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The game has been funded by the Usborne Foundation, a charity set up to support initiatives to develop early literacy.

Our mission is to help as many children learn to read as possible. The computer version is 100% free and we put profits from the app back into the Usborne Foundation, to continue to create new and exciting ways for children to learn.

The charity was founded by Peter Usborne MBE and his children, Nicola and Martin, one of the world's leading children's book publishing companies and Children's Publisher of the Year 2012. He was previously one of the founders of the magazine Private Eye.

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The game has been funded by the Usborne Foundation, a charity set up to support initiatives to develop early literacy. Our mission is to help as many children learn to read as possible. The computer version is 100% free and we put profits from the app back into the Usborne Foundation, to continue to create new and exciting ways for children to learn.

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"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain

To access a live preview of a typical Google Lit Trip on your computer, click the image above

What are Google Lit Trips?

Google Lit Trips are award winning virtual Literary field Trips where students become virtual traveling companions traveling right alongside characters in stories commonly taught in grades K-12. As students move through the story, Google Lit Trips supplement the learning experience as story locations are mapped on Google Earth, "just in time" resources "3-Dimensionalize" geographical, historical, and cultural influences the characters' experience, with relevant media, thought-provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about "real world" references in that portion of the story. We like to refer to them as "Virtual Reader Ride-alongs."

Google Lit Trips is an internationally-acclaimed educational technology project, recognized by prestigious organizations such as: The Tech Museum of Innovation Laureate Awards; The Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education; Public Radio International; American Library Association; School Library Journal; International Society for Technology and Education; National Council of Teachers of English; Teacher Librarian, the Journal for School Library Professionals and many others. Google Lit Trips have cited Google Lit Trips in more than 130 scholarly publications.

Recent Google Lit Trips Updates

The Crucible is a study in the mass hysteria which led to the 1692 Salem witchcraft trials, concentrating on the fate of some of the key figures caught up in the persecution. It powerfully depicts people and principles under pressure and the issues and motivations involved.

It powerfully depicts people and principles under pressure and the issues and motivations involved. At the same time, it is also a parable for the events of the McCarthy era in the USA of the 1950s when anyone suspected of left-wing views was arraigned for 'Un-American Activities.'

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Google Lit Trips, educational nonprofit, award winning, educational technology, place based storytelling, reading about reading

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If you're having trouble accessing a Google product, there's a chance we're currently experiencing a temporary problem. You can check for outages and downtime on the G Suite Status Dashboard.

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If you're having trouble accessing a Google product, there's a chance we're currently experiencing a temporary problem. You can check for outages and downtime on the G Suite Status Dashboard.

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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Seesaw creates a powerful learning loop between students, teachers, and families

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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a free web and mobile app from Microsoft where educators create safe, online groups for students to express their ideas asynchronously in short video, text, and audio messages.

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Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

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ThingLink: Create unique experiences with interactive images, videos & 360° media

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Easily create interactive and immersive visual experiences for online communication and learning. Start a free trial!

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Distributing valuable and informative content like infographics can be useful for Ed Tech marketers. Infographics can help convey visualize information to customers. Use these infographics to show Ed Tech's value!

Take a look at these three engaging infographics we found for you to share with your customers!

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4 Infographics to Share with Your Ed Tech Customers

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Distributing valuable and informative content like infographics can be useful for Ed Tech marketers. Infographics can help convey visualize information to customers. Use these infographics to show Ed Tech's value! Take a look at these three engaging infographics we found for you to share with your customers!

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Tech Tips for K-12 Educators by Joli Boucher

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Interland is an adventure-packed online game that puts the key lessons of digital citizenship and safety into hands-on practice. Play your way to being Internet Awesome.

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Thanks to technological advances, traditional teaching methods are rapidly evolving.

Teachers are constantly finding innovative ways to engage students or integrate technology into the classroom - and with social media, sharing these insights allows educators to get behind a successful method and launch a trend. Think of online social media as a way to crowdsource professional development and build new communities of support. You can learn about the latest ways teachers are creating dynamic lessons and challenging students by following a teaching trend's associated hashtags - words or phrases that start with a # - used to categorize content.

Below, you will find hashtags associated with nine of the most influential teaching trends that are making their way into classrooms around the world and inspiring students and educators.

1. Blended Learning

As technology gives classrooms access to a wealth of information and resources, teachers are working hard to create virtual learning environments (VLEs) that allow students to supplement what they learn in face-to-face instruction with high-quality learning materials found online. The name for this kind of combined instruction is blended learning.

Many free tools and apps allow teachers to create opportunities for students to learn online while letting educators keep track of grading, assessment, and attendance. These provide safe and private environments that allow access with logins and enable easy sharing of materials with students. These VLEs - the first two of which are higly-profiled innovative online tools - include Edmodo, Schoology, eduClipper, Google Classroom, Edublogs, Moodle, PBWorks, and Wikispaces. Discover more free Web tools and apps to integrate blended learning successfully by following the hashtag #BlendedLearning.

2. STEM and STEAM

The Obama Administration's Educate to Innovate initiative has allocated millions to programs that get students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professions. The STEAM movement, which adds an arts focus to STEM education, has been gaining popularity in education circles, as well. Both STEM and STEAM education teach children valuable critical-thinking and creative problem-solving skills, and following these trends on social media will help you learn about activities and organizations that can support lessons in the classroom.

3. Flipped Learning

Flipping the classroom, a teaching approach pioneered by influential educator Greg Green, entails having students listen to online lectures at home so they can prepare for an upcoming lesson in which they implement their new knowledge through activities and discussions - that is, what would be homework in a typical classroom setup - at school. Traditionally, flipped instruction meant teachers recorded lectures and students watched them at their own pace as homework. Now, flipped instruction can also include short, interactive videos made using free tools and apps like EDpuzzle, TouchCast, Blendspace, EduBuncee, EDTed, eduClipper, and Khan Academy, one of the programs profiled in the Noodle report on innovative online tools. Following this trend on social media will allow you to find great resources that your students can watch at home.

4. Maker Education

Schools all over the world are founding makerspaces in which students create anything from robots to 3-D print designs. Students are provided with a variety of materials for their creations, such as recyclables, maker kits, and old computer part. The hashtags above will allow you to see what students are making and learning in their own spaces - and offer you ideas about what you might bring to your own classroom or school.

5. Coding

Learners of all ages are understanding how to use computer languages to program video games, drones, and websites. Coding doesn't only take place in computer classes anymore! Teachers in all disciplines integrate coding to get students writing and creating while learning about all different subjects. Follow the hashtag #HourofCode to participate in the international Hour of Code event taking place in over 100 countries on December 7 through 13, 2015.

6. Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Growth mindset is based on the inspiring work of Carol Dweck, a psychologist from Stanford University, who advocates for educators to transform students' thinking from fixed mindsets, in which they believe their intelligence and talents are preset traits, to growth mindsets, in which they believe that their talents are malleable and can be developed. Many buzzwords used in schools today, like rigor and grit, have emerged out of research on the growth mindset. Follow these trends on social media to find information that can help your students learn - and grow - from challenges they face.

7. Game-Based Learning

Students can play various online games to learn just about anything, from digital citizenship to graphic design. Many educators will also use a popular game, like Minecraft, to create dynamic lessons about geography, math, and history. Some teachers even encourage students to design their own games for their peers using GetKahoot, Tiny Tap (iOS/Android) mobile app, and Scratch EDU.

8. Gamification

Gamification differs from game-based learning in that it involves teachers designing their curricula with game-like features, such as leveling up, badges, eggs, and points (instead of grades). For original ideas on how to gamify your own classroom, follow the above hashtags on social media.

9. Design Thinking

Design Thinking is described as a mindset and structured approach used to solve challenges at schools through the processes of discovery, interpretation, ideation, experimentation, and evolution. Teachers are using design thinking to discover how best to structure their classrooms. The hashtags above will help you explore design thinking in action.
This article is part of a series on the best hashtags for teachers and parents to follow. Read the first article, 10 Twitter Hashtags All Teachers Should Follow, and stay tuned for these upcoming posts: 10 Hashtags Every Education Leader Should Follow, 15 Must-Follow Hashtags for Parents (Don't Tell Your Kids!), and Follow These 14 Hashtags for Education Technology Updates. Sources:
Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246-263. Retrieved October 2015, from Child Development

Davis, V. (2014, February 21). Gamifying education: Do we really know how to gamify the classroom? Retrieved October 2015, from Cool Cat Teacher

IDEO & Riverdale Country School (2014). Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit. 2nd ed. Retrieved October 2015, from Design Thinking for Educators

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: Penguin Press.

The White House (2013). Educate to Innovate. Retrieved October 2015, from The White House

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Stay on Top of Teaching Trends with These 36 Hashtags

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Thanks to technological advances, traditional teaching methods are rapidly evolving. Teachers are constantly finding innovative ways to engage students or integrate technology into the classroom - and with social media, sharing these insights allows educators to get behind a successful method and launch a trend.

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In this final tip on the New Google Calendar, I'm going to explain and demonstrate three fast changes you can make directly on your calendar. The first is changing the color of an event, then deleting an event, and finally changing the time of an event.

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Yes, this is the longest I've gone without blogging in about four years. But, I have an excuse...

Since my last post I've made the transition from K-12 curriculum supervisor in Pennsylvania to Bergen County, New Jersey, where (as of January 15) I am now the proud Elementary Principal of T. Baldwin Demarest Elementary School (TBD) in the Old Tappan School District. And, while I undoubtedly look forward to my work being the main focus of my writings, I do think it's important to spend a post or two reflecting upon previous experiences.

That being said...

December 22 was my final day with the Salisbury Township School District. On this day, when I got home from work, I started to make the mental transition from curriculum supervisor to principal. As part of this process (aside from taking a much needed power nap), I hopped on the phone with someone I consider a mentor and one of my best friends, Tony Sinanis. As part of our conversation, we talked about a handful of Elementary Principals (current and former) from whom I could learn. Looking back, what stands out to me the most aren't necessarily the names themselves, but the fact that these were educators who I was already following and learning from via social media, but I hadn't had many one-on-one interactions with them that did much more than scratch the surface. In other words, I was learning from them and they didn't even know it.

[Read more...] about What Joe DiMaggio Taught Me About Leadership

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Cooper on Curriculum - thoughts from an elementary principal / curriculum nerd

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Yes, this is the longest I've gone without blogging in about four years. But, I have an excuse... Since my last post I've made the transition from K-12 curriculum supervisor in Pennsylvania to Bergen County, New Jersey, where (as of January 15) I am now the proud Elementary Principal of T.

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Free resource of educational web tools, 21st century skills, tips and tutorials on how teachers and students integrate technology into education

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EdSurge - Education Journalism and Research

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A nonprofit newsroom reporting on the powerful forces, fascinating people and innovative practices shaping teaching and learning.

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Tech Tips, Tools & Tidbits for awesome educators

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Free Technology For Teachers – A TeacherMeade site

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The new and improved Google Sites is really easy to use. Feel free to watch the six minute tutorial above. There are so many neat ways to use Google Sites in an educational setting. Students can show...

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Google

How to use COUNTA in Google Sheets. This helpful formula works differently than COUNT. I will explain how.

Recent Blogs

Finally! Schedule to Multiple Classes in Google Classroom. Set the time and date for each section to appear in your Google Classroom as you post assignments.

"Thank you for all of the help you have given me so far this year! The Google classrooms workshop has made my teaching more effective and my job more enjoyable. Kids are learning so much and are enjoying their learning! You rock!"

Lindsey Hagen

"These workshops really make me experiment new ways of teaching and especially new ways of thinking about teaching!!!"

SUZY PICHÉ

I went from only knowing how to use gmail to feeling like I can actually teach online effectively with all the tools in Google. I am loving slides. You have taught me more in 3 weeks than I have learned about technology in years, so a huge THANK YOU!!! You are funny, engaging, and practical. All the qualities a great teacher needs.

Paula Parker

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Google How to use COUNTA in Google Sheets. This helpful formula works differently than COUNT. I will explain how. Recent Blogs Finally! Schedule to Multiple Classes in Google Classroom. Set the time and date for each section to appear in your Google Classroom as you post assignments.

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Lessons and Tours Available!

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In April, Google introduced a revamped, reimagined version of Google Earth, which included a number of new features that go beyond visualizing the planet through the use of maps and satellite imagery, to also allow users to explore the world through tours, and learn about its many wonders. Today, Google announced it's bringing Google Earth to the classroom.

The new version of Google Earth introduced a feature called Voyager, offering a showcase of guided tours from scientists, nonprofits, and other storytellers and organizations. The tours let you explore a region or multiple locales, through the use of photos, 360-degree videos, and Google Maps Street View, along with text. At launch, there were tours from groups like BBC Earth, Jane Goodall, Sesame Street, and NASA available.

At the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) conference, Google today announced it's expanding its lineup of tours to include 10 new stories, specifically designed for educational use. Partners on this new effort include National Geographic Society, PBS Education, HHMI Biointeractive and Mission Blue.

These stories will allow students to explore the world using Google Earth in the classroom, says Google, by visiting remote places like the Costa Rican Thermal Dome or by venturing with Lewis & Clark, for example. Beyond the tours themselves, Google is also introducing lesson plans and other activities for teachers to help better guide their classroom use.

In addition, Google Earth this week is being added as a service to Google for Education, which means I.T. admins can now manage the product through the Google Admin panel.

The Google Earth Voyager updates were announced today along with other new educational tools, including a collection of STEM tools for Chromebooks ( Dremel 3D40 3D Printer and littleBits Code Kit) which schools can purchase as a discounted bundle, as well as a self-guided mode in the Expeditions app for Cardboard and Daydream that will allow students and teachers to pick any of the over 600 virtual field trips the app offers on their own.

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Google Earth comes to the classroom with new educational tours and lesson plans

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In April, Google introduced a revamped, reimagined version of Google Earth, which included a number of new features that go beyond visualizing the planet through the use of maps and satellite imagery, to also allow users to explore the world through tours, and learn about its many wonders.

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Our big news during ISTE 2017 is that we've released a public beta of Book Creator for Chrome that you can start using today!

Go to app.bookcreator.com

I've had an amazing few days in San Antonio, where I attended my first ever ISTE conference. Partly I was there to scope out the potential for us to come back and exhibit next year. But the main reason was to announce that we're opening the lid on Book Creator for Chrome for the first time, and would like your feedback!

If you missed our earlier announcement about Book Creator coming to the web, we've been working on this for the past 6 months and are really excited to make the beta version available for you to try today.

You can go to app.bookcreator.com, register as a teacher and start creating books right away. Have a play and let us know what you think!

Book Creator at ISTE

We are so thankful to everyone who has featured Book Creator in one way or another during ISTE.

Special thanks to Leslie Fisher, Holly Clark, Tanya Avrith and Rushton Hurley for being the first people to announce the release of Book Creator for Chrome.

And what a response!

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Book Creator for Chrome open for beta testing

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Our big news during ISTE 2017 is that we've released a public beta of Book Creator for Chrome that you can start using today! Go to app.bookcreator.com I've had an amazing few days in San Antonio, where I attended my first ever ISTE conference.

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This blog is intended to give helpful tips and tricks for incorporating technology into your classroom.

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Tech Integration Ideas from an elementary school

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Tech Integration Ideas from an elementary school

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If your classroom is far from a 1:1 environment (more like 1:32), it can be hard to find great technology projects that really work. Here are some simple tech tools students can use to create awesome projects. Students can work together in cooperative learning groups or independently depending on your access to technology in your school district. Bonus: They're all free!

1. Inkle

Inkleis a fun digital storytelling tool for students. Rather than having students use Microsoft Word, change things up by having them create a digital book. Students will love adding images to make their story come to life!

Cooperative learning idea: Students can collaborate and create a Choose Your Own Adventure story! Each child adds a paragraph to the story and at least two options for readers to choose from. They insert images by adding the link to an image they like online. This Web 2.0 tool is free and the children's work can be saved and shared.

2. Story Bird

With Story Bird, kids can choose images and invent their very own unique story to go along with the pictures. Students must use their inference skills to depict an image. What is the character feeling? Where does the story take place (setting)? What's the plot? It's up to kids to decide after they carefully examine every detail of their image. There is no right or wrong answer.

Cooperative learning idea: Have students share a computer and agree on an image. Then they go off and depict the image as they see it. The students can then compare and contrast their results.

3. Build Your Wild Self

New York Zoos and Aquarium / Wildlife Conservation Society has an interactive game called Build Your Wild Self! Students choose different body parts and limbs for their creature. Then, they choose a habitat. When they're all finished, the site describes each attribute they chose. For example, orb spider eyes: "You have six eyes, but you can't see very well. You use your keen sense of touch to track down prey."

Cooperative l earning idea: Have students work together to build a "wild self" and write a paragraph describing what their animal would eat, their animal's habitat, exceptional characteristics and talents, as well as their unique adaptations. You could also group students into teams to create a habitat that would be suitable for all of their animals!

4. Blabberize

Blabberize is a free tool that makes photos come to life! Students upload a photo, create a mouth and record whatever they would like their image to say!

Cooperative learning idea: Students can take turns talking. This tool can be used to give a history or science report. Students could describe an animal's adaptations by making the animal they researched talk!

5. Little Bird Tales

Students can create digital books, add or draw photos and insert their very own voice with Little Bird Tales! You could have each student create a page to create a class book. Click here for an example.

Cooperative learning idea: Older students can work in teams and create a digital book for a presentation. This is a great project for students who don't enjoy giving oral presentations.

6. What if? Genie

If students aren't feeling inspired, have them ask the story genie! The genie randomly generates a "what if?" question for kids. The "what if?" questions are crazy and imaginative, ones kids would have a blast writing about! Hit the genie square to generate a question.

Cooperative learning idea: Students can share a computer, generate a "What if?" question, then go off and write! Then they can compare and contrast their results.

7. Free Rice

Have students make a difference by practicing their math, chemistry, anatomy, geography, foreign language, vocabulary, grammar, humanities and even for the SAT. "For each answer they get right, 10 grains of rice is donated through the World Food Programme to help end hunger."

Cooperative learning idea: Students can go on Free Rice and calculate how much rice they donated as a group and create a graph to show their weekly results. This can be an ongoing project throughout the year. Groups can compare and contrast their results.

8. Animoto

A free Animoto account lets students create 30-second videos, which can be challenging!

Cooperative learning idea: Have students explain something in 30 seconds through music and images. Above is an example of a water cycle video.

9. Boggle

How many letters can you chain together to form a word? Point value: 3 or 4 letters = 1 point, 5 = 2 points, 6 = 3 points, 7 = 5 points, 8 or more = 11 points. Goal: Try to form as many words as you can before time runs out! Visit Teacher Led for a free letter generator!

Cooperative learning idea: Have students work in teams to create words. Then as a math project, they can create fractions (words created / how many times they rolled the dice) or graphs (compare/contrast the number of words created).
Erin Bittman is a designer turned teacher. Check out her blog E Is for Explore! You can also find E Is for Explore! on Facebook and Pinterest.

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9 Collaborative Technology Projects Your Students Will Love!

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If your classroom is far from a 1:1 environment (more like 1:32), it can be hard to find great technology projects that really work. Here are some simple tech tools students can use to create awesome projects. Students can work together in cooperative learning groups or independently depending on your access to technology in your school district.

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Love the ideas from Kasey Bell!

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The Shake Up Learning Blog by Kasey Bell offers educational technology and digital learning resources, tips and tricks, tutorials, Google cheat sheets and more to educators across the globe.

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If orange is the new black, podcasting is the new oral report. And now that teachers have easy access to tools like Garage Band and iPods that make recording a breeze, podcasting is quickly becoming the latest creative mode of learning and presenting in schools. Here are 10 ideas to try in your classroom today.

1. Current Events Newscasts: Practice nonfiction reading skills by having your students do weekly or monthly podcasts on an interesting current event.

2. Reading Radio: Have your students make short radio broadcasts summarizing the books they are reading.

3. Roving Reporters: Send your students out into the "field" (a.k.a. the school) to interview key players in important school events.

4. Celebrate Culture: Have your students record podcasts about important cultural months like Black History Month or Hispanic Heritage Month and then present them to the school or parents to commemorate the events.

5. Bring Your Teacher Home: Send a little bit of yourself home with your kids by podcasting important parts of your lessons.

6. Podcasting Library: Have your students collaborate to create a library of podcasts from which future students can learn.

7. MusicCasts: Have band or orchestra students create podcasts for each instrument, detailing specific notes, sounds and characteristics of each instrument.

8. Awesome Audio Tours: Give your students the chance to be tour guides for new students at your school by having them podcast school tours that kids can listen to when they enter.

9. Podcasting Pen Pals: Record interactive or encouraging podcasts and then send them to another classroom in another state or country.

10. Reenactments: Have your students reenact important events in history using period language and vocabulary.

Question for you: Do you use podcasts in the classroom? How?

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10 Podcasting Projects Teachers Should Try in the Classroom - WeAreTeachers

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If orange is the new black, podcasting is the new oral report. And now that teachers have easy access to tools like Garage Band and iPods that make recording a breeze, podcasting is quickly becoming the latest creative mode of [...]

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As we seek to enhance instruction with technology, one tool we might not think of is podcasts. These can be used in flipped classrooms or blended learning models in the same way you might use videos: to deliver content, provide enrichment, or explain topics in a different way for students who don't get a concept the first time around. As podcasts become a more popular medium, a growing number of them are being produced just for kids. Today we're going to look at eight of them that you can share with your students tomorrow.

If you know what podcasts are and you already listen to them, then you can skip this part. If not, this section will introduce you to the wonderful world of podcasts.

What is a podcast?
A podcast is a lot like a radio show. It has episodes, like a TV show would have, and it's usually in audio-only format, although video podcasts do exist. The length of a podcast episode can vary drastically, anywhere from two minutes to two hours, and they produce on a schedule that ranges from daily to "whenever." Listeners will typically subscribe to favorite podcasts, so that new episodes are delivered to them through whatever app they use.

How does one listen to podcasts?
Although you can listen to them right through a desktop or laptop computer, many people listen to podcasts on a smartphone, on a tablet, or in their cars, using a podcast app that can grab just about any show you're interested in and update that series whenever a new episode is published.This overview from Digital Trends explains how podcasts work and what your options are for listening.

Got it? Now let's dig in to these eight fantastic podcasts.
tumblepodcast.com
Age Range: Best for ages 6-12, appropriate for any age

Tumble is a science podcast that shares the stories behind science discovery. It explores how science actually works as a process. With stories ranging from reaching the deepest part of the ocean to hunting for black holes in distant galaxies, Tumble is co-hosted by a science journalist and a teacher.
Sample Episode: The Mystery of When Brains and Sports Collide
bookclubforkids.org

Age Range: Best for ages 9-14, appropriate for any age
Sample Episode: abc.net.au/radio/programs/shortandcurly Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
In every episode of this podcast, a different group of kids discusses a young adult book. Each episode also features a celebrity reader and an interview with the book's author.
Sample Episode: soundcloud.com/the-show-about-science Is it ever okay to lie?
Age Range: Best for ages 7-12, appropriate for any age

Short & Curly is an ethics podcast from Australia. The hosts investigate dilemmas relevant to kids, like whether you have to love your sibling or whether Pokemon Go is actually playing you.
shabamshow.com
Age Range: Best for ages 3-9, but fun for curious minds of any age!

This science interview show is hosted by 6-year-old Nate, and while it has some serious science chops, it's also just plain adorable. Nate talks to scientists about everything from alligators to radiation to vultures, in his distinctly original interviewing style.

Sample Episode: Ants with Mikey Bustos
brainson.org
Age Range: Best for ages 8-18, but entertaining for older ages as well

This fast-paced, quirky podcast uses fictional stories to teach listeners about science. It's hosted by an emergency medicine physician, a science journalist, and a filmmaker. Season 1 tells the story of three kids who are separated from their parents during a zombie apocalypse.

Sample Episode: Episode 1: Brain Traps
(Note: The audio player on this site takes some time to kick in after you press play.)
digital.vpr.net/programs/why-podcast-curious-kids
Age Range: Best for ages 6-12, but interesting to all curious minds

Each episode of this science podcast is co-hosted by a different kid, tackling their questions with interviews, fun segments, and the occasional musical number. Episodes cover a wide range of topics like carnivorous plants, interpreting dog and cat sounds, and life on other planets.

Sample Episode: Mosquitoes: What are they good for?
classicsforkids.com
Age Range: Best for ages 5-10, but interesting to all curious minds

Produced by Vermont Public Radio, each episode of this podcast starts with an audio recording of a child asking a question (listeners are invited to send in their own), such as why people have different religions, why the sea is salty, and whether bumblebees have hearts. The rest of the episode goes on to answer that question by inviting experts to share their knowledge on the topic in simple language kids can understand.

Sample Episode: Why is soccer called "soccer" instead of "football"?

Age Range: Materials available for grades K-5, but content would be interesting to anyone wanting to learn about composers

The short episodes of this classical music podcast introduce listeners to different composers, often taking several episodes to study specific pieces or aspects of a composer's work. The site also offers lesson plans, games, and other activities to supplement the show.

Sample Episode: Scott Joplin: Ragtime Music

This list is just the beginning: Let's keep growing the collection in the comments! If you know of a great educational podcast that teachers and parents can share with their kids, tell us about it below, and feel free to provide a link so other readers can find it quickly.♦

I'd like to give a BIG thanks to Lindsay Patterson of the Tumble Podcast for putting this awesome list together for me, and providing many of the descriptions!

Learn something new every week.
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As we seek to enhance instruction with technology, one tool we might not think of is podcasts. These can be used in flipped classrooms or blended learning models in the same way you might use videos: to deliver content, provide enrichment, or explain topics in a different way for students who don't get a concept the first time around.