Coronavirus Activity

On Friday afternoon we got the email - school will be closed till April 20th, with us starting online learning on Wednesday. I've used a lot of technology with my students before and my last job, was mostly tech integration. I have confidence with my technology use, but want to make sure I keep pushing myself to try new things...

SO...I recorded a bunch of videos, in 'character', as Doctor Dutton and Ms Lenny. In this videos I get my students to learn about the Coronavirus and to teach Ms Lenny!
Some of the activities:

• Researching what the Coronavirus is, and putting the information into their own words, in an easy to understand, and non-intimidating way
• Learning how to stay safe and protect others
• Thinking about surfaces they might want to clean (DIRTY PHONES!)
• Learning about ways to promote hand-washing, then making a hand-washing meme!
• Considering false information, and looking at some credible sources
• Finding out how the Coronavirus is reporting around the world
• Doing something social, while still social distancing!
• Staying active indoors - completing some indoor exercise, like yoga or dancing!
• Finding a new skill/a new topic to learn at home while school is closed
• Completing a kind activity for a family member (Avoiding getting mad at your family when you are stuck indoors with them)
• Reflecting on what they missed about school and what new habits/skills they have learnt at home.

The videos are totally dorky! While school is closed, I will have a bunch of activities with my students where they have to record videos and we will also be doing some video conference calling... I know that in middle/high school students can be terribly self-conscious and hate this...so I wanted to role model myself. I don't really like the way I look or the way I sound, but I want to show students that it doesn't really mater. Hopefully this will make them less self-conscious when they see me being a total dweeb!

One of my worries about online learning is that our classes will lack the human interaction that students need. I am going to make sure that instead of using other people's videos, I will record my own when appropriate. When using other people's videos, I will use EdPuzzle, to drop in questions and make it more personal/interactive. Of course, we will also have video calls during class time (though mostly it will be check in/instructions, then students work, while I help them one on one, then a class check in at the end of our 90 minute lesson).

My students will be completing this activity on ClassCraft. I use Classcraft all the timeand often create extra-credit, self-paced activities for students in their quests. I blogged about ClassCraft usehere. 
Last week ClassCraft announced they are making their pro accounts free till the end of the year!
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If you have Classcraft, click here to make a copy of my quest, (it will be available in the market place soon)

As much as I love ClassCraft and recommend it, I know you won't all want to use it...so I made two other options.

• A Google Slide Deck (I actually made this as I went, then dragged that info into ClassCraft)
• A Google Doc

Feel free to use any. You can of course ignore the videos, and just use the resources too!