Elementary Curriculum Updates
Please share this important information with your teachers
9/12/14
LANGUAGE ARTS

The Volusia County Spelling Bee (4th- 8th grades)
The Spelling Bee will be held February 12, 2015; with more information to
follow. In order to participate in the spelling bee and be eligible to advance to
the Orlando Sentinel spelling bee, your school must register with Scripps
National Spelling Bee by October 15th deadline. Please let Renee Hall know if
your school will be participating or not. Also, please e-mail Renee Hall the
spelling bee contact’s name for future correspondence. *The registration fee
of $130 is the responsibility of any school that wishes to participate. If you
have any questions please contact Renee Hall ext. 20572 or Amy Cervantes
ext. 20570.
Below is an attachment with the registration information.

SIPPS – please visit the Reading, Writing, Language Arts intranet site
New SIPPS videos have been posted on the Reading, Writing, Language Arts
intranet for teachers to use. These videos were made possible because of the
dedication of Volusia County teachers and students. You will find a complete
Beginning, Extension, and Challenge level lesson from start to finish. Reading,
Writing, Language Arts Elementary
The Getting Started document is once again being shared as a resource for schools
to refer to when preparing to implement SIPPS and for assistance signing into the
online resource.
The implementation documents attached have indicators for principals to look for as
they are visiting classrooms when SIPPS instruction is being delivered.
Teachers can now share students within the DSC platform. This will assist with
grouping of students for SIPPS instruction.
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*Spelling Tests are not recommended to be administered as list of words at
the end of the week. Teachers should be monitoring student’s progress of
foundational skills through authentic writing.

Middle School required novels
Attached is a list of required novels used in grades 6-8. Please avoid using these
titles for instruction in elementary school.
MATHEMATICS

State Mandated Test (SMT) Data Analysis Tool
The SMT testing window has closed. Attached is a data analysis tool available to teachers
to provide baseline information about grade level standards that will be taught during the
first semester.

Deliberate Math Instruction
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the individual learning targets,
content limits and testing specifications, as well as what the learning target will look
like in deliberate classroom instruction.
Tuesday, September 30th, 4:00 – 6:00
Kindergarten Deliberate Math Instruction, Section # 70356
Thursday, October 9th, 4:00 – 6:00
1st Grade Deliberate Math Instruction, Section # 70358

Mathematics Classroom Videos
The State of Florida, in partnership with State Farm, has collected video clips of
mathematics instruction from across the state. This statewide initiative, named "We
Can Do This, Florida!" is designed to assist teachers, parents and the Florida
community in understanding that students of all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds are able to master the Florida Standards. Students are
showcased as they use precise language to explain their evidence (visually,
verbally, in writing, etc.) that supports their learning. Using an array of strategies will
not only help parents understand that the students can do this but also give them
resources to assist their child(ren). These videos also model best practices in
teaching and learning that can be emulated in other classrooms across Volusia.
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SOCIAL STUDIES

Studies Weekly
All schools have received their first quarter studies weekly. The company has finally
made arrangements to deliver the remaining publications for the entire year. The
second quarter publications will arrive at your school by end of September. The
third and fourth quarter publications require some revision and should arrive at your
school by end of October.

Freedom Week
Section 233.0659 of the FL Statutes designates the last full week of September as
Celebrate Freedom Week (statute language is at the end of this message). Below
you will find instructions and teaching resource information pertaining to Celebrate
Freedom Week for your 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, and 12th grade Social Studies classrooms
(U.S. History, Civics, and American Government).
Each 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, and 12th grade teacher already has access to the textbook and
textbook ancillary materials for lesson plan ideas, and many teachers have the
resource entitled, "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution." Additionally,
grades 7, 8, 10, and 12 can utilize very effective lesson plans in the following History
Alive Binder - "Colonial Life and the Revolution," Lessons 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, & 4.5.
For elementary grades there is also the popular oldie “School House Rock”
available in some media centers. In the past, the Social Studies Division from
Miami-Dade County graciously shared some Celebrate Freedom lessons – the
attachment contains lessons for both elementary and secondary grades (attached
below). Finally, please check Safari Montage during the month of September for
videos.
Reminder: Point one of the statute regarding the 3 hours of instruction relates only
to the 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, and 12th grade classes referred to above. Points two-four
related to the daily recitation of the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence
are meant for all grades.
Celebrate Freedom Week
Recitation of the Declaration of Independence – Section 233.0659, FL Statutes
(1) To educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of
this country and the values on which this country was founded, the last full week of
classes in September shall be recognized in public schools as Celebrate Freedom
Week. Celebrate Freedom Week must include at least 3 hours of appropriate
instruction in each social studies class, as determined by each school district, which
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instruction shall include an in-depth study of the intent, meaning, and importance of
the Declaration of Independence.
(2) To emphasize the importance of this week, at the beginning of each school day
or in homeroom, during the last full week of September, public school principals and
teachers shall conduct an oral recitation by students of the following words of the
Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
(3) Student recitation of this statement shall serve to reaffirm the American ideals of
individual liberty.
(4) Upon written request by a student's parent, the student must be excused from
the recitation of the Declaration of Independence.

Constitution Day
In May 2005, the U.S. Department of Education announced that all educational
institutions receiving federal funding must observe Constitution Day, celebrating
the September 17, 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution (Public Law 108-477).
According to the guidelines put forth by the Department of Education, educators are
free to design Constitution Day programming that best addresses the needs of their
students.
All American History (grades 5, 8 & 11) and Civics/American Government (grades 7
& 12) teachers have sufficient teaching resources on the Constitution, but in case
someone is looking for more, the following website from the Center for Civic
Education contains downloadable lessons for K-12 teachers:
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=constitution_day
You may consider providing a spot on your daily announcements about the signing
of the Constitution and the Constitution’s general importance - and make sure you
don’t confuse it with the Declaration of Independence – a common mistake.
Please see the attached documents for additional instructional resources!
SCIENCE

State-Mandated Test Data Analysis Tool (Grade 5)
The SMT 1 testing window has closed. Attached is a data analysis tool available to
teachers. The tool is designed to serve as an indicator for student learning of “fair
game” benchmarks in grades 3 and 4. This analysis will also provide baseline
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information about Grade 5 benchmarks that are to be learned during the first
semester.

THINK CENTRAL UPDATE
Great news! At this time Science Fusion Think Central is up and running for the
majority of our users. Please note the following change in credentials that must be
used to access this wonderful instructional resource:
Username: district login (for example, laherrer)
Password: Pa$5word
Please note: The password is no longer “science”.
Technology Services is collaborating with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to resolve 68
teacher accounts that were not successful at the completion of the initial upload. If
you are still unable to access Think Central using the new credentials, please
contact Laura Herrera. The Science Department appreciates your patience with this
process.

MORE SCIENCE PD – FALL 2014
District Science PLC East/West – Grades 4 and 5
Calling all grade 4 and 5 teachers of science! We are gathering together to form two
teacher groups looking to GROW in all things science (curriculum, instruction, and
assessment). We’ll even dabble in the Next Generation Science Standards currently
being reviewed by the State of Florida. Bring your ideas and materials to share with
your peers!
SCIENCE inSpiRE – Grades 3-5
The science data are in! It has been revealed there are some concepts in science
that are proving to be a challenge for our students. SCIENCE inSpiRE has been
designed to provide teachers and students with an instructional resource and a
proven strategy that will unveil thinking and expose misconceptions. See the
attached PD flyer for PD details!

PROJECT 1040 Monies
Allocations for SY 2014-2015 have been distributed to each elementary school!
These funds are intended to be spent on consumable needs for students this school
year! SPEND NOW!
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