Month of April 2020

Wow!  Hard to believe our lives could be so different in the course of one month, but I will try to update on everything you need to know. 

The Gifted Parent Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 8^th at 5:00 am has been cancelled. 

Gifted Support students have been invited through their school gmail accounts to join NSE Gifted Support Google Classroom.  I will be calling home to make sure everyone knows how to access the platform. 

Enrichment Group Students can also access a Google Classroom page by doing the following:  

1.            Go to classroom.google.com 

2.            At the top, click Add (+) - Join Class 

3.            Enter the class code: pyvhcyn 

K’Nex Competition Team can access up-to-date information about the status of the competition at a Google Classroom page by doing the following: 

1.            Go to classroom.google.com 

2.            At the top, click Add (+) - Join Class 

3.           Enter the class code: kj45cmt

The team members did an amazing job on their entry!!!

Math 24 The top 12 students from 5^th and 6^th grade who participated in the 2^nd Annual North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament had been practicing regularly before school was closed.  The tournament is still tentatively scheduled at the  Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th.

Students who had been participating in the practice groups or who are members of the competition team are welcome to visit a Google Classroom which will give up-to-date information as well as a link to a practice site they can join by doing the following:

1.            Go to classroom.google.com 

2.            At the top, click Add (+) - Join Class

3.           Enter the class code: fgkwugz

I will be available for office hours through the Google Meet platform on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm using the following link: https://meet.google.com/ebd-okwm-sdn

I will be available for students and parents during this time to answer questions or give feedback.  If you need to reach me outside of those hours, please contact me at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332 and I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

I miss seeing all of the students so much.  I can’t wait until we can go back to our school.  I am very proud to be a part of the Spartan family!!!

Month of March 2020

We made it through February without a snow day, and it is looking like we will enjoy an extra-long Spring break if March stays mild!!!  Be sure to watch your mailbox for information about the next Gifted Parent Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 8^th at 5:00 am (note the time change from 5:30 pm).  We hope to see you there!

Some details on what enrichment groups are working on:

The 2^nd Grade Team has been working on learning about landforms, oceans, and continents.  They are each making a book about different landforms and will later use that book to construct 3-D models of different landforms.

The 3^rd Grade Team is the first group to start exploring our Hess Truck STEM Kit.  They are currently working on a Towing Lab in partner groups.  They are learning about different types of towing (hook, flatbed, and low tow) and how the size of the vehicle being towed effects the type of method that can be used.

The 4^th Grade Team is exploring a curriculum called Word Generation.  We have been having great discussions about using academic vocabulary to make your voice heard.  The group is very interested in starting our next topic, “Where do I belong?”  We will talk about communities and learn about interviews.

The 5^th Grade Team is continuing their research on goals that they have during all phases of their lives (Bucket Lists).  They are working on creating a podcast to share with the other members of the team detailing how they will accomplish some of their dreams.

They 6^th Grade Team is continuing their research on different world cultures.  They will be presenting information that is unique to certain parts of the world.  They will then use what they have learned to create a brand-new and original “realm,” including such information as language, customs/traditions, food, arts/literature, architecture, religion, history, government, geography, sports, education, fashion, climate and wildlife.

K'Nex

The Fourth Grade K’Nex Competition Team is down to the wire and putting the finishing touches on their design. They have chosen a name for their team, “NSE Carnival Constructors.”   This fits perfectly with their ferris wheel/carnival design.  Don’t forget the team will be competing against other local schools on March 17, 2020 for a chance to compete at the state tournament in Harrisburg in May.

Math 24

The top 12 students from 5^th and 6^th grade who participated in the 2^nd Annual North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament are practicing regularly.  They are working together to help prepare our tournament team for the competition at the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th. 

Gifted Support students traveled to North Schuylkill Junior Senior High School on February 27^th to sit in on some advanced classes and participate.  The students had a wonderful time. They enjoyed Public Speaking, AP English, AP Calculus, a fantastic lunch, the Library, Human Physiology, and the Newscast.  A big shout out to everyone who made this day possible!!!

I am also looking into the possibility of a Gifted Support trip to a local manufacturer to learn more about business and what our local area has to offer.  I will provide more details when the plans are complete.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.

Month of February 2020

February is finally here!  All enrichment groups have begun working on new projects, the 2^nd Annual NSE Math 24 Tournament was held on January 30^th, and our classroom was selected by Hess Toy Trucks to receive a 2019 Hess Toy Truck Classroom STEM Kit!!!

The 2^nd Grade Team will begin working on a Science, Writing and Literacy unit to investigate landforms, continents and oceans.

The 3^rd Grade Team has been learning how to build with K’Nex Creative Building Toys.  They have been designing vehicles and discussing how the diameter of the wheel effects the speed of the vehicle.

The 4^th Grade Team is exploring a curriculum called Word Generation.  It focuses on building academic vocabulary and building reading, writing, and speaking skills.

The 5^th Grade Team is currently researching goals that they have during all phases of their lives (Bucket Lists).  They are working on creating a podcast to share with the other members of the team detailing how they will accomplish some of their dreams.

They 6^th Grade Team is currently researching different world cultures.  They will be presenting information that is unique to certain parts of the world.  They will then use what they have learned to create a brand-new and original “realm,” including such information as language, customs/traditions, food, arts/literature, architecture, religion, history, government, geography, sports, education, fashion, climate and wildlife.

All grade level teams are excited to open the Hess Trucks and learn more about the STEM activities that accompanied them.

The Fourth Grade K’Nex Competition Team is currently working on two different designs for a Ferris Wheel.  They will determine the best parts of each to incorporate into their final design.  They are also designing additional aspects to meet the goals of this year’s challenge.  Don’t forget the team will be competing against other local schools on March 17, 2020 for a chance to compete at the state tournament in Harrisburg in May.

Students in grades 4 through 6 participated in the 2^nd Annual North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament on January 30^th.  The top ten finishers will be practicing weekly until they travel to the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th to compete against students from other local school districts.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.

Month of January 2020

Enrichment teams have been learning about the cold.  Where is the coldest place on Earth?  Antarctica – not surprising!  But we learned some surprising facts about the cold.  Did you know that there are places so cold that hotels can be built of ice?  We also learned about some cool STEM activities that students can try out at home.  Ask them how to make an outdoor candle holder out of ice!

Our Fourth Grade K’Nex Competition Team has decided on building an amusement park Ferris Wheel that runs on wind power and also powers nearby attractions to meet this year’s K’Nex STEM Design Challenge.  The students are currently working on two different designs for a Ferris Wheel.  They will determine the best parts of each to incorporate into their final design.  Don’t forget the team will be competing against other local schools on March 17, 2020 for a chance to compete at the state tournament in Harrisburg in May.

Students in grades 4 through 6 will be eligible to participate in the North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament scheduled for the end of January.  Students in Grade 4 with no experience playing Math 24 were given an opportunity to play the game during part of one of their math classes this month.  Many are excited to participate in the tournament currently scheduled for the last week of January 2020.  Homeroom teachers have decks of cards students can use to practice, and there are also apps available at little to no cost that allow students to practice on their own on a smart phone or tablet.  The top ten finishers from NSE will travel to the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th to compete against students from other local school districts.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.

Month of December 2019

Enrichment teams were all able to complete the challenge of building a bridge.  Students used craft sticks, clothespins, chenille wires, Q-tips, and tape to make a bridge that could support the most weight.  Students tested their bridges using candy corn pumpkins to test the weight or capacity load their bridge could hold.  Students worked in teams of two and were able to successfully construct bridges that held between 12 and 61 pumpkins!  Congratulations to all the students on their achievement!

Our Fourth Grade K’Nex Competition Team has been working on different K’Nex structures to learn about engineering with these unique building toys and brainstorming ideas for the challenge.  They have narrowed the choice down to four:  a railroad that powers nearby lights; a system for turning off household lights when no one is in the room; a treadmill that powers breakfast appliances (toast, etc.), a fish tank that generates its own power to run the pump and lights, and also feed the fish; and an amusement park ferris wheel that runs on wind power and also powers nearby attractions.  Don’t forget the team will be competing against other local schools on March 17, 2020 for a chance to compete at the state tournament in Harrisburg in May.

Students in grades 4 through 6 will be eligible to participate in the North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament scheduled for the end of January.  Anyone interested in the opportunity to qualify as a member of the Challenge Team should be practicing now whenever possible.  Homeroom teachers have decks of cards students can use to practice, and there are also apps available at little to no cost that allow students to practice on their own on a smart phone or tablet.  The top ten finishers from NSE will travel to the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th to compete against students from other local school districts.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.

Month of November 2019

Grade level enrichment groups are up and running.  Students will generally meet twice during each 8-Day cycle.  This month students completed some “Getting to Know You” activities and discussed and developed “Group Norms” for working together as a team.

Currently, teams are working on a STEM activity – Building a Bridge.  The challenge is to think like a theme park designer and build a bridge for inside a theme park.  The students are working with a partner to construct a bridge using various household and craft items.  The bridge design options are a weight-bearing bridge (that can hold the most weight) or a high capacity bridge (that has the most usable space on top of the bridge where people would walk). 

The 2020 K’Nex Challenge has been announced!  It is to create a model using K’Nex pieces which incorporates a way of conserving energy in the future. For example, transforming energy from one object to power another or creating a new type of energy to power a city.  Our K’Nex Competition Team is currently brainstorming ideas for a design and will be competing against other local schools on March 17, 2020 for a chance to compete at the state tournament in Harrisburg in May.

Students in grades 4 through 6 will be eligible to participate in the North Schuylkill Elementary Math 24 Challenge Tournament scheduled for January.  Anyone interested in the opportunity to qualify as a member of the Challenge Team should be practicing now whenever possible.  Homeroom teachers have decks of cards students can use to practice, and there are also apps available at little to no cost that allow students to practice on their own on a smart phone or tablet.  The top ten finishers from NSE will travel to the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit in Pottsville on May 19^th to compete against students from other local school districts.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.

Month of October 2019

With one month of school under our belts, the students have been working hard on classroom assignments and activities.  We have been meeting in the gifted support classroom to plan our year.  The students have been discussing possible projects, field trips, Chess Club, the K’Nex Competition Team, the Math 24 Tournament, etc.

 We are also meeting in grade level enrichment groups.  Watch next month’s email with more details on what each group is working on!

Don’t forget the first Gifted Parent Advisory Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 9^th at 5:30 pm.

I will update with details as soon as we finalize some of our activities.  As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at nnestor@northschuylkill.net or at 570-874-3661 Ext. 3332.