The unimaginable has happened, and our world has changed. Thanks to the incredible work of scientists and health professionals who have worked tirelessly to care for patients and who have developed an effective vaccine in record time, there is light at the end of the dark pandemic tunnel. We owe our thanks to others as well. We also must applaud our educators who have made heroic efforts to reach and teach students who no longer attend full day school. Their incredible, creative work has been nothing short of remarkable!
In order to assist teachers in their work, I have compiled a list of resources that are useful for remote teaching. Many of these resources for remote learning come from: https://districtadministration.com/coronavirus-free-teaching-resources-free-education-services-covid-19/ Most are free. or at a low cost for at least a period of time. You can also find information to effectively use remote learning tools such as Google & Zoom at https://infohub.nyced.org/working-with-the-doe/covid-19-resources/teach-from-home-technology
I have divided this list of resources into three parts. The last Toolkit (blog 1 of the series) had General, Reading and Language Arts, and Math Tools. This week’s Toolkit (blog 2 of the series) has Science and Social Studies Tools. The next Toolkit (blog 3 of the series) will have SEL/ SPED Solutions, Social and Emotional Learning Tools, and Virtual Field Trips.
Science and Technology
- Automatically Adaptive Reading in Science –Readorium is aligned to PhET and Concord Consortium labs (see description under Reading-Language Arts above, and lab alignments below.
- PhET Labs – Free, excellent- open source science labs with games, worksheets etc.) https://phet.colorado.edu/
- Concord Consortium Labs (Also excellent free online labs) https://concord.org/
- COVID-19 Information: The Class That Can: Coronavirus
This e-book, which teaches elementary students about the coronavirus and COVID-19 through the zany character named Mrs. Can, can be downloaded for free. Download the e-book. - PhD Science – This K-2 science curriculum from Great Minds PBC is now an open educational resource that will be available to pilot in the fall of the 2020-21 school year. Start the pilot.
- Great Minds – Great Minds’ newly developed Grades K–2 of the PhD Science curriculum will be an open educational resource, giving students in the earliest grades a high-quality science curriculum for free. The curriculum will be available to pilot in fall of the 2020–21 school year.
- Prevent the Spread For grades 3 through 8, this project-based learning unit teaches students about their power to stop the spread of COVID-19. The unit includes what teachers need to conduct the lesson remotely. Prevent the spread.
- National Geographic Learning
This Cengage Learning company is providing four lessons for elementary and MS English language learners that teach about COVID-19, what they can do to protect themselves, and how they can make a difference. These lessons also provide language support to help students communicate about the virus in English. Science, social studies and reading lessons are included. Access the resources. - Closing the Distance in Remote 3-D Science Learning
These free white papers from Carolina Biological contain strategies to help schools succeed and engage students with remote instruction. The articles provide common terminology adjusted for remote learning and teaching strategies, consider methods for effective remote hands-on science learning and examine advantages of teaching science standards remotely. Learn more. - H2O: The Molecule That Made Us: WGBH Education launched this collection of digital resources, which tells the human story through our relationship to water. For grades 6 through 12, the media focus on water-related phenomena, including the Amazon rainforest’s “river in the sky,” the dynamic and delicate feedbacks between Earth’s systems, disappearing groundwater, and the impacts of water management strategies. View the collection.
- Scratch: The Scratch website introduces students to creative coding activities. They can program interactive stories, games, and animations.
- Carnegie Science Center: Educators can find a wealth of educational activities, videos, and lesson plans on Carnegie Science Center’s new Online Educator Resources page.
- STEM Sports: For grades 3 through 8, these free STEM lessons by STEM Sports use basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, and BMX to teach students STEM principles while encouraging and engaging children in physical activity. Request a sample lesson.
- STEM guide: This preK-12 STEM program guide includes standards-aligned activities designed for at-home use and stories from National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees. Access the guide.
- Marine Mammal Center activities: This series of online learning resources for grades 3 through 8 provides information about marine mammal health, science, and conservation. Download the learning activities.
Social Studies
- Studies Weekly Online: This K-6 online curriculum platform for social studies and science is free for all teachers and students whether or not they are current customers. The online platform includes all student and teacher editions, lesson plans, ELA integrations and customizable assessments. Teachers can start their free membership with Studies Weekly Online by visiting studiesweekly.com.
- Multiple partner resources Hope and Wade King and ‘Get Your Teach On’ will provide free teaching resources to parents, students and teachers, including new curriculum, lesson plans and activities appropriate for K-8 students in ELA, art, mathematics, social studies, science and physical fitness. The site will be updated regularly to continue to provide more free resources as closures continue. All materials, including free access to traditionally paid services, can be found at getyourteachon.com/virus
- Actively Learn This universal curriculum platform for grades 4 through 12 features collaboration and discussion tools and can be accessed by any device. It also features integrated instruction for ELA, science, and social studies. Actively Learn can integrate with Google Classroom. Get Actively Learn.
- Everyday Native – For grades 4 through 12, this program bridges the gap of understanding about Native Americans by non-Indians and can be used in various subject areas, including language arts, Native American history, U.S. history, social studies, current events, photography, poetry and art. Sign up for full access.
- LaunchPacks Science and Social Studies – These collections of articles, images, videos and primary information sources are now free from Encyclopedia Britannica. To access the platform, schools can register here. A team member will promptly help users set up free access to LaunchPacks and share remote learning information and resources.