Parents, Guardians, and Students: It is my hope that this letter continues to find you all safe and healthy as we continue to face unprecedented circumstances with the COVID-19 virus. We are continuing to adapt to this situation and are doing our best to provide instruction to our students from afar for the first time. This past week we requested feedback from students and parents in regards to the implementation of Instructional Choice Boards that have been used to take the place of instruction during this COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the feedback we received (78% were in favor of the Instructional Choice Boards and 76% wanted to continue with this framework), we intend to use Instructional Choice Boards with modifications. Teams of principals, instructional coaches, and grade-level teachers across the district came together (virtually) to develop the most recent version and we hope you find it more grade-level specific and more challenging for students. Please know that we value your feedback and we will continue to seek your input as we move forward. This method of instructional delivery was designed to provide students with flexibility, support, and opportunities for feedback through a distance learning experience. While creating these assignments we have also considered that some students have limited internet access, each student has specific needs, and that there are essential skills that every student must master to be ready for the next grade level. Because we are not able to administer regular assignments in the school setting, please know that these distance learning assignments are extremely important in helping us determine each student’s progress while we are not able to serve them face to face. Instructions, April 22-28: 1. You may access the Choice Boards here: https://ecsd.edgefield.k12.sc.us/distance_learning **If you do not have access to a hard copy and would like one, please contact your child’s school. 2. For the dates of April 22-28, students should use the instructional choice boards for their grade level. Specific directions for task completion are included on each board. 3. Teachers may provide additional s upplemental work for students to meet their individual needs, but that work combined with the choice board work should not exceed the total number of hours listed below for all areas combined per week (the times below were provided in guidance from the South Carolina State Department of Education). a. Grade Band Hours 4K 3.5 hours a week (all classes) 5K - 2nd Grade 5 hours a week (all classes) 3rd - 5th Grade 7.5 hours a week (all classes) 6th - 8th Grade 11 hours a week (all classes) 9th - 12th Grade 15 hours a week (all classes) b. Additional work should be limited to building essential skills in language, reading, writing, and math. When working with the Instructional Choice Boards for the dates of April 22-28, students should keep in mind the following: ● Grades 4K-2 ○ Choose 1 activity per day from each subject. You have the choice of completing 4 out of the 5 tasks in each subject. You may complete all 5, if you wish. The optional choices do not have to be completed, but are great opportunities for home learning experiences. ● Grades 3-5 ○ You should choose and complete 4 out of the 5 tasks in each subject. Choose 1 activity per day from each subject (ELA and Math) to complete. The other optional choices are just that…optional, not mandatory. The “E xtending the Learning” activities are optional and may be done if you would like to further your learning. ● Grades 6-8 ○ Students choose at least one choice from e ach core subject area and complete the task in the box. Students should select the two activity classes in which they are currently enrolled and complete at least one choice from each class. ● Grades 9-12 ○ Students choose at least one choice from e ach subject area that you a re enrolled in a class and complete the task in the box. In each task, students will apply content area knowledge and skills in order to complete the task given. ● Save a copy of work completed for each task. If possible submit your work digitally to your teacher. ● Teachers may provide additional s upplemental work as they see fit for students, but that work combined with the choice board should not exceed a total of the hours listed above for all areas combined per week for students. ● The length of time on each task will vary for every student ● There will be additional directions on each choice board based on the student’s grade level. The Instructional Choice Boards and supporting documents can b e accessed via the district website, social media, teacher webpages, and/or by mail. This continues to be a challenging time for everyone. However, we will get through these trying times; our students and staff members will grow from these learning experiences; and we will ensure the academic success of each of our students with your help. We appreciate all of your support and patience as we learn together through this experience. Stay safe and healthy, Josh Black Director of Instruction 5K Instructional Choice Board - April 22 - 28, 2020 Choose 1 activity per day from each subject. You have the choice of completing 4 out of the 5 tasks in each subject. You ​ ​ may complete all 5, if you wish. The optional choices do not have to be completed, but are great opportunities for home learning experiences. Save your student’s work for each task. Examples are provided. A sight word list is included. ​ ​ (Word Work) - (Word Work) - (Word Work) - (Word Work) - (Word Work)- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Choose 5 sight words that Write the letters a, t, b, c, f, ​ Finger Play With Sticky Note Sight h, m, p, r, and s on Sight Word Sentences your child needs to ​ ​ ​ notecards or pieces of Sight Words words practice. Write each word Choose 10 sight words. paper and explain to your Write your words in a on a notecard or piece of Using flour, sugar, rice, Write the letters of the child that they will be complete sentence. paper. Cut the words apart making and reading “at” or sand from your yard alphabet on a sticky ​ on a cookie sheet, note. Build your sight between each letter and words . Spread all of the letters out and ask your practice writing your words using the sticky have your child build the child to find the “a” and words. After building the ​ ​ sight words. See the notes. If you do not “t” to make “at”. Then words, make sure your ​ ​ ​ sight word list and have sticky notes, it is ask your child to find the select 5 words you fine to use pieces of child practices reading letter that they would need them. to add to “at” to make know and 5 new words. plain paper. ​ ​ “bat”. Have them read the ​ scan or click word. Tell them to find the letter they need to change “bat” to “cat.” Continue ​ with “fat”, “hat”, “mat”, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ “pat”, “rat” and “chat”. ​ ​ ​ ​ scan or click scan or click scan or click scan or click Additional Subjects Are Below ⇩ (Writing) - Think (Writing) - (Writing) - (Writing) - (Writing)- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ about the four seasons - winter, spring, summer, Go outside and play Have your child watch Take a walk outside. Draw a picture of your with your child for 20 After the walk, have best friend and write a and fall. Which season an episode of his/her minutes. When you your child draw and sentence describing do you like the best? come back inside, ask favorite TV show. After label 3 things he/she him or her. Write and tell why the him/her to draw a watching, ask them to saw. Have your child use the words to write a season you selected is picture of what he/she draw a picture and write sentence.Students can your favorite. The did and write about it. a sentence to tell what write one or more sentence starters below happened at the sentences. can help you with your beginning, middle and sentences. end of the show. Sentence example: My friend is nice and she shares her toys. scan or click Sentence examples: scan or click I saw a pink flower. I saw a bird nest. I walked with my dog. scan or click scan or click scan or click Additional Subjects Are Below ⇩ (Reading) - (Reading) - (Reading) - Have your (Reading) - (Reading)- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ child choose a book for Retell a Story you to read to them. Have your child choose Humpty Dumpty Have your child choose a Before reading, ask the ​ ​ a book for you to read Read the nursery rhyme Read a fiction story of book for you to read to following… Can you to them. After reading, ​ 3 times pointing under your choice together. them. After reading, have ask your child to draw your child draw and label point to the title on the each word as you read. Create a Flow Map like and write about their 2 characters from the front cover? Can you find favorite part. (Text at bottom of the one below to tell the book. Usually there are at the title page? Open to ​ choice boards) Identify beginning, middle, and least 2 characters in a https://www.uniteforlite story, but if there is just the first page with text. the rhyming words and end of the story. racy.com/ one character, they will Ask…Can you point to circle them with a ​ just draw the one where I will begin crayon.