Tag: lessons

COVID-19 Curriculum

As an educator, I’m always looking for the lesson–today and in the future.

What am I learning?

What learning do I want to pass on?

What added learning can I seek and create?

At some point during this pandemic, around April, it occurred to me that there would be a need to discuss all that was happening. That teachers would want and need a set of plans, guidelines, for discussing COVID-19, whenever they returned to school. This is, after all, history in the making; this is public policy, human rights, public health, economics, mathematics, psychology–every basic and higher level subject taught was available and tangible when I stepped back and considered what was shared in the news or discussed with family and friends.

In this realizing, I took on the task of creating lesson plans on COVID-19, which I discovered, as I started writing, were much more complex than I originally anticipated. So, I decided to make a complete semester-long learning path.

This has been hours of work and readings. It’s not done, but I have the destination and overall plan pretty much set. I have gone back to it and want to add more–there is so much that can be included, and with the daily rapid changing nature of it all, so much to be included or updated. Regardless, I have work to share with you.

I have work to take and to make your own. I have a COVID-19 curriculum for those interested in learning, growth, discussions, and plans. It has goals, it has themes, it has continuity, it has lots of room for reflection and discussion–two areas of development and need that I see most critical to our current climate.

I have worked to create something meaningful, impactful, and useful–for educators and non-educators alike. I’m still on this journey but I wanted to start sharing, to provide a discussion plan, to offer this tool for learning, now. I will update, hopefully, every three weeks or so–to add the rest of the weeks, and then circle back for more additions as needed.

For now, I have the plan, the mid-point, the culminating project, and the first portion available to you. I hope it helps provide a pathway for learning, learning we are all undergoing.

Available now:

General Explanations and Framework:

1 COVID-19 Curriculum–Overview

2 COVID-19 Curriculum–Unit Plans

3 COVID-19 Curriculum–Prework

Week 1-3

4 COVID 19 Curriclum_ Week 1

5 COVID-19 Curriculum_ Week 2

6 COVID-19 Curriculum_ Week 3

Week 4 — still in the works

Week 5

8 COVID-19 Curriculum_ Week 5

Mid-point

9 COVID-19 Curriculum_ Mid-point Exercise

Week 6-10: TBW (to be written)

Final Project

15 COVID-19 Curriculum_ Final Project

Much of this post was taken from the initial share of the curriculum here.

Product Overview: The Spider and the Fly

It’s that time of year when Halloween-themed texts and stories flood the library, and classrooms.

This time of year is a great moment in the year–routines have been set, diagnostic assessments are completed, the daily grind is in full swing, everyone is still excited and full of energy.

At this point, the days seem to have taken shape and order. There is growth already happening, and more growth on the horizon.

With all of this in mind, let us consider the power of thematic learning.

October has many possibilities: fall, harvest/farming, Day of the Dead, Halloween, and for Nevadans–Nevada History (Nevada Day is October 31st).

Thematic reading should be chosen carefully. Most teachers default to Halloween-themed books in October, which is fine, though I encourage everyone to sprinkle in something different now and again. One year, try something different!

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However, if we stick to Halloween, or scary-stuff, a book that is merely scary or fun, has its place, but time is precious so the place may not be the classroom. There are many standards to teach and master, so each moment needs to add value to our students’ growth and development.

Therefore, one October choice I highly recommend is The Spider and the Fly. It is one of my favorite picks for this time of year–it’s not exactly Halloween though it fits that theme, it has incredible vocabulary, and it is award-winning. Oh, and I happen to have a product for it too! 😉

In my Teacher Pay Teacher store: C is for Camacho I have a complete read-aloud lesson plan for 1-2 weeks of learning utilizing The Spider and the Fly. This product is focused on primary, prekindergarten-2nd grade, learning standards. It includes lessons for multiple reads so that each read has a different layer of targeted learning.

This product has vocabulary words, as well as comprehension questions and observations, that can be used, or modified, to meet learning goals. It is a full and complete guide that will allow for rigorous speaking, listening, reading, and writing learning in the classroom.

If you don’t want the lesson but are curious about the book, at the very least read it! It’s absolutely adorable–and it has a great lesson for all of us (a special thank you to the Spider for teaching us 😉).

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