First Grade Distance Learning Activities

Tips for Choosing First Grade Distance Learning Activities

Take the guesswork out of selecting appropriate first grade distance learning activities. These time-saving tips will help you find the very best digital resources. As you’re “vetting” distance learning resources, look for these key features for your young learners:

• includes rigor that is developmentally appropriate
• easy for students to navigate online
• supports literacy skills
• covers engaging topics
• provides interactive components
• low teacher prep, easy to assign
• eye-catching and attractive

See why Learning Quest Lesson Plans get a gold star!

With these tips in mind, we have created distance learning activities, called Digital Learning Quests, as a way to support young students through self-directed, independent learning and research. Now, your first grade students can have more ownership over their learning in a distance learning setting.

Supporting Literacy

Students practice literacy skills in several contexts during a Learning Quest. They independently listen to or read provided texts on the topic, complete a variety of interactive activities to explore the topic more in-depth, watch a video clip, write in response to their learning, and show understanding by submitting answers to a quiz.

Related post: Digital Literacy Centers

Supporting 21st Century Skills

Each Learning Quest experience also helps students develop important skills that reach far beyond reading and writing. With Learning Quests, students begin to build habits, skills and understandings in the areas of:

• critical thinking
• self direction
• digital literacy
• curiosity and research 
• virtual work spaces

Supporting Busy Teachers

Teachers know that distance learning activities can take a lot of time and prep work to prepare for first graders. With this in mind, Learning Quests are built to help busy teachers with no prep, easy to assign digitally research activities. Learning Quests are pre-created to be compatible with Google Slides and Seesaw. The activities are also printable for teachers needing resources for in-person or blended learning models, making these activities the perfect 3-in-1 resource.

Supporting Digital Student Engagement

First grade students will love learning quests as digital learning activities because they include engaging and interactive research experiences on topics that are highly interesting to young learners. Student engagement can also be increased by implementing these digital lesson plans. Digital literacy centers are designed for both distance learning or for use in the classroom.

Distance Learning Topics for First Grade

Explore the digital activities that are included in each Learning Quest topic.

Folk Tale Distance Learning Activities

• Gingerbread Man
• Goldilocks and 3 Bears
• Little Red Hen
• Red Riding Hood

Life Cycle Distance Learning Activities

• Life Cycles Digital Learning Quests
• Butterflies
• Chickens
• butterflies
• Ladybugs

Physical Science Distance Learning Activities

• The Sun
• Physical Science Digital Learning Quests
• States of Matter
• Forms of Energy
• Force and Motion

October Distance Learning Activities

• October Digital Learning Quests
• Bats
• Spiders
• Halloween
• Pumpkins

November Distance Learning Activities

• November Digital Learning Quests
• Elections
• Gratitude
• Hibernation
• Turkeys

December Distance Learning Activities

• December Digital Learning Quests
• Extreme Winter
• Christmas Around World
• Polar Animals
• Generosity

Holidays Around the World Distance Learning Activities

• Holidays Around the World Digital Learning Quests
• Christmas
• Diwali
• Kwanzaa
• Hanukkah
• Las Posadas

January Distance Learning Activities

• Civil Rights Digital Learning Quests
• Rosa Parks
• Ruby Bridges
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Jackie Robinson

• January Digital Learning Quests
• New Year’s
• Snow
• Polar Animals
• Civil Rights

February Distance Learning Activities

• February Learning Activities
• Groundhogs
• Black History
• Valentine’s Day
• U.S. Presidents

If you’re looking for distance learning ideas you may be interested in our distance learning blog posts such as:

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade Digital Activities
• Digital Literacy Centers
• Digital Formative Assessment
• Digital Data Folders
• Digital Sight Words