Resource Database

You for Youth (Y4Y), the U.S. Department of Education’s online resource for 21st CCLC programs, has a new human resources course for grantees. The course covers nine key strategies that afterschool leaders can use to manage and develop their staff, covering everything from hiring to training to building a positive work environment to managing staff performance.

The How Kids Learn Foundation has created a documentary on the history of afterschool programs in the United States since the 1800s. The film provides useful background to help expanded learning stakeholders understand the historic need for these programs and how they have supported youth and communities through the decades. The one-hour documentary can be viewed for free on the How Kids Learn Foundation website. There is also a learning guide and trailer for the documentary.

The Smithsonian Science Education Center has several interactive online games that help students reinforce science concepts. The games are tagged by grade level and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. They also provide opportunities for students to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are important to science education.

The Goddard Space Flight Center at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a suite of resources for educators. There are activities for both formal and informal educators, which means there is something for everyone, regardless of how much science or instructional experience you have. For educators who want to let youth take the lead, there are also activities for “amateur astronomers.”

Read alouds aren’t just for young children. This article from Edutopia describes one educator’s positive experience reading out loud to middle school students. The article explains how the practice reinforces skills and sparks interest in reading. It also lists some reading practices that educators can model when reading to their middle school students.

Have you ever asked students about their day and heard “fine” or received a shoulder shrug in response? This article from the National AfterSchool Association stresses the importance of engaging in dialogue about student experiences (despite what appears to be a lack of student interest). The article also lists 25 different ways that educators can ask youth about their day.

Food deserts are areas in the United States where it is difficult to access affordable or good-quality fresh food, a phenomenon that can contribute to obesity and other diet-related illnesses. Food Deserts: Causes, Consequences and Solutions, a lesson from Teaching Tolerance, helps students learn more about the causes, consequences, and locations of food deserts. In addition to determining whether their community is in a food desert, students have the opportunity to design solutions to this challenge. This interdisciplinary lesson can serve students in middle school and high school and touches on areas of social studies, economics, and science and health.

Food offers a way for students to engage in interdisciplinary learning, with topics ranging from the history of trade, the science of how food is grown, and the cultural role of food. This blog post from Education Week describes how one middle school explored the question: “What can we learn about the world by looking at our food?” The blog post lists a range of activities that the students completed and also links to several books and resources that educators can use.

Helping students feel connected to their own learning can boost engagement and achievement. This article from Edutopia outlines simple practices that educators can integrate into instruction to spark students’ curiosity and strengthen engagement. Strategies include asking more in-depth questions, introducing controversy, and encouraging collaboration.

Learning how to manage money to make smart saving and spending decisions is a critical skill. Yet many people don’t know enough to be financially stable. This Click & Go Training from the U.S. Department of Education’s You for Youth website provides financial literacy lessons and activities for both adults and youth. In addition to lessons for different audiences and ages, the training has handouts for key terms, planning activities across age groups, engaging families, aligning with standards, and working with partners.