If your son/daughter is off-campus and far away from their Science Lab because of the dreaded COVID-19, have no fear- I am here! I've traversed the interwebs and found some really great Science Ed-Tech Resources that I know you'll enjoy as a parent/guardian. Feel free to share these 5 Free Science Ed-Tech Resources with your fellow parent/guardian-turned teachers. It's a tough time, right now, y'all...so sharing is caring.
1. Exploratorium, is based out of San Francisco. They released a new online learning toolbox with free science activities and materials addressing public health topics around COVID-19! Talk about bringing the real world into the classroom (a.k.a. your home). They offer more general science support activities and materials for virtual classrooms and at-home learning, covering the nature of viruses, and the effect of soap on viruses. But, wait there's more- they even cover how we test for and fight against viruses, as well as the science of personal and social behaviors and interactions. The organization has also posted 285 science activities, called "science snacks," which use "cheap, readily available materials" and can be done at home. You just might see me make a Science Snacks video.
2. Flinn Scientific has compiled numerous resources for science education, including video labs with teacher and student guides. If that isn't enough, they offer 40 at-home activities for middle and high school science students. Lastly, another great initiative they've began doing is offer broadcasts of lab experiments conducted by their own scientific staff, with scientists on hand to answer questions! How amazing is that? As a parent/guardian-turned teacher you don't have to have all the answers- scientific staff at Flinn Scientific can help answer those tough questions for you!
3. Legends of Learning has opened access to its 2,000 standards-aligned math and science games for free for the rest of the school year to parents! Lucky you! But wait, there's more. The company is also providing its premium-level custom assessments, scheduling features, data and analytics and training and support for all affected by closures. As a parent/guardian-turend teacher, you have 2 options: Student-Driven (Let your child play, progress, and learn) or Parent-Driven (Be your child's teacher at home). Win-win!
4. Science News for Students has compiled COVID-19-specific content for students in grades 9-12. What's great about this resource, is that it is dedicated to expanding scientific literacy in schools (now your temporary at-home-school), recently released the "Coronavirus Outbreak Collection," which includes articles and updates about the virus, freely available resources, and even advice on how to cope with social distancing. Let's be real for a second- social distancing is hard for adults- now imagine being a teenager. The teen angst has to be real.
5. Parents Guide to STEM is a 16-page booklet from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and it offers tips for how to better encourage middle, high school, and undergraduate students (your children) in pursuing careers in STEM fields. The book shows you where to find STEM inspiration in the community, and debunks myths and stereotypes about STEM, such as STEM jobs are isolated and lonely or that girls do not like math or science. The book covers STEM fields and provides information about various STEM-oriented internships and scholarship opportunities for high school and undergraduate students. See, now you're kind of like a school counselor, too! :)