

These middle school resources help students:

Understand the short- and long-term effects of underage use on the developing brain.
Practice refusal and exit strategies to navigate peer pressure.
Separate fact from fiction through scientific research and peer discussion.
Explore real-world policy by creating mock legislation and debating societal impacts.

Ask, Listen, Learn helps students uncover the science behind how substances affect the brain and body, empowering them to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to risky behaviors.

Look into Real Life

Created in partnership with the DEA, offers tools for educators, families, and communities to support prevention efforts. These resources are aligned to national health and science standards and integrate seamlessly into classroom instruction.

Through hands-on investigations, students explore the science behind substance misuse and its impact on the brain and body. English and Spanish resources, self-paced modules, and culturally responsive content help kickstart life-saving conversations.

The latest Virtual Field Trip, , empowers high school students to make informed decisions and become advocates for prevention in their communities. Students meet real people working to combat the fentanyl crisis and raise awareness about counterfeit drugs.

Join us Oct 29 during Red Ribbon Week for — designed for Grades 6–12. This experience takes students behind the scenes to see how submarines are built and introduces them to the engineers, welders, and technicians who make it happen.

More than just a look at cool technology, this field trip highlights how living a healthy lifestyle can open doors to meaningful careers in industries like maritime manufacturing and national security.

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“Red Ribbon Week is a powerful reminder that every choice students make is a piece of the bigger picture. By providing educators with engaging, real-world resources, we help students build the skills they need to make healthy decisions and lead safe, fulfilling lives. Our partners are committed to supporting these conversations with content that’s age-appropriate, inclusive, and empowering.”

��Madeline O’Neil, Senior Partner Impact Manager at 51̽��

This year, honor Red Ribbon Week by sharing ideas for making healthy choices, raising awareness of real-life challenges, and encouraging responsible decision-making in and out of school.

The post Life Is a Puzzle—Solve It with Healthy Choices appeared first on 51̽��.

Lesson Planning | 51̽��

Coming Soon for 2026:��Science��Techbook

Key takeaways

Approachable Tier 1 instruction motivates students to keep learning

Lessons build foundational math and literacy skills along with science and critical-thinking skills

Teachers benefit from an intuitive interface, slideshow format lessons, and a range of time-saving tools and supports

What’s New for 2026

Motivate Students with Approachable Tier 1 Instruction

Strengthen Critical-Thinking and Core Skills

Authentic, Applicable Math

Lifelong Literacy Skills

Empower Every Educator

Incorporate Three-Dimensional Learning

5 Tips for Simplifying Substitute Planning with 51̽��

Why Substitute Planning Feels So Complicated

Tip 1: Use Consistent Tools to Build Substitute Confidence

Tip 2: Choose Plug-and-Play Resources by Grade Band

Elementary: Structured Exploration

Middle School: Guided Inquiry and Choice

High School: Self-Directed Learning with Accountability

Tip 3: Build a Digital “Sub Folder” for Emergencies

Tip 4: Empower Students to Own Their Learning

Tip 5: Sustain Instruction With High-Quality, Ready-to-Use Content

Leia DePalo

Learn More About 51̽�� Experience and How it Saves Teachers Time

Lesson Plan Template | How to Write a Lesson Plan

Key takeaways

An effective lesson plan has clear objectives, purposeful activities, and meaningful assessments

Activities should be closely aligned with learning goals; no “busy work.”

Lesson plans should contain a mix of formative and summative assessments to check for understanding.

Reflection helps create stronger teachers and is an essential part of any lesson.

Get Our Free Lesson Plan Template

What is a Lesson Plan?

Explore K-12 Classroom Management Resources

How to Write an Effective Lesson Plan

Lesson Objectives and Learning Goals

Design the Assessment

Assessments

Lesson Procedure

Hook/Introduction

Learning Activities

Reflection

Pedagogy First, Technology Second: Playing with Purpose

Immersion without the Price Tag

The ‘Jelly in the Doughnut’

From Hook to Habit of Mind

Practical Ways to Capture and Extend Learning in Sandbox

Why ‘Playing with Purpose’ Matters

A Call to School Leaders

Benefits and Strategies for Teacher Collaboration

Key takeaways

Strong schools rely on strong teams—and the strongest teams are built through meaningful teacher collaboration.

Working together builds trust, reduces isolation, and creates a more supportive school culture for staff.

Collaboration works best when leaders provide time, direction, and structures that make teamwork a natural part of the school day.

Explore 51̽�� for Your School or District

What Is Teacher Collaboration?

What Are the Benefits of Teacher Collaboration?

Better Results for Students

More Effective Instruction

Stronger School Culture

Higher Teacher Satisfaction and Retention

Increased Innovation and Problem-Solving

Greater Consistency in Student Learning

Explore Professional Development Resources

How to Foster Collaboration in Your School

Building Time into the Schedule

Setting Clear Purpose and Expectations

Providing Access to High-Quality Data

Investing in Professional Development

Modeling Collaboration as a Leadership Team

Start Small and Build Momentum

FAQs About Teacher Collaboration

Curriculum-Aligned Resources in 51̽�� Experience

Key takeaways

High-Quality Alignment Boosts Student & Teacher Success

Alignment Is More Than Just Matching Content

Districts Must Avoid Common Adoption Pitfalls

Explore 51̽�� for Your School or District

What Are Curriculum-Aligned Resources?

Key Factors in Positive Student Outcomes

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