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Easily turn a Google™ Spreadsheet into a Set of Online Flashcards and Other Cool Stuff!

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Flippity.net: Flashcards and Other Resources for Educators and Learners

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Create an interactive virtual breakout activity.

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Storytime with author Mo Willems - everyday at 1:00

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Storytime with author Mo Willems - everyday at 1:00

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Author and Illustrator Mo Willems has been awarded the American Library Association’s Caldecott Honor three times for his picture book illustration. Additionally, he is the recipient of two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors for his Elephant & Piggie early readers. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards. His work has been exhibited around the world, including solo retrospectives at the High Museum in Atlanta and the New-York Historical Society. Over the last decade, Mo has written three musical theater works based on his books, two of which were commissioned and toured by the Kennedy Center.

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At youcubed, we inspire, educate and empower teachers of mathematics, transforming the latest research on mathematics learning into accessible and practical forms.

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At youcubed, we inspire, educate and empower teachers of mathematics, transforming the latest research on mathematics learning into accessible and practical forms.

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At youcubed, we inspire, educate and empower teachers of mathematics, transforming the latest research on mathematics learning into accessible and practical forms.

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Book that explains Coronovirus in kid-friendly way

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Book that explains Coronovirus in kid-friendly way

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Resources that help kids develop a growth and resilient mindset so they can face life’s challenges with confidence.

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Big Life Journal: Growth Mindset for Kids & Teens

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We create effective tools and resources to help kids and teens develop a growth mindset so they can face life's challenges with confidence and have every opportunity in life. Our products are based on the latest research, and that's what makes them so unique and effective.

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2020 ideas for Montessori families at home

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2020 ideas for Montessori families at home

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2020 Ideas for Montessori Families at home

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Streaming free stories

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Streaming free stories

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Streaming free stories

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A list of things to do at home

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WeAreTeachers | Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers

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WeAreTeachers celebrates educators with classroom ideas, "helpline" advice, inspiration and laughs every day. Why? Because teachers are AWESOME!

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Free to educators - digital books, audiobooks, quizzes and more!

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Free for educators! Give students unlimited in-class access to the best books & videos on Epic

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Free to educators - digital books, audiobooks, quizzes and more!
Sign up for free.

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Free for educators! Give students unlimited in-class access to the best books & videos on Epic

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Printable resources for reading and math.

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If you're looking for all our free printables for the classroom or at-home, you've come to the right place! On this page, I've collected all the freebies at This Reading Mama. They're sorted by subject so you can find them easier.

You'll find TONS of freebies here, but you can find even more resources I've bundled up in my shop or at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

Looking for your subscriber freebies? LOGIN HERE! {The correct password is always at the BOTTOM of your most current newsletter.}

If you're having trouble downloading or printing any of my freebies, be sure you check out my helpful tips page!

Hover over the images to see the title, then click the link icon to access the freebies.

If you can't see the images, hitting refresh will usually do the trick!

Find Printables for these Categories:

Click on any of these categories to quickly find what you need! Enjoy!

-Printables for Young Learners
-Phonics and Spelling Printables
-Sight Words and Reading Strategies
-Writing with Kids Printables
-Math Printables
-Science and Social Studies plus MORE Printables

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Click on each image below to find the posts with the printables you're looking for.

Enjoy!
~Becky

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FREE Printables and Learning Activities - This Reading Mama

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If you're looking for free printables for teaching at home, at school, or online, you've hit the TREASURE TROVE of freebies from This Reading Mama!

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30 day lego challenge for kids

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Five 30 Day Lego Challenge For Kids

If you have a little Lego lover in your life, encourage them to have some fun and challenge their creativity building. Try something different each day with one of these FIVE printable 30 day Lego challenges!

For more LEGO fun, check out our LEGO LAND page for more dedicated to all things LEGO.

Enjoy some good old fashioned family fun with these printable WOULD YOU RATHER questions, or show your kid's how to have some "top secret fun" For Kids!

This fun Lego challenge can be printed it out here. It was created by and My Kids Time.

"At My Kids Time, we're passionate about helping parents and children get more enjoyment from life. We do this by providing a wealth of great ideas for activities, events and fun-filled days out."

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30 Day Lego Challenge For Kids - Enchanted Little World

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If you have a little Lego lover in your life, encourage them to have some fun and challenge their creativity building. Try something different each day with one of these FIVE printable 30 day Lego challenges! For more LEGO fun, check out our LEGO LAND page for more dedicated to all things LEGO.

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Some free worksheets.
Reach out to Cecillia or Krista for membership-access resources.

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Super Teacher Worksheets - Thousands of Printable Activities

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Printable worksheets & activities for teachers, parents, and homeschool families. Math, reading, writing, science, social studies, phonics, & spelling.

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Reading, writing, math, spelling, etc.

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At The Measured Mom®, our mission is to share high quality educational resources that are engaging for students and easy for educators.

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Links to 21 free online learning resources.

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Hands up if you've suddenly become a homeschooler.

Us too. But don't worry, we've compiled a list of some of our favourite free resources that will help keep the kids busy, entertained and learning while schools are closed.

WEBSITES

ABCya.com - Educational Games for Kids PreK - Grade 6. Topics include math, reading, typing, logic games and more. Free subscribers get access to regular games on desktop, videos, six mobile games and three 'favourite" games per week on one device.

Gonoodle.com - Cabin fever anyone? GoNoodle gets kids up and moving with fun, engaging content including dance parties, yoga sessions, mindfulness activities and games.

Khanacademy.org - Created by experts, Khan Academy is a library of trusted, standards-aligned practices and lessons, covering math K-12, science, grammar, history and more. Free for learners and teachers.

Mysteryscience.com - In light of the recent school closures, Mystery Science has collected its most popular K-5 science lessons and is offering them for free, no login required. All lessons are expertly designed to engage students, achieve learning outcomes and for ease of use.

Mystery Doug - How is a rainbow made? Could a turtle live outside its shell? If these are mysteries your kids would like to explore, get a free account to access videos exploring hundreds of fascinating questions.

Prodigy Math - A free, engaging, curriculum-aligned platform for students in grades 1-8. Used by more than 50 million students, teachers and administrators, Prodigy Math allows parents to create an optional account from which they can set goals, give rewards and monitor progress.

Raz-Kids - An award-winning website for students K-5 to improve their reading skills. Enter your email address for access to a library of free interactive ebooks, or enter a little more information and get access to a free 14-day trial of additional resources.

Scholastic Learn at Home - Offers day-by-day projects for elementary-aged kids to keep them reading, thinking and growing. Each day includes four separate learning experiences built around a meaningful story or video. Little learners can discover things like why Zebras have stripes, or take a trip back in time to the American Revolution via virtual tour.

STMath.com - Now available at no cost to anyone affected by school closures, ST Math is a PreK-8 visual instruction program with a unique, patented approach that allows students to learn through challenging puzzles, non-routine problem solving and informative feedback.

Typing Club - A 'masterfully designed' typing and keyboarding website with lessons and incentives to help kids learn to touch type (ie. using all fingers without looking at the keyboard.)

Xtramath.org - A free program that helps students master the building blocks of math education - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - to help prepare them for more advanced work in fractions, decimals and higher-level math. Sign-up is quick and easy and includes instructional videos to help kids and parents get started.

FREE APPS & APPS WITH FREE TRIALS

ABCmouse - An award-winning learning program for kids age 2-8 that covers reading, music, math, art and more. Created by teachers and education experts, ABCmouse offers more than 10,000 learning activities for kids at all levels and has been proven to significantly increase reading skills with as little as 45-minutes a week. Free 30-day trial, then $9.99/month.

Epic! - Epic! Offers unlimited access to 35,000 of the best children's books and videos from leading publishers like National Geographic, Smithsonian and more. $7.99/month after a 30-day free trial.

Libby - A free app that will allow kids and parents to borrow ebooks and digital audiobooks from their public library. Stream with wifi or mobile data or download for offline use.

Lightbot: Code Hour - A short teaser meant to introduce kids to coding and get them hooked, even without any experience. Appropriate for K-12. Free with no in-app purchases.

Squiggle Park - The #1 reading game for early learners, Squiggle Park helps improve the reading skills of students all over the world. The platform features personalized reading skills games that push learners to succeed at a pace that works for them.

The Four - A math app for kids age 7 and older, The Four offers kids simple and fun games and activities to help with math fundamentals. Kids can compete to see who gets the highest score.

FREE PRINTABLES

Education.com - enter your email address and create a password to unlock access to hundreds of free worksheets and printables for kids.

123Homeschool4me. - Access more than 300,000 free printable worksheets for kids up to Grade 12 in subjects like math, language arts, alphabet letters, history, geography and more.

For comic books, drawing prompts and much more check out these terrific free printables from jarrettlerner.com

VIRTUAL TOURS

We're hoping to see more Canadian museums, zoos and aquariums increase their virtual tour capabilities in the near future but in the meantime, the Cincinnati Zoo is hosting a Home Safari Facebook Live event every day at 3 pm EDT. During this time the zoo will highlight one awesome animal and include an activity kids can do from home.

Finally, here's a list of 10 Famous Museums Offering Virtual Tours.

Tagged under: free e-learning resources, digital learning resources for kids, free online teaching tools, free math websites, free science websites, homeschool websites, homeschool resources, Free e-books, free reading resources for kids

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21 Free Online Learning Resources for Kids - SavvyMom

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Hands up if you've suddenly become a homeschooler. Us too. But don't worry, we've compiled a list of some of our favourite free resources that will help keep the kids busy, entertained and learning while schools are closed. ABCya.com - Educational Games for Kids PreK - Grade 6.

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Mensa for Kids' TED Connections are short, easy to use guides that help teachers, parents and youth use TED talks in a classroom or home setting.

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Mensa for Kids' TED Connections are short, easy to use guides that help teachers, parents and youth use TED talks in a classroom or home setting.

Rather than a lesson plan format, they have a list of discussion questions, all at higher levels of thinking. We include a variety of levels of questions and extension opportunities so that the TED Connections can be used by students at a wide range of grade levels. Feel free to select those questions and activities that will work best for the student(s) you are working with.

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Mensa for Kids' TED Connections are short, easy to use guides that help teachers, parents and youth use TED talks in a classroom or home setting. Rather than a lesson plan format, they have a list of discussion questions, all at higher levels of thinking.

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A safe, kid-friendly website for research purposes.

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Have you ever tasted an Arab taco?

When was the Arab taco invented?

What is shawarma?

Find it out

How are currency exchange rates determined?

What was the gold standard?

Which type of currency exchange rate system does the U.S. use?

Find it out
Which of the following is usually NOT a factor in determining currency exchange rates?

Test your knowledge

How can I use Wonderopolis?

What are the parts of a Wonder?

How do writers make a Wonder?

Find it out
Based on information from the Wonder, what was Lou Castro known for when he was alive?

Test your knowledge

What is an okapi?

Where do okapis live?

What do okapis eat?

Find it out

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Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease | Wonderopolis

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Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease

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A safe, kid-friendly site students can use for research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Have you ever tasted an Arab taco?

When was the Arab taco invented?

What is shawarma?

Find it out

How are currency exchange rates determined?

What was the gold standard?

Which type of currency exchange rate system does the U.S. use?

Find it out
Which of the following is usually NOT a factor in determining currency exchange rates?

Test your knowledge

How can I use Wonderopolis?

What are the parts of a Wonder?

How do writers make a Wonder?

Find it out
Based on information from the Wonder, what was Lou Castro known for when he was alive?

Test your knowledge

What is an okapi?

Where do okapis live?

What do okapis eat?

Find it out

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Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease | Wonderopolis

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Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease

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Children's House students can choose Early Learning for age appropriate content.
Login ID: tmslibrary
Password: research

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a comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles

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A comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles, videos, educator tools, eBooks, research guides and more.

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Students can choose KIDS section for age appropriate content.
Login ID: tmslibrary
Password: research

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a comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles

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A comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles, videos, educator tools, eBooks, research guides and more.

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Students can chose STUDENT for age appropriate content.
Login ID: tmslibrary
Password: research

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a comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles

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A comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles, videos, educator tools, eBooks, research guides and more.

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Storytime with author Mo Willems - everyday at 1:00

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Storytime with author Mo Willems - everyday at 1:00

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Author and Illustrator Mo Willems has been awarded the American Library Association’s Caldecott Honor three times for his picture book illustration. Additionally, he is the recipient of two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors for his Elephant & Piggie early readers. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards. His work has been exhibited around the world, including solo retrospectives at the High Museum in Atlanta and the New-York Historical Society. Over the last decade, Mo has written three musical theater works based on his books, two of which were commissioned and toured by the Kennedy Center.

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Appropriate for CH and LE.

Emily Arrow is a songwriter, author, and YouTube artist known for her literacy-inspired ukulele music for young people. Her work is recognized by a mindful approach to the expressive arts.

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"childrens music" "music for kids" "picture books" storytime "online storytime" "music classes for kids" homeschooling "music lessons" education "elementary ...

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Author Emily Arrow is an award-winning children's songwriter with 10+ years of experience working with children in music education. An official Kala Brand Mu...

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Daily art lessons with graphic novel artist known to many TMS students.

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"drawing tutorial" "drawing tutorials" "kids' books" "graphic novels" reading books drawing cartooning vlog memoir booktube "growth mindset"

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New York Times-bestselling author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka [𝙲𝚛𝚘𝚠-𝚜𝚊𝚞𝚌𝚎-𝚔𝚊𝚑] gives readers a look at his creative process and offers writing and drawing tutorials. JJK has published 45 books, including his wildly popular LUNCH LADY graphic novels, select volumes of the STAR WARS™: JEDI ACADEMY series, and several picture books.

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Jonathan Roth provides art lessons on his website.

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Drawings are two-dimensional (2-D, or flat). But you probably want most things you draw to look 3-D, like they do in life (people, objects, planets and orange swirl ice pops - Beep's favorite - all have height, width and depth). Are there tips for making things you draw look three-dimensional? Of course! We're going to draw hands today, and we're going to make them look like they're popping out of the paper! Here are some examples by awesome 3rd graders:

Ready to try one yourself? Step one is to trace your hand lightly with a pencil. (note: there may be a bump where your wedding ring is, haha.)

Step Two, using a marker or crayon or pen, start at the bottom and draw a straight line in the background (you can use a ruler if you want) until you touch the hand outline; then you draw a curved line from one wrist to another; and then straight again in the background. Repeat.

Guess what Step Three is? That's right, keep repeating, using straight lines for anything in the background and curved lines for the hand. You do not have to use black, as shown. You can use any colors to make any pattern (see Beep's example at the end).

Tip: You can do all the straight lines first, or all the curved. Sometimes that makes it easier.

Keep going and going and soon:

Pretty cool, huh? Of course, you don't just have to do your hand. If you have a flipper-style arm, you can make that look 3-D, too!

Beep likes a cool color pattern.

Just remember: straight lines make things look flat, and curved lines make things look round.

Always Be Creative and Have a Blast!

Beep Says Yay to You!

Another lesson soon!

Beep loves showing mini-Beep how to draw his favorite characters! Beep enjoys Elmer the Elephant because he can get creative with the patchwork decorations (plus it teaches mini-Beep some fancy words like vertical and horizontal).

Elmer is an elephant who is not ordinary elephant color, but patchwork. Though he wants to be like other elephants, in the end the other elephants show they want to celebrate Elmer by all decorating themselves and having a parade. (If you don't know the book, you can find a read aloud on YouTube.) To draw your own awesomely decorated elephant, start by sketching a small c and a big C:

Next add a face, trunk, tail and legs.

Now it's time to make a patchwork grid. First draw lines going across Elmer. These lines are horizontal.

Then draw lines up and down. These lines are vertical. See how they make a grid (or chessboard or intersecting parallel lines or patchwork).

Finally, time to start adding some color! You can use markers, pens, crayons, colored pencils, whatever you like. You can fill the spaces with solid color or you can draw stars, zig-zags, rainbows...any designs Elmer would like (and he likes them all!)

Once you fill Elmer, can you also make a patchwork sky? Or a patchwork city? Or patchwork outer space? Of course. It's art! You can even draw a patchwork Beep! (He'd love to see it.)

Always be creative and have a blast!!

Beep says Yay to you!

Another lesson soon!

My characters, Beep and Bob, go to school in space. Up in space school, you can always look out the windows at the infinite wonders of the universe. But that can get pretty boring after a few minutes. So what to do? Beep's answer is: ART! Beep loves to draw and always carries a sketchbook. But he also likes the lessons from his art class. Sadly, they don't paint or use glue much in zero gravity, but even with simple materials like white paper, pencils, crayons and/or markers, there are a universe of possibilities for fun and creativity!

For those times you're home and looking for some fun art ideas, I'm going to share some of my successful lessons from my 21 Earth years so far as an art teacher. Hope you have a blast!

Words are used for writing and speaking. But did you know that words can also an element of visual art?

Beep really, really likes to write his name. But he really, really, really likes to make it fancy and colorful. You can, too. Here's how:

1. Write your name with a pencil in the center of the page. The letters can be uppercase or lower, block or bubble, straight or squiggly; it's your art and personality, have fun! 2. Trace around your name, to make the word into a shape. 3. Now trace around the shape of your name; and do it again, and again, and again, until you hit the edges of the page.

4. Now it's time for color and patterns. Markers are fun to use for this, but you can also use crayons or colored pencils. First, trace your name and fill with a regular (a/b, a/b/c, etc.) or random pattern. 5. Trace the concentric shapes. 6. Fill those with colorful patterns, too!

7. Keep going until you fill the page. Looks pretty awesome, right?!

Note that the patterns do not have to be "perfect", pencil lines can show, and so on. Art is very flexible that way! Also, if you only have a pencil, black and white art can be pretty cool too (I'll do a post on pencil art later).

Once you've done your name, try other styles with other words or phrases: your favorite teams, characters, or - hint, hint - even subjects you like (such as this example by a 4th grader):

Always be creative and have a blast!!

Beep says Yay to you!

Next up: How to make art with hundreds and hundreds of words!

In the last lesson, Beep turned his name into ART! (Beep thinks his name is very artful.) But are there other ways to use words visually? Of course!

Micrography (micro=small, graphy=writing) is an artform that has been around for more than a thousand years! It began with religious artists who wanted to express sacred texts in interesting new ways; they used Hebrew letters and the Arabic alphabet in their work, but you can use any language in this cool art form. Here's how:

First, use a pencil to lightly sketch a nything you like! That's right, as you'll see from the student examples below, you can draw animals, flowers, flags, characters, logos, mythical creatures, your name or even entire planets! I did a quick sketch of Beep, of course:

Now, for the MICROGRAPHY part. You're going to need thin colored markers (such as ultra fine point Sharpies), pens, or colored pencils. You can also do in black and white with your regular pencil, too; but with pencils, you're going to have to keep them sharp!

Here's your task: instead of filling areas and details with color, like you usually do, you're going to color each area with only words! So wherever Beep is supposed to be blue, for example, you'll take a blue (pen/marker/pencil) and write BEEPBEEPBEEP... until you fill that area. OR you can write BLUEBLUEBLUE... OR you can write a poem: ROSESAREREDBEEPISBLUE... OR you can fill with words you associate with your drawing like BEEPBOBSPACEARTPARTYYAY!...

Got it? Good! Ready to try? For your inspiration, here are some examples (some still in progress) done by some awesome current 5th grade art students. Some of them can write really small! Enjoy.

Always be creative and have a blast!!

Beep says yay to you!

Check back for a new lesson soon!

I can't imagine I'll ever have a publishing year to top 2018 (four books of my debut series released). With that in mind, I wanted to collect and share a few of my favorite shots:

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The Hand from the 3rd Dimension Drawings are two-dimensional (2-D, or flat). But you probably want most things you draw to look 3-D, like they do in life (people, objects, planets and orange swirl ice pops - Beep's favorite - all have height, width and depth). Are there tips for making things you draw...

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Weekly online author visit with Lowey Bundy

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Weekly online author visit with Lowey Bundy

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Each week Lowey will share the story of a different company & its founders. Learn about Disney, Nike, Google, LEGO, and much more. Fun Facts and Q&A at the end. Perfect for kids ages 8-13 and a fun way to learn about these companies and entrepreneurs!

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As a pioneer in introducing business and entrepreneurship to kids, Lowey has appeared on The History Channel, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox as well as on radio, podcasts, and in magazines. She is currently casted on The History Channel's documentary series - The Toys That Built America. Learn more here

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Lowey Bundy Sichol, award-winning children's author, MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Lowey writes Entrepreneurship & Business Books for Kids. Nonfiction Biographies. Books include: From an Idea to... (2019, Harper Collins) | Idea Makers: 15 Fearless Female Entrepr

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Award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

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Created for kids in grades Pre-K through 8, Funbrain.com has been the leader in free educational games for kids since 1997. Funbrain offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.

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Math games

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Sumdog - Personalised maths and spelling practice that children love!

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Sumdog's maths and spelling adaptive learning games for children aged 5-14 boost engagement and fluency. See how Sumdog can have an impact in your school!

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Math lessons, games, brain teasers

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Illuminations Home - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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Mini and Full science lessons for activities students can do at home.

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Stress-free science lessons for K-5 distance learning

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BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology

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See different parts of the world live!

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GRACE Gorilla Forest Corridor | Explore.org

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Watch live video of gorillas at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. Watch as the gorilla's pass through, graze on vegetation, and make their nest for their overnight slumber

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Live reading everyday at 12:00 on Instagram

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Reads live online at 2:00 daily on Facebook. Also includes archives of past readings on his page. (Lower Elementary might enjoy!)

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At 2pm, I'm going to do a read-aloud of my new My Weird School book "Miss Blake Is a Flake!"  These are weird times, so I thought a little fireside chat... | By Dan Gutman | Facebook

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At 2pm, I'm going to do a read-aloud of my new My Weird School book "Miss Blake Is a Flake!"  These are weird times, so I thought a little fireside chat...

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Storytime with Oliver Jeffers

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The Working Mind and Drawing Hand of Oliver Jeffers

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Videos, activities, games for kids.

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Videos, activities, games for kids.

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Activities created by a stay-at-home Mom, former teacher, with 3 small children

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Why do I love activities so much? Activities are a tool. They're a way for me to help break up the day, keep the kids from asking 47 "but why...?" questions, buy myself a chance to unload the dishwasher or hit the reset button if things aren't going so well. Activities aren't a must to make life work at home - but they are a great tool when you need them.

And if you need activities right now to help your life at home, that's what I've got. This is the BEST OF THE BEST indoor activities from Busy Toddler.
RELATED: Need help with play-based learning right now? Check out my activities program - a laid out, 45 minute a day preschool: Playing Preschool.
What makes for a great indoor activity?

I combed my site top to bottom to find activities that fit these criteria:

Easy set up

Minimal supplies needed

Hold little attention spans

I'm looking for indoor activities that can help.

If your child is having a hard time finding play.... an activity can jump start that.

If your child is fighting with a sibling.... an activity can reset them.

If you need a minute to make dinner... an activity can help.

If the TV has been on longer than you'd like... an activity can bring play back to life.
RELATED: Need new puzzles? Need new board games? I have lists for both!

The 40+ best indoor activities from Busy Toddler will help your days

Make sure to check out my SUPPLY list for my favorite activities supplies.
For these activities, the most used are:
Busy Toddler is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

What age are these for?

That's up to you - you are the best judge of your child's ability level and interests. Think of "skills needed" rather than age when considering an activity because all kids develop differently.

Enjoy these activities - I truly hope they can help!

Sensory Bins

Rice Bin - A simple rice sensory bin

Funnels and Rainbow Rice - Play with rice and funnels

Indoor Pouring Station - Create an indoor pouring station

Dinosaur Toy Bath - Give those dinosaur toys a bath

Oobleck Party - Have you made oobleck? It's a must!

Bubble Foam Trucks - Play with bubble foam - just three ingredients that you have!

Ice Bin Scoop & Transfer - Scooping and transferring ice is so fun

Puzzle Sorting Station - Mix up puzzles to create a simple sensory and sorting bin

Toy Washing Station - Wash the plastic toys as an activity

LEGO Duplo Bath - Put the DUPLOS in the bath!

Popsicle Bath - Let your child enjoy a Popsicle in the tub

Paw Patrol Search & Rescue - Rescue the pups from water (or any favorite toy)

Pom Pom Soup - Pom pom balls CAN GET WET!

Rice Bin Scoop & Transfer - A rice scooping station is so peaceful

Color Bath - Create a color themed bath for kids

Making Potions - Let kids get creative and make potions

Art Activities

Body Painting Process Art - Trace your child and let them paint their "body"

Painting Dinosaurs - Paint dinosaurs or other plastic toys

Decorating Extreme Boxes - How to take box decorating to an extreme level

Paint the Trash - Nothing classier than painting trash!

Creation Station - Build and create with recycled items

Painting Ice Cubes - Painting ice cubes is so cool and fun

Shape Art Activity - Paint overlapping shapes on a large scale

Bath Tub Artist - Let toddlers paint in the bath tub

Rainbow Dot Sticker Art - Create a rainbow sticker sorting activity

Quick & Easy Activities

Post-it Name Match - Match family names on sticky notes

Animal Parade - Make a parade on tape

Box Road - Use a box to create a unique city

Number Line Sorting - Sort out the number line with sticky notes

Sticker Line-Up - Use dot stickers to trace over lines

Hidden Colors Science - A fun twist on baking soda and vinegar

Pom Pom Drop / Ramp - Save those toilet paper tubes to make a ramp system!

ABC Post-it Match - Match up the ABCs on sticky notes

Shape Sorting - Sort real world objects by shape

Card Slot Drop - A quick activity for young toddlers

Animal Tape Rescue - Rescue animals trapped by tape

Alphabet Find Race - Kids race around the house to find their Abcs

Find the Shape - A shapes and coloring activity

Match & Glue - Matching pom pom balls to colors and gluing them

Erase the ABCs - Erase letter written in dry erase markers

DIY Ball Ramp - Create a DIY ball ramp from a box

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40+ Best Indoor Activities from Busy Toddler - Busy Toddler

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Why do I love activities so much? Activities are a tool. They're a way for me to help break up the day, keep the kids from asking 47 "but why...?" questions, buy myself a chance to unload the dishwasher or hit the reset button if things aren't going so well.

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Starfall Education: Kids Games, Movies, Books & Music for K-5 and above

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At Starfall, children have fun while they learn - specializing in reading, phonics & math - educational games, movies, books, songs, and more for children K-5 and above.

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How were these built?

All our experiments are all built with freely accessible web technology such as Web Audio API, WebMIDI, Tone.js, and more. These tools make it easier for coders to build new interactive music experiences. You can get the open-source code to lots of these experiments here on Github.

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Music is for everyone. Play with simple experiments that let anyone, of any age, explore how music works.

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Grammar resource

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Classroom Cereal is a series of free, PDF short stories that double as grammar exercises. Each story has five parts and each part has five grammatical mistakes for students to find as they read. Enjoy the story and find the errors. It's simple and nourishing, much like a certain grain-based breakfast food.

"I love absolutely everything about Classroom Cereal. I've been using it for several years, and everything just seems to get better and better. I love when my kids are so into the stories that they don't realize they are practicing grammar skills. They get so excited with the daily cliffhangers and beg for the next day's work." Stephnie H.

Broaddus ISD
Texas

"My students love Classroom Cereal days. There are other educators in my building that have observed my lessons with Classroom Cereal and now they want in too. I think it has been a great way to get my kiddos reading." Erika E.

Smithville Middle School
Missouri

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Grammar practice in free, PDF short stories.

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A safe research site for elementary-level readers. They are offering -- free 24/7 access

USERNAME: read

PASSWORD: read

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Facts4Me is an online reference tool for primary readers of English.
This site is written by teachers and is committed to offering high-quality,
educationally-sound information in an ad-free, child-safe environment.

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Facts4Me is an online reference tool for primary readers of English. This site is written by teachers and is committed to offering high-quality, educationally-sound information in an ad-free, child-safe environment.

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Tons of online learning materials

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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Introductory and intermediate music theory lessons, exercises, ear trainers, and calculators.

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Online games for kids.

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Play games with your PBS KIDS favorites like Curious George, Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger and Peg + Cat!

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Fun learning games that challenge your mind.

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ThinkFun’s logic puzzles and fun games help parents make learning fun for their kids and teach 21st century thinking skills.

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Math Puzzles for Upper Elementary

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JUMP Math has materials like Blackline masters that you can download, under Homeschoolers.  Join for free as an Educator.

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Many parents in Canada and the United States use JUMP Math to homeschool their children.

Teacher Resources and Student AP Books for Grades 1 through 8 meet the standards set by the Ontario curriculum, the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP), the Alberta Curriculum, and are suitable for students in most of the provinces and territories.

Choose from two editions:

JUMP Math has found that children learn better when they feel successful and are confident they will not be allowed to fail. Teachers therefore communicate their belief that all students can learn, and reinforce this belief with frequent and specific encouragement. This creates a positive learning environment, which in turn leads to more academically focused behaviour. In a homeschool setting, JUMP Math works by helping adults lead children through a tailored process of micro-teaching, structured inquiry and practice that gradually extends student understanding.

We recommend that you use the JUMP Math lesson plans contained in our Teacher Resource and accompanying Student Assessment and Practice (AP) Books. The Teacher Resource is designed to work for teachers who are not math specialists. Each contains a comprehensive set of clear, concise lesson plans, including several different explanations for each concept, unit tests, answer keys, black line masters and curriculum guides - everything you need to help you teach math.

You may have seen what is called JUMP At Home in bookstores. Please note that it is not suitable for homeschooling as it is designed as a supplement for children who attend school and contains slightly more than half of the full curriculum.

Professional Development

JUMP Math provides in-person training and live webinars that show how to use the lesson plans to assess and fill in gaps in students' knowledge, how to understand and present math ideas in different ways, how to motivate students, and how to foster problem-solving abilities using achievable challenges.

Testimonials
"I'm just writing to say thank you for the excellent materials. Today my 7-year-old daughter said to me, 'I can solve these problems quickly because I'm good at math'. We are using the Jump Math in our homeschooling and I have watched her develop confidence and insight from the actual achievements that the materials lead her into." "My son is a fifth grader who was diagnosed with Dyscalculia in the 3rd grade, which was when I began homeschooling him. Last week, during a Jump Math session, his eyes actually lit up and he said, "Oh I get it!" I almost cried it was so awesome."

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Many parents in Canada and the United States use JUMP Math to homeschool their children. Teacher Resources and Student AP Books for Grades 1 through 8 meet the standards set by the Ontario curriculum, the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP), the Alberta Curriculum, and are suitable for students in most of the provinces and territories.

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A list of educational companies offering free subscriptions due to school closures.

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91 Free Educational Websites for Kids + Companies Offering Free Lesson Plans for Kids

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Today we have an updated version of our massive resource of free educational websites and companies offering free learning opportunities for kids. Over

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Article - How to be a better online teacher

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Article - How to be a better online teacher

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Daily storytime @ 3:00.
Instragram required.

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Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

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A comprehensive list of assistive technology for students,  some charges involved

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Free access to a library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids.

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TIME for Kids nurtures today’s learners and tomorrow’s leaders with authentic news and the critical-thinking skills that shape active global citizens.

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Khan Academy created schedule templates that you could adopt, copy and modify to better suit the needs of your children, classroom or district. There are self-paced, interactive content--exercises, videos and articles--for students in every grade and in most major subject areas. It is all free.

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Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world.

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"kids yoga" "yoga for kids" "yoga for children yoga story for kids" "children's yoga" "yoga adventure for kids" "kindergarten yoga" "preschool yoga" "kids me...

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YOGA | MINDFULNESS | RELAXATION FOR KIDS! Screentime that gives kids SUPERPOWERS! ⬇️ D O W N L O A D T H E C O S M I C K I D S A P P ⬇️ 🍏Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmic-kids/ 🛍️Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cosmickids 🖥️ Desktop (great for teachers!): https://app.cosmickids.com/ 📺 Roku: https://rb.gy/44r8d -------------------------------------------------------------------- Why watch on the App?

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Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
"kids yoga" "yoga for kids" "yoga for children yoga story for kids" "children's yoga" "yoga adventure for kids" "kindergarten yoga" "preschool yoga" "kids me...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
YOGA | MINDFULNESS | RELAXATION FOR KIDS! Screentime that gives kids SUPERPOWERS! ⬇️ D O W N L O A D T H E C O S M I C K I D S A P P ⬇️ 🍏Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmic-kids/ 🛍️Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cosmickids 🖥️ Desktop (great for teachers!): https://app.cosmickids.com/ 📺 Roku: https://rb.gy/44r8d -------------------------------------------------------------------- Why watch on the App?

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A very comprehensive article

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How would you feel if someone said you need to change your whole approach to teaching immediately? Imagine if, instead of interacting face to face with students in your classroom, you had to create and deliver a virtual program.

Perhaps you'd feel nervous? Overwhelmed? Excited? Unqualified? Inspired? Or perhaps plain lost.

During April 2020, remote learning became a reality for over 90% of students worldwide. Teachers, students, families, administrators, departments, and whole communities are being forced to respond and adapt quickly.

Referring to COVID-19 (coronavirus), UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay warned,

...the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is unparalleled and, if prolonged, could threaten the right to education.

The rates of school closures have soared in the last month:

In mid-February, China was the only country mandating school closures.

Two weeks later, 22 countries were closing schools.

As of April 3, 188 countries have implemented nationwide school closures.

If your school is still open, it's never too soon to calmly plan and prepare. Things are changing rapidly and exponentially.

Want a live update on school closures across the globe? Check out UNESCO's tally.

What's In This Post?

Our guide will give you insights into how educators around the world are approaching school closures.

Thousands of teachers worldwide are currently sharing snippets of their experiences via social media or their blogs. We've compiled, curated, and built on some common themes and ideas to create this extensive guide.
Click on the links in the menu below to help you navigate the post.
This post also includes a range of useful graphics to help you that you're free to use and share. If you use the images in your own work, please attribute our article and link back.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the graphics:

Let's dive right in to the resources!

Daily Structure Options

The first question educators might be asking themselves is what does a "school day" look like when it's no longer happening in a school?

Let's talk about timetables, hours, and the overall structure you might implement.

In most cases, your school day will have to be based on technology although some departments, such as New York, are open to the option of mailing out work the old fashioned way. This is a good fallback if technology can't be used but you may not want to get into the habit of only handing out packets (worksheets) if you can avoid it.

📌Note: It's important to find out about students' technology/internet access at home and we have a Google Form survey you can adapt to survey your parents towards the end of the post.

The old fashioned approach can also work well to complement online learning and is important for younger students. Check out the fabulous "Learning Boxes" staff in Vietnam put together for their young learners.

We'll discuss many useful technology tools further on.

The issue of daily structure and timetables is a major consideration and some schools are constantly tweaking their approaches.

Do you stick to your regular school timetable? You could, but many schools are finding a modified approach is more realistic.

Lessons can take longer for students to complete at home for many reasons including:

Technology difficulties

No teacher guidance to keep students on track, engaged, and informed

A busy household (multiple family members and responsibilities)

Varying degrees of parent/caregiver involvement (there can be barriers like language, competence with technology and the curriculum, parenting younger children, or trying to keep up with work responsibilities)

Illness (let's not forget the reason for the school closures)

Some teachers are finding what they could get done in one period of class requires two periods when it's online.

Consider a "Percentage" Approach

Most teachers who have some experience with online schooling realize that the pace is slower and expectations need to be reduced.

Some teachers provide and expect a certain percentage of the normal student workload. For example, an elementary student might have a 50% workload, although a senior high school student may be given a 90% workload.

Suggesting a percentage might give teachers and families a ballpark if they're wondering what to expect.

Synchronous or Asynchronous Learning?

A question that may come up a lot as you plan and tweak your approach to online learning is whether your program will be synchronous or asynchronous. That is, whether it will be conducted in real-time or whether students will complete tasks according to their own schedules.

Here's a quick comparison:

You might find a mix of both is a useful strategy. Your own unique situation, including your students' age, might have a big impact on this decision too.

For some families, asynchronous learning can be more convenient: if parents are working, they may have more time to support/supervise student learning outside of business hours.

Other schools are finding synchronous learning is a powerful way to keep the class connected.

If your teaching and learning program involves video then you'll once again face the question of synchronous (e.g. live conferencing) or asynchronous (pre-recorded videos or screencasts).

We'll dive in to the video options further on, however, let's take a quick look at how some teachers are weaving conferences and recorded videos into their weekly schedules:

Examples of how Video Conferences are Being Used:

A 10 minute video conference to begin the day.

A whole class video conference at regular times during the week (e.g. 30 minutes every Monday and Friday afternoon).

A whole class video conference to introduce important lessons or projects.

A video conference to check in with each individual student each week.

On-demand video conferencing - students can sign up during a teacher's "office hours" if they want to book a session.

Small group video conferences for students with similar needs.

Optional "live recess" to allow students to connect and hang out.

Examples of how Screencasts or Recorded Videos are Being Used:

A video introduction or screencast for key lessons (might not be possible for all lessons).

A short welcome video each morning and/or reflection video each afternoon.

A screencast to offer feedback on student work and progress.

Student created screencasts to demonstrate learning.

Let's look at some specific options for daily timetables.

More Flexible Option: Distribute a Daily "To Do List"

When schools decide on expectations, they often need to consider whether they should give lesson guidelines that can be completed at any time, or stick to a traditional structure.

For example, if you were offering a flexible program, you could build on a checklist like this:
Today you need to complete:
It's optional whether you give an actual time requirement (e.g. 30 minutes) or just a task, however, a time suggestion can be helpful so students don't spend either all day working, or not enough time on task.

More Structured Option: Distribute a Timetable

Alternatively, students might be issued with a structured timetable that all students will complete at the same time, e.g.

Factoring in time for catching up seems to be proving extremely useful for many schools. You might schedule learning activities in the morning and leave the afternoons free for catching up and offline pursuits. Alternatively, you could schedule one day a week for completing unfinished work or even have a weekly "screen-free" day.

Here's an example of a weekly screen-free day from Shekou International School in China.

#Grade4SIS has implemented a device free day each week during #onlinelearning... & I had so much fun creating this week's choice board for our learners! #choice #learnerprofile #SISrocks #ISSedu #flipclass #disted #mlearning #elearning @SISGeckos @ISSCommunity pic.twitter.com/tNoKEIzjjn

- Mr. Peter Damroth (@PDamroth) March 25, 2020

Rather than a daily approach, some schools are taking the whole week into account and giving projects or assignments that need to be completed or worked on over 5 days. Based on progress, a new plan might then be made for the following week.

Example: Kindergarten

Ashley in the middle east is not doing any live teaching via video conference due to cultural and religious reasons.

Ashley's team sends a weekly plan to the parents of their kindergarten students along with a suggested timetable. There are no expectations that the timetable is followed exactly due to parents working and a variety of family situations.

The planners are given out two weeks in advance to help families plan ahead. The links to learning tasks go to YouTube videos and Ashley's Office 365 cloud account of activities or readings. Ashley's kindergarten class also uses Flipgrid.

Example: 5th Grade

Laura Faulk at ASIJ (American School in Japan) is a 5th grade teacher who has recently started teaching online.

Her team created a daily planner using Google Docs. They share it each morning on a website that was created for their new distance learning program.

They are currently surveying families to find out whether they'd like to have the planner in advance.

The Google Doc planner has links to all the students' classroom and specialist work. The students are given a guide as to how long to spend on each activity.

The ASIJ team adapted their ideas from the work of Hong Kong International School (HKIS have a fantastic home learning website that is worth checking out too!).

You can follow Laura and her team on Twitter (@asij_g5).

Example: Google Slides

Some teachers put their planners on a Google Doc, or Sheet. Google Slides can be another awesome way to send out a daily plan and work (but even better if these Slides presentations are added to a blog, LMS, or website so they don't get lost).

You can include text, links, and videos of yourself teaching to a Slides presentation amongst other things.

One major benefit is you can copy and edit your planner so you don't have to start from scratch each day.

Check out this post by Alice Keeler for more advice on using Slides in remote learning.

We also have a beginner's guide to Google Slides on The Edublogger for a broader overview.

Here's an example from US kindergarten teacher Megan Peschke @MeganPeschke). Don't be put off by the age group. This idea could be adapted for any age!

Click here to view the Google Slides presentation in a new tab.

Instructions for Editing and Using Megan's Google Slides

1. Click on this link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Bl534rtloR0AjD2wgfLPVrJs2Q6BDS9DEz2G2m9Fzgs/copy
2. You will be prompted to make a copy (screenshot below).

3. The Slides will be saved in your Google Drive.

4. You can edit the Google Slides to suit.

SlidesMania have also published a fantastic free weekly planner template that can be used in Google Slides or PowerPoint. Find it here.

Help Students Plan Their Day

Some teachers, especially those who are giving out ongoing assignments or projects, encourage their students to plan out their own days. You could give them ideas or a template.

Here is an example which you're welcome to copy and adapt,

People seemed to like the student planners a non-twitter teacher created for our #continuouslearning students, so here is blank version. Feel free to make a copy and make your own! https://t.co/3ZzKKpUA2F

- Rebekah Madrid (@ndbekah) March 5, 2020

Instructions for use:

1. Click here to open the Google Doc

2. Go to File > Make a copy

3. Type a name and choose where to save it

4. Click Ok

5. You'll then find an editable copy of the Google Doc in your Google Drive

How do you Plan an Online Lesson?

Once you have ideas on how your school day will be structured, you might start zooming in to the planning of actual lessons.

What do lessons look like when they're online rather than face to face?

Despite being physically distant from your students, you still want to be as present as possible virtually. Online teaching and learning isn't a "set and forget" situation.

Like all lessons, you may want to start with learning outcomes, and possibly success criteria (your school might already have a framework for this). The delivery of the lesson will be the part that might just look a bit different.

Remember, there's nothing wrong with keeping your lessons quite simple, and in many cases they'll be similar to what you'd do in the classroom, perhaps with more autonomy and technology.

For example, your normal lesson structure might involve a warm up, revision, an explanation, student activity that aligns to outcomes, then reflection. The same sort of structure is possible with virtual lessons.

Easily Adapting to Virtual Lesson Planning

Timothy Malan (@timothy_malan) is a middle school science teacher at an international school in Spain. He has created a detailed video to explain how a regular classroom lesson can be transformed into a virtual lesson. He reassures teachers that it doesn't have to be overly complicated!

The first 12 minutes of the video goes through the framework, and then Timothy dives in to an example lesson.

5E Model for Creating Online Lessons

Have you heard of the 5Es framework? It's an instructional model that's been around for 20+ years. Using the model, teaching and learning progresses through five phases: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

Author and educator, Catlin Tucker has published a post called, Tips for Designing an Online Lesson Using the 5 Es Instructional Model.

In her post, Catlin provides a simple framework that shows how the 5Es can be used to create online lessons. Catlin has also recorded a video for each "E" that explains the model further.

While the 5Es approach is far from the only way you can go about designing online lessons, it may be a useful framework for those who don't know where to start.

💡 Catlin also shares a good tip about using Google Docs to share lessons with students. Google Docs are easy to copy and edit. That means teachers can create different versions of the same lesson with minimal work. Any suggested videos, readings, or activities can be differentiated to meet the individual needs of learners.

Useful Online Tools

For some teachers, the technology part of virtual learning will be the scariest obstacle. Before we dive in to useful options, take a deep breath and remember:

Less can be more: you don't need to be using a huge range of different tools.

Start with tools students and teachers are already familiar with: there are probably some technology tools, apps, or platforms you've used in class that can be useful.

Remember, despite technology being a crucial tool for most closed schools, teaching and learning isn't about the technology. Try to focus on the core business of schools: relationships and learning.

Virtual Home Base or Online Platform: 3 Step Approach

There are some awesome tools out there for learning and creativity but first consider what you'll be using as your home base. When your classroom and school assembly halls aren't in use, your virtual hubs are more important than ever.

What will communication look like and where will learning take place? Here are three common steps you might see:

1. Communication will probably begin with information from the school district or state education department.

2. Then a school website might provide an overview of your plan for the whole community. (Need a better school website? CampusPress can help with that!).

3. From there, you could have individual class blogs or other approaches like a learning management system (e.g. Moodle, Canvas, or Google Classroom), a Facebook group (for older learners), Slack, or Seesaw.

Read on for more information and examples of this three-step approach.

1) District/State Education Department

Let's zoom out for a moment. When a school is to be closed and learning is transitioning to online, the first step is often clear communication from the top level - your district or state education department (if your school falls under one of these authorities).

Here's an example from Northshore District School in Washington state. They published a blog post on their district website to inform everyone in the school community of school closures.

It's an honest and dynamic announcement as they're still figuring out arrangements. The beauty of blog posts is you can keep publishing as more information is made available.

Of course, a blog post or website update may be followed up with a direct notification to families to ensure the news is received (e.g. SMS or email).

2) School Website or School Blog

A school website (or temporary site) can be an important next piece in the puzzle. It can provide an overview of your plan for the whole community to ensure everyone is on the same page, knows what to do, and knows where to seek help.

Website Example: YIS Continuous Learning Plan

Yokohama International School (YIS) in Japan has been closed since early March. They're becoming leaders in the community of global educators scrambling to find out how to approach school closures.

YIS has created a website to communicate a clear approach to their changed schooling format,

Although campus is temporarily closed, "school" continues as we engage students with experiences that continue the planned learning program and help them to stay connected with teachers and classmates. These learning experiences offer authentic opportunities to focus on key concepts, knowledge, and skills. They emphasize interaction and creativity, and involve a balance of on-screen and off-screen tasks that help connect to previous learning and the current curriculum.

Vice principal, Rebekah Madrid, explains the choice of the term "continuous learning",

For the first day, people weren't sure what we meant by "continuous learning". But now it makes sense for us. We didn't want online (because not always online) and we didn't want distant (because that's not the vibe we wanted). So continuous worked for us.

- Rebekah Madrid (@ndbekah) March 3, 2020

3) Classroom Hub: Blog, LMS, or Other Online Community

The third step is an online hub where you can distribute student learning tasks, share resources, gather feedback, and keep everyone in the loop.

While you could just email out assignments to students, there may be better options (emails can be better for one on one communication; they can get lost and can be hard to refer back to.).

You might already be using a learning management system or other platform (e.g. Seesaw, Sensei LMS for WordPress, Google Classroom) at school that you can continue to use after your school closes. If so, there is probably no need to reinvent the wheel! Go with what you and your students know.

But maybe you don't have a place set up already where you can post learning tasks and resources that students can use on a daily basis.

Google Classroom is a popular choice. If you want to learn more, check out this demo from Alice Keeler and Vicki Davis. This cheat sheet from Ben Cogswell also goes over the basics.

Consider a Blog For Your Classroom Hub

A blog is a free, basic, and flexible tool that acts as a classroom hub and more.

Here are some reasons why you might consider a blog as your online classroom while your school is closed:

A blog is a space you can own (you don't have control over some online spaces like social media).

It's a place where all the bits and pieces you create and explore in the online and offline world can be housed.

Blogs aren't just text and images, you can include videos, slideshows, infographics, podcasts, posters, polls, charts and more. Here are just six tools that allow you to create interactive learning content for your blog (online worksheets, games, and so on).

Blog content can be organized in a systematic way and searched for as needed.

Comments and forums allow two-way interaction.

Blogs can be public or private (learn more about the pros, cons, and options in this article).

💡 We have a post that compiles some examples of class blogs from a range of age groups and locations. You'll notice that there is a lot of flexibility in the way blogs are used.

Team 2 Eagles Blog Example

Becky Versteeg is a wonderful grade two teacher in Canada.

She is using her class blog to share daily ideas. Her posts include videos, printables,photos from students and fun ideas to try at home.

Class Blog And/Or Student Blogs?

You might be only interested in having a class blog to share learning resources and so on. Alternatively, you might want all students to use their own blog to complete learning tasks, publish online, reflect on their experience privately, or even connect with the world.

My Class is a free management tool from Edublogs that brings a class blog and all your student blogs/accounts together. It makes it easier for teachers to set up and monitor their classroom blogging program.

Learn more about My Class in this post.

Example: Art Blog

Here is an example of a fantastic blog with lessons for home art activities by Chris Gadbury.

One of the great things about the blogging community is you cannot only make your own blog but benefit from other educators' blogs as well!

Want To Start Blogging But Not Sure How?

Check out our Blogging 101 page. It includes a 15-minute tutorial video and all the help guides you'll need to get going!

Educators and students can set up as many blogs as they need using Edublogs for free (no ads or time limits). Compare all the features here.

Videos And Online Learning

You can come up with fantastic tasks for students to work on at home but your program will run so much better if students can still feel your presence as a teacher. Videos are such an important part of online learning and a great way to maintain relationships.

Your familiar face will grab students' attention while building engagement and understanding.

Nervous about being on camera? Don't worry! Just start small. It will be worth it. Many teachers are nervous to start and want to re-do their video over and over (some students are like this too!). It won't take long for you to realize your videos don't have to be perfect and students will appreciate your efforts.

Let's take a look at some options.

👉🏽 Note: If you want to look at using video more deeply, check out our new Educator's Guide to Using Video in Teaching and Learning.

Synchronous or Asynchronous Videos

There are two main options for sharing videos with your learners:

Synchronously: That means real-time streaming. It could be a live stream (like on YouTube) or an interactive video conference (like on Zoom).

Some synchronous videos can be recorded so they can be viewed again at a later date. This is useful if students can't attend the live stream, they have technology issues, or need to revise the content.

Asynchronously: That means you record videos that can be viewed (and reviewed) when it suits the student. Your videos could be a simple "piece to camera" or a screencast.

Screencasting is where you narrate a video recording of your computer screen. Sometimes it's just audio and sometimes you can see your face in the video as well.

The benefit of asynchronous videos is there are no time pressures, however, the connections that can be formed in synchronous video conferences can't be underestimated.

Popular Tools for Synchronous (Live) Video Conferences

There are many tools out there that allow you to connect with students via video. This can really help to unite the class.

Four of the most popular video-conferencing options for teachers and schools include:

Zoom - Robust software designed exclusively for video conferencing.

Google Hangouts Meet - The evolved version of classic Hangouts that's part of G Suite.

Microsoft Teams - Communication and collaboration platform that's part of Office 365.

WebEx - Cisco tool for video conferencing, online meetings, screen share, and webinars.

These tools all allow video conferences with screen sharing capabilities.

The teacher can start the conference and share the access link with the students.

Students can access the conference at the specified time using any device (e.g. laptop or tablet).

Some users like to use external microphones, headphones, or webcams, however, the camera and microphone attached to your device are probably fine for getting started.

Here is a quick comparison of the free/free education plans for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meet, and WebEx Meetings:

Notes on Live Video Tools:

Safety comes first! Your school or district probably has advice about which video conferencing tool you should use and which settings should be employed. As an example, Zoom has released some best practices in this PDF.

Zoom, Meet, and Webex temporarily upgraded their free plans for educators but these offers have now ended for Meet and Webex. If your school Zoom account hasn't already been upgraded, you can apply here to remove the 40 min time limit.

Some teachers are also experimenting with live streaming on YouTube. For teenagers, it's a platform they're often already familiar with and they can comment in real-time.

Mix it up: Principal at International School of Dongguan, Todd Brink, suggested that, "One-on-one, small group, or whole group sessions are a must. Just like the classroom!" Video conferencing software allows these sorts of options.

Example Video Conferences From Teachers

Teachers at American International School of Guangzhou are doing a fantastic job of setting up engaging video conferences using Zoom.

Here are two examples that were recently shared on Twitter,

Using #zoom_us to create a collaborative story this morning ... once we had our order, can we work together to build a story one word a time? A myth about an earthquake that goes with our #unitofinquiry #howtheworldworks ? Even better! #AISGZ #onlinelearning #virtuallearning pic.twitter.com/W4EvYnGK2B

- Katie Robbins (@krobbins84) March 5, 2020

Another #zoom meeting with second graders. I think they only come to see a mess I make doing my science experiments. Today there were beans spilled all over my coffee table and the smell of vinegar is overpowering. Science #onlinelearning is still fun. #aisgz #pypchat #sciencefun pic.twitter.com/XSjc19ltCQ

- Inga Bela (@inga_bela) March 5, 2020

Jennifer Wathall is a teacher from Hong Kong who began teaching online earlier than most of the world. She shares her tips for teaching online, most of which apply to synchronous video conferences.

John Sowash shared these tips for running a virtual lesson on Google Meet (they can apply to other video conferencing tools as well).

Popular Tools for Recording Asynchronous Videos and Screencasts

There are a number of tools available to record screencasts. Like many online tools there are free plans and paid plans.

Let's compare four of the most popular screencasting tools teachers are using for recording lessons.

This chart compares the features of the free plans (paid plans have more features).

Note: As of March 12, Loom Pro is now free for teachers and students forever. The chart below has been updated.

Notes On Screencasting Tools

I've written a blog post specifically about Loom if you want to learn more. There are no age restrictions so students can use Loom if you want them to make screencasts.

You'll remember that Zoom is a popular tool for video conferencing. To record a screencast using Zoom, you start a meeting with yourself as the only participant and record the conference. You can't record if you're using the Zoom iOS app.

Record a Piece to Camera

Your videos don't have to be part of a video conference call or a screencast. You can record a simple piece to camera using your phone or webcam.

That is, a video of your happy self teaching and talking!

In our Educator's Guide to Video on The Edublogger, we outlined ten tips for recording a piece to camera. Read the full post (you'll find a PDF copy to download) or check out the summary below.

Video Editing

Made a video and want to edit it? Maybe it needs trimming, captions, or other effects?

For quick video editing on my phone, I love two free apps from GoPro called QuikStories and Splice. QuikStories puts everything together for you with music, transitions, and other cool effects. Splice is handy if you want to make more manual edits and don't necessarily want too many effects.

Try not to get carried away though, it can be a lot of fun creating videos but a raw edit is fine!

We have more advice about editing and other video tools in our Educator's Guide to Video in Teaching and Learning.

Example Videos from Teachers

This year 1 teacher from Tokyo International School demonstrates a wonderful reading lesson,

@Ms_SarahVaughan nurturing 'reading as thinking' remotely. #distancelearning keeping @tcrwp as alive as possible during this #peskycoronavirus @holleytcrwp @clemenkat pic.twitter.com/cWeCWnUBIX

- TokyoIS (@TISlearns) March 5, 2020

For older students, here is an example from two creative art teachers.

E-learning commenced today @TISLearns worried that Middle School Art & Design teachers Sara and @mandurubell Andrew might 'make it' as the next celebrity YouTube stars! If they earn their fortune and leave us what would happen to our Arts department and staff room giggles?! pic.twitter.com/ZQYpvpTLvR

- Christopher Frost (@FrostChrissy) March 4, 2020

For more tips on using live or recorded video in your online teaching program, check out this article from Richard Byrne. He has some great suggestions such as keeping your webcam on, using check-in questions, and using a $20 whiteboard.

Other Online Tools to Consider

So you have your home base set up, you've considered recording some videos to share with students, now what other online tools can you use to engage students and fuel their learning?

Here are some suggestions with a very brief summary of each. This list is far from exhaustive Leave your own ideas in a comment!

Create fun learning games for your students called Kahoots. Classes can play live against each other or students can complete the quiz at their own pace.

*Premium features are currently free for schools facing closures. Learn more.

A free tool that allows students to study information via learning tools and games (flashcards, quizzes etc). A new individual mode has just been replaced so students can play together while they are physically apart. The free account has advertising.

*Learn how to use Quizlet for remote learning here.

These short educational videos are fantastic for online learning. There's also BrainPOP Jnr. for K-3 and BrainPOP ELL for English language learners.

*Currently free for educators affected by coronavirus school closures. Learn more.

Online tool that allows you to make all sorts of graphic designs (perfect for communicating with students and families). Learn more about Canva in our guide on The Edublogger.

*Educators can get a premium account for free (not just during school closures).

A popular tool to create interactive YouTube videos to check students' understanding. Basic plans are free for teachers and students.

Design lessons with interactive question s, polls, quizzes, and formative assessments. Works with Google Slides.

*Pear Deck Premium is free for 90 days for schools affected by closures. Learn more.

Anchor.fm is a popular free service for recording, hosting, and distributing podcasts. Check out our guide on The Edublogger to learn more about using podcasting with students.

Create grids to facilitate asynchronous video discussions that are very engaging for students. This tool is totally free.

Padlet is an online bulletin board where you can display text, images, video, and more. Padlets can be embedded in blog posts. It used to be free but now there is a limit of three Padlets before you need to upgrade.

Students at the International School of Buscan recently used Padlet for a virtual art show!

Today's Grade 3 Virtual Art Exhibition on @Padlet is brilliant! #ISBlearning pic.twitter.com/rqJqwiN5Nt

- Simon McCloskey (@SimonJMcCloskey) March 5, 2020

Simple tool for younger students to create books or learning journals that combine text, images, audio and video.

*Schools that are closed for COVID-19 can get 90 days free of the premium plan. Learn more.

Cloud based video editing tool that allows students and teachers to get creative. Students could have fun responding to some of learning tasks as a video and can collaborate with peers on projects. WeVideo have also recently introduced screencasting.

*WeVideo For Schools free for schools affected by COVID-19. Learn more.

Real world texts at different reading levels with built-in activities.

*Free for schools affected by COVID-19 closures until the end of the 2020 school year. Apply here.

A curation tool that allows you to save, organize, tell stories, and share content from around the web. See the example Wakelet embedded below.

Read all about how to use Wakelet in this post.

More Ideas for Online Tools

To stay up to date with more useful online tools that teachers are using as they switch to online learning, follow this Wakelet by Erin Flanagan (@erintegration).

There's also a huge list of education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings by Amazing Educational Resources that is updated regularly. You can check it out here.

A Note on Students and Books

What's a classroom without books! If you're going to be teaching virtually you might be wondering where to find reading material for your students. Some students might be lucky enough to have a lot of reading material at home. No doubt, many will not.

Here are a few ideas for sourcing digital reading material:

📚 Modern books/interface

Local libraries often offer free access to eBooks and audiobooks (e.g. OverDrive, Tumblebooks, Libby, BorrowBox etc.). Find out what your local library offers and tell families how to become members if they're not already.

Newsela - Real world texts presented so that children can access the same text at different reading levels (currently free for schools).

Rivet - Free app that families can download with thousands of modern leveled readers.

Epic - Digital library of modern books aimed at children under 12. Always free for teachers and librarians (and students can access it during school hours).

ReadingIQ - Similar to Epic. There are thousands of modern digital books for readers under 12. Access is free for closed schools - learn more here.

Oxford Owl - 100 free eBook readers for young children. Free but you need an account.

Story Shares - American not-for-profit group who shares stories online, that are aimed at older students who read below grade level.

📚Less Modern books/interfaces

Don't be put off by the "old school" designs of these websites. Many allow access to older works with expired copyright that can be ideal for classroom use.

International Children's Digital Library -- A collection of international books for children aged 3-13 presented in 59 languages.

Project Gutenberg - 60,000+ eBooks that can be downloaded for all ages (most are older works with expired copyright).

Faded Page - 5000 plus eBooks that are completely free to download. Not designed for children but there are many classics for older students (like Project Gutenberg they are mostly older works with expired copyright).

Open Library - Catalogue where you can borrow books for free (lots of options for older students).

Lit2Go - A free online collection of stories and poems in MP3 (audiobook) format with accompanying text. Includes many classics with expired copyright.

Sue Waters has written a post that shows exactly how to find and read eBooks. This is a helpful guide for both educators and students.

Can I Read Aloud to my Students?

This question is being asked over and over by the online education community in recent weeks.

Many teachers are keen to read aloud to their students using video, however, remember there may be copyright issues.

If you're in the USA, you should be covered by "fair use" as outlined by EdSurge.

Some publishers are now allowing teachers to read books to their students during school closure. Kate Messner explains here.

Pernille Ripp and Kate Messner have both written about other places to find online read alouds.

My favourite site for free read alouds (by professional actors) is Storyline Online.

Some authors are hosting their own online storytimes during the pandemic. Find the details in this post.

10 Tips for Virtual Teaching and Learning

Transitioning to online schooling is a learning journey for everyone. While everyone's circumstances are different, these tips might offer you some food for thought. Chime in with your own tips in a comment!

Here's a summary and read on for lots of ideas and examples:

1) Encourage Fun, Play, and Activity

In the traditional classroom setting, many teachers plan physical activity breaks for good health and productive learning.

Many PE teachers are leading the way, sharing their creative approaches to get students moving. If you follow the hashtag #HPEatHome on Twitter, you'll find a plethora of movement activities. Many are being added to a Google Drive of resources that you're free to access.

These PE teachers in Vietnam are sharing daily "Get Up and Go" videos with students. No doubt students love seeing their teachers on screen.

A PE teacher in China is using Flipgrid to teach dancing. Great to see parents getting involved too!

This made me smile. Mother and daughter working together on @flipgrid to learn the dance. It is great to see her mum supporting her during this unique e-learning time. note: this video has been posted with permission from both dancers #aisgzhpe #physed #elearning #movementmatters pic.twitter.com/KGqjx8Hky3

- Adam Tomassen (@AdamHPE) February 28, 2020

Well known Australian P.E. teacher Andy Hair has made up an easy game that his students can play while in lockdown at home.

If you haven't yet tried GoNoodle or Cosmic Kids Yoga (free on YouTube) I highly recommend them for elementary-aged students.

The only problem is, they still involve technology so you probably want to consider some options that give students a break from devices.

Minimizing screen time is becoming a big concern for parents and teachers.

Perhaps you could publish a daily challenge to keep students active and off screens? Take it a step further by asking students to send in a photo of their experience.

Here are some ideas. You're welcome to use this resource however you see fit.

📌 Download a PDF copy of the poster

Many teachers are also trying to set learning tasks that are offline (such as "hands-on" math for younger students - baking, measuring objects, shape hunts and so on).

British International School in Hanoi ran a LEGO Challenge and asked students to send in photos of their creations. What fun!

This teacher asked her students for their own ideas of how they like to spend their time offline.

Grade 4 came up with ideas to stay balanced and get offline sometimes during these days of #virtuallearning. They connected their tips to the #pyp #learnerprofile. They were thoughtful, funny, realistic and relevant. Thanks for the idea @ALMcCloskey #isblearning pic.twitter.com/fe2g4K56kE

- Laura-Claire Corson (@LauraClaire_C) March 3, 2020

2) Communicate Clearly and Frequently

When the school community is scattered, clear and ongoing communication is essential!

Ensure everyone knows how messages will be communicated and what channels they should be checking in on (e.g. email, LMS, blog, school website).

Make sure students and parents know how they can contact teachers for learning support and how they can get tech support. Some teachers are holding "office hours" (e.g. I am available for email support from 10am to 2pm daily; or "I am available for Google Hangouts Meet sessions from 12.30-1.30pm each day").

You might err on the side of overcommunicating to ensure everyone feels connected, supported, and confident.

Make instructions as clear and concise as you can. Effective communication will really pay off.

3) Seek Feedback Regularly

On the flipside of communicating, it's important to also seek feedback from students and families.

The team at Google recently made a suggestion that many closed schools are already trying out,

Using Google Forms, create mood check-ins for students to share their emotional state on a daily basis. Within the Form, students can request a conference with the teacher if they need extra support.

Jennifer Findley has created some great Google Form check ins that you're free to copy and use. There are forms for the start and end of the day.

This situation is new for most schools and families. Engage in a cycle of continuous improvement and refinement based on feedback from families, teachers, and students.

Check out our Google Form later in the post that can be sent to parents if planning for a school closure to find out about their devices, confidence, resources etc.

4) Give Choices

There's never been a better time to empower learners and offer choice. Online learning can offer a lot of flexibility so it's a great idea to take advantage of that.

By giving students some choice in the demonstration of their learning, you can also naturally differentiate and cater to a variety of learning styles and needs.

You've probably heard of a choice board? It's a graphic organizer that allows students to choose different learning activities. They're set up in a grid, perhaps with a choice of 9 activities. Some teachers like to include one mandatory activity.

💡 Kim from Seoul Foreign School created this photosynthesis choice board for her 8th grade students.

💡 US teacher Pernille Ripp created a " Choose Your Own Adventure " two-week exploration.

This, hopefully, continues the honoring of their individual needs and desires, while still helping them with their growth. There are different levels of independence for them to choose from, as well as choices for recording or writing their responses. There are different levels of teaching involved that will unfold once they select their choice.

Check out Pernille's post for more details.

💡 In his post on online learning, John Spencer presented an amplified version of choice boards.

John's variation goes beyond choosing topics or activities and allows for some student ownership of the learning targets and resources.

Something else to think about as you move forward and become more confident with online learning.

5) Set Up Guidelines

School guidelines are an important part of the transition process to online learning. These guidelines can be established even before your school has closed.

Not sure where to start? Check out this advice and examples from International Schools Services. You'll find online learning policies, parent guidelines and more.

Guidelines for students are also important but for a lot of students, a simple PDF with slabs of text won't be an effective way to communicate.

Yosef Tewolde in China shares a clear overview in a student friendly format.

VS basic ⁦@ncpa_china⁩ . Sending out tips for students each day in our VS daily bulletin. #onlinelearning #issedu #pulaoproud pic.twitter.com/R8bkTeZOHo

- Yosef Tewolde (@YosefTewolde) February 12, 2020

American International School of Guangzhou shared this appealing resource on Twitter about videos.

Here's another great example from teachers at Seoul Foreign British School,

#virtuallearning guidelines for primary students collab with @emcslack and Becca Cook. https://t.co/XCoRPuWNq7 #onlinelearning #sfs1912 @SFBritishSchool pic.twitter.com/zVH2jvtV1W

- Jill Zappia (@JillZappia) March 5, 2020

6) Ensure Teacher Wellbeing

This meme inspired by teacher Nancy Breau sums up online teaching pretty well,

It's crucial to consider teacher wellbeing. Teaching is hard enough in the traditional sense but moving online with minimal preparation or planning can be very stressful. In addition, some teachers are also trying to teach their own children whose schools have closed.

Effective leadership and communication are key. As a teacher, try to take care of yourself. Go offline at the end of the day, take breaks, keep moving, eat well, drink water, get fresh air... you know the drill!

Perhaps you could set up a little routine for yourself at the end of the day, This checklist for health care workers in the UK might give you some ideas.

Will Arnold is a teacher in Guangzhou, China, who wisely told me via Twitter,

My perspective from week 6 is that "how will teachers/staff be supported" should move to the top of the list. It's like putting your own oxygen mask on before you help others.

Touche, Will, touche.

7) Consider Student and Family Wellbeing

Switching to an online schooling program presents many challenges to students and families. Listening to families and sharing tips to ensure their wellbeing is very important.

There are many ways to go about this. You might be able to get the help of school counselors or welfare officers. Or, you might invite students and families to share their own tips on what they're doing to stay happy and healthy during this challenging time.

The International School of Busan shared a short video on their Twitter account with basic tips for families.

Staying healthy in a virtual learning environment. #ISBlearning pic.twitter.com/HdcwWWlxol

- International School of Busan (@ISBLearning) February 29, 2020

It's also important to remember that it can be hard to predict which students might struggle with the virtual school program. For example, students who generally thrive in the classroom may find the adjustment very difficult. Keep the lines of communication open and don't make assumptions!

Rebecca Barrett-Fox wrote an article called " Please do a bad job of putting your courses online " (hat tip: Raymond Rose in the comment section below). Rebecca does a great job of stressing that students and teachers are currently facing enormous and diverse pressures. The article is designed for higher ed but can definitely be extended to K-12. Show as much empathy as possible and keep things as simple as possible.

📌 Tips For Parents With Young Children

In terms of helping families switch to teaching their children at home, check out my post with 10 tips for teaching younger children - many of these apply to older students as well.

This is a guide that you can share with families for practical help and ideas.

You'll also find a sample home schedule (there is a blank version that can be downloaded as well).

8) Embrace the Online Community

School closures are fast becoming a global issue. You might have a million questions racing around your head but you're not alone. There has never been a better time to connect with the online communities of teachers who are keen to offer tips, support, and examples.

Facebook

There is a Facebook Group set up by Kirsten Durward that is very supportive and helpful. It's called Educator Temporary School Closure for Online Learning.

Click here to find the Facebook group and remember to answer the questions that pop up when you request access.

Also, use the search function or click here to find a breakout Facebook group. Due to the huge growth of the group, there are now many breakout groups that are regional, subject specific, year/grade specific.

No idea how Facebook groups work? We have a guide that will help!

Twitter

You'll also find some fantastic posts from community minded teachers on Twitter. Many teachers are using the hashtags #schoolclosures #virtuallearning and #onlinelearning. At this stage it looks like #schoolclosures is the leading hashtag?

New to Twitter? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Twitter to get started. It'll be worth it!

9) Keep Your Class Connected

Keeping your class connected can be a challenge when students are scattered around the community (and around the world in some areas).

As we've mentioned, video conferences are a good way to overcome this. While most video conferences would be lessons, consider adding in some fun conferences that are either structured (e.g. play a game together) or unstructured (e.g. live recess where students can just hang out).

If you're not using conferences, consider a tool like Flipgrid where students can respond to each other with short recorded videos.

You might be able to come up with ways for students to work on group projects together. This can add a layer of stress for students who might be struggling so of course, you'd gauge whether group work is a positive option.

Librarian ‎Jen Caressimo (@Zenkenjen) runs Virtual Spirit Weeks to bring the school community together. She invites you to check out her Google Drive of examples.

Camps and field trips are a great way to bring your class together. Did you know your class can also take virtual school trips. Check out this list of ideas from Freedom Homeschooling or this one from Mrs. Fahrney.

Maybe you can hold virtual assemblies for your whole school or year level, just like these folks in South Korea,

Today's virtual learning highlight - The PYP Assembly! Puppet shows, dance-offs, jokes and shoutouts. The PYP team broadcasting live to the Elementary School. What a fabulous way to end the week! I'm lucky to work with so many wonderful educators. #ISBlearning pic.twitter.com/JHFu0SA0zX

- Simon McCloskey (@SimonJMcCloskey) March 6, 2020

10) Keep it Simple 💓

The message you'll hear over and over from school leaders and teachers who have been at this for a while now is clear: keep it simple!

Don't overthink things and create complicated lessons.

Don't invest in expensive technology or reinvent the wheel.

Don't expect that you will be able to cover as much as you would in the classroom.

Just do your best. That is enough!

Obstacles and Issues Created by School Closures

The rapid school closures we're seeing across the world raise concerns for teachers, parents, students, and the wider community.

Some issues that are currently being navigated include:

Students/Families

Do all students have access to devices and the internet?

Who will look after students who are home from school? Are some students being left home alone?

How can parents manage their own careers? Do their employers allow them to work from home or have time off?

What about students who rely on getting free or subsidized meals at school? How can they be supported? What are the ramifications for farmers and food suppliers if orders are suspended?

Are there concerns with excess screen time and lack of physical activity?

How can students stay connected to peers?

How can students with disabilities or additional learning needs be catered for?

Teachers

How can educators juggle teaching if they have their own children home from school?

How can teachers maintain work-life balance?

Can teachers work from home or do they need to be on campus? Are teachers trusted and supported to work remotely?

Do teachers need PD? Can the transition to online learning happen immediately or does there need to be a bridge (for example, students are provided with work/a packet for a week while teachers set up the online learning program)?

What role will non-teaching staff take on?

Who will take classes if teachers become ill?

Will teachers continue to get full pay during ongoing school closures?

Schoolwide issues

Will testing and report cards need to be delayed? What other assessment and reporting concerns are there?

How is attendance monitored? For some, attendance or class numbers are linked to school funding.

Should teachers/administrators chase up students who aren't participating?

What will non-teaching staff do during school closures?

How should the school day be balanced with synchronous and asynchronous learning that's both online and offline?

How can individual students be catered for and work be differentiated?

How can you prevent all the student work from becoming a scattered mess? Are they going to publish items on a digital portfolio (e.g. blog) or something similar?

Will you face copyright issues if you try to use learning materials online (e.g. replicating textbooks or reading picture books aloud?)

For private schools with longer closures, will parents continue to be charged full fees?

What will the transition back to online schooling look like?

What sort of "gaps" may need to be filled if students miss out on essential learning or assessment?

Are their implications for senior students graduating and moving on to tertiary education?

Schools, teachers, and families may also face different issues depending on whether they are part of an international school, private school, or public school. Each situation is unique and throws up so many different variables.

As you can see, these issues are broad and complex. Perhaps at this stage there are more questions than answers.

Planning for a School Closure: Parent Survey

No matter where you live in the world, it's highly unlikely that you can now rule out the possibility of your school closing in the future.

Now is the time to plan. If you don't need that plan, great! However, many schools around the world are closing suddenly with minimal preparation. Teachers and staff end up scrambling to get their virtual learning programs together.

The first step in planning for a possible school closure may be to survey your parents and families. It's important to find out what technology, child care, and other resources they have available.

We created an example survey in Google Forms. You're welcome to use it or adapt it for your own school. You'll find instructions on how to make a copy under the Form below.

Instructions for Editing and Using the Google Form Survey

1. Click on this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1viFs7kqOmJOBs-vzVX6pCbhd8rgSda0K-00LAjqruLM/copy
2. You will be prompted to make a copy (screenshot below)

3. You can edit the Google Form to suit your own school

💡 Google Forms Tips:

Planning for a School Closure: Taking Home Resources

If your school hasn't closed yet and you're planning for an upcoming closure, you might be thinking about what you should take home with you.

Every situation is different but in some schools, no one is allowed on the campus once the school is closed. In other schools, teachers are actually required to work from the school (while students are at home).

If you'll be working remotely, you might think about taking home some of the resources listed on the graphic below.

Checklist for Administrators and Educators Facing a School Closure

This post has covered a lot of information and offered a lot of ideas and options.

The following checklist might be a useful starting point if your school is beginning to discuss an upcoming or possible school closure.

Of course, this is just a very simplified checklist for schools that are beginning to think about transitioning.

📌 Click here to download a PDF copy of the checklist

Over to You

We'd love to keep this post updated with practical information. Please leave a comment if you have any tips, questions, or examples. We want to hear from you!

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Resources For Teaching Online Due To School Closures

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This extensive guide will give you insights into how educators around the world are approaching school closures due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Learn about options for structuring the school day, using video, and using online tools. You'll also find a checklist for schools facing a closure and tips for virtual teaching.

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Create fun learning games for your students called Kahoots. Classes can play live against each other or students can complete the quiz at their own pace.

*Premium features are currently free for schools facing closures.

Requires teacher to sign up

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Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

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A free tool that allows students to study information via learning tools and games (flashcards, quizzes etc).

Requires sign up

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These short educational videos are fantastic for online learning. There’s also BrainPOP Jnr. for K-3 and BrainPOP ELL for English language learners.

Currently free for educators but requires sign up

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BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology

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Online tool that allows you to make all sorts of graphic designs (perfect for communicating with students and families).

Requires sign up.

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Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.

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A popular tool to create interactive YouTube videos to check students’ understanding. Basic plans are free for teachers and students.

Requires log in.

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Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

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Design lessons with interactive questions, polls, quizzes, and formative assessments. Works with Google Slides.

*Pear Deck Premium is free for 90 days for schools affected by closures.

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Pear Deck is on a mission to help teachers create powerful learning moments for every student, every day - using the tools you already know and love.

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Anchor is a popular free service for recording, hosting, and distributing podcasts.

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Get to know Spotify for Podcasters, the free, all-in-one podcast platform for every creator.

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Create grids to facilitate asynchronous video discussions that are very engaging for students.  Free.
Requires teacher sign up but students can join classroom easily with code.

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We express ourselves in different ways. On Flip, you can use our simple and fun built-in camera to record your thoughts, add effects and share within your Flip group as video, audio only or text in your web browser or mobile app.

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Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

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Padlet is an online bulletin board where you can display text, images, video, and more. Padlets can be embedded in blog posts. It used to be free but now there is a limit of three Padlets before you need to upgrade.

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Simple tool for younger students to create books or learning journals that combine text, images, audio and video.

*Schools that are closed for COVID-19 can get 90 days free of the premium plan.

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Book Creator - Love Learning - Book Creator app

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Teachers love it. Students love it. Book Creator is the simplest, most inclusive way to create content in the classroom.

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Cloud based video editing tool that allows students and teachers to get creative. Students could have fun responding to some of learning tasks as a video and can collaborate with peers on projects.

Free. Requires log in.

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Free Online Video Editor | Interactive Video | WeVideo

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The #1 video editor for schools, businesses, and solopreneurs. Create professional-looking multimedia projects with powerful, easy-to-use tools. Try free today!

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Real world texts at different reading levels with built-in activities.

Free. Requires log in.

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Newsela | Content and assessment platform

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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A curation tool that allows you to save, organize, tell stories, and share content from around the web.

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Wakelet | The All In One Content Platform

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Wakelet allows you to bookmark, organize, collaborate and present on content all in one platform. Harness your content to build remarkable things.

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Examples of how to use Wakelet in classroom

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Examples of how to use Wakelet in classroom

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Last updated May 18, 2019
Have you tried out a free curation tool called Wakelet? It's been gaining popularity in education and I can see why.

In this post, I explain what Wakelet is and how you can get started using it in 4 easy steps. I'll also share some ideas of how Wakelet could be used by teachers and students.

Did I mention it's free? 😄 I have no connection with Wakelet but just see it as a handy tool that could be useful in every classroom.

What is Wakelet?

The concept of Wakelet strives to address this problem,

The web is filled with disconnected pieces of information and it's growing all the time. Even the most specific terms bring up thousands or even millions of results that include articles, videos, blogs, tweets, Facebook posts, documents and websites.

Wakelet aims to,

...bridge the gap between humans and algorithms by empowering people to curate content in a stunning, useful and more personal way.

Wakelet is a curation tool that allows you to save, organize, tell stories, and share content from around the web.

Using Wakelet, you build collections. I've embedded an example of a collection below so you can see what it looks like. You'll get a clearer idea of what it looks like if you view my example on the Wakelet website.

Who Is Wakelet For?

Wakelet is popular in education but not designed solely for teachers and students. After all, curation is something everyone can benefit from, both personally and professionally.

Curation is becoming an increasingly necessary 21st skill considering the amount of information we encounter online on a daily basis.

Outside of the classroom, people use Wakelet every day to plan trips, learn new skills, curate interests and news stories, and much more!

Age restrictions

Working with primary aged students, one of the first things I tend to look for when investigating tools is the age restrictions (Tip: You can usually find this information by clicking on Terms of Service).

Wakelet says that individual registered users should be over 13. This means, if you have students under 13, they can use a Wakelet collection that a teacher has set up (e.g. you give them the URL of your Wakelet and they access the links). Older students can create their own Wakelet collections.

4 Steps To Getting Started With Wakelet

There are 4 key steps to using Wakelet.

1) Sign up

Go to wakelet.com and click on 'Sign up'. You can either create an account with your email address, or login with Office 365, Facebook, or your Google account.

If you don't want to sign up, you can click on 'Create a quick collection'. This is a tool to turn many links into one and no registration is required.

This short video is a good explanation of quick collections.

2) Start a collection

From your homepage, click on 'New collection/story' and you'll be prompted to enter a few details and set up your collection.

If you click on 'Add a cover image', you can either upload your own image, or choose an image from one of my favorite sites for free photos, Unsplash. You can add a background image too.

3) Save content from the web

You can save articles, videos, images, tweets, and pretty much any link you find online.

When you're inside your collection, you can add a link (copy and paste it from your browser). Alternatively, you can click on the icons to add a tweet, image, file, PDF, or text.

An easy way to save content 'on the go' is by using the Wakelet browser extension. You can find the extensions here along with the apps for iOS and Android. This would be handy if your students use mobile devices like iPads in the classroom.
Ways to use Wakelet browser extension:

Create a collection from all your open tabs in just one click

Compile Tweets into a collection (great for Twitter chats!)

Save regular browser bookmarks with context (notes and images etc.)

Learn more about the Wakelet browser extensions here.

Items that you save are private by default. You can change the visibility of your collection at any time by clicking on the drop-down menu next to Notify.

After clicking on Change Visibility, you will have three options to choose from - private, unlisted, or public.

Once you get your content together, you can reorder it however you like. Just toggle on 'Easy reorder mode' as the video in this tweet demonstrates.

Our new 'Easy Reorder' mode makes organising the items in your collections easier than ever! pic.twitter.com/E1oemeNRLf

- Wakelet (@wakelet) April 11, 2018

Once your Wakelet has come together, you can share it in a number of ways. Of course, some collections won't need an audience and you can keep them private.

You can share your Wakelet to social media, add it to Google Classroom, send the URL to someone via email or text, or embed your collection in a blog or website.

This short video demonstrates the different options for sharing your Wakelet collections.

How To Use Wakelet In The Classroom: 6 Ideas

As I mentioned in my post on teaching students how to research and filter information, being information literate is a crucial skill, however, there are so many obstacles to being able to research, filter, evaluate, and curate information. While we still need to explicitly teach some important research skills, a tool like Wakelet can make the whole process a little easier.

Below I elaborate on just 6 ideas. I'd love you to share any additional ideas you have in a comment!

1) Teacher curated resources

We want our students to be able to research and curate for themselves, but sometimes this isn't the main objective of the lesson. Students can end up on a wild goose chase on Google instead of focusing on the learning goals.

Sometimes, presenting students with a teacher curated list of resources can be the way to go. This approach could also be useful for young students who are only just learning basic online search skills.

With Wakelet, a teacher can hand-pick sites that they'd like their students to visit. This might be for researching a project, or it might be sites that students can choose to visit to practise a skill - like a collection of typing activities, or times tables games.

2) Student curated resources

Being able to effectively research and filter information is a crucial skill for all age groups.

'Googling' sounds simple but it's really a complex process that can involve: choosing keywords, verifying, adapting, organizing, annotating, remixing, creating, collating, and sharing.

Phew! This might sound overwhelming but using a tool like Wakelet can help. I love the simplicity of Wakelet both in its function and the way it looks. Students don't have to put much thought into using and designing their collections; they can focus on the important curation process.

Students might curate collections to gather resources for a project. Or the collection might be the demonstration of learning in itself. Which leads to the next idea...

3) Digital portfolios

There are many different approaches to setting up and using digital portfolios. I've always been a fan of using a blog as an online home or digital portfolio but if you're looking for an approach that's brief or simple, Wakelet could be a good solution.

Students could add online and offline work samples to a Wakelet. This might include essays, podcasts, artwork, videos, Padlets, Google Docs or Slides, the list goes on.

This portfolio could be used for assessment purposes, self-reflection, or it could act as a digital CV for graduating students. A Wakelet digital portfolio could be used during student-led conferences or parent-teacher interviews.

Here's an example of a digital portfolio by freelance filmmaker, Marcus Brooks. First year university journalism student Matt Bales created this Wakelet for his digital portfolio.

For older students, a Wakelet portfolio URL could serve as a nice addition to an email signature.

4) Digital storytelling

Wakelet allows you to finely curate items and add text to tell a story. I love this 'Meet the teacher' example that Mrs. Reams put together to introduce herself to her class. Students could create a Wakelet with their own story.

A Wakelet could also be a good way to share any true or fictional story.

Here are some examples:

In History, students could create a story to explain a famous historical moment in chronological order

In Reading, students could recreate a sequence of events as part of a novel study.

In Writing, students could come up with their own fictional story and present it with text and images.

5) Differentiated learning

All teachers know it can be so hard to meet the wide range of student abilities in each class. A tool like Wakelet could help.

For example, in Maths, the class could be divided into: at standard, above standard, and below standard. The teacher could work with one of these groups to precisely meet their needs.

While this small group is running, the students in the other two groups could be working from a Wakelet that the teacher has curated for them. It could include videos to explain a concept (either screencasts that the teacher has made, or one of the many videos available on YouTube etc.). It could also include links to online activities that the teacher would like the students to work on, or instructions for offline activities.

Over three days, the groups could rotate so the teacher had some valuable time with each ability group. This isn't the sort of thing you'd have to do every day, but it could really help when covering topics that challenge students in different ways.

6) Create a class or school newsletter

When I first started teaching, I used to type up a 'pretty' class newsletter with a whole heap of WordArt and clip art etc. How 2004!

Nowadays, it makes sense to have more of a dynamic newsletter that brings together all the bits and pieces from the community that are scattered online.

You could curate all sorts of things for your newsletter like:

Blogs or websites that the class/school hosts

Digital creations that the students are working on - videos, Padlets, Google Slides ... the list is pretty endless.

Key resources that the students are studying in class - e.g. documents or videos

PDF files with reminders or homework expectations

Top tweets from the school community

If each class had their own Wakelet page then there could be a school Wakelet page that links to each of the class pages. And this could be embedded on the school website for dynamic news that families can access anytime, anywhere. Perfecto!

Check out some examples of Wakelet newsletters.

Collaborate With Wakelet

In early 2019, Wakelet announced a new feature where users can invite someone to collaborate on a Wakelet. This could work really well in the classroom and it's always handy when students don't have to sign up for accounts.

🚨 New Feature Alert! 🚨

It's finally here! You can now invite people to collaborate on your collections without them needing to sign up!

All they need is the unique code or link: pic.twitter.com/TC6WdCZWxY

- Wakelet (@wakelet) January 17, 2019

The Educator's Guide To Wakelet eBook

A comprehensive eBook was released in early 2019 as a guide for teachers looking to use Wakelet in the classroom.

This resource is full of handy tips and ideas. Access the eBook here.

🚨IT'S HERE!

Some incredible Superhumans have teamed up to create the ultimate Wakelet eBook for Educators! 🔥

Huge thanks goes to @KarlyMoura @SeanJFahey @pdubyatech @RandallSampson @ClaudioZavalaJr @J_Bimmerle @sdtitmas @snej80

Check it out here: https://t.co/0NRAxPULvw

- Wakelet (@wakelet) January 22, 2019

Conclusion

When it comes to edtech, some are quick to say, 'It's not about the tools, it's about the pedagogy'.

Well, it kind of is about the tools. I don't think we need to downplay the fact that certain technology can improve our lives. It's about using flexible tools in a strategic way to amplify learning in a way that pen and paper cannot.

I've always been drawn to tools that are open-ended; where there isn't one set way to use them. Wakelet is the sort of tool that can be used with all different age groups in a plethora of ways.

There's a lot that could be gained from using Wakelet:

It can help students develop essential research skills

It can help students achieve learning goals without wasted time looking for resources

It can showcase student learning and allow them to present their work creatively

It can assist the teacher to do the impossible job of meeting all their students' needs

It can empower school communities with clear communication

Do you have any thoughts, experiences, or ideas about using Wakelet in the classroom? Please comment! I'd love to hear from you. Scroll down to find the comment box.
You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

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How To Use Wakelet In The Classroom For Curation And Research | Tips For Students And Teachers

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What is Wakelet? It's a simple and free curation tool. This ultimate guide to using Wakelet in the classroom explains what Wakelet is, how to to get started in 4 easy steps, and how Wakelet could be used by teachers and students. Lots of Wakelet examples to explore.

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Links to tons of additional online resources 

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Links to tons of additional online resources 

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Remote Learning Resources, Subscriptions, and Platforms - Wakelet

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I'm collecting resources for teachers and schools impacted by coronavirus closings. Many companies have offered discounted and free subscriptions to their services. In addition, I'm adding blog posts about remote learning and various recommended platforms by me and by members of the Teach with Tech Facebook Group (Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeachWithTechGroup/).

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Ben Balden - live a happier, fuller life

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A Complete Beginners Guide to Zoom (2020 UPDATE)   Everything You Need To Know To Get Started

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Includes some mindfulness videos

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yoga classrooms mindfulness activities schools education "motor breaks" sel tools "mindful schools" "yoga in the classroom" "yoga in schools" "school yoga" "mindfulness breaks" "mindfulness for children" "mindfulness activities for kids" "yoga for schools" "classroom yoga" "mindful classrooms"

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Yoga 4 Classrooms' mission is to empower youth with the skills they need to be healthy, happy and resilient at school, at home and throughout their lives. We...

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50 easy activities to do with kids at home.

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Right now, everyone is in need of indoor activities for kids that scream SIMPLE. It's one thing if you have time to prep and shop, but in most cases, that just isn't possible. So how do you keep the kids occupied without a ton of effort? These must-try activities for kids at home rely on just a few common household supplies.

Must-Try Indoor Kids Activities!

BEST INDOOR KIDS ACTIVITIES

When situations arise like a pandemic, snowy or rainy days, some other major event, or even a too-hot or too-cold day, you may find extra time on your hands at home! We're here to help. Many schools are also canceled this week, so earlier, I shared amazing and FREE resources for school at home with STEM.

Now I want to share some big-time fun indoor activities for when you aren't fitting in schoolwork or if you have multiple age groups home and you need to keep the younger kiddos busy while the older kids work on lessons.

These kids' activities are great for a wide range of ages. There are indoor activity ideas for toddlers and preschoolers to teens. Your kids will never be bored again!

START WITH SIMPLE INDOOR FUN!

Set up an obstacle course around the house with couch cushions

Movie under a fort with pillows and blankets and popcorn, of course!

Turn on a dance party with your favorite playlist of music.

Decorate cupcakes (I always keep a box mix and frosting on hand).

Play laundry basket basketball with rolled-up socks.

Clear off the table and play board games.

Listen to a good book while you curl up under a blanket (or do a read aloud).

MORE INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Here's a quick checklist of supplies that would be great to have on hand for some of these indoor activities. I bet you have most of these supplies in your house already. There are even fun, FREE printables included too!

Our website is filled with free and easy-to-use activities for kids. Search a theme, season, or holiday and see what you can find. Use the search box or main menu to find popular topics. Stop by our SHOP for extra special packs!

Have you joined the 14-Day Activity Challenge?

No? What are you waiting for? Click here to start with 14 days of guided kids' activities using mostly what you have on hand!

ART ACTIVITIES AND CRAFT PROJECTS

Having the right supplies and having "doable" art activities can stop you in your tracks, even if you love being creative. That's why the activities below include a variety of fun and simple projects for kids to enjoy!
Check out our famous artists for kids' projects for even more ideas!
BUILDING INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Designing, tinkering, building, testing, and more! Engineering activities are fun, and these simple building projects are perfect for preschoolers, elementary kiddos and older.

STEM CHALLENGES

Test out those design and engineering skills with a few simple materials. Each challenge has a design question, a list of everyday supplies you can use and an optional time limit to complete it. Great for small groups! We love easy and fun STEM activities for kids!

SENSORY INDOOR ACTIVITIES

We have tons of examples of sensory play for you to use at home or with groups of young kids. Sensory activities don't have to be difficult to set up and you will find our sensory recipes all use inexpensive kitchen pantry ingredients.

INDOOR GAMES

WHICH INDOOR ACTIVITY WILL YOU TRY FIRST?
Visit our SHOP for more ways to play and learn! Subscribe for special freebies, discounts, and alerts.

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100 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids - Little Bins for Little Hands

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Are you looking for fun indoor activities for kids that are screen free and ups the creativity? Playdough, LEGO, paint, and much more!

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What online teachers need to know.

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Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

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The majority of us teach the way we were taught growing up (Southern Regional Education Board, 2009). This presents a challenge for online faculty, who most likely received their education in a traditional, brick and mortar school. Online instruction is much different from face-to-face instruction. Over the past nine years, I have discovered four basic elements that contribute to being an effective online teacher.

Online instruction might be more convenient, but it takes much more of your time than on ground learning. An online course requires continuous interaction throughout the week.

Your presence is not required on a specific day or time but continuously to keep the learner challenged and engaged. The key is to find creative ways to enthuse the student to participate in the learning environment daily.

Students are expected to be engaged in the online learning environment but it doesn't happen automatically. If you want your students to be engaged, you must model the type of behavior you seek.

2. Communication

In the online environment, communication is the key. The first thing to understand about communication is that the effect of the communication is not always what is written in black and white. You must read between the lines.

Good communication requires attention to detail and a reiteration of what the student has stated or asked. This helps you understand the communication and provides effective communication with the student.

Exceptional facilitators are open to many different avenues of communication. This is not limited to email and could include text, Skype, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and telephone contact information.

Avenues of communication have no effect if you do not respond. Respond to all communication within a 24-hour period (more quickly if you can).

Post your information and office hours in a highly visible place within the Learning Management System (LMS) so students know when and how they can reach you if they need a question answered.

Students do not have the benefit of your nonverbal communication. You must consider your words very carefully and think about how the student will perceive the words. Avoid using slang or any comments that might be misconstrued. Use positive words and tone to develop a trusting student/teacher relationship.

3. Discussion

Most online platforms have a discussion board. Online facilitators must understand that this is where the heart of the learning happens.

Exceptional facilitators must have a frequent and active presence in the discussion. It is recommended that you respond to at least three student responses to the discussion assignment on four different days during the assignment week.

When you ask students questions, it is important to validate the student's answer with a confirmation post. Without doing this, you alienate the student and do not place value on their opinions and responses.

You should never reprimand a student in the discussion area. These comments should be expressed with your constructive feedback during grading or through a personal email.

Arrive in the discussion each week before the students, interact with the students throughout the week, and provide a discussion wrap-up.

4. Constructive Feedback

Grading is another teachable moment. Take the time you need to make constructive feedback to your students. This should include positive as well as negative comments. Sandwich your negative feedback between positive comments for maximum effect!

While grading, you should address the student by name when summarizing the overall quality of the assignment. You should also provide a grading rubric with comments with points earned to show the student how you derived their grade.

Timeliness of grading is necessary. A reasonable guideline to follow is to grade all assignment no later than five days after the due date.

Communicate to students how they will be graded, when they can expect you to return the assignments, and your policy for assignments turned in late.

A final note
Higher education institutions offer many different types of professional development to their online instructors. Webinars, workshops, and formal online courses are a few of the methods used to train and develop online teachers (Kolowich, 2010). One of the most effective types of training I have found is to enroll in an online course yourself. This will give you the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be the learner, and will no doubt reinforce the importance of presence, communication skills, engaged discussion, constructive feedback.

References:
Southern Regional Education Board [PDF file]. (2009, March). Retrieved from http://publications.sreb.org/2009/09T01_Guide_profdev_online_teach.pdf

Kolowich, S. (2010, November 10). Teaching online professors ... online. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/10/pearson#ixzz2GHTr4Id9
Dr. Patricia Pelletier is the Academic Chair of the Department of Educational Studies at Kaplan University.

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The majority of us teach the way we were taught growing up (Southern Regional Education Board, 2009). This presents a challenge for online faculty, who most likely received their education in a traditional, brick and mortar school. Online instruction is much different from face-to-face instruction.

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Articles on teaching strategies.

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Teacher Favorites: 20 MiddleWeb ELA Articles
Each of these 20 English Language Arts-oriented articles (dating back to 2012) has enjoyed thousands of reads since it was first published at MiddleWeb. From closer reading to better writing, we hope you find some helpful ideas and inspiration for the new school year! ∞

Sarah Tweaks Her Socratic Seminar Recipe
Sarah Tantillo's MiddleWeb post Socratic Seminars in the Middle has racked up tens of thousands of visits. Now Sarah, author of The Literacy Cookbook, is back with a tweak to her recipe, suggested by colleague Jamison Fort. See his students in action.

We Must Have STEM for All Our Students
Disadvantaged students and minorities face battles on many fronts. Access to STEM education should not be one of them. Anne Jolly describes the problem, the students' proven potential, and what she believes is needed to create equitable access.

How to Create an Effective Teaching Plan
The most effective teachers know that if you want to have a great lesson, you need to plan a great lesson, say experts Todd Whitaker and Annette Breaux. Novice teachers will appreciate their handy planning checklist. Bonus download: How to overplan!

Guiding Student Writers as They Work with Digital Tools
If asking student writers to develop voice, stamina and range isn't hard enough, says teacher educator Troy Hicks, we now have digital tools to contend with. Watch as Hicks helps his 6th grade daughter think through her creation of a book report video.

The 5 Rules of Student Engagement
Teachers who fail to actively involve students in learning experiences are mired in mediocrity, says educator Barbara Blackburn. The author of Rigor Is Not a 4-Letter Word shares five rules for student engagement she's discovered, with examples from her own teaching and consulting.

Handy Tools to Unpack the ELA Common Core standards
Author and literacy consultant Sarah Tantillo shares six tips and a simple, user-friendly graphic organizer that can guide middle grades teachers as they unpack the ELA Common Core standards and create objectives & activities to help students meet them. Get an advance look at material from Tantillo's upcoming book, Literacy and the Common Core: Recipes for Action (Jossey-Bass, 2014).

Why we should make room for poetry in Common Core classrooms
How often do you share poetry with students? Reading interventionist and literacy coach Gwen Flaskamp shows how increasing students' experience with poetry can build literacy, analytical and social-emotional skills and help meet Common Core standards.

Teaching in High Gear: The Classroom Coach
In her new book Teaching in High Gear: My Shift Toward a Student-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Classroom, middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel reflects on a transformational journey marked by a gradual shift toward student-driven learning - and energized by a global network of collaborators who shared her vision. In this excerpt, Marsha describes how her development of a "coaching mode" helped students become more self-reliant learners.

Can teachers and students be friends?Teachers can and should be friendly with students, but they need to avoid adult-style friendships, say Larry Ferlazzo and Rick Wormeli in this excerpt from the new book Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching. Wormeli, an award-winning educator turned full-time consultant on teaching in the middle grades, details why it's important that "teachers and students recognize clear boundaries rightfully established in successful teaching-learning relationships."

The #1 close reading skill: It's all about the questionsLiteracy expert Sarah Tantillo has been reading lots of potentially useful advice about teaching students to become close readers. But what she's not seeing much, Tantillo says, is the most important strategy of all: teaching students how to ask good questions. In a new MiddleWeb guest article, Tantillo shares an indepth strategy to achieve this essential step in the comprehension process, with help from Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Make Me or Break Me: A poem for first-year teachers
Roxanna Elden, a National Board certified teacher and author of the newly revised book Meet Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers, is not known for her "chicken soup for the soul" approach to counseling novice educators. Yet in this poem about the gritty realities of first-year teaching, she somehow manages to put forth hope. Or at least vacation.

Student Voices: "5 Ways Teachers Can Help Us Do Our Best"What do students in the middle grades most need from their teachers? For more than a dozen years, the leaders of the non-profit What Kids Can Do have been listening to and gathering answers from middle schoolers nationwide. Barbara Cervone, Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers share a collection of students' comments highlighting five actions young adolescents wish teachers would take to help them.

Involve Your Students in a Global Read AloudEach fall students involved in the internet-based Global Read Aloud activity listen to a book and talk about it with kids around the world. Teacher/creator Pernille Ripp tells how to join in.

Historical mysteries that lure reluctant readers & boost comprehension are great for classroom libraries, says teacher-author Elizabeth Varadon. Among her favorites: Dragonwings, The Golden Goblet, and Victorian YA mysteries like Newbery Honor winner Splendors and Glooms.

Media expert Frank Baker offers examples of political stagecraft at the highest levels and suggests several visual literacy lesson ideas. Of special interest during American election cycles (which is most of the time, these days!) Also see Baker's MiddleWeb articles: Media Literacy & Politics(Help students understand how political messages are crafted so that they can see through the spin) and Watching Political Debates with Kids(tips & tools adaptable for future elections).

It's an exciting time to be a new middle grades educator, says expert Rick Wormeli, if you keep several fundamentals in mind as you work with young adolescents. Read about two here and two more in his companion article Good Feedback Equals Active Learning, where he urges new teachers not to become "slaves of the pacing guide."

One of the things students struggle with in just about every subject is distinguishing between argument and evidence.It's a problem that manifests itself in both reading and writing, says Sarah Tantillo, author of The Literacy Cookbook. She shares six steps that can help students strengthen this important Common Core skill.

Students need the skills to read and discern messages in visual media, says media literacy consultant Frank Baker, who uses Wall-E and other movies to teach "the language of film." Also: Involving students in writing and storyboarding addresses key Common Core standards.

In two MiddleWeb posts, teacher Mary Tarashuk shares podcasts from the non-profit group The Walking Classroom that make it easy to combine skills and goals that meet CCSS & other standards across multiple content areas. Part 2: Learning Step by Step

In 2003 (when you were in the middle grades) we staged a 5-day chat with Rick Wormeli to discuss his book for newbies, Day One and Beyond: Practical Matters for New Middle-Level Teachers. Much of the chat among novice & veteran teachers was timeless, so we've posted a modified transcript here!

Education consultant Erik Palmer believes students must become well-spoken presenters and communicators to be successful in the digital future. The author of Well-Spoken and Digitally Speaking highlights a tool that can help teachers shift from traditional speech instruction to CCSS-friendly methods that are more relevant in a connected world.

Middle school dean Bill Ivey reflects on teaching and learning about racism, in the wake of racist comments about the casting for The Hunger Games.

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Teacher Favorites: 20 MiddleWeb ELA Articles Each of these 20 English Language Arts-oriented articles (dating back to 2012) has enjoyed thousands of reads since it was first published at MiddleWeb. From closer reading to better writing, we hope you find some helpful ideas and inspiration for the new school year!

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Story Time From Space | T2 Science & Math Education Consultants

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Free access to a library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids and Your $ financial literacy magazine

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TIME for Kids nurtures today’s learners and tomorrow’s leaders with authentic news and the critical-thinking skills that shape active global citizens.

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Free access to a library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids and Your $ financial literacy magazine

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TIME for Kids nurtures today’s learners and tomorrow’s leaders with authentic news and the critical-thinking skills that shape active global citizens.

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Free access Pearson textbooks, math books (K-3)

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Comprehensive textbooks, digital products, teaching materials and services for Elementary, High School and Professional Education for Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, FSL, AP and IB, Music, Art, Career & Technology, and ESL/ELL/ESOL.

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Free 90 day trail.
Math for grades 1-2

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Comprehensive textbooks, digital products, teaching materials and services for Elementary, High School and Professional Education for Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, FSL, AP and IB, Music, Art, Career & Technology, and ESL/ELL/ESOL.

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87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

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Parents! This list of active indoor activities is the best we’ve ever seen, with fun Gross Motor games & creative ideas for high-energy kids. Perfect for Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes. Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and be…

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Age appropriate chore guide for kids.

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An Age-Appropriate Chore Guide for Kids - SavvyMom

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Ever wonder when it might be the right time to start introducing chores to your children? Part of guiding our kids through their childhood and into the world of healthy adulting involves some necessary lessons around accountability. Chores do double duty in this regard - they help teach responsibility and they help get the job done.

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Age appropriate chore guide for kids.

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An Age-Appropriate Chore Guide for Kids - SavvyMom

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Ever wonder when it might be the right time to start introducing chores to your children? Part of guiding our kids through their childhood and into the world of healthy adulting involves some necessary lessons around accountability. Chores do double duty in this regard - they help teach responsibility and they help get the job done.

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2020 is off to a wild start.

If you're not in self-isolation yet, you may be soon. You'll hear things like "flatten the curve" and "social distancing." If your throat is dry and you cough, people may glare. A lot of people are on edge. Heck, I am on edge.

But now that you're indoors, it is time to smooth out the edges a little bit. I could give you a million craft and recipe ideas, and I think you'd be happy. But sometimes it's not that there's a lack of options, it's that there's a lack of a schedule.

And as you probably know, kids like a bit of a routine. So, here's a guide inspired by Jessica McHale Photography's schedule! Maybe this will fit your life perfectly (I hope), but it will probably require a few tweaks here and there. Whatever your needs, I hope this gets your brain thinking about how to schedule your upcoming days.

Click on the picture below for a printable schedule!

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A Daily Schedule for Parents During These Strange Days | CBC Parents

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2020 is off to a wild start. If you're not in self-isolation yet, you may be soon. You'll hear things like "flatten the curve" and "social distancing." If your throat is dry and you cough, people may glare. A lot of people are on edge. Heck, I am on edge.

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Download our FREE printable Montessori materials. Montessori materials for primary and elementary Montessori classrooms. Instant downloads makes it easy to have Montessori materials in minutes. Click, Print, Teach - It's That Easy!

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includes links to activities for students

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As Montessori guides, we are tasked with adaptation and innovation every day. Through this unprecedented time, AMS is committed to helping you by providing resources that we hope will help you adapt and innovate. Browse articles and videos about looking ahead to a post-pandemic world, the technology we teach with, and more. We are adding items on an ongoing basis, so please bookmark this page and continue to check in.

A Message from Our Executive Director

COVID-19 Sanitizing Tip from Our Friends at Force of Nature

Learn more about an EPA-approved disinfectant that has zero harmful chemicals at Force of Nature. [Advertisement]

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Through this unprecedented school year, AMS is committed to helping you by providing resources that we hope will help you adapt and innovate. Browse articles and videos about the technology we teach with, how to apply Montessori philosophy at home, and more.

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100 ideas for Montessori Elementary students at home

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100 ideas for Montessori Elementary students at home

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Activities for Elementary Montessori Students - PDF

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100 ideas for Montessori Elementary students at home

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100 ideas for Montessori Elementary students at home

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Activities for Elementary Montessori Students - PDF

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Download and customize slideshows, worksheets, and other resources for use in the classroom or self-guided learning. Find questions, hands-on activities, and other opportunities for enrichment. Gain insights and inspiration from MoMA educators on teaching and engaging with modern and contemporary art.

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Click on the appropriate grade lesson plan below to download corresponding lesson plans for each image. Questions and comments are encouraged. Please contact the Education Department at 561.392.2500 ext. 104 or email [email protected] .

Abstract

Dorcely Le Coq et Le Lune

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Click on the appropriate grade lesson plan below to download corresponding lesson plans for each image. Questions and comments are encouraged. Please contact the Education Department at 561.392.2500 ext. 104 or email [email protected] . Dorcely Le Coq et Le Lune