Remote Learning Summary & Report Card Narrative

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING:

The focus of remote learning for STEAM classes was to keep students engaged in their learning and supplement learning that had already happened during the school year. Classes were updated weekly and focused on a wide area of topics that can be accessed here: https://sites.google.com/a/hatfieldps.net/mikeapril/home/3-6-home-to-school-blog. Of particular note are the Typing Club (for 3rd grade), Code.org, Scratch, and Kids & Engineering websites. These resources are used extensively throughout the school year and were also available during remote learning. Code.org and Scratch teach computer science while Kids & Engineering has links to many strategy games and puzzles, as well as links to art and music apps. Overall these websites help students think creatively and reason systematically. All of these resources were accessible to students during remote learning. The following is a brief list of topics that were covered

• April 5: Digital Citizenship topics What information about you is OK to share online? What is clickbait and how can you avoid it?

• April 12: Learning about all-things-tech

• April 19: Scratch programming challenge: Teach an Elephant to Talk

• May 1: DIY Builds with Jay Mankita of Playful Engineers

• May 10: Smithsonian Science Education Center’s simulations: Habitats and Aquation

• May 17: Digital Breakouts

• May 18: Scrappy Circuits

• May 25: Smithsonian Science Education Center’s simulations: Weather Lab and Sugar Simulation

May 25, 2020

Below are simulation games from the Smithsonian Science Education Center. Each of these games can be used on a laptop, Chromebook, tablet, or smartphone. Download from the Amazon, Apple, or Google App store to play on a tablet or smart phone.

These activities are in each student's Google Classroom STEAM page.

Students should play at least one game and answer the question: What is one new thing your learned?

• Weather Lab: Take on the role of a meteorologist by predicting spring weather and how people should dress for it in particular regions of the United States.

• Sugar Simulation How Can We Identify Materials Based on Their Properties?

May 18, 2020

Scrappy Circuits are a fun and inexpensive way to learn about electrical circuits. I'm putting together kits to mail to students who sign up this week. The materials in the kits will allow students to experiment with scrappy circuits which we will be discussing next week. Fill out this Scrappy Circuits Order Form if you'd like your child to receive the following materials. There is no charge for these supplies.

We will be discussing the circuits found here https://sites.google.com/deweymac.com/scrappy-circuits/home

This is what will arrive in the mail:

• • two tea lights (to take apart so the the cell battery and LED bulb can be used)

  • one holiday LED bulb (cut form a larger string of lights)

  • three 3/4" binder clips

  • two jumbo paper clips

If you have these materials at home you will not need to use this order form.

The following materials/tools are not provided in the mailed kits but will be helpful in building circuits:

• • aluminum foil

  • cardboard

  • scissors

  • small flat head screw driver (for removing tea light covers)

  • glue stick

  • marker

  • sandpaper (dollar store nail files or emery boards work great!)

May 17, 2020

These links will be posted to student's STEAM Classroom.

A Breakout is like an escape room with educational content! Instead of breaking out of a room, students must work together to figure out the combinations to actual locks that are attached to a box with something hidden inside. A Digital Breakout is the same thing except digital locks and clues are used rather than physical locks and clues.

Here are links to the Digital Breakout that are posted to the STEAM Classrooms. Students are encouraged to work together with someone else on these.

• Going Buggy Who Let the Bugs In? Oh no! Our computer programs are buzzing, and beeping but not like they should. Bugs, real bugs, have gotten in and messed everything up. Please help rewrite the programs, beat the bugs and Break Out!

• Escape from Hogwarts in this Harry Potter themed digital escape room.

• For 6th Grade: Camp Adventure The kids at Camp Adventure are full of energy! It is a good thing Camp Adventure has a lot of activities planned to keep these campers occupied. Come along and help them keep busy.

• For 4th-5th Grade: Pet Shop Selection Hooray! Your parents are letting you go to the pet store to pick out any pet you want! This is a tough decision and you will have to compare and contrast the different animals to decide what the best pet will be for you and your family.

• For 3rd Grade: Kayla takes on Natural Hazards Keyla has learned all about natural hazards through her travel agency. During her travels she has even found herself stuck in a few! Help Keyla show what she knows by reducing the impacts of natural hazards (while traveling safely)!

May 10, 2020

This week's activities are from the Smithsonian Science Education Center's: Game Center. The Smithsonian Science Education Center has been and continues to be a leader in cutting edge K-8 STEAM curriculum. Their game center offer online games and simulations that have clear learning objectives and are used by students around the world. Their commitment to providing high quality learning outcomes is evident in the following activities. Each activity has downloadable resources and other non computer ideas. These links will work on desktops, laptops and Chromebooks. These assignments are in students' Google Classroom accounts. I've also added this question: After playing one or both of these games describe one thing you learned that you already did not know?



• Habitats (Grades3-6) Explore the desert, coral reef, jungle, and marsh to discover where many animals live by matching each animal to their correct habitat!

• Aquation: The Freshwater Access Game (Grades 5-6) Choice, strategy, balance, and . . . water equity? Parts of the planet are struggling to get enough water. Use each region's wealth to build pipes, desalinate water, and conduct research to bring water where it's needed most. Monsoons, dry spells, disease, and even cursed lawn sprinklers can help or hinder your progress. Manage your wealth and water carefully to solve the world's water crisis! (also available in the App Store and on Google Play)

May 1, 2020

Great News

Jay Mankita of Playful Engineers will be joining our MeetUps on Monday May 4th. Jay has over 30 years experience as a performer and has been facilitating engineering and maker space activities for Schools, Libraries, and other organizations for the last 5 years.

Here in Hatfield we've had the unique opportunity to work closely with Jay for the last 4 years. I've been inspired by his energy, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching and he has influenced many aspects of our STEAM program.

Jay will be giving an Online Session of his DIY BUILDS WITH HOUSEHOLD MATERIALS: Simple chain reaction parts you can build at home using repurposed materials. If you want to preview some ideas go here: https://www.playfulengineers.com/videos/

Please join us:

• 3-6 10:00-10:30 Join Hangout s Meet meet.google.com/bqv-wkvn-yqj Phone Numbers ‪+1 317-932-0116‬ PIN: ‪429 874 599#‬

April 19, 2020

No Meetups on Monday due to Patriots Day.

In your STEAM google classroom is a fun Scratch activity for the week:

How to Teach an Elephant to Talk, explains how to interact with a sprite. This game is in your Home to School Studio which you can access after you log into Scratch. Remix this game, share it, and add it back into the Home to School Studio. Look at Challenge Galaxy if you need inspiration on how to remix your game. Happy scratching!

Updated April 12, 2020

All students received this message in their Google STEAM Classroom

Students should be logged into their own chrome/google account before they join the MeetUp.

New time for MeetUp w/ Mr. A

• 10:00-10:45

• Monday and Tuesdays

• Join Hangouts Meet https://meet.google.com/bqv-wkvn-yqj

• Phone Numbers +1 317-932-0116‬

• PIN: ‪429 874 599#‬

There will be 2 assignments this week due April 17. More details are posted in G Classroom.

• Find the Technology

• Scratch Challenge Galaxy

April 5, 2020

This info will be posted directly to each student’s STEAM Google Classroom for easy access.

MeetUp w/ Mr. A recurring weekly on Monday & Tuesday until May 9, 2020

9:30-10:00

Join Hangouts Meet

Meeting ID

meet.google.com/bqv-wkvn-yqj

Phone Numbers

(‪US‬)‪+1 317-932-0116‬

Guests may see a different phone number depending on their location.

PIN: ‪429 874 599#‬

I will be teaching these lessons on Privacy & Security from Common Sense Media.

• Monday April 6 Private and Personal Information. What information about you is OK to share online?

• Tuesday April 7 You Won't Believe This! What is clickbait and how can you avoid it?

The Hatfield District is trying to consolidate information to parents and students. As a result teachers will post activities on Google classroom. You will see the codes below for each classroom. Here is more information from the district about Google Chrome, Google Suite for Education, and Chromebooks. (i.e. how to log in etc.) HPS Remote Learning.

• 6C Hanging With My Gnomies Class code 5leuezy

• 6M TBD

• 5H & 5P Grade 5 Home Page Prajzner/Higuera Class code qdvpt3y

• 4B & 4W 4th Grade Distance Learning Class code f2eir4w

• 3L & 3G Third Grade Remote Learning Class code 6o4obli

March 27, 2020

On Monday March 30, and Tuesday, March 31 from 9:30-10:00 I will be offering a video chat with students called "MeetUp with Mr A". This is a time for me to connect with students and see what they are up to and ways I can support them. I will be using Google Meet for these meetups. Check your email for the code to access the video chat.

• Monday will a virtual game of Boggle. Students should have a pad of paper and a pencil with them.

• Tuesday will be a virtual game of Charades

Suggestions for kids to do at home:

• Highlights Jokes

• Build Chain reactions

  • Things to knock over

    • blocks

    • playing cards or index cards slightly bent

    • clothespins

    • cups - can also be cut to make a funnel

  • Connecting materials

    • paperclips or binder clips

    • tape

    • rubber bands

    • twist ties

    • string

  • Tracks

    • Aluminum foil can be bent

    • paper towel tubes cut in half

    • cut up pool noodles

    • cardboard

  • Other materials

    • ping pong ball

    • slinkies

    • styrofoam

March 18, 2020

Greetings Hatfield Families,

I've consolidated my communication with families to keep all of us from being overwhelmed in this time of information overload. However, you can still find access to to student work on the individual grades' STEAM NEWS websites.

My heart goes out to all of you and wish you health and wellness as we adjust to our new realities. My wish is that we all find ways to still connect with people and discover positive outcomes to this whole thing. Even though my parenting days are over my memories of parenthood are still fresh and I know how hard a disruption like this can be on parents and families. As I sit at my kitchen table watching snow flurries I wish I could be back at HES engaging with kids and teaching the units I planned.

In an ideal world we teachers would have been better prepared for online learning and set up systems for kids to access work and activities and even practiced them in school with kids. However we are now faced with trying to teach and engage with kids and families in a medium that we haven't tried yet. To this end I will give you short simple doable activities both online and off line you can do with your kids. These activities are all optional but I'm guessing you will find them to help with the boredom and tediousness that extended days at home with kids can bring.

STEAM News 19-20

• Kindergarten

• 1st Grade

• 2nd Grade

• 3rd Grade

• 4th Grade

• 5th Grade

• 6th Grade