Bobcat Bulletin
January 13, 2020
This Week's Events
Monday 1/13
- Devon at 1:15 Meeting
- Math Coach - In class support - No Subs (Those teacher's receiving in-class support have been notified)
Tuesday 1/14
- MTSS - 10:00am
- District Reading Night for IRIP students K-3 6-7pm
Wednesday 1/15
- ET for Staff 3:50 - 5:35pm
- PTA Meeting - 6:30pm
Thursday 1/16
Friday 1/17
Next Week's Events
Monday 1/20
- No School - MLK Day
Tuesday 1/21
- KDG Lit Coach - 8:30-11:30
- MTSS - 10:00am - In Cowger's Room
- 2nd Grade Lit Coach - 12:45-3:45
Wednesday 1/22
- LIM Family/Parent Night - 6:30pm MPR
Thursday 1/23
- Devon at 8:30 Meeting
Friday 1/17
- Leadership Day
- 1/2 Day - 12:15 Dismissal
- 1/2 Day Records (End of Marking Period)
Looking Ahead
January 27
- SRSS Window Opens
January 29
- ET
January 30
- SIT Team Work Day
January 31
- ROAR Assembly
February 6 & 7
- Devon at PD
February 11
- Lit Coach (1st AM, 2nd PM)
February 14
- 1/2 Day Dismissal 12:15pm
- 1/2 Day ET
Growth Goal - Mid-Year Check-in
January has begun, and the second semester is not far off. Likewise, this is the time of the school year that I will be checking in with you regarding your Growth Plan.
Please reflect on your areas of focus, student growth goals and action plan established earlier in the year. Consider the extent to which your professional practice has grown, its impact on student learning, and whether you feel it appropriate to continue with your current indicators as the focus during the second half of year. If I, or you are suggesting modifications, a meeting should be arranged to discuss any such changes. Otherwise, your current plan will remain in place for the balance of this school year.
Please email me if you are interested in setting up a time to meet to discuss your current growth plan, or to make any changes to your current growth plan.
Things I wish I had done for the summer construction
Amermanians (yes, I may have just made up a word) have had the distinct pleasure of being the first with the summer construction. You have felt knowledge of what it feels like to pack a classroom while trying to teach students and then unpack boxes to make a classroom welcoming for students in a week's time.
As you think back, what are those things that you wish you had done differently to prepare? What do you wish someone had told you about how summer construction, packing, organizing, etc.? I would like to generate a list for Moraine and Thornton Creek who will be under construction this summer to help with the the pains (and joys) of construction. If you can think of anything that would be helpful for the Moraine and TC teachers, please add it here. I know the teachers there would really appreciate your help and input
F & P Symposium
On Friday, December 13, the district held a F & P Symposium. Representatives from every building across the district attended. People that attended (from Amerman it was Lauren and Elizabeth) said it was very beneficial. The F & P Symposium Video is about 2 hours in length. While it is not required that you watch, you can use it as blended ET and you might find it very helpful to learn more about F & P Classroom and how the elements are interconnected. We do plan to archive the video by 4/1/20.
If you do decide to use this as blended ET, please fill out this form when you are done.
“Does Your Face Light Up?”: Five Words that Changed my Teaching and Parenting
These two articles were shared this week with me and they were a great reminder to me as a parent and as an educator. Although, I think the parent in me needed them more. Both are reminders of the importance of how we project our emotions and the impact it has on those around us. I found so much value in both of them and I hope you do too.
LC Corner - Curriculum, Literacy & Learning...oh my!
INTERACTIVE READ-ALOUDS for MLK DAY
We know the value of interactive read-alouds within our Balanced Literacy Framework. According to Fountas & Pinnell, as an instructional context, interactive read-aloud:
Allows readers to experience rich, interesting texts that are age-and grade-appropriate, regardless of their independent or instructional level
Provides a context for learning how to talk about texts with others
Builds a community of learners with shared literary knowledge
Expands knowledge, language, and vocabulary
Builds a foundation of mentor texts for reading and writing mini lessons.
We have had an amazing influx of IRA texts with the F&P Classroom Resources and I know that many of you are finding ways to integrate IRAs and mentor texts across the curriculum.
In celebration of MLK Day, I have pulled together texts from our Book Room and our School Library collection. They are in the Bookroom/Workroom. Please return them when you are done.
Use them to not only help our students learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, but also to learn and celebrate those who have continued his dream and legacy of bringing people together and making a difference through peaceful means.
Here are a few of the books available to you this month. Be sure to preview the books yourself to see if they are a good fit for your class. Some of them can be read in one sitting and others you may want to break it into smaller excerpts. All of them offer opportunity to build vocabulary, deeper thinking and a community of readers.
March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
By Christine King Farris
Martin Luther King, Jr. prepared diligently for his now famous "I have a dream" speech given on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was King's unshakable belief in nonviolence and the power of words that galvanized the country. This informal account is both personal and satisfying as revealed by Martin's older sister who watched it on television with their parents in Atlanta. Full-color illustrations and expressive typography highlight words and enhance the tone. (Recommendation comes from Reading Rockets )
Chicken Sunday
By Patricia Polacco
Love and caring extend across generations and cultures as a young Jewish girl from a Russian background and two African-American boys work creatively to get their gramma, Miss Eula, an Easter hat. Illustrations detail the warmth of the relationships as well as the subtleties of their different backgrounds.
(Recommendation comes from Reading Rockets )
City Green
By DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
There is a garbage-filled, vacant lot on the street where Marcy lives. Instead of growing flowers in coffee cans like they usually do each spring, she and her friend Miss Rosa decides to plant a garden there. Their enthusiasm and energy spread and everyone in the neighborhood joins together to create an urban oasis. (Recommendation comes from Reading Rockets )
Through My Eyes
By Ruby Bridges
Six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first African American to integrate an elementary school. Her memories of that year, when so much hatred was directed at her, makes for a powerful memoir. A 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner. (Recommendation comes from Reading Rockets )
She Persisted
By Chelsea Clinton
She Persisted features 13 amazing women from history — people like Harriet Tubman and Ruby Bridges — who decided to persist and refused to take no for an answer. The book opens with these lines: "Sometimes being a girl isn't easy. At some point, someone probably will tell you no, will tell you to be quiet and may even tell you your dreams are impossible. Don't listen to them." (Recommendation comes from Read Brightly)
Martin’s Big Words
By Doreen Rappaport
This Caldecott Honor Book offers a mix of elaborate, muted watercolors and vivid paper-cut collage; lushly hued stained-glass windows may be familiar to young Jewish kids from synagogue. The story combines King’s own words from his speeches with minimalistic, poetic text. (taken from Tabletmag)
We currently do not have a copy of this book inhouse, but you can access of video of the entire text here: https://www.teachertube.com/videos/martins-big-words-77151
Dismissal Duty
Week of 1/13
- Bus - Warum
- Loop - Mooney, Charboneau, Cowger, Segerstrom/Bartel/Lenahan
Week of 1/20
- Bus - McDougall
- Loop - Babich, Hartnett, Isenberg, Hanes
Random Useless Facts
A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours.
- A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
- The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
- The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
- In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
- A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
- An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
- Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
- Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
- Almonds are a member of the peach family.
- It is against Northville City Ordinance to wear a mask any day except Halloween
Happy Birthday!!
Jennifer Pavlich 1/6
- Linda Pinneo 1/8
- Mandy Tiba 1/19
- Kathy McMaster 1/27
- Jessica Rohrhoff 1/31
Now that I've been observed...how do I upload and label evidence into pivot again?
1. Upload, name, and code evidence to a specific indicator.
2. To check where you have evidence by indicator.