Whether students are engaged with online learning or not, a great deal of learning is still happening and many folks in our community are seeking new ways to access this learning. Some ideas to make sure students get credit for their learning:
Advisors interviewing and recording students about their experiences and learning when current conditions make it unlikely that a student can document their own learning
Journal reflections and daily activities
Using this as an opportunity to develop competency assessments (visit Aurora Institute for resources)
Recording ways students have helped others in their community
Get journals in the hands of students and ask them to fill them up - content doesn't matter. Could be sketches, journal entries, observations (some prompts that can be repeated might be - 'what are you noticing? what is changing? what are you learning?')
Noting meals they've learned to make, new routines they've practiced, things they've created
Writing movie or song reviews
Creating How-To videos to teach members of the advisory new things
For students engaged with childcare- did they teach younger children, did they learn something about child development, themselves?
Can students reach out to their LTI sites and solve any of the problems they're facing online? Lots of small businesses are plugging their take-out or gift cards. Can they help them get an online presence?
Are they translating for family or community members?
Are they supporting causes online?
Can they learn about media from screen time? Can they document some of what they see? Interviews, podcasts?
What are they learning about their own health and wellbeing- did they learn anything about their own body from being inside?
Are students learning about home improvement? Fixing things? Growing things?
What are students practicing? Musical instruments? Cooking? Woodwork?
Newest Americans from Newark Trust: "View this original content on the Newest Americans website to frame your exploration of the impact of the Great Migration, and the complex relationship between African Americans, Ellis Island immigrants, and the post-1965 wave of immigrants from around the world in the global city of Newark." While some parts focus specifically on Newark, this site contains a powerful set of multimedia resources and innovative instructional ideas relevant to our broader network.
Online Warm-Ups and Energizers: Designed specifically to support video conferences, could be useful for advisory.
Young Filmmaker's Challenge: The Young Filmmakers Challenge invites young people to produce and submit a short film based on the theme: What if “school” as we know it didn’t exist? Last day to submit is May 1, 2020.
InquireEd Distance Learning Inquiries: "Each week, we will release a week-long, interdisciplinary inquiry that explores the question: How can we stay together when we're apart?" Also, hosts a weekly teacher's lounge to support problem-solving while staying connected.
Virtual Museums: 12 Virtual Museums from Travel and Leisure.
National Park Tours: Virtually explore National Parks.
Free Education Website: Links to now free subscription based and already free sites.
8-12 Week Learning Journeys: From Out of Eden, a free online program that, "groups students of similar ages from diverse geographical and socioeconomic settings together for collective learning experiences."
NYTimes Mega List: NYTimes vetted resources. Also, contains weekly prompts and daily updates.
Models of Excellence Interdisciplinary Project Database: Searchable by recommended grade level, content, and topics.
Young Writer's Project: "Young Writers Project inspires, mentors, publishes, and promotes young writers and artists." Students can post their writing, obtain feedback, and read works written by young people around the world.
Nature Live Cams and Project Ideas: Links to nature live cams with lesson plans and project ideas.
Stem At Home: Ideas, projects, and plans to build things, experiment, and learn with materials from around the home.