Lessons, Activities, and Projects to Support Remote Learning

If you're a teacher or a parent looking for fun ways to help kids learn at home, then you're in the right place. I've put together a list of the 10 best ELA activities, lessons, and projects for kids to complete at home. To make it on this list, each resource had to meet this criteria...

--- Kids can complete the work independently.
--- The lessons require no additional planning for teachers and/or parents.
--- The activities are fun and engaging.
--- They are easy to share with families.
--- And most importantly...they tap into critical ELA skills like reading, writing, and grammar.

Some of the resources can be completed digitally. Others, require just a piece of paper and a pencil. And...many of the resources I'm sharing are FREE. 

These FREE READING PROMPTS are perfect for tracking kids' reading and helping them to think deeply about their reading. First, students read for at least 20 minutes a day. Then, they report out on their reading on the tracker. Finally, they respond to a reading prompt. 

The prompts are in a "choice board format" so that kids can choose what they'd like to do. This does wonders for motivation. I'm using this at home with my own son, and it's going really well. He completed the movie poster prompt yesterday. Download it all for FREE RIGHT HERE.

Here's another free lesson that has a craft element. First, kids learn about couplets and poetry writing. Then, they write their own poem. Finally, they turn their work into a pinwheel. The "craft element" makes this especially fun for learning at home. Imagine these displayed on the kitchen table! Download the lesson and poetry writing materials HERE.

Learning at home lends itself perfectly to book projects. This file folder book report is designed for kids to do all on their own! The resource includes all the directions and even rough draft materials that kids can review before making their final copies. Check it out HERE.

I made this FREE set of 10 writing prompts the very first day my own sons were set to learn at home. I knew that I wanted them to keep writing, but I also knew that getting them to write might be a little like pulling teeth. That's why this set of "This or That" writing prompts works so well for kids learning at home. Kids get to choose which prompt their complete each day. The element of choice makes the task of writing a lot more fun. Download the FREE writing prompts here.

If you're looking for an "all-in-one" resource for English Language Arts, this is it! It's designed specifically for learning at home. That means that there are paper pages, digital pages, and even links to PDFs to share via email inside the resource. 

With these practice pages, students complete a grammar, reading, and writing task each day. It's the perfect way to support kids and keep them learning at home! Learn more here.

One of my friends inspired me to include these FREE mindfulness quotes in this "round-up." Since my friend started teaching her kids at home, she's instituted a "moment of mindfulness" before they get started on the day's work. I love that idea! If you'd like to give it a try, check out this post about mindfulness and find links for the free quotes and finger labyrinths. 

You knew that digital resources were going to make the cut, right? I've filled my shop with reading, writing, and grammar resources that students can access via Google Classroom. Check out over 50 resources that include digital options right here.

This set of 5 FREE choice boards is filled with tasks that allow kids to choose different ways to learn. Each choice board is developed around a different category. You'll find a choice board for creative writing, spelling, vocabulary, reading, and social studies. The tasks encourage creativity and innovative thinking, which makes them perfect for learning at home. Download them all for FREE right here.

OK...I'm not sure why I waited to so long to share about these writing videos, because I'm kind of nuts about them! They're short videos that kids can watch. Each video prompts them to write creatively. I actually made them with my two sons, so they are definitely kid-approved. There are several videos, but you might want to start with this one about personification. (Find it on YouTube HERE.)

Here's one last idea. Get kids completing a mini-research project with this hands-on resource. Kids can research a person, place, animal, or event. Then, they turn their research into a 3-D frame with their learning tucked inside. Everything kids need to be successful is inside. Check it out HERE.

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I hope you're found an idea...or two...or ten...that you can use to help support remote learning. We're all in this together, so please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you or your kids. Feel free to email me at marybeth@brainwavesinstruction.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Wait, I've got one more idea...check out this round-up of ideas from Art with Jenny K!

Ideas for celebrating National Poetry Month in the Classroom

National Poetry Month takes place every April. I'm pretty sure I love the month-long celebration of poets and poems as much as students love a snow day!

National Poetry Month first began in 1996. It is organized by the American Academy of Poets as a way to build awareness and appreciation of poetry.  Since its creation, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world. Wow! Pretty cool, right? Publishers, poets, libraries, and book vendors celebrate National Poetry Month, so it only makes sense for teachers and students to celebrate too.

I've put together a list of really easy ways to celebrate National Poetry Month all April long. In addition, I've compiled my favorite poetry lessons (many of them FREE) --- just click right here. I hope you'll find an idea or two to bring into your classroom.

Ready to get celebrating National Poetry Month? It's easy, you can...

1. READ POEMS. During the month of April challenge your students to read and analyze poems. You can easily do this, just...

--- Compile poems to share at the beginning of each class. Check out the Poem-a-Day poetry at poets.org.

--- Challenge every student to find a poem to read to the class and take turns sharing them each day.

--- Teach students how to actively read and analyze poems with detailed (and fun) lessons. Find a set of 5 poems and 20 analysis tasks right here.

2. SHARE POEMS. Make poetry extra special by finding poems that you think each student might like and share them with each person. For instance, give this poem to a student who loves basketball, or this poem to a student dreaming of a vacation. Give poems away in fun ways...

--- Tape poems for particular students to their lockers or desks.

--- Slip a poem into a colleague's mailbox.

--- Dedicate a poem to a particular person in the school and have it read over the school's loudspeakers. Some of my favorite poems are right here.

3. WRITE POEMS. There's no better way to celebrate National Poetry Month than to create new poems. Poetry writing lessons can be so fun! Here are a few of my favorite lessons...

--- Extended Cinquain Poem - I love this poem lesson because students experiment with a traditional form and make it their own! Download it for FREE here!

--- Spring Poem - Combine parts of speech and poetry with this FREE poetry lesson.

--- Pinwheel Poem - This lesson is also FREE! Students write a poem filled with couplets and turn it into a pinwheel.

4. RESEARCH POETS. When I was in 6th grade, I researched Maya Angelou. That biography report changed my life. I was inspired by her triumphs and profoundly impacted by her poetry.

--- Give students a chance to have a similar experience by letting them research poets. After they are done learning about the poet, they can compile their learning onto this fun Doodle Biography Book Report.

--- Learn about poets and their poems with these unique Poet and Poem Studies. Students can learn all about Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughes with the doodle articles and notes. Then, they can analyze a poem by each poet.

5. LISTEN. The beauty of poetry is often how lovely or terrifying or melancholy it sounds when it is read out loud. Celebrate listening to the poetic form by...

--- Listening to poets read their own poetry. Check out 65 videos here.

--- Playing music with poetic elements like the rhyme in Joe Jackson's "Summer in the City".

--- Sharing poems with incredible sounds devices like "Cynthia in the Snow" by Gwendolyn Brooks.

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National Poetry Month is a wonderful reminder to celebrate poetry. I hope you and your students find ways to enjoy poetry all April long! If you're looking for some ready-to-go poetry lessons, sign up to receive 5 exclusive "Poet Treats" in your email inbox.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth