January K-2 Newsletter
January 21, 2019
App Highlight: Chatterpix Kids
Bring drawings, pictures, and images to life by adding a mouth and narrative with Chatterpix Kids! The app is approved and can be installed on student devices if it isn't already! Take a photo/make a drawing of a character and have students narrate a story, or take a photo of a map and have students explain what they know about the setting of the story...the options are extensive with Chatterpix Kids!
Kindergarten
Capitalize on the energy and excitement of the impending snow and purpose it into Seesaw! View the winter celebration activities already available in the Seesaw Library and utilize the "Copy and Edit Activity" feature to tweak and modify to fit your needs.
1st Grade
Check out the variety of pre-created Seesaw resources to support your instruction of inspiring historical figures. Use the "Copy and Edit Activity" feature to tweak and modify the activity to fit your specific instructional needs.
2nd Grade
Engage students mathematical thinking with a 3 Act Task!
Click the link for the full video and lesson plan
Then, have students complete Task 2 on Seesaw! Get the activity link to share here.
K-2 Generic Laptop/Desktop Login Credentials
We know that as our early elementary students are learning to navigate the laptops that logging in can present challenges. We certainly want to be teaching students to learn about usernames and passwords and how to keep their passwords safe and private. That said, there is a time and place for using a grade-level generic username and password if you are going to be having K-2 students using a laptop or desktop computer and rotating through the device during your workshop.
A few things to consider:
- When using the generic login, we cannot trace use back to an individual user. This is why we are trusting that teachers will be closely monitoring students while they are using the generic login to be sure of appropriate use.
- As students become more and more comfortable logging in, they should be transitioned to using their individual credentials.
What are our generic login credentials?
- Username: Your School Abbreviation with your grade level (K-2 ONLY)
- Sample Username: swsk; pwe1, or ebe2
- Password is the same as the username
Sub Plan Reminder
As you write your sub plans in preparation of an absence, please keep in mind that substitutes may not have access to a teacher laptop to access digital resources/lesson plans. If you have a building sub accept your absence, he/she will have a district laptop and login credentials; however, if you have a non-WCASD sub (from Insight), we do not provide credentials to log in to our network or devices. Sometimes it's better to assume no/limited access to technology.
- District employees are NOT to log in to a device for a substitute to use--this breeches our Acceptable Use Policy and puts your information and safety at risk. Remember, we're modeling good digital citizenship for our students!
Utilize Seesaw if you need to share resources with your students while you are absent!
- Post the link to a video or website, or even attach a document for students to work on in your absence--students can access these resources via a classroom iPad. If leaving plans for students to use Seesaw, please make sure you're confident they can be independent users as subs are not expected to be knowledgeable about navigating our digital platforms.
West Chester Area School District
Instructional Technology Department
Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/Page/10071
Location: 782 Springdale Drive, Exton, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1097
Twitter: @JenniSouthmayd