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Noteworthy Websites and Podcasts

April 9, 2022

  1. Bookshare is an ebook library that makes reading easier for people with barriers such as dyslexia, blindness, and physical disabilities.
  2. Khan Academy offers free exercises, quizzes, and tests so students can practice and master skills, as well as instructional videos to help students learn.
  3. Michigan Virtual free online courses to supplement student learning.
  4. PBS Learn at Home educational programming on TV with corresponding online resources.
  5. Scholastic has launched a free “Learn at Home” website that has daily courses for students during this school shutdown.
  6. Wide Open School Virtual Summer Camp prek-grade 5 and grade 6-12

Educational Activities

  • Amazing Educational Resources, a HUGE spreadsheet of tools/programs/services that usually cost money but are being offered for free, with info on subject and grade level (crowdsourced)
  • Andrew McMeel Publishing Kids, at-home learning resources featuring popular book characters like Big Nate and Phoebe and Her Unicorn
  • Audubon for Kids, bird-themed learning resources from the Audubon Society
  • Beanstalk, interactive video lessons based on offline activities and experiments
  • Bookshare, a free online library for qualifying students with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers
  • Brainfuse tutoring, live one-on-one sessions and video resources in all academic subjects accessible through the New York Public Library
  • Carson Dellosa Education, free printable materials and activities by grade level
  • Complexly, a series of video series on educational topics ranging from literature to biochemistry (YouTube)
  • Crayola lesson plans, art-infused, standards-based activities and lessons
  • Descanso at Home, virtual botanical garden tours, coloring pages, and gardening tutorials from the Descanso Gardens
  • EduHam at Home, American history lessons and guides inspired by the musical Hamilton (registration required)
  • Encantos Learning Hub (pre–K-1 resources available in English and Spanish)
  • Exploratorium in San Francisco, DIY STEM lessons
  • Fiveable, study plans and tips for taking the 2020 online AP tests
  • Food Literacy Center education lessons, including kid-friendly recipes
  • Garden School Foundation At-Home Learning Guide, a collection of healthy recipes and gardening lessons for kids
  • GoNoodle Good Energy at Home, entertaining videos and educational at-home activities that encourage movement (available in English and Spanish)
  • A Good Time to Write, a compilation of lesson plans, resources, and prompts focused on writing skills from 826 Valencia (registration required)
  • Hammertime education activities, tours, coloring, and building activities from the Petersen Automotive Museum
  • Interactive Constitution, live, open-source civics and constitutional classes for middle and high schoolers
  • KidLit.tv, a collection of webseries, podcasts, tutorials, and other reading resources from popular children’s authors and illustrators
  • Kind World Explorers, a downloadable guidebook from Camp Kindness Counts, providing activities and lessons to support social-emotional learning, character strengths, and emotional well-being
  • Learn@Home, educational YouTube channels curated by age group (YouTube)
  • Mission U.S., interactive American history games
  • NASA at Home, a collection of science lessons, activities, and virtual tours for kids curated by NASA
  • Nature Lab at Home, downloadable curriculum about nature and science from The Nature Conservatory
  • Newsicle, a daily (M-F) news trivia game put on by the folks behind XYZA: News for Kids
  • News-o-Matic suspends fees for daily (M-F) news stories for kids K–8 (News-o-Matic app)
  • PBS history documentaries, educational films and docu-series available for free
  • San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, hands-on “STREAM” activities focused on science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and math
  • Scholastic Learn at Home: 20 days of education activities, broken up into four grade levels
  • SCWBI Connects, an extensive directory of activities, ebooks, podcasts, teaching guides, and workshops from members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
  • Sesame Street’s Caring for Each Other, a collection of games, videos, and wellness tips from the popular characters (Spanish-language activities at sesamo.com)
  • TIME for Kids, free access to their digital library and related resources (Time for Kids)
  • The World at Home, travel-centric virtual tours and activities from Get Your Guide

Arts, Film, and Music Lessons & Resources

  • Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, full-length performances
  • Bay Area Children’s Theater Creativity Corner, interactive pretend play challenges and activity sheets (YouTube)
  • Camp Hello Bello, scheduled arts, music, and cooking activities curated by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard (Instagram Live @hellobello, YouTube @Hello Bello)
  • CircleTime classes for age 0–6 including yoga, storytime, cooking, and music (registration required)
  • Con Todo Press printable coloring pages featuring Latinx trailblazerss
  • Disney Magic Moments, a hub of Disney-themed videos, drawing lessons, video-call backgrounds, and even a Mickey Mouse bedtime hotline
  • Disney Onstage, at-home activities related to Disney stage musicals like The Lion King and Aladdin
  • Draw with Drew (and Rosie!), a collaborative drawing lesson every Thursday from the Time for Kids creative director and a 10-year-old artist
  • Home with Olympus, free group photography lessons geared toward those with Olympus equipment
  • Hour of Code’s Star Wars-themed coding games (also available offline)
  • Imagineering in a Box, a virtual lesson from Pixar and Khan Academy on how to design a Disney theme park (Khan Academy)
  • Jarrett Lerner (Enginerds) leads drawing and provides comic-creating prompts
  • Kanopy, a movie streaming service available with a library card
  • Keep Kids Smart with ART, art lesson plans run through the Boca Raton Museum
  • LACO at Home Meet the Music, an on-demand recording of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s interactive educational concert for kids
  • La Mama Kids Online, virtual workshops focused on performing arts
  • Laurie Berkner provides educational music videos (YouTube)
  • Little Kids Rock, daily lessons and music resources teaching kids how to play instruments and write songs
  • Lunchtime Doodles, a ~30 min. art lesson with Mo Willems (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus)
  • Maria Scrivan (Nat Enough) leads cartooning lessons (YouTube @Maria Scrivan)
  • MazeToon’s Joe Wos, daily cartooning lessons (YouTube @HowtoToon)
  • Michael’s Community Classroom, crafting and art lessons on topics from painting to cake decorating (registration required)
  • New York MoMA art-making activities for families inspired by modern art
  • New Victory Arts Break, a weekly schedule of videos and activities focused on a different art form from the New Victory Theater
  • Quarantine Art Club, a daily (M-F) drawing challenge from illustrator Carson Ellis (Du Iz Tak?) (Instagram @carsonellis)
  • Rebel Girls providing 90+ writing/drawing/DIY prompts (sign up via email)
  • Setting the Stage for Learning, a collection of free audio recordings of frequently taught plays from LA Theatre Works
  • Stop Motion Kids Camp enrollment from artist Trisha Zemp is being offered for free (redeem enrollment code by sharing one of Zemp’s posts on Instagram @trishazemp)
  • Veoleo, printable coloring pages from Latinx artists (donations encouraged)
  • Virtual MOCA, a daily (M-F) series of activities for families from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles
  • Walt Disney Family Museum, drawing and animation resources for families

Guides for grades K-High School are available in both English and Spanish .

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