3rd and 4th Grades at Home

Ms. Rachel Dillinger and Sister Teresa Cecilia, Good Shepherd’s 3rd and 4th grade teachers, respectively, found ways to make the transition from in person instruction to distance education easier. Most of the difficulty in this transition arose from just how unexpected the need became and finding the right tools to carry it out. 

Both grades used Zoom for daily lessons, as well as other online resources, like EdPuzzle, Think Central and Discovery Education that kept students engaged in what they were learning. Additionally, these resources allowed each student’s family to also become engaged with what their children went over each day in “class.”

Ms. Dillinger kept daily lessons as normal as possible. One of the everyday activities the 3rd grade students participated in at school was reading aloud to each other, which they continued via Zoom while at home. Students also did various science projects at home, Earth Day activities and even a virtual field trip to the Zoo. While their previously scheduled field trip was cancelled due to the pandemic, Ms. Dillinger, decked out in zookeeper attire, led her students through a virtual tour thanks to both the Philadelphia and San Diego Zoo’s live webcams. Through the virtual tour, students completed a worksheet about the animals they “met” during this virtual field trip. 

Sister Teresa mentioned Science was among the favorite subjects for her students. Using common household and outdoor items, students explored their very immediate world to explore their senses. These activities included building bird nests and taste and hearing experiments with family members. 

Sister Teresa also assigned her students to write a thank you card for someone that makes a difference within their community, like their mailman, local grocery store workers, nurses and more! 

Remember to thank all the essential workers and people in your own community who help make our current world seem more normal!