North Side Paw Prints
Staff Newsletter
September 27, 2013
Volume 5, Issue 7
Mission Statement: "Maximize potential in all people every day"
Vision Statement: "To create a culture in which all children can learn lifelong skills to succeed"
Congratulations Cherri and Denise for Going the Extra Mile this Month!
Quote of the Week:
"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Weekly Reflection
As you look at the data for your students in your classroom - what are you doing as the teacher, to provide enrichment opportunities to students or provide additional instruction for students that have skill gaps?
Has someone gone the "extra mile" for you this week? If so, the nomination jar is in the front office.
Upcoming Dates
September:
Sept. 27th - "Going the Extra Mile Nominees" due to jar in the office.
Sept. 30th - School begins at 8:30 Collaboration in Library
October:
Oct. 2nd - 6th Grade to Biztown
Oct. 3rd - Staff Meeting In Library 3:10
Oct. 4th - Acuity Window Closes
Oct. 7th - School begins at 8:30 Collaboration in Library
Oct. 8th - PTO Meeting in Library 5:30
Oct. 9th - Fundraiser Ends; Mclass Math Window Closes
Oct. 14th - School begins at 8:30 Collaboration in Library - Posting of Acuity and mclass reading on data walls
Oct. 15th - 5th and 6th Grade Technology Parent Meeting 6:00-7:00pm
Oct. 17th - End of 1st Nine Weeks; 3rd Grade Focus on Health at South Side
Oct. 18th - No School (Fall Break)
Oct. 21-22nd - No School (Fall Break)
Oct. 23rd - Report cards due to the office
Oct. 24th - Report cards issued
Oct. 25th - "Going the Extra Mile Nominees" due to the jar in the office
Oct. 28th -School begins at 8:30 Collaboration in Library; Leadership Meeting 3:10 in conference room
Oct. 29th - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30
Oct. 30th - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-5:30
This Week's Case Conferences
None
Featured Video of the Week
"I think we need to teach kids how to adjust their conventions. How to change them for the purpose and the different topics we're writing about, the different reasons we're writing. Even the different stages." Kristina Smekens explains how to adjust convention expectations.
Featured Instructional Strategy of the Week
Primary Idea:
Teaching even the youngest writers about the 6 Traits
It's never too early to introduce children to the 6 Traits of Writing--even kindergartners. Not only do they love learning big words, but kindergarten is the first step in 12 years of writing instruction. We want to build common language and consistent understanding of the six ingredients in all writing.
Although the "writing" done in kindergarten doesn't look like the writing done in later years, there are still plenty of details (ideas), organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and convention skills to teach to kinders via pictorial writing, list writing, and early sentence writing. Here are some archived articles from our Idea Library that may help.
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Ideas
- Explain "Writing Topics" with the Bright Ideas Light Bulb
- Brainstorm Topics Using the ABCs
- Teach students to draw with more detail, Part 1
- Teach students to draw with EVEN more detail, Part 2
- Develop ideas with listed details
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Organization
- Begin with a title
- Develop ideas with beginnings, middles, and endings (See Idea #2 at this link.)
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Voice
- Convey voice with color and feelings (See Strategies #1 and #2 at this link.)
- Compliment early voice in the form of voice-filled conventions
- Buddy-write to a pen-pal to add an authentic audience
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Word Choice
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Sentence Fluency
Mini-Lessons for the Trait of Conventions
- Encourage end marks and other conventions
- Teach students the various end marks
- Keep convention expectations in perspective
One final note, don't forget to share the 6-Traits lingo with parents, too. Whether you're looking for a Parent Night program or a resource to hand them, we've got ideas that can help.
CCR.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.