PhET Simulations in Wayground: Bringing Interactive Learning to Life

For educators and students alike, hands-on learning is one of the most effective ways to understand complex concepts. PhET simulations provide interactive, research-based experiences that allow students to experiment, explore, and apply concepts in a safe digital environment making abstract ideas tangible and meaningful.

The great news is that Wayground now has the 60 most popular PhET simulations fully integrated. This allows you to combine the exploratory power of PhET with the instant feedback, auto-grading, and tracking features that Wayground offers.

Why PhET is so powerful for learning

PhET simulations are designed around active, inquiry-based learning. Instead of passively reading or watching, students manipulate variables, test hypotheses, and see immediate results. This kind of learning:

• Encourages deep understanding of scientific and mathematical concepts
• Allows students to apply knowledge in real scenarios without the risk of real-world mistakes
• Supports critical thinking as students predict outcomes, analyze results, and iterate on experiments
• Engages learners of all levels with visual, interactive, and playful experiences

For example, a simulation on electric circuits lets students connect batteries, resistors, and bulbs to see how voltage and current behave. Students can experiment with different setups, see immediate visual feedback, and reflect on why certain configurations work. This kind of application-based learning helps students transfer knowledge from the virtual simulation to real-world problem-solving.

Ready-to-go activities

Wayground includes a sheet with all 60 free PhET activities. Each activity is ready to assign, but you can also modify them to fit your lesson goals or curriculum needs. Whether you’re teaching physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics, these simulations provide students with meaningful opportunities to practice, experiment, and apply concepts.

How to get started

• Browse the sheet of 60 simulations to find activities relevant to your lesson
• Assign simulations directly to students in Wayground for instant feedback and auto-grading
• Encourage reflection: Ask students to record observations, make predictions, or explain results in a short write-up or discussion
• Modify activities to include challenges or extensions that connect simulations to real-life applications

PhET simulations in Wayground are more than just online activities—they are a way to bring abstract concepts to life, support true application of learning, and make exploration meaningful.

Tips for Educators

Pair simulations with reflective prompts. Ask students to explain why a result occurred, how it connects to real-world scenarios, or how they might apply the concept in a hands-on experiment. This makes the learning experience active, applied, and memorable.

Active Learning and Free Tech Tools: Making Lessons Stick for Every Level

Students learn best when they actively engage with content rather than passively receive it. Active learning and application-based activities give students the chance to think critically, collaborate, and apply knowledge to real-world situations. Research shows this approach improves retention, problem-solving, and understanding while keeping students motivated and curious.

The best part is you do not need expensive software. There are plenty of free and open-source tools that support interactive, application-focused lessons for all learners, from preschool through college.

Preschool (PreK)

Preschoolers learn best through play, exploration, and sensory experiences. Active learning at this stage focuses on early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development.

Math

Use Khan Academy Kids for interactive counting games. Example activity: Children match objects from their environment to numbers in the app or sort colored blocks while counting aloud.

Science

Explore nature and sensory experiences. Example activity: Take a short nature walk, collect leaves or rocks, and create a simple digital slideshow with Google Slides to compare sizes, shapes, or colors.

Language Arts

Interactive storytime with StoryJumper or recorded read-alouds. Example activity: Children create a short picture story inspired by a story they heard.

Social-Emotional Skills

Use free songs, rhymes, and movement videos on platforms like YouTube Kids (with supervision). Example activity: Children follow along with movement songs, take turns leading actions, or describe how story characters feel.

Creative Arts

Digital drawing or coloring using Sketch.io or simple tablet drawing apps. Example activity: Children create artwork based on a story or theme, then share with peers digitally or in-class gallery.

Tip for Preschool

Keep activities short and hands-on, integrating technology to enhance sensory play and interaction, not replace it.

Primary Grades K to 5

Young learners thrive when learning is hands-on and playful.

Math

Use Khan Academy Kids for interactive counting, shapes, and problem-solving games. Example activity: Students complete a digital scavenger hunt by finding classroom objects and recording counts.

Science

Track plant growth or record simple experiments in Google Sheets or Slides. Example activity: Students plant seeds and chart growth trends with photos in a Google Sheet.

Language Arts

Create digital storybooks with StoryJumper. Example activity: Students write a short story and add images, then share with peers for feedback.

Social Studies

Explore landmarks and cultures through virtual field trips using Google Earth. Example activity: Students choose a country, explore its geography, and create a simple slide presentation about findings.

Tip for Primary Grades

Keep activities short and hands-on, integrating technology to enhance sensory play and interaction, not replace it.

Middle School Grades 6 to 8

Middle school students benefit from activities that promote analysis, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Math

Explore graphs, functions, and equations with Desmos. Example activity: Students create and solve their own graphing problems, then share with classmates for peer review.

Science

Conduct virtual experiments using PhET Interactive Simulations or LabXchange. Example activity: Students simulate chemical reactions and record observations in a shared Google Doc.

Language Arts

Collaborate on stories or multimedia projects in Google Docs or Slides. Example activity: Students co-write a mystery story, adding images and annotations to enhance the narrative.

Social Studies

Build interactive timelines and maps using Google My Maps. Example activity: Students create a timeline of a historical event with locations, photos, and notes for each key date.

Tip for Middle School

Focus on student collaboration and inquiry, giving them opportunities to analyze and create rather than just memorize.

High School Grades 9 to 12

High school students need opportunities to apply knowledge to authentic situations.

Math

Analyze real-world data in Google Sheets. Example activity: Students collect local community data and create charts or graphs to present findings.

Science

Simulate experiments or create 3D models using PhET or Tinkercad. Example activity: Students model a physics experiment or design a virtual circuit.

Language Arts

Produce podcasts with Audacity to analyze texts or tell stories. Example activity: Students create a podcast episode analyzing a poem or short story.

History and Social Studies

Create multimedia presentations in Google Slides or Canva free version. Example activity: Students develop an interactive project on a historical movement with images, quotes, and videos.

Tip for High School

Use real-world applications and technology that allows students to explore, present, and share their learning creatively.

Higher Education College and University

College students benefit when learning is applied, collaborative, and research-driven.

STEM Courses

Simulate experiments or model complex systems using PhET or Tinkercad. Example activity: Students design and test a virtual experiment, documenting results digitally.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Collaborate on research projects using Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides. Example activity: Students co-create an annotated bibliography or interactive timeline.

Business and Economics

Analyze publicly available datasets in Google Sheets or Excel Online. Example activity: Students collect economic data and develop a report with visualizations and insights.

Language and Communication

Create podcasts, screencasts, or short videos using Audacity or OBS Studio. Example activity: Students produce a video analysis of a speech or media clip.

Tip for Higher Education

Encourage student-driven, research-based projects that require critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application.

Why Active Learning Matters at Every Level

Active learning and application-based strategies are not just extras. They

• Promote critical thinking by encouraging students to question, analyze, and solve problems
• Encourage collaboration as students work together to achieve shared goals
• Improve retention and comprehension because students apply concepts in meaningful contexts
• Make learning relevant and transferable, connecting classroom concepts to real-world situations

Even with limited resources, free and open-source tools allow educators to design engaging, interactive, and impactful lessons at every level.

Overall Tip for Educators

Start small. Pick one subject and one free tool. Design a short, application-focused activity. Observe how students engage, then expand. Over time, active learning will become a natural part of your teaching practice.

Shifting the Focus from Content to the Learning Journey

Too often we think about what learners should know instead of how they experience learning. We build courses around checklists and objectives, assuming that covering the content is enough. But learning is really about the experience. Shifting the focus from content delivery to the journey changes everything.

When we think about learning as a journey, we create moments that help people make connections, practice skills, and actually retain what matters. This applies whether we’re teaching in a classroom, leading a workshop, or designing online experiences.

For example, in a classroom workshop on leadership, instead of lecturing about decision-making, you might guide learners through a team challenge. They make choices, see the results, and then reflect on what worked and what didn’t. They’re still learning the theory, but it sticks because they’ve experienced it. Online, the same principle applies. Instead of a long video on communication, learners could respond to realistic scenarios, get feedback, and try again. They practice skills safely and see the impact of different approaches.

When we design experiences as a journey, not a checklist, learning becomes engaging and memorable. Learners connect ideas, experiment with new approaches, and grow in ways that stick long after the session ends.

Reflection: Think about the last course you designed or took. How much of it focused on the learner’s experience? What could you change to make it more of a journey than a checklist?

Focusing on the journey makes learning meaningful. It’s the difference between learners remembering content and actually using it.

The Power of Experiential Learning: Taking Education to a Whole New Level

Learning is not just about absorbing information. It is about experiencing, practicing, and applying knowledge in ways that feel meaningful and relevant. That is where experiential learning comes in. It transforms the classroom from a place of passive listening into a space where students actively engage, explore, and make connections that last.

H5P Branching Scenario

Experiential learning takes education to a whole new level by immersing students in the process itself. Rather than reading about theories or memorizing facts in isolation, students get the opportunity to live the learning. This creates deeper understanding, stronger retention, and the confidence to apply knowledge in real-world situations.

Consider some of the most powerful experiential strategies:

• Case studies place students in realistic situations where they must analyze, evaluate, and problem-solve.
• Scenarios allow learners to practice decision-making and anticipate outcomes.
• Storytelling connects content to human experience, creating emotional engagement and relevance.
• Labs and simulations give students the chance to test, experiment, and apply knowledge hands-on.
• Gamification introduces motivation, challenge, and play to the learning process, sparking creativity and persistence.

Muzzy Lane Simulation

These methods do more than teach content. They build critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, and reflection. They help students see the “why” behind what they are learning and prepare them to use their knowledge beyond the classroom.

H5P Interactive Book

At its heart, experiential learning makes education memorable. It bridges the gap between theory and practice and empowers students to step into their learning with energy and ownership.

H5P Game Map

If we want learners to not only know but also to do, to create, and to lead, experiential learning is one of the most powerful tools we can offer.

The next step is to reflect on your own teaching or learning space. Where could you add a case study, a simulation, a story, or a gamified element that would invite students to step in and take ownership of their learning? Even one small change can ignite curiosity, deepen understanding, and move learning from abstract to unforgettable.

Transforming Learning in Your Classroom with Google’s Learn Your Way

As educators, we are always looking for innovative ways to engage students and make learning more meaningful. Google’s Learn Your Way offers a fresh approach to teaching by turning traditional textbooks into interactive, personalized learning experiences using AI.

What is Learn Your Way?

Learn Your Way is an AI-powered platform developed by Google Research that reimagines how students interact with educational content. Instead of static textbooks or PDFs, students can explore material through:

• Immersive Text with images and embedded questions

• Narrated Slides for audio-visual learning

• Audio Lessons for auditory learners

• Mind Maps to visualize relationships between concepts

• Interactive Quizzes to reinforce understanding

The platform adapts content based on a student’s grade level and interests, allowing each learner to experience material in a way that resonates with them.

How Educators Can Use It

1. Personalize Learning
   Learn Your Way allows teachers to adjust content for different grade levels or student interests. For example, a lesson on ecosystems can be framed with sports examples for some students or music examples for others, keeping engagement high.

2. Flipped Classroom Support
   Use the narrated slides or audio lessons as pre-class materials. Students can explore the concepts at their own pace, freeing up class time for discussion, problem-solving, or project work.

3. Assessment & Feedback
   Built-in quizzes provide immediate feedback, helping teachers identify which concepts need reinforcement and allowing students to track their own learning progress.

4. Visual & Multimodal Learning
   Mind maps and interactive visuals make abstract concepts more concrete. This is especially valuable in STEM subjects or complex social sciences topics.

5. Retention & Engagement
   Studies show that students using Learn Your Way retained more information than those using traditional PDFs, while also feeling more confident in their understanding. This can help improve both grades and motivation.

 

Getting Started

You can explore Learn Your Way as an educator through Google Labs. Start by selecting a topic, grade level, and even the interest focus, then see how the content transforms into an interactive learning experience.

By integrating AI-powered tools like Learn Your Way into your classroom, you can provide students with a personalized, active, and engaging learning experience all while keeping your teaching aligned with modern learning science principles.

Reflection

As we think about integrating AI-powered tools into our teaching, it’s important to pause and consider the impact on our students.

• How could personalized, AI-powered learning enhance engagement and understanding in your classroom?

• Which lesson or topic could you try first using Learn Your Way to make it more interactive and meaningful for your students?

It’s exciting to see technology helping us meet students where they are and make learning more active, personalized, and engaging.