At the start of the 20-21 school year, amid COVID, too many families felt the intense pressure of balancing school, work and parenting.  And on top of it, families worried about whether their kids would get the most out of school, and despite COVID, they wanted the school year to be meaningful.

UNBOXED digital learning kits were designed to focus on what matters most to kids by giving them the habits, skills, knowledge, and routines to learn with a purpose.  Each digital learning kit unpacks the best of education into a monthly experience for grades 4–9.  

The kits include the best of academic enrichment, backed by critical social-emotional skills. And, the Tips and Activities help kids become more independent, while also building skills to overcome challenges, manage stress, and stay focused.

Why is this important?

UNBOXED digital learning kits combine creative, fun projects kids love with step-by-step guidance that helps kids develop the skills and habits that are most important for success. Together, these monthly kits create a complete learning experience that works hand-in-hand with any school curriculum for grades 4-9.  

It’s based on research and learning science, and comes with six tools and activities that help kids become inspired and self-directed learners.  It is designed for the parent who is helping kids learn at home, the community organization or enrichment program supporting remote learning, and the learning pod leader working with mixed-age groups. Educators, families and kids can use it however they choose to – with all the tools together or picking just a few.

What’s in a digital learning kit?

The links below allow you to download an archive containing the pdf files for an entire kit.  Each learning kit contains six tools: 

1. Plan: Kids set and work on goals that are personal, relevant, and motivating.
2. Engage: Parents and Coaches learn how to support kids’ minds and bodies in learning.
3. Build: Kids develop foundational knowledge in reading, writing, and math through a best-of curated list of online programs.
4. Learn: Kids explore the world through an engaging, month-long project that builds career-ready skills.
5. Grow: Parents and Coaches nurture habits and skills that are key to learning.
6. Celebrate: Recognize progress and achievement in a celebration of learning

Additional resource files, like Coaching Notes or Learning Support Tools, complement and enhance the project within each kit.

How do you use a kit?

Step 1: Download a kit and explore its contents.
We have designed the tools to provide a complete experience, but it’s OK if you don’t use everything.  You might already have established routines or other projects you want your kid to do. That’s OK! You can always mix-and-match, skip, or double down on a specific tool. 

Step 2: Decide what you want to use, and make a plan!
The six tools in each kit mimic the virtuous cycle of learning: motivation starts with purpose. First we Plan, so that we are motivated towards a big, exciting end-goal. And learning is solidified when we reflect; that’s why we Celebrate at the end of the cycle.

Between planning and celebrating, use the rest of the tools: Establish routine connections with your kid using the ideas in Engage. Use Build and Learn to develop academic foundations and Universal Skills. And practice the Habits of Success using the advice and activities found in Grow. 

Get started by downloading a learning kit!

Many Hands Make Light Work

• Plan through Goal Setting—Help kids plan their destination and map the route to their goals
• Engage through Check-in/Check-out—Build routine connection into your daily schedule
• Build Foundational Skills in Reading, Writing, and Math
• Learn: Project: Many Hands Make Light Work—Make a great argument to solve a big problem!
• Grow through Reflection—Practice reflection to strengthen Self-awareness and Resilience
• Celebrate Learning!—Recognize progress and achievement during the previous month.

Think Globally, Act Locally

• Plan to Overcome Obstacles—Time to WOOP it up!
• Engage: Maximize Weekly 1:1 Time to Show a Kid You Care 
• Build Foundational Skills in Reading, Writing, and Math
• Learn: Project: Think Globally, Act Locally—Harness the power of numbers to pitch a business idea
• Grow: Maintain Momentum—Motivate kids to keep going when they want to quit.  
• Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection!

The Book of Time

• Plan: Motivate Your Kids with the Power of Progress—Use a small goal-setting cycle to experience small wins.
• Engage: Lead Kids to New Learning—Use I Do, We Do, You Do to support kids’ learning.
• Build: Foundational Skills in Reading, Writing, and Math
• Learn: Project: The Book of Time—Kids prepare and conduct an oral history to capture an individual story to add to an online archive.
• Grow: Help Kids Keep their Cool—Learn to regulate emotional reactions through planning and reflection.
• Celebrate Learning! Recognize progress and achievement during the previous month.

The Science of Bread

• Plan: A Chance to Step Back—Stay on the right path by revisiting goals and progress.
• Engage: Step Back to Check In—Reflect back to check progress toward goals.
• Build Foundational Skills in Reading, Writing, and Math
• Learn: Project: The Science of Bread—Kids learn how to approach problems scientifically through the process of baking bread.
• Grow: Embrace a Growth Mindset—What might kids do, if they believe anything is possible?
• Celebrate Growth—Recognize progress and achievement!