The new school year is right around the corner! That means big changes and new routines for families and educators alike.
Whether you’re returning to the classroom or learning at home, Mountain Lake PBS is here for you as the 2021-2022 school year kicks off. Check out some of our favorite back-to-school resources below to help learners of all ages succeed.
Explore collections from PBS LearningMedia and PBS KIDS for Parents to help create good study habits, set & continue new routines,manage emotions, and build friendships. Materialsalso include resources to support educators as theyintegrate PBS and PBS KIDS content in their classrooms, while navigating the complexities and challenges of teaching through another unpredictable year.
Jump to article sections:
Tips for Easing Back Into the School Year
How to Handle a Tough First Day of School
Kids bring so many emotions to the first week of school: excitement and fear, wonder and worry. So when something goes wrong, it can feel overwhelming. Here are four ways you can help kids navigate heading back to school.
Helping Your Child Make Friends Again
Here are some tips for helping kids make friends and build social resilience in this transition time after a tough year.
Five Ways to Beat Back-to-School Jitters
It’s that time of year again: Summer is winding down and families are preparing for the new school year. Whether your child is headed to kindergarten for the first time or returning for another year of preschool, the transition from summer to school is packed with emotions. Take these steps to help your child prepare for a new school year.
Back to School Resource Hubs & Collections
Going Back to School Collection | PBS Kids for Parents
Grades PreK-3
This past school year was unusual. But with students heading back to school, there’s a lot we can do to bolster our children’s feelings of confidence and security as they head into a new year. Here are ways to get in the back-to-school mindset and cope with any anxieties or emotions.
Back to School Collection | PBS LearningMedia
Grades PreK-5
Get ready for the start of school with some of our favorite back-to-school resources! This collection features activities and video resources to help students get to know each other and their new school routines, and lesson plans to help you get your new class off to a great start.
New York Boost! Support for High School and College Students
Grades 6-12
In this collection, curated by WPBS and with resources guided by experts, students can access interactive, experiential learning opportunities and solve real world problems for academic success.
Crash Course: Study Skills
Grades 9-12
In this Crash Course series, students learn how to take effective notes, ease test anxiety, get organized, and so much more!
Activities, Games & More
School Readiness | Sesame Street in Communities
PreK-K
Children’s lives are packed with first-time experiences. By using everyday moments for learning, you’re building their brains—and a strong foundation of early school readiness for success in school and in life. Using these resources, take a peek into another child’s day in the video “A Day in the Life of a Kindergartner,” get Parent-Teacher Communication Tips, and draw a Family Portrait.
Learn-at-Home and Back-to-School Checklists
Grades PreK-2
Help set your young learners up for success regardless of their educational situation with these at-home and back-to-school learning checklists!
Back to School Weekly Planner
Grades PreK-3
Let’s plan for the first week of school! Use this printable planner to create a schedule so that everyone knows what to expect.
Teachers are Terrific | Booklist
Grades PreK-5
Teachers must be brave, patient, creative and downright stalwart people. Celebrate going back to school with these books aboutextraordinary teachers and the children they teach!
Back to School Bingo | PBS KIDS
Grades K-2
Let’s play Bingo! Ask students to walk around the room and find a classmate for each fun fact on the board. As they find friends that match the facts, have students mark the box with their initials or a check.
Spotlight Education | PBS Learning Media
Grades 3-12
In this collection from PBS LearningMedia, students and educators alike can learn about the challenges and celebrations that students from around the world experience.
How Do Teenagers Feel about Heading Back to School? | PBS NewsHour
Grades 6-12
In this story from PBS NewsHour, students discuss how virtual learning and pandemic-era stress has affected their education.
A Summer of Possibilities
Play and learn your way this summer! You can explore and play with your child all season long with a variety of free resources from the PBS LearningMedia Summer Camp and PBS KIDS for Parents collections. Spark curiosity and creativity with hands-on activities, tips, and games around different themes supporting literacy, math, science, and life skills.
Next week we’re getting ready to go back to school! Preparing for a new school year can stir up lots of emotions for your child. Use the activities in the packets below to plan ahead and practice first day routines together.
Grades PreK-K
Tune in: Celebrate Family Night and watch Elinor Wonders Why at 7 PM on Friday, August 6th.
Play & Learn: In this packet, there are great, printable summertime activities the whole family can enjoy!
Grades 1-2
Tune in:Celebrate Family Night and watch Elinor Wonders Why at 7 PM on Friday, August 6th.
Play & Learn: In this packet, there are great, printable summertime activities the whole family can enjoy!
For even more games and educational resources for young learners, go to the Going Back to School Collection on PBS Kids for Parents, and the Back to School & Emotions Themed Summer Camp Collection on PBS LearningMedia.