PARENT RESOURCES
Steve Spangler: A scientist with great hands on experiments.
Play time is an important part of our daily experience at Steve Spangler Science. All of the activities and kits on our website are teacher-developed and kid-tested. In this website, you’ll find innovative hands-on activities, captivating demonstrations, hard-to-find supplies, and creative learning tools that teach people to be amazing.
PBS Kids
Educational games and videos from Curious George, Wild Kratts, and other PBS KIDS shows!
BrainPOP
Animated Educational site for kids – Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology.
Funbrain
Since 1997, kids, teachers, librarians, and parents have enthusiastically turned to Funbrain for its free educational games, online books, and comics. Funbrain, created for kids ages preschool through grade 8, offers more than 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading, and literacy. Plus, kids can read a variety of popular books and comics on the site, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amelia Writes Again, and Brewster Rocket.
Scholastic
All the reading and literacy resources you’ll ever need for your child!
Mr. Nussbaum Learning + Fun
Offers lots of games on topics such as math, language, science, and social studies. Featuring over 3,500 content pages, MrNussbaum.com is one of the most popular destinations on the Internet for parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and students.
App: Little Writer – The Tracing App for Kids
Little Writer is a well-crafted app for writing practice. This app adds shapes and numbers to the usual letter and word practice. Tracing is supported in the app with enough leeway to not frustrate young children. Shapes include stars, diamonds, half circles, and smiley faces. Words are built a letter at a time, but when finished your child’s own writing labels the picture.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/little-writer-tracing-app/id515890480?mt=8
National Geographic for Kids
Nat Geo Kids inspires young adventurers to explore the world through award-winning magazines, books, apps, games, toys, videos, events, and a website, and is the only kids brand with a world-class scientific organization at its core.
Newsela
Newsela is an education technology startup dedicated to transforming the way learners access the world through words. The founding team members combine powerful technological know-how with real-world experience earned in the classroom, the newsroom, and the boardroom. Launched in June 2013, Newsela publishes high-interest news articles daily at five levels of complexity for grades 2-12 using Newsela’s proprietary, rapid text-leveling process. Common Core–aligned quizzes attached to articles give educators and parents insight into their students’ reading strengths and weaknesses. Newsela develops nonfiction fluency and critical-thinking skills necessary to master the Common Core standards for informational text.
Starfall
The website has been a free online resource since 2002, teaching millions of children to read and inspiring a love of learning through exploration. Millions of children have learned to read at Starfall.com, and your child can too! Starfall is so easy to use, there are no complicated instructions. The website supports your child's exploration. Every word when tapped or clicked will read aloud enabling your child's speaking, reading, and writing vocabulary to grow alongside his or her curiosity. On occasion, sit down with your child and use the website together and encourage your child to share what he or she has learned. Although the website is organized sequentially, please allow your child to play freely and create a unique path.
Teachers College Reading and Writing Project
Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University has created a wonderful collection of family videos to help families support their children with their reading and writing. They'll add to this collection periodically, so be sure to check their YouTube Channel for updates and additions!
