5th/ 6th Grade Distance Learning Highlights
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Our fifth and sixth grade students have worked hard to adapt to distance learning and we are inspired by the creativity and grit they’ve shown as they adjust to this new way of ‘doing school.’ Our teaching team is grateful to have such strong partnerships with our parents and students; we have especially relished spending time connecting through Zoom, email, and Google Classroom. Amongst the many virtual high-fives, Zoom morning meeting sessions, and uplifting comments our students leave us on Google Classroom, we have been delighted to use these modes of communication to stay connected. We’re fortunate to have such adaptable and hardworking students, and we celebrate the creative efforts of our entire 5/6 community.
Aside from their hard work with navigating Google Classroom and creating a work-at-home space, students have engaged in math and literacy activities, nature journal writing, and exploring various topics with their Self-Learning Projects. The 5th and 6th Grade Self-Learning Project (SLP), inspired several years ago by our students, is a homework project which asks learners to explore, ask questions, design, study, practice, analyze, synthesize, hypothesize, experience, and create.
We all learn, all the time - in school and out, at a store, in the woods, at the beach, climbing a mountain, in conversations with friends and family, taking care of pets, playing, working, traveling, watching, listening, thinking, feeling, and doing. As they develop their Self-Learning Projects, we encourage students to pursue their own interests and passions, to engage deeply in self-learning, and to take advantage of the almost infinite amount of information and variety of resources that are available to help them gain more experience with learning on their own.
As they work on this project, students also develop more understanding of themselves as learners by considering questions like: What am I curious about? What really interests me or makes me wonder? How much structure do I need as I work? Can I create some of my own structure? How do I grapple with challenges? How and when do I seek help or available resources? What character traits am I observing in myself as I do this work? How will I share what I’ve learned with others? How might I use what I’ve learned in my own life, or to encourage and inspire others?
Essentialists teachers have been a key component in our distance learning process, and the 5/6 teaching team has enjoyed the work these talented teachers have created for our students on Google Classroom. Their virtual online classes have proven to be a successful tool; students have explored the Visual Arts, Tinkering, and an artists blog known as “What Did We Make Today?” and they have been studying human body systems in Science. They genuinely look forward to showcasing their creations with their teachers and peers. In addition, in the 5/6 virtual Spanish class, students are working hard to continue their study of this beautiful language and currently are practicing the verb “ser.”
While we may not be working together on the Breakwater campus right now, our students are learning deeply, creating, exploring, and sharing their passions and discoveries. Our 5/6 team - students, teachers, and families - is connected more than ever and, for that, we are very grateful.
This blog was written by 5/6 teachers Brittany King and Cheryl Hart