Next Generation Science Standard

Des Moines Public Schools has a five year plan for implementing the Next Generation Science Standards. Hanawalt Elementary is jumping in feet first this year. After many teachers went to training over the summer and grade levels started unpacking the standards last spring we felt these new standards were the vehicle we needed to move us forward with integration, STEM goals and 21st Century Learning. Knowing that students need to understand science topics and how they relate to the world and interrelate with each other.
It is important for us to develop problem solvers that are ready to take on future problems from pandemics to energy shortages. Being literate in science and mathematics will provide advantages for our students. Opening doors that would other wise be closed. Although the integration of engineering and technology is not new to elementary school, the new Science Standards support teachers by cross cutting with other content areas and supports intentional integration with engineering and technology.

Click on the following link to get information about the Next Generation Science Standards and ways you can support this learning at home.
Next Generation Science Standards

                                                Engineering

                                             Hydroponics

                                                      Forces In Motion

                                                         Plant Structures

                                                          Life Cycles

Celebrating Habit 3

 

Last Wednesday was our school wide Community Meeting and Celebration. As a community,we celebrate , but we also work to problem solve issues and concerns. Together we talked about goals to make our arrival safer and more effective.  We cleared up misinformation and confusion about Kid Striders. Being able to synergyze helps us become a stronger community.

During our celebration we enjoyed a performance of "Jellicle Cats" by Mrs.Carpenter's Kindergarten. They have been reading and discussing the poem as part of their Jr Great Book time. We enjoyed their dramatization emensly! 

        

Students were recognized for modeling Habit 3- Put First Things First or Work First Then Play.

This habit is hard for all of us but these students show us that setting goals and working to achieve them is a priority. They also know the balance of mind,body and spirit. We a very proud of these leaders and know they will continue to grow in their citizenship. 

We also recognized students that show kindness . They are kind to their peers, their teachers, their school and environment. Kindness is key, especially now. We applaud these students that show strong character and caring for all those around them. 

    

                                         

The Belma Spirit Award went to 4th grade! The 4th graders have shown Habit 2 in their efforts to get this prize. They have a plan search week to remind others about Blue Tuesday, they have set goals for their hallway behavior and show positivity throughout the day. HIp Hip Hooray for these positive school leaders.

Habit 2 Celebration

Our Habit 2 Celebration was last week. We celebrated and recognized students and classrooms that modeled Habit 2- Begin With The End in Mind. This habit's focus is on goal setting and making choices to help make that goal. Check out these student leaders featured on our entry way bulletin board. Kindergarten was the winner of the Belma Spirit Award. We appreciate how they are striving to reach their full potential, showing their spirit and school pride and wearing blue each Tuesday.

We've Got Spirit Yes We Do!

You may have heard students or teachers talk about the Belma Award. We are very proud to introduce this exciting and coveted spirit award for the 2016-2017 school year. The Belma Award is given to the grade level that" bowls us over " with their Hanawalt Spirit. Points are given for wearing blue on Tuesdays, practicing the Habits and school wide expectation throughout the school and showing leadership as they strive to reach their full potential. The Belma Spirit Award is given out at each month's Celebration. This month we will celebrate Habit 2- Begin With The End in Mind.  We will also give out the Belma Spirit Award.
Currently 1st Grade is the recipients of the Belma Award. They have been able to keep it in their rooms, carry it with pride to lunch, recess, library, art, music,  and PE and to  show the school they are the Spirit Leaders. Having and showing our Hanawalt spirit and pride is one of the things that make us a community.

Habit 1 Celebration

We had our first School Wide Habits Recognition last week. The focus was around Habit 1. The time started with a school meeting to discuss our accomplishments in our first month's goal of school wide expectations and procedures. We also discussed areas for improvement. We practiced our assembly procedures and reminded ourselves of the importance of our mission. 

Moving into the celebration part of the assembly, each teacher had the opportunity to recognize a student that models Habit 1- Be Proactive. 

Being proactive involves being in charge or your choices, having a can do attitude and carrying your own weather. It is important to empower students and give them the tools for being successful leaders. Habit 1 is the foundation for this work. 

2nd grade ,led by Ms Ihnen, performed "The More We Get Together" in both word and American Sign Language. 

1st grade was awarded the Belma Spirit Award (more about this in a later post)

We are proud of all the students for working on procedures and school wide expectation. 

Below are our students recognized for modeling Habit 1.

5th Grade

4th Grade

3rd Grade

2nd Grade

1st Grade

Kindergarten 

MAP Testing

Our K-5 Students will be taking an online assessment this year called MAP. Students in K-5 will take a MAP math assessments and 2-5 will take a MAP reading comprehension assessment. The MAP testing takes the place of DistrictAssessments  and SRI/SMI testing and is administered in the fall,winter and spring. 

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)are electronically administered achievement tests designed to measure growth in student learning for individual students. The tests provide accurate and immediate scores to help teachers plan instructionally. 

 MAP is a computerized adaptive testing system that tailors tests to a student’s achievement level. Each student takes a test that is developed for him or her as the test is being administered. The program instantly analyzes the student’s response to each test question and, based on how well the student has answered all previous questions, selects a question of appropriate difficulty to display next. The MAP assessments are aligned to the IowaCore Standards.

Each testing setting lasts from 60-75 minutes but students can have has much time as needed to complete the assessment. 

Although Measures of Academic Progress has been around for years and used in districts across the nation, MAP is new for Des Moines Public Schools. Teachers and administrators are learning how to read the data, set goals for student and our school and make instructional decisions based on this data. Scores will be shared with parents during conference season. 

FAST Assessments

Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST) - is a series of  assessment tools designed for universal screening, progress monitoring, and program evaluation Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) model of service delivery.  Iowa adopted the FAST literacy assessments to assist districts in the implementation of MTSS practices and in meeting the requirements of the Early Literacy Initiative as part of Iowa Code Section 279.68. 

FAST Assessments that are  currently used include: CBM Reading (Spring 1st - 3rd Oral Reading fluency) and early Reading (K-1 – Concepts of Print, Onset Sounds, Letter Names, Letter Sounds, Word Segmenting, Sight Words, Nonsense Words and Sentence Reading). The assessments are done one on one with students and teachers record data on the Iowa Tier web based system. 

The MTSS process depends on a balanced assessment system of valid and reliable universal screening and progress monitoring measures.  Students at Hanawalt participate in universal screening three times a year (fall,winter,spring). These screeners enables us to identify which students are on track to reach end of year goals  and which students may be at risk.  This practice aides us in identifying potential at-risk students as early as possible so interventions can be put in place. It also gives us data to use when identifying students that need acceleration or enrichment to meet our growth goals, as well as helping us evaluate the effectiveness of our core instruction.  The progress monitoring measures enable teachers to collect data more frequently on at-risk students in order to make decisions regarding the effectiveness of the targeted/intensive instruction.

You are welcome to contact me or your child's teacher if you would like to see examples of Fast Assessments or want to see your child's data. We are currently conducting the Fall universal screening and should have it completed by the end of next week. 

 Additional information regarding Iowa TIER and FAST, as well as Iowa Code Section 279.68 (Early Literacy Initiative), can be found on the Iowa Department of Education website.

Next Blog post: MAP assessment a new frontier!