Online Learning

July 9th, 2020

COVID-19 has transformed the educational landscape.  Virtual learning is new to most educators. Online meetings, small group instruction, project-based assignments are new territory.  Students need many soft skills in order to be successful with online learning (responsibility, compromise, positive flexible attitude, teamwork, communication skills, leadership skills, decision making, and more). My goal is to share resources that will help educators in a virtual setting.  

1.  Zoom Communication Posters: These posters help students (grades K-5) with teachers.  Students hold up 8 1/2 x 11 posters to get the attention of the virtual host.  Poster link.

2. Online meetings need to have clear expectations.  Virtual learning is new to students and the expectations will need to be taught.  Below is a photo of an example expectation poster.  Managing your Zoom settings (mute participants, breakout groups, private chat) will also help you establish expectations in an online environment. 

Living History: Part 2

What would happen if students dressed up as characters from history and interacted with other local historical characters? This is what happens in our classroom each year. Students are persuaded to choose characters not found in a history book, but to investigate and discover stories from within our own community. It sounds tough and it is! This classroom based assessment (CBA) project is rewarding for the students, teachers, and community members.

Our students did not memorize a speech, but had to dig into primary sources, documents, and interviews to help develop the character.  Many of the students selected a family member, homesteader, politician, Tribal Elder, family member, and much more. Seeing and hearing first-hand accounts allowed the students to learn so much more about history.


Preparation:

   Timeline Lesson (making connections)

• personal timeline

1.       Introduce primary sources

2.       Learn to analyze primary documents

3.       Develop interview questions

a.       Interview a friend

4.       Develop research questions

a.       How to use the library

5.       Research and note taking (Research PowerPoint is developed by Tracy Dick)

6.       Write a letter through your characters eyes.

7.       Teacher demonstrates a character example/skit

8.       Students practice character with peers

9.       Living History Day (more information available at our TPT store. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Liz-And-Ron

Sample Parent Letter