Curriculum Connections
News from Ms. Welch, CST
Week of November 7-11, 2016
Upcoming Dates
Nov. 14 - PBIS Meeting @2:45 Collab Room
Nov. 14 - New Teacher Check in @3:00 PLC Room
Nov. 15 -Dome Theater grades 3-5
Nov. 15 - PLC @2:45
Nov. 15 - Cluster Chorus Concert @6:30 AHS
Nov. 16 - Grandparents Lunch
Nov. 16 - Redbird Training Session @2:45 Collab Room *Teachers not previously trained should plan to attend.
Nov. 21-25 - Thanksgiving Holidays
Nov. 28 Winter BAS testing begins
December 2 - School Spelling Bee
December 12 - 18 Week Diagnostic Screening begins - BAS testing should be complete.
Favorite Pics
Teacher & Professional of the Year
I'm an Auntie....again! Welcome Adeline!
Staff Lunch!
Effective Feedback
We have begun to implement a new practice following our TKES observations. We will try and meet with each of you after walk through and formatives to give you deeper and more meaningful feedback on that lesson. The goal of the conference is to help you find one small thing you can adjust and begin putting into practice as soon as the next lesson.
Please do not be alarmed if we ask to meet after a walk through, it is only to have our conference and offer praise and feedback. See Diona/Heather with questions.
Learning & the Brain
Brain Gym Moves...Thank you, Ms. Portnoy!
Brain Gym is a system that uses simple movements to stimulate brain function. That is, it uses quick, easy-to-do developmental movements to wake up the brain without stress or injury.
Here are a few brain gym exercises used at NPE during PE:
They all start off with “The Brain Gym” (and name of exercise). For example, we say ” The Brain Gym neck roll.” We would all roll our head to the right slowly. Then, we would say “Switch” and roll the head to the left. These exercises are supposed to activate the right and left sides of the brain.
- Thinking Cap (thumb and pointer finger up to same-side ears, and the point outlines the earlobe-switch-and alternate hand to opposite ear)
- Arm activator (right arm straight up, left arm bent grabbing right arm behind head-switch-left arm straight…)
- Neck Roll (roll neck on top of head slowly, complete one circle and switch-go in opposite direction)
- Snake (crossing body from right to left, hand acts as snake, then switch-left to right)
- Owl (right hand on top of left shoulder and chin to hand – switch, left hand on right shoulder, etc)
- Elephant (Right arm extended toward left side of body, going up and down like an elephant trunk, switch…)
- Hook-up Part 1 (Hands together, fingers apart, then palms apart, then together, etc)
- Hook-up Part 2( Standing, right leg over left and backwards right arm over backwards left, hands clasped and pull up, then switch left over right)
- Foot Flex (right foot on top of left knee –sitting- roll foot around on the ankle, switch)
- Grounder (standing, stretch left leg down to foot, resting on bent right knee, switch)