Khan Academy Kids’s slogan is, “ For every student, every classroom. Real results.” And their mission is “to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.” I like the sound of that. Don’t you? Free lesson ideas for teachers and parents. Yes please!
This blog post is going to focus on how to set up an account and start using Khan Academy in your classroom or home. First, you will need to set up an account. You need to fill in some basic information like your name, email address and desired password.
After creating your account, you will be directed to a page that asks you what subjects you are teaching. Select any that apply to you. Khan Academy has content geared towards Math, Science, Computing, and History. Now it is important to note that a lot of the content is geared towards older students (see below for more on what it has to offer elementary students). For instance, it has high school content, as well as content to help students prepare for SATs and help with College admissions. Clearly, this information is not for elementary students. But maybe you have some teenagers at home that could use a little extra support?
That being said, there are great activities for elementary students, especially in Math.
Now back to the setup... Once you have selected your subjects, you will be directed to a page to add in your class. After adding in your students names, you can invite them to their account. Next you need to orient yourself to the website. The best way to do this is by clicking the “Resource” icon along the top menu bar. Then click on ‘Teachers’ icon. A list of various links will appear. Some of the links include “Overview of Khan Academy content” and “How to set up your class on Khan Academy”. These links will take you through a step by step description of what you need to know. Some of the links are written description and some are videos that give details instructions.
Now, let’s talk about setting up different activities and lessons for your students to do. Click on the “Khan Academy” button at the top of the screen. This will bring you to the homepage. Next, click on your class. On the left side of the screen there will be a menu bar. Click on the ‘Assignments’ tab and then click “Assign”. A list of various activities will pop up. Select the activities that apply to your lesson. Some activities are videos. Some are readings. Some are video games. You can assign these activities to your students, who can complete the activities on a computer or device. When they complete the activity, you will have access to it. Then you can assess your student’s understanding of a topic.
Here are some ways to use Khan Academy in your classroom. This is a list that Khan Academy generated. You can assign activities to students for self-paced practice. You can assign activities for lesson-aligned practice. You can use it for topic review or homework. You could use is as assessment. There are many ways to use this website. Can you think of any other ways to use this website? Have you tried Khan Academy before?
BONUS! Khan Academy has an app called Khan Academy Kids. While these are not website-based activities that can be done on a computer, the app provides a great library of resources for teachers and parents. This app has a variety of learning activities accompanied by child friendly animations. There are activities to “spark a love of reading, grow math knowledge and boost social learning and creativity.” The activities are geared towards kids aged 2 to 6. The app can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices. My kids love the activities on the app especially the non-fiction stories.
The thing that I like about Khan Academy is that there is content for all ages. There are games for young kids on the Khan Academy Kids app and there are lessons for teenagers. Khan Academy seems to have a well rounded library of activities. Hopefully you find this website to be useful in your classroom or home. And hopefully your kids enjoy the lessons and learn from them!
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