10 Khan Academy Courses High School Students Should Check Out
Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization, offers invaluable resources for high school students. With an extensive range of free, high-quality courses, it allows students to strengthen their academic foundations, fill any knowledge gaps, and explore new subjects. Whether tackling complex math problems, mastering science concepts, or gearing up for standardized tests like the SAT, students can pursue a lot of courses here.
The platform’s flexibility allows students to learn at their own pace, so students can align these courses with their school curricula. With its accessible and user-friendly design, Khan Academy’s vast offerings are a boon for students seeking to enhance their academic profiles while boosting their competitive exam preparations.
If you’re still not sure how helpful Khan Academy courses will be for SAT preparation, check out this article from 2017, which discusses how 20 hours of free Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy was linked with an average score increase of 115 points. PCMag has rated Khan Academy 4.5 out of 5 and it also has received an aggregate positive review on Common Sense Education.
With that being said, in this blog, we have listed 10 Khan Academy courses for high school students that you should check out!
1. Intro to Computer Science Course with Python
The Intro to Computer Science Course is one of the latest additions to Khan Academy’s course catalog. As mentioned in the title, through this course learners will explore the basics of programming using Python. This program focuses on hands-on learning and modules include programming challenges that help students refine their problem-solving, collaboration, and program design skills.
The course is divided into six units, covering topics like computational thinking, algorithm design using conditionals, loops, variables, task automation, and data analysis. This is a good choice for high school students who are starting their coding journey and are familiar with some basic technical jargon. There is a different set of coding challenges associated with each unit, which will test the participants’ understanding of the concepts taught in that unit. Here, students will use the custom, online development environment to write, run, and debug code on the go.
Khan Academy has been a partner of the Advanced Placement (AP) program since 2017 and you can access multiple course options across various subjects on the website. Khan Academy's AP courses are designed to match the College Board’s AP course frameworks, thus topics not in the AP framework will be left out of the syllabus from these courses as well.
These courses are not reviewed or approved by the College Board and at best, can be considered supplemental to AP Classrooms. Nevertheless, the courses cover all topics from an AP course. Each course is divided into smaller units, which consist of multiple quizzes and a final unit test, which help you assess your progress through mastery points.
The following AP courses are offered by Khan Academy as of 2024: AP®︎/College Statistics, AP®︎/College Calculus AB, AP®︎/College Calculus BC, AP®︎/College Biology, AP®︎/College Chemistry, AP®︎/College Environmental Science, AP®︎/College Physics 1, AP®︎/College Physics 2, AP®︎/College Microeconomics, AP®︎/College Macroeconomics, World History Project AP®, AP®︎/College Art History, AP®︎/College US Government and Politics, and AP®︎/College US History.
3. NGSS-aligned High School Physics
This is another new course which high school students can opt for beginning the 2024-25 academic year. The syllabus has been adapted to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the learning outcomes are slightly different from the High school physics course offered by Khan Academy.
The course will cover 9 units covering the basics of physics, like motion, forces, and the fundamental laws behind physics concepts. There is a 10th unit as well but it is only useful for teachers, who would like to use this course to augment their students’ learning experience. A unit completely dedicated to understanding wave phenomena is a new addition to the syllabus when compared to the existing high school physics course. You will be able to test your progress throughout the program via multiple quizzes and unit tests.
4. NGSS-aligned High School Biology
This is another one of the recently added courses that follows the NGSS. The course offers interested students the option to study topics like photosynthesis and cellular respiration, cell cycles, evolution, and human impacts on ecosystems to build a strong base in biology. The course does not differ much from the regular High school biology offering in terms of syllabus but new videos and exercise sets have been added to the course to make the learning experience more comprehensive.
The course is designed to take participants through the very basics of biology like cells, photosynthesis, and various molecules to advanced topics like inheritance, biogeochemical cycles like the carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle, and how these cycles impact humans (nitrogen fixing in agriculture) and vice versa (algae bloom due to pollution). There are over 40 exercise sets throughout the program, allowing you to check your progress and highlight areas that need a revisit.
For students interested in studying medicine in college, the Health and Medicine course is a good option. The course starts with an introduction to the human body and in the following 12 courses, participants will be introduced to various biological systems like the respiratory system and the diseases affecting each one. While there is no prerequisite to take this course, you will find it more engaging if you have a keen interest and background in biology.
The course has an extensive syllabus covering not only the various human body systems but also provides an introduction to the most common diseases. Students will find the units covering Infectious diseases, circulatory system diseases, and brain function and mental health relatable and quite insightful. The course concludes with discussions about the healthcare system, cancer, and child growth.
6. Algebra 1
Khan Academy offers a wide variety of math courses that high school students can choose from. For any high school student, getting familiar with the concepts of algebra is crucial and if you want to complement your learnings from the school curriculum, the Algebra 1 course might be the right choice for you. The course consists of 16 units and you will learn about everything from algebra basics to irrational numbers.
Key topics like linear equations, systems of equations, functions, quadratic equations, and irrational numbers will be covered in this course. If you feel a little unsure about your preparation for this course, there is a quick six-unit course titled Get ready for Algebra 1 which you can take up to get a quick revision of concepts you’ll need to excel in Algebra 1. On the other hand, if you have already completed Algebra 1, you can always opt for Algebra 2 to study advanced concepts.
Chemistry is one of the fundamental sciences and concepts that you learn in the subject have wide-ranging applications including soap-making to the synthesis of complex nanomaterials. While the subject deals with chemicals and how they react under different conditions, in high school, you begin by learning about atoms, the basic building blocks of matter. Khan Academy’s High school chemistry course covers topics like atoms, periodic tables to nuclear reactions!
The course introduces you to what atoms are, helps you understand the basic atomic models, and learn about chemical bondings and reactions while slowly progressing towards topics like thermochemistry, what makes something acidic or alkaline, reaction rates and their relevance in nuclear processes such as fission and fusion. Apart from the regular quizzes and unit tests, there are some hands-on activities associated with some units, like this one, where you can learn about different liquids and their interaction with a penny.
Preparing for the SAT requires consistent efforts, a good timetable, and much more. Having the right resources at your disposal to learn about key topics and practicing regularly could help improve your scores. If you are looking for a free resource to brush up on your math skills, Khan Academy’s Digital SAT Math course might be useful. The course has been created in partnership with the College Board and provides you with more than a thousand SAT math questions, varying in difficulty levels.
The first unit of the course is designed to provide an overview of the Digital SAT exam, and FAQs, and help you with creating a prep plan. The topics essential for SAT - algebra, problem solving and data analysis, advanced math, and geometry and trigonometry are covered from the beginner level through the advanced level. Each sub-topic is covered through a lecture, a basic example, and a complex example.
As an added bonus, you can also pair the Bluebook app with Khan Academy's digital SAT prep courses and once you have completed a practice test, you will be able to get a review of the practice test, which includes detailed explanations for every question.
9. Digital SAT Reading and Writing
This is the second official SAT prep course offered by Khan Academy. The course is designed to help students polish their reading comprehension, expression, and language skills necessary to excel in the SAT Reading and Writing test. As this course has been designed alongside the College Board, it will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the SAT and cover all topics required to prepare for the reading and writing section of the exam.
Information and ideas, craft and structure, expression of ideas, and standard English conventions are covered from the beginner level through the advanced level, and each sub-topic is covered through a lesson, a worked example, and a quick example. The instructor will explain how to approach a question step-by-step and will work through examples so you get an idea of what need to be done!
10. Trigonometry
Trigonometry is one of the most crucial concepts in math and as one of the four broad topics for the SAT, it is advisable to have a strong foundation in this topic. Trigonometry concepts alongside algebra are vastly used in precalculus. If you are looking for a refresher on trigonometry or just want to practice solving some questions, you should consider Khan Academy’s Trigonometry course.
The course consists of four units, which cover topics like right triangles, hypotenuse, trigonometric ratios and functions, the law of sines and cosines, and identities. Each topic consists of an introductory video, which will explain the core concept through a solved example. Once you are finished with the video, you will be asked to solve a similar problem as practice. The course concludes with a series of videos, discussing challenging trigonometry problems and providing their solutions.
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