Bissonet Bulletin

Counseling:

Free virtual therapy sessions for middle schoolers grades 6 to 8 through the school based health clinics:

• Virtual sessions are available from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, weekly Monday through Friday excluding school holidays

• How to Participate: A parent/guardian should contact the school Mental Health Professional (Social Worker or Counselor) to initiate the enrollment process (for Bissonet contact Monique Bucaro, social worker 504-780-4209).

Free Tutoring:

The State Library of Louisiana is offering free online tutoring to learners of all ages through Homework Louisiana.

The free online tutoring service provides Louisiana families with access to live tutors seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight, offering one-on-one help from over 4,000 tutors in nearly 200 subjects, including standardized test preparation.

Tutoring sessions can be accessed from a Louisiana public library, a computer or a mobile device, with services also being available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Happy Fall!

We will continue to work on letters and sounds Mm, Tt, Ss, Aa, Pp, Rr. We will continue to write and recognize numbers 1-10 and patterns. Please continue to check folders for upcoming events and complete all homework assignments.

Send a snack and water bottle each day. Make sure your child has a full set of clothes to change into in case of accidents or spills. This does not have to be school uniform. Velcro shoes must be worn and write your child’s name inside jackets and sweatshirts. Please do not allow students to bring toys from home to school.

Thanks for your help and support! Pre-K

Our kindergarteners have been working hard and learning so much this month! In ELA, students are practicing segmenting and blending words, strengthening their letter-writing skills, and working toward chaining simple words. In Knowledge, students are listening to a variety of stories while building their understanding of characters, settings, and plot. These lessons work together to build the foundational reading and comprehension skills students need as they grow into strong readers.

In Math, we are focusing on numbers 1-10 by exploring what is more, the same, and less, while practicing different ways to represent numbers. In Science, students are using observations and creating models to investigate and answer the question, “Why do some surfaces get hot while others do not?”

Our students have been working very hard, and we are so proud of their growth! Thank you for your continued partnership and support in your child’s learning, we appreciate you!

What We’re Learning This Week

Dear First Grade Families,

We are continuing to learn, grow, and work hard in first grade! Here’s a look at what we are focusing on in our classroom:

➕ Math

We are continuing to practice addition and subtraction through story problems. Students are learning how to read a problem carefully, decide whether to add or subtract, and show their thinking using pictures, numbers, and equations.

📚 Reading

In reading, we are reading stories and practicing answering questions about what we read. We are working on remembering important details, identifying key information, and using evidence from the story to answer questions.

🔤 Tricky Words

We are continuing to learn and practice new tricky words. Please review these words with your child at home to help build confidence and fluency when reading.

🏠 Learning at Home

Your support at home makes a big difference! Please continue to review your child’s homework, classwork, tests, and quizzes with them. Going over completed work helps your child understand mistakes, celebrate their successes, and prepare for future learning.

Thank you for partnering with us and supporting your child’s learning! We appreciate all that you do at home to help our first graders succeed.

Keep learning, keep reading, and keep growing!

We have been busy learning and growing in 2nd grade! Here’s a look at what we are learning and a few important reminders for our families.

In Skills, we are continuing to develop our foundational reading skills by strengthening our ability to decode words, read with accuracy and fluency, and understand increasingly complex text.

In Knowledge, we are learning about the Ancient Greek civilization and how it influenced the world today. We are exploring the geography of Greece and how the mountains, islands, and surrounding seas affected the way people lived. We are learning about Greek city-states, including Athens and Sparta, and comparing how they were different.

In Math, we are building their understanding of addition and subtraction within 100. We are focusing on showing our work by creating a place value chart to get our answer. We are also learning about the relationship between addition and subtraction.

In Science, we are learning how wind and water can change the shape of land over time. We are exploring how moving water and wind can weather, erode, and move rocks, soil, and sediment from one place to another.

Thank you for the continued support for your child!

Reminders:

-Swimming is every Tuesday and Thursday. The last day will be on October 1st.

-Check Red Folders nightly

-Homework is due every Friday

3rd Grade ELA

We are wrapping up our unit on Cajun Folktales! Ask your child: Why is a rabbit a good animal to play the role of a trickster? We have been exploring the clever characters, lessons, and unique storytelling traditions found in these folktales.

A reminder that nightly homework is a great way to practice foundational reading skills. The practice students complete at home will help prepare them for the mid-year DIBELS assessment and, most importantly, help them continue to grow as readers. The additional reading passage is especially helpful for practicing fluency, a skill students have been working on in class.

Please remember to check your child's red folder each night for important papers and information. Also, be sure to sign the communication log on the back of the folder each week.

Thank you for supporting your child's reading growth at home!

3rd Grade Math

In Unit 2, we have been diving into area and learning about the connection to multiplication. We are working towards mastering the concept of area of flat or 2-dimensional shapes. In Unit 3, students will begin learning about multiplication facts and start fluency drills. Be sure to check your child’s agenda daily and complete homework assignments in the green folder. You can also have your child complete Zearn lessons to practice math skills.

3rd Grade Science:

End of Unit 1: Force & Motion

We’ve been figuring out how and why objects move!

Dear Families,

Our 3rd grade scientists have been busy observing, investigating, discussing, and figuring things out during our first OpenSciEd science unit: Force and Motion!

Throughout this unit, students have worked like real scientists and engineers. They have explored how pushes and pulls can affect the motion of objects and used evidence from investigations to explain what they observe.

🧲 What Did We Learn?

During Unit 1, students learned to think about:

🔹 Force – a push or a pull that can affect an object's motion.

🔹 Motion – a change in an object's position.

🔹 Pushes and pulls – forces that can cause objects to start moving, stop, speed up, slow down, or change direction.

🔹 Interactions – objects can affect one another when they interact.

🔹 Evidence – scientists use observations and evidence from investigations to support their ideas.

🧪 We Learned by Investigating!

Instead of simply memorizing information, students had opportunities to:

👀 Observe what happened

💭 Share their ideas

🧪 Investigate and test

📋 Record observations

🗣️ Discuss evidence with classmates

🔄 Change and grow their ideas

Students practiced explaining what they think, what they observed, and what evidence supports their thinking.

Scientists Ask Questions!

Our classroom has focused on an important idea:

We don't always know the answer right away—we figure things out together!

Students have practiced listening to classmates, asking questions, sharing ideas even when they are unsure, and using evidence to develop stronger explanations.

Try It at Home!

You can continue the learning at home with simple questions:

• Look at a toy car:

What makes it move?

• Roll a ball:

What happens when you push it harder or softer?

• Watch something move:

Does it speed up, slow down, stop, or change direction?

• Ask your child:

“What force caused the object to move?”

“What evidence do you have?”

See if your child can explain:

1. What is a force?

2. What is motion?

3. How can a push or pull change an object's motion?

4. What is evidence?

5. How do scientists use evidence to support their ideas?

Unit 1 Scientists!

We are so proud of the questions, observations, investigations, and ideas our young scientists have shared!

Students have learned that science is not just about knowing an answer—it is about asking questions, investigating, using evidence, and figuring things out together.

Thank you for supporting our young scientists at home! We are preparing for our first Benchmark September 28-October 8. It will be used as a Major Test Grade.

3rd Grade Social Studies Newsletter

Bayou Bridges — Unit 1

The Founding of the United States of America

Dear Families,

Our 3rd grade historians have been learning about the events, people, and ideas that helped lead to the founding of the United States!

Throughout Unit 1, students have been learning how the American colonies became increasingly unhappy with British rule and how those events eventually led to the American Revolution and American independence.

⭐ What Are We Learning?

🧾 Taxes & Protests

Students learned that Britain placed taxes on the American colonies. One example was the Stamp Act, which placed taxes on printed items.

The colonists became upset about these taxes and began protesting British policies.

🍵 The Boston Tea Party

In 1773, colonists protested the tea tax during the Boston Tea Party.

Students learned how this event led Parliament to respond with laws that punished the people of Boston, known as the Intolerable Acts.

⚔️ The American Revolution

Students explored important events and battles of the American Revolution.

George Washington

George Washington was an important leader during the Revolution. He led the Continental Army.

Saratoga

The American victory at Saratoga helped the American colonies form an alliance with France.

Yorktown

At the Battle of Yorktown, the British surrendered, helping bring the war to an end.

The Declaration of Independence

One of the most important ideas students learned about is the Declaration of Independence.

On July 4, 1776, the colonies adopted a declaration of independence from Britain. This is why we celebrate Independence Day on July 4.

Students learned that the Declaration identifies important rights, including:

❤️ Life

🕊️ Liberty

😊 The pursuit of Happiness

The Declaration also explains that the government gets its power from the consent of the governed.

Symbols of Our Nation

Students also learned about the meaning of the American flag.

⭐ 13 Stripes = 13 Original Colonies

The thirteen stripes represent the thirteen original colonies.

Important Vocabulary

Tax — Money people pay to the government

Protest — To show that you disagree

Independence — Freedom from another country's control

Declaration — A formal statement

Liberty — Freedom

Alliance — An agreement between groups or countries to help one another

Surrender — To give up or stop fighting

Unalienable Rights — Rights that cannot be taken away

🏠 Ask Your Child at Home!

Try asking your historian:

• Why were the colonists upset with Britain?
• What happened at the Boston Tea Party?
• Why was George Washington important?
• What happened on July 4, 1776?
• What three rights are named in the Declaration of Independence?
• Why was France important to the American Revolution?
• What happened at Yorktown?
• What do the 13 stripes on the American flag represent?

We Are Historians!

As we finish Unit 1, students have practiced looking at events, people, causes, effects, and important documents to understand how the United States was founded.

We are so proud of the questions, discussions, and historical thinking our 3rd grade students have demonstrated!

• Keep asking questions!
• Keep learning!
• Keep thinking like historians!

Thank you for supporting your child's learning at home! We are preparing for our first Benchmark September 28-October 8. It will be used as a Major test grade.

Fourth graders have been busy learning and growing! In ELA, students have been exploring hurricanes through informational texts, videos, and real-life accounts. They have been learning about Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, focusing on how hurricanes impact people and communities. Students are using text evidence, analyzing photographs and other text features, and strengthening their writing by expanding sentences and clearly explaining their thinking.

In Social Studies, students have been traveling back in time to learn about early humans, the Agricultural Revolution, and the development of civilizations. They are discovering how farming led to permanent settlements and exploring important characteristics of civilizations, including specialization, social structure, government, communication, architecture, and culture.

We are proud of the hard work our fourth graders are putting into becoming stronger readers, writers, thinkers, and historians!

Ms. Griffin would like to give a special shout-out to Class B for doing an outstanding job during the month of September! Class B has consistently shown that they are well-behaved, responsible, respectful, and ready to learn. I am so proud of the positive choices you are making each day.

Keep up the great work, Class B! Let’s keep it going!

In Math, fourth graders are building their multiplication skills as they work with whole numbers and fractions. Students are practicing strategies to solve problems accurately and explain their mathematical thinking.

In Science, students are learning about different types of energy and exploring how energy is used and transferred in the world around them.

Also, Ms Andrades would also like to give a special shout out to Oliver B. for working extremely hard on Zearn. He almost finished the entire mission.

5th Grade ELA and Social Studies

We are continuing to read The Birchbark House and are preparing for our culminating writing task, where students will be writing an essay about the lessons the main character is learning in each season. In Social Studies, we just began Unit 2, West African Kingdoms. Please have your children review their notes each evening as even a quick two minutes is enough to keep the main ideas fresh in their minds and prepare them for each chapter test.

Thank you,

Brandon Simmons

5th Grade ELA and Social Studies Teacher

7th & 8th Grade ELA - Ms, Smith

Leaves are falling, autumn is calling! Where has the time gone already? As we are wrapping up the first nine weeks, I would like to remind everyone that the District Benchmarks for ELA is scheduled for September 28 and 29. Please ensure that your child is at school on time these days with a good night's sleep and of course, a wonderful breakfast will be served in the cafeteria daily.

In order to help prepare for the Benchmark, we are focusing on independent reading and writing clear claims with supporting evidence. Students are engaged in Unit 1 anchor text, The Boy Who Harnessed (8th) the Wind and Fever 1793 (7th) this semester. Together we read, analyze, discuss, and respond to literature daily. You can help your child by asking questions regarding their day and show interest in the novels they are reading. Audio text and assignments can be found on Google Classroom.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please schedule a conference. I am available Mon, Thursday, and Friday between 12 - 12:30.

Thank you all for your continued support of your child and our school.

Ms. Smith

Middle School Science

As we continue with our Open Science Education (OpenSciEd) and Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology (IQWST) science curriculum, students continue to learn how our world works and why. It is an extremely challenging and engaging curriculum requiring our students to focus on the wonders of our universe and how we interact with it.

All middle school students have finished their first units and are working on their second units in preparation for their first benchmark test. Sixth grade students are studying “Sound Waves,” using the Anchoring Phenomenon Question: “How can sound make something move and how can we produce and detect it? Seventh grade students are studying “Weather, Climate, and Water Cycling,” using the Anchoring Phenomenon Question: “Why does a lot of hail, rain, or snow fall at some times and not others? And, eight grade students are studying “Earth Science” using the Anchoring Phenomenon Question: “How is the Earth changing?”

Please remind your child to review what they have learned in class at home for at least 10 minutes on the days they do not have science class. The review material is in their science folder and notebook.

Also, please encourage your child to go to bed early to be well rested for all classes and Benchmark testing.

Thank you for your assistance in your child’s science learning.

Sincerely,

Allison A. Marshall

Middle School Science Teacher

To ensure we are prepared for the upcoming Benchmark tests, we have been practicing making sure we are restating the question in the form of a sentence. We've been especially working hard at ensuring we are explaining our answers in Math. Our Sequences of Transformations are becoming so detailed and the way we can prove a copy is a Scaled Copy or not are top notch. Additionally, we have been practicing our Math Academic Vocabulary so that we understand exactly what questions are asking of us.

We are doing a semester-long study on the Titanic, in addition to our regular work in ELA. We are currently learning about how this huge ship was built and are adding vocabulary about ship-building, every day. Ask us about keels, hulls, slips, and gantries!

One of our classmates has just upgraded her communication device and we are able to more easily share ideas and thoughts. We are beyond proud of her progress!!

All students (Prek thru 8th) will start the Mileage Plus Program in the next few weeks. Every Monday, they will participate in a timed run to promote cardiovascular fitness and endurance.

Ballroom dancing is being taught weekly to a select group of 4th and 5th grade students. They will represent Bissonet at the annual competition held in April. Students will learn Waltz, Tango, Salsa, and Swing dances throughout the year.

Reminders:

Make sure water bottles are labeled with the student’s name. Tennis shoes are required for class.

Sports/Activities:

***Any student who participates in any sport program is required to have a COMPLETED physical packet form in order to participate.****

Girls on the Run (4th and 5th) and Heart and Sole (6th-8th)meet every Monday and Wednesday from 2:30-4:00.