English Language Arts

Like our math program, English Language Arts (ELA) instruction at BCS goes well beyond reading a story, answering multiple-choice questions, or writing a few summary sentences. Instead, the ELA program is carefully designed to encourage students to develop as critical thinkers and strong readers and writers, while meeting the needs of all of the school’s diverse learners with a variety of proven teaching practices.

In kindergarten, a lesson may begin with a quick review of short and long vowel sounds followed by small group “reading centers,” where students work with teachers on their reading skills and reading comprehension. The teacher stops every few pages to ask, “What have we learned so far in the story?” or “Which describing words were just used?” Recently, a kindergarten ELA lesson included a comparison of writing styles and a discussion of how a writer can use words to convey feelings, tell a story, or even teach a new subject. Science was then integrated into the lesson when students were asked to “teach” by writing true facts about a science topic they just studied.

In second grade, the teacher may incorporate the Common Core State Standard, “compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story by authors or from different cultures,” by reading to the students the classic version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the Chinese rendition, Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas. While listening to the two stories, students take notes on the similarities and differences. Using their notes, the students create a Venn diagram (an illustration of the relationships between and among sets or groups of objects that share something in common) and work with a partner to develop a storyline for their own version of the Goldilocks story.

In fourth grade, students study a new historical fiction novel every three weeks in small group book clubs. Time is reserved for students to independently read their assigned books, but they must take notes on the characters, settings, and themes in preparation for their book club discussions. The book clubs are designed to help students think more deeply about the text and to make real-life connections about what they are reading.

Part of the fourth grade Common Core State Standards is to learn about multiple perspectives, and BCS combines fourth grade California history curriculum with language arts to meet this standard in an integrated and comprehensive way. As students study the Transcontinental Railroad or the Mission Period in California, they are tasked with role-playing various characters to help them understand the multitude of perspectives of people who lived in these time periods. They are also taught the correct procedures for conducting online research, including differentiating between authoritative and non-authoritative sources as well as identifying primary sources. Through this research, they begin to understand how historical events impacted people differently, and they learn that the winners are most often those who write history. This is why, as readers, they have to be mindful and think about the different sides of every story. These lessons are not about memorizing and regurgitating historical information but rather about how to understand history and literature in context from multiple perspectives and how to write an essay that thoughtfully and accurately conveys these multiple perspectives.

In fifth grade, students continue to analyze literature by creating empathy maps where they interpret how a character’s speech or action provides insight into how the character is thinking or feeling. Through these maps, they demonstrate how the characters evolve throughout a story, and they learn to employ language using phrases like “it was a metaphor for…” Students also develop their ability to concisely summarize a story by using sentences that begin with “In the beginning….,” “In the middle….,” and “In the end….” They also learn to end their literary summaries with a concluding sentence that reflects on the story and its theme.

Fifth grade students also learn how to create arguments.  An example of one of their prompts is “Should chocolate milk be served in school?” To help students develop their arguments, the teacher distributes several nutrition articles about chocolate milk. Students then create flash drafts of their argument and work with the teacher to develop plans to find more evidence for their opinion or to find an additional reason to support their claim. The teacher discusses the importance of textual evidence and tasks the students with using articles to find textual evidence to support their claims. Students discover the importance of quoting sources from their research and paraphrasing if a quote is too long.

The English Language Arts program at BCS is designed to support the school’s mission of educating the whole child. Through ELA instruction, we hope to develop students who are critical and analytic thinkers, who can examine the meaning of a text beyond the surface of its words, who can see and empathize with different points of view, who can support their opinions and arguments with evidence, and most importantly, who will develop a lifelong love of learning.

Bullis Charter Middle School Intersessions

Intersessions are one of the most unique tenets of the BCS middle school program. During these three-week sessions, students move beyond the classroom and engage in active learning in the real world. Students develop real life skills as they work through problems, helping them to become well-rounded students with the 21st century abilities needed to be successful in university and in the modern workplace.

For three weeks each trimester, the daily schedule is suspended while students engage in an extended inquiry process of an assigned focus area. Projects are organized around a driving question, requiring students to investigate, collaborate, design, and construct actual solutions to real-life problems. 21st century skills are more than academic, and hands-on Intersessions provide students the opportunity to practice and refine important ‘life’ skills such as empathy, creativity, rationality, determination, and resourcefulness.

The first seventh grade Intersession combines sewing, cooking, and woodworking. While not typical middle school content, these pursuits integrate math, design, problem solving, and fine motor skills.  “At BCS, we expose all, not just some, of our students to the arts, to making, to taking risks, and to trying things that they might not attempt to learn on their own,” explains Lisa Stone, a BCS seventh grade teacher.

In the second seventh grade Intersession, students tackle Engineering & Design in the school’s

FabLab, where they have access to a variety of technology and tools including 3D printers, laser cutters, design programs, power drills and more. As part of this intersession, students interview staff members and peers to learn more about real problems found in the school. They then choose which issue they want to work on and begin to devise solutions for this problem.  Solving a problem at this level encourages students to use their critical thinking skills and to continuously plan and reevaluate, as they tackle different issues that arise along way. For example, one group of students was tasked with how to transport rolling backpacks across wood chips. As a solution, the students designed and built a “backpack gondola.” These projects are what Intersessions are all about: finding solutions and working through problems, just as one does in real life.

For their third and final Intersession, seventh graders are asked to stage a 100% student-led performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In addition to learning Shakespearean history and dialogue while performing the play, the students serve as the directors, casting crew, and light and sound engineers. They also build upon their previous Intersessions by sewing the costumes and designing and constructing the sets. Teachers are on-hand as advisors only and are part of the audience when the students perform their production on a professional stage at the Bus Barn Theater in Los Altos.

“Intersessions reinforce the students’ full year studies”, explains Ms. Stone. “At BCS, we focus on the interconnectedness of subject matter and integration. Even though students aren't going to their "regular classes" during this time, they can see that there are components of math, writing, and science in constructing a device to solve a problem. Intersessions help students understand the interconnectedness between the subjects.”

In addition to reinforcing regular studies, Intersessions extend the learning of skills and concepts through authentic, real-world applications.  For example, seventh graders learn composition in weekly music classes and are then required to score The Midsummer Night’s Dream production during Intersession.  Eight graders learn coding as part of the core curriculum and then apply those skills when designing educational apps at Intersession.  Students are encouraged to consult with industry experts as they seek to refine and improve their outcomes, and these same experts often provide feedback at the end of a project.

Intersessions are a critical part of the BCS curriculum. They offer the middle school students the opportunity to gain exposure, interact with experts and audiences, and be accountable for their ideas and projects. 



BCS Founding Principal/Superintendent Wanny Hersey explains the thinking behind these authentic learning opportunities, “We believe that in creating connections, relevance and meaning are discovered, and the rate of retention improves dramatically. Our students are empowered to design and lead their own education, thereby developing adult leaders with the ability to thrive in an ever-changing world.”

1st Grade Biomimicry PBL Unit

BCS first graders are engaged in a new biomimicry PBL unit where they are creating solutions to the driving question: “How can we use what we know about how animals and plants protect themselves to safeguard a human baby or child?”

To help formulate a solution to this question, the students first investigated the different features plants and animals use as protection against hostile elements. They dissected the bulb of an iris flower to examine its function in the plant’s survival and they explored various animal adaptations including camouflage, quills, smells, and more.

A pregnant teacher also spoke to the students about how the body is designed to protect an unborn baby and the first graders had a thought-provoking discussion about what parents can do to keep a baby safe once it is born.

Incorporating what they learned about plants and animals, the first graders then applied their design thinking skills to the driving question, and engaged their critical thinking and problem solving skills to create solutions for this real world scenario. They researched different ways a human baby or child can be injured: falling, choking, being exposed to cold, having damage to a baby’s soft spot, etc. Each student then presented ideas for how to prevent these injuries and keep the child safe.

In the makerspace, the students developed designs to protect a child from one of the identified risks, incorporating two animal adaptations they previously researched. The students sketched out one of their ideas, and made a prototype of their design. They presented their models to their teachers and peers, analyzing which aspects of the prototype worked or didn’t work. Meeting Common Core criteria, they also labeled the function of the different parts of their creations. 
   
The students have been very active uploading pictures of their completed work to Freshgrade so their parents can follow their progress and learn more about how they are succeeding on personal FLGs such as working well with others, communicating with team members, and/or collaborating on investigations.

PBL units, such as this one, provide BCS students with the skills they need for the 21st century, including creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking. PBLs allow students to be engaged actively in their learning, giving them a deeper understanding of the content and helping them to retain this knowledge longer. Most importantly, PBLs teach students initiative and responsibility, helping to build confidence and encouraging students to problem solve and collaborate more effectively.

We are so excited by the progress these first graders have made on this new PBL unit and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

Middle School Clubs Day at BCI

BCS Middle School students shared 

the amazing work they have done this year on the clubs they initiated at the Clubs Fair this week.  

Students in grades 6-8 collaborated to design and develop club programs based on their interests - this year's clubs included Girls Learn International, Woodworking, Web/App Design, Parody, Cooking Around the World, and several others.

Check out the photos below to see some of the great work students produced in their clubs this year!

Wanny's Words: Global Innovation Summit

By Wanny Hersey
Superintendent/Principal at Bullis Charter School

In February, I was invited to serve on a panel at the Global Innovation Summit in Silicon Valley, where I joined leaders from around the world who were also committed to building ecosystems where entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation can thrive.

During the panel discussion I was asked how BCS is able to create ecosystems within the public education model that foster creative confidence and inspire students.  

I have always believed that the secret to our success is in hiring great teachers and continually providing the necessary support systems so that they can model the very skills we hope to instill in our students.

Therefore, at BCS I ensure that our teachers also inhabit an environment in which to model and inspire students by providing them dedicated time to collaborate and innovate.  

Unlike school systems where teachers only meet with those within their own departments, BCS teachers are encouraged to work with their peers across disciplines to create units that integrate all subject areas.  

In addition to providing the time and the opportunity to collaborate, I shared the extensive training all staff members receive before the school year begins as well as the professional learning communities that they are a part of throughout the year with mentors, boot camps, and extra support in areas they seek to improve on individually and within grade level teams.

A graphic representation from the panel discussion
"Educated Insight: The Reinvention of Learning" at the 

Global Innovation Summit in Silicon Valley, February 2015