Hello everyone! I will be sending out an AL newsletter each month with project and event updates. These newsletters include all grade/content area groups. Feel free to check out what everyone is doing or find your student's specific group (there is A LOT of info. here). Reach out at any time with questions or items to discuss. Email is the best way to reach me with my rotating schedule. nelca01@wwusd.org

This is my 17th year in education and my 10th focused on Advanced Learning. Prior to WUSD I was the Gifted and Talented District Coordinator in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. Over the past 8 years I have focused on AL/GT through the lens of Project Based Learning. I am trained through PBL Works in both facilitating PBL and coaching staff on PBL. I love giving students the opportunity to make authentic connections between their learning and the world around them. PBL focuses heavily on student directed learning, feedback and revision protocols, and fostering collaboration and communication skills all while working towards mastery of standards and skills.

I am originally from Roseville, MN just outside of the Twin Cities. I came to Wisconsin to attend UW-Milwaukee and fell in love with the area, so here I am! Outside of school I love to spend time on DIY projects at my home and in my yard. I love a good challenge and learning new skills. I am an avid reader, especially science-fiction, mysteries, and fantasy. I can usually be found listening to a podcast or Taylor Swift while completing my ongoing projects!

I look forward to getting to know students new to AL this year and seeing everyone's academic and personal growth.

PBL Unit: Figurative Language Library

Project Overview: Students will explore different types of figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, onomatopoeias, and hyperboles). As students become experts in identifying figurative language, analyzing figurative language, and creating figurative language, they will begin designing their own figurative language resource book. Students will create illustrations to accompany their Figurative Language definitions and examples. Once resource books are published, they will be housed in our school library for peers to check out, learn from, and enjoy. Each 2nd grade AL LA student will also receive their own copy!

Past Steps:

• Get to know you, sticker pickers (pick two stickers, share why you picked-I learned a lot about students interests and lives from this quick activity)
• Language Arts survey-learning preferences/interests
• Project Launch: Figurative Language Trivia Slideshow (See below)

Current Steps:

• Learning about similes and metaphors
• Identifying similes and metaphors in Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg (using Figurative Language flags-students wave when they think they have heard an example of figurative language. We then discuss and analyze as a group and record in our unit resource book under that particular type of fig. language).
• Song/Music Video: "Similes and Metaphors" by the Bazillions (watch below)
• Google Classroom tasks/options for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• SImile/Metaphor Color Poems
• Simile self portrait

PBL Unit: Board Game Designers

Project Overview: Students will develop an original board game where players advance by answering multiplication and division problems. Students will be responsible for coming up with the concept and theme for the game, the rules, writing the problems, creating the answer key, and designing/creating the board and pieces. We will be exploring strategies such as arrays, pictures, equal groups, repeated addition/subtraction, and number lines for building our understanding of multiplication and division.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you, sticker pickers (pick two stickers, share why you picked-I learned a lot about students interests and lives from this quick activity)
• Math Survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Multiplication pre-assessment
• Project Launch: What's in a game? Exploring familiar games to determine common components

Current Steps:

• "Game-Storm"-brainstorming ideas for our game (theme, rules, board design)
• Video: Austin's Butterfly (importance of the feedback/revision process)
• Google Classroom tasks/options for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Multiplication and division strategies
• Peer feedback protocol/reflection/revision on game plan
• Writing game rules
• 2nd Draft Game Board
• Developing multiplication questions/answer key
• Becoming familiar and comfortable with Google Docs

PBL Unit: Inspired by Adages

Project Overview: Students will be exploring different types of figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole, and adages). They will complete a variety of activities to practice identifying, analyzing, and creating figurative language. We will be focusing on adages for the project portion. We will explore well known adages, analyze the meaning and origin, and determine if they hold true in our lives today. Students will be selecting a set of adages they find to be inspiring and creating a product of their choice that displays these bits of wisdom (ex. posters, calendar, buttons). Students will conclude the project by selecting one adage and writing a personal narrative where that adage could be applied to a situation in their life.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you, sticker pickers (pick two stickers, share why you picked-I learned a lot about students interests and lives from this quick activity)
• Language Arts Survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Project Launch: Fig. Language Trivia Slides
• Notes on types of figurative language (similes and metaphors)

Current Steps:

• Metaphor and simile examples
  
• Music Video: "Similes and Metaphors" by the Bazillions (watch below)
• Simile/Metaphor sort (Word Wall)
• Reading Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg-identifying and analyzing figurative language throughout
• Continued notes on types of figurative language
• Google Classroom tasks/options for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Complete discussion/notes on all types of Fig. Language
• Simile/Metaphor color poem
• Simile Self-Portrait
• Adage Selection/Analysis

PBL Unit: Math-Ster Chef

Project Overview: Students will be focusing on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions for this unit. 3rd Graders will be selecting one no bake recipe to adjust for different group sizes. We will compile our original and adjusted recipes into a No-Bake Cook book and all participating students will receive a copy!

Past Steps:

• Get to know you, sticker pickers
• Pre-Assessment on fraction operations
• Project Launch: Trail Mix Recipe adjustment to make enough for our group

Current Steps:

• Fraction review through modeling and group discussion
• Fraction vocabulary
• Improper and mixed numbers
• Recipe Brainstorm
• IXL Practice: EE.3, EE.4, EE.5
• Google Classroom options/tasks for non-AL days

Next Steps

• Adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators (modeling)
• Adding and subtracting fractions without models
• Equivalent Fractions
• Recipe selection
• Recipe Adjustment calculations

PBL Unit: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Fictional Narratives

Project Overview: Students will be exploring the book, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg. We will be reviewing the eerie illustrations contained within in the book and everyone will be selecting their favorite. 4th Graders will be developing story elements and a story arc, outlining their narrative plan. We will focus on peer feedback/revision protocols as students create and edit drafts. Students will create an original illustration to accompany their short story. We will publish an anthology of narratives and each student will receive a copy.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you sticker pickers
• Language Arts survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Project Launch: Harris Burdick read aloud/discussion

Current Steps:

• Question generation for each illustration
• Story Snapshots for 2 illustrations, select one to move forward
• Story element/sequencing outline
• Fictional narrative vocabulary (introduction/exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, denouement)
• Google Classroom options/tasks for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Story arc 0utline
• Story arc poster
• Gallery Walk feedback protocol
• Feedback reflection
• Draft 1
• Feedback/Revision protocols

PBL Unit: Coordinate Grid Playground Design

Project Overview: Students will learn about the 4 quadrant coordinate plane. We will discuss x/y axis, coordinates, quadrants, and plotting points with ordered pairs. 4th graders will begin to explore comparing/ordering integers, and integer addition/subtraction. We will also discuss and apply opposites and absolute value. Students will be designing 4-5 dream playground features which they will plot on a map of school grounds layered with a coordinate grid. They will identify the ordered pair for each feature vertex. 4th graders will also create a 3-D digital model of one of their features on TinkerCad and 3-D print their design. We will conclude the project with Google slides presentations to share our learning.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you sticker pickers
• Math Survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Pre-Assessment coordinate grid/integers
• Project Launch: Video "15 Amazing Playgrounds and Parks"

Current Steps:

• Coordinate Grid introduction and notes
• IXL Practice (5th Grade LL.1-4)
• Coordinate Grid Battleship
• Playground feature brainstorm
• Google Classroom options/tasks for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Integers, absolute value, opposites
• Final playground features
• Plot features on coordinate grid (first draft)
• List ordered pairs for feature vertices

PBL Unit: Podcast Producers

Project Overview: Students will be selecting a topic of interest after participating in ideation protocols and discussions. We will be focusing on question generation to guide inquiry, utilizing credible sources, effective note-taking, and communicating with clarity and precision. Students will conduct research from multiple sources, take detailed notes, then develop an episode outline for their podcast episode. From there 5th graders will create a script and practice reading their script with confidence. All podcasters will participate in a variety of peer feedback and revision protocols. We will utilize WeVideo as our recording platform to produce our episodes and complete editing. Once their recording is complete, students will write an episode description that will accompany their episode on all podcast platforms. 5th Graders will also be generating original episode art using either Canva or hand drawn elements. We will publish our episodes on a variety of podcasting platforms.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you sticker pickers
• Language Arts survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Project Launch: Listening sessions and notes (Ex. Kind World: "So Chocolate Bar"-listen below)
• Podcast background knowledge group discussion
• "50 Things" Ideation Protocol (generate as many ideas as possible in 5 mins. As participants write an idea they say it aloud in order to keep the ideas flowing). Students were amazed at the number of podcasting topics we could come up with in a short amount of time

Current Steps:

• Continued listening sessions (episode links provided)
• Presentation: "Utilizing credible sources" (will continue this in coming weeks)
• Selecting 2 possible topics
• Topic exploration (generate 3 questions for each topic, mini research session, finalize topic selection)
• Topic "Need to Know" questions to guide inquiry for selected topic
• Google Classroom tasks/options for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Effective note taking strategies
• Research (using credible sources)
• Episode outlines

PBL Unit: Decimal Dash

Project Overview: Students will be creating a variety of active challenges for peers to complete. (Ex. run from the swings to the slide or throw a football from cone 1 to cone 2). They will then measure the distance for the activity as well as the time it took to complete. All measurements will be in decimal form. After that they will calculate the speed (S=D/T) for each participant. They will enter all data in a table they create in Google Docs. Students will be asked to compare, order, and find speed differences. Finally, they will create a Google Slides presentation to share their results and learning.

Past Steps:

• Get to know you sticker pickers
• Decimal operation pre-assessment
• Math Survey (learning preferences/interests)
• Project Launch: Decimal Dash Test Run-collaborative (given tasks to do-measure distance/time round to nearest whole, find speed D/T) See pics below

Current Steps:

• Lessons: Decimal Place Value, reading decimal numbers, adding and subtracting decimals to the hundredths
• Completing launch activity calculations
  
• IXL Practice: 5th Grade AA.1-AA.4
• Google classroom options/tasks for non-AL days

Next Steps:

• Multi-digit multiplication algorithm review
• Decimal multiplication
• Whole number long division
• Decimal division (decimal quotient, decimal in dividend, decimal in divisor)
• Challenge creation
• Complete challenges
• Collect Data
• Calculations
• Presentations

Southern Lakes Anthology: This regional competition provides talented writers, poets, artists, and cartoonists in Grades 3-8 an opportunity to have their original work published. Each year over 30 districts participate in SLA. Students create pieces in a genre of their choosing (poetry, prose, expository writing, illustrated writing, cartoon, or art) based on the annual theme. Last year's theme was "What If". After district judging occurs, WWUSD will submit 24 pieces for regional judging.

Selected works will be published in an anthology and celebrated at the SLA reception in May at UW-Whitewater. Students interested in participating will work on their pieces in their free time with opportunities to receive feedback from peers and teachers throughout the process. All finished work should be submitted to school offices prior to the due date (more information to come).

In the next 2-3 weeks we will be presenting this year's theme and requirements to all 3rd-8th graders. Interested students will receive their genre requirements, templates where applicable and a folder to submit their work in. Feel free to reach out with any questions as we get SLA rolling!