Simulations, Online Labs, and Apps
*Be aware that some simulations presented in larger lists rely on older versions of programs, e.g. Flash, & will no longer run. Some are working on updating the simulations while others are not. Some of these are free while others require purchasing for a classroom.
General
Zooniverse
This is the only site on the list which allows anyone to contribute to real citizen science projects. Anyone with a computer (or phone) can contribute to real scientific research. The tasks require no prior knowledge or special skills, they provide you with a short tutorial. A nice casual introduction to research or for students with an interest in various STEM topics. Free.
K-12/K-12+
STEMscopes
K-12 simulations, you will need to sign up to use them, but they do have lessons/curricula aligned to NGSS
https://www.stemscopes.com/simulations/
STEM Sims
K-12+, simulations of lab experiments & engineering design projects, lessons/curricula, you will need to sign up (15 day free trial)
Explore Learning – Gizmos, Reflex, Frax, Science4Us
Grades K-12, simulations for math & science, free sign up (although they do have more elaborate lesson plans, etc. available for a fee & the free Gizmos (grades 3 – 12) will change each semester), do align them to NGSS, math & science topics available
https://www.explorelearning.com/
The Concord Consortium
Free interactive STEM activities, K-12+, chemistry, earth & space science, math, physics, etc.
Varied ages
Smithsonian Science Education Center
Free online & downloadable simulations, mostly K-middle school, frankly adorable
https://ssec.si.edu/game-center
They also have an online weather lab for grades 5 – 8.
https://ssec.si.edu/weather-lab
3M Young Scientist Lab
Free interactive for elementary – middle school, mostly focusing on designing something based on a challenge.
https://www.youngscientistlab.com/teachers/interactives
Java Lab
Free virtual simulations & labs. Range from about elementary school+. Physics, chemistry, biology, math, etc.
LabXChange Library
Free, have lots of options, even experimental design option. Elementary school+, biology, physics, chemistry, math, etc. They have collected a lot of simulations done by the Concord Consortium, etc, so they’re all in one place.
https://www.labxchange.org/library
Stellarium
Free online planetarium-style software which allows you to see what the sky looks like any day, any time, any location. Does not come with activities. Good for most ages and family stargazing. They also have a phone app version, but it’s paid.
Line Rider
Free physics app based on energy & motion. Maximize a toboggan rider’s time.
Chrome Music Lab
Create music & learn the science behind it – good for STEAM. Free.
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments
Research Quest
Grades 6-8, free virtual museum research investigations. Mostly ecology/paleontology.
InqITS Virtual labs
Middle school+, physical science & life science virtual labs, not free (but has free trial)
McGraw-Hill Virtual Labs
Upper middle school+, virtual labs in biology, chemistry, & physics, not free.
https://www.mheducation.com/highered/virtual-labs/search
NOAA
Online weather resources for middle – high school.
https://www.weather.gov/owlie/science_kt
General Chemistry Simulations
Free chemistry simulations, including an interactive periodic table. Middle school+.
http://employees.oneonta.edu/viningwj/sims/
The Physics Aviary
Free virtual physics labs, upper middle school+.
https://sites.google.com/view/thephysicsaviary/all-labs
The Science Bank
Online dissection resources, sorted by animal. Some free, some not.
https://thesciencebank.org/pages/online-dissection-resources
The Science bank also runs a lending library with models for dissections with various animals & organs available. Their aim is humane alternatives for science education.
https://thesciencebank.org/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=7
NOVA labs
Upper middle school+, looks to be free with a signup, various topics & educator guides available.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/about/
BioMan Biology
Free virtual biology labs, ~middle school, high school.
https://www.biomanbio.com/index.html
NCTM Illuminations
Free interactives, middle-high school, math
https://illuminations.nctm.org/Games-Puzzles.aspx
Pivot interactives
Not free ($5-$10/student/educational term), middle school – college, biology, earth & space science, chemistry, environmental science, physics, lab/simulation
https://www.pivotinteractives.com/educators-and-students
cK-12 Exploration Series
Free simulations of physics & chemistry topics, middle school/high school+.
Includes games based on the concepts.
https://interactives.ck12.org/simulations/chemistry.html
https://interactives.ck12.org/simulations/physics.html
NC BioNetwork
Lab safety tutorial, interactive, free
https://www.ncbionetwork.org/iet/labsafety/
PhET interactive simulations
Free online simulations suitable for middle school through college, possibly for elementary school with some adaptation. Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Math, Earth science, Biology
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/browse
PrepMagic
Help with creating STEM content, lots of simulations, probably middle school/high school.
Project Noah
Mostly based on nature. Publish your nature photos to learn about wildlife.
Cell Homeostasis Virtual Lab
Free lab about cell homeostasis. It walks you through the steps.
The Biology Corner
Free interactive biology simulations & worksheets, include some lesson plans, etc. ~high school
https://www.biologycorner.com/
AACT (American Association of Chemistry Teachers)
Free chemistry simulations, high school+
https://teachchemistry.org/classroom-resources/simulations
Virtual Biology Lab (ETSU)
Free virtual biology labs, ~high school+.
https://virtualbiologylab.org/site-map/
Royal Society of Chemistry
They have an aspirin & titration simulation. Free
Mixed Reception
Free virtual murder mystery, appropriate for high school chemistry classes
https://chemcollective.org/mr/index.php
Codecademy
Free to sign up, classes have different pricing. Learn to code.
Learn.Genetics
Free high school/college labs & simulations for genetics, evolution, botany, neuroscience, ecology, etc.
https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
Virtual Labs (NMSU)
Free, high school+, mostly chemistry/biology virtual labs.
https://virtuallabs.nmsu.edu/index.php
Chem Collective
High school+ free virtual chemistry labs
https://chemcollective.org/vlabs
Jon Darkow Sims
These are computational models for biology & ecology, probably high school/college+, free
https://sites.google.com/site/biologydarkow/home?authuser=0
PraxiLabs
Some labs available with the free account. Mostly high school/college, biology, chemistry, & physics.
Central State U virtual labs collection
The Phet labs do appear here, but there are also collections of simulations, etc. in Merlot, etc. Physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, engineering, math, ~high school+
http://www.centralstateopenlearning.org/virtual_labs.html
Olabs
Free interactive simulations & labs/lab videos for high school, physics, chemistry, biology, math
HHMI BioInteractive
High school+ free virtual labs on a few topics in biology.
https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources?search=&f%5B0%5D=resource_type%3A17
Biointeractive
High school+ videos & interactives, environmental science, microbiology, etc. They come with worksheets, etc. Free. Spanish dubs, etc. available.
https://www.biointeractive.org/
Labster
Not free: Do have simulations & free trial, highly rated. High school+
https://www.labster.com/biology-virtual-labs/
https://www.labster.com/high-school-science/
Pearson Interactive Labs
High school+ virtual biology labs, not free
New England Journal of Medicine – videos in clinical medicine
Videos showing clinical procedures. Probably more of use/interest to older students, but might be useful if a younger student expresses interest in medicine.
https://www.nejm.org/multimedia/videos-in-clinical-medicine
Apps:
Not all educational apps come with age ranges.
The Frog Dissection App, fairly cheap, educational discounts available.
https://www.frogvirtualdissection.com/
iPad Frog dissection, also fairly cheap
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/frog-dissection/id377626675
Graphing calculator X84
Mimics a TI 84, free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/graphing-calculator-x84/id1247828717
Desmos Graphing Calculator
Free app that mimics a graphing calculator
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.desmos.calculator&hl=en_US&gl=US
iNaturalist
Allows anyone to identify plants & animals, free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.inaturalist.android&hl=en_US&gl=US
App store preview - list
STEM apps for kids
https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1454330950
NASA Visualization Explorer
For middle & high school, free, news about space exploration, earth & space science
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasaviz/
NOVA Elements
App for exploring the periodic table, upper elementary school+
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/nova-elements
We Are Teachers
65+ best STEAM apps for home & classroom
https://www.weareteachers.com/steam-apps/
Lab4Physics
Turns your smartphone into a measuring device – accelerometer, speedometer, etc. Suitable for middle school+, free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lab4u.lab4physics&hl=en_US&gl=US
The PocketLab
Free, turns your phone into a measuring device for acceleration, temperature, magnetic field, etc.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pocketlab.android&hl=en_US&gl=US
Physics Lab
Experiments & simulations, interactive
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.civitas.quantumphysics&hl=en_US&gl=US
Sky Tonight
Free stargazing app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vitotechnology.sky.tonight.map.star.walk
EdTechReview
Best apps for chemistry students
https://edtechreview.in/e-learning/4988-best-apps-for-learning-chemistry
Geometry of Molecules
Best apps for chemistry students
https://geometryofmolecules.com/best-chemistry-apps-for-android-and-iphone/
Educational App Store
Best apps for chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, & math students, all ages, free or paid
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/chemistry-apps
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/biology-apps
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/physics-apps
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/math-apps
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/astronomy-apps
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/category/anatomy-apps
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Best chemistry apps for high school students
https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2017/07/12-excellent-chemistry-apps-for-high.html
Collections of images or videos to supplement labs, includes dissection videos:
Biologybyme
Biology videos, some dissections, etc. High school+
https://www.youtube.com/user/Biologybyme/videos
PBS Learning Media – Dissection videos for classroom use
Dissection videos organized by animal
https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/dissection-videos-for-classroom-use/
Anatomy Corner
Free - images made during dissections
http://anatomycorner.com/main/image-gallery/
Insides on the Outside
Dissection videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_hfIyUEz11wkzmoJpmx9H50tBm6pCIM5
General lab resources (curriculum):
Lab-Aids
This company provides an entire NGSS-aligned science curriculum, middle school or high school, for up to a year’s worth of material for face-to-face classes.
https://www.lab-aids.com/massachusetts
