The Ohio Distance Learning Association (DLA) is excited to be partnering with RemotEDx to offer teachers and students throughout the state of Ohio the opportunity to participate in our dynamic and interactive distance learning programs. This grant-funded opportunity allows teachers to choose from dozens of standards-aligned programs, presented at no cost. Peruse the list below to find a program that aligns with your curriculum and students’ interests. Once you have selected your program, fill out the FORM to request funding and wait to be contacted with information to schedule your session. Please note that delivery methods vary by provider. Delivery methods for each organization can be found below.


Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1920, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a global leader in scientific education and scientific research. Every year, we welcome 320,000 visitors, serve 80,000 learners of all ages, and maintain over 11,000 acres of natural areas throughout Ohio. Our mission is to inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature, the protection of natural diversity, the fostering of health, and leadership to a sustainable future. To achieve that mission, public education has been at the heart of all of our activities for the last century. In addition to our exhibitions, the Museum provides robust K-12 educational programming on-site, in schools, and through its Distance Learning initiatives.


Our Interactive Video Conferencing programs, a part of these initiatives, have won the Pinnacle Award for Distance Learning Excellence every year for the last 9 years, and 11 years in total - earning the Cleveland Museum of Natural History entry into the CILC Pinnacle Award Hall of Fame. Through our Distance Learning programming, the Museum has served schools in 71 Ohio counties and is on track to serving all 88 counties by 2022. The Museum is actively expanding Content Area(s): Our K-12 STEM-based programming covers a variety of topics, linking classroom curriculum with museum research, including Paleontology, Archaeology, Mineralogy, Astronomy, and Life Science.  Many programs are developed jointly with our curators and highlight both careers in science and current research projects.


Cleveland Museum of Natural History Programs:


The Atmosphere: Our Remarkable Envelope Of Air  

Grade: 2nd | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Learn about the remarkable and ever-active envelope of air surrounding our planet. We’ll discuss the daily and seasonal changes of weather and climate.


BALTO: A HISTORY OF HUMANS, HUSKIES, AND HEALTH IN ALASKA 

Grade: K-12 | Social Studies | Length: 60 Minutes

Did you know that the real Balto is at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History? Bring the amazing achievements of mushers and their sled dogs into your classroom as we present the story of Balto and the heroic dogs and mushers of the 1925 Alaskan Serum Run, and compare their experience to the Iditarod of today. Discuss diphtheria and find out why the outbreak in Nome, Alaska is so famous. Investigate equipment used to enable humans and huskies to survive in harsh Arctic conditions. Hear how the entire city of Cleveland rallied to the aid of Balto and his teammates after they were abandoned and mistreated. It’s a ‘tail’ for all ages!


Bodyworks: Introduction to Human Internal Anatomy

Grades 4-6 | Life Science and Health | 60 minutes

What does a real heart look like? How does its function relate to our brain, muscles, bones, and lungs? This program uses preserved human specimens, anatomical models, and physical exam techniques to impress your students with their own insides. 


Climate Change: Investigating Our Impact 

Grade: 6-12

There’s no debate during this program! Warm up your minds as we challenge students to explore the connection between simple scientific principles and changes in temperature and weather that scientists refer to as “global climate change.” Students will learn about the greenhouse effect, reflection and refraction of light, energy waves, and heat convection as we perform experiments that clearly show how changes in our climate are studied.


Drugs 301: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly 

Grades 7-12 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Ancient remains studied by anthropologists show us that humans have been using plants as medicine for thousands of years. Why are there so many deaths from prescription medications today?  Learn the science behind chemical addiction and find out what physical consequences arise from the use of different categories of drugs.


Exploring Birds

Grades 1-4 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

What makes a bird a bird?  Students will compare and contrast types of birds, adaptations, habitats, and more in this memorable learning experience featuring an up-close look at native Ohio species.


Exploring Dinosaurs

Grades 1-4 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Be a paleontologist as we discover how we know dinosaurs existed, how to tell the difference between dinosaurs and reptiles, and how to determine what adaptations these strange and interesting animals had in order to meet their needs!


Exploring Earth Science

Grades 3-8 | Earth And Space Science | Length: 60 Minutes

Earth’s landforms and surface hold clues that shed light on time periods long before humans had help to unravel the mysteries of how Earth has and continues to change. Students will understand that natural processes, whether fast or slow, have shaped the landforms of this planet.


Exploring Fossils  

Grades 1-4 | Life Science And Health | Length: 60 Minutes

Fossils are clues to past environments. Discover how fossils are formed and investigate shared characteristics of fossils from a particular environment by utilizing the same paleontology techniques that experts use.


Exploring Mammals

Grades 1-4 | Life Science And Health | Length: 60 Minutes

What makes a mammal a mammal?  Students will investigate types of mammals, adaptations, habitats, and more in this memorable learning experience featuring an up-close look at native Ohio species.


Exploring Ohio’s Native Americans

Grades 1-4 | Social Studies | Length 60 Minutes

For 12,000 years or more, Native Americans have been living in Ohio. From the Paleo-Indians, through the mound building of the Woodland tradition, to the historic tribes, evidence, in the form of artifacts, reveals their lifestyles. Become an archaeologist and discover clues to the past.


Exploring Reptiles

Grades 1-4 | Life Science And Health | Length: 60 Minutes

Students will investigate reptiles through a deeper look at their adaptations, habitats, and more in this memorable learning experience featuring an up-close look at native Ohio species.


Human Evolution: Following Lucy’s Footsteps

Grades 6-10 | Life Science And Health | Length: 60 Minutes

Trace the development of modern humans using information from fossil hominids as well as clues from living primates.  The differences between primate groups will be explored, as well as the characteristics that distinguish primates from other mammals. The human family tree, including "Lucy", will help students understand their place in human prehistory.  


Macronutrients: Fact, Fiction, And Fitness

Grades 7-12 | Life Science And Health | Length: 60 minutes

Learn the basics of proper nutrition and hydration for a healthy daily routine. Analyze the importance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats as you calculate your macronutrient requirements. 


Math In Science

Grades 3-4 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Learn how studying natural history happens using numbers, figures, and a whole lot of imagination!  Meet our coyotes, a bunch of amphibians, and the infamous phragmites grass as you discover that math skills are your ticket to knowing more about nature and conservation. 


Native American Sky Stories: Tales Of  The Earth, Moon, And Stars

Grades: 4th-5th | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Why doesn’t Coyote have a constellation in the sky, and who is endlessly chasing the bear around the North Star? Find out as we tell the entertaining and informative sky legends of native North Americans.


Reasons For The Seasons: Why Do We Have Seasons On Earth?

Grades 5th-7th | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Find out the real reasons that we have seasons (it isn’t the varying distance of the Earth from the Sun). We’ll see seasonal changes of the skies from Cleveland, with additional views from other parts of the globe.


Rocks & Minerals: Identification, Classification, And Rock Cycle Introduction

Grades 3-8 | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Are you losing your marbles when it comes to getting ‘sedimentary’ students interested in the rocks beneath their feet? Don’t ‘sulphur’ alone. We’ll help you dig up an avalanche of appreciation for the original ‘hard’ sciences. This overview of geology and mineralogy basics will whet your students’ ‘apatite’ for Earth Sciences as they take an up-close look at real specimens from our collections. Is studying rocks fun?  Of ‘quartz’ it is!


Science of Seeking Snacks:  Analyze Your Snacking Behavior with Museum Mantis Research  

Grades K-7 | Life Science and Health |Length: 60 minutes

What lures YOU to seek a snack? Join this real-life investigation of how praying mantis hunting behavior gives us insights into our own eating habits. Compare insect and human senses with a series of hands-on experiments, and see amazing scanning microscope images of insects’ sensory organs.


The Solar System: A Planetary Tour

Grades 3rd-8th | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Immerse yourself in the Solar System and discover what makes it go round. We will talk about the formation of the Sun, planets, and moons -- gravity, energy, and motions included.


Starry, Starry Night: The Sun, Moon, And Sky For Little Ones

Grades PreK-2nd | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Look to the sky as we observe the sun, moon and stars, and follow their movements. Learn about the sun and how the energy it provides affects weather here on Earth.


Stars From Beginning To End: How Stars Are Born, Live, And Die!

Grades 5th-12th | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

Follow the cycle of a star’s life from its birth in a nebula to its final end. Discover red giants, white dwarfs, supernovae and black holes.


Stress Down: Eustress-ing Me Out!

Grades 7-12 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Stressed out? Recognize your biological reactions to stressful situations and learn techniques to manage your stress response. All animals share basic chemical responses to perceived dangers; distinguish the stressors that you can and cannot control, and use that information to lower their effects on your body and mind.


Target Moon: Formation, Phases, And Tides!

Grades 5th-12th | Earth and Space Science | Length: 60 minutes

We’ll focus on all things lunar: the origin of the Moon, its ancient battered surface, and its tidal effects on Earth. Follow the Moon’s monthly path across the sky and learn why its shape appears to change.


Teeth Telling Tales: Fossils Uncover Ancient Ecosystems

Grades 3-8 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Join us as we replicate a day of research with Dr. Darin Croft, a paleontologist with Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Specializing in mammals that went extinct millions of years ago, Dr. Croft’s work launches this lab experience by illustrating how careful measurements of fossil teeth can help scientists build a picture of entire ancient ecosystems. 

Note: A set of worksheets for your students to cut out and use DURING our lesson will be attached to your Teacher’s Guide.


What’s Inside Stuffee? 

Grades PreK-1 | Life Science and Health | Length: 45 minutes

Preschoolers in Pre-Med?  Turn your classroom into a doctor’s office with this anatomical experience! Onscreen, we’ll use our medical doll to learn about human chest and abdominal organs.  Together we’ll discover how all our inside parts work together and keep us healthy.


You Are What You Eat: How Nutrition Affects Health

Grades 1-6 | Life Science and Health | Length: 60 minutes

Get a taste of the “MyPlate” dietary guidelines while learning to create healthy meals based on the different food groups. Test what your body can do with a calorie of food energy, and look at some real human specimens that illustrate you really ARE what you eat!



Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was founded in 1927 with a small menagerie of donated animals but gained international recognition and stature with the 1956 birth of Colo, the world’s first gorilla born under human care. Today, the Zoo cares for more than 10,000 animals representing 600 species and has expanded to seven zoogeographic regions within its 580 acres. 


The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium provided interactive virtual programs to schools across the country from 1999 - 2016.  The Zoo brought back these popular programs in 2020 to provide schools with an opportunity to access needed science content during these unprecedented times. The Columbus Zoo was honored to receive the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Pinnacle Award in 2010-11 and 2013-14, and honorable mention in 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15, and 2015-16.


Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Programs:


5 Senses

Grades K-3

See who has the best eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and sense of touch on this trip around the Zoo!


Animal Adaptations

Grades 3-6

Horns, Claws, Camouflage and more! Let’s uncover different types of adaptations that animals use to survive in their habitats!


Animal Enrichment

Grades K-3

Animals like to play with toys, too! Come along as we learn about how we keep animals active at the Zoo.


Arctic Adventure

Grades 3-6

Roll around on our virtual tundra buggy as we explore the Arctic and all its animals.


Backyard Detectives 

Grades K-3

Discover what you can do to make your backyard habitat an inviting spot for common backyard animals!


Food Chain

Grades 3-6

Learn about animal diets and how food chains play an important role in our ecosystem!


Ocean Classification

Grades 3-6

What do sharks, fish, turtles, and manatees have in common? Learn how ocean animals are alike and different!


Shake, Rattle, Roll

Grades K-3

Swim, hop, fly or slither over for some movement fun!




East Central Ohio Educational Service Center

In addition to being one of the original IVDL state grant partners in 1998, we are one of just a few ESCs still offering comprehensive video conferencing content and support today. While ECOESC began consortia video conferencing service and support through the premise of sharing high school classes; maximizing the limited teaching resources available throughout an entire consortium, in 2005 ECOESC began offering elementary and middle school content sessions as part of this comprehensive service. Today, ECOESC supports a full range of daily language learning classes, in which students throughout the state can obtain world language credit. We offer more than 15 standards-aligned, engaging student programs for teachers in our region, Ohio, and throughout the United States. Our expertise and longevity in the distance learning environment have provided additional resources to teachers and classrooms shifting to remote learning as part of this service as well.


East Central Ohio Educational Service Center Programs:


Extraordinary Endings - Extraordinary Endings

Length: 35-50 minutes

Once your reader is hooked with a Great Beginning, the writer needs to REEL them in with an Extraordinary Ending in the student writing. During this session, students will learn what makes a great ending to a story and will practice making audience-capturing endings to written work. We will use author examples to help reinforce the concept of Extraordinary Endings in writing.


Fractured Fairy Tales 

Length: 35-50 minutes

Beginning with clues students will demonstrate current knowledge of traditional fairy tales. We then share a traditional version of a fairy tale, followed by a discussion about common story elements. We also highlight parts of speech and show how they make a story meaningful through the use of mad libs. Finally, a fractured fairy tale is shared (by fractured, we mean a different take from the standard traditional fairy tale) This program was originally intended for 3rd grade audiences, and can still be delivered to that age. We have recently also expanded this program to make it meaningful and appropriate for grades up to 5th. Story used is 3 Little Pigs.  Available on demand.


Great Beginnings

Length: 35-50 minutes

The program will introduce your students to different techniques to begin their writing whether it is a narrative or informational writing. The program will identify different ways to begin their writing to create interest for their audience. Students will be introduced to how well-known authors begin their writing. Using examples, students will create their own story-start based on the provided examples. This is a very engaging and interactive program, with active student participation.


Spending Time with a Pilgrim

Length: 35-50 minutes

During this interactive 40-minute video conference, students will be introduced to Mary Allerton, an original Mayflower passenger whose family did survive the first winter in America. Students will be introduced to lifestyles and hardships of the period, the reasons pilgrims emigrated to America, as well as the relationships developed with the Native Americans. Students will complete interactive activities as part of the lesson and will be engaged as they become one of the passengers on-board the Mayflower.


Spooktackular Math and Mammals

Length: 35-50 minutes

Students will learn about mammals by focusing on bats. They will also be creating a craft by way of solving math problems and they will also use problem-solving skills in this 40-45 minute session.

United States Symbols

Length: 35-40 minutes

This content session was created for 1st or 2nd grade students and is aligned with Ohio Content Standards involving U. S. symbols. Your children will be asked to design a class flag. They will learn about the Bald Eagle, White House, Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty and the flag. Children will be introduced to Washington D. C. as our nation’s capital, and experience several short video clips that will familiarize the students with these symbols.


Great Lakes Science Center

At Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) children and adult visitors seek answers to questions that spark their curiosity in making science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) come alive through hands-on exhibits, engaging educational programs, and unique demonstrations that illustrate STEM’s relevance in daily life.

 

We understand that the landscape of education has been changing under the current conditions. We have developed new virtual learning programs to help teachers safely engage their students in STEM whether they are at home or in the classroom. We provide a secure Zoom meeting room or join using the teacher’s preferred platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, or Teams.  We remain committed to developing informal science education programs that inspire young minds, improve STEM literacy and cultivate the creative, critical thinkers who will shape the future of Northeast Ohio.

 

Great Lakes Science Center Programs:

 

LIVE Private Science Shows

Length: 30-45 minutes

Science becomes larger than life as we perform spectacular demonstrations just for your class! Choose from the following themes. Each show ends with time for questions and answers.

 

Bubblemania

Why are bubbles round? Can we make them into another shape? Bubbles come alive while students investigate molecules, shapes and colors.

 

Energize It! 

Energy is all around us. We transform energy with explosive results using thermal, chemical, potential and kinetic energy.

 

Lift-off 

3-2-1 blast off! Explore the stages of human flight outside Earth’s orbit and the laws of motion that make it a truly uphill battle

 

Magic of Matter

How can matter change from one state into the other? We experiment with physical changes using Liquid Nitrogen that uncovers the “magic” behind why some materials behave in unexpected ways.

 

Seeing Sound

Can fire dance to music? Observe sound vibrations as we demonstrate how our senses help us hear, feel and even see sound.

 

Virtual Hands-on Workshops

Length: 30-60 minutes

Available for schools within 30 miles of the Science Center

All workshops are specifically designed to support Ohio Academic Standards for science, literature, math, and social studies. All workshops are led virtually by a Science Center educator and include one kit per registered student with all items needed to complete each workshop plus an additional kit for the teacher. Kits can be picked up at the Science Center free of charge or can be delivered within 30 miles for a fee.

 

Dissection: Cow Eye

Grade: 3-5 | Length: ~1 hour

Students will examine the complex structure of an eye and how it functions by cutting into and dissecting a cow eye. (Must be reserved at least four weeks in advance.) 

 

Dissection: Owl Pellets

Grade: 1-2 | Length: 45 minutes

Students will dissect an owl pellet with plastic tweezers. They will compare their findings with an identification chart to discover what was in that owl's diet! 

 

Dissection: Pig Heart      

Grade: 6-12 | Length: ~1 hour

Students will get a tour of the body's pump with this dissection of a pig heart. They will cut into the heart to reveal the four chambers, peer into the aorta and inspect blood vessels up close. (Must be reserved at least four weeks in advance. Each heart will be shared by two students.)

 

Electricity Investigators

Grade: 6-8 | Length: ~1 hour

Students investigate circuits and electricity as they are challenged to design and build their own working flashlight from common household materials.


Engineering Challenge: Three Little Pigs
Grade: PreK - Kindergarten | Length: ~30 minutes

Students are junior engineers as they perform hands-on experiments exploring which materials can withstand the big, bad wolf. This workshop promotes science and literacy.

 

Jumping Jitterbugs

Grade: 3-5 | Length: ~45 minutes

Students explore how circuits and electricity work together while designing and creating their own Jumping Jitterbug. 


Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center

The Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center has conducted digital student programming since 2002. Although the method of delivery has improved over the last 18 years, the objective is the same – we are bringing the world to the classroom, and student engagement is key! It is our mission to provide information, resources, and content to students through interactive video that would otherwise be inaccessible due to the limitations of time and distance. Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center is honored to have been awarded the Teacher’s Choice Award for Best Content Provider from the Berrien RESA four years in a row (2008-2011) and awarded the CILC Professional Development Pinnacle award 2011-12, 2016-2017, and Honorable Mention 2014-15 and 2017-18.


Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center Programs:


BOO-tiful Pumpkins

Grades 1-3 | Length 30-40 minutes

Students will examine various math concepts in this “fall-themed” video conference lesson. Using a pumpkin and pumpkin seeds, the presenter will facilitate an interactive student lesson (grades 1-3) on circumference and estimation. Student groups work collaboratively to explore the mathematical concepts and to explain their methods of achieving the answer. Kindergarten students will work on counting, comparing, and measuring. As always, literature and vocabulary are embedded throughout the lesson.


Celebration of Seuss

Length: 45 minutes

Let's celebrate Dr. Seuss and Read Across America! Join us for music, facts, stories, and crafts! It’s a “Seussical” good time!


The Kind Crew ASL Series (5 Parts)

The Kind Crew American Sign Language series was developed in 2019 and is a set of literature-based lessons that incorporate social-emotional learning skills, vocabulary acquisition, and Deaf cultural awareness.  This five-part lesson series will engage students in the development of empathy through the context of Deaf culture. Hands-on activities, video resources, and class instruction will focus on perspective-taking, empathy, appreciating diversity, and respecting other people and their cultures. By the end of the series, younger students will have acquired roughly fifty new vocabulary words in a unique new way that leads to deep learning. Not only do students learn the concepts in print, but the ASL delivery incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic feedback to help reach all students. In addition, the Kind Crew ASL concepts serve as a model of teacher professional development as the teachers learn the vocabulary terms alongside the students.  


The hope is that these concepts will be used in the classroom throughout the remainder of the year. Students and teachers can extend the learning for the remainder of the year through the online ASL portal that hosts classroom review videos and extension activities. 


Kindness ROCKS!

Length: 30-40 minutes

Building student soft skills that are used to communicate and deal with other students through mutual respect is an important component of building character. This is especially important in the classroom or school setting. Students will look at gaining and giving respect to each other through literature extensions and hands-on demonstrations. 


Spider Insiders

Grades PreK-K | Length: 45 minutes

Spiders, Spiders, EVERYWHERE! This interactive lesson is perfect for fall holiday integration. PreK-K students will enjoy music, literature, and science all wrapped into 1 fun and interactive lesson. Spider Insider includes activities that practice letter recognition, rhyming words, sorting /classifying, and fine motor skills. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore these creepy crawlers with a bad reputation!



Ohio History Connection

The Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) is a private nonprofit organization created in 1885 to identify, authenticate, collect, preserve, educate, and interpret records, objects, and places related to Ohio's ancient cultures, history, and natural history.  Today, the Ohio History Connection maintains a network of more than 50 historic, archaeological, and natural sites and serves as the state's partner in conducting an expanded range of activities to preserve the state's heritage. Our mission is to spark the discovery of Ohio’s stories, to help people embrace the present, share the past, and transform the future. 


Ohio History Connection has a diverse and engaging virtual experiences program. We started delivering virtual programming in 1996 and became members of the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) and the Ohio Distance Learning Association in 2008 and 2013 respectively. We just got another CILC Pinnacle Award which is given  annually to organizations that receive outstanding scores on program evaluations submitted by educators and other end users. This year we were inducted to their Pinnacle Hall of Fame for achieving 10 years of attaining such an award. This indicates the remarkable quality of our educational content and exceptional skill at program delivery.


The Ohio History Connection Programs:


Cultural Traditions

Grades: 1-4 | Length: 45-60 minutes

Discover traditions from around the globe! Your students will learn how different cultures use days of celebration to come together as a community. You will hear from people that celebrate Eid, Carnaval, Juneteenth, and Diwali, and you will learn about these traditions and their origins. 


Underground Railroad Immersive Experience

Grades 4-8 | Length: 45-60 minutes

It's 1859 and the nation is on the brink of Civil War. Students observe and talk to residents of our Ohio Village to understand the Underground Railroad and identify the secret “conductor.” Through the use of highly researched first-person interpreters, students are able to experience the moral and social struggles surrounding the anti-slavery movement.


Snapshot! Economics

Grades 4-8 | Length: 45-60 minutes

This interactive virtual program makes students think like historians! With a focus on images with economic themes such as manufacturing and commerce, students learn to analyze historical photographs to learn about the past and discuss basic economic concepts.


Snapshot! Kent State

Grades 8-12 | Length: 45-60 minutes

This interactive virtual program makes students think like historians! With a focus on images from the 1970 Kent State shootings, students learn to analyze historical photographs to learn about the past, develop critical thinking and exercise their social and emotional skills.


Snapshot! The Power of Protest

Grades 8-12 | Length: 45-60 minutes

Snapshot! is an interactive, virtual program where students will be taught to think like historians and analyze historic photographs to learn more about the past. This program focuses on the Civil Rights Movement and encourages students to think deeply on social justice topics both in the past and present.


So You Think You Know the Government?

Grades 5-12 | Length: 45-60 minutes

Students will compete against each other as they answer about the origins, structure, and responsibilities of federal, state, and local government. Our game shows provide teachers with an active and engaging way to assess student success in an informal setting. The level of complexity of questions and length of the program is adjusted according to grade level and classroom needs.


So You Think You Know the Election?

Grades 5-12 | Length: 45-60 minutes

Students will compete against each other as they answer about the election process, past elections, voter requirements and responsibilities, and more. Our game shows provide teachers with an active and engaging way to assess student success in an informal setting. The level of complexity of questions and length of the program is adjusted according to grade level and classroom needs.


SOITA (Southwestern Ohio Instructional

Technology Association)

SOITA offers Content for Students programs that are value-added, interactive video conferences targeted to specific curriculum topics and grade levels.  Each program is aligned to Ohio academic standards.  The sessions are 45-50 minutes in length and students will be able to interact with the instructors throughout the session.


SOITA was selected as a recipient of CILC's Pinnacle Award in 2019 and received honorable mentions in 2012 and 2015. This award is given annually to organizations that receive outstanding scores on program evaluations submitted by educators and other end users. Receiving the award indicates the remarkable quality of educational content and exceptional skill at program delivery.


SOITA Programs:


Christmas Around the World 

Grades K-2 | Social Studies | Length: 45 minutes

What do you do on Christmas morning? Do you run to see what Santa has left for you? Christmas is a big celebration for many people. It is celebrated in countries all over the world. The types of celebrations and traditions are different for people of various cultures. Even Santa has different names and looks! Join us as we explore the many traditions for celebrating Christmas around the world!


Earth Day: Preserving Our Most Precious Resource 

Grades 3-5 | Science | Length: 45 minutes

Once it’s gone, it’s gone! People have the ability to protect, defend, preserve, or destroy other living things and the planet itself. Our children are the future stewards of this world. Join us as we discuss the importance of Earth Day and share ways we can care for our environment and our planet.


Friendship, Family, and Pie - Oh My! A Thanksgiving Celebration

Grades 1-2 | Social Studies/Language Arts | Length: 45 minutes

Thanksgiving is the day we remember all we have to be thankful for. Join us as we learn about the very first Thanksgiving, find out where our holiday traditions come from and share our reasons to be grateful. This program is chock-full of fun, friendship, and a whole lot of thankfulness - Don’t miss it!


How Did That Happen? Understanding Cause & Effect 

Grades 3-5 | Language Arts | Length: 45 minutes

Following the chain of events in a story can make readers feel like they are on a rollercoaster – each incident has the potential to lead to a smooth turn or a sudden drop. Students will be amazed by the way a single event can cause a chain reaction that will lead to a conclusion they never expected. Join us as we learn to identify cause and effect relationships, explain how incidents influence future actions, and develop our own cause and effect statements.


Laugh Your Head Off with Idioms

Grades 1-2 | Language Arts | Length: 45 minutes

Students will encounter idiomatic expressions sprinkled throughout both written and spoken language. Idioms can be wonderful vocabulary-enriching tools as students are made aware of both the figurative and literal meanings behind them. Students will get a chuckle as they see how the literal meaning creates a very different picture from the figurative message.


It's Your Lucky Day! Let's Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Grades 2-4 | Social Studies | Length: 45 minutes

In America, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades and the Wearin’ O’ the Green. However, many of us do not know why! Take a virtual journey to Ireland to learn more about its mystical isles, patron saint, fairies, and folklore. Pin on a shamrock and join us as we discover how these traditions emigrated from Ireland to America.


Kids Rock! A Closer Look at Rocks

Grades 3-4 | Science | Length: 50 minutes

Want to learn some fun facts about rocks?  In this session, students will make observations about different types of rocks, and learn how they are formed.  We’ll also look at how different rocks are used.


Kids Rock On - Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle!

Grades 3-4 | Science | Length: 50 minutes

In Kids Rock, A Closer Look at Rocks we learned about the different types of rocks and how they’re formed. In Kids Rock On, Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle we will dive deeper into our investigation of the rock cycle, discuss how rocks change over time, examine the role of weathering and erosion in the shaping of the earth’s surface, and how geologists play an important role in our communities.

Learning About Fractions

Grades 3-4 | Math | Length: 45 minutes

Get the facts about fractions during this interactive videoconference. Students will identify fractions represented in a variety of ways, compare and order fractions with like denominators and recognize equivalent fractions.


Learning to Draw Conclusions

Grades 2-3 | Language Arts | Length: 45 minutes

(Grades 2-3) Drawing conclusions can be like trying to solve a mystery. Making conclusions about what is likely to happen in a story is a skill that will help students become more analytical. It can also heighten the students' interest in stories as they become eager to find out if their predictions are correct. Join us as we become detectives trying to figure out what might happen next!


Math is Spooktacular!

Grades 1-2 | Math | Length: 45 minutes

Don’t let math spook you! Join us for this fun and festive program featuring Common Core Standards-aligned problems and activities. Students will “Trick or Treat” with instructors, telling time, working through word and geometry problems, and even learning a little bit about Halloween. Don’t miss out on this hair-raising, mathematical Halloween celebration!


Our Greatest President: Abraham Lincoln

Grades 1-2 | Social Studies/Language Arts | Length: 45 minutes

Honest Abe built a reputation of good character long before he became president. This program, presented close to Presidents’ Day, will explore some of the major highlights of Lincoln’s life and his personal character traits. Many historians regard him as our #1 commander in chief.


Perimeter and Area

Grades 4-5 | Math | Length: 45 minutes

Join us to learn about perimeter and area! In this session, students will learn how to find the perimeter of different shapes and calculate the area on some basic shapes like squares, rectangles, and triangles.


Place Value and Number Sense in Math

Grades 2-3 | Math | Length: 45 minutes

Join us for a fun way to learn and review place value concepts. Students will explore whole numbers, review place values up to the ten thousands, and work with base-10 blocks.

Plants: A Closer Look

Grades 3-4 | Science | Length: 45 minutes

Let's take a closer look at plants. Join us to learn about the life cycle of a plant, parts of a plant, and what a plant needs to grow.


The Shocking Truth About Electricity

Grades 3-4 | Science | Length: 45 minutes

Electrons, current, and circuits oh my! Get ready to laugh and learn as we take an in-depth look at electricity. Participants will have the opportunity to complete several investigations including how electrical current travels, simple circuits, and even construct an electromagnet. You will be “shocked” into disbelief at how amazing electricity can be!


Simple Machines Made Simple

Grades 3-4 | Science | Length: 45 minutes

Simple machines provide the basic tools to make almost any machine we use today. Join us to learn what the six simple machines are, how they work, and how they make our lives easier.


Sweet Poetry on Valentine’s Day

Grades 3-5 | Language Arts/Social Studies | Length: 45 minutes

Poetry is considered by many to be a romantic style of writing. What better day, then, to learn about poetry than on the most romantic day of the year?! In this session, students will experience poetry in various forms, from sweet to silly. Students will discover different types of prose, and compose original poetry - all while learning a bit about the history of Valentine’s Day!


The Water Cycle

Grades 2-4 | Science | Length: 45 minutes

Water on Earth is in constant movement! Learn about its cyclic journey through the water cycle. We will build on students’ prior knowledge of how water can change states from solid to liquid to gas. Students will be able to identify and explain the different stages of the water cycle. Explore the stages of the water cycle in this interactive session.