Planning for the Second Half of 2020-21
As you prepare for the remainder of the school year, we’d like to offer some guidance and suggestions regarding the use of the revised scope and sequence and the tech-enhanced activities.
Scope and Sequence
Knowing that 2020-21 would be a school year unlike any other, we released guidelines for planning to help teachers and districts navigate the uncertainty. Those guidelines include a revised scope and sequence for a year during which instructional time would likely be compromised due to time out of school or because of new routines for social distancing.
As the second half of the year unfolds, we expect most educators will still face pacing challenges. if you’re behind due to a compromised schedule or instructional format — and no one should fault you if you are — stay the course. Follow the revised scope and sequence, and offer your students the best experience possible, given the circumstances.
Others, however, may find themselves with some capacity for returning toward fuller Bridges implementation. As circumstances allow, we recommend the following:
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Revert to the original scope and sequence for the remainder of the year.
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Return to previous units and teach any content that had been skipped.
- Per the guidelines, supplement with activities from the prior year to address unfinished learning.
Tech-Enhanced Activities
Our new resources for 2020-21 included a collection of Tech-Enhanced Activities. These activities show how digital materials can engage students in sense-making and promote classroom community and collaboration in synchronous, asynchronous, and blended learning environments. However, we want to offer a reminder that they are meant to support — not replace — Bridges sessions. Using only the TEAs without attention to the rest of the curriculum would result in curricular gaps and missed learning opportunities for students.
Delivering effective instruction in the extraordinary circumstances of 2020-21 is no small task. Every district and each educator is dealing with a unique situation, attending to different variables and considering various approaches.
We’re here to help. If you have questions or need advice, please reach out to your regional coordinator, who can connect you with one of our experienced curriculum consultants.