Top Educational Websites for Students
The internet offers a vast realm of student resources, providing information on a multitude of topics. These resources can help students learn essential life skills, explore academic subjects, and prepare for college and careers. While often used for procrastination, these websites can also be valuable learning tools.
Learning Platforms for Younger Children
Many online platforms cater to younger children, offering engaging and educational content that feels like play.
Starfall
Founded by Dr. Stephen Schutz, who experienced reading difficulties as a child, Starfall provides untimed, multisensory interactive games designed to help children learn through seeing, hearing, and touching. Developed in the classroom and launched in 2002, Starfall initially focused on teaching reading as a free public service. It has since expanded to include standards in language arts and mathematics for preschool through fifth grade and above. The program emphasizes exploration, play, and positive reinforcement, encouraging children to become confident and intrinsically motivated learners. Starfall activities are research-based and align with state learning objectives for English language arts and mathematics, emphasizing phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words. This approach is particularly effective for emergent readers, children with special needs or learning difficulties, and English language learners (ELL/ESL). Starfall's low-cost membership program expands the free content to include additional animated songs, mathematics activities, and reading materials.
Sesame Street
Based on the popular TV show, Sesame Street offers online learning resources and games for young children. It covers a wide range of topics, from mathematics to science and art. It also provides activities where kids can learn good moral behavior, all while featuring favorite characters from the show.
PBS Kids
PBS Kids offers a wide range of videos and games covering different topics, also featuring kids’ favorite characters from shows like Sesame Street, Wild Kratts, Martha Speaks, and Curious George. The platform aims to develop children’s skills in math, problem-solving, reading, and literacy, providing access to hundreds of games, comics, books, and videos for levels Pre-K to K-12.
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Funbrain Jr.
Funbrain Jr. provides younger children with games and resources to prepare them for kindergarten, focusing on interactive digital materials to develop early math, early literacy, self-care, motor skills, and general cognitive development. Printable materials are also available for coloring and connecting the dots.
Science-Focused Websites
Several websites are dedicated to making science education accessible and engaging for young learners.
Rader’s Education 4 Kids Sites
Andrew Rader Studios provides young learners with various science sites offering easy-to-understand explanations on topics in Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography. The lessons include simple graphics and embedded videos from reputable sources like NASA.
Ducksters Education Site
Ducksters Education Site offers a wide range of learning content and tools for kids, covering areas from Science and Geography to History and the Biography of famous people. It also includes fun facts and trivia.
NASA Kids’ Club
NASA Kids’ Club offers interactive content, games, and downloadable activities. It provides fun science activities online and resources, such as easy-to-understand articles and videos, covering subject areas from physics and robotics to cosmetic chemistry and human behavior.
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Science Bob
Science Bob, created by science teacher Bob PflugFelder, offers video tutorials of science experiments, science fair ideas, a science Q&A section, and a blog. The site also has a store selling experiment equipment, kits, and gadgets.
Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum specializing in science, art, and the study of human perception. It offers educational videos, science how-to guides, and hands-on community programs. It also offers fun apps for mobile devices.
Websites with a Broad Range of Subjects
These websites offer content across various subjects, catering to a wide range of interests and age groups.
Mr. Nussbaum
Mr. Nussbaum offers content from a wide range of subjects including science, math, geography, history, and language arts. It includes interactive math and science activities with lessons that range from physics and human biology to probability and data analysis. Activities are organized and delivered via grade levels, with lesson materials for grades 3-5 and 6-8. It is also connected to its Scholastic Kids page with games based on popular book series.
Turtle Diary
Turtle Diary offers educational computer games and activities for kids, arranged in grade levels from K4 to grade 5. Game topics include nouns, shapes, money, math, and typing games. The platform also provides assessment tests.
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Fuel the Brain
Fuel the Brain provides free and inexpensive games and interactive resources for children and elementary educators. Topics and learning areas range from health and science to numbers and phonics. The platform also offers teacher guides and articles, as well as free mini-books and printables.
The Kidz Page
The Kidz Page offers free learning games, fun games, and printable activities for kids, ranging from strategy and sports games to puzzles and event-themed ones. It also offers downloadable clipart images.
Grid Club
Grid Club by Grid Learning offers free fun games and videos for kids aged 5-12. It also includes extra content like a history fact gadget and physical health content.
National Geographic for Kids
National Geographic for Kids provides children, educators, and parents with digital resources like videos and games, covering topics from biology to history. Collections include a long list of prehistoric animals, weird science facts, and geography lessons, complete with media such as pictures and videos.
Platforms for Personalized Learning
These platforms adapt to individual student needs, providing a customized learning experience.
SplashLearn
SplashLearn is an interactive learning platform designed to make math, reading, and early skill education fun and engaging for Pre-K through Grade 5 kids. It offers a personalized learning experience with fun learning games and printable worksheets that adapt to the individual proficiency level of each child. The platform also provides detailed progress reports for parents and teachers, enabling them to track the child's achievements and areas needing improvement.
Resources for Older Students and Adults
While many educational websites cater to younger audiences, resources are also available for older students and adults seeking to expand their knowledge and skills.
EdX
Edx is one of the world’s leading MOOC (massive open online courses) platforms, offering free courses to anyone wishing to learn.
Big History Project
The Big History Project by David Christian examines the relationship of humanity to the cosmos, using a multidisciplinary approach in research and teaching. It draws from a wide range of disciplines, including the humanities, but is deeply rooted in principles found in the natural sciences. It uses interactive media like videos and quizzes to grab and retain attention and promote course progression.
ShowMe
ShowMe is a global digital community of educators and learners, offering educator users a platform to create whiteboard-based video presentations on topics of their choosing. These videos can be viewed for free by students all over the world, covering main learning categories including Science, Language, Math, Social Studies, Art, and Music.
Smithsonian Learning Lab
Run by the prestigious Smithsonian Institute, the Smithsonian Learning Lab is an educational portal for learners of all ages. It provides digital resources from Smithsonian’s organizations, including its 19 museums, the National Zoo, and nine research centers. It provides students and educators with the means to discover materials across many different disciplines, including science, history, art, and culture studies.
Essential Life Skills and Practical Resources
Beyond academic subjects, several websites offer resources for developing essential life skills and navigating practical aspects of student life.
WiseBread
WiseBread is dedicated to living well on a tight budget, offering advice for students and anyone trying to get more for their money.
Gumtree
Gumtree advertises jobs, second-hand goods, properties, and services for people.
Ebay
Ebay allows you to buy, sell or auction off almost anything, including clothing, electronic devices and antiques.
Amazon
Amazon sells everything under the sun, including books, e-books and textbooks you may need for your program.
Resources for College Preparation and Career Guidance
Preparing for college and a future career can be daunting, but several organizations offer guidance and support.
College Aid Pro
College Aid Pro helps students with their finances, planning their classes, and preparing for the transition to college.
DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America)
DECA guides high school and college students through the job market, helping them narrow down majors, highlight specific fields within those majors, and connect with other students and professionals with similar backgrounds.
National Association for College Admissions Counseling
The National Association for College Admissions Counseling offers all sorts of guidance through the process of preparing for college and further education after receiving a Bachelor’s degree.
Method Learning
Method Learning offers classes, practice tests, and study aids to help increase GPA and boost academic resumes.
National Scholarship Providers Association
The National Scholarship Providers Association, created by the Coca Cola Foundation, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and Scholarship America, helps students find and secure the right scholarships for their needs.
Scholarship 360
Scholarship 360 is a go-to resource for students seeking scholarships.
TKS
TKS helps prepare students aged 13-17 for the future by giving them a hand in creating it.
Proximity Learning
Proximity Learning provides professional, peer-reviewed lessons in various subjects, aiding in studies from home.
Additional Resources
WebMD
WebMD allows you to check your current health status using its symptom checker.
Lit Genius
Lit Genius is a place where scholars have formed a community to annotate poetry and literature, both classic and recent.
TED
TED hosts thought-provoking talks given at events all over the world on a wide range of topics.
Planeta 42
Planeta 42 is a provider of free flash games for kids, covering subjects including biology, physics, mathematics, psychology, cooking, and the arts.
Making Learning Fun and Engaging
To make abstract, complicated, and complex lessons more engaging, good teachers strive to make the delivery of instruction more fun for their learners, especially when learners are young children. Introducing lectures with external stimuli can increase the retention of information. Increasing arousal can capture the attention of students and, therefore, decrease boredom while improving learning outcomes and memory. A popular way to increase arousal and interest is through games. Games with an intrinsic lesson integrated are far more effective than those using games as extrinsic motivation.
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