Educational Apps/Websites for 21st Century Learners:

1. Nearpod- Through this student engagement platform, interactive lessons and activities are

delivered synchronously to students on individual devices in order to increase student

participation. Students may draw answers, participate in polls, answer open-ended questions,

take quizzes, collaborate with classmates, and provide instant feedback to their teacher through

this method of formative assessment regarding each lesson.

2. BrainPOP Jr.- This website includes animated curriculum-based content aligned to state

education standards in all subject areas for grades PreK-3. Designed to explain difficult concepts

to young learners, this site offers engaging learning games, animated movies, and activities that

encourage children while challenging them to connect, make connections, and engage in

curiosity-driven learning. Children are expected to ask questions and form their own ideas during

their learning process. Along with most activities and videos, there is a corresponding quiz for

students to take to check their own understanding. If students take these quizzes together, they

would work well as formative assessment feedback, yet if students individually watch videos and

take corresponding quizzes, teachers may use those individual opportunities for summative

assessment.

3. Kahoot- This game-based learning platform is a competitive way to informally assess student

understanding. Questions are displayed on a shared screen to a group of students, and each

student player answers the multiple-choice question on their own screens as the game is

synchronized to individual devices. The speed of correctly answering questions is recorded, and

the top fastest competitors are ranked in order to win the game. As students answer questions and

submit their responses, teachers may record and analyze their submissions as formative

assessment to check their understanding as students review concepts through this form of review.
4. National Geographic Kids- This website contains articles, games, quizzes, videos, photos,

and facts written at and developed for a level for elementary-aged children involving science,

geography, history, and world culture. Students may utilize these resources for further personal

learning or for reference during class discussions and assignments. Teachers may monitor these

quizzes for formative and/or summative assessment.

5. CoolMath4Kids- This website is full of various games for students to play to study and

practice their mathematical skills. In an attempt to make learning math fun, brain teasers,

manipulatives, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions are incorporated into

lessons, quizzes, and games aimed at elementary aged children. Through no violence and empty

action, each game is designed for children to receive a mental workout, and the themes range

from animals, vehicles, and sports to aliens, money, and food. Teachers may monitor student

progress through these activities for formative assessment.

6. Newsela- Newsela is a free, Instructional Content Platform focusing on reading engagement

and learning in all subjects for all grades. In this database site, student-friendly news stories are

offered for classroom use and individual learning. Each story, several being primary sources, is

offered in both English and Spanish, Common Core-aligned, and offered in a variety of Lexile

Ranges. Teachers are able to match students with stories that are of interest to them with

appropriate reading levels in order for them to make meaning.

7. YouTube- This American video-sharing website allows individuals to search for and watch

videos relating to virtually any topic to further their understanding. With an account, anyone is

able to upload videos and ultimately comment on other video uploads. In the classroom, students

could be shown by the teacher high quality instructional videos involving a unit of study, observe
primary sources, watch discussions involving past or current issues to spark discussion, enrich

their knowledge by seeking further research, and so much more.

8. Google Maps- This website and/or app offers satellite imagery, aerial photography,

panoramic street views, street maps, real-time traffic conditions, and route planning. For Social

Studies and Geography topics, students may compare and contrast geographical locations,

observe areas of discussion, calculate distance, and so much more on individual iPads or

computers.

9. Online Stopwatch – Classroom Timers- This website includes various styles and themes of

timers, from a classic egg timer to animal and holiday themed timers. For teachers who assign a

specific task that requires a specific amount of time to complete or to just keep students on track

with various learning objectives for the day, a timer can be chosen from this site and displayed

through an overhead projector for the class to reference while working as they manage their time.

For example, if the classic Egg Timer is chosen, the teacher selects the desired length of time

needed to complete the task at hand, and when it is activated, students are able to observe the

sand slowly running from the top half of the timer through the middle to the bottom as a way to

determine how much of the set time has passed and how much remains.

10. GoNoodle- Designed for K-5 classrooms, this free website offers short, interactive,

movement activities to keep students engaged and motivated throughout the school day by

offering quick brain breaks. By combining exercise with research, the activities help students

regain attention, and the combination of movement and music benefit the developing brain in

several specific ways. Students will stand up next to their desks and dance along to the video

choreography as teachers project these videos to the students through the overhead projector.