A Renter's Guide to Remote Learning

Online learning has become a reality that most families have to live with for the foreseeable future. When you rent an apartment, it may seem like virtual learning is even harder to accomplish because there isn't as much space to set up a unique learning space, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. And learning from home, while challenging, has also created a bunch of new virtual learning opportunities that make it possible to learn and see things you may not have been able to before.

What's important for remote learning is to prioritize your Internet connection. It's incredibly hard to stay connected to video classes and virtual activities when the Internet isn't working. If you can, choose to learn close to your Internet router, so you can have the best possible Internet connection in your apartment. Distractions will happen, but if you take the time to set up a dedicated learning spot, you can minimize distractions around it.

Online learning can be difficult, but there are plenty of tips and activities to make it more enjoyable and less stressful.

Setting Up a Virtual Learning Space

• Seven Tips for Setting Up a Productive Learning Space at Home: Khan Academy has created a list of tips and suggestions for setting up a virtual learning space in your apartment to help create a good learning environment. 
• How to Create a Good Study Space for Online Learning: When you're learning online, it can be easy to get distracted, which is why it's important to create a learning space that will help you focus on your studies. 
• How to Create an at-Home Learning Space: There's value in creating a space dedicated solely to learning so you feel like there's a line between home and school, even when all of your learning is done at home. 
• How to Start Learning Virtually at Home: Setting up online learning may seem daunting at first, but having a dedicated space solely for school in your apartment can be beneficial for everybody involved. 

Math Resources

• School Yourself Online: Math Lessons: This virtual learning program can help walk you through math lessons and will adapt itself to your unique needs and interests. 
• Math Planet Algebra: Math Planet has a variety of lessons that break down different math topics into easy-to-follow sections. Not only can you see the work written out in plain text, but you can also watch a video of a teacher explaining the material in case you learn better that way! 
• Illustrated Math Dictionary: If you are a visual learner who wants some extra help learning math, you can search for the topics you struggle with and see them illustrated in front of you. In some cases, you can even interact with the images in order to further your understanding. 

ELA and Reading Resources

• Compare and Contrast Map: This application can walk you through every step of writing your own compare and contrast essay, so if your teacher can't help explain it to you while you're learning remotely, you can still write the best essay possible. 
• Remote Literacy Learning: This overview and video discuss how you can improve your literacy skills while learning at home. 
• Poetry Guides: The Poetry Foundation has many poems available for free online as well as guides that dig into the background of a poem, its author, and other details about it. 

Science and STEM Resources

• Classroom Combo: Flying With Ingenuity: This lesson plan and activity comes with videos, guides, and tips about engineering and Newton's Laws. 
• How Can Science Be Used to Help Make Our Lives Better? Follow along with a unit plan that digs into the characteristics and genetics of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 
• Daily Do Playlist: Newton's Second Law: Each playlist on this site consists of multiple lessons that build upon each other, like this page of lessons that start with the motion of asteroids and end up digging into other questions about how things move. 
• Virtual Science Fair: If you love science and want to compete with students all across the country, you can participate in this virtual science fair! 

Art and Music Resources

• Meet the Music! Leave it to Ludwig: This video and information from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center look at the skills necessary to write music. 
• Lincoln Center at Home: Every night, you and your family can get involved with music and culture from all around the world thanks to Lincoln Center's online video events. 
• Learning Synths: This website helps you learn the basics of using synthesizers without any extra equipment. 
• Street Art: Make your own graffiti art using spray paints on your computer and learn about street art. 

Social Studies and History Resources

• Model Diplomacy Pop-Up Cases: Work with your class online to learn about modern diplomatic challenges and discuss how you would handle them. 
• Dual Identities: How People Form Their Sense of Self: Everyone's identity is made of different parts, and in this lesson, students can learn about how people combine different parts of their backgrounds to create a coherent sense of self. 
• United States Map Quiz Game: Test your knowledge of the United States by clicking on the state the game tells you to click on. If you get it right on the first try, your grade increases, but your grade decreases every time you get one wrong. 

Physical Education Resources

• Never Have I Ever Fitness Challenge: This description and video offer a fun fitness challenge and ice-breaker to help students of all ages to get moving. 
• Chair Exercise Routine: When you only have a small space to move around in, this activity can be a great small way to get moving and increase cardiovascular endurance. 
• 40 Tips for an Active Family: Do some fun activities with your family by printing out these tips, cutting them out, and placing them into a bag or jar to pull out one at a time. 
• Darebee Workouts: Take a brain break and focus on some simple workouts that anyone can learn and slowly begin to excel at. 

Virtual Field Trips

• Visit the Dali Museum Virtually: The Dali has made it possible to enjoy Salvador Dali's artwork from anywhere in the world. With online exhibits, videos, and lesson plans, students and teachers alike can take advantage of this virtual field trip. 
• A Virtual Walk-Through of the Benaki Museum in Greece: You don't have to travel across the ocean to visit the Benaki Museum! They've created a walk-through on their website for visitors to stroll through the museum from the comfort of home. 
• The Frick Virtual Tours: Virtually explore the Frick Collection of famous works of art without ever leaving your apartment. 
• San Diego Zoo Live Cams: Pick your favorite animal and stream live video at any time of the day.