Follow Mrs. Aversa on Twitter: @MrsAversa

Schoology blog: https://vbschools.schoology.com/user/69391387/blog

March/April News

Spring has sprung!

In kindergarten, we've been using our creative thinking in considering famous art pieces. When you see a piece of art, consider asking your student "What would the person in this painting say if they could talk?" "What will the person in this painting do next?" or even "What would you do in this painting?"

In first grade, we took a deep dive with the story "All the Way to the Ocean." We used our problem solving skills to think of the best solution for storm drain pollution. Talk with your student about their ideas! What can they innovate, change or create?

In second grade, we've been digging into math concepts including everything they know about coins! In a world where we see more credit cards (and apps!), it's impressive to see their knwoledge of coins continuing to grow! We will be moving in to fractions and that's a wonderful unit to have conversations about while cooking in your kitchen!

Third graders finished up The Green Book and then considered the elements of civilization withthe story, Weslandia. Students brainstormed their own civilization and had the opportunity to shaire with their groups. Ask your student about their civilization!

Fourth graders have been diving into the world of science fiction with Ray Bradbury's short story "All Summer in a Day." There are elements of bullying in the story, and students have been digging deeply to consider what the best possible intervention could've been. Ask your student about their ideas!

Fifth graders considered the poems Earthrise by Amanda Gorman and Overpopulation but Colin Van t'Veld. These poems challenged students to think about our planet and consider issues from multiple perspectives. Ask your student about the plant or animal perspective they assumed to write to an elected official.

It's hard to believe that we're entering the 4th Quarter of what has proven to be a real "Annus Mirabilis" or year of wonder. Students have perservered in truly remarkable circumstances. It's been an honor to learn alongside them.

Thank you,
Mrs. Aversa

Hello Parents & Families of Gifted Learners!

William & Mary will be offering a variety of Summer Enrichment Courses in 4 different sessions throughout June & July 2021. All course will be offered virtually. You can read the description of each course the first time they are listed below, however several are offered during multiple sessions. Registration ends June 1, 2021 but is filling up quickly.

https://education.wm.edu/centers/cfge/precollegiate/sep/index.php

Free Workshop for Parents of Gifted Learners! March 18, 2021.

Supporting the social/emotional needs of gifted learners during challenging times.

For more information (and to register), please see:

https://www.vagifted.org/event/FreeWorkshopMar2021

January + February News!

It's been a flurry of activity (and some snow flurries as well!) Many students are back within the walls of OLES and others are learning from home. This is surely a year we won't soon forget!

Kindergarteners have been learning more about kindness and stretching their critical thinking skills with activities such as "The King and His Towers" and "Geraldine's Blanket."

First grade students did a great job with their screening. They recently used their brains to come up with their own page in the alphabet book "Tomorrow's Alphabet." An example could be "A is for seed, tomorrow's apple!" You can check SeeSaw to see your student's example!

Second graders had a blast digging into Black History Month. We read the story Hidden Figures and contemplated the character traits of the real-life black, female mathematicians that helped NASA successfully complete space missions in a time when these mathematicians did not have equal rights. Talk with your student about the symbol they chose to represent these character traits!

Third graders have been reading The Green Book, an incredible story about a group that had to leave earth and settle on a new planet. Ask your student what one book they'd choose for this journey - perhaps a great question for parents to share with students, too!

In fourth grade, we've been looking at the life and work of Langston Hughes. How do an author's life experiences impact their work? Where can we see elements from his biography in works such as Thank You Ma'am. Looking ahead, we'll dive into some of his poetry!

In fifth grade, Mrs. Sabine's LA class is wrapping up their study of latin stems. Ask your student about the meaning of re, de, ex, sub, and bi. Keep an eye out for these words in your world! Mrs. Williams LA class is deep into the story Hello Universe. We are having some fabulous book club discussions about the complex characters in this book!

It's been a cold, gray winter but the minds of our students shine like the sun!

Thank you for ALL that you do to support your learners at home,
Mrs. Aversa

December

If you’re considering applying for gifted identification or ODS, please see the Virtual Parent/Guardian Workshop video. It’s about 13 minutes long and outlines the application and identification process from start to finish. Please consider completing the exit ticket after watching the video. There have been some changes in the application from previous years. You can learn more about the changes here. Additionally, if you’re interested in more information about Old Donation School (ODS), the district’s centralized, full-time, gifted school serving identified students in grades two through eight, please see the following sessions:

Virtual ODS Info: Session for middle school

Virtual ODS Info: Session for Gr. 2-5

Gifted applications for students currently in grades 2-5 are due no later than 5pm on January 11, 2021. Gifted applications for current first grade students are due no later than 5pm on February 10, 2021. You can access the application here.

Have a safe and restful winter break!

Mrs. Aversa

October ODS Information Nights

https://www.vbschools.com/academic_programs/gifted/gifted_information_nights

February/March

We're certainly navigating uncharted waters in VBCPS. Throughout school closures, I will be providing gifted lessons to complete, investigate and continue learning. You can find these lessons in each grade level gifted schoology course, look for the folders labeled "Virtual Learning." Please let me know if you have any questions, my email is lauren.aversa@vbschools.com . My office hours are from 10-11am, but I will be answering questions in a timely manner any time during contract hours. Sir Isaac Newton developed his theories on optics and motion while in quarantine from bubonic plague -- just imagine what we might discover!

In kindergarten, we celebrated Dr. Seuss Day with the story "Oh, the Thinks you can Think!" We considered animals and plants and reasoned through what it looks like to put these things in groups. We also put our problem solvinga and logical thinking to the test with the activity "The King and His Towers," in which students had to make 6 different patterns using only three colors.

In first grade, we put our creativity and patterning skills to the test reading Tomorrow's Alphabet. Students generated their own examples of this pattern such as "Tomorrow's Alphabet, such as "B is for Nest, tomorrow's BIRDS!" We also read the Eric Carle classic The Grouchy Ladybug and used our patterning skills as well as our metacognitive thinking to complete a ladybug themed math exemplar. We also stretched our logical thinking to complete some analogies after reading the story I Love My Hair. Ask your student to compare their hair to an object near them. We read Of Thee I Sing and considered qualities of famous Americans using a matrix. We put our creative problem solving skills to the test after reading How to Catch an Elephant. Students were given an item (a phone, a bulldozer, a blanket or a fishing pole) and had to "force fit" this item into the story. How would you use every day objects to catch an elephant?

In second grade we embarked on a research project focused on American Indians. Students chose a tribe on which to focus their research and explored how their tribe used natural resources, artifacts and contributions their tribe made to life in America today! We used self assessments along the way to notice what we'd done well and set goals for things we'd like to do better. After extensive research, students sat on a "Panel of Experts," and answered questions from their peers. Next, second grade scientist took a dive into magnets! We used the scientific method to make generalizations about what materials are attracted to magnets. We investigated these materials through liquid to determine if the magnetic pull would still work. Ask your scientist about their results! Magnets are important to everyday life. The north end of a magnetic compass always points roughly toward Earth’s North Pole. Magnets have a north and a south pole.Unlike magnetic poles attract and like poles repel. A magnet is strongest at its poles. Where do YOU see magnets in our world? We also read the Junior Great Books selection The Happy Lion. We used the story to discuss theme and find the elements in the plot.

In third grade, students learned all about polygons! We used the story The Important Book to inspire us to find the most important parts of a polygon. We also took this knowledge to the next level and used tangrams to create different polygons. It really put our problem solving to the test. We worked in a small group with patterns of numbers and fractions -- a great way to bring math into your kitchen! We worked as a team to represent improper fractions and mixed numbers. Finally, we used the scientific method to investigate animal adaptations. Ask your student how "blubber" (Crisco!) effected the amount of time a "seal" (person's hand) could remain in icy water. This experiment would be easy to replicate at home -- all you need is ice water, crisco and a plastic glove! In language arts, students used self assessment and peer assessment to put the finishing touches on their speeches from their research projects. Next we considered the Hans Christian Anderson classic story The Ugly Duckling. We looked at elements from the plot and considered how we might see ourselves in the story. Next we read a biographical sketch about Hans Christian Anderson and used a venn diagram to find pieces of his life in his writing. In your virtual learning this week, you'll be able to compare him to Sir Isaac Newton!

In fourth grade, we completed the Xeno the Xylophone Maker exemplar using patterns, decimals and fractions. It really made our brains crinkle! We also used our decimal and fraction knowledge to help the principal of a fictitious school organize coverage for dismissal. We used found materials to create to-scale models of the earth, moon and sun. Ask your fourth grade scientist about which is 1/4 the size of earth's diameter, and which is 110 times! We worked as a focus group for the Jimmy Dean sausage company and used our science knowledge to create a plus/delta chart to request changes to make the commercial more scientifically accurate. Talk with your student at home about their opinion on whether the media has a responsibility to show accurate information! We also used a 3 Act Task to deeply consider what we know about elapsed time and answer the eternal question: How long will we be stopped in our cars as this train passes? In language arts, we considered the plot and theme of the Junior Great Books selection Tuesday of the Other June. We also compared the non-fiction text Coming Home about the life of Langston Hughes and used a triple venn diagram to compare this text with the Hughes' works Thank You Ma'am and A Dream Deferred. Students also began an investigation inspired by Jacob's Ladder entitled The Exploration of Space. This investigation can be continued at home -- check out the Virtual Learning folder in our gifted Schoology group!

In fifth grade, we used the scientific method to plan an investigation to find the aluminum structure that could best support weight in water. We worked as a small group to consider fractions on a deeper level. We used a multistep problem to showcase operations with decimals, and a math exemplar to determine how many supplies a roofing company would need in following a growing pattern. Additionally, we had to double check the budget. This problem had a special place in my heart -- as I put a new roof on my house this summer! We also jumped into a project to build museum exhibits for famous Virginians in the 1900s. In language arts, we considered theme with the poem "Overpopulation." We looked at a fable entitled "The Lost Wig," and used what we know about character traits to fuel a great discussion. We read a Junior Great Books Selection entitled The Turquoise Horse and allowed it to inspire us to write poems about our dream animal. Some of us opted to share our poems in a "poetry jam," and Mrs. Sabine and I were stunned at incredible, poetic spirit in our fifth graders. These poems are still posted in their Schoology page -- have your student poet share their poem with you! We also dug into a Cyntha Rylant short story entitled A Bad Road for Cats. Students considered theme and character motivation, as well as launched into a discussion about empathy.

The world around us is full of questions -- who better than our students to set out and answer them?

Thank you for all that you do for our students at home. Please let me know how I can assist you during our Virtual Learning days!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

January News

2020 is only just beginning, but it's already been a busy year at OLES!

In kindergarten we considered New Year's resolutions and made some goals for ourselves. Next, we used our creative thinking to imagine different was to incorporate a squiggle into a drawing. We also compared and contrasted celebrations across the globe in honor of the Chinese New Year celebrations. We considered what our holidays and celebrations have in common with the things we learned about Chinese New Year.

In first grade we read the story Ish and learned how to use our growth mindset in our creative pursuits. We now know that even if our drawing of a tree doesn't look exactly like a tree, it might look tree-"ish." We used technology to use clues to put various winter items in order when given clues. This helped us to show our logical thinking! We learned about New Year's celebrations across the globe after reading the text Shante Keys and the New Year's Peas. We considered the concept of change using Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree. Finally, we were challenged to think about our thinking when we helped Gregorio sort items in his messy room!

In second grade, we used what we were learning about measurement to plan and execute "crash tests" using marbles. We learned about natural resources and sorted our ideas to make generalizations about them. We read a selection from the Junior Great Books series entitled Catalog Cats/Our Garden. We used our acting skills and our empathy to identify the emotions of characters at different points throughout the story. We made inferences and generated possible solutions for the conflict in the story. We considered what it means to be an advocate and why self-advocacy is important. Ask your second grader what advocacy means today! We considered what we know about states of matter and conducted an experiment using balloons blown up by human lungs versus a balloon inflated by the C02 released by the combination of baking soda and vinegar. We used the scientific method to create a testable question and hypothesis as well as create a list of materials and procedures. We reflected on our learning. Ask your scientist what happened when the two balloons were dropped from the same height -- which fell faster?

In third grade, student researchers independently selected topics and generated research questions. They will use these topics to write an informative speech. Ask your student researcher about their topic, Why did they choose it? What would they still like to know? In math, students have learned about the hieroglyphic symbols the ancient Egyptians used in their number systems. We've discussed how a place value number system (like ours) differs from a face-value number system (like the ancient Egyptians). We've used these symbols to compute and determined the differences between computation in our number system and in theirs.

In fourth grade, students read an article about the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Students were then challenged to identify a STEM expert who overcame adversity. They researched this person and created a single slide in which they noted their accomplishments, their effects on society, and how their work forged the pathway for other researchers. Students shared their slides and received feedback on them. Students considered the structure of poetry and word choice as they wrote a Diamante Poem. In this poetic form, a topic is chosen and the poem moves through that idea and all the way to its antonym. Ask your fourth grade poet to share their poem with you -- it's on their Schoology account! Fourth graders have also considered themes of the Junior Great Books selection The Gold Coin through the lens of the Kaplan icons. In social studies, students began their learning about the Werocomoco in a digital breakout. In math, they considered quadrilaterals using a game entitled Triple Play with Shapes. Students also considered fractions and decimals as parts of a whole using rich tasks.

In fifth grade, we took a deep look at parts of words with Latin roots as well as prefixes and suffixes. Ask your scholar about the Latin stems re, de, ex, sub and bi. We considered the main idea of the Junior Great Books selection Lenny's Red Letter Day. Students also compared and contrasted some of the songs of the Civil War to stretch their learning across the curriculum. In social studies, we studied maps of Virginia to identify the factors dividing Virginians leading up to the Civil War.

We are only one month in to 2020, and already we're considering big ideas and multiple perspectives.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

Announcements:

ODS Academic Program, applications for students currently in grades 2-7 are due Friday, January 10, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.

ODS Information Night for families interested in the elementary academic program, grades 2-5, is Tuesday, January 7, 2020, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at ODS. All parents and students currently in grades 1-4 interested in the elementary program are invited to attend this event. GRTs are also encouraged to attend.

ODS Information Night for families interested in the Gifted Visual Arts Program, grades 3-5, or Gifted Dance Education Program, grades 3-8, is Thursday, January 9, 2020, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at ODS. All parents and students currently in grades 2-4 for art and grades 2-7 for dance are encouraged to attend. GRTs are also most welcome to join us.

Applications for the Gifted Visual Arts and Gifted Dance Education Programs are due February 3, 2020.

Applications for the ODS Academic Program for students currently in grade 1 are due February 10, 2020.

November News

It's beginning to look a lot like LEARNING!

In kindergarten, we read a story called Elizabeti's Doll wherein a girl uses a rock as a doll. We did some brainstorming about how we might use natural objects in unusual ways. We also read The Line Up Book and used our knowledge of patterns to complete a math exemplar and figure out who would be the 10th person in a line using a boy/girl pattern. Additionally, we read a story called All the Colors of the Earth and began to think about comparing parts of our bodies to things we find in nature (e.g. My hair is as curly as a pig's tail!). Ask your student about their comparisons today!

In first grade, we read The Big Book of Bad Ideas, and used our creative thinking to generate our own "bad ideas". What creative "bad ideas" can you identify at home? Additionally, we used our growth mindset in reading The 108th Sheep. As a group, we generated many possible resolutions to the conflict in the story. Then, students worked independently to use a decision-making matrix to determine which idea was the best solution! Talk with your student about how you choose the best solutions to problems at home. Finally, students analyzed and compared how pictured objects were like Thanksgiving. Ask your student how Thanksgiving is like a pair of glasses, and make other Thanksgiving comparisons over the break!

In second grade, student researchers completed our study of storms and successfully worked as a panel of experts to answer questions generated during the project. Additionally, mathematicians worked using their understanding of geometry to create a picture that contained 15 vertices and only circles, triangles, squares and rectangles. This challenged our thinking! We went on to use this knowledge to create and name a brand new shape according to its characteristics. We looked for sides, vertices, angles and lines of symmetry. Then, we presented our work and received feedback during a gallery walk.

In third grade, we worked on a "3 Act Task" to determine how many bricks might balance out a girl on a see-saw. We determined necessary information and used our beginning multiplication skills. We worked with an exemplar asking us to use our elapsed time skills. Next, we used a rubric to figure out how we'd done. The following week, we worked on another challenging exemplar comparing student bedtimes. This one really stretched our brains! In language arts, we read the story of Daedalus and Icarus and considered the consequences of Icarus' choices. We also began a novel study of The Green Book and will continue this after Thanksgiving break!

In fourth grade we wrapped up our study of text structures, though we will continue to use them throughout the year! Ask your student to list the 5 different text structures (compare/contrast, description, sequence, cause & effect, conflict and resolution). Additionally, we read Langston Hughes short story Thank You, Ma'am and used our digital citizenship skills to respond to a question as well as responding to a peer. In math, we've been working on an exemplar challenging us to decide whether to choose to receive our lottery winnings in a $1,000 lump sum, or $2 the first day, $4 the second day, $8 the third day (and so on...) for ten days. Students worked hard to solve the problem independently and then worked collaboratively to create a poster and video to explain their work.

In fifth grade, we've jumped into the study of affixes. Specifically, we're using Michael Clay Thompson's work Building Language to look at the construction of words as if they were parts of a building. We've studied the latin roots re, sub and de. Ask your linguist what each of these stems means. In math, we worked with an exemplar and rubric about the cost of ice skating. Additionally, we learned some neat Thanksgiving facts and worked as employees of the Butterball hotline to answer the problem of how much time a turkey would need in the oven depending on its weight!

Our ovens might be pre-heating but the learning at OLES is already cooked!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mrs. Aversa

October News

The temperature is cooling outside, but the learning at OLES is heating up!

In kindergarten we've been exploring ideas such as Q is for Duck, an alphabet story unlike any other. We explored how Q is for duck (because a duck quacks), and then came up with our own examples. We entered a "School for Bears" in which we needed to use our knowledge of patterns to rearrange the seating chart for bear students. We used our creative thinking to compare ourselves to animals using the story Quick as a Cricket as our guide. We are loving our exploration time together!

In first grade, we've been working together to recognize patterns. Students generated ideas to compare pumpkins and circles. We read the story Pumpkin Circle and considered how a pumpkin's life cycle is also a circle! Additionally, we read Archibald Frisby and learned the difference between "fat" and "skinny" questions. This is a concept on which we will continue to build! We reviewed what we know about the growth mindset using the story Amazing Grace. We considered a personal goal and brainstormed strategies to reach it! We considered our own special memories using the story Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later).

In second grade, we read a West African folktale called The Wedding Basket. Students generated questions during the story, explored the characters and made predictions about what might happen next. Next, we began our study of weather with a Taba sort of content-specific vocabulary. We used these ideas to generate some questions to guide a research project on extreme weather. Students chose a storm (blizzard, thunder storm, hurricane or tornado) to research and then used their knowledge of text features to find the answers to their questions. Students used both text and web sources and learned how to cite sources to avoid plagiarizing. Students will use this information to sit on a "panel of experts" and answer their classmates' questions about each specific storm.

In third grade, students have been using problem solving skills in games such as "Some Sum" in which digits are used to make the largest sum possible. This game went on to be used in small groups during their math block. Additionally, we used a balance to think about the meaning of the equals sign as well as some beginning multiplication concepts. Students also dug into matter concepts, using their observation and investigation skills to determine the physical properties of different kinds of matter. Ask your student what their "mystery object" was, and follow up with questions about the physical properties of examples of matter in your house (color, texture, phase, temperature, ability to dissolve in water, etc.) We also participated in a digital breakout to introduce the concept of simple machines. Ask your student to identify the six simple machines and discover how they are used in your house! In language arts, we used a graphic organizer to consider the story The Memory String. We used knowledge of text features to do some non-fiction reading about the properties of matter. We used a Jacob's Ladder activity to consider the timeline of Ancient Rome. We also generated research topics of interest to each student and generated good research questions! We will dive back into these projects in a few weeks as we return to non-fiction.

In fourth grade we've worked as engineers to build a working anemometer and then tested them. Using the engineering design process, we determined many ways in which we could improve our designs. Ask your student how a meteorologist would use an anemometer today! We completed a 3-Act Task about counting the number of skittles in a jar. Students had to determine important/relevant information as well as put their multiplication skills to the test! The students showcased their own strategies to solve the problem. Additionally, students worked on a "digital breakout" using their knowledge of the regions of Virginia. Ask your student about this experience. What did they learn about collaboration, problem solving and Virginia's regions? In language arts, we've been studying text structure in all it's forms. Ask your student: What text structure is a recipe? How do they see cause and effect in their own lives? How might an author use their five senses to write in the structure of description?

In fifth grade, we've continued our study of the Habits of Mind. Ask your student about persisting, managing impulsivity and striving for accuracy! We worked collaboratively on a math exemplar about the possible combinations of weights that could be carried on a plane. We worked as a small group to put our knowledge of the order of operations to the test. We used our knowledge to classify, compare and contrast different types of triangles. Ask your student what they know about the relationship between isosceles and equilateral triangles. How does this connect with what they know about squares and rectangles? In language arts, we used the story Thank You Mr. Falker to reflect on the people that have believed in us even when we didn't believe in ourselves. Additionally, we jumped into the thrilling historical fiction novel Blood on the River in a book club setting. Students followed characters as they settled in Jamestown in 1607. From slop buckets to conflict with native communities, the story brought all kinds of lively discussion to our meetings. Ask your reader about power structures in England vs. how the community formed power structure in Jamestown. How does this relate to what King James wanted to do with Chief Powhatan?

At Ocean Lakes Elementary School, our brains are crinkling as we explore new ideas and reexamine what we already know. We're looking forward to an awesome year!

Click to Expand

The Office of K-12 and Gifted Programs is co-hosting a one-day Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) mini conference in Virginia Beach at Kellam HS on Saturday, November 2, 2019. Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) is a nonprofit network of people who guide gifted, talented and twice-exceptional individuals to reach their goals intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. The conference sessions will be led by VBCPS staff and other nationally-renown experts in gifted education.

Dr. Michael Postma, Executive Director for the SENG organization, has graciously extended the discount code below to VBCPS employees and parents. Please note that space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. The 20% discount code for VBCPS employees and parents of VBCPS students is VB202019.

In addition to offering the 20% discount code for VBCPS parents and employees, VBCPS parents who are interested in attending, but for whom the conference if the fee is cost prohibitive, can contact Dr. Michael Postma directly via email mike.postma@sengifted.org for additional information if they would like to attend.

​You can register for the conference by visiting the SENG organization's website at: https://www.sengifted.org/calendar. We hope that your schedule will allow you to attend!

Old Donation School Application Due Dates

The online application for students currently enrolled in grades 1-7 is available at https://www.vbschools.com/academic_programs/gifted.

The application deadline for students in grades 2-7 is Jan. 10, 2020 at 4 p.m. The application deadline for students in grade 1 is Feb 10, 2020 at 4 p.m. Please contact the gifted resource teacher if you have questions about gifted programs.

Old Donation Middle School Academic Program

December 5, 2019

Tours at 5 p.m.

Presentation begins at 5:30 p.m.

Old Donation Elementary School Academic Programs

January 7, 2020

Tours at 5 p.m.

Presentation begins at 5:30 p.m.

September 2019

Welcome back, Waveriders! We have been missing you all summer long.

In kindergarten, we've kicked off the year with the story of Daft Bat. We've learned about empathy and how to consider other points of view. Additionally, we used the story Curious George Goes Camping to open up the grade level theme of exploration. We've considered how we are explorers both at school and at home. We also read the story Listening with My Heart to dig deeply into what it looks like to be kind to ourselves -- especially when we make mistakes!

In first grade, we've celebrated our differences, using the beautiful story The Day You Begin. In the book, several students describe a time where they felt "different." We've learned that "the day we begin" to share our differences, we might find a connection with someone who is like us or, fabulously, not like us at all! Additionally, we began to consider patterns and our creativity with the story The Z Was Zapped, an alphabet book unlike any other. To find out more, ask your first grader: "What was your H doing?"

In second grade, we've explored the growth mindset and how we move from saying "I can't" to knowing that you "can!" Additionally we explored the grade level concept of "systems" using a Taba model. Students generated examples of systems and then sorted them collaboratively. We used this strategy to develop generalizations about systems. Ask your student how a vending machine (or a fishbowl... or a classroom!) is a system. This week we read Carlos and the Cornfield, a selection out of the Junior Great Books anthology. During the first reading, we recorded questions that came up. We will use these questions to guide small group discussion later this week. We are building a community of readers.

We started the year practicing our growth mindset in many ways in third grade! Students drew pictures of their brains as well as composed poems about the growth mindset. In third grade math, we've been working on a Place Value R.A.F.T. (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) project. Students created comic strips, persuasive speeches, friendly letters and more to dig deeper into their understanding of place value and our base 10 number system. In language arts, we grappled with the Aesop's Fable The Wolf and the Lion. The students acted out the story and then dug into the meaning.

In fourth grade we are considering the concept of relationships. Using a Taba model, we generated examples of change and determined some generalizations about relationships. Everything is related in some way. Ask your fourth grader to tell you their examples of relationships. Additionally, we've been considering the Habits of Mind, a series of habits to help answer the eternal question "What do I do when I don't know what to do?"

In fifth grade, we've been considering the concept of change with a Taba model. Additionally, we've read the story Charles by Shirley Jackson from the Junior Great Books collection. Students considered the perspective of the writer and were delighted by the story's twist ending. Additionally, we have been exploring both independent and dependent variables. In honor of the air show, we tested the independent variable of paper type to measure the dependent variable of distance flown. Ask your fifth grader about their paper airplane experiment: What were the constants/controls?

It's so much fun to be back at school -- looking forward to a fantastic year!

Lauren

April News

It's hard to believe that we're already in the last nine weeks of the school year. Time flies when learning is fun!

In kindergarten, we did a deep dive into Dr. Seuss' classic tale The Lorax. We considered the changes in nature in the real world and how they might affect us. Additionally, we used our knowledge of patterns to find all six different ways someone could build a tower using different colored stones. We diagrammed the story of the 5 little monkeys, using higher-level thinking to determine which symbols could stand for the monkeys and which could stand for the alligator. Finally, we used our logical thinking skills to determine all of the hiding places for a bunny in the woods based on a series of clues.

In first grade, we considered Shel Silverstein's poem Smart in which a boy makes trades with money... but maybe not using his logical thinking! We studied the ideas in the story Tomorrow's Alphabet, such as "A is for seed, tomorrow's apple!" Students used their creativity to come up with an example of their own -- and BOY OH BOY do we have some creative first graders at Ocean Lakes! We also considered the story of Cinderella, which we saw on a recent field trip, through the lens of some Creative Problem Solving strategies. Students creatively determined ways to "force fit" items (a computer, a bicycle, a cell phone) that weren't really in the story. Ask your first grader about their idea!

In second grade, we used beginning multiplication concepts to determine how many wheels would be on a train in a math exemplar. Next, we used a Jacob's Ladder strategy to help us create a timeline of Pocahontas' life after our recent unit on American Indians. Students studied inferencing in language arts, so we put those skills to the test in David Weisner's wordless story Tuesday. Students worked as reporters to explain some of the unusual things happening in this story.

In third grade, students learned about structures and we repeated our spaghetti/marshmallow challenge. This time, many students were able to create a standing structure! We've been learning about Ancient Greek contributions and using our skills to generate questions about them. Additionally, we are learning about how communities in Ancient Greece benefited from specialization and interdependence. Ask your student how a leather tanner and a shoemaker might be interdependent! Students are also working on a newspaper team in language arts. We are learning how to "hook" our readers and how to write as journalists. We look forward to publishing our newspapers after spring break!

In fourth grade we've been reading both fiction and non-fiction texts. We began a Jacob's Ladder guided study of The Exploration of Space following the students' field trip to the planetarium. It's amazing to have seen the innovations unfolding in the world of space travel. Additionally, we read a Junior Great Books selection entitled Fresh. This narrative tale explored the morality of keeping an animal (in this case, a freshwater mussel) captive or letting it go free. We had to consider the consequences of both sides of this choice using the Kaplan icons. In math we've been working on word problems. We determined the number of packages of hot dogs and buns needed for a family reunion -- and pondered the eternal question of why they aren't sold in packages of equal numbers along the way!

In fifth grade, we studied how pirates may have affected the U.S. system of measurement. Additionally, we read a student poem entitled Overpopulation and considered how humans affect our planet. We also read a Navajo piece called Turquoise Horse that taught us about the Navajo beliefs about nature and the afterlife. Students then wrote poetry inspired by the story. In math, we've been working on our fraction skills with an exemplar based on a parent's volunteer schedule. Additionally, we constructed and executed an experiment to determine which of four types of paper would help a paper airplane fly the furthest.

Like the airplanes constructed by our fifth grade students, our year is FLYING by! Thank you for all that you do to support your learner at home and at school.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

March News

Spring is just around the corner - and the minds at OLES are blooming!

In kindergarten, we've been considering snow and how we could use it as a substitute for daily objects. In what ways would snow be a good resource? How might it be challenging to use? Additionally we thought about using dots to show the meanings of different words. How can a dot show "big," "alone," or "crowded?" It is amazing to see the growth in these young Waveriders!

In first grade, we used the COWLICKS strategy (Counting, Observation, Words, Letters, Imagination, Compare and Contrast, Kinesthetics and Senses) to examine some pictures of an icy winter storm. We thought about things that begin with the letter "b" in a picture of an ice-covered tree (bark, branches, blue (sky), etc.) and how an ice-covered bench might move or what it might say to you if it could speak.

In second grade, our research project occupied our minds. We learned to use both text and online sources to answer questions about our tribe. Additionally, we deepened our understanding of citing our sources and learned that using information without citing our source can be called plagiarism. Additionally, we wrapped up our research project with a Socratic Seminar using what we'd learned.

In third grade, we studied polygons and quadrilaterals. Additionally, we thought deeply about the concept of structures, beginning with a project in which we used spaghetti and tape to build a structure that could support the weight of a marshmallow. We had a difficult time getting our structures to stand! We are going to repeat this challenge after our study of what makes structures stand.

In fourth grade, we completed a Jacob's Ladder activity about an article called It's Electric! We considered electricity, listing as many possible ways we could think of electricity being used. From this list, we chose the most important use of electricity and used our article and notes to write about it in a persuasive paragraph. We have been studying the earth, moon and sun in science. We know about their relative sizes as well as the phases of the moon.

In fifth grade we've been considering "testable questions" as well as beginning to learn about expressions and equations. Additionally, we've been working to produce persuasive media (posters, commercials, news bulletins, etc.) to persuade people either for or against westward expansion.

It's an exciting season here at OLES!

Mrs. Aversa

February News

Hey there, Waveriders! It's cold outside but inside the walls of Ocean Lakes ES we are on fire with a love of learning!

In kindergarten, we've been thinking about how to decide which solution is best for a given problem. We read an interpretation of The Bossy Gallito, a story about a Rooster who didn't use those metacognitive problem solving skills. Then our kindergarten thinkers reasoned through to find the BEST way to solve his problem. The students are using the academic skills their learning to support their creative and critical thinking.

In first grade we've been working on decision making and problem solving strategies. We read Eric Carle's The Grouchy Ladybug and worked as a class on a few ladybug analogies. Students then worked independently on a ladybug inspired math exemplar drawing from their knowledge of A/B patterns. Additionally, we'll be thinking about the best ways to show kindness using the story Heartprints. We will be building on the same problem solving skills as kindergarten students: when a problem has many solutions, how do we decide which solution is BEST?

In second grade, we worked with John Scieszka's other-wordly fun story Baloney, Henry P. to put our knowledge of context clues to the test! The author uses words from other languages as alien vocabulary for a tall-tale a student is telling his teacher about why he is late to school. Students had to use context clues to guess the meaning of these words! Additionally, we are embarking on our second research project of the year. This time we are working as research assistants to an archaeologist as we find out about three different American Indian tribes. We are looking forward to using these skills and sharing our new-found knowledge.

In third grade we have worked to create a deeper understanding of poetry. We've read poems such as Delilah written by a 4th grade student all the way through works by Langston Hughes! Additionally, we learned that we can be poets ourselves! We've worked to emulate the styles of poems we've read and look forward to continue broadening our poetic horizons. In math, we used some choice boards to explore multiplication and division concepts. Additionally, we've been considering what strategies best help us organize our mathematical thinking. Charts and tables are becoming more and more popular! Looking forward, we're excited to dig in to polygons, quadrilaterals and geometry...Oh my!!

In fourth grade we've been considering some wonderful literature such as Ray Bradbury's All Summer in a Day. These texts help us to deepen our understanding of character analysis. Additionally, we've been studying the idea of a "fractured fairy tale." These fairy tales told from perspectives of other characters in the story have inspired us to write fractured fairy tales of our own. We look forward to sharing them! In math, we are deeply considering our understanding "parts of a whole." You guessed it! We're studying fractions and decimals.

In fifth grade we've been learning about the documents that shaped our nation from the Declaration of Independence through the Constitution. Additionally we've been studying the patterns of westward expansion. In language arts, we studied a piece by Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the Prarie fame. In this story, the daughter watches her mother brush her hair and uses descriptive language to evoke feeling from the reader. It inspired us to do our own writing about people we admire and the simple, every-day tasks they do.

There is never a dull moment here at Ocean Lakes, and I feel blessed to be surrounded by this community!

Thank you,

Mrs. Aversa

January News

Happy 2019, Waveriders! We're back from winter break and ready to tackle this year with a growth mindset.

In kindergarten, we've been working on the theme of exploration. We're exploring our hearts, minds, smiles and hands and comparing them to things we see in nature or in the world around us. We've used the text I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley to help guide our thinking.

In first grade, we've been building on our understanding of the word "tradition." To help our thinking, we used the text Shante Keys and the New Year's Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport. In this delightful story, we follow Shante on her search for black eyed peas, her family's New Year's tradition. Through her journey, Shante learns about different New Year traditions from China, to Scotland and Mexico! Students work through these ideas on a digital world map. Finally, first graders brought home a New Year's Eve Traditions mind map to consider the way the New Year is marked and celebrated in their own families.

Second graders embarked on a thrilling adventure using the Chris Van Allsburg story Jumanji. Using a Jacob's Ladder model, we examined the idea of perspective in the illustration of his stories. We noticed that the illustrator drew pictures from above when he wanted to point out the rain falling inside the house while the children played the game, and from below as we worried about being trampled by rhinoceroses during a stampede. Finally, we thought about the morals, lessons, and themes associated with the story--what is the author trying to say to the reader?

In third grade, we're working through the text The Green Book in a book club format. We are challenging ourselves, using William and Mary's Journeys and Destinations curriculum, stopping to study famous writers such as Wordsworth and Shakespeare along the way! In math, we are diving into multiplication and division using a choice board built around the Kaplan icons.

In fourth grade we're using the Junior Great Books units of study to peek into texts such as Langston Hughes' Thank you Ma'am and Norma Fox-Mazer's Tuesday of the Other June. In addition to expressing our thoughts on these classic pieces in writing, these stories have ignited deep conversations surrounding the themes and ideas covered. In math, we are wrapping up a geometry unit and leaping into Factors, Multiples and Leftovers, an M3 unit. We will be digging into these ideas for the next few weeks.

In fifth grade, we successfully prepared and executed our first Socratic Seminar. We have studied the causes and beginnings of the American Revolution, especially as it relates to Virginia History. It's been wonderfully enlightening to see these historians using their background knowledge and resources to achieve higher level thinking. Additionally, in language arts we've been studying theme through such texts as Lenny's Red Letter Day by Bernard Ashley and Charles by Shirley Jackson.

It's getting cold outside but inside our minds are on fire!

Happy New Year,

Mrs. Aversa

December News

Winter break is just around the corner! December has been a busy month for the minds of students at OLES. In kindergarten, we've been working on making comparisons. For example, we thought about other ways in which we might use a shell after reading Elizabeti's Doll, in which the main character uses a rock as a doll. Additionally, we discussed how we parts of our bodies compare to things we see in nature. We saw our pupils in the rings of a tree and our hair in the bouncy fur of lambs. Finally, we worked to help Santa put presents in order when given a series of clues such as "the blue present is between the white and yellow presents." It really put our perseverance and problem-solving to the test!

In first grade, we've worked to make analogies to ourselves as animals. For example, have you ever felt like a turtle when you hide under a blanket to read? We also considered examples of change in The Giving Tree. Next, we spent time considering the characteristics and qualities of leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the story A Sweet Smell of Roses. Finally, we compared the classic story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to the re-imagined story of the dog who felt called to reindeer-hood, Olive, The Other Reindeer. We helped put Santa's reindeer in the correct order based on clues like "prancer is three behind vixen."

In addition to our academic gifted curriculum lessons, second through fifth graders worked on the concept of self-advocacy. We recognize that advocacy is a way of meeting our needs while being polite and respectful to others. We are learning the steps to advocacy. We need to recognize our rights, know ourselves, know our options and know our advocates. We will continue to work on this theme throughout the year.

Wishing everyone a safe, warm and joyous holiday season. See you next year!

November News

It's hard to believe that it's already the end of the first 9 weeks. Students at Ocean Lakes ES have been learning and growing every day.

In kindergarten, we've been considering how our five senses can help us discover the change of seasons. Ask your student what they can see, hear, smell, taste or touch that lets them know it is fall. Additionally, we are using some math exemplars to help us understand patterns!

In first grade, we considered the story of Spookley the Square Pumpkin to help us celebrate what makes each one of us unique. Additionally, we used our critical and creative thinking to create a page out of the book The Z Was Zapped. Ask your first grader what they made out of their H!

In second grade cluster classes, students made a math exemplar into a math congress using flipgrid video. They worked independently to solve a math problem, ask your second grader about the "broom pool!" Next they were grouped based on the strategies they used and challenged to create a poster and a video explaining their math thinking. These mathematicians learned a lot--and they're excited to jump into the next project!

Third graders are working through the Journeys and Destinations unit out of William and Mary. So far we've read a fable and a story about change (The Memory String) and considered how change can occur over time in relationships. We also thought about how we might rename this story and explained our reasoning.

Fourth graders are working on a Winning Ticket exemplar in math (thinking about all the hype about the lottery in the news lately!), and will be using these ideas in a math congress of their own this week. We've also considered the Habit of Mind "Listening with understanding and empathy," and considered what distractions most affect our listening and what strategies we can use to circumvent this! Additionally, we are thinking about sequencing through the non-fiction lens of making and PB & J and the fiction lens of reading William Steig's Doctor De Soto.

In fifth grade, we're completing our journey through the Latin roots, ask your students about re, sub, de, ex and spec! We've been studying these stems through poetry, similes and even acting them out. We've also been challenging our mathematical minds with transformations of shapes (which also have Latin roots!), and identifying/measuring triangles. In social studies, we used a "Digital Breakout" to introduce us to some of the important ideas about the Werewocommoco people and the Jamestown settlement.

On top of all this, we celebrated Fall Fest and the book fair at Ocean Lakes ES. It's a busy time for students' minds, and we're so excited to tackle challenges together each day.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

Another week, another hurricane... Though, thankfully this time Hurricane Michael only kept us away from our classrooms for one day. We are considering ourselves lucky, and our hearts are with those that were impacted by this storm.

This week in kindergarten, we've been considering the idea that exploration means confronting the unknown. Students considered this concept through texts such as Curious George Goes Camping and The Squiggle. We have brainstormed and illustrated ways that we are explorers. As one student put it: "I am an explorer in my classroom because I explore letters and numbers."

In first grade, we are considering how we might apply the growth mindset we've been studying to our classrooms. We explored the book The 108th Sheep and used our growth mindsets to generate multiple solutions to the problem of getting a sheep from one side of the bed to the other. Your students certainly had some creative ideas! I saw everything from shoes with springs on the bottoms to using shaken up sodas to help propel that sheep over the bed! Ask your first grader how they would help their sheep over the bed.

In second grade, we used a Jacob's Ladder activity to explore David Wiesener's wordless story Flotsam. It's amazing to see what an adventurous story an author can tell without using any words at all. Students had to flex their creative thinking muscles in a scaffolded activity that culminated in the illustration of their own "secret worlds" that no one else might see. Did you know that some of our second grade students see armies of ants under trees or parties of dancing vegetables in the closet?

In third grade, we began a William and Mary Journeys and Destinations unit studying the Aesop's Fable The Wolf and the Lion in which a wolf steals an ill-gotten prize and then finds out the moral "What is evil won is evil lost." Ask your third grade student what this means to them!

In fourth grade we are exploring text structures such as cause and effect and large numbers with the M3 Unit How Big is Big? We are continuing to use our growth mindset as well as our Habits of Mind... especially when it comes to persisting! Fourth grade math can be a challenge!

In fifth grade, we are using our Habits of Mind to explore math concepts such as the Order of Operations. Additionally, we are studying Michael Clay Thompson's Building Language unit and learning how the latin stems that make up our language reflect the stones that constructed the many arches in Roman architecture. Ask your fifth grader what the latin stem "re" means... and then ask them AGAIN!

It's such a gift to be able to learn and laugh alongside your students each day.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

Fourth Week of School:

It's hard to believe that, despite the interruptions from Hurricane Florence, we're already in our 4th week of school!

Kindergarten and first grade students have been continuing their study of the growth mindset with such texts as The Little Engine that Could and Beautiful Oops. Every week we've been challenging ourselves to flip our thinking from "I can't, it's too hard!" to "I think I can!" Additionally, we're learning that mistakes can sometimes just be opportunities to make something beautiful! Ask your student about their "beautiful oops!" today!

Second grade students have been continuing their study of the growth mindset as well as beginning to consider their grade level theme of "systems." We have learned that:

• Systems have parts that work together to complete a task

• Systems are interdependent

• Systems may be influenced by other systems

• Systems follow rules

• Systems interact

Talk with your second grader about the systems in your house!

In addition to brushing up on their growth mindsets, third grade students are digging into the concept of structures. We looked at the structures of plants (such as the California Redwoods I was lucky enough to see this summer!) to examine how they work.

We have learned that:

• Structures have parts that interrelate

• Parts of structures support and are supported by other parts

• Smaller structures may be combined to form larger structures

• A structure is no stronger than its weakest component part

What other structures can you identify with your child?

Fourth graders have been hard at work studying the Habits of Mind. We have learned that even successful people meet challenges, and the Habits of Mind are excellent tools to help us figure out what to do when we don't know what to do. So far we have studied the habits of persistence and managing impulsivity. This week we will be moving on to the habit of "listening with understanding and empathy." Additionally, we are learning about our grade level theme: Relationships. We have learned that:

• Everything is related in some way

• All relationships are purposeful

• Relationships change over time

What relationships can you describe in your home?

Finally, our fifth graders have been having a blast (literally!) learning about force, motion and energy. We had a great time at the Air Show last week, and we're wrapping up our study with a lesson about potential and kinetic energy. Additionally, we're working on the Habits of Mind as well as our 5th grade level theme: Change!

We have learned that:

• Change is everywhere

• Change relates to time

• Change can be natural or manmade

• Change may be random or predictable

There is certainly a lot of change in our world, and it's such a pleasure to be observing change and absorbing knowledge with your students.

Continue to explore all the patterns, systems, structures, relationships and change around you!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aversa

Second Week of School:

My name is Mrs. Aversa, and I just moved to the area from Northern Virginia. I've been teaching for six years in kindergarten, first and third grade. For several years, I taught identified gifted third grade students at a language immersion program in Fairfax County. Gifted education quickly became a passion I knew I needed to pursue. After earning an undergraduate degree in Film and Theatre, and a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University (GO DUKES!), I went on to earn a Gifted Education Add-On Endorsement through the Virginia Department of Education. I am thrilled to be joining the Waveriders at OLES this year!

Students in grades K and 1 spent this week thinking about the growth mindset. We are learning how to use our mistakes to help "crinkle our brains" and be even better learners in the future. Ask your student about the magical "power of yet!"

This week, students in grades 2-5 are learning about their Cultural Frame of Reference. Students used the a "cultural frame" to learn more about how they see the world! Ask your student what traditions they think are part of their culture!

It's been a wonderful first week of school and we are so excited to kick off this year at Ocean Lakes ES. We know our brains have lots of crinkling to do--we have so much to learn!

Looking forward to our second week of school,

Mrs. Aversa