Humanities Voice
Monthly Newsletter - Professional Learning August 2018
Please refer to our Humanities department goals by clicking on the image below.
Humanities Spotlight
To kick start this year, it seems fitting to reshare our appreciation for all our wonderful teachers at the Early Childhood Development Center. Thanks to our communications department for coordinating with us to create a wonderful video that shares all the great things happening with our children in the ECDC after we say goodbye to them in the morning! Click on this link.
Campus Lunch & Learn Series Continues - RTI/ targeted intervention support
Beginning last school year, the Technology Department and our Textbook Coordinator have been working tirelessly to prepare the launch of ClassLink. It is available for both students and teachers to use as a single sign-on portal for GCISD sites. ClassLink is intended to simplify the log-in process by saving usernames and passwords for some of your accounts.
There are 3 ways for teachers to access ClassLink:
- Go to the "Managed Bookmarks" tab on your toolbar that was recently pushed out and installed on all district laptops. (If you do not see this on your toolbar, please restart your computer and it should appear.)
- Access ClassLink by typing classlink.gcisd.net into your address bar.
- From the GCISD Website, click on the Staff link (at the top of the page), then click on ClassLink on the left-hand menu.
Students will also use ClassLink to access most online resources using the single sign-on capabilities.
- Students with iPads will see a ClassLink app on their device.
- Students with Chromebooks will need to type in classlink.gcisd.net/.
- Students with Dell laptops will have a Windows icon for ClassLink on the screen.
- Classlink is also linked on the district website under Students, then Student Technology Resources
If you're a first time user of ClassLink, I highly recommend following the steps that Kat Sparks from technology services briefly outlines in CL Instructions. She also includes how to connect your Google account. ClassLink Teacher Resources
This Amplify ELA webinar series focuses on providing engaging learning experiences for your middle school students. You’ll learn actionable principles to help you in supporting students to meet key developmental needs and become confident, active learners. These principles won’t just help your students “get through” middle school. They’ll help you get through to your middle schoolers.
Hosted by Deb Sabin, Chief Academic Officer for Amplify ELA and the ELA Curriculum team. Each webinar presentation will be approximately 45 to 60 minutes long.
Unable to attend a webinar? Register anyway and we'll send you a link to the recording 1-3 days after the live event.
Principles of true engagement in middle school ELA
Wednesday, September 12 - 3:00 p.m. ET
In this overview webinar, you’ll learn about each of the four principles that deliver deep engagement.
Empower students to become critical thinkers
Wednesday, October 3 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Learn strategies for supporting and encouraging a culture of original thinking in your classroom.
Provide opportunities and supports for all students to work “up”
Wednesday, November 7 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Learn differentiation strategies that drive learning and maximize growth for students of all levels.
Support feedback systems that develop strengths
Wednesday, November 14 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Learn how to provide timely and effective feedback that is actionable and helps develop student strengths.
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, founded in 1891, is the oldest patriotic women’s organization in Texas and one of the oldest in the nation.
Click on link for Brochure.
Social Studies Competition Listing 2018 - 2019
AAMAB (African American Male Academic Bowl)
This event targets participation from students, 4th through 8th grade to take place on January 27, 2018. The registration fee is $100.00. The deadline to enter a team or volunteer for the African American Male Academic Bowl is January 15th. The AAMAB is an academic tournament that invites teams to compete in a jeopardy style format. Each team will consist of three (3) students and one (1) coach.
Texas ArcGIS Online Map Contest
National Geographic GeoBee
The National Geographic GeoBee is an annual competition designed to inspire and reward students' curiosity about the world.
Students in grades 4-8 from nearly 10,000 schools across the United States will compete in the 2019 National Geographic GeoBee for a chance to win college scholarships and the glory of being the National Geographic GeoBee Champion.
Registration for the 2018-2019 school year is now open. Any paid school employee can register their school for the National Geographic GeoBee. The registration fee is $120. Schools needing financial support can complete a Registration Discount Request form. Read the full list of rules here.
Citizen Bee
The Stock Market Game
Bee in a Box
Whether it be project-based learning, design thinking or genius hour, it's easy to get confused by the many education buzzwords floating about. But at their heart these pedagogies are all student-centered and there are commonalities across them that are the key to their success and far more critical than keeping the jargon straight.
The "Tree of Inquiry" is a visual guide for educators who are interested in shifting their practice but are unsure where to begin. Inquiry-based learning is the foundation for all of these student-centered strategies -- students are asking their own questions, discovering answers and using their teachers as resources and guides. Schools and classrooms where deep inquiry is clearly at work invariably possess four specific characteristics no matter the specific type of inquiry utilized.
1. The learner is actively involved in the construction of understanding
2. The teacher as guide and mentor
3. The whole child is celebrated and nurtured
Overdrive
Click on link to see how OverDrive works.
- Routines and Procedures for Reading/Writing Workshop
- Building Independent Readers and Writers
- Keeping Mini Lessons Mini
- Daily Read Aloud Tips
- Benefits of Word Study vs. Spelling
- And many more
Humanities Voice - Previous Newsletters
GCISD Humanities Department
Email: jacqueline.vanhorn@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/3242
Location: 3051 Ira East Woods Avenue, Grapevine, TX, USA
Phone: 817-251-5937
Twitter: @GCISDHumanities