On-Line Learning Activities—Elementary Through College,

Now that we have all been thrust into the world of online learning, we have to figure out ways as educators to engage our students when they are online. Some of the first things schools did when shifting to remote learning was to hold regular video meetings with their students. These can vary based on the ages of the students and the frequency of when a teacher interacts with their students, but most teachers realized quickly that they can’t use the same behavioral strategies (like proximity) that they use in a physical classroom. This can lead to a lack of student engagement and involvement in what is trying to be taught regardless of age.

These strategies listed here are not meant to take the place of deeper learning. That kind of learning is generally better when done with a mix of asynchronous learning. That said, in order to get our students to that deeper state of learning with greater depth of knowledge (DOK) levels, we need to make sure they are engaged when we have synchronous conversations and discussions. Some of these strategies take little set-up while others might take more time and energy to make them really successful. The purpose of these tools is to draw students into the lesson/activity and make them engaged and looking forward to your next virtual class meeting.

One principle that I’ve seen in several discussions of online learning is the idea that it works better when you give students some choices, choices in how they take information in and choices in how they demonstrate learning.

Actively Learn’s online library, geared towards students grades 4 through 12, features a variety of texts including short stories, textbooks, poems, primary sources, plays, and novels. The library also houses materials specific to the science and social studies content areas. Actively Learn’s resources combine embedded content and scaffolds with the intention of supporting student learning and engagement. Texts feature embedded questions, discussion materials, and various reading aids. Both teachers and students can interact directly with the text, leaving comments and feedback. [free educator account]

I have curated as many online activities as possible. There are enough for 18 weeks of school—one a day!

There are also several articles and tips in reaching the online learner. These are worth reading and will give you a better insight into how the student learns online.

All information is accessible on the page list on the left of the screen.

***At the bottom of each page is a download link for the complete article or document.