These online curriculum services are curated by education expert Brian Nadel.
As schooling goes from the classroom to the kitchen table, many of the world’s curriculum providers are offering free access to their services. Generally, all you need to do is have a teacher, principal or district administrator request access to the content from the provider. After that, the hard part will be getting the word out about the available services and assignments. Here are a few of our favorites.
Newsela
The Newsela service takes current events (including a lot about the coronavirus) and packages them into small, easy to digest bite-sized pieces that are appropriate for most K-through-12 students. There’s alignment with Language Arts, Science and Social Studies as well as material in several different reading levels. It’s available in WQeb browsers, iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets.
Britannica LaunchPacks
With thousands of LaunchPacks available, Britannica has a way to not only teach the required subjects in science and social studies but allow an incredible level of enrichment for curious kids. Each topic has slideshows, reading material at different levels and often videos. All the material is aligned to state standards and teachers can use Kahoot! based quizzes. The service can be accessed on PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads and Androids.
MEL Science
The Covid-19 spring break doesn’t need to be at the expense of science activities, thanks to MEL Science. Based in London, MEL Science has a slew of at-home science lessons covering the core curriculum and activities that kids can do on their own. With everything from a recipe for making your own hand sanitizer to lessons on density and how to measure it there’s a lot to keep the curious mind engaged. The company’s Webniars can just about replace lost classroom time.
Classkick
Schools shut down can keep teaching with a free subscription to Classkick, something that usually costs $1,500. It works with just about any platform, from ipads, Androids and Chromebooks to PCs and Macs. The pre-built lessons range from math and science to social studies and English. Plus, teachers can add their own materials, including PowerPoint presentations and Acrobat files. Students who feel they need help or a question answered can privately contact the teacher. All you need to do is sign up.
Muse
With thousands of books and hundreds of journals on tap, Muse has opened its online library to students shut out of physical schools. Perfect for researching a paper, the service provides access to academic presses like Ohio State University Press and Johns Hopkins University Press. Look for the Free icon to be able to use it without charge.
Educational Insights
The youngest learners may be suffering the most by not being able to go to school and learn the basics that needs to be a foundation for future intellectual and social growth. Educational Insights has made public a slew of at-home educational worksheets that cover everything from phonics and spelling to counting and crafts.
