With so many things changing in the world right at the moment, including school being cancelled, things feel quite off. Last weekend I wrapped up my Masters and my final research was over e-learning. Certainly timely with what has been going on, and with many schools switching to e-learning!
If you’re in the boat as either an educator creating resources for your students in the coming weeks or you’re a parent looking for ways to support your child while at home, here’s a list of fantastic learning sources broken down into subject area. Since there seem to be more and more resources coming out daily that are free, I’ll continue to add to this list as I see things become available. I’m also hoping that even after students go back to school this content will still have relevance and will serve as a resource!
Just as a background with my own educational experience, (and since I rarely talk about teaching on the blog!): I am a second grade teacher, and have taught for five years in grades 2nd, 4th, and 5th. I also have been Orton-Gillingham phonics trained to assist students with Dyslexia and other reading/learning challenges, and am currently working on my LETRS certification for phonics/phonology. My Masters Degree is in Technology, Innovation, and Pedagogy and I’ve done a wealth of training with technology, phonics, and Project Based Learning. I’m hoping that with this list, others can benefit from these resources! If you have any specific questions in regards to online learning or an individual resource area, I am more than happy to help. If you have any requests for good books for kids to read at different grade levels, I am happy to provide a list as well.
Reading
- Newsela: Newsela is a fantastic way to read articles at your student’s reading level. The company takes different articles on a varying degree of topics from news sources around the world and writes them at a level students can understand. The levels are arranged by Lexile level. Following each article is a 4-Question Comprehension quiz over the article. There are also writing prompts after most articles. I use this resource daily in my second grade classroom. You can easily create an account using a Google Account.
- IXL: IXL offers both math and reading practice as well as science and social studies. The reading component usually must be charged to an account, but there is now a way to login at home for free for families. You can practice specific skills through both subject areas.
- Read Works: Read Works offers comprehension passages for students to read through and then answer deep-thinking questions after reading. There are writing prompts as well.
- EPIC!: This is one of my favorite online reading programs! You can find any book on any subject to read or listen to. All of the books are interactive and there are plenty at every reading level.
- ABCya!: This site combines phonics practice with games and activities. Kids can select which grade level they’re working through and the website will give games and strategies accordingly.
Math
- IXL: IXL is a fantastic resource for practicing individual skills for students to learn. You can go by grade level and content area to focus on.
- Arcademics: This website combines fact fluency with games. Kids have to answer the math fact correctly in order for the cars to continue racing. It’s fast-paced and is pretty entertaining!
- Math Facts Pro: This is a super easy website to practice math facts. It’s user-friendly and students can easily figure it out on their own.
Science & Social Studies
- Mystery Science: This site compiles a list of fantastic resources to use for
- Discovery Education: Discovery does it all with an abundant list of resources and lessons for kids to follow along with. I love how many videos and pre-made units there are, making learning a unit a breeze!
Writing:
- Writing Prompts for Kids: Sometimes just brainstorming what to write can be the challenge. Here’s a great list of what to write and respond to!
Other Fantastic Resources
- BrainPop: Brainpop holds informational videos on all sorts of
- Teachers Pay Teachers: This is the biggest resource of materials out there-both free and paid-that have come in handy each month in my classroom. They’re well-made, thoughtful and engaging for students.
What resources have worked well for your child/student?
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