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In the midst of school closures, many zoos and aquariums are opting to do virtual field trips for kiddos who are stuck at home during this time! Below you will find links to each place we have found so far who is participating. Keep checking back, I will add to this page as new information...

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Most of us find ourselves at home right now. Perhaps you are a teacher or librarian and your place of work has been closed and you now have to share learning ideas electronically. Or, maybe you are home with children in charge of their education during this time. The ripple effect keeps going and going. Independent bookstores have canceled storytimes. Authors have had to cancel author visits. And on and on... BUT, so many amazing people are taking their resources online and offering them free to all of us. Plus, there are some resources that have always been free or low cost that can be accessed digitally.

So, I'm helping out by creating a master list for you to access and making it easy for you to share this post with other teachers, librarians, and families around the world. See those social share icons at the top and bottom of this article? Click on one and share it with others. Let's spread the word about this list!

Online Literacy Resources

Storytimes

Storyline Online is a wonderful read-aloud free resource. Professional actors read some great picture books. One of our favorites is Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog.-> Storyline Online

KidLit TV also has lots of storytimes available to access for free. Listen to authors read their books. You'll find The Crayon Man, I Am Peace, and more.-> KidLit TV (Be sure to browse around the KidLit TV site because there are many more awesome videos to check out too.)

Romper invites authors and famous people to read stories on Twitter in #OperationStorytime.-> See the Twitter Event

Catch your favorite celebrities and stars reading aloud at #SaveWithStories.-> Save With Stories on Instagram

Feel the comfort of your own childhood with LaVar Burton from Reading Rainbow. He's reading children's books on Twitter. He started with Amazing Grace.-> See the Twitter Read Aloud

Dolly Parton of the Imagination Library shares her voice reading aloud. She's planning 10 stories over 10 weeks.-> View Available Episodes Here

The voice of Olaf from Frozen, Josh Gad, is reading on Twitter with some amazing voices. -> Follow #GadBookClub on Twitter. So far he's read The Day The Crayons Quit, Rosie Revere Engineer, and so many more.
Publishers also have several read-alouds of their titles.
HarperKids-> Read-Aloud Videos on YouTube

Little, Brown Young Readers has someone read aloud titles such as Thank You, Omu, Bear Came Along, And the Adventures of Beekle.-> Read Aloud Videos on YouTube

Penguin Random House-> Read Brightly Storytime

Penguin Random House also has the "Read Together, Be Together" initiative. Their Facebook page has a variety of story time read-alouds including Michelle Obama reading each month beginning April 20th.-> Penguin Random House Facebook Page

Brightly will be doing a daily story time read by a storyteller each day at 2 pm EST on IGTV.-> Brightly IGTV

#NosyCrowStorytime is the hashtag to follow on Instagram and Twitter to find Nosy Crow's story time daily for a picture book read-aloud.-> Nosy Crow on Instagram Also, check out #NosyCrowBookatBedtime for a chapter book read aloud daily. An audiobook stream of a chapter each night is available.

SimonKids has Snack & Read LIVE time on their Facebook page Tuesdays-Thursdays in the afternoon at 2pm EST.-> SimonKids Facebook

Authors Who Read Their Books Aloud

Mac Barnett will be reading aloud his books each day on Instagram Stories starting March 16th at 3pm EST. Videos will remain up for 24 hours.-> Follow Mac Barnett's account here.

Jerry Pallotta will also be reading some of his books aloud on his YouTube channel.-> Jerry Pallotta's YouTube Channel

James Dean will do a few Pete the Cat read alouds starting 3/17 at 12pm EST on Instagram Stories.-> Pete the Cat Instagram

Doreen Cronin is sharing her books on her Facebook page.-> Doreen Cronin Facebook Page

Oliver Jeffers is reading his books on Instagram.

Peter H. Reynolds will be reading his books daily on Facebook at 12pm EST.-> Reynold's Facebook Page

Laura Numeroff read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie on Facebook.-> See it here.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Don't Worry Book by Todd Parr (so needed right now)

We Are the Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

Where's My Teddy? by Jez Alborough

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Check the YouTube channel of your favorite authors to see if they have read any of their books too. I've heard that Lauren Tarshis will be planning things soon too.

Sing-Alongs

One of my favorite singers for children, Emily Arrow, is temporarily doing a sing-along on Mondays and Fridays at 1pm EST.-> Emily Arrow's YouTube Channel

JBrary has oodles of sing-alongs, rhymes, and storytime songs.-> JBrary YouTube Channel

Sing-along with Julia Donaldson in The Breathing Song.

And, of course, don't forget Dr. Jean songs.-> Dr. Jean's YouTube Channel

Drawing with Illustrators

Arree Chung is offering a creativity camp April 20-24th at 4pm EST.-> Register Here

Author and illustrator, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, will be doing drawing tutorials on his YouTube Channel each weekday at 2pm EST beginning on 3/16. Jarrett will do this for the next few weeks. He is the creator of Hey, Kiddo, Lunch Lady, Star Wars Jedi Academy, and more.-> Jarrett J. Krosoczka YouTube Channel

Ben Clanton is doing a Facebook Live on 3/18 at 2pm EST and 3/20 at 5pm EST.-> Ben Clanton Facebook Event

Mo Willems will do lunch doodles starting 3/16 at 1pm EST.-> Mo Willems Lunch Doodles

Other Author, Illustrator, and Publisher Resources

Author, Grace Lin, has created a new podcast. If your child has a question for an author or illustrator she will take it to them and get it answered. She is also sharing book reviews by kids. The podcast is called Kids Ask Authors. Have the kids submit a question or review.-> Kids Ask Authors

Scholastic has put together a 20-day learning resource room. There is a category for Pre-K, Grades 1st-2nd, Grades 3rd-5th, and Grades 6+. There are online stories to read and corresponding activities.-> Scholastic Learn at Home

Tumble Books Library is temporarily offering free access to their read-along collection. Use the username: Tumble735 and password: books-> Access Tumble Books Library

Read Ranger Rick digital magazines for free online through June.-> Get the Ranger Rick Digital Magazine

Audible is offering free streaming on select titles in both English and other languages. The service will remain free during the school closures.- Listen to Audible

Other Technology Resources on Growing Book by Book

Did you know that your public library most likely has a digital download service that allows you to check out audiobooks? Perhaps it is Hoopla, Libby, and Cloud Library. For more information about how to listen to audiobooks check out our Everything You Need for Getting Started with Audiobooks.
Audiobooks for Young Listeners Podcasts of Children's Books and Other Great Listening Best Apps that Build Literacy Skills YouTube Channels That are Worth Watching to Build Literacy Skills Songs That Build Literacy Skills
Books, Books, and More Books

Many libraries are decreasing services or closing. Our local library has now closed. You can request books and pick them up if your library is still offering services. Luckily, I have almost 200 booklists to help you with that book selection. And, if you would rather buy books, all of our books are linked to Amazon. But, please don't forget about your local independent bookshops. They really need the business and many of them are offering curbside pick-up.
Click here to see our organized list of booklists to help you find what you need.->Books for Kids
If you need further book recommendations, my friends Happily Ever Elephants, Fantastic Fun and Learning, and What Do We Do All Day? also have many to choose from too.

Also, follow the hashtag #PictureBookoftheDay on Instagram. And, follow me on Instagram for daily book recommendations. -> Follow Jodie on Instagram.

Now, is also a great time to start a Family Dinner Book Club. Growing Book by Book has over 50 free ones to chose from.-> Start a Family Dinner Book Club.

The April 2020 Family Dinner Book Club pick is Mary Poppins.

Reading Challenges

Now is a great time for reading challenges too.

#ReadtheRainbowChallenge-> See the Read the Rainbow Challenge

Did I miss something? Please leave a comment below.

Stay safe and healthy!

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Stay at home read-alouds, storytimes, sing-alongs and more!

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Most of us find ourselves at home right now. Perhaps you are a teacher or librarian and your place of work has been closed and you now have to share learning ideas electronically. Or, maybe you are home with children in charge of their education during this time.

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For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your web browser.

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Access thousands of reading lessons and our comprehensive ELA curriculum, CommonLit 360.

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CommonLit
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Discover thousands of free, supplemental lessons and quizzes in English and Spanish - all featuring great authors.

CommonLit
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Measure growth in reading comprehension with three benchmark assessments when you unlock our premium packages.

CommonLit 360 &
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Support a successful rollout of our research-backed ELA curriculum with personalized webinars and on-demand trainings.

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The CommonLit assessment questions are aligned to our ELA standards, which is extremely helpful when prepping for the state exam.

Teachers trust CommonLit to foster students' reading comprehension

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CommonLit | Free Online Reading Passages and Literacy Resources

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CommonLit is a comprehensive literacy program with thousands of reading lessons, full-year ELA curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based data for teachers.

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COVID-19 Resources, Support, and Free Access | BrainPOP.com

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Make any room a classroom! As we all continue taking precautions during the spread of COVID-19, BrainPOP is here to help you and your curious learners stay informed and on-track.

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Educators, we are inspired by how you've answered the call to make sure your kids have the opportunity to learn, even under extraordinary circumstances. It's an honor to work alongside you to face this challenge.

Here are some NWEA resources that can help as you take on this immense task, as well as a curated selection of reading and math materials. These resources are free and allow for immediate access for all teachers, students, and parents.

This list is just the start. Over the coming weeks, we'll be releasing more articles, FAQs, and guides to help you navigate this unprecedented situation. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook so we can let you know when we post something new.
NWEA resources

These resources are free and allow for immediate access for all teachers, students, and parents.

Reading resources from the best of the best

1. Link MAP® Growth™ scores to instructional solutions providers. Many of the multiple instructional partners we work with are offereing free access during school closures. Using them in conjunction with scores from your winter testing could help you design your online curriculum.

2. Help families understand MAP Growth scores: Our Family Toolkit gives grown-ups at home a clearer picture of what MAP Growth scores mean and what their kids are ready to learn next. Consider using the Family Report during virtual conferences.

3. Rely on digital tools: We compiled a list of our favorite tools, apps, and platforms for teachers to use in the classroom. Many are useful for the virtual classroom, too.

4. Support young readers: Share our tips for developing early reading skills at home.

Math, math, and more math

1. Nature at your fingertips: Ranger Rick, the award-winning children's nature magazine, is offering all its content for free online, including outdoor activities, guides for educators and parents, and all the digital issues of the magazine.

2. Daily Journeys: Scholastic is offering cross-curricular reading and learning projects that your kids can use every day. Each one is built around a thrilling and meaningful story or video.

3. Doodling live: Mo Willems, author of the award-winning Pigeon and Elephant and Piggie children's books, is doodling on a livestream every weekday at 1 pm EST. Help kids learn to write and draw alongside one of the best in the business!

4. Explore the world: National Geographic lets you use an incredible library of educational content. Get reading materials on everything from ancient history to the future of space travel.

5. Famous actors read to kids: Storyline Online is an Emmy-nominated children's literacy program featuring imaginatively produced videos featuring celebrated actors.

6. Free Library: Learning A-Z is offering its Raz-Kids online library and Headsprout reading courses free for the next 90 days.

Multiple subjects

1. If you don't know where to start: If you have no idea where to begin, Khan Academy is the place to be. As founder Sal Khan says, "Math isn't hard. It's a mindset!" Their YouTube channel is another great resource. Khan Academy has content in Spanish on their website and on YouTube, too.

2. Access math textbooks: Big Ideas Math is giving students free access to all its K-12 math textbooks. No registration is required.

3. MathTube: Many math teachers have put together outstanding video series on YouTube. Math & Learning 4 Kids has a variety of lessons divided by grade level. PatrickJMT will work wonders if you want to dive into more advanced high school calculus concepts. If you have a student fascinated by the theories of math, Numberphile will keep them hooked.

4. Even more math: Be a Learning Hero has an excellent index of free math (and reading!) content that is divided by grade level.

1. Science, social studies, SEL, and more: Newsela is free through the end of the school year and chock-full of valuable content, including on social-emotional learning (SEL), which can come in especially handy during these trying times, and articles in Spanish.

2. Make learning a hoot: Kahoot! games make learning fun while still giving teachers the information they need to tailor their instruction. They're offering all their premium distance learning tools for free.

If you have other favorite online resources, of if you want to ask a question about how our assessments can guide virtual learning, tweet at us @nwea. We're here to help!

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16 free digital resources for reading, math, and MAP Growth to use at home during the COVID-19 crisis - Teach. Learn. Grow.

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Educators, we are inspired by how you've answered the call to make sure your kids have the opportunity to learn, even under extraordinary circumstances. It's an honor to work alongside you to face this challenge. Here are some NWEA resources that can help as you take on this immense task, as well as a curated selection of reading and math materials.

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Orion Education and Training - Support Groups

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What are these resources and who are they for?

This collection of resources is for educators and caregivers. Its aim is to help you in providing children with the best education, emotional support, and access to technology while they are learning from home. The collection includes:

Wellness resources

Planning tools for educators

Resources for both general and special education

Guides to using online learning technologies

Student enrichment opportunities

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What are these resources and who are they for? This collection of resources is for educators and caregivers. Its aim is to help you in providing children with the best education, emotional support, and access to technology while they are learning from home.

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The long, snowy winter is winding down and the early signs of spring are finally on their way!

Here is a spring scavenger hunt that uses all the senses to explore the great outdoors. It's a wonderful way to soak up the days getting a little longer, the air getting a little warmer and the great thaw that promises new life.

You Will Need:

Instructions:

1. Print out the scavenger hunt.

Click on the images to open the pdf.

2. If you want to reuse the scavenger hunt again and again, you can slide the scavenger hunt into a plastic page protector or laminate it. Use a dry erase marker to mark items as you find them.

You'll Also Love: Wildflower Seed Bombs

3. I suggest putting the list on a clipboard and tying the marker or pencil to the clipboard. This makes the activity easier for kids (and parents-no more lost markers!).

4. Find a basket to hold the scavenger hunt finds

5. Dress for the weather and head on out into the beauty!

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Printable Spring Scavenger Hunt | CBC Parents

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The long, snowy winter is winding down and the early signs of spring are finally on their way! Here is a spring scavenger hunt that uses all the senses to explore the great outdoors. It's a wonderful way to soak up the days getting a little longer, the air getting a little warmer and the great thaw that promises new life.

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NEA Resources to support online learning. 

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NEA Resources to support online learning. 

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[Editor's Note: We understand many schools and students cannot rely on virtual learning during the closures because many in our communities do not have access to it for a variety of reasons. We will address issues of equity in subsequent articles.]
My inbox-probably yours, too-is flooded with suggestions, how-tos, and don't-dos, on teaching online as a strategy for dealing with COVID-19.
Online articles Resources, tips and more for remote and e-learning (teaching online) - from Educational Technology Guy Tools to prepare for school closures-suggested by Common Sense Advice for new Online Teachers-from EdSurge Navigating Uncertain Times: How Schools Can Cope With Corona virus-from EdSurge Understanding the Impact of Coronavirus on K-12 Education-from EdSurge Newsela COVID-19 resource center (and free access to their paid products this school year) A live-tracker of the spread of the disease from Johns Hopkins University. Snow Day? 7 Ways to Keep Teaching An Open Letter to Teachers About Online Classes Remote Learning: Tips for Thriving in This Ecosystem
As I received the onslaught of teach-online resources, I collected those that made the most sense. Below is a short curation of the most useful articles, links, resources, and webinars to help you through this challenging environment, followed by some tips and answers to common questions.

Online webinars

One of the best I've watched in the last few weeks (as I dig into this subject) is Rushton Hurley' s. Here are some great suggestions for teachers who have to start fast with little preparation:
Distance Learning Strategies for Education Leaders, Part 1 Distance Learning Strategies for Education Leaders, Part 2
Here are three webinars from the knowledgeable Richard Byrne: Three Free Webinars About Transitioning to Teaching Online

If the above webinars have already passed, you may still register to receive a link to the presentation.

A short curated list of resources for teaching online:

How-to

1. Distance Learning with Google Slides-from Alice Keeler

2. Resources for Teaching Online-from Edublog

3. Guidance For Switching to Online Learning from Rushton Hurley

Online chats

1. Adobe Connect-fully-featured with lots of options for meeting students online

2. Google Hangouts-max. of 10-15 people

3. Nepris-bring experts into your classes

4. Unhangouts-gather in the virtual lobby and then join a GHO

Online course sites

Virtual Classrooms/Meetings

1. Canvas-and it's Big Blue Button conference option

2. Draw Chat-virtual meeting with a whiteboard

3. Google Hangouts

4. Webroom.net - virtual conference or meeting room

***

If you're still with me, here are quick notes on questions I've gotten from fellow educators over the past week or so:

What can you as a parent do in advance?

Be positive, upbeat about these changes. They are good-you will grow to like them. Know the pros and cons-they are balanced, maybe even skewed in favor of online.

Assume the teacher will be flexible with students as they adapt to online learning.

Don't give up-try, try again, and come up with a solution that works even if it isn't perfect.

Let your child try to solve their problems but be there to help if they get stuck. Most online classes aren't a virtual meeting. They're a list of assignments, discussion boards, forums, and projects that are accomplished at the students own pace. While you're at work, you can help your child with your own virtual meeting (via free programs like Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Webroom.net) by screen-sharing their assignment page. You can even remote in without nearly as much trouble as that used to be. Your child is not in the same room as the teacher. Don't think you must be in the same room as your child to help.

Know how to get in touch with the teacher (since you can't walk in and visit their classroom). FB? Messaging? Email? What's the best way?

What are the biggest problems I face moving my teaching online:

Tech knowledge-don't give up; there are only so many problems. Once they're solved, most of the rest of the experience will go smoothly.

Problems-solve these together, you and the parents. Don't try to be perfect, just a problem-solver.

What should students and families know before their first online session:
#coronaviruseducation

Don't be afraid.

Get help if you're stuck.

Be a risk-taker-boldly go where few have gone before.

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
Schools and Coronavirus:
What You Should Know
Find general guidance on COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and other health organizations, in addition to resources for navigating schools closures and online learning. NEA is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its members and the students they serve and will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.

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Resources for Online Learning During School Closures

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Editor's Note: We understand many schools and students cannot rely on virtual learning during the closures because many in our communities do not have access to it for a variety of reasons. We will address issues of equity in subsequent articles.]

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In an effort to help educators move to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic, children's publishers are changing their policies on copyright infringement.

SLJ will update this as publishers release information.

As educators move to remote learning, many are worrying and wondering about reading books aloud online and possibly violating copyright laws. In response, many children's publishers have temporarily altered policies.

Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins Children's Books, Macmillan, Little, Brown Young Readers, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, Chronicle Kids, Candlewick, Lee and Low, HMH, Abrams, Holiday House, Disney Publishing, Crabtree Publishing, Lerner, and Peachtree have put out guidelines for use during the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down schools across the country.

Please see the messages from each publisher below.
Disney Publishing Worldwide
With the increase in school closures, and many schools transitioning to remote learning, Disney Publishing Worldwide has received numerous requests from teachers across the country asking for permission to post readings of books online for their students to access. We support the efforts of educators and librarians who wish to provide remote learning at this time. Our permission is limited to Disney Press titles. If you are not sure which category a book falls into, please reach out to us at the following address: Dina.Sherman@Disney.com.

We ask that if you read a Disney Press book online for your students that you follow a few short guidelines:

Please note at the beginning of the video that you are reading with permission from Disney Publishing Worldwide, and please note the title of the book.

Please only post your video through your school's private platform or through another closed group or platform with limited access for your students only.

Please delete your video or disable access by June 30, 2020.

Please send an email to Dina.Sherman@Disney.com with your name, school, city, state, and the title and of the book(s) you read online with a link to your video.

By posting a reading, you are agreeing to abide by the above guidelines.

These terms are in effect until June 30, 2020.

Please note that other organizations interested in posting videos of your Disney Press title reading will need to contact Dina.Sherman@Disney.com who will evaluate their request.

Thank you for all you are doing.

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead. Log In.

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Publishers Adapt Policies To Help Educators

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In an effort to help educators move to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic, children's publishers are changing their policies on copyright infringement. SLJ will update this as publishers release information. As educators move to remote learning, many are worrying and wondering about reading books aloud online and possibly violating copyright laws.

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Your Zoom session and chat recordings are stored locally on your computer after recording a Zoom meeting. You can find out where by:

1. Going to www.zoom.us and logging into your account

2. Click on "Recordings"

3. Click on "Local Recordings"

4. The folder where your recording is located is in the "location" column on this page as seen below.

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Where Can I Find My Zoom Recordings and Chats On My Computer?

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Your Zoom session and chat recordings are stored locally on your computer after recording a Zoom meeting. You can find out where by: 1. Going to www.zoom.us and logging into your account 2. Click on "Recordings" 3. Click on "Local Rec...

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Zoom - How to Share Your Tablet or Phone's Screen (iOS & Android!)

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Bring TED-Ed Student Talks to Your School

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Transform your classroom with TED-Ed! Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and inspire your students to share their big ideas.

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Supporting your Children's Social, Emotional, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic By Guest Author, Pamela McVeagh-Lally As the spread of COVID-19 causes more and more school closures across the United States, we, parents and caregivers, are faced with the daunting reality of needing to stay at home with our children for weeks and possibly...

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Wellness High School Videos

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Move This World: At Home Exercises - High School on Vimeo

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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Wellness Middle School Videos

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Move This World: At Home Exercises - Middle School on Vimeo

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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Wellness Elementary Videos

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Move This World: At Home Exercises - Elementary School on Vimeo

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. ( more information... )

To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at ogc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.

Kansas State Department of Education

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Kansas Continuous Learning 2020 - Educator Resources

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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. ( more information... ) To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made.

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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and emotional learning (SEL) offers a powerful means to support one another during these challenging times as our communities work to address the impact of the pandemic on students' learning and development.

Now, more than ever, we understand how important it is to demonstrate empathy and resilience, build relationships across distance, and call upon our collective resolve to strengthen our schools and our communities.

So, how can SEL support you and your work during this time? Find resources and guidance in Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020).

Our recommendations follow the four core focus areas for schoolwide SEL and districtwide SEL:

First, create a foundation for SEL.

Work with students, families, and communities to envision how education can more holistically support all learners.

Prioritize strong, two-way communication between families and schools.

Second, attend to well-being and mutual support among adults.

Pay close attention to our own social-emotional needs in order to be the community of adults who best serve our young people.

Foster supportive adult relationships to process emotions, share challenges, and offer support to one another.

Third, promote SEL for young people.

Provide consistency in daily routines to foster a sense of safety and predictability.

Listen to young people and support them in building or maintaining a sense of community and connection.

Incorporate social and emotional skill-building into learning (such as CASEL's SEL 3 Signature Practices).

Fourth, reflect on how things are going and adjust as you learn.

Listen to students, families, and your wider community of stakeholders as valuable sources of information about what is or isn't working.

Analyze results with a lens of equity to meet needs using our SEL Data Reflection Protocol

How is CASEL advancing this work?
Back to top
Guidance on School Transitions and Reopening

To aid in this time of continued transitions, CASEL collaborated with more than 40 partners to illuminate a way forward through Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020), centered on relationships and built on the existing strengths of a school community. As we prepared for Spring 2021, we offered three strategies adapted from the SEL Roadmap to re-examine efforts for a successful second semester: Refocus on the SEL Roadmap: Actions for a Successful Second Semester (January 2021).

CASEL CARES Webinar Series

In response to the pandemic, CASEL mobilized to provide social and emotional support to our communities and share best practices through an initiative called CASEL CARES. We offered weekly practical guidance and information on topics that were sourced from the field and relevant to the needs of today. Our CASEL CARES Webinars covered a wide range of SEL topics and attracted more than 100,000 people. View the on-demand series

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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and

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Kids don't say, "Beloved parent, I'm having difficulty in my daily life. I don't fully understand what's happening, I miss my friends, I'm afraid someone I know is going to die and it feels like life will never be normal again." Instead, they throw tantrums, become clingy, sulk, backtalk, refuse to do anything you ask, wet the bed, pick fights with siblings and suddenly forget how to do basic tasks they mastered years ago.

Whew! Let's step back, take a few deep breaths and learn a little about your child's brain: Safety is the brain's most basic need, followed closely by connection. When we feel unsafe or disconnected, our brains downshift from the higher centers responsible for learning and problem solving, to the lower reactionary centers. That's why all those challenging behaviors are popping up, and why a minor frustration is now Titanic in size.

We can help children (and ourselves) by creating a sense of safety, connecting, and cultivating a new sense of normal with these five tips:

1. Young children co-regulate with trusted adults and older children feed off our internal states. Our calm nurtures their calm. Our distress increases their distress. Check in with yourself. How are you faring? Practice active calming by taking three deep breaths when you feel yourself becoming frustrated, fearful, angry or desperate. Seek out activities and call people who calm you. Limit your news intake, social media and other sources of stress. Be a Safe Place for your child.

Acknowledge your feelings and your children's. Know that children's fits and meltdowns aren't just about the momentary point of frustration that triggered them; they're about the underlying state of uncertainty they're experiencing. Offer them calm, comfort and reassurance with deep breathing and phrases like, "You're safe. You can handle this. We'll get through this together." Encourage them to name and manage their feelings. And forgive yourself when you're the one who's had the fit or meltdown.
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2. Focus on safety and connection. The brain functions optimally when it feels both safe and connected. Children need to know that life is going to be different and that you will find a new normal together. Make safety and connection your top priority, especially in the first days; you can always add academics, chores and such later.

If you don't already practice active calming, start! Conscious Discipline uses S.T.A.R., Balloon, Drain and Pretzel breathing, and there are dozens of other websites with helpful breathing games and yoga for kids.

Build extra togetherness into your day. For young children, this might look like extra reading or playing blocks together. For older children, it might be doing a puzzle or playing a favorite video game together. Notice whatever your child is doing and join in their play. Go outside and play. Get down on the floor and play. Wrestle. Giggle. Snuggle. Hug, high five and enjoy. Connection isn't just good for your mood, it builds neural connections in your child's brain and increases cooperation (and who couldn't use a little of that right now?).

Age-appropriate information increases safety; "You're fine" does not. Information will help reassure and soothe children's fears, but it's important to know when enough is enough. Explain to children why life is different using the simplest terms possible. Answer their questions honestly, without offering too much detail or overwhelming them with information. Watch the news in private rather than having it running in the background all day. Limit social media for your children and yourself. Focus on statements like, "You're safe. You can handle this. We will get through this together," instead of dismissing with comments like, "Everything's okay," or "It's not something you need to worry about."
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3. Create your new normal. The brain thrives on predictable patterns. Our daily and weekly patterns have been turned upside down without warning. Creating a new normal begins with a new daily routine. Families with older children can work together to co-create your new daily schedule (co-creating gives children a way to exert some control over the situation), while parents of younger children will create the schedule for them. Plan it, draw it, label it, post it somewhere obvious and refer to it often so children know what to expect.

A successful daily schedule might be: Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, project time, outside time, lunch, free play, rest time, family time, dinner, wash/brush, PJs, read, bed. The activities during "project time" could vary between creative play (art, dress up, building blocks), academics, gardening, household projects, or exploring online resources like museum tours, dance classes or storytelling sites. Be certain your schedule has ample opportunities for play. Creating a rhythm to your days and knowing what to expect next cultivates a sense of safety.
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4. Give children ways to contribute. Contribution lights up the reward centers of the brain and releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. Verbally highlight the way your family is helping your community and hospitals by staying home. Draw pictures and make cards to mail, leave on friends' and neighbors' doorsteps, or drop off at a nursing home.

Provide lots of little ways for children to be helpful at home and offer authentic praise for their helpfulness. The contribution needs to be voluntary, not coerced, in order to release those feel-good brain chemicals. Ask, "Do you want to make my coffee this morning?" If the answer is, "No," let it go. If the answer is, "Yes," show them how to make coffee and then rave about how helpful it was for them to brew it.
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5. Shift toward seeing the best. Notice your inner and outer speech. Are you "stuck at home" with your kids, or do you have an opportunity to connect with family and keep the community safe while you work from home? Are you "stuck at work," or are you helping to keep the community running by staffing hospitals, grocery stores and other important functions in spite of the risks? Are selfish people hoarding things, or are frightened people trying to make sure their families have enough? Are government officials doing too much/not enough/stupid things, or are they doing the best they can with constantly changing information about an unexpected, unprecedented threat? Should those idiots know better than to go out, or are there millions of individuals who are helping each other by staying home to slow the spread of the virus?

It's easy to get caught up in what's going wrong. Instead, make an effort to consciously shift toward helpfulness. Use your words as a spotlight to illuminate the behaviors you want to see more of and aspects you find helpful amidst the fear. The more positive aspects you discuss around your children, the more they are able to see the best in the situation. The more you notice and verbalize children's helpful actions, the more helpful they will become. Shifting your perspective from what you don't want to what you do want paves the way for a healthier internal state for you and your children.
Helpful Free Resources:
For 20+ years, "We're all in this together" has been one of the basic tenets of Conscious Discipline. It seems ironic that a virus that requires social distancing to slow its spread has drawn our attention to how intimately connected we truly are as friends, neighbors, communities and nations.

Conscious Discipline offers a wealth of social-emotional information online to help you during this challenging time. Some of the items are purchasable, but in keeping with our belief that we're all in this together, many of our webinars, podcasts, videos, printables, articles and other items are absolutely free for you to use.

We hope these resources are helpful. We are holding you in our hearts and wishing you well during this challenging time.

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COVID-19: Five Helpful Responses for Families | Conscious Discipline

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Kids don't say, "Beloved parent, I'm having difficulty in my daily life. I don't fully understand what's happening, I miss my friends, I'm afraid someone I know is going to die and it feels like life will never be normal again."

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Webinar: The Safe Place at Home

In moments of upset, we rely on our inner speech to help us regulate and manage our emotions. But too often, our inner speech aggravates the feeling instead. This inner speech doesn't simply appear in adulthood. It's built in early childhood as adults care for and respond to us in our upset moments.

In Conscious Discipline, the Safe Place helps us rewrite our inner speech, allowing us to write healthy inner speech for our children and teach them self-regulation and emotional management.

For children, the first Safe Place is in the arms of a parent. We must learn to manage our composure in order to provide this felt sense of safety to our children. Once the adult is a Safe Place, we can transition to a physical Safe Place where children can calm and practice self-regulation skills when upset. Ultimately, the goal is for children to create a Safe Place within themselves as they effectively manage their thoughts and feelings with healthy self-regulatory speech.

Join Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor and mother of two Nicole Mercer as she explains how to create and use a Safe Place in the home. Nicole answers frequently asked questions, guides you through the evolution of the Safe Place, and shares photos, videos, and powerful success stories from her own experiences.

Webinar Outline

00:28 Introduction to self-regulation and inner speech

02:18 Evolution of the Safe Place

03:25 Managing your own composure using S.T.A.R.

04:41 Video Clip: Nicole's daughters explaining how angry voices feel

06:26 Transitioning from the adult to a physical Safe Place

06:45 Photo Example: First Safe Place in Nicole's home

07:41 Difference between Safe Place and time-out

09:23 Photo Example: Safe Place in children's rooms

09:46 Importance of starting Safe Place in common area

10:17 How to provide a Safe Place when kids aren't at home

10:45 Photo Example: Mobile Safe Place

15:20 Video Clip: Grace calming self at doctor's office before shot

17:30 Needing our first Safe Place (a person) in moments of big upset

23:10 The Safe Place journey begins with you

24:22 Video Clip: Hannah's inner "Safe Place" now that she is in high school

Resource Mentions

Helpful Next Steps

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Webinar: The Safe Place at Home | Conscious Discipline

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Developing healthy self-regulation includes healthy inner speech during moments of upset. Does your inner voice usually help you calm down or does it heighten your upset? Join Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor and mom of two, Nicole Mercer, to learn how to set up and teach the Safe Place at home.

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Free Trauma informed info.

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Store / Courses / Educational / Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools

Description

View Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools for FREE on our new streaming platform, or, purchase it today to receive credit towards a Starr professional certification or your continuing education requirements (please see CE details below).

If you have already viewed the video content on our streaming platform and wish to receive formal credit for its completion, please purchase this course to gain access to the additional resources and complete the required exam.

Pre-Requisite Courses: None

Course Overview: Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools teaches school professionals how to create trauma-informed schools and classrooms. The training focuses on resilience, exploring the core values and beliefs of educators and places an emphasis on understanding how trauma impacts children and their school experience. Lastly, proactive strategies such as fostering connections, prioritizing social and emotional skills, establishing safety, and promoting play are presented. This course provides detailed information and concrete actions that answer not just the "why" but also the "how" to create the best classroom and school supports for traumatized students and the school professionals who serve them.

This course covers the first 6 steps of our flagship book: 10 Steps to Create a Trauma-Informed Resilient School.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

Identify at least five questions to ask to promote a trauma-informed and resilience-focused mindset when working with students in the school setting.

Identify the four main protective factors of resilient youth.

Discuss the four universal needs and provide examples to support each.

Name three differences between grief and trauma reactions.

Identify the three main functions of the deep brain.

Identify at least three functions of the outer brain.

Describe how trauma impacts the deep and outer brain functions specifically in the school setting.

Identify at least five ways trauma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms may overlap.

Identify at least five proactive strategies for every classroom.

Name at least three of the top fears of school-age children.

Included with Purchase:

Closed Captioning on all video content (English & Spanish subtitles available)

Downloadable PDFs of the Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools Guidebook and Presentation

CE Certificate of Completion (through approved providers)

Additional Details:

This course takes approximately 6-hours to complete and you do not have to complete it in one sitting.

Starr eLearning courses can be completed on laptops, tablets, or mobile devices - allowing the content to be accessed whenever and wherever convenient.

Upon purchase, you will have access to this course for 1-year (365 days).

Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools is the first of five courses required to achieve Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner certification on Starr's education track. Click here to learn more!

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Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools - Starr Commonwealth

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Store / Courses / Educational / Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools View Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools for FREE on our new streaming platform, or, purchase it today to receive credit towards a Starr professional certification or your continuing education requirements (please see CE details below).

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Effective Monday, March 16, we are providing:

Limited-time, first two months free of Connect2Compete service, $9.95/month thereafter

Until May 15, 2020, we are providing phone and remote desktop support through Cox Complete Care at no charge to provide peace of mind and ease for technology needs

Resources for discounted, refurbished equipment through our association with PCs for People

A Learn from Home toolkit for schools, including instructions on how to fast-track eligible students without internet access Download toolkit

Don't qualify but still need to stay connected? See our other Internet plans with special promotional rates as part of our COVID-19 response:

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Effective Monday, March 16, we are providing: Limited-time, first two months free of Connect2Compete service, $9.95/month thereafter Until May 15, 2020, we are providing phone and remote desktop support through Cox Complete Care at no charge to provide peace of mind and ease for technology needs Resources for discounted, refurbished equipment through our association with PCs for People A Learn from Home toolkit for schools, including instructions on how to fast-track eligible students without internet access Download toolkit Don't qualify but still need to stay connected?

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There are 2 types of tools on this page. On the left, you'll find games and calendars for families to use to make their home an Active Home. On the right, you'll find resources to help teachers and parents partner together to provide meaningful movement opportunities that progress students toward physical education and social & emotional learning outcomes. Check back often for updates.

Created by: Nick Kline, Aaron Hart, Rich Wiles, Brian Devore, Brandon Herwick, Jim DeLine, Lynn Hefele, Tanner Roos, Will Potter, Ross Chakrain, Michael Utz, Ben Pirillo, Christina Courtney, Shannon Maly, Ashely Sharp Special Contributions: Lori Rose Benson, Deedi Brown, Jennifer Truong, Asia Kehl

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There are 2 types of tools on this page. On the left, you'll find games and calendars for families to use to make their home an Active Home.

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Stress-free science lessons for K-5 distance learning

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2. How To Set Up An Online RoundTable Discussion (1)

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3. Setting up the Live RoundTable for Online Learning (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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Supporting Middle Level Educators through COVID-19

During this unprecedented time, educators are being asked to support their school communities while adapting to an entirely different way of teaching almost overnight. This can be especially challenging when working with young adolescents, who are already going through a transformative time of development. At the same time, we know the power of AMLE members to support one another and share resources that are working well to keep our students on track. Explore and add to AMLE's crowdsourced and curated resources for advisory and online learning.

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Supporting Middle Level Educators through COVID-19 During this unprecedented time, educators are being asked to support their school communities while adapting to an entirely different way of teaching almost overnight. This can be especially challenging when working with young adolescents, who are already going through a transformative time of development.

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PUBLIC

62 items

Due to the coronavirus pandemic many school districts across the country have decided to close schools and teach online full time. NSTA has compiled a list of resources to assist teachers with this challenge. The external resources in this collection have been shared by educators, but have not been reviewed by NSTA. Additional resources from NSTA are also included to provide on-going professional learning experiences. We will continue to add to resources to this collection to support your distance learning needs. Please continue to share with us!

Postsecondary Early Childhood Elementary High School Informal Education Middle School Pre-K Kindergarten

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Online Teaching Resources You Can Use - A List Compiled by NSTA Collection | NSTA

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PUBLIC 62 items Due to the coronavirus pandemic many school districts across the country have decided to close schools and teach online full time. NSTA has compiled a list of resources to assist teachers with this challenge. The external resources in this collection have been shared by educators, but have not been reviewed by NSTA.

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Essdack Rebecca Lewis & trauma for families

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Essdack Rebecca Lewis & trauma for families

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For Districts- Thoughts about school closures

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K-State Research and Extension specialists are subject matter experts in numerous aspects of life that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide unbiased, fact-based help in these subjects free of charge for the benefit of everyone in Kansas and the rest of the world.