The
WOLVERINE
Newsletter
March 10, 2014
Class website: http://www.gulllakecs.org/Page/2273
Daily Planner: http://tinyurl.com/HoweAgenda
Science Vocabulary
for Electricity
ClassDojo
ClassDojo is a web-based classroom
management program that records students’
behavior (i.e. on task, teamwork, persistence,
disturbing neighbors, off task, unprepared) which
can be viewed by the teacher, students and
parents. I began using ClassDojo with the
Wolverine Team last week to see how it worked. I
have found it to be beneficial and plan on
continuing to use it.
In your child’s Monday Folder is a ClassDojo
sign up sheet so parents and students can view
their data at home. Please use the data as a
reward for positive behavior and as a learning
experience for negative behavior. I am not
intending for negative behavior to be used as
punishment at home or at school--only as a tool to
help the student learn what behaviors need to be
worked on. Hopefully, we will see less negative
behaviors and more positive behaviors as time goes
on! ☺
To learn more about ClassDojo please read
the description below of ClassDojo from the website
<www.classdojo.com>.
ClassDojo is a classroom tool that helps
teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly
and easily. It also captures and generates data on
behavior that teachers can share with parents and
administrators
What are the words: Battery,
Closed circuit,
Conductor, Current electricity, Electricity,
Energy, Insulator, Light bulb, Load, Open circuit,
Path, Simple circuit, Source, Static electricity,
Switch, Wire (Some words have not been introduced
yet, but will be soon).
Tentative Quiz date: Friday, March 21
How to Study: these words are on
http://quizlet.com/class/467919/ in the “Electricity”
link. Also, your child can bring home his/her study
guide. From these “student friendly” definitions your
child can make flash cards with index cards or
draw pictures related to each word. These study
techniques have been shown to be beneficial to
vocabulary retention.
What are the benefits of using ClassDojo?
For teachers: in some classrooms, more than 50% of
class time is spent managing behavior rather than
delivering instruction; ClassDojo aims to greatly reduce
this so teachers can do more teaching and less crowd
control! In addition, for the first time, teachers have a
painless way to focus on developing positive behavior
over time, rather than just logging referrals once it is too
late to intervene.
For students: research suggests the shorter the time
period between an action and feedback for that action,
the greater is the effect of the reinforcement. Specific
positive reinforcement helps students develop a sense of
purpose in the classroom, enhancing intrinsic motivation
over time. By giving students visibility and data on their
own behavior, ClassDojo makes class less disruptive
and creates a more positive learning environment.
For parents: ClassDojo makes it easy to engage parents
in their child's development, by allowing teachers to
provide them with realtime data from the classroom with just one click.
Calendar
Wed., March 26—Reading Book Project due
(see orange reading calendar for details)
Mon., March 10—Special: PE/Music; “Slappy”
the K-Wings mascot visits classrooms;
HOMEWORK: Read 30+ minutes (record minutes
on orange calendar); Practice X or ÷ Math facts
5+ minutes; Study electricity vocabulary words
Thurs., March 27—Ryan Readers Competition
Tues., March 11— Special: Art; HOMEWORK:
Read 30+ minutes (record minutes on orange
calendar); Practice X or ÷ Math facts 5+
minutes; Study electricity vocabulary words
Mon., April 1—Book Project reward day
Fri., March 28-- DRESS UP DAY: Wear your
favorite team name; orange reading calendar due
for final time
Fri., April 4—No School, beginning of Spring
Break!
Wed., March 12-- Special: Computers;
HOMEWORK: Read 30+ minutes (record minutes
on orange calendar); Practice X or ÷ Math facts
5+ minutes; Study electricity vocabulary words
Thurs., March 13—1/2 day of school;
Substitute in room-Mrs. Howe at a conference;
HOMEWORK: Read 30+ minutes (record minutes
on orange calendar); Practice X or ÷ Math facts
5+ minutes; Study electricity vocabulary words
Fri., March 14-- Special: Library/Spanish; 1/2
day of school; DRESS UP DAY: Wear a
sweatshirt with words; orange reading calendar
due; End of 2nd Trimester (2nd trimester AR
points goal needs to be met by today);
Substitute in room-Mrs. Howe at a conference
Mon., March 17—Alan St. James book orders
due
Wed., March 19—Early Release Day
Thurs., March 20-- SPRING will
arrive…hopefully!
Fri., March 21—DRESS UP DAY: Dress as a
story character; orange reading calendar due;
Tentative Electricity Vocabulary Quiz
Mon., March 24—Reports Cards coming home in
your child’s Monday Folder
Mon., April 14—School Resumes
The end of the 2nd trimester is
Friday, March 14th-also when AR Goals need
to be met!