SUPPORTING LEARNING AT HOME

Refer to our <Family Handbook> for detailed information about our academic offerings.

Families can request support or information anytime about online platforms, academics, family resources and more by emailing: kenny@bostonpublicschools.org. A staff member will respond to your request as soon as possible, with a goal of 1-2 school or business days.

LEARNING AT HOME TIPS:


1. Use the same workspace daily (desk, kitchen table, area of the home)

2. Have hard-to-resist temptations out of sight when possible (TV, video games, toys)

3. Work separate from their sleeping location and encourage the student to sit up (not in bed)

4. Work near an outlet for charging and close to the hotspot / wifi

5. Encourage students to wear headphones (available by request)


TIPS TO TACKLE COMMON CHALLENGES:


MOTIVATION:

-Set a visible timer to help with breaks, or to schedule smaller chunks of focused time. (Use a phone or another device)

-Hang up their schedule (on paper or a dry erase board) on a wall near their workspace so that they can refer to it.

-Create an incentive system that's tied to goals they can reasonably reach each day to feel a sense of success.

  • For example. "If you do your best for X minutes of Zoom" OR "If you complete # of assignments" ... you can spend X minutes playing with toys/games ... or ... helping me with (cooking, errands, etc.).

-Encourage physical activity during breaks and before or after lunch. Post a simple workout routine or use Go Noodle fitness videos. You can download the free GoNoodle App form the App Store or Google Play Store.

-Position your child’s computer at eye level to reduce neck and eye strain and simulate “real” eye contact. All you need is a stack of books under your computer, and this can make a world of difference on Zoom calls.


STAYING UP / WAKING UP:

-Using devices right before bedtime can increase anxiety and impact sleep. Set a time when devices are shut off (for example, before dinner) to avoid the temptation for late night texts, games and youtube spirals ... and to help them get better sleep.

-Set / plug in the alarm clock across the room so that the sleeper has to get out of bed to turn it off. DON'T set a snooze - getting up the first time is a lot easier than waking up after a snooze.

-Follow a specific nightly routine. Our bodies will get used to a consistent time when we go to sleep and wake up each day. Going to bed at different times makes it harder for our bodies to wake up.


ZOOM ANXIETY:

-Tweak Zoom settings: To lessen performance anxiety and self-consciousness on camera, tweak the settings on Zoom to "Gallery View." This feature shows all participants in equal-sized frames on screen. Seeing themselves in a grid rather than as the main focus of the screen helps kids contextualize their visibility and reduce the feeling that all eyes are on them.


-Do a visual self-check: Encourage your child to do a self-check in their camera view before meetings begin. This will allow them to see exactly how they are presenting themself to the group. After this self-check, kids can turn off the ability to see themselves, or simply practice shifting their focus to whoever is speaking. When kids focus on the speaker, rather than their own image during a meeting, they can use their mental energy to learn rather than feel self-conscious.


-Provide paper and pencils for doodling: Provide your child with a doodle pad to draw or doodle while still listening. Doodling can be a physical expression of mental processing, especially if the doodling includes key words or images from the discussion. Consider doodling a form of note taking. Doodling also adds a new and purposeful visual focus and can even reinforce discussion topics later if your child is listening well.

CHILDCARE RESOURCES:

Carina Childcare: Connecting Families and Providers for Quality Child Care

The pandemic has created significant hardships for many families and access to quality child care is more important than ever. That’s why SEIU Local 509 launched Carina, a free online child care matching platform. The site allows families to quickly and easily connect with quality union family child care providers.

ACCESS FREE REMOTE TUTORING FROM A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT:

MON-THUR 3:30-5:30PM No appointment needed, drop-ins welcome! The Boston Public Library's Homework Assistance Program (HAP) offers free online homework help, mentorship, and social time provided by trained high-achieving high school students Mon, Tue, Wed and Thursday from: 3:30-5:30p.m. **Students are welcome to join on a drop-in basis. No registration is required! To join, click the link below and the librarian on the call will admit you in: https://boston-public-library.zoom.us/my/bplhap

This is a blog post with advice parents who have been thrust into schooling kids at home due to the coronavirus COVID-19 shut downs. The author is a long time public school teacher and homeschool mom. She has been at this a combined total of 25 years and has some encouragement to share, as well as some words of reality.

LITERACY

Largest (Free) database of free library books for online reading:

Free account set-up required; access through Clever available; Internet Archive is a non-profit library of MILLIONS of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.

Click Here --> This article provides simple tips for making the most of read-aloud time with kids at home.

HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN TO READ.pdf
SHARING BOOKS WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILD.pdf
SHARING BOOKS WITH PRESCHOOLER.pdf

LEXIA

Lexia has prepared resources to support remote learning, including video tutorials:

1. Home page: See the "Customer Resources" button at the top of the page.

2. Remote Learning for Educators and Families: Information and student resources based on grade level for educators and parents.

3. Support for Families: Resources and Information for families whose students are using Core5

Student Sign In:

Epic (below) is a recommended reading site, as it contains most of the books in our curriculum and thousands more. The site also includes math, social studies and a variety of other subjects and content. Login using BPS username and password from the site.

Click on the link below to find thousands of FREE stories for kids (and adults) read aloud in SIX different languages! You can access them from your phone, tablet, computer or laptop!

MATH & SCIENCE

The videos linked here are aimed at assisting parents, and anyone else involved with helping first graders, to understand the teaching of the first grade math curriculum so that they can help their first grader. The series, entitled "What Math Should My First Grader Know?" has 22 videos each with CC translations in several languages. Here's a link to a 5-minute introductory video:

https://youtu.be/goquSlthIb4


.....and here's the link to the site: http://mathfirstgrade.help

Click here --> Math in the City to engage in imaginative, low stakes, and culturally relevant math dialogue at home using images of places right in your neighborhood!

Math in the City was co-created Ms. Lucien, our very own Grade 2 teacher and highlights familiar places around Boston's communities, along with questions that families can use to have conversations about the math related to them.

The site highlights that math is not limited to school, but can be found everywhere!

What is this Math Homework!?

EdVestors created a website for families, to help them better understand and navigate the "new math" students are learning at school.

The website serves as a map to show parents where kids are coming from and where they are going as they move through each year's math learning and content. It includes helpful tutorials and videos for all grades!

Click here for the website.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AT HOME:

The Museum Of Science building may be closed, but science never stops, and neither does the Museum of Science! With live streams, also on social channels, this is your hub for daily interactive sessions with MOS educators, videos, podcasts, family STEM activities, virtual town halls, and much more! "MOS at Home" is live at mos.org

Literature With A Mathematics Connection for Primary Grade Readers

Number Patterns and Counting:

  • 12 Ways to Get to 11 by Eve Merriam

  • Each Orange Had 8 Slices by Paul Giganti

  • Math for All Seasons by Greg Tang

  • One Hundred Ways to Get to 100 by Jerry Pallotta

  • Six Foolish Fishermen by Daniel San Souci

  • What’s a Pair? What’s a Dozen? by Stephen R. Swinburne

  • Can You Count Ten Toes?: Count to 10 in 10 Different Languages by Lezlie Evans


Number Stories and Operations:

  • Math-terpieces by Greg Tang

  • Ten Friends by Bruce Goldstone

  • Out for the Count by Kathryn Cave

  • Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst

  • 1001 Animals to Spot by Ruth Brocklehurst

  • Bats on Parade by Kathi Appelt

  • Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream by Cindy Neuschwander

  • If You Hopped Like a Frog by David M. Schwartz

  • Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Masaichiro Anno

  • The Best of Times by Greg Tang

  • The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins

  • The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang

  • One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes

  • A Remainder of One by Elinor J. Pinczes


Place Value:

  • Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno

  • Can You Count to a Googol? by Robert E. Wells

  • Count to a Million by Jerry Pallotta

  • A Place for Zero by Angeline Sparagna LoPresti

  • All the King’s Tens by Cindy Neuschwander


Time and Money:

  • All in One Hour by Susan S. Crummel

  • The Coin Counting Book by Rozanne L. Williams

  • Deena’s Lucky Penny by Barbara deRubertis

  • Follow the Money by Loreen Leedy

Estimation:

  • Betcha! by Stuart J. Murphy

  • How Much, How Many, How Far, How Heavy, How Long, How Tall is 1,000? by Helen Nolan


Fractions:

  • Apple Fractions by Jerry Pallotta

  • Fraction Action by Loreen Leedy

  • Fraction Fun by David Adler

  • Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan

  • How Many Snails? by Paul Giganti Jr.

  • Pizza Pizzazz! by Carol A. Losi


Data and Chance:

  • Bart’s Amazing Charts by Diana Ochiltree

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

  • Probably Pistachio by Stuart J. Murphy


Geometry:

  • A Cloak for the Dreamer by Arlene Friedman

  • Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, & Spheres by Tana Hoban

  • Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert

  • The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns

  • Sir Cumference and the First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwander

  • Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland by Cindy Neuschwander

  • Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter by Cindy Neuschwander


Measurement:

  • How Big Is a Foot? by Rolf Myller

  • Inch by Inch by Leo Lioni

  • Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy

Literature With A Mathematics Connection for Upper Elementary Readers

Number and Order:

  • Can You Count to a Googol? by Robert E. Wells

  • Counting on Frank by Rod Clement

  • fractals, googols, and other mathematical tales by Theoni Pappas

  • How Much Is a Million? by David Schwartz

  • Math Curse by Jon Sciezka

  • Math-terpieces by Greg Tang

  • Math Fables by Greg Tang

  • Math Fables Too by Greg Tang

  • Math Appeal by Greg Tang

  • Math Potatoes by Greg Tang

  • My Full Moon Is Square by Esther Pinczes


Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division:

  • Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Mitsumasa and Masaichiro Anno

  • The Best of Times by Greg Tang

  • The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang

  • The Great Divide: A Mathematical Marathon by Dayle Ann Dodds

  • A Remainder of One by Elinor Pinczes

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs for All by Marilyn Burns


Fractions, Decimals, and Percents:

  • Fraction Action by Loreen Leedy

  • Fraction Fun by David Adler

  • If Dogs Were Dinosaurs by David Schwartz

  • If You Hopped Like a Frog by David Schwartz

  • Piece=Part=Portion: Fractions=Decimals=Percents by Scott Gifford


Data, Chance, and Probability:

  • Do You Wanna Bet? by Jean Cushman

  • How To Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff

  • In the Next Three Seconds by Rowland Morgan

  • Probably Pistachio by Stuart J. Murphy

  • Sir Cumference and the Off-the-Charts Dessert by Cindy Neuschwander


Geometry:

  • A Cloak for the Dreamer by Arlene Friedman

  • Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert

  • Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry by Cindy Neuschwander

  • Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi by Cindy Neuschwander

  • Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland by Cindy Neuschwander

  • Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone by Cindy Neuschwander

  • The Tangram Book by Jerry Slocum

  • What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras? by Julie Ellis


Measurement:

  • Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

  • Incredible Comparisons by Russell Ash

  • Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is? by Robert E. Wells

  • Measuring Weight and Time by Andrew King


Reference Frames:

  • Follow the Money by Loreen Leedy

  • The Kids’ Money Book: Earning, Saving, Spending, Investing, Donating by Jamie Kyle Mc Gillian

  • Sea Clocks: The Story of Longitude by Louise Borden

  • What’s Faster Than a Speeding Cheetah? by Robert E. Wells

  • Sir Cumference and the Viking’s Map by Cindy Neuschwander


Patterns and Algebra Concepts:

  • Anno’s Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno

  • A Grain of Rice by Helena Claire Pittman

  • One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi

LEARNING BEYOND SCHOOL WORK:

Choose your family fun adventure!

Discover fun facts, awesome activities and surprising stories to explore together with Google Arts and Culture:

ONLINE EDUCATIONAL GAMES & APPS:

Duck Duck Moose: Free award-winning educational apps for younger children on iTunes and Google Play Stores.

Bedtime Math: A daily (or nightly) math problem focused on a fun fact or topic.

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox: Simple puzzles and math problems for kids aged 3-5.

Dragonbox Numbers: Games designed to strengthen number sense in students aged 4-8.

Endless Alphabet : Really cute, simple, letter-learning app for early learners.

Storyline Online: Great kids' books read aloud by famous Hollywood actors.


STRUCTURED ONLINE INSTRUCTION:

Khan Academy: Free tutorials and lessons across all subjects and grade levels.

IXL: Online courses and practice by grade level (K-12).

BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr.: An animated educational site elementary and middle schoolers (also available in Spanish and French!).

iPracticeMath: This site provides free online math practice, help and worksheets.

XtraMath: This site allows students to practice basic math facts (for elementary and middle school aged students). As an added bonus, parents can track their students’ progress.

Prodigy: This site allows elementary and middle school students to practice math skills through engaging games. Parents can set up an account to track students’ progress.

Multi-Subject Sites for Learning & Play:

BPS RESOURCES:

Google BASICS (SHORT TUTORIALS):

Google Slides Basics

Google Slides Basics (#2)

Google Drive Basics

Google Hangouts Basics

Zoom BASICS:

Getting started with Zoom (in 2 mins)

How to change your name and photo

How to create a virtual background

RESOURCES FOR KEEPING KIDS ACTIVE:

Click the links below for a parent-friendly ideas and websites that help to keep kids active at home:

Join the Boston Scores (Soccer) Virtual Learning platform!

Visit: Boston Scores (www.bostonscores.org)


FITNESSGRAM

https://fitnessgram.net/onlinelearning/

Fitness is critical to a student's growth and development. Whether in a physical education class or at home, students need at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity to optimal health and academic performance.

FitnessGram by The Cooper Institute is an assessment and reporting tool usually reserved for physical education teachers and administrators with access to the accompanying software. But with more students participating in virtual learning, unlocking these resources is important to make it easier for anyone to understand the importance of annual physical fitness assessment.

Create healthy digital LEARNING habits:

Use the Family Link app to set digital ground rules to help guide your child as they learn, play and explore online.

COMMONLY USED APPS IN THE CLASSROOM (TUTORIALS):

SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Videos & Tips for Parents & Guardians To Support Learning At Home For Students with IEPs:

These videos and tips are part of a series of products to support students with intensive needs in the face of COVID-19. These videos illustrate how parents and grandparents can implement the NCII reading and mathematics sample lessons to provide additional practice. In addition to the video examples, a tip sheet is available to help parents implement the lessons.

Click here for video tutorials for parents and guardians

Guides for Guardians of Children with Disabilities During Distance Learning [Google for Education, August 2020]