Brandt 's Quarterly Newsletter
2023-2024 Marking Period 1
See how our amazing scholars kicked off the 2023-2024 school year!
INSIDE THIS EDITION
- Principal's Message
The awesome happenings in:
- Kindergarten
- First Grade
- Second Grade
- Third Grade
- Fourth Grade
- Fifth Grade
- Science
- World Language (Mandarin)
- Physical Education
- Art
- Music
Don't forget to check out the:
- Counselor's Corner
- Nurse's Nook
Principal's Message
Hello Brandt School Family -
I am thrilled to share our joy and accomplishments as we conclude the first marking period of the school year. It has been an exciting time of growth, learning, and collaboration, and I am immensely proud of our students, staff, and parents for their dedication and hard work.
Academic Achievements: Our students have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their studies, with many achieving notable successes in various subjects. I commend our teachers for their unwavering dedication to creating engaging and enriching learning experiences that foster a love for knowledge. To that end, our first round of marking period reports is available. Please check student folders in grades K - 5 for a memo featuring steps on how to access the OnCourse Parent Portal, as well as the LinkIt Parent Portal. If you have questions, you can contact your child's teacher. Additionally, families in K - 2 will find a memo detailing Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA3) information, as well as a paper copy of the report card.
Special Programs and Events: Throughout the first marking period, our school has been abuzz with a variety of special programs and events. From live birds visiting from the Tenafly Nature Center to character education during the Week of Respect, our students had opportunities to experience many assemblies that allow for enrichment and engagement. Tomorrow, our student community will come together in celebration during our first Academic Pep Rally!
Community Involvement: I am delighted to see our school community actively participating in various initiatives. The support from Brandt Family benefits our community-at-large, as seen during our annual Friendsgiving food collection for the Hoboken Homeless Shelter. These types of civic experiences enhance the overall educational experience for our students. Your involvement truly makes a positive impact, and I encourage everyone to continue being an integral part of our school community. Keep in mind that for our 100th Day of School (February 12th) we will once again partner with the Hoboken Community Center Pantry to collect items of need.
Social and Emotional Well-Being: At Brandt, we prioritize the well-being of our students not only academically, but also emotionally. Our counseling services and social-emotional learning programs are designed to nurture the holistic development of each child. I appreciate the partnership between home and school in fostering a supportive environment for our students. Be sure to speak to your children about the Move This Word program - they might just give you a strategy or a method to help you during your day.
Looking Ahead: As we move into the next marking period, I am excited about the opportunities for further growth and success. Our dedicated team remains committed to providing an enriching educational experience for every child, and I encourage open communication between parents, teachers, and students to ensure continued success.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to celebrating more achievements together in the coming months!
Regards,
Mr. Bartlett
K-5 Homerooms
Kindergarten
It’s been a busy year so far. The kindergarteners have been busy learning many new concepts since September. We have made many new friends and have met many new teachers. We have explored our rooms and learned our way around the school. One of our favorite parts about the school building is having a playground on the roof!
In ELA, we have been learning about capital and lowercase letters. We are starting to dive deeper into the letters. We are also learning about nouns and verbs. We are able to identify whether the noun is a person, place, or thing. We’ve also recently started learning about verbs. We have been writing short sentences and illustrating them.
In Math, we are learning how to count, read and write numbers up to 20. We are also reading our number words zero to five. We have also been exploring all the manipulatives we will be using in Math this year and practicing sorting them.
In Social Studies, we have been discussing many topics. We have been discussing rules in school, at home, and in our community. We have been discussing concepts of families and family traditions. We have also discussed Fall, Veterans Day, Columbus Day, Diwali, Election Day, Thanksgiving, and we participated in so many activities for the Week of Respect.
Dual Language Kindergarten has been off to a great start learning our sounds in English and Spanish. We learned the colors, the days of the week, and the months in Spanish. The year has just begun and we can’t wait to see what else it has in store for us. We are enjoying making new friends and learning new things every day.
First Grade
ELA:
Students have spent the fall reviewing kindergarten skills and then moving into first grade ELA skills. They continue to develop their phonemic awareness with activities from Orton Gillingham and are learning Red Words to help them read and spell. Students have focused on short vowel sounds and reading and writing words with consonant blends. Students have been reading fiction and non-fiction books and are able to describe the difference. Students worked on responding to a text with a written response using text evidence.
Math:
Students have learned many strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems. They have practiced the strategies and are using the one that works best for them to solve addition and subtraction problems up to 20. Students have also studied 2D shapes. They are able to describe 2D shapes according to their number of sides and vertices.
Social Studies:
Students learned about different cultures as they engaged in lessons and activities about Diwali and Rosh Hashanah. Thank you to our Brandt parent volunteers who visited our classrooms to share your traditions and culture with us! Students participated in different activities and read-alouds for the Week of Respect. Students read, discussed, and wrote how they can be respectful at home, in school, and in the world. Students are learning how to appreciate others’ differences through short video activities with our Move This World curriculum.
Second Grade
ELA:
In Language Arts, students have been working hard on various fronts! In Reading, students have reviewed story elements and have been able to retell stories using different strategies that include Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then, and using story maps. Students have also been working on their reading comprehension skills by answering comprehension questions throughout their reading journey. In Writing, students are learning all about fictional narrative writing and how to engage the reader! We have worked on our engaging opening and closing, how to include strong details, and sentence structure and writing mechanics. Students have also been reviewing their spelling patterns and learning to decode various 2nd grade phonics patterns.
Math:
In 2nd grade math this quarter, students have been working really hard to complete Unit 1. During this unit of study, students strengthened their base 10 number sense, fluency with addition and subtraction, and how to break down, take apart, and put together story problems. Students used their skills that they learned about base ten, as well as addition and subtraction, to apply to story problems later on in the unit. We have also worked very hard on understanding the concept of money and the value of coins!
Social Studies:
Lastly, in Social Studies, we have continued to engage in activities to help our awareness of who we are in the world as well as how our actions can impact our own world and the world around us on a larger scale. Students also spent the month of September getting to know each other and learning and talking about being a good friend and making good choices. Students have also engaged in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by learning about different Latin communities and individuals that have made impacts on the world through their perspective in the world. Currently, students are engaging in Native American Heritage Month to learn about this nation’s past, and compare it to the world around them now, while acknowledging those that came before us and the importance of remembering those individuals. Second Grade is off to an excellent start! As we enter the next marking period, students will begin to learn about holidays around the world, different traditions and celebrations, and more about how we can become active citizens in our school community!
Third Grade
ELA:
Students in Third Grade took a deep dive into their Reading Wonders program. Through a variety of books and articles, students explored several different themes including: What can stories teach you? What can traditions teach you about cultures? How do people from different cultures contribute to a community? How can problem solving lead to new ideas? and How do landmarks help us to understand our country's story?
Students also conducted their very first novel study of The Littles. Students went on a literary adventure with the Little family as they tried to survive a summer with the Newcombs. Through our first novel study, students showed off all of their amazing second grade literacy skills such as character, plot, theme, and setting. In this unit, students practiced doing work as careful readers who honed in on these elements as a method to create meaning.
Math:
Our Third Grade students focused on understanding and extending knowledge of place value and the number system to 1,000, as well as adding and subtracting accurately and efficiently.
Students also focused on developing ideas about adding up, subtracting back, rounding, and estimating. Students have been using number lines, creating equations using order of operations, and comparing categorical and numerical data. They have also been solving one- and two-step "How many more" and "How many less" problems using information from real world story problems.
Students got to go MULTIPLICATION CRAZY! This quarter students in Third Grade learned to understand the meaning of multiplication, how to model multiplication using groups and arrays, and the relationship between multiplication and division. It is safe to say we have several future mathematicians on our hands!
Social Studies:
The Third Grade students learned to explore New Jersey through the five themes of geography:
Location
Place
Human-environment interaction
Movement
Regions
Geographical knowledge enables us to understand the things that we do on a daily basis, and how everyday actions affect the world around us. Geography will continue to be studied through the usage of maps, globes, and other materials with which students will be able to accurately locate New Jersey, understand how the environment within New Jersey has changed over time, and discover the region in which New Jersey is located.
Fourth Grade
ELA:
Over the course of Marking Period 1, our fourth grade readers have been digging deep when it comes to their in-depth novel study of Who is Sonia Sotomayor? and Ancestor Approved. During the first half of their novel study, they analyzed characters and determined corresponding character traits based on action, dialogue, and internal thoughts. In order to support these character trait decisions, students had to identify specific text evidence to support their ideas. In addition, students worked on drawing inferences about characters based on their actions throughout the novel. During the second half of their novel study, students shifted their focus to analyzing the text to answer comprehension questions using textual evidence to support their ideas. Students worked on applying the APE strategy to generate a cohesive, well-thought response. In addition, they focused on nonfiction text features and how they contribute to both reading and writing.
During the First half of the marking period, our fourth grade writers focused on all the elements of argumentative writing. Students were asked to state a claim (opinion) based on a writing prompt. Students had to use nonfiction articles to find evidence to further solidify their stance. These writers were able to see the power of evidence and details and the role it can play in a writing piece as well as the importance of different points of view.
During the second half of Marking Period 1, our fourth grade writers were busy embracing all the elements of narrative writing! They worked on brainstorming, planning, and drafting their own narratives that involve main characters celebrating family traditions. Students were asked to write a narrative about their day spent celebrating with family. Students tapped into their creativity while generating these narrative pieces.
Math:
Our fourth grade mathematicians have wrapped up Units 1 and 3 of Investigations during the first marking period. Unit 1 focused on multiplication using arrays and analyzing dimensions of objects around them. In addition, students worked on identifying prime and composite numbers by generating factor rainbows. Students also worked on skip counting to identify multiples of a given number--even products as large as 100, 200, 300, and 400! Unit 3 of Investigations focused on more multiplication and division strategies. Students dove into long division and multi digit multiplication. Students were able to learn many different strategies to solve both multiplication and division problems.
Social Studies:
Throughout Marking Period 1, our fourth grade agents of change have been busy during their Social Studies period. Students have covered several special weeks: Purple Ribbon Week, the Week of Respect, and Red Ribbon Week. Each opportunity allowed students to highlight important social-emotional decisions. Students also discussed and explored influential Hispanic Americans in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. In addition, students have embraced the new curriculum, Young Citizens. The first two chapters focus on European exploration, discovering the Americas, and establishing the first colonies in the Americas. Students learned about the earliest civilizations: Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas and how their advancements are still utilized today!Fifth Grade
ELA:
Fifth graders have been improving their writing and reading skills since the beginning of the year! Starting off the year, students began reading Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. This novel allowed our students to understand key reading components such as problem and solution, central idea, and figurative language. Students completed a compare and contrast writing task while reading this novel.
As we continue to grow in ELA, our 5th graders are now reading Coraline by Neil Gailman. Coraline is a wonderful novel to unpack fantasy elements such as tone, word choice, and mood. Students are loving this novel to emphasize their creative side. Creating these fantasy novels has been such a joy for our 5th graders. As they include other fantasy elements such as magic, unknown worlds, and talking animals, they are also focusing on strong skills such as transition words and grammar skills.
Once finished with Coraline, our 5th graders will transition into Hoot by Carl Hiaasen after winter break. Students will be exploring reading skills such as conflict, character development, and theme. As for writers workshop, our students will be creating their first research simulation task as a 5th grader. The main focus will be to provide text based evidence to support their claim.
Math
Fifth graders were hard at work this marking period, refining previously learned skills and taking on new challenges in mathematics. Beginning with our first unit, Puzzles, Clusters, and Towers, students continued learning and applying new strategies for long division, multiplication, and order of operations. Through multisensory experiences, they were able to represent these mathematical concepts in concrete ways to deepen their understanding. By the end of the unit, students had mastered several new multiplication and division strategies to add to their mathematical toolbox!
During 5th graders’ investigations of Unit 2, Prisms and Solids, they were able to discover the formulas for calculating the volume of rectangular prisms through various mathematical explorations and hands-on experiences. Building boxes, utilizing virtual cubes, and applying measurement strategies to real life situations provided students with unique opportunities to practice calculating volume. As the unit closed, students were eager to demonstrate mastery of these measurement concepts through their unit assessment.
Students are looking forward to the next unit, Rectangles, Clocks, and Towers, where they will focus on advancing their skills related to fractions. Investigation 1 begins with a look into fraction equivalencies as well as comparing and ordering fractions. Through the use of fraction manipulatives, students will explore the how and why of these mathematical concepts to solidify their understanding and prepare for adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Fifth grade mathematicians are eagerly waiting to take on this next challenge!
Social Studies
Fifth graders began the year with the Industrial Revolution Unit. As we began the year we focused on the different types of inventions introduced during the time period. Students were eager to learn more about the inventions as they had to create their own invention for a Shark Tank presentation. As students continued exploring the Industrial Revolution, students created an outlined map of the evolution of the time period. As they created their outline, they were able to see the increase of factories, houses, and other productions. As we continued on in the unit, we explored the importance of the transcontinental railroad and the rise of advertisements.
As we wrap up the Industrial Revolution, students will create an end of the unit project with team members. Each student is responsible for writing an article on a topic of their choice from the Industrial Revolution. Students are then required to design a visual. This includes a wanted poster, advertisement, or a comic strip relating to the Industrial Revolution. Students are eager to finish and share their final piece with their classmates.
As we look ahead to the next unit, students will be analyzing key events in our Divisions of National Perspectives Unit. A few key terms and concepts we will focus on are slavery, the underground railroad, and abolitionists. Students will end the unit with events leading to the road to the Civil War.
Science and Related Arts
Science
Kindergarten
During the first quarter, our kindergarten students learned about the basics of engineering and technology. By doing independent projects and working in small groups, they studied the five steps of the engineering design process and learned how the process helps them to design and create structures that help solve problems. They also began their units on structure as well as function and forces and motion.
We worked on units in Science Dimensions and used different items to create structures that we designed. We then used those skills as we moved on to Module 1 in PLTW. We created structures based on fairy tales that included pipe cleaner beanstalks and houses for the Three Little Pigs made from toothpicks, popsicle sticks, and Styrofoam blocks. We used our textbooks, interactive notebooks, and PLTW Launch Logs to record our work.
We are also taking part in a year long activity with Discover Dairy. We have adopted a calf named Bella. Every two weeks we receive pictures and updates to let us know how our calf is doing. We are learning about what she eats and how she lives. We are encouraged to come up with questions to ask the farmer and send them in an email. We are looking forward to watching Bella become the newest dairy cow on the farm!
First Grade
Our First graders have been busy in science during the first quarter of school! We have studied the basics of structure and function. We learned structures are all around us, and are not just homes, buildings, or even Brandt School. We did so by doing independent projects and working in small groups in class. The children concentrated on the five steps of the engineering process and learned how the process helps to create things and, more importantly, helps us solve some everyday problems. We began units on light and sound and how we can use them to communicate. We had fun doing an experiment on becoming familiar with translucent, opaque, and transparent lighting and their differences. We used lids, flashlights, and a dark surface to test our hypothesis. Students brought in Styrofoam cups and string to test out sound. We found that sounds can be communicated in many different ways. We completed units two and three in the Science Dimensions workbook and used different items to create light reflection and light refraction. As an example, we found some of the reflections of beautiful rainbows (spectrums) on the ceiling and in different parts of the room. We created sundials to interpret the relationship between the time of day and the Earth’s rotation. We are now concentrating on our planets by comparing and contrasting each one.
Second Grade
It has been an exciting past few months in second grade science! We started out the year by learning to think like an engineer and how they use the design process to solve a variety of problems. One problem we tried to solve like engineers was how to build a better lunch box with different materials. We then learned all about the concept of matter and how to describe the properties of it ranging from the color of an item, the shape of an item, or even the flexibility of an item. We did this by testing out what items made the best pillow or the best cooler to keep an ice pop frozen the longest. We then finished out the marking period with our newest unit which is all about computer science. Students have been having a lot of fun learning about the specific language needed for coding and will eventually use that knowledge to make their own interactive games!
Third Grade
This marking period, 3rd graders learned so many new and exciting topics in science! We began the school year discussing what an engineer is, how they follow the design process to develop new inventions, and how they are able to build their ideas and make them come to life! Afterwards, 3rd graders began learning about force and motion. They studied topics such as gravity, friction, pushes, pulls, and so many more. They examined these concepts through various labs and classroom activities where they put their knowledge to the test. Then, students moved into learning about simple machines. As a class, we learned about 6 simple machines, how they work, and how we see them all day every day and might not even realize it! Students are currently working on building one of those simple machines using Vex kits in order to complete the "Save the Tiger" problem!
Fourth Grade
Our first marking period in 4th grade science has gone by so quickly that we have completed three units so far! We began with our engineering unit, learning vocabulary terms and building a paper tower. Our Energy Collisions unit involved working with toy cars to experiment with potential versus kinetic energy. The students worked in groups to create a safety harness/ seatbelt for their egg project, and they were each tested by simulating a "collision crash."
We have just finished up with our Energy Conversion unit. Students have learned the different forms of energy and researched this topic to create a presentation focusing on one form to share with the class. The students recently investigated what type of energy conversion occurs inside a flashlight. They worked in groups to dismantle the flashlight to see what was going on inside. The groups discovered that the batteries convert from chemical to electrical energy, by being connected to metal plates and springs and then transferred to the top of the flashlight. This electrical energy will be converted to light energy when the flashlight is turned on. We will soon be moving onto our Waves & Information transfer unit. We have been having a great year so far, and can't wait for what is to come!
Fifth Grade
This year in 5th grade science, students have learned about matter, energy, organisms, and more! First, students began learning about engineering and technology. This allowed us to review the steps of the design process, which will be helpful during our hands-on lab activities throughout the year. Next, students learned about organisms and how energy and matter affect all organisms on this Earth. Fifth graders did a terrific job creating animal food chain projects by designing a collage which included 3 or more organisms. Currently, fifth graders are learning about systems in space which includes the study of gravity and our solar system.
Mandarin
你好!In Mandarin class, the students started our first marking period with the unit of “All About Me.” All the students enjoyed singing the “Hello” song in the first class. When the students Ms. Lin in the hallway, they greet her in Mandarin - they say, “Nǐ hǎo!" The kindergarten students were able to identify their family members in Mandarin and express their love for each family member! “Wǒ ài wǒ de bàba.” “Wǒ ài wǒ de māmā.” First and second graders did a great job recognizing Mandarin numbers and skip-counting numbers up to ten thousand. Third graders started with the unit of "fruit and colors" and talked about their favorite fruit. Fourth and fifth graders learned the 12 basic Mandarin characters and did a wonderful job demonstrating how to memorize them.
Kindergarten students are currently working on the unit of “My Family;” first and second graders are working on the unit of “Fruit and Colors;” third graders are starting the unit of "My Hobbies;" and fourth and fifth graders are starting the unit of weather!
Physical Education
In this opening quarter of the school year, students were eased into Phys. Ed. with cooperative activities to establish routines. Grades K-5 played adventure bingo. In grades 3-5, we encouraged students to get to know their classmates through reading prompts to learn interesting information about their friends. Once a box was completed, it was followed by a victory lap. Grades K-2 followed the same pattern but used picture prompts instead.
We continued with a second week of cooperative activities with 2 team challenges. Our first challenge was the Hula Hut challenge, where small groups with teams of 2 to 4 students had to use their cardiovascular fitness abilities to run back and forth to grab one hula hoop at a time and build a Hula Hut in their designated areas. On day two, the students worked together as a large class to compete against each other. Students used our large parachute to balance a ball in the middle of the parachute without it touching the floor. In the second challenge, which involved using the parachute, the students had to pop all the popcorn out of the bowl.
After the cooperative activity weeks, it was time for Fall Back Fitness, where all grades were split up into groups and engaged in 12 different fitness stations, focusing on muscular strength, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance. Students were introduced to a variety of exercise equipment, such as resistance bands, dumbbells, and exercise balls. This led up to our first fitness tests of the year which consisted of push-ups, curl-ups, and the pacer.
The first sports/skill unit of the year for all grades was Futbol/Soccer. Students learned and reviewed the basic skills of soccer. K-2 students demonstrated their skills in dribbling and passing while learning the “Step and Plant” cues. Students learned which parts of the foot should be making contact with the ball, how far the ball should be from their body, and lastly how to ensure they can control the ball. At the end of the unit, the students engaged in Clean My Yard, where students had to learn how to clear the ball to the other side's “yard.” Students followed the cues step, plank, and kick. The class with the least amount of balls won a point for the round. Students at the end of the game had to display positive sportsmanship by playing fair and not kicking, pushing, or moving a ball to the other side after game play.
Students in grades 3-5 reviewed dribbling and passing. They had to demonstrate proper body and foot control, while changing directions and passing. After the basics were taught and practiced, we began modified activities such as Shark Attack (defense activity) and Numbered Soccer (small sided games). We are looking forward to a great 2nd quarter!
Art
Throughout our first quarter in school together, we have accomplished so much artistically.
We began the year in Art with an All About Me project so we could get to know each other and discuss our goals and expectations for the year. We then created our own sketch books that students could use if we had time after finishing a project or to brainstorm ideas for future projects as well. We learned about artist Frida Khalo for Hispanic Heritage month and created a portrait of her to honor her culture and art.
We then moved on to our favorite project of the year, Square 1 Art. We all love this project since students get to express themselves and design what they love and then they see their work come to life with keychains, stickers, journals, etc. It makes them so proud and I love seeing all the individual expressions of their work.
We have currently been working on our Tim Burton inspired self portraits. Students loved learning about my personal favorite artist and seeing his art since they all know him for his movie creations. The visual effects and out-of-proportion characters make his work so unique and I enjoyed teaching them and watching them bring themselves into a Tim Burton character. We look forward to many more amazing projects in the upcoming weeks!
Music
This marking period in music, we focused on the fundamentals in music such as rhythm, beat, instruments, and melody. These core concepts were very beneficial in assisting all musical skills and abilities learned in the classroom. This marking period, we focused on melody & rhythm with boomwhackers. Boomwhackers are percussion-pitched instruments, and our elementary students were able to recreate melodies and get stronger with their rhythm. Our students played the songs, "Day-O," "Ghostbusters," & "Hakuna Matata" from The Lion King. Using familiar songs with our students helped them greatly in learning new pieces of music for the very first time. Our elementary students got the opportunity to conduct each other to understand meter and dynamics in music. We hope to someday see them in Carnegie Hall performing alongside the New York Symphonic Orchestra! Moving forward, we are very excited to see the growth of our students' musicianship and developing talent across all of our elementary students in Brandt School!
Counselor's Corner
As your school counselor, I am here to help with any needs you may have throughout the school day.
What does a School Counselor Do?
Provide support for students to ensure they maintain academic standards and set goals for academic success
Develop programs to provide students the skills to improve organization, study habits, and time management
Assist students in working through personal problems that may affect academics or relationships
Help students improve social skills
October is always a fun filled month here for everyone at Brandt. In the first week of October, we got to celebrate the Week of Respect. Students participated in a variety of social emotional learning lessons and activists all week long. We also had some fun-themed spirit days with our students and staff. I’d like to give a special thank you to Ms. Kolanci for the amazing poster that our students were able to take photos in front of during this week and show that “Brandt students put the ‘I’ in KIND!”
Nurse's Nook
All schools, at any level, at some point in the year, experience instances where community members may get cases of head lice.
Transmissions of head lice typically occur when individuals share hair care items, hats, brushes, or hair ties. The most common outbreaks are seen at the start of the school year, after holiday breaks, and after spring break. At the time live lice are found, those individuals may have had head lice for 1-2 weeks.
While having an active case of head lice is frustrating, the Center For Disease Control (CDC) does not consider it a health emergency. As a school community, we need to work together to mitigate and prevent the spread of head lice, as well as minimize any stress or shame associated with it for those who may have to treat it.
Parents and caregivers should be familiar with how to detect head lice and how to treat it. For information about this, please read the document attached below - "Managing Head Lice: A Parent’s Guide."
A good practice, no matter what time of the year, is to routinely check your children for head lice. In the event you do find head lice, inform the school nurse. You must ensure that proper treatment has been completed and no live lice are present before your child returns to school. The National Association of School Nurses, American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC all agree that school-wide head lice screening programs have not had a significant effect on limiting cases of head lice in the school setting. Doing these screenings also makes it impossible to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the students.