List of 7 items.

• Homeroom on Zoom

  Zoom homeroom meetings take place Monday through Thursday in the mornings and are a favorite  for both students and teacher. It is a time to check in and see everyone in their distance-learning environments. Each meeting has a focus. For example, Monday may include a class question, such as share a good/bad thing, and then move into Wordly Wise discussion and a read aloud. Tuesday’s focus could be a fraction discussion, working through math question, followed by a read aloud. Wednesday might include language arts questions, reading reflections and a read aloud. Thursday would focus on discussing the Alamo, reading aloud and sharing issues/concerns. 

   

• Subject Studies - Daily

  Students have daily studies and assignments in math, reading, writing and social studies. A Zoom homeroom meeting is dedicated to one subject daily for more in-person, hands-on instruction. Students are welcome to work ahead on assignments or wait until the Zoom discussion has taken place before completing. 

   

  Students who have questions about materials and assignments are able to ask teachers questions in a variety of ways. In grades K-3, they can post questions directly on the SeeSaw platform or raise their hands in the daily dedicated Zoom calls with teachers. In fourth grade, students post questions to their Google Classroom platform or pose them in daily Zoom meetings. 
  
  

  Students and parents may email their teachers; however, teachers have been encouraged not to respond to emails after 5 p.m. in order to allow balance and family time into their schedules.

   

   

• Subject Studies - Weekly

  Students have foreign language*, science and Math Club (optional) assignments and activities and meet weekly via Zoom with teachers for instruction.  

  
  

  *Grade K-2 do not have weekly foreign language Zooms.

   

• SeeSaw

  SeeSaw allows students to stay connected beyond the Zoom classroom. Learning to communicate via this digital platform is a real-world skill, and it provides opportunties for students to exercise digital citizenship skills and model FWCD's core values.
  
  Morning messages facilitate feedback from students, similar to how they converse face-to-face in an exchange. In the Zoom classroom, things are more structured and the students are managed differently (teachers mute all participants and call on students, unmuting them, one at a time), while in SeeSaw the teacher poses a question and receives a focused answer or comment from all students instead of having to call on just one or two.

• What’s So Special about the Specials?

  FWCD Online Specials in Lower School include a guidance/character-focused lesson on a weekly theme, art projects using items at home, music instruction via videos, exercise suggestions from the PE team, a storytime video with the Lower School Librarian, and optional Collaboratory challenges using Legos.

• Optional Live Enrichment Classes

  The Lower School launched free live “elective” classes on March 30 for students to take advantage of during the school day during times they are not engaged in schoolwork. The Lower School teachers tapped into their passions in order to provide these fun optional offerings: 
  
  Movin' & Groovin' with Zumba® Kids (Mondays/Thursdays, 10-10:30 a.m.)
  Storytime at Mrs. Hickman’s Bookshelf (Mondays, 11-11:20 a.m.)
  Zen-Out with Zentangles (Mondays, 11:30 a.m. -12 p.m.)
  Baking with Buddies (Tuesdays 10-11 a.m.)
  Tinker Tuesday: Grade 1-2 (Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m.)
  Tinker Tuesday: Grade 3-4 (Tuesdays, 2-2:30 p.m.)
  Math Ninja Live: Grade 4 (Wednesdays, 12-12:30 p.m.
  LEGO Closet Freebuild (Wednesdays, 1-1:15 p.m.
  Reading with Olga da Pulga (Wednesdays, 3-3:15 p.m.)
  Math Ninja Live: Grade 2 (Wednesdays, 3-3:30 p.m.)
  Math Ninja Live: Grade 3 (Thursdays, 12-12:30 p.m.)
  Math Ninja Live: Grade 1 (Thursdays, 3-3:30 p.m.)
  Parent-Child Book Club (Thursday, April 9, 6 p.m.)

• Weekly Wrap-Up Assembly

  Grade-level assemblies are favorite activity among Lower School team and students. There are three assemblies each week: Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten, Grades 1-2 and Grades 3-4.

  
  Assemblies begin with tradition: Students recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the FWCD “Alma Mater.” Led by the Head and Assistant Head of Lower School, assemblies cover various topics, and engage students in a larger group.
  
  This event allows student connection, as they see more than their small homeroom classmates. They interact with other teachers and grade-level friends in a fun environment, making them feel a little less isolated.