Heading back to school in 2020 is going to be like no other year! Covid 19, social distancing, and face masks are new concepts in schools. Teachers are searching for ideas for their social distancing classroom.
Schools must open to in person instruction due to funding, so it will be essential for teachers to keep their students safe by following the CDC health guidelines for schools.
Check these top tips for the social distancing classroom:
Rules and Procedures
It’s always important to set up rules and procedures at the beginning of the year. This year it’s especially important to make sure students understand social distancing guidelines.
Students have been home since March, and most of them haven’t left their houses very much. They need background information on why we need to social distance. These Covid 19 Reading Passages will help students understand Covid 19, social distancing, and face masks.
Hanging up Social Distancing Posters will help remind students of the guidelines they must follow in the classroom.
Classroom Setup
Unfortunately, most teachers will have to change the way they usually set up their classrooms.
You may have read my blog post, My Fourth Grade Classroom Set-Up. Some ideas are still useful, but this year’s classroom will look different.
Some furniture might need to be removed in order to move desks 6 feet apart. Also, if a classroom has tables, they will need to be switched out for individual desks.
Since students will not be able to share anything. Teachers can make more room by getting rid of shared areas and materials such as a book corner, stations, and flexible seating.
Organization and Supplies
There will be no sharing supplies in the social distancing classroom. Teachers may want to ask for more supplies than normal at the beginning of the year when parents are willing to go and buy them.
If possible, grab extra pencils, glue, scissors, crayons,etc when you’re at the grocery store for students who do not bring their own supplies.
In addition to supplies, students need to have their own supply box to store their belongings. Be sure to clearly label pencil boxes, so students don’t accidentally use someone’s elses.
Since space is limited (some schools don’t want kids to use the cubbies), hang a hook on the side of each desk, so students can hang their supply bags.
Digital Learning
It is necessary from the beginning of the year to set up digital learning as a primary way to complete assignments.
Since the spread of Covid 19 is an ever changing situation, we could be told to go completely online. A sudden change to distance learning will be easier if students are already completing their assignments online.
There are numerous ways for students to complete assignments online and most likely your district has adopted a universal system.
A few popular distance learning platforms are: Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and SeeSaw.
Another awesome tool that you could use is the interactive digital component that Teachers Pay Teachers has put on all their products.
If a teacher author has opted in, their PDF products will have a “Create Digital Activity” button. Therefore, all past and future PDF purchases can be turned into digital resources used on any platform.
Virtual Activities and Centers-
A favorite activity among students is small group games and learning centers. This year in the social distancing classroom students will not be able to interact with each other in the ways they have in the past, but there are virtual alternatives.
A few virtual examples include: students can work in groups virtually using Padlet. Also, they can connect on Zoom and work on a Google Slideshow together. They can design a digital poster using Jamboard. Additionally, there are many digital centers where students can practice specific skills.
Professional Development and Planning
Take advantage of any professional development opportunities that cover digital tools and platforms. These will help make your social distancing classroom operate smoothly.
Planning with your team is always important, but especially when things in education are changing so quickly. Maybe, a teammate is a Google Classroom pro, and they can help you with setting up your Google Classroom.
Also, planning together means that teams can distribute tasks, so one teacher isn’t overloaded with creating new digital lessons.
To help you with one area of planning, I created a Free Grammar Pacing Guide for 4th grade. It is TEKS aligned!
If your team would like a FREE grammar pacing guide, just fill out the information below and one will be sent to your inbox!
Accountability
This fall 2020 students are going to be held accountable for their work much more than they were in the spring.
Whether they are in a social distancing classroom or distance learning students will be getting quality instruction and rigorous work.
It is imperative to set up clear expectations at the beginning of the year, so students can adjust quickly. They have been out of school for 5 months, so mind sets have to shift.
Also, teachers should set up an easy way to collect assignments and give feedback in person and online. They will be especially helpful if there is a need to go online sometime during the school year.
Teachers and students may feel overwhelmed as they head back to school in 2020. The social distancing classroom is a completely new idea. Be sure to give yourself grace and remain flexible with the ever changing situation.
If you would like to learn more about the first day of school, check out my blog post: First Day of Fourth Grade Blog Post
