Useful Resources from Various Learning Areas for Volunteers
This document contains a selected range of free online resources that may be useful to assist students and teachers. The resources are
arranged in the following categories: General (can be used for all learning areas), Maths, English, Science and Society &
Environment. A brief description has been provided reviewing what each resource offers, and the recommended year level/s.
NOTE: Please ensure household data plans allow for browsing of internet sites, and children are
adequately supervised when using the internet. http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/
Key: EC – Early Childhood (K- Year 2)
P- Primary (Year 3-Year 6)
S- Secondary/ High School (Year 7- Year 12)
General
1. Animoto- allows user to turn ordinary photos and video clips into rich videos. EC P S
http://animoto.com/
2. Brain Pop has a range of lesson plans and activities for all learning areas. EC P S
http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/
3. SpiderScribe is an interactive online mind mapping tool that allows the user to include a range of videos, images, files, maps etc. to create
a mind map that caters for a range of learning styles. It is a useful tool for revision. P S
http://www.spiderscribe.net/
Maths
1. A Plus Math offers interactive maths resources including worksheets, flashcards and games. It covers all the major Maths sub-topics. S
http://www.aplusmath.com/
2. Cool Math is a website that contains a range of maths activities and games for students, in a variety of areas: fractions, tessellations,
number operations and polyhedra, to name a few. There is also a section for parents and teachers with useful online resources and
information, as well as templates.
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/ EC P
http://www.coolmath.com/ S
3. The First Steps resources are considered best practice in education and are used regularly by teachers for content and activities. They have
a range of activities that cater for a range of learning styles. There is a Map of Development and Resource Book for each of the four Maths
strands: Number, Measurement, Space and Chance and Data. The Map of Development outlines the level students should be on and the
resource book outlines a wide range of resources that can be used within that particular level. EC P S
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/stepsresources/detcms/navigation/first-steps-mathematics/
4. Khan Academy allows you to utilise a range of resources related to different topics. It conducts a diagnostic assessment to determine areas
you need to improve on in a certain Maths domain and then suggests activities, based on this initial result. It unlocks new tasks once
previous tasks have been mastered and offers incentives, such as badges of mastery to keep you motivated. S
https.www.khanacademy.org
5. This Math site has the following resources: homework help, practice, tutoring, and tools and games. It explains a concept and then
provides a range of examples before giving students an opportunity to work out a certain answer. EC P S
http://www.math.com/
6. Math is Fun is a resource that contains detailed explanations with examples on a range of mathematics concepts (measurement, number,
algebra, data etc.). It also has games and puzzles for students and a page for parents and teachers. Furthermore, it allows students to test
their understanding by providing questions at the end of each topic. EC P S
http://www.mathsisfun.com/
English
1. BBC- This website provides useful activities and games that enable the development of a wide range of English skills (reading, writing,
spelling, word grammar, sentence grammar and speaking and listening). P S
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english
2. Easy World of English is a site that allows the user to learn grammar, pronunciation, speaking and listening practice and use an interactive
picture dictionary. EC P S
http://easyworldofenglish.com/
3. The First Steps resources are considered best practice in education and are used regularly by teachers for content and activities. They have
a range of activities that cater for a range of learning styles. There is a Map of Development and Resource Book for each of the four
English strands: Reading, Writing, Viewing and Speaking and Listening. The Map of Development outlines the level students should be
on and the resource book outlines a wide range of resources that can be used within that particular level. EC P S
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/stepsresources/detcms/navigation/first-steps-literacy/?oid=MultiPartArticle-id-13602018
4. Many Things includes matching quizzes, word games, word puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, anagrams, a random-sentence
generator and other computer-assisted language learning activities. The site also includes a special page on pronunciation, including
practice with minimal pairs. EC P S
http://www.manythings.org/
5. Activities for ESL students has grammar and vocabulary practice for all levels, including many bilingual quizzes for beginners. Also
includes a link for teachers, with conversation questions, games, and many other ideas to put to use. EC P S
http://a4esl.org/
6. ABCYa is a website for young children. The site includes educational games organized by grade level, from 1st to 5th, and is particularly
good for spelling and phonics. There are games to practice vowels, uppercase and lowercase letters, Dolch sight words, synonyms and
antonyms and more. EC P
http://www.abcya.com/
7. Language Guide is an online picture dictionary, with everything from the alphabet, to parts of the body, to farm animals. EC P
http://www.languageguide.org/english/
Science
1. Department of Environment is an extremely useful source for students learning about the environment and how to be more sustainable. It
has manuals, reports and supporting research. S
http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/national-waste-policy/publications
2. Energy Star Kids is a website for students and teachers that has relevant and useful information on energy and how to be more energy
efficient. It also has links for access to lesson plans and other useful teaching resources. EC P
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index
3. Kids Ahead is an interactive website that contains numerous hands-on activities for students. Some of the topics covered include: Crime
Scene Investigation (CSI), Space, Wind Energy and The Animal Kingdom. EC P S
http://kidsahead.com/
4. Kid Wind Project- this website contains lesson plans with interactive activities related to wind energy. P S
http://learn.kidwind.org/teach
5. My Science Box- has a range of lesson plans with activities and projects. All of these have been trialled by students in a primary school.
EC P S
http://www.mysciencebox.org/
6. Science Online- has information and resources for a range of learning topics within the Science domain, including: Biology, Ecology,
Geology and Physical Sciences. EC P
http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-units/energy.htm
7. Waste Wise is a website that contains many useful resources and links as well as curriculum and lesson plans related to Environmental
Science. EC P
http://www.noosariver.com.au/wastewise/resources_and_links.html
Society & Environment
1. This website provides access to Behind the News a weekly program that summarises the top five news stories into a thirty-minute
program. There are also free activities and lessons related to the different news stories that are updated on a weekly basis. P S
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/
2. This website was inspired by the award winning book entitled My Place which was written by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins. This
astounding picture book covers two hundred years of Australian history by describing the life of a particular child who lived in that place
for the majority of that decade. Each two-page spread has a birds-eye view of a map of that place and details what is included in the
different locations. The website has information on the ABC TV series and has a range of the episodes that can be viewed for free. It also
has a range of activities and games for children as well as a plethora of resources for teachers. P S
http://www.myplace.edu.au/home.html - for teachers
http://www.abc.net.au/abc3/myplace/ - for students and teachers
3. This webpage contains a range of lesson plans (role-play, parliamentary and mini role-play) written by the Parliamentary Education
Office. S
http://www.peo.gov.au/teaching.html