TeachersFirst's Free Image Resources
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections

This curated list of resources provides free image tools. As educators, it is important for us to set good examples of digital citizenship. Image usage is a perfect time to discuss the important topics of copyright, Creative Commons, and more. Use your discussions related to copyright and Creative Commons to fuel the discussion about digital citizenship. Read the classroom use suggestions for additional ideas about how to implement these tools in your classroom.
Don’t miss our Special Topics Page – Copyright and Fair Use Resources.
View our complete list of tagged items related to Copyright.
View our complete list of tagged items related to Creative Commons.
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Bing Images - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12tag(s): clip art (10), creative commons (21), images (265), Microsoft (54), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Bing images to use when searching for images to use in newsletters, your class website, research projects, and more. Choose interesting images or Bing's image of the day to use for writing prompts. Ask students to create a simple one-page website using a free webpage maker like Carrd, reviewed here, to share their creative writing projects. Create a Microsoft account and log in to save images. Add your saved images to collections to organize and share content with others. Use images to create animated videos using a video tool like Biteable, reviewed here. Biteable offers you the opportunity to upload your own text, images, and sound using drag and drop features.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Stockio - stockio.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Before using, share this site with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and demonstrate how to save files. Ads by images can be deceiving and lead to other download sites, not to the download of your requested file.Use Stockio in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Even though the site says "no attribution required," it is a good idea to have students acknowledge, or as the site says "appreciate," the origin of the image; this will help to get them into the habit of citing their sources. Student groups can use Stockio to find the best image to use for a project collectively. Challenge students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc.). Use images as a writing prompt or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo-montages (with attribution or "appreciation" as they say on the site). For an easy online photo editor and montage maker, try using Pixlr, reviewed here. Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ESL/ELL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.
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picjumbo - Viktor Hanacek
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Use this site to search for photos for presentations, projects, or research. Take advantage of this opportunity to discuss proper use and sharing of online images and information. For ESL/ELL students or speech/language, use the pictures for them to create their own visual dictionary. World language teachers can also challenge students to use images to illustrate vocabulary or accompany writing. Use photos for writing prompts or even to create descriptive sentences. Have one student describe the picture as another sketches the image. Now compare the described image to the real image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freepik - Alejandro Blanes, Pablo Blanes, and Joaquin Cuenca
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): clip art (10), graphic design (43), images (265), vectors (21)
In the Classroom
These graphics and templates are free to download and use (with appropriate credit). This site is great if you need some clever clipart to jazz up student handouts, classroom bulletin boards, or PowerPoint/Keynote presentations. Special Ed, speech/language, or ESL/ELL teachers may find these images helpful when working with non-readers or non-verbal students. There is also web clipart that you can use for your blog, class webpage, or wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Picsearch - Picsearch services AB
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Use the many images for any class. Use a specific image to share with the class and have them journal what they see in the picture, what they think is going on, and questions that they have about the image. Use their thoughts to begin discussion about the science, math relationships, or history of the image. Be sure to ctrl-click to save the image for use in class! Students might generate their own "collections" of related photographs to illustrate a topic or theme, or create a photo montage for an activity or project. Under Fair Use, students should identify the website that owns the photos and determine the copyright before using in class projects. Most of these images are not copyright free and our editors do not suggest copying and posting them on the web in blogs or wikis, since this would violate copyright laws. You can easily include them as linked images to the original website of the image, however, to appear seamlessly on the blog or wiki page. Why bother? This is a great way to teach about giving proper credit to images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Getty Collection Images - Getty Images
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Use this site in every subject area where images can convey concepts or students make projects. Share an intriguing photo on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a writing prompt for a short story (or poem). Use images for extra practice when writing in world languages, by having students describe the scene or tell a story about it. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. When looking for free materials for use in projects or to place on websites, begin the search here. Be sure to keep a link to this site on your wiki, blog, or web page for students to use whenever they are working on a project. Not comfortable with wikis or blogs? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through and Blog Basics.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wellcome Collection - Images - Wellcome Images
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265), medicine (59), photography (140)
In the Classroom
History, science, and art teachers can explore the galleries dedicated to those subjects to include pictures in newsletters, blogs, and class websites. Share the site with students on an interactive whiteboard or projector when they need images for projects. Find images from locations you are studying in world cultures or geography class. Find images to use in student online projects such as Bookemon (to create online books) or Phrase.it, reviewed here (an image editor to add speech bubbles to your image). Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photomontages (with credit). Use images for writing prompts or even to create descriptive sentences. Have one student describe the image as the other sketches the image. Now compare the described image to the real image. Keep this site as a reference link on your class web page for any time students are creating wikis, blogs, or electronic projects where they need images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TinEye Labs - Idee, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): colors (71), creative commons (21), design (85), graphic design (43), images (265), media literacy (86), psychology (65)
In the Classroom
Use this tool when you seek specific color(s) to coordinate with a presentation or other class project. Use it to talk about the emotional impact of different colors, such as during a psychology unit on perception, a media literacy lesson on advertising color, or a discussion of color schemes in art class. Be sure to discuss the ethical use of images with proper credit, including Creative Common images. Start by having students carefully NAME files as they download and save them (include the photographer's name and a title). Remind them that they still need to give credit even if it is Creative Commons. This is a great site for looking at contrast, analogous and complementary color schemes, and other artistic expressions. Use TinEye Labs to uncover various elements of graphic design found in images. Art teachers will love the many options for demonstrating different color palettes on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the photo examples from Tineye Labs together with a tool such as Kuler, reviewed here, or Colour Lovers, reviewed here, to play hands-on with digital color. Share this with your gifted students who are especially interested in art or design.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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4 Free Photos - 4freephotos.com
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): copyright (43), creative commons (21), images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Starting a lesson on copyright? With so much social media and access to almost anything on the web, it is important to teach students about copyright and about owner's rights. Use this site to search for photos for presentations, photos, projects, or research. For your ESL/ELL students or speech/language, use the images for them to create their own visual dictionary. World language teachers can also challenge students to use images to illustrate vocabulary or accompany writing. Use images for writing prompts or even to create descriptive sentences. Have one student describe the image as another sketches the image. Now compare the described image to the real image. To find more Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Compfight, reviewed here or PhotoPin, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pixabay - Pixabay
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265), photography (140), search engines (55)
In the Classroom
Use in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Be sure students are aware that any time another person's image is used, they must give full credit for it, even if that owner cannot see it. Student groups can use Pixabay to collectively find the best image to use for a project. Enhance classroom technology use by challenging students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc). Use images as writing prompts or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo montages (with credit). Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ESL/ELL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.Comments
A legal (yet, illegal in every sense) extortion letter from Getty Images ignited my need to find another source of genuinely free images online. Hence, ended up finding this awesome free source of truly free images online i.e. pixabay.com. I fear all the time that such a great source could easily be bought (gobbled up) by greedy and infamous businesses i.e. Getty and we will have to find some other source for genuinely free images. Until that happens, let's all enjoy the free ride.pin, , Grades: 0 - 12
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IconBug.com - ClipArt Free - IconBug 2011
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): clip art (10), creative commons (21), images (265)
In the Classroom
Share this link with your students so they have safe images to use in projects beyond the standard images in their computer software. If you worry that students will spend far too much time making up their minds, download a smaller collection, including the links to give proper credit, to share locally as part of a project assignment. Use clipart to spice up your activity sheets and rubrics. Use clipart images in learning support, speech and language, or life skills classrooms to teach words using images. This method could also be applied for students learning a new language. World language teachers can create a presentation of pictures and speak the words in the world language to help students learn. An extension of this type of activity could also be helpful with ESL/ELL students in your classroom. The handy icons here would also work well for sharing link collections visually using a tool such as Symbaloo, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Photo Pin - Photo Pin
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): copyright (43), creative commons (21), images (265), photography (140), search engines (55)
In the Classroom
Photo Pin is invaluable for students and teachers needing high quality photos for use on class blogs, wikis, or presentation sites. Be sure to remind students to use the attribution link along with the photo, especially when publishing on the web. Art students can use these images to create collages, design studies, and more, all with attribution of their sources. Use images as blog prompts or illustrations in student projects. Make sure students see you giving attribution, too! Find images of locations you are studying in world cultures or geography class. Find images to use in student online projects such as Bookemon, reviewed here, or Phrase.it, reviewed here. Keep this site as a reference link on your class web page for any time students are creating wikis, blogs, or electronic projects where they need images. They can find just the right picture with CC licensing, and you should require them to include the citation provided! Be sure that students understand rules for sharing appropriate and inappropriate images and copyright concerns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Copyright free/Public domain images - Jen Presley
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
When looking for copyright free materials for use in projects or to place on websites, begin your search here. Be sure to keep a link to this site on your wiki, blog, or web page for students to use whenever they are working on a project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Public Domain Pictures - Bobeck Ltd.
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): graphic design (43), images (265), photography (140)
In the Classroom
Share this website on your class web page so that students have easy and legal access to pictures for their projects and presentations. Of course, you will still require proper image credits! Be sure to offer clear instructions about how to download FOR FREE. In an art or photography class, have students post their work to get exposure and recognition for their great images. Read tips for safely managing email registrations here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Morguefile - Kevin and Michael Connors, Johannes Seemann
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): copyright (43), images (265), photography (140), writing prompts (67)
In the Classroom
Use this site in every subject area where images can convey concepts or students make projects. Find free images easily for use within the classroom. Use images for drag and drop activities on IWB, such as sorting vegetables from fruits, etc. In Art class, have students find images to demonstrate different design concepts such as rhythm, line, etc. Project an intriguing photo on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a writing prompt for a short story (or poem). Use images for practice writing in world languages, by having students describe the scene or tell a story about it. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wikimedia Commons - Wkimedia Foundation
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (21)
In the Classroom
Address the needs of the visual learner and include media files as part of the research process. Wikipedia Commons offers a way for students to gain an understanding of content through images, sounds, and video. Give students the opportunity to communicate their knowledge by narrating a slideshow of images found on Wikipedia Commons or create multimedia presentations on a site such as Lucidpress, reviewed here. These free media files will also help ELL or ESL teachers explain concepts and key vocabulary. This site is a valuable resource for imagery useful when creating presentations, lectures, digital stories, reports or to include on a class websites. Students learning a foreign language may benefit from using Wikipedia Commons to learn about more about the culture and lifestyle of the country whose language they are studying.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Creative Commons Search - Creative Common
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Teaching students to understand and respect copyright of digital information can be difficult and overwhelming. The first step in helping students understand digital copyright is to get them to explore the terms of use and copyright of a variety of information. Create a scavenger hunt for students to find the terms of service and/or copyright for common websites. Once they realize that not all information is "free" for them to use, introduce the Creative Commons website and the symbols that are used to describe how the content is licensed by the owner. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to demonstrate searching using the CC search site. Perform searches that yield results that show several different types of licenses. Discuss each type using scenarios of how the information can and cannot be used. As an extension activity for this site, students can create their own work and publish the work using a creative commons license. The work can be as simple as using a digital picture or as complex as creating their own derivative artwork, such as a collage or "photoshopped" image. It can be published on a commercial site such as flickr or on your school webpage. Make sure to follow any school guidelines before publishing student work. Perhaps you can create a class wiki of annotated creative images created by students with explanations of where they found the "parts" and how they created the original works from these parts. What a wonderful model to share with future students, as well. Teachers will also appreciate being able to find images you can freely use on class web pages and in online project samples, etc. (with attribution).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Compfight - Compfight
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265), search engines (55)
In the Classroom
Users need to be able to use good search terms to find the best pictures possible as well as knowing how to save images on their computer. Use in the classroom any time that an image is needed for projects, even if it is not going to be put on a website for others to see. Be sure students are aware that any time another person's image is used, they must give full credit for it, even if that owner cannot see it. Demonstrate Compfight on a projector or interactive whiteboard so students know how to use it. Student groups can use Compfight to collectively find the best image to use for a project. Have students create a multimedia presentation using ThinkLink, reviewed here. For example, students studying renewable energy can use Compfight to find images of various renewable energy sources, then explain them using ThingLink. Teachers can collect Creative Commons images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc). Never assume that your students, even the gifted ones, understand about giving proper credit and only using copyright-safe images (CC or public domain). Compfight makes it easier. Be sure to hold students accountable by including a "digital citizenship" category in your project rubric, requiring proper credit for all images. You will want to spot check a few of the URLs to be sure they are actually correct credits. Share Compfight as an important tool on your class web page, wiki, or blog so students can access it anywhere, anytime.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Public Domain Clip Art Blog - sookietex
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Find images to illustrate curriculum topics, such as historical photos and cultural images. Include them in activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Art teachers can use images freely to illustrate design concepts. Create montages of images from eras in history, a culture, or scientific concepts to give visual learners a way to remember new content. "Harvest" images for students to use in their own projects, saving them on a local drive or computer (copying these images is OK!). Have students select an image as an inspiration for a writing assignment or blog post. Upload images to ThingLink, reviewed here, and have students critique or explain it orally in a world language, science, or social studies class. Have student groups use these copyright-safe images (with credit, of course) in their online Bookemon books, reviewed here, about a curriculum concept.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pics4Learning - Tech4Learning,Inc.
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative commons (21), images (265)
In the Classroom
Use images from this site with any classroom activities including research papers, blogs, and multimedia presentations. Have students create a simple infographic using images from this site using Easel.ly, reviewed here or Venngage reviewed here. Include images from Pics4Learning when creating screencast explanations. Use a tool like Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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