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Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams

Elementary Science Ideas, Lessons, and Resources

Resources for Teaching At Home While Schools Are Closed

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Are you a K-12 teacher who suddenly needs to provide education for your students at home due to the coronavirus? Here are some tips, things to consider, and free resources.

First of all, digital tools are great, but not all students have access to a computer or even the internet.

While I will be discussing digital tools here, we all need to remember that some students will need to be supplied with physical assignments as well as basic tools such as pencils, scissors, glue, and paper to complete their assignments.

1. One idea…kind of old school is to send the students home with a packet.  This does not have to be meaningless busy-work. You can find an article to read or a reading passage and some meaningful comprehension questions. 


Compare and Contrast Two Text Passages on Rabbits
Life Cycle of a Frog
Honey Bee Reading Activities
Otter Reading Activities
Sea Turtle Reading Activities
Coral Reef Reading Activities
Hibernation and Migration NGSS LS4:C An Informational Text Unit

2. Of course, you can do this with math, social studies, and other subjects as well. It is important to select work that is not busywork but offers the student something they can do independently and will give them an opportunity to practice meaningful skills.


3. Another idea is to send home a textbook with some pages to read and some questions to answer. Just make sure the students have specific directions. 


4. Consider lending a stack of books to each child and have them spend some time reading for pleasure. Perhaps they can complete a good old fashioned book report.


5. Take a Nature Walk.  Have students do an observational drawing. 


6. Give students a STEM challenge or STEM Activities they can do at home with household materials. Build a house out of twigs and rocks for a leprechaun, make a launcher for a cotton ball or marshmallow from items in your junk drawer.  Measure the distance the object goes. No tape measure, what can you use for nonstandard units? More STEM Challenges


For students who do have access to the internet, there is an abundance of great resources out there.

6. Here are some virtual field trips which are awesome! 
Field Trips. 

7. This website has celebrities read a book to children and it is free!

https://www.storylineonline.net/?fbclid=IwAR0cBohHbVhdE-eS3byED4HI8IQ-1YMbTxZRySzOxxe4JlfIiaCjPvuNNbE



8. This website has virtual tours of museums. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75809/12-world-class-museums-you-can-visit-online


9.You can find great science and math lessons here: https://www.khanacademy.org/



10. Make sure students are having some fun with art and nature

These go with the second-grade science standard: „ Standard 2.3.3 Develop and use a model to describe how an object, made of a small set of pieces, can be disassembled and reshaped into a new object with a different function. 

11. If your students do have internet, consider a way to speak to them directly like ZOOM. 
12. Send easy to do science or STEM challenges home. Why does it fly? How high can you drop it? Why does it go down? What is propelling it?
13. How is the jello movement like seismic waves? Can you build a structure that will stand? 
14. Can you dissect a flower and discover the different parts? 

15. Can you make a boat float out of these materials?


16. Make several sets of matching or sorting cards.  Send them home with a kid that does not have internet access. Sorting Cards

Send some simple instructions for labs home with kids to do with parents.  Family science time can be fun!

17.
See more home science ideas here Water Cycle in a Jar

Do not overwhelm your students with online resources that they do not know how to use.  Consider what they have access to and build activities from there.  Students will need specific instructions and compassion during this stressful time. Be sure to check out some of the free resources in my store.



For those parents home with children while schools are closed…how about having your kids write notes, color pictures and mail them to local nursing homes? The elderly in these homes aren’t allowed visitors right now. This would be a sweet way to teach kindness and work on writing skills.


19. Here are a few NO Prep Units

Just print and send home in packets with kids.

See more resources for teaching in my store https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lynda-R-Williams
Thank you for visiting and remember to wash your hands!
Are you interested in digital escape rooms for remote teaching? See this blog post on that topic. Making Escape Rooms in Google Slides for Distance Learning

Dear Teachers, During these extraordinary times of distance teaching, I am allowing you to share my resources or portions of them with the parents of your class. I only ask that when we return to face to face instruction, you go back to abiding by the original terms of use. #distancelearning #teaching #schoolclosure

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I am so impressed with this unit which manages to be distance learning and hands-on at the same time.  Really well thought out and engaging activities that allow students to practice each of the eight Science and Engineering Practices.  Really no prep for me!

 
Science and Engineering Practices Distance Education Unit

Tina S

Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams
5
2016-05-03T18:05:39-06:00

Tina S

I am so impressed with this unit which manages to be distance learning and hands-on at the same time.  Really well thought out and engaging activities that allow students to practice each of the eight Science and Engineering Practices.  Really no prep for me!   Science and Engineering Practices Distance Education Unit
The elephant article was excellent but I also thought the lab on dissecting a flower was broken down so easily, even telling me where to get inexpensive flowers!  This resource helped me teach this challenging standard in an engaging way.  Worth every penny!

 
Structure and Function NGSS 4-LS1-1 and 4-LS1-2

Richard S

Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams
5
2016-05-03T18:07:52-06:00

Richard S

The elephant article was excellent but I also thought the lab on dissecting a flower was broken down so easily, even telling me where to get inexpensive flowers!  This resource helped me teach this challenging standard in an engaging way.  Worth every penny!   Structure and Function NGSS 4-LS1-1 and 4-LS1-2
As always, Lynda provides perfect alignment with the standards.

 
Age of the Earth and Geologic Time Scale NGSS MS ESS1-4

Sharon M

Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams
5
2016-05-03T18:24:44-06:00

Sharon M

As always, Lynda provides perfect alignment with the standards.   Age of the Earth and Geologic Time Scale NGSS MS ESS1-4
Thank you so much for creating this resource! It is such a fun and engaging activity for my students, especially during distance learning.

 
Honey Bee Digital Escape Distance Learning

Expedition Fourth

Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams
2020-11-03T20:44:55-07:00

Expedition Fourth

Thank you so much for creating this resource! It is such a fun and engaging activity for my students, especially during distance learning.   Honey Bee Digital Escape Distance Learning
My students loved this unit. I was able to present different elements of it throughout the month. It is hard to find interesting non-fictional, age-appropriate text for my students that they will enjoy. This was a great unit that aligned well for my students who have very different goals within the same group.

 
Compare and Contrast Two Texts on Reindeer

Heidi J

Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams
2020-11-03T20:45:49-07:00

Heidi J

My students loved this unit. I was able to present different elements of it throughout the month. It is hard to find interesting non-fictional, age-appropriate text for my students that they will enjoy. This was a great unit that aligned well for my students who have very different goals within the same group.   Compare and Contrast Two Texts on Reindeer
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Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams

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