Thursday Update

What a week! This week we learned about flapper fashion, silent films, the stock market, and dance crazes. Students are very excited about the culminating projects for this unit. What do you need to know to help your student succeed?

1. In PE students will be working with Mr. Weaver to learn at least 1, probably 2 dances from the 20's. Because these are partner dances, students are being asked to ratchet up the maturity yet again. If your student talks about dancing at home, please be positive and supportive. Talk about the learning opportunity and how excited you are to see them dance on January 31st. This is also an excellent time to talk about showering, deoderant, and the brushing of teeth. They will be in each other's space and we certainly don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable about body odor. Students are welcome to bring deoderant to freshen up with during lunch.

2. For our silent film festival, students will be dressing up. I am working on borrowing some flapper dresses, suspenders, and fedoras. Students may choose to wear either a flapper dress or slacks, button up shirt, suspenders, and fedora. Today we began making our own hats to wear with the flapper dresses. Everyone is making one, and those that are not wearing them at the film festival may choose to give their hat to a sibling, parent, or donate it to a shelter. Many students asked today if they may bring their own yarn and the answer is yes. I have yarn here, but limited colors. Be prepared for students to fall in love with this and to make many hats. Over the last few years I have found that a majority of my students love how easy and repetitive it is and it helps them to focus when they have something in their hands.

3. On Monday we began talking about the stock market. We learned the basics of how and why it works and then did some very basic research into companies that are publicly held and offer stocks. On Wednesday students began their stock market simulation. During this simulation, students receive $1000 to spend on the stocks of their choice. Over the next 8 weeks they will track their stocks and can buy or sell at any time. The goal is to be the person with the portfolio worth the most money at the end of the unit. You may have some idea of where this is going, but please do not tell them. It would ruin the game. In order to help students connect world events to the economy, each weekend they will be asked to do a current event paper. They are to look at the news (online or hardcopy) and find an article that they feel may have some type of impact on one of their stocks. For example, an earthquake located where your companies major manufacturing plant is located may effect production, which could effect prices. When they find an article, they are to do a key word outline, rough draft, and then a final draft summarizing and analyzing the article. The outline should look like this:

 

Current Events Outline

Name

Date

Current Events

 

I. Summary (Tell what the article is about. Use 2 - 3 words per line. Each line should cover the information in one paragraph)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

II. Analysis (Tell how it impacts your stocks. Use 2 - 3 words per line.)
a. How does this relate to your stock?
b. Is this good or bad news for your stock?
c. What should you do based on this information?

They received a checklist which details what dress ups, sentence openers, and mechanics I'm looking for. The final draft may be typed but the rough draft must be handwritten. These should  not take more than an hour from start to finish. They will do one paper each weekend for the next 8 weeks.

4. Math - We are on lesson 45 as of today. While much of the information seems to be review, students are missing a significant amount on the homework. You can help them suceed by ensuring they have a quiet, focused, well lit space to do their work. Another thing I hear often from the students is that they are in a hurry because there is something cool going on that they want to join in. I find that students do a better job on their homework if there's nothing to rush off to. For example, my son does his homework while sister is at practice. He knows we're there for two hours and his only option during that time is homework. If he finishes his math and spelling early, he's going to read or do practice problems for math. There is no "finishing early". Since we began this routine, the quality of his homework has dramatically increased. If they "forget" to bring home their math book, spelling words, etc feel free to print off practice sheets, make up words, or give them a writing topic so they are getting the practice they need, even if it's not the work I assigned. This helps their study habits, helps them keep up, and discourages accidental on purpose forgetting. On Monday we will have a notebook check. My math students should have 3 sections in their math notebook. The first section is notes. They should have notes in their math notebook for lessons 1 - 45. The second section is tests. They should have tests 5 - 7 in their notebook as well as their signed progress report. The last section is homework. They should have lessons 36 - 43 in their notebook, signed by me.

Don't forget the craft fair this Saturday from 9 - 4. I'll be here most of the day, so feel free to stop by and say hello!

Medication Information

Please remember: 
A prescription label or physician's signature is required for all prescription medication brought to school.  All medication must also be in the original container.  If  the medication is prescription, the label must include (1)the name of the student, (2) name of medication, (3) dosage, (4)instructions and (5)  name and phone number of physician. 

Non prescription medication which is required during school hours (such as the Tylenol) also needs to be in original containers and each medication must have a separate Medication Assistance form.

Teachers may not store or dispense medication from their classroom. If  a student whose medical protcol requires that the medication be nearby at all times (such as an epi-pen, nebulizer, inhaler.), then a separate form for the medical protocol and provisions for security are necessary. We are happy to work with your physician office or other medical professional to provide this.    The staff may also  need to be trained. We are all certified in First Aid, CPR and AED use but we rely on parents to give us the specifics about medication, oxygen or other needs relating to the child. This includes what to look for in   symptoms, signs and severity in case of emergency.  

Being happy, healthy and safe is important to us!

Time for a New Unit

Today we began a new unit. For the next eight weeks we will learning all about the 1920's and the cultural shift that occured during that time.

We will learn about:

• the fashions and how they were driven by the Women's Movement
• Prohibition
• Jazz (its birth, sound, instruments, and famous musicians)
• the Mafia
• silent films (characteristics and techniques)
• the Women's Movement

This unit will culminate in our Silent Film Festival on January 30th. Be sure to put it on your calendar so you won't miss the fun!

Community Involvement Opportunity

I believe it is vital for students to be involved in their community and this is an excellent opportunity. I plan to be there, and to participate in the reading, at 5:00. I would love to see members of the class there as well!

Community Reading - The Iliad

Sun, 2 Dec, 2012 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

The words of Homer’s epic poem were originally performed aloud to rapt audiences who sat spellbound by tales of kings and heroes, battles and sorrow. Relive the experience of this ancient Greek oral tradition by participating in a daylong marathon reading of The Iliad. Four hundred readers of all ages and backgrounds are invited to join this unique opportunity to bring alive the thrilling tale of the Trojan War and to enjoy the experience of reading poetry aloud. Anyone may participate, and no special training is required. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. A week prior to the event, readers will be emailed their 20-30 lines (2-3 minutes) of text and are encouraged to read them as they wish (i.e. in a foreign language, as a song, in a family group). All interpretations welcome! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND SELECT A READING TIME TICKETS TO READ  $5 Portland Art Museum Members $5 College Students $15 Adult non-members* Free 17 and under Free PSU Students *Includes admission that day to The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greece.

High School Open House

PROSPECTIVE MILWAUKIE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS STUDENTS INVITED TO OPEN HOUSE

Posted: November 20th, 2012 4:07 PM

Open House from 4 to 7 p.m. on December 13 & December 20

Winter Vocal Concert December 13, 7 p.m.

Winter Instrumental Concert December 20, 7 p.m.

Prospective students and their families are invited to the Milwaukie Academy of the Arts (MAA) open house events on December 13th and 20th. These events provide the chance to meet school staff, to talk with current MAA students and parents, to enjoy student performances and to tour the facility. The open houses are in the school auditorium from 4 to 7 p.m. on December 13 and December 20, with musical performances at 7 p.m. both nights.

A public charter school sponsored by the North Clackamas District, Milwaukie Academy of the Arts is open to students from any Oregon school district. School curriculum includes arts-based learning in core academic classes, with a personalized, small school environment. MAA offers a rigorous and meaningful college preparatory learning experience in and through the arts.

Core subjects (Science, Math, Language Arts, and Social Science) are integrated together and with art for students whose interests, abilities, and learning styles connect with visual and performing arts. The school's core subject teachers are trained in project-based learning and stay with the students throughout their four years of high school.

"Our school offers the best of both worlds," explains Director Tim Taylor. "It's a small charter high school embedded in a comprehensive high school. MAA core instruction occurs on the first floor of the historic Milwaukie High School building, separate from the rest of the school. In this way, we retain the benefits of a smaller, more intimate and mission-driven charter school. By integrating MAA within the Milwaukie High School campus, we are able to offer our students access to the full range of academic, cultural, social, athletic benefits and student services of a traditional high school."

MAA students may enroll in any of the career-technical electives at Milwaukie High, including those on the Sabin-Schellenberg campuses. Also available are Advanced College Credit (ACC) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Through a special arrangement with the OSAA, MAA students are able to participate in all athletic and extracurricular activities with Milwaukie High students.

MAA has received an Outstanding rating from the Oregon Department of Education on the 2010, 2011, and 2012 state report cards.

"It is our hope that your visit will help you decide whether MAA is the right fit for your student," said Taylor. "We are eager to partner with families to enhance students; education and to prepare them for success in their steps beyond high school."

To find out more, or to arrange a shadow day for a prospective student, contact:

Milwaukie Academy of the Arts

Director Tim Taylor

11300 SE 23rd Avenue

Milwaukie, OR 97222

503-353-5834

taylorti@nclack.k12.or.us

Happy Thanksgiving

As we enter the Thanksgiving weekend I would like to take a moment to share some things I am thankful for.

• I am thankful to teach in a school that believes every child can learn and that the high standards can be reached through hands on, interactive, and multisensory activities.
• I am thankful for students that persevere through a writing process that took six weeks, hundreds of pieces of paper, and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears.
•  I am thankful for students that were willing to take their papers home, edit one more time, and turn it back in to prove mastery, even though they thought they were done.
• I am thankful for amazing works of art representing 25 notable characters.
• I am thankful for the rains that made us all stop and go "WOW".
• I am thankful for second and third graders that work every bit as hard as we do memorizing lines and putting on the potlatch.
• I am thankful that those same second and third graders invited us to join them!
• I am thankful for seventh graders that not only accept others when approached, but seek out those that need a friend.
• I am thankful for students that have found a passion for reading and are meeting or exceeding their Accelerated Reader goal.
• I am also thankful for those students who have yet to find the passion for reading and aren't yet meeting their goal.
• I am thankful for students who have proven that through concentrated effort on their spelling homework and participation in the spelling dialogue you can raise your Orthography scores dramatically.
• I am thankful for Mrs. Rovang who helped every Course 2 Math student get their binder in order and ready for the next 35 lessons. Every student should now have notes for lessons 1 - 40, homework for lessons 35 - 40, and tests 5, 6, and 7 in their notebook.
• I am thankful for the parents that have signed up to help clean the room. You have no idea how much it means to me to be able to spend the time giving students feedback on their writing and math instead of vacuuming the room.
• I am thankful for the end of a unit. Today we took the summative assessment for WWI and will be moving on to the Roaring 20's on Monday.
• I am thankful you have chosen to share your child with me.

Who's Notable This Year?

For your studying pleasure, here is the list of Notable Characters represented this year.

You'll be asking each of these characters three yes/no questions in an attempt to identify them.

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Vladmir Lenin

Viktor Frankyl

Twiggy

Theodore Seuss Geisel

Stephen Hawkings

Spartacus

Socrates

Shirley Temple

Sappho

Rudy Ruttiger

Rita Hayworth

Red Grange

Queen Elizabeth II

Pulchria

Plato

Philippides

Pele

Olympias

Olivia DeHaviland

Nikola Tesla

Nero

Mother Theresa

Michael Jackson

Mark Antony

Marian Donovan

Lucille Ball

Linus Pauling

Kyniska

King Philip II of Macedon

Julius Caesar

Julie Andrews

Joe Louis

Joe DiMaggio

Jacques Cousteau

Jackie Kennedy

J.R.R Tolkien

Hypatia of Alexandria

Hortensia

Hippocrates

Henry Ford

Helena of Constantinople

Grace Kelly

Gorgo

Gloria Swanson

Glen Miller

Ginger Rogers

George Patton

Galen

Frida Kahlo

Frank Zappa

Eva Peron

Elizabeth Taylor

Eleanor Roosevelt

Edwin Hubble

Eddie Rickenbacker

Douglas MacAurthur

Dick Clark

Coco Chanel

Cleopatra VII Thea Philoprator

Cato

Carlos Norman Hathcock

Buddy Holly

Bill Russel

Babe Didrikson

Augstas Caesar

Audrey Hepburn

Audie Murphy

Aristotle

Aristarchus

Archimedes

Anne Frank`

Andy Warhol

Alice Paul

Alexander the Great of Macedon

Albert Einstein

Congratulations

 Today is the final deadline for Night of the Notables. I'm very proud of everyone that completed their project. Now is the time to look back and reflect upon things that went well and to learn from the things that didn't go so well. In your student's academic career, there will be many, many more large projects to complete. How did they do? How much help did they need from you? How much help did they need from me? Did they make their deadlines? Did they stay up all night last night trying to cram? Did they do quality work? Time management and quality work production are skills that will be required long after they leave the halls of academia.

After reflection, it's time to celebrate. Join us tonight for the PTA Bingo and Pizza night. From 5:00 - 6:30 we'll be playing in the cafeteria. Good times will be had by all.

Finding Just the Right Book

Many parents have asked for help in finding just the right book for their middle schoolers. There are lots of great resources out there, including your local librarian. Here are a few web sites that may be of use to you!

Scholasic Book Wizard - Will tell you the level of a book you own, tell you books that are similar to one they've read already, or help you select books by reading level.
http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/

Lexile Find a Book - Will find books based on Lexile score.
http://lexile.com/fab/

Barnes and Noble Book Finder - Will find books based on Lexile score, reading interests, and subject.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reading-level-reading-books-lexile/search.asp

The Home Stretch

We are in the home stretch for Night of the Notables!

Thursday was the due date for rough drafts. After a full weekend of editing rough drafts, I can safely say that everyone has a solid handle on the life and times of their notable person. Most of the papers were well written and only needed editing for grammer, spelling, and typographical errors. All rough drafts that were turned in on time were returned today.

So where are we at?
The final draft of the paper is due on Thursday. Students were asked to print two copies of their final paper. One draft will be attached to their rough drafts and key word outlines and turned in to be assessed. The second copy will be placed in a report folder or stapled neatly in the upper left hand corner of their papers. This will be their presentation copy.

If you're double checking the order, the assessment copy should be in this order from top to bottom:
Checklist, final draft consisting of: cover page, body (introduction, childhood, education, adulthood, career, analysis, conclusion), bibliography, rough draft, key word outlines.

The presentation board is due on Thursday. The board is set up following the guidelines given earlier. The left side is the four trivia facts discussed and done in class. The center has the name in large letters, hand drawn portrait, and timeline. The right side is other information that is useful and helpful. There is a border around the entire board.

Costumes and souvenirs should be brought to school on Tuesday morning.

Night of the Notables is Tuesday night. Students must arrive at 6:00 p.m. The doors will open for guests at 6:30 p.m. You may be thinking, "What am I going to do for 30 minutes while my student is getting ready?" Well, I have a great opportunity for you! Ms. Cantin's fourth graders will be entertaining you in the front hallway. They have been studying Oregon history and will have their wax museum set up. While you're waiting, visit each of the wax figures and push their button to hear their recordings.

At 6:30 the doors will open and you will be invited to start questioning the notable characters. Each character will be wearing a number and your job is to match that number to the list of characters provided. Remember, you only get three questions per character and you can only ask yes/no questions. If you'd like to do some research ahead of time, the list of characters is below! At 7:15 the notable characters will move to their display boards and you'll have the chance to match your answers to the real answers. How many do you think you can identify correctly? Students will be ready to leave WITH their display boards at 8:05.

To celebrate all this hard work, the class would like to have a potluck lunch on Tuesday. We'd like to do a taco bar. If you can send in one of the items below, please comment below so we know what's taken care of. I'll update this list as I hear from people. If you'd like to join us for lunch, you're more than welcome!

Taco Meat - Nadia
Lettuce - Mason
Tomatoes - Ana
Onions - John
Beans - Savannah
Olives - Savannah
Tortillas - Kipp, Kayla
Taco Shells - Sierra
Cheese - Chloe
Sour Cream - Kipp
Salsa - Kipp
Fruit - Shak, Kash
Spanish Rice - Olivia P
Chips and Salsa - Colleen

Field Trip Friday Antics

While our Friday field trip fell through, there was no shortage of learning and fun.

With an entire day in front of us, we dove into some projects that took some serious time and space. First we used balloons, newspaper, flour, and a little water to create models of zeppelins. Students worked together to problem solve the creation of a zeppelin shaped object using two balloons.

While individuals were working on their zeppelins, small groups were called out to practice their reading skills. One of the 7th grade reading objectives focuses on reading non fiction texts. One of the specified non fiction texts that they are to learn to work with is a recipe. Groups were given all of the ingredients for a recipe created during WWI. The results were amazing. Groups learned to work together and learned new things about each other.

After lunch we dove into some more intense problem solving. The class was split up into three groups. Each group was given a box of materials. These materials included things like pencils, rubber bands, paper, tooth picks, straws, cups, etc. With these materials and nothing else, they had to create a solution. One group's challenge was to create a bi plane that would fly 30 feet unassisted. The second group had to create a U Boat that would submerge and then surface. The last group's challenge was to create a tank that would roll 10 feet and fire one projectile. As well as building a working model, they also had to create a skit, poem, song, or poster teaching the audience about their topic. All of this had to be done in 1 hour. Groups recieved points for teamwork, historical accuracy, presentation, and creative use of materials.

By the end of the hour, much learning had occurred and groups were ready to present. Lots of laughter ensued and great self reflection allowed everyone to take more than just historical facts away from the activity.

Lice Announcement

There was one case of head lice in 5th grade last week. We were alerted by the parent. Student was treated and rechecked. PLEASE check your children prior to return to school on Tuesday! Lice have a way of jumping around. Trash bags will be available Tuesday morning for students to store their backpacks and coats in for the next few weeks.

Mrs. Marlatt and I and any available parent volunteers will also be checking students Tuesday morning prior to entering class. We have had a great track record for the last couple of years and would love to keep it that way!

Special Thanks

A very special thank you to Shak and Katy for performing in the cafeteria today. For the last few weeks Thursdays have been our "special" day in the cafeteria. Students are allowed to sit anywhere they would like and music is played in the background.

Mrs. Nixon, our lunch person, heard Shak and Katy playing the guitar for us in class and asked if they would provide live music today. They did a great job and I heard lots of compliments from students and teachers.

12 Days...

12 days and counting.

Today almost everyone turned in their rough draft and had their souvenirs checked. Over the weekend I will edit each paper. These will be returned on Tuesday, giving them two evenings to type the final draft.

With no NON writing to do this weekend, it is the perfect time to finish the presentation board and bibliography. When working on the presentation board, high contrast is the word of the day! Stand back at least 10 feet and see if you can still read/see it.

The next deadline is next Thursday. The final draft of their paper and presentation boards are both due.

Keep up the great work everyone. I've seen some amazing work so far!

NON Countdown

13 days until Night of the Notables!

That's right, we're in the home stretch. 

Tomorrow 7th grade will be turning in their rough draft for peer editing and teacher editing. They will recieve their papers back on Tuesday, so they can type the final draft.

Tomorrow the souveniers are due in class at 8:00. They will be checked off and sent home. They are due this week to prevent last minute craziness!

Next Thursday the final draft is due. The final draft should be typed in MLA style. It will include a title page, body, and bibliography. The bibliography will be completed in class tomorrow. The entire paper should either be stapled once in the upper left hand corner or placed in a report cover. Below you will find some of the most important guidelines, but the full style guide can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). The font size should be 12 pt.

Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks

Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.

Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the Tab key as opposed to pushing the Space Bar five times.

Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.

Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.

Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"

Double space between the title and the first line of the text.



Lunch Information

You can access the current menu, pay for lunches online, and keep up to date on information from the cafeteria by visiting http://chpcscafe.webnode.com//

Field Trip Friday

It's Field Trip Friday!

This Friday we will be visiting the Camp Withycomb military museum for their grand reopening. The museum has been under construction for over three years and has undergone a complete remodel. The new exhibit tells the story of the Army, it's technology, it's mission, and gives students a chance to get up close and personal with the things they've been learning about.

Students will arrive at 8:00 in their regular uniform with  a jacket and healthy lunch. We will work on campus until 10:00 at which time the bus will pick us up. We will tour the museum from 10:30 - 12:30. At 12:30 we will return to school where we will spend the afternoon working on creative challenges based on new technologies in WWI.

We will be ready to go at 3:30!

Aerial Combat

On Thursday we studied the emergence of aerial warfare and its impact on WWI. First we looked at the physical structures of early WWI era planes.

After examination and discussion of the difficulties of keeping these early planes in the air, we added the issues with aerial combat. Everyone quickly picked up how difficult it would have been to fly these early planes and as well as acting as gunner. We looked at the progression of the technology and the advancement of the pilots skills.

After learning about the flying aces, we went outside to build a better appreciation of the skill it took to be a flying ace.

 Students were given 3 balloons to blow up and tie to a string. This string was placed around their right ankle.

 Each balloon represented one "life". Their job was to protect their balloons while simultaneously popping everyone elses balloon.

In just moments, everyone had figured out that focusing on either defense or offense was much easier than doing both at the same time. Students were credited for one "kill" if they popped someone elses balloon without getting one of their own popped. After ten minutes of squeels, bangs, and alliances forged and then broken, we had two people that still had baloons but no aces. Not one person had managed to earn five points.

 

A very tired class returned to the classroom for a wrap up discussion of flying aces and their skill and bravery. Of course we had to end the lesson with a little music.

Night of the Notables Souvenir Workshop Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the souvenir workshop for Night of the Notables. This is a chance for students to work together in a relaxed atmosphere with snacks, music, and friends. Teachers will be on hand to provide technical assistance and oversight.

Students should bring all of the supplies they need to work and a great attitude. We will begin right after carline and end at 5:00.

See you there!

PTA Social

The next PTA Social is not to be missed!!!

On the evening of Thursday, November 15^th,

OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL will be gathering for an incredible night of fun.

Please come to the 1^st Annual Pizza and Bingo Night, which will be held in the CHPCS cafeteria from 5:00 until 6:30pm.

The PTA will be serving PIZZA AT ONLY $1 PER SLICE,

and hosting a Bingo game.

Bingo cards will cost $1 each, with the money going towards the fabulous prizes you'll get if you win.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Each adult that signs up to become a member of the PTA that night will receive 5 free Bingo cards. Feel free to email Mr. Varis, the PTA President, with any questions you may have (a.varis@chpcs.org). 

Hope to see you there!!!