Learning Social Studies at the Elementary Level during a pandemic
By Danielle Enz
Embedded Files
Introduction
Everyone in the world has been affected by the pandemic in many ways. Students more than anyone, there are no more regular classes in schools and everything is online, even for young students. Young, elementary age students, can be affected more because they are not really sure what exactly is going on and they don't really understand why they can't go to school and be with their friends.
Learning Target #1:
At the end of this lesson, readers will be able to describe how elementary school students have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learning Target #2:
At the end of this lesson, readers will be able to name 3 ways that the pandemic has affected the experience of Jordyn, a first grade student in California.
a. With new hybrid learning
b. Having little to no contact with anyone her age
c. That her after school program is under strict new rules
What do other people think about schools being closed?
In an article from The New England Journal of Medicine by Meira Levinson, Muge Cevik, and Marc Lipsitch, they write in depth about how schools reopening should be at the top of policy makers lists in the US. The authors write, “reopening [elementary] schools full-time… should therefore be a top national priority.” (Levinson et al, 2020, p. 1).
Although it is very important that schools should be reopened, most parents would probably agree that they would want their child to be safe from any sickness before returning to school full time.
Please click on the hyperlink in the top left corner to see full interview with first grader, Jordyn.
Thank you :) ----->
Takeaway #1:
The first takeaway is that Jordyn is doing hybrid schooling. So she does both online schooling and in person schooling. Although most of her schooling is done online.
Takeaway #2:
Jordyn is not able to play with her friends anymore in school or outside of school. She used to play with the kids in her neighborhood too and she is no longer able to do that either. This means that she has a lot of energy when she gets home.
Takeaway #3:
Jordyn used to be able to go to an after school program everyday after school and sometimes weekends and play wit her friends but now she is only able to go for a few hours and isn't allowed to play, she does her online schooling during this time.
Multiple Choice Questions
How many hours of online schooling does Jordyn have to do every week?
a) 200 hours
b) 150 hours
c) 100 hours
d) 275 hours
Why are some students going back to school in small groups rather than staying at home?
a) To spend time with a few friends
b) Because the teachers have to work at school so why not?
c) Because the students don't want to be home
d) They have a disability and need extra help
Answers
C
D
Conclusion
Overall, it is important that students are able to get back into schools but most teachers and parents agree that it is probably better to wait until it is safe for students to come back into the classrooms. Seeing from a first graders point of view is interesting as well, that she is not allowed to be around basically anyone and doesn't really know what's happening. The pandemic must be scary for a young kid to be experiencing because she doesn't fully understand what exactly is going on. It is still good to see that she is able to get into school for a couple hours a week. It is also a benefit that students with disabilities are able to get the help that they need and that the school districts noticed that those students need the extra help.
References
Heim, J. (2020, October 6). Pandemic teaching, in their words. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/10/06/teacher-pandemic-essays/?arc404=true
Levinson, M., Cevik, M., & Lipsitch, M. (2020, September 3). Reopening Primary Schools during the Pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms2024920
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