Discover high-quality, standards-aligned lesson plans and teaching resources from leading educational organizations. From ready-to-use activities to customizable templates, find the perfect materials to engage your students across all subjects and grade levels.
Effective lesson planning is the foundation of successful teaching. A well-designed lesson plan helps you organize content, establish clear learning objectives, and create meaningful activities that engage students and foster deep understanding.
The resources on this page are curated to help you develop comprehensive lesson plans aligned with educational standards across multiple subject areas. Whether you're looking for ready-to-use lessons or customizable templates, you'll find high-quality materials from trusted educational organizations and professional associations.
When selecting lesson plans, consider your students' needs, learning styles, and prior knowledge. The best resources can be adapted to your specific classroom context while maintaining alignment with curriculum requirements and educational standards.
The Illuminations project provides standards-based resources that improve the teaching and learning of mathematics for all students, offering lesson plans, activities, and online tools for K-12 mathematics education.
Over 700 lesson plans; 100+ interactive activities; Standards-aligned materials; Teacher resources; Professional development; Digital manipulatives
NCTM's resources excel at making abstract mathematical concepts concrete and accessible. Their lesson plans incorporate research-based practices and feature practical classroom applications that develop conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving skills.
An extensive collection of free resources, activities, and games designed to supplement mathematics instruction aligned with Common Core State Standards for grades K-5.
Grade-specific activities; Printable resources; Hands-on learning materials; Math centers; Assessment tools; Number sense development
This site provides highly practical, classroom-ready resources organized by both grade level and Common Core domain. The materials emphasize conceptual understanding through concrete and visual models, making them particularly valuable for elementary teachers implementing standards-based instruction.
Research-based interactive math and science simulations from the University of Colorado Boulder, designed to make abstract concepts visible and intuitive through exploration and discovery.
Interactive simulations; Teacher guides; Inquiry-based learning; Accompanying lesson plans; Multiple language support; Works across devices
PhET simulations excel at making complex mathematical relationships visible and manipulable. Created by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, these research-based tools are particularly valuable for visualizing abstract concepts like fractions, algebra, and geometry. The teacher guides provide structured activities to maximize learning.
Research-backed mathematics resources from Jo Boaler and the Stanford Graduate School of Education that promote engaging, accessible, and brain-positive mathematics teaching and learning.
Week of Inspirational Math; Growth mindset activities; Mathematical tasks; Data science curriculum; Teacher courses; Parent resources
YouCubed transforms mathematics instruction by combining cutting-edge brain research with practical classroom applications. Their lesson plans focus on conceptual understanding, visual learning, and productive struggle. The materials excel at building mathematical mindsets and encouraging creative problem-solving approaches.
Created by the International Literacy Association and National Council of Teachers of English, this site provides standards-based lesson plans, interactive activities, and printable materials for K-12 language arts instruction.
Classroom-tested lesson plans; Student interactives; Printable worksheets; Strategy guides; Professional development; Parent resources
ReadWriteThink provides exceptional literacy resources grounded in research and best practices. The step-by-step lesson plans include all necessary materials, making implementation straightforward. The student interactives address key literacy skills through engaging digital tools that support both classroom and independent learning.
A free digital library of high-quality literature and nonfiction texts for grades 3-12, complete with assessment tools, support materials, and accessibility features to improve reading comprehension.
2,000+ reading passages; Ready-made lesson plans; Assessment questions; Reading level guidance; Text-dependent questions; Discussion guides
Commonlit excels at providing high-quality, diverse texts organized by theme, genre, and literary device. Their reading passages include built-in scaffolding like guiding questions, vocabulary support, and discussion prompts. The assessment platform offers actionable data that helps teachers target instruction to specific reading skills.
Evidence-based method for teaching writing that improves students' writing, reading comprehension, and critical thinking across all grade levels and content areas using the Hochman Method.
Sequential writing strategies; Cross-curricular applications; Sentence-level instruction; Free resources; Professional development; Sample lesson plans
The Writing Revolution provides a systematic approach to writing instruction that builds from sentences to paragraphs to essays. The methodology can be integrated into any content area, making it particularly valuable for schools implementing writing across the curriculum. Free sample activities demonstrate the scaffolded approach.
Weekly nonfiction articles with accompanying activities designed to build background knowledge, improve reading skills, and develop critical thinking through current events and authentic texts.
Weekly current articles; Reading and writing activities; Critical thinking tasks; Background knowledge building; Real-world connections; Annotating practice
Kelly Gallagher's approach addresses the "knowledge deficit" by exposing students to real-world texts that build background knowledge and vocabulary. The accompanying writing tasks blend rhetorical analysis with personal response, helping students connect reading to their own thinking. This resource is particularly valuable for middle and high school ELA teachers.
NSTA provides resources for K-12 science educators including lesson plans, classroom activities, assessment tools, and professional development aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
NGSS-aligned resources; Interactive lessons; Classroom activities; Science notebooks; Assessment strategies; Disciplinary core ideas
NSTA excels at providing resources that integrate the three dimensions of NGSS: disciplinary core ideas, science practices, and crosscutting concepts. Their lesson plans emphasize phenomena-based instruction, student inquiry, and authentic scientific practices. Free resources include model lessons demonstrating the shifts required by NGSS.
NASA's Education Materials Finder provides teachers with space science resources including lesson plans, activities, and multimedia content organized by grade level and aligned to educational standards.
Space science lessons; STEM activities; Real mission data; Interactive simulations; Virtual field trips; Authentic scientific challenges
NASA's educational resources excel at connecting classroom learning to real-world science missions and careers. Their materials integrate authentic data, engineering challenges, and compelling space phenomena to engage students. The STEM lesson framework supports inquiry-based instruction across grade levels and science disciplines.
The Concord Consortium provides free, open-source educational activities, software, and interactive models for teaching STEM subjects from elementary through college levels.
Interactive models; Data collection tools; Digital STEM activities; Virtual labs; Student-centered inquiry; NGSS-aligned resources
The Consortium's resources leverage technology to make invisible scientific phenomena visible and manipulable. Their interactive models allow students to conduct virtual experiments, analyze real-time data, and test hypotheses across scales and timeframes not possible in traditional labs. Teacher guides provide implementation strategies and assessment tools.
High-quality, multimedia resources for teaching and learning biology through films, interactives, virtual labs, and classroom activities based on current scientific research.
Award-winning science films; Data analysis activities; Virtual labs; Scientific case studies; NGSS-aligned materials; Classroom-ready assessments
HHMI BioInteractive resources excel at connecting students to cutting-edge biological research through compelling narratives and authentic data. Their lesson plans emphasize scientific practices, particularly data analysis and evidence-based reasoning. The multimedia approach supports multiple learning modalities and science literacy development.
Award-winning curriculum provider offering research-based history and civics lessons with a focus on historical thinking skills, primary source analysis, and digital literacy.
Reading Like a Historian curriculum; Civic Online Reasoning; Document-based lessons; Historical thinking assessments; Curated primary sources; Media literacy activities
SHEG's curricula transform history instruction from fact memorization to evidence-based historical thinking. Their carefully curated primary sources and structured analysis questions help students develop critical evaluation skills applicable across disciplines. The lessons require minimal preparation yet deliver challenging content that develops sophisticated historical reasoning.
NCSS supports elementary, secondary, and college teachers with resources aligned to the C3 Framework (College, Career, and Civic Life) for social studies state standards.
C3 Framework-aligned lessons; Inquiry design models; Civic education materials; Global education resources; Social justice teaching; Professional journals
NCSS resources excel at integrating the four dimensions of the C3 Framework: developing questions, applying disciplinary concepts, evaluating sources, and communicating conclusions. Their inquiry design models provide structured yet flexible templates for creating engaging, standards-aligned social studies instruction across grade levels.
Classroom resources that use lessons of history to challenge teachers and students to stand up to bigotry and hate, with a focus on historical case studies and ethical decision making.
Holocaust education; Civil rights movement; Identity and belonging; Genocide studies; Democracy and civic participation; Classroom videos
Facing History resources excel at connecting historical events to students' own lives and choices. Their materials thoughtfully scaffold difficult conversations about identity, prejudice, and moral decision-making. The lesson plans integrate multiple perspectives, primary sources, and reflection activities that develop both historical understanding and ethical awareness.
Teacher-created, classroom-tested lesson plans on U.S. history, literature, and other topics that integrate primary sources from the Library of Congress's vast collections.
Primary source sets; Document analysis tools; Historical collections; Guided analysis activities; Standards correlations; Inquiry-based learning
Library of Congress resources provide unparalleled access to authentic historical documents, photographs, maps, and recordings. Their lesson plans emphasize document analysis skills and historical thinking through carefully scaffolded activities. The primary source sets organize materials thematically, making it easier to integrate them into existing curriculum.
The official site for the Common Core State Standards provides the complete standards documents, implementation resources, and tools for understanding how skills develop across grade levels.
Complete standards database; ELA and Math standards; Learning progressions; Implementation resources; Parent guides; Standards correlation tools
The official Common Core site provides the most accurate and up-to-date standards information available. The detailed progression guides help educators understand how skills develop across grade levels. Resources for implementation offer practical strategies for translating standards into effective classroom practice.
Created by Student Achievement Partners (SAP), writers of the Common Core State Standards, this site provides free, high-quality resources for educators implementing standards-based instruction.
Instructional practice guides; Sample lessons; Text complexity tools; Coherence maps; Assessment evaluators; Professional learning modules
Achieve the Core resources excel at helping teachers implement the instructional shifts required by college and career-ready standards. Their classroom tools, particularly the text complexity evaluators and coherence maps, support practical implementation of standards. The lesson planning tools guide teachers through creating standards-aligned instruction.
K–12 science content standards developed by states to improve science education based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education from the National Research Council.
Three-dimensional learning; Science and engineering practices; Crosscutting concepts; Performance expectations; Lesson screeners; Implementation strategies
The NGSS site provides clear explanations of the three dimensions of science learning and how they integrate in standards-aligned instruction. The implementation resources help teachers transition from traditional content coverage to phenomenon-based, inquiry-driven science teaching that develops both conceptual understanding and scientific practices.
A community of teachers, paraprofessionals and school personnel sharing standards-aligned lesson plans, classroom activities, and professional development resources for all grade levels and subjects.
Standards-aligned lessons; Common Core resources; Next Generation Science Standards; C3 Framework; Collaborative community; Professional development webinars
Share My Lesson serves as a comprehensive platform for finding standards-aligned resources across all subjects. The site excels at making standards connections explicit, with robust filtering tools to find materials matching specific standards. Both the lesson quality and standards alignment are vetted through a community review process.
A comprehensive online lesson planning platform used by over one million teachers, featuring standards alignment, customizable templates, and collaborative tools.
Mobile app access; Standards integration; Flexible scheduling; Sharing capabilities; Progress tracking; File attachments
Planbook excels at providing a flexible, user-friendly interface for comprehensive lesson planning. The ability to track standards coverage, adjust scheduling as needed, and access plans across devices makes it particularly valuable for teachers managing multiple classes or needing to adapt to schedule changes.
A curriculum planning framework that helps teachers design courses and units with the end goals in mind, ensuring assessments and learning activities align with desired outcomes.
Backward design approach; Essential questions; Enduring understandings; Performance tasks; Formative assessments; Template resources
The UbD framework transforms lesson planning by starting with clear learning outcomes and designing backward. This approach ensures coherence between assessments, activities, and learning goals. The templates provided help teachers implement this research-backed approach to create more meaningful, standards-aligned instruction.
A curated collection of customizable, downloadable lesson plan templates in various formats suitable for different teaching styles, subjects, and grade levels.
30+ template formats; Word, Google Docs, and PDF versions; Differentiation sections; Standards alignment; Assessment components; Daily, weekly, and unit plans
This collection provides a variety of ready-to-use templates that can be adapted to different teaching contexts. The diversity of formats allows teachers to find templates that match their planning style, from simple daily plans to comprehensive unit designs with differentiation and assessment components.
A free curriculum planning program that allows teachers to design and develop lesson plans collaboratively, with integrated standards search and alignment features.
Collaborative editing; Common Core integration; Calendar view; Real-time updates; Resource sharing; Customizable templates
Common Curriculum brings the power of collaborative editing to lesson planning. The platform shines in school environments where grade-level teams or departments work together on curriculum development. The ability to quickly search and tag standards while planning helps ensure alignment with educational requirements.
Creating effective lesson plans is both an art and a science. Here are some best practices to consider as you develop your own lesson plans:
Remember that lesson planning is an iterative process. As you gain experience with your students and curriculum, you'll develop a better sense of what works best in your unique teaching context.