At-Home Learning: Week 7
Elementary Schools
Updates
What's new this week?
- New lessons (math, literacy, special areas) within our At-Home Learning Plans for Week 7 (May 11-15). Click the button for each grade level below.
- New webinar series offering support to parents, caregivers and educators of children age 2-12 on Thursdays May 14, 21 and 28 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. by Dr. Peg Oliveira, Executive Director of the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at the Yale Child Study Center (see detailed information below).
Please note that this page can be translated into many languages; you can find your home language in the black box to the right of this message.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the announcement that At-Home Learning will continue through the end of school (June 18), we share answers to questions educators have received from families over the past few weeks:
How often should I expect my student to have contact with their classroom teacher? With other teachers at their school?
To fit in more contact time with students, teachers have shifted from two one-on-one videoconference check-ins each week to one 1:1 check-in and small group time with students. Your child may also engage in other community-building experiences with peers and the classroom teacher or other teachers in the school.
Video-conferencing continues to be the preferred method of contact; phone contact is used when video-conferencing is not possible. Video-conferencing helps participants to clarify learning targets and posted resources/assignments, support any difficulty in accessing the plans, and provide opportunities for students to share ideas with teachers and/or peers in small groups.
Which parts of the At-Home Learning plan does my student have to complete?
The first page of the At-Home Learning Plans (reading/literacy, math) includes our core expectations for the week. Teachers will ask students to share their learning based on those plans. Your child's teacher(s) may communicate through our online learning platforms any differentiated plans for the week based on your child's individual needs.
The second page includes lessons for world language, instrumental music, arts, physical education, science and other areas designed to support whole child development and enrichment. Teachers may encourage students to share their learning in these areas; however, this work is not required.The time dedicated to each of these areas will vary.
At the Pre-K level, students will be working through the plan in a developmentally appropriate manner with family/caregiver support. Please talk with your child's classroom teacher for guidance as needed.
How can I keep my student motivated?
- Ownership: Now that children have some experience with the plan, help them to build ownership of their learning (e.g., build their own schedule for the morning, day or week; take lead in deciding what to share with their teacher or peer on a video conference)
- Feedback: Share feedback on strengths and be as specific as possible (Instead of, "Great job on your reading!" highlight a child's effort, "I noticed that you focused on adding more specific details to your reading assignment today!")
- Choice: Whenever possible, provide choices, even if just a choice between two things ("Math first or writing first today?")
What should I do if I have any questions or my child is having difficulty with these plans?
If you need support or notice your child is having difficulty accessing or completing work, please communicate with your child's classroom teacher. Reach out to support teachers with whom your child is working (ESOL, special education, intervention teachers) by email (firstname_lastname@whps.org).
Week 7 Grade Level Learning Plans
Note: See links to At-Home Learning plans for Weeks 1-6 at the bottom of this page if you need to review/return to previous lessons.
DreamBox Learning for Grades K-5
We are excited to see children's progress with this new online learning tool. It's important that your child continue to independently complete five (or more) DreamBox lessons each week.
DreamBox adjusts lessons to your child's individual learning and progress. If children complete lessons with support from parents/learning guardians or siblings, they will likely feel frustrated when working independently in later lessons. If not working independently, lessons will become too difficult, and children may lose motivation (or give up) on this program intended to adapt to their individual learning needs.
See this brief (<2 min) video from Stanford Graduate School of Education on "Telling Too Soon" shared by DreamBox Learning staff developers.
Click on the DreamBox Learning picture above for parent/learning guardian resources.
Webinar Series: Parenting and Mitigating Stress Through the Coronavirus
West Hartford Public Schools and the West Hartford School Readiness Council are pleased to provide a three-part series on mitigating stress while parenting and teaching children at home during the Coronavirus.
Dr. Peg Oliveira, Executive Director of the Gesell Institute at the Yale Child Study Center, will host live Zoom meetings on May 14, May 21 and May 28th. Detailed information on each session can be found here.
Interested participants can follow the links provided below to attend. Registration is not required. Opportunities for questions & answers will be provided at the end of each session.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Families, caregivers and teachers of students Pre-K through 5th grade; parents of middle school-age children may find these sessions applicable as well!
Care for the Caregiver: Put on Your Oxygen Mask First (Webinar #1)
Meeting ID: 936 9906 8334
Click here for more information.
A recording of this session will be available here through June 15, 2020.
Thursday, May 14, 2020, 06:30 PM
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How to Create Stability for Children in Uncertain Times (Webinar #2)
Meeting ID: 995 2595 1256
Click here for more information.
A recording of this session will be available here through June 22, 2020.
Thursday, May 21, 2020, 06:30 PM
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Why Is My Child Suddenly So… (insert confusing adjective here): How and why the stress of this pandemic may be impacting your child’s brain and behavior (Webinar #3)
Meeting ID: 945 9569 4847
Click here for more information.
A recording of this session will be available here through June 29, 2020.
Thursday, May 28, 2020, 06:30 PM
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Resources to Support Child and Family Well-Being
Resources for Families
Resources for Families
Additional Supports
What are the WHPS expectations for at-home learning?
How is WHPS supporting students with IEPs and 504 plans?
Translation Tools
To get a translated copy of a Grade Level At-Home Learning Plan:
- Go to "File > Make A Copy" of the Google document. You will see it in Google Drive.
- Click "Tools > Translate Document." You will be prompted to enter a name for the translated document and select a language.
- Click "Translate" and a translated copy of the document will open in your window. You will see this copy in your Google Drive.
Want to get a copy of a grade level learning plan?
Once you open a Grade Level Learning Plan,
(1) go to "File > Print" or
(2) go to "File > Make A Copy" of the Google document. You will see it in Google Drive or
(3) go to "File > Download" to create a PDF copy if you do not have a Google account.
Note: Please do not "Request Access" as these are view only files.