Winter Break Homework

Allegory Storyboard Project

due Monday, January 7^th

As a culmination of our unit on the novel Animal Farm, you are being asked to brainstorm an allegory of your own. After learning about the extended metaphor the connects Manor Farm to the Russian Revolution of the early 20^th Century, it is now time for you to design a story with connections to an event or experience that has been shared by everyone in the class.

Here are the requirements for your paper:

• The actual event must be outlined in a summary that is at least one long paragraph long. Pretend that we don't know anything about this event, even though it should be something relatively well-known in history. Explanation of the details that will be represented by other things in your allegory must be given the appropriate attention. In other words, tell us what really happened. (Ex: Summarize the events at the Battle of the Bulge)
• Your allegory must be outlined in a summary that is at least one long paragraph long. Your allegory must have at least 5 objects or places that have meaning. These should be clearly articulated in this second section, and should relate to the actual things that were detailed in your first section. (Perhaps the Battle will be “allegorized” by a group of ants that has to invade another anthill. Details might include sticks that represent the soldiers' weapons, or a scrap of cloth that is a flag.)
• Each and every paragraph should include our 6, marked Dressups. (who/which, strong verb, “ly” word, qual. adj., because, www.asia)
• Your allegory must have at least 10 major or minor characters, and these characters should be listed in your paper. The list should have two columns. Alongside the characters' names must be the person or idea or concept that he/she represents.
• In total, the “paper” part should include: the event summary, the allegory, and the list

Here are the requirements for your storyboard:

• The event “allegorized” should be historical and well-known. It should be something that we could look up in an encyclopedia or a newspaper if we wanted to learn more about it.
• The storyboard should include a minimum of six different frames, or cells.
• Each of these cells should represent a pivotal moment in a particular scene from your allegory.
• The appropriate time should be taken so that it is clear to the viewer what is taking place.
• Please use white paper and make each cell a minimum of 4”X4”.
• Artistic liberties can and should be taken, but please use color and make it interesting!

Please note that these are the minimum requirements.

With one week to complete this project, you should feel free to

go deeper with meaning, detail, creativity, and care.

This project is a wonderful chance to “show what you know”,

and to go above and beyond the standard expectations.

To give you a ballpark idea of what I am looking to receive, I imagine that you should spend, from beginning to end, approximately 3-4 hours on the project.

Science and Engineering Workshop

Science and Engineering Workshop at OSU:  

All 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade girls!
You are invited to attend a FREE workshop called “Discovering the Scientist Within”.
This event will be held at Oregon State University on Saturday, February 16, 2013 from 8:00 am – 12:30 pm. The morning includes fun, hands-on activities, and the opportunity to meet successful woman engineers, research scientists, and university professors. Girls will participate in hands-on science workshops at OSU while learning about a variety of careers in science and engineering.
Please register at:http://oregonstate.edu/dept/cosey/discovering-scientist-within.
Registration is open now and will close on February 11, 2013.
The first girls to register will have first choice of workshops. Registration is limited to the first 85 girls. More information will be e-mailed after you register.

A note from Ms. Brunning

Winter Break is almost here and I have been working to get students to a common point in their research project for the science fair.  Here is the update::

• The goal is for all 4-8th grade students to have all assignments up to  #5 completed before Winter Break.
• In Assignment #5 students fill out online forms using information from assignments 3 and 4.  It can be done from a home computer.  It must be completed before data is collected.
• Students have reviewed the resources on the science blog at chpcsscience.blogspot.com and at LabWrite . 
• The level of work should be to the best of their ability and grade appropriate.  This project is a chance to demonstrate a level 4 on Standard 1A  Scientific Inquiry. 
• Questions and or concerns may be sent to Ms. Brunning by email at g.brunning@chpcs.org, even during break.
• Ms. Brunning will be available before, during and after school next week to offer assistance to students.
• A list of ideas for projects is available on the CHPCS Science blog.
• Students may submit their assignments by email to Ms. Brunning at g.brunning@chpcs.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l03zfpmuxE

Turtles: A note from Mr. Currey

Falcon Families:  Second grade is reading A Christmas Carol as one of their Core Knowledge literature selections.  They will be doing a character study of Ebenezer Scrooge and exemplifying the OPPOSITE of his character traits by running a penny drive to adopt a sea turtle nest in Florida.  Between Monday, December 10th and Thursday, December 13, please encourage your children to clean out under car seats, in between couch cushions, and pick pennies up off the sidewalk to help out.  This is low-key and student-created, so please support with just a little spare change.  Thanks,  Mr. Currey.

Pot Luck Wednesday!

Attention, Attention!!

The eighth grade class is interested in having a potluck this coming Wednesday.  Please consider what your student might contribute to the meal.  After a class conversation, we decided upon "a lack of theme" as our theme, and instead will bring in dishes that we enjoy preparing for others.

You are welcome to join us.  The meal will begin at noon.
Thanks for playing!

Better late than never...

I wanted to let you know that Mrs. Ray has begun a unit of Comparative Religious Art Studies with our 8th grade class.  Although we have now concluded our conversations on the major religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent, all knowledge is great knowledge!  Ask your student about Ganesha, the Hindu god that has the head of an elephant.  He is known as the Remover of Obstacles.  (There have been plenty of times recently that I could have used his help!!)

North Clackamas Schools offers presentation on college financial aid

Parents and prospective college students will get information about financial aid opportunities and how to apply at a workshop sponsored by North Clackamas Schools.

The free presentation by a financial aid expert from Marylhurst University will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 10 at Wichita Center, located at 6031 SE King Road in Milwaukie.  Free childcare and Russian interpretation will be provided.

The workshop includes:
* different ways to pay for higher education
* how to apply for financial aid
* how to find and apply for grants and scholarships
* FAFSA strategies

High school students, their parents, as well as current college students are invited.  For more information, call Olga at 503-353-5678, extension 1.

Core Knowledge Showcase

8th grade students are already quite aware of this happening, but I wanted to share with families that our Core Knowledge Winter Showcase is being held at the Barnes and Noble bookstore at the Clackamas Town Center on Saturday, December 8th.  Each grade will be performing in the late morning.  Our time slot is just after 11:00am, so please have your eighth grader on the second floor of the bookstore by approximately 10:50am on that day.  Parking will most certainly be an issue, so please plan accordingly.

This is also a Book Fair/Fundraiser for us.  Upwards of 20% of sales at B & N that day will come back to our school, including the coffee bar.  Please, please, please consider coming and supporting us.  Several of these students have worked surprisingly hard to write lyrics to the song they'll be parodying.  Others have choreographed a dance to go along with it.  And every one of them would appreciate the support.

A Note from Mrs. D

Please remember:
A prescription label or physician's signature is required for all prescription medication brought to school.  All medication must also be in the original container.  If  the medication is prescription, the label must include (1)the name of the student, (2) name of medication, (3) dosage, (4)instructions and (5)  name and phone number of physician.

Non prescription medication which is required during school hours (such as the Tylenol) also needs to be in original containers and each medication must have a separate Medication Assistance form.

Teachers may not store or dispense medication from their classroom. If  a student whose medical protcol requires that the medication be nearby at all times (such as an epi-pen, nebulizer, inhaler.), then a separate form for the medical protocol and provisions for security are necessary. We are happy to work with your physician office or other medical professional to provide this.    The staff may also  need to be trained. We are all certified in First Aid, CPR and AED use but we rely on parents to give us the specifics about medication, oxygen or other needs relating to the child. This includes what to look for in   symptoms, signs and severity in case of emergency. 

Being happy, healthy and safe is important to us!--

Holly Denman
Founding Director
503-701-0009

Rube Goldbergs!!

After spending this week learning some Physics terms and concepts, eighth graders have broken up into groups to create Rube Goldberg machines.  Along with the written explanation, these contraptions will be the unit assessment.  If you are unfamiliar with Rube Goldberg machines, please consider Googling a few videos.  These devices, which complete a simple task in a complicated manner, have been recently used in several commercials and music videos.  It might be helpful for your student if you spent a bit of time with him/her gathering ideas from what you find together!!

Design and construction will begin on Monday, so please help to collect up supplies and materials.  I ask, though, that you not spend money on this project, unless you had already planned on purchasing the items.  It will be more fun to use things we have/find to create our Rubes.

A Nice, Long Weekend

My hope is that you enjoy the next several days with your 8th grader!  My hope is that the small amount of work assigned in class will allow for a nice break after Night of the Notables, and before we begin a new round of essay writing and Science labs. 

This weekend, your student is being asked to finish any Math assignments that may have been assigned by his/her Math teacher (even though we had no Math Tuesday).  Students are also being asked to read for at least 30 minutes every day. 

Additionally, each of us will be starting a Library Research Report after Thanksgiving break.  In order for this to be a successful experience, I am asking that students get to a library as soon as they choose a topic.  Research will be beginning the Monday that we return, so any students without sources will quickly fall behind.  Two sources are all that are necessary, but more are certainly welcomed.

Thanks for helping from home, and have a great Thanksgiving!!

Night of the Notables

This next Tuesday is our big chance to shine!  Middle school students have been working incredibly hard for two months, and the time has finally come.  Please be sure to have your student here no later than 6:00pm on Tuesday, November 20th.  The Night of the Notable event will not begin until 6:30, but the 4th grade will have their Wax Museum set up for your enjoyment.  You are also welcome to grab a cup of coffee and become a member of the PTA during that time.  The event will end at 8:00pm, and all in attendance are being asked to help tidy up the school again for our long weekend.

If you would like to study the list of Notables you will be meeting this coming Tuesday, you can use the link below to arrive at the list.  Please consider doing a bit of research on those figures that you don't know anything about; it will increase the quality of your questioning.
 
http://chpcs7thgrade.blogspot.com/2012/11/whos-notable-this-year.html

Due Dates

DUE THURSDAY:
Final draft of Night of the Notables paper
Costume (Please bring it in for me to see)
Presentation board

Students have the weekend to finish the souvenirs, but all other work should be completed by this Thursday!

Incoming!!!!!

Here is a heads-up to let you know that the rough draft of the Night of the Notables paper is due on Tuesday of next week.  If typed, I imagine that it should be between 5-10 pages, double-spaced.  Peer and teacher editing will take place on Tuesday, so it is imperative that students bring in what they have so that it can be improved.  Please ensure that this will be the case.  The final draft is due two days later, on Thursday the 15th.  That is also the same day that the Presentation Boards are due at school.

Cascade Cafe!

Here is the link to another new school blog!  Please check it out.  This is where you can find information about school lunches and our uniform closet.

http://chpcscafe.webnode.com//

Shakespearian performance!!

After having completed Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the students of the eighth grade have prepared an abbreviated version of the play to perform.  They will be putting it on this coming Thursday afternoon at 2pm.  Please feel free to join us in our school gymnasium for what will prove to be a very entertaining event!  We would be delighted if you would RSVP to let us know that you are coming.  Please email your intention to attend to r.harvey@chpcs.org.

NON Update

Today in our classroom, students will be brainstorming ideas for their Night of the Notables costumes.  The intention is for some ideas to be generated, if they have not been already, to prepare for our big night. 
We spoke of:

• props
• accessories
• "Signature qualities", or unique attributes of the person that should be highlighted
• not spending too much (get creative!)

The focus this week should shift from Key Word Outlining to using said outline to draft a rough version of the paper.  Any research being done at this point should only be for the purposes of "patching holes" and strengthening shorter sections.

In one week, on Tuesday, November 6th, the middle school teachers will be offering a "Souvenir Workshop" after school.  Students can bring in supplies for Souvenirs and work alongside others doing the same thing.  (This is not a time for brainstorming to take place; that should happen prior to the "workshop".)

Only 12 school days left until Night of the Notables.  Keep working!

Free Audiobooks!

Ms. Mahn found this website that has free audiobooks for download. There are several Core Knowledge books here. FREE  http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/genre/Children
If you have the means of listening to some of these, it might be a nice alternative to the (same) songs on the radio...

Gandhi feature film

I have attached a link to the full Gandhi film.  We will begin watching this movie tomorrow in class, stopping throughout to speak of the relevance and relation of the events to the (decline of the) British Rule of India.  Feel free to check it out!  If you have never seen this film, it is worth the watch.  Ben Kinglsey won Best Actor for his portrayal of Gandhi.  (At the very least, watch the funeral procession scene at the end.  One of the more famous clips in film history.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27lMS76hGG0

High School Information

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION AND OPEN HOUSES-

Rex Putnam High School- http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/putnam

Milwaukie High School- http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/milhi

Clackamas High School-http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/clackhi

New Urban High School-http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/nuhs

Milwaukie Academy of the Arts- http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/maa

Clackamas Web Academy- http://www.edline.net/pages/Clackamas_Web_Academy

Clackamas Middle College- http://www.clackamasmiddlecollege.org/Admissions/

Oregon City High School- http://www.ochs.orecity.k12.or.us/

Gladstone High School-http://www.gladstone.k12.or.us/ghs/

Sunday October 28^th Portland Christian Schools- http://www.pcschools.org/

Portland Lutheran School http://portland-lutheran.org/admission/

Sunday October 21^st- LaSalle College Prep http://www.lsprep.org/page.cfm?p=387

Sunday November 4^th- Central Catholic http://www.centralcatholichigh.org/admissions/open-house/index.html

Thursday November 15^th- Portland Waldorf- Milwaukie, OR (Private)

http://www.portlandwaldorf.org/admissions/high-school-online-application.html

Thursday, December 13^th- Milwaukie Academy of the Arts Open House

Thursday, December 20^th- Milwaukie Academy of the Arts Open House

PTA Social this Friday!!!!!!

Come one, come all, to the second PTA Social!!
This Friday, at 1pm in the school Library, the PTA will host another event!
By now you've certainly heard some of the raving about the first meeting.
You don't want to miss out again, do you?
Don't you find ice cream delicious?
Don't you appreciate door prizes?
See you there!!

Free/Reduced Lunch

Tomorrow is the final day (October 16th) for an application for Free and Reduced lunch for the year.
  If a family qualifies and does not submit by tomorrow, they will be charged  full price for lunch and it is their responsibility to make sure their account is up to date. 

 If you still want to apply, you may do so online at http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1233 no later than tomorrow at close of the school day.

Musings on Night of the Notables

As your student digs into his/her source texts to mine for information on the Notable in question, there are several different methods of organizing the chosen details. 

Mrs. Adams introduced the method that utilizes 3X5 cards as the vehicle for important facts last year.  This strategy is particularly useful because when it comes time to create a Key Word Outline, the cards can be organized into stacks based on the type of facts contained on them.  In other words, all the facts on Childhood can be lumped together, and the KWO is practically right there laying on the floor!

Another strategy might be to go straight to the Key Word Outline style.  This is helpful for the student that may not be able to hold on to small cards without losing some of them.  My recommendations for this method include starting with a separate page for each "section" of the KWO.  I would want students to have a page of Key Word Outlining reserved for each topic that will eventually be included; for example, I might have a page of Outlining for my Notable's Education, and then a separate page for Personal Life. 

If your student would rather start to compile things in a Word Document or Google Doc, I would be fine with that.  Keep in mind, however, that it is easy to slip into a "Cut and Paste" attitude that results in plagiarism problems.  Additionally, a Key Word Outline will still need to be made, so frustration may occur when a student wants to push forward with something that already might be starting to look like a report...

Regardless of the style of collection your student selects, it is IMPERATIVE that each fact be linked to the source from which it came.  Do not let your student start to collect facts without citing the source.  We will be creating a Bibliography, and students will need to know from where their information came.

Feel free to email me with any questions.  We will be working this week and next on research, but my expectation is that progress will also be made at home.  Please ensure that this is the case.

The Board Meeting has been changed to Monday, October 22, 2012 at 6:30pm in the Library.

Greetings!

Hello, Eighth Grade!

Welcome to our new blog.  Thanks to the responses given in the Communication Survey that went out a few weeks ago, I have decided to try disseminating information to parents and students in a slightly different way.  I believe that by sharing school and class updates in small, manageable bits, it will be easier for all of us.

I am thinking of this blog as a work in progress, and as an experiment.  My hope is not that this blog replaces email communication between teacher and parents, but rather that it serves as a way for facts and updates to be shared quickly with all interested parties.  (This includes all others interested in our goings-on, so feel free to share this address around!)

Please let me know how this new style of communication works for you.  I look forward to continuing to improve our "lines" to make this as efficient as possible.

Thanks,
Mr. H