This document provides information for Back to School Night 2014 for Ms. Hanna Brogren and Mr. Tom Seley's classroom. It begins with details about their presentation, then provides information about their teaching backgrounds and daily schedule. It also outlines the curriculum including subjects taught, technology integration, homework policies, and encouraging reading at home. Character education and classroom management strategies are discussed. Project-based learning initiatives and encouraging healthy snacks are also mentioned.

1. Back to School Night 2014
Ms. Hanna Brogren & Mr. Tom Seley
Our presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.
Email BOTH of us anytime at:
hbrogren@birmingham.k12.mi.us
tseley@birmingham.k12.mi.us

2. Throughout the presentation,
if you have any questions, please
email BOTH of us
and we’ll get back to you!

3. WHO TEACHES YOUR CHILD

4. Our Team
Ms. Brogren/Davis-201
Math
Science
Health
Integrated Learning Design
Social Studies
Reading
 Children spend equal time with both teachers.
 This school year is Davis &Seley’s ELEVENTH as teaching partners AND teaching
3/4 at BCS!
 We are passionate about teaching. We are dedicated to partnering with parents and
committed to helping your child to grow academically, socially, and to love school.
 Kim earned her master’s degree in special education, learning disabilities.
Tom earned his master’s degree in library and information science.
Tom Seley-203
Writing
Science
Health
Integrated Learning Design
Social Studies
Reading

5. Tom Seley

6. Kim Davis

7. Hanna Brogren

8. Our Daily
Schedule 11:45-12:25
Lunch & Recess
12:25-2:00
Co –Curricular
OR
Integrated Learning Design /
Social Studies
(3 days)
2:05-3:05
Science
3:05-3:20
Planners
3:25-4:10
Choice Hour
8:18-9:25
Smart Start
4th Math / 3rd Writing
9:25-9:35
Recess & Bathroom
9:35-10:35
3rd Math / 4th Writing
10:45-11:45
Reading

9. Co-Curricular Schedule
Monday
PE
(Classes rotate every 5 weeks between gym and swim)
Media Center Checkout
(with Mr. Seley and Mrs. Truesdell)
Return books
Tuesday
Engineering Technology / Art
(Davis has Eng. Tech. semester 1,
Seley has Art semester 1)
Engage
Wednesday Spanish
Thursday
Engineering Technology / Art
Engage
Friday
PE
Spanish

10. CHARACTER EDUCATION

11. BCS Touchstone & Our Motto

12. Yardsticks
by Chip Wood
• “Knowing what children at each
age are developmentally capable
of doing physically, socially,
emotionally, and cognitively
enables respectful,
successful teaching of all
children.” (from http://yardsticks4-14.com)
• Visit Mr. Wood’s website:
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/yardsticks-4-14
• Buy Yardsticks

13. Developmental Milestones
from Yardsticks by Chip Wood
8 YEAR OLDS
• Energetic
• Do things in a hurry
• Tend to exaggerate
• Can be ambitious and “bite off more than they can chew”
• Listen well, but have so many ideas that they might not
remember what they’ve heard
9 YEAR OLDS
• Very concerned with fairness and justice
• Industrious and intellectually curious
10 YEAR OLDS
• Often write more sloppily than at age 9
• Quick to anger and quick to forgive
• Truthful and develop mature sense of right and wrong
• Develop the ability to problem solve issues of fairness
• Develop the ability to think abstractly

14. Love and Logic
by Dr. Jim Faye
• “The Win-Win Approach to Parenting”
• Raise kids who are self-confident, motivated,
ready for real world and who will learn the
responsibility and logic of life by solving their
own problems.
• Establish healthy control-without anger,
threats, nagging, or power struggles.
• Respect, relationship, responsibility, choices,
natural consequences with empathy, mistakes
as opportunities for teaching and learning,
setting limits, guided independence
• Buy Parenting with Love and Logic
(Descriptions taken from book jacket and table of contents)

15. Conscious Discipline
by Dr. Becky Bailey
• Social-Emotional Character Education Curriculum
• Brain-based learning strategies for children, teachers, and
parents
• Dedicated lessons throughout the year
• Daily routines
• Conscious Discipline for Parents:
http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/conscious_discipline_for_parents.asp
• Books for parents also at:
http://consciousdiscipline.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=4

16. CURRICULUM

17. Common Core Standards
• BPS is implementing new nationally adopted Common
Core Standards
• Skills and topics to be learned
• The process is central to learning
• Increased rigor
• Reflected on BPS’ updated report cards
• Watch this 3-minute video explaining Common Core

18. Standards-Based Grading
• Tells where a student is on the learning continuum for a
particular learning standard.
• Noted on class work, assessments, and report cards:
• B = Beginning
• WT = Working toward the standard
• MM = Meeting most of the standard
• M = Mastering the WHOLE standard
• More information at: http://elementary-report-
card.birmingham.k12.mi.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?sessionid=cc62cae0978e5d163e2f2
78d43d0f117&t=86e0092a67d1cbdae099340e8c9374c0&gid=4326287

19. Enrichment for All Learners
• Enrichment pieces integrated into
most units of study and into many
daily lessons.
• Optional Challenge & Enrichment
activities are often provided.
• Challenge & Enrichment involve the
student making choices to match
his/her individual interests and/or
learning style and are often
collaborative.

20. Language Arts
In 3rd and 4th grade, our students will participate in reading
and writing workshop every day. We also integrate word
study, spelling, grammar, cursive handwriting, and book
club opportunities. Weekly, students visit the book room
and select books at their independent level. Words Their
Way will begin in October.

21. Social Studies
•Michigan Studies
•Geography
•Government
•History
•Economy

22. Science

23. Math
 Operations and Algebraic Thinking
 Number and Operations (Base Ten and Fractions)
 Measurement and Data
 Geometry
Our instruction, learning, and assessment emphasize these
MATH PRACTICES:
• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
• Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
• Model with mathematics.
• Use appropriate tools strategically.
• Attend to precision.
• Look for and make use of structure.
• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

24. Math
•Daily Student Activity Book pages done in class
•Homework and Remembering book: often shortened to focus on key concepts
(check blog)
•Daily basic facts practice at home.
•Regular Compass Learning use to practice concepts at
https://www.thelearningodyssey.com (individualized learning path developed after
this month’s NWEA test)
•www.ThinkCentral.com for Unit Tests (pre-test to set individual learning goals and
post-test to measure growth)
•Homework is self-checked by each student during class and is recorded for
completion only.
•Utilization of cooperative learning groups, small group instruction, whole group
instruction, independent practice.
•Blend of math workshop and traditional instruction to meet students’ needs

25. Math Facts Goals
3rd Grade Math 4th Grade Math
•Addition Facts 0-10
(30 facts in two minutes)
•Subtraction Facts 0-10
(30 facts in two minutes)
•Multiplication Facts 0-10
(50 facts in three minutes)
•Division Facts 0-10
(50 facts in three minutes)
•Addition Facts 0-10
(100 facts in five minutes)
•Subtraction Facts 0-10
(100 facts in five minutes)
•Multiplication Facts 0-12
(100 facts in five minutes)
•Division Facts 0-12
(100 facts in five minutes)
Students who master their math facts
are the happiest!!
End of Year District Goals:

26. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

27. 21st Century Skills
BCS is an educational
leader in learner-
centered curriculum
designed to cultivate:
– Collaboration
– Communication
(Reading, writing,
speaking, listening)
– Creativity
– Critical Thinking
(Inquiry and Problem
Solving)
– Reflection
– Digital Citizenship

28. Our 21st Century Classrooms
Daily
Blog

29. Technology Tips and Tricks
– URLs and login information on labels on the inside front cover of each
student’s planner.
– Links to websites are permanently on blog or provided in daily posts.
– When we assign tech homework, we know your child is capable of doing it!
– Try calling a classmate for help.
– Have your child email the teacher from his/her own school email account if
he/she encounters any difficulties. You can have him/her CC you if
desired.
– Read our blogs for specific directions for that night’s tech task.

30. Login Information
Also in labels in inside cover of your child’s planner.
All websites linked from our blog: www.dsbcs.blogspot.com
• BPS USERNAME & PASSWORD
– Username example: kad4
– Password example: an animal name and a number
• OUTLOOK EMAIL
– http://birmingham.k12.mi.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=191982&sessionid=b067f0b830de61a0df53c5fd0a17779d
– Enter your username followed by @birmingham.k12.mi.us (ex. kad4@birmingham.k12.mi.us)
– Your BPS password
• THINK CENTRAL: Online program that goes with math book
– https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
– Michigan
– Birmingham Public School District
– Birmingham Covington School
– 4th graders: Your username followed by bcs (ex. kad4bcs) and your BPS password
– 3rd graders: Look in the cover of your planner
• COMPASS LEARNING: Online tutorials in all subjects (we assign math and reading)
– www.thelearningodyssey.com
– Username assigned by Compass Learning
– Password assigned by Compass Learning
– School : covington
• THAT QUIZ: Timed facts tests
– http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/classpage?01001467aef71e1
– Choose your name and enter your BPS password
• SPELLING CITY: Spelling homework and tests—begins second quarter of the school year
– Look in the cover of your planner

31. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
• Laptops or tablets (PC or mac), itouches
• Optional and encouraged!
• We are working toward a 1:1 device to student ratio.
• Most-frequently-used programs will be an Internet browser and Microsoft
Office (Word, PowerPoint).
• Devices will be kept with the student, in our classroom, or in the child’s locker.
• Devices must be clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name before
they are brought to school. We also recommend a sturdy case.
• For school work, NOT gaming! (including class, bus, hallway, recess)
• BYOD will be greatly useful for ALL the children in our classes and will
positively impact their daily education.

32. PROJECT BASED LEARNING:
SALMON IN THE CLASSROOM

33. Project-Based Learning (PBL) at BCS
BCS Faculty’s Central Philosophies about PBL:
• Focuses on a topic that is relevant to students' lives or relevant in real world
• Inquiry driven
• Interdisciplinary
• Long-term, continuous project
• Project is significant to how our world works
• Student voice and choice
• Students choose, design, and create products that fit with the topic, purpose, audience
• Self-directed process
• Scale of project is determined by students
• Requires interpretation, analysis, synthesis and evaluation
• Process, knowledge, insights and/or product are creative/novel/unique
• Teachers and students embrace failure as opportunity to learn and to practice perseverance
• Student designed, interdependent roles for cooperative learning
• Assessment of both the product and the process and is formative (on-going) and student-led
• Students evaluate themselves and others
• Ongoing sharing
• Significant content ideas demonstrated throughout student directed projects
• Student-created resources
• Students as experts
• Students help each other (students as teachers)
• Teacher is equal learner, a coach, and a questioner not an answerer

34. Salmon in the Classroom, Michigan DNR
• On November 5th, Mrs. Maliszewski and Mrs. Davis will travel to Wolf Lake Fish
Hatchery near Kalamazoo and bring 200 Chinook salmon eggs back to BCS!
• We will raise the fish in the science lab until we release them around May in a local
stream of the DNR’s choosing.
• Students will be blogging and doing other student-generated, inquiry-driven projects
as they learn about and care for our salmon.
• We are looking for parent volunteers to help care for the fish. Please email if this
interests you! We have weekly volunteer opportunities. 
• The PTSA and Premier Pet Supplies in Southfield are generously supporting us.
• Videos and more information at:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10369_50075---,00.html

35. HOMEWORK

36. How much homework?
Most homework is finishing daily class work.
Daily:
Math (Compass Learning and/or Homework/Remembering pages)
Reading (at least 20 minutes for 3rd, 30 minutes for 4th)
Practice basic math facts (at least 15 minutes)
We will have an at-home Paragraph Practice once or twice a month.
Practice typing.

37. Math Facts Practice
• Due to a rigorous math curriculum, students need to practice basic
fact at home all year long. We recommend 15 minutes per
weekday.
• Use flashcards and fact triangle cards in the car! Keep them by your
child’s seat.
• Online: play free games, free timed tests, print free worksheets.
Resources at: www.bcs34.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us
• Apps for smart phones!!

38. Read!

39. Read!
Our
Favorite!
“Children
are made
readers on
the laps of
their
parents.”
--Emily Buchwald--

40. Fostering Independent Homework Skills
• Homework is the student’s job and they
should do more work than the parent or the
teacher.
• Homework is a four step process:
take it home, do it, bring it back to school,
turn it in
• Students turn in work independently by putting their work into the
proper tray in the tower or by submitting it electronically.
• If students have missing assignments, they will work during lunch
and recess in our rooms or in another room called “The Success
Center,” which is staffed by another teacher.
• Teachers will contact parents if students have missing
assignments.

41. Fostering Independent Homework Skills
• Doing Homework
– Have a regular time and place for homework.
– Allow your child to do his or her homework alone.
– Encourage kids to put a ? next to problems that confuse them.
– Have your child show you completed homework and bring you the planner to be
initialed.
– Set natural consequences at home if work doesn’t get done.
• Getting Homework to and from School
–Keep all folders, papers, binders, and other materials in the binder at all times.
• Please do NOT “clean out” your child’s binder.
• Remind your child to re-pack his or her binder as soon as work is
completed, AT NIGHT!

42. Daily Homework Blog
VISIT OUR BLOG DAILY!!!
• Add it to your favorites list:
www.dsbcs.blogspot.com
• Parameters
– Read our blog every day!
– This is the way to communicate our curriculum with parents!
– Check the blog every day for LOADS of helpful information!
– If you subscribe via email it will be sent right to you – pictures
and all!
Daily
Blog

43. •Check our blog every day.
•Discuss the homework assignments with your child.
•Initial your child’s planner EVERY night.
•Support your child’s homework to foster independence.
•Make sure your child is getting enough sleep, has a healthy
breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and is physically active.
•Have your child read daily and you should read daily in front of them.
Read together as well.
•Read Love and Logic and Conscious Discipline
to get a feel for BCS’ discipline model.
•Explore our blog and the resources it contains.
•Communicate with your child’s teachers!!
How to Help

44. Healthy Snacks
• Please pack healthy snacks! Kids need good fuel for their bodies and brains!
(protein, fiber, fruits and veggies)
• Most kids like two snacks per day (morning and afternoon).
• Send in a re-usable water bottle. We only allow clear drinks only in our classrooms to keep
the carpet stain free.
• No chips, no cookies, no candy are allowed during snack.
• Our classrooms are strictly PEANUT / TREE NUT FREE.
• Healthy Snack Ideas:
-Popcorn
-Pretzels
-Crackers and cheese
-Greek yogurt tubes
-Fruits
-Vegetables (dips)
-Humus
-Granola bars (nut free and not full of
candy)
-Healthy cereal
-Whole Grain Muffins (carrot, banana,
bran, etc.)
- Lunchmeat
- Beef or turkey jerky
- Oatmeal in a small thermos
- Sunbutter or other no nut “peanut
butter” replacements for protein
(please tell your child if you do send in a
safe one because we will ask!)

45. Class Parties
– Halloween Party – Friday, October 30th, 10:00-10:30 Parade,
10:30-11:30 Party
– Holiday Party – Friday, December 18th
– Reading to the Superbowl – Friday, February 5th (tentative)
– Valentine’s Day Party – Friday, February 12th
(low-key Valentine exchange, students only, parents coordinate treats)
– End of the Year Party – Thursday, June 16th (tentative) all
day
Please join us!
Contact your room parent to volunteer!!

46. Field Trips
• December 15 – Rouge Plant Tour
• March 10 – Detroit Historical Museum
• Date TBD – Salmon Release

47. •Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes.
•Pack lunches ONLY in disposable bags/baggies/bottles.
•Groups may NOT visit Souvenir Shops. Do NOT give your child
spending money. Chaperones may NOT purchase anything for the
children in their group.
•Pack GameBoys, iPods, books, etc. for use on the bus only at your
own risk. We are not responsible for lost or damaged items.
•Children must carry all of their own belongings.
Chaperones are not sherpas!
Field Trip Musts

48. •You may send in a birthday treat for your child to share with his/her homeroom if you choose.
•All treats must be NUT FREE! (Parents of kids with allergies: please send in a large
pack of safe treats labeled with your child’s name to keep in our cabinets throughout the
year that your child can eat when a potentially unsuitable treat is brought in.)
•We celebrate in the afternoon.
•Please email your child’s teacher the day before so we make time for your child’s celebration!
•You may drop off your treat when you drop off your child.
•There are 27 students in one homeroom. Please only bring 27 treats.
•Please send in treats that are individually portioned for each student.
•All treats should be identical. (flavor, size, etc.) Children enjoy “fairness.”
•Please provide napkins.
•Beverages are not necessary.
•Students enjoy passing out treats to other teachers, so you may wish to send in a few extra.
•Summer birthdays may want to choose an alternate date to celebrate. (ex. half-birthday)
Birthday Treats

49. Please leave your question cards in the basket
and we will respond by email.
We are so fortunate to work with
such supportive parents!
Mr. Morawski will be beginning
his presentation in the Media Center.
Thank you for coming
tonight!