The Olympians 2013-2014

5. Legacy/Destiny Project (May 12 - June 11)

As your final project for 8th grade and as a Middle School student, you will be preparing for your future. What will be your legacy? What will be your destiny? What do you need to do to accomplish your personal, academic, and financial goals? As a team we will be exploring and preparing for three important phases in your life: high school, college, and career paths. Your final exhibition and transitional POL will include a presentation of your ideal future and a socratic seminar with your peers in which you discuss important life questions.

4. Model United Nations (April 14 - May 2)

You have just been appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations. There are many important issues that need to be addressed and resolved. Your mission is to collaborate with colleagues from other nations to resolve these challenging problems. You will meet with the other delegates on Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2.

3. Truth, Justice and the American Way (January 22 - March 19)

Between the World Wars comic books took hold of the American imagination. These stories, told through images and superhero protagonists, were used to inspire American nationalism, activism, and unify the American public for another war, WWII. Comic books and posters became the vehicle for political propaganda and a method for informing the public and calling the American people to action to fight against the horrific atrocities of war and genocide that occurred during WWII. We will be taking a closer look at how the Holocaust was perpetrated and how it inspired both the birth of Universal Human Rights and the Civil Rights Movement. We will embrace the activism spirit inspired by both WWII and the Civil Rights Movement to take a stand against an injustice or issue that we care deeply for. We will create our own “Call to Action” pieces through spoken word, music, performances, and art.

Final Products Exhibition

Book Group Options

Final Product Resources

1. Spoken Word

• Videos and Characteristics

2. Op-Ed Articles

• Article Outline

• Online resource for how to write an op-ed

• Article Critique/Evaluation

• Checkout CNN opinion section for interesting op-ed examples

3. Propaganda Posters

• Inspired by WWII Propaganda posters, you will make your own poster for your issue/topic/word!

• Poster Examples

4. Create Your Own Comic!

• printable framed pages

• Superhero stories include...our class list of requirements and expectations for superhero comics

2. From Oregon to Orion: Exploring New Frontiers

Please see the "Calendar and Daily Agendas" page for due dates and day-to-day activities

1. You're In Your Own World...But We're All Part of the Same Solar System!

From the close to home to the very far away, all of it plays a role in why we are here and how we spend the time we have. Over the next four weeks we will look at questions that are both personal and universal: Are we alone? Is what keeps us together stronger than what drives us apart? What is our perspective and how do we develop our personal perspective? We will explore the worlds we create for ourselves and the universe that surrounds us. Both Humanities and Science focus on things that are very large and very small, very close to home and very foreign. But regardless of the size or the distance, the content should always be personal. Can you make a personal connection to yourself, to your community, to the history of this country, to the universe?

Please see the "Calendar and Daily Agendas" page for due dates and day-to-day activities

We read The Little Prince