English is a global gateway, with approximately 1.5 billion people actively learning the language worldwide. In U.S. public schools alone, 5.3 million students speak English as a second language, requiring tailored instruction and social support to thrive academically and personally.

Many schools and districts are working to overcome resource gaps, a lack of tools for diverse languages, a need for differentiated support across language levels, limited access to professional development resources, and insufficient preparation to meet the social needs of a growing population. To empower schools and districts working with multilingual learners (MLLs), Britannica Education’s international language learning experts created Hello Britannica. This innovative new English language learning tool builds confidence and cultural awareness through interactive practice and self-paced activities. 

Hello Britannica’s authentic, real-world applications provide learners with meaningful practice in real-life contexts and provide teachers with real-time data to support language acquisition. Hello Britannica seamlessly complements any curriculum with engaging activities, enabling teachers to enhance English language learning with: 

Why Hello Britannica Works for Students

Engage students with English language practice that includes games, challenges, and activities they can access on the web or on the app. 

Full Framework Alignment Across the Four Skills of Language Learning
Ensure students receive a comprehensive understanding of how to use English to navigate the English-speaking world. Guide students to enhance proficiency, build connections, and reinforce key competencies through safe, encouraging, language learning practice that supports reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

A Wealth of Activities and Questions
With more than 40,000 questions and a variety of activity types—including vocabulary matching, grammar exercises, natural language conversations, and more—students experience consistent and varied practice to reinforce their skills.

How Hello Britannica Supports Educators 

Teachers can use Hello Britannica to extend learning outside the classroom and use intuitive teacher dashboards and real-time assessments to evaluate student progress. 

Teacher Reports and Dashboards
Teachers need actionable insights to provide targeted and specific support for their students. Hello Britannica’s reports and dashboards allow teachers to see their students’ progress and engagement in real time. They can use this information to tailor their in-class instruction to support struggling students and provide enrichment activities to excelling students.

Professional Development Opportunities with Britannica Professional Learning
Pair Hello Britannica with Britannica’s Professional Learning programs to access interactive sessions and coaching built to support Britannica’s digital learning solutions or your everyday classroom strategies. Britannica Professional Learning offers many sessions to help schools and districts support the needs of multilingual learners. 

Real-Time Student Data
View student data holistically or at the skill level to target support for individual students with reports on skills progress, engagement, and more. Build community and keep families informed with reports on performance, skill mastery, and pass/fail feedback that teachers can download and print.  

The Hello Britannica Difference 

Hello Britannica empowers educators to create significant and engaging English language learning experiences by combining real-world applications, interactive tools, and data-driven insights. The platform nurtures student confidence, critical skills, and a love for learning.

With Hello Britannica, teachers can meet the challenges of today’s multilingual classrooms and ensure students are prepared for success in their academic and personal journeys.

The post Redefine English Language Learning with Hello Britannica appeared first on Britannica.

Need some ideas for celebrating our nation’s Commanders-in-Chief in the classroom? Each president has had a very unique experience in office—from his personality and background to what global events happened during his time in D.C. There are so many ways to unpack them and have fun with it! And, with Britannica School’s extensive database of presidential content, you can create engaging lessons that bring these stories to life.

Milestone Matchup

Here’s a teachable moment: When students shrug at presidential history, that’s your cue to get creative! Turn their “meh” into “wow” by shaking up the traditional approach. Those skeptical faces in your classroom? They’re actually your secret superpower for innovation. What do your students like? Music, sports, Victorian-inspired dresses, technology, hiking . . . anything can be put into historical context, and a lot of history has happened since the United States became a country.

Using Britannica School’s timeline features, you can easily create a matching or trivia game—or have students create their own—to teach about global interests as well as provide context for American history. 

Challenge your students to discover who was in the Oval Office when these historic events happened:

• The iPhone was invented (2007, George W. Bush)
• Neil Armstrong first walked on the Moon (1969, Richard Nixon)
• Queen Victoria died (1901, William McKinley)
• Woodstock Music and Art Fair happened (1969, also Nixon)
• Japanese Edo period ended (1868, Andrew Johnson)
• Boeing 727 was first built (1962, John F. Kennedy)
• American football was established (1869, Ulysses S. Grant)
• Your home state became a state
• Your favorite national park was designated

Encourage critical thinking by asking your students: Do any of those facts change the way you think about that president? What do you think he felt about the event? Is there evidence for how he reacted to it? There are tons of ways to connect American history to topics that students are already interested in! What are other events or topics you could match to our presidents?

Treasure the Timeline

Log in to Britannica School and explore the “US Presidents at a Glance” interactives. We have one for each president! Click around to discover fast facts about all 45 presidents’ time in office, including their political party, notable dates, and links to articles for more context. You’ll also find detailed info about every presidential election they participated in—even tallies for electoral vote vs. popular vote!

These ready-to-use interactive timelines are a jumping off point for presidential research projects or can be inspiration for students to make their own timelines. What events have happened in school so far this year? What’s your school’s debate, sports, or robotics team’s win-loss record? What other fast facts would your students like to remember after this semester ends?

Executive Excursions

Of course one part of every president’s history is that they are from the United States! You can visit their hometowns, and sometimes even their homes, which are spread all across the country.

Several presidents wanted their personal and official documents preserved, given their importance to the nation and its history. So, in 1955, Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, which established a series of federal libraries and encouraged presidents to donate their artifacts to them. 

Now, every president since Herbert Hoover, who served as president 1929–1933, has a dedicated Presidential Library, Presidential Museum, or both. You can explore them in person or virtually, and they support field trips! Many of them have replicas of the Oval Office, the way it was when that president served, as well as photos, footage, historical artifacts or replicas, and interactive exhibits. 

The Obama Presidential Center is set to open in 2026, and libraries for Trump and Biden will likely follow!

Other Oval Office Opportunities

Move beyond traditional assignments with these engaging classroom ideas, all supported by Britannica School resources:

• Host a “Presidential Press Conference” where students research and role-play different presidents responding to current events.
• Create a “Presidential Podcast” series where students tell lesser-known stories about presidential hobbies, pets, or childhood after researching in Britannica.
• Organize a “Presidential Innovation Fair” showcasing inventions and technology from each era.
• Launch a “First Kids Club” investigating what it was like to grow up in the White House.

These creative approaches help students connect personally with presidential history while building crucial research and presentation skills. Find all the supporting materials you need in your Britannica School subscription!

How else will you celebrate Washington’s Birthday? Let us be a part of the celebration using your Britannica School or Library subscription. Not a subscriber yet? Contact us!

The post Commanders-in-Teach: Learning about the Presidents of the United States  appeared first on Britannica.

Let’s recap the new products that were introduced this year—many are a result of the great feedback we’ve gotten from you, our users! 

Britannica School: Early Elementary

We successfully released a new level for Britannica School, geared specifically toward the youngest of learners. Tailored for PreK-2 students, this platform safely enchants and educates with comprehensive, classroom-friendly content for all subjects. Plus, new Early Elementary articles are still consistently being added, with all articles translated into native Spanish.

Britannica School:
Elementary and Middle School

We also introduced a redesign of the user experience for the mid-levels of Britannica School and Britannica Library. The enhanced visual design, new interactives, and in-article navigation tools and accessibility features truly upped the engagement possibilities. 

Teach Britannica

Our all-new resource hub built for educators by educators, launched with a splash! This open-access platform contains materials for all Britannica Education products, including toolkits, graphic organizers, lesson plans, and printables galore. We vow to continue adding content in the new year.

Britannica ImageQuest

This year, we added a total of 48,500+ new images and 25 new videos to our visual-learning, rights-cleared media platform! In addition to this content, we added email sharing capabilities, audio description support for videos, and more behind-the-scenes functionality for administrators.

Britannica ImageQuest Jr.

If that wasn’t enough, we unleashed this new, younger version of ImageQuest as well. This product creates a safe space for elementary children to explore hand-selected, age-appropriate media. Between the content, curation tools, LMS integrations, and more, ImageQuest Jr. has proven to fill an educational need.

Britannica Expedition: Learn!

Let’s keep the new releases rolling, shall we? This new instructional platform for Grades 3-8 contains supplementary science and social studies lessons, all standards-aligned and topically relevant! Throughout the year we revamped Expedition: Learn’s teacher materials with answer keys and remediation strategies, and we launched hands-on STEM activity options for NGSS-based lessons. 

All that mumbo jumbo is to say—we’ve been busy! And, we’re not done.

The Road Ahead for High School

The road ahead is bright for our high school users too! Within the next few months, we’ll be releasing a new design for this level of Britannica School and the Britannica Library Reference Center, aimed at enhancing the user experience while maintaining the same trusted, high-quality content Britannica is known for.

Here’s what’s coming:

Redesigned Homepage
A more engaging and visually appealing interface for easier navigation.

Revamped Article Layouts
Enhanced visuals, intuitive buttons, and new bulleted lists interspersed with fun facts will all contribute to improved digestibility. Plus, an OpenDyslexic font option will be available for accessibility.

Enhanced Navigator Tool
Based on customer feedback, the new navigator design will consolidate all tools and features into a single panel. This streamlined design will launch at the high school level and will soon after be updated across the elementary and middle school levels too.

Keep an eye on our webinars page and register for our mid-January walkthrough, where our Professional Learning team will explore these updates and their benefits in-depth.

Goodbye 2024, Hello Britannica!

And finally, 2025 brings news of Hello Britannica, our all-new platform for English language practice. Already populated with more than 40,000 questions and thousands of games, we know it will build confidence and cultural awareness for students around the world. 

There is plenty more to come! We are so grateful to you, our readers, users, and partners, for helping to shape Britannica Education’s resources to better serve students and educators. We’re excited about these changes and the value they’ll bring to classrooms and communities in 2025.

The post So long 2024, hello new product updates! appeared first on Britannica.

Did you know marshmallows were once used as a medicinal syrup? That’s right! Winter isn’t just cozy nights by the fireplace or snowball fights. It’s a season filled with fascinating facts, age-old traditions, and mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Today, I invite your classroom to join me on a journey through a winter wonderland of trivia.

So, educators, grab your cocoa, encourage your students to put on their thinking caps (make sure they’re warm ones!), and let’s dive into some cool winter wisdom bound to surprise and educate them.

Winter’s Mysteries Unveiled:
A 20-Question Adventure

Defrost your students’ curiosity and test knowledge with these 20 questions spanning history, science, and culture. Ready for the challenge? Let’s begin!

1. What was the original purpose of marshmallows before they became a popular candy?

• a) a sweetener in desserts
• b) medicinal syrup and ointment
• c) building material for igloos
• d) an ingredient in soups and stews

The correct answer is b) medicinal syrup and ointment. Originally, marshmallows were made from the root sap of the marsh mallow plant (Althaea officinalis), combined with sugar and egg white. This concoction served as a medicinal syrup and ointment, known for its soothing properties to treat ailments like sore throats, coughs, and skin irritations. Over the years, the use of marshmallows transitioned from medicinal to culinary, evolving into the sweet treat we know today.

© Whiskybottle/Dreamstime.com

3. How many times does the winter solstice happen each year?

• a) 2
• b) 3
• c) 12
• d) 1

The correct answer is a) 2. The winter solstice occurs twice annually: once in the Northern Hemisphere around December 21 or 22, when the Sun's path is farthest south, and once in the Southern Hemisphere around June 20 or 21, when the Sun's path is farthest north. This event marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year in each respective hemisphere. The winter solstice also signifies the beginning of the winter season.

Score: 0

5. What is the name of the northern lights, a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in the polar regions?

• a) Stellar Lights
• b) Cosmic Glow
• c) Aurora Borealis
• d) Celestial Sparkles

The correct answer is c) Aurora Borealis. Also known as the northern lights, the Aurora Borealis illuminates Earth's upper atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere's high latitudes. This display results from solar wind particles interacting with atmospheric atoms, producing radiant curtains, arcs, and bands in colors like greenish-blue and red. The phenomenon stems from charged particles colliding with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, emitting distinctive radiation.

© Anton Petrus—Moment/Getty Images

8. Which winter holiday is celebrated sometime between January 21 and February 20?

• a) Christmas
• b) Hanukkah
• c) Kwanzaa
• d) Lunar New Year

The correct answer is d) Lunar New Year. Celebrated in many Asian countries, this holiday marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year. Its date varies but falls between January 21 and February 20. Predominantly known as the Spring Festival in China (see Chinese New Year), traditions include house cleaning, family reunions, special foods, and giving red envelopes. The celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival. The holiday has ancient origins, with legends like the beast "Nian" warded off with red decorations and loud noises.

© Toa55—iStock/Getty Images Plus

11. Which game is similar to ice hockey and is played almost exclusively in the Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, and Mongolia?

• a) curling
• b) bandy
• c) jai alai
• d) lacrosse

The correct answer is b) bandy. Bandy resembles ice hockey and is popular in Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, and Mongolia. Teams have 8 to 11 players on skates who use curved sticks to hit a ball on a large rink. The game started in 18th-century England, and many consider it the forerunner of modern ice hockey.

Scissorhill

14. Who dominated dog sled racing in the 1980s and early 1990s, winning the Iditarod four times?

• a) Libby Riddles
• b) Susan Butcher
• c) DeeDee Jonrowe
• d) Martin Buser

The correct answer is b) Susan Butcher. A trailblazer in sled-dog racing, Susan Butcher's dedication to the sport was evident from a young age, training dogs by the age of 16. Her prowess led her to win the grueling Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska four times during the 1980s and early 1990s, marking her as one of the sport's legends.

©Troy/AdobeStock

16. During the Harbin Ice Festival in China, people visit immense ice structures that are lit up with:

• a) fireworks
• b) neon lights
• c) candles
• d) glow-in-the-dark paint

The correct answer is b) neon lights. During the Harbin Ice Festival in China, visitors can explore massive ice structures and sculptures beautifully illuminated with colorful neon lights, creating a stunning and magical winter wonderland.

© analysis121980/AdobeStock

17. Which animals are considered true hibernators, undergoing significantly reduced metabolic activity during winter?

• a) bears and raccoons
• b) hedgehogs and bats
• c) amphibians and reptiles
• d) desert animals escaping the summer heat

The correct answer is b) hedgehogs and bats. True hibernators, such as hedgehogs, bats, and certain rodents, enter a state during winter where their body temperature drops close to 0° C (32° F), respiration slows down to a few breaths per minute, and the heartbeat becomes barely perceptible. This state allows them to conserve energy and survive the harsh winter conditions.

© kichigin19/stock.adobe.com

19. What is the name of the sledding sport that requires riders to travel headfirst with their faces just inches above the icy course?

• a) skeleton sledding
• b) lugeing
• c) bobsledding
• d) dogsled racing

The correct answer is a) skeleton sledding. In the winter sport of skeleton sledding, athletes sled headfirst and prone, often on tracks shared with bobsled events. This exhilarating and risky sport sees competitors racing with their faces mere inches from the ice, reaching speeds of over 129 km (80 miles) per hour.

© VIAR PRO studio/AdobeStock

Final Score: 0

We sourced all winter trivia questions and answers from Britannica School and Britannica Library. Not a subscriber? Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive resources.

How did your classroom fare in our winter trivia challenge? We're eager to find out! Share your scores, intriguing winter facts, or snapshots of your students diving into the quiz on social media. Remember to tag us @britannica_edu and use the hashtag #WinterTriviaChallenge. If there's a winter topic sparking your curiosity or one you'd like us to delve into in upcoming posts, don't hesitate to reach out!

Stay warm, stay curious, and embark on more adventures through the winter wonderland.

The post New Year Winter Trivia: A Student Challenge appeared first on Britannica.

The best part? Readers can participate at their own pace, making it easy to fit reading into holiday festivities or cozy winter days. We encourage students to explore these captivating nonfiction stories, share their favorites, and discover the joy of reading while connecting with friends and family. Let’s make this winter a season of stories and imagination!

Find some of these books on our Britannica Collective platform and pair them with Britannica School research! Not a subscriber? Contact us!

Elementary 

Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup

by Pamela Mayer (Author) and Deborah Melmon (Illustrator)

Sophie loves Bubbe’s Jewish chicken soup, made with kreplach. She also loves Nai Nai’s Chinese chicken soup, with wonton. But don’t tell Bubbe and Nai Nai that their soups are the same! Can Sophie bring her whole family together for a warm and tasty surprise?

• Pair with Britannica School’s “Culture” article for a deeper look into culture and its role in the world. 

What Do Critters Do in the Winter?

by Julie K. Lundgren

Intermediate readers examine how animals hibernate, use camouflage, and migrate to survive winter conditions.

• Pair with Britannica School’s “Animal Migration” article for a deeper dive into animal habits and behaviors. 

Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa

by Doreen Rappaport (Author) and Oliver Dominguez (Illustrator) 

Young Ellen Ochoa loved to learn. An accomplished engineer by age 30, with three patents to her name, she kept learning and trying new things. When NASA began accepting women and people of color to the astronaut program, Ellen found herself drawn to this exciting and demanding career.

• Pair with Britannica School’s “NASA” article to learn more about the establishment and legacy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

High 

The Twenty-One

by Elizabeth Rusch

In this ongoing court case, Juliana v. United States of America, 21 young people are fighting the government in hopes to save our climate. 

• Pair with Britannica School’s “Climate Change” article for more information on pollution, global warming, and other threats to the environment. 

The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time

by Amy McKenna

Through the ages women have had to fight to be taken seriously, have their work accepted, and be considered the equal of men intellectually and creatively. This book tips its hat to women such as Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Sojourner Truth, and Princess Diana, who have made their mark and forever changed the world with their contributions.

• Pair with Britannica School’s “Women’s Rights Movements” article for a deeper look into women’s history. 

From Here: A Memoir

by Luma Mufleh

As hopeful as it is heartrending, refugee advocate Luma Mufleh shares her personal journey to find a place to belong and the many meanings of home for those who must leave theirs. 

• Pair with Britannica School’s “Human Migration” article to better understand migration types, regional experiences, and obstacles.

As we look forward to the cozy days ahead, we invite students, families, and educators to dive into the joy of reading with our Winter Reading Challenge. Whether you’re curled up by a fireplace, gathering for family festivities, or enjoying a quiet moment indoors, this challenge offers a delightful way to spark curiosity and make reading a part of your winter tradition. With engaging nonfiction titles that cover a range of interests, there’s something here to capture the imagination of every reader.

Join us in celebrating the power of stories this season! Discover even more content on our Britannica Collective platform, where books come to life alongside in-depth resources from Britannica School. If you’re not yet part of our community, reach out to us and let’s make this winter one of discovery, knowledge, and endless adventure. Happy reading!

The post Settle in for a Winter Break Reading Challenge appeared first on Britannica.

From exploring seasonal changes to celebrating cultural festivals, here are some of my favorite activities to keep learning fun and meaningful in your classroom this November. Gobble up these activities and keep your students (those little turkeys!) curious and engaged before the holiday break.

1. Seasonal Compare and Contrast

Autumn vs. winter—how do these two seasons stack up? Using our 2-Circle Venn Diagram, students can explore differences in weather patterns, holidays, and seasonal activities. When I taught this, it sparked rich conversations about why leaves change color and how animals adapt to seasonal shifts. This activity can keep those discussions alive in your classroom.

Teacher Tip: Connect this activity to cultural traditions during fall and winter for a deeper discussion.

2. Spooky Storytelling

No tricks, just TREATS! Get your students’ creativity flowing with our 5Ws and 1H graphic organizer. This tool is perfect for helping students build the foundation of a spooky Halloween story by answering Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?

Teacher Tip: Have students brainstorm eerie story elements to build characters, settings, and plot twists before writing their Halloween masterpiece.

3. Cultural Festivities Timeline

Lights, celebrations, and traditions! As Thanksgiving approaches, introduce students to other festivals and holidays. Using our Visual Timeline graphic organizer, students can explore holidays like Diwali, Hanukkah, and Boxing Day and dive into the history and significance of each through images and key events.

Teacher Tip: Have students create and present their timelines to share fun facts about each festival with the class.

4. Animal Adaptations

How do animals survive the cold? Use our Cause and Effect Map to explore how seasonal changes impact animal behavior and survival strategies. This activity is perfect for building critical thinking and observation skills.

Teacher Tip: Pair this activity with videos about animals to provide visual examples of adaptation in action.

5. Exploring Photosynthesis

How do plants turn sunlight into energy? Use our T-Chart graphic organizer to break down the process of photosynthesis. Students will learn how sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide work together to create the oxygen we breathe.

Teacher Tip: Tie this activity into life science lessons on plant biology and ecosystems for a complete understanding of how nature works and what happens to outdoor plants during fall.

6. Thanksgiving Gratitude Reflections

Encourage gratitude with our Main Idea and Detail Web this Thanksgiving. Have students reflect on what they’re thankful for by identifying key ideas and supporting details.

Teacher Tip: Have students share their gratitude reflections with the class in a brief presentation.

7. Winter Weather Wonders

What causes snowstorms and icy winds? Use our Cause and 3-Effects Web to help students explore the science behind winter weather. It’s a great way to link weather patterns with their effects on the environment.

Teacher Tip: Have students compare winter weather in two different regions, such as a tropical vs. a colder area, to show how geography influences weather patterns and effects.

These activities spark inspiration and help you tackle the busy days ahead. Explore Teach Britannica today and see how easy it is to engage your students with resources crafted for busy educators like you.

The post 7 Activities (That Work!) to Keep Students Engaged Before Thanksgiving appeared first on Britannica.

Pumpkin carving is a beloved tradition, but how much do you and your students know about where that tradition comes from? 

Test your knowledge with our fun Halloween-themed quiz. And, explore Britannica School’s resources to learn more (if you dare!).

Read: Halloween

Watch: Halloween Fun Facts

Watch: The Origins of Halloween

Read: Pumpkins

Test your knowledge!

1. How big does the largest pumpkin variety, C. maxima, usually get?

• a) 34 kg (75 pounds)
• b) 23 kg (50 pounds)
• c) 45 kg (100 pounds)
• d) 14 kg (25 pounds)

The largest pumpkin variety, C. maxima, can reach 34 kg (75 pounds) or more.

2. What vegetable was originally used in jack-o’-lanterns instead of a pumpkin?

• a) melon
• b) eggplant
• c) turnip
• d) squash

The custom of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated in the British Isles using a large turnip or other vegetable rather than a pumpkin.

Score: 0

3. Which mythical Irish figure may jack-o’-lanterns have been originally intended to scare away?

• a) the kelpie
• b) the will-o-the-wisp
• c) Stingy Jack
• d) the banshee

In Ireland, people may have started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away the wandering soul of Stingy Jack, an alleged trickster figure.

4. How heavy have the most massive pumpkins ever weighed?

• a) 907 kg (2,000 pounds)
• b) 454 kg (1,000 pounds)
• c) 227 kg (500 pounds)
• d) 113 kg (250 pounds)

The most massive pumpkins ever have weighed upwards of 907 kg (2,000 pounds).

5. Where did the custom of carving jack-o’-lanterns come from?

• a) Spain
• b) Northern Africa
• c) the British Isles
• d) Middle America

The custom of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated in the British Isles.

Score: 0

The post Quick Quiz: Pumpkin Carving appeared first on Britannica.

Do you spend your planning time searching for standards-aligned and trustworthy resources and assembling them into lessons? According to the School Pulse Panel, public school teachers in the United States spend an average of 4 hours and 26 minutes per week on planning. This does not include lesson preparation, grading, and possibly reteaching content that students do not grasp. Time is important for teachers and having instructional tools that make lesson planning easier is always helpful. 

Expedition: Learn! has ready-made lesson plans so teachers can spend their time focusing on the academic needs of their students.

Let’s dive into some of the ways Expedition: Learn! can save valuable time while enhancing students’ learning experience!  

1. Finding standards-aligned materials

With a built in search by standards function you can use Expedition: Learn! to find standards-aligned lessons, teaching materials, and hands-on activities. The content, assessment, and activities are high-quality, trustworthy, and work together seamlessly! No more scouring the internet to put together a patchwork of materials.

Search by Standards on the Expedition: Learn! home page

Search by Standards Framework

View results and find lessons

View results and find lessons

2. Planning your lesson

Just click on the teaching materials, which include lesson vocabulary, common misconceptions, formative assessment questions, teaching activities, and extension activities all in one handy PDF.

Download Now

3. Getting hands-on

No need to find or develop hands-on activities. Our Hands-On pdfs include teacher and student pages, materials lists, background information, and teaching tips to make standards-aligned investigations, research, modeling, data analysis, and STEM activities a breeze to prepare for and carry out.

4. Addressing diverse learners

Individualizing lessons to meet the needs of all students can be time-consuming. Let Expedition: Learn! meet your differentiation needs. Scaffold instruction with Lexile leveling, read-aloud mode, and translation tools to support students with various proficiencies and learning styles.

5. Reinforcing skills

Grab information from the Teacher Toolkits to focus in on important skills. 

6. Assessing student learning

Developing rigorous, standards-aligned assessment questions can be very time consuming! Expedition: Learn! provides standards-aligned assessment questions at three DOK levels, using a variety of technology-enhanced item types including short answer, fill-in, matching, choice matrix, multiple choice, matching, and more! Also, spend less time grading assessments. Our assessments provide immediate feedback on foundational content knowledge but also measure science and content-area reading skills.

7. Tracking results

Use our dynamic assessment tracking with skill-based reporting to save time on data analysis. These results can foster collaboration that can help improve instructional strategies, identify trends, and improve the effectiveness of data-informed school improvement efforts.

Planning, preparing, differentiating, grading, and supporting student learning takes time! Having tools that ease the process are essential for teacher preparedness and student success. Expedition: Learn! provides reliable, thoughtful, ready-made lessons that add ease to your lesson planning process, with engaging content and real-time student data. Let Expedition: Learn! save the day (or at least your planning period)! 

The post 7 Ways Expedition: Learn! Helps Save Time on Lesson Planning appeared first on Britannica.

Welcome to our exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our latest innovative resource hub, Teach Britannica! Expertly crafted by our Britannica Education curriculum experts, this dynamic platform is a free resource for current and potential Britannica customers that aims to revolutionize how educators utilize our digital resources in the classroom.

We had the opportunity to sit down with the team responsible for Teach Britannica to discuss its inception, development, and the benefits it offers to educators.

What is Teach Britannica?

Teach Britannica was developed specifically with teachers in mind as a powerful resource to support their daily work. This platform is thoughtfully curated with impactful teaching strategies and flexible resources that help teachers bring our trusted products and tools into the classroom.

The platform will feature:

• Flexible Lesson Minis to help teachers implement Britannica products, supporting impactful teaching and personalized educational experiences
• Cross-product graphic organizers and instructional strategies to support differentiated instruction by allowing teachers to address the various learning needs within their classrooms.
• Integrated Academic Toolkits to foster essential research proficiencies, from source evaluation to data synthesis

When Teach Britannica launches in the coming weeks, teachers will have access to resources for Britannica School (Early Elementary, Elementary, and Middle School levels), Britannica Academic, ImageQuest, and ImageQuest Jr. Moving forward, we will continue to add robust resource collections for each of our solutions.

Q&A with Curriculum Learning Specialist Kristie Bangali and Senior Product Manager Julee Schuster

Kristie Bangali has over 20 years of experience in pedagogy and curriculum development. She specializes in aligning educational content with academic standards and adapting to diverse student needs. Her impact extends beyond direct teaching, influencing the broader educational landscape.

Senior Product Manager, Julee Schuster brings over 20 years of experience in education technology. She has a passion for creating innovative solutions that solve complex customer challenges. Julee has developed award-winning products used by millions of educators and students worldwide. 

Kristie and Julee played instrumental roles in ideating and developing Teach Britannica. With decades of combined experience at schools, in classrooms, and with Britannica Education, our experts understand first-hand how important it is to equip teachers with resources that save them time and make their jobs easier, so they can devote their efforts to growing their students. Learn more about curriculum specialists like Kristie and Julee, along with the entire Britannica team below.

Q: What was the inspiration behind Teach Britannica?

Kristie: “When we started talking about the concept of Teach Britannica, we really wanted to do our best to help classroom teachers who are using Britannica School by providing them with helpful, easily accessible resources for the classroom. The whole design of Teach Britannica is created with the educator first, providing resources that are not only easily adaptable but meet the needs of all learners, from those struggling to those who need more of a challenge.”

Q: What kinds of teaching supports will be available?

Kristie: “Our platform is packed with collaborative teaching tools that work hand-in-hand with Britannica Education solutions. Teachers can mix and match these resources or use them in a specific order — whatever works best for their learning goals. We’ve also put together a treasure trove of teaching strategies that are backed by data and proven to work. These focus on things like building vocabulary, discussion and collaboration, inquiry, and more! We’ve woven these strategies into our Lesson Minis to model for teachers how those instructional strategies and graphic organizers can be used in a variety of ways.” 

Julee: “Teach Britannica will also offer a wide range of digital and non-digital resources to allow teachers the flexibility to personalize instruction according to their own styles and classroom needs. Our goal is to help give teachers their time back with ready-made resources for efficient lesson planning and implementation.”

Q: Can you tell us more about the Lesson Minis?

Kristie: “Our Lesson Minis connect with Britannica Education solutions and offer individual activities that teachers can pick and choose to use modularly. We’ve designed them with adaptable timing in mind. So, if I am a teacher looking for a mini that’s 20 minutes long, I can look through the topic I’m interested in and glean something from the embedded Lesson Minis and cross-product resources.”

Julee: “Not only can teachers adapt Lesson Minis for their needs, these customizations are also designed with students in mind. Lesson Minis feature an active learning approach that involves group collaboration, whole-class discussions, and real-world applications to ensure that students are engaged and learning actively.”

Q: What resources will be available when Teach Britannica launches?

Julee: “For the launch, the bulk of the content is going to be focused on providing robust content for Britannica School, including its comprehensive Lesson Minis. We are also going to add content for the high school level of Britannica School in the coming months. And, we will be adding new content continuously, making it a constantly evolving resource with new, extensive materials available all the time.”

Q: How have you ensured the resources are practical and accessible for teachers?

Kristie: “We’ve been in a lot of communication with teachers and partners, getting feedback on their direct needs and how they use our solutions. This has been crucial in shaping Teach Britannica to be as useful and effective as possible.”

Julee: “The website will be an open platform and all materials will be available to download for free. Teachers will be able to visit teachbritannica.com, navigate to resources for each solution, and find exactly what they need for their grade level and subject area.” 

Q: How will Teach Britannica continue to evolve?

Kristie: “Our hope is that Teach Britannica will be a self-driven professional learning site for teachers, where they can rely on evidence-based materials that are easily accessible and implementable.”

Julee: “Our plan is to continuously update the site with new materials based on analytics and feedback from teachers about their experience and what they would be interested in.”

Discover Teach Britannica

Teach Britannica is the new all-in-one, open-access resource hub created by educators for educators. With high-quality, customizable digital and print-ready resources, it’s designed to save you time, streamline lesson planning, and engage students across every grade level. Whether looking for comprehensive strategies or lesson minis, it delivers tools that empower educators and transform learning experiences.

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