31 Resources Science Teachers Use to Help Students Learn

In today's world, it is more important than ever for educators to leverage teaching strategies that inspire and prepare young people to embrace science. Science not only holds the potential for groundbreaking discoveries but also offers individual benefits that can enhance students’ cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and understanding of the world around them. Moreover, science provides a powerful platform for building confidence, developing communication skills, and navigating a world increasingly shaped by science and technology. 

Science teachers enrolled with Rutgers Alternate Route are committed to ensuring that their students reap the full benefits of studying this important subject area, and they take their roles as STEM ambassadors seriously. They are sharing their go-to resources for planning great lessons and enhancing their teaching for their science students.

American Library Association
Students can conduct research. (Saintania F, 9-12) 


American Association of Chemistry Teachers 
The classroom resources section of this website provides plans and resources for hands-on activities to enrich the chemistry curriculum. (Elizabeth S, 9-12) 


Amoeba Sisters 
This site provides great video resources and worksheets to accompany the videos for a wide variety of scientific topics. The videos feel accessible to all students and explain it in a clear, fun way. (Sean O, 6-8) 

This links you to all of the Amoeba sisters videos and resources—they are AMAZING (Elizabeth H, 9-12) 


Annenberg learner 
Teachers can show many videos related to science lessons. (Saintania F, 9-12) 


Biology Corner 
They have amazing free resources on many topics that reinforce concepts through engaging activities. They can still be edited to fit the specific teacher's classroom needs, and sometimes can be a lifesaver when things just don't go right! (Elise E, 9-12) 


Center of Cell 
This site includes numerous games aimed at helping students understand the inner workings of cells. (Lurie N, 6-8) 


Codesters 
Similar to scratch, but also requires the students to directly engage with the code. Slightly more advanced than scratch. (Max R, K-5;6-8) 


Discovery Education - Science 
They provide curriculum and units that are crafted for student-driven learning. These are fully developed plans that can be easily implemented that are meant to engage students in applying their knowledge to real-world problems (Melody W, 9-12) 


EdWeb 
This is a free site for teachers to join and it provides a huge breadth of support from classroom material to professional development. (Elizabeth H, 9-12) 


Enzyme Kinetics Simulator (Lactase) 
Model the effects of the enzyme lactase with varying sample sizes, and text the effect of various temperatures, pH values, and available substrates. While interacting with an animated modeling application, the student can explore the limitations and various rates of enzyme activity. (Marc D, 9-12) 


Generation Genius 
This site has a lot of different free worksheets available to print, as well as free simple labs for scholars to do. It also includes free videos to use as resources. (Kayla D, K-5) 

What I’ve benefited from this site in my class, were the videos that were engaging for my students that provided discussion questions to make sure they were understanding and paying attention. (Cynthia L, 6-8) 


HMH Education 
This is my most-used resource, it is where I have all of my assessments, rubrics, and projects based on NJ standards. It also provides resources for differentiated instruction. (Kayla D, K-5) 


iNaturalist 
Provides information on local flora and fauna, trail cam footage, as well as information on projects and academic journals in the science community. (John M, 9-12) 


IXL 
Specifically, teachers can assign content to students to focus on in between planned lessons. It is a good option for homework. There are so many different topics spanning all major content areas and grade levels. Students enjoy working on IXL, and teachers are able to assess a general level of student progress and effort (how much time they worked on the assignment). (Peter F, 6-8) 


Khan Academy 
I teach science, social studies and writing. I think this site would be beneficial to all content areas, as well as the content areas I teach. This site has amazing, clear, and concise videos and content that engage students effectively and help augment a teacher's planned lesson. It provides a different voice for very specific lessons. Excellent resource. (Peter F, 6-8) 


KQED for educators 
This website bridges that gap that we may find and offers student research and voices, while also providing professional development to allow us as educators to improve our media literacy along with the students. This website also partners with the PBS learning channel. (Elise E, 9-12) 


Learn.Genetics 
This website has a lot of resources to read about different topics in science (mostly health and genetics), as well as interactive resources that engage students. One activity I like is the pigeonetics lab, where students learn about alleles, genotypes, and phenotypes. They click through to breed different types of pigeons based on their characteristics. (Melody W, 9-12) 


Legends of Learning 
The site offers lesson plans complete with standards. It allows you to search for instructionals, games, and questions by searching using the standard you are trying to teach. Students have had fun with the games in my experience, it also allows you to create curated assessments for your students. (Kathleen C, 6-8) 

I have used this link to provide fun, do-now games for my students that are related to the material they have been taught in class. (Cynthia L, 6-8)  


NobelPrize.org 
This site also provides a wide range of games and activities that are excellent for middle schoolers and provide numerous activities that accomplish differentiation. (Lurie N, 6-8) 


NPR 
Shows data on how trash bag sales jumped after grocery bag bans. (Saintania F, 9-12) 


OPhysics 
It has some great simulations to build lessons around. (Paul K, 9-12) 


PBS Learning Media 
Video lessons to show in the classroom. (Saintania F, 9-12) 


Phet Interactive Simulations (PHET) 
Interactive simulations in physics, chemistry, math, earth science, and biology at elementary, middle, high school, and university levels; can filter; great for when you do not have time or resources to do certain labs but would like your students to see how phenomena and processes occur. (Nicole A, 6-8) 

Virtual Labs for students. (Daniel B, 9-12) 

PhET provides simulations for concepts that are not always easily observable in the high school lab. The simulations "engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery." (Elizabeth S, 9-12) 

PheT provides simulations of lab concepts that might be difficult to perform in a school setting. They also provide handouts for the simulations to help your students work through the concepts and process the information as they are manipulating the simulations on their devices. (Kathleen C, 6-8) 


PIVOT Interactives 
Videos with measuring tools and labs attached to them to help students learn from environments that are tough to demonstrate in the classroom (Daniel B, 9-12) 


Quizizz 
The site has prepared STEM-related lessons and quizzes with an interactive component for students.  This helps engage students and reinforces concepts. (Meredith L, 6-8) 


Science sparks 
Although lower level, it provides fun activities and more hands-on science labs. Personally, I enjoy the holiday-themed science activities they have. (John M, 9-12)  


Scratch 
A must-have for any coding teacher for middle schoolers. It is a fully functional drag-and-drop programming tool with instructions, standards-based lesson plans, resources, etc. (Max R, K-5;6-8) 


Science4Inquiry 
Inquiry-based learning in Earth, life, and physical sciences for middle and high school; lesson plans available to take inspiration from. (Nicole A, 6-8) 


Virtual Microscope 
Learn terminology, usage, and care by interacting with a fully functional, virtual microscope. When you're ready, challenge your knowledge in the testing section to see what you've learned. Learning Objectives Upon completion of this exercise, you will be able to. (Marc D, 9-12)

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