KT

Virtual School Orientation & Multidisciplinary Lessons

Administrative Announcements

  • Day converted to whole-group session because \text{i-Ready} platform did not finish syncing.
  • Goal: let students meet all core teachers, practice the web-conferencing system, and rehearse asynchronous procedures.
  • Schedule repeatedly posted in chat and on shared screen:
    • 08{:}20!\text{–}08{:}50 Homeroom
    • 09{:}00!\text{–}09{:}40 English
    • 09{:}50!\text{–}10{:}30 Math
    • 10{:}40!\text{–}11{:}20 Science
    • 11{:}20!\text{–}12{:}10 Social Studies
    • 10-minute breaks between periods.
  • Afternoon (≈13{:}00!\text{–}16{:}00) reserved for asynchronous work; no further live meetings.
  • i-Ready diagnostic tentatively moved to Thursday–Friday; makeup sessions will be provided.
  • Students asked not to log out between classes; BBB room stays open.
  • Counselor for schedule fixes: Ms. Leanne Snellgrove \langle lsnellgrove@vprepgeorgia.org \rangle.
  • Offline-tracker hours: 1 hr per asynchronous lesson; entered via “Offline Tracker” link in homeroom.

Community-Building & Homeroom Activities

  • Students invited to share summer highlights (Utah→Georgia move, Mexico trip, new jobs, painting spree, tattoos, movie bucket, etc.).
  • Teacher led a GeoGuessr-style game:
    • Image 1 → Laos (many guessed Thailand/France).
    • Image 2 → Washington State (mountain suburban clue).
    • Image 3 → Northern Brazil (Portuguese signage + mango tree).
    → Purpose: practice using geographic context clues and collaborating via chat/mics.

English (Mrs. Morton Poe)

Nearpod Access

  • Code displayed; ~100 students joined.

Warm-Up Poll

  • “What has the greatest impact on identity?” Options: place, family, appearance, beliefs, outsiders.
  • Students defended each option; idea of experiences added.

Guiding Questions

  1. What makes us who we are?
  2. How do we define ourselves?
  3. How are we defined by others?
    → Students typed responses privately, then shared orally; self-awareness & perspective-taking emphasized.

Text Study: “Where I’m From” — George Ella Lyon

  • Previewed unknown vocabulary (augur, carbon tetrachloride, Imogene, etc.).
  • Watched author read poem; discussed sensory imagery & theme of layered identity.

Writing Task

  • Students will compose personal “Where I’m From” poems.
  • Template provided (fill-in outline) but optional; creativity encouraged (couplets, sonnet, spoken-word, etc.).
  • Draft in Nearpod today, polish and submit next week inside respective ELA course module.

Mathematics (Ms. White)

Orientation to Weekly Work Packet

Day 1
• Reading-Across-the-Curriculum article + 10 comprehension Q’s (completed)

Day 2
• DeltaMath Review Assignment (linear, quadratic, exponential basics)
• Formula sheet issued:
– Slope m=\dfrac{y2-y1}{x2-x1}
– Linear forms y=mx+b, y-y1=m(x-x1)
– Quadratic vertex y=a(x-h)^2+k, zeros via factoring/quadratic formula
– Exponential y=ab^{x}, growth/decay.

Day 3
• Google-Form checklist uploads (Cami doc, screenshots, etc.)
• Set up simulation bank account (ParaBank) for ongoing classroom economy (jobs, rent, homework passes).

e-Portfolio Project (Mid-Term Grade)

  • Students copied Google Site template.
  • This week focus only on Home page → replace instructions with personal “About Me”, add background, images.
  • Future: 4 academic sub-pages (one per unit) with sample problems & reflections.

Science (Ms. Faulkner — Physical Science)

“Do You Think You Know Science?” Time-to-Climb Quiz

Key verdicts:

  1. Sharks older than trees — True (≈400 \text{Myr vs. 300 Myr}).
  2. Bananas are slightly radioactive — True (potassium-40).
  3. Octopuses have three hearts — True.
  4. You can cry in space — True (tears ball up).
  5. Diamond planet 55\,\text{Cancri e} — True (exoplanet theory).
  6. Survive a black hole feet-first — False (spaghettification).
  7. Tomatoes possess more genes than humans — True.
  8. Jellyfish species can be biologically immortal — True (Turritopsis).
  9. NASA pizza delivery — False.
  10. Saturn’s rings emit audible sound — False (radio waves, not sound).
  11. Zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps) — True.
  12. Spinning ball curves while falling — True (Magnus effect).

Takeaways

  • Emphasized critical thinking, fact-checking, and the “magic” of everyday science.
  • Reminded: Tuesday & Thursday asynchronous assignments due Friday; ~25 % completed as of meeting.

Social Studies (Mr. Fanning — U.S. History)

Quick Review: Motives for Colonization

  • Mnemonic “\text{3 G’s: God, Gold, Glory}”.
  • Broader lenses: Political, Economic, Religious, Social (PERS).

Political Cartoon Analysis

  • Image: British John Bull octopus stretching over Egypt, India, etc.
  • Skills practiced: symbolism, point-of-view, historical context, author’s purpose.
  • Importance: cartoons appear on EOC; require analytical literacy.

Peopling of the Americas

  • Pre-1492 migration via Beringia land bridge (>2 000 cultures).
  • Cultural eras: Paleo-Indian → Archaic → Woodland → Mississippian (≈1000\,\text{CE}) → Modern.

Regional Examples

  • Pueblo (SW mesas; irrigation, cliff dwellings; three-sisters agriculture).
  • Ute (Great Basin/Plains; nomadic bison hunters; horse transformed mobility).
  • Chumash (Pacific coast; maritime economy, stable villages).
  • Iroquois Confederacy (NE longhouses; complex diplomacy).
  • Cahokia/Mississippian (Mississippi River mounds; trade hubs).

Comparative Colonization Styles

  • Spanish: encomienda caste; gold/silver extraction; forced Christianization.
  • French: small forts/trading posts (fur, fish); intermarriage; alliances; least conflict.
  • Dutch: New Netherland (Hudson R.); commerce-driven; limited missionary zeal.
  • English: family settlements; land-hungry; initial coexistence (Thanksgiving) → displacement & warfare; victors after French & Indian War (=\text{Seven Years’ War}).

Nearpod Poll Result

“Which colonizer had the most cooperative relations with Indigenous peoples?”
→ France (majority answered correctly).

Asynchronous Reminders

  • Afternoon Nearpods (ELA & SS today) accessible via Module ▶ “Welcome Back” ▶ Wednesday links.
  • Each lesson ≈1 hr; log time in Offline Tracker.

Ethical & Practical Implications Highlighted

  • Respectful dialogue in class and chat; disagree tactfully.
  • Recognizing bias in historical sources (cartoons, nationalistic labels like “French & Indian War”).
  • Importance of accurate digital citizenship (fact-checking viral claims e.g.
    “ pee on jellyfish sting”).

Technical Notes & Tips

  • BigBlueButton sometimes lags; turning off cameras during breaks helps bandwidth.
  • Nearpod codes used: English (screen), Math page design, Science quiz, Social-Studies IZ52K for prompts.
  • To re-enter Nearpod: nearpod.com → enter code or click chat link.
  • If Homeroom card not yet visible, temporarily join “Group 1” for DeltaMath access.

Key Dates & Deliverables

  • This Week:
    • Complete Monday–Thursday asynchronous Nearpods (+1 hr tracker each).
    • Math DeltaMath review; Google-form checklist Friday.
  • Next Week:
    • “Where I’m From” poem final draft due; share aloud.
    • E-portfolio Home page check.
  • Upcoming: i-Ready diagnostic (tentative Thurs/Fri); classroom economy launch.