Resources for helping kids learn during school closuresDate: 4/7/2020 GREATER SPRINGFIELD – While the initial two-week closure of schools across the commonwealth concerned parents and educators, with the now extended closure has some struggling to help kids stay engaged with their education at home.
Though school districts in Western Massachusetts have been working diligently to update and implement their distance learning plans and practices, there are also resources available for students of all ages online.
Here are some websites that provide a variety of free educational materials for those in need of help to home school children.
Scholastic
The publisher Scholastic, which prints books for all ages, has recently developed a website with materials for students from pre-K to ninth grade. The website (https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html) offers a variety of different activities depending on the age of the student. Such activities include a daily reading quest, reading materials, videos and activities to reinforce the material. The website offers three weeks of learning materials for each age category.
Museums
While museums around the world have closed their doors due to the pandemic, they’ve found a unique way to offer visitors the chance to explore the galleries. Museums like The Louvre in Paris and the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge are offering a chance to see both modern and historical works. Here are a few of dozens of museums offering virtual tours:
• The Louvre in Paris: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
• The Vatican Museum in Vatican City: http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.html
• Musée D’Orsay in Paris: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris
• Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge: https://www.nrm.org/virtualmuseum/
• The Springfield Museums: https://springfieldmuseums.org/about/updates/
Aquariums and zoos
Much like museums, aquariums and zoos around the country were forced to close their doors to the public. They, too, have found fun and creative ways to allow visitors a glimpse of animals and exhibits. Here are a few museums and zoos that are offering virtual experiences:
• New England Aquarium: https://www.neaq.org/visit/at-home-events-and-activities/
• The National Zoo: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams
• Georgia Aquarium: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/beluga-whale-webcam/
• The National Aquarium: https://aqua.org/media/virtualtours/baltimore/index.html
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams
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