Everything might feel a little in disarray, but the good news for teachers and parents is there is lots of creative, fun resources out there to help kids currently home-schooling. Plus keeping them on track re. the curriculum.
This blog post is a summary of some great sites, classified according to the type of resource. But please also follow us on twitter, as we’ll be trying to support teachers by liking or retweeting anything useful that pops up.
Types of resource:
- Online games
- Creative challenges
- Activites/Experiments
- Watch and do
- One-stop shops – that have a bit of all the above
Online games
- ss Great Britain – good place for hands on activities, but of particular note is their Full Steam Ahead game
- Game Dr develops immersive and engaging mobile games and media to educate on science and microbiology. Find the links to download the games on our blog
- Students can become a space cadet and complete missions on the Astro Science Challenge App.
Creative challenges
- Leaders Award – also has some great resources and pupils and teachers can now sign up on the website – home learning handbooks
- The Great Science Share challenges kids to come up with a science question – what, how & why – and then conduct an experiment to figure out the answer – why not set your kids this challenge?
Activities/Experiments
- Easy hands on science experiments for kids – Science Sparks
- Technology for Fun has downloadable resources, curriculum linked and the website gives clear instructions about any parts needed and where to get them.
- The RSC’s Education website has a dedicated primary area with over 180 resources to support the teaching of chemistry-relevant sections of various primary curricula.
- Polar Explorer has activity packs with links to the curriculum
- Try using some of the activities from these STEM Club packs
- Practical Action – STEM learning activities modelled on real life problems, which you can search by age etc for
- Sustainable Learning: loads of fun lesson plans with activities incorporated
- Some family orientated ones, already made for the home but not all have the curriculum links pointed out:
- Day out with the Kids – collection of activities and ideas for the home
- Kitchen science
- science4families this one includes curriculum links, age suitability and top tips on how to run
Watch and do
- Watch Bitz and Bob on Cbeebies (11min) and then the follow up with the companion video that shows you how to do the activity in real-life that they did on the programme
- Royal Institution – ExpeRimental – a series of short films making it fun, easy and cheap to do science experiments at home with your children.
- Kids against plastic – has a resource bank on everything sustainability – with lesson guides and videos to watch
- Resources and animations on everything space edu – European Space Education Resource Office
One stop shops
- Wow Science games, activities, videos, experiments, quizzes
- Explorify supplies free engaging, creative science activities designed to spark curiosity, discussion and debate. From video to hands-on activities.
- NASA Climate Kids – games, activities and videos
- Sustainable climate theme on Thought Box Education – things to watch, read, listen and do