Week of April 10th

For the most part, I am quite impressed with our transition to eLearning. The kids are getting the hang of it and the next step is for them to find their groove. They know when to look for the day's lessons and are quick to ask where they are if I am in the midst of technology hell. They are able to access our main platforms of Google Classroom and Seesaw and the fourth grade teachers have tried to stay as consistent as possible with the look and feel of the lessons in an attempt to make the transition as seamless as possible.

After three full weeks of eLearning, the two biggest issues I have found are both technology based. The first is that upon completing an assignment in Classroom the last step is to submit it. Several kids are forgetting this last, but fairly crucial step so if you could remind them please that would be quite helpful. The other challenge has been our Zoom meetings; both in the kids remembering when it is and being able to sign in, and with voices sounding distorted and images freezing. I think the first Zoom issue will get easier as we will be moving to static Tuesday-Friday weeks which will allow for a consistent day and time of the week for your child's small-group Zoom. Our whole class Zoom will always be Fridays at 1:00. As for the second challenge, I know that closing all the apps and completely shutting down the Chrome Book before restarting often solves the issue. I suggest you help your child get in the habit of doing so every several days or at the least the morning of their small-group Zoom.

Our math last week focused on line graphs. The kids' last assignment of the week gave them great flexibility in deciding what data to tally and then we asked them to display that data by creating a line graph or a bar graph. For the start of our Informational Reading and Writing Unit, we introduced the kids to the Industrial Revolution through a series of eBooks and videos. We then began to give an overview of four main subtopics of the revolution: The Transcontinental Railroad, Factories and Manufacturing, Child Labor, and Inventors and Inventions. After the kids have had the opportunity to preview and take notes about each subtopic, they will choose one to study in-depth and will use that research as the vehicle to write an informational paper. A tall task but I think that the kids are up to it.

I hope you and your entire family are healthy and in a good place. This can be a very challenging time, both physically and mentally, and it is so important that everyone, big and small, take care of themselves. Stay safe!