3-18-2016

As we edge closer to PARCC take a little bit of time to check out the State's website for PARCC resources... Parcc Place
http://www.isbe.net/parcc-place/

Thanks to Ellen, Pat and Michelle for organizing yesterday's feast and thank you to everyone that brought stuff in.  Special shout out to Sherry who made the humungo crock pot of Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes!

Jen V did a tremendous job presenting Fit club to the school board on Monday night.  It was super cool when she made each of them do 10 one handed push-ups and then a lap around the building!

Alright Mr. Wadman, this one is for you...graphic representation of the causes of death in Shakespeare's plays

I watched the dress rehearsal of the "Matchmaker" song last night and if that is any indication of how awesome the play is going to be....WOW!  Melissa and Danielle are working hard and we get to see some of it today at 9:00am.  Please remember that we are on a double- morning- assembly- schedule.

April Tepe has done a fantastic job covering for Mike in his absence.  Every time I walked in she was working with a student group problem solving at one of the stations.  Thank you!

Options to keep all students digital work organized, digitally.  

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/take-note-curate-learning-digitally-beth-holland?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=CPC

Thanks to Jessica who continues to make the bulletin board in the lounge one of the most read. She recently hung up some argument graphic organizers.  If you have ever disagreed with Jessica you know that she is not only an reading specialist, but also and argument specialist! :)  I'm sure it is great stuff.  

A huge thank you to Angela Anthony for her presentation on Problem Based Learning.  this was a great intro to a bigger opportunity we will have for our summer academy.  

Here is an example of project based learning that turned into an AP that runs March Madness now.

http://www.inc.com/kevin-j-ryan/how-a-class-project-turned-into-the-app-that-runs-march-madness.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter

Do you know what's better than taking a family of four to the field museum...yup..taking 70 6th graders there on a field trip!  This was a great learning opportunity for the students, thanks to Lauren, Rich, Colleen, Jackie, Meghan S and Cody.

Ted Talk Playlist:  Back to School.  This one has math, history, PE, lunch, ILAR, science and art.

http://www.ted.com/playlists/179/talks_to_take_you_back_to_scho

In honor of St. Patrick's day a little history.  The Original Guinness factory in Dublin is on a 9,000 year lease. Great historical pictures.    http://mashable.com/2016/03/17/guinness-brewery/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#HCJcgKaO5kqF

3-11-2016

Thanks to Keriann for all of the hard work she is doing to organize the BB Tournament this weekend.  Also good luck to Coach Tylk, Baker and Feffer for our Varsity and JV Teams.

5 Non-Negotiables for Professional Development

http://corwin-connect.com/2016/03/5388/?utm_content=buffer52ceb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The PTA is looking for a few brave souls to work their McDonald's Fundraiser on April 22nd.  The awesome 7-8pm shift is available. You can then mark "drive-thru" off of your bucket list.  Please see me if you have any questions.

Don't forget to sign up in the lunge for our St. Patrick's Day Feast.

Project based learning using Disney Movies:
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/project-based-learning-using-disney-movies?utm_campaign=new_node_alert&utm_source=edutopia&utm_medium=email


We will have our compliance visit on Monday or Tuesday of Next Week .  All that means for you is that you will see me walking around school with someone.  Karen O and Pat did a tremendous amount of work to get us ready for this visit.  Thank You!

Thanks to Jen and Lynette for bringing in a variety of speakers to help out with the health curriculum.

Good site for covering the Presidential Election for Students:
http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/2016-presidential-election/


What are the 21st Century Skills that Students Need:
http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/03/21st-century-skills-future-jobs-students


 Thanks to Ellen for organizing the Newsletter every month...and for holding off going to the press...as my article comes in  at the last minute.  Here is my article which covers the "Choose Your Attitude" concept of Fish

Fish Focus:  The Power to Choose.

As we embark on our initial journey with the Fish Philosophy this year, I thought I would spend time giving a more in-depth look at one of the core principles of FISH, which is the concept of Choose Your Attitude. 

Every day we choose our attitudes and just like when we choose our clothes for the day, some attitudes and outfits are going to work out better than others.  Our attitude can change the way we perform as well as how we are perceived by others.  It is easy to blame others for our attitudes.  “He made me angry!” or “She didn’t leave me a choice!” are examples of how we can shift the blame for our attitudes from ourselves to those around us.  The truth is, that we cannot always control what happens to us throughout the day, but we can always control how we respond to those situations. 

It is important to realize that Choose Your Attitude is not a command, it is about awareness.  The attitude that a student or teacher chooses is a choice that they alone can make and they also have to realize that with that choice they are taking responsibility for how the rest of the day unfolds in response to their choice. 

At times, choosing attitudes of anger, disappointment or sorrow are not only appropriate but healthy.  The world is not a continuous series of sunshine and roses and as a school we are not looking for everyone to put on a happy face and accept the outlook that is “officially” accepted.  We just want students and teachers to own their decision and to have reasons why they are feeling the way they do. 

A Simple Choice:

Finally, we want students and teachers to realize that you do not have to choose your attitude for an entire day. We have hundreds of chances every day to turn the ship around and to choose our attitude for the situation.  It takes just as much effort to be in a bad mood as it does to be in a good mood.  As one of the Fishmongers said in the Fish movie; “It’s a simple choice”, if things are not going your way, take a second, focus, and make a decision on how you are going to change your attitude.  As an educator, I know that I am not perfect and make a lot of mistakes, but I also know that every interaction that I have is an opportunity to make a positive impact on those around me. I’m going to do my best to not let circumstances be an obstacle in the way of making those connections that also have a domino effect on those around me.  I’ll end this newsletter with the words that I end the announcement with every day as part of our Words of Wisdom.  Make it a great day….or not, the choice is yours.

3-3-2016

Melissa LaMantia and the Benjamin Choir rocked it last night at the West Chicago High School Spring Concert.  It was also nice to see former students like Jay R and Sarah L even rocked a solo.  Thanks for representing our school so well.

Thanks to Lauren D, Rich, Colleen, Megan D, Laura, and Steve and Megan S for bringing in the birthday treats yesterday for Melissa's Kim's and Keriann's B-Day.

It looks like Monday we will have clear skies and be close to 60 degrees so we will try to do the school evacuation drill again.  We will run the PM assembly schedule and DEAR afterwards.  The drill should start by 1:55pm.

Thanks to everyone who donated time or prizes to the Foundation Trivia Night This Saturday.  I look forward to leading my table to victory...I mean friendly competition and talking with friends.

Ok....Here is one third of the Learning Meeting that we did not get to on Thursday...I know... I put a lot of  links in this blog but PLEASE take a few minutes to explore these cool links that may help you in the classroom.  I will put the link at the end that connects you to all 60 of his links from the GT conference.

Discover exhibits and collections from museums and archives all around the world. Explore cultural treasures in extraordinary detail, from hidden gems to masterpieces.Great for history and art teachers.

LINK
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/u/0/home

How to use the site in 2 minutes.

Crash Course: A YouTube channel with hundreds of videos on Literature, science, history, politics, government etc...engaging and educational, lots of ways to use it...warning some video's (couple of literature ones I watched) may be aimed more at the high school crowd, make sure you preview first.  I included the link to all of the playlists and the introduction videos.

https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse/playlists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIowxzmCDpw

The Kid Should See This is a growing library of smart & super-cool, “not-made-for-kids, but perfect for them” videos that can be watched in the classroom or together at home. Enjoy 8-12 new vids each week, and search 2,400+ videos in the archives, curated by me, Rion Nakaya, with help from my 5 & 8 year olds.The internet is full of amazing content…Sometimes it’s just challenging to find it! TKSST helps connect busy kids, parents, & teachers with a collection of short videos that can start conversations, spark questions, & inspire offline exploration for all ages.What kind of videos are on this site?Our video selections are driven by wonder, enthusiasm, and “wow!” moments. We cover all topics under and beyond our sun, with a special focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, & math) topics.

http://thekidshouldseethis.com/


 
Pikto Chart  is a way to make super cool infographics, like the one I made for the staff learning meeting in a matter of minutes ....lots of possibilities for you and your students.
http://piktochart.com/



Teaches you or students how to make anything... I connected to the education link
http://www.instructables.com/tag/type-id/category-home/channel-education/




Did you ever wonder why water boils faster at a higher altitude?  What will school be like in the future?  or anything else?  Wonderopolis allowa people to submit questions and then lasy out the answer in an educational way with information research and key vocabulary.
http://wonderopolis.org/home


Periodic Videos.....videos of every element on the periodic table from TedEd
http://ed.ted.com/periodic-videos


Not sure how you would use this but the name says it all so if you are looking for a Periodic Table of The Empire Strikes Back...or typefaces...or Muppets
http://www.brianhousand.com/blog/periodic-tables-of-almost-everything-but-elements



Here is the link to all 60 of his links with way more educational but cool websites you could use in the classroom.
http://www.60in60.org/iagc2016.html