Making a Plan for the Covid Friendly Classroom

Everyone talks about the new normal and that it is here to stay.  But knowing what that new normal looks like and how to set up a Covid friendly classroom (for lack of a better term), has us all puzzled. And when we try to plan for it, we end up with more questions than answers.

But here’s a thought.

While the logistics have changed (and they’ve changed a LOT), the building blocks of our kindergarten classrooms are really going to be the same.

We are still going to introduce materials, establish routines and procedures, share class rules, open centers, launch learning blocks, and plan get-to-know-you activities.

So as I create my kick-off plan for this Covid friendly Classroom, I’m going to continue to use these  6 building blocks while inserting the new guidelines.  And you can too! At the bottom of this post, find some FREE planning sheets you can use to help you do this.

The Building Blocks of a Covid Friendly Classroom

Materials

Begin by creating a list of all the materials your kiddos are going to need.  Next, think about where they will be stored.  The big change here is that we will be moving from shared materials to individualized, so you’ll want to think about “containerizing” these supplies.

Our K team plans to use tool boxes for supplies, small bins for ELA and math materials, and then a larger bin for sensory and play materials.

Routines and Procedures

List all of the routines and procedures you will need to teach.  I think you’ll find that what you are teaching will be the same (bathroom use, drinks, lining up, etc.), but the “how ” will require incorporating new safety measures.

Think about fun and interactive ways that you might teach them such as having children do “airplane arms” as the walk down the hall.  Here’s a Getting Started in Kindergarten post that I wrote awhile ago that will give you some ideas.

Plan on introducing only a few procedures each day and use your list as a checklist until you’ve taught them all.

Class Rules

Your class rules are one thing that probably won’t change much in your Covid friendly classroom.  There will be a heightened awareness on being mindful of others, and different scenarios shared, but the big ideas will remain the same.

For example, my rules, or promises as we call them, include taking good care of ourselves, each other, our learning space, and the Earth.

These will still work well in our Covid friendly classroom, but will include talk of mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing as ways that we will take good care of ourselves and others.

I introduce one promise each day and then we recite them daily at the start of our morning meeting.  You can find a free set of these promise posters HERE!

Centers

While your rules might not change much, your centers definitely will.  Some teachers may exclude them altogether, but I believe there has to be a way to offer hands-on activities in a safe way. For example, while I won’t be able to have a science center or makerspace that the kids can actually visit, I can create bins of STEM materials that we can rotate and sanitize.

Try listing the centers you typically offer and think about ways you might offer a safer alternative.  This might include using those heavy-duty plastic sheet protectors that can be easily cleaned or creating laminated mats that can be used with individual supplies like play dough, white board markers, and counters.

Learning Blocks

Learning blocks are the subject areas that make up your daily schedule.  So here you are going to want to think about what will be included in your day, when it will happen, and what each block will look like in your Covid friendly classroom.

I create schedule cards that I place in a pocket chart and then flip them over as each part of our day is completed.  This year, I’m planning on adding wellness walks and yoga, so that kids can get up and move as they will be spending a lot of time sitting in desks.

I’m careful not to launch all learning blocks on day 1.  We spread them out over the first couple of weeks until everything is up and running.

Get-to-Know-You Activities

Plan some fun Get-to-Know-You activities that you can sprinkle throughout your first weeks of school that will help your kinders build community,  learn each other’s names, and find out more about one another.

We usually make these birthday crowns that the kids will wear when their special day arrives. Heart maps are another favorite new school year activity.  Both of these are freebies in my TPT store.

The Covid Friendly Classroom Roll-Out Plan

Once you’ve listed all that needs to be taught and introduced under each of the above “building blocks,” create a roll-out plan where you introduce a few items from each of the blocks every day.  This creates a balance of activities while allowing you to slowly build your program.

Take a peek at my pre-Covid Kindergarten Kick-off 10-day plan for an idea of what that might look like.

And, as promised, here are some free planning sheets that you can use to get you started and on your way to building that Covid friendly classroom.

This year will most likely include a lot of trial and error, but having a plan going in will at least give you the “peace” of mind that you’ll need to take those first steps.

Thanks for stopping by,