Hoffman News
The Week of February 11, 2019
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School News
5th Grade Plays
By: Siya and Simi
Hi Hoffman Hornets! Siya and Simi here with some exciting news about the upcoming 5th grade plays!
5th graders are auditioning for the 5th grade play and Mr. Banas and Ms. Cone are currently trying to narrow it down to the last few students.
We wanted to give you a sneak peak on the plays! And no, Simi, it’s not "Dora the Explorer."
The four, 5th grade plays are "Coco," "Mary Poppins," "Newsies," and my favorite, "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory!"
If you are interested in knowing more about the 5th grade play, we will be writing another article in the spring, where we'll go into more detail, including special interviews.
Stay tuned!
Spotlight on Staff: Ms. Lacivita
By: Logan
Hello Hoffman Hornets. This is Logan with our Staff Spotlight! This week, I got to sit down with Ms. Lacivita!
When did you start working at Hoffman?
It was February of 1999.
When did you start to teach third grade?
I started teaching third grade four years ago.
Have you ever taught a fine arts class?
I feel like all of my lessons are fine arts classes.
Have you ever taught other grades or at other schools?
I taught fifth grade at hoffman school for sixteen years.
What do you do outside of school?
I travel, walk baby Olive, go to dinner and brunch with friends, and nap.
Do you have any hobbies?
Reading, listening to podcasts, jogging along the lakefront, and going to the movies.
Do you have a dream job?
Besides teaching, live television director
Do you have a dream home?
An A-frame on Lake Tahoe
What would you do if you had a billion dollars?
I would buy a private island and a private jet and have enough cottages for all my friends to fly over and stay for a while.
What do you think of the new classroom furniture?
I love the new learning space because as my children say “lots of people have different likes," and if you need to get the wiggles out you can use the special seating.
How is Baby Olive doing?
She has been whining for treats. She is bored because of winter, but she’s still my little buddy. SHE’S SO TIRED!!!!
Spotlight on Staff: Ms. Kemper
By: Madison
Why did you want to work at hoffman?
So I decided to work at Hoffman because I was ready for a new adventure. I used to teach kindergarten and I was in a classroom, and I decided I wanted to do something different
Why did you want to be a technology teacher?
I really like using technology to help people learn in different ways and to make learning a little bit more interesting. It's sometimes a little bit easier and sometimes it's a little bit harder, but I enjoy the challenge of supporting kids and grownups when they use tech for learning.
What's your favorite thing at Hoffman and why?
Working with the kids because you are all fun to be with and you make me laugh and keep me young!
Do you work at any other schools and what schools are they?
Right now, I just work at Hoffman school. But I used to work at Westbrook school for a long, long time, and I worked with young children over there.
What's your favorite animal and why?
Dogs are my favorite animals. I've always, always loved dogs. I love all animals but dogs are my favorite. They are the kind of animal I can have in my house and have as a pet. I really enjoy their company and how silly they are, and love spending time with them.
Do you have any pets and what are they?
Right now I don't have any pets, but in another year so I hope to get another golden retriever.
Are you afraid of anything and why/what is it?
I am afraid of heights and going over really long high bridges. Those things always make me nervous.
Student Artwork Slideshow
By: Oscar
Let's celebrate some of the great artwork from the students of Hoffman School!
In the Community
By: Macy and Ema
Each and every year more and more people are becoming homeless in Chicago. Sadly, it feels as though we just never notice.
Homeless people struggle with many things such as starvation, sleeping on the streets, and assault. The sad part is we are not doing anything about it and we need to start making a change.
So, let’s make that change!
There will be a can in the LRC where you can donate money for the homeless. All the money will go to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help where they will give the money to homeless shelters.
Thank you to everyone who plans to donate!
Opinion Articles
Kneeling During the National Anthem
By: Sonam K. (edited by Mr. P)
#ImWithKap
Hours before the Super Bowl, this hashtag started trending across the Internet. Celebrities like Stephen Curry, Common, Janelle Monae and dozens more showed support for the man who changed the conversation surrounding the NFL with social media posts citing reasons why they would be boycotting this year’s Super Bowl, all ending with same hashtag.
During 2016, Colin Kaepernick, the then quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, began kneeling during the national anthem in protest to social injustice and police brutality. While several players began joining him, his actions created a national controversy, from furor on social media to being publicly denounced by President Trump.
Since his controversial actions, Kaepernick has been blackballed from the NFL. While dozens of less-rated quarterbacks continue to throw passes, Kaepernick remains waiting to be signed, ready and eager to play. He, along with many other athletes and sports reporters, believes that owners have colluded to keep him out of the league. Kaepernick has become a symbol of the effect of injustice.
In fact, Kaepernick hasn’t gotten re-signed since his contract with the 49ers ended. Many owners believe that if Kaepernick kneels, it will be a disgrace for their team; however, at 31 years old, he is still younger than many quarterbacks in the NFL, and some would argue better.
This proves to be unfair because he is standing up for his beliefs in a nonviolent way. In addition, the NFL currently has many players who were arrested for harmful crimes like drunk driving, abusing women, drug use, robbery, gun use and more. These players weren’t kicked off their teams, only sometimes receiving a suspension.
All of this drama recently affected the Super Bowl. Rihanna, Cardi B, Jay-Z and P!nk were all asked to perform at the halftime show and rejected it, because of the impact Kaepernick made. They all believe that Kaepernick deserves the right to express his views and play in the NFL, rather than having to watch less-rated quarterbacks pass the ball on Sundays.
Kaepernick is a major role model and continues to inspire people to stand up against racism and injustice.
For more information on this topic, please take a look at the sources used for this article:
- https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/chicago-bears/49ers-qb-colin-kaepernick-anthem-protest-about-change-not-just-police-violence
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/04/imwithkap-how-colin-kaepernick-dominated-super-bowl-conversations-without-taking-field/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.eea2f17d3835
- https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/stars-boycott-super-bowl-over-nfls-racist-treatment-of-colin-kaepernick
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/sports/colin-kaepernick-nfl-anthem-kneeling.html
Government Shutdown
By: Grant
Toward end the of 2018, there had been a severe Government Shutdown happening. It started on December 22, 2018, and ended 35 days later.
A government shutdown is when the President (or, in past cases, Congress) literally shuts down the government, meaning that some services are unavailable, and people who work for the government won't get paid for working. While this was happening, many people were in very serious financial situations, or lost access to things necessary for their lives.
President Donald Trump called for the government shutdown as a way to demand funding for a wall along our southern border with Mexico. He wanted to do this because of people from Mexico he said were coming through our national borders illegally.
Since Congress decides how money is spent, in order to build the wall, President Trump had to convince them to set aside a whopping $5.7 billion to build it. Congress simply wouldn’t do it because, one, it’s too much money, and two, most people believe this money shouldn’t be spent on a giant and menacing wall, but could be put to better use. According to The Hill, 54 percent of people disagreed with building a wall along our southern borders.
I think Trump and Congress need to come up with a better way to secure our borders, especially as border crossings are at their lowest of all time (New York Times).
In conclusion, it is possible that Donald Trump will start another Government Shutdown come February 15th, which means 800,000 federal employees might be without a paycheck again soon.
I hope Congress and President Trump come up with a way to avoid this traumatic experience.
Research Corner
Polar Vortex
By: James and Nico
Hello Hoffman. We are James and Nico, here to talk about that polar vortex.
The date: January 25th, 2019. The place: Northern and Central United States.
Across the area, thousands of people experienced cold like they had never seen before. They put towels in front of their doors, and saw ice on the inside of their doors and windows. Pipes froze in a snap, tree branches fell, and car batteries died.
During the Polar Vortex of 2019, temperatures reached -25 degree Fahrenheit, and that's before factoring in the wind chill! But, what causes a polar vortex?
The formula is actually quite simple. In short, it has to do with the warming of ice caps in the North Pole. As ice warms, it creates freezing wind and a mass of cold air. When there is no warm front able to cut it off, you get the type of weather we suffered through last week.
As temperatures slowly start to warm, we hope we've experienced the last of these...for now.
Unknown Animals: The Gar
By: Lindsey, Lulu, and Maria
Sports
The "Big Game"
By: Anthony, Logan, Walden
By now, I guess you've all heard the news: the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl. Again!
The star of the game was Julian Edelman. It definitely wasn't Adam Levine.
So, even though the game wasn't exciting, we have a "new" champion.
Only one week until Spring Training!
Book of the Week
By: Isabel, Izzy, Joseph, and Grant
Last week, "Frindle" won our Book of the Week contest! Over 135 votes were cast (!!), and "Frindle" receive 83% of the vote!
This week, we ask which of these is your favorite: "Knuffle Bunny" by Mo Willems, or "Legend" by Marie Lu.
Vote here.
Class of the Week
By: Vahan
This week’s class has one of two very special Hoffman students!
She recognized how the Earth feels about pollution and took matters in her own hands. It’s Mrs. Poehlmann’s class!
That’s right! Ruthy C. is that girl! You’ll find an email that Ruthy and Teddy (the other special student) sent school-wide.
So, once again, congratulations Mrs. Poehlmann's class!
Show of the Week: "Stranger things"
country of the Week: france
By: Tuul and Agnes
France is the most popular tourist destination; last year there were 83.7 million visitors. France is the largest country in the EU, and is known as “the hexagon.” With an area of 551,000 sq km, it’ s almost a fifth of the EU’s total area!
Louis XIX was the king of France for just 20 minutes, the shortest ever reign.
France, in western Europe, has medieval cities, alpine villages and Mediterranean beaches. Paris, its capital, is famed for its fashion houses, shopping district, and classical art museums, including the Louvre.
Weather
For Fun
Would You Rather?
By: Vahan and Maria
Caution: This may be disgusting...or dangerous!
Would you rather...
Train for the Super Bowl or would you rather spend five hours in the gym non-stop exercising?
Watch paint dry or would you rather see a tarantula molting?
Make a simple mac and cheese but for every person in a castle or would you rather cook a very hard and fancy meal for only the king?
Drink two gallons of Coke straight or would you drink four gallons of water straight?
Stand on your tippy toes on the edge of Willis Tower on a windy day or would you rather jump from Willis Tower to another building close by at the same height?
This has been Would You Rather!!!
Meme of the Week
Something new this time, as Walden tries to make his own meme go viral. And, yes, he knows he spelled "imagination" wrong. This is what he wanted. You figure it out...
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.