Special Education Teacher Resources
From resources for the special education classroom to accommodations for mainstreamed students with special needs, explore Lesson Planet’s reviewed and rated teaching strategies, assessment tools, apps, lesson plans, videos, resource collections, and activities designed to make learning come alive across disciplines!
Whether new to special education or an experienced veteran, starting out the year can be difficult. Here is a model you could use when developing your own weeklong schedule. There are apps to help instructors write IEP goals and objectives for all kids in your caseload. Check out this video review of one such app.
Lesson Planet has resources, lessons, and apps designed for learners on the autism spectrum, sample lessons provided by an ADHD specialist, lessons for children with moderate disabilities and/or Down syndrome, and activities for other students with profound needs. The resources in our collection are designed to make your job just a little bit easier.
Showing 3,404 resources
TED-Ed
The Fundamentals of Space-Time: Part 1
A smart series of videos attempts to describe the relationship between space and time. In this first episode, two educators hold a discussion using slides and a flip-book approach to put the two things together. Make sure to follow this...
TED-Ed
The Cancer Gene We All Have
What is cancer? And why don't we all have it? These concepts are explored and tumor suppressor genes are introduced in this animated feature. This nutshell of information is fully packed and makes an outstanding resource for your biology...
TED-Ed
The Fundamentals of Space-Time: Part 2
The mind-bending concept of space-time is further discussed by two cartoon scientists in this second of three animated films. Assign each part and the accompanying Think questions as homework or as an enrichment when working on motion...
TED-Ed
The Science of Attraction
Chemical attraction? Yes! High schoolers will be fascinated by the science behind the romantic feelings. They may be surprised that the eyes act first, drawing us to take a closer look, and the nose acts next, sensing major...
TED-Ed
How the Heart Actually Pumps Blood
Let your heart rejoice! A unique video explains in detail how the heart works to transport blood throughout the human body. Use it during your human body unit, and then discuss the accompanying comprehension questions as a review of the...
TED-Ed
The Science of Symmetry
No matter which way you slice it, the definition of symmetry might not be clear. The narrator of the video reflects on its true meaning as shapes, plants, and animals dance onstage for a captivated cartoon audience. Your class will be...
TED-Ed
Cell vs. Virus: A Battle for Health
Viruses act as alien invaders, but our cells are usually quite effective at counterattack. With cartoon animation, viewers learn how DNA is the mastermind behind making antibodies. Immunity rules in this land!
TED-Ed
How Whales Breathe, Communicate... and Fart with Their Faces
Dr. Joy Reidenberg is an expert in comparative anatomy, but also quite relatable to preteens! Here, she lectures on echolocation by likening it to "farting with the face!" She explains with film, actual whale voice recordings, diagrams,...
TED-Ed
Why is Ketchup so Hard to Pour?
Shake and shake the ketchup bottle, none will come, and then a lot will pour out! Finally, a scientific answer to the age-old question of why it is nearly impossible to get this coveted condiment out and onto your french fries! Along the...
Crash Course
Language, Voice, and Holden Caulfield: The Catcher in the Rye Part 1
Listen. If you want to know the truth, this Crash Course is sort of cool, it really is. By looking at Holden's language, the narrator sort of encourages viewers to develop their own interpretation of The Catcher in the Rye.
Crash Course
Was Gatsby Great? The Great Gatsby Part 2
Is Gatsby great? In the second of two videos devoted to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the narrator presents his argument for why Jay Gatsby should indeed be considered great. By backing his stance with evidence from the text,...
TED-Ed
Grammar's Great Divide: The Oxford Comma
The Oxford comma, who'd have thunk it would be at the center of a great debate? Also known as the serial comma, this pesky piece of punctuation premiers as the star of a short video that investigates the question "To use, or not to...
TED-Ed
A Guide to the Energy of the Earth
What is energy, anyway? Use this featurette as an introduction to your middle school energy unit. It successfully touches each of Earth's physical systems, the sun as our main source of energy, and the flow of energy through the food...
TED-Ed
How to Speak Monkey: The Language of Cotton-Top Tamarins
Tamarin monkey language can be categorized by stem upsweep, duration, peak frequency, and frequency change. Although other complex terminology is used to describe the 38 calls of this species, the video is easy to follow and a...
TED-Ed
Why Do Honeybees Love Hexagons?
Float like a butterfly, think like a bee! Build a huge hive, hexagonally! Find out the reason that hexagons are the most efficient storage shape for the honeybees' honeycombs. This neat little video would be a sweet addition to...
TED-Ed
Why Aren't We Only Using Solar Power?
Drive the clouds away from your day with this video. It thoroughly details how photovoltaics work and how clouds prevent us from relying solely on solar as an energy source. Unique knitted-object animation (bunnies, clouds, and all...
