Hoffman News
The Week of January 14th, 2019
Note: In order to watch any videos, you must first be logged into your Google student account in Safari. If you have any issues, please let Mr. P know.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
School News
Spelling Bee Recap
Prior to winter break, Hoffman School held its annual Spelling Bee. A field of 17 students was quickly narrowed down to just a few third, fourth, and fifth graders.
The Hoffman News Team would like to congratulate all of the participants as we root our winner onto the next round!
We recently sat down with one of the participants of the Spelling Bee to discuss her experience.
Spotlight on Staff: Ms. Cone
By: Ema, Macy, and Nicole
We are here with Mrs. Cone! Recently in drama, she has been working with fifth graders on writing stories about an obstacle they had to overcome when they first came to Hoffman.
Ema: Now, tell me a little bit about yourself.
I received my BA in Theatre with a concentration on Acting and Directing, and although I really enjoy being an actor on stage, I am more passionate about creating theatre with youth. I received my Masters in Arts and Teaching and never looked back. Creating opportunities for students to feel empowered is really rewarding to me.
Macy: When did you know that you wanted to teach a drama class to third through fifth graders?
I guess I felt like the times that I have felt the best about myself was when I was in a theatre class, so naturally I want to offer the same self esteem boost to my students.
I think adults have this idea in their head about what kids are capable of and I really like to challenge that and offer my students opportunities that raise the bar of their educational experience.
Macy: How did you come up with the idea of having people tell these stories?
I believe that a story is what divides us or brings us together.
A lot is happening in our world and I find it challenging to be an adult, let alone a kid. I feel like if we could spend more time on truly hearing how people have overcome obstacles in their lives, we would find a commonality and an entry point into feeling like we all belong and are in this experience together.
It is really easy to judge another person and it's much more harder to connect to others, but when you hear their story, something happens. It's like all of a sudden you just learn the meaning of true acceptance and you're able to step into a person’s shoes and develop compassion and empathy.
Drama really offers that option and I try to focus on doing that as much as I can.
The objective with the Artist in Residency is to give our fifth graders an opportunity to see how their stories fit into another art form such as film, and how each story is connected because it focuses on overcoming obstacles. Therefore we start to recognize: we are all connected.
Ema: What do you do outside of school?
I network as much as I can with all types of artists. I watch movies, chill out with my tabby cat, attend as many Fine Arts events as possible. I also play the didgeridoo, which is the oldest Australian wind instrument.
Macy: Do you teach any other classes outside of the drama class here at Hoffman?
I teach Middle School Drama courses at the Glenview Park Center, which focuses on auditioning skills and creating your own theatre pieces.
This allows me to stay in contact with students that I have had here at Hoffman.
My last class performed "A House On Mango Street" at the Rock House and had eleven Hoffman alum students!
Macy: Well, thank you for taking some time and answering some questions?
Ema: See you all next time.
Spotlight on Staff: Mrs. Bone
By: Lucy and Brielle (The Entertainers)
What made you want to be a teacher?
I love working with children. I want them to succeed, and I want them to have a good everyday life.
What job would you have chosen if you weren't a teacher?
I always wanted to be a teacher, but if I had to choose I would have been a nurse.
Who inspired you to be a teacher?
My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. O'Brien.
What's your favorite subject?
Math and science, because math is concrete and in science you can make fun experiments!
What is your favorite book?
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" for a kid. But, as an adult, "The Notebook."
What do you like best about teaching now?
Well, the children obviously. But, I like that you can include the iPads in learning. You kids are so creative with them! I do miss the way I was taught math in the 60s, though.
What did you do before Hoffman?
I was a stay-at-home mom. I have two boys, and two dogs: Dexter and Sadie.
What do you like to do after school?
I love to garden! I love to read and paint, too!
Finally, if you could go to Hogwarts, what house would you want to be in?
Hufflepuff!
Dogs vs. Cats: Poll Update
By: Lulu and Simi
Last week, we posted a poll: which pet do you prefer, dogs or cats?
As you can see from the results below, dogs are Hoffman School's preferred pet, taking in more than half of the vote.
Opinion: Climate Change
By: Lulu
The weather has been great lately. Forty five degrees in January?! Seriously? This is crazy! But, if we really think about it we’ll see the real situation.
Think about it. Chicago is known for cold harsh winters. There’s barely been any snow this year! This may seem great to us, but in the places of the world where it needs to be cold in order for the animals to survive things are way different.
The pollution that we make is having an impact on animals who need it to be cold in order for their survival. These animals, such as polar bears, snowshoe hares, arctic puffins, sea turtles, salmon, and more, live in places where they have adapted over thousands of years. If the climate continues to change, it will have an impact on their survival. Scientists have found traces of man made chemicals in the snow that falls in Antarctica, even though it is the cleanest and most unpolluted continent in the world.
I’m sure that you’ve all heard of global warming, or climate change. But, did you know there are many reasons that can cause it? Burning fossil fuels, smoke from factories, car exhaust, and wildfires just to name a few. Not to mention livestock like sheep and cattle producing a gas called methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
I know what you’re thinking, what can we do about this? Well, we can do so much that's actually quite simple. For example, in the winter, turn down your heat and put on warmer clothes; or in the summer, ride your bike places rather than driving. Carpooling with friends, using electrical ovens, and solar powered lamps are also good strategies.
If together we make these simple changes, we can really make a difference, help a lot of animals, and save the world!
Opinion: Stop The Straws, Save a turtle
By: Peyton
Every time we use even the smallest straw, it can risk the life a giant creature. I recommend we use sea turtle safe straws because when we use those, it can't kill or injure a turtle, and is safe because it's only paper!
But, it's not only straws that get stuck in the mouths or noses of sea life, it's also plastic. Plastic can be deadly to them and other creatures like sea horses, fish, dolphins, and coral! If we kill marine life, it can affect the whole world!
Over 150 million tons of plastic is floating in the ocean, and every year nearly 8 million tons are dumped. This has been a problem since the 1970s, but continues to get worse. Can you even imagine how many sea animals have died in the span of 48 years?
Many of you may be thinking "But I'm totally innocent! I haven't ever used a plastic straw!" But, we’re likely all guilty. We also can all make a change. What we can do for sea turtles are use biodegradable items whenever possible. Biodegradable means a material that can break down into natural materials like soil. Plastic straws have already been banned in parts of Chicago, and many other cities. So, let’s start the change here!
Plastic straws and sea turtles don't mix. Your favorite animal is likely swimming in tons of garbage in the ocean.They need our help!
Sports
NFL Playoffs
By: Logan
Heading into the weekend, the NFL Playoff picture was heating up.
The Chief and Patriots both won easily in the AFC, and will play each other next weekend.
In the NFC, the Rams and Saints will face off.
Player of the Week: Chris Sale
By: Anthony
Hey guys, Anthony back with our fourth Player of the Week!
Personally, I’m a Cubs fan, and I’m sorry if I make you White Sox fans cry, but our Player of the Week started on the south side, to one of the oldest towns in America. I'm talking about 2018 World Series champ, Chris Sale!
Christopher Allen Sale was born on March 30, 1989 in Lakeland, Florida. Growing up, he had a huge passion for baseball. He graduated from Lakeland Senior High where he not only played baseball, but he also played basketball. He graduated and went to Florida Gulf Coast University. During the 2010 season, Sale posted an 11-0 record!
In that same year, he was the Chicago White Sox 13th round pick. When he signed, he was selected to their class A team, the organization's highest minor league rank. In 2011, Sale posted his first year in the MLB and had 58 appearances with a 2-2 record as a reliever. The next year, though, he moved up and became a starter. Against the Marlins in a 2-1 victory, he had 15 strikeouts, a record that he tied with two other pitchers.
But, after several great seasons with the White Sox, Sale got traded to the Boston Red Sox for three other prospects. In the 2017 season, his rankings went up by a mile! He got the Sox to a playoff spot with an impressive 11-4 season, 2.75 ERA and the most K’s in the MLB!
Finally, in 2018, he won a World Series trophy with the Red Sox.
And that’s the amazing career of Chris Sale. Thanks for reading!
Favorite Sport Bowl: Basketball vs. Football
By: Logan, Lucy, Walden, Maria
This is a new section called Favorite Sports Bowl! We will compare sports to see which one is the most popular!
Basketball
According to the SGMA’s US Trends in Team Sports, Over 26 million Americans play basketball. 15.5 million people play pick-up ball or casually, while 4.1 million play in organized leagues.
During the NCAA Tournament in March, 1,900 student-athletes will have a chance to compete. Of those, 1,050 are men, and 850 are women. But, when you consider the total number of people that play, and the family and friends that support them, it’s no wonder so many of us are enthralled with the tournaments. More than 185 million watched the tournament last year, with 20.1 million people tuning into the championship game.
Football
American football is the most popular sports in the US. As of 2012, more than 1 million students play either high school or college football. Unlike basketball, usually only men play football.
The NFL, or National Football League, has the highest attendance of any professional sports league in the world, even more than soccer. The Super Bowl always ranks among the most-watched events each year.
There you have it, football is the winner! We'll try again next week with baseball vs. soccer.
Book of the Week
"Rain, Reign" by Ann M. Martin
Rose Howard loves homonyms. She’s so happy her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with homonyms. Not everyone understands the things Rose likes, her rules, and other things that make her unique, not her teachers, not other kinds, and not even her father. Rose and Rain go through many things together, learn new things, and also what being a true friend means.
(Review by Isabel I.)
Movie of the Week
"The Christmas Chronicles"
By: Lucy, Brielle, and Sydney
Lucy: Hellooooo Hoffman! Hope you all had a great winter break! Today we’ll be giving you the BEST holiday movie of all times! And I mean the BEST holiday movie of all times!
Brielle:The movie of the week is The Christmas Chronicles. It is a movie about a hipster Santa who says, "I don't do 'ho ho hos!'”
Lucy: There’s also a girl who is 10 and a boy who is 15 who help Santa. They help him even though Santa goes into a bar and is like, “Hi, I’m the real Santa Claus! Now, I lost my reindeer. Who wants to help me?” It’s super funny, and I totally recommend it for the people who luv funny and humorous movies. And I mean actual funny.
Now, hit meh with the peoplez!
Sydney: Sure! Da actors are Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, Kate is Darby Camp ,Teddy is Judah Lewis, and adorable Lars is Debra Wilson.
Brielle: Back to what it's about. Kate wants to see Santa, and she ends up on the roof dangling from Santa's sleigh. They crash the sleigh and lose the reindeer...
Lucy: NOOOOOOOOOO!! NOT COMET!!! NOOOOOOOO!!
Sydney: We should stop telling them the story! They need to find it out themselves!
Brielle: Sorry, but it's just sooooooooo gooooooood!!
Sydney: I know, I like it too! But, what if someone has not watched it? You are spoiling the story for them!
Brielle & Lucy: OK FINE! >:(
Sydney: Hey, where can ya find it??? They need to know where to find it.
Lucy: I… Uh… I...
Sydney: Ugh, not again. We all know what happened last time.
Brielle: (loudly) You can find it on da Netflix!!!
Lucy: I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY DAT!!! >:(
Lucy: WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WWWHHHYYY?!?! UGHZ!!! UGHZ!!! UGHZ!!! UGHZ!!!
Weather
By: Carlin
On Monday (1/14), there will be a high of 37 and a low of 26 with sunny skies.
On Tuesday (1/15), the skies will be cloudy with a high of 36 and a low of 28.
On Wednesday (1/16), it will be cloudy with a high of 32 and a low of 24.
On Thursday (1/17), it will be almost the same as Wednesday with highs in the lower 30’s and lows in the upper 20’s.
On Friday (1/18), there will be mostly cloudy skies in the morning and snow flurries in the evening with a high of 33 and a low of 21.
On Saturday (1/19), it will be snowing all day and we will see highs in the mid 20’s and we will even see lows in the lower teens.
Finally, on Sunday (1/20), it will be mostly cloudy with highs in the lower 20’s and lows almost in the single digits.
For Fun
Would You Rather?
By: Vahan and Maria
Caution: This may be disgusting...or dangerous!
Would you rather...
Lick a snail, or would you rather take a bite of a cheeseburger that you found on the ground?
Stick your head in a lion’s mouth, or would you rather step on a rattlesnake?
Read a ten thousand page long book, or would you rather read the same comic book over and over again?
Meet Abraham Lincoln, or would you rather meet George Washington?
Use a stained napkin in a garbage can and wipe your face, or would you rather find a dead fish on the floor and bite it only once?
This has been Would You Rather!!!
Which Chair?
By: Simi
Last week, I had a great idea for a weekly segment: which chair would you rather sit in!
Mr. P was kind enough to be my model for this poll, though I'm not sure he enjoyed it (Editor's Note: He didn't).
Please visit our poll here and tell us which chair you like best!
Who Would Win?
By: Lindsey
Meme of the Week
Ladies and gentlemen, your meme of the Week. Thanks Anthony and Walden.
Have a great week, Hornets!
Staff
Thank you to the entire Hoffman News Team for their efforts.
Each member of the team dedicates his/her entire lunch and recess hour, as well as time outside of school, to contribute to the news. We are extremely lucky to have such dedicated 4th and 5th grade students in our school community.
Do you have a news story for us to cover?
Submit your ideas for a news story by sending an e-mail to our producer.