Resources for Online Learning

There are many resources available for online learning to support students and parents. The CRS PTA has curated some parent-suggested free resources for you. Find even more resource suggestions at CommonSenseMedia.org (Best Apps, Best for Learning, Special Needs, Free Online Events & Activities), Openculture.com, Wide Open School, and Amazing Educational Resources.

 

Churchill Road Resources: Don't forget to check the CRS Student resources, including Google Apps, i-Ready, CODE.org, Typing Club, and ABCya!. Students can access additional resources through Schoology. Plus, resources are also available online through the CRS library. 

 

FCPS Resources: Parents can contact the FCPS Technology Help Desk for tech support at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week. Parents can also request help online or consult the Self-Help Hub.

 

Fairfax County Libraries: The library has a Just for Kids Video Streaming Service and many great digital books and magazines.

Online Learning Resources

Explore the World...Virtually

With Museum Views from Google, you can visit some of the world's greatest museums and heritage sites — virtually! You can find hundreds of artifacts in the virtual tour of the British Museum, view online exhibits from the National Gallery of Art, and more! Explore the Smithsonian virtually — students can even curate galleries with Smithsonian Learning Lab (free account required). Visit the San Diego Zoo, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the National Aquarium, or the National Zoo. Take a virtual walk around Yellowstone National Park. More virtual park tours!

 

On-Demand Museum Programs: Find virtual programs and activities from museums across the US with this repository — you can filter by grade, area of interest, and more. There are over 800 options, so you're bound to find something interesting!

Take A break

GoNoodle is great for providing some silly break time. Or stretch a bit with Cosmic Kids Yoga. Looking for jokes, riddles, and indoor games? Funology has some ideas for you. Need some more ideas? Check out these suggestions from Pobble. Have Legos? Set a different Lego challenge every day. Play a summer camp game at home.

Arts, Crafts, & Projects

General Resources

  • Ask Dr. Universe: Kids can submit questions to Dr. Universe and read answers to other kids' questions on various topics. (from Washington State University)

  • Carmen San Diego: Kids can become expert super-sleuths with these activities.

  • CK-12 Foundation: Variety of video lessons and practice questions provided for free — "open textbooks" for K-12 students worldwide. 

  • Discovery K12: Online curriculum for grades pre-K to 12th grade, inclusive of all the main subjects. Student accounts are free and include all of the curricula.

  • DIY Sensory Ideas: 150 sensory learning ideas

  • Flipgrid: Create a 'classroom' for your student & friends (with an invite to their families) to share their ideas, stories, and work via quick videos on topics.

  • Funbrain: For kids in grades Pre-K to 8, this site offers hundreds of games, books, videos, and printables to help kids develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving, and literacy.

  • Gamilab: Create fun quizzes (using the question bank or asking your own) that students play through games.

  • Khan Academy: Lessons covering math (K-12), grammar, science, history, and more. Also, the Khan Academy Kids app is available via iOS and Android (for ages 2-7).

  • National Junior Ranger Program: Complete one of the Junior Ranger programs and earn a badge!

  • NeoK12: A collection of teacher screen educational videos, games, quizzes, diagrams, and puzzles.

  • Newsela: Free access includes current event articles at 5 reading levels.

  • Newsicle: A free online news trivia game for families, with a new theme every week.

  • OER Commons: A public digital library of open educational resources — search by subject, education level, and standard.

  • PBS Learning Media: Standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more — search or browse by area of interest or grade.

  • Philosophy for Children: Share and teach philosophy ideas through children's literature books.

  • Scholastic Learn at Home: 20 days' worth of daily learning experiences, organized by grade. Scholastic also offers Home Base, an app where you can explore islands based on books (like Wings of Fire and The Bad Guys) and talk to favorite characters — it includes a safe digital community for kids and mini-games. Scholastic News also offers free articles and resources, plus the Scholastic Kids Press, which has news for kids reported by kids.

  • The Kid Should See This: Curated videos on a wide variety of interesting topics.

Languages:

  • Conjuguemos: The "use without account" option provides free access to vocabulary, grammar, listening activities, and games in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, and Latin.

  • Duolingo: Includes free content to learn a language (kids to adults).

  • Rockalingua: Some of the videos, games, songs, and worksheets are free — for kids to learn Spanish.

  • Spanish Experiment: Spanish stories with slow audio.

Math

  • Bedtime Math: Try one of their free activities or the free Bedtime Math app.

  • Cool Math 4 Kids: Lessons, quizzes, manipulatives, and math games.

  • Eureka Math: Provides free curriculum materials and worksheets for pre-K through Grade 8.

  • Khan Academy: Personalized learning, videos, and practice exercises for K-12.

  • MathGames; Free math games and practice exercises - organized by grades & skills. (Note: the site has advertising.)

  • Prodigy: Provides free math practice in a gamified format.

Note: With Prodigy, you can create a free 'teacher' account for practicing math skills at home. Use your class code to add your child to your 'classroom,' and then assign skills for your student to work on or practice against VA standards of learning.

Music

  • Chrome Music Lab: Have fun and experiment with music digitally! (Note: Use your Chrome browser.)

Reading

  • DreamScape: Reading game for grades 2-8 that combines strategy, engagement, and reading passages for a curriculum-aligned literacy game (iOS and Android).

  • FreeKidsBooks.org: Free books for toddlers through young adults.

  • Kids Ask Authors: Kids ask questions of authors in this podcast.

  • Kid Time Story Time: Fun read-alouds (with puppets) of some greats books for kids.

  • ReadTheory: Personalized reading comprehension exercises for K-12 and ESL students.

  • ReadWriteThink: Free resources to help with reading and writing skills.

  • Starfall: Selected content (geared toward grades K-3) is available for free. Starfall emphasizes phonemic awareness, systematic, sequential phonics, and common sight words - the focus is on learning to read.

  • Storyline Online: Videos with the world's best storytellers reading books aloud. Each video includes an activity guide with lessons for K-5 students.

  • Storynory: Offers free audio stories.

  • Unite for Literacy: Variety of free kid-oriented books for reading. 

Try the read-aloud of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. Then, enjoy games, puzzles, and more from the world of Harry Potter.

Science

  • 100,000 Stars: An interactive visualization of space (requires a Chrome browser).

  • Brains On!: A science-focused podcast for kids and families.

  • California Science Center: Projects you can do at home.

  • Climate Kids: From NASA, explore topics, games, activities, and more related to weather & climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, and animals.

  • Digital Shipbuilding: Weekly STEM challenges.

  • iNaturalist: From the California Academy of Sciences, observe and record your observations of nature (explore your backyard!). App is available via iOS and Android.

  • MIT STEAM: Topic-themed learning packages, organized by grade groups, from MIT.

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium: On-demand online courses for kids.

  • Mystery Science: Free lessons offered for grades K-5 (or parents can create a free account to access more mini-lessons) - includes a mix of digital and hands-on activities.

  • NASA for Students: Educational material by age groups. Eyes on the Solar System lets you explore the cosmos.

  • NightSkyPix: Find answers to common astronomy questions.

  • Ocean Find Your Blue: From the Smithsonian, explore ocean life and ecosystems.

  • Ology: The American Museum of Natural History's website for kids - come learn an "ology."

  • Physics Comic Books: A series of comic books designed to get kids excited about physics.

  • Science Mom: Show featuring science and math lessons, crafts, and games. Hosted by Science Mom and Math Dad. Designed for ages 7-12.

  • Steve Spangler Science: Fun videos with all sorts of crazy experiments that teach about a variety of scientific principles.

  • Tynker: Kids can do 5 coding games for free.

  • Weather Wiz Kids: Learn about all things weather-related.

  • World Wildlife Foundation: Visit the Wild Classroom for a variety of activities.

  • US Science and Engineering Expo: Videos from speakers on a variety of science and engineering topics.

Social Studies:

  • Ben's Guide to the US Government: Learn about how the US government works (from the US GPO).

  • DK Findout!: DK's free site provides fascinating facts about historical events, with pictures, videos, quizzes, and more.

  • Elementary Social Studies: Educational content from PBS.

  • History for Kids: Includes articles, worksheets, quizzes, games, videos, and more.

  • Smithsonian's History Explorer: Explore history through lessons, activities, and artifacts.

Writing

Free Trials

  • Age of Learning offers 30-day free trials for its 3 products: ABCMouse, Adventure Academy, and Reading IQ.

  • Boardmaker (special education solutions) offers a 30-day free trial to access 65,000+ templates and activities.

     

Note: All suggested resources are recommendations from CRS PTA parents to help our fellow CRS parents and are not provided as recommendations from Churchill Road or Fairfax County Public Schools.