Category: Resources

Posted on

Aligning Your LMS

Oh No! How am I going to teach my students this year using an LMS that will be effective?

If you are a teacher of 22 years, 15 years, 3 years, or have just been hired, then this is what you all have in common – you are all first-year teachers. And being that this is a statewide decision to teach our children virtually, we are all in this together and that includes the administration.

An article posted on Edutopia “How to Align Your LMS With the Science of Learning” is a good read and definitely worth 5 minutes of your time to help you focus on what makes an LMS effective.

You will learn how to:

  • USE YOUR LMS TO SUPPORT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS
  • AVOID “SET IT AND FORGET IT” COURSES
  • DO NO HARM—REDUCE EXTRANEOUS COGNITIVE LOAD
  • BUILD STRONG FEEDBACK CYCLES DIRECTLY INTO THE LMS
  • INCORPORATE RETRIEVAL PRACTICE, SPACED PRACTICE, AND INTERLEAVED PRACTICE
Posted on

Storyline Online

Reading aloud to children has been shown to improve reading, writing and communication skills, logical thinking and concentration, and general academic aptitude, as well as inspire a lifelong love of reading. Teachers use Storyline Online in their classrooms, and doctors and nurses play Storyline Online in children’s hospitals.

Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.

Sample story with curricular activities. “Hey, That’s My Monster” read by Lily Tomlin.

Posted on

Icebreakers and Games for Distance Learning

Do you need ideas for getting started virtually with your students? This post lists 40 ideas in 2 categories from fun and games to relationship building. If you like listening to podcasts, then check out Vivify STEM.

10 Activities in Relationship Building with your students.

  • Show & Tell: Ask students to find an object to share with the class. This is a perfect way to have students share their personal sparks. Another option is to share a meaningful object and tell a related story.
  • Costume or hat day: Ask students to dress up as their favorite character or wear a silly hat. Students who are shy on camera might also prefer wearing a hat or mask during video chats. Students can also dress up related to their spark!
  • 1 Truth & 2 Lies: A twist on the classic game, ask students to share 3 sparks with only one being their true spark. The rest of the class then puts up one finger if they thought the first statement was true, two fingers if they thought the second statement, and three fingers for the third statement.
  • Charades: Send a word to a student via private message. The student acts out the word, and the class tries to guess what it is. Here is a fun list of words. Students can also act out their sparks for the class to guess.
  • Create a video: Send students a video where you explain your spark or show it in action. For example, love baking? Show students how to make your favorite recipe!
  • Flipgrid: We love Flipgrid! Set-up topic boards for your class and have students submit video responses. Videos are moderated by teachers to create a safe environment. We use Flipgrid for students to share sparks and introduce themselves in the beginning of the year.
  • Zoom In: Find a photo that represents your spark. Zoom into the photo and have students guess your spark. Keep zooming out until they figure it out. You can also have students take a photo of something from a weird angle or extreme close up and have the class guess the object.
  • 20 Questions: Have students try to guess your spark by asking yes and no questions.
  • Current events: Share a news story or real-world video related to your spark. For example, if your spark is space, you can share a video of a recent NASA mission.
  • Virtual Backgrounds: Ask students to create a virtual background that represents their spark. This provides a great visual to help you refer to their spark during the class session.

30 Ideas for Fun and Games to increase engagement during live class sessions. Click on details for game suggestions.

  • Scavenger Hunt
  • BINGO Game
  • Tell a Joke
  • Describe & Draw
  • Pictionary
  • Virtual Field Trip
  • Guess the Baby
  • Mad Libs
  • Quick Share
  • Mystery Bag
  • Secret Word
  • Would You Rather
  • Guess the Sound
  • Mystery Guest
  • Writing warm-up
  • Trip ABCs
  • Class Story
  • Two-Minute Talent Show
  • Memory Game
  • Boggle & Noggle
  • Learn to Draw
  • Spin the Wheel Activities
  • Guess the Disney Character
  • Tongue Twisters
  • Good News Sharing
  • Never Have I Ever
  • MUTE-iny
  • Guess the riddle
  • Tomato Ketchup
  • I Spy
Posted on

Safe YouTube Videos for Kids

Watch and share YouTube videos with your students without any distractions or offensive comments that may divert their attention. You get a much better experience than using YouTube’s safety mode. Simply copy the URL of a YouTube video you want to share with your students and paste it in the field on Safe YouTube to generate a new link.

Check it out and see the difference.

QR Codes are also generated for ease of sharing.

Safe YouTube Video