A Few Resources to Support Virtual Learning for Emergency Closure

There are many places online to find lessons, interactive Web sites, simulations, etc. to pull from to design learning activities for students to do in case of school closure. Here are a few.

WIS PS Library Web site: Online Resources  |  Websites for Communication, Creating, French, etc.

Web Resources for Learning: PD & ICL - go to the Digital Resources section for media, lessons, interactive sites, etc. iTunes U has resources for primary students. Also take a look for podcasts in iTunes that your students could listen to.  Thinking Routines: Look for ways to do the routines virtually using a variety of tools.

Pinterest: You can find all sorts of resources “pinned” by teachers from around the world.

Twitter Hashtags: One can search for hashtags to find resources. Examples are #ELL, #edtech, #french, etc.

Three gurus for sharing online resources: Kathy Schrock  |  Richard Byrne  | Larry Ferlazzo

WebQuests: WebQuests are terrific structures to support inquiry using online resources. You can find ones posted to the Web and/or create your own. They are project-based and collaborative which helps build community while students are stuck at home. 

Why iPads? Consumption

Wifi connected iPads are just like networked computers allowing anyone to use a browser to search the internet and access Web sites. Students at WIS learn that their starting point for inquiry is our PS Library Website with its databases, safe search engines, media sources and lists of helpful, fun Web resources rich in media and text.  

The iTunes App Store is packed with apps that can help students practice and improve specific skills (e.g., language, math, science, etc). The iBooks app connects to the App Store for downloadable books. The Kindle app gives students access to eBooks that can be purchased or downloaded for free. The International Children's Digital Library app is an excellent source to find books in French, Spanish, Dutch and English. Students can also listen to books through the Audiobook and iTunes apps that provide recorded books, podcasts and other audio resources for easy downloading.

Many news and education providers have apps so students don’t have to navigate through a browser to access information. Examples are France 24, BBC and National Geographic.

Social media and news can be gathered from Twitter, blogs and Pinterest among others. Teachers and students can choose topics and questions using their ICL skills to find reliable resources from which they can subscribe to by using iPad apps. A couple excellent aggregator apps are Flipboard and Feedly. Subscribing through Flipboard or Feedly means that one doesn't have to go out on an individual basis to his/her favorite blogs, news sources or podcasts. All the latest updates are pulled into your aggregator app for easy access. See below for a screenshot of Feedly being used for professional development resources.

Consumption of information can be much more than just pulling from resource providers on the Web. Students and teachers can create their own content to be shared for others to consume on their iPads. This Web site is filled with ways to create and communicate one's ideas so think about students as authors (iBook), video producers (iMovie) and musicians (GarageBand). Focusing on multimedia, GarageBand is one of many apps that support music and podcast creation. Try using an iPad app like iMovie to produce tutorials, documentaries, documentation of museum visits, etc. And don't forget about using the iPad camera to record movement and skill attainment in dance, PE, sports team practices, etc. to then provide immediate feedback to one's students.