Coronavirus Homeschooling Ideas

I haven't been able to sleep much after hearing of Michigan schools, and others, closing their doors for weeks in our national and global efforts of social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak.

I know this is massive news, this is a massive change, and has and will produce all sorts of massive feelings, adjustments, and sacrifices for us all. I also know there must be so many parents worried about how they will keep their kids engaged, active, and learning during this time. I do not have all the answers, but as an educator, I thought I would at least share some knowledge and resources with you all that I hope help.

I plan to run my time at home set up much like a school day:

• Begin the day with a soft start- some yoga, puzzles, a quiet game, a breakfast invitation
• Having time to connect through a morning meeting where we can discuss the day, talk, read a picture book together. 
• Create a literacy block
• Break for some lunch and play with outdoor time
• Create a math block
• Do some science and/or social studies explorations

There are SO many resources to help in this endeavor. 

BOOKS: 

If you currently have a large library of picture books, plan to read about 1-5 of them each day. I will look at this like challenge to read all the books we have. I bet your family has favorites that get read more than most so use this as an opportunity to give all your books some love! If you are hurting for picture books, use the library of course or ASK ME. I am a picture book connoisseur. I can give you recommendations, or I can just give you books to read! 

Here is a great list of picture books books about culturally diversity and inclusion. 

Here is a great list of diverse children's books (both picture and chapter)

We will be using some chapter books to do a family read-a-loud as well. Here are just a few ideas of books to use:

- If you have preschool or very early elementary kids: My Father's Dragon, Gooseberry Park, The Haunted Library, The Notebook of Doom, Magic Treehouse, The Princess in Black, Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot

- If you have lower elementary/mid elementary kids: Harry Potter, Charlotte's Web, Holes, James and the Giant Peach, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Goonie Bird Green, Boxcar Children, Judy Blume books, Flat Stanley, What if you had... Non Fiction Series

- If you have mid elementary/upper elementary: Judy Blume books, Wonder, The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, Sideway Stories from Wayside School, Frindle, The Miraculous Journey of Edwin Tulane, Home of the Brave, Who is/Where is/What is Non Fiction Series

- If you have upper elementary/middle school kids: The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, Inside Out and Back Again, Esperanza Rising, 8th Grade Superhero, The Cross Over, Seedfolks, Home of the Brave, the Giver, The Hunger Games, A Long Walk to Water, The Breadwinner, Refugee

MATH:

Our kids have some math programs we can use to practice online that they use at school. However, in trying to not do too much screen time, we will also be doing some other math activities. 

- Here is a great website with math games to play at home

- Use math in the kitchen to cook and bake

- Although flashcards can be a stale activity, make it fun by sprinkling in some flash card time while playing board games, while out on a walk, while playing Simon Says

SCIENCE:

There are SO many amazing science experiment books!

- The Everything Kid's Science Experiment Book

- Awesome Science Experiments For Kids

- Smithsonian 10 Minute Science Experiments

- The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments 

Use nature: track animals, go for nature walks in the woods and sketch what you see, talk about the five senses, collect items and make creations. 

Watch Mythbusters for Kids. 

Do an exploration of weather, the moon, planets, light, sound, etc. 

Also, let your kids be your guide here. Ask them what they wonder about, what they've always wanted to learn about and figure out a way to experiment and learn about it. 

SOCIAL STUDIES:

Project Explorer has a large variety of educational content to help kids learn about the world! The show I've been helping write content for is there "Crash Test World," "Doha Debates" is there for middle school/high school students, there is a "Destinations" series that can take you all over the world with amazing videos and lessons, and "Seen By Me" is there to help deepen a cultural lens on the world. All of this content is FREE engaging, and diverse. 

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There is so much more to say here and I know I've just began to scratch the surface. 

This time that we will all have with our children, while inconvenient and difficult, is a gift. 

We are given more face time with our kids: more time to play, more time to snuggle, more time to laugh, more time to learn WITH them. In our busy, jam-packed lives, we are always wishing for more family time, more moments to cherish and make memories together. Here it is on a silver platter. We will no doubt need to remind ourselves of this gift of time as behaviors will come up, worries will creep in, our patience will be running thin. 

BUT...WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!!!! 

Keep checking in on all your friends and their families. Share books, rotate toys between neighbors and friends, share ideas that have worked in your house, meals that were a hit. Reach out when you need help or when play gets stale and you're looking for fresh thinking. Find outlets to vent your frustrations, express your worries and concerns. 

Do not do this alone. I am here, we are all here.