District weaves subjects together for distance learning

WOODLAND — While students continue learning from home, Woodland Public Schools’ elementary art, music and physical education teachers worked together to create cross-curricular lessons for students and their families. The same teachers instruct the three subjects at Columbia, North Folk and Yale schools: Madison Fraser, art teacher; Cheryl Nesbitt, physical education teacher; and Miles Thorming-Gale, music teacher. “Given how rigorous remote learning can be, the three of us worked together to create bonus curriculum to serve as ‘brain breaks’,” Nesbitt said. “Collaboration between the three of us is key as we try to bring as much as we can from all three subjects into our lessons.” Woodland’s Got Talent, an upcoming virtual talent show, encourages students to demonstrate their talents in any of the three subjects. “We encourage families to join in on our lessons, too,” said Nesbitt. “One student took part in a P.E. workout with his grandmother — they each logged in from separate computers and exercised together.” To motivate students from the three elementary schools to participate in the classes and activities, the teachers created the “AMP It Up Award”; AMP meaning art, music and physical education. Each week, the teachers announce winners in special weekly videos on YouTube: http://bit.ly/AMPitupaward.