All posts by lspady

Happy New Year! January News

Lusero Blog

 

new-years

I decided to use this cold day when the students are hopefully all warm and cozy at home to communicate with you about the latest news for our Excellence in Youth program.  We spent a lot of time in December out of the buildings working on programming and the identification process.  Although I truly missed my time with students, I believe that we made some important progress in shaping the program.  We have been moving towards a  more inclusive program due to the fact that we feel that there are many students in our schools that would benefit from the opportunities that we provide and the testing that we use for identification may not reflect the strengths of all students.  We are working on a ways to challenge all.  This has proven to be quite a challenge for us!  🙂

As we begin the second semester, we are working to complete our history/timeline projects.  This is an exciting project, and I am eager to have the students share them with you.  I am hoping to have these done and  ready to share by mid January.  We will be setting due dates at the next EY meeting day.

Upon completion of this unit, we will focus on Science.  The students will be creating their own Science Experiment Video similar to Sylvia’s Super-Awesome Maker Show.  If you are not familiar with this website, please check it out at sylviashow.com  The students will be required to write a proposal for their video and then write a script before beginning production.  I am excited to see what they choose and what they will do with this!

We will also continue with the Math Olympiad Competition.  These are the math tests that we take each month, November through March.  I am really pleased with the number of students that are participating at my schools.  The meeting after the test is a great learning opportunity for the students. It is interesting to see how they approached the problems and to see the light bulb turn on as we discuss how to arrive at the correct answer using various methods.

We also have the Science Olympiad coming up on January 27th.  Please ask your child if they are planning to submit a plan for an edible car for a chance to attend this Science filled day.  Their plan is due on January 14th.  Here is the link to the activity https://ey.westside66.org/category/teachers/. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Your child will be notified if they are chosen to attend. We will be looking at effort and creativity to determine attendees.

I  wish you all a very happy and safe 2015!  I look forward to the second semester working with your children  and their teachers to enrich their educational experience.

Sincerely,

Patty

 

Science Olympiad Jan. 27, 2015

Learning Opportunities, Teachers

Science_Explosion

Announcing the 2nd Annual Westside Elementary Science Olympiad!

On Tuesday, January 27, 2015, one-hundred students (Grades 4-6) will be invited to attend the Science Olympiad at the Westside Community Conference Center.  All interested students should complete the edible vehicle brainstorm sheet.  Completed worksheets must be turned into classroom teachers by January 14th in order to be considered to attend the Science Olympiad.

Entries will be evaluated on creativity and effort.  Building the edible vehicle is not a requirement, however if a student is selected to attend, he/she has the option of building the vehicle and using it during an event at the Science Olympiad.

Check out the resources below for some ideas!

http://tinyurl.com/ediblecar

http://tinyurl.com/ediblecar1

Clipart Source: https://openclipart.org/detail/195741/science-explosion-by-scout-195741

Geography Bee Practice Questions

Geography Bee

In addition to the daily practice tests on the National Geographic website and the app that many of you have requested to be downloaded on your iPads, here are a few more practice questions for next week’s Geography Bee.  Good luck!

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1. Which state is known as the Peach State because peaches are one of its major crops—Hawaii or Georgia?

2. Which state is known as the Great Lakes State because it is bordered by four of the five Great Lakes—North Dakota or Michigan?

3. Which state, famous for its wealth and financial resources, is known as the Empire State—Idaho or New York?

4. A trumpet appears on the quarter of which state, known for its jazz music heritage—Louisiana or Pennsylvania?

5. The first successful airplane flight, at Kill Devil Hills, is commemorated on the quarter of which state—North Carolina or Iowa?

6. To walk in Lisbon’s Alfama district and to stay at a beach resort in the Algarve, you would travel to what country?

7. To bike around Stanley Park in Vancouver and see the northern lights near Yellowknife, you would travel to what country?

8. To take a rain forest tour and to dance at Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival celebration, you would travel to what country?

9. To see an acrobatics show in Beijing and walk along the Great Wall, you would travel to what country?

10. The threatened Canada lynx, which has large feet adapted for walking on top of deep snow, lives near Lake of the Woods in which state—Georgia or Minnesota?

1.  Georgia

2. Michigan

3. New York

4. Louisiana

5. North Carolina

6. Portugal

7. Canada

8. Brazil

9. China

10. Minnesota

KitHub

Parents

KitHub is a new company that is full of STEAM!

(Science Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)

KitHub sells a monthly subscription for “kits” that contain everything a creative young innovator might need to build a project.  Check out their website at https://kithub.cc

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the company described here.  The sharing of this information is provided as a community service.

Battle of the Books Sign-Up

Battle of the Books

BOTB_Image

 

Sign up for Battle of the Books by Clicking Here

The EY team is so excited for Battle of the Books!  We are looking forward to having a traditional BOTB competition in addition to several other activities where kids will be recognized and celebrated for their love of reading!

A few things to keep in mind…

  1. All students in grades 3-6 are welcome to participate!
  2. It’s not too late to start reading for Battle of the Books!  Students in 3rd grade need to read 5 books and students in 4th-6th grade need to read 10 books.  
  3. An activity needs to be completed for each book.  There is a video on how to add your activities to your Keynote.  Click here to watch the video.
  4. To prepare for BOTB, you can meet with friends before school, during lunch, or after school to talk about the books you’re reading.  Feel free to share your activities and projects.  There are tons of resources (sample questions, links to authors’ websites, book trailers, etc.) on our wiki @  http://tinyurl.com/wcsBOTB1415

We have an exciting day planned for Friday, March 13.  You will work in teams to answer questions about the books (traditional BOTB style).  You will also compete individually.  BONUS:  We have 3 authors from the book list lined up to Skype with us!

Thomas Edison Invention Challenge

Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

Screen Shot 2014-12-01 at 1.24.12 PM

6th-12 graders…Are you interested in a team-based, integrated/interdisciplinary, head and hands approach to learning?  Well the Thomas Edison Invention Challenge is for you!

Basic Rules:  

  • Get a team of 4 students
  • Register your team
  • Submit an essay or video answering the question: Who was Thomas Edison?
  • Receive a alternative energy kit and create a prototype
  • Document all your work
  • Present your work

The team registration is due by Dec. 8!  Click on the link below!

Deadline #1 – December 8, 2014 – http://edisoninventionchallenge.org/main/about/registration/

Deadline #2 – December 20, 2014 – Teams must electronically submit an essay, not to exceed 750 words OR a student created video. The essay/video topic will be “Who was Thomas Edison?”  NOTE:  3 minute Video submissions are preferred.

Deadline #3 – January 30, 2015 – Teams must submit electronic images of their design logs.  Powerpoint would be the preferred method to showcase your Notebook.

Mid February –  Teams receive an alternative energy kit

Deadline #4 – March 20, 2015 – Teams are to submit a PowerPoint presentation showing the build process.  See submission criteria included in this manual.

 Deadline #5 – April 10, 2015 – 50-60% marketing of your invention and its added value to society and 40-50% demo of a working model or explaining how you imagine it to work.

 Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described here.  The sharing of this information is provided as a community service.

My Brain Hurts!

Parents, Teachers

brain

Remind students that they “drive” their own brains,

and teach them useful learning strategies.

Check out this article about teaching students about their brains.

Memory talks are remembering to remember.

Check out this video about strengthening a child’s brain.

The prefrontal cortex is one of the areas of the brain that changes

the most dramatically during adolescence. 

Check out this video about the prefrontal cortex in adolescents.

Do you have any thoughts and/or resources related to brain development in children and adolescents?  Feel free to leave a comment below and share!

Geography Bee Details

Geography Bee

geobeelogo

One way to ease a little anxiety before competing in a school competition like the Geography Bee is to understand the format.  Here are some basic details:

Everyone will participate in the first 7 rounds.  Last year, the content for the first 4 rounds was:

  1. U.S. Geography (multiple choice)
  2. U.S. Cities (multiple choice)
  3. U.S. Historic Places (multiple choice)
  4. Continents (must say one of the 7 continents as the answer)

The top 5 or so scorers from the first 4 rounds will move to the final round.  In the finals, it’s double elimination so a contestant isn’t eliminated until they miss 2 questions.

The championship round will start when there are only 2 contestants left.

There isn’t a district Geography Bee.  The winner from each elementary building will take a written test sometime in late January/early February.  The top 100 contestants from Nebraska will be invited to take a test at UNO.

Hope this information helps!

Image Source: http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2014/03/24/top-geography-students-state-geographic-bees-april-4/

 

Sheep by Valerie Hobbs

Spady Blog

I am reading  Sheep by Valerie Hobbs with a group of 3rd graders from Westgate.  I hate to admit it, but this is actually the first reading group I’ve ever conducted during my 16 years of teaching.  Granted, I taught math for 9 years and did technology integration for 5 years, so it’s not like I’ve had many opportunities to facilitate a reading group.  Nonetheless, it’s never too late to try something new.  What I’ve learned so far?  I LOVE IT!

I know I could have “Googled” some ideas for a book group, but I thought I’d stretch myself and come up with some of my own ideas.  Feel free to comment and add suggestions to anything I have listed.

Students used Pic Collage on their iPads to document the different names for Jack throughout the book.  It was a great way to talk about the characters and the experiences Jack had with each of them.

NamesForJack

Today I read part of chapter 9 out loud.  As I read, students used Drawing Pad on their iPad to draw the scene.

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When we read about the Goat Man in chapters 3 and 4, I had the students write “Words of Wisdom” since the Goat Man was known for his Words of Wisdom cards.  Next time we meet, we’re going to make bookmarks with their Words of Wisdom and illustrations.  I’m hoping that I can send those to the author and have her autograph them.  🙂  Here are some of the Words of Wisdom the kids came up with…

  • Some people look for a great place.  Others make a place great.
  • Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don’t mind.
  • Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t and start loving yourself for everything that you are.
  • Do what you love and stick with it.
  • Love and grief grow in the same garden.

What are some of your Words of Wisdom?  Leave a comment below!

2014-15 District Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee

On Friday, November 21, the top 31 spellers from Westside Community Schools gathered for the District Spelling Bee.  Two spellers from each of the ten elementary schools and eleven spellers from the middle school participated.  After spelling transcutaneous and camelopard correctly, 7th grader Reese P. was determined the winner.  Graham W., 6th grader from Swanson, was the runner-up.  Reese will attend the 89th Midwest Spelling Bee on March 15th at the Omaha Public School Teacher Administration Building.

Elementary Winners:  
3rd Place:  Zach G. from Loveland
2nd Place: Andrew L. from Rockbrook
1st Place: Graham W. from Swanson

District Winners:
3rd Place: Justin S. from WMS
2nd Place: Graham W. from Swanson
1st Place: Reese P. from WMS