In basketball, the "paint" is the rectangular area of the court contained within the key. It's where players show grit and endurance when striving to make a goal. It's where push comes to shove, and team members put themselves in the right positions to overcome barriers and dominate their opponents. It's where the rubber meets the road. It’s how we roll in OEL! All year long, you have been focused, data-driven, collaborative, and open-minded. From the moment your students walked in your classrooms, you have dedicated yourselves to making them better. We are seeing progress and this is because of you. We don't know what the growth report scores will show. But, we do know that, regardless of what happens, we will leave this year being proud of each and every one of you. We are confident that, when the chips were down, you did what was best for kids. That, my friends, is what matters most. Thank you for going hard in the paint! -Team OEL We can’t drop the ball~ KINDERCAMP & Summer Transition Program KinderCamps and Summer Transition Programs are an opportunity for children and their parents to learn routines, become comfortable with the school environment, and ensure that they are Day One ready for Kindergarten. Whereas STP is a district program, KCamps are supported by individual schools. We are all ambassadors for Early Learning and closing opportunity gaps is how we can lead the way. Share this information with everyone, you know. Also, please go to the APS careers website if you are interested in applying for a teaching position. Kindercamp dates, times and locations: Please click on the link https://forms.gle/nG1B88YvhUPU9ZJR9 to enter up to 5 student recommendations for our rising Kindergarten Summer Transition Program (STP). Rising Kindergarten STP is a full-day, 6 week summer program with a focus on language, literacy and math designed to reduce the achievement gap and increase school readiness. Students must need additional academic assistance prior to entering Kindergarten and the family must meet the income requirements (85% of the state median income). Please email the flyer to the families of the students you recommend. The Office of Early Learning will also reach out to the families to encourage them to apply. Please note that one site location has changed. We will have now have a class at Deerwood instead of Continental Colony. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Free Throw Stone Mountain Park is offering FREE Spring/Summer park passes to Pre-K students! This means unlimited visits to the park attractions from March 1 – August 31, 2020. The deadline to register for passes is May 25, 2020. Please share this exciting information with your Pre-k families! Follow this link for all the details. Blue Chips Collegiate players being scouted by professional franchises are referred to as blue chips. Your work with our scholars puts you in the same category. Going the extra mile has not gone unnoticed. Thank you to the BAMO, DOBBS, and ERivers team for completing all of your parent contact calls. (And anyone we missed - let us know!) Your level of execution creates a standard for all of us to keep our head in the game. You are so valuable, and you’re all that...and a bag of chips! Slam Dunk~ It's Time for Shadows and Reflections! Do you have great ideas about how to make this unit shine bright? Let us (and your fellow OEL teachers) know by commenting down below or tweeting! (To get creative juices flowing, you can also check out http://peepandthebigwideworld.com/en/educators/curriculum/family-child-care-educators/15/shadows/; www.prekinders.com, www.educatall.com, and www.exploratorium.edu) FOCUS ON MATHEMATICS: Shadow Patterns Materials: Table or desk lamp, white paper, pencils and markers, paint and brushes, natural and man-made objects. Procedure: Take a walk to look for shadows indoors or outdoors and ask the scholar to look for patterns. Talk about what makes a pattern. Use the lamp and a variety of objects (leaves, sticks, blocks, etc.) for them to create their own patterns with shadows and trace them on paper. Use words to describe size and relative position as scholars are working. Adaptations: Shine multiple lights on a blank wall or paper and ask them to describe and paint or draw what they see. Call their attention to patterns created by the lights. FOCUS ON LITERACY: Build a Shadow Theater Materials: Shoeboxes or pieces of cardboard, tape, white or waxed paper, flashlight, variety of objects to cast shadows Procedure: Cut off the top and bottom of the boxes. Ask scholars to make their own frame using cardboard. Help to tape paper across one of the openings. What else could we use to attach the paper? Place different objects in the box and light them from behind. Allow the scholar to select objects and have others guess what each object is while viewing from the other side. Encourage experimenting with moving the object and the light. Can you make the object look bigger? Ask them to think of other ways to make a shadow theater. What else could we use to let the light shine through? FOCUS ON ENGINEERING: See-Through Cup Construction Materials: Transparent colored cups, flameless tea lights/candles, stiff paper or cardboard, transparent colored page dividers Procedure: Talk with scholars about creating a construction using the cups. How can we build with these? What should we try? What is the best way to stack them? Do you think the cardboard can help you to build higher? Encourage them to work cooperatively to build a structure that meets a need, like a home for animals or dolls. Allow them to use the lights inside the cups and introduce the concept of transparency Make it Count~ Educators Encouraged to Help with Complete Census Count Efforts DECAL is collaborating with the Georgia Department of Education, other state education agencies, and advocacy organizations to enlist the help of stakeholders in ensuring Georgia communities are prepared to participate in the 2020 Census. Obtaining a complete count of all Georgians through the Census will impact everything from school meals to special education funding, the partners stated in a joint email to superintendents, principals, and teachers. The email encouraged educators to make sure their students, families, and communities know the who, what, when, where, and why of the Census: WHO: The Census counts all people of any age or status living in the United States. WHAT: The Census is a count of everyone living in the U.S. taken every 10 years. It is required by the Constitution. WHEN: Census day is officially April 1, 2020. Citizens will start receiving information in the mail in mid-March. WHERE: The Census can be filled out online, on paper, on the phone, or directly to Census workers. WHY: The Census helps your family get the education, health care and public services they need. Census counts direct funding to programs like school lunch, Head Start, SNAP, WIC, Medicaid/CHIP, and affordable housing. The Census is convenient, safe, and required. The email listed the following sites for downloadable resources to help stakeholders communicate about the Census: www.census.georgia.gov (Governor's Complete Count Committee resources, including customizable posters and additional resources) www.everyonecountsga.org (Voices for Georgia's Children and Georgia Family Connection). Starting Lineup~ Dates to Remember:
March SEL Book of the Month: Malala’s Magic Pencil
Written by Malala Yousafzai and Illustrated by Kerascoet Book Summary: As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. Malala saw a world that needed fixing. This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times. SEL Competency: Self-Management Allows individuals to handle daily stresses and control their emotions under difficult situations. Also includes the ability to monitor and reflect on personal and academic goals. SEL Theme: Perseverance We set and achieve realistic goals, both immediate and long term, by maintaining our focus and using a growth mindset when presented with a challenging task. SEL Curriculum Connection: This is a great opportunity to reflect on our academic goals, in order to refocus on those goals or set a new plan. ELA Connection: Story Structure, Character Traits, Setting, Fiction vs. Non-fiction, Opinion, Informational, Personal Narrative Writing Social Studies Connection Themes: Beliefs and Ideals, Conflict and Values Topics: Women’s Rights, Suffrage, Human Rights, Female Leadership Science Connection: Women in STEM Jobs, Female scientists that have contributed to scientific knowledge Weather Wise: This year's Weather Wise has been updated! As a reminder, this is a resource that we can share with families in the event that school needs to be closed for any reasons, weather or otherwise. http://tinyaps.com/?PreK_WeatherWise Have a wonderful March everyone! Looking forward to seeing you soon! -Team OEL
3 Comments
Ms. McNeish
3/16/2020 07:52:35 am
Check out Peep and the Big Wide World. They have short videos on YouTube that can be used to introduce or discuss topics related to force, weather, plants, etc. Below is a link to activities all about Shadows. They have full lesson plans teachers can use in the classroom.
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Ms. McNeish
3/16/2020 07:54:00 am
Here is a link to lessons on ramps that could be used with the Make It Move unit in OWL.
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@Ms. McNeish Thanks for the resource!
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