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Note: This has been updated to have 5 options in the second round as well as to clear up any confusion for students, please see this post to see the updated version. The final round had 9 different options and the slides for that can be seen here. Yes, you may adapt this to fit your own needs, but please give credit and also do not adapt it to sell it online or in any way benefit financially beyond your salary as an educator.
In yesterday's post, I mentioned how I wanted to honor the work we have already been doing in our community as we switch to virtual learning starting next week. Because this shut down of our school does not come with an end date at the moment, I am pacing out instruction by weeks rather than days. If we go back sooner than I expect, which would be incredible, then I can switch this particular project to in-class as well.

We were also given guidelines yesterday from our district; plan for about 35 minutes of learning time for each class, I have a double block but am trying to keep it to around that time still, instead with the extra time, I am hoping kids will find the time to read. Kids are not expected to sit in front of a computer all day. We have guidelines in place for making sure kids are connected to us with virtual office hours. We also need to check in if we are not hearing from kids or seeing them do any learning. We are trying to think of things we cannot even think of yet.

We are trying to keep it relevant, accessible, and not overwhelming.

We are trying to help kids continue their learning even when we are not right there with them.

So, for our students, I have created a "Choose Your Own Learning" 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.

From a longer letter welcoming kids into our project

Choice 1: The independent reading adventure. On this adventure, you will use a self-chosen fiction chapter book to further your reading analysis skills. Read and either record or write answers to questions that show your deeper understanding of your chosen text.

The connect-four template we use for this.

This used to be a much more art-based project, I modified it to fit a written response, only because I am not sure if kids will have access to art materials. However, kids can still choose to illustrate and use art to answer their selected questions. All of the questions are review, so we have done this work before but they get to practice by applying it to a new book. This was inspired by the one-pager project, my colleague does and I am grateful for her work. To see the project guidelines, go here.
Choice 2: The picture book read aloud. On this adventure, you will listen to a picture book being read aloud every day by lots of fantastic people. Then you will write or record a response to a specific question every day.
I wanted to honor the picture book read alouds we have done throughout the year, so I gathered picture book recordings for the students to listen to - one a day - and then created questions to go with it such as the one below.

While I love all of the picture books I am finding, I am still changing some of them out to have a wider representation of creators shown. I am also still working through questions, so this document is very much a work in progress. To see the project guidelines, go here.
Choice 3: The Inquiry Project. Ever wanted a chance to just pursue a major topic of interest for yourself? Now is the chance, craft a learning plan for yourself with Mrs. Ripp, learn more about your topic and then showcase your learning to our community.
Project requirement:

Identity an inquiry question you want to pursue - remember, inquiry questions are not straight "Googleable," they will need learning from many sources or experiences to answer.

Fill in the learning plan to show what you will be learning and how you will challenge yourself.

Do the learning on your own, checking in with Mrs. Ripp every two days.

Create a product of your choice to showcase your learning - you have many choices of what to create.

Independence expectations:

This is a project that will require a lot of discipline and focus. Because you will not be creating a day-to-day product, you are expected to produce a larger final learning product to share your learning.

The inquiry question you choose to pursue can be one that you already know something about or one that you know very little about, it is up to you.

There should be NEW learning though that happens throughout, not just a summary of what you already knew.

Students will be asked to do a learning plan, so I can support them if they choose this project. It looks like this:

We have done two other inquiry projects so I have seen students navigate this before, I am hoping this will give kids a chance to explore what they would like to explore rather than all of their learning choices being dictated by adults . To see the project guidelines, go here.
Choice 4: The Creative Writing Project.
I know some of us have longed to do some creative writing, so here is your chance. Decide how you want to grow as a writer, discuss with Mrs. Ripp, and then start writing. Teaching points will be based on what you are hoping to work on.

Project requirement:

Identify your areas of strength as a writer - what do you already do well in writing?

Identify areas of growth in writing for yourself - how will this project challenge you?

Actively work on those areas of growth through independent study of craft techniques and conferring with Mrs. Ripp.

Produce 2 or more pages in a coherent writing form, you choose the writing form.

Schedule 2 conferring times with Mrs. Ripp each week - that is 4 times over the two weeks. These can be via Google meet, email discussion, chat, or some other mode of communication.

Independence expectations:

This is a project that will require a lot of discipline and focus. Because you will not be creating a day-to-day product, you are expected to produce a larger final learning product to share your learning.

The creative writing project you pursue should be meaningful to you and show growth in your writing tools.

There should be NEW learning though that happens throughout, not just a summary of the skills you already have.

We have done creative writing in small spurts throughout the year but not enough in my opinion, so this is our chance to do it more. I am hoping this will offer up those who choose it a way to sink into their writing and create something meaningful. To see the project guidelines, go here.

A note on choices: Students will indicate their choice on a survey form - this will offer me a pathway forward so that I can send the proper resources to them. Because Google Classroom allows me to only give certain things to certain kids, I can easily provide them the next steps in their choices such as learning plans or other tools.

A note on grades: You may have noticed that these projects encompass different standards, this is okay because all of the work we are doing right now is formative as per our district guidelines. As the closing continues, we will be given updated guidelines. What this means is that when the two weeks are over for this project, I will either recycle the options and ask students to choose a different option or brainstorm further learning with my students. If we switch to live school in the middle, then once this project is done we will go back to our regular scheduled learning, which is debates and Shark Tank presentations.

A note on support: I will be individualizing support for my students. For some this will mean just check-ins, for others it will be sharing further resources for their learning. I teach 76 students, I am not sure how this will look, but we will make it work.

Want to connect with me? I am going to do a Facebook live in the upcoming week in our Passionate Readers Facebook group to take questions and share book recommendations. Join me!
If you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

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Choose Your Own Learning - 4 Learning Options As We Go Virtual/Online

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Note: This has been updated to have 5 options in the second round as well as to clear up any confusion for students, please see this post to see the updated version. The final round had 9 different options and the slides for that can be seen here.

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TED-Ed celebrates the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and share your big ideas.

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Run pulse-checks with quiz, polls and other questions to collect valuable student feedback. For example, pre-assess knowledge, or find out how students are feeling in general. Kahoot!'s visual reports on live games and challenges will help you with formative assessment: see how the class performed, identify difficult questions that need followup, and reinforce learning.

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Online games | Kahoot! - Your distance learning platform

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Inspire your students to play thousands of online games. Reach students even when they're not at school with Kahoot!

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This is an incredible resource! Lots of brilliant mentor texts pairing reading & writing.

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Teach and learn with The Times: Resources for bringing the world into your classroom

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Opportunities to Read and Write alongside Poetry

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If you have enjoyed reading Go Poems over the past six years, then this is a book you will most definitely enjoy. Not only does it include ideas for tucking poems into the lessons you already teach, it organizes these ideas, poems, and prompts so that you can engage students creatively and elevate student writing in any genre with a poetry pause as part of the plan.

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VIRTUAL SCHOOL VISIT WEDNESDAY with Vesper Stamper When: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, @ 11 AM EST
Instagram Live: http://instagram.com/vesperillustration
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/vesperillustration
YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/chann/UCwDycXFKGf9RFsVEVXY7PBQ

YA Historical Fiction author/illustrator Vesper Stamper will host a 1-hour virtual school visit in which she'll talk about the coronavirus (and creativity!) in light of her new book, A CLOUD OF OUTRAGEOUS BLUE.

"In a really weird instance of serendipity," Stamper explains, "I happen to have written this very book about the pandemic of Plague in 1348 England, how fear gets the better of us in times of crisis, but also how one person with a vision can bring beauty and healing out of chaos. I wish, OH how I wish this book were already out, but I'm thinking of some ways to host discussions around it to be a helpful voice. You can pre-order it now and if you sign up for my newsletter, you can get a free chapter outtake."

The school visit will consist of a reading from CLOUD, a presentation on how Stamper came to write the book and a bit about her journey as an author, followed by Q&A from students. This will be a national gathering, especially for students who need a bit of structure during their day. "I work from home, and my teenagers are home due to our district's closing, so I really feel for the students who need a touch of normalcy at this time," reflects Stamper.

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3 FREE Virtual Literature Opportunities For Kids (of All Ages) - Authors | Unbound

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VIRTUAL SCHOOL VISIT WEDNESDAY with Vesper Stamper When: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, @ 11 AM EST Instagram Live: http://instagram.com/vesperillustration Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/vesperillustration YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/chann/UCwDycXFKGf9RFsVEVXY7PBQ YA Historical Fiction author/illustrator Vesper Stamper will host a 1-hour virtual school visit in which she'll talk about the coronavirus (and creativity!)

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Coming Soon- Levar Burton Reads Short Stories

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Coming Soon- Levar Burton Reads Short Stories

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Neil Gaiman Reads The Graveyard Book & Coraline

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Neil Gaiman Reads The Graveyard Book & Coraline

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Videos - MouseCircus.com - The Official Neil Gaiman Website for Young Readers

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Watch the latest Neil Gaiman videos and see Neil (and some famous friends!) read The Graveyard Book and Coraline in their entirety.

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Kid Lit & YA Read Alouds starting March 23

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Kid Lit & YA Read Alouds starting March 23

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Stimola Live – Live Author Events presented by Stimola Literary Studio

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Kate DiCamillo will be adding videos guiding us through writing a story.

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Writing Tips from Kate DiCamillo | Part 1

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Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

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From Amelia Earhart to Beyoncé and Eva Perón to Malala, meet 100 women who defined the last century.

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Videos, podcasts, etc

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Directions for creating a Google Hangout

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Directions for creating a Google Hangout

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How to Create Google Hangouts Meet Events

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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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Zoom is providing support to help navigate remote work and effectively use Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Tools for online collaboration with students.

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Tools for online collaboration with students.

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Look down this page to Kelly Gallagher 's link to Coronavirus lesson plans.

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Look down this page to Kelly Gallagher 's link to Coronavirus lesson plans.

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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures and the challenge of teaching students remotely, I, along with several of my colleagues, have created an extended lesson plan designed to encourage students to capture this moment in history. However, before I share the plan, some thoughts:

Years from now, our students' children and grandchildren will ask them about this moment in time, and I want them to have a record of it. Their history.

The last thing I want to do with my home-bound students is to load them down with brain-numbing packet work. So this lesson plan was designed to honor student choice, student agency, student voice. This is not the time to give students chapter quizzes on their at-home reading of 1984.

We are not suggesting this is THE lesson plan everyone should adopt. We know our kids. We do not know yours. It is where our thinking resides today. Tomorrow, we may shift our thinking as events continue to unfold.

You are invited to use any or all of our thinking. We do not, however, grant permission for this thinking to be sold anywhere. No one should profit from this crisis. Adapt as you see fit. Make our thinking better. Share with others.

We also have a sinking suspicion that this crisis may worsen, and that our students may actually end up being out of school much longer than two weeks. We will be creating digital communities where our readers and writers can maintain a sense of community.

And although I am teaching seniors, many of my colleagues who have shared their thinking in the creation of these lesson plans are planning to use them in other grade levels. They are easily adaptable.

With that said, you can access our plans for our stay-at-home students here:
Coronavirus Lesson Plan
Special thanks to Penny Kittle and several members of the Magnolia High School ELA faculty for helping to create this plan.

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instructional materials - Kelly Gallagher

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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures and the challenge of teaching students remotely, I, along with several of my colleagues, have created an extended lesson plan designed to encourage students to capture this moment in history.

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More videos are constantly being added & will provide great educator support for Penny & Kelly's lesson plans. After watching, look at Youtube's left bar to see if more are available. These are updated each week day.

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More videos are constantly being added & will provide great educator support for Penny & Kelly's lesson plans. After watching, look at Youtube's left bar to see if more are available. These are updated each week day.

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Neal Shusterman will be reading short stories. These will be posted here soon.

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Neal Shusterman will be reading short stories. These will be posted here soon.

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Introducing the Storyman Virtual Reading Series

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Enjoy one of Gavin Aung Than's cartoons.

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I know it can be daunting when you find an established website and you have no idea where to jump in and start reading. So I've put together this page which features the most popular comics and some of my personal favourite strips that will quickly get you acquainted with what Zen Pencils is all about.

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Enjoy the Uncommon Comic Series.