Covid 19 Home Learning

Good afternoon!

Here is the first morning of home learning update:

7:00 - 7:30 Mass online by myself

7:30 - 9:00 Work on school items, talk with a co-worker, trouble shoot the online learning portal, get ready for the day

9:00 - convince the 7 year old to curl up and look at the links with me that were prepared by his teacher.  First link, no problem...it was just a parent letter.  Link two did not work.

Yes...the website problems that were just resolved are now not working for the STEAM teacher.  You can laugh or commiserate!

9:30 - switch to ABC MOUSE and try to figure out the problem with the portal.  At the same time, I log into the other laptop to try to get the 10 year old started.  Nope - the links do not work.  The 4 year old has taken over ABC Mouse and the 7 year is rolling around on the couch!

TIME GETS FUZZY HERE!  4 year old convinces dad to play his video on the living room TV while learning is supposed to be happening.  This was corrected quickly, but adds to the reality of home learning with 5 different ages in 1 one house (and a sleeping college student to make 6).

10:00 - get the learning link portals working on my phone for my 10 year old.  She gets a multiplication choice board link and quickly writes 1 word problem.  
Simultaneously, I get the 7 year old to work on learning about glaciers,  writing three facts, and one opinion.  He also learned learned about President Polk and the first lady Polk and then Gerald Ford.  Before distractions set in.

10-11:30 there is oatmeal that needs made, juice spilled on the bed, and more!  Some of the learning is occurring, but not what I imagined or hoped for!

By 11:30, everyone was hungry and it was lunch time.  I am not sure how another month of home learning is going to work.  This is just enrichment and I am not "teaching" online yet.  

Oh - add in potty training to this mix and you might get a sense of the craziness!  Luckily, my husband works from home with a super flexible schedule.  He can make the oatmeal or assist with lunches or put the 2 year old down for a nap...I can't image doing this home learning thing solo.  

How was your morning of home learning?

The afternoon brings my 10 year old making a guitar with hair ties and a tissue box. Roblox or some other video game on multiple devices in multiple rooms.

So if you have a picture perfect schedule...go for it!
If you quickly fell into a pit of tablets and PBS KIDS...go for it!
If the kids are running around in the yard...go for it!

What are they going to remember when we are done with this adventure?  Think about it from their point of view.  Tomorrow is a new day!

Here is a new links for families and teachers:
PBS learning resources

This is what I miss most - my students and my fellow teachers.  

Bear Hunting

Have you seen the Facebook posts about going a bear hunt?

Were you totally confused?

Okay...let me break it down and help you out!!!

First, we are in quarantine mode and many of are in areas on near lock down.  However, we have time to go for walks and maybe a drive.  While out and about, you can look for TEDDY BEARS in the windows near and far.  If you are not familiar with the pre-school song or the story book, here is the link to the book read by the author!

So, what do I do?

Put a stuffed teddy bear or a picture of a teddy bear in your window, on a flag pole, or somewhere else visible from the road.

Next, GO ON A BEAR HUNT!!!

I think that this is my favorite version of this activity...I have also seen hearts, rainbows, and Easter Eggs.

Spread the joy near and far and post pictures of your bears if you want to (keep your address private).

Quaran-teaching

This is how I feel.  It began earlier this week with a Zoom meeting to discuss our district plan starting to create materials.

Overall, it was and has been exciting and overwhelming.  I scoured facebook groups, my blog, and many other resources for ideas.  What would people have at home?  What are skills that can be practiced offline and online?  What is interesting?

I created two choice boards which go LIVE next week (look for those next week).  In addition, I have been supporting my fellow teachers as we navigated this new process.  Our district tried one format, but that didn't work as predicted.  So a second option was sent out.  So I uploaded my files twice.

Plus, I had to stop into school today to get my computer updated since it was taking 7-10 minutes per upload.  Finally, that seems to be fixed by IT.

I also grabbed all the seeds to try to start the school garden at home.  Thanks to Annette who is our PTO president who got them donated last year for us! 

Another activity that I completed today was picking up boxes from UPS from our Scholastic Book Fair proceeds.  SO MANY AWESOME BOOKS.

I have been keeping busy with my children and cleaning my house on top of the teaching responsibilities.

What have you been doing?

Here is the Read Alouds and Lego Challenges that I have offered to my students via facebook:

Read Alouds


YOU CAN TRY ANY OF THESE LEGO CHALLENGES AT HOME!

March LEGO challenges

Please stay healthy and stay safe! Soon this craziness will be over!!!

Coding, typing, and more

Okay - we are almost a week into this historic moment in history.

As a new parent/educator, you are trying to find a balance.  This is to my Wattsburg Elementary families...

Your child has a few ongoing activities in STEAM that they can continue from home!

Code.org - I have a link from the Wattsburg Elementary webpage!  Media Center page
Each homeroom in 1st through 4th grade has a link.  Most students know their secret picture or words, but I am willing to help out via Facebook Messenger or email!  They can continue where we left off or just explore the website.  IT IS FREE!!!

EduTyping - Students in grade 3 and 4 have periodically worked on typing skills.  4th grade log ins have not changed, but 3rd grade switched over to a new log in through CLEVER and they have to re-start for now.   Sorry!!!!

4th grade log in - Edutyping
Account ID - senecahs
User name - first letter of first name, whole last name, and 01 (they should know this piece)
Password - 123456

3rd grade log in - Clever or it is on the "student" drop down menu
First make sure that it is Wattsburg School District
Then it is their user name @wattsburg.org - Sample student would be SStudent01@wattsburg.org
Password is their "lunch number" or student ID number.  It might be on Sapphire, but again I can find it for you.

All students can access CLEVER and find a variety of resources connected for FREE including Brain Pop!

Finally, PEBBLE GO.  The school district pays for a subscription two databases within Pebble Go.  One is all about Animals and the other is all about Science.

It is linked with log in credentials from Media Center Webpage

Plus I have a list of websites that we can use at any time on the media website called "Websites We Love".  Feel free to explore them with your students :)

One week later...

One week ago, I was teaching...no shut downs were even in my mind on when I woke up on Thursday March 12th.

Quickly, everything began shutting down.  By 9 PM on Thursday night, I felt that my "Coronavacation" was imminent.

Fast forward to Friday, try teaching during this time of uncertainty.  Students knew something was amiss and teachers/staff were trying to keep a poker face.  However, I know my classes felt like controlled chaos.  Life was not right.

Friday March 13th at 2:15 - Finally an email from the administration...work will continue as normal next week.
Friday March 13th at 3:20 - AN ANNOUNCEMENT to check our email immediately...governor declares a 2 week shut down.  Okay brain shift!

By 5 PM, my class pet and I are settled in at home.  I want to watch hours of TV news on this event, but can't for a variety of reasons.

The weekend was surreal.  Some things were still on and others were cancelled.

I do not sit still well and my students are my world...so I found some ideas and have run with them.  Our Facebook PTO page has a LEGO challenge daily, a night time story at 7:30 with my crew, and a Blessing Box has been added.

WHAT NEXT?

I do not know...the kids are settling into some unstructured learning activities.  I am trying to keep up with my one box a day cleaning goal.  Plus, potty training two stubborn toddlers.

Go Noodle on You Tube +
Movie night blankets left out
 = REAL LIFE

Ben loves doing Adventure Academy with the free trial offer

Bella has taken to crafting - this is a planter

Overall, I am enjoying my Covid 19 break.  I have some big projects to tackle like my SLO (student learning objective) data, figuring out how to plant a school garden when my seeds are locked in the building, and making memories!

What are you doing this week?

Copyright and Fair Use

Last night, I went live to read a story to my students using the Facebook live feature on our PTO page.

Well, I made a quick decision based on a post in a librarian group.  Parents and students seemed to enjoy the experience.

One parent even posted the following:

"Just wanted to say thanks for doing the live story time. You put a smile on my son's face when you said hi. He also liked hearing the names of other kids you were saying hi to. I'm grateful for you doing this because it's a strange time for all of us. I think it helps the kids to see a familiar face and gives them a sense of security knowing that we are all in this together. So, thank you!"💕:==

I kind of felt like Molly in the Magic mirror from Romper Room from the 80's.  I had a blast reading last night.

Today, I had extra time and now the conversation in my library face pages is about Copyright and Fair Use.  Basically, if you follow the letter of the fair use "law", I should be asking the publisher for permission to read the entire book aloud on a video.  It would be okay if I read 10% of the book.  However, others are debating that unprecedented times call for some "forgiveness" or "exceptions".  I am left unsure how to feel or believe, but my students come first.  This means...story time will go on at 7:30 EST on our facebook PTO page.

There are a few articles to read and consider from the School Library Journal if you are curious.

First - Story Time Online
Second - Fair Use okay ?
More Fair Use information

****updated. link 8/23  Read Aloud Updated

I might have updates later, but today meant making lasagna, cupcakes, custard, walks, and basement cleaning not reading more on copyright and fair use

Skating fun

Fresh air and MUD!

Roller blading up the stairs is not easy

Bonfires and yard clean up

In addition, there was a "Blessing Box" added to our Little Free Library!





Let us be beacons of light in a dark historical moment.  What are you doing to spread joy and hope?

Covid 19 - Cornavirus

We are living in the middle of a historic moment in time.  Many people will talk about the outbreak of 2020 and we are living it! 

Some of us remember H1N1 and many other outbreaks...nothing has shut down schools and businesses like this one.

What are parents supposed to do for 14 days with their children?  How can learning continue?

Some schools offered online platforms...others sent home packets of worksheets...others are still figuring it out for Monday.

Many websites are offering free trials and their are lists upon lists of ideas out there on mom groups, social media sites, and other blogs.

Where do we start?   Honestly, I do not know!  Today has just been a day to rest and relax.  I plan to to go "live" on Facebook for story time a few times over the shut down with my students and families. 

Let me start with a few websites that were free or a freemium type site before and after this event:

Story Time from Space
Quiver - Augmented Reality
Google Sky  or Google Earth
Stellarium (constellations)
Wonderopolis

Find a topic that your child loves and try a new website!

If you want more up - to - date information - go to John Hopkins map

Classroom pets are home as well for 2  weeks!

Craft time