Resources for Teachers (and Parents) in the Time of COVID-19
Published March 27, 2020
We know this is a particularly challenging time for teachers, many of whom are navigating the challenges of distance teaching for the first time. In an effort to help our educators (teachers and parents alike!) provide quality lessons for their students, we have compiled—and are continuing to update—a list of online resources that will help boost STEM and 21st century skills, each appropriate for a variety of grade levels. We hope these are useful to you as you look for ways to keep your students and children engaged in enriching activities from home.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS)
Best For: High School Students
What It Is: A collection of case studies that can engage students in critical thinking around scientific phenomena. Consider sharing these resources with students via Google Classroom and having them collaborate over Google Docs.
New York Times: What’s Going on in this Graph? and New York Times: What’s Going On in This Picture?
Best For: Middle and High School Students
What It Is: These resources help students develop skills in interpreting and thinking critically about graphs, maps, charts and images. Invite students to comment in the existing discussions on the Times website or set up your own discussions using tools like Google Docs.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Lesson Plan: The Quandary Game
Best For: Middle and High School Students
What It Is: This problem-solving lesson plan, adaptable for grades 6-12, centers around an online gamed called Quandary that engages students in making ethical decisions about a society they are helping to shape. Assign to students and allow them to work in collaborative forums like Google Docs to complete.
Novel Engineering
Best For: Elementary and Middle School Students
What It Is: Students use existing classroom literature—such as stories, novels, and expository texts—as the basis for engineering design challenges that help them identify problems, design realistic solutions, and engage in the engineering design process, all while reinforcing their literacy skills.
K-12 Game-A-Thon
Best For: All Levels
What It Is: The National K-12 Game-a-thon challenges students to think critically and creatively to design a game that solves a mathematical problem. Encourage your students to participate and share the games that they design.
Minecraft Education
Best For: All Levels
What It Is: This game-based learning platform promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment. Use the "Class Resources" to find lessons or challenges to get your students engaged.
As we discover additional resources that we think could be of interest to you, we’re placing them here—feel free to check back at that link regularly.