UPDATES

Are you looking for a creative activity during the holiday break? 

Students can create a movie, drawing, or audio recording for two contests sponsored by PSTV (the district’s public access channel).

• One contest involves conveying a message about wellness and health. 

• The other contest asks students to create a superhero and companion (e.g., sidekick, villain). 

Both competition deadlines are January 19. Reach out to Mr. Smith with questions and for help with the submission process. You may also visit the PSTV website for details.

The Wildcat Workshop has two 3D printers and a podcasting booth. Students can submit design and recording ideas all throughout the school year on a rolling basis.

• Students can create 3D designs in Tinkercad or FUSE Sculpt and then share them with Mr. Davis or Mr. J so that they can be printed.

• Students who want to record a podcast or song should write a script or lyrics that can first be shared with Mr. Smith. Then, students can record in the booth and edit with any of the MacBooks in our class cart.

The Wildcat Workshop now features a LEGO wall. Students can submit design ideas to Mr. Smith on paper. Studnts can then build their designs on the LEGO wall. The deadline for submissions is ongoing.

The grade 8 theme in the Wildcat Workshop is building games that are inspired by nature. In connection with the project, students in grades 7 and 8 visited the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge to learn about the biodiversity that exists there. Students observed wildlife on a nature walk (identifying birds and turtles using field guides). Students also conducted a study of water samples to look for living things and identify them using a key.

Grade 7 students in Mr. Gerstemeier's science class visited the Wildcat Workshop to conduct an investigation with mystery powders. Students were learning about physical and chemical properties of substances.

Computer Science Education Week was December 6-10! 

Throughout the week, students:

• completed coding challenges and 

• built a secret pixel image using Post-its. 

Students can code at home using any of the resources posted to Google Classroom or on the family resources page on this website.

To complete some of our projects this year,  we'll need some materials that you may have around the house. Most of this stuff would wind up in the garbage or a recycling bin! Please check out the list best and send any of these items to Mr. Smith.

Items Needed

20 Egg cartons

40 2-liter bottles

16 Empty metal can (such as a coffee can) with a plastic lid

15 Various board games (used)

10 Various outdoor toys (e.g., hula hoops, jump ropes)

Posted 16 August 2021 (updated 15 September 2021)