As we continue our school year journey in the second marking period, our students and staff worked hard and grew in so many ways during this full five day week prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. You will see in the grade level and subject area updates below that a lot of fun and exciting learning is taking place in our wonderful school community.
Following up on our donation of mashed potatoes and gravy to the Hoboken Community Center Pantry, next week we will once again support the Hoboken Homeless Shelter through our Friendsgiving brown bag lunch service endeavor. You will find a brown bag to decorate in your child's backpack, and you can fill it with a brown bag lunch to donate on Tuesday, 11/26 at the main entrance. If you have the opportunity to contribute to this annual Brandt tradition, please do so.
All are reminded of our schedule for next week:
Monday 11/25 - Regular Day of School
Tuesday 11/26 - Regular Day of School
Wednesday 11/27 - 1:00 PM Dismissal for Students and Staff - No Passport to Learning After School
Thursday 11/28 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
Friday 11/29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
Parents and Guardians, remember that Report Cards for Marking Period 1 will be available on November 27th in the OnCourse Parent Portal. Additionally, LinkIt Form A results will be available on November 27th in the LinkIt Parent Portal. If you need assistance setting up either of these portal accounts, contact your child's teacher.
Finally, for this week's Friday Playlist, let's be grateful for some rain...
Have a great weekend and stay safe.
Regards,
Mr. Bartlett
Principal
Joseph F. Brandt Elementary School
- A US News & World Report Best Elementary School
- A NJDOE/New Jersey State Policy Lab/Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies at Rutgers University Positive Outlier for Student Learning Outcomes
- A 3x Great Kindness Challenge Kindness Certified School
- A Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School of Excellence
- Niche.com #1 Elementary School in Hudson County
Kindergarten
In math, students continued to work on counting, comparing the lengths of names, and gearing up to start a new unit on shapes.
During social studies, we used our imaginations and newly acquired map skills to complete our unit project. Pretending that a new student would be joining our class, students created maps of our classrooms to help the hypothetical new students transition into a new space.
We're so proud of our littlest learners!
First Grade
This week in ELA, first graders discussed the essential question: What buildings do you know? What are they made of? In phonics we focused on short u (run, bug, nut, rug, etc). We worked on singular and plural nouns. Additionally, students learned about contractions and how to write them using an apostrophe (Let us -> Let’s, It is -> It’s, etc).
In Math, first graders began to strengthen their skills by creating teen numbers using ten frames and reviewing other math strategies. Creating teen numbers helps students develop key math skills, including number sense, place value, and basic addition and subtraction. By understanding how teen numbers are formed (10 + ones), students strengthen their counting skills, recognize patterns, and build a solid foundation for future math concepts.
In social studies, students discussed their school environment, daily routines, and the roles of people within the school. This helps them understand their community, build a sense of belonging, reflect on their experiences, and compare schools, fostering social awareness and cooperation.
Second Grade
Can you believe that we have finished the 1st Marking Period already? Second graders are continuing to show their best work efforts the week before Thanksgiving break!
Second grade mathematicians are continuing to practice solving word problems and building fluency with addition + subtraction equations. Students have practiced so many word problems, that they were able to complete their own addition + subtraction word problems using the success criteria provided. Students had to use the number given to them to create 2 word problems that yielded that answer, using addition for one and subtraction for the other. In addition, our young mathematicians constantly revisit the word automaticity, learning that the more practice with smaller equations builds their automaticity for solving larger problems. This is reviewed through the completion of daily warm-ups, engagement of different games and independent practices during Math Stations.
Third Grade
This week, students began their second novel study, The Underground Railroad, by Bonnie Bader. This novel is mainly an expository text, informing readers about the history of the Underground Railroad, the struggles of enslaved people, and the abolitionists who helped slaves reach freedom. Moreover, students learned about the literary genre of historical fiction, where the setting, plot, and some characters are real, but others are fictional. While reading, students are also practicing determining the theme of a text. Theme is an author’s message or a lesson. It is typically not stated outright, so students must infer based on the actions, words, and thoughts of the characters they are reading about.
In math, students are continuing to strengthen their multiplication skills. We are doing this by building arrays and playing card games such as Factor War, where students pull two cards from a deck, multiply the two “factors” together and compare their products. The player with the greater product wins the round. Eventually, students will use their knowledge of factors and products to solve division problems. We’re so proud of these hardworking mathematicians!
This week in social studies, students learned about different natural resources and how Native Americans and early immigrants used those resources to meet their basic needs. Students also explored the reasons why one would decide to leave their home for a new country. Finally, students studied the concept of cause and effect by putting on a “silent play,” similar to charades, and having their peers guess the cause and effect they acted out.
Our Move This World lesson this week had students list emotions they would like to feel at school and write a haiku using the list. A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem consisting of five syllables in the first line, seven in the second line, and five in the third line.
Fourth Grade
Fourth grade has been busy! Here's what we've been up to...
In social studies, we've been learning about why the Europeans came to the Americas, specifically the Pilgrims and how they founded their own colony. We discussed the hardships colonists had to face, as well as the implications of them coming onto Native land.
In reading, we started talking about dramas, gaining an understanding of characters' actions and feelings to better understand the plot. We've also continued to read our novel, Ancestor Approved, and are starting to see how each short story connects. We are using text evidence to support our comprehension responses.
In writing, we are in our Narrative unit, which is always exciting since it showcases student creativity! We read a narrative about some chaos that ensues on Thanksgiving day (someone drops the famous pie) and we discussed story elements such as thoughts/feelings, dialogue, plot, and descriptions. We started writing our own narrative, pretending we were in a similar situation on Thanksgiving.
In math, we wrapped up our multiplication and division unit by completing a unit test last week and began diving deeper into addition and subtraction strategies for larger numbers. We can use expanded form or number lines to help us.
We also had our 4th grade HPEF Science-themed field trip this week, which was a blast!
Fifth Grade
In ELA this week, 5th graders continued their novel study of Coraline. The children were reinforcing reading comprehension skills such as mood and tone, foreshadowing, and characterization. The children began creating their Character Autopsy, illustrating a character from the novel and completing task cards that allow the students to analyze indirect character traits and cite text-based evidence. Additionally, the writers are continuing to craft their own fantasy stories incorporating narrative elements.
In Math, students were working on Unit 3: Rectangles, Clocks, and Tracks, which focuses on fraction concepts. The children participated in various hands-on activities to review their fraction skills before extending their knowledge. The children will apply this knowledge to create equivalent fraction turkeys for Thanksgiving and play fraction card games.
In Social Studies, fifth grade students presented their research and inventions to the class. They discovered how the Transcontinental Railroad helped the country flourish during the Industrial Revolution. Students will use this knowledge to complete their Unit 1 project, writing an article for the Industrial Times Newspaper.
The students also had their Theater Showcase this week. Throughout the marking period, they worked with to write their own lyrics for a song that reflected important moments in their lives. Then they created a percussion beat. The children worked hard over the past couple of months, and it really showed during their performance! Great Job!
I'm excited to announce that we have kicked off our 5th Grade Peer Mentors program this month. Our 5th grade students have the opportunity to sign up to be a peer mentor to our younger learners in the building. They have lent their time to the classrooms to work with the students on lessons, read a story, or encourage them to always do their best. Our peer mentors will continue to volunteer around the building to promote kindness, inclusivity and serve as mentors to our community!
Phys Ed
At Brandt Elementary, we’re always looking for creative ways to help students develop essential motor skills while fostering a love for physical activity. This year, we introduced a variety of engaging activities into our physical education program, including miniature golf, table tennis, air hockey, skee ball, and cup stacking, to name a few. These activities not only bring excitement of our PE classes but also play a critical role in developing hand-eye coordination and promoting lifelong fitness habits.
Hand-eye coordination is a foundational motor skill that helps children with everyday tasks such as writing, catching, and throwing, and like typing. Activities like table tennis and air hockey require students to track fast-moving objects, improving their reflexes and precision. Skee ball, corn hole, and miniature gold emphasize aiming and accuracy, helping students refine their ability to control movement while focusing on a target.
Fitness isn’t just about running laps or lifting weights - it’s about enjoying a variety of activities that keep you moving! Games like dance videos and cup stacking offer dynamic options to keep kids active in ways that feel like play rather than exercise. Dance videos encourage rhythm and cardiovascular fitness, while cup stacking sharpens speed and agility. Each of these activities can be enjoyed throughout life, making fitness fun and accessible for everyone.
Interactive games like connect four and air hockey bring a social element to physical education. Students not only build hand-eye coordination. It also teamwork, strategy, and communication skills. These games create a supportive environment where children can explore new activities without the pressure of traditional sports.
By incorporating a mix of activities into our curriculum, we’re teaching children that fitness can take many forms. Whether it’s stacking cups, dancing to a favorite song, or landing a hole-in-one on our miniature golf course, our goal is to instill confidence, improve motor skills, and inspire lifelong habits of physical activity!
World Languages
This week in world language class, kindergarten students continued practicing speaking and writing numbers in Mandarin. First graders are challenging themselves to write numbers from one to one hundred. Second graders are making a “thank you tree” and writing the vocabulary of each family member. Third to fifth graders are working on finishing their projects and presenting in class.
Art
This week in art, students watched a read aloud story of Balloons over Broadway, about the puppeteer who helped create and bring the Macys parade to life. They looked at all the elements and designs of the buildings that line the streets of NYC. They created their own inspired city street using pencil and adding color to their projects. They will then learn about artist Jeff Koons, and design a balloon inspired by his balloon dog sculptures. They are truly engaged and enjoying this project and can’t wait to see the finished product!
Music
This week, our 2nd Graders focused on the musical topic of Rhythm. To start off class, the students had to guess "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars and asked them what makes this song so popular. Following this, they participated in the rhythm challenge, where they performed a rhythm to the class in a call-and-response fashion. Lastly, the students completed the lesson with The Russian Dance from Piotr Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. With this lesson, our young learners grasped the concept of rhythm and added this to their musical toolbox! To quote George Gershwin, "We've Got Rhythm!"
Science
This week in Science the students are continuing their unit on Forces & Motion: Pushes and Pulls. After reading the story, "Clearing the Rocks", students had to figure out a way to remove rocks from a backyard by designing a structure. They used various materials to show how they would do this and demonstrated this to their peers.
First Grade
This week our first graders were using the science lab which gave us the opportunity for some hands-on activities. Our final project will involve creating something that uses both light and sound to communicate. We experimented with metal water bottles and tin cans to create a sound that others can hear. We tapped on the bottles with the top on and then the top off to see which way created the loudest sound. Then we wrapped an empty tin can with a rubber band. We snapped the side, the top and the bottom and compared the volume. Our results were recorded in our Launch Logs. We also studied the human ear and how it helps us hear.
Second Grade
This week, our Second graders built on their information about Computer Science. They focused on questions such as: What is a computer? What is input? What is storage/store? What is the process? What is output? They learned that computers must do these four things to be a computer. Students discussed similarities among their computers and determined some of their own devices, such as a phone and tablets, are computers! They identified ways people provide input and get output from the computer by typing information on a keyboard or speaking into a computer device. Lastly, the students discussed hard drives and how they have long memories. RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory, refers to a computer's short term memory, which means holding on to things as we need it. CPU, which stands for Central Processing Unit, helps a computer understand and process the information it receives and then provides instructions.
Third Grade
This week in third grade science we began the next part in our Project Lead the Way unit by learning about our VEX IQ kits. The kits, filled with various pieces including wheels, beams, connector pins, and pitch standoffs were first shown to each class. Then we learned how we can use them in our exploration of simple machines and how they work. Students examined the supply lists in each kit and speculated how those items could be helpful in building different simple machines. We then practiced putting different pieces together and taking them apart. It was an important first step before we build the next simple machine, the wheel and axle!
Fourth Grade
This week in science, fourth grade students learned all about light waves and reflection. Students identified the ways light interacts with mirrors, lenses, prisms, and non reflective surfaces due to their unique properties. Fourth graders worked in small groups to complete a hands-on lab activity called "Disappearing Coins", which helped to solidify knowledge of how light affects objects.
Fourth graders also began preparing for the district's Science EXPO, which will take place at Brandt School in February. Students were introduced to project topics and voted for which project their group would like to complete. On Thursday and Friday, fourth graders attended a field trip where they visited the Buehler Challenger & Science Center in Paramus, New Jersey.
Fifth Grade
This week in 5th grade science students continued to learn about chemical changes. Students began observing the changes they noticed to their pieces of bread. They were analyzing those changes, and indicated that a chemical change was occurring within each bag. Students also were introduced to the concept of conservation of matter which is a law that states that matter cannot be made or destroyed; however it can change forms. Students were making connections between the chemical change we were witnessing in class to this new topic!
Dear Brandt Parents/Guardians:
In New Jersey, public schools are required per N.J.A.C. 6A:16-2.2 (l) that students receive health
screenings.
HEALTH Screening Schedule:
Health screenings will take place during the months of December through February
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-2.2 (l) requires New Jersey school districts to ensure that students receive health
screenings:
Height, weight, and blood pressure: Annually for grades K–12
Visual acuity: Biennially for grades K–10
Auditory acuity: Annually for grades K–3
HEALTH Screening Results:
1. If results of the screening warrant further follow up you will be notified and Documentation
will be sent home.
2. You will not be notified if your child has a normal screening.
Warmly,
Cassandra Nuovo, BSN, RN
School Nurse
Joseph F. Brandt. Elementary School
201-356-3697
