MarcoPolo's award-wining content is ready-made to enrich your current classroom routines. Here are some suggested best practices:
- Letter of the Week
- Celebration
- Movement Break
- Social and Emotional Support
- Read Aloud Books
- Student Centers
Letter of the Week
Use our Alphabet Art series of videos to introduce letters each week! Each video has built in letter formation, letter sound, and fine motor skill practice. Many educators set up a routine where they watch the designated letter of the week video on Mondays to introduce the letter, on Tuesdays to draw the letter animal together, and on Wednesdays to have children practice drawing the letter animal. Some educators even have students create a letter portfolio of all of their drawings from the year to send home at the end of the year as a work product of their learning.
Locate the Alphabet Art from your Home screen in the top toolbar by clicking on the Alphabet filter.
Celebration
Celebrate student achievements, birthdays, classroom rewards, etc. with our Music: We’re Gonna Have a Party song. You can find this video by searching "party" in the search bar.
Movement Break
Explore our Music Video series to provide students with a movement break while learning new vocabulary and concepts. Some educators are using our Music Videos to signal different transitions as well. You can find all our Music Video series by searching "music" in the search bar.
Social and Emotional Support
Use our emotion videos at the beginning of the year or as review for building classroom procedures and mindsets. Many teachers use our Emotions videos as a way to help students regulate their emotions one-on-one when children are having a difficult time (specifically our Breathing and Frustration videos). Our On My Own and Flexible Thinking videos are perfect for helping students build confidence and independent thinking.
Locate our Social and Emotional content from your Home screen in the top toolbar by clicking on the Subject Area dropdown and selecting Social Emotional Learning.
Read Aloud Books:
Use our content-rich videos to pair with read aloud books you are enjoying with your class. Let these videos be an introductory engagement to your lesson and book or watch them after reading the book as an extension to deepen understanding. Read a book together in class and send out a Video Share to your students to watch at home!
Student Centers
MarcoPolo For Families does not have to be saved for at home use; use it in your technology center as well! Most students can intuitively use the app independently and you can send specific videos to students to differentiate their interests. Create a share to send to your children in class and have them focus on some content-related videos to what you are learning about in class! Having children rewatch a video that was watched during whole group time reinforces their understanding and content retention. Have children practice their creative thinking and creation skills by exploring the Corridor. Children can build, make music, and create artwork to express their thinking! Practicing letter formation and letter sound knowledge during a technology center by having children use the Alphabet Art series is excellent reinforcement of whole group teaching as well.