Reading Rockets – NEA Guide to Learning at Home

What will school look like during the 2020-2021 school year? NEA and Colorín Colorado have compiled a list of resources, which include news headlines, expert recommendations, and statements from professional organizations.

Here's a selected list of trusted sources for online learning. Most are free or offering free access while schools are closed or operating on a hybrid schedule due to COVID-19.

Resource and lesson plan collections

• Wide Open School: Curated by Common Sense Media, a collaboration among leading publishers, nonprofits, and education and technology companies. A free collection of learning experiences and activities organized by grade band and subject (grades PreK-5+)
• PBS Learning Media: Lesson plans across content areas and grade levels featuring PBS content (grades K-12)
• Common Sense Education: Lesson plans, websites, apps and more reviewed and curated across content areas and grades (grades K-12)
• NEA Lesson plans: Lessons across content areas and grade levels (grades K-12)
• Amplify: Free lesson videos in foundational reading, science, and social studies, as well as novel guides and guided practice for literacy skills (grades K-5)
• BrainPOP: Resources for schools in STEM, social studies, ELA, health, arts, and music (grades K-5+)
• Khan Academy: Personalized learning through video with supplementary practice exercises and materials for teachers (grades K-5+)
• Khan Academy Kids: Free app focusing on math, reading, and SEL (grades PreK-2)
• Quarto Classroom: Free video library with educational content by Quarto Publishing’s authors. Videos focus on subject matter ranging from Engineering to Social Sciences to Arts & Crafts, with teachers' guides and activities (grades K-7)
• 131 Tools for Distance Learning & Strategies for Student Engagement: Curated by Albert.io, a collection of apps, tools, and platforms for ELA, science, math, assessment, collaboration, and engagement (grades PreK-12)

Reading, writing, and language arts

Early Literacy

• Starfall: Learning-to-read, with an emphasis on phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, and reading comprehension through online books, songs, rhymes, and games (grades PreK-3)
• Story Mentors: Focuses specifically on struggling readers, with 25 weekly lessons. Each lesson has guides and activities using common household materials (grades K-3)
• Apps and Websites to Build Literacy Skills: Common Sense has reviewed apps for building literacy skills in this helpful guide (PreK-3)
• EBLI (Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction): Teacher training in reading and writing skills. Free live lessons offered during school closures (K-3)

Writing and Language Arts 

• Common Lit: High-quality reading passages with aligned assessments (grades 3-5+)  
• 826 Digital: Free online online platform for educators featuring writing lessons that inspires students to write across all genres with confidence (grades 1-5+)
• NCTE's Resources for Online Learning: Activities, resources, and more to support online anguage arts instruction (grades K-12)

Social studies, history, and current events 

• Best Sites for Social Studies Lessons: We Are Teachers has compiled a range of History and Social Studies lessons across grade levels (grades K-12)
• Facing History: Facing History has compiled their remote learning resources, training opportunities, and more in this online resource center (grades 3-12)
• DOGONews: Thousands of news articles and new original content added daily in ELA, science, and social studies (grade 3+)
• Newsela: Authentic content from the most trusted names with leveled articles. ELA, social studies, science, and SEL collections (grades 2-5+)

Finding Children’s Books in a Pandemic

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt, educators who find themselves working with students either within or outside of school walls or both have an increased need for digital content and access to books. Many organizations and publishers who already make it their mission to support readers are doing even more to assist educators, caregivers, and families in light of the pandemic. See article >

Children's Book Publishers and COVID-19. Many publishers are temporarily lifting or adjusting their copyright guidelines and permissions, and many others are offering free resources and tools. School Library Journal is compiling the latest information here: SLJ COVID-19 Publisher Information Directory.

STEM

• Code.org: Expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by girls and under-represented youth (grades K-5+)
• Crash Course Kids: YouTube science show about earth sciences, biology, geology, astronomy, and more (grade 5)
• SciShow Kids: YouTube show that explores all those curious topics that make kids ask “why” (grades 1-5)
• Try This at Home: Science Experiments for All Ages: Three fun experiments taught on video by Jonte Lee, a high school physics and chemistry teacher in Washington, DC (grades K-12)
• Best Math Websites Chosen by Teachers: We Are Teachers has compiled online math resources for teachers (grades K-12)
• Online Resources for Math Teachers: The National Council for Teaching Mathematics has curated these recommended resources, as well as related guidance on teaching math in the coming school year (grades K-12)

Art and music

• Kennedy Center: Interactive arts and music media for students of all ages (grades K-12)
• Art in Action: Art curriculum for teachers and families (grades K-8)
• Art Education Remote Learning Toolkit: The National Art Educators Association has compiled resources for the 2020-2021 school year (grades K-12)
• Virtual Learning Resources for Music Educators: The National Association for Music Educators has compiled these lessons and webinars for music teachers (grades K-12)

More resources for sparking curiosity

• A guide to museums and attractions offering virtual tours and field trips from Chalkbeat (all ages)
• YouTube Learn@Home: Curated resources for supplementary reading, math, and science, plus indoor activities, virtual field trips, and more (grades PreK-5+)
• The Kids Should See This: Smart STEAM, history, and culture-focused videos for curious minds (all ages)
• Scholastic Learn at Home: Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing (grades PreK-5+)
• TED-Ed: Hundreds of TED-Ed Animations and TED Talks designed to spark curiosity. You'll also find thousands of video-based lessons organized by subject (grades 3+)
• Virtual field trips: Online field trips, tours, webcams and more for students (grades K-12)

See additional resources families can use to support learning at home in this related resource collection.

Distance learning: ideas, tools, and news

• How’s your kid’s online class? Here’s the gold standard. (The Washington Post)
• Keeping Story Time Alive in the Pandemic (Edutopia)
• Using Technology to Support Young English Language Learners in a Hybrid Classroom (Edutopia)
• Teachers on TV? Schools Try Creative Strategy to Narrow Digital Divide (The New York Times)
• Best Education Articles of 2020: Our 20 Most Popular Stories About Students, Remote Schooling & COVID Learning Loss This Year (The 74)
• Teaching the ‘Roomers’ and the ‘Zoomers:’ No Small Task for Elementary School Teachers (The 74)
• 5 Things We've Learned About Virtual School In 2020 (National Public Radio)
• ‘My Biggest Challenge and My Biggest Fear:’ Teaching Kids How to Read Remotely During the Pandemic (The 74)
• A Day in the Life of a Hybrid Teacher (Education Week)
• COVID-19 & Remote Learning: How to Make It Work (Education Week)
• Online Learning: Strategies and Tips (Edutopia)
• Equity Reset Toolkit: Re-envision Instruction Through Equitable Systems (Pivot Learning, Unbound Ed)
• Resources to Support Instruction and Professional Development Through COVID (Pivot Learning)
• Supporting Students Through COVID-19 with Google: Tips and Tools (Google Education)
• Distance Learning for English Language Learners (Colorín Colorado)
• Supporting Students in Special Education Through COVID-19 (Reading Rockets)