This topic is curated by members of the Learning Futures Network to help each other through the rapidly changing educational landscape that's evolving during the world's response to COVID-19. Its here to help you identify some quality resources that have been looked over by other educators. Please remember to comment and offer guidance where you can. This is more about contribution and sharing than it is about simply taking.
A range of captivating lesson plans are ready for you to explore the history of the Paralympic movement in Australia and abroad, Paralympic values and a range of Para-sports. All lesson plans are linked to the Australian Curriculum and don’t require any specialist equipment, so they are easy to implement in the classroom (or at home). Our resources focusing on the Paralympics in Australia are aimed at primary school students but can be adapted to a range of learning contexts. The I’mPOSSIBLE resources include lesson plans, worksheets and PowerPoint presentations for both primary and secondary teachers. These lesson plans can be used individually or to form a unit of work.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
A range of captivating lesson plans are ready for you to explore the history of the Paralympic movement in Australia and abroad, Paralympic values and a range of Para-sports. All lesson plans are linked to the Australian Curriculum and don’t require any specialist equipment, so they are easy to implement in the classroom (or at home). Our resources focusing on the Paralympics in Australia are aimed at primary school students but can be adapted to a range of learning contexts. The I’mPOSSIBLE resources include lesson plans, worksheets and PowerPoint presentations for both primary and secondary teachers. These lesson plans can be used individually or to form a unit of work.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, an unprecedented coalition has come together to launch “Earth School,” which provides free, high-quality educational content to help students, parents and teachers around the world who are currently at home. Initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and TED-Ed, Earth School takes students on a 30-day “Adventure” through the natural world.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, an unprecedented coalition has come together to launch “Earth School,” which provides free, high-quality educational content to help students, parents and teachers around the world who are currently at home. Initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and TED-Ed, Earth School takes students on a 30-day “Adventure” through the natural world.
Inclusive education CYDA as the co-chair of the Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education (ACIE) wrote to the Disability Royal Commission to raise with our collective concerns about the discrimination and neglect currently facing children and young people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk of increased violence and abuse. CYDA is convening weekly COVID-19 meetings with the ACIE and other disability advocates working with children and young people with disability and their families around Australia. ACIE has also developed a resource Learning at home during a time of crisis: COVID19 (Coronavirus). This resource has been developed to help parents support their children while schools are pupil free or closed in these uncertain times. This resource is to assist children and young people with disability and families to organise and plan for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Inclusive education CYDA as the co-chair of the Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education (ACIE) wrote to the Disability Royal Commission to raise with our collective concerns about the discrimination and neglect currently facing children and young people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk of increased violence and abuse. CYDA is convening weekly COVID-19 meetings with the ACIE and other disability advocates working with children and young people with disability and their families around Australia. ACIE has also developed a resource Learning at home during a time of crisis: COVID19 (Coronavirus). This resource has been developed to help parents support their children while schools are pupil free or closed in these uncertain times. This resource is to assist children and young people with disability and families to organise and plan for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Primezone provides teachers with single-point access to a range of free primary industry and food and fibre related educational, curriculum based resources.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
"About Primezone provides teachers with single-point access to a range of primary industries education resources.
This website is an initiative of the Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia. The Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA) is a tripartite not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, formed through the collaboration of the Australian Government, primary industries organisations and the education sector.
It has government, industry and education membership. PIEFA's vision is for an Australian community that understands and values its primary industries.
The Foundation's objectives are to:
- provide national leadership and coordination of initiatives to encourage primary industries education in schools through a partnership between industry, government and educators;
- commission, coordinate, facilitate and manage national projects to encourage primary industries education in schools;
- provide a source of credible, objective and educational resources for schools to maintain and improve community confidence in Australia's primary industries; and
- communicate primary industries research and development outcomes in a format accessible for schools and encourage interest from schools in primary industries related careers."
The STARportal makes the connections to STEM learning activities that inspire young people to explore, discover, and create.
The STARportal is Australia’s first centralised national portal for exciting and engaging STEM activities from around the country. This searchable database connects parents, students and teachers with their local and online STEM activities in real time.
The STARportal has been a collaboration between the Office of the Chief Scientist, Engineers Australia, Telstra, AMSI, BHP Billiton and the Commonwealth Bank, in consultation with the Department of Education to ensure all Australian families have access to any and all STEM outreach activities in their area and online.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
The STARportal makes the connections that inspire young people to explore, discover, and create.
By offering the most comprehensive collection of STEM activities and providers, the STARportal is the go-to place for families to discover local STEM activities for the children in their lives and for providers to find partners with which to collaborate.
Study Hall: Presented by Arizona State University and Crash Course
Welcome to Study Hall! Arizona State University and the team at Crash Course have partnered to create four different learning playlists this year. Together we’ll dive into subjects like writing composition, algebra, chemistry and data literacy. First up is writing composition! Join us starting next week on March 31 and every following Tuesday.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Our friends at Arizona Sate University (#! Innovation University in the US) have teamed up with Complexly to bring learners (and their parents and teachers) a collection of quality video guides and explainers of principles and practices across a range of disciplines.
These can be used as support material in your lessons or stand alone casual engagements with knowledge and insights in an entertaining and accessible way.
This collection of resources is curated by a coalition of some of the most powerful organizations in US education - teachers,parents and learners are able to search and filter the resources to address their needs.
Announcing the National Emergency Library, a collection of books that supports emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation while universities, schools, training centers, and libraries are closed. Learn more.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
An amazing collection of texts that can inform any discipline.
The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have a wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. They are categorized based on distance learning needs, but most of them offer functionalities across multiple categories.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have a wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. They are categorized based on distance learning needs, but most of them offer functionalities across multiple categories.
As schools around the world close their buildings and families find themselves at home, we want to ensure that learning together continues. We're working to bring parents & families resources to make the coming days as educational and fun as possible.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Contains age-level listings of a wide range of educational videos - from simple content explanation to educator guided engagements.
Slip some science into everyday activities you can do while at home. The Hub has resources for helping early childhood, lower primary and middle primary students and families. This article outlines simple ways to engage learners and enhance their learning.
Check out our articles with ideas for hands-on, active and outdoor learning from home for:
- early childhood
- lower primary
- middle primary
These articles include a mixture of hands-on and online at home learning for: - upper primary
- secondary
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Slip some science into everyday activities you can do while at home. The Hub has resources for helping early childhood, lower primary and middle primary students and families. This article outlines simple ways to engage learners and enhance their learning. Check out our articles with ideas for hands-on, active and outdoor learning from home for: - early childhood - lower primary - middle primary These articles include a mixture of hands-on and online at home learning for: - upper primary - secondary
ACMI Education will continue to support teacher and student learning around the screen, media and digital technologies. Keep learning with us by using our online modules and resources which can be shared with families at home. To stay in touch and find out when we add and share new content, programs and news you can: subscribe to our education enews follow us on Facebook and Twitter explore our monthly blog Perspectives""
Kim Flintoff's insight:
"ACMI Education will continue to support teacher and student learning around the screen, media and digital technologies. Keep learning with us by using our online modules and resources which can be shared with families at home. To stay in touch and find out when we add and share new content, programs and news you can: subscribe to our education enews follow us on Facebook and Twitter explore our monthly blog Perspectives"
ACMI: Education is the primary source that I had used to develop my mini-unit plan. This resource, in particular, influenced how I constructed my mini-unit plan around English and the Media. This source gave insight into how I could redefine English studies, making it more relevant and engaging to students of the 21st century. From this resource, I was also able to understand how English studies could reach the redefinition level of the SAMR model, which, in turn, generated various ideas.
With schools halting in-person meetings, we understand that many parents are currently looking for activities to provide their children with while they are at home during this time. That's where we've got you set.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
"Kiva U is an easy opportunity to share Kiva with your family! Spend time together while educating young ones about the power of microfinance. There’s a wide array of content and supplemental material provided to maximize effectiveness and involvement.
Kiva U lessons involve: - Hands-on activities
- Engaging videos
- Family discussions
- Games for every age group
Included with Kiva U are 8 easy, streamlined lessons, divided by topic and age group. Find lesson plans in the links below!"
School programs and classroom resources, all linked to the Australian Curriculum, and inspired by objects in the National Museum's collection. Book a school visit or see our free fun at home activities.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
The National Museum of Australia has a range of online engagement resources that includes a collection of DIY craft activities relating to the museum's collection, and learning activities linked to Australian Curriculum - good links to Indigenous Perspectives - HASS and Geography are well represented.
"Dyson engineers have designed these challenges specifically for children. Ideal for home or in the classroom, they encourage inquisitive young minds to get excited about engineering."
As a part of efforts to support music education through the COVID-19 outbreak, we're providing FREE online Theory of Music courses. View all the other support on offer here. AMEB's Online Theory courses allow students to learn music theory at their own pace, independently or supporting what is taught in the classroom or private music studio.
Our online courses for Grades 1 to 3 Theory of Music are now free until June 30 from exams.ameb.edu.au. AMEB has made their Theory Courses free for the time being while we all adapt to learning from home and we hope that teachers, parents and students find this a useful resource.
AMEB is a self-funding organisation that relies on exam fees and book sales to fund the activities that we undertake. For that reason, it is not possible to make exams free.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
The Australian Music Examinations Board is making available some of their Theory of Music courses online.
Education systems need to triage a social crisis, not just an academic one.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
"With school campuses closed indefinitely, education systems are grappling with how to make up for a growing abyss of lost learning hours and essential student services. But leaders shouldn’t forget that students are facing a less-talked-about but equally severe risk: losing access to the wide range of relationships that they’ve accrued in the course of a school year.
It verges on cliché to say that young people need relationships to thrive. But if schools react to COVID-19 by retrofitting academic calendars alone, social distancing threatens to crumble an array of social scaffolds and even chance encounters that help students get by and get ahead. That could yield immense losses to students’ reservoirs of social capital, particularly for those who need it most. Education systems need to embrace a two-fold mission: triaging an academic crisis and a social crisis."
TED-Ed lessons on all subjects. TED-Ed celebrates the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and share your big ideas.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Use the filters (red links) to select subjects and learning levels - also lots of teacher resources as well.
Learning from home Learning from home refers to the ways schools will maintain teaching and learning in the event of a prolonged school closure or student absence.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Resource suggestions for schools, parents, teachers and learners in NSW.
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Kim Flintoff's insight:
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