Top FREE Distance Learning Resources
Whether you are currently participating in distance learning or are exploring your options, our team of STEM Development Teachers have compiled a list of FREE resources for you to use! With three different teaching backgrounds and a variety of online resources available, our STEM teachers have thoughtfully picked their top three favorites and are sharing those with you today!
Michelle's Top 3
Michelle Fisher
From coaching middle school robotics teams and working as program resource staff at summer camps, to tutoring elementary through adult math students at the Sylvan Learning Center, undergraduate chemistry students at Cornell Learning Strategies Center and Spanish-speaking farmworkers through Cornell Friends of Farmworkers, Michelle’s vast educational adventures solidify her as an expert in STEM education and as an integral part of the PCS Edventures team.
Scholastic
Comprehensive collection of free resources for grades Pre-K-9.
Scholastic has always been one of my go-to sources, and their new Scholastic Learn at Home website provides up to three hours worth of indefinitely free content daily, no sign-up required. For each grade band (Pre-K, 1-2, 3-5 and 6-9), they've organized five-day "learning journeys" that combine audio read-alongs, digital books, videos and interactive activities. For younger students, these are built around common themes (past topics have ranged from empathy and kindness to stars and spiders). Older learners have a menu of articles and reading quests to choose from. For low-tech learning solutions, there's also a library of printable resources searchable by grade, subject, even reading level or math/ELA standard.
Best for: Teachers, families
Hazel
Free coronavirus (COVID-19) information and resources for schools and families.
Hazel partners with schools to ensure that all students have access to quality health care. When learners are sick at school they can talk virtually to a licensed Hazel healthcare provider who communicates a care plan to the student's school nurse, parent and primary physician. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the medical team at Hazel has created free printables and lists of resources, including:
- A self-assessment tool for parents wondering if their child is at risk for COVID-19
- A comic to explain the coronavirus to kids
- A unique visual resource on understanding the novel coronavirus for adults or older students
- Multilingual resources from the CDC for family communication
Best for: Administrators and coordinators, families
Yoga Ed
Free access to online yoga and mindfulness classes.
We could all use some peace of mind right now. I love that the creators of Yoga Ed are considering the needs of both students and the adults who care for them; their free offerings include classes that are developmentally appropriate for kids as well as courses geared toward adults. These would be great for distance-learning physical education, brain breaks or as a way to wind down at the end of the day.
Best for: Teachers, families
Tyler's Top 3
Tyler Downey
Devoting himself to education for the last 20 years, Tyler has worked with students as an elementary classroom teacher, full-time gifted education instructor, librarian and he has even taught computer and information technology classes, as well as coding and hands-on science courses, in summer, after school and club classroom settings. Throughout his career, Tyler has passionately devoted himself to promoting critical thinking and a love for learning.
Polyup
Students build machines using numbers and functions as they make their way through different standards-aligned lesson plans, or they can create their own machines and lessons to share with the world. Polyup is a creative way to engage students in math that teaches both skills and abstract thinking. Plus it is just plain fun!
Best for: Classroom teachers, independent student use
WURRLYedu Music Education
Lesson plans, teacher resources and an extensive music catalog with timed chords and lyrics.
With Wurrly you can both teach music and use music to teach. Their service offers content for grades K-12 and is creative, innovative and fun. If you are a teacher or an administrator who recognizes the value of music instruction and are interested in creative ways to integrate music into general education, this is exactly what you are looking for during these times of school closures and remote teaching. Their enormous collection of music lessons is searchable by skill level, grade level, processes and topics, and their music catalog has thousands of popular songs organized by genre, subject, theme, and age, making finding specific songs easy. You can even search their music catalog by chord!
Best for: Administrators and coordinators, classroom teachers
Listenwise
For those auditory learners who are often under-served in digital/remote learning contexts, Listenwise is a great resource focusing on the auditory learning modality not as commonly found in popular e-learning platforms. Teachers can create classes, search by topic and content area, assign lessons with associated assessments or create their own. There is plenty of science content available for all grades, as well as content for Social Studies and English Language Arts. If you want to put some diversity into your distance learning, Listenwise is an excellent resource that provides quality instructional resources from a different perspective than the visually dominant.
Best for: Classroom teachers, families
Erika's Top 2
Erika Liebel
Erika’s STEAM experiences are extensive and include: developing AR/VR curriculum for Blocksmith Inc and Google for Education, serving as president of the Idaho Association of Teachers of Language and Culture, and assisting the Idaho Virtual Reality Council and the Idaho STEM Action Center in the creation of the VR4Ed grant to bring virtual reality technology to rural school districts. Erika has worked in bilingual education in Spain and the United States, always incorporating STEAM-based strategies into her classroom.
PBS Learning Media
Extensive collection of free resources across content areas for grades Pre-K -12.
The PBS Learning Media platform utilizes the system’s rich programming and resources, which are developmentally appropriate for the youngest learners all the way up to high schoolers. Educators can choose from carefully developed lesson plans aligned with national standards, differentiate these lessons or create their own in the Lesson Builder. Teachers have access to interactive lessons, media galleries, audio recordings, readings and primary resources that can be assigned directly to students via the Educator Dashboard or Google Classroom. Students can also access content at home without an email address, if necessary. Teachers wanting a higher-tech experience for students can assign interactive lessons, quizzes and challenges. Teachers preferring a low-tech experience can choose from a variety of printables to send home to students. Don’t miss out on the sizable Science and Engineering & Technology collections with real-world career exploration!
Other highlights:
- A special collection of online lesson plans and printables for use during emergency school closures due to Coronavirus (Pre-K to 12). Content is also available in Spanish.
- Free access to an extensive professional development library and participation in live webinars.
- Contact your local PBS affiliate or the PBS Learning Media Team (LearningMediaContact@pbs.org), as they have offered additional support during this transition to online learning.
Best for: Educators, in-school technology coordinators, families
STEAM Learning Lab from Digital Media Academy
Educators are constantly wanting to try new, “big idea” projects in their classrooms, but don’t always know all of the logistics to do so. That’s why I love companies like our own PCS Edventures, and now, STEAM Learning Lab. Set up your distance learning classroom around individual or group passion projects. Use this “genius hour” style of learning to foster free exploration and development of new skills during this rare time at home. Continue to integrate this style of learning when you return to face-to-face classes. The STEAM Learning Lab provides clear modules that are interest-based and allow for discussion, collaboration and experimentation. K-12 students develop interdisciplinary skills while collaborating on real-world projects that allow them to explore potential careers. Some especially interesting courses for middle schoolers include “Meet the Future: AI and Machine Learning”, “Designing Urban Spaces” and “Graphic Designer Studio.”
Other highlights:
- The STEAM Learning Lab platform provides on-demand courses for educators to learn more about the technologies covered in their chosen modules so that they may become proficient as they work with students.
- There’s an extensive educator community that fosters collaboration and showcases student projects.
Best for: Educators, in-school technology coordinators, families
PCS Edventures' Top Pick
Blocksmith Free Trial
Blocksmith offers a free trial account with access to four lessons that teach students basic and advanced mechanics and techniques in video game development. Create a domain for your class to upload work and collaborate to recreate classic video games in 3D, with or without VR equipment! Visit our Blocksmith Free Trial page for more information on getting started.
Best for: Classroom teachers, independent student use
Bonus Resources
Below are some additional resources that can help you and your learners!
Science
Legends of Learning: A gamified, quest-based science and math resource for teachers, parents and students.
Technology
Lifeliqe: Provides high-quality 3D, VR and AR science resources for teachers and students. Free access is available through June.
Engineering
Note: the engineering design process cuts across all the elements of STEAM. We have no recommendations for engineering-specific free resources at this time.
Math
Mathspace: A math classroom platform that offers teachers and students textbooks, video resources and progress tracking. Free access is currently available to schools.
