Collier County Public Schools
December 2020
KG-5 ELA Instructional Materials Adoption
As we prepare for the transition to the new B.E.S.T. Standards, CCPS will be selecting new ELA instructional materials for grades K-5. To ensure that our new instructional materials meet your needs and the needs of our students, we would like your input. Please take a few minutes to answer a very brief survey (click here). Survey closes December 13.
Additionally, classroom teachers with content area expertise in K-5 ELA are needed for our Instructional Materials Review Committee. This is an excellent teacher leadership opportunity that will result in a recommendation for the adoption of new K-5 ELA instructional materials. For more information and to access the K-5 ELA Instructional Materials Review Committee application, please visit the CCPS Instructional Materials website.
Evidence of Student Learning
The CCPS Instructional Model is based on the gradual release model: I do, we do, you do. A critical component of this model is evidence of student learning in relation to grade level standards. Student work and performance on assigned tasks and assessments are the key indicators to determine whether students are on track towards mastery and/or working at the appropriate level of rigor required by the standards.
Virtual Learning Resources
Whether you are experienced in the virtual learning environment or new to the virtual or blended classroom, the following resources can provide you support and ideas for your virtual teaching and learning journey.
English Language Arts
In third grade, students will be focusing on using information gained from various illustrations to understand a text (RI.3.7). For this standard, utilizing an expository text such as “How Do You Raise A Raisin” will allow students to gain information from illustrations to better understand the text. They will also utilize reading strategies to enhance reading comprehension such as determining point of view (RL.2.6) and describing connections between sentences and paragraphs in a text (RI.3.8). Using a Native American drama, such as “Pushing Up the Sky,” will expose students to a range of perspectives and points of view. This month, Socratic Seminars is a featured strategy, providing rich opportunities for students to think critically about texts, express themselves orally and listen and respond to others' ideas.
In fourth grade, engage your students with Three Truths & One Lie strategy. This highly engaging, cooperative learning strategy can motivate students to think critically about text. Using multiple expository texts, such as “So You Want to Be President?”, “The Man Who Names the Clouds”, and “Adelina’s Whale,” students will focus on explaining how authors use reasons and evidence to support central ideas in a text (RI.3.8), interpret information presented in various forms (RI.3.7), and describe the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text (RI.2.5).
In fifth grade, students will be digging deeper into vocabulary (RI.2.4), analyzing how visual and multimedia elements support the meaning of the text (RL.3.7), and quoting accurately from a text when explaining what the text says (RL.1.1). Students are going to be exposed to a variety of stimulating texts including “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” and “Leonardo’s Horse”. In the curriculum guide you will find directions for implementing a classroom debate which is an excellent way to engage students in a formal discussion about an issue or a resolution found in a text. Utilize the debate strategy to reinforce students' ability to accurately identify and cite text in support of their debate position.
Writing Grades 3-5:
December continues to focus on refining opinion writing pieces. Writing is one of the best possible vehicles for our students not only to express their opinions, but to explore the strength and validity of those opinions.
ELL/ELA Connection:
Learn more about valuing students’ linguistic and cultural diversity using “Global Story Books.” Also, be sure to check out the new ELL section toward the end of this newsletter.
Open Office Hours for teachers grades K – 5: Monday, December 7, 2020, 8:30-11:30 and 12:30-3:30. https://colliercountyschools.webex.com/meet/pikeam
Math
In third grade, students will use multiplication and division within 100 to solve problems and understand division as an unknown-factor problem. Students will also add and subtract within 1,000 using strategies based on place-value, as well as the relationship between addition and subtraction.
In fourth grade, students will identify factor pairs of numbers, determine multiples of numbers, as well as identify whether numbers are prime or composite. Students will also work on comparing fractions by reasoning about their size and develop an understanding of fraction equivalence.
In fifth grade, students will multiply with mixed numbers in real world problems, as well as solve for area with mixed number side lengths. Students will also interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator. They will divide whole numbers and unit fractions, using visual models to find the size of equal parts and represent the division.
ELL/Math Connection:
Math is a second language for ALL students. Incorporated throughout HMH Into Math are four design principles that promote the use and development of language as an integral part of instruction.
- Scaffold tasks when needed, being sure to amplify (instead of simplify) language for students.
- Help students describe their mathematical reasoning and understanding.
- Facilitate mathematical conversations among students.
- Help students evaluate their use of language and see how mathematical ideas, reasoning, and language are connected.
Three Reads
Embedded within HMH Into Math lessons is the Three Reads language routine. This routine is recommended for use with problems in context to support comprehension, sense-making, and awareness of mathematical language. Students read a problem three times with a specific focus each time.
First Read: What is the problem about?
Students read or listen to the problem (without a question stem) with the goal of comprehending the text.
Second Read: What do the numbers describe?
Students read or listen to the situation with the goal of comprehending the mathematics.
Third Read: What math questions could you ask about the problem?
Students read the situation and brainstorm possible mathematical questions pertaining to the context of the problem.
Science
In third grade, students will be able to describe the changes water undergoes when it changes state and identify some basic forms of energy and recognize that energy has the ability to cause motion or create change.
In fourth grade, students will be able to describe the basic differences between physical weathering and erosion and observe and describe some basic forms of energy, investigate that energy has the ability to cause motion or create change, including water and air.
- Grade 5 Panther ZooCon on December 4th at 9am! Please see Grade 5 Channel in the O365 Elementary Science Team for all information regarding this ZooCon!
Notes for all grade levels:
- Quarter 2 Unit Assessments for grades 3-5 are in Canvas Commons ready for import! See post in O365 Team Channel or search Grade X Science Q2 Assessments in Canvas Commons!
- The nature of science benchmarks for your grade level should be continually taught throughout the year. The use of the nature of science flex days will allow time to focus on this instruction. Below you will find links to nature of science lessons from quarter 1 that you may or may not have completed in Q1. Either way it is great opportunity to go through the scientific process for the first time and/or change variables or ask a different question!
Health
Quarter 2 Modules for Health Education in Canvas
These are sample 3-5 Health Lessons that meet provided Lesson Targets/Learning Goals to help teachers provide required instruction and assessment for FOCUS progress reporting
Social Studies
December Character Education Trait (all grades) - Perseverance
Third Grade: This month in third grade, students will identify the five regions of the United States and label the states in each region. Students will also identify landmarks and describe the physical features, natural resources, climate, and vegetation in the United States and Canada. With prompting and support, students should ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Fourth Grade: This month in fourth grade, students will focus on cause and effect relationships. Students will continue to learn about the early colonies in Florida and the missions the Spanish established for Native Americans. Students will also identify three European countries that ruled the area that became Florida and recognize the major impact Europeans had on the lives of Native Americans.
Fifth Grade: This month in fifth grade, students will learn how and why the original thirteen colonies were settled and they will explore the beginnings of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies individually. Students will also read about similarities and differences in daily life in the colonies and see how their life differs from the life of a child in the 1700s and could debate which life is better.
Laws of Life Essays:
- Contest Guide
- Due date is December 16, 2020
- Submit all coversheets and essays electronically to Mikie Stroh (StrohM@collierschools.com)
Coming Soon:
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, 2021 - Students will learn about Dr. King prior to the celebration of his life and achievements so they have an understanding of the purpose of the national holiday.
- January Character Education Trait: Self-Control
Art
- Teachers are reminded to check the Community Art Display Sign-Ups found in Teams to sign up for supplemental displays featuring student artwork in various offices, libraries and other locations around Collier County. Click HERE for the Sign-Up form.
- The spring Superintendent’s Art Gallery Show is scheduled for April 6, 2021 — more submission details will be distributed in January
- Be on the lookout for a virtual presentation of the Spring 2020 Superintendent’s Art Gallery show on the District website. Due to school closures and event cancelations in the spring of last year, this show has been reformatted and produced to feature these talented students. More details to come from the Teaching & Learning Department.
- Teachers are reminded to use this form when logging art walks/exhibits for supplemental pay.
Music
- Plans surrounding the 2021 Elementary Honors Chorus remain in the works. We aim to hold these events in-person in the spring semester. More details from the Teaching & Learning Department will be disseminated regarding student placement, rehearsal schedules and concert information
- Quaver Music, Inc. has been helpful in resolving integration issues with students accessing the elementary music curriculum platform. If you are experiencing any rostering issues, assignment capabilities or the like, please contact Skip Pardee right away at Skip.Pardee@collierschools.com
- Teachers are reminded to use this form when logging performances for supplemental pay
- School administration and music teachers are asked to review the Moving Forward Instructional Guide when planning concerts and events. Specific information surrounding ensembles and the use of school spaces is provided for your reference in planning these important events.
Physical Education
Quarter 2 Required Standards/Learning Goals
Grades 3-5 (9 Learning Targets in 16 days/lessons)
- Identify strengths and challenges in personal fitness and the personal changes needed to increase physical activity (PS 25)
- Grade 5 only - Formulate a plan to increase physical activity that will challenge your strengths and improve your areas for growth (PS 25B)
- Identify dominant hand/foot for use with throwing, dribbling, striking and kicking skills (PS 21)
- Correctly roll and throw underhand for distance and accuracy (PS 17)
- Correctly throw overhand using various objects for distance, technique and accuracy while stationary and moving (moving Grades 2-5) (PS 17)
- Explain how appropriate practice improves the performance of movement skills and apply peer feedback to improve performance (PS 22)
- Compare and discuss skills/sports that use similar movement patterns and detect and correct errors in personal movement (PS 23)
- Grades 3 and 4 - Run and hurdle a succession of low to medium obstacles (PS 20)
- Dribble and catch various objects passed by both a stationary and moving partner (PS 18)
- Understand offense and defense tactics in modified games (PS 19)
- Describe ways to cooperate, resolve conflicts and celebrate others during physical activities (PS 26)
General Notes
- Open Office Hours Every 2 weeks on Mondays 8:00-8:30am (Oct 26, Nov 9, Nov 30 and Dec 14) https://colliercountyschools.webex.com/meet/bowentr
- Standards-based Curriculum Guides and Support Materials can be found in T & L SharePoint (formerly C & I tile) for your content areas and grade levels: Elementary
Supplemental Health and Physical Activity Resources:
- PE TOP 5 https://petop5.com/
- ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources-for-schools/
- AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION CURRICULUM RESOURCES https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living
- VIRTUAL FIELD DAY https://openphysed.org/nationalfieldday
- SEL IN PE with Julie Frizzi –Invite Julie to your school to model a lesson, Changing Charlie or other prescriptive lesson to help set the tone for Q2. CONTACT: frizziju@collierschools.com or ext. 70156
Instructional Resource
General Notes
- Open Office Hours - Monday, December 7 - 8:00-8:30am https://colliercountyschools.webex.com/meet/georgebe
- Standards-based IR Curriculum Guides and Support Materials can be found in T&L SharePoint (formerly C & I tile)
December Curriculum Highlights
- Consistent keyboarding practice with proper posture and finger placement makes a difference! Start each class period for grades 2-5 with 10 minutes of keyboarding in Typing Club.
- Monthly Digital Citizenship focus (incorporate into daily instruction) Netiquette – help students better understand what is socially acceptable when working and collaborating online. (Always be respectful and considerate of others online; Use your best manners online just like you would face to face; Respect the privacy of others)
Coding Skills by grade level:
Digital Innovation Best Practices
Canvas Tips:
- Page History allows you to easily go back to previous versions of the page. You can view the page history of specific pages by selecting “View Page History” on each page. (click the 3 dots on the upper right of the page). Canvas keeps a detailed log of who and what was changed. And users are able to revert to a previous version of the page.
- Oops! I Didn’t Mean to Delete That! Here’s the fix! If you add “/undelete” to the end of your course’s URL, you can view the last 25 deleted items from your course site. We’ve all had a moment or two, whether in an LMS or elsewhere, of accidentally deleting or losing work, but with this nifty trick you can see a log of deleted items, which might prove to be a course saver.
Surface Book Tools: Digital Inking
- Did you know that you have digital inking tools right on your Surface Book that allow you to use your finger on the touch screen or stylus to write on a whiteboard, markup documents, sketch diagrams and annotate text as you are sharing your screen with your students through WebEx or projected to your classroom whiteboard? Watch this quick video to see how easy it is to use these great tools. VIDEO
- Connect to your Surface Book to the protector through the WiDi – Directions
Classroom Equipment Set-Up - Best Practices
When instructing virtually or in a blended model use multiple monitors to allow you to share your screen in WebEx and instruct from one monitor while monitoring your students on the second monitor.
English Language Learners
The Four Pillars of Language-Focused Family Engagement work together to deepen educators’ understanding of how to best support multilingual learners.
Here are a few highlighted resources for each pillar:
- ABCs of Family Engagement – Awareness, Building Trust and Connect to Learning. The Global Storybooks Portal is a free multilingual literacy resource that includes stories from over forty different countries in the most widely spoken languages of those countries.
- Family Language Practice and Goals – Help promote home language development by utilizing Unite for Literacy. It’s a collection of books written in English/Spanish and narrated in 20 languages.
- Affirming Asset-Based Approach – Tap into our students’ funds of knowledge to help them build connections between their lived experiences and content. Martha Voorhees explains how this strategy is directly related to our Marzano FTEM protocols in this short video.
- School Language Practices and Goals – Check out this article from the WIDA Bulletin on how to value students’ linguistic and cultural diversity.
Exceptional Student Education
Thank you for your continued passion and energy towards ensuring that students with disabilities make progress in all areas during a uniquely challenging time. Please see the resources below to assist in your efforts of meeting individual student needs.
School Counseling/Social Emotional Learning
December Events:
1-7 National Handwashing Awareness Week
2 Special Education Day
A Dozen Self-Care Tips for the Holidays (Choose one as a New Year’s Resolution)
Slow down/Shut down
Sleep in
Eat brunch/Sip some tea
Don’t check your school emails
Don’t forget to play
Be kind to yourself (schedule time for you)
Do more of what you love
Connect with old friends and family
Try a new (or old) hobby
Tackle something on your to do list
Take a walk
Listen to your favorite music
“There are people in your life who need you. But unless you start making your own health a priority, you won’t be able to be there for them. Self-care is so important you cannot serve from an empty vessel.” ~ Eleanor Brown
Resources:
Mental Health Supports for Teachers: https://teach.com/resources/mental-health-resources-teachers-school-staff/
CCPS Emotional Wellness Program (Free Benefits): https://www.collierschools.com/Page/12571
Collier County Public Schools, Teaching and Learning
Email: TeachingandLearning@collierschools.com
Website: https://www.collierschools.com/Page/169
Location: 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, FL, USA
Phone: 239-377-0001
Twitter: @CCPS_Curriculum