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The online support for teachers will be helpful. I can use this tool to reference when I have questions about what I am doing with READ 180.

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Take a book home, print resources (quiz, graphic organizer, etc.)

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Could be dowloaded and printed

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PDF, but writing on notebook paper and emailing/uploading photos or scans

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Individually working on the software

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some with internet
some with no internet
working on own time
working individually

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on their own time
working individually

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Synchronous-interchangeable between in person together or live online together

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Professional Learning Guide Pages for Further Reference

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Professional Learning Guide Pages for Further Reference

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https://www.hmhco.com/learningsupport

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https://www.hmhco.com/blog/free-learning-resources

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How to Engage Students In Online Learning: Tips for Elementary School Teachers

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How to Engage Students In Online Learning: Tips for Elementary School Teachers

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When the school day starts with students logging in instead of walking into your classroom, it helps to set up some routines and procedures to make sure you can grab and keep their attention as you teach. Attention is a limited resource-the brain can only focus on one thing at a time-and it's natural for minds to wander.

Student Engagement Strategies for the Online Learning Environment

When teaching online, it's not as easy to see that students are getting distracted and bring them back. That's why it's important to help students set up a workspace at home that minimizes distractions, keep students engaged from the beginning of a lesson, build in ways to sustain their attention, and establish nondisruptive ways for them to communicate with you when they're struggling.

Help students set up their workspace.

Elementary students will need help setting up a space for schoolwork in their homes, so provide guidelines to both students and their caregivers about what is needed. Here's what they will likely need:

A quiet space that's free from distractions: Show students and their caregivers your workspace and list the key elements. Having a room with a door that closes is ideal, but the kitchen table or a bedroom corner can work just as well with some adjustments. Face the workspace away from the television or other distracting devices, and send siblings or other family members who are not engaging in quiet work to another room. Clear clutter from visible surfaces-a pile of papers or toys that haven't been put away can lead to mind wandering.

Materials required for the lesson: Have students gather the materials they will need for the lesson beforehand by sending out a list of what's required the night or week before. (e.g., notebook, graph paper, pencil)

Headphones: Encourage students to use headphones, as this reduces distractions and dampens background noise.

Webcams (if available and appropriate): Tell students whether and how you want them to use webcams. Student webcams can help teachers monitor their students' attentiveness, but not all students have access to a webcam and seeing their other classmates' video feeds may be more distracting than helpful. If you want to use webcams, you might limit their use to only when a student is speaking or only for small-group, collaborative activities.

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How to Engage Students in Online Learning: Tips for Elementary School Teachers

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When the school day starts with students logging in instead of walking into your classroom, it helps to set up some routines and procedures to make sure you can grab and keep their attention as you teach. Attention is a limited resource-the brain can only focus on one thing at a time-and it's natural for minds to wander.

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Navigating Remote Learning Environments Overview

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Navigating Remote Learning Environments Overview

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How to Teach Online: Strategies for K-12 Educators Amid School Closures

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How to Teach Online: Strategies for K-12 Educators Amid School Closures

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With the closings of schools and the possibility of having students out of classes for months, many school districts are asking teachers to transition to online learning for their students. If you are a classroom teacher now tasked with figuring out how to teach online, the change may seem challenging, but we've got you covered with some helpful tips.

I taught secondary science online for six years and was a department head, a national subject area specialist, and someone who trained teachers who were new to the online arena. The most commonly asked question I received during this time went something like, "Science...online?! How could you possibly teach science online?" My answer was, and continues to be, that we can teach almost anything online "surprisingly well!"

Strategies for Online Teaching

Here are my top six strategies for online teaching to ensure an engaging and impactful experience.

1. Use videoconferencing tools to host online live lessons.

Especially because we are in quarantine and students (and all of us) may be feeling emotionally isolated, it's important to stay in front of your students as much as possible, which can be done with videoconferencing sites such as Zoom, Skype, Facebook Live, WebEx, Google Hangouts, and YouTube Live. Set a specific time of day to conduct live lessons online, but don't just talk at the kids. Keep it interactive and fun. Some tips:

Remember that most videoconferencing sites include chat functions and screen-sharing options so your students can chat with you and each other while you show a presentation slideshow, take them to a website, or walk them through problems or writing examples-anything you would normally show them in your classroom.

Remember that most videoconferencing sites allow you to control participant privileges-you can turn off everyone else's microphone, only allow them to chat with you, or turn on and off the privilege as needed. Remember all of the classroom management you've had to do in the past? Not online!

Start your lesson with a bell ringer-just like in your brick-and-mortar classroom, you can begin your lessons with something fun, like putting up a presentation slide that asks a trivia question and having students privately chat the answer to you for some extra credit.

Use your webcam. It takes some getting used to, but students pay more attention if they can see you speaking to them, and they really enjoy seeing where you are working from-if your family pet wanders into view, you are teaching in your pajamas, or you have fun art on the wall in the background, all the better to connect with your students as a "real" person!

Record your lessons, and require students to prove that they watched the recordings. A student who watched the recording can then email you a list of specific words from the lesson or descriptions of pictures used.

Send out the recording link and your presentation slides to help students who need to review the information again for mastery.

Invite experts to share in your online lessons. From scientists to musicians, in this time of quarantine, many are looking for ways to help and would be happy to speak to your students.

To supplement live videoconferencing sessions, you can send students recordings of yourself providing relevant information about the coursework, giving instructions, or engaging students with a fun activity like a virtual read-aloud, as this teacher did!

2. Use online discussion forums for interaction.

To continue combating those feelings of isolation, use a discussion forum, and require your students to respond both to you and to each other on content related to the lessons. Keep it creative, and you can improve critical-thinking skills and deepen the learning.

For example, ask a question like, "If you could clone a pet, what kind of pet would you clone and why?" Students then are required to reply to the discussion prompt using at least 50 words, and they must reply to at least two of their peers-again, using at least 50 words-by either agreeing with their post, respectfully disagreeing with their post, or adding to what the classmate said.

Be sure to include word minimums and limits in your requirements to avoid students replying with only "I agree," or, at the other end of the spectrum, go on to write a short novel.

3. Take your students on virtual tours.

Many options exist for either leading your students on a virtual tour during your live online lesson or assigning them a tour or activity to complete on their own. HMH has even built in Google Expeditions lesson plans into the different disciplines ( learn more about HMH Field Trips). Below is a list of some of my favorite and most recent options:

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How to Teach Online: Strategies for K-12 Educators Amid School Closures

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Amid school closures, many educators must figure out how to teach online. Use these strategies for online teaching to create a learning experience that is engaging and impactful.

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Navigating Remote Learning Environments Planning Tool

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Navigating Remote Learning Environments Planning Tool

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Nonfiction Reading Response and Writing Prompts

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Nonfiction Reading Response and Writing Prompts

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Navigating the Journey to Remote Learning

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Navigating the Journey to Remote Learning

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However, it is essential to focus on remote learning versus distance learning or virtual learning. In my mind, there is a clear distinction. Distance and virtual are appropriate where all kids have access to a device and the internet. Remote, on the other hand, focuses on both digital and non-digital pathways to keep realistic learning going. I must emphasize the need to be realistic as this rests on the mere fact that most teachers have never been adequately trained in this area. Whereas parents and guardians have to be patient and understanding with teachers, the same can be said in terms of administrators and the expectations that they place on their staff.

Here are some ideas I have.

* Get a plan in place: If there isn't a plan, be proactive regardless of your position. Provide guidance and support to teachers and administrators while reassuring them that there is no one right or wrong way to go about remote learning. The best way is your way. Once a plan is in place, convey it to parents, guardians, and other stakeholders. The Mount Olive Township School District in New Jersey, under the leadership of superintendent Dr. Robert Zywicki, has been way ahead of the curve. You can check out their entire plan here.

* Come to a consensus as to what is feasible in the community where you work: Provide devices and mobile Wi-Fi, if possible. In the case of the latter, this is what the Mount Olive School District did. Equity matters more than ever.

In Mount Olive, school officials were initially doubtful that the district could support virtual learning. Then, they hatched a last-minute plan. The district distributed 1,300 Chromebooks to its middle school students and decided to pay $4,600 to provide wireless access for any student who didn't have it at home. "We have achieved equality of online access in a week," Superintendent Robert Zywicki said. "Boom. Mic drop."

* Develop a manageable workload and time limit for learners: As this is new to everyone, piling on too much work will be counterproductive.

* Don't put the responsibility on parents for students in Grades 5 and above: Our youngest learners will need some help and guidance, especially if their elementary schools have not been 1:1 or Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Parents are juggling an equal amount of challenges and pressure. Asking them to take on this added responsibility will very well push some over the edge.

* Shy away from low-level packets and worksheets: These aren't an effective practice in school and thus shouldn't be a go-to as a means to validate a remote learning plan.

* Use playlists and choice boards: These have quickly become a high-agency, pedagogically sound strategy to personalize learning in school, and can be adapted as part of a remote learning plan.

Thanks @E_Sheninger! Your coaching first exposed @MountOliveTSD to #choiceboards which were instrumental in helping us develop our health-related closing plan: https://t.co/wxJE0al5xD @RigorRelevance @DrLRepollet https://t.co/mPwre4SOIx
- Dr. Robert R. Zywicki (@ZywickiR) March 16, 2020

* Suggest lots of independent reading: You really can't go wrong here.

* Determine how feedback will be given once school reopens:In the case of districts and schools that have limited digital resources, it defeats the purpose of assigning lessons and work if kids don't know how they did upon their return. Notice I am not saying to grade the work. There are too many variables outside the control of teachers that would make grading anything completed during an extended school closure fair. Feedback is often a more powerful conduit to learning than grades anyway.

* Use Google Voice for parents and guardians to ask questions and get needed advice: It is free, easy to set up, and masks your real phone number. Voxer can also be used. If technology is available and equity has been ensured, take some of these ideas into account.

* Consider a balance between synchronous and asynchronous: Facilitating lessons using live video is excellent. However, with these chaotic times, learners might not be able to tune in at a specific time each day. Asynchronous options such as flipped lessons and self-paced assignments have the added bonus of teaching kids how to manage their time and develop a greater sense of responsibility. PK-12 students can even go through a pre-set schedule using Khan Academy, with access available here.

* Fully utilize a learning management system (LMS) if one is in place: If you or your staff use Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, or another LMS routinely in the classroom, then this is a logical decision. Plus, kids are already used to logging on, completing assignments, and receiving feedback.

* Develop the means for real engagement: Within the LMS, a slew of digital tools can be included for backchanneling, collaboration, checks for understanding, and creation. To assist, check out the resources in this post.

* Make the time for digital check-ins with learners: Consider having virtual office hours or use communication tools embedded in each LMS.
I also tried to articulate this information in a video, which you can view below.
Consistent communication is vital for the success of any remote learning plan. Digital leadership compels all of us to meet our stakeholders where they are and engage in two-way communication when possible. Now more than ever, this is crucial in keeping everyone's sanity. Think about what tools your community, including students, regularly uses, and blend with traditional means.

When the dust settles, and after reflection, educators will have a much better idea of what worked and what didn't. From there, districts and schools can begin to put in place professional learning plans that transform practices in the classroom that can be used for remote learning if the need arises.

For more ideas, follow #remotelearning on social media.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.
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To help you continue teaching and learning during the current outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), visit HMH's At-Home Learning Support page for free resources.

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Navigating the Journey to Remote Learning: Tips for School Districts

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ICLE Senior Fellow Eric Sheninger shares tips with education leaders on transitioning their district to remote learning while schools are closed during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Type your information in the fields below, and click Submit. Once you have generated your certificate, open your certificate and go to the file menu on your browser and select Print.

Type your information in the fields below, and click Submit. Once you have generated your certificate, open your certificate and go to the file menu on your browser and select Print.

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Create a certificate based on student's progress.

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Fiction Reading Response and Writing Prompts

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Fiction Reading Response and Writing Prompts

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How to Talk to Kids About the Coronavirus

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Whether you're a parent or a teacher, or both, you are now coping with the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Across the country, schools have been shut down, and while some districts are turning to remote learning as a solution, others have announced that they have ended classes for the rest of the school year.

Amidst these sudden and sweeping changes, there are no doubt kids in your life-whether they're kindergartners or high school seniors-who have major questions, concerns, or fears about this ongoing health crisis. You can expect them to turn to you for answers, information, or simply reassurance that everything is going to be all right. How do you respond? Many experts and educators agree on the best course to follow.

Give kids space to talk about their feelings.

Encourage them to ask anything they want about the coronavirus and how it is affecting the country and the world.

Be positive, calm, and reassuring.

Kids will look to their parents and/or teachers to determine how afraid they should be. As noted by Katherine Cowan, Director of Communications for the National Association of School Psychologists, "Across the board, how adults are responding, how information is conveyed, how nervous or anxious they are-that's how kids will receive the information."

For adults and kids alike, Cowan says, "Panicking is not helpful. On the other hand, we like to say that overpreparedness is not the same as panicking-so if you end up stocking up on more toilet paper than you actually needed, that's not a bad outcome." Cowan recommends focusing on the steps being taken by schools, and by adults in general, to keep everyone-especially kids-safe and healthy. You can also emphasize that health experts in the United States and other countries are working hard to learn everything they can about the virus, find a way to stop it from spreading, and ensure that people stay healthy.

Stick to the facts.

No matter what grade the child is in, you can explain that the illness is caused by a virus and describe in general what a virus is. You may also consider explaining the ways in which the coronavirus is different from and similar to the common cold or the flu. For example, like the flu, the coronavirus is a respiratory illness that affects the lungs, nose, and throat. But the coronavirus is a new virus, so scientists still have much to learn about it. Always be honest, factual, and open to all questions, but consider the child's age when deciding how much detail to share. "Make sure that what you're sharing...is developmentally appropriate," Cowan says.

Reinforce reliable sources.

For up-to-date, accurate information about the coronavirus and the ongoing efforts to learn about it, contain it, and develop a vaccine, you may wish to consult the websites of leading organizations including the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the National Institutes of Health.

Emphasize the importance of taking precautions.

Wash your hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds each time.

Stay home if you're sick.

Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper sleeve-not your hands. If you use a tissue, throw it out as soon as you're done with it.

Keep your hands out of your mouth, eyes, and nose.

Stop shaking hands-use other noncontact methods of greeting.

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How to Talk to Kids About the Coronavirus

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Children likely have questions, concerns, or fears about the coronavirus (COVID-19), and many experts and educators agree on the best ways to respond.

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Adjusting to New Realities When Schools are Closed

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Adjusting to New Realities When Schools Are Closed: 5 Tips for Parents

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As parents, the realities of daily life changed overnight as schools closed, so follow these five steps to adjust to your new roles at home.

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Video Links - How to Make PDF's Editable

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Video Links - How to Make PDF's Editable

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The Power of Stories in Difficult Times

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From "once upon a time" and consistently until today, stories have served humankind well in difficult times. They teach us, amuse us, and distract us when quotidian affairs become overwhelming. Currently, the internet is exploding with resources to help students learn while schools are temporarily closed, but the best resource could lie within us: our stories, those we tell our children, and the stories they have to tell us.

And the best thing about stories? There is no assembly required.

Child psychiatrist Robert Coles argues that people's stories speak for themselves. A medical doctor who taught literature at Harvard University, Coles believes that the sturdiest moral lessons are acquired through stories-both oral and written.

"The whole point of stories," he observes, "is not 'solutions' or 'resolutions' but a broadening and even a heightening of our struggles. The beauty of a story is in its openness-the way you or I can take it in, and use it for ourselves." Stories embody "the moral contradictions and inconsistencies in our personal lives," and help us to decipher the barrage of information that threatens to overwhelm us.

Many multigenerational families are taking refuge together. This is an ideal time for sharing the stories that, too busy or engrossed in our digital devices, until now we have been unable to tell. Describe what it was like when you were a kid, when you got into trouble, when you were scared. Pull out old photo albums and show your little ones pictures from when you were a child. Pictures prompt stories.

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The Power of Stories: In Difficult Times, Storytelling Offers Respite...and Delight!

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While schools are closed, the best learning resource could lie within us: our stories, those we tell our children, and the stories they have to tell us.