Notes for Virtual Learners

1/22: Please check Seesaw for work that "Zoomies" in particular should double check for having submitted. If you find your work and you can find that it has been submitted, that's great ! I will continue to search Seesaw for work. If you cannot find your work, then please re-do/resubmit it by Monday morning.

1/13: I just spoke with Mrs. Ree, who is teaching art for Mrs. Jones again tomorrow. She will be doing a project that requires a dark blue or black piece of paper and a white piece of chalk or a white crayon. If you are able to have these supplies ready for art tomorrow morning, it will make your child's experience more fun.

12/8: A gentle reminder: Virtual learners should be sure that their camera is set so that the student's face can be seen. Cameras are to remain on during instruction time and work time as directed by the teacher. Though the "mute" setting is on, virtual learners should not have conversations with others at home while instruction is taking place. Additionally, please be sure that your learner has paper, pencils, books, and other regular school supplies accessible without having to leave the room. I do understand that when children are printing from Seesaw, it is sometimes necessary to get the work.

CHRISTMAS PROJECTS: There are several projects that I would like the "Zoomies" (virtual learners) to be able to participate in doing, if possible. I will have bags prepared for each virtual learner to pick up from the main lobby after school this Friday, December 11. The supplies will be saved for specific days over the next weeks prior to Christmas break. There are some additional supplies that will be needed for Monday, December 21, which I will be listed in the bag.

11/19: Tomorrow is "Casual Day" at Trinity. The cost to participate is $2.00 per child. For virtual learners, you may pay your $2.00 on Praxi. Otherwise, your child must wear his/her uniform tomorrow.

Advent wreaths were distributed today after school. Virtual learner families may pick up a wreath from the school office entrance tomorrow or Monday.

11/17: For our "turkey activity" from today, children will need a 1 inch piece of straw (approximately), several small paper clips, and a piece of string, yarn, or ribbon approximately 3 feet in length.

For Thursday, we will be making paper Advent chains. If your child will be participating in the chain making, he/she will need 27 strips of paper (We will be using red, green, and white strips, 1"x 9" long.) He/She will also need a yellow star (about 5-6 inches wide). I will provide a list of the Bible references that we will be putting on each chain link, and further directions regarding this project (and the assignment that goes with it) will be given on Thursday.

***I have made Bible reference labels (30 per sheet address labels) for the in-person students, and am attaching the file so that you can print off a set for your child. Each label has 2 references on it, so ultimately, the labels will need to be cut in half so that there are a total of 26 different stickers. If you are unable to print these verses on labels, they may be printed on regular paper, cut apart, and glued on to the chain links. We will do this as part of our activity on Thursday.

11/5: Since our zoom meet was cut short today because of the issues with Comcast, we did not proceed with our Social Studies activity as planned for today. We will work on it tomorrow.

11/4: For tomorrow, please have a large white sheet of paper and crayons/markers available for Social Studies.

10/9: Beginning next Tuesday (on Seesaw), I will post a short reading passage with comprehension questions and one math problem to complete prior to the start of school. This "Morning Work" will be available starting at 8am each school day, and should be completed and submitted daily. We will often go over the math problem during math, and occasionally the reading passage. Generally, however, the reading passage and comprehension questions are used to help me to get a better picture of your child's reading ability without instruction that is direct and specific to the passage.

10/7: Mrs. Jones, our art teacher, has requested that all virtual students submit the three projects that have been done so far - lines & rainbow colors, landscapes, and DOT paintings. You may email them to her at mjones@tlsonline.org or you may submit them through your child's Seesaw account. Thank you.

9/21: We have begun week four of the 2020-2021 school year! Our classroom now sports a shiny new 50" screen that makes seeing our virtual learners so much easier! We can also hear and see our home learners SO much more clearly. Our "in school" learners are trying to speak loudly and clearly through their masks. It continues to be a huge learning process!

Moving forward, I would like all virtual learners' work that has been done in workbooks or on paper to be uploaded to Seesaw. It will put everything into one place for all of us.

For math assignments, my virtual students may continue to use their workbook and submit it to Seesaw, or assignments may be accessed via Sadlierconnect.com and submitted upon completion. Thank you so much.

Welcome to the first days of school! I look forward to seeing you online and pray that your experience in third grade will be blessed. How wonderful it will be when you join us in person!

Classwork that the "In Person" students will be doing will be posted on Seesaw so that you can print it and complete the same activities we will do in class. I am working to adjust any glitches there may be in this, so please be patient and let me know of any problems you experience. Thank you so much.

9/16: Please be sure you have returned the items from 9/10 (below).

Reminders:

• All virtual learners are expected to wear a school uniform shirt while online.

• Please encourage your child to be an active participant in class discussions and activities. I try to rephrase the responses given by "in person" learners so that "virtual learners" can hear better, but we'd like to hear more from our "virtual learner" friends, too.

• Out of consideration for other learners and for your own child's benefit, please be sure that his/her work area is free from noise.

• I am discovering new resources that are available in Sadlier math. One of those resources is our workbook online. Additionally, there are review lessons available for struggling learners that may be assigned. It is my goal to have the details in place by next week so that "virtual learners" will no longer need to send a scanned copy of their work.

9/10: Please scan the following items and e-mail them to me:

• The four questions that were answered in sentence form this morning during Reading.

• The traced hand (Science) with "Curiousity Questions" written around it.

Thank you!

If you are still experiencing difficulty logging on to Sadlier Math so that your child is able to complete the "Beginning of Year" assessment, please reach out to me. This assessment should be done completely independently by your child which will give a much more accurate picture of where his/her math needs are.

A few reminders....

• Virtual learners should not be eating or chewing gum during class time.

• Microphones should be muted even when we are taking a break.

• Please be sure your learner has all of his/her school books and supplies immediately accessible for class. Thank you so much.

9/9: Continued thanks to all families who have virtual learners at home for your patience, support, understanding, and questions. This is such an ongoing learning process for all of us!

For assignments that are not posted on Seesaw, the best way to turn them in for the time being, is to scan the assignment and email it to me. I am working with Mrs. Smith to streamline this process and make it easier for all of us, but I'm not quite there yet. I keep "Pressing On"!

Coming soon: Mr. Smith is currently working to set up a large screen TV with a more powerful microphone and camera that should allow me to move about the room during instruction and see your child's face more easily. Hopefully this will enable more cohesiveness between virtual and in-person learners. I'm excited about it, and can't wait until it is ready for use in my classroom!

9/4: Today we began using Sadlier math online. I assumed that you had received the information for logging on with you Clever accounts, but I apologize. Apparently this is not the case. The Sadlier Connect that we are using is new this year. I tried to show the children how to access this site and to log on so that they could begin to work on the "Beginning of the Year Assessment". If your child was unable to access his/her account, please email me so that I can provide further information for you to log on.

For all virtual learners, if I have posted an assignment on Seesaw, generally I am trying to make it accessible only after we have covered the lesson for which it applies. Please have your child do only the assigned work (See the blog page for Homework & Projects.). Thank you so much. We will all keep on "Pressing On" to make your child's learning experience the best it can be!

8/31: It will be helpful for all virtual learners to have school supplies and textbooks/workbooks accessible each day. I would like these children to organize their work just like the in school learners. I will often refer to specific folders/notebooks in which to keep or complete work. When your child does return to "in person" learning, he/she will need the supplies listed on the Supply List you received from the office.

Today we began making a "Third Grade Time Capsule". If you can get a 10"x 13"envelope, your child should print his name and "Third Grade Time Capsule" on the front of the envelope and then decorate both sides as he/she pleases. The "All About Me" found on Seesaw should be completed and placed inside the envelope. I took pictures of each child today (in person) with their mask on and off, and will print these to be placed in individual Time Capsules. Virtual learners are encouraged to have their photo taken and printed for putting inside the Time Capsule, too. We will add several more things to the Time Capsule during this week, so keep it handy and open.

FOR TOMORROW: In preparation for an activity, you may want to write your child's first and last name in large block-style letters (about 2 inches high). We will be making a "Name Glyph".

9/1: Today seemed better than yesterday. Thank you for your patience and understanding as simultaneously teaching "in person" and "virtual" learners is a new journey! Third graders and I are certainly learning lessons in patience, cooperation, and forgiveness!

I suggest that students enter the zoom waiting room at 8:40 am. I will not begin the formal day until 8:45 am (unless I notify you ahead of time). Arrival of "in person" students and the normal start of the school day tasks to attend to before instruction begins takes some time, and there are unexpected things that happen, too. Throughout the day as our meetings end and restart, the same can happen. Please continue to be patient. Thank you so much!

The "Morning Work" on my class schedule will be posted to Seesaw beginning next week. This week, I have been allowing students to do some word searches, coloring, and play dough.

We will generally end our day between 2:30 and 2:40 pm so that the "in person" students have time to fill in their planners, pack up, and can be dismissed on time for our staggered dismissal times.

It has been quite difficult to check email during the school day, though I do try to during lunch and our "specials". Some days it is possible to check and respond, other days it is not until after school. I am trying hard to keep up with everything, but I know it will improve over time. Again, thank you for your understanding.

Homework is posted on my blog every day after school.

Have a wonderful evening! We will continue to "Press On"!