SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Both Washington and Idaho schools have closed for the near future in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, parents across the Northwest are grappling with how to teach their children, whether their school has a formal lesson plan system or not.
On Thursday, April 2 at 4:30 p.m., KREM aired live question and answer show around the theme of homeschooling.
Watch the special in three parts:
Below is a list of some resources for parents:
You can check out KREM 2 Meteorologist Thomas Patrick's lesson on why weather moves from west to east in our part of the world here.
NASA also has an out of school learning network where you can find projects, and family activities to teach kids about science.
Many museums are also offering virtual tours. Here are a few to check out:
Spokane Public Schools (online learning resources)
Message from the district website: "The following sample schedules and resources are for you to use during the school closures as you see fit. Structure and routine are strong elements to reduce anxiety, but we recognize that nothing about this is routine. In no way do we believe these activities replace the learning your students would receive by our highly qualified and caring teaching staff."
West Vally School District (online learning resources)
Message from the district website: "To support families during this challenging time amidst the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, we have compiled a menu of optional weekly resources to continue the process of home learning. This will not take the place of regular classroom instruction but will supplement student learning at home. Assignments will not be required or graded. These activities are meant to provide optional opportunities for student learning while they are absent from school. We will continue to add resources and update information weekly."
East Valley School District (online learning resources: located under the tab "Educational Resources")
Message from the district website: "Thank you for your patience as we respond to daily instructions and changes related to the Coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreak. While the East Valley School District is closed, we will be partnering with our families and community to support learning while students are at home. All Districts have been instructed by OSPI to provide only equitable learning opportunities. Because there are limitations to technology access in our community, we will be working to provide resources that can be accessed online and also delivered to families in a hard copy format at each of our meal-delivery sites. Our plan takes into account current curriculum resources, technology, and staff training in determining our capacity to engage and support students while schools are closed. "
Central Valley School District (online learning resources)
Message from the district website: "This list is intended as a supplemental resource for parents who are interested in accessing online resources during school closures. All resources provided are free. Some sites do not require a login, but families may need to create a free login on some of the sites."
Cheney Public Schools (online learning resources)
Message from the district website: Our teacher teams have prepared online resources for at-home learning that students and families may access to maintain learning and further develop skills already taught by classroom teachers. Please check back frequently for updates."
Deer Park School District: (online learning resources)
Message from the district website: "We’re committed to connecting with kids and providing opportunities to learn throughout the extended closure. While a completely remote learning model is new to most of our teachers and students, we’re hoping to get better as we go! For families without access to wireless Internet in their home, teachers have prepared packets of paper materials for students; teachers will continue to produce these packets going forward. For families with wireless Internet access in their home – or a smartphone with hotspot functionality – Deer Park Schools District is providing Chromebooks to students for use during the closure. "
