I have been asked if I would talk more about how to incorporate hands-on learning into a lesson.  Here is a simple example. 
 

First, Make a book

Put glue on the top side of the loose end of the spiral.  Pull spiral up and glue to the opposite page.  Press glued ends down firmly.

Open and close.  Your book should open to show spiral and then close flat.  If there is a problem, readjust the spiral.

Second, Write a Story

One rule that I have with pop-ups is that every pop-up must have a story, even if that story is only three sentences long.  Reading a story is often a good way to encourage children to write.  The pop-up makes it fun.  Have your child write a story about their feelings, problems, or fears.  For very young children, you may also write down a story that the child tells.  If your child is reluctant to write a story, start a story and then have them finish the story.  Teens should also write stories about their feelings or problems.  If teens feel that the single pop-up is too simple, challenge them to make the pop up at the top of the page.  It is simply three spirals put together.  Not as hard as it looks.
 
Always edit and correct grammatical and spelling problems.
 
Glue the story on the back of the pop-up.  Write the title of the story and author’s name on the front cover.  Children may also decorate the front cover, but do not use liquid glue.  Only use glue sticks with pop-ups.  Liquid glue soaks through the paper.
 
Reading a story out loud is the best way to improve reading fluency.  Have the child practice reading the story to you.  You may even videotape your child reading their story and share the video with family and friends.  Ask for the child’s permission first.
 
You have turned a simple story into an entire lesson.  You have taught reading, writing, possibly spelling, and reading fluency.  You have also spent time talking about feelings and problems.   
 
In this time of uncertainty and tragedy, we must all try to do what we can to help others.  Perhaps a simple story can show us the way to equality, justice, and a better way of life.  One suggestion that I have this summer is to help your children and teens look for stories or books that illustrate how to live a better life, how to treat others fairly, how to help those in need, how to speak kindly, how to be considerate of others feelings, how to turn away from hatred and anger, how to work for peace.  Superheroes are fine – up to a point, but I’d like to challenge children, teenagers, and adults to look for reading material that will help you change your life and also help you change the life of those around you.  We must not just think about ourselves; we must always think of the needs of others as well.

Politicians, school administrators, teachers, and even parents are arguing back and forth whether it is safe to open schools in the fall.  Regardless whether we open or do not open, both plans are going to be riddled with problems, frustration, and, most likely, tears. 
 
Before we try to answer the question of whether we should open or not, let’s turn to the
CDC guidelines for schools to reopen.  The guidelines are extensive, so I'll summarize, but I encourage you to read the list in its entirety:  

• social distancing—all desks 6 feet apart, social distancing in halls and on buses, keep all desk facing in one direction, even seat students in one direction at tables 
• close all “communal shared areas” – playgrounds, cafeterias, gym locker rooms, and erect plastic barriers between restroom sinks 
• “cloth face coverings” should be worn by staff and students – even the CDC admits this may be a challenge, especially getting younger children to wear a face mask all day. 
• staggered schedules – including arrival and drop-off times, even possibly staggered class schedules 
• serve prepackaged individual meals – have children eat at their desk in the classroom, schools may also require students to bring lunch from home  
• no field trips – use virtual activities, limit visitors and volunteers 
• have students bring their own water bottles to minimize use of water fountains 
• avoid sharing – art supplies, pencils, electronics, library books, toys 
• clean and disinfect frequently – door handles, water faucets, buses, classrooms 
• post signs and show videos – to show how to properly wash hands and how to properly wear a face mask 
• screen all students and staff daily for Covid-19

 
This extensive list still doesn’t answer the question:  Should we or should we not reopen?  There is no one simple answer or blueprint to follow.  This is not a one-size-fits-all solution.  Let’s turn to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for his advice:  “…it’s always related to the level of activity of the virus….”  
 
Are You Sure That We Should Open Schools in the Fall?
 
Not everyone agrees that we should.  Some school districts and colleges have made the decision to keep classes online in the fall.  To some extent, we must wait to see what the state of the coronavirus is in the fall.  So, we cannot simply say, “open the doors; school is back in session.”  Yes, we must plan.  We cannot just sit down and wait to see what happens, but as we consider the difficulty of reopening school, we must also answer, “should we?”   
  
Three Reasons that we should not open schools in the fall
I’ll give three reasons why we should not open schools in the fall.  I stated in previous blog posts that group or classroom style teaching is better than online or remote teaching.  At present, however, online education is safer for our children.  Safety is a good reason to not reopen schools in the fall.
 
 
First reason that should keep us from opening schools in the fall is safety.  We must ask:  Is it Safe? 
 
Let’s go to the experts first.  Dr. Aaron E, Carroll, Associate Dean professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine said that,
 
“U. S. schools cannot safely reopen until public health officials find ways to identify and treat people infected with Covid 19.”  
 
Yes, you can find many people who will say “the numbers are going down and everything is fine.”  Really?  According to Johns Hopkins University, there were 21,140 new cases of coronavirus in the United States on June 4th.

Statista Research and Analysis stated that “Approximately 27,900 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in the United states on June 18, 2020.”
 
We are a long way from winning the battle against coronavirus.  Yes, some states are seeing a bit of relief, but other places are seeing definite spikes.  
 
So, safety is definitely a major concern and reason to question whether school should reopen in the fall.
 
Many parents are worried about the health and safety of their children if schools reopen in the fall.  According to one survey, 60% of K-12 parents said they would not be sending their children back to school in the fall; instead they would be seeking online options.
 
Yes, there are others saying, “please hurry up; open the schools.” 
 
I understand that parents need to go back to work, and to do so, many parents need the schools to reopen.  Yet, need doesn’t answer the safety question. 
 
In all of these discussions, are we really critically evaluating what is best for the children?   
 
 
We must remember that when we are discussing safety, children get sick too.
 
What about the children who are still getting sick from coronavirus complications, and what about the children who have died?  New York alone reported 161 cases of mysterious pediatric links with coronavirus. 
 
More: Should We Pretend It's OK to Open the Schools?

Harvard Medical School published an article stating:  
 
“Children, including very young children, can develop Covid-19….  A complication that is more recently been observed in children can be severe and dangerous. Called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), it can lead to life-threatening problems with the heart and other organs in the body. Early reports compare it to Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory illness that can lead to heart problems.”
 
Many teenagers have also been found to have the symptoms.  Hundreds of cases have been registered from across the nation.  Definite health dangers lie in the path of reopening in the fall.
 
Do we turn a blind eye to these problems and just say, “I don’t care any more? I’m tired of being stuck in the house.  I cannot deal with another day of homeschooling.” 
 
We need to face the facts. Coronavirus is not a hoax.  Coronavirus is real, and it is dangerous.  
We must also face that there are health risks involved with reopening the schools.  The question is:  Are the benefits worth the risks?
 
The second reason that we should consider not opening schools in the fall is mental health.
 
Everyone warns that school will not be the same as when it closed in March.  Students and teachers will be faced with a completely different approach to classroom education.  Many schools are contemplating to have some students attend a morning session and other students attend an afternoon session.  Other may have students attend on alternate days.  Neither of these plans explains what is to be done with children when they are not attending school on their scheduled day or time. 
 
Confusion and uncertainty usually lead to fear. As one parent stated, “I don’t want my kid sitting alone in a square on the playground shouting to his friends through a muffled sounding mask….” 
 
Children are often anxious about going back to school in the fall.  The changes and restrictions required at school this fall for their safe return will increase this anxiety, but the question is:  Would returning to school in the fall with all the problems and restrictions be psychologically better for children than staying home and continuing for another year with online education?
 
No one can actually answer that question.  We do not have the experience or knowledge to say exactly how children will react if school reopens. 
 
Most school systems are saying that, even if they return to school in the fall, classroom education will incorporate online or remote learning.  So, we most likely have both problems to deal with. 
 
Students will not be returning to school as it once was. If schools reopen in the fall, school classrooms, by necessity, will be different.
 
As a psychologist, I believe that we will have some children and teens who adapt and cope with the changes.  I also think we will have some children and teens who will not do well with the changes.  The question is, Will we be alert to their needs?  Will we notice when they are struggling?  Will we understand why they are afraid?  How will we help them cope?
 
Each child or teenager is different.  Each student’s fear will be different.  Each problem will need to be handled on an individual basis.  There will be no group solution.
 
I do know that, regardless of whether we returned to school in the fall or whether we continue with online education, we must consider the mental health of our children, teenagers, and teachers.  We have many children and teens suffering from the closure of school this spring.  What have we done about their fears?  So far, nothing.
 
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) offer some excellent advice.  I’ll summarize the article but encourage you to go and read the entire article: 

• The NASP suggests that parents and teachers become role models.  Children do learn from your example; therefore, how are you handling your fears? 
• The NASP advises to be aware of how you talk about Covid-19.  Yes, it is very important to talk with your child or teenager, but the way you talk with them can either increase their fear or calm their fears.  Be positive.  Remember to listen to what they have to say and then respond with truth.  There are a lot of opinions floating around.  Some are healthy, some are not.  It is always best to share the facts.  Listen to the scientist and the doctors, not the politicians. 
• The NASP says that you need to explain social distancing.  Children do not understand exactly why they should sit 6 feet apart or not touch and play on the playground or not sit at the lunch table sharing and swapping food.  Explain that school will be different for a while.  Ask your child how they feel about these differences.  Let children and teens share their feelings. 
• The NASP encourages everyone to focus on the positive.  Cherish the extra time you have together as a family.  Plan something special.  It doesn’t need to cost money.  
• The NASP says that parents and teachers should identify projects that might help others.  Giving to others has always been one of the healthiest ways to help yourself.  Send positive messages.  Call others on the phone.  Skype with those you haven’t seen for a while.  Plan a project to help others in your community, those in need, those who are struggling.  Helping someone else really will help you. 
• The NASP says that everyone should offer lots of love and affection.  This should be something we do every day.  Regardless of whether we are in the middle of a pandemic or enjoying the happiest of days, we should always share love and affection.  Add it to your daily schedule.  Children and teens particularly need this added love and affection in these stressful times.

  
The third reason that we should consider not opening schools in the fall is the quality of education. 
 
You read the CDC’s list above of what we need to do to safely reopen school in the fall, but can we teach under that much pressure on safety compliance? 
 
Yes, I know there is also a question about the quality of education that has been delivered through on-line education.  So, which is better? 
 
On-line distance learning this spring has not been classified as successful.
 
In their report, The Return: How Should Education Leaders Prepare for Reentry and Beyond? compiled by CHIEFS for Change and the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University School of Education, we read that
 
“In the midst of the pandemic, the majority of schools and systems are struggling to provide rigorous, grade-level learning; …. Many students will finish the school year academically behind—some, substantially so. Suggestions abound, from holding all kids back a year, to designating “half-year” status; from summer school in 2020, to an extended school year in 2021.” 
 
 
So, what should we do? 
My own research shows that retaining students doesn’t work [see my blog post from 5-14-20].  Half-year status would create the same problems as retention.  Both of those ideas should be scratched off the list.  Summer school would be extremely hard to pull off this summer and has been proven only to be effective when you have a highly qualified teacher, excellent curriculum, and strong attendance.  Furthermore, many believe that even a “well-crafted” summer school program cannot offset the learning deficits of low-income students this year.  The Return report went on to state that:
 
“Intensive summer programming in 2020 will not compensate for COVID-19 learning losses.” 
 
Extending the school year will require the same restructuring of facilities and schedules as reopening in the fall.  

Extending the school year does not answer such questions as:

• the cost of reopening – making school facilities safe for reopening is going to cost money because schools were not designed to accommodate social distancing – where will the money come from?  
• managing flexible schedules –  school attendance may need to be staggered and distance learning may become a permanent part of the classroom schedule which could mean that parents need to be home part of the time because students will be working at home as well as at school – what do you do with students whose parents must work? 
• smaller class sizes – having small mentoring groups of less than 12, crowded hallways will also be a problem – middle school and high school students may be required to stay in one classroom rather than switching classes – where do you put the extra students? 

 
Therefore, we are back where we started.  We have online education that has not worked for many students this spring during the coronavirus pandemic.  We have reopening plans that seem impossible at best and not financially feasible.  We have parents needing to go to work and students who need to learn.
 
Yet, we must remember that simply sending students back to school will not guarantee that they learn.  Schools were in academic trouble before the pandemic. 

More: Reading scores were worse in 2019 than they were in 2017

Our educational system needs a total overhaul.
 
Will classroom teaching quality be questionable even if we reopen?  Is there any way to help students?
 
As I said above, most schools have stated that their reopening plan will probably include both distance and in-person learning.  Some even suggest that each student, not just the special needs students, will need an individualized educational plan.  This plan will incorporate transportation, learning needs, specific goals for the year, social and emotional supports needed, and a way to coordinate between the home and school schedule.
 
Other educators point out the need for very strong teachers.
 
“Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, wrote in 2018, ‘The strongest education research finding in the last twenty years is that the quality of a teacher is the single greatest in school determinate of student outcomes.’ A high-quality teacher not only bolsters students’ academic success in the short term, but also their economic productivity and social wellbeing in the long term. ‘High-quality’ means, among other things, holding students to high standards. Research continues to affirm…that teachers matter.” 
  
Having a positive relationship with a teacher can help a student alleviate fears, develop a stronger motivation to learn, feel a sense of satisfaction with how they are learning, while helping to reduce anxiety, disruptive behavior, and anger over the changes that the coronavirus pandemic has brought about.
 
A strong teacher can also make the difference in whether a child learns or does not learn.  Regardless whether students are learning online or in an adjusted classroom in the fall, excellent teaching will be required.  Students also need excellent curriculum.  No more merely sending home a stack of worksheets. We have time this summer, and we need to be getting ready for fall.
As Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon said,
 
“We’re not sure that [school building closure] is not something that we’re going to revisit in the fall or the winter…. I’m really focusing much of our resources on the expansion and accountability wrapped around online learning and distance learning.”
 
Chris Reykdal, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of Washington, echoed the same concerns.  
 
“Short of a vaccine, which people continue to tell us is 12 to 18 months away, we have to figure out if it’s safe to come back even in the fall….  I already have to start thinking about how to continue to strengthen our online model, which is gotten exponentially better over the last two weeks but there’s a lot of work to go.”
 
There isn’t one single answer.  There are those who believe we should reopen school in the fall.  There are those who believe we should continue with online education.  There are those who believe we will end up with a combination of the two.
 
What should we do?
 
I believe we should be restructuring our educational program.  We need to improve quality.  We need to improve teaching.  We need to improve our curriculum.  I’m in the middle of writing a list of 20 reasons why reading scores were worse in 2019 than in previous years.  Each of the reasons listed so far explain a problem that we have in our educational system, a problem that is causing reading failure, a problem that we can change by correcting how we teach.  Regardless whether we teach online or in the classroom, we need a new educational approach.
 
I believe we also need to be prepared to teach through online education in the fall.  I do not believe that reopening the schools will work.  We must be ready this time.  We can’t just assume that reopening schools will solve all of our problems.
 
While we wait for decisions to be made, I offer Part 3 of my suggestions for free education resource materials.
 
 
Part 3:  Free Educational Resources
 
I always try to suggest free resources that you may turn to.  This week I’m into reading.  See   Part 1 of this ongoing list on my blog on 5-24-20.  Part 2 of this list may be found on my blog for  6-2-20.  

For me, summer means extra time to read.  I hope that it does for your child or teen as well.  I found an interesting site this week that includes stories for multiple ages. 

I particularly like this one about the raindrop, entitled Do What You Can.  
 
If you do not find a story that your child can read to you, remember, it is wonderful to sit down and read to your child.  Spending time together is the best gift you can ever give to any child or teenager.  Yes, teenagers still need time and love as well.
 
Here’s also a story written by a child. You might use this story to encourage your own child to write about a personal incident or to create a fictional story.  Sometimes writing about problems can be the best therapy.  Encourage your child or teen to write or to just talk about their concerns, their fears, or times when they have felt that no one cared.  This week has been a truly difficult week.  Families need to talk, need to share, need to show that they care for one another and those around them. 

If you are looking for something special to teach today, look no further.  Today, June 8, 2020, is World Oceans Day.  Talk about how important it is to protect the ocean.
Some fun web sites to explore:

1. NASA offers a fabulous site that talks about oceans throughout the universe.    It’s very interactive, even small children will enjoy this.  
2. Mr. Trash Wheel is a big hit.   Also, if you did not use it earlier, there is a wonderful story on Scholastic about Mr. Trash Wheel.
3. There’s also Fred. 
4. Have children design their own trash collector.  Here’s another suggestion.  

While looking for good educational ideas, I stumbled across another problem:  worksheets.  Everywhere you look, more and more free worksheets appear, and yes, this is a problem in the classroom and for online teaching because worksheets do not help students learn. Hands-on projects like the one on the left lead to better teaching and learning. 

• Worksheets do not teach.  Worksheets (the question-answer or paper pencil type activity) are just busy work, or as one author so eloquently stated,  “They’re easy.  They’re painless.  They require little lesson planning.”  

 

• Worksheets do not encourage students to learn.  If a worksheet is too easy, the student learns nothing and becomes bored.  If the student does not know the material covered by the worksheet, the student is either practicing mistakes or becoming more and more frustrated until eventually giving up.  Frustration over a worksheet can actually reduce a student’s motivation for learning.  A simple set of directions at the top of the page is not the same as teaching a concept. 

 

• Worksheets do not lead to long-term meaningful learning.  A student achieves meaningful learning  when information is completely understood.  That is not the same as mere memorization. Worksheets do not promote meaningful learning. “The mere accomplishment of the worksheet task does not signify the child’s ability to read or comprehend.”  Even when a student can complete a worksheet correctly, it still doesn’t guarantee that the student has learned the concept being taught.

 

• Worksheets only test rote memory.  Worksheets do not encourage critical thinking or creativity, and they do not connect with real life experiences.  “Rote memory allows for memorization of base information, but it doesn’t put that information into any sort of context. The lack of context for complex subjects mean that the student has not learned anything about what they are studying.”  

 
As one 20-year teacher said,  “Our goal as professional educators should be lessons that encourage divergent thinking [complex, higher order analysis, critical thinking], not convergent thinking [just learning facts or memorizing].

So, Why Do We Have So Many Worksheets?
Because they’re easy to use and require very little effort.  Let’s be honest.  With the mere click of a button, you can find hundreds and thousands of worksheets.  There are worksheets on almost every topic.  There are worksheets for every age level. 
 
Is that what we want for our students? 
 
I certainly do not, and I will go one step further.  Worksheets have also contributed to academic failure, especially reading failure.  Remember, the Nation’s Report Card reported that reading scores in 2019 were worse than scores in 2017.  That means that more students were struggling or failing in reading in 2019 than in 2017. [see my 10-31-19 blog post]  As we continue to explore the 20 reasons why those scores were lower in 2019, I contend that the overuse of worksheets in the classroom is one of those reasons.
 
Another way of stating the problem:
 
“Imagine you’re taking a test in history class. To prepare, you look at your notes and re-read your textbook. You take the exam and get a decent score. Great!  But what happens if you take that same exam without revision in 6 months? A year? You’ll likely get a much lower score.  That’s because you didn’t really learn that material. You memorized it for a single purpose and have since forgotten.

"Retaining information can be a struggle, and not just over long periods of time as described above. You can be taught something and forget it almost immediately if it doesn’t sink in.  Hands-on learning is proven to be more effective at helping students grasp what they’re taught.” 
 
What is hands-on learning?  Hands-on learning is a teaching method that directly involves the student by actively encouraging the student to “learn-by-doing.”  Hands-on learning is better than the “hands-off” learning approach.

• “Hands-off” means to give students a problem, and they must figure out how to work out the solution to that problem without help.
• “Hands-on” incorporates the principles of what’s being taught (usually by a teacher but not through lecture) with participation in activities that teach and reinforce the principles being taught.

 
Hands-on-Learning Encourages Application to the Real-World
For example, I use hands-on learning in all of my reading programs. At the Reading Orienteering Club, information is taught at every single workstation.  Every workstation teaches: 

(1) information on a theme—for example, the history of spaceflight,  (2) a counseling principal—for example, how to work together as a cooperative team, not a competitive one, and (3) vowel clustering—whichever vowel sound is being studied for that day.  I call these:  “Start with Teamwork, Follow the Word Clues, Take Action, and Are You Ready for a Challenge?” Each section provides information to be taught in an intrinsically motivating, hands-on way.  Students must not only learn the concept being taught, but they must also learn to follow step-by-step directions to complete a hands-on project, and at the end they must come together as a cooperative group to present a group program on the concept that was taught—usually a make-believe TV puppet show.  Completing a hands-on project (puppet) or make-believe TV show gives students an intrinsically motivating sense of achievement.  Success really is contagious, and learning can be fun.  Hands-on learning is also a more effective way to teach: “Hands-on learning is proven to be more effective at helping students grasp what they’re taught. There’s no shortage of studies that show hands-on learning has a significant impact:”
 
“One study compared test scores of 8th graders who were lectured about water quality with students who built a water purification device. The students who went through active learning saw much higher test scores and improvement rates.”  

• “Another study found that students who didn’t engage in hands-on learning were 1.5 times more likely to fail a course than students who did.”  

 

• “Hands-on learning better engages both sides of the brain.” 

 

• “Listening and analyzing processes occur in the left hemisphere, but visual and spatial processes are handled on the right. By combining multiple styles of learning, the brain forms stronger overall connections and is able to store more relevant information.” 

 

• “Brain scans also show increased activity in sensory and motor-related areas of the brain when thinking about concepts they had hands-on experience with.  Being able to touch and see something is simply more powerful than only reading about it.” 

 
Can We Use Hands-On Teaching with Online Instruction or Social Distancing?
 
I believe we can, but with the schools closed and the on-line teaching reports from this spring showing dismal results, we certainly need to improve.  To be fair, some teachers and schools have been successful this spring, but, then, to be truthful, some have not.
 
In a 2020 special report on education during the coronavirus lockdown, Class Tag reported:  

“68.8% of teachers relied on worksheets and/or prepared written study packets”
“49.9% did not use any form of live video streaming or had any plans to”
“only 12.7% said that they would use a live video lesson or streaming [in the future].”
  
The response from parent groups is not much better.
 
When the survey responses from parents with a household income of less than $25,000 a year were compared with households of $100,000 a year, the effectiveness of online remote learning this spring was very different.  For example: 

• “Parents from low-income homes are ten times more likely to say their kids are doing little or no remote learning (once a week or less) (38% vs. 3.7%)” 

 

• “Kids from low-income homes are three times more likely not to have consistent access to a device (32% vs 10%) and five times more likely to go to a school not offering distance learning materials or activities at all (11% vs 2%).”

 

• “Parents from low income homes are twice as likely to say remote learning is going poorly or very poorly (36% vs. 18%) and are more likely to say their kid’s work is mostly or entirely busy work (35% vs. 19%).”

 
Hands-on teaching techniques were not being used in the school districts surveyed by these studies.  Worksheets, even the cut and paste type worksheets, are not a hands-on teaching technique.
 
We do know that creative hands-on teaching has been used successfully in the classroom.  Many studies clearly show that hands-on teaching techniques have made “a significant impact:”

My reading clinics have proven this as well.  See the research data in my latest book:  Afterschool Programming and Intrinsic Motivation (2019).
 
The question is, can hands-on teaching techniques be used in a classroom that is practicing social distancing?  Or with on-line education? 
 
Let’s look at the classroom first, but before we answer that question, let us take a look at what classrooms may be like in the fall if schools reopen. The Los Angeles County schools published a document outlining a plan for safely reopening their schools following the necessity of social distancing.  This is only one example, but it was the only published plan that I could locate.  I’m sure more will become available soon.  They decided:

• They would need to abandon the long-held traditions of playtime, socialization, and hands-on support.
• This would in effect mean no science labs, no team sports, no recess, and no group work.
• They were not at all sure how they would keep kindergartners or other young students 6 feet apart.
• They also weren’t sure how to get students to wear masks all day.  And how do you keep students from “fiddling with or taking the mask off.”  Another question, was what to do if a child comes to school without a mask or refuses to wear a mask?
• It was decided that students would remain in the classroom for lunch and eat at their desks—which are, naturally, spaced 6 feet apart.
• All desks must be 6 feet apart and facing the same direction, no groups or desks facing each other or pushed together, no table time, or carpet areas. 
• Hallway traffic would be designated as only one-way at certain intervals in order to avoid contact.
• Class sizes must be cut.  Maybe some students could come to school in the morning and then others in the afternoon.  The question of what to do with students only attending school for half the day was never resolved.
• Classroom libraries and books would be impossible to sanitize each day and therefore must be packed away.
• School library time would be closed for the same reason.
• The school would have to purchase each student’s personal equipment—masks, crayons, pencils, paper, or whatever is needed for that age level.

 
The report made going back to school in the fall sound rather bleak.  On May 20, 2020, USA Today reported that 60% of K-12 parents surveyed said that they did not plan to send their children back to public school in the fall.  Most said that they would be looking into “at-home learning options.”  Even 20% of teachers surveyed said that they do not plan to return to the classroom in the fall, not under the present conditions. 
 
Hands-on learning does not seem to have much chance.  I’m not sure learning of any kind will have much of a chance.
 
The Los Angeles group even admitted that “the diminishing of play, lunch table chatter, and personal contact could hurt students if such measures continue in the long term.” 
 
I foresee a mountain of worksheets, with teachers saying, "what else am I to do?"  Keep in mind that worksheets can be just as easily assigned through a student’s personal school computer as they can by passing out a piece of paper.  As one teacher said, “They thought they had taken worksheets away when they limited copier paper, but then, they gave each student a computer.  It’s even easier now.”
 
Learning is doomed if worksheets prevail. Yet, I do see the problems.
 
As a matter of fact, my Reading Orienteering Club after-school program will remain closed in the fall because I do not think it is safe for children to come back into a classroom group program.  Furthermore, my program would also not be as effective without hands-on learning.  Therefore, I am looking for other options.  I’m working this summer to develop an on-line program.
 
What about online instruction?  Is it possible to use hands-on teaching techniques with on-line instruction? 
Some teachers are saying that, with online instruction, we do not have any option other than to use worksheets, but remember, children do not learn from worksheets. 
 
Are worksheets the only option for online instruction? 
I say, no.  Let me offer an example.
 
If ever there was a time that we as teachers, parents, and psychologists need to teach kindness, thinking of the needs of others, equality, being nonjudgmental, justice for everyone, saying nice words about others instead of name calling, it is now. We need to find a positive, forward-thinking educational lesson, and there is one just waiting to be taught.  It’s an event that can easily be taught through online education.  It’s an event that can be taught without worksheets.  It can even utilize hands-on learning techniques. It’s an event that’s free.  It’s an event that can teach reading, spelling, writing, history, science, and even math.  It’s an event that will forever be part of the history of 2020, and today’s students are living participants of this historical event.  The event that I speak of is the launch that took place on May 30, 2020 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Yes, this one historical event can give you a weeks’ worth of lessons on cooperation, being kind, helpful, saying thank you, and giving others credit instead of trying to claim the glory for yourself.  These are lessons that we should be teaching right alongside reading, writing, and math.
 
Let’s start with reading.

1. You’ll want to view the historic launch of May 30, 2020.  
2. Next, add some background material for older readers.  I selected this site because it is well written and fun to read.  Children and teens will be encouraged to read and learn.  The reporter actually checked the facts.  Note, that it was written before the failed May 27th scrubbed mission, but it takes this into account.  This allows you to explain some of the complexities of space flight. 
3.  I then have my older students be the reporter.  They write their own TV report on the launch.  They may even want to rewatch the video.  They may write a short paragraph or a longer report-- depending on their age.  At this point you have supplied visual information from the video, written information to be read, writing practice, and a check on comprehension and accuracy of facts.  You accomplished reading writing and comprehension without one single worksheet.  You may even be able to work spelling and vocabulary into the lesson as well.
4.  You can extend the hands-on techniques by videotaping the student’s TV report.  The student can practice reading the TV report which is the best way to improve fluency, and you can edit the written TV report which allows you to teach grammatical sentence structure.  So far, you have taught history, a bit of science if you go into details on the rocket, reading, writing, comprehension, and reading fluency. 
5.  If you are working with only younger children, add a video summary of your own.  Then, have children make the Falcon 9 rocket sitting on the launch pad.  It’s simple: 

 

• Wrap a sheet of white paper around a paper towel tube, empty water bottle, or even tissue holders.  If you are using 3 tissue holders, you will need to tape or glue them together before adding the paper.
• Wad a piece of aluminum foil into a round ball, preferably a clean piece ready for recycling.
• Place a thick circle of glue in the middle of a sheet of white copier paper.  Place foil in the middle of the glue.  Shape paper around the foil to make the rounded nose cone.  [see picture at top of page]
• Glue rounded nose cone on top of the paper towel tube rocket.
• Add streamers for fire.  Even the youngest children can replay the launch countdown. 

 
I also include a pop-up version, but pop-ups take more space, patterns, and explanation than this blog post allows.  The student’s pop-up book also covers each stage from launch to recovery.  This picture illustrates the return of the Falcon 9 to earth. 

Now you’re ready to be creative.  You can expand the lesson in many directions.  One totally hands-on site from NASA allows you to teach and reinforce what you are teaching through hands-on learning.  Everything is done for you, even step-by-step directions.  Pick a topic.  Go teach.  No, you do not need worksheets.
 
Another site breaks the teaching material into age groups.  if you are not sure what is appropriate for the age of your student, this site does it for you.  Yes, it’s hands-on.
 
Depending where your interest or lesson is going, this site tells how to build a satellite or a rover that actually moves.  Think of the science and history you can teach.  Yes, we really can teach without worksheets.  
 
There are hands-on resources that are easily accessible about earth, the atmosphere, climate, or even how we can improve the air we breathe.  There is also a Junior Ranger program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo program.  Everything is right at your fingertips.  There’s even a wonderful interactive site about climate and weather. 
 
Maybe you are not as excited about outer space as I am.  If your interest does not lie in outer space, here are a few sources you might check out as well:
 
Part 2 of my suggestions for free education resource materials
If you are able to get outside and go for a hike, this is a wonderful guide on what to do while you’re practicing social distancing and soaking up a little sunshine. 

 There are more virtual tours.   Check these out. 

1. Some are repeats but look at the “Lion King” and “National Parks.”  These are totally new and very exciting.  
2. This salt mine is certainly interesting. You can have students write a story pretending they are visiting in the salt mine. Be creative. It can be a mystery or an adventure story.  You can teach writing and sentence construction as easily with fiction as you can with nonfiction. 
3. Do a tour of the states.  Pick one location and research it.  Then write up a travel report. 
4. Don’t forget volcanoes, you can teach science, history, and language arts by exploring volcanoes.   
5. BrainPOP offers an excellent lesson on birds. 
6. If you have not explored the live stream presentations from Monticello, I highly recommend them, especially the ones featuring the actor speaking for Thomas Jefferson. 
   
   

Earlier Post, Part I:  Free High-Quality Teaching Resources  (click link and scroll down)
 
There’s lots to explore, and many ways to teach using hands on learning. Use Schoology as I recommended in my last blog post  It’s free.  This will make it easy for children to link onto the websites that you want them to use.
 
Regardless whether we send children back to school to sit 6 feet apart and work individually on their school computers or teach children from home, we can incorporate hands-on learning.  We do not need to resort to worksheets.  We can also use hands-on teaching techniques with on-line learning. Our children deserve the best that we can give them.