Free resources for use while hanging out and learning at home this Summer.
Summer Enrichment & Learning
Technical Help (How-to for Distance Learning)
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Discovery Education - Information on structuring and conducting virtual learning experiences
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Harvard Graduate School of Education - Shifting to Online Teaching for K-12 teachers article
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Teq - Professional Development helps educators successfully integrate technology into instruction. When teachers sign-up for basic and they will be automatically upgraded to a full subscription for free
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Zoom - New to Working from Home? Here Are Some Tips to Help You Meet Like a Pro article
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Zoom - Joining and Participating in a Zoom Webinar
Websites & Online Activities
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Arcademics - Arcade game activities for grades 1-6 to improve knowledge in math, geography, typing, spelling, and language arts
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Boardmaker Activities-to-go - Designed for little kids who are visual learners, Boardmaker offers free printable activities that are especially beneficial for children with special needs, such as those with Down syndrome or autism.
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Cox Campus - Video-based learning experiences and activities for K-3 grade students to support reading skills and emotional growth; 4-week exploration in English and Spanish
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English Media Lab - Free English Exercises for English language learners at all levels, including older learners; Games, puzzles, English TV, animated videos, vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, spelling, and SAT practice activities
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Entertain Kids on a Dime - 100 Activities to do at home using household items or dollar store finds
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Epic! - Digital Library for children 12 and younger of 40,000 books, learning videos and more
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Hand2Mind - PreK-5th grade learning activities and manipulatives for math, science, and literacy
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Hippocampus - 7,000 videos across 13 subjects for middle school to college-age students
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Izzit - Educational videos for K-12+ children in 9 subject areas
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Minecraft - STEM educational video games that teach problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity
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NASA Kids Club - Games that support national education standards in STEM for children PreK-4
- National Geographic Kids - Games, videos and explorations that center on wildlife and preservation for children of all ages
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Nature Lab at Home - Week-long thematic family teaching guides to explore nature at home
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Rockalingua - Music-based Spanish learning games
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Storypark Blog - Video library of creative activities to do at home
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Time for Kids - Time magazine for children grades K-6 in English and Spanish
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Touchable Earth - Designed for children ages 8-11 to let kids teach each other about the world using short videos; Promotes tolerance for gender, culture, and identity
Educational Apps
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NSF Science Zone - (Android/iOS) National Science Foundation app available at App Store for iPhone or iPad; Hundreds of exciting videos and photos about science discoveries
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Science Journal - (Most Chromebooks, Android & iOS) More than 70 hands-on science activities from education experts and documenting science tools
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SkyView - (Android/iOS) Stargazing experience to aid in identifying planets and constellations
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WWF Free Rivers - (Android & iOS) Virtual world interactive storytelling experience that teaches how people, wildlife, and landscapes depend on healthy flowing rivers
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Vroom - Brain building activities for children 6 and younger in real-world settings
Hands-on & Off-screen Learning Activities
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America’s Test Kitchen - Kids’ recipes, activities, and quizzes
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Crayola Crafts - Video demonstrations of craft ideas for preschool to elementary age students
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Fender Play - 3-month offer for free guitar, bass and ukulele lessons
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Go Noodle - Movement exercises for elementary and younger children to stay active and mindful in English and Spanish
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Mystery Science - K-5 video lessons with hands-on activities to develop scientific knowledge
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Museum of Science + Industry Chicago Science at Home - Hands-on science activities, videos, and games
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Osmo Kaleidoscope - Hands-on STEAM collaborative and creative learning tools for PreK-4th grade children
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Scratch - Learn coding to create stories, games, and animations
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Take Lessons - Online classes for children and adults in world languages, music, fitness, and cooking
Virtual Field Trips
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Discovery Education Conservation Station - 26-minute video and series of 5 short videos that explores how the internet can be used to conserve natural resources, protect ecosystems, and create safer, more sustainable communities.
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Discovery Education Innovation Generation - 25- minute video of student project to create crash test cars with mechanical engineers and the two teams test it!
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Discovery Education Girls Get STEM - 25- minute video (in English or Spanish) exploration of engineering through robotics with Girl Scouts
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Discovery Education Navigating Nuclear Energizing Our World - Journey inside a nuclear reactor to see what future holds for advances in nuclear capabilities and exploration of careers in nuclear science
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Discovery Education Eggs in School - K-5 and 6-8 grade 30-minute videos that teach about conserving and protecting natural resources to produce eggs and explore the ecosystem and food webs of an egg
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Florida Aquarium - 16-minute video tour with African penguins
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Stingray - 14-minute video of stingray feeding
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Great Lakes Now - 5-minute videos targeted towards grades 6-8 students on Coastal Wetlands, Algae, and Lake Sturgeon
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LG (Life’s Good) Experience Happiness - 27-minute video that explores the science of happiness; Six Sustainable Happiness Skills
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Mission Census - 16-minute video that explores what the census is, how information is collected, and how it informs the future alongside students in grades 4-12
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National Constitution Center - 6-minute video about the center devoted to the Constitution
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Nickelodeon Slime in Space - 15-minute video that explores sending slime into space experiment
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Scholastic Trip to Ellis Island - 31-minute video teaching the story of immigrants perspective of coming to America via Ellis Island
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Seattle Aquarium - 30-minute video tour
Educational Videos & Television
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PBS Parents - Guide to free resources for learning with PBS KIDS programming themed activities
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Seeker Learning - Exploring the universe, planet, and new innovations
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Sesame Street - Videos, games, and art for young children with fun muppet characters
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The LEGO Story - 17-minute animated story of how LEGO was created
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The Weather Channel - Science -based videos that cover weather related explorations
Social-Emotional Support
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Crisis Text Line - Crisis counselor support 24/7
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American Academy of Pediatrics Talking to Children about Tragedies & Events - Articles and videos to guide families on talking about events, communication, discipline, childcare, healthy living, etc. (English and Spanish)
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Guide for Parents and Educators for Talking with Children and Youth After Traumatic Events - Tips for how to talk to children when they experience trauma or are exposed to trauma from television or adult conversations that they hear
At-Home Independent Learning
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English Media Lab - Free English Exercises for English language learners at all levels, including older learners; Games, puzzles, English TV, animated videos, vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, spelling, and SAT practice activities
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Entertain Kids on a Dime - 100 Activities to do at home using household items or dollar store finds
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History at Home - A collection of HISTORY’s educational shows for middle and high school students with study and discuss guides
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International Children’s Digital Library - Digital picture and chapter books in multiple languages
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Imagineering in a Box - Exploration of different aspects of theme park design with Disney’s Imagineers
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Ivy League Free Online - Free online courses from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale
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Khan Academy - Free lessons in math, science, and humanities for kindergarten through early college
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Khan Academy Kids App - Free, no ads app for ages 2-7 to learn reading, writing, math, social-emotional, problem-solving, and motor skills through activities, games, drawing, and coloring
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Make Beliefs Comix - Create comic strips, books, or greeting cards with 13 languages available
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Microsoft Education - Home and family resources that can help families connect, work, learn, and play at home; Staying in touch, enjoying cultural activities, and create social activities
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Microsoft Family Learning Center - Simple, family-led learning experiences for ages 3 to 12
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Museum of Science + Industry Chicago Science at Home - Hands-on science activities, videos, and games
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Out of Eden Special Learning Journey - Creating and Sharing Neighborhood Maps- Create a local area map, share a related a story with a family
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Out of Eden Special Learning Journey - Looking Closely at Objects with other Generations- Learning from someone of a different generation project with resources links
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Smithsonian Education Guides for Spanish - Spanish language educational resources for arts & culture, history & social studies, and science & nature
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Starfall - Activities to help students in grades K-3 learn how to read and do math better; Especially helpful for English Language Learners and students with Special Needs
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Storyline Online - Videos featuring actors reading children’s books
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TEDEd - Video-based lessons organized by age, subject, and themes