Calendar of Virtual Field Trips for Families
(Just click on the blue words and then click on the link that appears below the words.)

March/April 2020
April 2020

Here are some resources that we find helpful.
Click on the image below for more information.

​Disclaimer: This resource may contain links to third-party websites that may contain links to other websites with banners or other advertising. The Medfield Public Schools nor its teachers do not warrant, endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of any information offered by third-party websites linked through the site or any website or feature linked in any banner or other advertising.
  • The PBS KIDS 24/7 channel offers anytime access to trusted educational series for kids ages 2-8 (check local listings).
  • PBS KIDS for Parents offers information, activities and tips, including this article on “How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus”
  • The PBS KIDS Games app offers nearly 200 educational games that can be downloaded for offline play anytime, anywhere. Learn more about these and PBS KIDS’ other apps HERE .
  • The PBS KIDS Video app is available on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices and offers on-demand educational videos, and a livestream of the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel. No subscription required.

​From MPS' Elementary School Psychologist & Guidance Team

SEL Online Resources for  Grades K-2
Growth Mindset Read Alouds
Growth mindset is believing hard work, facing challenges & taking risks is the path to becoming your best! Educators say Read Alouds like ours encourage growth mindset in a big way!
​Mindfulness Read Alouds
Read Alouds for Kids focused on mindfulness & growing emotionally aware and strong kids who can overcome fear, anxiety and/or selfishness while building self-confidence and thoughtfulness.
How Do You Feel Today Interactive Game
This interactive game helps children understand their emotions. Children are presented with scenarios (it’s their birthday, their brother breaks a favorite toy, etc.) and asked to click on one of three icons that represent feeling happy, sad, and angry.
Arthur Social-Emotional Interactive Comics
Explore the five topics of empathy, honesty, forgiveness, generosity, and learning from others with interactive stories or games based on episodes of the PBS children’s series ARTHUR. Embedded questions throughout the interactive stories and games encourage students to engage in thoughtful discussions and reflect on character's feelings and perspectives, behaviors and consequences, and resolving conflicts
With schools across the country closing temporarily to contain the spread of the coronavirus, we know many parents are seeking strategies and tips to help keep kids engaged with their learning while at home. Check out this Good Morning America interview with Stanford Senior Lecturer and Challenge Success Co-Founder Denise Pope as well as this article in Stanford News for practical suggestions on home learning activities.

We recognize how challenging this situation can be for parents as they scramble to find childcare, not to mention the hardships facing food-insecure households that rely on school for meals. Yet, this can be a meaningful opportunity for a family to incorporate more Playtime, Downtime, Family time (PDF), which are critical to a young person's well-being, into their lives. Keep reading to see how to build PDF into your routine.

For parents of teenagers, check out Keen on Teens, a free virtual summit with over 24 parenting experts including Challenge Success directors, Dr. Sarah Miles and Jon Kleiman, with ideas for how to guide your teen to a healthy and balanced life.

Stay safe, healthy, and balanced.
The Challenge Success Team
Other Resources & Articles to Support Learning at Home

Schools Are Closing For Coronavirus. Now What? | New York Times
Schools Out, Kids Podcasts Are In | Medium
Going Old School, Offline Ideas for Remote Learning | #RemoteLearning
Incorporate "PDF" into your Daily Routine

One mantra I often share with parents is the importance of PDF — which stands for Playtime, Downtime, and Family time. Research on protective factors for teens shows that engaging in PDF every day can support better mental and physical health. Playtime for teens means unstructured time for social interactions and playing informal sports, games, and other activities for fun. Structured extracurricular activities are great and can lead to positive development, but kids also need time for unstructured play, as well as downtime where they can relax and rejuvenate, and time with family — approximately 20 minutes per day, five times a week — where they are eating together or participating in family activities such as game nights or service projects. Protecting PDF for kids isn’t easy, but we know that it is effective.

Excerpt from Thrive Global article by Dr. Denise Pope.

Download these handouts for more practical ideas on how to support PDF for Teens, Elementary-aged kids, and Pre-schoolers.
Home Learning Assignment Ideas

When I work with teachers and in the curriculum classes that I teach, we’re always trying to come up with ideas to get students more engaged in a way that also makes the lessons more rigorous. Project-based learning is a good way to do that. It will depend on the age, the student, and their interest, but there are lots of ways to encourage a deep dive into something kids are really excited about. Here are a few ideas:

1. Create their own video tutorials on something they love to do and include some background research.

2. Research the process for making chocolate or other favorite foods.

3. Interview an older relative or neighbor to explore their life history or their family tree.

4. Run an experiment on throwing a baseball (or other action your student is interested in) to figure out the physics behind the action.

Excerpt from Stanford News interview with Dr. Denise Pope, Stanford Scholar Offers Ideas to Upgrade Lessons for Kids at Home during Coronavirus School Closures