Post date: Mar 20, 2017 1:41:34 AM
Dear Rm 25 Families:
1. Pay It Forward Essay: This afternoon I posted an assignment on Google Classroom and the homework sheet asking the kids to fill in a row in a spreadsheet on the Pay It Forward essay. The essays should be almost done by now and I want to have the spreadsheet to track their progress and give comments to some individuals that might be useful to the whole group. There have been 4 "deliverables" so far, including a topic choice (~2/16), a statement (~3/3), an thesis statement (~3/13), evidence chart (started 3/7), draft, edits (3/16). The last deliverable is the final essay on Tuesday 3/21. During this whole process it has been very encouraging to watch a group of the kids really invest themselves, follow directions, learn from the lessons, keep up, and take advantage of the class time and resources (lessons, coaches, etc) provided. I'm confident to say that there is a subset of our class that is showing more and more evidence of being high school ready!
2. San Francisco Trip: In a bit more than four months, our class will be doing the San Francisco trip, exploring the history, art, culture, social, and non-touristy sides of that amazing city. The locations, routes, activities, lodging, meals, transportation, and what-ifs will be done mostly by the kids, but we will need a bit of parent help: two parents to come along, and one or two drivers to deliver luggage on day 1 and pick it up on day 4 (the rest of the transportation is on trains, trolleys, ferries, buses, and BART. Planning starts tomorrow.
3. Non Fiction Book: For book clubs for the next 4 weeks, the kids will be discussion non-fiction books or their choice. Each kid should have chosen (and gotten) one by now and this spreadsheet should be complete and up to date (6 kids' rows are empty as of Sunday at 7:00).
Well, that is all for this email. I had a bit of a draining weekend so you (parents) get a short newsletter this time, and you (kids) get Stella as a substitute tomorrow.
Chris