Zoo Books for $5

Hi parents! I saw this groupon and wanted to share!

1- or 2-Year Print Subscription or 1-Year Digital Subscription to Zoobooks, Zootles, or Zoobies Magazine for $5!!

https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-zoobooks-animal-magazine-subscription-relaunch-august-2016?p=3&utm_source=newsletter_im&utm_medium=email&division=atlanta&user=0975e857e6f6a9f12369aefe6bc969d010a5404dbbc8534ff13afaa09019ccff&date=20160826&uu=e926e016-f110-11e1-ace2-0025906047f4&CID=US&s=goods_widget&c=image&d=goods_deal-page&utm_campaign=ee73d452-5666-4488-bab0-ab37c67f1f27_0_20160826_treatment3

4th grade - Qualities of Leadership - Thomas Jefferson

Today 4th graders learned about Thomas Jefferson and his many accomplishments!  Students analyzed Jefferson's choices of what to include on his epitaph.  Students are using criteria to determine which of his accomplishments made the greatest impact.  Ask your child which three Thomas believed were the most important.  What does this tell you about him?

·       Jefferson became a lawyer.

·       He was able to read and write six different languages.

·       He was then elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

·       He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

·       He served as governor of Virginia during the Revolution.

·       He served as minister to France.

·       He served as George Washington’s Secretary of State and as John Adam’s Vice-President.

·       He was America’s third President.

·       He was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States.

·       He was an accomplished violinist, horseman and inventor.

·       He established the University of Virginia in 1819, designing all the buildings himself, as well as helping to hire faculty and create the curriculum.

Amazing 3 minute video

Hello parents! This video was shared by a parent of a student, and it is very meaningful. It reminds us that every interaction, both at home or school, dramatically impacts a child! Watch here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxyxywShewI

Curriculum Night 8/30

Hi Parents! I just wanted to give you a little shout because I will be in the media center during curriculum night on Tuesday, 8/30 if you did not get a chance to meet me at Sneak Preview! Stop by and say hello!

5th grade dives into Financial Literacy

Hello parents! Hopefully your children have started to share with you what they are learning in TAG about financial literacy.  Yesterday was a bit of an economic crash course along with a brief history of the stock market.  Students will learn about budgeting, saving, how to invest, and stewardship during this portion of the unit.

Want to take a look at what your children are learning?  Below is our unit pre-test.  See how much you know!

There are also so many fantastic resources for financial literacy as a family out there, and I encourage you to take advantage of them!

There are a few great things on this website, including a few quizzes to see where you fall in the preparedness:  http://www.themint.org/try-it/

We also highly encourage you to talk with your kids about how you budget, save, spend + invest.  We know this is a private matter, but learning to hear how mom and dad pick stocks is "realllly coool" to a 5th grader.

We already have one expert volunteer to come in and share a bit about the Stock Market, and we thank you!  We love connecting the kids to experts in the real world.

Have a great week!

Economics, Personal Finance, & the Stock Market Pretest

True or False:

___________1.  Stocks are items found in the store room of a grocery store.

___________2.  Only rich people invest in the stock market.

___________3.  Stocks are sold by the United States government.

___________4.  If the stock market goes up 30% one year, it will fall 30% the next year.

___________5.  Any stock that goes up must eventually come back down.

___________6.  Bears, bulls, and pigs are found in the stock market.

___________7.  Stock prices are set by the Securities and Exchange Commission, a regulatory agency of the US government.

___________8.  Stock markets are open on business days around the clock, around the world.

___________9.  Sometimes companies buy their stocks on the stock market.

___________10.  It is hard to buy a good stock today because all of the good ones have been purchased already.

___________11.  Buying stocks is a sure way to make money.

___________12.  Insider trader meaning that trading stocks take place inside the building. 

___________13.  People can buy stocks on the internet. 

___________14.  When the stock market goes up, it causes the economy to grow.

Brainstorm and record your thoughts and ideas. Try your best! 

What does economics mean?  What is the economy?  How does the economy work?
What is the Stock Market? How does the Stock Market work?  What determines the direction and success the Stock Market?
How does someone decide how to invest his/her money?
What does it mean to manage your finances?  What is financial literacy?
What is a budget? What percentage of your income should you set aside for:  charitable donations?  Savings?  Investing? Spending? What is a balanced budget?
What was the Great Depression?  What caused it?  How did it change the world then?  How does it still impact our world today?  What is a recession?

LA flood relief

Hi Parents! As you will see coming home today, MBES is doing a supply drive for the Louisiana Flood relief. I plan to donate, and I hope you will too!

Louisiana Flood Relief School Supply Drive

As students across South Louisiana began preparing for the start of a new year, tragedy struck in the form of a devastating flood. Our hearts go out to all of those impacted.

MBES is partnering with Team Comeback Kids and schools across South Louisiana to help provide school supplies. If you are interested in donating, MBES will be collecting the following new items through September 2.

• Clorox Cleaning Wipes
• Paper Towels
• Composition Notebooks
• Boxes of Crayons
• Packs of Markers
• Sharpened Pencils
• Packs of Loose-leaf Paper
• Pocket Folders
• Glue Sticks
• Highlighters
• Scissors
• Index Cards
• Hand Sanitizer

If you are able, please send the items to school with your child marked LA Flood. One of our fellow teachers, Mrs. Barnes, will take care of the rest. As always, we appreciate your tremendous support!

Please visit www.teamcomeback.org for more information!

Additionally, many libraries were devastated and students left without books to read. MBES will also be collecting gently used and new books to deliver to those schools and districts impacted.

Saturday School with GSU

Hi Parents! We received this information from Georgia State's Saturday School program and wanted to pass it along!

Dear Saturday School Parents,

Just two weeks left until the registration deadline for our Fall A session.  We have many interesting courses offered this session.  I am sure you will find one that will appeal to your child. 

GSU faculty, staff, students and alumni get a 15% discount on registration (upon verification). 

Parking is always free on Saturdays in the GSU G Deck, right next to our classrooms. 

Don’t wait, register today!!!!

Fall A 2016 Brochure Link:

http://saturdayschool.education.gsu.edu/files/2015/12/Brochure-Fall-A-2016-1.pdf

Fall A 2016 Registration Link:

https://secure.touchnet.com/C20797_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=60&STCATID=4

Regards

John E Kesner, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Executive Director

Saturday School for Scholars and Leaders

Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

College of Education and Human Development

Georgia State University

4th Grade Qualities of Leadership

Hello parents! We'd love for you to start including the 9 C's of leadership into your home conversations, as we believe this is an effective home-school connection!  In noting these traits in your child and others, he/she will be able to more effectively identify

Positive Leadership 9 Cs

Curiosity

Creativity

Communication

Character

Courage

Conviction

Charisma

Competence

Common Sense

Here are some questions we brainstormed that are great discussion questions:

Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: When have you been a leader? Think both in and outside of school. Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: What are the qualities of an effective leader? Be specific. Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: Name some “good” leaders. Justify your response. Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: Name some “bad” leaders. Justify your response. Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: In addition to government, what other areas have leaders? Name at least three. Qualities of Leadership Carousel Brainstorming: How has leadership changed over time?

5th grade - Stock Market and Personal Finance

Dear Parents,

In fifth grade TAG, we will begin with our unit on the “Stock Market:  Economics of Life,” which focuses on Higher Order/Critical Thinking and Advanced Communication Skills.  In this unit, students will learn how to make informed financial decisions and will participate in The Stock Market Game, an online simulation of stock trading, with students across the state of Georgia.  

Students will have hands-on opportunities to learn about money, personal finance, wealth building, and increase their knowledge of financial vocabulary.  Life and Monopoly are great games to play at home during this unit.  These games will offer students the opportunity to apply economic concepts to real life situations.  Speaking with your kids about how you make financial decisions would also support our unit’s learning objectives.

Each day, students will identify and progress in the use of the Higher Order/Critical Thinking Skills.  These skills include:  asking complex questions, using criteria to make comparisons, using criteria to make decisions, using criteria to evaluate decisions, predicting consequences of decisions, using metaphors, examining an issue from various points of view, and drawing conclusions.

We look forward to a fun year in fifth grade TAG!

4th Grade Unit - Qualities of Leadership

Dear Parents,

Our fourth grade TAG students are beginning the higher-order/critical thinking unit, “Qualities of Leadership.”  Throughout this unit, students will act as historians, using many primary sources to evaluate how famous Americans have demonstrated positive and effective leadership.  Ultimately, students will analyze themselves and their leadership abilities, and find ways to grow and challenge themselves to become better leaders! 

In this unit, effective positive leadership will be defined by Lee Iacocca’s “9 C’s.”  They are:  Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Character, Courage, Conviction, Charisma, Competence and Common Sense.  Students will study the words and actions of historical figures to decide if and how they demonstrated these characteristics.  Students will also identify times in their own lives when they have also demonstrated them as well.  Historical figures that the students will investigate include Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, John Steinbeck, Dorothea Lange, Jackie Robinson, Albert Einstein, Lee Iacocca and the Human Genome Project. 

Each day, students will determine and analyze higher-order/critical thinking skills used.  These will include:  asking complex questions, using criteria to make comparisons and decisions, using criteria to evaluate decisions, predicting consequences, using metaphors, examining issues from various perspectives, and drawing conclusions. 

Students will also be working diligently to identify the skills of a historian used and creating products that a real historian would produce.  We are looking forward to analyzing the past in order to shape the leaders of the future!  As always, follow our journey at http://mbestag.weebly.com.                                       

Welcome to TAG!

Hello Parents! You should have received this information via email the week of Augusts 8th!  

Welcome to Talented and Gifted for the 2016-17 school year!  I am so excited to begin another year of investigating, creating, and growing through hands-on experiences and challenges.  Students will truly learn to think critically and reflectively, and apply those skills every week!

Students will spend the entire academic day in the TAG environment, with exception to Genius Hour, Specials, Lunch, and Recess.   If you would like to know more about my personal teaching philosophy in the gifted classroom, you can read more here:  http://mbestag.weebly.com/mrs-coxens-passion-for-teaching.html

Students will begin TAG classes the week of August 15^th.  

Our fourth grade TAG students will dive into the higher-order/critical thinking unit, “Qualities of Leadership.”  Throughout this unit, students will act as historians, using many primary sources to evaluate how famous Americans have demonstrated positive and effective leadership.  Ultimately, students will analyze themselves and their leadership abilities, and find ways to grow and challenge themselves to become better leaders!  

Our fifth grade TAG students will dive into the higher-order/critical thinking unit, The Stock Market & Personal Finance. This is one of my personal favorite units, as I love teaching students about financial literacy, and students will even compete against kids all over the state in the Georgia Stock Market Game!
Communication: 

1.       Please complete the Student/Parent Information Form by clicking on the link below by August 15^{th -} :  Student Information Form. This is VERY important to help me better teach your child! ONE per family please!

2.    We’d love for you to follow our learning journeys on the MBES TAG website, http://mbestag.weebly.com throughout the year and on Mrs. Coxen’s Private twitter account, @MrsCoxenTAG. 

3.    Feedback:  Each week, we will send home the previous week’s learner’s log with teacher comments to be reviewed, signed, and returned the next day.  (Please note, there are some exceptions due to unforeseen circumstances, i.e. fire drill at the end of the day, etc.).  This is VERY important to help me better teach your child! ONE per family please!

4.    Teacher Email: You may use this email address to communicate with me.  Please note that I only work part time, Monday-Wednesdays.  If you need attention to an urgent matter, please contact the other gifted teacher, Marsha Foster, at fosterm2@fultonschools.org. 

5.    Unit Feedback:  You will receive three TAG progress skills checklists throughout the year.  Each unit focuses on a different set of TAG standards, including Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, Advanced Research, and Higher Order/Critical Thinking.  Advanced Communication Skills will be evaluated throughout the year.

Supplies: 

1.    Every student should bring the following supplies by the first day of class: 

• One 3 ring binder, size 1 ½ inches (Please, no smaller or larger sizes, trapper keepers, etc.)
•  If your child has a TAG binder from last year and it is still in good condition, he/she may use that!
• 1 pack of Dividers
• 1 USB Flash drive (8gb+) labeled with student’s name that will remain in the TAG classroom
• One 1 subject Spiral notebook (not a composition book please)
• One folder (no prongs necessary)

 2.    TAG Supply Wish List:  We would appreciate any of the following items for classroom use: 

 o   Clorox wipes (My supplies have been COMPLETELY wiped out!!!)

o   Bandages

o   Ziploc bags (Gallon, quart, or sandwich size)

o   Soap with pump

o   Tissues

We are so grateful for all of your support and generosity as we embark upon the new school year!  Please note, classes will be suspended for 2 weeks during late September/October while we conduct Fall TAG testing as well as some interruptions due to ITBS testing.  AS an FYI, when a child is absent, there is no TAG makeup work. 

Your TAG teacher,

Mrs. Coxen