Des Moines Elementary Second Grade

Have your child engage in screen-free learning when at home.  Some ideas:

Read Books - This will help your child maintain or grow their reading skills.  If your child is reading mostly chapter books (level K and higher), most of the reading time can be independent, quiet reading.  If your child is reading mostly picture books (levels A-J), consider having your child read aloud some of the time.  This will help with reading fluency.  

Outdoor Play and/or Exercise (if possible) - Remember that children learn through “playing.”  Our typical school day includes several recesses.  Consider having your child get outside and play while still following “social distancing” guidelines.  

Collaborative Time (playing a board game, cooking together, etc.) - Family members can help to grow a child’s skills by having conversations during collaborative situations.    For example, if you are preparing breakfast, consider talking with your child about the sequence of steps needed to make pancakes.  Sequencing skills are foundational in math problem solving, informational writing, even science experiments and coding!  

Write Something - Your child could practice writing skills in all sorts of creative ways: keep a dream journal, write a fiction story, create an original song, write about books, make a list, etc.