Technology Campus Chronicle

Dear OSES Families,

In this addition of our newsletter, you will find a copy of our Parental Consent Form. Based upon state law, schools are required to get permission for all activities that support learning. This would include events like Pi Day, Holiday Events, and Field Trips. While we historically have used permission slips, you might see an increase in the number of them sent home. Please understand that this is a state requirement and we must ensure that each student returns the form to participate. We hope in the future that a consolidated permission form can be used. In the meantime, please be sure to send forms back promptly so your student can participate.

On the same note. What makes OSES special is its diverse staff and student body. We are proud to be one of the most diverse schools in the state, with each major ethnic group represented by 25%. With this comes a variety of belief systems, holiday observations, and differences. No event at the school is designed to persuade, change, or prove one way or belief, is better than the other. Exposing children at a young age to different cultures is a scientifically proven way to build tolerance and respect for one another.

“We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation.” Cesar Chavez

Michael Singleton

Principal

Due to supply issues at the OCPS level, we do not know if hot or cold lunch will be served. Please be prepared to have either lunch until further notice.

Breakfast and Lunch will be FREE for the 2024-2025 school year

If your child has food allergies and will require a special meal from OCPS please click on the link below to fill out the special diet order form

Special Diets for Food Allergies - Orange County Public Schools (ocps.net)

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This week, our 3rd and 6th graders completed the FAST PM #2 ELA and Math assessments. Next week, our 4th and 5th graders will take their assessments: ELA on Tuesday (12/10) and Math on Thursday (12/12). Please ensure students get a good night’s rest, have a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school by 8:00 am.

After Winter Break in January, all kindergarten through 2nd grade students will take the FAST (Star) assessments. Your child’s homeroom teacher will provide the exact dates and times.

Families can find student scores on the Skyward Parent Portal. Please see the attachment below for more details.

Kindergarten had a blast at The Crayola Experience the last day before break. Students got to wrap their own crayons, melt crayons into shapes, create drip art, and attend a show about how crayons are made. We are looking forward to our Quarter 2 STEM Challenge making fake snow, and our Polar Plunge activity after that!

As we approach the end of the first semester and the upcoming holiday break, we wanted to take a moment to share some of the exciting learning happening in our first-grade classrooms this week. Our students have been making great strides in their academic journey, and we’re excited to highlight some of their recent lessons!

Reading: Exploring Point of View, Connections, and Themes

In reading this week, first graders have been engaging in thoughtful discussions and activities to enhance their comprehension skills. They’ve been practicing key concepts like point of view, making connections, and understanding themes in stories.

They have been learning how the story would change depending on whether it’s told by a character or an outside narrator. Making connections to our own lives helps students relate to stories and build deeper understanding. Making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections as they read: If You Plant a Seed. They were also working on identifying the theme or central idea of a story, which is the main lesson or message the author wants to convey in the book: Color Your World with Kindness.

Math: Collecting, Organizing, and Interpreting Data

In math, our first graders have been learning about how to collect, organize, and represent data in different ways. Students have been working with simple charts and graphs to understand how to interpret information and make sense of data.

Science: Exploring the Properties of Water

Our science lessons have been full of hands-on activities as we explore the properties of water. First graders have learned why water is so important for life, how it’s used in different ways, and how to be safe with water. Conducting a Water Survey: A hands-on investigation to identify the common uses of water in our daily lives.

Social Studies: Celebrating Holidays Around the World

In social studies, first graders have started learning about the different holidays around the world. This unit ties into our social studies standards by emphasizing the importance of cultural diversity and helping students understand the similarities and differences among people and their traditions.

Mark K from Ms. DiNuzzo got his additions Xtra Math

This week in second grade we are focusing on how we use our environment and how environmental resources are used! We are learning about the different environments people live in, the way the environment affects jobs, and how we use the environment for food, clothing, and shelter. Students could complete hands-on food, clothing, and shelter activity and then complete a replica of it on their computer. There has been great discussion on how we can conserve our resources and keep the land, air, and bodies of water pollution free. We are excited to tie this information into our STEM project next week where students will collaborate and create a wind powered car! How can this wind powered car help us conserve our natural resources?

What amazing STEM-filled weeks we've had in third grade! Our students have shown incredible dedication, working hard on their state testing in both Math and ELA. Despite the busy schedule, they still found time to learn and have fun.

The week before fall break, students dove into the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and even created their own parade balloons. They also researched and wrote four-paragraph essays on Tardigrades. Did they teach you all about those mighty water bugs?

In Character Development, we focused on understanding gratitude and expressing it in meaningful ways beyond just saying "thank you." In science, students are learning to classify animals and understand their behavioral responses to the environment. To complement this, they designed various habitats for their mystery animals.

Additionally, students presented their endangered animal research projects to the class, showcasing their hard work and deepening their understanding of conservation. They also participated in a "Teach-In," where they learned about wildlife conservation and explored careers in radiology.

Looking ahead, next week promises more excitement as students will be designing their own planets and classifying mystery plants and animals based on their attributes. Stay tuned for more incredible learning adventures!

This week, our class dove into the world of The Beatles, exploring their funny and fabulous history. We focused on supporting ideas with rich details, enhancing our comprehension and analytical skills. This legendary band's story not only captivated our imaginations but also served as a perfect example of how detailed support can make our writing more engaging and informative.

We also delved into the concept of executive function and discussed the importance of planning before we begin writing. By outlining our thoughts, we can craft stronger paragraphs and experience less stress during the writing process. Our budding writers are already showing fantastic progress with these new techniques!

In Social Studies, we embarked on an exciting virtual tour of Florida. We explored the vibrant culture of Little Havana, delved into the history of the Castillo de San Marcos, marveled at the technological marvels of the Kennedy Space Center, and appreciated the natural beauty of the Everglades. Our students enjoyed this immersive experience, learning about the diverse and rich heritage of our state.

This week in Math, we are starting our lessons on dividing decimals. The most important thing for the students to do at home is practice their multiplication facts so they will know how much a number will divide quickly and easily.

This week in science, we are starting our study on Forms of Energy. The students were able to investigate how light travels through our natural world with four different stations. The students investigated how light can travel through small areas over long distances, how light reflects and absorbs energy, and how light can pass through an object.

Please remember to turn in the Marine Science Center: Ponce Inlet permission slip as soon as possible. This is due the week we return from Winter Break so the earlier the better. Contact your student's teacher if you need a new form.

We have been very busy in Art class this past week as we finish up come of our beautiful masterpieces! Third grade created amazing Fall Forests using cut colored paper and sharpies. We worked in a simple retro style and the results were amazing! They also learned about the artist Matisse and began experimenting with oil pastels as they drew Matisse Inspired Still Life Drawings! Great job third grade!

All grade levels will be working hard the next two weeks as they finish up art projects as well as creating new work for the winter season.

In 6th Grade ELA, we are working on elements of plot, point of view, theme and figurative language. As we are developing these skills, we are reading Greek myths such as Prometheus and Cyclops (from The Odessey). The students in my class are utilizing cooperative learning structures to collaborate and demonstrate new knowledge and one of the activities we use is called Showdown. The Showdown cooperative learning structure involves students working in small groups to solve problems independently before sharing and discussing their answers with the group to reach a consensus. Students in the picture below are showing the answers to questions about our texts and will be asked to justify the answers they agreed on as a group.

In order to help keep our families informed of the latest legislative updates regarding their student's education, a Parent Rights Resources page has been added to the school website.

Recent updates include:

• Internet Safety
• District Health Care Services
• Special Magistrate

The mission of Orlando Science Elementary School (OSES) is to provide a well-rounded education with special emphasis in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), while using research-based and innovative instructional methods in a stimulating learning environment. OSES is committed to the social-emotional learning and character development of all students.