TOP PICKS | 10 TOOLS

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.

Top Picks

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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: Free

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MathGames

Fabulous free games, quiz questions address Common Core standards

Bottom line: A fantastic resource for practicing Common Core math skills, but struggling students won't get much support.

Grades: Pre-K–8 Price: Free

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National Geographic Kids

Stunning photos and in-depth stories of Earth's peoples and wildlife

Bottom line: This large collection of multimedia resources teaches younger students about animals, habitats, countries, and cultures.

Grades: Pre-K–8 Price: Free, Paid Online content is free; magazine subscriptions for National Geographic Kids are $15 per year for print and iPad versions (digital-only subscriptions are $12 per year), with National Geographic Little Kids available for $15 per year for 6 print issues.

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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: Free

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ClassDojo

Handy management and portfolio tool can promote student growth

Bottom line: With thoughtful implementation, it can help teachers and parents support students' growth through goal-setting, feedback, and celebration.

Grades: K–6 Price: Free

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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: Free

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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: 1–12 Price: Free

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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, Paid Teachers create accounts for free with unlimited classes and students. Finished stories are available for purchase. Curriculum and some premium extras are available for $4.99 per student.

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