News in a Nutshell 5_21_18

News in a Nutshell

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Let me first start out by thanking you for making the teachers feel valued during Teacher Appreciation Week.  I was amazed on how the building and the teachers’ doorways were decorated in show of appreciation by parents and students.  Each day, the teachers were provided with food items and gifts to brighten up their day.  I have never see anything like it throughout my career.  You are the best!

We are currently in the middle of the States’ Standard of Learning (SOL’s) assessments.  The students and teachers have worked hard preparing for the tests and they are all demonstrating a high level of confidence.  I am sure the results will be positive.

As the year winds down there is much to do.  We need to focus on completing tasks to wrap up the current year, as well as planning for the upcoming school year with class lists and staffing.  Please make sure you take advantage in providing feedback on the Student Intention Form.  Please access this link for the Student Intention form: https://goo.gl/forms/rnzPKP2vB0AKfEVc2

New principal update:  We should be very close to a formal announcement of Chesterbrook’s new principal within the next week.  I am confident that Dr. Zuluaga and the Region has done their best in selecting a proven leader to move the school forward in the coming years.  This is an exciting time for the school community. 

On the weekends do you enjoy taking the family to a good movie?  After reading the article below you might want to consider going to a live performance.

Do Students Learn More Watching a Movie or a Live Performance?

            In this article in Educational Researcher, Jay Greene, Heidi Erickson, Angela Watson, and Molly Beck (University of Arkansas/Fayetteville) report on their study comparing students who watched a live performance of a play and students who saw a movie version of the same story. School groups (mostly ninth graders) were randomly chosen to receive free tickets to attend one of five live theater performances over a two-year period: A Christmas Carol, Hamlet, Around the World in 80 Days, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Twelfth Night. Similar classes left school to see film versions in movie theaters, and a control group saw neither a live performance nor a film. About 1,500 students were involved in the study.

Seven or eight weeks afterwards, students took a survey in their classrooms, and the results showed significant benefits to seeing a live performance:

  • Tolerance – Students’ willingness to accept that others may have different viewpoints;
  • Social perspective-taking – A willingness to figure out other people’s motivations;
  • Content knowledge and understanding – Answering six questions on the plot;
  • Vocabulary – Answering five questions on words used in the production;
  • Interest in seeing live theater performances in the future.

Significantly, say the researchers, “the movie treatment does not seem to have a robust effect on any of these outcomes… It is educationally significant and a bit surprising that watching a movie is not a particularly effective way of conveying content knowledge while watching a play is. Watching movies is an extremely common school practice, but it may produce little learning. Going to see a play, on the other hand, is less common but appears much more effective.” This is true even though the production values of most films are superior to those of plays that students might see on the stage. But the in-person experience, say the authors, “appears to trump the skill of the actors.”             Why do live performances have more impact? “Our best explanation,” say the authors, “is that theater is a window for students to a broader world… Plays may be more effective than movies in helping students understand and accept that broader world because we react differently to human beings acting out a story in front of us than to representations of human beings on a screen. The in-person experience may create greater emotional connections.” “The Play’s the Thing: Experimentally Examining the Social and Cognitive Effects of School Field Trips to Live Theater Performances” by Jay Greene, Heidi Erickson, Angela Watson, and Molly Beck in Educational Researcher, May 2018 (Vol. 47, #4, p. 246-254), http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0013189X18761034; Greene can be reached at jpg@uark.edu.  

Enjoy the sunny weather!

Augie and Connie


A message from Advanced Academics

Dear Families,

As we approach the end of the school year, I have some bittersweet news to share - I will be leaving Chesterbrook and taking on an Advanced Academic Resource Teacher/Instructional Coaching position at Olde Creek Elementary in Fairfax. It will help me continue to expand my skillset and collaborate with colleagues as they build an Advanced Academic/Project Based Learning community at their school. I have had a wonderful time here, working with some of the most dedicated staff, driven students, and thoughtful families I’ve ever met. I have learned so much and enjoyed organizing our advanced academic programs to reach all students. While I’m excited for the new opportunity ahead of me, I will miss Chesterbrook very much.

The fantastic news is that Amy Vallath, our Level IV AAP Lead and Fourth Grade Team Lead, will be taking over as Advanced Academic Resource Teacher next year! She was appointed as a pool candidate and selected by the Advanced Academic Programs Office for the position. I know she will continue to support Chesterbrook with her incredible knowledge of AAP, our community, and experience as an educator.

Keep in touch, and I wish our students the best of luck in their educational endeavors!

All the best,

Wendy Stobbe


New Students to Chesterbrook

If you have a child coming to Chesterbrook next year, we need you to register as soon as possible.  The county uses these numbers to determine how many teachers we can staff.  If you know of anyone in the community coming to Chesterbrook next year, please tell them to come and register. 


Fitness Focus

Thank you to everyone who participated in Bike To School Day!


Whether biking on a rocky mountain trail or down a paved path in your neighborhood, bicycling has many health benefits and is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy. Here are 7 reasons to bike!

1. Improves of your cardio-respiratory function

2. Tones and builds muscles in your legs and gluts

3. Is low impact and easy on joints

4. Burns calories and increases your metabolism

5. Is great for balance and coordination

6. Releases endorphins that put you in a good mood

7. Its Fun!

CONGRATULATIONS - JUMP ROPE FOR HEART UPDATE!!

We raised $25,288 this year!!

Not only did our students work hard and earn every prize, they’ve done something wonderful for another child who needed support.  It is an awesome thing for a child do something kind for someone they don’t even know.  To the parents who made this possible, we are inspired by your generosity and by your students.  Thank you to everyone who made the event a success.  Whether they raised money and have a plethora of Scare Squad Swag or jumped their heart out during our event, we are so proud of each student! 

Everyone at Chesterbrook is Heart Hero!!   

Units in the 4th Quarter:

  • Parachute Fun
  • Fitness & Biking (4th and 5th)
  • Outdoor/Cooperative Games

Yours in Fitness,

Mrs. Sink & Mr. Levesque


Chinese Characters

1st grade:   We talk about fruits. They can tell what kind of fruits they like to eat. Apple苹果 (píng guǒ), orange橘子 (jú zǐ), strawberry草莓 (cǎo méi), watermelon 西瓜 (xī guā), banana 香蕉 (xiāng jiāo), pear (lí), and grape 葡萄 (pú táo). Check out the blackboard and learn the new fruits song too!

2nd grade: Students learned to use prepositions to describe the location of an object or in relation to other objects. We used the game "The Word Bomb" to practice these new words (上面, shàng miàn, on; 下面, xià miàn, under; 里面, lǐ miàn, inside; 旁边, páng biān, next to; 左边, zuǒ biān, on the left side; 右边, yòu biān, on the right side; 前面, qián miàn, in front of; 后面, hòu miàn, behind). Students now are able to use these words in a phrase to describe locations.

3rd grade:  Since students will take the Jr. PALS Test (Junior Performance Assessment for Language Students) this year, we have been reviewing and practicing the words and sentences we learned this year. We talked about the types of questions on Jr. PALS Test, testing time and ratings, students took a practice test using sample test papers, I also introduced a few tips and games they can use in test preparation.

4th grade:  After we learned about the landforms. We also talk about the where do they like to go and why. Students will be able to tell the activities they like to do. 滑雪Skiing (huá xuě), 游泳swimming (Yóu yǒng), 露营 camping (lù yíng), 钓鱼(diào yú), 玩水(Wán shuǐ), 晒太阳 (shài tàiyáng), 看书(kàn shū), 打球 (dǎ qiú).

5th grade:  We talk about how to introduce about ourselves and the school in Chinese. Students will be able to speak and write sentences to tell what is their name, the nationality, grade, age and what subject(s) they like at school and why.

6th grade:  We will have a Jr. PALS assessment (speaking and writing) coming up this month. For writing, we will write about introduction of myself and the school. Also, we will write about environmental protection. For the speaking assessment, students will introduce about themselves and their favorite planet. Please review on the blackboard!

ACE Summer Camp

SC33071   Chinese Language Immersion Camp

Attending a Language Immersion camp can improve a child’s language skills as campers absorb the culture of the country by participating in language learning group activities, playing favorite games and sports, and learning about dances, songs and cooking. These language camps operate on the principle of total immersion (language spoken throughout class), which allows the campers to hear the language at all times. PARTICIPANTS SHOULD ALREADY HAVE BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE. Designed for current grades 1 to 5. Call 703-658-1201 to register and request a 10% discount (per student) for two students in the same family. 5 sessions @ 3 hours each.

How to practice Chinese on Blackboard

(Log in to Blackboard 24/7 -> -> 035-schoolinfo-1718-YR: CES School Information->Chinese LTC)

Blackboard is a great learning tool for children to review what they learn in class. There are many learning resources links, songs, videos and games. Please check out the LTC-Chinese on blackboard! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!   (xiè) (xiè)!    Thank you for your supports!  

Pik Kei (Peggy) Leung (1st, 2nd, 5th & 6th grades)    

Yina Chang (3rd & 4th grades)     


Music Notes

3rd, 4th, and 5th grade- Don’t forget about practice records, due May 31st. Check Blackboard for up to date practice assignments. Also don’t forget to join our google classroom and upload your playing tests.

6th

The Sixth grade has been learning about jazz and swing music and how it affects the music we listen to today.  We have learned about the qualities of Jazz and swing music and will continue in June with the Blues and the 12 bar blues progression.  By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Understand the fundamental elements of Jazz, Swing and Blues music and hear the influence of these ideas in the music they hear on the radio. 
  • Be able to use musical vocabulary and vivid language to describe music.  
  • Be able to critically listen to music, listening for elements of style and quality (loud/soft, fast/slow, etc)
  • Understand the following vocabulary words:  Riff, call and response, break, chord, triad, improvisation, swing, 12 bar blues, jazz. 

5th

The Fifth grade has finished a composition project where they wrote a poem in ABAB rhyme form and then composed a piece of music for recorder using the pentatonic scale.  Now we are learning the recorder song “North Skelton Dance” and will soon learn the “sword” dance to go with it!  The students are asked to continue practicing the song so they can accompany themselves as soon as they are done learning the dance steps.

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Be able to play the recorder with appropriate technique and note reading skills.
  • Sing with proper technique and perform choreography.
  • Write a song using their own lyrics in 4/4 time with a pentatonic scale.
  • Be able to understand and write a pentatonic scale.

4th

The Fourth grade has just wrapped up their listening unit with a lesson on Beethoven and Mozart.  We have made a connection to Beethoven and Mozart by playing a well known melody of theirs on the recorder:  Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”.   We are finishing the year with a couple of different units. Some of us are listening to  Holst’s The Planets.  Some of us are learning pacific island songs from Hawaii, New Zealand, Polynesia, and more!

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Critically listen for different elements of music (fast/slow, loud/soft, instrumentation, connections from music to personal experiences of theirs or the composer’s)
  • Know the basic life stories of Beethoven and Mozart and recognize some of their melodies.
  • Play the recorder accurately.
  • Be able to connect prior knowledge to the music they are listening to. 

3rd

 The Third grade took a break from recorder and learned about singing in a round.  We have sung rounds from many different cultures and explored the challenges of singing this style of music and how to make it easier.  We also reviewed our singers’ secrets to make our voices sound even better than they are!  We are continuing with the recorder this month and learning to play a round on the recorder.  Please remember to turn in practice records.

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Be able to participate in singing a round as a large group. 
  • Be able to move to the beat of the music.
  • Understand how a round is different from other types of songs.
  • Apply “singer’s secrets” to their singing to improve singing technique. 
  • Play the recorder accurately with our new notes:  C’, D’, D, E, F#

2nd 

In Second grade we learned a dance called Kings and Queens. Now we are learning about patriotic music.  We learned about what makes a song patriotic and the differences between two of the holidays we hear patriotic music:  Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day.  We have sang songs such as “Grand Old Flag”, “God Bless America”, “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)”.  We also listened to “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by Sousa (and we learned a little about his background as well). 

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Understand what makes a song patriotic and understand the differences between some of the national holidays.
  • Use good singing technique while singing common patriotic songs.
  • Critically listen to music for its parts and instrumentation.

1st

In First Grade, we have been singing a lot of silly songs!  We’ve been singing, moving, wiggling, and clapping to the music.  We have also used our “singer’s secrets” to make our voices sound even better than they did before!  We are also listening for parts and patterns in music. We identify these differences as the musical form and give them labels like “ABA” or “AABB.” 

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Be able to use “singer’s secrets” to sing using good vocal technique.
  • Move to the beat of a song.
  • Critically listen to music for musical form

Kinder

In Kindergarten we learned the function of notes and how some are longer and others are shorter.  We composed music using little “note cards” and also worked on writing down the rhythms we hear (rhythmic dictation).  We are now starting a unit on the instruments of the orchestra.  We are learning what makes an orchestra different from other bands of instruments and how an orchestra and a neighborhood are similar.    

By the end of this quarter your child should:

  • Be able to use whole, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and the rests to write down a 4 beat rhythm that they hear.
  • Understand the dynamic marks pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, crescendo and decrescendo.
  • Recognize notes by their name and their length. 
  • Be able to move to the beat of a song.
  • Be acquainted with the orchestra and the instruments therein. 

5th/6th grade chorus

We have been working hard on our solfege and sight reading skills. These are really hard and take a lot of practice and we’re picking them up fast! There will be no more concerts, but we are working on a final piece to record and present to parents.

The All County Chorus

I would like to give a HUGE thank you to all of the parents who made this day possible.  Without you, we would not have any rehearsals that would make the day possible.  Thank you for ALL of your support!  If you have any feedback to make the experience better for others, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

If you were a part of the experience and want to relive it or if you’ve been reading these articles and are wondering what this “ACCF” thing is all about, Red Apple TV will have you covered.  Almost every day  between May 9 and July 8 the concert will be broadcast at 7pm.  You will see 1,000 of Fairfax County’s 6th graders perform their 10 pieces featuring words in over 10 languages!  It is as amazing as it sounds!

The ACCF crew will have another chance to perform.  We have been asked to perform for the promotion ceremony!  More details to come for that day.   


Upcoming Events

May 28:  Student Holiday

May 31:  Band Concert at 2:30 & 7 pm

June 1:  SCA Spirit Day - Career Day

June 5:  Strings Concert at 2:30 & 7 pm

June 6:  Kindergarten Olympics

June 7:  Field Day

June 8:  4th Grade End of Year Party

June 8:  5th Grade GATP Day

June 11:  3rd Grade End of Year Party

June 12:  2nd Grade End of Year Party

June 13:  5th Grade End of Year Party

June 13:  Brain Show

June 14:  1st Grade End of Year Party

June 14:  6th Grade Promotion Ceremony

June 15:  Last day of school - 2 hour early release

June 15:  6th Grade Party