15 Online Resources to Supplement Classroom Learning

Guest post from Karen Schweitzer, the About.com Guide to Business School. Karen also writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net.

---

Are you looking for a great way to engage and motivate your students to learn? Many newspapers, magazines, museums, TV stations, and other institutions provide educational websites to supplement classroom learning. This article offers a list of 15 educational sources worth exploring:

NASA - NASA provides a series of resources for K-12 and higher to motivate students in math, science, technology, and engineering. Resources include NASA e-clips, video podcasts, research tools, games, and NASA television.

Scholastic - A trusted name in learning, Scholastic offers programs that make reading and learning fun. One such program, The Stacks, features several book lists, games, and videos.

History Classroom - The History Channel provides an online History Classroom and Education page loaded with tons of great features. Just a few of the resources you can find are interactive lesson plans, study guides, videos, and speeches.

Smithsonian Education - The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies offers several supplemental resources for teachers, families, and students. Their site features fun and interactive games and references for elementary and middle school children, along with lesson plans and tools for teachers.

National Geographic - This educational site for students and teachers provides a number of great resources for learning about geography, culture, and conservation. Fun and interactive projects and games are available for students of all ages.

PBS Teachers - PBS Teachers is an educational branch of PBS.org. It is designed specifically for teachers and houses several classroom resources, initiatives, activities, and lesson plans.

Discovery Education - Discovery Education hosts a number of engaging resources to help students learn more effectively. Some of the valuable resources you can find include classroom tools, interactive games, and a homework helper.

CNN Student News - This educational site, provided by CNN.com, features several different news resources to connect students with events occurring around the world. CNN Student News also offers quizzes, learning activities, news articles, podcasts, and more.

Newspapers in Education - The NIEonline.com links to newspapers in several states that provide innovative tools to connect students to local and world events. When you click on your local link or sign up for free, Newspapers in Education will provide lesson plans by grade, quizzes, Cartoons for the Classroom, and Words in the News.

Time for Kids - Time for Kids.com is a site dedicated to motivating kids to read. This online version of the classroom magazine features teaching resources, homework helpers, entertainment news, and animal news. Teachers can also find the table of contents and a PDF of the full magazine online.

Kids.gov - Kids.gov is an educational portal to the U.S. government for grades K-8. This site links you to an age appropriate web page from federal agencies and other educational sources. Many of these pages incorporate lesson plans and activities.

Learning Network - The Learning Network, provided by The New York Times, offers a wealth of resources for grades 3-12. Within this site, visitors can find news summaries, lesson plans, science Q & A, and education news.

White House - The White House gives children a look into several aspects of the U.S. government, including government branches, history, and issues. One fantastic feature for elementary education is the White House 101. Within this page, you can find information on past presidents, fun facts, and first pets.

Highlight Teachers - Highlight Teachers features several different resources to supplement classroom learning. Resources include activities, articles, interactive games, and more.

BrainPOP - This site features colorful interactive games and resources to motivate students to learn. BrainPOP is broken down into subjects and includes activities, lesson plans, quizzes, and classroom tools.