Ms. Adams' Fourth Grade Studies Animal Kingdom Classifications

Posted by: Ms. Adams

Bodine fourth graders have been studying the classification of animals this six weeks. Along with our discussion in the classrooms, the students enjoyed sorting pictures of animals into vertebrates and invertebrates in the science lab.
As a culmination to the unit on classification, the students were able to have fun identifying animals based on written clues and puzzle pictures using the Smartboard. Using the website, www.kidscom.com/games/animal/animal.html, the students were able to use the board as they would the computer. Each child got a chance to choose an animal category and difficulty level. After reading the question and answer, a guess was made about the animal in the puzzle. They all did a great job!

Fox 13 Weatherman Visits Middle School

Joey Sulipeck of Fox 13 recently visited the middle school to talk about weather, science, and the environment.

Ms. Riddick's 5th Grade Class Wins "Most Creative" for Red Ribbon Poster Contest

Posted by: Ms. Riddick

Ms. Blakley's First Graders Playing Vocabulary Bingo

posted by: Ms. Blakley

Life Success Series (part 2 in a series of 8)

Posted by: Mr. Graber

Every two weeks I will be posting a section from this article here on Inside Bodine. I think you will find it quite interesting. It is a wonderful piece on life success for students with learning disabilities. It originally appeared on LD online.
Below are the schedule of the postings and the second installment:

September 6: introduction
September 21: self-awareness
October 5: proactivity
October 19: perseverance
November 2: goal-setting
November 16: presence and use of support systems
November 30: emotional coping strategies
December 14: conclusion and resources

Life Success For Students With Learning Disabilities: A Parent's Guide By: Marshall H. Raskind and Roberta J. Goldberg (2005)

Success Attribute #1: Self-awareness
"As I said, I have dyslexia. I have never not had dyslexia, so it always has, and always will, affect my life. I don't know what it's like not to have dyslexia. I don't know that I want to do life over again without it. It's part of me. It will hinder me, as it has, and it will push me into places where I never would have gone."--Thirty-three-year-old male

Successful people with learning disabilities are aware of the types of problems they have, including academic problems like reading and math, academic-related problems such as attentional or organizational difficulties, and non-academic difficulties such as motor deficits or emotional/ behavioral problems. They are open and specific about their difficulties and understand how they affect their lives. Most important, these individuals have the ability to compartmentalize their disability. That is, they are able to see their learning difficulties as only one aspect of themselves. Although they are well aware of their learning limitations, they are not overly defined by them. As one successful individual states:
"You know, everybody comes with a package. And yeah, there are things that I am good at and things that I am not so good at. Some of my limitations are reading and writing. But boy, when it comes to putting things together, reading plans, and chasing down problems, those are some talents, some skills that I was born with…I carved a different path and my whole life has been that way."

Successful individuals with learning disabilities recognize their talents along with accepting their limitations. This idea is expressed particularly well by one adult who stresses, "We all learn differently; we all have strengths and weaknesses."

Another adult with a learning disability shares, "It's still there and I compensate…I think the problems that I had were no different than anybody else who is conscious of their weaknesses, and then some of their strengths. Some people are not conscious at all."

In addition to recognizing their strengths, weaknesses, and special talents, successful adults with learning disabilities are also able to find jobs that provide the best fit or "match" with their abilities. For example, an individual with severe reading problems, but exceptional skills in woodworking might find a successful career in cabinet making rather than as a copy editor. A person with math deficits, but excellent writing abilities might shy away from a career in accounting, yet find success in journalism. And, the individual with poor reading and writing, but strong oral language skills might pursue sales and avoid jobs requiring substantial written language abilities.

Unsuccessful people with learning disabilities, on the other hand, often fail to recognize both their strengths and limitations, accept their difficulties, compartmentalize their learning disability, and find employment that provides the best fit for their abilities.

Self-awareness Checklist
My child…
Is aware of his/her academic strengths
Is aware of his/her academic weaknesses
Is aware of his/her non-academic strengths
Is aware of his/her non-academic weaknesses
Is aware of his/her special talents and abilities
Is aware of his/her feelings, opinions, and values
Is able to match activities to strengths
Understands his/her specific learning disability
Accepts his/her learning disability
Is able to "compartmentalize"
Uses strategies to work around the learning disability

Research suggests that self-awareness is made up of a number of components. These components must be addressed in any effort to enhance the self-awareness of children with learning disabilities. Note they deal with both general self-awareness and awareness related specifically to the learning disability.

General self-awareness
In order to develop self-awareness, persons with learning disabilities need to:
Understand what self-awareness is and its importance;
Develop awareness of personal strengths, weaknesses, and talents in various settings (not only school);
Gain awareness of their feelings, opinions, and personal values and how they relate to those of others;
Develop their own definition of success;
Develop "niche-picking skills" (matching their abilities to specific settings).
Learning disability awareness
In order to develop self-awareness, persons with learning disabilities need to:
Develop an understanding of their specific learning disability and how it may affect their life;
Develop awareness of successful coping strategies to compensate for their learning disability;
Learn to accept and compartmentalize their learning disability.

Far too often, the development of self-awareness focuses almost entirely on academic performance at school. However, in order to gain the highest level of self-awareness and acceptance, an individual must understand his or her strengths, weaknesses, special talents, desires, fears, and beliefs in a number of areas. These include:
Psychological/emotional;
Physical;
Social;
Educational;
Communicative;
Philosophical (personal values, ethics).

General activities for fostering self-awareness:
Work with your child to develop and discuss lists of his or her individual strengths, weaknesses, and special talents or interests. Consider all areas, not just school-related.

Use the words "strength," "weakness," "limitations," and "special talents" to describe the behavior of all members of your family.

Arrange for your child to talk to adults with learning disabilities about their experiences -- both struggles and triumphs. If you have a learning disability yourself, share your own feelings, experiences, and thoughts.

Help your child choose potential jobs and careers that best match his or her abilities and discuss relevant choices.

Ms. Aven's Third Grade Performs Paul Bunyan

Posted by: Ms. Aven

Ms. Aven's third grade read Paul Bunyan together in class. They enjoyed the tall tale so much that they found a play about Paul and used it as their fluency section. After working diligently on their parts, they performed the play before Ms. Collins' enthusiastic second graders.

A Few Candid Photos from Spirit Week

Posted by: Ms. Mower and Mr. Graber

Ms. Lee's 4th Graders win flag contest

Posted by: Ms. Lee

Congratulations to Ms. Lee's fourth grade class for winning the spirit week flag design competition. Each class competed in making a "just say no to drugs" flag. Ms. Lee's students did all of the sewing themselves. Great job!

Second Graders Study Dinosaurs and "Scrub Up"

Posted by: Ms. Collins

Second Graders Study Dinosaurs and "Scrub Up"

Our second grade "paleontologists" have studied dinosaurs in the science lab and in social studies. Now they are using dinosaurs to make addition and subtraction number sentences in math. In addition, they recently had a guest reader who brought items from her work as an operating room nurse, and they "scrubbed up" in their new gear. She also read a book to them about their new favorite subject, dinosaurs!

Third Graders Explore Space

Posted by: Ms. Assel

Third Graders Explore Space

The third graders read about the workings of the universe and conducted science lab experiments to understand orbits, rotation, revolution, moon phases, meteors, and eclipses. The final project was to design a travel brochure about a planet. Students researched to find the chemical make-up of their planet, the length of a day and a year, the size, and the Greek or Roman orgins of the name. The resulting brochures are out-of-this-world!

In the News......

Posted by Ms. Hepler

Junior Achievement
As part of her professional development Ms. Lee, one of our elementary teachers, is working with the Middle School during Friday Flex time on a Junior Achievement project to promote awareness of global connections. Students have taken part in two lessons of the six- session program which will occur throughout the year. Thanks, Ms. Lee!

Student Council
This week elections were held school-wide for representatives to Student Council. Middle school reps are Ivory, Alex, Camron, Patrick, and Kristen. Danielle will be our alternate for the semester. Elementary reps include: Makayla, Bryce, Caleb, Lily, and Diana. A second election will be held in January to give others a chance to participate. Congratulations to our reps, and thanks to everyone who ran. We had a great time showing off our school spirit!

Throughout the year Student Council facilitates family events and helps to run student service projects which benefit both the school and community. Providing feedback to the administration regarding policies that affect the student body is another important role of our representatives. Student Council held their first meeting on Friday morning to plan the agenda for the year with faculty sponsors, Mrs. Mower and Mr. Graber.

A Great Dyslexic...Albert Einstein

Posted by: Mr. Graber

Albert Einstein - He could not talk until the age of four. He did not learn to read until he was nine. His teachers considered him slow, unsociable and a dreamer. He failed the entrance examinations to college but finally passed them after an additional year of preparation. He lost three teaching positions and then became a clerk, before going on to greatness and becoming one of the greatest thinkers of humankind.

Kids' Rules for Online Safety

Posted by Ms. Ashley Smith

Kids' Rules for Online Safety

1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.

2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

3. I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.

4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.

5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.

6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.

7. I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.

8. I will check with my parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt our computer or jeopardize my family’s privacy.

9. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.

10. I will help my parents understand how to have fun and learn things online and teach them things about the Internet, computers and other technology.

Rules one through six are adapted from the brochure Child Safety on the Information Highway by SafeKids.Com founder Larry Magid. (© 2004 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children). Rules 7 through 10 are copyrighted by Larry Magid (© 2005)

Girls on Technology

Submitted by: Mr. Fraser

Girls on technology: a study brings video games into the classroom to address the persistent digital gender gap. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) 33.8 (March 2006): p12(1).

The digital divide most often at issue is the one that separates schools with technology from schools without. But there is a second technological chasm that warrants the same attention: the one between girls and boys. The numbers are striking: Females comprise only 17 percent of computer science Advanced Placement test takers, 28 percent of computer science graduates, and 9 percent of engineering-related degrees. Overall, women make up just 35 percent of the IT workforce. Why do girls show a markedly lower interest in technology than boys, and can anything be done to equalize things?

This was the question at the heart of a study conducted by Richard Van Eck in cooperation with the Advanced Instructional Media Lab at the University of Memphis, and published in the online education journal Innovate (www.innovateonline.info). The AIM Lab attempted to find ways to engage girls in the use of technology and to see whether doing so changed the girls' feelings toward technology--and by association, math and science.

Using video games as a testing ground, Van Eck and his team split 92 fifth- and sixth-graders into small groups. The researchers exposed all of the children to various games, including some targeted at girls, some aimed at boys, adventure games, simulations, and puzzle games.
There were some sharp gender-drawn differences in which games the girls and boys preferred. Adventure games had the most universal appeal-which is something for educators to consider when integrating game-based learning into their curriculum. Later, when the children created their own video games with the help of a programmer, the girls became active, interested participants in the process.

The game play did seem to confirm the theory, argued in past studies, that girls' unfavorable attitudes toward technology--and video games--is simply the result of being exposed to the wrong, boy-oriented types. Van Eck's hope is that changing girls' perceptions of video games will make technology relevant to them, perhaps down the road leading them to pursue a professional path they previously had no interest in, or thought wasn't open to them.

Ms. Hepler's Class Buries Some Over-Used Words

The following words may rest in peace:

good, a lot, stuff, mad, sad, bad, okay, very, happy, and things.

There are much better, more descriptive words that will be used in their place.

Life Success Series (part 1 in a series of 8)

Posted by: Mr. Graber

Every two weeks I will be posting a section from this article here on Inside Bodine. I think you will find it quite interesting. It is a wonderful piece on life success for students with learning disabilities. It originally appeared on LD online. Below are the schedule of the postings and the first installment:

September 6: introduction
September 21: self-awareness
October 5: proactivity
October 19: perseverance
November 2: goal-setting
November 16: presence and use of support systems
November 30: emotional coping strategies
December 14: conclusion and resources

Life Success For Students With Learning Disabilities: A Parent's Guide
By: Marshall H. Raskind and Roberta J. Goldberg (2005)



LD OnLine is proud to present a guide to parents on how to help their children succeed titled Life Success for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Parent's Guide. It was developed by the Frostig Center and based on more than twenty years of ground-breaking research on the lives of children and adults with learning disabilities. This is offered to you as part of LD OnLine's efforts to bring you the latest research to help you raise your children with learning disabilities.
Over forty students were studied over their lifetime; when they entered the Frostig Center, when they left, ten years after graduation, and twenty years after graduation. Researchers rated the student's lives objectively through interviews and studying public records. They surveyed outcomes such as years of school completed and employment results. They listened carefully to what the students said during face to face interviews. All of this data was analyzed to determine what it actually takes for people with learning disabilities to succeed.

Learn how to help your children develop the six success attributes that were found to really matter; self awareness, proactivity, perseverance, goal setting, using support systems, and emotional coping strategies. These attributes were found to be more important than IQ and grades.

This guide is based on over 20 years of research conducted by the Frostig Center in Pasadena, California. The research traced the lives of individuals with learning disabilities in an attempt to identify factors that predicted successful life outcomes. The guide has been developed by Dr. Marshall H. Raskind, Dr. Roberta J. Goldberg, along with research associates Dr. Eleanor L. Higgins and Dr. Kenneth L. Herman.

The authors express their deepest gratitude to the Lund Foundation for its generous support in the development and production of this guide. Sincere appreciation also goes to the participants in the Frostig longitudinal research on success attributes, who openly shared their stories - both their struggles and their triumphs. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation for funding the research that led to the identification of the success attributes.

We hope that this guide will help parents as they work with their children to reach their full potential and become competent, content, and independent adults who live satisfying lives.

Introduction
"I never thought I would get very far in life. But look at me now. I didn't do too bad, did I?"
This comment was made by Vanessa, a 35-year-old family therapist with a learning disability. As an adult, Vanessa has a satisfying career, enjoys a network of caring friends, and is proud of her accomplishments. One might say that Vanessa is "successful." However, it wasn't always that way. As a result of her learning disability, the road to adulthood was paved with years of academic difficulties, problems with social relations, and low self-esteem.

Vanessa's parents also struggled with her learning disability ever since she was first diagnosed in the second grade. They were devastated to discover that their daughter might encounter considerable difficulties learning to read and write, and develop the social and emotional problems often associated with learning disabilities in childhood and adolescence. They navigated through the pain of Vanessa's school failure, the search for the right professionals to conduct assessments and provide instructional and psychological support, endless school meetings to clarify services, and the most difficult task of all -- helping Vanessa grow up with a positive self-image in spite of her learning disability. In this process, like the millions of other parents raising children with learning disabilities, Vanessa's parents became acutely aware that her learning disability would not go away, but was a life-long condition that would continue to affect many spheres of her life.

Even as an adult, Vanessa faces challenges in reading and writing, maintaining friendships, and, at times, feeling good about herself. Yet despite these struggles, she has managed to achieve outward success and lives a personally satisfying and rewarding life. How did this happen? Why do some people with learning disabilities succeed like Vanessa, while others find little reward personally, socially, or financially? Why do some individuals find success, while it eludes others?
The purpose of this guide is to provide answers to these and related questions for parents raising children with learning disabilities. The information presented here is based upon a 20-year study tracing the lives of individuals with learning disabilities from childhood into adulthood in an attempt to identify individual characteristics and life experiences that lead to successful life outcomes. The guide also draws upon the work of other researchers1 who have identified factors that contribute to success. We hope that the following pages will help parents as they work with their children to reach their full potential and become competent, content, and independent adults who live satisfying lives. But first, it is important to define what we mean by "success."

What is success?
Success is not easy to define. It means different things to different people. In addition, it may mean something different at different times in a person's life. However, although views of success may differ, there appear to be a number of things that most people include when they think of success. These include good friends, positive family relations, being loved, self-approval, job satisfaction, physical and mental health, financial comfort, spiritual contentment, and an overall sense of meaning in one's life. Of course, different individuals may place lesser or greater emphasis on these various components of success.

How do children with learning disabilities become successful adults?
Children with learning disabilities grow up to be adults with learning disabilities. That is, many of the difficulties experienced in childhood continue into and through adulthood. Nevertheless, some individuals with learning disabilities follow a life path that leads them to success, becoming productive members of society and living satisfying and rewarding lives. Others find little more than continued "failure," and are barely able to "keep their heads above water" emotionally, socially, or financially. Why, despite similar backgrounds and learning problems, does one individual end up with a rewarding career, long-term friendships, and financial stability, yet another, a life of loneliness, isolation, and financial stress? Learning disabilities research has provided some answers to this question.

Our research at the Frostig Center, as well as several major studies by others, has focused on identifying which factors contribute to success for individuals with learning disabilities. Results from these projects point to the importance of a set of personal characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors that can help lead persons with learning disabilities to successful life outcomes. By tracing the lives of individuals with learning disabilities throughout the lifespan, these studies have revealed a number of "success attributes" that guide an individual to either positive or negative adult outcomes.

What are the success attributes?
Our 20-year study, in particular, highlighted the importance of six success attributes for individuals with learning disabilities. These success attributes included: self-awareness, proactivity, perseverance, goal-setting, the presence and use of effective support systems, and emotional coping strategies. It is important to emphasize that not every successful individual possesses each of these attributes, and some attributes may be present to a greater or lesser degree. Similarly, persons who might be considered "unsuccessful" may nevertheless possess some of the success attributes, again, to a lesser or greater degree. What it does mean is that successful persons with learning disabilities are much more likely to have these characteristics than unsuccessful individuals. It is our hope that, by helping parents understand these success attributes, they will be better prepared to work with and guide their children toward satisfying and rewarding lives. It is also important to keep in mind that having these attributes does not guarantee success. Rather, it increases the chances of achieving a fulfilling and successful life. It is interesting to note that our research indicates that these characteristics may have a greater influence on success than even such factors as academic achievement, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, and even intelligence quotient (IQ).

Each of the success attributes is discussed in the following pages. Quotes from successful adults with learning disabilities are used to help explain each attribute from the viewpoint of individuals who live with learning disabilities.

How can a child develop success attributes?
Research has shown that self-awareness, proactivity, perseverance, goal-setting, the presence and use of effective support systems, and emotional coping strategies help lead persons with learning disabilities to success. However, to date no research tells us exactly how to teach these attributes. Yet, research does suggest a number of key components and areas that need to be considered in fostering success attributes in children with learning disabilities. The following section discusses these components and areas, and offers recommendations for how to develop success attributes. In reading the following pages, please keep in mind that the specific approach to developing success attributes is dependent upon the age, abilities, experience, interests, and living environment of a given child.

Getting Middle School Students Organized

article submitted by: Mrs. Helpler


Are Your Students Prepared for the Organizational Demands of Middle School? by: Susan Mulcaire
published in: NMSA

Middle school moves at a fast pace. Students have many different teachers, each with his or her own homework, test schedules, and due dates. Add to the mix the after-school clubs and sports that students participate in, and it is a challenge to get organized.

Good work management and organizational skills are essential for balancing the load and minimizing the stress. For some students, organizational skills come naturally, but for most, they must be learned. While there is little classroom time to assess and train students in work management skills, here are some ideas for how you can help your students be prepared.
Help students make the connectionGetting students to value good organizational skills is the first step. Teachers can help by connecting the benefits of good organizational skills to the things this age group values most—more independence, less stress, more free time, better grades, and more self-confidence.

Organized binders are key
A binder is like a compact file cabinet that a student carries around all day to file and retrieve papers, homework, and information. Students must be able to access materials quickly and keep papers neatly stored by subject. Be sure to give students time in class to file papers in the correct place in their binders—no shoving loose papers into backpacks!
Planners are essentialNo matter how good a student's memory is, he or she must have a central place for recording activities. A student's planner should contain important dates and events such as bell schedule changes, holiday breaks, exams, homework assignments, and project due dates. It's a good idea for students to include personal items scheduled during school days such as medical appointments, vacations, and after-school activities.

Have a study bud
Students should identify a classmate in each class who can be contacted in the event of a forgotten homework assignment or lost worksheet. The study bud can also help when a fellow student is absent and needs a handout or class notes. Study buds should exchange home contact information.

A homework space that rocks
Encourage students to locate, design, and stock a work space at home. This will help them do their best work in the least amount of time. The space should be quiet and free from distractions such as people talking, TV, and video games. They can deck it out with posters, pictures of friends, or team photos to make it a place they won't mind hanging out. Make it a "Designer's Challenge" classroom activity in which students design and photograph their work spaces and vote on the work space "most likely to succeed."

Be proactive!
Most students, particularly those fresh out of elementary school, have no idea that a typical middle school teacher works with 100 or more students each day. Unaware of the many demands on a teacher's time, students continue to believe that, as in elementary school, their teachers will track them down to provide a missing assignment. Encourage students to take personal responsibility for following up. You can role-play various student dilemmas in a "What Would You Do?" classroom activity to help students learn to recognize and follow up on matters that affect their grades.

Without basic organizational skills, middle school students can become overwhelmed. In some cases it begins a downward spiral of underachievement that can last into the high school years and beyond. Take some time to help students recognize and appreciate the benefits of good basic organizational skills.

Susan Mulcaire is a teacher, lawyer, and mother of three in Corona del Mar, California.