WordGen Elementary Adaptations to Support Remote Learning

In response to the current shift to remote learning, the SERP team has worked quickly to create digital versions of our resources to support teachers and students. We are now providing Google Doc versions of WordGen units so activities can be easily accessed and edited on a range of devices. 

When making adaptations for virtual learning, it’s important to remember that WordGen is meant to be a discussion-based curriculum. In fact, our research shows that it is discussion that builds students’ argumentation, academic language, perspective taking, and comprehension skills. Therefore, we encourage you to create opportunities for students to engage in discussion and debate about unit topics. Perhaps students can connect independently with a partner or small group virtually via phone or computer. You might also lead an online whole class discussion during synchronous teaching time. The more students are able to discuss the content, the more engagement you can expect to see.

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How to Access WordGen Elementary Google Docs:

Links to each unit are posted at serp.link. 

In many cases, the link can be easily copied and pasted into an LMS, an email, or another mode of communication to share with your students.

The Google doc links are set to copy the document to your existing Google-hosted account. Students can complete the activities and share with their teacher for grading and feedback through your preferred LMS or communication system.

Because these are individual Google docs that can be edited, the page numbers do not match the original units and will shift as students’ move through the unit. Please keep this in mind when assigning or referring to specific activities.

Although these documents were created to make distance learning easier, they are not designed to be used without teacher direction or support. We recommend using the teacher’s edition to support your instruction when assigning student materials.

While most questions or prompts have space for students to type, there are some activities that would benefit from students knowing how to draw, add shapes, or highlight text. In some cases, you may suggest that students draw or write on scrap paper and upload a photo of their work.

Ideas for WordGen Elementary Adaptations for Remote Learning Environments, by component:

  • Action News

    Synchronous:

    Launch the unit with a discussion question to engage students with the unit topic. Share your screen to play the action news video. Debrief the discussion question / turn and talk as a whole class. 


    Asynchronous:

    • Post question(s) to a discussion board or as an assignment to engage students with the unit topic. (Suggestions for questions can be found in the Teacher Edition of each unit.)
    • Assign students to listen to Action News and follow along with the script. 
    • Post turn & talk or discussion question(s) to a discussion board or as an assignment. 
  • Reader’s Theater

    Synchronous:

    Begin with a whole class read-aloud and shift to using breakout rooms for students to read together in groups. Debrief as a whole class. 


    Asynchronous:

    • If necessary, ask that students read aloud the script with other members of their households.
    • Post turn & talk or discussion question(s) to a discussion board or as an assignment. 
  • Characters’ Perspectives

    Synchronous:

    Use breakout rooms for small groups or student pairs. Encourage students to reason together as they work and to highlight or copy/paste evidence from the Reader’s Theater to support their choices. Debrief as a whole class. 


    Asynchronous:

    • Can be completed independently, if necessary, or assigned as work to do in pairs during asynchronous time. 
    • Encourage students to highlight or copy/paste evidence from the Reader’s Theater to support their choices.
    • Post turn & talk or discussion question(s) to a discussion board or as an assignment. 
  • Word Study

    Synchronous:

    Walk through the word study activities as a class. Have students complete the word study activities independently or with a partner. 


    Asynchronous:

    • Can be completed in partners/groups or independently, if necessary. 
    • Select 1-2 prompts from each word to post to a discussion board or as an assignment. 
  • Journals and Journeys (5th grade) / Science (4th grade) / Math / Informational Text

    Synchronous:

    Use breakout rooms for groups or for each student pair. Discussion should follow. These activities should be done over multiple sessions. (You may select some that are more adaptable for independent work, if several synchronous sessions are not feasible.)


    Asynchronous:

    • Can be completed in partners/groups or independently, if necessary. 
    • Select one or two key questions from each activity for students to respond to via video, discussion board, or chat. 
  • Prepare and Debate/ Discuss

    Synchronous:

    Use breakout rooms for groups or pairs. You might consider having students gather evidence independently or in partners before having students work together in larger groups. 


    Asynchronous:

    If necessary, you may ask students to present arguments in writing or as an audio clip, and respond to one another’s arguments using video or discussion board posts.

  • Debate/Discussion

    Synchronous

    Can be done via whole-group discussion or in breakout rooms. 


    Asynchronous

    If necessary, you may ask students to present arguments in writing or as an audio clip, and respond to one another’s arguments using video or discussion board posts.

  • Writing

    Synchronous

    Framing and pre-writing activities may be done after the debate, but writing can be completed independently. You may consider having students read other students’ writing and respond. 


    Asynchronous

    • Can be completed independently.
    • You may consider having students share their writing with each other and respond directly to their classmates.

Sample approach to scheduling a WordGen Elemetary Unit for Remote Learning Environments:

Segment 1

(Asynchronous)

  1. Launch the unit with a question to engage students’ in the unit topic
  2. Watch Action News
  3. Respond to Action News T&T in writing or on a discussion board

Segment 2

(Synchronous)

  1. Debrief action news
  2. Do Reader’s Theater aloud and then in breakout room groups
  3. Debrief Reader’s Theater 

Segment 3

(Asynchronous)

  1. Complete characters’ perspectives activity (with a partner, if possible)
  2. Complete word study (with a partner, if possible)

Segment 4

(Synchronous)

  1. Debrief characters’ perspectives, word study, vocab cards, word chants
  2. Preview and assign mid-unit activities (to complete in partners, if possible)

Segment 5

(Asynchronous)

  1. Complete mid unit activities, with a partner, if possible (Journals and Journeys, Science, Interview, Articles/ Informational Text, Math)
  2. Respond to prompts in writing or on a discussion board

Segment 6

(Synchronous)

  1. Debrief mid unit activities
  2. Set up prepare for debate activity

Segment 7

(Asynchronous/Synchronous)

  • Complete prepare for debate activity (with partner or groups, if possible)

Segment 8

(Synchronous)

  • Engage in debate

Segment 9

(Asynchronous)

  • Complete writing

The following apps may be useful:

Synchronous Discussion For Pre-recorded / asynchronous Responses For Written Responses Asynchronous Debate
Zoom Audio Boom Google Docs Flipgrid
Google Meet Flipgrid Kami Kailo EDU
Microsoft Teams

Resources for Leading Synchronous Discussions Online

Many educators have been thrust into online teaching for the first time, with minimal planning or preparation. We know you are navigating many obstacles as you try to do what is best for your students. For those who have the opportunity to convene your students synchronously for virtual discussions, you may be asking yourself: How do I pull this off?



These documents may be of help:

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Remote Discussion Norms Thumbnail

Development of Word Generation was led by Catherine Snow (Harvard University) and Suzanne Donovan (SERP). Major SERP contributors to program development include: Claire White, Alyse Krantz, Halley Wheeless, Matt Ellinger, David Dudley, and Patrick Hurley. Boston Public Schools and other districts in Massachusetts and Maryland collaborated with SERP to develop Word Generation.


Support for Word Generation was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Noyce Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Leon Lowenstein Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education through grant numbers R305A090555 and R305F100026. The information provided does not represent views of the funders.