Learning Games and Activities For Kids!: Online Psychology Degree

Learning Games and Activities For Kids!

This site was suggested to me by a teacher who found my website.  Actually, her 4th grader suggested it to me.  This site has many links to online games for students to play.  The game categories include Problem Solving, Language Activities, Memory Games, and Subject Games.  Many of the sites that are linked to these games have massive advertisements which can be a hindrance, but the games seem to be excellent.  Here is the site's explanation.  "Word games, such as crosswords and jumbles, improve vocabulary and reading skills. Math games practice basic and advanced mathematical operations without repetitive worksheets. Most educational online games offer immediate feedback and answers to help players learn."

http://www.onlinepsychologydegree.net/resources/dup-improving-child-psychology-learning-games-and-activities-for-kids/

Annenberg Media Learner.org

Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum 

This site has many resources for the teacher to learn about various subjects.  It provides online instruction videos, workshops, and distance learning.  Browse the many videos that are available free to view from this website.   http://www.learner.org/

EDSITEment

Again, I debated about adding this website, but it looks like it has some good lessons about history and in literature.  Click on the History and Social Studies for lessons about History and click on the Literature and Language Arts  for Literature lessons.

Animated Atlas of American History

Animated Atlas of American History

I realize this website is promoting their DVDs, but the 10 minute free sample of The Growth of the Nation is worth a visit to this site.

America's Story

This website has many stories from different periods and different people of American History.  The user can choose from selected American figures, periods of time, the various states, and even select some audio and video features.

Science NetLinks

Science NetLinks
I was debated about including this website on this blog.  It is little more complicated than I wanted to use, but it looks like it may have some lesson plans that I might want to check out some time.  The lesson plan page has many categorized subject matters.  The Resource page has a bunch of other resources.

The Science Spot

This site has some very good lesson plans for science subjects.  I have used a few lesson plans in the classroom.  Click on The Science Classroom and choose the subject that you need some help in.

Math Worksheet Creator

This site has other subjects, but this feature stood out to me.  You can create math worksheets quickly and then print it out with an answer sheet.

Create A Graph

Create A Graph allows the user to select different kinds of graphs, input data, label the graph, preview, and print out the graph to paper or to a file.  I've used this site when students had to make graphs for various science data.

Timez Attack

This is one of the best multiplication practice games around.  It is a game that is downloaded onto your computer.  The game is free.  You can upgrade to the standard or deluxe edition.  I believe they give you more gaming options, but the free version is great.  I used this at Clough and students did not want to quit when it was time to go and they were practicing their multiplication!

 

It looks like they are working on addition, subtraction, and division versions in the next couple years. 

Audio Books

Download an audio book for free at these websites.

http://librivox.org/

http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/home

Of course check out your local library websites. 
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/downloadables/ebooks.html

http://ohdbks.lib.overdrive.com/4B69D7A1-0DF0-4FD7-A21B-09F609992389/10/364/en/Default.htm

TheTeachersCorner.net

This website looks like a great resource for teachers.  It has worksheets, many printables from various subjects.  Check out the daily writing prompts at http://www.theteacherscorner.net/daily-writing-prompts/.  Some of the printables include: Sudoku Puzzles, Brain Teasers, Word Searches, Word Scrambles, Match-up Worksheets, Crossword Puzzle Maker, Telling Time Worksheets, Money Worksheets, Coloring Pages, Printable Calendars, Printable Maps, Cloze Sentence, Fill in the Blank, Maze Maker, and Graph Worksheets!

abcTeach.com

The website has over 5000 free printable pages and worksheets.  If you need something help reinforce a lesson or something to fill a few minutes, this site may have something for you.  There are worksheets for all of the core subjects.

Vocabulary Games and Resources

This site has many online interactive vocabulary games and puzzles.  Some of the classic game include crossword puzzles, unscramble, match game, hang mouse, and word search.  Check out the many new games and categories on the left.  Some of the categories include antonym and synonym games, prefix and suffix games, and many more.
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/

Maps That Teach

This online interactive website has many maps to choose from.  You can use the online maps, download maps, or print out the maps of the world or the United States.  You are also able to download map puzzles and install it on your computer.  I used this site for 5th graders while at Clough.
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/geography.htm

U.S. and World Geography:  Free Maps

neoK12

neoK12 is an excellent website that contains videos, lessons, and games for all subjects at different grade levels.  It even has online quizzes as well printable quizzes.  Check it out.

Jeopardy Labs

JeopardyLabs allows you to create a customized jeopardy template without PowerPoint. The games you make can be played online from anywhere in the world. Building your own jeopardy template is a piece of cake.

Wordle

Wordle is a free online site that allows you paste certain words into a text box.  It then creates a poster of those words.  The words that are used the most are bigger.  You can edit the poster until you get one you like and then save as a pdf file and print it out.  I have used this to create a poster for a bulletin board.  Sample using this blog.

Survey Monkey

Survey Monkey is a free online source for taking surveys.  You have to create an account to start.  The site allows to create your own surveys that students can take online.  The site gathers the information for you so that you can see the data.  It also allows you to print a .pdf file for your survey.  Michelle shared this one at the teacher's meeting. 



EZClasssites.com

This allows you to create a free website for your class.  For a payment, you can create one without the ads, but the ads are not that big of a deal.  You can create a page for each class, put up you classroom management documents, and lots more.  It also allow you to have students create a webpage from assignments that you give them.  You get to publish them not the students, so everyone remains safe.  I'm in the middle of doing that now.  You can upload files for students and parents to download.  Go to http://www.ezclasssites.com/ to start your own website.  If you want to see an example website, look at mine at www.ezclasssites.com/mrmcd.

Free Word Art Generator

This is on http://www.teacherfiles.com/ website which has many other features.  The only part that I have used is this free Word Art Generator by Xara3d.  It allows you to use various fonts and features to get that right Word Art for that project.  I used it a year ago to help me get the Superman like logo for Jesus: Hero for Heroes lessons.
http://www.teacherfiles.com/free_word_art.htm  

Crossword Puzzle Maker

This site allows you to make your own crossword puzzles by putting in the words and the clues.  It generates the crossword puzzle and answer key that can be printed out.  It has several features.  http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

Internet4Classrooms

This website has 100s of online games for the students to play from every grade level and subject level.  The sites are categorized into grade level and subject level.  I have used this site to help me find online games to reinforce what I was teaching in class.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/

Pete's PowerPoint Station

This website has 100s of PowerPoint Presentation for different educational subjects.  Most times you are able to download the PowerPoint and modify to make it personal to what you are teaching.  Some are very simply slide shows while others are more sophisticated.
http://www.pppst.com/

AVG Antivirus Software from Grisoft

AVG is probably the most popular free download on the Internet.  It is a full scale antivirus software.  I have used it for years, the free version.  It downloads, installs, updates, and regularly scans your PC.  The scanning will slow down your system.  So choose a time when the PC is not in use.
http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free

Any Video Converter

Any Video Converter is free download software for converting video clips to different formats.  It is simple to use.  The main reason why I convert videos is because I want to edit it.  Many times certain formats do not work with certain programs.  This allow you to convert to different formats and different qualities for storing.
http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/

InfOhio

Infohio.org is one of my favorite sites.  It is packed full of resources.  What I have used for most is educational video downloads or online viewing.  Many times there are lesson plans that go along with the downloads.  Also, many of the videos short clips about only certain portions of the show.  That way you can only concentrate on what you are teaching for that day.  Once you click your grade level find the Digital Video Collection icon and look at the many videos available.  You will be asked to input a username and password.  You will need to give some information to get the username and password. 
http://www.infohio.org/

RealPlayer

RealPlayer is one of the most popular free downloads for playing and organizing music and videos.  The latest version which is free has many other options.  It allows you to convert audio and video files to different formats.  One of the greatest new features is it allows you to download videos from the Internet like YouTube with one click.  Then you can convert it to whatever format you need it.  You can also clip files and just use the segment that you need.  Even if you use iTunes for your music playback consider using this for easily downloading videos from the Internet.  http://www.real.com/

doPDF

doPDF is an excellent way to convert files to the .pdf format.  It is software that loads onto your computer and it acts like a printer.  To convert a file to pdf select the printer as "doPDF".  You can choose where to save the file.  Be careful when you select your file or if you change the name of the file to include ".pdf" at the end of the name.  Go to http://www.dopdf.com/ to download and install it.  And yes, it is free.  I use it transfer Word files to pdf, because some families do not have MSWord at home.  This allows them to still read the file.  Plus, in most cases they cannot modify or edit the original document.

Bible Reference Websites

These are some good Bible reference sites. 
Bible Gateway has many translations.
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Biblos has many resources for studying the Bible including concordance, dictionary, and commentary.
http://biblos.com/

Sync Back

Sync Back is little bit more sophistocated software for backing up and synchronizing your files, but it is still free.  This has many features for automatic backup and even emailing you after it has backed up the files.  I use this software at home to back up my files on a weekly basis to an external hard disk.  http://download.cnet.com/SyncBack-Freeware/3000-2242_4-10413802.html

Allway Sync

Allway Sync is free software that allows you to syncronize files and folders to other destinations like a flash drive or an external hard drive.  It is excellent for making sure that you have the latest version of a file on the destination drive.  I use it a school to backup my files to a flashdrive I keep in the computer.  Just in case the server goes down I can still get to my files.  Go to http://www.alwaysync.com/ and download this software. 

Dropbox

Dropbox is a free online storage website that allows you to store your files without worrying about losing your USB flashdrive.  You can use it as a web based storage space, simply logging into Dropbox to retrieve your files and/or loading it on certain computers where the files will be automatically synced everytime you make a change to a file.  I use this almost everyday.  Go to http://www.dropbox.com/ to watch the promotion video that shows how it works.