K-12 Reading Room Resources subjectId: 690430

Welcome to the UM Libraries K-12 Reading Room Resources Guide! On this guide, you will find a range of online resources to help K-12 students during the COVID-19 quarantine period. There are resources to help students with homework, keep kids occupied and entertained, and give families recommendations to stay healthy and informed.

Content on this tab, "UM Libraries Resources" requires a University of Miami login. Content on the following two tabs, "Internet Resources" and "Health and Mental Health" are freely available and open to all.
 

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Opposing Viewpoints is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. Features continuously updated viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
 
CQ Researcher
The CQ Researcher explores a single 'hot' issue in the news in depth each week. Topics range from social and teen issues to environment, health, education and science and technology.
 
Academic Search Premier
Academic Search Premier is a multi-disciplinary full text database containing full text for nearly 4,500 journals, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed titles.
 
Europa World Plus
Europa World is the online version of the Europa World Year Book, the indispensable source of information on world-wide affairs. First published in 1926, the year book is renowned as one of the world's leading reference works, covering political and economic information in over 250 countries and territories, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
 
CIA World Factbook
US government profiles of countries and territories around the world.
 
Britannica Online
Britannica Online includes the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the 10th ed. of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Britannica's Internet Guide, and The World Guide with maps, country information, and news.
 
BBC Country Profiles
Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions.
 
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world. We are roughly 450 people of 70-plus nationalities who are country experts, lawyers, journalists, and others who work to protect the most at risk, from vulnerable minorities and civilians in wartime, to refugees and children in need.
 
Gale in Context: Middle School
Gale In Context: Middle School combines the best of Gale's reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and much more. Students will find outstanding support to complete assignments in core subjects including literature, science, social studies, and history.
 
Gale Academic One File
Gale Academic OneFile connects learners to the information they’re looking for with tools that make discovery fast and easy. This premier periodical resource provides millions of articles from scholarly journals and other authoritative sources with extensive coverage in key subject areas, such as biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental science, history, marketing, political science, and psychology. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1995.

OverDrive
OverDrive is a service providing multiple-format e-books downloadable to personal computers and mobile devices. Our collection consists primarily of recent bestsellers and classic fiction titles.
 
Newspaper Guide
A guide to all of UM Libraries newspaper resources, including instructions on how to sign up for free access to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

National Emergency Library
A collection of books that supports emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation while universities, schools, training centers, and libraries are closed.

Academic Video Online
AVON is a streaming video platform providing more than 68,000 titles spanning a wide range of subject areas, including anthropology, business, history, music, and more.
 
Alexander Street Video
Allows users to cross-search all of the videos published by Alexander Street Press. There are currently over 2600 videos available in a wide variety of fields ranging from world history to cooking.
 
Feature Films for Education
Feature Films for Education is a digital video streaming platform that offers hundreds of full-length feature films for educational purposes; focusing on both current and hard-to-find titles, the collection includes literary adaptions, blockbusters, classics, foreign films, and more.
 
Films on Demand
Films On Demand is a digital video streaming service that provides educational content from a wide range of subject areas. This collection contains more than 12,000 titles in dozens of subject areas, and the platform allows users to organize and bookmark clips, create and share playlists, personalize folders, and manage their entire collection.
 
Kanopy
Kanopy is a video streaming service that provides students and educators access to a large database of over 30,000 films--including award-winning documentaries, training films, indie and foreign films, must-see classics, and blockbuster movies.
 
Linked In Learning
Offers over 42,000 how-to videos on a wide-range of software applications, from Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop to Final Cut Studio.

Teaching Materials
Collections of lesson plans and educational videos on a wide variety of topics for K-12 students. Intended for teachers, it can also be utilized by parents.

Mindfulness Programs
Held Wednesdays at 4:00 EST. The University of Miami Libraries offers introductory mindfulness sessions for cultivating calm and focus. These 45-minute sessions introduce the fundamentals of mindfulness with periods of guided practice and opportunities for reflection and questions.

Mango Languages
A comprehensive suite of courses covering the most popular languages in the world.

Lowe on the Go

Frost School of Music YouTube Channel

Digital Public Library of America
DPLA connects people to the riches held within America’s libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions. All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format.
 
English Heritage
We offer a hands-on experience that will inspire and entertain people of all ages. Our work is informed by enduring values of authenticity, quality, imagination, responsibility and fun. Our vision is that people will experience the story of England where it really happened.
 
Europeana
At Europeana we work with thousands of European archives, libraries and museums to share cultural heritage for enjoyment, education and research. Europeana provides access to millions of books, music, artworks and more – with sophisticated search and filter tools to help you find what you’re looking for.
 
Smithsonian Open Access
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 19 museums and the National Zoo—shaping the future by preserving our heritage, discovering new knowledge, and sharing our resources with the world.
 
Street Art
Discover artworks, collections and stories from all around the world in a new way. Explore cultural treasures in extraordinary detail and easily share with your friends.

The Social Distancing Festival
The Social Distancing Festival is an online artist’s community made to celebrate and showcase the work of the many artists around the world who have been affected by the need for social distancing that has come about due to the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
 
LeVar Burton Reads
In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury and more to life.

Goodnight with Dolly
Country music legend Dolly Parton reads a children's book to online audiences at bedtime once a week. She will be featuring books from her extensive Imagination Library, a non-profit which provides children with books. Begins April 2nd.

PBS Kids
PBS KIDS is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children through curriculum-based media, using new and traditional platforms to support children in their acquisition of knowledge and critical thinking skills while empowering their imagination and curiosity of the world. Now with weekly read-along children's books with Michelle Obama.
 

PBS Learning Media
Free site that provides free streaming of clips from across PBS programs. Everything there is designed for PreK-12 educators and universities.

National Theater at Home
Join us right here every Thursday at 7pm UK time for some of the best British theatre, free to stream for a week. Begins April 2nd.

The Shows Must Go On
Musicals by Andrew Lloyd Weber will be streamed free online. Each show will be streamed for 48 hours, with the clock beginning on Fridays. Will include shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar. Begins April 3rd.
 
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
While the Cincinnati Zoo is closed and kids are home from school, let us help make your children’s hiatus from school fun and educational. Join us for a Home Safari Facebook Live each day at 3pm EDT where we will highlight one of our amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home.
 
From the Shedd Aquarium: Sea Curious
Educational video content for kids about ocean life.
 
San Diego Zoo Animal Live Cams
Watch animals at the San Diego zoo!
 
Georgia Aquarium Webcams
Watch animals at the Georgia Aquarium!

NASA at Home
Educational content to keep kids and families engaged with science. E-books, activities, videos, virtual tours and podcasts included.

PE with Joe
Daily fitness videos for kids and families during the quarantine period.

Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other
Your friends on Sesame Street are here to support you and your family during the COVID-19 health crisis. This site provides content and resources you can use with your family to offer comfort and spark playful learning activities.
 
Digital Directory for Remote Learning Resources
Creators of children’s books have risen to the call for help from teachers and parents during the COVID-19 crisis by creating online materials that will entertain, instruct, and inspire children and young people. Some are reading their books and discussing them. Some have created mini-lessons on art or history or craft projects. Some are doing the equivalent of a school visit with a presentation and slide show.
 
Cosmic Kids Yoga
Over 100 of videos on yoga, mindfulness and relaxation for kids. Interactive adventures which build strength, balance and confidence – and get kids into yoga and mindfulness early.

Coding Activities
Computer science lessons and coding activities for all grade levels. Learn how to make your own app, game, or computer drawing. For more advanced learners, learn to build websites.

Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
From the Kennedy Center. Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together.

National Geographic Kids
Games, videos, animals, experiments, quizzes and places to explore!

 

Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning and Online Collections
From the Museum Computer Network (MCN). Massive list with many subcategories of museums, libraries, art, science, history, and children’s activities.
 
List of Live Virtual Concerts to Watch during the Coronavirus Shutdown: Via NPR
Large and growing list of virtual concerts.

Open Culture K-12 Learning
200 free kids educational resources: Video lessons, apps, books, websites and more.

Ideas for Kids during the Coronavirus Crisis
Created by librarians at the Association for Library Service to Children, this guide compiles a range of resources and activities for children and families to do together.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
State by state projections and data visualizations for tracking the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. From the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), part of the University of Washington.

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
Dashboard and map with regular updates about the spread of COVID-19.

Virus Anxiety
Resources for anxiety and your mental health in a global climate of uncertainty.
 
CDC Manage Anxiety and Stress
Resources for stress and coping during the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
ActiveMinds.org: Mental Health Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
Founded by a university student, Active Minds provides mental health support and resources. This page provides support, chat and check-ins for students during the crisis.
 
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
Expert tips and strategies for managing coronavirus anxiety.
 
Quarantine Family Toolkit
Schedules, recommendations, daily activities for kids and teens during the quarantine.
 
COVID-19 Resources for Art Therapists
Resources provided by the American Art Therapy Association.
 
Guide to Self-Care: Coping with Coronavirus
Recommendations for self-care from Stanford Health Alerts.  
 
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
From the CDC. How to protect yourself physically from the coronavirus.
 
Prioritizing Self-Care while Social Distancing
Resources and tips from Johns Hopkins to help maintain physical and emotional wellbeing.

Mighty Moe: An Anxiety Workbook for Children
This 79-pages book includes a story which explains in an aged-appropriate way what anxiety is and how it affects one’s life, and a workbook which provides a child with various techniques how to relax, think positively and solve problems.
 
Big Feelings Come and Go Storybook
This storybook teaches kids about freeze, flight and fight and helps them learn some basic self-regulation skills. Understanding freeze, flight and fight can allow for new conversations about how your child feels and what to do to help them manage their big feelings.
 
Expressive Art  | Inspirations 100 Art Therapy Exercises
100 art therapy exercises to help children and adults handle their emotions during stressful times.
 
Art Therapy for Kids: 22 Activities to Help Your Child Cope and Heal
Art therapy can help children cope with major life events, such as the COVID-19 quarantine.

Children’s Mental Health Matters!: Coronavirus
Children’s Mental Health Matters brings together non-profits, schools and other agencies to raise public awareness of the importance of children’s mental health.
 
Talking to Children about Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Advice from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
 
How to Talk to Your Child about Coronavirus
From the Cleveland Clinic. Tips to help comfort and protect your child.
 
How to Talk to Your Child about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
From Unicef. Eight tips to help comfort and protect children.

Be a Coronavirus Fighter
An informative picture book that explains the current virus situation in simple terms and urges children to help fight it!
 
On Our Sleeves
Kids pay attention to the news and what adults are saying. On Our Sleeves has expert resources and guides to help you manage life during COVID-19.
 
How to Talk to Children about the Coronavirus
From the Harvard Medical School. Recommendations on how to talk to children about COVID-19 and its effects.
 
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Resources for Parents/Carers
From the Social Workers Toolbox. A compilation of resources and guides for parents and families to talk to their children about coronavirus.
 

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