One of the key responsibilities of teachers is not only to teach but also to plan lessons. Personally, I find lesson planning to be quite enjoyable. My goal is to create lessons that are dynamic, engaging, and fun for my students. The objective of every lesson is to ensure that my students learn something valuable. To achieve this, I start by defining the objective of the lesson and then develop activities based on that objective. It's similar to telling a story, with a hook, a conflict (or situation to solve), and a conclusion. This storytelling model guides me in creating and curating lessons.
However, the process of creating and curating classroom content is challenging for many reasons, the primary one being a lack of time. If I had more time to plan, my lessons would be exponentially better. Unfortunately, like many teachers around the world, I am often pressed for time.
The internet offers a wealth of material and content for all subjects, but this abundance can be overwhelming. Sometimes, I feel lost about where to start. Recently, I began teaching a course on World History. While planning the course, I was concerned about where to begin. I created a general scope and sequence, then searched online for resources, and discovered a gem—the OER Project. In this post, I want to share this amazing resource with fellow teachers.
The OER Project (Open Educational Resources Project) is an initiative that offers free, high-quality educational resources and curriculum materials to teachers and students. The project focuses on providing comprehensive and engaging content for subjects such as history and social studies. These resources are designed to be adaptable and accessible, allowing teachers to tailor them to their specific classroom needs. The OER Project aims to enhance education by making it easier for teachers to access and utilize top-notch teaching materials without the constraint of cost, thus improving the overall learning experience for students.
The OER Project is a non-profit open educational resources provider co-founded in 2011 by Bill Gates and David Christian. It offers free, high-quality educational resources and curriculum materials to teachers and students. The project focuses on providing comprehensive and engaging content for subjects such as history and social studies. These resources are designed to be adaptable and accessible, allowing teachers to tailor them to their specific classroom needs. The OER Project aims to enhance education by making it easier for teachers to access and utilize top-notch teaching materials without the constraint of cost, thus improving the overall learning experience for students.
These are the courses that the OER Project currently has, along with a short description of each (taken from their website):
World History – Origins to Present: “A world history course covering early humans through today.”
World History – 1200 to Present: “A world history course designed to cover the period just before the Columbian Exchange through today.”
World History – 1750 to Present: “A world history course designed to cover the Industrial Revolution through today.”
AP World History: “Designed to build the skills and knowledge needed for AP® World History: Modern.”
Big History Project: “A course that asks big questions about our Universe, our planet, life, and humanity.”
Climate Project: “A flexible course that develops the knowledge and skills needed to confront climate change.”
The OER Project illustrates the power of collaborative and accessible education. By providing high-quality, adaptable, and free resources, it empowers teachers to create engaging and effective lessons without the constant constraint of time and budget. Whether you're looking to supplement your curriculum or find a comprehensive teaching resource, the OER Project is incredibly useful. You can check it out here: https://oerproject.com/
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