Many of us are being told that we need to prepare, quickly, for remote teaching and learning. For some of us, that means we need to prepare to teach online to our students over the next few weeks. These are districts with 1:1 access, and assurances that most students have access to the internet at home. Other districts are asking teachers to prepare for remote learning. Teachers in this situation are trying to find printable materials they can quickly send home with students to complete over their time away from school. These districts may not have 1:1 technology access for students, or students in the district have less access to the internet in their homes. In either situation, teachers have found themselves scrambling to prepare - I know I have! Here are some quick tips for either situation - plus a ton of freebies - to get you started with this process.
E-Learning Ideas - Online Teaching Throughout
A couple of quick options for you as you prepare for e-learning:
This video shared my plan to continue with my character analysis work through our class novel. This unit is here if you are interested.
Here are links to the two resources I am using:
Blogger for a quick class website.
Screen Cast-O-Matic for video lessons.
You can also have students read a class novel, a literature circle book, or a choice novel and complete this Independent Reading Log throughout their reading. This reading log is both digital and printable for E-Learning or remote learning. I have made this resource free until the end of the school year. Students can read an independent choice book, a literature circle text, or a class novel. They will be asked to set reading goals, complete double-entry journals (with guidance) and reflect on their reading. As a culminating activity, students will write a letter to you fully reflecting on their reading.
Conduct literature circles throughout the break. I have a literature circle packet that is both digital and printable that students can be completing as they read their book. I have made this free until the end of this school year as well. Then students can meet with you in a Google Hangout session. What is neat about Google Hangouts is you can have a video call where students can see you and one another, you can have a phone call conversation without video, and you can use the chat feature to have a more private group discussion. Students could also complete the independent reading log above instead of the literature circle packet for this activity if you wish. I would just ask them to also prepare questions for the meeting. For more tips in getting set up with Google Hangouts - click here.
NEWSELA. Newsela is a fantastic website filled with leveled nonfiction texts. You can create class groups right on Newsela and assign them particular passages right from the website. Students can complete nonfiction readings and take short quizzes on the texts as an assignment. Newsela just announced that they are FREE for the remainder of the school year. I plan on filling in gaps/open days with this resource!
Check out my Freebie library for more free resources to implement in your e-learning journey. These can be posted on a secure class website (see the video above for instructions on protecting a class website) or in Google Classroom. The choice boards in this library could be a great idea for students in creating projects while they are away from school.
Remote Learning Ideas - Tips for Teachers Without Technology.
I know a lot of teachers are being asked to quickly print and copy packets for students to take home with them over the break from face-to-face learning. Here are some quick suggestions:
The reading log and literature circles packets mentioned above are both quick to print and copy for students before they leave for break. You can either assign the text for students or allow for choice reading during this time. I would take your students to the school library before they leave if possible to ensure that each student has a quality text to take home before they leave.
NEWSELA is still a great option. Before that final day with students, peruse the site for nonfiction that you would like them to read. These articles, and their quizzes, are printable. You can print several of these and add them to either of the packets above (or other work you have students completing) for nonfiction exposure during this time.
Ask students to create a narrative writing piece. Though you won’t be able to deliver lessons on this, students can have some free writing time to share a story that they create. Another option would be to have students create a picture book.
Print these free paired passages for the short story, “The Necklace.” Then, print out a copy of the short story. Here is an online version you can print. I am working to create some quick comprehension activities for this story. I will have this uploaded to my freebie library very soon!
Check out these amazing free resources shared by my teacher-friends for more great ideas. Some of these are digital options and some are printable options.
As I shared in the video above, I have teamed together with several amazing teacher-authors and curriculum creators to share out free resources for you as you work to teach online, or plan your remote learning opportunities. Check this out below!
Click here to uncover these resources!
Do you have questions, need help, or need me to create a resource for you as you go through this process? Email me at teachbetweenthelinestpt@gmail.com. I am happy to create materials that you need for your “classroom” in the coming weeks!
