Measuring Higher-Ordered Aptitudes

And now that SOLs are (for the most part) over, it’s time for butterflies and caterpillars, spirited debates, and Medieval armor.  As we walked around the building today, it was inspiring to see  teachers wasting no time returning to providing authentic learning experiences for our students.  Fifth graders have been putting the final touches on their Global Awareness Technology Projects.  Not only are they practicing research and experimenting with PowerPoint design but also making connections across multiple disciplines and cultures.  Today they took a time out from their cooperative learning project for a fantastic presentation on the daily life of the Medieval knight.  Students were fascinated by the advancements in weaponry and armor and had great fun laughing with the audience volunteers trying on the HEAVY equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

The second grade has been studying butterflies for several days now.  Ms. Richwine’s class has been observing caterpillars, measuring their growth and noting changes in appearance in their own journals.  Each day upon arrival they wonder. Will this be the day the caterpillars form themselves into a Chrysalis?  This may not happen before the end of the school year but they are ever hopeful.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Thweatt’s class performed “The Great Debate” in the afternoon for a class of third graders who were allowed to vote to declare the winner of such topics such as:  Public or Private School…Which is Better?    and   Should Schools Require Students to Wear Uniforms?  At the conclusion of the debate she gathered her class in a circle asking questions that encouraged self-reflection of learning and experiences.  Most students agreed that talking in front of their peers made them nervous.      

 

 

 

 

 

With two weeks left in the 2011-2012 year, our teachers are finding all kinds of opportunity to engage students with these fun projects and assemblies!

Wired for SOLs

A typical morning during SOL season as our laptops lie in glowing wait for students in grades 3-6 to demonstrate their knowledge of reading, math, science, and history.  Colin Powell switched to online testing last year and with the benefit of a year’s experience, practice of online eCart assessments, and sample SOL questions in computer lab our students are ready.  One benefit of online SOLs is the ability to create questions outside of the multiple choice format.  There is a concerted effort this year in posing questions that require reasoning and multi-step problem solving and as you may have read in the Washington Post, schools across the state are adjusting scoring expectations in math  to reflect these increased demands. 

We can say with certainty that our students are putting their best efforts to show their mastery of content.  Our third graders are lined up ready to take their History exam. 

 

“I can get to that…right after I form these testing groups, proctor cache and print test tickets, coordinate with SBTS and TSPEC for computer locations, find the proctors and examiners, prepare the makeup sessions,……” 

Kimberle Pendergrass  (Assistant Principal/Testing Coordinator)

Passing the Fries…. for Fundraising

As you can see from the photos, our fundraiser this week at the Red Robin was a fantastic time for all of our families searching for a break from the regular dinner routine. In fact, for a brief time it looked as though the restaurant may have underestimated the power of Puma Pride taking over the floor for a few hours.  Several employees mentioned that it was one of their most successful event nights ever at the Fair Lakes location. We raised over $500 towards our playground fund while finding another opportunity to spend time together sharing a delicious meal.

A Kid’s Life – the musical

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This week, our fifth and sixth grade choral students really outdid themselves performing a “first ever” musical for our community. Of course our students sang beautifully and the theatrical antics kept the audience laughing between each song. The success of the musical  program was a testament to the hard work of our music teachers Ms. Rowe and Ms. Burke.  Our office could hear them practicing each Monday over the past several weeks.  Congratulations to our teachers and students for putting together such a memorable event!

It’s Cinco de Mayo in Ms. McCarthy’s Class

Building on the strengths of our diversity and active parent participation, our students enjoy the benefits of shared cultural experiences in the classroom.  To prepare for the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo, Ms. Castaneda visited Ms. McCarthy’s class this afternoon.  Of course, our Kindergarteners relished this multicultural experience as they listened to stories, sang famous Spanish children songs, and created their own maracas from paper plates and a few frijoles.  And did they enjoy shaking them at the end? Si’ !!!!

        

Fairy Tales With a Twist

Reading Virginia and Fairfax County Language Arts objectives across grade levels, it is clear curriculum designers are committed to the idea of instilling in our students a deeper appreciation of literature.  Our Kindergarteners are introduced to elements of fiction:  characters, setting, and plot.   By third grade, students understand the subtleties existing among different genre (myths, fairy tales, fables, and legends)  Sixth graders are challenged with justifying how characters and setting influence the plot of a story. In each grade our teachers plan a balance of learning experiences that appeal to our students learning styles.  A perfect demonstration of these goals in practice occurred today as Mrs. Steinberg’s class performed Fractured Fairy Tale plays for the first grade class, changing the tale just a bit while reinforcing the concepts for both grades.  Goldilocks and the Three Bullfrogs was a hopping good time for all.

Bon Appe’tit

Our classes have been treated to a “Fine Dining” experience these past two weeks upon receiving their 7th golden plate for outstanding cafeteria behavior. Ms. Pendergrass, Mr. Thomason, and I have enjoyed witnessing the excitement of our students seeing their tables set with tablecloths and centerpieces, hearing their class recognized in front of their peers, and once again when served their special dessert.  Special thanks to the cafeteria hostesses for setting up the tables each day…and to Tammy who cleaned out the ice cream section of Giant on at least three separate occasions.  With over 40 classes receiving their award it took some coordination and collaboration but the smiles and anticipation on our children’s faces were worth the effort!