Coupla Things v8 (10/11/15)

Post date: Oct 08, 2015 12:46:11 AM

Hello All! Eight weeks of school done already? Out of 38; that's 21% done. Wow. Sigh.

Pots on the Stove:

1. Science experiments: according to the progress chart on the wall in room 25, most kids are in the process of performing their experiment and collecting data. For some, the whole ordeal has become bigger or more complicated than I had intended so it is hard to set a class-wide pacing guide. I've told the kids that I'm setting next-step due dates rather than whole-project due dates in order to keep that tasks manageable, timely, and visible. Please take a few minutes during the next car ride to ask your kid about their experiment, the progress they are making, and the challenges that they may be facing.

2. Theme-evidence essays: I think that writing will be an area that will present some challenges for all of this year but we'll take it on proactively, and (all) improve from wherever our current level may be. The essay that should be done and turned in on Monday is one that uses the content of the movie How To Train Your Dragon to state a message or theme and describe how various scenarios, situations, or interactions exemplify that message. I've provided a template/organizer that should help the kids avoid the pitfall of simply retelling scenes. I've asked each kid to use this rubric to self-evaluate their writing with grade-level expectations. If possible, please facilitate or ask about their essay and/or that assessment process. There is lots more about writing on the writing coaches page.

3. Amendment presentations: This coming week will mark the end of the Constitution & Government intensive. The kids will be teaching each other about an amendment that they have chosen, explaining a variety of things about their amendment including the exact text, their common-language translation, its context in history, a historical fiction story about a character impacted by the amendment (or lack there-of) and lastly, how it might relate to present-day life. They can teach the whole class at once, or to smaller groups, or even to individuals in 1:1, and eventually each kid will teach and learn from everyone else.

4. Walkabout tour-guide preparation: The trip is 37 days away and I'm getting more and more excited to share some great trails and places of the coast and hills with this group. If you haven't done so already, take a look at the itinerary and the rest of the stuff on the CalCoast Walkabout page. One important aspect of this trip is that while we are out there, groups of 3 kids will play tour guides to a certain location that they have researched. Learning about places with which they are unfamiliar can be tough for the kids, so perhaps you could take a look at their research document (link) and help out a bit. Oh, and I think that we still need one more mom to come on the trip -- large car, hopefully.

I've asked a lot of you already in each paragraph above, but there's more. Mae, whose job it is to manage our class library and resources, has created a list of local book sales, and if you have time and/or desire, perhaps you could find a sale close to you and see if you can pick up some books for our ever-diminishing and sparse library. If you want to get an idea of what they read, check out this spreadsheet.

I'm very thankful to you parents and for all the work that you have done in the classroom so far, and for all the great times that are yet to come. Lastly, thanks for reading and have a fantastic day tomorrow!

Chris

October 12 (Monday): The Martian movie at AMC Saratoga 14

October 16 (Friday): Teacher Learning Day (no school for kids)

October 17 (Saturday): Fall Festival

October 20: (Tuesday): Picture Make-Ups

October 26: Banned Books intensive starts

October 26-30: Fall conferences

November 11: Veteran's Day (no school)

November 16 to 18: Cal Coast Walkabout

November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break

December 4 (Friday): Middle School Dance

December 18 (Friday): Early dismissal

December 21 - January 10: Winter Holiday

January 18 (Monday): No School, MLK day

January 26 (Tuesday):8th grade class photo

February 5 (Friday): Semester 1 ends