Birdneck Briefing
Updates-Info-Links Week of May 29 to June 2
FYI Week of 5/29/17 to 6/02/17
5/29 Memorial Day
5/31 All Talent Ed Data due
5/31 Grade 3 Reading SOL part 1
6/1 Title 1 Audit 8:30
6/1 Grade 3 Reading SOL part 2
6/2 Grade 3 Math SOL
Upcoming:
6/7 Oceans of Success Fieldtrip
6/8 Robotics Competition
6/8 Student Placement meetings during collab
6/9 PreK/Preschool Field Day
6/10 Staff End of Year Party 6-9pm
August 16th Title I Conference. Register by July 1st. https://titleisummerconference2017.sched.com/
This is your Captain Speaking!
Hello Staff,
Thank you all for everything you have done so far this year. Your hard work is paying off and students have really been successful on their summative assessments. We are definitely in the home stretch with June approaching this week. Assessments are meant for us to know what kids do and do not know. Getting these results can still help drive our instruction over the next few weeks so lets remember to finish strong.
As we begin planning for next year I'd like you to keep the results of our standardized testing in mind so we can talk about ways to use this information to provide instruction for areas students did not master.
We will be meeting on Thursday June 8 during our regular collaboration times to review student placements for next year. Please bring the completed pink and blue cards to the grade level meeting.
Finish Strong,
RV Yoshida
Finishing Strong: How to motivate students at the end of the year
http://www.teachhub.com/12-ways-keep-kids-motivated-end-school-year
How to motivate students and keep them on task at the end of the year is challenging at best, especially after state tests are over. In fact, the more we prep kids for tests, the harder it is to keep kids on task after testing ends. Yet, keeping kids motivated at this time of year is actually much easier than you might think. Since kids are more chatty and restless at this time of year, it’s just a matter of funneling that energy into something constructive
Here are 12 effective strategies to turn students' end-of-the-year energy into instructional success.
Learning Centers
One of the easiest ways to keep kids on task is to create some simple learning centers and allow students to rotate through the activities with a partner. If you haven't used learning centers before, you might be surprised at how easy they are to implement. Here are some additional ideas and strategies on my learning center page.
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If your students are bored by reading a basal text or doing test prep worksheets, they will definitely enjoy Literature Circles. The easiest way to get started is with Classroom Book Clubs, a relaxed and fun method that’s perfect for the end of the year. You can find loads of Literature Circles strategies on my website.
Class Scrapbooks
Creating a class scrapbook is a terrific way to wrap up the school year. Let each student design his or her own special page. The front of the page can include their name, a photo, illustrations, and other personal touches. Have each student write you a letter about the school year and glue it onto the back of his or her page. Add a student-created cover, laminate all pages, and bind the finished product with plastic comb binding.
Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning activities are naturally motivating to students. Being able to discuss ideas and interact with other students is a sure-fire strategy for keeping kids involved. The key is to establish clear guidelines for classroom management so the fun doesn’t become chaotic.
Read Aloud Marathons
There never seems to be enough time to read aloud during the school year, so it’s wonderful to have more freedom to do so after the pressures of testing are over. Instead of reading just 10 minutes a day, I enjoy spending 30 minutes or more sharing great books with my kids.
Class Newsletters
Involve the whole class in this meaningful writing activity, and everyone will end up with a treasured record of your school year. Start by brainstorming all the special events that have occurred throughout the year, and then ask each student to write about one of the events. Select a few students to serve as editors who compile all of the stories into one newspaper. Add digital photos, scanned artwork, quotes about the school year, awards and accomplishments – the list is endless! To conserve paper, produce the newsletter in digital form and email it to parents. Be sure to print one or two copies for students to share in the classroom.
Fun Friday
A weekly incentive can work wonders to keep kids on task at the end of the year. Try to involve at least three teachers on your grade level in this weekly activity. Set aside a 30-minute block of time on Friday for “Fun Friday.” Each teacher signs up to host a different activity: Inside Games, Outside Play, or Study Hall.
In order to participate in Fun Friday, students must complete all homework and other assignments for the week. Those who don’t do their work spend the time in Study Hall, while the others can choose between Outside Play and Inside Games. You can find a Fun Friday sign-up sheet to use with this activity on my Odds N Ends page.
What could be more fun than a board game tournament that’s educational as well as exciting? Many families have Scrabble boards in their closets that they can lend to your class, and setting up a tournament is easy. You can find complete Scrabble Tournament directions and printables for the event on my Odds N Ends page.
Outside Learning
When the weather turns warm and sunny, everyone longs to be outside. Many activities like reading, writing poetry, doing science experiments, or playing math games can be taken outside. Ask students to bring beach blankets or towels for these special times. Even a few minutes spent outside for a read-aloud session can offer a quick cure for the end-of-the-year blues.
Team Challenges
From Egg Drop Challenges to Tower Building, team challenges motivate students to think creatively and work together in order to solve a task. You can find many such activities that integrate math and science at the AIMS Education Foundation website. One of my favorites is to have kids create Puff Mobiles from straws, large wooden beads, and paper. Go to their website at http://www.aimsedu.org and search for the Puff Mobiles activity.
You can also find these types of activities at the NC Science Olympiad website.
Ed Tech & Online Learning Games
I’m amazed at the number of free and inexpensive online learning games available. If you have a computer in your classroom, you have access to all sorts of online games such as the skill races at Arcademic Skill Builders or the stories read aloud on StoryLine Online. I’ve also begun to research iPad and iPod apps for kids, and I’m excited at what’s already available.
Check out 20 Amazing iPad Apps for Educators or Online Learning Games Kids Love.
Multimedia Projects
Challenge your students to work alone or in teams to create multi-media presentations. Possible topics include anything from a recap of the school year to their dreams for the future. If you think "multi-media" means PowerPoint, think again. Check out Prezi, Animoto, and Slideshare for some exciting alternatives.
With these strategies, learning is still the name of the game, but the learning goes far beyond tested skills. Your students will discover hidden talents and have fun doing so. Furthermore, the end of the year will become a time to celebrate, a time to share great memories of special times together.
Technically Speaking!
As you plan for your professional learning this summer, please consider checking out the Digital Learning Summer Summit. The summit will be offered both in June and August and will feature a variety of choice sessions offered over two days. If you are interested in checking out the schedule and all your options, please click on the links below. (You will not sign up at those links.)
*To participate, log into Frontline and register for the professional learning sessions. To find these sessions, look under Activity Catalogs and click on Calendar. All you have to do is navigate to the dates and click on the links “Digital Learning Summer Summit I-IV”. You do not have to attend all sessions.*
June 21-22: https://vbdigitallearningsummersumm2017a.sched.com/
August 14-15: https://vbdigitallearningsummersumm2017.sched.com/
Please email or see Lindsey Comfort if you have any additional questions. She would be happy to help you find something you would enjoy!
READING ROCKS!
Guided reading is the perfect opportunity to differentiate instruction for each student. Running records are a formative assessment and are one way to document teacher observations of reading behaviors. It is the end of the school year and we are doing our last DRA's of the year and writing observations of our students, as readers, for next years teacher. This is a good reminder of another piece of information that can be used to support evidence of growth or a present reading level. Good running records are imperative to understanding the student as a reader.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-running-records-manageable-useful-bridget-stegman
7 Tips to Make Running Records Manageable and Useful ...
Guided reading is the perfect opportunity to differentiate instruction for each student. Running records are a formative assessment and are one way to document ...
Math Matters
What are your plans for math once your SOLs are over? Here are two engaging ideas (from an upper elementary teacher) that will allow your students to review what they learned during the year and then display it in a fun way.
END OF THE YEAR MATH ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS
Student created review games.
We love board games and each year we spend a few days at the end of the school year creating our own game boards. One year I did this independently, and another year I paired the students to create the game boards together. It works both ways, but I prefer the partners so they can double check their answer keys.
To complete the game boards, the students choose a skill or group of related skills (these can be assigned or allowed free choice or choice from a list of skills) and then they create a specific number of questions related to the skill(s). They can use index cards or cut rectangles from a piece of folded piece of paper.
After completing their questions, I have the students then create the answer key. When they work in partners, each student creates an answer key independently. When they are both finished, they compare their answers. Any that are not the same, they discuss and determine the correct answer. At this point, I check their question cards and answer keys before giving them the go ahead to create their game boards. They usually get super creative with their game boards and I love seeing how they turn out.
I like to give my students free reign with the game board creation (one year a student did a 3-D game board). After the game boards are complete, the students trade game boards and play each other’s games. Last year, we even invited our neighboring 5th grade class to come in and play the games with us.
Student created posters and then gallery walk presentation.
My students love creating posters to show what they have learned in a creative, unique way. This time of the year is perfect for that. You could allow the students (individually or in pairs or small groups) to choose a skill or you could assign skills to ensure a variety. When I do this, I have the students plan the poster out on notebook paper and get it approved before working on the final poster. After all the students have completed their poster, we display them around the room and complete a gallery walk and leave comments on post it notes for the students.
Join our PTA
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Join the PTA! Our goal is to have 100% Staff participation!!!!!!!!!
Support Birdneck Elementary students by joining the PTA. Don't miss out on the benefits from joining the PTA. Receive over $300 in savings... all for just $5 for a membership. Check out the PTA website at http://birdneckpta.weebly.com/
Licensure: Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (TSIP)
All teachers new to Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) are required to meet the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (TSIP) within the first year (12 months) of employment.
This is a licensure requirement for the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
Your TSIP requirement must be completed no later than: May 31, 2017
Between now and June 30, 2017, please work with the Instructional Technology Specialist (ITS) to identify the dates and times to take and pass the TSIP tests in your school. Make every effort to complete this requirement prior to the end of this school year.
Additional TSIP testing sessions will be made by appointment through the Department of Human Resources during the month of July 2017.
For questions about licensure requirements and other options, please email your licensure analyst:
Last names beginning with A-Gn ............ Patti Perger, patti.perger@vbschools.com
Last names beginning with Go-N ........... Leslie Miller, leslie.miller@vbschools.com
Last names beginning with O-Z .............. Ila James, ila.james@vbschools.com
REMINDERS
Reminder: Tell our teachers how AWESOME they are
Reminder: Greet your students at the door every morning
Reminder: Have fun at work!
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK MISSION
The mission of Birdneck Elementary is to dedicate ourselves to the success of all children, preparing them to meet today's expectations and tomorrow's challenges.
BIRDNECK VISION
Children are our future. We are dedicated to their success.
BIRDNECK BELIEFS
We believe in a collaborative community in which teachers, administrators, students, and parents work together for student success.
We believe in creating a safe, nurturing, and positive environment in which all students can strive for excellence and achieve their individual potential.
We believe we will prepare our students for success by providing 21st century learning and developing within our students critical thinking, effective communications and problem solving skills.
Website: http://www.birdneckes.vbschools.com/
Location: 957 South Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: 757-648-2120