8 Books To Teach Gratitude
by Allison Brubaker
7 Steps to Prepare for Virtual Classroom Activities
byConnections Academy
4 min to read
Preparation is key for many things in life—especially when it comes to your child’s education. Taking some time to get ready for your virtual classroom activities each day will help you gather your thoughts and enable you to facilitate the school day smoothly, which can also provide the opportunity to think about ways to enhance or individualize your child’s learning experience. Additionally, getting prepared is a proactive step you can take to help ease the (thankfully temporary!) anxiety that’s common among new Learning Coaches.
Although it is key for virtual school success, preparation doesn't need to take up a lot of time. Some Learning Coaches set aside an hour or two each weekend to prepare for the entire week and others prepare for the following day while their students are working independently.
To help you prepare for your child’s interactive classroom activities online, here is a checklist of steps to consider:
How to Prepare for Classroom Activities Online
1. Preview each lesson.
Open and review your student’s online class lesson plan or course guide (depending on what your school provides). A sample lesson plan for online teaching would have:
- Lesson objectives or what the student should understand or be able to do by the end of the class
- Key vocabulary words that will be taught
- Facts that students should be able to use in context after the lesson
- Materials required to teach/learn the lesson
- A method of assessing the student’s progress toward the lesson’s objectives
Be sure to read the lesson objectives so you understand what your child is expected to learn. You may want to take a few notes to jog your memory later. If there are virtual learning plan ideas you don’t understand, be sure to consult the teacher.
2. Consider your child’s abilities.
For lessons in your student’s areas of strength, consider whether additional challenge will be needed. If the lesson relates to an area of weakness, will your child need additional assistance to master the concepts? If more practice or enrichment is required, look for optional learning activities in the course guide, or contact your child’s teacher for more virtual activities for students or guidance.
3. Determine your level of involvement.
Once you’ve read the lesson and considered your child’s needs, it’s time to decide on your level of involvement. Will your student be able to work independently, or will you need to guide your child through the lesson? Be prepared to adjust your personal schedule for the day to provide the amount of hands-on support that your child requires.
4. Prepare materials for the lesson.
Print any worksheets, practice problems, or other handouts your child will need for virtual classroom games or activities. Gather the required materials, such as texts, rulers, index cards, etc. Consider whether supplemental resources would be helpful for the lesson, and, if so, gather those as well. Note any supplies that you don’t have, or that will need to be replenished soon, and add them to your shopping list.
5. Estimate the time needed.
Consider how long it will take for your child to complete the lesson or virtual classroom team building activities. You might need to adjust your child’s schedule to accommodate a longer or more challenging lesson. If you suspect your child will whiz through a particular lesson, make plans and gather materials so he or she can move on to the next lesson or to another subject without too much delay.
6. Make a checklist.
Some virtual schools provide a schedule for each day so your child can mark what he or she has completed. If your students share a computer for online school, you may prefer to create a daily checklist of assignments on paper. List the specifics of each assignment, such as “Read pages 50–60 in science text and answer questions 3 and 5,” or “Complete social studies lesson 5.” Having a complete list will enable your child to move on to the next lesson as they complete each virtual classroom activity throughout the day.
7. Reach out to your child’s teacher.
You shouldn’t need to talk to your child’s teacher(s) every day, but do touch base and establish a connection. You especially want to be proactive if your child is struggling or you anticipate an issue with an upcoming e-learning lesson plan. Set a loose check-in schedule. Discuss how each of you see your child’s abilities and progress; you should agree or be pretty close to agreement. Ask him or her for advice about how to prepare for an online class, how to do online lessons, or whether they can provide a sample lesson plan for online teaching.
Now That You Know How to Prepare for an Online Class . . .
Alexander Graham Bell once said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success,” and look how much he achieved! By following his great advice and incorporating these seven suggestions into your life as a Learning Coach, you will be well on your way toward ensuring your online school student will always be prepared for class.
Remember, as a Learning Coach, your level of knowledge of your child’s e-learning lesson plan and their engagement with it are vital to their academic growth and development. Learn more from our five ways a parent can keep students engaged in online school.
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12 Outdoor PE Activities for Kids
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Outdoor physical activities are beneficial for elementary school kids’ physical and mental health, giving them an opportunity to expend their energy and get some fresh air and sunshine.
Physical education (PE) for kids is an important part of learning at home. While outdoor exercise happens more naturally during the summer, how can families ensure that a child has fun exercising throughout the year?
Below are 12 ideas for PE exercises for kids that you may want to add to your list!
PE Games for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade:
1. Timed firefly (aka lightning bug) hunt.
Encourage children to catch as many lightning bugs or other harmless insects in a jar as they can, and see who can capture the most before you call time. Make sure to set the bugs free again! Lessons can also be incorporated into this fun PE activity by having kids learn fun facts about the bugs!
2. Sponge race.
Each participant in this race needs a sponge and two buckets, one bucket filled with water and the other empty. Starting at the empty bucket, players run across the yard to the full bucket, filling the sponge and returning to the empty bucket to squeeze the water into it. The first person to fill the empty bucket to the designated line wins.
3. Timed scavenger hunt.
Set a time limit for kids to find all the objects on a list of items found in nature. Whoever has the most items when the clock runs out wins. Older children can even coordinate the scavenger hunt.
4. Balloon relay race.
To make this race safe from germs, an adult should inflate balloons using a pump instead of blowing them up by mouth. Set up a laundry basket full of balloons and a hard chair for each relay team. Participants run to the basket, pick up a balloon, then run to the chair, sit on the balloon to pop it, then run back.
5. Sack race.
For this old-fashioned but socially distant favorite, each child will need their own sack or pillowcase. Players stand in their sacks and jump their way to the finish line.
6. Outdoor yard sports and games.
Outdoor physical education activities like sports require equipment, but you can easily set up and play them in a yard or nearby park.
Fun PE games for kids like soccer, kickball, or basketball can be played with just a ball at a nearby park. Games like “H-O-R-S-E" or "around the world” can be played with just two or more players on a basketball court. Net sports like tennis, volleyball, and badminton are great PE games for kids. Many public parks have tennis courts you can use, but you can also set up outdoor volleyball or badminton in the grass. Volleyball is always fun at the beach, but you might also find sand volleyball courts at a public swimming pool in your area.
Once you have a net, you’ll just need racquets and birdies or a volleyball. Two to four people can play each sport.
7. Solitary exercise.
Other traditional gym activities for kids include jumping rope or hula-hooping, both of which are excellent forms of exercise. Either of these activities can be done indoors on rainy days, too.
8. Group games.
Try some variations on classic PE activities for elementary school students: flashlight tag, “Simon Says” with balls or other items, and water-bottle bowling in the yard.
9. Outdoor pool activities.
As long as they aren’t crowded, pools can still be a safe option for some outdoor exercise. Swimming or jogging laps is great for cardio exercise and muscle toning. Elementary school children who want to become better swimmers and stronger athletes can do laps regularly and track their progress.
10. Diving games.
Diving for objects like diving rings and diving gems at the bottom of the pool helps swimmers practice holding their breath longer. It’s also a lot of fun for kids to play diving games, such as racing to find as many coins as possible within a time limit or within one breath.
11. Water aerobics.
Instead of signing up for a water aerobics class, create your own exercise routine to do in the backyard or neighborhood public pool. Kids of all ages and their parents can get involved. Watch water aerobics videos online to learn some moves and consider using a pair of water weights.
12. Water wars.
There are plenty of ways for children to have fun with water fights. Challenge them to stay on their rafts while practicing their splashing techniques on each other or shooting water guns.
If thunderstorms keep you inside, you can always try this list of indoor PE activities for online elementary students.
There are plenty of fun PE activities for kids to try that fit into their online school schedule. For more tips on keeping kids learning at home, visit Connections Academy’s resources page for families who are new to distance learning or online school.
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