For teachers

Excalidraw for teachers: lesson diagrams that stay organized

Excalidraw is great for quick whiteboard-style diagrams, but after a few semesters of lessons, everything is scattered. CanvasKeep is the same canvas with folders by class, version history for each diagram, and cloud sync so your lesson visuals are always accessible. Free for teachers.

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The teacher diagram problem

You draw a concept map for Monday's biology lesson. A flowchart for Wednesday's CS class. A timeline for Friday's history discussion. By the end of the semester, you have dozens of diagrams scattered across your Google Drive, desktop, and email attachments.

Next year, you teach the same course. You know you drew the perfect diagram for photosynthesis, but you cannot find it. Or you find it, but it has been edited since the version that worked best.

CanvasKeep solves this with two things: folders organized by class, and version history that lets you save checkpoints and go back. The drawing itself is the same Excalidraw canvas teachers already like for its whiteboard feel.

How teachers use it

Lesson plan diagrams

Sketch flowcharts for lesson sequences, concept relationships, or process steps. The hand-drawn style looks like a whiteboard, which students find more approachable than a polished corporate diagram.

Concept maps for any subject

Connect ideas with labeled arrows to show relationships between topics. Works for history (cause and effect), science (systems and processes), literature (character relationships), and more.

Whiteboard-style visuals for presentations

Create diagrams that look like what you would draw on a whiteboard during class. Export as PNG and drop into your slides. They look natural in a teaching context, not like a corporate chart.

Lab and experiment workflows

Map out experimental procedures step by step. Save a version for each semester so you can update the diagram when the lab changes without losing the original.

Organize by class and semester

Create a workspace per school year. Add a folder for each class. When you teach the same course next year, your diagrams are right where you left them, ready to reuse or update.

Assessment and rubric visuals

Sketch grading criteria, project structure, or assignment breakdowns as visual diagrams. Students understand visual rubrics faster than text-only descriptions.

Why CanvasKeep works for teachers

Whiteboard-style canvas

The Excalidraw hand-drawn style looks like what you would draw during class. Students engage more with informal visuals than corporate-looking charts.

Organized by class and semester

Create a workspace per school year with folders for each class. Next year, your diagrams are still organized and ready to reuse.

Version history

Save a checkpoint before updating a diagram for a new semester. Keep both versions without duplicating files.

No install, works everywhere

Runs in any browser. Works on school computers where you cannot install software, personal laptops, and tablets.

Frequently asked questions

Is CanvasKeep free for teachers?: Yes. CanvasKeep is completely free right now. You get workspaces, nested folders, version history, and end-to-end encryption with no limits. No credit card, no trial timer.
Can I share diagrams with students?: You can export diagrams as PNG images to include in presentations, handouts, or your LMS. The hand-drawn style makes diagrams approachable and easy to read on a projector.
Do I need to install anything?: No. CanvasKeep runs in the browser. Works on any computer, including school-issued laptops where you cannot install software.
Can I reuse diagrams across semesters?: Yes. Create a workspace per school year, with folders per class. When you teach the same course again, your diagrams are already organized and ready. Version history lets you update a diagram for the current semester while keeping the original.
What is the hand-drawn style?: CanvasKeep uses the Excalidraw canvas, which has a sketchy, whiteboard-like look. Shapes and lines look hand-drawn rather than perfectly geometric. This style works well for classroom visuals because it feels informal and inviting, like what you would draw on a physical whiteboard.
Can students use CanvasKeep too?: Yes. Students can create free accounts and organize their own diagrams. There is a dedicated guide for students at /diagram-tool-for-students.

Keep every lesson diagram you draw

Start drawing