Resources - Dreams for Schools

Connectivity & Access Resources

Note: For information on providers not listed here, contact them individually. Due to COVID-19, some of these providers have waived data caps and pledged not to disconnect service for late payment for existing customers. Some have also provided free Wifi hotspots throughout communities.

Provider Description Link
AT&T
Income eligible customers who sign up for the Access by AT&T program by April 30 will receive two free months of service.
Comcast Xfinity
Income eligible costumers will receive two months of free internet if they subscribe by April 30 through the company’s Internet Essentials program
Cox
Cox is offering the first two months free to new customers of Connect2Compete, Cox’s low-cost internet product for families with school-aged children who are enrolled in low-income assistance programs ensuring digital equity for students without internet at home. Schools are being asked to contact [email protected] with a list of eligible low-income students that currently do not have an internet connection.
Spectrum
Beginning Monday, March 16, Spectrum will offer free access to internet and WiFi for 60-days for new Pre-K to 12, college student and teacher households who don’t currently have internet or WiFi service.
Verizon
Starting April 3, Verizon will also offer two months of waived internet and voice service charges for current Lifeline customers and a new affordable internet option for low-income households.

Technology Platforms

Grade Level Organization Description Website Link
All
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is an online resource that offers instructional videos and practice exercises that allow learners to study at their own pace from introductory courses to more advanced levels. In addition to Computer Science courses, they also have other subjects rounding out the entire educational spectrum. It’s also available in other languages, such as Spanish.
All
Tiger Woods Foundation Design Challenges
These family-friendly activities will unlock your creativity to explore, design, and test solutions for real world problems. The challenges use everyday household items, but you can switch them out with similar items you have at home.
All
Raspberrypi.org Projects
Projects curated from the Raspberry Pi Foundation that will help you start writing code and get going with digital making.
All
Virtual Field Trips
Curation of sites where you can take Virtual Field Trips - includes Zoos, Safaris, Smithsonian and more.
K-2
Kid Builders
A fun and free, activity-packed resource to help your children grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school and life. Teach your baby how to stack blocks, look for opposites with your toddler and encourage your son or daughter to say “Thank You.”These easy-to-do activities, right at your fingertips, can help your kids grow in six critical areas: body, health, mind, relationships, safety and words. All activities are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
K-5
Scratch
With Scratch, kids can program their own interactive stories, games and animations and share their creations with an online community. In the process, they develop software graphically as a way of learning the fundamentals of coding language. Launched in 2007, Scratch helps children improve their mathematics, computation and problem-solving skills.
K-5
Snap - from UC Berkeley
Snap! Is an extended reimplementation of Scratch that allows you to build your own blocks. It builds off the Scratch software with added complexity and features. These extra capabilities make it a suitable introduction to computer science for high school or college students.
K-5
Kodable
A block based coding app that teaches students how to program directly. Comprised of lessons to help the student learn, each lesson includes vocabulary words, materials and instructions. Students will drag and drop commands to program their character to solve puzzles. Along the way they learn programming terms, logic, problem solving, computational thinking, functions, and debugging.
K-8
STEM for Kids
STEM/STEAM Curriculum with different guides for all grades K-8.
K-12
Tynker
Tynker is an online platform that offers online coursers for children to learn coding. Students can learn how to code robots, build apps, explore STEM, mod Minecraft, code drones and build games!
4-9
Hopscotch - Mobile Game Creation - for iPad
Work on a canvas to create games, turn your drawings into animations, and build anything else you can imagine.
6-8
Code.org - Middle School
Middle School Computer Science Resources on Code.org.
6-12
Code Academy
Codecademy is an online interactive platform that offers free coding classes for 12 programming languages (Python, Java, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, etc.). Learners discover concepts by building and receiving feedback from peers while at the same time allowing for a tangible result. It is the next step after block based programming as it delves deeper into actual syntax and lines of coding.
6-12
Girls Who Code
Weekly activites some online, some offline, of varying levels of difficulty. Each activity will include a feature of a woman in tech who pioneered innovative technology.
6-12
MIT AppInventor
MIT App Inventor is an innovative beginner's introduction to programming and app creation that transforms the complex language of text-based coding into visual, drag-and-drop building blocks.
6-12
Tiger Woods Explore Curriculum
Use these interactive resources, designed for grades 6-12, to develop problem-solving and decision-making skills with real-world applications in college access and STEM learning.
9-12
Code.org - High School
High School Computer Science Resources on Code.org.

School District Resources

Platform Description Website Link
Approaches to Instruction
Sharing of some high-quality practices and resources that public charter school networks and school districts are using as they navigate these murky educational waters.
Brainpop
Use BrainPOP as part of your distance learning plans and keep your students engaged and on-track. Get access to BrainPOP products including BrainPOP Jr., ELL, Français and Español.
Edhesive
3 full-year, blended courses: Intro to CS, AP CS Principles, AP CSA - Java; Intro CS also available as half-year course. Programming languages include Python, Scratch, Processing and Java. AP CSP is College Board-endorsed curriculum, and both AP CSP and AP CSA prepare students for the AP Exams. Primarliy for Middle & High School Students.
Exploring Computer Science
Exploring Computer Science is a high school introduction to the world of computer science and problem solving. It is a yearlong course consisting of 6 units, approximately 6 weeks each. The curriculum package comes with daily instructional lesson plans for teachers, plus supplemental extension resources. All activities are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Google Teach from Home Resources
Leveraging Google tools to teach from home for teachers.
Greatschools.org
Resources for teachers & parents - from worksheets, to book lists, etc. all organized by grade.
Loom
Loom is a video recording tool that helps you get your message across through instantly shareable videos. With Loom, you can record your camera, microphone, and desktop simultaneously. Your video is then instantly available to share through Loom's patented technology.
Stanford - Teaching Effectively During times of Disruption
Pedagogy & Resources from Stanford on Teaching effectively during times of disruption.