Kindergarteners Surprise Teacher with Distance-Birthday Celebration

Mrs. Mary Ward planned a distance-learning lesson for her kindergarten students today that included life cycles of frogs, skip counting, and making sure cents made sense.

Her students (with the help of her parents) and their instructional aide, Mrs. Cosey, had a different plan in store for Mrs. Ward.  As they joined their video instruction today each of the students had decorated his or her workspace with signs and balloons.  The students created special birthday wishes for Mrs. Ward, too.

The bond between a teacher and students is strong, even when tested by such unusual circumstances. After enjoying the impromptu birthday celebration, Mrs. Ward called her class to attention, then imparted lessons just as she would in the classroom.

Students began to learn about money, specifically coins.  They compared pennies, dimes, and nickels.  A little Social Studies was even incorporated into the math lesson as students discussed the U.S. Presidents on the coins and landmarks stamped on the tails of the coins.  The children interacted with each other and Mrs. Ward as they discussed what made the coins similar, their differences, and how to remember the denominations of each coin.  Finally, Mrs. Ward checked her students' new knowledge by having them skip count different amounts of coins with her.

After a short review of the frog's life cycle and a discussion about the day's assignment in their Scholastic publication, the children asked to sing "Happy Birthday" to Mrs. Ward before the class ended.

They did.  Then shared a sweet, memorable good bye.