Like most schools across the country and around the world, the potential for an H1N1 outbreak has necessitated some intense planning and preparation by our faculty and staff. As an independent school with rather unique and demanding operational needs, the possibility of having to close for an extended period of time poses a very real threat. In the spirit of asset-based thinking, we have leveraged this unpleasant possibility into an opportunity to explore interdisciplinary distance learning.
Using Moodle as a delivery platform, each of our grade-level teams designed a 10 day instructional unit centered on a broad theme. Recognizing that ill students will have difficulty following a prescribed timeline and should not be expected to carry the same workload they would if healthy, the units represent approximately 10 hours of learning activities that can be completed on a fairly flexible schedule. Although only our students can enroll in the Moodle courses, guests can preview and explore each of the units:
5th Grade: Leadership
PeaceJam is an international education program built around leading Nobel Peace Laureates with the goal to inspire a new generation of peacemakers who will transform the world. Using their work as a foundation, the 5th Grade Leadership Unit includes 12 activities that encourage students to begin thinking about themselves as leaders who can embody our school’s motto of “Changing Lives, Changing the World.”
6th Grade: Discover St. Louis
The 6th Grade St. Louis Unit provides students the chance to virtually explore different aspect of the St. Louis community. From favorite local foods to famous celebrities on our Walk of Fame, the activities help students understand and appreciate The Gateway City.
7th Grade: The World In and Around Your Home
From the bedroom to the backyard, your home is filled with opportunities to learn and apply math, science, languages, and everything else studied in school. The 7th Grade Your World Unit explores the world in and around your home through the lens of academic classes.
8th Grade: Music All Around
There are numerous ways to look at music; historically, as a scientist, as a mathematician, as an artist, and simply as a human being. The 8th Grade Music Unit engages students on the topic from these and other perspectives.
The infusion of technology into these units is rich and varied. Collectively, our students will have opportunities to read and respond to blog posts, complete and analyze surveys, collaborate on project wikis, ask and answer questions in a forum, compose and share music, create multimedia presentations, submit work electronically, use Wimba Voice to capture audio responses, and participate in real-time learning activities using DyKnow and Wimba Classroom.
Hopefully our community will be spared from a flu outbreak, but if we should need to close, we are prepared. And if our luck should hold we are excited about using these units at the end of year. Either way, these established and emerging tools are helping us make sure that learning never stops.