Post date: Dec 06, 2014 11:46:19 PM
Hello Friends.
The holidays have hit hard here at the Heumann household. Twenty bins of decorations (etc!) have come out of storage and the kids are each creating beautiful and festive decorations around the whole house. I hope that the essence of this season has set in at your home as well.
The Curriculum:
Science was fairly light this week as we delved into the topic of energy. The kids should be able to explain to you the difference between kinetic and potential energy, the formulas involved, various diverse forms that energy takes, as well as the law of conservation of energy. Those things will all be included in the chapter 9 test that the kids will take on Wednesday. I've also asked the kids to build an energy storage-and-release device of a complexity that involves appropriate personal challenge.
English essay writing has gotten a bit more formalized as the kids have been working (slowly and sporadically) on a piece of expository writing. Although most kids are accustomed to, and prefer, a thought-to-draft writing process, I am asking them to go through a set of structured steps. I'm not a great writer, but I do know that when an author invests in the pre-writing brainstorming, organization, and draft-revision process, the final product is invariably better than if one just writes sentence after sentence until the required length is achieved. As some of the kids are tackling their high school application essays, I know that they are being faced with similar challenges.
Social Studies: The past few weeks have been filled with some great current events discussions. I'm very glad that the routine and expectations have finally taken hold and that the process runs smoothly each day. The actual history content has been about the ways in which the debt-burdened British tried to use the colonies as a source of revenue (Sugar Act, Tea Act, Stamp Act), and the rebellious/defiant responses. We watched a good but graphic video about the Revolutionary War and interspersed it with discussions, comparisons, and opinions.
The Trips:
Age of Sail is coming up in 4 days, IF we can get 3 more parents to attend. If not, we will have to cancel and forfeit all of the approximately $2200 trip cost. Right now, Tudor (and possibly Conrad) are have expressed interest or volunteered, BUT we need a total of five chaperones ("Tall Sailors") to make the trip happen. I do understand that it is an uncomfortable job -- we adults have to be silent observers and stand for most of the afternoon in cold and likely wet weather as well as be awakened during night watch. If driving is an issue, it is certainly possible to take LightRail, CalTrain, and MuniBus to get there, but from 2:00 on Thursday to 10:00 on Friday, we need 5 parents on board. If that could be you, please let me or Pooja know as quickly as possible. We'll make the cancellation decision on Wednesday at noon.
The All-Eighth-Grade trip to San Francisco is coming along well. Some of the kids and I have learned a great deal about "our" region of SF through which we have to plan an all-day tour. Yesterday I met with two residents of the Presidio and got some great "insider info" about cool things to see and stories to tell about that place. That, along with Golden Gate Park and Bridge, Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts, and Fort Point all have amazing features, history, and intrigue. We will need parent(s) with a van to transport luggage on the first and last days and chaperone.
Parent Meeting:
Yup, Monday is the day. 6:30 to 7:30. Most of the time will be used to discuss curriculum and the details of the upcoming trips, but I'd also like to have you share thoughts and insights about the remainder of this year and the transition to high school. I'll bring cocoa and some cookies and I hope to see you there.
Calendar:
December 8: Parent Meeting #3
December 11-12: Room 25 to Balclutha, Age of Sail
December 22 - January 9: Winter Holiday
January 13: High School Information Night (parents and kids)
January 20-23: SanFrancisco Trip
January 23: Middle School Dance
February 6: Selectives end
February 6: Family Dance
February 26: Exploratorium
April 28: Levi Stadium Tour
June 3 to 5: Rafting the South Fork American River