Helpful Online Resources
MRA board members have curated resources for you!
Maintaining Communication With Our Own Students and Caregivers
This is put together for YOU to use! Please look all the way to the bottom, because you may find many useful tools to help you, your students, and your families. We WILL get through this together, because our community is filled with amazing people, just like you!
If your students are already on Google Classroom, you can easily share with them just about anything you want. If you don’t have Google Classroom set up, but want to do that, it’s pretty simple to do. Your students will need a Google account, which they’ll need to set up if your school hasn’t already done that; and they’ll need a class code, which you can provide in an email, along with a link to the classroom. You and your students will be able to post in the stream. You can post assignments, materials, videos, and links to other things, including the other resources listed below!
Teaching Remotely in Times of Need
Teaching Remotely in Times of Need
This set of slides created by Dr. Torrey Trust of the University of Massachusetts - Amherst provides a collection of tools and strategies for teaching remotely/online.
Teaching Remotely for Grades K - 12 | Free Resources and Strategies
Day-by-day cross curricular projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing: includes a free login for Book Flix & for Watch and Learn Library
Amazing free resources (in literacy, math, science, social studies, organizational capacity, & school culture), SERP seeks to support, “a coherent approach for turning evidence-based ideas into effective programs & practices that fit within the routine of the classroom, & can therefore readily spread.”
Recording Yourself to Share with Students
Screencast-O-Matic: Screen Recorder & Video Editor
You are able to video yourself, just your screen, or a combination of both. I used this to continue our classroom read-aloud. It could easily be used for teaching a lesson, too. Once you’ve completed the video, you’re able to post it on Google Classroom (or whatever platform you use in your classroom). It was very easy to use!
Screencastify
Screencastify | The #1 Screen Recorder for Chrome
This is another way to video yourself, just your screen, or a combination of both. It’s also an extension on Google, so it pairs nicely with Google Classroom. The free version doesn’t let you record as long as the paid version, but they have a big discount right now for educators for the paid version, which allows you to record for as long as you want. I’ve found it takes a while for the video to save to Google Drive, but it is nice that it’s so friendly with Google. It also seems to have a higher resolution than screencast-o-matic - but that might just be my feeble attempts and not really knowing what I’m doing.
Maintaining Learning Continuity with Free Resources
Free and Open Resources
a curated list of resources in the form of a Google Spreadsheet, which takes recommendations from other educators, too.
High-quality Sites and Apps That Are Supporting School Closures With Free Resources
a Padlet that Kristin Ziemke and Katie Muhtaris are updating regularly.
Writing with Writers: Poetry Writing
Kids can study the genre of poetry by taking part in step-by-step workshops with favorite authors.
Story Starters: Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
Write About - Classroom writing community and publishing platform built by teachers.
There are an amazing amount of writing prompts for kids on this site. And it was the dream child of a Michigander!
Pernille Ripp – Teacher. Author. Creator. Speaker. Mom.
Pernille Ripp’s newest post, lists, and Picture Book Read Alouds for lesson use.
Newsela: Instructional Content Platform
Free access to all teachers until the end of the school year. These can easily be shared via Google Classroom/link for students
Free texts (literary and informational); includes high-level comprehension questions and writing prompts; also, paired text sets like those found on many standardized tests
Khan Academy
Official SAT practice website. Students can link their College Board and Khan Academy accounts to get personalized practice. Research shows 20 hours of online practice may have a significant positive impact on student scores!
PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers
Local stations have curated free, standards- aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more.
Watch Molly of Denali videos, play games, and do printable activities. Join Molly and friends on Alaskan adventures, using informational text along the way!
DPTV
The Detroit PBS KIDS Channel (56.2) is available 24 hours a day seven days a week with kids’ favorite shows. The programming also can be accessed on the Detroit PBS KIDS website and on the free PBS KIDS app, available for free on a wide range of platforms.DPTV will also provide daily communications with suggestions for content, activities and learning opportunities through newsletters and social media, as well as at DetroitPBSKIDS.org.
Michigan E-Library for Kids
Lessons plans from Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle
Timely articles with ideas for discussion (Grades 6-12)
The Elite Literary Book Group is an advanced academic guide service for learners taking Advanced English in grades 7-12. Founded by veteran English teachers Rachel Beck and David Youngblood, the Elite Literary Book Group is built around discussing and building an understanding of great works of literature including American pieces, British, as well as world texts, and is an excellent supplement to any Pre-AP, AP or advanced honors program in English.
Always Write: Free Writing Lessons and Resources for Writing Teachers
Find free Sacred Writing Time Slides. Each day, new posts for a short, thirty minute idea for a writing assignment that can be completed in the home and a “story-writing” game from the WritingFix website for younger writers.
Extending Learning Opportunities with Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Field Trips by Mrs. Fahrney
Over 30 virtual field trips with links ( Mrs. Fahrney)
Do kids need ideas for their writer’s notebook? Take a tour of over 500 Art Galleries and Museums.
What Makes a Monster?
Aaron Zenz and Debbie Ohi
Leisl Shurtliff will Stand on Her Head for Readers!
Connecting with Authors and Illustrators
Author Resources
LivBit- A list of authors hosting interactive read alouds, sing alongs, author visits, etc.
Josh Funk | Children's Book Author
Author Josh Funk has activity kits, songs, videos, etc. on the Stuff for Kids page.
Writer Amy Ludwig will be leading Writer’s Notebook Sessions for kids and teachers beginning March 16.
Grace Lin hosts a podcast in which kids ask authors questions.
Supporting parents
“Parent Toolkit is a one-stop shop resource that was produced & developed with parents in mind.”
Using and Creating Informational Texts at Home - Crystal N. Wise & Nell K. Duke. “Information is all around us. We read it, see it, hear it—sometimes it feels like we breathe it. Learning how to find, digest, and create information are important skills that you can start helping your child build today.”
Articles and Professional Learning for Teachers:
Notice And Note For Educators Public Group
Starting on Monday, March 16, from 3:00-3:30 ET, 2:00-2:30 CT, Kylene Beers, author of Notice and Note, will host a FB live event each day for at least next week and perhaps the next. Each day will include a special guest speaker.
Educators have access to:
Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy Prekindergarten Online Modules
Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy: Grades K to 3 Online Modules
A comprehensive list of educational websites being offered for FREE during school
closings
Other Resources
Activities and games about Michigan.
150+ Enrichment Activities for Children While Parents are Working Remotely
Shared by Jennifer Serravallo (Docs.Google.com)
Award-winning children’s literacy website. Streams videos featuring actors reading children’s books. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners as well.
Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology. They’re allowing free access currently.