Educational bloggers and teachers frequently share free classroom materials and resources through various online platforms. These materials often include worksheets, activity guides, and craft templates designed to support specific lesson plans or seasonal themes. For example, educational bloggers such as Kickin' it in Kindergarten often provide free downloadable content to support classroom instruction. One such resource mentioned is a "Teen Number Snowman" math activity, which involves drawing and artwork, and is available as a free download in a Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) store. Additionally, free resources such as worksheets for book studies on titles like Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites are available through blogging platforms. Specific activities related to books, such as Crankenstein, include free downloads like a "Feelings Spinner" and worksheets for an "Anger Management Activity."
Teachers and educational bloggers utilize social media platforms, specifically Instagram, to discover and share these classroom ideas and freebies. Instagram is used to follow educational bloggers, view classroom-tested ideas, and participate in giveaways and "IG hops." The platform allows users to search specific hashtags to find relevant content. Common educational hashtags include #teachersfollowteachers, #teachersofinstagram, #iteachk, #iteachkindergarten, #iteachfirst, #iteachsecond, #iteachthird, #teacherspayteachers, and #freebie. By searching these hashtags, educators can find inspiration and access resources shared by peers.
The types of free educational resources available include: * Worksheets and Activity Sheets: These cover various subjects and themes, such as book study worksheets (Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites), writing prompts (e.g., "Spring Break Writing," "Dress Like the Cat in the Hat"), weather activities ("Weather Storms"), and personal reflection sheets ("There's No One Like Me"). * Craft Templates: Visual aids and craft projects, such as creating "Crankenstein" characters with specific instructions for drawing and assembly. * STEM Activities: Structured engineering design tasks, such as designing a "calm-down fidget" for a story character, which involves steps like Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Experiment, and Improve. * Interactive Learning Tools: Downloadable items like feelings spinners used for social-emotional learning.
Access to these resources typically involves visiting the blogger's website, Teachers Pay Teachers store, or following specific links provided in social media posts. For instance, the "Teen Number Snowman" freebie is accessed by clicking a picture that links to a TpT store. Similarly, specific activity ideas found on Pinterest or blogs often direct users to external sites for instructions or downloads.