eLearning Adventures Continued

We continued with all the eLearning "fun" in October. School is still going fine, kids are still doing well. There was a brief moment in time where we thought the kids might end up going in person for a portion of the day/week (it would be different for each of my kids- of course) and so we had to rearrange our brains around the new schedule and time frames that would entail, but then COVID cases started to rise in our area and I was getting quite anxious about sending them in to school and wondering what it would take for the district to call off in person attendance...and lo and behold, they did. I, for one, was very glad! Our next "stage" of eLearning would still start (meaning new schedules, block scheduling namely, for Daniel) but in-person attendance would be postponed and revisited in two weeks (and even that's been postponed yet again for another two weeks...I'm glad). And thus began our one week's worth of an eye-rolling-ly lame short schedule for Annabel (she literally had hours of time with no school work- I was so beyond frustrated) where she had async work for the morning (with one live special) and then Zoom in the PM (which was her assigned in-person block, just carrying over to Zoom for now). The school district quickly realized this schedule did not work- it was meant for in-person learning and since we weren't doing that...well, it made no sense, so they reverted to the earlier schedule of being on Zoom on and off throughout a full day, which I far preferred- and so did Annabel. If that makes no sense, no worries- it's all rather head spinning to me as well, and that's just the elementary schools. Middle school, on the other hand, kept their new block schedule, instead of going back to the full day, so Daniel now goes to 4 classes each day for an hour each (periods 1-4 two days, 6-9 two days). Mondays though are different- Annabel has a half day of Zoom in the morning with the other half async work, while Daniel has a full day Mondays. Got it? Whew. Oh- AND- their lunches aren't at the same time anymore either, pooh- so I'm basically in the kitchen all day. Ugh- not my favorite. Anyway, we roll with it and do what we're told, haha. Like I said, I'm glad we're not in-person just yet.

Of note for October- we did our parent/teacher conferences via Zoom, which I actually happened to love. No hunting down classrooms (I just had all my Zoom links for each teacher pasted into a doc for me to click at my scheduled time- it was that easy- and a little weird and crazy, when I think about it), all teachers were very much on time, they were all so positive and informative, and really this format just worked out great all around. Ben could easily attend this way, too. I was able to schedule a conference with everyone I wanted to see. They all commented on how focused, responsible, respectful, and amazing my kids are. Aside from wanting to actually hear from my kids a little more often, all is going very well! I couldn't be prouder.

Aside from all that, our continued eLearning/remote fun meant a drive thru ice cream social (we drove to pick up our order, then came home and ate), more drawing art projects (I'm loving this perk to remote art class), some contraption building, Zoom and other video/photo band lessons (Mr. Silder even dropped off dot stickers for Annabel's flute one day!), and more such fun. It's all going well. We've had a few more supply pick ups, too, for Annabel- library books, social studies supplies, and fall party craft supplies. The school makes it super easy to do all this on our own time now, leaving the stuff in the foyer and front lobby for us to come get when we can. It makes for a nice excuse to go for a walk, too!

We have even done some eLearning with friends in our house! Annabel was SO excited to do this! We hosted Aggie here and they were cute, working together and consulting each other. We also had another classmate, Zeynep, here while her parents had a doctor appointment for her brother- that worked out great! I was glad for these opportunities to eLearn with friends here because we have to make these memories whenever we can.

We did our school's window scavenger hunt one afternoon on our walk around the school, too. I actually created this scavenger hunt for the school- my SFCP and Kindergarten brain was working hard this summer to move with the times and welcome families (all of them, not just Kindergarten of course- it just started with my K mindset!) to the school grounds on their own time. I kept thinking how proud Kindergartners are that "this is my school!"...aaaand they can't go. So this was my bright idea- find a way to get everybody to come to school and wander the grounds a bit. The principal LOVED the idea and I had a lot of fun putting it together, complete with QR codes linked to photos of building spaces and how they are set up now, because that really is wild and something to wrap your head around. Annabel loved finding all the pictures! Daniel tagged along, looking too cool, haha. 

We missed doing the fall party and costume parade for Annabel, but she got to decorate a pumpkin and share it with her class last Friday morning, and she wore her costume for the afternoon portion of their Zoom classes, too. Annabel was so excited to do all this! Again, I was glad for these memory making opportunities, glad that the teachers were working to make some of these days extra special.

These really are different times. We shall see what the winter months bring. 

Enjoy the pictures!

One of the benefits to Annabel having art remotely is that she is drawing a ton more. I'm loving it! She has been so inspired by her teacher's assignments that I find she draws on her own time more now, too. I quite like it. This was one assignment she did last month, featuring...a pencil, of course.

Just my girl, doing school at home. Me, staring at her from my spot in the kitchen, mug of tea in hand, tears in my eyes while at the same time really glad I get to do this all day- stare at her.

At home ice cream social!

Daniel's FACS class (basically your Home Ec), which I have a whole separate post for, started the cooking unit by making play dough. The kids both had a blast with this! The recipe called for Kool-Aid to color the dough- Daniel asked for red, Annabel asked for blue, and they both thought it was pretty cool how it actually worked to turn the dough colors. Daniel didn't like touching it, Annabel LOVED touching it and mashing it and all. It was all rather entertaining!

Annabel was given an "extra credit" assignment for her PI (Honors Reading) class, where she had to come up with an advertisement related to the book they'd read, Frindle. She had fun being creative for her class in this way! She also loved the concept of "extra credit" though it meant nothing to her (they don't do things the way they used to when we were little anyway, so it was actually tough to explain, haha!)- still, it thrilled her to no end!

Mr. Silder really is an amazing band instructor. I loved how he sent the kids a photo for their finger placement on the flute. Very clever. Moving with the times, like I keep saying. He's also sent them videos to watch and he cheers them on and really gets them going. He is SO positive and just a great guy. We love him! Annabel is learning quite a lot on the flute and having no trouble at all keeping up and making progress. It's so fun to watch her!

Annabel's assignment was to be able to place her fingers on the flute in correct positions without looking- hence her eyes off to the side here.

Learning with friends at home! So fun to have Aggie here for an afternoon!

Annabel's science unit at school was working on chain reactions and this inspired Annabel to make a contraption (a mini chain reaction of sorts) that would turn her music on. Check it out! We worked hard to make it a success. It took a lot of problem solving and Annabel got really creative. We sent it to her teacher, too, though this wasn't an assignment- this was just for fun. Her teacher loved it! The music it's turning on...Hamilton! (We LOVE Hamilton!)

Show and tell for the boys!

Annabel was excited to get her library books at school one afternoon!

Then we did the window scavenger hunt around the whole building, too! So fun!

Learning with another friend, Zeynep! Zeynep and Annabel are in the same class this year (her mom and I are book club friends) so it worked out great to have her here and the girls were able to collaborate on a few class projects, too- one of them being the chain reaction project for science. So fun to sneak peeks at them!

Another outdoor Girl Scout adventure to a local conservation farm. They earned their Outdoor Art badge. Annabel made a fairy house using different leaves- it was so cute!

Daniel brought his sewing project, for his FACS class, down to the kitchen for a little assistance (from Daddy, of course, since I don't sew) and Cosmo was right there, intently watching that needle and thread, just in case he had a moment to grab at it!

The project was to make an "Ear Saver," sewing two buttons onto a fabric strip for your mask to hook into. Talk about a timely project! I still shake my head at these things that kids are doing, because a year ago, who knew this would be on our radar- it's crazy. Such a different project and an easy one for kids to make- how clever. Daniel put his initials into his Ear Saver, too. So fun! Cosmo stayed the whole time, watching and waiting for his chance to play.

Ta-da! Behold the "Ear Saver" (though it didn't actually work that well, so Daniel is just holding it up, haha!).

Annabel, walking through puddles, on our way to school for more supplies. A fun lunch-time outing for us.

Annabel knows a few notes on the flute now!! So exciting!

Fall parties were done at home of course, so Annabel and I stopped by the school, yet another time, to get her class craft- a pumpkin to decorate with stickers. Annabel, however, opted to paint her pumpkin, because she could- we were home after all! She turned it into the cutest candy corn. I love it! She was able to share it with her class last Friday morning- she was so excited for this part. I was glad the school worked hard to make a fall "party" still happen.

October 30- Party Day! Annabel is ready to share her pumpkin!