These 20 free things for teachers include classroom-supply support, lesson plans, primary sources, STEM activities, reading tools, digital textbooks and education software.
Some resources require educator verification, school approval, an application or participation by a qualifying school. Physical supplies and crowdfunding are never guaranteed, so check current eligibility and follow your school or district’s privacy and technology policies before creating student accounts.
What Does “Free” Mean Here?
The resources below have a genuinely free option for qualifying users. Some companies also sell premium plans, printed materials, training, add-ons or institutional upgrades. Always confirm what is included before signing up.
1. Free Classroom Supplies and Project Funding
1. DonorsChoose Classroom Projects
Eligible educators can create classroom projects requesting specific materials and experiences. When a project receives the necessary funding, DonorsChoose coordinates purchasing and fulfillment according to its current program rules.
Creating a project does not guarantee it will be funded.
2. Kids In Need Foundation Resource Centers
Kids In Need Foundation works with a national network of resource centers that distribute school supplies to qualifying educators and schools.
Locations, school eligibility, appointment requirements and available supplies vary, so check for a participating resource center in your area. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Never Pay to Unlock a Donation
Use official school information when verification is required. Be cautious of anyone on social media promising guaranteed classroom grants or donated supplies in exchange for a payment.
2. Free Design and Productivity Software
3. Canva Education
Canva Education remains free for eligible active K–12 teachers and qualifying educational institutions. Eligible users receive education-focused templates and design features beyond Canva’s standard free account.
Canva currently requires educator eligibility and may require verification. Higher-education teachers, unlicensed homeschool educators and private tutors are among the groups that generally do not qualify for Canva Education. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
4. Adobe Express for K–12 Education
Adobe currently offers Adobe Express K–12 Education at no charge for qualified K–12 educators. The education version includes classroom-focused design tools, templates, student-friendly assets and additional privacy controls. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
5. Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is available at no cost to qualifying educational institutions. It includes core tools such as Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Meet, Gmail and Drive, along with current education AI tools. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
An individual teacher generally cannot activate an institutional school domain independently. School or district administrators normally manage eligibility and deployment.
3. Free Videos, Lessons and Multimedia
6. PBS LearningMedia
PBS LearningMedia provides free educational videos, lesson plans, interactive resources and classroom materials across multiple subjects and grade levels.
Some local-station or premium features may differ, so confirm what is included in your account before assigning content.
7. Smithsonian Learning Lab
The Smithsonian Learning Lab gives educators access to digital museum resources including images, recordings, texts, videos and educator-created collections.
Teachers can organize resources into their own collections and lessons. Review the rights information attached to individual materials before republishing them outside normal classroom use.
8. Crayola Education Lesson Ideas
Crayola’s education resources include free art and classroom project ideas. Some activities use supplies you may not already own, so adapt the lesson to materials available in your classroom rather than assuming the supplies themselves are free. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
4. Free Primary Sources and Civics Materials
9. Library of Congress Classroom Materials
The Library of Congress provides teachers with primary-source sets, lesson plans, presentations, analysis tools and digitized historical materials.
10. National Archives and DocsTeach
The National Archives provides primary sources, document-analysis worksheets and classroom activities. DocsTeach also allows educators to build activities using historical documents.
11. iCivics
iCivics offers free civics games, lesson plans and classroom activities covering government, citizenship and related topics.
Preview Student Resources First
Check grade recommendations, external links, account requirements, accessibility and student-data policies before assigning any online resource.
5. Free STEM and Coding Resources
12. NASA Educator Resources
NASA publishes free K–12 activities, videos and lesson resources covering Earth science, aeronautics, space exploration and the solar system.
13. PhET Interactive Simulations
PhET from the University of Colorado Boulder provides free interactive simulations for math and science. Teachers can search resources by subject and grade level.
14. Code.org
Code.org provides free computer-science curriculum and learning activities across multiple grade levels. Some professional-development opportunities may have separate eligibility or pricing.
15. Scratch
Scratch is a free creative-coding platform where students can build interactive stories, games and animations using block-based programming.
Teachers should review sharing, community and account settings before allowing students to publish projects. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
6. Free Math and Science Learning Tools
16. Khan Academy
Khan Academy provides free instructional videos, exercises and teacher tools across mathematics, science and other subjects.
17. CK-12
CK-12 provides free digital textbooks, simulations, videos and practice activities covering thousands of concepts, particularly in math and science.
Review licensing and attribution requirements before adapting or redistributing materials. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Free Accounts Can Still Have Limits
Education platforms may offer optional district products, premium integrations or additional services alongside the free classroom resources. You do not need to assume every feature advertised by the company is included at no charge.
7. Free Reading and Literacy Resources
18. ReadWorks
ReadWorks provides free reading passages, question sets and instructional tools. Teachers can create classes and assign materials using the platform’s classroom features.
19. CommonLit
CommonLit provides a free digital library containing reading passages and instructional materials.
The company also offers paid school and district services, so check which tools are part of the free teacher account before planning around a particular feature. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Build a Small Resource Toolkit
You do not need accounts with every education website. A few dependable reading, math, science and classroom-management resources are usually more useful than dozens of unused registrations.
8. Free Open Textbooks and Course Materials
20. OpenStax
OpenStax publishes openly licensed textbooks that can be read online or downloaded without charge.
Printed books and some integrations or supporting services may cost money. Much of the catalog is designed for college and advanced high-school courses, so check grade level and curriculum alignment before assigning a title. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Checklist for Any Free Teacher Resource
- Confirm the recommended grade level.
- Check curriculum and standards alignment.
- Follow district technology-approval policies.
- Review student privacy and account requirements.
- Check accessibility before assigning content.
- Review copyright and reuse permissions.
- Identify any premium features or paid upgrades.
- Preview links and media before students use them.
Helpful Teacher Resources
Before You Go
Teacher programs, free-plan features, verification rules and supply availability can change. Confirm current terms on the provider’s official website and follow your school or district policies before creating accounts, sharing student information or adopting a new classroom tool.
Final Thoughts
The most useful free things for teachers are the resources that solve an actual classroom need without creating unnecessary accounts, complicated requirements or surprise costs.
Start with one classroom-supply resource and a few instructional tools that fit your curriculum. Verify eligibility, protect student information and bookmark the resources that genuinely save you time during the school year.