Microsoft Teams: Division 2 Virtual Classroom on Office 365
Quick link: Office 365 : Login
To login, students use their school email address ([email protected]) and passcode.
I have created a virtual classroom on Office 365 Teams. This virtual classroom will be a place where students can take part in classroom discussions, collaborate in small groups, access classroom materials (lessons, handouts, assignments), submit assignments and view feedback. Students will also be able to ask me questions regarding concepts or assignments by sending me personal messages. Here is a little video guide that gives a quick tour of how to log in and how it works. For more information on how Office 365 Team works as a virtual classroom, please see this parent guide.
I have chosen to use this platform as a virtual classroom because it is offered by our district and meets all the privacy requirements. Many students in our class have already used Office 365 earlier this year to type some projects (Word app). When students move on to higher grades within our school district, they will continue to use Office 365 for many projects. Now that school is closed and that we need new ways to interact as a class, students will have an opportunity to develop their technological skills and practice digital citizenship alongside their academic learning.
I recommend that parents be present to support their child as they get used to using the Teams App. They will likely need support to log in and to learn how it works. I am also available to help you solve any problems as they come up. Once your child is independent using the Teams app, you may want to continue to monitor and support their use, or you may decide to let your child use it without your support if you are comfortable doing so. Most of the work assigned will be offline work, so your child won't have to use the Teams App while working on assignments (except for participating in discussions or teamwork when required).
To login, students use their school email address ([email protected]) and passcode.
I have created a virtual classroom on Office 365 Teams. This virtual classroom will be a place where students can take part in classroom discussions, collaborate in small groups, access classroom materials (lessons, handouts, assignments), submit assignments and view feedback. Students will also be able to ask me questions regarding concepts or assignments by sending me personal messages. Here is a little video guide that gives a quick tour of how to log in and how it works. For more information on how Office 365 Team works as a virtual classroom, please see this parent guide.
I have chosen to use this platform as a virtual classroom because it is offered by our district and meets all the privacy requirements. Many students in our class have already used Office 365 earlier this year to type some projects (Word app). When students move on to higher grades within our school district, they will continue to use Office 365 for many projects. Now that school is closed and that we need new ways to interact as a class, students will have an opportunity to develop their technological skills and practice digital citizenship alongside their academic learning.
I recommend that parents be present to support their child as they get used to using the Teams App. They will likely need support to log in and to learn how it works. I am also available to help you solve any problems as they come up. Once your child is independent using the Teams app, you may want to continue to monitor and support their use, or you may decide to let your child use it without your support if you are comfortable doing so. Most of the work assigned will be offline work, so your child won't have to use the Teams App while working on assignments (except for participating in discussions or teamwork when required).
District Guidelines for the continuity of learning
The District has released their Continuity of Learning Plan, if you are interested, the link is posted on the Cowichan Valley School District Facebook page, Twitter or you can access the link here.
Here are the main points in terms of what you can expect to see moving forward:
Here are the main points in terms of what you can expect to see moving forward:
- Assigned school work starting next week (April 15th).
- 2 – 3 connections per week with students.
- 2 – 5 hours of learning opportunities per week, per student.
- The idea is NOT to overwhelm students / families. (‘less is more’)
- There will be an instructional loop – opportunity > some sort of interaction > feedback provided.
- Focus on Core and curricular competencies. For example, self-guided inquiry projects
- We are also trying to be mindful of families with multiple school aged children and the need for individualized learning/differentiation.
Home-Learning Plans
Home learning assignments will allow students to work on core-competencies as well as various learning outcomes across the curriculum. In class, our learning is typically student-driven, includes hands-on activities, team work and class discussions. So my first priority has been to establish a virtual classroom that will allow us to continue learning together as a class, continuing to have rich discussions even if we are not physically together. A weekly outline will be provided to you at the start of each week (see blog for current week's outline). All assignments with detailed instructions, links, videos etc are posted on the virtual classroom on Office 365 Teams and students can submit them to me from the same place.
Here is a link to a tutorial explaining how to submit an assignment on Teams.
Here is a link to a tutorial explaining how to submit an assignment on Teams.
Zoom meetings
We will have face-to-face whole class meetings every week through Zoom. To coordinate this for families and to make sure that teachers are not asking students in the same family to attend zoom sessions at the same time, we have decided to use our gym schedule to ensure that there are not conflicts between teachers at our school.
Our class' Zoom meetings will be scheduled on Mondays at 10:00 and/or Thursdays at 13:30. Depending on the week, we might have one or two meetings scheduled.
Here are some tips to get your child ready for our first Zoom meeting:
Our class' Zoom meetings will be scheduled on Mondays at 10:00 and/or Thursdays at 13:30. Depending on the week, we might have one or two meetings scheduled.
Here are some tips to get your child ready for our first Zoom meeting:
- Please download the Zoom app. It is free.
- I will send an email with a link for the Zoom call. You click the link at the time of the meeting.
- Please choose a neutral location in your home for the call to protect your privacy. In the app format you can select virtual backgrounds, but a blank wall works too.
Additional Resources for Home Learning
Here are some suggestions of activities and resources that you can include in your child's day to support their progress:
Reading
Encourage your child to continue reading daily. Reading can take different forms, depending what reading material is available to you at the moment:
Going to the library to borrow books might not be possible at the moment, but there are several free options for ebooks and audiobooks at the moment, including:
- Child reading silently to himself from a book, graphic novel, or an ebook;
- Child practicing to read out loud with expression;
- Shared reading of a novel as a family (parent can read out loud) and discussing the book, making predictions, connections, etc.;
- Child listening to an audiobook while drawing or building LEGO, for example.
Going to the library to borrow books might not be possible at the moment, but there are several free options for ebooks and audiobooks at the moment, including:
- Vancouver Island Regional Library - Overdrive - Offers ebooks and audiobooks that you can borrow online. You will need an internet connection and your library card number.
- Epic - Class code: gaq8124 (you have received an email to create a Free account for home access). Includes ebooks, read-t0-me books (combines ebook and audiobook, with words highlighted as they are read), and audiobooks. Many popular English titles. A few series of French Graphic Novels (ebook format).
- Audible - Kids stories - Access to selected children audiobooks is free during school-closures (includes a limited selection of French titles).
- Librivox (Also available as an App) - Has free audiobooks that are in the public domain (older titles). My boys have enjoyed listening to classics such as Anne of Green Gables, The Wizard of Oz, Doctor Dolittle, etc)
What about French?
If you are not a French speaker, you might be looking for ways to keep your child exposed to the French language while school is closed. Turning "screen time" into "French time" is an easy way to continue developing French comprehension skills. French TV shows and movies are an entertaining way to practice listening in French and to learn new words.
Your child might not understand all the words (or might complain that it is too fast!). Remind them to use the context cues (story, tone of voice, character's body language, images) to understand the main idea and most details of the story. If available, you can display the subtitles as well (in French or English).
It might be a good idea to pick a TV series or movie that your child has already enjoyed watching in English, and rewatch it in French. Or pick a new one that looks interesting! Here are some ideas:
Your child might not understand all the words (or might complain that it is too fast!). Remind them to use the context cues (story, tone of voice, character's body language, images) to understand the main idea and most details of the story. If available, you can display the subtitles as well (in French or English).
It might be a good idea to pick a TV series or movie that your child has already enjoyed watching in English, and rewatch it in French. Or pick a new one that looks interesting! Here are some ideas:
- This post shares a list of TV shows and movies available in French on Netflix and explains how to select the French language.
- Radio-Canada Zone Jeunesse (French CBC) Has French TV Shows, videos and games
- Brain Pop Francais (Educational material)
- Create a Free BrainPop Account for your family (Free during school closures)
- Go the BrainPop Français, log-in using your account, and access a lot of short educational videos on many subjects.
- There are two useful options on the bottom right corner of the video window: to include subtitles and to slow down video (recommended for French language learners) .
- Comprehension quiz accompany most videos.
Daily diary entry (or other form of writing)
I encourage students to keep a diary during the school closures. It could be as simple as recording what the child did during the day, how the child is feeling, etc.
Other options for writing include:
Other options for writing include:
- write a post, or reply to an existing post in our Virtual classroom on Office 365 Teams (see above);
- writing letters, postcards, emails or text messages to friends, grand-parents, cousins, etc;
- creative writing (such as making comics, writing a story, a book, etc.)
Math practice
For online, educational fun with math, play:
- Prodigy - Students already have a username and password (email me if they forgot their login information)
Home-learning resources compiled by ECH and BC
Want more ideas for home learning?
- Ecole Cobble Hill has compiled a list of resources for parents suggested by teachers.
- Open School BC - Keep learning is offered by the province to support you during school closures. It includes tips for learning from home, everyday learning activities, resources (English and French) and more.
- École ouverte is the Quebec Ministry of Education website for Covid-19 school closures. It has a lot of French material and activities.