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10 Great Free Websites for High School

There's still nothing as reliable as the web when it comes to high school classrooms. Given all the free websites out there, there's also nothing as overwhelming to sift through. Unfortunately, part of that vetting process is wading through the heaps of educational sites that aren't mature enough in style and learning for high school students' needs and sensibilities. To help point you in the right direction, we've done the hard work of curating a list of free web-based tools that'll challenge and delight demanding high school students. The picks span all subject areas, including quite a few that cross disciplines. We've also made sure to curate useful and flexible tools that can be used all year long.

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Top Picks

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NOVA

Compelling science videos have high-quality classroom applications

Bottom line: Unparalleled science documentaries offer a window into real-world scientific topics in a high-interest way.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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Khan Academy

Missions boost learning with balance of focus and freedom to explore

Bottom line: A solid resource for math and science instruction as well as foundational knowledge in a number of other high school subjects.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free

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Smithsonian Open Access

Stellar museum-based resources available for exploration and use

Bottom line: This high-quality collection of museum resources -- ranging from artifacts to full-blown exhibits -- provides unlimited exploration for students, reliable primary sources for teachers.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

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Google Arts & Culture

Well-curated art and history site inspires curious learning

Bottom line: A beautifully presented one-stop shop for compellingly curated and contextualized art, history, and culture resources, but it's lacking educator supports.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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Quizlet

App to find, create, use digital flashcards; website is better

Bottom line: A convenient way to find, create, and review digital flashcards, which have all the advantages and disadvantages of paper flashcards.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid

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Adobe Spark

Super-flexible design tool for crafting fab images, videos, and sites

Bottom line: This one-stop shop for creating sleek graphics, web stories, and animated videos is incredibly easy to use and challenges students to think critically about visual presentation.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Free to try

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Zinn Education Project

Resources, lessons help teach a more inclusive version of U.S. history

Bottom line: Free downloadable resources encourage critical thinking and active learning in search of a more accurate picture of American history.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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