Education resources while schools are closed

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A crucial part of public media’s mission is ensuring all children have access to free educational resources, whether at school or at home. While schools are closed, Arizona PBS is here providing educational resources to keep students engaged in learning. In partnership with community educators and organizations, Arizona PBS is providing educational programming and associated digital resources to foster at-home learning across all grade levels.

Read on to find help with the following questions:

• How do I help my child keep learning while schools are closed?
• How do I discuss the coronavirus with children and reinforce healthy habits?
• How can teachers continue to support their students?

How do I help my child keep learning while schools are closed?

At Home Learning
As part of the public media mission to ensure all kids, regardless of their capabilities, have access to continued free educational resources at home, Arizona Public Media and Arizona PBS are partnering to offer Arizonans broadcast programming and accompanying digital resources that adhere to our state curriculum to provide continued at-home learning.

Get the PBS KIDS Daily Newsletter
Is your routine disturbed due to coronavirus concerns? PBS KIDS’ new weekday newsletter offers tips and activities you can use to help kids play and learn at home. Sign up here.

Sign up for Bright By Text
Bright by Text sends free activities, games, and resources right to your cell phone. Messages are targeted to your child’s age and include information on child development, language and early literacy, health and safety, behavioral tips and more. Bright by Text is completely free to sign up, but message and data rates may apply. Read more or sign up here.

Arizona PBS LearningMedia’s PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings
As teachers, students, and families deal with school closures, PBS LearningMedia producers and educators have come together to curate a special collection of resources organized by grade and subject area. Find videos, lesson plans, and activities that support learning at home. Create a free account to save and organize content.

ASU for You
Providing options for every learner, at any age, ASU for You is an approach to education that supports Universal Learners® with resources from a national research university — recognizing that to meet the needs of a rapidly changing, technology-driven world, people will need to access education and learning platforms throughout their lives.

Community Resources from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU
Faculty members, instructional designers, technology strategists and more offer their expertise in teaching and learning remotely to help you navigate the fast-moving developments associated with COVID-19. On this site, you’ll find resources, guidance and support for K-12 educators, administrators and leaders, and parents and families.

Arizona PBS KIDS
On air, Arizona PBS KIDS provides anytime access to trusted educational series for kids ages 2-8. Tune in on channel 8.4 with antenna, 81 on Cox, 22 on CenturyLink Prism or 144 on Suddenlink. You can also stream Arizona PBS KIDS online at azpbs.org/kids.

PBS KIDS apps
The PBS KIDS Video app is available on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices and offers on-demand educational videos, and a livestream of Arizona PBS KIDS channel. No subscription required. The PBS KIDS Games app offers nearly 200 educational games, which can be downloaded for offline play anytime, anywhere.

Daily Activity Calendar: April
Use this calendar to try a different PBS KIDS activity each day.

First Things First: Parenting in the time of coronavirus and social distancing
Being the parent of a young child can be stressful under any circumstances, but our current reality makes it even harder. Rebecca Parlakian, ZERO TO THREE’s senior director of programs, offers advice for parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers during this period of social distancing.

PBS KIDS 24/7 Interactive Schedule
Track what shows are playing on PBS KIDS and find learning games and activities to match your favorite shows.

Mission US: An Interactive Way to Learn History
Developed for middle and high school students, Mission US provides “missions” that teach students about the struggles of Americans, the role of ordinary men and women in history, develop historical empathy and to encourage thinking like a historian.

At-Home Learning Toolkit for Parents and Families
Offers playful learning activities, information, and tips for parents to help children play and learn at home.

PBS KIDS Learning Goals
See what learning goals PBS KIDS programming provides and after, have them fill out a questionnaire to ensure their understanding of what they watched.

Wonderopolis
Let natural curiosity and imagination lead to exploration and discovery in learners of all ages. Each day, find an intriguing question — the Wonder of the Day® — and explore it in a variety of ways.

Virtual Tours of Arizona Sites
Visit the Grand Canyon, the Phoenix Zoo and a variety of museums, exhibits and other attractions — even while staying safely at home.

Parenting and Caregiving for Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Find resources and strategies from Facing History for ideas including tips for “contracting” as a family, activities and conversation-starters, videos and readings to share and discuss as a family and more.

How do I discuss the coronavirus with children and reinforce healthy habits?

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
Looking for guidance on how to keep the children in your life safe, informed and reassured? This article from PBS KIDS, includes tools for practicing healthy habits with your children as well as videos, games and activities all about hand washing and staying healthy.

How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus
Stress is a normal, healthy biological response to perceived threats and challenge, but too much stress can hijack our ability to reason through a situation. This is something parents and children can work on, together: here are strategies to help children navigate their big feelings.

Coping with COVID-19: A “For Now” Normal
Sesame Street created a list of tips for parents of children with autism to help explain what’s going on and how to create a new routine while keeping up healthy habits.

Virus Information & Prevention Resources
What are viruses and how do they spread? Find resources for students of all ages that explore the nature of viruses, how they are transmitted, and the healthy habits we can all engage in to prevent their spread. From the common cold to COVID-19, these videos, interactive lessons, and discussion questions will offer educators a variety of ways to introduce the topic to students.

Healthy Habits | Everyday Learning
It’s important to introduce preschool-age children to healthy habits and to reinforce these habits while they are young so that they become automatic. This video demonstrates two of the most important habits we can teach children: covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze and washing your hands. In this video, a young girl demonstrates the correct procedure for performing these two simple tasks.

The Federal Bureau of Ick
Uncle Sam is asking you to do your part to fight ICK! wherever ick may be. In this feature Uncle Sam, of the Federal Bureau of Ick, declares hand washing a civic duty in order to eradicate ick, including germs and viruses.

KidVision: How to Make Soap
Miss Penny and the KidVision Kids learn about soap and how to make it. First they do an experiment with soap’s basic ingredients — water, oil and lye. Next they explore fragrances, smelling essential oils and the plants they come from. Then they make fragrant, colorful soap! Finally, they wash their hands and practice good hand washing skills. This one is for your health!

How can teachers continue to support their students?

At Home Learning
As part of the public media mission to ensure all kids, regardless of their capabilities, have access to continued free educational resources at home, Arizona Public Media and Arizona PBS are partnering to offer Arizonans broadcast programming and accompanying digital resources that adhere to our state curriculum to provide continued at-home learning.

Distance Learning Resources from PBS LearningMedia
PBS Learning Media is a collection of free, standards-aligned videos, interactive activities, lesson plans, and more, curated by Arizona PBS for Arizona teachers like you. Discover ways you can use PBS LearningMedia to support distance learning.

Distance Learning Tips From One Teacher to Another
Preparing for illnesses is always a difficult and serious affair, but it does give us an opportunity to think about how we can extend learning outside the walls of our classrooms and into the homes of our students.

Arizona PBS LearningMedia’s PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings
As teachers, students, and families deal with school closures, PBS LearningMedia producers and educators have come together to curate a special collection of resources organized by grade and subject area. Find videos, lesson plans, and activities that support learning at home. Create a free account to save and organize content.

ASU for You
Providing options for every learner, at any age, ASU for You is an approach to education that supports Universal Learners® with resources from a national research university — recognizing that to meet the needs of a rapidly changing, technology-driven world, people will need to access education and learning platforms throughout their lives.

How to Talk to Little Learners About Coronavirus
Our littlest learners are naturally curious and love to explore and share everything, including germs. With the arrival of COVID-19, the challenge of keeping our students and classrooms safe is more important than ever.

At-Home Learning Toolkits for Educators
Includes standards-aligned lessons, videos, self-paced student modules, and creative virtual supports for teachers.

Google Classroom
Learn everything you need to know about how to use Google Classroom to stay connected and organized with your students. PBS Learning Media fully integrates with Google Classroom. Also, use Remind to communicate with students and other educators.