How you can keep learning from home

March 15, 2020

While you won’t physically be in school, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep learning.  Plus, let’s face it, in a few days, you’ll also be bored.

So if anything, consider this an opportunity.  To sleep in (a bit), to work on a schedule that fits you best, to finish that entire book series you can’t put down, even to put in some serious time on things like iReady so you can race on ahead.  Plus, there’s time to explore new topics you’ve been wanting to learn about, or even just to make sense of  what it means to live in this historical moment.  So, here we go:

 

TOP 5 WAYS TO LEARN FROM HOME:

1. Spend time on learning software

  • Get ahead on iReady (your teachers will be tracking your progress and adding a grade for each lesson passed)
  • If you are in Read 180, get extra computer time on SAM.
  • Learn science and social studies on BrainPop (username: GreendotStudent  password:  Greenddot4life
  • Master Typing Club
  • For Yearbook staff, work on your yearbook pages 

You can also watch educational programming online or on TV specifically created for this time at home all SoCal PBS stations, including KLCS  and KCET.

2. Write about what is going on

We are living through historic times.  Writing will help you reflect, make sense of, and clarify your thoughts in this ever-changing moment, as well as capture it for the future.

Ms. Borum has created a daily writing assignment.  You can make a copy of the document to type in, or follow the guide and write or type on your document.  You can also write a letter to yourself and have it automatically delivered to yourself in the future, so one, three, or five years from now you’ll be able to see what you were thinking about during this time.

You can also help create content to share with other students for this website!  Want to create a video diary?  Review books, movies, TV shows, or other media students should check out during this time away?  Go for it!  Share ideas or content with Mr. Finer at [email protected] or by commenting on this post.

 

3. Read

Every day.  Whatever you want.  Yes, seriously.  Just set aside a dedicated time to do so each day and stick to it.

You can plow through the novels you checked out from school (your teachers will even give you credit for book quizzes).

But, did you know you can also get e-books, audiobooks, videos, and even music for free online from the LA Public Library (and you can get an instant library card with just a phone number)?  LAPL’s Overdrive service allows to check out just about e-anything, while Hoopla also has a wide selection of comics.

Be on the lookout for an email or Google Classroom posting from your teacher with ideas for projects about your reading.  Your teachers may also be emailing or posting reading assignments in Google Classroom so you don’t fall behind with English coursework.

 

4. Learn something new with an online course or tour

This is an opportunity to learn something new that isn’t even offered at AJMS.  There are YouTube tutorials for nearly everything, museums offer interactive online tours, endless podcasts, and lots of places put their courses online for free.  Wanted to learn to play guitar or the ukelele or how to do magic tricks or make origami?  There’s a YouTube video for that.

 

Check out:

 

5. Go outside

Ride your bike.  Kick a soccer ball or throw a football.  Go for a walk.

Don’t just stay in your house all day.  Stay active.  The best place to be right now is outside.  Go enjoy it.

 

Here is Green Dot’s recommended daily schedule for home learning:

Green Dot daily learning schedule