Introducing Number Bonds

District Strategic Goal #1 is:

To continuously improve student growth and achievement.

2Z students show number bonds

Mathematicians in 2Z found a new way to look at numbers bonds this week! As part of our new Math in Focus math program, number bonds are introduced as a way to explore the part-part-whole relationships of numbers.  To demonstrate this in a concrete way, we counted the number of letters in our names.  With partners, we used our individual names as the parts of the number bond and found the whole number by looking at our names next to each other.  Together we explored that numbers can increase as we combine them, and can be seen as two or more parts that make a whole. We also had fun seeing who had the longest and shortest names!

Learning with Math in Focus

A number bond is a mental picture of the relationship between a number and the parts that combine to make it. The concept of number bonds is very basic, an important foundation for understanding how numbers work. A whole thing is made up of parts. If you know the parts, you can put them together (add) to find the whole. If you know the whole and one of the parts, you take away the part you know (subtract) to find the other part.

Number bonds let children see the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Subtraction is not a totally different thing from addition; they are mirror images. To subtract means to figure out how much more you would have to add to get the whole thing.

 

 Watch the Video below to learn more about number bonds

 

 

Submitted by: 2nd Grade Teacher Kelsie Zarko


Powerschool App available

Goal 4 of the District Strategic Plan reads

”To Ensure a Satisfying and Productive Partnership with Families and the Community.”

Progress reports will be sent home with students on September 21, 2012. The Dunlap School District has been utilizing Pearson PowerSchool for the past two years which is a web-based Student Information System for tracking grades and attendance.

PowerSchool is now portable! The PowerSchool for Parents app is available for download from the App Store and compatible with the iPhone®, iPad® or iPod touch®. Parents can easily view each child’s progress in a single feed to check grades, review assignments, and more!  Learn more online!

DGS Library Updates

New librarian, Mrs. Michelle Mueckler reads a story to a First Grade Class

Dunlap Grade School welcomes Mrs. Michelle Mueckler to our building as our new librarian. Mrs. Mueckler will service the libraries at DGS, Wilder-Waite and Banner Elementary School. She will be at Dunlap Grade on Wednesdays. A few updates from Mrs. Mueckler include:

  1. Interested parent volunteers have received library training and are already serving our library well. If you are interested serving as a library helper, please contact the PTO library chairs.
  2. Nearly 100 new books are being processed and will be displayed in the library in the upcoming weeks.

In response to the Harris Poll results from the previous year, some improvements have been made to the library.

  1. Open library times have been embedded into the schedule for allow students an opportunity to return and check out books more frequently.
  2. A suggestion box has been implemented for students to request desired book titles
  3. The addition of the new tables and seating last year has made the library more conducive to classroom visits. Updated Dr. Seuss artwork has been added to the walls

Classroom visits began today with Mrs. Mueckler reading “Mr. Wiggle’s Book,” to our Kindergarten and First Grade Classes. This book explains to students the importance of treating books with respect and keeping them in quality condition.

Welcome to the team, Mrs. Mueckler!

DGS Morning Meeting

District Goal #2 is:

To obtain a satisfying and productive classroom and school learning environment

The morning routine at Dunlap Grade School looks a little different this year. To align with the other  elementary buildings, Dunlap Grade has implemented all school morning meetings. Students that arrive by bus are dropped off in the rear of the building and car riders or walkers enter the front of the building. Students then enter the gym where they sit in rows by their classroom. These rows are identifiable by the classroom flags that were created the first day of school and paraded at our school year opening ceremony.

Mrs. Ellis and 5th Grade Student during Morning Meeting

The meetings begin promptly at 7:35 am and conclude by 7:39 am. Students than proceed to class ready to begin their days. Because many teachers are able to take attendance and lunch count during the meeting and students experience minimal transition time, this new process has increased instructional time by nearly 10 minutes daily or 50 minutes weekly. That adds up to over 30 hours a school year or over 4 days of instructional time! This change has already made a big impact!

 

The morning meeting is focused on developing a community of learners. We use this time to celebrate attainment of goals, reiterate our mission and vision, communicate our direction, discuss building expectations, and share announcements. Students that are celebrating birthdays are recognized during the meeting and receive a coupon to redeem a birthday book in the office. Additionally, individual students practice their public speaking skills by sharing the daily lunch menu with their peers. We end the meeting with a school-wide recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

This new routine aligns to our DGS mission of “promoting active engagement of all members to ensure that students have the skills to succeed in the 21st century!”

2nd Grade Science

District Goal #2 is:

To obtain a satisfying and productive classroom and school learning environment

This week, 2nd graders got hands-on experience as scientists!  To learn about the scientific method, they used candy as the basis of their experiment.  After creating “I wonder…” questions, they weighed M&M’s, Skittles, and Smarties.  Next, they hypothesized whether or not the candy would float when dropped in water.  The excitement grew as partners dropped candy into cups of water to test their hypothesis. Once the test was done, they recorded results on their data sheets.  Students learned that scientists don’t always hypothesize correctly and that sometimes taking risks and making mistakes is how we learn best!  All in all, it was a “sweet” science lesson in 2nd grade.

Submitted by: Mrs. Zarko and Mrs. Pitzer

Classroom Learning Communities align to Building Goals

District Strategic Goal #1 is:

To continuously improve student growth and achievement.

Mrs. Zarko’s 2nd Grade Class visited the building data center that is displayed just outside the office to view the building goals. Once students had an understanding of the DGS goals, they established classroom learning expectations and goal areas. The mission and goals created by 2Z are now on display in the main hallway of the building.  The systematic alignment of our district, building, and classroom goals is a key strategy in improving student growth and achievement. The students in 2Z are well on their way to becoming 21st Century Learners!

Wheelchair Accessible Ramps Installed

District Goal #2 is:

To obtain a satisfying and productive classroom and school learning environment

Last week, two new wheelchair ramps and one threshold ramp were installed at three different exits/entrances to the building. This improvement to DGS provides equal access to DGS for all students. The ramps were installed at the rear entrance to the building, the 1st grade wing, and at the entrance to the gym. We are pleased to have been able to include these as part of continued facilities improvements!