Post date: Feb 08, 2014 6:2:16 AM
Dear Parents and Kids of Room 25
It is a typically cold and wonderfully wet night up here in the hills and I'm slightly tired from a good week in class and reassuringly sore from the muddy digging and construction. School this week was fun and productive and I'm nothing but optimistic that this group of kids and I will have a great second half of the year. The second semester started on Monday and that means A+ grades for all! (0/0=100%). Seriously, the clean slate provides the opportunity for all students to establish and maintain an excellent performance record.
Recap of the Week
Science
Our study of invertebrates continued this week, exploring the realm of worms, mollusks, and arthropods (much more on them next week). As I probably mentioned last week, I've been depending a great deal on a multi-episode DVD called "The Shape of Life", showing and discussing some parts and scanning though other parts. Some kids have brought in samples of the organisms, and I hope everyone had a chance to get out there and make friends with a worm as "assigned" on Thursday. For the past two assignments, we also used the textbook which, although verbose in places, is well organized and has good supporting graphics.
English
The students' speeches are the highlight, for me, during each day's English class. I've been impressed by their choices, delivery, and the feedback that they receive from their peers. Parents, please confirm with your kid that they know when they are to do a speech, have chosen one, and are in the process of practicing and preparing.
Wednesday's vocabulary words came from this list (or other) of "silly sounding words". I think that they had fun with it, as did I.
Today's book club meetings marked the 3/4 mark for the biography books. If your kid hasn't started the timeline and 5 questions, please get them to do so; both assignments should be done mostly at home.
Social Studies
It has been great to watch the kids explain what they learned about China to each other in small groups. The chart on the wall has filled in almost completely and, unless I'm deceiving myself, I think that the question-research-build-teach process was effective. I'd like to do it again sometime before school ends. Oh, and we also watched the Mulan movie as a bit of a semi-educational end-of-unit treat.
Report Cards: I finally finished these last night and handed them out today (Friday). This year's report card comments go beyond the usual letter-codes to which most middle and high schools are limited. Each student replied to a set of prompts that I gave them on a template document, then their math teacher and I responded with our own comments on that collaborative document. That two-page document as well as the traditional transcript-style report card page should have been in the grades envelope and I hope that you have a chance to read them. Since grades and reporting are a big topic of discussion during middle school meetings are likely to change drastically next year, I would, of course, appreciate feedback on the process as well as the product, if you are so inclined.
Calendar:
Report Cards Sent Home -- Friday 2/7/14
1st Semester Selectives End -- Friday, 2/7/14
Yosemite Meeting -- Monday, 2/10/14 (6:30 to 7:30)
Class Parent Meeting -- Monday, 2/10/14 (7:30 to 8:30)
Middle (Valentines) School Dance -- Friday, 2/14/14
Winter Break -- Monday, Feb 17 to Friday Feb 21
Laps for Learning -- Friday, March 14, 2014
Walkabout, Part 2 -- Tuesday 3/18/14 to Thursday 3/20/14
Staff Learning Day -- Friday, 3/21/14
Science Fair -- Friday 4/4/14
Yosemite Week -- Monday 4/7/14 to Friday 4/11/14
Spring Break -- Monday 4/14/14 to Friday 4/18/14
Jumba Fundraiser -- April 25
Chris
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