{Snow Learning Page}

Parent Responses (Feb. 10) Parent Responses (Feb. 11) Parent Responses (Feb. 12)

Everyone agrees that children need to be engaged in learning activities. While schools, libraries and local recreation centers are closed, we hope families will take advantage of this time together and use this unique experience to try some alternative learning activities.

We have developed the "APS Snow Learning Page" to help you "weather" this time at home. During this historic storm, we add ideas to this page daily while school is out so that parents can help their children continue to learn and explore from home.

Family Activities for Learning During The Storm:

• Begin a snow journal.Take pictures (or draw pictures) of the front and back of your home, as well as your surrounding neighborhood. Include comments about the changes before, during and after the storm.
• Make a snowball and weigh it, wait for it to melt and weigh it again - any difference.
• Write a step-by-step plan for building a perfect snowperson, snow fort or other structure.Then when you can, execute your plan, take pictures and report your results: What were the results? What worked? What would you do differently?
• Decide how you would describe to someone in Uganda (look it up to know the weather there) what snow is like, what a blizzard is, how to use a sled, etc.
• Find the hottest and coldest city in US every day - what's the difference in temperature between that location and here?
• Practice writing spelling words or solving math problems in the snow with a stick.
• Family baking and cooking projects are excellent opportunities for students to practice reading and following directions, weights and measurements.Plus everyone can enjoy the results.
• Card games, board games, video and electronic games, charades - all of these provide great opportunities for strategic thinking and communications while indoors where it's (hopefully) warm.

Great Resources Online for Parents:

If power stays on, the Web has a wealth of information for families and students. Here are just a few links available for families:

• The Library of Congress, "America's Library," has a wealth of resources for parents. Go tohttp://www.loc.gov/families/
• The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies has a wide range of activities online for students:http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/

Many of the APS Instructional Department pages include links to resources for parents and students. For example:

• MATHEMATICS:includes Math Resources for parents and students
• For secondary students, last year'sSummer Math Review activities are also available online. Activities are listed by grade or subject.
• SCIENCE: The APS page includes links to many science-related sites including National Geographic, science bulletins from the American Museum of Natural History and other resources.

{Sledding} {Guitar} {Teaching}

APS Classroom Work & Other Learning Resources:

Via the APS Web site, Blackboard has all ACORN (Arlington County Library) resources available via the “Library Online” tab.  Some teachers are posting additional activities for their students, and the "For Students" tab has resources for students organized by elementary and secondary levels, including practice activities, copies of many textbooks and other related curriculum Web links

Students are reminded to continue to read and review materials and assignments provided or referenced by their teachers in their course materials. Some of these materials are in print form and others are available online through teacher-created Web pages, Blackboard sites, and/or school Web pages. Students may wish to practice their skills by reviewing the SOL-released items tests from the Virginia Department of Education where they can practice and then check their answers using the answer keys included in the released tests available online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/released_tests/index.shtml.

Finally, all students are encouraged to continue with reading and writing. Keeping a journal is an excellent way for students to continue developing their writing skills, and enjoy sharing their writing and receiving feedback.

Parents are Great Teachers, Too:

Parents are a great source of creative ideas. Let us know what you're doing to help your children learn and enjoy their time at home. Each day we hope to share a sampling of ideas submitted online by parents so that others can benefit from your ideas.

TELL US YOUR IDEAS