If you’re interested in getting stuff for our classroom (or for us), we love cash. OR, you can check out our Book Wish Lists! We're trying to expand our Biography library - and while we try to support local business, in this case for ease of use (and searching) here's our Amazon Wish List of Biographies (and other stuff we're hoping for).
Here’s our wish list if you like shopping at Literati. Here’s the list if you like shopping at Schuler Books (formerly Nicola's).
But you don’t have to get us anything at all! These are just some suggestions if you were thinking “Hey, I want to buy something for Ko and Jason!”
Most of all, we love cash.
Hello Parents and Families!
Reminder - Half Day Tuesday, March 10th
We will dismiss at 11:15am. 5th graders will NOT have Instrumental. We will NOT have lunch at school. Grab and go lunches will be available.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to hear a little about what’s been happening at school lately, try asking your kid about any of the following things.
We’ve had guest presenters all week from the Cranbrook Institute of Science. Ask your child to tell you about the science demonstrations they did for us in the auditorium, and the activities we did in small groups in our classroom. They were really neat.
We’re finalizing our Place Out of Time (POOT) character selections this week. Ask your kid who they’re studying, and what they’re finding interesting about them so far. You can also ask them who some of the other characters being studied are.
As you’ve probably heard, we’ve been reading through the Track series by Jason Reynolds. Now that we’ve completed it, we’ve moved on to one of his nonfiction books: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You. It’s a “remix” of the National Book Award-winning book, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. Reynolds and Kendi collaborated to write an age-appropriate edition for younger readers. It ties into several things that we’ve been learning about this year, and they are big, weighty topics. We discuss them together in class, and you could continue some of those conversations at home by asking your child about them.
Student Council News
Food Gatherers Item and Money Collection!
Ann Arbor Open will be participating in the 2026 Rotary Food Gatherers drive. The 2026 drive will include collecting nonperishable food at participating AAPS buildings. Food donations are always appreciated and provide an excellent way to involve our students in this vital effort. Boxes are by the main entrance to the building and in the pool lobby.
Another option is to make financial donations, as Food Gatherers is able to use their bulk buying power to efficiently distribute more food in our community. For every $5 donated, Food Gatherers can provide 10 meals to our hungry neighbors.
Here is the link to our AAO team page for financial donations:
https://give.foodgatherers.org/teams/26224-ann-arbor-open?ref=1
The program will run from Monday, March 9th to Friday, March 20th. There are a couple of flyers attached so please share with families!
. . . and: March is Reading Month! We have a bunch of fun activities planned, including the following Fun Days:
Dress Up Days:
Friday, March 6: “Read My Shirt Day”: wear a shirt with words on it
Friday, March 13, "Pajama and Stuffie day": snuggle up and read time.
Friday, March 20, “Reading Jogs Your Mind”: wear exercise or sports clothes!
Friday, March 27: “We’ve Read All Month Long Day” - wear red! (get it: we have "read" all month!)
Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, 3/10 - Half Day, dismiss at 11:15
Friday, 3/20 - Report Cards Sent Home
3/28 - 4/5 - No School - Spring Break Woo Hoo!
Hello Parents and Families!
March is around the corner, and we’ve got a lot going on!
Cranbrook Institute of Science - Climate Change
Next week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Cranbrook Institute of Science will be visiting the 5/6 classes to present a program about Climate Change. These programs include large group demonstrations, hands-on experiments, data collection and interpretation, and problem-solving :
Tuesday, 3/3– Weather and Climate: Students will be presented with a wide number of experiments and demonstrations to gain insights into how weather is affected by water, air, and heat. They will discuss how weather, climate and climate change are related and how they are different.
Wednesday, 3/4– Collecting Data and Drawing Conclusions: Students will combine the gained knowledge from visit 1 and hands-on experience from visit 2 that will lead to the common conclusion that our planet is warming.
Thursday, 3/5– Causes and Effects of a Warming Climate: Students will identify factors in infrastructure, nature and society that would improve their place of living and will design their own future city, incorporating climate solutions.
We’re looking forward to participating in these activities!
POOT
What would Cleopatra, Frida Kahlo, Greta Thunberg, and P.T. Barnum say to each other if asked to consider how students should use AI in their school work? That’s a question that you can’t answer with a Google search (we tried, and the Google AI was very pro-AI), but you can make some educated guesses by learning about the experiences they had and the cultures they lived in.
For the next few months, our usual monthly book projects will be replaced by Place Out of Time (or "POOT" for short. It’s a funny acronym, and you’ll be hearing it a lot). It's a fun and engaging project that has each student select a figure from any place or time in history, then learn about their life, experiences, and beliefs by developing questions and doing research. It’s much more than simply writing a report. Throughout the Place Out of Time simulation, students also portray their characters in a series of classroom activities and conversations. The big idea is "what can we learn by bringing the diverse perspectives of history together to consider current day issues?"
For many years, the Place Out of Time was a program run by the Interactive Communications and Simulations (ICS) group at the University of Michigan School of Education. We’ve participated in it for 13 years, along with dozens of other schools across the country. Sadly, 2025 was the final year for the University of Michigan version of the program, which concluded with the retirement of POOT creator Jeff Stanzler. We’ve decided to continue on with our own homegrown version of the project. It’s very in-depth, engaging, and fun! You'll be hearing much more about it in the weeks ahead.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to hear a little about what’s been happening at school lately, try asking your kid about any of the following things.
Ask your kid what topic they chose to learn about for their timeline card.
Ask your kid what other kids in class are learning about. Is anyone researching a topic that’s related to their own?
Picking a character for Place Out of Time isn’t a quick process. We looked at several books today to help generate ideas for possible choices. Ask your kid if they have anyone in particular who they’re interested in learning about.
Upcoming Dates
Thursday (TONIGHT!!), 6-8pm - AAO Science and Maker Fair
T,W, TH 3/3-3/5 - Cranbrook Institute of Science visit - Climate Change. See above.
Tuesday, 3/10 - Half Day, dismiss at 11:15
Friday, 3/20 - Report Cards Sent Home
3/28 - 4/5 - No School - Spring Break Woo Hoo!
Hello Parents and Families!
Welcome back from MidWinter Break! We hope it was a great break for all of you.
Science and Maker Fair! Next Week!
AAO Science and Maker Fair is next Thursday, 2/26 at 6-8pm!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
It’s been a short week, but we’ve packed a lot in. If you’d like to hear about it, try asking your kid about any of the following things.
We took a field trip to the planetarium at Pioneer High School today. Ask your kid what we learned about seasonal constellations, gravity, and the brightness, distance, and size of various stars.
We’re continuing to practice thinking about issues from multiple perspectives, especially ones that we have strong feelings about. Ask your child about the different viewpoints they have about using AI for schoolwork, a 9:00 o'clock bedtime, and if Arts & Letters is a good use of our class time.
Following up on that activity, we also began using the internet to research some of those issues. Ask your kid what they’ve learned so far, if they used AI, and if they noticed any sponsored results in their web searches.
Upcoming Dates
Thursday, 2/26, 6-8pm - AAO Science and Maker Fair
T,W, TH 3/3-3/5 - Cranbrook Institute of Science visit - Climate Change (more info to come!)
Tuesday, 3/10 - Half Day for Report Card writing, dismiss at 11:15
Friday, 3/20 - Report Cards Sent Home
3/28 - 4/5 - No School - Spring Break Woo Hoo!
If you’ve seen some “Support Ann Arbor Teachers” stuff around and you’re curious what that’s all about, email Ko at koshih9@gmail.com
Hello Parents and Families!
REMINDERS
Don’t forget - MID WINTER BREAK starts tomorrow! NO SCHOOL tomorrow (Friday) - Tuesday (the 17th)! School resumes Wednesday, February 18th. Enjoy the break!
Also don’t forget - we’re going to Argus Planetarium at Pioneer High on Thursday, the 19th. If you haven’t signed and returned a permission slip yet, PLEASE make sure that your kid brings it to us on the 18th.
From the AAOCC:
The AAOCC is happy to announce the return of The Art Market (now called Makers Market)! At the Makers Market, people (including students!) will be invited to sell anything handmade (jewelry, artwork, fuse bead creations, baked goods...whatever they want to create) and can keep any profits made.
The event is scheduled for April 11 from 12-4pm at AAO’s gym, and vendor spots are first come first served. (The AAO Community is being told about this first before marketing it to the broader community, but please feel free to tell any family and friends!) For more info and to sign up, go here! Have questions? Please email Sarah Love at fundraising@aaopencc.org. We can’t wait to see you and your creations!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
There’s been a lot of talk this week about the small town of Rocksburg and a big decision that they’re facing. Have your child tell you about the pros and cons of the issue.
Your child probably has an opinion on this matter (ask them about it!), but they were also asked to consider the issue from a different perspective. Ask your kid who they portrayed and what their opinion was.
There were some options for our writing prompt this week. Ask your kid to tell you what they wrote about.
Upcoming Dates
Friday, 2/13-Tuesday, 2/17 - Mid Winter Break, NO SCHOOL
Thursday, 2/19 - Field trip to Argus Planetarium.
Thursday, 2/26, 6-8pm - AAO Science and Maker Fair
T,W, TH 3/3-3/5 - Cranbrook Institute of Science visit - Climate Change (more info to come!)
Tuesday, 3/10 - Half Day for Report Card writing, dismiss at 11:15
Friday, 3/20 - Report Cards Sent Home
3/28 - 4/5 - No School - Spring Break Woo Hoo!
Hello Parents and Families!
Field Trip - Argus Planetarium
On Thursday, February 19th, we’ll head to Pioneer High School to visit the Argus Planetarium. A permission slip for this trip is being sent home today - Please sign and return it ASAP. Thanks!
REMINDER - Mid Winter Break!
Don’t forget, Mid Winter break starts next Friday! There will be NO SCHOOL Friday the 13th - Tuesday the 17th. School resumes on Wednesday the 18th.
The Ann Arbor Open Animal Service wants your Donations to Help Homeless Pets!
Until Feb 20, we are taking donations in Tom’s Room before 8:30 and after 2:45
Most Needed Items for the Humane Society: Towels, Blankets, Cat and Dog Food, Dog Treats
Full List:
Gently used or new bath towels (The bigger, the better!)
Queen-sized blankets and smaller
Small Pet Beds that can be laundered in a normal washing machine (Bigger beds & blankets unfortunately can’t be laundered)
Cat and Dog food
Scoopable cat litter & lightweight litter
Dog treats
Peanut butter (Xylitol-free, please!)
Small cat furniture
Gift cards from pet supply stores
Thank you!
Love, The Homeless Pets
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
On Monday, we wrapped up our Pythagora Challenge creations. Ask your kid how theirs turned out, and have them describe some of the things that other kids built. You can check out some photos and videos at this link, but you’ll need to be logged into an AAPS account to access them. (Your child can log into their AAPS account to access them.)
Wednesday was the Global Day of Play! We participate every year. Ask your kid how they spent the day, and take a look at some of the photos. (Because of privacy, you’ll need to be signed in to an AAPS account to view them. Have your child log in and show them to you.)
Our Librarian, Anne, has been teaching the kids about AI, AI hallucinations, and the importance of critical thinking. Ask your kid about the activities they’ve been doing in Library with AI.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, 2/11, 7p - "A Letter to the West Side" screening
Friday, 2/13-Tuesday, 2/17 - Mid Winter Break, NO SCHOOL
Thursday, 2/19 - Field trip to Argus Planetarium. Permission Slip to come!
Thursday, 2/26, 6-8pm - AAO Science and Maker Fair
Hello Parents and Families!
Cold days, snow days…we hope you’re all staying safe and warm out there!
Pythagora Challenge!
This week (and next week), we’re working on a project in class that we call “Pythagora challenge” (named after the beloved Japanese show, “Pythagora Switch”). In this project, we’ve cobbled together random supplies and kids are attempting to create an entertaining and interesting series of chain reactions (like a Rube Goldberg machine). Part of the challenge is improvising by making use of whatever materials are available at hand. As kids work, we’ve been sneaking in a few bits about physics, the properties of force and motion, and angles. Here are some (for privacy reasons, you’ll need to be signed in to an AAPS account to view these. Ask your kid to sign in) videos and pictures of their creations so far!
Speaking of science and making things…
Science and Maker Fair
Does your kid like to make stuff? Does your kid like to do Science stuff? Great! The AAO Science and Maker Fair is coming! Thursday, February 26th at 6pm!
“A Letter to the West Side”
In collaboration with the Community Leadership Council , Ubuntu Communities will host a free screening of "A Letter to the West Side". This film is a documentary that explores the challenges and resilience of residents of Ann Arbor’s historically Black West Side neighborhood. It explores segregation that occurred in Ann Arbor, not by law, but by unwritten social practices and redlining.
The screening will be held in the Ann Arbor Open School Auditorium on Wednesday, February 11. The film will begin promptly at 7pm with a run time of (1hr 45min). We are excited to share this screening especially for those who have no idea about this very important piece of Ann Arbor's history. There is some reconciliation to be found in this story by community members being aware. A shared understanding of community history is important. In this film's story we have a "tribute to the past, present, and future of the West Side."
Please RSVP here - https://forms.gle/H1rhmKwsAs3w5zSeA
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Ask your kid about their Pythagora Challenge chain reaction set up. What materials are they using? Do they have a particular goal they’re aiming for? (We gave them specific challenges that they could attempt.) What has been unexpectedly challenging and/or frustrating about it? What has been particularly cool or fun?
It’s been a weird couple of weeks, so I don’t quite recall how we got onto this topic, but at some point, kids were asked to compare and contrast the pros and cons of having a giant (cat-sized) ant for a pet, versus having a tiny (cat-sized) elephant as a pet. Ask your kid to share their thoughts on this very heady topic.
For the last few weeks, we’ve been having the kids set their own weekly math goals in their math books. Ask your kid how it’s going. What goals have they been setting for themselves? How do they decide each week? (We give them a range of options, one of which is a minimum goal.) Have they been meeting their goal? Why or why not?
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, 2/4 - Global Day of Play!
Wednesday, 2/11, 7p - "A Letter to the West Side" screening
Friday, 2/13-Tuesday, 2/17 - Mid Winter Break, NO SCHOOL
Thursday, 2/19 - Field trip to Argus Planetarium. Permission Slip to come!
Thursday, 2/26, 6-8pm - AAO Science and Maker Fair
Sincerely,
Ko and Jason
shihk@aaps.k12.mi.us
depasqualec@aaps.k12.mi.us
Hello Parents and Families!
We hope you’re staying safe and warm out there! Speaking of warmth….
COATS!
It’s cold! For some reason, some kids are resistant to wearing a coat. Please make sure that your kid brings a coat (and maybe even a hat and gloves! Boots!) to school each day. They don’t even have to wear it in the morning, they just need to have it with them for recess during the day.
MORE NWEA
We’ll be NWEAing again next Wednesday, January 28th at 8:30am. Please help your kid remember to bring their charged chromebook to school (and also help them get to school on time!). Thanks!
Camp Fundraising!
Every other year, we go on an overnight field trip to Camp Ohiyesa. We went last year, so we’re NOT going this year. However, it’s an expensive trip, so we’re starting our fundraising early. If you’re interested in donating to the 5/6 Camp Fund for next year, please do so here. Thanks!
2025-2027 5/6 Camp fundraising
If you have a 6th grader who will be a 7th grader next year, you’ll probably want to donate to their fundraiser instead. Don’t worry, they’ll surely be asking you for money for that soon!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Last week was Enigma Cylinders, this week has been Mystery Maze Boxes. Ask your child to tell you about how they worked, and the various ways that we attempted to study their inner workings.
Our writing prompt this week asked kids to tell a story of the not-at-all terrifying Klopper the Clown. Ask your child about their story.
Our journal prompt today had kids writing about a time that they were very, very angry. See if you can guess what your kid wrote about, then ask them to confirm or deny.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, January 28th - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Wednesday, February 4th - Global Day of Play!
Friday, February 13-Tuesday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
We hope you had a lovely snow day!
NO SCHOOL MONDAY - Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Don’t forget, there’s no school on Monday. Looking for something to do to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy? Here are some options.
NWEA TESTING
Yup. We have to do NWEA testing again. We’ll be testing Wednesday, 1/21 at 8:30am and Wednesday, 1/28 at 8:30am. Please help get your kid to school on time with their charged Chromebook. Thanks!
A NOTE FROM THE AAOCC:
Hello all!
For several years, the AAOCC could reach everyone in the school using AAPS software. We no longer have access to that, so we will be communicating via Membership Toolkit. You must sign up to receive communications. If you have not already registered, please do so! We want to make sure to keep everyone in the loop about the AAOCC; ways to support our school's teachers, staff, and students; and events that help build our amazing community.
It's easy! Go to www.aaopencc.org. Click "Register/Login" on the left side of the homepage, and follow the prompts.
Thank you!
Valerie Benka she/her
Communications Co-chair | Ann Arbor Open Coordinating Council (AAOCC)
Click here to see the full Coordinating Council directory.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
On Monday, we went on a field trip to the Power Center to see the show Dimanche. It was really cool, and you should ask your kid to tell you about it! There are two parallel storylines in the show, and both involve a lot of mime and puppetry. This trailer for the show might help generate some conversation.
We finally started reading Coach, the fifth (and final??) book in the Track series by Jason Reynolds. Ask your kid what they think of it so far, and the Track series overall.
We’ve continued to talk about the messy process of scientific exploration. Ask your kid to tell you about the enigmatic cylinders that they’ve been observing. How do they behave? What do they think is going on inside of them? Have they constructed a model of their own to test their theories, and if so, how did it work?
Upcoming Dates
Monday, January 19th - NO SCHOOL. MLK jr. Day. Looking for something to do to celebrate? Here are some ideas!
Wednesday, January 21st - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Wednesday, January 28th - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Wednesday, February 4th - Global Day of Play!
Friday, February 13-Tuesday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
Happy New Year! We hope you all had a wonderful winter break.
Winter Survival!
Our Winter Survival trip today was fantastic! The kids did a great job of working together, building their fires, cooking their lunches, and cleaning up - especially with the difficulty of wet wood! Here are some pictures of our adventure today - you’ll have to wait until your kid gets home to look at the photos using their AAPS account…and then you’ll have a full sensory experience (like scratch ‘n’ sniff!).
UMS trip on Monday!
On Monday, we’ll head to the Power Center to check out the UMS performance Dimanche. Thanks in advance to Jennifer Chapman for joining us on this trip!
NWEA TESTING
Yup. We have to do NWEA testing again. We’ll be testing Wednesday, 1/21 at 8:30am and Wednesday, 1/28 at 8:30am. Please help get your kid to school on time with their charged Chromebook. Thanks!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
The biggest news is Winter Survival. Ask your kid how it went! How did their group function together? What did people cook? What was surprising about building and maintaining a fire?
We’ve been talking about science this week, especially some anecdotes that show how the modern scientific method has developed. Ask your kid to tell you about John Snow and the Broad Street pump, or about the “Selective Attention Test” that we watched. (You have to watch a video and count the number of times that people wearing white shirts pass a basketball to each other.)
We changed our schedule entirely in the weeks leading up to Showcase last month, focusing most of our class time on project work. Ask your kid how it feels back to our regular routine.
Upcoming Dates
Monday, January 12th - Field Trip to see UMS Performance, Dimanche at the Power Center
Monday, January 19th - NO SCHOOL. MLK jr. Day. Looking for something to do to celebrate? Here are some ideas!
Wednesday, January 21st - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Wednesday, January 28th - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Friday, February 13-Tuesday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
A2O SHOWCASE!
Showcase is TONIGHT!! 6:30pm-8pm!! The kids have been hard at work and we’re so excited to show off their projects. Come by our classrooms (Upstairs! 309 and 311!) to check them out! You’ll also be able to check out all of the other classrooms in the school. We hope to see you this evening! (Apologies in advance for the parking situation, which is sure to be an adventure.)
(If your child is unable to attend tonight, they’ll have a chance to see everything tomorrow morning during the school day.)
REMINDER - WINTER SURVIVAL
We come back from break on Monday, January 5. We’re going on our Winter Survival trip on Thursday, January 8th. Here’s how it works:
We’ll head out to the Freeman Center with an Environmental Education staff member and volunteer naturalists. We’ll spend the day outside working in small groups to gather wood, build a fire, and then cook our lunches over the fire.
For more details about this trip, check the note we sent home or our class website. If you haven’t turned in a permission slip for this trip yet, please do it tomorrow!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
Thank you all so much for the wonderful gifts and cards! They are never expected, but always appreciated. Have a WONDERFUL break and we’ll see you in 2026!!
Upcoming Events
TONIGHT - 6:30-8p - AAO Showcase!
Monday, December 22-Friday, January 2 - Winter Break, NO SCHOOL!
Thursday, January 8 - Field trip: Winter Survival!
Monday, January 12 - Field trip: UMS Performance Dimanche at Power Center
Monday, January 19 - MLK Day, NO SCHOOL
We’re going on an all-day field trip called "Winter Survival"! An Environmental Education staff member and volunteer naturalist guides will accompany the class on the field trip.
The trip is designed to give students experience in working together while using nature's resources to build a fire adequate for cooking lunch. Planning, cooperation, patience, and perseverance are rewarded with good food and pride in a task (often difficult) successfully done.
During the week before Winter Break and the day before the trip, our class will have a discussion about the science of fire building (lighting techniques, constant tending, constant feeding, etc.) We will learn what must be present for there to be a fire (fuel, oxygen and heat), and what must be done to develop and maintain a cooking fire (fuel variations such as tinder, kindling, small branches, logs.) Much time is spent discussing the safety precautions necessary when building and tending fires (e.g. Do not use vines due to poison ivy, care in handling hot objects such as stones, coals and food.) In addition we will discuss the purpose of the trip, how to dress and behave, the schedule of activities, and responsible fire extinguishing and site clean-up techniques.
Food: students will actually be cooking their lunches. Individual tin foil meals can be provided by Chartwell’s, the AAPS food service, for students to cook on the fire. Your child’s teacher will submit a class food order. If you would prefer to send your own meal for your child to cook, we strongly encourage the tin foil meal format for ease of cooking. Your child should bring an eating utensil and a water bottle from home. We will spend time in class planning the food component of this trip.
Clothing: this is a full day trip spent on-site, outside. Students must be prepared for the weather conditions! Proper preparation will ensure a happy, comfortable experience for your child.
Boots - insulated, waterproof WINTER boots (not rubber rain boots)
Socks - layered (be sure there is still wiggle room for toes)
Pants - snow pants over regular pants or long underwear is preferred. Less ideal options include: regular pants with long underwear; or sweat pants with waterproof shells.
Shirts - layered, ideally a t-shirt with long underwear or fleece over top
Coat - winter coat
Mittens/Gloves - ideally wool mittens/gloves inside a windproof/waterproof shell
Hat - waterproof hat with ear covering, Less ideal is jacket hood (tends to be cumbersome)
Neck warmer or turtleneck shirt – less ideal is a scarf
We look forward to facilitating this meaningful outdoor learning opportunity for your child! Thank you!
Hello Parents and Families!
It’s been an…interesting…week.
Tonight: AAO Open House and Information Night: 6:00-7:00 PM. If you know of anyone who might be interested in sending their kids to Open School, send them to school this evening to check it out!
Just one week until our AAO Showcase event! On Thursday, December 18th, 6:30-8pm, come see all of the things we’ve been working on. Every grade level will have projects on display. We’re looking forward to showing off our work!
FIELD TRIPS AFTER BREAK
When we come back from break in January, we’ll be going on two field trips - Winter Survival and a UMS Performance at the Power Center. A permission slip for both of these trips has been sent home - if you haven’t already, please fill them out and return them to school ASAP.
We come back from break on Monday, January 5. We’re going on our Winter Survival trip on Thursday, January 8th. Here’s how it works:
We’ll head out to the Freeman Center with an Environmental Education staff member and volunteer naturalists. We’ll spend the day outside working in small groups to gather wood, build a fire, and then cook our lunches over the fire. We’ll spend time in class next week planning for this trip. If you’d like for us to order a foil lunch pack from Chartwells for this trip for your child, please let us know by 2pm next Wednesday, December 17th so we can place the order.
For more details about this trip, check the note we sent home or our class website.
UMS PERFORMANCE: Dimanche
On Monday, January 12th, we’ll go to the Power Center to see the UMS Performance, Dimanche. Magical and profound, this unique performance gives fantastical form to our precarious and fragile existence, balancing between dreamlike fiction and factual reality, Dimanche paints a witty and tender portrait of humanity surprised by the uncontrollable forces of nature. The story is told in three acts, each act dealing with a different natural disaster and its direct consequences on the life of a family: the rise in global temperatures, the violence of hurricanes, and the devastating impact of Tsunamis. This nearly wordless theatrical experience combines elements of clown, toys, puppetry, acrobatics and nifty practical effects to challenge us to look at what is happening to our planet, and what we are doing to the natural world and ourselves.
Please sign and fill out both permission slips and return them to school ASAP. Thanks!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
It’s been a strange week, and most of it has been devoted to researching and developing our projects for the AAO Showcase next week. Ask your kid about any of the following:
What topic are they learning about? Are there other kids in class who are learning about similar topics? What are some new things that they learned about their topic this week?
Ko showed a couple of example tri-fold poster board projects today. Have your kid tell you about what the differences between them were.
Because we’ve lost a lot of time this week to cold and snow, we have a lot to accomplish in the days ahead. Ask your kid about what aspects of their project that they’re still struggling with. Helping them to refine some of their questions can make it easier for us to support them here at school during project time.
Upcoming Events
TONIGHT: 6-7p, - AAO Open House/Information Night
Thursday, December 18th, 6:30-8p - AAO Showcase!
Monday, December 22-Friday, January 2 - Winter Break, NO SCHOOL!
Thursday, January 8 - Field trip: Winter Survival! More info to come…
Monday, January 12 - Field trip: UMS Performance Dimanche at Power Center
Monday, January 19 - MLK Day, NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
Welcome back! We hope you all had a wonderful break.
It’s December. Winter is here.
For some reason, some kids are resistant to wearing a coat. Please try to get your kid to bring a coat (and maybe even a hat and gloves! Boots!) to school to keep them warm during recess. Also, gym shoes are always preferable to snow boots for P.E., so please remind your child to bring gym shoes on the days that they have P.E. (5th graders on Mondays, 6th graders on Fridays.)
It’s December. Winter is here.
As the weather gets colder, it’s harder to get out of bed in the morning. The roads might be a struggle. It’s really difficult for us to get our day started when kids are trickling in for the first 15 minutes of the day. When students miss the first part of the day, they’re usually at a disadvantage for the rest of the day’s activities. Please make an extra effort to get your kid to school on time. (If your kid rides the bus - especially 141 - this obviously doesn’t pertain to you. We know you have no power over the buses. But if you DO happen to have power over the buses, can you make them run on time, please? Thanks.)
Book Project for December - Reading for Showcase!
Since December is a short month and we’re so busy with Showcase, our book project for December will be focusing on research for our Showcase project. Come see our finished projects on Thursday, December 18th, 6:30-8pm!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
We’re hard at work developing our projects for the upcoming A2O Showcase event. Ask your kid to tell you about some of the topics that we’ve been learning about, and how music has played a role in them.
Coming up with a topic and developing good research questions is very challenging! Ask your child what has been difficult for them as they’ve tried to refine their topic. .
We’ve also been working on charts and graphs this week. Ask your kid to tell you about some of the misleading charts and graphs we looked at.
AAO Open House for Prospective Families
The school is having an Open House on December 11th for prospective families. The school would love to have you share a testimonial about our school. The school plans to post these writings around the school and add them to promotional materials. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out this Google Form by Sunday, December 7th so our planners have time to put them in the best form to share out.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, December 18th, 6:30-8p - AAO Showcase!
Monday, December 22-Friday, January 2 - Winter Break, NO SCHOOL!
Thursday, January 8 - Field trip: Winter Survival! More info to come…
Monday, January 12 - Field trip: UMS Performance Dimanche at Power Center
Monday, January 19 - MLK Day, NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
Next Year!
Please fill out this Enrollment Survey to help us get a jumpstart on planning for next year. Thanks! https://forms.gle/G58M9aethqF3sG2Z7
Reminder - No School Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next week! Book Projects due Tuesday! Check in with your kid about their book project.
Report Cards
Report Cards will be sent home on Tuesday, November 25th. There are two parts to our report cards: a checklist and a narrative.
The checklists follow the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE) and Common Core Standards determined by the state. The checklist has the following scoring system: S, A, D, B and N.
“S” means secure: student proficiently and independently applies skills and concepts.
“A” means your child is approaching secure: with limited support, your child correctly applies this skill/concept.
“D” means your child has begun developing this skill and with significant support, correctly applies skills and concepts.
“B” means your child is beginning to develop an understanding of the skills or concepts.
“N” is meant to illuminate a specific area that needs improvement.
An item is left blank if we have not yet covered the topic this school year. If you have a returning sixth grader who has lower “grades” in an area than they did last year, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we think that they’re regressing. We base our 6th grade scores on a higher standard based on their status as middle schoolers.
The narrative is designed to give a little more personal feedback about your child.
In the past, we’ve also included a student self-evaluation, but as we’ve been sending home weekly self-evaluation/reflections on Fridays, we thought it would be redundant. Feel free to check the weekly End of the Week Reflection responses that we’ve been sending home each Friday for your child’s thoughts and feelings about school.
If you don’t receive your child’s report card by Monday, December 1st, you can contact the office at aaopen@aaps.k12.mi.us or (734) 994-1910 (the office will be closed for Thanksgiving Break until Monday, December 1st.)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
We’ve started exploring our Ann Arbor Showcase topic: Music and Social Change (that’s not our official title, just the general idea). To begin, we’ve started exploring some of the music associated with the Civil Rights Movement. Ask your child to tell you about some of the songs we’ve talked about, and how they were significant. (And talk about some of the songs that you know about!)
As part of our study of music and the Civil Rights Movement, we watched a documentary about the 1963 Children’s Crusade, a protest that relied heavily on music to rally and unite protestors. Ask your child to tell you about it. There’s a lot to discuss!
We did a fair amount of writing this week. Our journal prompt today was to respond to this idea: “The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” Ask your child how they interpreted it. We also did some creative writing this week. Ask your child what they wrote about for the prompt Sad Dragon’s Garden (or free write).
11/26-11/28, Wednesday-Friday - NO SCHOOL
12/10, Wednesday - 6, 7, 8 grade Band and Choir Concert, 6:30p
12/18, Thursday - AAO SHOWCASE! 6:30-8pm
12/20 - 1/4 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
AAO SHOWCASE: Change
Last week, we decided we would focus on Music. This week, we’ve decided to narrow our focus to How Music has Changed Society (political change, protests, revolutions, etc.). If you’ve got some expertise in this area and you’re willing and able to come in and present something, please let us know.
We’ve been spending a lot of time in class working on our book projects. Please check with our kid to make sure they’re reading and working on their project! Book projects are due in a week and a half!! (Tuesday, November 25th!)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
As part of our journal prompt this week, the class generated a list of the qualities that contribute to being a good student. Then, we all starred items that we felt we were pretty good at, and circled some of the ones that were areas that challenged us. Ask your kid to tell you some of the things that were on our list, and which ones they starred or circled.
As mentioned above, we picked our class theme for the Ann Arbor Open Showcase project. Talk to your kid about some of the things that we discussed, and ask them if they are particularly curious about any specific topic yet.
We learned a little more about the Nez Perce tribe today. Ask your child to tell you about how members of the group were recently able to purchase a portion of their ancestral homeland, more than a hundred years after their ancestors were forced to leave it.
Upcoming Dates
11/25, Tuesday - Report Cards sent home, November Book Projects Due
11/26-28 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
AAO SHOWCASE
Each year, our school spends much of November and December participating in a school-wide learning event called “Showcase”. The AAO Showcase offers students opportunities to pursue knowledge and skills in a multitude of ways (researching, note-taking, writing skills, cooperative learning, problem solving, and creativity). Every year has a different theme - last year, our school-wide theme was “How Things Work”. The year before, it was “Journeys”.
This year’s schoolwide theme will be “Change”. Each class will interpret this theme in a different way, with some focusing more on literal interpretations while others might be more abstract. Today, our class discussed many options, then voted on our class theme: Music. How will we interpret that theme? We’re not sure yet! We’re in the brainstorming process. It’s always fun and engaging to see how this class project develops!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
We’re continuing our work on learning to think about different perspectives on issues. Ask your kid to tell you some of their pros and cons about moving to a year-round school schedule and if kids should have to do chores.
Ask your kid to tell you the story of the neverending battle between the Negatons and the Posons, and how they relate to math. (If your kid was absent on Wednesday, this will be gibberish to them. Don’t worry, they’ll get caught up.)
Our class attended an assembly this week on adaptive sports. Ask your kid to tell you about it!
Upcoming Dates
11/4, Tuesday - NO SCHOOL
11/12, Wednesday - Picture Retake Day
11/25, Tuesday - Report Cards sent home, November Book Projects Due
11/26-28 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
REMINDERS
Half Day TOMORROW, October 31st - dismiss at 11:15. 5th Graders WILL have swim. The Costume Parade will be at 9:30am.
NO SCHOOL Tuesday, November 4th! Election Day!
Book Projects
For November, we’ll be focusing on Realistic Adventure books. Anne had books for us in the Library this week - check with your kid to see what book they got.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Our October book projects were due today. Ask your child about their project. What went well? What would they do differently if they could do it again? (And if they haven’t turned one in yet, ask them what they still need to do in order to complete it.)
This session of focus studies has wrapped up. Ask your kid to tell you how their focus study went. What did they like about it? Did they hang out with anyone new? What other focus studies sounded like they were fun?
We started a new whole-group math topic: String Pictures (or Venn diagrams). Ask your kid to tell you how we’re using string pictures with our attendance magnets, and have them tell you some of the categories that we’ve used so far.
Upcoming Dates
11/4, Tuesday - NO SCHOOL
11/12, Wednesday - Picture Retake Day
11/25, Tuesday - Report Cards sent home, November Book Projects Due
11/26-28 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
Reminders
Focus Studies begin next week! They’re at the beginning of the day, so a reminder to make an extra effort to get your child to school on time. (We know that there have been some bus issues lately, and those are obviously outside of your control.)
Half Day next Friday, October 31st - dismiss at 11:15. 5th Graders WILL have swim. Costume Parade will be at 9:30am.
NO SCHOOL Tuesday, November 4th!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Ask your child to tell you about the Looking at Both Sides of the Argument assignment. They had to come up with reasonable arguments for and against screen time limits and content restrictions. Ask them what they came up with for each side of the issue.
Ask your kid about the new things we learned about the Nez-Perce people this week, particularly about the timeline of the events of Chief Joseph’s lifetime.
Ask your kid to tell you about a “painted essay” and how it works. (We worked on this today, analyzing a piece of writing about the Nez-Perce.)
Other School News:
AAO is fundraising for UNICEF! For more information, check out this flyer.
QSA
Attention all 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders - you are invited to join the Ann Arbor Open QSA (Queer Straight Alliance Club) again this year. Our kickoff meeting of the year will be on Thursday, October 23 in Jennifer's room (237) from 3:30 to 4:20.
The QSA is a student-run organization that unites LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in our schools and surrounding communities. QSAs have evolved beyond their traditional role to serve as safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in middle schools and high schools, and have emerged as vehicles for deep social change related to racial, gender, and educational justice. All 5th-8th graders are invited to please join us in this important mission at Ann Arbor Open on Thursdays beginning October 23, from 3:30-4:20. As members of the QSA, you get to help decide what it will look like!
Note: If you are interested in taking the late bus home on Thursdays, you must register in advance. Please contact the main school office.
If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer at thomasjen@aaps.k12.mi.us
Upcoming Dates
10/31, Friday - Half Day, dismiss at 11:15
11/4, Tuesday - NO SCHOOL
11/12, Wednesday - Picture Retake Day
11/25, Tuesday - Report Cards sent home, November Book Projects Due
11/26-28 - NO SCHOOL
Hello Parents and Families!
FOCUS STUDIES
Focus Studies are coming up! Focus Studies will be the week of October 27th, 8:30-9:20am. Please make sure your kid gets to school on time so they are able to participate in Focus Studies. On a related note…
Tardiness
It’s really difficult for us to get our day started when kids are consistently trickling in during the first 15-20 minutes of the day. When students miss the first part of the day, they’re usually at a disadvantage for the rest of the day’s activities. We understand that tardiness is sometimes inevitable, but in general please make an extra effort to get your kid to school on time.
Parking
Ann Arbor Open has over 50 staff members and only 38 designated staff parking spots. The parking lot on the Brooks st side of the school is specifically intended to be staff parking, which is also where the bus loop is. Many families drop their kids off on the Brooks side, but please keep this in mind:
PLEASE don’t drop your kid off in the bus loop. The buses are frequently impacted by parents pulling all the way through the bus loop. It has a much bigger impact than it might seem.
PLEASE don’t park in the Brooks parking lot to drop off your kid, even if you’re just parking for a minute. Staff members frequently have to detour into the neighborhood in search of street parking because of families waiting in cars before school in the mornings. This usually gets much worse in the winter months, so we’re mentioning it now: PLEASE don’t take up a staff parking spot in the mornings. (You might think that it would go without saying that people definitely shouldn’t hang out in the handicap designated parking spots, but that has become an issue recently as well, which has impacted the staff members who depend on those accessible parking spots.)
Halloween/Costume Parade
Halloween is Friday, October 31st. It’ll be a half day of school (dismiss at 11:15am) and we’ll have a Costume Parade at 9:30am. If your kid wants to wear their costume to school that day, that’s fine. If they want to change into it before the parade, that’s fine too. If your kid doesn’t want to wear a costume at all, that’s also fine! A reminder that Ann Arbor Open is a pre-K-8th grade school, so please help your child keep that in mind when planning the school version of their costume. Things that might seem edgy but reasonable for a 12 year old could be absolutely nightmarish to some of their six year old schoolmates. Please use discretion.
FYI - 5th graders WILL have swimming on Halloween.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Our second book project of the year will be due at the end of October. Ask your child what book they’re reading for their project, and ask them to tell you about what they’re planning on making. (Most kids are making a “fan fold” or a comic.) Have them tell you a little about their book!
The kids have heard the Coyote and the Monster story several times this year (some of them might say too many times), but this week, we’ve moved into some new aspects of the Nez-Perce, the people this story originates from. We’re just beginning to get into this topic, but ask your kid to tell you a little about Chief Joseph and the Lincoln Hall Speech.
Ask your kid what they’re supposed to say when they hear the words “prime factorization.” (And then you can have them show you how to make a factor tree.)
Upcoming events
10/27-10/30, 8:30-9:20am - Focus Studies
Friday, 10/31 - HALF DAY. Dismiss at 11:15. Book Projects Due! Costume Parade 9:30-10:15.
Hello Parents and Families!
REMINDER - NO SCHOOL TOMORROW AND MONDAY
On Monday, we went to Gallup Park to view the Embracing Our Differences exhibit. It inspired a lot of thought and discussion from the kids. It was a really good time! Thanks go out to Amelia Bateman for joining us on this trip. Check out some pictures from our trip (For privacy purposes, you’ll need to be signed in to an AAPS account to view these. Ask your kid to sign in.).
Today, we spent the morning engaging in teambuilding activities. The kids were split into groups of 8 and worked together to complete 5 different challenges. It was really cool to see them collaborate, communicate, work through frustrations, and have fun! Thanks go out to Danielle Shapiro, John Millet, David Greenberg, and Erica Solway for helping us run these activities, and HUGE thanks to THE BEST UMBAUGH, John, for putting together the activities and making this whole thing possible!! Here are some pictures and videos from this event. (For privacy purposes, you’ll need to be signed in to an AAPS account to view these. Ask your kid to sign in.)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Ask your kid to tell you about the teambuilding activities from today. There were five different stations. Which were their favorites? How did their team do as a group? Which were the most difficult ones and why?
Ask your child to tell you about some of the art pieces that we saw on our field trip to Gallup Park. Which ones stood out to them? Which were confusing? Which ones particularly made them think? The Embracing Our Differences project has several galleries on their website that could also be really interesting to look through together.
We had a creative writing prompt this week that asked kids to create a story based on an image of a mysterious key. Ask your child to tell you what they wrote this week.
Have a wonderful LONG weekend!!
Upcoming events
Friday, 10/10-Monday 10/13 - NO SCHOOL
10/27-10/30, 8:30-9:20am - Focus Studies
Friday, 10/31 - HALF DAY. Dismiss at 11:15. Book Projects Due! Costume Parade 9:30-10:15.
Hello Parents and Families!
REMINDERS
Field trip Monday! Gallup Park! Please make sure your kid brings a lunch for the day. So far, no one has offered to chaperone this trip…if you are willing and able to join us on Monday (we’ll leave school at 11:45 and be back at 2. You can even just meet us at the park at noon and skip the bus ride!), please contact Ko.
PARENT INPUTand CONFERENCE SIGN UP FORM
Tell us about your kid! Tell us if you want a conference! Please fill out this parent input form.
If you’ve already filled it out and requested a conference, we’ll be in touch soon.
NO SCHOOL next Friday, 10/10-Monday, 10/13
October Book Project - Humorous Fiction
This month, we’ll be reading Humorous Fiction books. Anne had books available for kids today at Library. Tomorrow, we’ll spend time in class creating a reading plan for the month. Please check in with your kid to make sure they’ve got a book!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
We began working with our poets-in-residence last week. They’ll be joining us on Fridays for most of the rest of the school year. Ask your child about their poems, and what they think of poetry so far. (And if you’re reading this on Friday, ask them about the second session we had!)
Our first book projects of the year were due this week. Many kids chose to do “pop-ups” of a myth, but a few students opted to do presentations or other projects instead. Ask your child how their book project turned out, and have them tell you about some of the things that their classmates made/performed.
We began some persuasive writing this week. Ask your kid to tell you what they think about the “de-extinction” of certain species. You could also ask them about the differences between “whining” and “effective whining.” (We talked about this today in terms of screen time, bed times, and whether or not people are allowed to have Roblox accounts.)
Upcoming events
Monday, 10/6, 11:45-2:00 - Field Trip! Gallup Park, Embracing Our Differences
Thursday, 10/9, 8:30-11:30 - Team Building Activities
Friday, 10/10-Monday 10/13 - NO SCHOOL
10/27-10/30, 8:30-9:20am - Focus Studies
Friday, 10/31 - HALF DAY. Dismiss at 11:15. Book Projects Due! Costume Parade 9:30-10:15.
Hello Parents and Families!
REMINDER - No School on Monday, September 29th.
REMINDER - Book Projects due on Tuesday September 30th! Please check in with your child to make sure they’re on the right track!
REMINDER - Picture Day on Tuesday, September 30th.
REMINDER - PARENT INPUTand CONFERENCE SIGN UP FORM
Tell us about your kid! Tell us if you want a conference! Please fill out this parent input form.
If you’ve already filled it out and requested a conference, we’ll be in touch over the next few weeks to schedule a time to meet.
Help, please!
Room parent? Elaine (Alex’s mom - Thanks, Elaine!!) has volunteered for this job, but we could use one more! This job is very low stress - in fact, we’re not sure what exactly you’ll do besides be a contact for the AAOCC for us. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
We’re planning some Team Building activities for the morning of Thursday, October 9th, 8:30-11. We need 2 enthusiastic parent volunteers to help us lead a group of kids through these activities. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
Embracing Our Differences
On Monday, October 6th, we’ll head to Gallup Park to visit the Embracing Our Differences art exhibit. The Embracing Our Differences Michigan exhibit is an annual, juried outdoor installation featuring billboard-sized images created by local, national and international artists reflecting their interpretations of the theme “Enriching Our Lives Through Diversity”.
We’ll leave school at 11:45am, view the exhibit from 12-1, eat lunch in the park and then return to school by 2pm. Your kid will need a lunch for the day. If you would like us to provide a lunch for your kid, please let us know by Wednesday, October 1.
A permission slip for this trip was sent home today. Please sign and return it ASAP.
We’re still looking for chaperones for this trip - if you’d like to join us, please contact Ko.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Our writing prompt this week was Pizza Duckling. Ask your child what masterpiece they created from this prompt.
We’ve continued to closely examine the story Coyote and the Monster. Ask your child what lessons a Nez-Perce child can learn by hearing this story repeatedly in their childhoods.
We’ve been reading the book Ghost, the first book in the Track series by Jason Reynolds. Ask your child to tell you about the characters and story, and what they’ve enjoyed about it. A new book in the series will be released next month, and we’re pretty excited about it!
Upcoming events
Monday, 9/29 - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, 9/30 - Book Projects Due! Picture Day! www.kaiserstudio.com, school ID code 2526AAOPEN.
Thursday, 10/2, 10:30-1:30 - Field Trip! Gallup Park, Embracing Our Differences
Thursday, 10/9, 8:30-11:30 - Team Building Activities
Friday, 10/10-Monday 10/13 - NO SCHOOL
10/27-10/30, 8:30-9:20am - Focus Studies
Friday, 10/31 - HALF DAY. Dismiss at 11:15. Costume Parade 9:30-10:15.
Hello Parents and Families!
PARENT INPUTand CONFERENCE SIGN UP FORM
Tell us about your kid! Tell us if you want a conference! Please fill out this parent input form. Write as much or as little as you like. We’ll read it all!
If you’ve already filled it out and requested a conference, we’ll be in touch over the next few weeks to schedule a time to meet.
Help, please!
We need at least one room parent. Hopefully two. (No one has volunteered yet…) This job is very low stress - in fact, we’re not sure what exactly you’ll do besides be a contact for the AAOCC for us. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
We’re participating in a Poet-in-Residence program this year (more details to come). We need some parent volunteers to help type up kid’s poems (we’ve got 3 folks volunteering so far…we could use at least 3 more). If you’re willing and able to help us type up some kid poetry, please contact Ko.
We’re going on a field trip on Thursday, October 2nd! We’re going to Gallup Park to see the Embracing Our Differences art installation. If you’re interested in chaperoning, please contact Ko.
We’re planning some Team Building activities for the morning of Thursday, October 9th, 8:30-11. We need 2 enthusiastic parent volunteers to help us lead a group of kids through these activities. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
Picture Day! Tuesday, September 30th!
Today we sent home information about picture day. You can fill out the paperwork and send in your check with your kid on Tuesday, September 30th (please don’t send it in early. We are not collecting and holding on to picture day things.) or you can purchase a package online at ww.kaiserstudio.com with school ID code 2526AAOPEN.
Poets-in-Residence Program
On Friday, September 26th, we’ll start a program called “Author-in-Residence,” sponsored by Dzanc Books. Dzanc Books is a nonprofit organization (founded by a parent of an AAO and Ko’s class alum!) committed to increasing literacy in Michigan's youth through this educational outreach program.
Every Friday, three U of M students (Amari, Lilliana, and Shani, supervised by Scott Beal, a poet, freelance writer, father of two Open School alums and the director of Lloyd Scholars for Writing and the Arts at U of M) will come into our classroom and work with our kids to further develop their writing and creative skills.
At the end of the year, Dzanc will publish a hard copy book edition comprising an anthologized collection of the participating students' work. Dzanc will distribute a complimentary copy of this book to each student participating in the program and to the Ann Arbor Open School library, and we’ll have a poetry reading one evening in late May/early June to celebrate the release of our book.
This is the eighth time our class has had the privilege to participate in this program. We’re really looking forward to doing it again!
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Ask your kid to tell you about Coyote and the Monster, a story that we’ve been studying closely for the last couple of weeks. What are some of the storytelling structures in it that help people to remember it and pass it on?
Our first book project of the year will be due soon. Ask your kid to tell you what their project is, and how it’s going so far.
As part of our study of folk tales, our librarian Anne told us about urban legends, which are a form of folklore. Ask your kid about the stories she told.
Upcoming events
Monday, 9/29 - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, 9/30 - Book Projects Due! Picture Day!
Thursday, 10/2, 10:30-1:30 - Field Trip! Gallup Park, Embracing Our Differences
Thursday, 10/9, 8:30-11:30 - Team Building Activities
Friday, 10/10-Monday 10/13 - NO SCHOOL
10/27-10/30, 8:30-9:20am - Focus Studies
Friday, 10/31 - HALF DAY. Dismiss at 11:15. Costume Parade 9:30-10:15.
Hello Parents and Families!
It was so great to see so many of you at Curriculum Night! If you weren’t able to make it, you can check out our slideshow here.
Some key takeaways -
Remember, there are many ways to check in with your kid about school - Things to Do sheets, keep an eye out for End of the Week checkout sheets on Mondays, End of the Week Reflections on Fridays, Conversation Starters, and of course, this weekly email!
NWEA testing will be next Wednesday (9/17) and Thursday (9/18) morning at 8:30am.
PARENT INPUTand CONFERENCE SIGN UP FORM
Tell us about your kid! Tell us if you want a conference! Please fill out this parent input form. Write as much or as little as you like. We’ll read it all!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES coming up!
We need a room parent. This job is very low stress - in fact, we’re not sure what exactly you’ll do besides be a contact for the AAOCC for us. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
We’re participating in a Poet-in-Residence program this year (more details to come). We need some parent volunteers to help type up kid’s poems. If you’re willing and able to help us type up some kid poetry, please contact Ko.
We’re going on a field trip on Thursday, October 2nd! We’re going to Gallup Park to see the Embracing Our Differences art installation. If you’re interested in chaperoning, please contact Ko.
We’re planning some Team Building activities for the morning of Thursday, October 9th, 8:30-11. We need 2 enthusiastic parent volunteers to help us lead a group of kids through these activities. If you’re willing and able, please contact Ko.
If you just want to fill out the volunteer/chaperone form now so you don’t have to worry about it in the future, here it is.
THEATER INFORMATION
Tryouts for AAO Theatre Club's Fall Show will be held on Tuesday, September 16th, from 3:20 pm- 4:30 pm. Rehearsals will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:20-4:30 pm until Tech Week (November 17th). Please complete the form below if your student is interested in participating! AAO Theatre Club is open to students in grades 5-8.
Technical Theatre Club will run Mondays from 3:20-4:30 pm, starting Monday, September 22nd. If you're an interested techie, please also complete the form below to show your interest. You are not required to attend tryouts, but are welcome to join to get a feel for what the show will be about and potentially support scenes if you would like. AAO Technical Theatre Club is open to students in grades 5-8.
If your kid is interested, have them fill out this form by Friday, September 12th!
AAO Theatre Club (Actors & Tech) Interest Form
If you have questions about Theatre Club, contact Kayleigh (robbk@aaps.k12.mi.us) or Johnny (thompsonj@aaps.k12.mi.us).
Upcoming events
Wednesday, 9/17 - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Thursday, 9/18 - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Monday, 9/29 - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, 9/30 - Book Projects Due! Picture Day!
Hello Parents and Families!
Curriculum Night Reminder
Things to Do Sheets! End of the Week Checkout! Book Projects! Come find out about all these things and more at Curriculum Night next Thursday, September 11th! We’ll meet in our classrooms (309 and 311, upstairs) at 6:15pm.
Overall Curriculum Night schedule:
5:15-5:45- Principal Meet & Greet by the whale
5:30-6:15: Grades Y5-4 presentations in their classrooms
6:15-7:00- Grades 5/6 presentations in their classrooms (Hey, that’s us!)
6:45-7:45- Grades 7/8 presentation starting in the auditorium and then rotate through classrooms
Tardiness
It’s really difficult for us to get our day started when kids are trickling in for the first 15 minutes of the day. It’s tough for kids, too. When students miss the first part of the day, they’re usually at a disadvantage for the rest of the day’s activities. Please make an extra effort to get your kid to school on time. Especially on Wednesday and Thursday, 9/17 and 9/18 for NWEA testing. (If your kid rides the bus, this obviously doesn’t pertain to you. We know that you have no power over the buses. But if you DO happen to have power over the buses, can you make them run on time, please? Thanks.)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you’d like to know a little more about what’s been happening at school this week, try asking your child about some of these things:
Studying folk tales means learning about the cultures that tell them. Ask your child about some of the stories they’ve read this week, and what can be learned from them. (You could specifically ask them what can be learned from the story “The First Tears,” which we read this week.)
We also started looking at what can be learned by studying different maps closely. Ask your kid to tell you something interesting about a map that they looked at today.
We distributed math and cursive packets this week. Ask your child to tell you what they’re learning or reviewing in their math and cursive books this week.
Upcoming events
Thursday, 9/11 - Curriculum Night (see above for details)
Wednesday, 9/17 - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Thursday, 9/18 - NWEA testing, 8:30am
Monday, 9/29 - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, 9/30 - Book Projects Due! Picture Day!
Sincerely,
Ko and Jason
shihk@aaps.k12.mi.us
depasqualec@aaps.k12.mi.us
Hello Parents and Families!
Don’t forget - NO SCHOOL TOMORROW or MONDAY!
If you’re new to our class, welcome! We communicate weekly with families in a couple of different ways. The first is this email! Every Thursday , we send an email home to keep you up to date on important information, and to give you a glimpse into what’s been happening in our class lately. Please try to read it weekly. (You can also always find them posted on our website.) Today’s installment is much longer than usual, but in general, we try to keep it concise, useful, and interesting!
The second weekly communication you should expect from us is an email that contains your child’s responses to our “End of the Week Reflection.” We’ll start them next week, and you’ll receive them on Fridays. You’ll hear more about those next week.
In general, class emails will come from Ko’s email account, even if your child is on Jason’s class list. (And we write them together as well. In fact, this is Jason typing this sentence, not Ko. HI!)
If you need to get in touch about something that is specific to your child, always start with your kid’s assigned teacher.
Conversation Starters:
As most parents and guardians know, getting a kid to tell you about what’s going on in school can sometimes be… unrewarding. (“What did you do in school today?” “Nothing.”) To combat this, we’ve set up a few systems in our class to give you a chance of getting your child to tell you a little about their week at school.
In each weekly email (the one you’re reading right now!), we try to include three “conversation starters” to ask your kid about. The topics vary depending on what has happened that week. Sometimes they’re about a specific assignment or activity, sometimes they’re about an interesting class discussion we had, and sometimes they might be as simple as a silly in-joke that has developed in class. They don’t guarantee an in-depth conversation, but they could be a start! Here are three to get you started:
Ask your child about our first book project! This month, we’re studying folklore from around the world. Ask your child what they’ve learned about folk tales.
Ask your child to tell you about the Yanomami tale of how humans got fire from Iwa the caiman. It has some intense parts. Ask your kid to try to explain why all folktales contain really vivid and weird parts!)
One of our first assignments each year is called Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond. Ask your kid to tell you some of what they wrote for the categories. (If you attend Curriculum Night on September 11, you can see your kid’s work in person!)
Things to Do Lists
One of our classroom routines is a Things to Do list. This is an organizational tool that helps students take control of managing their schoolwork throughout the week. Each day, the kids get a list of assignments and write them on their Things to Do sheets. (Jeez, there’s SO MUCH information in this email so far!! We are so sorry…please keep reading….) They then learn to keep track of what’s been assigned, what they’ve turned in, and what they still have to complete. You’ve probably seen one of these sheets already, and you may have even been asked to sign one. For now, signing one indicates only that you have seen it. We just want you to be aware that they exist. More information about these to come on Curriculum Night. Speaking of…
Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night is Thursday, September 11th. OUR class will meet 6:45-7:30pm in our classroom. We’re in rooms 309 and 311 (either door works. They’re connected.) Don’t worry, there will be signs to guide you.
Schedule
Our specials schedule can be found here. Some things to note:
Swimming for 6th graders is Monday, 5th graders on Fridays. Swimming will start next week. If you have any questions about swimming, please contact Ms. Kinnard at kinnard@aaps.k12.mi.us. (Ms. Kinnard is looking for a few parents to monitor the locker room during swim. If you’re willing and available during our swim times, please contact her.)
6th graders will have Instrumental Music on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 5th graders will have Instrumental Music on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More information about Instrumental should be coming to you from our Instrumental teachers, Justin Hammis (hammisj@aaps.k12.mi.us ) and Timario Wilkins (wilkinst@aaps.k12.mi.us ).
Our class has lunch at 12:45pm. Our class has recess first, then we eat at 1:05pm. That’s a long time to wait until lunchtime! Our class doesn’t have an organized class snack or snack time, so kids are welcome to bring their own snack to eat during appropriate times throughout the morning. If your kid is unable to bring a snack, please let us know and we can make snack arrangements. Our classroom is a Nut Free Zone.
We’ll talk about all of this and more at Curriculum Night. If you’re particularly eager to know more before then, we suggest exploring our class website, which is full of artifacts and information that will give you a good idea of what to expect in the year ahead. (For many of the projects and photos on the website, you’ll need to be signed in to an AAPS account to view them. This is for kid privacy purposes. Ask your kid to sign in to their email account and look at the stuff with you!)
We look forward to working with your kids!
Quick note from Kayleigh and Johnny:
THEATER INFORMATION
Tryouts for AAO Theatre Club's Fall Show will be held on Tuesday, September 16th, from 3:20 pm- 4:30 pm. Rehearsals will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:20-4:30 pm until Tech Week (November 17th). Please complete the form below if your student is interested in participating! AAO Theatre Club is open to students in grades 5-8.
Technical Theatre Club will run Mondays from 3:20-4:30 pm, starting Monday, September 22nd. If you're an interested techie, please also complete the form below to show your interest. You are not required to attend tryouts, but are welcome to join to get a feel for what the show will be about and potentially support scenes if you would like. AAO Technical Theatre Club is open to students in grades 5-8.
If your kid is interested, have them fill out this form by Friday, September 12th!
AAO Theatre Club (Actors & Tech) Interest Form
If you have questions about Theatre Club, contact Kayleigh (robbk@aaps.k12.mi.us) or Johnny (thompsonj@aaps.k12.mi.us).
Sincerely,
Ko and Jason
shihk@aaps.k12.mi.us
depasqualec@aaps.k12.mi.us
Greetings from Ko and Jason!
We are very excited to start another adventurous school year! We look forward to getting to know all the new families in our classroom, and getting reacquainted to those who are returning.
As most of you already know, we are team teachers who combine our two groups into one big class. Whether you’re in Ko’s group or Jason’s group, we both work with every student in our class every day. You can learn all about how our class works at Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 11th. You’ll also have an opportunity to sign up for conferences and see the classroom in person.
In the meantime, you will hear from us regularly! We send a class email home every Thursday. It will come from Ko’s email address, but it’s always written by both of us. When you have questions or concerns about your specific child, always contact the teacher who is listed as your child’s “official” teacher. (Our emails are at the bottom of this letter.)
Our weekly note home is also always posted on our class website (koandjason.org), where you can also find other useful and/or fun information about our class. For example, here’s our specials schedule for the year. Or check out OPEN Channel, our occasional class show about Open School. You can also browse through the archives to get a sense of what goes on in our class. (You’ll need to be signed in with an AAPS account to see some of the stuff linked on our page.)
Our first day of school is Monday, August 25th! It’s a half day - we’ll dismiss at 11:15am. Here are a few things to help prepare:
We won’t have lunch at school the first day of school. (If your kid needs a take home lunch, let us know.) BUT…for the rest of the year, our lunch is relatively late in the day. It’s a good idea to send in a snack. Kids in our group usually tend to eat a snack (or part of their lunch) at our morning recess.
Our classrooms are upstairs in rooms 309 and 311 (they’re attached). The upstairs at Open is very easy to navigate: It’s a big square. On the first day of school, kids gather at any entrance to the school (the main entrance, the bus loop, the pool lobby) and then head inside when the bell rings. There are three staircases that lead to our floor, and all of them will take you to our rooms. We’ll have signs pointing the way, and there will be plenty of people around to help direct any nervous kids to us.
If you’re doing any back to school shopping, here are some things that you might consider:
Pencils - Small pencil sharpener
Markers` - Colored Pencils
Most students in our class opt to use a DESKMATE during their time with us. It’s basically a clipboard with a built-in storage space for papers, pencils etc. Here are some examples. We’ve found that it’s a great organizational tool for kids who are learning how to take on more responsibility for their school work. We have approximately 25 used ones to loan for the year, but many families prefer to purchase their own.
We generally do not recommend the fancy binders that have several different colored sections with special pockets and the like. In our experience, they’re a little overwhelming for kids who are just getting started with keeping their schoolwork organized.
We’re excited to see everyone on Monday! See you all very soon!
Sincerely,
Ko and Jason
Jason depasqualec@aaps.k12.mi.us
Ko shihk@aaps.k12.mi.us