Online Resources for Elementary Students This is a list of web tools, games, and apps that are appropriate for elementary students. If you have any suggestions to add to this list please let me know by leaving a comment!
10 Great Free Websites for Elementary School
On the hunt for free websites you can use in your elementary classroom? There’s a ton out there, especially for helping kids learn and practice literacy and math skills. Out of the hundreds of K-5 websites we’ve rated, these are some of our favorites. We’ve selected these websites for their ability to engage students and their pedagogical value as well as their utility in the classroom. Our hope is that these content-rich sites can be reliable go-to destinations for your kids all year long. Use them with students from pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade to help them pick up new skills and build solid foundations in math, science, and reading.
PBS Kids
One-stop shop for a wealth of fantastic PBS Kids educational content
Bottom line: Amazing collection of valuable learning resources covers an impressive array of topics.Grades: Pre-K–6 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
MathGames
Fast-paced games reinforce math facts
Bottom line: A solid resource for practicing math skills, but might be frustrating for struggling students.Grades: Pre-K–8 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
National Geographic Kids
Kid-friendly science and social studies info via videos, games, and more
Bottom line: Large collection of approachable, fun multimedia resources about animals, habitats, countries, and cultures.Grades: Pre-K–8 Price: Free Visit website See full review
ReadWriteThink
Excellent free resource for all things reading and writing
Bottom line: A language arts teacher’s dream; lesson plans, professional development, and all-around quality support.Grades: Pre-K–12 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
ClassDojo
Exemplar bridge between home and school also aids learning
Bottom line: When used thoughtfully, ClassDojo can help teachers and families support students’ growth through goal-setting, reflection, and celebration.Grades: K–6 Price: Free Visit website See full review
LearnZillion
Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers
Bottom line: An innovative way to enhance lessons and tailor learning for individual needs.Grades: K–8 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
Scratch
Creative sandbox opens the door to coding in any subject area
Bottom line: Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning.Grades: 2–12 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
Storybird
Social storytelling site helps kids create, publish storybooks
Bottom line: A great fit for teachers looking to develop students’ writing and digital citizenship skills through storybook creation.Grades: K–12 Price: Free to try Visit website See full review
MetKids
Whimsical, kid-friendly intro to the wide world of art
Bottom line: A wonderful, endlessly detailed way to get kids engaged in the world of art.Grades: 1–6 Price: FreeVisit website See full review
Biblionasium
Site for reviewing and sharing books makes reading a social adventure
Bottom line: This safe, simple social network lets kids share their reading success with friends, creating healthy competition and confidence.Grades: 2–8 Price: Free, Paid Visit website See full review
Related Top Picks
- Great Social and Emotional Learning Curricula and Programs
- Websites for Reading, Literacy, and Math Games
- Tools for Classrooms with In-Person
Elementary Library Catalogs
Search here for print and electronic books owned by your school library and others in the CHUH district.
- Boulevard’s library catalog – Click here
- Canterbury’s library catalog – Click here
- Fairfax’s library catalog – Click here
- Gearity’s library catalog – Click here
- Noble’s library catalog – Click here
- Oxford’s library catalog – Click here
- Roxboro Elementary’s library catalog – Click here
eBooks
BookFlix –
Listen and read. Storybooks, e-books, videos, games, and more. PreK-3.
Early World of Learning (World Book) –
Look and Read. Includes stories, nursery rhymes, songs, games, and videos. PreK-3.
INFOhio eBook/eResource Collection –
INFOhio’s eBook/eResource Collection contains hundreds of eBook and Audio books that have been reviewed and selected by educators throughout Ohio. Find these eBooks in ISearch.
Storia: Ohio’s 4th Grade eBook Collection –
INFOhio is pleased to provide Ohio’s 4th Grade Storia Collection. This collection of 160 titles was hand selected to support Ohio’s Learning Standards for 4th grade. To get started, teachers who work with fourth grade students need to request an access code and add their class as explained in the Storia Getting Started Guide.
Encyclopedias/Reference
Biography Reference Bank (EBSCO) –
Articles, most in full text, about more than a half-million people from around the world.
Explora for Grades PreK-5 (EBSCO)
Learn about your favorite subject. Look up words. Read magazines, newspapers, biographies, primary sources, country information. Find pictures. Translate articles into more than 30 languages.
Scholastic GO! (Grolier Online) –
Click here to access all six of the Grolier resources simultaneously; The New Book of Knowledge, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, America the Beautiful, Lands and Peoples, The New Book of Popular Science, and La Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre.
Learn about people, places, animals, sports, and more. Includes videos, images, maps, games. Hear text read aloud.
Start your school project here. Research tools, biographies, videos, current events, images, maps, and timelines. Create your own account to track and share your research. Hear text read aloud. Translate articles into more than 30 languages.
Magazines/Newspapers/Journal Articles
Explora for Grades PreK-5 (EBSCO)
Learn about your favorite subject. Look up words. Read magazines, newspapers, biographies, primary sources, country information. Find pictures. Translate articles into more than 30 languages.
Biography Reference Bank (EBSCO) –
Articles, most in full text, about more than a half-million people from around the world.
Science/Math
Explora for Grades PreK-5 (EBSCO)
Learn about your favorite subject. Look up words. Read magazines, newspapers, biographies, primary sources, country information. Find pictures. Translate articles into more than 30 languages.
Click here to access all six of the Grolier resources simultaneously; The New Book of Knowledge, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, America the Beautiful, Lands and Peoples, The New Book of Popular Science, and La Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre.
Homework help with math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more.
Science Online (Facts On File) –
Science, math, and technology information articles, images, diagrams, videos, current events, experiments, biographies, and more. Hear text read aloud.
Videos/Multimedia
Digital Video Collection (INFOhio) –
Videos for learning and fun. Watch here or download for later. Plays on all devices.
Early World of Learning (World Book) –
Look and Read. Includes stories, nursery rhymes, songs, games, and videos. PreK-3.
Homework help with math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more.
Lessons complete with free media spanning multiple subjects for preschool through 12th grade.
Build and share timelines. Use your own events and images or add content and images from World Book.
Teacher Resources
Explora for Educators (EBSCO) –
Collection of databases selected for PreK-12 educators in Ohio. Includes EBSCO’s Academic Search Premier, ERIC, and the Professional Development Collection.
Digital and informational resources for all PreK – 12 Ohio students, parents and teachers.
INFOhio Professional Development –
Resources for teachers, including; webinars, INFOhio Curriculum Toolbox, iMatrix curriculum alignment tool.
Guide to Online Education Resources for Elementary School Teachers
Elementary school teachers now have access to a dizzying array of online teaching resources. With so many options at their disposal, how do today’s educators ensure that they’re selecting the right online tools and applications for their students?
This piece draws from an informal survey of five teachers* working in California public schools, four of them based in Laguna Beach. As longtime users of classroom laptops and early adopters of edutech tools, they offer advice on the most useful online education resources for K-5 teachers, including tools for classroom management, student skill-building, and getting parents involved in their child’s education. Please note that unless otherwise specified, these tools are available across the gamut of Apple and Android devices, including computers, tablets, and phones.
*The author’s mother worked as an elementary school teacher in Laguna Beach for 22 years; four of the five respondents are her mother’s former coworkers.
Resources to Manage a Classroom
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking a tool for rule enforcement as well as communication with students and parents
What it does: This tool allows students and teachers to share the classroom experience with parents and provides an effective reinforcement system for good behaviors. It gives students a voice and empowers them to share the work that makes them most proud, accommodating various languages and devices.
Teachers say: “I am a big fan of using a randomizer app called ClassDojo for equality purposes in class. I know it’s very popular at the elementary level as well. The app has many other functions as well, such as positive/negative point collection, parent interaction, and classroom blogging.” (Sara S. from San Jose, CA)
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking a comprehensive classroom management platform
What it does: Google Classroom and the entire “G Suite” came recommended by three of the five elementary school teachers surveyed. These multivariate tools allow teachers to streamline classroom email; hand out assignments; create student groups for project collaboration; make presentations; offer instant feedback; save work in the cloud; share calendars; and much more.
Teachers say: “I absolutely use Google Drive and Google Classroom with students constantly. Google Forms is great for quick homework assignments.” (Sara S. from San Jose, CA)
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking a comprehensive “Unified Classroom” experience
What it does: Similar to G Suite, what doesn’t this tool do? PowerSchool allows teachers to create interactive classroom pages with tailored content blocks; embed material from various sites (e.g., YouTube, Maps, etc.); offer assignments and feedback in one place; administer quizzes; track student progress; and much more. Please note that PowerSchool integrates seamlessly with G Suite and other student information systems.
Teachers say: “I create my website on here. It’s easy to use. Our kids all have access and can create sites and check homework daily.” (Azadeh B. from Laguna Beach, CA)
Resources to Build Student Math Skills
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking an engaging, adaptive math program to learn the fundamentals
What it does: This gamified platform for learning math is aligned with US curriculum standards and meets students at their own skill-level. It offers its lessons in both English and Spanish and encourages creative problem-solving by accommodating differing ways of approaching math.
Teachers say: “With solid classroom instruction and access to DreamBox as additional support, students made huge gains in mathematical understanding. That’s when I realized the power of quality instruction with quality digital tools can enhance and expand instructional opportunities.” (Denise, Mathematics Program Coordinator)
Ideal for: Grades K-10 teachers seeking a gamified platform for learning math skills
What it does: Mangahigh features an extensive Prodigi system, composed of adaptive quizzes modeled on core standards. Students interact with those quizzes, as well as casual games that strike a balance between fun and education in an tailor-made platform which encourages discipline and self-teaching. Mangahigh offers real-world applications of problems rather than strictly theoretical work, contributing to the compelling nature of the content. Teachers can set challenges for lessons, focusing on specific competencies which add up to large gains across the fundamentals of mathematics. Additionally, schools can create a “Fai-To,” a points competition between two institutions. Mangahigh’s curriculum standards are aligned to the country in which it is being used.
Teachers say: “The kids can use [DreamBox and Mangahigh] independently and they both tailor to their math needs.” (Azadeh B. from Laguna Beach, CA)
Resources to Build Student English & Reading Skills
Ideal for: K-5 teachers and reading specialists, including ESL instructors, who want to improve student literacy and language comprehension
What it does: This adaptive reading tool offers personalized instruction across six areas of literacy. Through a game-like environment, Lexia motivates students and provides teachers with the targeted feedback they need to assist students with areas of difficulty. For ESL classrooms, audio instructions are available in Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Haitian-Creole.
Teachers say: “[Lexia Core 5] is being used by our reading specialist now.” (Patti R. from Laguna Beach, CA)
Ideal for: K-5 teachers who want to make their students love reading
What it does: With over 400 eBooks across 29 levels, Raz-Kids is an application which helps improve student reading abilities and gets them engaged. It offers not only the books themselves in text-based or audio formats, but it also features comprehension tests; skills reports for teachers; and “Raz Rocket,” a motivational system which enhances students’ love of reading.
Resources to Build Student Computer Skills
Ideal for: K-5 students who want to learn how to code
What it does: This easily learned drag-and-drop system of code can teach both kids and adults the fundamentals of programming.
Ideal for: Grades 3-5 students who want to learn how to program creative content
What it does: Scratch helps students create their own games, videos, and interactive stories in an online community, encouraging imaginative thinking, logical planning, and collaboration with others. It was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab.
Other Skill-Building & Quiz Resources
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking supplementary educational material on a wide range of subjects
What it does: With animated videos, activities, and games, this playful and engaging learning platform overs multilingual lessons across all subjects. In its K-3 lessons, BrainPop presents lessons in STEM, social studies, reading, writing, health, and arts. In its grades 4-5 lessons, BrainPop adds resources for English and music, as well. The service even provides a program for ESL students with proficiency-based learning in grammar, listening, reading, writing, and vocabulary.
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking tailor-made learning games which can be created by students or teachers in minutes
What it does: A “kahoot” is a multiple-choice learning game which students or teachers can quickly create. Kahoots can feature videos, images, or diagrams and can be used in conjunction with other students across 180+ countries.
Teachers say: “My kids LOVE this! We create quizzes and they play as a class and answer questions to any topic we have picked. There are premade ones as well to make life even easier.” (Azadeh B. from Laguna Beach, CA)
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking fun and efficient ways to test student progress in various subjects
What it does: As the most popular online educational service in the US, Quizlet boasts more than 20 million student and teacher users monthly. This multipurpose tool allows students to play learning games; create flashcards; collaborate with their peers; and assist in the mastery of virtually any school subject in an engaging manner.
Teachers say: “I use this in math every day to give the kids a break and do math in a fun game-like way.” (Azadeh B. from Laguna Beach, CA)
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking an all-in-one student quiz platform
What it does: Students login from their own devices to answer prepared questions or ones created on-the-fly. Teachers enjoy a detailed tracking system for concept mastery; grading tools; a learning community with other teachers; and a resource board for standardized educational materials.
Resources to Engage Parents in the Classroom Experience
Ideal for: K-5 students who want to create “galleries” of their work for their parents (and each other)
What it does: One teacher described this as a “virtual picture gallery” which allows students to easily share photos of their art, writing, and other projects with their peers and parents. It captures multimedia student work and aims to engage student reflection on past work and to give students an audience for their accomplishments through a dynamic microblogging platform. Seesaw reported that 99 percent of teachers who had used the service would recommend it to a colleague and planned to use it again.
Ideal for: K-5 teachers seeking a social learning network with all-in-one classroom management features
What it does: Edmodo boasts several capabilities and came strongly recommended by two of the five teachers surveyed. It provides unlimited storage and the ability to create classroom groups, issue assignments, schedule activities, manage concept progress, and share information with parents to reinforce learning at home. It can be integrated with G Suite and other services.
Other Resources for Elementary School Teachers
These are only a few of the recommended online resources for elementary school teachers. In addition to the above software, learning platforms, and applications, the five surveyed teachers offered some of their go-to blogs, must-follow social media accounts, and other valuable resources:
Pinterest Edutech Tools & Websites
Conclusion
Students today have an incredible opportunity to work and learn online. There is a growing community of free educational resources which you can access anywhere and anytime, and that’s without having to worry about the cost. Most of the time, you won’t even need to provide your credit card details!