Learning Supports to Lean on throughout School Closures

We know many of you are preparing your schools, colleagues, students, and families for schools either closing for a number of weeks or shifting to remote learning environments or both. We have assembled a collection of learning supports from the Branching Minds library that could easily meet those new needs.

We curated the list to include the most comprehensive and strongest evidence-based supports that could be used by parents and students at home, including web-based resources and those that can be printed and shared with families.

Finding ways to support learning during the COVID 19 pandemic and school closures…making lemonade out a whole lot of lemons.

The Branching Minds team will be using this time to create more supportive video tutorials and product enhancements so that when schooling gets back to normal, we will be able to help you get caught up and back on track quickly. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there is anything else the Branching Minds team can do to support you during these trying and tumultuous times. In the meantime, stay safe and wash those hands!

Branching Minds Support Recommendations:

ReadWorks

• ReadWorks is an online resource that supports K-12 reading comprehension skills. Parents and teachers can create an online account and select readings for their children from an online library. Articles and passages are accompanied by discussion questions. The material can be accessed digitally or printed. 

Newsela

• Newsela is an online program that provides differentiated non-fiction texts for all students, no matter their reading level. Teachers or parents can create an account and access content for ELA, Social Studies, Science, and Social-Emotional Learning. Each article comes with activities and quizzes to further engage students.

Read Conmigo

• Read Conmigo is a bilingual family reading program for elementary students. It includes free children's books along with activities, games, and resources to promote early bilingual reading skills. Parents or teachers can sign up for a free account to access ebooks and other resources. Activities and games can also be downloaded and printed to be used offline. 

Read Theory

• ReadTheory.org is an interactive website designed to serve as a computer-based supplemental reading program for students in grades 1 through 12. The website provides passages for students with corresponding comprehension assessments. Parents and teachers can sign up for an account, assign readings and quizzes to students, and track their progress.

Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention (STARI)

• STARI is an adolescent reading intervention for students who are two or more years below grade level in reading. The program focuses on reading fluency, decoding, stamina, and basic comprehension, as well as deeper comprehension skills, such as perspective-taking and critical thinking. Teachers and parents can sign up for an account online and download reading materials for free.

Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR)

• FCRR provides teachers and parents with a library of reading resources and activities for elementary students. The activities focus on specific reading skills, such as phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. All materials can be accessed online and downloaded and printed to be shared with parents and students. 

Khan Academy

• Khan Academy provides free online videos, activities, and quizzes across a variety of math topic areas as well as grammar, science, and history. The content is aligned with common core standards from K through 12. The website also provides a step-by-step guide for parents implementing the activities and content at home with students. 

Eureka Math/Great Minds (materials that can be downloaded and shared with parents)

• Eureka Math is a comprehensive math curriculum that includes professional development, books, and other supporting materials. The website provides resources and materials specifically for parents and families to help support their children’s learning. Additional resources for English, Science, and History can be found at the GreatMinds website.

Brain Pop

• BrainPop is a group of educational websites with over 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12, together with quizzes and related materials, covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, mathematics, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music. All materials can be accessed for free by educators and families. 

ABCya

• ABCya provides free online activities and games to help improve elementary students' reading and math skills. All of the content is accessible online and organized by grade level and topic area. 

Quill

• Quill is a free online resource that provides over 300 research-based writing, grammar, and proofreading activities for students. Teachers and students can sign up for a free account to access activities and receive immediate feedback on their work. Teachers can also remotely track student progress and growth.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

• For younger students requiring social-emotional and behavioral support, CSEFEL is a comprehensive online resource for teachers and families. The website features user-friendly training materials, videos, and print resources that are available directly from this website to help early care, health, and education providers implement the model for supporting social-emotional competence. 

Facing History in Ourselves

• This free social-emotional learning program aims to promote core character education values and to help middle and high school students develop moral reasoning skills. Students learn to move from thought to judgment to participation as they confront the moral questions inherent in a study of violence, racism, antisemitism, and bigotry. Educators and parents can create a free account to access lessons and materials, which can be viewed online or downloaded and printed.