This has been one busy week!
On Monday we looked at chemical formulas and how to model them. Students learned to embroider and we spent extra time with Riggs. We've been focusing not only on our spelling words, but also on recognizing and using complete sentences, and pronoun antecedents.
Tuesday we practiced our expository writing skills. Students were asked to explain, in detail, how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They discovered it wasn't quite as easy as it sounded! Students created a key word outline and a rough draft. When they had a complete rough draft, they brought it to my desk where we tried it out. As they read their essay to me, I completed the steps with actual materials. Olivia P was the only one to recieve a completed sandwich on her first try. Everyone else had the opportunity to go back and add pertinent details. Ask your student how they did! Tuesday afternoon we had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Hammersly about the stock market. He was able to help students understand how brokers make decisions about when to buy or sell and how the global market affects us locally.
Wednesday was full of group activities. After math we challenged 8th grade to a game of Rounders. Rounders is the medieval precursor to baseball. Although we fought valientaly, eighth grade won this round. We'll challenge them again in the spring, and I'm sure we'll win. While warming up from our rousing game of Rounders, silent film groups were given an hour to work on their scripts.
Tomorrow is buddy time, all school assembly, and science. During buddy time we will be creating gingerbread houses while practicing our math skills. If you're available to help from 12:45 - 1:30, extra hands make things go much smoother. Also, if you happen to have white frosting or small candies that could be used on tiny gingerbread houses, please send them in.
Over the break there will homework. My math class will be expected to complete lessons 55, 56, and 57. Students will also be asked to write one paragraph a day. These paragraphs should include a strong topic sentence, 4 - 6 details sentences, and a clincher. Each paragraph should contain 3 dress ups and 3 sentence openers. The idea behind the daily paragraph is to keep them in the habit of writing without having it impact family time. Students that do not continue to read and write over the long break often have a skill setback. Just 30 minutes of reading, one paragraph of writing, and half a lesson of math can keep skills fresh and help continue the upward path everyone is on!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Why Read?
Books make great holiday gifts and the holiday break is the perfect time to read classics together. Instead of watching a holiday movie, get out your holiday favorites and share them with your children. One of my favorite holiday activities is sitting by the Christmas tree with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. Need suggestions for good books? I'm happy to help.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Homework Return
Sadly, I must address homework return. Today we had only 7 students with all of their homework in.
At Cascade we do homework for a variety of reasons. These include practicing skills learned in class, communicating subject content with parents, extending opportunties for research, and preparing for class activities. Homework is never busy work. Each assignment is thought out ahead of time and pertinent to what we are doing.
Making time for homework can be difficult, especially in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Here are some ideas, gathered from other busy families, for working in this critical time.
1. Keep a clipboard with paper and pencil in the car. This allows student to fill travel time.
2. Have your student read out loud to you while you cook, or read out loud to them while they cook.
3. Write out your afternoon/evening schedule on a white board. Write in when each assignment should be completed.
4. While one child is at sports/dance/art, sit at a coffee shop and do homework.
5. Have family hour at the table. Everyone works on something. Parents can balance their checkbook, read the newspaper, or study something new. If everyone is sitting at the table, students can ask questions, stay focused, and get done quicker.
Do you have other ideas? Please share them in the comment section below.
At Cascade we do homework for a variety of reasons. These include practicing skills learned in class, communicating subject content with parents, extending opportunties for research, and preparing for class activities. Homework is never busy work. Each assignment is thought out ahead of time and pertinent to what we are doing.
Making time for homework can be difficult, especially in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Here are some ideas, gathered from other busy families, for working in this critical time.
1. Keep a clipboard with paper and pencil in the car. This allows student to fill travel time.
2. Have your student read out loud to you while you cook, or read out loud to them while they cook.
3. Write out your afternoon/evening schedule on a white board. Write in when each assignment should be completed.
4. While one child is at sports/dance/art, sit at a coffee shop and do homework.
5. Have family hour at the table. Everyone works on something. Parents can balance their checkbook, read the newspaper, or study something new. If everyone is sitting at the table, students can ask questions, stay focused, and get done quicker.
Do you have other ideas? Please share them in the comment section below.
Barnes and Noble Showcase
A very heartfelt thank you to everyone that braved the mall on a Saturday during December. I was very proud of everyone. Speaking and performing in public are skills that will last a lifetime. As well as building public performance skills, this provided an excellent opportunity for Cascade to share who we are with the public. Building connections with the community is how we find guest speakers, field trip opportunities, and experts to advise us.
Penny Drive
Falcon Families: Second grade is reading A Christmas Carol as one of
their Core Knowledge literature selections. They will be doing a character
study of Ebenezer Scrooge and exemplifying the OPPOSITE of his character traits
by running a penny drive to adopt a sea turtle nest in Florida. Between Monday,
December 10th and Thursday, December
13, please encourage your children to clean out under car seats, in
between couch cushions, and pick pennies up off the sidewalk to help out. This
is low-key and student-created, so please support with just a little spare
change. Thanks, Mr. Currey.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
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:
Name
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!
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
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!
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!
Monday, November 26, 2012
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:
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
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
| |||||||||||||||||
Saturday, November 24, 2012
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
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
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.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
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
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
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.
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.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
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.
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!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
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/
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//
Monday, November 5, 2012
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!
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.
After learning about the flying aces, we went outside to build a better appreciation of the skill it took to be a flying ace.
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!
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!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
PTA Social
The next PTA Social is not to be missed!!!
On the evening of Thursday, November 15th,
OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL will be gathering for an incredible night of fun.
Please come to the 1st 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!!!
Monday, October 29, 2012
NON Display Boards
Today we took a look at the big picture and then broke it down step by step again. The big picture tells us we have 11 school days left before Night of the Notables.
The step by step picture tells us if we have stayed on track, it's an easy downhill slide from here on out. The hard work is done!
One of the many things we talked about today was the display board. Many students were ready to begin so we clearly outlined the requirements.
1. Size - The display board must be a trifold board. It should be a minimum of 36 x 48 inches. Smaller boards will not have enough room for everything required. Students are encouraged to reuse boards from previous projects.
2. Border - All boards must have a border. This border should represent the notable character in images. For example, a writer might use a pattern of pencils and books. Other border ideas include quotes or photos. The border should be high contrast and add meaning to the experience.
3. Center Panel - The center panel includes the notable character's name in large, high contrast letters. They should be at least 4 inches tall. Under the name is the black and white sketch which is being completed in art class this week. It should be backed on a high contrast piece of paper. Below that, along the bottom edge is the time line. This may go on as is or can be backed with another piece of paper for contrast.
4. Left Panel - The left panel will hold 4 trivia questions. These will be done in class so that they are formatted correctly.
5. Right Panel - This is the area for them to go wild. There is nothing official that has to be on the right panel, it is where they put other information, images, etc that they feel would enhance the presentation.
The step by step picture tells us if we have stayed on track, it's an easy downhill slide from here on out. The hard work is done!
One of the many things we talked about today was the display board. Many students were ready to begin so we clearly outlined the requirements.
1. Size - The display board must be a trifold board. It should be a minimum of 36 x 48 inches. Smaller boards will not have enough room for everything required. Students are encouraged to reuse boards from previous projects.
4. Left Panel - The left panel will hold 4 trivia questions. These will be done in class so that they are formatted correctly.
5. Right Panel - This is the area for them to go wild. There is nothing official that has to be on the right panel, it is where they put other information, images, etc that they feel would enhance the presentation.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
And Another Month Ends
Believe it or not we already facing the end of another month. It has been a productive month full of writing, history, math, spelling, and public speaking. We have dug trenches, learned about major battles of WWI, given reports about major metropolitan areas, and come ever closer to our Night of the Notable presentations.
This week we will learn about aerial warfare, tank warfare, and submarine warfare. As we read Leviathan, we will continue to work on our compare and contrast skills. We will finish our key word outlines and begin our rough drafts. Spelling will continue with 6 new words each night. During guided reading groups, we will focus on identifying the main idea from increasing complex passages. Our next math assessment is Monday with lessons 31 - 34 being taught Tuesday through Thursday.
This week we will not under any circumstances bring Halloween candy to school!
You can enhance your student's learning at home by:
1. Talk about your student's Night of the Notable character. The more they talk about it, the more complete their writing will be. Simply letting them tell what they know over dinner will help them form their thoughts, discover gaps in their information, and build excitement. Once they have a solid handle on the "facts", start asking about their opinion. The analysis of their character's "worth" will be the last page of the essay and is always the hardest. This is where students must justify why the person is notable. Start talking about it now so they can justify it on paper next week.
2. Watch Seargent York. This 1941 biographical film received numerous Academy Awards and tells the story of the most decorated WWI veteran.
Even as we end one month, we embrace the beginning of November!
November 2 - Conference Day
November 4 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 6 - Election Day
November 6 - Optional Souvenir Workshop (3:45 - 5:00)
November 8 - Sock Hop (3:45 - 4:30)
November 9 - Field Trip (Chaperones Needed!)
November 12 - Veteran's Day (No School)
November 14 - Picture Retakes
November 20 - Night of the Notables (6:00 - 8:00)
This week we will learn about aerial warfare, tank warfare, and submarine warfare. As we read Leviathan, we will continue to work on our compare and contrast skills. We will finish our key word outlines and begin our rough drafts. Spelling will continue with 6 new words each night. During guided reading groups, we will focus on identifying the main idea from increasing complex passages. Our next math assessment is Monday with lessons 31 - 34 being taught Tuesday through Thursday.
This week we will not under any circumstances bring Halloween candy to school!
You can enhance your student's learning at home by:
1. Talk about your student's Night of the Notable character. The more they talk about it, the more complete their writing will be. Simply letting them tell what they know over dinner will help them form their thoughts, discover gaps in their information, and build excitement. Once they have a solid handle on the "facts", start asking about their opinion. The analysis of their character's "worth" will be the last page of the essay and is always the hardest. This is where students must justify why the person is notable. Start talking about it now so they can justify it on paper next week.
2. Watch Seargent York. This 1941 biographical film received numerous Academy Awards and tells the story of the most decorated WWI veteran.
November 2 - Conference Day
November 4 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 6 - Election Day
November 6 - Optional Souvenir Workshop (3:45 - 5:00)
November 8 - Sock Hop (3:45 - 4:30)
November 9 - Field Trip (Chaperones Needed!)
November 12 - Veteran's Day (No School)
November 14 - Picture Retakes
November 20 - Night of the Notables (6:00 - 8:00)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Timelines
Our Night of the Notable timelines are due this coming Thursday in their final draft form. Last Wednesday we went over them in class and today in class I checked them for accuracy.
Just in case they have forgotten the "non negotiable" aspects, they are listed below. These are the required elements of the timeline.
1. It must be horizontal.
2. It must be 27 - 30 inches by 5 inches.
3. It must include a center line, running horizontally down the paper from end to end.
4. It must have a tick mark every inch along the paper.
5. Every tick mark must be labeled with evenly spaced years. You can not skip periods of time or spread out periods of time. For example, if my person was born in 1900 and died in 1990, I would know I needed to illustrate a span of 90 years. So I would divide 90 by the number of tick marks (30). This would tell me that I need to count by 3's. The first tick mark would be 1900 and the next would be 1903 and so on until I reached 1990.
6. It must include the 10 most important life events of the notable person.
7. It must include 5 world events to help put the notable person's life in perspective.
8. It must have a title.
NOT what we want!
We also talked about the optional features.
1. Students may type their events to increase legibility.
2. They may back their events with a contrasting paper to increase visibility.
3. They may make their background into a shape that adds meaning to the person's life. For example, Elvis could have a guitar shaped timeline.
4. They may add up to 4 images, either hand drawn or printed out to add to the timeline as long as they add to the understanding of the events.
Have fun!
Just in case they have forgotten the "non negotiable" aspects, they are listed below. These are the required elements of the timeline.
1. It must be horizontal.
2. It must be 27 - 30 inches by 5 inches.
3. It must include a center line, running horizontally down the paper from end to end.
4. It must have a tick mark every inch along the paper.
5. Every tick mark must be labeled with evenly spaced years. You can not skip periods of time or spread out periods of time. For example, if my person was born in 1900 and died in 1990, I would know I needed to illustrate a span of 90 years. So I would divide 90 by the number of tick marks (30). This would tell me that I need to count by 3's. The first tick mark would be 1900 and the next would be 1903 and so on until I reached 1990.
6. It must include the 10 most important life events of the notable person.
7. It must include 5 world events to help put the notable person's life in perspective.
8. It must have a title.
We also talked about the optional features.
1. Students may type their events to increase legibility.
2. They may back their events with a contrasting paper to increase visibility.
3. They may make their background into a shape that adds meaning to the person's life. For example, Elvis could have a guitar shaped timeline. 4. They may add up to 4 images, either hand drawn or printed out to add to the timeline as long as they add to the understanding of the events.
Have fun!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Thursday Highlights
Thursday was a huge day! Between our trench warfare lesson and the Harvest Festival, it was good times from sun up until well after sundown.
8:00 - We started the morning in the classroom just long enough to take attendance and go over some ground rules. Everyone packed up their belongings and marched off to the trenches. Once we left the building, no one was allowed back in for anything besides the bathroom. Everyone was quite cheerful and excited to get started. Belongings were dropped in the grass and everyone huddled together to get their instructions. The Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance were each assigned an area, given their boundraies and told to begin.
8:30 - The digging began with plenty of singing, chatting, and chanting. I was quite impressed with the lack of standing around and how well everyone was working together. Most were using shovels to escavate while those without shovels moved the dirt out of the hole. Each side took a different approach. One side chose to create a wide trench and then worry about depth while the other side focused on getting deep early and then worry about width. Chants and jeers were traded with lots of good humor thrown in.
10:30 - For 2.5 hours each side worked on their trench with no ill words and plenty of sweat. Jackets and outer rain gear had long since been shed and tossed aside. I called a stop and gave them a minute to take a deep breath and assess their surroundings. They were then given 5 minutes to situate themselves in their trench. Once the 5 minute period was up, they would not be allowed out, except for the restroom. They had to make sure they had everything they needed and could contain everything within their trench. Each side scrambled to get everything moved and to find a comfortable position to spend the day. The side that went wide discovered they had room for everyone to sit or lie comfortably, but they HAD to sit really low or lie down because they weren't deep enough to sit up without being seen over the top of their rampart.
During the first hour everyone was pretty chipper, they read to each other out of our current novel, helped each other with math work, and chatted about all kinds of things.
11:00 - Out of nowhere a very short batallion attacked and bombed the trenches with soft artillery. The surprise really set everyone off and energy was once again running high, but this time it was nervous energy.
12:00 - By lunch time the chattering had decreased significantly. The trenches were fairly quiet. We called a momentary truce and sent those that were buying lunch in to get it. As soon as everyone returned, it was back into the trenches. After lunch Senor Herboth and Wenny Lao Shi came out to the trenches to teach World Languages. We held a momentary truce and had all of the Spanish students switch to one trench and all the Chinese students switch to the other.
1:15 - The afternoon was filled with aerial attacks. Each side attempted to bomb the other trench using only those missles that fell within reach of their trench. If a student was touched by the missle, they were "dead". Each attack was timed and the side with the least casulties was credited with the win. As the attacks continued, each side discovered they could build up their fortifications using handy items. Tempers were starting to get short. In between attacks people were still trying to get work done but were discovering they couldn't find their things, things had been stepped on, someone had touched it, etc. Personal space was in high demand and there was none to be had. The "this isn't fun anymore" phase had set in. The real lesson was definitely in full force.
8:00 - We started the morning in the classroom just long enough to take attendance and go over some ground rules. Everyone packed up their belongings and marched off to the trenches. Once we left the building, no one was allowed back in for anything besides the bathroom. Everyone was quite cheerful and excited to get started. Belongings were dropped in the grass and everyone huddled together to get their instructions. The Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance were each assigned an area, given their boundraies and told to begin.
8:30 - The digging began with plenty of singing, chatting, and chanting. I was quite impressed with the lack of standing around and how well everyone was working together. Most were using shovels to escavate while those without shovels moved the dirt out of the hole. Each side took a different approach. One side chose to create a wide trench and then worry about depth while the other side focused on getting deep early and then worry about width. Chants and jeers were traded with lots of good humor thrown in. 
The other side discovered their trench was deep enough for people to sit up comfortably, but it was not wide enough to get everyone in comfortably. They wedged themselves in like sardines and tried to figure out how to make it functional for the rest of the day. 
During the first hour everyone was pretty chipper, they read to each other out of our current novel, helped each other with math work, and chatted about all kinds of things.
11:00 - Out of nowhere a very short batallion attacked and bombed the trenches with soft artillery. The surprise really set everyone off and energy was once again running high, but this time it was nervous energy.
12:00 - By lunch time the chattering had decreased significantly. The trenches were fairly quiet. We called a momentary truce and sent those that were buying lunch in to get it. As soon as everyone returned, it was back into the trenches. After lunch Senor Herboth and Wenny Lao Shi came out to the trenches to teach World Languages. We held a momentary truce and had all of the Spanish students switch to one trench and all the Chinese students switch to the other.
1:15 - The afternoon was filled with aerial attacks. Each side attempted to bomb the other trench using only those missles that fell within reach of their trench. If a student was touched by the missle, they were "dead". Each attack was timed and the side with the least casulties was credited with the win. As the attacks continued, each side discovered they could build up their fortifications using handy items. Tempers were starting to get short. In between attacks people were still trying to get work done but were discovering they couldn't find their things, things had been stepped on, someone had touched it, etc. Personal space was in high demand and there was none to be had. The "this isn't fun anymore" phase had set in. The real lesson was definitely in full force.
2:00 - Our time in the trenches had come to an end. I called everyone out and we discussed the lessons learned. There were some great quotes from students.
"When we started it was really fun, but after a while you could feel the tension building."
"Even though we were on the same side, I was ready to explode at people, it really made my view of the enemy much darker."
"Even though we volunteered, we began to wonder what we'd gotten ourselves in to by lunch."
"The soliders must have been really dedicated to put up with that for months or years on end."
They had learned more than one lesson, and I'm sure they won't forget them any time soon!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Coming Events, Reminders, and Thank You's
Thank You's
A very special thank you to Mrs. O'Reilly, Mrs. Moutos, Mrs. McFarland, and Mrs. Marshall for spending the day with us on Friday. The field trip was fantastic. I particulary enjoyed floating around and listening to students talk about the art at Maryhill.
A very special thank you to Mrs. O'Reilly, Mrs. Moutos, Mrs. McFarland, and Mrs. Marshall for spending the day with us on Friday. The field trip was fantastic. I particulary enjoyed floating around and listening to students talk about the art at Maryhill.
Coming Events
Thursday is our extra messy history activity. Students may wear jeans in good repair (no holes) and the RED field trip t-shirt or a dark plain colored t-shirt. They will want a jacket, extra pair of shoes and socks, and possibly gloves. If you have a shovel, please send it! Students may bring rain gear if they have it.
Thursday night is the 7th annual CHPCS Harvest Festival. This is a FREE event designed to bring the Cascade community together and celebrate the changing of the seasons. It is NOT a Halloween event and costumes are not allowed. Families that would like to enter the baking contest may bring their apple or pumpkin entry anytime on Thursday as long as it's here for the judging at 3:30. The fun begings at 6:00 and ends at 7:30. Come join us!
Come one, come all, to the second PTA Social!!! This Friday, at 1pm in the school Library, the PTA will host another event! By now you've certainly heard some of the raving about the first meeting. You don't want to miss out again, do you? Don't you find ice cream delicious? Don't you appreciate door prizes? See you there!!
Conferences are November 2nd. Some families signed up at Back to School Night, but I had the wrong date up. Below you will find the current schedule as I know it. If the time listed does not work for you, please let me know. If you are not on the list, please let me know what time works for you. Times are first come, first served so speak up early! We will be talking about current progress, goal setting, and looking at baseline MAP scores and how they compare to classroom performance.
8:00 ___________________________
8:30 O'Reilly
9:00 Wesson
9:30 Walker
10:00 Rovang
10:30 O'Brien
11:00 McFarland
11:30 ___________________________
1:00 ____________________________
1:30 ____________________________
2:00 ____________________________
2:30 Saidjanov
3:00 Rajamoney
3:30 Bandera
4:00 Hansen
4:30 Moutos
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