May 26, 2015

Great Things Noticed:         http://sfy.co/s0S08

In a language arts class students are creating their own poems and then sharing them aloud with the class in a Poetry Slam.  The students in class all provided feedback for their peers along with the teacher, and this week those that were considered the best will perform for educators around the country via Google Hangout.  Great to see the students have an audience beyond the walls of their own classroom.

In a math class students were learning how to calculate area and perimeter.  Students used an online program to create their own dream house and then determine the area of every room in the house.  The students had a great time completing this assignment I'm not even sure if they realized they were doing math.

Our before and after school help programs are continuing to go strong.   It is wonderful to see students WANT to come to these extra help programs, and even better to see the grades they earn when they attend consistently.  Thank you to all the teachers who continue to work to make these programs what they are.

Many teachers are outside of their rooms during transition times and this is greatly appreciated.  This is the time of year where we see an increase in misbehavior and your presence is needed in the halls.  Thank you to those of you who make your presence felt!

In a science class the students conducted an experiment where they extracted DNA.  The students had to follow several steps and then were able to see what DNA actually looks like without a microscope.

I am amazed at how focused all of your lessons are as we are approaching the end of the school year. As I walk in and out of classrooms it is wonderful to see how focused the students are with the learning taking place.  Thank you!  Thank you for continuing to do a great job all year even in the heat.


Nuts and Bolts:

We will be having a last day of school event similar to the one we had last year.  We are asking each grade level to put together a quick 1 song video with pictures from throughout the year.  You can use any of the pictures that are on Facebook and add any from field trips you have taken.  If your grade would like some help with this even Mr. Clayton and his team of Mass Media students have said they would help us complete these projects.  We are looking to have them completed by Wednesday, June 17th.

Next year we will be having a day over the summer where all students, except 5th grade, will be able to pick up their chromebooks before school begins.  This will allow you to dive right into the teaching you will be doing.  5th graders will be assigned a chromebook, but not be allowed to take it home until they have demonstrated they understand how to care for it.

End of the year placement tests for math will happen the week of June 8th for grades 5-7.  When you decide on a date as a grade level please let me know.  If you provide me with the test you would like to use I'll make sure you have enough copies for everyone in your grade who is taking it.

Upcoming Events:

May 26 -------------- Senior Citizen Luncheon (Band students also)
May 27 -------------- NJ ASK – Grade 8 Science
May 28 -------------- 5th Grade Trip to Liberty Science Center 
              -------------- Band Concert, 7 PM 
              -------------- Arts Fair
June 3 – 5 ----------  8th Grade to Washington, D.C.
June 4 --------------  6th Grade Poetry Slam (Jazz Band will play)
June 8 --------------  7th Grade to Philadelphia
June 9 --------------  Band to perform at Lakes School, 9:30 – 10:30 
             --------------  Choral Concert 7 PM
June 12 --------------End of Year Dinner/Dance; Dinner @ 6; Dance @ 7
June 15 --------------DARE graduation, 9 am, APR; picnic to follow 
                                 8th Grade Color Wars
June 16 – 22 ------- Early Dismissal
June 18 ------------- 8th Grade Awards Ceremony, 9:30 a.m., APR
June 19 -------------- Transition Day, 4th grade visits BIS, Periods 3-4-5-6
June 22 -------------- End of Year BIS Spotlight 
              -------------- Last Day of School 
              -------------- Graduation, 7 PM


Tech Tips:

Google Scholar -- This site narrows the possibilities students can have returned to them. Some of the results might be beyond their reading level, but could be an interesting place to start.

May 18, 2015

Great Things Noticed:

Check out recent #ByramPride pictures:  http://sfy.co/q0QFz

In Science this week students were learning about the properties of warm and cold water.  Instead of having the students read a worksheet and then answer questions the students were able to have two containers, one with hot water and one with cold water.  They conducted an experiment to see what happens when they are combined quickly and observe what happens.

In a language arts class students had a discussion in a Socratic Circle.  Groups of students were given a problem to solve and then had to defend their decision.  Students in the circle then asked questions to explore other ideas and the group presenting defended or modified their position.  This activity is similar to what the pilot PARCC test requires students to do for speaking and listening skills.

It was great to see students reading in book clubs, with books they chose.  When we think about how to motivate students to read I love how we are trying to model what are best readers do.  Our best readers have conversations, ask questions, and can identify with characters and situations.  By having the students work in book clubs we are teaching these students how to fall in love with reading.

It is great to see how grade levels are using their ID class to incorporate #GeniusHour activities for students.  Those of you who are not familiar with this activity, the students pick a topic to research, or find a problem they would like to solve and then work on the project of their choosing.  The projects I have seen have been amazing, students built their own bows, researched black holes, discovered what it is like to be an author, and much more.  The students spend a great deal of time sifting through nonfiction text to make connections and draw conclusions.  Perhaps my favorite part is the students are no longer just consumers of information, they use this information to create something new.

Nuts and Bolts:

Chromebooks Collection - will begin to be collected on June 7th.  Any plans that you have with the students and the chromebooks will have to be completed by this date.  We need to conduct and inventory and assess any damage to the chrome books and have enough time to collect fines from students.  I know how hard you have worked to incorporate technology into your classrooms and now by taking it away it will require a different method of teaching.  Thank you for all the dynamic lessons you were able to create with the chromebooks this year, the students have benefited tremendously.

Teachscape Domains 1 & 4 - Please make sure to update your domains in Teachscape.  We are looking for systems you have developed throughout the year in each section.  For example when it talks about Parent Communication you could give a brief narrative about your system for communication and provide some examples for us.  We do not want you finding every example of communication but if you could provide a few you have throughout the year that would be great.

Make-Up PARCC Testing - This will take place this week and then we will have completed all PARCC Testing for the year.

End of Year Activities - Thank you for continuing to teach and assess as far into the year as possible.    When the actives in your classroom become less and less academic the more behavior issues tend to increase. As we move towards June we realize you might have some activities planned with your students the last week of school that are fun (i.e. 8th grade color wars).  Please keep us in the loop with these activities and when they are scheduled.


Upcoming Events:

May 22     ---------- Early Dismissal
May 25     ----------  Memorial Day – SCHOOL CLOSED
May 26     ----------  Senior Citizen Luncheon
May 27     ----------  NJ ASK – Grade 8 Science
                                 BOE Meeting
May 28     ----------  5th Grade Trip to Liberty Science Center 
                                 Band Concert 
                                 Arts Fair
June 3-5   ---------- 8th Grade DC Trip
June 16     ---------- Early Dismissals Begin
June 18     ---------- 8th Grade Awards Ceremony
June 22    ----------  Last Day of School -- Graduation

Tech Tips:

12 Tips for an Organized Book Loving Classroom

Turn Your PDF into Word Documents

May 4, 2015

Great Things Noticed:

Check out recent #ByramPride pictures.

A teacher rethought the way in which student presentations are done in his class.  Instead of having one student present and all the other students listen to presentations over several days, he set up 3-4 presentations to take place at once and students could travel between presentations.  This allowed for students to be up and moving instead of stuck to their seat when listening, and it also allowed students the opportunity to give their presentation more than once.

Another class had the students use different tools in the ancient world to keep track of time.  The students were able to not just read about these devices but actually use them.  They then evaluated which ones were good tools and were able to explain why.

In language arts, a few teachers are beginning their book clubs.  They are having students read a section of each book before choosing the book that is right for them.  This allows the student to choose one that is interesting to them, but also at their reading level.

Thank you to the 5th grade teachers and students who attended our last BOE meeting.  The students presented their Monster ID Unit and did an amazing job.  They showed how the unit connected to all disciplines and even had the BOE play a game of Kahoot.


Nuts and Bolts:

John will be meeting with teams on Tuesday to give out PARCC Testing books and go over testing groups and the PARCC website.  For those not on a team who are testing please come to the conference room on Wednesday before school (8:15) or after school (3:45) to receive your testing manual and go over how to find your students on the PARCC Website.

Pick up for testing materials will be in the APR on Monday starting at 8:00 AM.  Please remember you will have to sign your materials in and out.

When your group finishes testing please call the office to alert us so we can send someone down to you and you can sign your materials back in to the APR.

Once most students have finished testing we will make an announcement and students can move to their academic classes.

During the week of PARCC we will be using our delayed opening schedule found here: SCHEDULE.  If we should finish the testing early students will go to their first period class a few minutes early but will stick to the schedule for when they are dismissed.  If we should finish the testing late the students may miss some time in their first period class.

All SGO assessments should be complete at this time and uploaded to Teachscape.


Upcoming Events:


May 5 & 7                 8th Grade to Lenape Valley
May 11                      Faculty Meeting
May 11-14                 PARCC Testing, grades 5-8
May 21                      Faculty Meeting
May 25                      Memorial Day – SCHOOL CLOSED
May 26                      Senior Citizen Luncheon
May 28                      5th Grade Trip to Liberty Science Center
                                  NJ ASK – Grade 8 Science 
                                  Band Concert 
                                  Arts Fair

Tech Tips:

News ELA gets an Upgrade:

For teachers who are planning ID units or ELA teachers who are designing Research Simulation Tasks, NewsELA has a new feature called 'Text Sets'. These have several articles about the same topic from different perspectives and experiences. Teachers would still need to choose between the 5-15 articles and design questions to promote student thinking, but the work of finding the articles is already done for you.

National Conference for Teachers of Mathematics:

This conference was held in April and math teachers rom around the country came to learn and present.  For the next week, maybe two, all the sessions are live and you can download handouts that were given in each session.  Math teachers this is a great opportunity to acquire some innovative lessons on those topics that are difficult to teach.