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Distance Learning Websites for K-3 Teachers

Overnight teachers have had to up and change everything about the way they teach. This pandemic has created a huge shift and distance learning is now our new reality! Sometimes, I sit and reflect and think about everything that has happened in the last 2 months and I am just at a loss for words.

If I was granted 3 wishes, the first would definitely be an end to this pandemic.

But my next two wishes would be used on you!

I wish for you to know how special you are. What you are doing for your students truly matters!

Lastly, I'd wish to erase the stress.

Because over and over, what I hear from many 2nd grade teachers is the stress that you feel. I really wish I could take it away.

Alas… I don't have 3 wishes.

But what I know about teachers ist that they are resilient. Teachers always find a way to make things work. Teachers love for students

Distance learning can be less stressful when you have a handful of tools at your disposal.

That's why I'm sharing with you the top seven sites to use for distance learning!

a young girl or student is at home sitting at a desk looking at her computer

7 Distance Learning Sites for Primary Students

When looking for sites I wanted to find resources for you that are FREE. I also looked for resources that complimented what you might be teaching in the classroom. The website recommendations enhance your teaching but do not take the place of curriculum.

1. Epic (Digital Library)

This website lets students read books for free. You can assign books to your students, or they are free to choose what they read. Books can be selected by AR level, Lexile level, topic, age range, grade level, genre etc. As I said, you might already know about it, but I couldn't write this email and not mention it. Students can use the website or the app. Teachers can create a free account through June 30, 2020.

2. FlipGrid

Talk about keeping students engaged! Create short videos with students with Grids. Grids serve as meeting places and allow for icebreakers, weekly reflections, and mini-presentations. Great for remote learning and building community. You do have to create an account, but students do not. They will use the code that you give them to log in and record their video. This is the perfect way to do a morning check-in with your class or an end of day check-in. Students can post what they have questions about or answer the question you posted. Click here to see FlipGrid's blog on getting started.

3. BrainPopJr.

This is one of my favorite accounts and was using it even before distance learning started. This is a great site for instructional videos that are geared towards students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. You do have to create an account but since you're just showing videos to your class, they won't need one. (The account is free until the end of June.)

4. Scholastic Story Starter

I'm excited to share this creative website with you! Scholastic has done a great job of getting students to work on their creative writing skills! Students choose a theme: adventure, fantasy or sci-fi. Then they spin a wheel, and they are given a character, a setting, and a problem to write about! Finally, students can choose if they'll write in a notebook, a newspaper, a postcard or a letter.

This is such a fun way to get students writing! The best part is, students are given a writing prompt that is within their grade level range.

Things to know: It will ask for students' name but they don't get saved anywhere! You'll have to think of the best way for students to share it with you. Scholastic gives students the ability to download their work.

5. Scholastic Book Flips

This is quite possibly one of my favorite sites! Book Flips has multiple book categories to choose from. Within each category there dozens of paired texts. That's right! They've taken a fiction text and paired it with a nonfiction text. The fictional text story is read to students and includes a beautifully done video; the student reads the nonfiction text. Each paired text also has vocabulary development and comprehension questions; both posed as a game.

The site is free for all to use. You can decide to share an open link to the whole site or a specific link to a set of books you want students to focus on.

6. Monterrey Bay Aquarium

Monterrey Bay Aquarium in Monterrey Bay, California has taken distance learning to the next level with 10 live cams!

 Students can observe sea otters, jellyfish, sharks, penguins, and more! This is the perfect brain break you can give your students. You can make it educational by having students:

7. Go Noodle

Need a brain break during distance learning! This is my favorite go-to website to get students moving. AND I MEAN MOVING! There are exercise videos, dance videos, stretching videos, and more! In the age of Tik Tok, your students will love this site! You will have to create an account but students do not need one.

Pin it Now and Save for Later

a young girl or student is at home sitting at a desk looking at her computer

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