Online Education Resources to Help With Your New “Normal”

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our daily lives and routines, including for many of you the role of an at-home educator for your children due to open-ended school closures. 

While we also miss directly connecting with students from our community, JCVI remains committed to providing you with science education resources that are exciting, meaningful and can carry over into classrooms in constructive ways when schools reopen.

It’s no secret that science is our favorite subject, so here is a list of resources we hope will help you in that subject as well as others so that your children continue to get a well-rounded education.

• Science
• Computer Science
• Math
• World Geography
• History
• Language
• Art
• All Subjects
• General Education
• (Virtual) Field Trip!

Science

Mystery Science - Pre-K – 5^th Grade
The first ten years of life are the years of peak curiosity when children form habits of thinking that will live with them for the rest of their lives and form their view of the world. This is an opportunity to nurture each child’s burning curiosity, guide them as they explore their world, and ensure they develop the most important skill of all: the ability to figure things out for themselves.

NASA – Teachable moments - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
NASA isn't just sending missions into space; the agency has also launched Teachable Moments, connecting classrooms — and homes — with resources for investigating the latest discoveries about our universe. There are a range of activities and lessons that are suitable for grades K-12.

Crash Course Kids - 5^th Grade
Welcome to Crash Course Kids! We are extremely excited to announce this new channel from the creators of Crash Course. We'll be talking about 5th Grade Science to start, then adding in more subjects as the channel grows. We're so happy to have you along for the ride with us and can't wait to get started!

Crest - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
CREST is a nationally recognized scheme for student-led project work in the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math). CREST gives young people aged 5–19 the chance to choose their own subject and methodology when completing their hands-on investigation, inspiring them to think and behave like scientists and engineers.

TinkerCad - All ages
Tinkercad is a free online collection of software tools that help people all over the world think, create and make. We’re the ideal introduction to Autodesk, the leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software.

CK – 12 - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
CK-12 will provide open-source content and technology tools to help to provide learning for students in a global world. Free access to high-quality, customizable educational content in multiple modalities suited to multiple student learning styles, levels, resources and use content acceptance will allow teachers, students and others to innovate and experiment with new models and modalities of learning. CK-12 help students and teachers alike by enabling rapid customization and experimentation of teaching and learning styles.

Nova Labs - All ages
Young science fans will nerd out over Nova Labs at PBS, where they'll discover multimedia experiences that combine video, animation and games to delve into fascinating scientific topics, such as polar ecosystems, solar storms and renewable energy.

PhET- Kindergarten – College
Through inclusive design approaches, we are creating accessible interactive simulations that allow students to experience science and mathematical practices in new ways. In the process, we are tackling core challenges in software development, assistive technology, and science education.

OK Go Sandbox - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
OK Go Sandbox is an online resource for educators that uses OK Go’s music videos as starting points for integrated guided inquiry challenges allowing students to explore various STEAM concepts.

Koantum - Kindergarten – 5^th Grade
Engage young scientists with the 5E model, kid-friendly lessons. The site offers teacher and student dashboards, making it easy to incorporate lessons into a unit. There are direct links to YouTube videos, so teachers need to keep an eye on students' access to potentially iffy content.

Frontiers for Young Minds - 4^th Grade – 10^th Grade
Frontiers for Young Minds is a collaborative online science journal where kids review articles alongside adult scientists to convert complex scientific topics into kid-friendly language. Articles are published several times a week and focus on topics such as the science of dreams, astronomy, conservation, and tons of other topics. For teachers with more targeted learning goals, there are collections that revolve around specialties such as biodiversity, health, mathematics, and more. 

Looking for more science education tools? Common Sense Education shares their “Terrific Websites for Science” list here.

Computer Science

Code.org - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
Code.org® is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by women and underrepresented youth. Our vision is that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry or algebra.

Blockly - All ages
Blockly Games is a series of educational games that teach programming. It is designed for children who have not had prior experience with computer programming. By the end of these games, players are ready to use conventional text-based languages.

Grasshopper - All ages
Students of all ages can learn to code for free with this fun app for beginners. Grasshopper was created by a team of passionate coders from Google’s workshop for experimental products, Area 120. Coding is becoming such an essential skill, and we want to make it possible for everyone to learn even when life gets busy. We made Grasshopper to help folks like you get into coding in a fun and easy way.

Scratch - Kindergarten – 5^th Grade
With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century. It is provided free of charge.

CodeAcademy - Adult education
CodeAcademy is an education company. But not one in the way you might think. We’re committed to building the best learning experience inside and out, making Codecademy the best place for our team to learn, teach, and create the online learning experience of the future. Education is old. Basic Subscription is Free. Pro is $19.99 a month

Math

Prodigy - 1^st – 8^th Grade
Loved by more than 700,000 teachers and 20 million students, our free MMORPG takes players on a fantasy-inspired journey where success depends on honing curriculum-aligned math skills. As students progress, teachers can customize in-game questions to supplement lessons, prepare for tests and more.

World Geography

World Geography Games - 1^st - 8^th Grade
This website will bring you many entertaining and stimulating map games to improve your geographical knowledge. The quizzes include questions about countries, capitals, flags, regions, bodies of water, mountains, deserts, metropolitan areas and other topics that will test and challenge your brain. For everyone who wants to explore and learn about the world, you've come to the right place!

History

Big History Project - 7^th – 12^th Grade
Big History is a social studies course that spans 13.8 billion years. It weaves insights from many disciplines to form a single story that helps us better understand people, civilizations, and how we are connected to everything around us. For an overview, see David Christian’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_christian_the_history_of_our_world_in_18_minutes

Language

DuoLingo - All ages
There are over 1.2 billion people learning a language and the majority are doing so to gain access to better opportunities. Unfortunately, learning a language is expensive and inaccessible to most. We created Duolingo so that everyone could have a chance. Free language education – no hidden fees, no premium content, just free.

Royal Ontario Museum – Hieroglyphs - 3^rd Grade – 12^th Grade
Children can learn to write their names in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, in this step-by-step guide from the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

Art

The Artful Parent - Kindergarten – 8^th Grade
The site is run by Jean Van’t Hul. She is the writer and children’s art enabler behind The Artful Parent.
You can expect:
EASY and FUN kid-friendly arts and crafts.
Unique Ideas as well as Tried-and-True Favorites.
A Useful Resource with hundreds of art activities to keep your family happily creating and learning day after day.

RedTedArt - All ages
Fun and easy crafts for everyone! Making crafting accessible to all, whether as a career you “love” or “hate” crafts, you will enjoy the ideas shared with you on this site! They are aimed to be: Easy - Do-able, with great results for all - Simple materials (mostly!) - Help build skills & confidence - The crafts often focus on seasons and holidays, but there are many ideas for all year around!

All Subjects

Khan Academy - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
About - Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.

Seneca Learning - 7^th – 12^th Grade
Seneca helps 2,500,000+ students to learn faster and memorize better. Our homework & revision platform applies cognitive neuroscience to make learning more efficient and enjoyable. We offer 250+ free courses covering all subjects and exam boards.

BBC Learning - All ages
Daily content that supports you as schools close to help with your family’s education and wellbeing.

CBeebies - Pre-K
CBeebies is a pre-school brand by the BBC for children aged six years and under that provides a range of pre-school programming designed to encourage learning through play in a consistently safe environment. CBeebies offers high-quality programming 100% in Spanish, produced by experts in pre-school education to educate and entertain BBC’s youngest audience. With its bright colors, friendly characters and interactive content, CBeebies provides a co-viewing experience that the entire family can enjoy.

Oxford Owl - Pre-K – 6^th Grade
Oxford Owl is our primary platform, home to great online subscriptions and the place to find free support for your teaching with Oxford Programs. It's also where you'll find unmissable tools like Oxford BookMatch, Storytelling Videos and an eBook library.

Future Learn - Adult education
We offer a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world. These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life. We believe learning should be an enjoyable, social experience, so our courses offer the opportunity to discuss what you’re learning with others as you go, helping you make fresh discoveries and form new ideas.

Open Learn - Adult education
Welcome to OpenLearn - the home of free learning from The Open University. Are you looking for a new topic to explore, or want to dig deeper into something you've already discovered? Whether it’s a 60-second animated video or a 24-hour course you are after, you will find it on OpenLearn for free.

iDEA - Adult education
The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA is an international program that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free. Through our series of online challenges, you can win career-enhancing badges, unlock new opportunities and, ultimately, gain industry-recognized Awards that help you stand out from the crowd.

General Education

Websites, Videos, Activities Games and More

Ted-Ed - All ages
TED-Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative. TED-Ed’s mission is to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Everything we do supports learning — from producing a growing library of original animated videos , to providing an international platform for teachers to create their own interactive lessons, to helping curious students around the globe bring TED to their schools and gain presentation literacy skills, to celebrating innovative leadership within TED-Ed’s global network of over 250,000 teachers.

National Geographic Kids - Kindergarten – 8^th Grade
This website takes after the magazine. National Geographic Kids magazine is an exciting monthly read for planet-loving girls and boys, aged 6 – 13! Its pages are full of fun features, jaw-dropping facts and awe-inspiring photos that will keep you entertained for hours!

Story Time from Space - Pre-K – 6^th Grade
A good story sounds even better when it's read in microgravity. Story Time from Space sends children's books to the International Space Station (ISS), where the books are read on video by astronauts as they orbit hundreds of miles above Earth.

The Kids Should See This - Kindergarten – 12^th Grade
The Kid Should See This is an unprecedented collection of 4,300+ kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. And thanks to our members, it’s free for everyone. Selections are grown-up-friendly, too. Enjoy around 10 to 15 newly added videos every week, browse the collections, and search topics in the archives.

Crash Course - 9^th Grade – College
At Crash Course, we believe that high quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free. The Crash Course team has produced more than 15 courses to date, and these videos accompany high school and college level classes ranging from the humanities to the sciences. Crash Course transforms the traditional textbook model by presenting information in a fast-paced format, enhancing the learning experience.

Pawprint Badges - Kindergarten – 8^th Grade
Each quality activity is supported by a completely FREE resource, available to download from the website and packed with activity ideas for all ages and abilities. You can use Pawprint Badges in many different settings from voluntary groups to home schooling, after school/holiday clubs and even grown up groups too! All you need to do is choose your activities (or get your young people to choose their own!) and off you go with one night, a weekend, or a whole term's meetings planned in the drop of a hat.

Toy Theater - Kindergarten – 6^th Grade
Educational online games that are interactive and designed to work on computers, tablets and mobile devices.

Nature Detectives - Kindergarten – 5^th Grade
With schools now closed due to the coronavirus crisis, we know many families are looking for ideas to keep children entertained over the coming weeks and months. To help, we've pulled together some simple, nature-based activities you can enjoy together at home or in your garden.

(Virtual) Field Trip!

Looking for more ways to keep your family entertained and safe at the same time? Try out a virtual field trip.

More than 2,500 museums around the world have made their collections accessible online through Google Arts and Culture. You can also use Google to access virtual tours of U.S. national parks.

There are 10 live webcams at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where you can deep dive with sharks, and say “hi” to the sea otters, penguins and more. The San Diego Zoo has 11 animal webcams, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has four animal webcams, and there are six webcams at the Houston Zoo. 

visit the surface of Mars in a spectacular high-resolution, 360-degree photo tour, created from images captured by the Curiosity rover.