From the Desk of Mr. Yoshida
Birdneck Elementary Quarter 3 2018-19
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRINCIPAL
Hello Birdneck Families,
As we complete the first half of the school year, students continue to impress me with the academic and social-emotional growth they are making. Our teachers will be holding student goal setting conferences with your students to help the children stay focused and meet their own expectations. Setting and reviewing progress on goals is important for the success of all of us and is something we want to focus on here at Birdneck.
This week is The Great Kindness Challenge. Students and staff have been posting notes of encouragement and praise on our hallway walls to exemplify the character trait of kindness. They have also been recognizing others by handing them notes of kindness. The care and pride on their faces for doing something nice for others has been priceless.
This newsletter includes information about what your child will be learning in the third quarter. Please have a conversation not only about what they learned in the first half of the year but also what is to come over the next 9 weeks. Having these discussions with them helps increase their success and creates a strong bridge between home and school.
Have an awesome day,
WE ARE BIRDNECK AND WE ARE FAMILY
R.V. Yoshida : Member of the BIRDNECK FAMILY since 2016
UPCOMING EVENTS AT BIRDNECK
Feb. 1 - Virtual Learning Day
Feb. 7 - Pizza Bingo 6:30pm
Feb. 8 - SPCA program for grade 2
Feb. 11 - Report Cards issued
Feb. 14 - Pre-K Aquarium Event
Feb. 25 - Girls on the Run Begins
Feb 19-20 - Kindergarten Francis Land house
Feb.- Reading Month
Feb. 25 to Mar. 1 - Dr. Suess Week
Feb. 27 - Grade 3 MOCA
Feb. 28 - Chick-Fil-A spirit night
What is my child learning in Math - Quarter 3
The 2018-2019 school year ushers in the full implementation of the 2016 Math Standards of Learning! VBOs, content specifications, pacing guides, assessments and supporting documents have been updated to be in alignment with the 2016 standards. Here is a glimpse of what the instructional focus will be during the third quarter.
Kindergarten: Students will return to numeration studies by continuing counting practice, counting forward by tens, as well as investigating, recognizing and describing part-whole relationships with numbers to 5. During measurement, students will recognize attributes of coins and identify the number of coins equivalent to a nickel, dime and quarter. Students will investigate the passage of time on a calendar and make comparisons for length, height, weight, temperature and time.
Grade One: The Data unit will continue for the beginning of quarter 3. This includes collecting, organizing and representing data as well as interpreting data from graphs. Students will wrap up the data unit and jump into measurement. This will include determining the value of a collection of coins, telling time to the hour and half-hour and reading and interpreting a calendar. During the Fractions unit, students will represent and solve problems involving equal sharing and name and represent halves and fourths with models. Students will continue to work on demonstrating fluency with basic facts.
Grade Two: Students will jump into computation and estimation with estimating and determining sums and differences using various models as well as solving single-step problems. Students will explore arrays and understanding equality with the equal and not equal symbols. After computation, students will begin the Measurement unit. Students will explore time to the nearest five minutes, the days of the week, dates on a calendar, counting and comparing money and using the appropriate notations for money values. Students will continue to work on demonstrating fluency with basic facts.
Grade Three: Students will begin this quarter by exploring geometry. Students will study geometric representations, polygons, congruency and patterns. After geometry, students will study rational numbers. Students will name, write, model and represent fractions as well as compare and solve problems that involve fractions. Students will continue to develop their fluency with multiplication and division facts of 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10.
Grade Four: Students will move from rational number numeration to rational number computation during quarter 3. This will include solving practical problems with fractions and decimals, estimating and determining quotients that can involve remainders and continuing to understand patterns. After rational number computation, students will begin measurement studies. Students will expand understanding of elapsed time, estimate, measure and solve problems involving length, weight and volume and determine perimeter and area. Students will continue to develop fluency with multiplication and division facts.
Grade Five: During this quarter, students will be exploring measurement and variables. During the Measurement unit, students will estimate and measure length, weight and volume and identify equivalent measures. Students will solve problems involving perimeter, area and volume as well as determine elapsed time. In the Variables unit, students will investigate variables and equations involving variables, as well as create problem situations involving variables. They will continue to expand their understanding of patterns.
What is my child learning in Language Arts - Quarter 3
ALL LANGUAGE ARTS OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED; HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE RIGOR FOR EACH HAS INCREASED. TEACHERS MAY UTILIZE UNPACKING, VERTICAL AND QUARTERLY SEQUENCE DOCUMENTS TO ALIGN THE WRITTEN, TAUGHT AND TESTED CURRICULUM.
KINDERGARTEN: The following priority objectives will be the areas of focus this quarter:
• Retell familiar stories using beginning, middle and end.
• Identify simple facts and information relevant to the topic in a nonfiction selection.
• Write in a variety of forms, including writing to inform/explain, to offer an opinion and to narrate an experience (personal narrative).
When entering classrooms, observers should see students engaged in reading, writing/drawing and discourse centered around retelling stories using beginning, middle and end and identifying topics and facts in nonfiction texts. Students should be expressing ideas in complete sentences and taking turns discussing one topic. Observers should see students asking and answering questions about what is read and using story language when discussing characters, setting and events. In addition, the science and social studies topics Geography and Plants and Animals will be addressed through the lens of language arts. Small group instruction will occur daily. Instruction will be based on students’ stage of literacy.
When writing and responding to reading, students should use letters and beginning consonant sounds to spell phonetically. Students should be referencing and using words from a word wall to support writing and using capitalization and ending punctuation.
FIRST GRADE: The following priority objectives will be the areas of focus this quarter:
• Retell stories and events using beginning, middle and end, including key details.
• Retell nonfiction texts, identifying the main idea and important details.
• Identify the main idea or theme.
• Generate ideas and write in a variety of forms, including writing to inform/explain, to offer an opinion and to narrate an experience (personal narrative) focusing on one topic.
When entering classrooms, observers should see students engaged in reading, writing (including editing/revising) and discourse focused on retelling both fiction and nonfiction texts, and asking and answering questions about reading and writing. Students should be using text features to enhance their understanding of nonfiction texts, not simply identifying features. Observers should see students writing about what they are reading and recording important information in graphic organizers. In addition, the science and social studies topics Geography and Plants will be addressed through the lens of language arts. Small group instruction will occur daily. Instruction will be based on students’ stage of literacy.
SECOND GRADE: The following priority objectives will be the areas of focus this quarter:
• Draw conclusions based on the text.
• Identify the main idea and important details.
• Summarize a nonfiction reading selection using important details.
• Write in a variety of forms, including writing to inform/explain, to offer an opinion and to narrate an experience (personal narrative) and revise for clarity.
Students will continue to build on and apply their knowledge of reading strategies to increase comprehension of text. In fiction, the focus will be on drawing conclusions to identify main idea/theme and make inferences about characters. In nonfiction texts, students will analyze text to explain the author’s purpose, draw conclusions, identify main idea and summarize. Students will also begin exploring nonfiction through the lens of the author and write nonfiction texts by leaning on the support of mentor texts.
THIRD GRADE: The following priority objectives will be the areas of focus for this quarter:
• Make, confirm or revise predictions in fiction text.
• Draw conclusions and make inferences about fiction text.
• Identify the main idea or theme and supporting details in various texts.
• Explain the author’s purpose in both fiction and nonfiction.
• Ask and answer questions about what is read in nonfiction text.
• Determine important information to support main idea, opinions and conclusions in nonfiction.
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience with a focus on functional writing and a performance-based assessment.
• Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
When entering classrooms, observers should see instruction focused on the application of reading strategies in both fiction and nonfiction. Scaffolded instruction using the gradual release model should be evident through the use of think-alouds, graphic organizers and frequent opportunities for guided and independent practice in a wide variety of texts, including text related to the content topics of Structures in Nature, Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. Fiction instruction should be centered around drawing conclusions and theme, and in nonfiction the focus should be questioning and determining importance to support main idea, opinions and conclusions. A Being a Writer Expository Performance Task is embedded into Unit 6 which will address communication, media, reading and writing objectives. This rigorous task will provide students the opportunity to apply reading and writing strategies learned in Quarters 1, 2 and 3.
FOURTH GRADE: The following priority objectives will be the focus for this quarter:
• Identify and explain author’s purpose.
• Determine important information to support main idea, opinions and conclusions.
• Summarize during and after reading and include supporting details in fiction and nonfiction texts.
• Identify the main idea/theme in fiction and main idea in nonfiction texts.
• Ask and answer questions while reading fiction and nonfiction text.
• Describe character development in fiction text.
• Write expository text including function text.
• Generate opinion-based and persuasive writing.
• Gather information from multiple sources.
• Edit and revise writing for content clarity.
Students should be reading, writing and engaging in discourse daily. While reading, students should be stopping to think about text, asking questions, drawing conclusions about the author’s purpose and summarizing using graphic organizers. All students should have access to a wide variety of appropriate fiction and nonfiction resources. Students should be engaged in daily writing (shared, guided and/or independent). During Units 5 and 6, students will write in a variety of forms, including functional texts and opinion-based essays. Evidence of word study and grammar instruction should be present in student writing. Additionally, the science and social studies content units may be explored through the lens of language arts by reading content-rich texts, determining importance and summarizing. Communication, media, reading and writing objectives will be addressed through the Being a Writer performance tasks in Unit 5 (Informative/Explanatory Task) and Unit 6 (Opinion Task).
FIFTH GRADE: The following priority objectives will be the focus for the first quarter:
• Summarize during and after reading and include supporting details.
• Draw conclusions and make inferences from text.
• Describe how an author’s choice of vocabulary contributes to the author’s style.
• Identify structural patterns in nonfiction.
• Determine important information to support main idea, opinions and conclusions.
• Identify the main idea or theme in various texts.
• Understand and apply knowledge of text structure.
• Explain the author’s purpose.
• Write expository text.
• Edit and revise writing for clarity of content and publish a writing piece to share with an audience of peers.
When entering classrooms, observers should see students engaged in reading, writing and discourse related to the priority objectives of questioning, drawing conclusions, determining importance and explaining author’s purpose. Students should engage in close reading to draw conclusions and answer text-dependent questions. The whole group focus will be mirrored and scaffolded to meet the needs of learners in small group. Independent literacy tasks should be differentiated for each student and aligned to the content specifications for Quarter 3. A Being a Writer Informative/Explanatory Text Performance Task is embedded into Unit 5. The task addresses communication, media, reading and writing objectives. Unit 6 will immerse students in reading and writing function text during Cycle 1 and thinking deeply about author’s purpose to clarify points of view in Cycle 2.
What content is my child learning in Quarter 3?
Kindergarten:
Science/Social Studies - Students will investigate life processes, including the differences between living and nonliving, as well as the basic needs of plants and animals. Students will form an understanding of the community by using map skills and describing how the climate and surroundings affect how people live.
First Grade:
Science/Social Studies - Students will use scientific inquiry skills to understand the life processes of plants. Students will ask questions and develop fluency in content vocabulary to understand the geography of Virginia.
Second Grade:
Science - Students will use the scientific method to investigate natural and artificial magnets.
Social Studies - Students will practice using artifacts, primary resources and pictures to make connections between past and present and to understand the history of the United States, with a focus on the American Indians.
Third Grade: Science - Students will use scientific inquiry skills such as constructing models to form an understanding of structures in nature, including adaptations, relationships in food chains and the characteristics of ecosystems. Social Studies - Students will use social studies inquiry skills such as using artifacts and geographic information to understand ancient Greece and Rome. Students will use their understanding to compare and contrast civilizations and to make connections between time and place.
Fourth Grade: Science - Students will use scientific inquiry skills to construct models and apply science concepts to current events and applications in order to understand the organization of the solar system and relationships among Earth, the moon and the sun. Social Studies - Students will use social studies inquiry skills to analyze the impact of geographic features and analyze artifacts. Primary and secondary sources will be used to understand the first permanent North American English settlement at Jamestown.
Fifth Grade: Science - Students will use scientific inquiry skills such as collecting and communicating data to form scientific claims. Students will investigate and understand the characteristics of sound and light as well as the function of cells. Social Studies - Students will use social studies inquiry skills to analyze artifacts, compare and contrast ideas and cultural perspectives in Virginia history. Primary and secondary sources will be used along with charts, graphs and pictures to understand the conflict that led to the Civil War and the reconstruction that took place after the war to rebuild Virginia.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
On December 10, 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law. Under ESSA Section 1112(e) parents of students attending Title I schools are to be provided these two notifications.
Section 1112(e) (1) (A) of ESSA states that as a parent of a student in Birdneck Elementary, receiving Title I funds, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers instructing your child. Federal law requires the school division to provide you this information in a timely manner if you request it. Specifically, you have the right to request the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers:
Whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status because of special circumstances.
Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification or degree he/she received
Whether paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if so, their qualifications.
Section 1112(e) (2) of ESSA states that parents of students in Title I schools have a right to know about state or division policies regarding student participation in any assessments mandated by ESSA, including any policy or procedure.
If you would like to receive information, about the qualifications of your child’s teacher, please contact your principal, R.V. Yoshida. If you would like information regarding student participation in state assessments please contact your school’s testing coordinator.
Girls on the Run
School Starts at 8:10 at Birdneck
Help Keep the Flu Out of School
Flu season typically occurs in the fall and winter months. With this in mind, our health services staff suggests that parents remind their children that one of the most effective flu-fighting strategies is regular and thorough hand-washing.
Flu Prevention Tips:
- Encourage all family members to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when they cough or sneeze.
- Vaccinate your child for seasonal flu when the vaccine becomes available in the early fall to protect against flu illness.
- Should your child display any flu-like symptoms while at school, he or she will be referred to the school nurse.
- For the safety of others, students and staff with flu-like symptoms will not be able to stay in school. Should a student display flu-like symptoms, his or her parent/guardian will be contacted.
- Additional information on the guidelines school nurses will follow to minimize the impact of seasonal flu can be found on vbschools.com.
VBCPS seeks community's input to shape the division's future strategic direction
VBCPS administration is giving the community the opportunity to weigh in and help guide the future of the school division. Staff is beginning the process of developing a new strategic plan, which will be in place from 2020-2025, and the first step is gathering input from the public via a Virtual Town Hall open from now until Dec. 28. Read.
Join our PTA
Support Birdneck Elementary students by joining the PTA. Our PTA is AMAZING! We collaborate together to create opportunities for our students and community to learn and have fun in the process. Don't miss out on the benefits from joining the PTA. Receive over $300 in savings... all for just $5 for a membership. Registration forms are available in our front office. Please know that becoming a member of our PTA does not obligate you to volunteer or do anything but does still help support our school. Our goal is to have 100% participation!!!!!!!!!
Please visit the PTA website at http://birdneckpta.weebly.com/
Track your volunteer hours
Education Connection Resources
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK MISSION
We build relationships to encourage, inspire, and empower others to meet the challenges of today and to foster the love of learning.
BIRDNECK VISION
We are dedicated to nurturing an inclusive environment to ensure engaging, student-centered learning resulting in confident, independent learners.
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: https://birdneckes.vbschools.com/home
Location: 957 South Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: 757-648-2120
Facebook: facebook.com/birdneckes
Twitter: @BNESeagles