Resource Connection: Fun and Educational Resources for Teachers

STAY INFORMED ABOUT COVID-19: MORE INFO
During these uncertain times, many teachers and their families will be cooped up indoors for extended periods of time. Whether you need FREE educational resources for your virtual classrooms or just fun and informative things to watch or read while on the couch, the below resources’ list (updated weekly) has you covered!
2021 Virtual Alamo STEM Ecosystem Professional Development Conference
Presentation Proposals
Conference Dates: Feb 19 and 20, 2021
Proposal Due: Oct 31, 2020
Proposal Due: Oct 31, 2020
Selection Notification: Nov 13, 2020
Blog Highlights
K-12 Educator Summer Acclimation
Stories from the Virtual Classroom: K-12 Educators Navigate Teaching Through Zoom
Fun Local Events Happening In San Antonio
Virtual Book for Kids: COVID-19 Texas Biobook: Mom, what is COVID-19?
Our friends at Texas Biomedical Research Institute just released an awesome virtual book for kids called “COVID-19 Texas Biobook: Mom, what is COVID-19?”
Informational Videos
Newtons Disc – Reverse RAINBOW
Explorer Zone Episode 07 – What do you wonder about the Coronavirus?
The Science of Bubbles – College Knowledge STEM Edition
Education News
- Education News – State Will Require STAAR Tests, But Low Scores Won’t Prevent Students from Moving to Next Grade
Activities and Educational Games
- $20k in Teacher Grants Available – The Texas Biomedical Forum would like to invite all public and private high school science teachers from BEXAR COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS to apply for the science education awards.
- Bio-Rad Explorer – Free videos, printable and digital-use models and activities, editable PowerPoint presentations, case studies, and articles on various biology, biotech, life science, health science, and clinical diagnostics topics.
- CreositySpace – CreositySpace is providing lessons from our Contagion Crushers, Water Watchers, and Conscientious Chemists units at no cost to help support teachers—parents and guardians, too— to keep all kids engaged in science. We’ve also included a list of fun STEM activities teachers, parents and grandparents can use until students return to the classroom.
- Generation Genius – Online Science Videos and Lessons For K-8. Try it free.
- Crazy Adventures in Parenting – Free printables, activity sheets, crafts, worksheets, coloring pages, and more!
- 32 Fun Virtual Holiday Party Ideas – Activities, games and themes for your holiday gathering.
- Boston Children’s Museum – Walk through the Boston Children’s Museum thanks to Google Maps! This virtual tour allows kids to explore 3 floors of fun.
- Engineering Bingo – Lindsey Nelson created a Bingo card with engineering activities you can do at home with your children. Many of these activities could be adapted to be used with younger children.
- Hearts over Hands – Free, safe, virtual Child Mentorship Nurturing one-to-one relationships between university students and children in need of support.
- Microsoft STEM Lessons – Build affordable inquiry and project-based activities to visualize data across science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum. Middle school standards-based lesson plans written by teachers for teachers.
- The Physics Front – Here you can find teaching resources for your physics and physical science classes.
- Activity Hero – Discover summer camps, classes, drop-ins, workshops, and more. Art, coding, sports, STEM, academics – book it all here.
- CyberPatriot – CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air Force Association to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future.
- Ask Dr. Universe – Dr. Wendy Sue Universe is a very smart cat who investigates tough questions from curious elementary and middle school students. Based out of Washington State University, Dr. Universe teams up with professors, researchers, and experts in the field, to tackle big questions.
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CivTechSA Program – CivTechSA provides an opportunity for students to solve real-world civic challenges from numerous City of San Antonio Departments and from the Smart SA Partners to gain necessary skills for their future.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Lessons for Educators & Parents – Support children’s learning at home for grades PreK-12. These online courses and family-friendly science activities encourage a sense of wonder and connection to the natural world while teaching important science concepts.
- Physics of Roller Coasters – Students explore the physics exploited by engineers in designing today’s roller coasters, including potential and kinetic energy, friction and gravity.
- Education GeoSource – Search for geoscience education resources from a variety of organizations that provide credible and accurate Earth and Space Science resources for all ages.
- Mozilla Web Literacy Curriculum – In today’s digital world, knowing how to read, write, and participate online is a foundational skill next to reading, writing, and arithmetic. At Mozilla, they call this Web Literacy. Combined with 21C Skills, these digital-age skills help us live and work in today’s world.
- PictureSTEM Project – The PictureSTEM Project includes instructional units for K-2 classrooms that use an engineering challenge and picture books as supports for learning science, mathematics, engineering, computational thinking, and reading.
- Vanderbilt U. Inquiry -based, Hands-on Science Lessons for Middle School – Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science is a service organization composed of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students who are committed to bringing inquiry-based, hands-on science lessons to elementary and middle school students.
- Difficulties in Distance Learning – Educators contemplate future of learning following the pandemic.
- Make your own Magnifying Glass – Here’s an easy STEM activity you can do with your kids while practicing social distancing. Create your own magnifying glass using items you can find around your home, then go outside and explore the world around you!
- Chemistry Minute – Check out these awesome STEM activities to explore concepts behind science, technology, engineering, and math. Be sure to subscribe and check out more videos from FLINN Scientific!
- Dissect a Flower – What parts do flowers consist of? Are all flowers alike? In this activity, you will find out by dissecting, or taking apart, a flower piece by piece. How many plant parts do you think you can identify?
- Make a Lemon Volcano – Make a colorful erupting volcano in your kitchen with lemons and baking soda!
- Local Trinity U Students Win Entrepreneurs Competition – ‘Smart’ lid for water bottles takes home grand prize at Trinity University startup competition.
- Call for Entries: Dia De Los Muertos Art Work – Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin is looking to bring together visual traditions of the Dia De Los Muertos that celebrates the memories of family, friends and other public figures. This digital online exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Calaveras y Poesía: Celebrando Día de Los Muertos, a virtual Zoom event, on Sunday, November 1, 2020 2PM and is a new edition to the event. This visual art edition is in response to the pandemic and ensuring artist of all ages are able to participate in a safe environment.
- Sheppard Software – Test your knowledge about the universe with our quizzes and games! Expand your science horizons by reading our fascinating illustrated articles.
- Legends of Learning – Legends of Learning offers more than 2,000 fun science and math classroom games for Elementary and Middle School teachers.
- Science Game Center – The goal of the Science Game Center is to demonstrate to teachers, scientists, museums, and parents the myriad ways games can be used to improve education in math and science. The Science Game Center will provide a place where users can describe their experiences with math and science games, gather information on game strengths and weaknesses, and share tips on how to use games to help students reach their educational goals.
- Learn 4 Good – Online science games and activities for K-12 students From simple fun games to more challenging and difficult exercises.
- National Science Digital Library – Provides high quality online educational resources for teaching and learning, with current emphasis on the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
- Defined STEM – Provides authentic project-based lessons for PreK-12 students. Real-world content empowers students to develop the essential 21st century skills necessary to be successful in college, career, and life.
- Wide Open School – Find resources to support distance learning and online teaching. These free webinars, articles, templates, and more can help you partner with families, build your virtual classroom culture, and gain confidence with remote teaching.
- Sudoku – As a logic puzzle, Sudoku is also an excellent brain game. If you play Sudoku daily, you will soon start to see improvements in your concentration and overall brain power.
- PBS Kids: Sesame Street Story Online – A great resource for educational games, videos, and art projects.
- TheLearningStation – Fun and educational videos for children brimming with active participation.
- National Museum of the United States Air Force – Take a virtual, 360-degree, self-guided tour of the entire museum by navigating from gallery to gallery!
- TexQuest – This portal will take you to all of your Britannica Digital Learning products provided to you by the state of Texas.
- Can the ocean run out of oxygen? – Get to know how a healthy marine ecosystem functions, and what creates the lethal conditions that lead to dead zones.
- Engineer a Communication Network – Try this fun STEM project to learn how communication networks are built! Learn how signals can be sent, split, and received in different places at the same time.
- Make a Periscope – Fun, hands-on activities for kids at home: turn a simple shoebox into a periscope for seeing around corners.
- 10 Easy Science Experiments – most of these experiments are very easy and include household items.
- STEAM Activities from the Dollar Tree – Video includes a definition of STEAM skills, a Dollar Tree Haul and some construction activities in action.
- Simple Drawing Machine – You can make this school science project and learn about working model of drawing machine.
- Texas Medical Association is giving away $62,000 in CASH prizes! – Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching
- STEAM Activity – DIY Liquid Steel – With just a few ingredients you and your students can make “Liquid Steel”! Materials and instructions in the video description.
- Daily Weather Journal for Primary Grades – A daily weather journal where students must write 3 words that describe the day’s weather, illustrate the daily weather conditions, and also think about how the weather affects us. In this product there are 2 options for recording daily weather conditions.
- Make a Mechanical Flower: Biomechanics Engineering – Kids, parents, and teachers can try this fun STEM educational activity to explore biomechanics, a field of engineering that studies how living things move.
- How To Schedule Zoom Meeting for Specific Recurring Days – In this video tutorial, you are shown how to set up, schedule, and join a zoom meeting. Zoom is a great video conferencing platform that allows you to schedule and hold video conference meetings with your team.
- Build a DNA Origami Structure – Have you ever heard of DNA origami? Learn how nanoscientists create DNA origami to make microscopic structures!
- Water Thermometer Activity – Child360 is a leading nonprofit working toward a future where every child has the educational opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.
- Choose-Your-Own: Chemistry Adventure – How do simple things like yeast, soap, and hydrogen peroxide come together to create a foam-splosion reaction? Tweak the ingredients to find out in this choose-your-own-adventure video series!
- How Does Virtual Reality Work? – How can a tiny cardboard box make you feel like you’re miles away at a sandy beach? And why aren’t we all living in a virtual world right now, if it all seems so great? Valentina Shin, a Ph.D. student in the Computer Graphics Group at MIT’s Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, explains!
- Kids Space Activity: Build a Self-Deploying Satellite – This engineering activity is great for kids of all ages, including parents. Try to build your own self-deploying satellite, inspired by the work of Boeing aerospace engineers who work on satellites that can or unfold all by themselves in outer space.
- STEM in the Classroom: Refining a Paper Airplane – Grand Canyon University K12 Educational Development Video. Guest expert DaNel Hogan shows us how some basic supplies can easily turn into a fun problem solving project.
- How Do Viruses React To Soap? – Find out how soapy water can kill viruses such as SARS-COV-2 with the help of a virus model! What do you think happens to the viruses?
- How Far Can a Sneeze Go? – Learn how far your sneeze can travel, and why covering your cough/sneeze is important to help prevent the spread of diseases like COVID-19!
- Inside MIT’s Nuclear Reactor – Ever wonder what actually goes on, day-to-day, at a nuclear reactor? Get an insider’s tour of MIT’s!
- 7th Grade Science Project Ideas – Four different ideas for science fair projects.
- TED-Ed: Is Weather Actually Becoming more Extreme? – Explore the differences between weather and climate – what they are, how we predict them, and what those predictions can tell us.
- What Do Nuclear Scientists Do? – It’s not exactly what you see in the movies… (it’s actually much cooler).
- HippoCampus – A free, core academic web site that delivers rich multimedia content–videos, animations, and simulations–on general education subjects to middle-school and high-school teachers and college professors, and their students, free of charge.
- Fluency & Fitness+ – Helping students exercise their brains and bodies.
- Math at Work – Would your students be surprised to learn that math plays a key role in dream careers ranging from fashion designer to professional chef? Show them what it’s all about with the Math at Work web series, featuring industry leaders working shoulder-to-shoulder with students to give them helpful insights into math-related jobs.
- Brain Box – Adaptive mobile technology for education! Join our mission to help every child reach their potential in education and beyond. We work with children, parents and schools to create more prosperous futures for all: no limits, no excuses.
- Maker Stations (3 Free Weeks) – keep your children creating at home! Each challenge includes simple instructions using materials around the house, QR code video resources, and a student recording sheet.
- STEAM Activity: Water Thermometer – Use this activity as an opportunity to work on the children’s’ observational skills. Ask them to describe what they see in detail. Take note of what they say and look for opportunities to extend the conversation based on what they describe.
- Back to School – 50 Ways to Build Relationships, Routines, and Culture in Week 1 of Remote Teaching
- Instructables Teachers – Helps K-12 teachers inspire, engage, and prepare students through hands-on projects to make in the classroom. Always free, and always fun, come explore projects for your next classroom lesson!
- Nitro Type – Improve your typing skills while competing in fast-paced races with up to 5 typers from around the world. Compete against your friends, earn new cars, track your scores, and so much more… all for free!
- Music Theory – Interactive virtual music lessons.
- Marco Learning – Helps students gain confidence in their AP® classes and improve on AP® exams.
- Little Twister Yoga – A fun intro to practicing yoga and emotional wellness techniques for kids.
- GoNoodle – Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. Available for free at school, home, and everywhere kids are!
- Math Celebrity – Parents and students get instant step-by-step math homework solutions.
- PBS Learning Media – Curated free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more just for teachers like you.
- Positive Physics – The world’s most positive way to teach and learn physics. Teachers can join for free!
- Super Charged Schools – Daily lessons and educational activities that kids can do on their own.
- La Cultura Cura – The mission of Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin is to promote a better understanding of the Mexican-American culture by the teaching, study, practice, and performance of the arts. Their newsletter features educational resources, speaker events, and other local activities.
- ScootPad – Start saving your precious classroom time. Leverage ScootPad to do the heavy lifting of delivering continuously personalized enrichment, remediation and mastery to every student.
- Novel Effect – Their free, award-winning app allows you to read aloud with your favorite print books while the app follows along playing music, sound effects, and character voices at just the right moment.
- No Red Ink – Build better writers, in-person or remotely. Teachers can sign-up for free.
- Nomster Chef – Illustrated recipe picture books that get kid chefs excited about cooking.
- RedT Kids Marketplace – Fun and engaging, lessons plans, activities, papercrafts, and other goodies for the classroom and for home.
- SEPUP – Science Education for Public Understanding Program creates innovative science curriculum for use in 6-12 education.
- Sworkit Kid Workouts – A variety of fun kids workouts to help get those wiggles and giggles out or use them as a warm-up & cool-down for more vigorous activity.
- ProjectExplorer – Bringing the world into classrooms and living rooms with free video content and curriculum that fosters global awareness and cross-cultural understanding.
- QuaverMusic – PreK-8 general music teachers a platform to stay connected to their students, no matter where they are.
- Quizlet – Helps teachers engage students of all levels through curriculum-based materials, interactive study methods, and games.
- Zearn – A learning and teaching program created by teachers, for teachers, where all kids can love learning math.
- Wonderopolis – A place where natural curiosity and imagination lead to exploration and discovery in learners of all ages.
- XtraMath – A free web program for students, parents, and teachers.
- TYTO Online – Empowering students to be authentic science problem solvers. Students solve a food shortage using genetics or figure out that animals are sick from microplastics by examining the ecosystem and collecting data.
- TypingClub – TypingClub is the most effective way to learn how to type.TypingClub is (and will always be) free for both individuals and schools. There is an optional paid school edition.
- The Science Spot – FREE STEAM lessons, activities, and resources for middle school teachers!
- The OT Toolbox – Resources, tools, ideas, and activities geared toward the healthy development of kids.
- The Concord Consortium – Interactive STEM activities, free for your classroom.
- The Turtle Diary – Fun and educational games for kids PreK-5 grade levels.
- The Color – An all-digital coloring book.
- Fun Brain – Games covering a variety of subjects for K-8 grade levels.
- Memrise – Watch and learn real conversational language from native speakers.
- Edx – A large selection of higher-ed courses.
- Free Code Camp – Learn to code at home.
- NASA Kid’s Club – Space science for kids!
- My First Garden – A guide to the world of fun & clever gardening.
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids – Tons of fun and educational activities and stories for kids!
- Chemicool Periodic Table – An awesome interactive way to learn about all the elements of the periodic table.
- Earthquakes for Kids – Learn all about earthquakes.
- National Geographic Young Explorers – Interactive resources to help in the classroom.
- Free Children Stories – Free original stories for kids!
- Fun Fonix – Making phonics fun for everyone!
- Mission US – Serious History, Serious Games.
- Steve Spangler Science – Cool at-home science experiments!
- Grid Club – Tons of fun math games!
- Crypto Club – Immerse Yourself in Cryptography! Crack ciphers, discover secrets, and improve your math skills!
- The Story Starter – This idea generator can be used by novelists, screenwriters, teachers, short story writers, and more. It has been used by writers of all ages.
- Youngzine – News and more for the young.
- Math Playground – Math games and activities for grades 1-6!
- 30 Fun Science Activities You Can Do At Home – Whether you’re looking for a great science fair project, quick STEM activity, or NGSS-aligned science lesson plan perfect for the classroom – they have you covered!
- The Happiest Scientist – Have fun and learn some science along the way.
- STEM Activities – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math: Education for Global Leadership
- Cells Alive! – Resources for educators and students related to all things related to cells.
- Scratch – Create games and animations and share them with the world.
- Preschool Express – Crafts, activities, and bulletin board designs for early education teachers and parents to use with kids.
- Songs for Teaching – A large selection of songs to help teach preschool and kindergarten students.
- Magic Tree House – Interactive games based on the book series.
- Mindful Minutes – Dr. Lindsay Bira helps us practice building emotional wellness with mindfulness while explaining the science behind it.
- GEOGUESSR – Tests kids’ geography skills.
- WhatWasThere – Allows students to type in any city, state, or country to view an archive of historical photographs and other documents.
- Biodigital Human – The first product for authoring custom interactive 3D models of anatomy, disease and treatments.
- Build a Hovercraft – Hovercrafts aren’t just for the future…you can make your very own right now with items you probably already have in your home! For kids 6+.
- Tinkering Project: Cardboard Automata – Cardboard Automata is a type of mechanical sculpture made of simple materials that lets you bring stories to life.
- The Sky’s the Limit – Engineering Flying Technologies; Grades 3-5
- Artsology – Art Games for Kids, Arts Education Resources for Teachers, and much more!
- Virtual Musical Instruments – Lets kids play instruments online. Instruments include the guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos.
- National Geographic Teacher Professional Development Resources
- Climate Kids – NASA Weather Activities
- Ben’s Guide – Learning Adventures with Benjamin Franklin
- Cool Kid’s Fact – A Free Resource For Everyone – Fun Facts on Animals, Planets, Science, Geography, History & More!
- Smithsonian’s Institute Kids – Smithsonian Learning Lab
- Koadable – Programming for Kids
- Overcoming Obstacles – free, award-winning, and research-based life skills curriculum that provides educators with the tools to teach elementary, middle, and high school students the skills necessary for success.
- Super Simple Interactive Games
- Innerbody explores the 11 bodily systems in depth
- Banzai teaches students real-world financial dilemmas and the importance of smart money management
- The Theta Music Trainer – Offers online music games and courses
- The Smithsonian Museum – Deep dive into ocean life
- Kids Think Design – Explores careers in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, book design, product design, film and theatre, architecture, animation, and environmental design.
- Weather Wiz Kids® – Meteorologist Crystal Wicker breaks down the fascinating world of weather
- Ask Dr. Universe – Answers question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more.
- United States Mint – H.I.P. Pocket Change Kids Site
- KENS5 Weather Minds Classroom: Educational Lessons Covering a Variety of Weather Topics and Phenomenon
- Paper: Understanding the Human Immune Response to COVID-19
- Ducksters: Education Activities Covering all Subjects
- Math Chimp: Practice Fractions
- MobyMax: Find and fix Learning Gaps
- Alcumus: Free Art of Problem Solving’s Innovative Online Learning System!
- St. Mary’s Home Engineering Online Summer Camp
- Science Craft, Experiments, and Project Ideas
- Mindfulness in Quarantine – Dr. Bira demonstrates how to be mindful while eating so that we can focus on our senses for greater food satisfaction and increased overall wellbeing.
- Tons of Fun and Educational Online Games
- Alaskan Wildlife Live Cams
- Coding with Star Wars
- 50 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy At-Home
- Free At-Home Engineering Activities
- Online Photographic Jigsaw Puzzles
- Free Preschool Age Activities
- Ice Cube Discovery Activity for Kids
- 100 Free Online Educational Resources
- Free printable K-8 Reading and Math Activities (English and Spanish)
- DreamScape – Reading Game for Grades 2-8
- Carmen San Diego – Lesson, Videos, and Stories
- Digital History Archive
- Daily Math Bedtime Routine
- Games to get “Into the Book”
- Daily Free Science or at Home Cooking Experiments.
- Dr. Lindsay Bira (video) – helps us practice building emotional wellness with mindfulness while explaining the science behind it.
- Digital learning content for preschool through high school.
- Project’s for Kids – Reading, Thinking and Growing.
- 35,000 pages of online content Covering Cultures Around the World. on the cultures and countries of the world.
- Fiveable – AP Student Resources
- Everyday Earth – Interactive video earth science-based Curriculum
- DreamBox – K-8 online math program
- Online Home School platform & curriculum for Pre-K to 12th grade
- Classes for Older Teens & Adults HOUR OF CODE TUTORIALS FROM Code.org
- Mindful Minutes – Weekly emotional wellness videos with Dr. Lindsay Bira
- Explorer Zone! – The Science Mill’s extensive online learning hub, featuring virtual field trips, hands-on science, STEM activities, and interactive games.
- Science Mill Online Explorer Zone
- JLabs’ Periodic Table of Elements Hangman Game
- Science, Math, & Social Studies
- Grammar Practice – Middle School Grades
- Free Daily Science & Cooking Experimenta to do at Home!
- Mystery Science – K-5th Science Lessons
- Delta Math – A wide Range of Math Lessons (Middle – AP Calculus)
- YOUTH CODE JAM – Virtual Learning Hub with coding tutorials, activities, and resources
- SAISD Virtual Poetry Slam Celebrating National Poetry Month!
- Learn.Genetics – Grades 3-12
- Perot Museum’s weekly lessons – BILINGUAL LESSONS organized by age with hands-on activities and videos.
- Fun Hands-on Activities to do at home from the DoSeum!
- Simple sew-free Face Mask
- Your Classroom in the Cloud – CTE & Digital Age Learning Workshop Series
- ClickSchooling – Daily recommendations by email for entertaining websites that help your kids learn.
- Hands-on Elementary Science Videos
- Fun Games, Recipes, Crafts, & Activities
- Biology Simulations – helps students to learn about biology and practice data analysis skills.
- K-12 Educational Games
- CanFigureIt® Geometry – A teacher-created, unique way to teach and learn geometric proofs.
- SAISD Digital Playground
- CK-12 – Learn math & science in a whole new way
- Dial-A-Story – For over 20 years the children of San Antonio have been calling into Dial-A-Story at 210-207-4466. Stories updated weekly.
- Code.org Learning – Elementary Teachers & MS/HS Teachers Applications for summer 2020 (July 13-17, 2020)
- Vision Unit: Activities 1A and 4A
- Inflamm-o-wars: Activities 3A and 4B
- Scholastic Learn at Home (Grades 6th-9th)
- Cast Your Net: Activity 1A
- Free Must-Have Escape Room Lesson
- Fifty Environmental Activities Kids Can Do at Home
- All Ranger Rick resources are now available for FREE
- Witte Activity Book
- Indoor Activities for busy toddlers
- Switch Zoo – Play games and learn all about animals
- PBS Kids – Play with fave show characters and learn
- Math and Reading games
- Phonics skills
- 300,000+ FREE printable worksheets from toddlers to teens
- National Geographic Kids
- Math practice from counting to algebra and geometry
- Crafts, activities, & mazes
- High school chemistry topics
- Math and Reading Games
- Math and Language Games
- Litter Bug
- Scholastic Learn at Home (Grades 1-2)
- Butterfly Life Cycle (Pre-K–Kindergarten)
- Making Mountains: An Erosion Lesson (3rd–5th Grade)
- Voice-based learning: Learn through Alexa
Zoom Safety Info, Tips, & Hidden Features
- Zoom Safety Tips
- 13 Zoom video chat tips, tricks, and hidden features
- Zoom adds new security and privacy measures to prevent Zoombombing
- How to Prevent Zoom-Bombing
Free Webinars
- ESC20 FREE Webinars for teachers and school staff on digital age learning/technology issues, flyer updated weekly, new sessions will be offered after Easter (including Zoom, Google Meet, interactivity tools).
NSTA Resources
Elementary
- How Can You Assess the Science Your Children Are Doing and Learning? (Education Blog)
- Shifting to the NGSS: Professional Book Study for Elementary School Teachers Webinars (Registration fee required)
- Interactive ebooks+ are now Available for Free! (K-5)
Middle School
- Must-Read on the NSTA Blog: Wordsmithing (Education Blog)
- Interactive ebooks+ are now Available for Free! (6-12)
High School
- Equity in STEM Education: It’s All About Culture! (Education Blog)
- Interactive ebooks+ are now Available for Free! (6-12)
All Grade Levels
- NSTA Daily Do – How do we find patterns in the weather?
- Interactive ebooks+ are now Available for Free! (Professional Development)
- Join NSTA’s #LearningTogether initiative and share your ideas, tips, and strategies for teaching K-12 students online.
Free Virtual Tours
- Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
- The Alaska SeaLife Center is Offering free Livestreams of Sea Lions, Giant Octopus, and much more!
- List of Live Virtual Concerts to Watch During
- The Alamo – Remember the Alamo!
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- Yellowstone National Park
- National Zoo – Panda Cam
- The Great Wall of China
- Explore Mars with the Curiosity Rover!
- FarmFood 360 – 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs
- Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington D.C.
- Museum of Modern Art, New York City
- American Museum of Natural History, New York City
- The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
- High Museum of Art, Atlanta
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
- The Louvre Museum
- The British Museum
- National Gallery of Art: Washington, D.C.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Free Reading & Language Materials
- Reading Eggs – Online phonics and learning lessons.
- ReadWorks – Reading comprehension instruction driven by cognitive science research.
- RockAlingua – Music based Spanish learning.
- Spelling Training – Easy online spelling practice and games.
- Grammaropolis – Great resource of grammar activities and educational games.
- Printable board games, activities, and more for phonics and reading all using evidence-based methods.
- Dr. Seuss and Rap – Hear your fav Dr. Seuss books in a new way. So much FUN!
- Duolingo – Learn a new language!
- San Antonio Public Library Digital Collection
- Audible for Kids
- Reading Comprehension for Grades 3-12
- Actors Read Children’s Storybooks
- Read, play games, and hang out with Dr. Seuss
- Texas Biomed Researchers Race to Find Coronavirus Vaccine
- I suddenly have to move my face-to-face physics/astronomy course online! What should I do?
Podcasts
- SpaceBus Podcast – SpaceBus is an Educational Adventure Podcast with a mission to launch kids to school, even if their desk is the kitchen table. This free remote learning resource helps parents & teachers start their elementary-aged kids’ school day on the right foot in about 6 minutes.
- Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
- ChoreMonster: make chores fun for kids!
- Brains On! Science podcast for kids
- Tumble | Science Podcast for Kids
- The Show About Science
- Aaron’s World – Kids Listen
- Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Science Friday
- Point of Discovery
- TXBioBytes from Texas Biomed
- People Behind the Science Podcast – Science Podcast
Kid-Friendly Apps
- NGAkids Art Zone – Art app for iPad from the National Gallery of Art.
- Motion Math App – A fun way for kids to learn math while parents monitor their progress!
- Calm
- Canabalt – Gaming app
- Chop Chop Ninja
- SkyView Free Android, iOS
- Mammals by Tinybop
- Wizard School!
- The Robot Factory by Tinybop
- DragonBox Algebra 5+
- DIY.org – Creative Challenges
- Crazy Gears
- Dinosaurs: The American Museum of Natural History Collection
COVID-19 Information & News Links
- Global COVID-19 Scientific Study – Scientific leaders from more than 25 countries have launched a global effort to examine the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the brain.
- COVID-19 Clinical Trial – UT Health San Antonio, with its clinical partner University Health System, are among the first study sites in the nation to begin the third phase of the COVID-19 clinical trial involving Remdesivir. The Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, or ACTT 3, is testing remdesivir in combination with a drug already FDA-approved for multiple sclerosis. The trial opened here Aug. 6.
- Region 20 COVID-19 Support & Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Texas Health and Human Services
- Metropolitan Health District San Antonio
- America’s for Medical Progress
- Cases & Updates
- A full list of San Antonio schools offering free meals during coronavirus school cancellations