Hello Sockeyes!
A quick update on what's been happening in our remote library lessons to start the 2020 year.
Know that I believe in the mantra 'go slow to go fast'...meaning that our year is built on the skills and habits we practice early on. The time taken at the beginning of any school year (in person or remote) to learn these skills and habits that will serve us throughout the year.
All grade levels participate in unit studies, which can vary in length. Units allow students to build a base of knowledge and anticipate library learning.
KINDERGARTEN
Live library:
- First unit: CATS
- Read-alouds: King of Kindergarten, The Hungry Lion, Pete the Cat and His Four
Groovy Buttons, I am a Cat, Lion Lessons, It's a Baby Lion!
- Discussed kinds of cats (pets vs wild animals)
- Introduced types of books (fiction vs nonfiction)
- Introduced 'thinking questions' - questions that do not have a 'right' answer, but
instead encourage critical analysis of the text
- Introduced terminology: author, illustrator, copyright date, front cover, back
cover, book jacket
- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a
bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is
created by Ms Arika.
Remote check-out:
- Created and rolled out a program to get library books into the
hands of all Sunset students on a monthly basis while in remote learning.
- October curbside saw library books supplied to over 215 students
- All students received Leo the Lion bookmark
Building community:
- Learned and practiced names, including singing the 'hello' song
- Engaged with Leo the Lion to practice manners & social learning
- Began each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to
be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another
Zoom skills:
- Learned to 'pin' speaker
- Learned to access & use mute button
GRADE 1
Live library:
- Began first author study: Ryan T Higgins
- Read-alouds: We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Mother Bruce, Hotel Bruce, Be Quiet!
- Discovered differences in dust jackets & case covers, prompting wonderings as to
why illustrators make that choice
- Began using 'TAG' strategy in reflecting on read-alouds. T = Tell what you like, using
evidence from the text to support statement.
- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a
bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is
created by Ms Arika.
Remote check-out:
- Created and rolled out a program to get library books into the hands of all Sunset
students on a monthly basis while in remote learning.
- October curbside saw library books supplied to over 215 students
- All students received Leo the Lion bookmark
Building community:
- Learned & practiced names, including singing the 'hello' song
- Engaged with Leo the Lion to practice manners & social learning
- Began each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to
be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another
Zoom skills:
- Learned to 'pin' speaker
- Learned to access & use mute button
GRADES 2 & 3
Live library:
- First unit: ALL ARE WELCOME
- Read-alouds: Your Name is a Song, Alma and How She Got Her Name, Speak Up!,
I'm New Here, All Because You Matter
- Equity focus: the importance of knowing - and correctly using - one's name; inclusion
of others who might be new or different from you
- All read-alouds feature critical thinking questions that foster analysis and reflection
- (i.e., "In All Because You Matter, what might it mean if someone says 'you
matter'? How do those words make you feel? What if someone says the
opposite - you DON'T matter? How can we SHOW that people matter?)
- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a
bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is
created by Ms Arika.
Building community:
- Greeted each child by name as Zoom meeting begins
- Began each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to
be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another
Remote check-out:
- Created and rolled out a program to get library books into the hands of all Sunset
students on a monthly basis while in remote learning.
- October curbside saw library books supplied to over 215 students
- All students received Leo the Lion bookmark
Zoom skills:
- Learned to 'pin' speaker and access video/mute button
- Learned to use chat as appropriate
GRADES 4 & 5
Live lessons:
- First unit: BE YOU
- Read-alouds: I Promise, Speak Up!, Red: A Crayon's Story, I Am Every Good Thing
- Equity focus: showcasing stories with inclusive storylines & creators
- All read-alouds feature critical thinking questions that foster analysis and reflection
- (i.e., "In Red: A Crayon's Story, Red did not speak up. Why do you think Red
didn't? What could have happened if Red had spoken up?)
- Community & real-world connections:
- learning about / remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Speak Up!
- researching and reading air pollution maps using Purple Air
- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a
bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is
created by Ms Arika.
Building community:
- Greeted each child by name as Zoom meeting begins
- Began each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to
be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another
Remote check-out:
- Created and rolled out a program to get library books into the hands of all Sunset
students on a monthly basis while in remote learning.
- October curbside saw library books supplied to over 215 students
- All students received Leo the Lion bookmark
Zoom skills:
- Learned to 'pin' speaker and access video/mute button
- Learned to use chat as appropriate
What impressive work we've all done while learning in a remote setting.
:) ms arika