Social Studies Insider
Covid-19 Special Edition: Digital Learning Opportunities
I hope that this newsletter finds you well, healthy, and practicing social distancing. In this especially unique time, our goal is to utilize digital technology, accessible to students, in order to provide learning opportunities while our schools remain closed.
It is imperative that any learning activity you create and provide to your students follow your content curriculum and supports learning as if you were teaching within the traditional classroom setting. Per Dr. Steve Barker, any learning activities offered must remain optional to students due to the potential circumstances impacting our district's students and families. Additionally, no punitive consequences should be attached to the learning activities offered to students over the next few weeks.
Be cognizant of the assignments you offer and make sure there is value and relevance in their existence. These assignments should provide students and/families with opportunities to remain focused and engaged within learning when time is available to individual students during this potentially stressful and uncertain time.
Suggested Digital Learning Activities for the Social Studies:
You should plan to distribute your content through Google Classroom, Remind texts, Twitter announcements, and/or student email accounts. Keep in mind that not all students will have access to the internet and therefore, they may not be able to access the offered learning activities. If additional time is needed upon the return to school, please allow any student the opportunity to participate and complete the created learning activities.
If additional school days are added to the current closure dates, additional activities can be created and distributed via your digital avenues based on the need of your students.
Please use the following suggestions and resources to help create and provide meaningful learning activities for your students.
Elementary
To supplement the individual lesson activities you are creating for your students, here are additional resources that you may want to push out to your students:
- Provides specific lessons within each chapter that you assign. Try not to assign an entire chapter and require students to complete every task within.
- Select a few Toolbox Resources; save them as PDFs and post them in your Google Classrooms. Please remember, DO NOT assign Toolbox assignments within the Gallopade platform.
- Assign a practice assessment or two from the Gallopade Expert Track.
- Not all align to Social Studies, nor are they all aligned to the standard; however, they can be used to motivate student curiosity in a new subject or topic.
All about the Holidays (K-2)
Scholastic Virtual Learning Resource Center (Grades 3-5)
Storyboardthat.com (Grades 2-5)
- Have students create a storyboard comic strip of a key concept.
- Students will save their Storyboard as a PDF and can share it with you in the Google Classroom.
Quizizz.com (Grades 2-5)
- Search your current unit of study after clicking on the link and use the share link to post in your Google Classroom.
Vooks (K-5)
- Free Children's Read Alouds
Mission US (Grades 3-5)
- Assign students one of the various Mission US games. These scenario-based games allow students to create an avatar and explore the accounts surrounding various historical events (American Revolution, Fight to Freedom (Civil War), A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, and Up from the Dust (Great Depression/Dust Bowl).
Current Events- CNN10 (Grades 3-5)
- Encourage students to watch an episode of CNN10 (student news) and conduct a quick write (summary) of one of the news stories. Encourage students to report on something other than the COVID-19.
Middle
To supplement the individual lesson activities you are creating for your students, here are additional resources that you may want to push out to your students:
- Provides specific lessons within each chapter that you assign. Try not to assign an entire chapter and require students to complete every task within.
- Select a few Toolbox Resources; save them as PDFs and post them in your Google Classrooms. Please remember, DO NOT assign Toolbox assignments within the Gallopade platform.
- Assign a practice assessment or two from the Gallopade Expert Track.
Lights, Camera, Budget (Grades 6-8 Version)
- Give your students the opportunity to exercise their personal finance skills while successfully developing a blockbuster movie script.
The Fiscal Ship (Grade 6-8)
- Provide your students the opportunity to dabble in politics while making critical decisions in regard to the national debt and annual budget.
Today in Georgia History (Grade 8)
- Search a wide array of Georgia specific events and people.
Storyboardthat.com (Grades 6-8)
- Have students create a storyboard comic strip of a key concept.
- Students will save their Storyboard as a PDF and can share it with you in the Google Classroom.
Quizizz.com (Grades 6-8)
- Search your current unit of study after clicking on the link and use the share link to post in your Google Classroom.
Mission US (Grades 6-8)
- Assign students one of the various Mission US games. These scenario-based games allow students to create an avatar and explore the accounts surrounding various historical events (American Revolution, Fight to Freedom (Civil War), A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, and Up from the Dust (Great Depression/Dust Bowl).
Current Events- CNN10 (Grades 6-8)
- Encourage students to watch an episode of CNN10 (student news) and conduct a quick write (summary) of one of the news stories. Encourage students to report on something other than the COVID-19.
Break Your Own News (Grades 6-8)
- Have your students read an article, conduct a current event, etc. and then create a breaking news headline.
- Use this example to set your assignment up.
High
To supplement the individual lesson activities you are creating for your students, here are additional resources that you may want to push out to your students:
Women in Combat | Women in WWII
- Check out these resources and lesson support materials.
Google Culture and Arts (9-12)
- Free virtual field trips of famous locations around the world.
60 Second President (9-12)
- Fun quick bits of presidential information.
Lights, Camera, Budget (Grades 9-12 Version)
- Give your students the opportunity to exercise their personal finance skills while successfully developing a blockbuster movie script.
The Fiscal Ship (Grade 9-12)
- Provide your students the opportunity to dabble in politics while making critical decisions in regard to the national debt and annual budget.
Storyboardthat.com (Grades 9-12)
- Have students create a storyboard comic strip of a key concept.
- Students will save their Storyboard as a PDF and can share it with you in the Google Classroom.
Quizizz.com (Grades 9-12)
- Search your current unit of study after clicking on the link and use the share link to post in your Google Classroom.
GCEE Economics Milestone Review Apps for General Economics and AP Economics
- FREE and Located in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
Digital Resources for All
- Utilize PBS Learning to sort for Distance Learning Activities by state and grade-level standards.
USA Test Prep for schools with access
- Utilize the digital resources available within this platform to provide students guided instruction while out.
- If you do not have access, try this access code:
- Username: Hahira
- Password: viking
- Allow your students to respond via videoed recording to various discussion topics that you pose to your class.
- Students will submitt their recordings to your Grid for view.
Need Professional Development on Distance Learning?
Free Webinar on Distance Learning Resources
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2020, 03:00 PM
PBS Learning
Comments, Concerns, Questions?
Email: phillip.sykes@cowetaschools.net
Website: https://sites.google.com/cowetaschools.net/cowetasocialstudies/home
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
Phone: 770-254-2800
Twitter: @Syked4SS