TOP PICKS | 10 TOOLS

10 Great Free Websites for Middle School

Middle school is an opportune time to expand students' horizons, and to plant the seeds for critical thinking skills and content knowledge that'll propel them to success through high school and beyond. On this list, we've narrowed down the huge market of edtech out there for grades 6-8 to 10 great choices free across just about every subject area. You'll find tools for literacy, math, science, social studies, arts, and creation. Each pick in this list is both highly rated and deep, offering resources and experiences that can go the distance in your classroom.

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Top Picks

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OK Go Sandbox

Creative music video-inspired STEAM design challenges

Bottom line: After watching OK Go music videos, kids will be excited to make new creations by integrating art, science, and math.

Grades: 1–12 Price: Free

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Edpuzzle

Crop, customize, and remix online video content with interactive tool

Bottom line: As a flipped classroom or student creation tool, there are lots of opportunities for use, but teachers will need to be creative if they want students to engage.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free, Paid

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PenPal Schools

Give students global perspective with pen pal projects in any subject

Bottom line: A thoughtful, ready-to-go platform that facilitates authentic, cross-cultural collaboration.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

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Google CS First

Middle school CS curriculum has stellar resources, room for creativity

Bottom line: A high-quality introductory CS curriculum where students can be creative, collaborate with others, and express themselves, in the classroom or at home.

Grades: 4–8 Price: Free

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NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

Wildly engaging contest turns students into novelists in 30 days

Bottom line: A thoughtful adaptation of the famous and fun grown-up novel writing contest, NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is brimming with advice and encouragement as well as classroom support.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free

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AMAZE

Quirky, funny videos give thoughtful answers to kids' sex-ed questions

Bottom line: An appealingly down-to-earth way to help kids face tough questions about navigating the challenges of puberty.

Grades: 5–8 Price: Free

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The Concord Consortium

Vast collection of science resources emphasizes written reflection

Bottom line: A selection of online science simulations paired with a teacher dashboard to track progress.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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Desmos

Elegant graphing calculator and math simulations promote collaboration

Bottom line: Part calculator, part interactive simulation tool, Desmos is a standout example of inquiry-driven math with super-smart instructional supports.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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