Over the 12+ years that we have been teaching, we spent a lot of time searching for engaging websites to use in our lessons. We love to incorporate games, online labs, videos, and any other site that is both educational AND fun for our students (and us too!). Not to mention, interactive sites are the perfect excuse to utilize your Promethean or Smart Board. Together, we have compiled a HUGE list of sites that we know to be truly exceptional and we hope you and your students will enjoy them too! Below is a short list of our top science websites along with a short synopsis about each of them to show you why they’re so incredibly special and deserve to be used in your classroom!
Top of our list is Questionaut – an interactive game that is a little steam punk and a whole lot of fun. Break this out to get kids excited about test prep and give them an opportunity to brush up on all topics (and not just science)! The puzzle solving and use of the scientific method throughout makes it SO worthwhile… and don’t forget to turn up the volume – the music is great!
Edheads is an engaging science inquiry site. Students can pick from virtual surgeries, machine building, car crash investigations and more. It’s very innovative and even has accompanying handouts for educators to use along with the different online activities so students can complete assignments as they play and learn.
Wonderville is, well, wonderful! It’s a mixture of movies and interactive lessons that are quirky, educational, and fun for all ages. They tackle a variety of science topics and their lessons are thorough enough to incorporate into your day as a bell ringer, station, or as closure!
Launchball! Launch ball is the perfect way to get students to tinker through trial and error while they unassumingly learn about Newton’s laws of motion and simple machines. The object of the game is easy: get the ball from point “a” to point “b” – then discover what physics concepts you covered in the end. This is a perfect way to start your year as you review the scientific method or review physics concepts before testing.
Get Clobbered We love this site! We use it during our review of Lab Safety. Choose a character and send them along the assembly line where they are assigned a scientist job. Have students come up to your interactive white board to place the different safety equipment on their bodies to help them survive their harsh work environment. The character is then sent through a work simulation where students discover if their character is unharmed or ends up dizzy with disease.
Vector Park’s Levers is a relaxing physical science site that is all about balance. Students get new materials and levers each time they create a balanced structure. It’s perfect for introducing or reviewing the scientific method and is great for any down time you may have in class. You can get the entire class involved as they share ideas on how to balance the items provided.
Who Wants to Live a Million Years – hands down a favorite for our kids. We use it during our study of Evolution. To startoff the game, Darwin discusses the meaning of Natural Selection and survival of the fittest. Then, students pick out their creatures with the idea that diversity = increased chance of survival. Will the evolving population survive a changing and sometimes cruel environment? You will see!
Arnold’s Lost all his Organs! It’s silly, it’s Arnold Schwarzeneggery, and it’s a little elementary, but it’s a great intro to Human Body Systems. Students must give Arnold the appropriate organs for each system. They have unlimited chances, and if a child gets stumped, it’s great to have the help of their classmates to find the right answer.
Digestion Story is a visual journey through the digestive system. Students will learn how various foods like proteins, fats, and simple and complex sugars are broken down physically and chemically. It’s an entertaining and comical trip from beginning to end…
DNA Learning Center is our go-to for amazing videos and animations for cell biology and genetics. This site has mesmerizing microscopic animated pieces about transcription and translation, unzipping DNA, 3-d brain model exploration and more!
If you liked our Top 10 list, you’ll love our FREE Life Science Website Compilation – it contains over 300 sites we know and love in one document and it’s organized by science topic so you’re sure to find something to use for each day in the classroom!
Please leave a comment below and let us know how you’ve used these sites in your lessons – we’d love to hear from you!
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This is my first year teaching life science. I am both excited and a bit hesitant about material presentation. Your site appears to be my saving grace and I now feel better about my classes and my departing of knowledge with my future. This site will be heavily utilized and periodic contact will be made. Thanks Mel and Gerdy?