Fellow editor Cindy Marie Jenkins recently turned me on to an at-home learning tool, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer. It’s called Crash Course and it just might save your summer! With school about to wrap up, limited travel options, and a whole lot of free time, you are going to need things to fill your kids’ days. If some of it can be educational and entertaining, isn’t that be preferable?
You are skeptical, I know. So was I. Post-pandemic, seemingly every time you turn around there’s a new company claiming to be the next big thing in online education. Most of them are disappointing gimmicks that are short on educational merit and generally have an even shorter shelf life. But as a teacher and self-professed lifelong learner, I was convinced after watching just one video.
The videos range from ten to 20 minutes and cover a wide range of topics including American history, coding, the human genome, and zoology. Let’s be clear though – this will not replace lesson planning, parent interaction, or qualified teachers. What it will do is to help give some context and content to existing interests. Plus, it’s free!
Heading to Beijing Zoo? Check out a video on how animal eyesight works. The Space Museum? Learn a little bit about how the earth moves! Most of the content is aimed at older students and there is plenty of content for curious adults too. The company also produces entire courses on Crash Course Kids and SciShowKids.
To learn more check out the website here.
Teachers, help our parents out by suggesting your own summer fun learning tools in the comments.
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Images: Unsplash