Release Notes 12.13.2023

Waterford.org will release an automatic software update on December 13, 2023. See the list below for details.

If you have any questions or feedback, visit the Help Center for more information.

New Waterford Reading Academy Student Homepage

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy

Starting in January 2024, Waterford Reading Academy learners will enjoy an engaging learning experience through the new student homepage! Students will choose their courses and assigned activities or playlists from updated clickable panels, with a cast of Waterford characters that will welcome them through their learning sessions.

Follow the Help Site link here to learn more about the new homepage and how to guide your students through learning sessions.

These changes will engage students by providing:

• Focused choices
• Engaging and encouraging characters
• Easy-to-navigate design on tablets and desktop

Improved Animations for Waterford Reading, Math, and Science Songs

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

To meet inclusive excellence standards that allow children to see themselves in the curriculum and offer an enhanced illustration style, three Literacy and two Math & Science songs have been re-illustrated:

• Mother, Mother, I Am Ill (print directionality and rhyming)
  • Activity Code: r1pt04:9
• Teeny Tiny Boat (print directionality and rhyming)
  • Activity Code: m1pc241:19
• S Steals the Z (phonics)
  • Activity Code: m1pc25:202
• 19 Around the World (counting skills)
  • Activity Code: r2pt03:2
• All Sorts of Laundry (sorting)
  • Activity Code: r1pt04:20

Updated “Sing a Rhyme”: Book: Mother, Mother, I am Ill

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Practice reading aloud with a new traditional song picture book: Mother, Mother, I Am Ill. This PDF book is available as a downloadable or foldable picture book within the Resources & Activities tab. Educators and families can access the book in English and Spanish.

New Family Videos Added to Resources for Waterford Math & Science Instructional Strands

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Families can now use the following Waterford’s Math & Science instructional strands videos to understand what their student is learning and how to practice important skills at home:

• Number & Cardinality
• Operations & Algebraic Thinking
• Measurement & Data
• Geometry
• Science

Families and educators can also access fact sheets (with family fact sheets available in English and Spanish) for each skill through the Resource & Activities tab. Users can find these videos and fact sheets by entering “Instructional Strand” in the search bar.

The videos are also available in English and Spanish. Families can also find these videos as a playlist on the Waterford YouTube channel.

12 New Early Math Resources

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Teach key math skills with new resources available in the Resources & Activities tab! Educators and families can now access supplemental math resources that teach the following skills at the BASIC skill level:

• Identify U.S. coins, including pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, and understand their relative values.
• Determine the value of a collection of U.S. coins up to one dollar.

Additionally, educators and families can access supplemental math resources that teach the following skills at the PRE, BASIC, and FLUENT levels:

• Define money earned as income.
• Identify ways to earn income.
• Differentiate between money received as income and money received as gifts.
• Identify community helpers.

You can access them by entering their names in the Resources & Activities search bar and by following the links below:

• Learning About Income (Pre, Basic, and Fluent)
• Gift or Income Cards (Pre/Basic/Fluent)
• Tarjetas de regalo o de ingresos (Pre/Basic/Fluent)
• Gift or Income Bingo (Basic)
• Regalo o Bingo de ingresos (Basic)
• Coin Identification and Value (Basic)
• Large Coins
• Monedas grandes
• Coin Identification Cards
• Tarjetas de identificación de monedas

Updated Pre-Math Certificate Videos

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Motivate learners while celebrating their effort and successes with new Pre-Math certificate videos featuring Waterford characters! Learners will unlock these videos as they achieve new Pre-Math milestones through their daily lessons.