Science
These free online and offline STEM projects and activities are entertaining and educational for the whole family.
Resources for Grades 3–5

Video
grades 4–12
Milly Zantow: Recycling Revolutionary
Ever wonder what the number on the bottom of plastic items means? Learn about the plastic numbering system and why it came to be.
Video
grades 3–12
Eliminating Single-Use Plastics
Travel to Belize with Marie McGrory to find out how she made it through (almost) the whole trip without single-use plastics.

Article/Ebook
grades K–3
Kids vs. Plastic
Take the Kids vs. Plastic pledge to get your Planet Protector certificate and find out what you can do to fight trash.

Video
grades 3–7
Sally Ride, American Astronaut
Learn about Sally Ride and her incredible journey to become the first American woman astronaut to fly in space.

Interactive
grades 3–6
Secrets of the Sea
Adventure into a coral reef and discover creatures from the tiniest plants to the largest hunters. Watch, interact, and explore what makes a healthy underwater ecosystem.

Video
grades 1–5
Dorothy Vaughan: Pathbreaking Mathematician
Check out this video and article on Dorothy Vaughan, the supervisor of a group of boundary-breaking African American women whose calculations got astronauts into space.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–6
Penguin Census
Discover how scientists are counting chinstrap penguins in Antarctica. It's part of a global penguin census that will help researchers better understand the Antarctic environment.

Article/Ebook
grades K–3
Penguins vs. Puffins
Read all about penguins and puffins, then vote for your favorite!

Article/Ebook
grade 3
What Is a Spacewalk?
Learn what a spacewalk is, why astronauts do them, and how they stay safe.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–5
The Race for the Vaccine
Find out what scientists are doing to develop a coronavirus vaccine as quickly as possible.

Video
Preschool–grade 12
Bioturbation in Action
Watch these time-lapse videos to see earthworms and other small critters do the important work of bioturbation, the mixing up of soil and sediment.

Video
Preschool–grade 5
Powered by Poop
Watch how the Straus Family Creamery transforms "cow pies" into renewable energy and compost to fertilize pastures.
Activity
grades K–5
Tree ID
Try to identify as many trees as you can around your neighborhood. What is unique about the bark or leaves? Which type of tree is your favorite?
Activity
grades K–5
Flower Safari
Walk around your neighborhood and see how many different types of flowers you can find. Draw them or take a picture of each and try to identify them when you get home.
Activity
grades K–6
Think Like a Computer
Create a set of picture cards that show every step of a task, similar to how a computer works. For example, what steps do you take to brush your teeth?

Activity
grades 1–4
Foil Penny Boats
Design and build boats that hold as many pennies as possible without sinking. All you need is aluminum foil and pennies!

Activity
grades K–3
Build a Paper Computer
Learn about the different parts of a computer with a fun maze activity and a cut-and-paste craft where you put all the computer parts together.

Activity
grades 3–6
Marshmallow Blaster
Design a tube that launches marshmallows, and consider how air pressure works to propel them higher, faster, and farther.

Activity
grades 3–6
Cloud in a Bottle
Don your wizard's cloak and conjure a cloud with some basic household items. Make sure to work with an adult on this one.
Activity
Preschool–grade 3
Photosynthesis in Action
Reveal the secrets of photosynthesis by doing this simple experiment using some leaves and a bowl of water.
Activity
Preschool–grade 3
Exploding Baggies Experiment
Try out this exciting outdoor activity. Ponder how and why it happens, using skills like observation and deduction.

Activity
grades 3–8
How to Make a Pinhole Camera
Sunny out? Using card stock and foil, build a way to project images—like the sun on a piece of paper.

Activity
grades K–3
Rocket Release
Create a paper rocket, then grab a straw and launch it! Record the distance traveled and modify your design. How far can it go?

Activity
grades 5–12
Space Origami
Fold a piece of paper to find out how rockets can carry a starshade as big as a baseball diamond to take pictures in space.

Article/Ebook
grades K–3
Kids vs. Plastic
Take the Kids vs. Plastic pledge to get your Planet Protector certificate and find out what you can do to fight trash.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–6
Penguin Census
Discover how scientists are counting chinstrap penguins in Antarctica. It's part of a global penguin census that will help researchers better understand the Antarctic environment.

Article/Ebook
grades K–3
Penguins vs. Puffins
Read all about penguins and puffins, then vote for your favorite!

Article/Ebook
grade 3
What Is a Spacewalk?
Learn what a spacewalk is, why astronauts do them, and how they stay safe.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–5
The Race for the Vaccine
Find out what scientists are doing to develop a coronavirus vaccine as quickly as possible.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–6
Seaweed Solution
Can kelp farming help slow climate change? Learn about the pros and cons of producing this underwater resource.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–6
Speak, Fido
Read this article about new, high-tech vests being developed to help service dogs communicate with people. Then consider some other potential uses for this technology.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–6
Astronaut Andrew Morgan Answers Kids' Questions
Find out from an astronaut what it's like to take a 272-day trip to the International Space Station and then come home to a pandemic.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–5
Animals
Explore types of animals and choose three to learn about. Write down some facts about each to share with your family.

Article/Ebook
Preschool–grade 5
10 Best Science Tools for Elementary School
Lay the foundation for lifelong curiosity about how the world works and why.

Audio
grades 1–6
Radiolab for Kids
Get your mind swirling with these fascinating podcast episodes that ask wacky questions and find fascinating answers.

Audio
grades 3–8
But Why?
Listen to this kid-friendly podcast to find out whether llamas are ticklish, why baby teeth fall out, and so much more.

Audio
grades K–5
A Science Game Show—for Your Ears!
Tune into this quirky, daily podcast for curious minds. Complete the cool STEAM challenges to apply what you listened to.

Audio
grades 1–4
Answering Kids' Questions About Coronavirus
Check out this podcast where kids' practical questions about the coronavirus get answered by real scientists.

Audio
grades K–5
Science Podcasts for Kids
Choose a podcast from Brains On! featuring science for kids and curious adults. There's no need to download anything—you can listen online!

Audio
grades 3–6
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
Gather the whole family to hear LeVar Burton narrate Neil deGrasse Tyson's educational and entertaining read about the universe.

Interactive
grades 3–6
Secrets of the Sea
Adventure into a coral reef and discover creatures from the tiniest plants to the largest hunters. Watch, interact, and explore what makes a healthy underwater ecosystem.

Interactive
grades 1–12
National Parks
Explore some of the most beautiful places in the USA, guided by National Park Rangers.

Interactive
grades 3–12
How Does the Brain Work?
Play around with these brain-boosting interactives to find out fascinating facts about different parts and jobs of the human brain.

Interactive
Preschool–grade 12
Field Museum
Take a virtual trip to Chicago to visit the Field Museum, and explore their animal exhibits using Street View.

Interactive
grades 3–8
Explore the World's Largest Cave
Journey to Vietnam's Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park and the stunning Sơn Đoòng cave, the world's largest natural cave.

Interactive
grades 1–3
Find the Rainforest Animals
Follow Plum's directions and snap photos of the rainforest animals to learn more about them.

Interactive
grades 3–8
Personal Planning for the Planet
Find out how you can save the planet's resources for future generations by conserving energy, food, and water and by making your purchases last longer.

Interactive
grades 1–8
The Alphabet on Earth
Take a trip around the globe and notice that the Earth actually knows its ABC's! Explore different areas that look like letters from outer space.

Interactive
grades K–3
Recycle Roundup
Practice recycling by sorting items into the correct bins.

Interactive
grades 2–6
Mysterious Microbes
Search for six microbes in this online coloring activity. Pick a different color to represent each virus. Are you able to identify the missing one?

Interactive
grades 3–8
Who Made That Sound?
Listen to the different sounds animals make and guess which one it is. Then take a virtual trip to see where it lives.

Interactive
grades 3–12
PhET Interactive Simulations
Illustrate difficult-to-understand concepts with this huge collection of excellent (and free!) science and math simulations.

Lesson
grade 3
Plant Adaptations
Compare and contrast two separate informational texts about plants with unique adaptations for survival.

Lesson
grades K–5
Fatty Foods
Determine which foods are the fattiest in this hands-on experiment. Grab a brown paper bag and some of your favorite snacks to find out!

Lesson
Preschool–grade 12
Hour of Code
Try these engaging, one-hour introductory computer science tutorials, appropriate for all ages. There are hundreds of activities and tutorials in over 45 languages.

Lesson
grades 3–5
How Deep is the Ocean?
Tour the depths of the ocean to find out how scientists explore regions that are hard to reach and discover the creatures that exist beneath.

Lesson
grades 3–12
Quick Coding Course
Learn the fundamentals of computer science with drag-and-drop blocks. Create your own drawings and games.

Lesson
grades 3–8
Marvelous Mucus
Discover how mucus is actually beneficial to our health. Watch the videos to learn more, and grab some Jell-O to conduct an experiment at home.

Lesson
grades 3–5
The Purr-fect Pet
Discover why cats purr. Is that sound a lawn mower or your cat? Play the bonus to learn more amazing facts about these furry felines.

Lesson
grades 3–5
Mosquito Madness
Design solutions to save a town from an invasion of mosquitos. What could have brought them there? Use the problem solver's sheet to find out!

Lesson
grades 3–5
Why Do the Stars Change with the Seasons?
Make a paper model of the solar system that helps you visualize Earth’s yearly orbit around the Sun.

Lesson
grades K–5
Sending Secret Messages
Find out how to communicate over a distance in this hands on activity. Grab some markers and a flashlight and get your secret message out.

Lesson
grades 3–5
Can You Make Lava?
Watch the video to discover the answer and learn a little about lava along the way.

Lesson
grades 3–5
Think Fast
Test your reflex skills with these fast but fun experiments. Discover how long it will take your body to get the message from your brain.

Video
grades 4–12
Milly Zantow: Recycling Revolutionary
Ever wonder what the number on the bottom of plastic items means? Learn about the plastic numbering system and why it came to be.
Video
grades 3–12
Eliminating Single-Use Plastics
Travel to Belize with Marie McGrory to find out how she made it through (almost) the whole trip without single-use plastics.

Video
grades 3–7
Sally Ride, American Astronaut
Learn about Sally Ride and her incredible journey to become the first American woman astronaut to fly in space.

Video
grades 1–5
Dorothy Vaughan: Pathbreaking Mathematician
Check out this video and article on Dorothy Vaughan, the supervisor of a group of boundary-breaking African American women whose calculations got astronauts into space.

Video
Preschool–grade 12
Bioturbation in Action
Watch these time-lapse videos to see earthworms and other small critters do the important work of bioturbation, the mixing up of soil and sediment.

Video
Preschool–grade 5
Powered by Poop
Watch how the Straus Family Creamery transforms "cow pies" into renewable energy and compost to fertilize pastures.

Video
grades 3–12
The Future Forest Is Made of Plastic!
Visit this inspiring garden made of plastic waste. How can you use old toys or plastics from the recycling bin to make your own sculpture garden?
Video
grades 3–12
Flip-Flop Sculptures
Watch how Ocean Sole is cleaning up the ocean by taking washed-up flip-flops and transforming them into beautiful sculptures.
Video
Preschool–grade 3
Astronauts Answer Kids' Questions
Journey up to the International Space Station and join two real-life astronauts orbiting the planet as they answer kids' fun, quirky, and fascinating questions.

Video
grades 1–5
Lewis Latimer, Inventor
Find out about the genius African American inventor who contributed to the creation of the lightbulb, telephone, and more.
Video
grades 3–8
Mushrooms at Work
Where do inventors come up with their great ideas? Find out how mechanical engineer Eben Bayer thought of a compostable alternative to Styrofoam.

Video
grades 3–12
Doing Research, Breaking Barriers
Find inspiration in the story of science educator and graduate student Adania Flemming, who studies marine life at the University of Florida.

Website/App
grades K–5
Learn by Doing
Explore the educational challenges other kids are doing, and try some yourself. Make and upload videos only with permission!

Website/App
Preschool–grade 12
National Geographic Education
Find high-quality, standards-based resources relating to science, geography, world history, engineering, cartography, current events, and more.

Website/App
grades 3–12
Discover a STEM Career Path
Browse this site's videos featuring inspiring women discussing their work. Which careers seem most interesting to you? How might you pursue them?

Website/App
Preschool–grade 12
Great Minds: Knowledge on the Go
Build knowledge with these high-quality, daily instructional video lessons for ELA (grades K–8), math (grades K–12), and science (grades 3–5).

Website/App
Preschool–grade 12
Code.org
Learn computer science from home with lessons for all grades and abilities, from pre-readers to AP-level programming students.

Website/App
grades 1–12
CK-12 (For Students)
Choose a subject and specific topic to practice or learn some math, science, or social studies.

Website/App
grades K–5
National Geographic Kids
Explore all of these fun resources to learn more about the natural world.

Website/App
grades 4–10
Frontiers for Young Minds
Read and discuss articles on cutting-edge science discoveries written by scientists and reviewed by kids and teens.

Website/App
grades 3–12
Environment Channel
Take a deeper look at the natural systems that sustain life on earth and find new ways to participate as good players in the system.

Website/App
grades 1–4
Plum Landing Games
Play! Explore! Create! And discover the wonders of our amazing planet with your friends from Plum Landing.

Website/App
grades 3–5
Be an Animal Expert
Explore types of animals and choose three to learn about. Write down some facts about each to share with your family.

Worksheet
grades 3–5
Wow in the World Podcast Activities
Listen to any episode of the Wow in the World podcast, and turn it into a STEAM learning adventure with this free printable!

Worksheet
grades 1–3
What Do Plants Need?
Learn what plants need and design a journal to keep your drawings and other important information you've learned.