Skip to main content

My Favorite Online Resources for Credit Recovery (Alternative Education and Summer School)

This summer will be my thirteenth (I think!) summer teaching summer school! Most summers I focus on Social Studies credit recovery. The past three summers I've been responsible for pretty much every subject including English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Health, and Physical Education!

 As a former Alt-Ed teacher, I've done a lot of research looking for engaging and meaningful online curriculum and resources. I'll share some of my favorites along with a brief explanation of why these resources are my favorites.
TED TALKS

Most educators have heard of TED Talks. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are short (often under eighteen minutes) presentations by some of the world's leading innovators and thinkers on pretty much any topic under the sun. The best ones are brief and super-powerful!

 Many teachers I know have used at least one TED Talk as part of a lesson or unit. If you have never used TED Talks in your classroom, I strongly encourage you to do so! My high school students LOVE them. There are hundreds (probably thousands) of TED Talks to choose from. In fact, there are so many, finding the right one for your classroom might seem a little overwhelming.

 In my years as an Alternative Education teacher, I've spent many hours reviewing hundreds of talks looking for ones I think would appeal to my students. Once I found talks that met my criteria (relevant, meaningful, clear, concise, sometimes humorous, always powerful), I developed lesson plans to use with the videos. 

 Over time, I started acuumulating quite a few lessons on the following topics-- communication, mental health, history, etc. I gradually started compiling similar themed TED lessons into units (which I used to create student workbooks). My TED Talk workbooks became a staple in both my summer school credit recovery program and my Alternative Education program (the workbooks worked wonderfully with my independent study students.)

 If you are interested in checking out my TED Talk units, please click here.




KHAN ACADEMY
Every year Khan Academy gets better and better. I have been using Khan Academy for years. In the beginning, I used Khan Academy almost exclusively for its math content. In recent years, Khan Academy has grown to include content in every core subject area and more! Recently, they've added Careers and Growth Mindset curriculum, perfect for both summer school credit recovery and/or Alternative Education programming!
If you are unfamiliar with Khan Academy, this is how it works-- each subject is divided into modules. Modules are divided into mini-lessons. Students learn content from short video tutorials and brief written summaries. As students progress through a course (by watching video tutorials, practicing skills, and completing quizzes, they earn “mastery points” and badges. Teacher “coaches” are able to monitor student progress by synching student accounts with their own account. Teacher coaches are able to monitor how much time students spend watching tutorials, answering questions, etc. More importantly, teacher coaches are able to monitor which skills students have mastered and which skills students are struggling with and therefore need more practice.
CRASH COURSE


If you are in need of United States History and World History content, Crash Course videos are where it’s at! Students love these videos! They are jam-packed with great content, are funny, and visually appealing. The only complaint I’ve received from students regarding Crash Course videos is that John Green talks too fast. (There are Crash Course videos in other content areas such as Science, Government, and Literature with narrators who don’t speak as fast as John.) To resolve the "John Green talks too fast" issue, I simply slow down the speed in the video settings! Super easy!
Crash Course is more than a just YouTube channel. They also have their own website with lots of free curriculum. You can also find a lot of freebies online if you need a video guide for a specific episode. (I’ve created a few video guides for Crash Course videos that I offer for free in my TpT Store!)

iCIVICS
If you need Civics curriculum, iCivics has you covered. Founded by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2009 to promote civic literacy and engagement, it has grown in popularity among teachers nationwide.  All you need to do is register and you have access to dozens of engaging lessons and resources your students will find both meaningful and fun! My students love “Argument Wars," a game focusing on landmark Supreme Court cases.
NPR

I use public radio with independent students a lot. I’ve found some great programs focusing on themes that are meaningful and useful to the students I serve. Some of the best content I use with my Life Skills course comes from NPR. For example, two summers ago I put together a "Healthy Parenting" unit and a “Teen Mental Health and Wellness Workbook” unit centered around NPR programs. I also put together a Civic Literacy and Engagement unit using both NPR programs and TED Talks for my CIvics students. I’ve used all of these units with independent study students during the school year as well. My only suggestion when using NPR programs in the classroom is to check for dead links a day or two before the lesson.








TED-ED is another resource I use often in my Social Studies Credit Recovery classes. TED-ED is jam-packed with short, engaging videos and mini-lessons including comprehension “Think Questions,” discussion topics, and supplemental resources. TED-ED videos also make great “exit tickets,” supplemental lessons, and extra credit for students as well!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Creative One-Pager Ideas for Social Studies

10 Creative One-Pager Ideas for Social Studies As a social studies teacher, you understand that the subject is one of the most important aspects of education, and it is vital to keep your students engaged and motivated in their learning. One way to achieve this is through the use of one-pagers, a creative and visually appealing way to summarize information and showcase understanding. One-pagers offer a chance to showcase a student’s creativity, critical thinking skills, and grasp of the subject. In this blog post, we will explore ten creative one-pager ideas for social studies that will not only maximize your students’ learning but also spark their creativity and critical thinking skills. Why Use One-Pagers in Social Studies? One-pagers are an excellent way to get students engaged in the learning process. They are a creative and visually appealing way to summarize information and showcase understanding. By utilizing one-pagers, you can help your students to: Process information more ef...
3 comments
Read more

Examples of Map Legends and Map Symbols (Plus Creative Tips and Project Ideas!)

Creative tips and projects for teaching students about legends (keys) on a map: 1. Create a scavenger hunt: Give students a map with a key and have them find different landmarks or features on the map. For example, you might ask them to find a park, a school, and a river. This is a fun way to get students engaged with maps and help them learn how to read legends. 2. Make your own map: Have students create their own maps of their school or neighborhood. They can include symbols for different features like buildings, parks, and roads. This is a great way to get students thinking about the different elements that go into making a map. 3. Use technology: There are many online tools that allow you to create custom maps with your own symbols and legends. Have students use these tools to create their own maps of their community or a fictional place. 4. Create a legend matching game: Create cards with different symbols from a map legend and have students match them to the correct definition. T...
7 comments
Read more

Ripped Paper World Map Project - Middle or High School Geography

Earlier this week I presented my students with a challenge. Create a world map using construction paper, glue, and a sharpie. No scissors.  Students were not allowed to use any tools to cut out their continents. They had to tear their continents from construction paper. After their continents were ready, students were asked to label them and then glue them in place.  Each student's map needed a title, compass rose, key, symbols, Equator, and Prime Meridian, and all the continents and oceans had to be labeled. Most of my students had a blast creating their maps. Of course, a couple students were anxious; worried their continents wouldn't look nice. With some reassuring, they proceeded and did just fine.  This activity is a perfect back-to-school or sub-day activity. It required very little prep and materials. I let my students use any color construction paper they wanted as long as they selected two different colors.  The results were fantastic! Grab your copy of the ...
Post a Comment
Read more