Hi, Friends.
Perhaps you’re still navigating the stuck-at-home schooling, or perhaps your interest has been piqued for weaving curiosity and active learning into your family’s way of being.
The following resources are gold during your journey of Remote Learning and beyond. (It’s a continual work in progress but we’ve got some gems here.) Although certainly useful, there’s much more discussion and expansion in the blog on this site and in the ebook Now What? Stuck-at-Home Schooling, available on Amazon for about 5 bucks.
#1. You are an excellent resource. Your life experience, knowledge, playfulness, creativity and connection with your student is an incredible gift… share it freely.
The websites shared were family friendly and well-maintained last time we clicked. Please take a look before having your child click around the internet.
The newly added resources will be at the top of each section.
Home Education Preparation
As many parents are considering the option of homeschooling, the most necessary resources are dedication, interest, curiosity, awareness, and resilience. A sense of humor and playfulness will also serve you well. Outside resources will be at your fingertips for organization, guidance, and curriculum. I love to share the experience of my favorite endeavor but acknowledge that the following resources represent snapshots of the experience. Although written to enhance remote learning, they are valuable for homeschooling as well.
Each state will have rules and regulations for homeschooling.
In IL, parents have the responsibility to know what is expected at each grade level and to provide their own curriculum to teach to that. IL has no testing requirements, but tests are available online at different resources so the parent can assess the child’s learning (for example, a math placement test on a math curriculum website or practice tests from Khan Academy). Do keep a log of the student’s hours and academic subjects, in case you need to prove your child is not truant and, honestly, to hold yourself accountable to the goal.
IL Learning Requirements by Grade Level K-8
Yes, full sets of curriculum are available if compiling your own seems daunting. (But, choosing resources based on interests and learning style is a foundational bonus of this endeavor.)
Yes, many/most public schools will work with the homeschool family so the student can participate in some classes and activities. Call your local school if you’re interested in a split day.
Yes, many homeschool co-ops offer classes with qualified teachers for the subjects that are not in your area of expertise. I have deep gratitude for Mrs Kabat, our science teacher.
Yes, virtual classes are now widely available for all subjects. If you choose to outsource classes while homeschooling, I encourage you to stay involved through “show me what you learned” conversations, which will also enhance the child’s learning by “teaching” you.
Exploring Home Education
Cathy Duffy reviews educational resources. With a grateful heart for her guidance in my first steps among the plethora of choices, I highly recommend her books and website.
For the inquisitive mind: “NHERI executes, evaluates, and disseminates studies and information (e.g., statistics, facts, data) on homeschooling (i.e., home schooling, home-based education, home education, home school, home-schooling, unschooling, deschooling, a form of alternative education), publishes reports and the peer-reviewed scholarly journal Home School Researcher, and serves in consulting, academic achievement tests, and expert witness (in courts and legislatures).”
Global Environment Media
The first TV and Educational Platform dedicated to Positive Environmental Solutions. Wow! It’s truly a gem.
Juneteenth and Racial Justice
Lyric Opera Chicago offers links to information, concerts and operas as they commit to amplifying voices of color.
A Juneteenth Quarantine Concert at 5:30pm CST June 19
What Is Juneteenth? by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. | Originally posted on The Root
Comprehensive and clear facts presented by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago:
Juneteenth Facts, American History
Art Institute Chicago
Cauleen Smith’s Human_3.0 Reading List
For this drawing series, artist Cauleen Smith offers 57 books as a new canon of literature, one invested in expanding perceptions and inspiring conversation about race, gender, and equality. Together they call the viewer to prepare for social change through self-empowered education or, in the artist's words, “Love. Resist. Read on. Right on.”
GENERAL EDUCATION RESOURCES:
Your school
Check emails and the school’s website.
Your library
Has likely upleveled to include more online resources, including and not limited to books.
Teachers in your area
I’ve seen notes from every educator I know offering additional guidance.
Neighbors
Your neighbor may have exactly the advice you need from life or career experience and would love to help.
Varsity Tutors
The largest live learning platform in the United States with numerous free resources for parents and students and exceptional ratings.
Virtual School Day: Nearly 200 free, live K-12 classes available all day long intended to help parents fill their children’s day with enriched learning. Some popular classes are "Intro to Spanish for Kids", “Coolest Women in History”, “Java Programming Basics”, and “The Story of Your Favorite Fairy Tales”.
Virtual Summer Camps: Free half-day summer camps are a week long, with enrichment-based classes in subjects like foreign languages, chess, theater, coding, Minecraft, how to be a detective, photography and more. These live, interactive camps will be taught by expert instructors vetted through Varsity Tutors' platform. We already have 300+ camps scheduled for the summer and 2,000 families per day signing up.
Adaptive Diagnostic Assessments: Measure a student’s proficiency and identify strengths and weaknesses in hundreds of subjects. Get an effective learning plan along with free tools to improve.
Varsity Learning Tools: More than 250,000 free practice problems in over 200 subjects. Also available as mobile applications.
YouTube
Educational songs and videos, but prescreen! Don’t let the young ones click around on their own… they may find the education you intend to avoid (forever).
Crash Course
Fabulous video resource with John and Hank Green began with history and science and has expanded to a wide range of topics.
Khan Academy
Possibly offers all subjects and all levels!
Arizona State University
Offers a variety of subjects and levels.
Critical Thinking
Logic Puzzles and Mind Benders - Choose the appropriate level for a super fun way to build thinking skills.
Mental Floss has a range of interesting topics, trivia, facts and brain games.
ARTS AND ADVENTURES
Lyric Opera of Chicago offers a Kids’ Corner with activities, games and learning resources. Fun for the whole family to begin an adventure in timeless stories.
Hubbard Street Dance One of the most talented, energetic, fiery dance companies in the world is offering free classes from the dancers’ homes. For those with dance background and knowledge. Mom, check it out.
WildEarth.tv “We take kids ages 4-18 on free, live and interactive safari experiences, transporting them from wherever they are onto the back of a virtual safari vehicle!”
The Art Institute of Chicago is currently offering creative and thoughtful art activities. “Looking to get creative? Our collection is a perfect place to find inspiration. The artworks and activities included are just the beginning. These activities are great for children ages 7 and up, but can be enjoyed by learners of all ages.”
Art Institute of Chicago Art-Making Activities link
Art Institute of Chicago Educator Resources link
Stomp Musical inspiration and enjoyment with household items.
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Great Books Foundation “K–12 open educational resources are available to download and come with suggested discussion questions to spur deep thinking.” An excellent education resource.
Youth Book Reading
Who Am I? Reading by Suzanne Mulcahy, author, retired school psychologist and fierce advocate for zero bullies, focuses on social emotional wellbeing for youth.
Critical Thinking Company sells logic puzzles, but offers free pages so you can try them.
Critical Thinking Company link
Brainy Quote offers a variety of quotes to explore or to use as dictation or conversation starters.
Shakespeare
Verses, audio clips, and story plots. Because, isn’t it fun to join in timeless eloquence? Whether you’re studying language arts, fine arts or training the brain’s memory, these resources are enjoyable and understandable.
How to Teach your Children Shakespeare link
Chicago Shakespeare free offerings link
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Sheppard Software “By playing Sheppard Software's geography games, you will gain a mental map of the world's continents, countries, capitals, & landscapes!” Parents, can you place the states on a blank map?! No worries, you can begin at any level, from easy to hmmmm.
National Geographic, the popular and timeless magazine, offers geography study resources, lesson plans and interesting facts for the curious.
National Geographic Resources link
National Geographic GeoBee link
Magic Tree House The fictional adventures of Jack and Annie introduce us to historical people and time periods in youth chapter books packed with fun and exploration. The website includes educational games and resources.
Beautiful Feet Books. A history book retailer with stories to transport us through factual time and space using human narrative. In case the sensory immersion in historic events is not enticing enough, they offer a fabulous free resource section for teachers (psssst: that’s you)!!
The American Presidents in Song. Although this particular one is outdated, it offers a fun melody to learn a bit about the first 44 presidents.
The American Presidents in Song link
SCIENCE
Explore.org offers many incredible live camera feeds of animals in their natural habitats. I just popped in to see a brown bear playing by a waterfall. Incredible opportunity to peek at wildlife.
This live cam is in Manitoba, positioned beneath the aurora oval, for beautiful views of aurora borealis:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Museum of Science and Industry Chicago. We can armchair the museum! Offering cool science at home.
Museum of Science and Industry Chicago link
Periodic Table song
Fun way to become familiar with the periodic table. Warning: it’s unforgettable.
MATH
Fibonacci Day at The Works Museum MN link
Critical Thinking. Engaging and colorful resources for sale.
Critical Thinking Company's Mathematical Reasoning link
FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND CULTURES
Bon Voyage World Languages Academy offers “language classes for individual students, schools, youth organizations, and professional organizations. Our mission at Bon Voyage is to foster open minds and compassionate hearts through linguistic and global education. We want to create human connections that promote peace in the world.” … and couldn’t we all use more peace in the world!
Bon Voyage World Languages link
Duolingo Free app and games for learning new languages.
Rosetta Stone currently has an amazing deal on learning foreign languages with them.
FINANCIAL WELL-BEING
When we teach our kids about finances and using money as a resource in a healthy, matter-of-fact, give-and-receive way of life, they can learn to use money for their own well-being without fear and stress. This part of our daily lives is often hushed and shrouded in secrecy, and sometimes shame. Since it is part of daily life, and schools don’t often focus on it, we invite you to teach through conversation at home - even when the kids are back in the classroom. Get started here:
Annuity.org is an excellent starting place: clear, informative, and encouraging. “We believe when students learn financial literacy at an early age, it helps them to make astute decisions about their personal finances, as smart financial behavior leads to financially secure lives. We've created a guide dedicated to children learning financial literacy:”
COMPUTER CODING
“With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community.”
Self-guided coding courses.
WELLBEING
HeartMath offers science-based programs to increase inner balance.
CNN Student News Offers 10 minutes of youth-friendly daily reporting.
