COVID-19 Distance Teaching Ideas
A shared resource pack for teachers for primary school pupils
Introduction
This document has been designed for Irish primary school teachers and principals to share any ideas that might be useful over the coming weeks for online learning. It is designed to be a live document which can be updated by anyone. It is divided into a number of sections to make it easy for others to find what they are looking for. If you’d like to add your own idea, please do.
Editing this for your own School
I’ve noticed quite a few people trying to edit this document for their own school rather than adding resources. If you want your own copy of this resource, click on this link and it will allow you to make your own copy which you can do what you want with.
Ground rules[a]
Some of these rules are very obvious but putting them here to be as clear as possible.
- When adding an idea, please make sure to type it under the correct heading. For example, if you are adding a Maths idea, go to the Maths section!
- All ideas must be cost-free. If a company is offering free access during school closures, this should be stated clearly.
- Ideas should follow the following format: (Click here for a copy of the template to fill in)
- Title of the idea (in heading 2 style)
- Class Level (in normal text)
- Any appropriate image (image is no bigger than 400px in height) The image can be a company’s logo.
- A very brief description (in normal text)
- Any weblinks (in normal text)
- Any notes about whether this is a free offer from a company while measures are in place and what the terms of it are, e.g. This website will have free access until March 29th. Sign up required.
- This document will be open for anyone to add their ideas under “suggesting” mode and any changes will be manually approved so if you don’t see your idea immediately, it is because it needs to be manually approved.
- I will need help with administering this document. If you would like to help, please email simon@carloweducatetogether.ie with a brief description of who you are and I’ll add you as an admin.
Index
This will be refreshed to update from time to time
Editing this for your own School 1
Scholastic Learn at Home (Free) 6
Literacy / English Resources 6
Pupil resources for programme include: 7
Oxford Owl Ebook Reader Library 8
Bright Sparks Creative Bursts 9
Literacy / Gaeilge Resources 11
Léitheoireacht: Séideán Sí (gach leibhéal) 11
Teanga ó Bhéal: Scéal an Lae - TG4 11
Teanga ó Bhéal: Soundcloud - An Gúm 12
Irish songs online / Amhráin i nGaeilge ar líne 12
Scholastic Learn at Home (Free) 14
Resources to support PE or Exercise at Home 17
Sing-Up! Home Learning Resources 18
Carlow Educate Together Visual Arts Plan 19
Online art supports on Social Media 19
Ethics / Religion Resources 20
Learn Together Resource Bank 20
Catholic Confirmation Study “Chosen” 20
Curricular Material | National Council for Special Education 21
Information Worksheet for Children about Covid-19 21
Style Template
Please copy the content below and insert it into the appropriate section as a template.
Title of Idea
Class Level
Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea. Short Description of idea.
Notes: Any notes inserted here. Any notes inserted here. Any notes inserted here. Any notes inserted here.
General Resources
Twinkl
All Classes
Twinkl are offering all parents and teachers a One Month FREE Ultimate Membership to Twinkl.ie. This will allow parents and teachers unlimited access to every single resource for every single curriculum subject from junior infants to sixth class.
Notes: Setting this up is really easy to do - go to www.twinkl.ie/offer and enter the code IRLTWINKLHELPS. This code will only work for new memberships. If you are an existing member with a Core or Extra membership, please get in touch and we will upgrade you to Ultimate right away.
World Book
All Levels
The World Book is a resource offered by the PDST. It’s like a virtual encyclopedia except a lot more interactive.
https://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/products?ed=all&gr=Welcome%21
Scholastic Learn at Home (Free)
Day to day projects (USA based) for children Infants to Sixth Class.
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Literacy / English Resources
EPIC
All Levels
Epic! is an online library which offers over 35000 resources including “Read to Me” books, audiobooks, student tracking, reading level linkage with Accelerated Reader and other reading levelling schemes. It also offers high interest texts such as National Geographic Kids and Guinness Book of Records. It is suitable for children from ages 4-12.
https://www.pdst.ie/DistanceLearning/SourcesofInformation#epic
Gill Explore
Junior Infants to 2nd Class
Gill Education has provided free access to gillexplore.ie to all of the pupil resources from Junior Infants to 2nd Class from our Over the Moon complete Primary English Language programme.
Pupil resources for programme include:
- Skills Books
- All readers
- Pupil’s digital resources
Notes: Sign up required. For any digital support queries, please contact 01 500 9542 or digitalsupport@gill.ie.
Edco Learning
All Class Levels
Pupil resources for programme include:
- Skills Books
- All readers
- Pupil’s digital resources
Notes: Username: primaryedcobooks Password: edco2020
BorrowBox
All class levels
If you or your child/children or parent/s are a member of the local library, you can access an App or website called BorrowBox. It is free. I use it for audio books and also, ebook. There is a children's section.
Notes: To register, you need your library card which has your membership number on the back.
Vooks
All class levels
Vooks is committed to being a resource for families to keep kids reading at home. Vooks can also be a welcome distraction for parents, allowing them to enjoy time with their kids, watching and discussing books together. To help, we have created take-home lesson plans that can be shared with parents and guardians - built to provide children with 20 minutes a day of read aloud time and activities.
Notes: Free one month, sign up required
Oxford Owl Ebook Reader Library
Junior Classes
Oxford Owl has an ebook library with over 250 books in it and offers free access to teachers and parents once you create an account at www.oxfordowl.co.uk They also have some vocabulary and comprehension activities for most of the books.
www.oxfordowl.co.uk
Writing Legends
Junior Classes
As part of their Assistance for Schools response to Coronavirus they are providing Writing Legends free of charge through to July 31, 2020. Writing Legends is a comprehensive writing program, containing hundreds of activities for students in grades 3 to 6. The regular price is $11.50 (USD) per student.
https://www.writinglegends.com/
www.sorchaj.com
Infants to Fifth Class
This site covers phonics, dolch, Jolly Phonics including tricky word lists and practice reading sentences following the Spellbound order of words and more.
Rivet Reading
Infants to Fifth Class
Rivet Reading App by Google is not available in the EU, but the web version of the books, with reading is. High Interest Reading books are available with help for pupils with words that are not easily decodable. Topics range from Animals to History, Sport to Science .Very useful for reluctant readers and self-guided.
https://rivet.area120.com/read/#/libraryScreen
Teach Your Monster to Read
Infants to 1st Class.
Teach Your Monster to Read is a fun activity that helps infants work on everything from initial sounds, CVC words, blends and digraphs all the way to full words and sentences. The Web platform is free for teachers and students (the App costs, but is not necessary). Teachers can set up a class quite easily and can simplify passwords. Great fun game that children can engage with at home (although teachers cannot set sounds - pupils work through independently).
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
Bright Sparks Creative Bursts
3rd - 6th Class
Creative Bursts are created by Sarah Webb and supported by MoLI – Museum of Literature Ireland. They are short creative activities, uploaded every day, for children to complete at home during the Covid-19 crisis. Sarah films an online workshop with downloadable writing activities accompanying every workshop. There are great story starters, poetry and a whole range of other activities for children to try at home.
https://moli.ie/category/bright-sparks-creative-bursts/
RadioBlogging.net
3rd - 6th Class
RadioBlogging is a daily online radio show that inspires children’s creative writing and enables them to share their writing with other children all over the world. The radio show is hosted by four expert educators, based in the UK. It is streamed live every morning at 9.30 a.m. on the website - with recorded versions of previous shows also available and a range of resources to support children’s writing. The website allows children to upload their writing - from very short pieces, like a sentence starter to longer, extended pieces of writing. The children can then receive feedback from their peers and write with purpose for their audience.
ImagineNation
3rd - 6th Class
ImagineNation is a playbook created by Childrens’ Books Ireland with An Post. Children can take some time to draw, read, write and create with activities, puzzles, poems and short stories from some of Ireland’s best children’s writers and illustrators.
The first link here allows teachers to download individual pages from the booklet (or the second link has the whole thing) to share with children.
https://childrensbooksireland.ie/resources/imaginenation/
https://www.anpost.com/AnPost/media/PDFs/ImagineNation-Playbook-April-2020.pdf
myON Digital Library
All classes
They are offering access to over 7,000 digital books fiction and non fiction with myON and safe, daily news with myON News.ree. For anyone familiar with renaissance learning they have AR quizzes. Usually this is a subscription service with free access due to the covid situation. No signup required
Literacy / Gaeilge Resources
Duolingo - Gaeilge
2nd - 6th Class
Duolingo can be used for learning any language but I use it in school to improve Gaeilge. Teachers can set up a class and input their pupils. This generates a username and password which can be shared with your pupils. They can use Duolingo on phones, tablets, computers. Teachers can set a weekly goal for pupils to reach or set a new skill to be learned.
Áiseanna Gaeilge ar líne:
Symbaloo List of Gaeilge Web Sites
Symbaloo: Gaeilge Websites
Léitheoireacht: Séideán Sí (gach leibhéal)
https://www.seideansi.ie/aiseanna-eile.php
Teanga ó Bhéal: Scéal an Lae - TG4
1st - 6th Class
Short stories i nGaeilge read aloud online. Perfect for first - 6th classes i Scoil T2 or rang ar bith i Scoil T1.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Sc%C3%A9al+an+laeLink to the website
Teanga ó Bhéal: Soundcloud - An Gúm
Soundcloud - Irish language stories read aloud online/ scéalta i nGaeilge ón nGúm
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=An%20G%C3%BAm
Irish songs online / Amhráin i nGaeilge ar líne
Anam an Amhrán - Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Anam+an+Amhr%C3%A1n
Numeracy / Maths Resources
Manga High
All Class Levels
Manga High offers maths games for all class levels. School needs to register, and then pupils can be added by bulk upload, with username/password then being provided on a little card. Possibly a challenge to set up and share details with pupils at present.
Notes: Free for 60 days, due to Covid-19, school sign up required.
Multiplication.com
3rd Class up
Loads of games to practice Multiplication.
https://www.multiplication.com
Top Marks - Hit the Button
1st - 6th Class
Hit the Button is an interactive maths game with quick fire questions on number, bonds, times tables, doubling and halving, multiples, division facts and square numbers. Games are against the clock and develop number fact recall. Designed for 6-11 year olds.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Notes: A paid app version is available from Apple/Google Play/Amazon but the web browser version is free to use.
Top Marks - Daily 10
Class Level
HiDaily 10 is a primary maths resource which covers addition, subtraction, ordering, partitioning, place value, rounding, multiplication, division, doubles, halves and fractions. It has been designed primarily for use on an interactive whiteboard. The aim is to help teachers deliver 10 maths questions many which can be used for mental maths practise.
Sets of questions can be timed or untimed and the activities are ideal for starter and plenary sessions. They are graded in levels of difficulty which match year group levels in England's National Curriculum Maths requirements. This means the resource is suitable for children from 5 to 11 years of age.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/daily10
Math Playground
Infants to 6th Class
Math Playground offers a range of free maths activities and puzzles for children of all ages. They are visually appealing and interactive.
https://www.mathplayground.com/
Timestables Rockstars
2nd - 6th
Children play games to practice tables at their own level. Teachers can set up their own class. Progress is recorded. Check out the 3 minute youtube video
Free during school closures
Website https://ttrockstars.com/
Numbots
1st - 4th
Children play games to practice addition and subtraction bonds at their own level. Teachers can set up their own class. Progress is recorded. Free during school closures
Website https://play.numbots.com/#/intro
Science Resources
Scholastic Learn at Home (Free)
Day to day projects (USA based) for children Infants to Sixth Class.
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Science Foundation Ireland
Infants to 6th Class
Any science experiment you could ever think of is nicely organised into lots of different sections. Much of the equipment you can find at home but well worth exploring to try and do a science experiment every few days.
https://www.sfi.ie/engagement/discover-primary-science-and-maths/activities-search/
Geography Resources
Ask About Ireland
Infants to 6th Class
An oldie but a goodie. This web site covers both History and Geography from infants to 6th class including some great project ideas. There’s probably enough here to cover the entire curriculum. Hard to believe it’s almost 20 years old!
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/
Scoilnet Geography
Infants to 6th Class
Teachers working with Scoilnet have produced a number of subject-based themed pages. Each theme page presents a set of links and resources on a particular topic. This page contains a number of resources on different Geography topics. Many of them also tie in to Educate Together’s Learn Together Curriculum.
https://www.scoilnet.ie/primary/theme-pages/geography/
History Resources
Ask About Ireland
Infants to 6th Class
An oldie but a goodie. This web site covers both History and Geography from infants to 6th class including some great project ideas. There’s probably enough here to cover the entire curriculum. Hard to believe it’s almost 20 years old!
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/
Seomra Ranga History Links
Infants to 6th Class
Seomra Ranga does not maintain any of the web sites provided as links so it assumes no responsibility for their contents, nor does any link constitute an endorsement of any other site, its sponsor or its contents. These links are just suggestions of websites that teachers may wish to visit to compliment their classroom teaching. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of each individual teacher or school to determine whether the links provided are suitable for children to visit.
https://www.seomraranga.com/links/sese-links/history/
SPHE Resources
Busy Bodies
4th to 6th Class
Busy Bodies Adolescent Development Programme provides information on the physical and emotional changes that children may experience during puberty, to reassure them that puberty is a normal part of growing up. Busy Bodies is a useful resource to help support both teachers and parents in providing information on puberty to children aged between 10 and 14.
https://www.healthpromotion.ie/health/inner/busy_bodies
Scoilnet SPHE Page
Infants to 6th Class
A small number of resources to support the SPHE curriculum including the Webwise programme
https://www.scoilnet.ie/primary/theme-pages/sphe/
Tools to Stay On Task
Class Level: Everyone, including adults
Tools designed to help a person work steadily for a set time interval, then take a five-minute break. These programs can help students eliminate distractions while they work by blocking access to content that isn’t used for learning.
Block Site (Chrome Extension)
Stay Focused (Chrome Extension)
Strict Workflow (Chrome Extension)
Weaving Well-Being At Home
All ages
During challenging times, it’s more important than ever to look after your child’s well-being. This journal is designed to help children to enhance their mental well-being through a range of different activities. Most of the topics, such as positivity, gratitude, kindness, bravery, creativity and self-kindness are drawn from the field of Positive Psychology, which is the science of well-being. There are also activities based on dealing with worries and coping with change. The journal is based on Weaving Well-Being - an SPHE programme which your child may be already doing in their school. Even if your child has no experience of Weaving Well-Being, they will still be able to use this as a stand-alone journal. Your child can work through the pages at their own pace, or alternatively, if the journal is being used as part of school-based learning, their teacher may set activities for them to do from time to time
https://indd.adobe.com/view/5237deef-2311-469f-9e2d-b5ee89c2000f
Resources to support PE or Exercise at Home
GoNoodle
All class levels
GoNoodle is a really easy and good way to get kids moving. Popsico… Pop pop sico!
Notes: Free
PSSI PE Lessons
All Levels
Included on this resource is a set of support materials for the five strands of the physical education curriculum for primary schools. The materials have been designed to complement this curriculum and to assist primary teachers in its implementation.
https://pssi.pdst.ie/clickme.html
Notes: Free
Music Resources
Dabbledoo Music
All Classes
Dabbledoo are offering all content for free to parents of schools with DabbledooMusic.
Please email shane@dabbledoomusic.com to let them know if your school would like to avail of this, and we can set up your access details.
Notes: Only available to schools signed up to Dabbledoo
SoundTrap
www.soundtrap.com :: A great way for students to experiment with loops and sounds through layering tracks and building songs. Supports GSuite and Office365 logins which means all work saved to the cloud. Free version gives students five compositions to explore. Lots of learning in students playing around with the built in demo songs and their use of sound recording techniques, musical effects and layering of sounds (texture etc.) (@stephenmcf)
Sing-Up! Home Learning Resources
Infants to 6th Class
Sing-Up is a brilliant UK-based website to help schools get singing. It is usually a paid platform, but they have put together a ‘Home Learning’ area with free resources for singing, as well as additional resources for teaching thematically and linking your songs with other subjects across the curriculum. They are updating the resources regularly.
https://www.singup.org/home-schooling
Out of the Ark Music @Home
Infants to 6th Class
‘Out of the Ark’ Music are providing free resources for schools during the Covid-19 period. They are releasing a set of seven songs each week - one for each day. Each song has its own theme, you have a beautifully produced recording on YouTube with all the lyrics and music provided for you. Each song also comes with its own set of suggested activities.
https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/ootam-at-home/
Visual Arts Resources
I Am An Artist
All Classes
A very oldie but a very goodie. One of the best produced Visual Arts guides for the curriculum. The site may be dated but everything in it is gold!
Carlow Educate Together Visual Arts Plan
All Classes
Carlow Educate Together’s Visual Arts Plan is available to everyone. It’s a Google Site that contains information on all the strands and video examples of what to do in each of them.
https://sites.google.com/carloweducatetogether.ie/visualarts/home
Online art supports on Social Media
Youtube:
- Will Sliney https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmtQsXI3211I2eumTVKh4Kg coaches drawing of marvel characters
- Art for kids hub https://www.youtube.com/user/ArtforKidsHub coaches simple drawings
- Draw so cute https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3dEvA1is6-0_yuei9iCdEw coaches drawing simple cartoons
- Use your hand as a template for drawing simple pictures- 10 ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJNSOte9h4I
- Craft ideas using materials in the home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSsdnC896pU
Instagram:
- LEARNSTAGRAM.2020 - online school including art lessons with minimal resources. (other subjects available on this platform)
Teachers Pay Teachers: This is a website with lesson ideas. There are some lovely FREE resources and lessons. Be careful, not all lessons are free. You have to sign up by email to get free resources. Here are some nice art ones that are free:
- https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Party-Pineapples-Art-Lesson-4377329
- https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Party-Pandas-Art-lesson-4487003
- https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pop-Art-Interactive-Flip-Flops-Great-End-of-the-Year-Activity-FREE-1180791
Ethics / Religion Resources
Learn Together Resource Bank
All Classes
Lots of books, lesson plans, links to websites to support the Learn Together curriculum
https://learning.educatetogether.ie/course/index.php?categoryid=9
Catholic Confirmation Study “Chosen”
Confirmation classes (5th/6th)
www.confirmationstudy.com Has great videos (and worksheets/books.) Sample videos are on the website. Many of the full videos are available on youtube or vimeo to view for free, just search “Chosen Confirmation Study”. Books and dvds available to buy but resources on website are free.
Catholicicing.com
All class levels
Has a wide range of resources and ideas including art and crafts, worksheets and “How to draw” videos. Resources to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
https://www.catholicicing.com/
Churchservices.tv
All class levels
Watch Mass and other services live from churches all over Ireland. Check the schedule section to see what is available each day. Children might like to “visit” churches online that are connected to their family, e.g. where their parents/grandparents were married, where their cousins go to church etc. https://www.churchservices.tv/
SEN-related resources
Education Nation
Online learning for all school staff to better help all pupils with special needs.
https://educationnation.ie/register/covid-19-free-access/
Free access to all Education Nation courses for all schools until March 31st 2020
SEN Teacher
One of the oldest sites dedicated the Special Education Teaching but has expanded its use to any type of learning environment. Loads of printables and interactive resources.
Curricular Material | National Council for Special Education
- CPD and In-School Support
https://www.sess.ie/resources/curricular-material
Learning about COVID-19
Information Worksheet for Children about Covid-19
All Classes
Free downloadable PDF for children about Coronavirus which is information but also acts as an activity sheet.
Website is www.mindheart.com Then enter tab for ‘descargables’. Most of this website is in Spanish however, they have the pdf version in English. Tab for direct link is below.
A Book About Coronavirus
All Classes
Nosy Crow Publishers have worked with the famous children’s illustrator Axel Scheffler (of Gruffalo fame) and medical experts in the UK to create this really lovely, and informative, book for children about coronavirus.
You can download it directly here:
https://nosycrowcoronavirus.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Coronavirus_ABookForChildren.pdf
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