Presenta(on to the Halley PTO on 1/23/17 1 2 3 Our current job - PDF document

Presenta(on to the Halley PTO on 1/23/17 1

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Our current job embedded professional development focuses on guided reading. Our staff par(cipated in a literacy survey, the survey revealed four areas teachers want to grow in. These four areas will be highlighted during collabora(ve learning team mee(ngs. The first session focused on guided reading, future sessions will include working with the struggling reader, comprehension strategies and reading conferences. “The Power of Our Words” book - Simple changes in staff language can bring about profound changes in students and classrooms. By paying aMen(on to words and tone of voice, staff can increase students' engagement with academics, build posi(ve community, and more effec(vely manage the classroom. Collabora(ng two ways – CLT Mee(ngs, and Wednesday mornings, “Between Teachers” Book Club Chapter topics include: Effec(ve teacher language – general guidelines Open-ended ques(ons to stretch academic and social learning Listening – messages in our words Reinforcing, Reminding, and Redirec(ng language Book is related to our Responsive Classroom approach. 4

STEAM – thinking for a be4er tomorrow Halley A:er-School Program, partnership with LCAC Future Problem Solvers WHES News, Band of Brothers, Bully Nots, SCA, and other student-driven organizaKons Kindness Assembly, Morning Program, Morning MeeKng Mentor Program Fairfax County Award-Winning Preschool Inclusion Program Data Driven Decision Making, led by InstrucKonal Champions ConKnue to Make AccreditaKon Our Teachers Bully Nots performing at Kindness Assembly, South County on Feb. 10, and morning program on Feb. 3. 5

The Advanced Academic Department has been busy! 3 rd grade enrichment group has been wri(ng a lot of poetry and are currently in the process for publishing their best work in Google Classroom. 4 th Grade completed a Socra(c Seminar on Patrick Henry’s speech to the Virginia Conven(on. The discussion was full of ideas that challenged the students thinking. 5 th and 6 th Grade has been working on Future Problem Solving and are geang prepared for our Halley Bowl on the topic of 3D prin(ng, the first week in February. We are currently in the process of Level IV screening. Once files are turned in the results from the county should be here by the second week in April. 6

Kindergarten- Theme is "self". We are working on understanding how to create the human figure using basic shapes. It is a pain(ng project involving seasons and and 5 senses. They started prac(cing combining paper shapes, drawing those shapes together on paper, adding clothing and details to figure and are now ready to begin pain(ng. This will go into the next quarter. 1st grade- Theme is "family". They are finishing up their "Luminaries" project. These are liMle clay pinchpots with designs that reflect on moments and values shared with their family. They are almost finished and will be taking them home ager pain(ng. Their next project will be involving paper cuang and collage. 2nd grade- Theme is "community". They are finishing a clay project based "the community zoo". The idea is to reflect on our life here and think about which animals have an impact on our society, whether it's pets or wildlife. They are crea(ng those animals. Going to next quarter, 2nd grade will be working on "local landscapes". The landscapes involve buildings and features which reflect our society. 3rd grade- Theme is "culture". Third grade has just finished a postcard pain(ng project. We will be star(ng an abstract food project which reflects on cultures and also uses 7

1 st grade is learning about polar animal adapta(ons and nonfic(on books. (They’re learning about nonfic(on text features in their classrooms. Once we finish discussing the various ways animals adapt to cold weather (huge furry feet, blubber, camouflage, etc.), we’ll be crea(ng our own creatures featuring those characteris(cs. In computer lab, they’re doing animal reports, so we’ll do the same about our fic(onal animals as well. The kids will have to name their animals, describe their habitat, what they eat, and how they are specially adapted to live in the cold. 3 rd grade is learning about money and nonfic(on text. We’ve been reviewing the history of money, discussing pros and cons of the barter system, talking about credit, etc., as well as coun(ng and adding different amounts. This is all leading up to an exercise in ‘real world’ economics. Everyone’s going to choose a job, house, pets, and whatever else they think they’ll need, then have to figure out if the salary they make will cover all that. They’ll get paid in Hornet Cash and will have to use their funds to pay bills, save, spend, donate to charity, and have fun. (We did loans today… Jackson Bellaire may grow up to be a banker. He seemed to really like the idea of me borrowing $5 and paying him back $5.50 J) 8

Concert coming up on Feb. 16 5 th and 6 th grades. See handout! (Transcript of handout.) Noteworthy News We have a great (me in music. Our classes are full of singing, dancing and learning about music using the Orff and Kodaly methods. Here is a brief summary of what is currently happening in music class. Kindergarten: • Dis(nguishing between the singing, speaking, and whisper voices • Reading tradi(onal nota(on using the syllables Ta (quarter note – one sound in one beat), Ta-Ti (two eighth notes – two sounds in one beat), and Shh (quarter rest – no sound in one beat) • Keeping a steady beat by moving, playing games, and playing unpitched instruments to songs and poems. We just completed the Rain Rain poem: o Rain rain hear it pour, Then the thunder starts to roar, Lightning, lightning see it flash, Crash, crash, crash! • Playing the barred instruments!!! This is a big deal for them. 9

PE Department winter/spring schedule Jan/Feb Basketball 4-6 Jan/Feb Ball Handling K-3 Feb/March Fine Motor Unit 4-6 Feb/March Fine Motor Unit K-3 March/April First Tee Unit 4-6 March/April First Tee Golf Unit K-3 The First Tee Golf Unit is the training Ian and I received in the Fall along with the $3K in new golf equipment. I’m wai(ng unit Ian returns before we have our students swinging golf clubs…hahah 10

STEAM- we are working on Mechanical Engineering ideas. In doing so, we are crea(ng Catapults and Windmills with moving parts. Mr. Norlin is also working very closely with 4 th and 5 th grade students during their science blocks to ensure they are prepared for the 5 th grade SOL. Students complete spiral experiments and focus on key vocabulary. 11

Coding video. 12

For Kindergarten: Science- learned about magnets through several explora(on and designed a useful tool using a magnet Social Studies- learned about famous Americans (MLK, Rosa Parks) and wrote about ways to be kind at home and school Math- learning way to compose/decompose numbers through Rekericks, number talks, and partner games Language Arts- learned what research means and researched about magnets or a topic of their choice. Guided reading and wri(ng workshop in full swing. 13

Reading Buddies with 4 th grade Social Studies- currently studying Jamestown (Christopher Newport, Powhatan, Pocahontas) Science- just finished dissolving liquids and solids unit and mixing liquids Math- Wrapping up numbers to 100 and beginning addi(on and subtrac(on to 18 Reading- Nonfic(on (features, sequencing, retelling, asking and answering ques(ons, making and confirming predic(ons). 14

Grade 2 Published non-fic(on books Currently prac(cing for their poetry performance: (acros(c, list, shape, free verse, rhyming) Studying weather in science. Made tornadoes in a boMle, prac(ced making inferences about the temperature, precipita(on, sky cover, and wind from pictures, etc. 15

For third grade: • Level 4 math students will be searching for a Ye( using measurement • Science- Earth cycles where they studied moon phases, renewable and nonrenewable resources, and the water cycle • Next in Science is the scoop on soil unit • Social Studies- Ancient Egypt research project coming up (using MyOn and Google classroom) • Language Arts- integra(ng with Social Studies to study nonfic(on text features and research unit 16

4 th Grade: Science: • Students built and tested their own anemometers. • Students researched and debated Pluto’s planetary status. Language Arts: • We have just started brainstorming and selec(ng topics for the first edi(on of our class newspaper. Students choose a topic, conduct research, and write mul(ple drags. We plan to include a wide variety of ar(cles/content including: current events, Virginia history, poetry, artwork, feature ar(cles, Halley events, etc. • Thumbprint Narra(ves – Students wrote a personal narra(ve and printed the final drag on a fingerprint template (they wrote sentences along the lines made by the curves of a thumbprint.) • Book buddies with first grade! • Grammar Town – Students learned about the parts of speech as well as La(n stems • Caesar’s English – Students learn 4 vocabulary words each week (analyzing their meanings by discussing quotes from literary classics), as well as a weekly list of La(n stems and meanings. Students also prac(ce answering (and crea(ng) analogies and 17