Hello everyone! Wow, in just a few short weeks our teaching world has been rocked to the core. If you had told me months ago that we would be in this shape today, I would have thought you had lost your mind. Unprecedented school closures have all of us scratching our heads and trying to figure out how to get through just one day at a time. Both teachers and parents are scrambling to look for resources for our students that can be used digitally for distance learning. Since it looks like schools are going to closed for some time, it's "all hands on deck" as we deal with the problems of educating children remotely.
So let me get right to it. The purpose of this post is to let you know about resources that are available for both teachers and parents in the world of "distance learning." The rest of this post will consist of clickable links to resources you might find helpful.
First, I am working to convert the resources in my TpT store over to digital formats for use in Goggle Drive, Google Classroom, and/or Microsoft OneDrive. As resources are updated with the digital version, I will add them to the "already posted" printable listing on TpT. In short, this means that if you have purchased a resource from my TpT store, you will be able to download the resource again, at no extra cost, to receive the digital version if one becomes available. Full disclosure: Converting items to digital resources is time-consuming and tedious work. My resources will not magically appear in digital format overnight, but I will add them as fast as I am able.
What items at Amy Brown Science have been updated with new digital formats?
I started with my free resources. The following resources have been updated. Each includes a detailed Teacher Guide to help you navigate the world of Google Drive. I have also included a QuickStart Guide for the experienced users. Click the images or red text below to grab these free distance learning resources:
Backyard Ecology: This ecology activity is perfect for laying the groundwork prior to your ecology unit. The questionnaire will get your students thinking about the ecology and environmental issues of your local community.
Monohybrid Mice! is great for Punnett Square practice. These problems are on a beginner level and a perfect way to introduce one-factor genetics problems to your students.
DNA Informational Text Reading: This reading is based on Watson and Crick's famous one-page article published in 1953 in Nature magazine, announcing their discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule. It comes with graphic organizers to help your students read and understand this classic scientific paper.
Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer: This very simple, two-page graphic organizer has become one of the best study and review techniques that I use in my science classes. It forces students to think deeply about two topics or concepts as they search to find the similarities and differences between them.
Cell Respiration Word Game Review: This review activity is designed to help your students master the difficult vocabulary in a cell respiration unit.
I have also created a new custom category in my TpT store called "Digital / Google Apps" where you can find all of my digital resources. Clicking the link to this custom category will sort my store to show all of my digital resources. This is a great link to save. It will allow you to see if any of the resources you have previously purchased have been updated for Google Apps.
Let me ask a favor of you: Please respect my copyright by NOT posting my resources on a public web site where my resources can be accessed by a Google search and the public world. You are welcome to post to your own password-protected class site as long as only your students have access. Thanks so much for your understanding.
One more thing before I move on to other suggestions for resources: Signing up for my free newsletter is a good way to receive notifications for updates, exclusive freebies, promotions, sales, and news. Click this link if you are interested in my newsletter.
Okay, now I am going to post links to all sorts of things that I have seen over the last few weeks that I think might be helpful to you.
- From the TpT Blog: Distance Learning - Tips for Supporting Parents and Families
- From the TpT Blog: Getting Started With Distance Learning
- TpT School Access is a subscription-based service offered to schools. TpT is currently making School Access available for free (through June 30, 2020) to all schools impacted by the CoronaVirus. Click red link for more information.
- Have you tried Boom Learning? Boom Cards are digital task cards, and a fantastic way to keep you students reviewing important content. Boom Learning is currently offering free memberships through June 30, 2020. You can find all of my Boom Card listings here.
- Check out The Cornell Lab: Science and Nature for Cooped Up Kids. You can sign up to receive weekly activities that you can do at home with your kids.
- You can always find great resources at Discovery Education!
- Free memberships are currently being offered on Kahoot!
- Distance learning for lab activities: Check out these Virtual Labs and Virtual Dissections.
- And, this article provides you with 200+ Online Learning Resources.
- Check out this Pinterest Board from my good friend Utah Roots. This board contains links to videos for teaching science.
- You cannot go wrong with National Geographic Education.
Please note: All online learning sites should be throughly vetted by teachers and parents before allowing access to your students.
I hope that this post gives you some places to start as you begin your journey into distance learning. Good luck to you, and please stay well!
P.S. The adorable "Dot Dudes" in the heading image are the copyrighted work of Sarah Pecorino Illustration.
