Instagram, Middle School, and Digital Citizenship!
"Forming an identity is a big part of being a middle schooler. Most students are working it out through experimentation, with plenty of awkward missteps and mistakes along the way. It's a normal, natural part of growing up. But in the age of social media, this part of adolescence can be tough -- both for kids to navigate and for adults to understand. New social media platforms come and go, often with features designed to captivate young users right in the midst of figuring out just who they are."
Read more about how teachers use classroom lessons to teach about online identity: https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/instagram-middle-school-and-digital-citizenship
Great day for learning how to write number sentences in first grade! The first graders in Mrs. Estes’s class were working hard today.
As soon as you share the first photo of your child, you're establishing their digital footprint. As kids get older and start creating their own content or engaging with others online, it's important for them to understand the tracks they're leaving behind and what those tracks might reveal. Parents can help guide kids toward creating the kind of footprint they can be proud of. https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-tips/k-5-digital-footprint-and-identity
Second graders used their knowledge of the three states of matter in this fun experiment! Do you know why Mentos candy makes Coke and Diet Coke explode? Which one goes higher? Ask any second grader at OSE!
Video: bit.ly/OlyDFV1
Many kids are already posting and sharing information about themselves. But in a world where oversharing might seem like the norm, it’s important for kids to think about their digital footprints. Listen to what these teens have to say about sharing on social media. Are you making the right sharing decisions?
Every day, teens engage with countless images and videos that have been edited or digitally altered. But are your kids aware of, or have they thought deeply about, disinformation online, including the phenomenon of deepfake videos?
For more information about this new media manipulation method, check out the following video. It has never been more important for our students to think critically about the media they consume and identities they see online.
https://youtu.be/OUSworJiRWg
For more information, and some wonderful discussion points to talk over with your kids after watching the video, check out this lesson:
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/are-deepfake-videos-a-threat-to-democracy
First graders at South were “batty” about learning on Friday! The kids spent the day “in a bat cave”!! Our students worked on story retelling using the book “Stellaluna”, sentence writing using bat facts, math problem solving and more! The first graders enjoyed watching real bats on a live cam too!
It was a great day in the dark caves of OSE!!
#DigCit! In a time of 24/7 connectivity, do the benefits of online sharing outweigh the risks? In Nov. our digital citizenship focus will be on the topic of Digital Footprint & Identity. Look for posts throughout the month to use as discussion points with your family!
Even Hogwarts can’t escape the clutches of COVID, but our students are adjusting quite well. The floating sorting hat sorted each student into their houses as soon as they got off the train this morning. Then, students wrote letters home to tell their families about Halloween at Hogwarts. Our essential worker Owl delivered all of the letters for us, while the rest of our owls stayed here to be read to. Students also practiced descriptive writing by describing their Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. Finally, the Hogwarts Sports Association announced that Multiplication Quidditch has been approved for non-contact practices, so we were able to host our first practice. All of our students are having a great time, and are excited to travel home for the weekend!
Bat Day in first grade and a Hogwarts sorting meeting in 5th grade are on the agenda at South today! We have some excited students on this Friday 😃
How to Set Screen Rules That Stick
Easy tips for limiting kids' computer, TV, game, and movie time. | Caroline Knorr | 2/21/2019
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-set-screen-rules-that-stick
New Healthy Media Habits for Young Kids
Now that screen-time recommendations are more flexible, it's time for new rules. | Caroline Knorr | 10/18/2017
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/new-healthy-media-habits-for-young-kids
5th grade is celebrating over 1000 instances of being kind, safe, and ready to learn with a Pajama Day!
Do you multitask in front of your kids? Check out that and other solutions to help your child reduce multitasking during homework time:
https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/parenttip/PT_6WaysToStopMultitasking-new.mp4
Looking for ways to manage your kid's device use? Check out these five easy screen-time tips:
https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/parenttip/PT_5ScreenTips_YoungKids.mp4
Help keep media/tech use in check by following a few simple practices:
1. Create screen-free times and zones
2. Try parental controls
3. Establish clear family rules
4. Watch and play together
5. Help kids identify healthy behaviors
Read more: http://bit.ly/OlyMBTipsE
We filled the treasure chest! All school celebration today for being kind, safe and ready to learn! Popsicle party on this beautiful day. We are so proud of our kiddos!
Screen time; the reality is that there really is no magic number that's "just right." What's more important is the quality of kids' media, how it fits into your family's lifestyle, and how you engage your kids with it. Read more: http://bit.ly/OlyScreenTime
It's easy to get distracted from homework (and life) when the phone never stops pinging and the next episode plays automatically. Let's some common sense guidelines by signing this Family Media Agreement within your family: bit.ly/OlyAgree
Do the benefits of being ever-connected also come with risks to our mental health? It's an important question to ask - especially for our kids. In Oct. we will be exploring Media Balance & Well Being. Read more: bit.ly/OlyMediaBalance
