Studio Assignment Winter Break

This autumn's English theme has been Teens Change the World. We have read about teens who have made big changes or asked important questions to make the world a more peaceful and fair place for everyone. 

This is where we connect with the text. Each and every ORAA student has the ability to change the world through their talents, skills, and determination. 

Over the break (some students have already started their project as this has been discussed since Thanksgiving break), students are asked to make a change in their community in a way that feels great to them. Examples include: 

• volunteering for a shelter or orphanage
• serving meals to the homeless
• doing a beach cleanup
• making a water-saving plan for their family of five at home

It is by taking these first thoughtful steps that we really can change the world. 

The studio day assignment for January 5 is to document this action. Students can choose a powerpoint, poster, photo collage, a storybook, whichever way they choose. Grading will not only be based on the quality of the project and documentation in words and pictures, but also the ability to inspire friends to get out and do the same. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break. I am so proud of the hard work and progress everyone has made this year. I can't wait to see the ways people have chosen to change the world over the next two weeks! 

Week of December 15-18

It's our last week of the calendar year together! I'm already missing everyone who has gone early to vacations or is missing class because of work or holiday productions!

We still have a busy week as we wrap up our unit on Teens Changing the World.

Tuesday: Reading Workshop. Students take the tests created by the other students and begin to make a study guide for Friday's test. Students may also continue reading their book to finish by Friday.

Wednesday: Students have reading time and a discussion over winter break/end of unit service learning project. Students are asked to go out to their community and change the world in one small way over the break. Some kids have already asked if their family can participate, such as making a family plan to save water in our drought. This is great! I'll send the instructions for documentation later this week. This is a generous, capable group of middle schoolers. I know they can make a positive impact on their community on their way to changing the world!

Wednesday night is also our Art Expo night! Please plan to attend from 5-7pm. There is a full roster of performances! 

Thursday: Finish reading book club book and final study groups. Students will get the opportunity to create story charts and timelines with classmates to check final understanding, comprehension, and themes across the books.

Friday: Book Club book test and party time! This is our first book we've read this year. After this test, students will have read some of the most important works of historical and contemporary writing. There is a lot to celebrate. The kids have been working extremely hard all year and it shows!

Even though this is our last week together this year, I look forward to growing and learning with everyone in 2016! This truly is a group of teens who are capable of changing the world!

A Kid Who's Changing the World

Here was a great article I read about a kid who has literally changed her community in a really important way!

http://www.upworthy.com/her-dad-thought-her-clean-energy-idea-was-just-a-kids-project-he-was-wrong

December 8- December 14

We are in the last two weeks of school for 2015, and I am getting rather excited for the end of our book club and beginning of our community projects!

The final exam for our book club book will be December 18. Please make sure you are reading at home for 20-30 minutes in addition to the reading we are doing in class. Most children, especially those who have acquired the book two weeks ago per my email, are almost done reading.

Tuesday: Reader's Workshop. Students read book club book and prepare a written interview with the main character about the important episodes in the book thus far. Interviews should be two to three pages long and address setting, plot, and major characters. Interviews must be written in the voice of the main character. Students will also be working on daily oral language and Iready.

Wednesday: Reader's Workshop. Students read book club book and prepare a written interview with the main character about the important episodes in the book thus far. Interviews should be two to three pages long and address setting, plot, and major characters. Interviews must be written in the voice of the main character. The interview assignment will be due at the end of the class period on Wednesday for grading. Students will also be working on daily oral language and Iready.

Thursday: Reader's Workshop. Students continue to read book club book and fill out either a story chart for the fiction books or a timeline for the autobiographies. Students will also be working on daily oral language and Iready.

Friday: Reader's Workshop. Students continue to read book and create a vocabulary test of ten story words and answer key. Students will also be working on daily oral language.

Studio Day Assignment: Read book club book and take notes for final exam on December 18.

We are full and busy this week! We also have our evening Art Presentation at 5pm on December 16. There are lots of great projects to share. We can't wait to see you there, too!

November 30- December 4

Welcome back, artists and scholars,

I hope everyone is relaxed and refreshed from our November break. I also hope you took my suggestion and kept up reading at least part of the time we were away. We have big books to be done with before our December break. We also have a service project we'll be planning and implementing over our December break (and hopefully beyond!). Let's get right to our tasks this week as we move swiftly along through our last month of 2015!

Tuesday: Students will read their book club book in a small group or alone. After time for reading has concluded, they will be switching homework with a book club partner and writing whether or not they agree with the partner's analysis on their book and current events and why or why not.

Wednesday: Students read more of the book club book and create a vocabulary word wall to play bingo on Friday.

Thursday: Students write a brief summary of their book and how it relates to our theme of Teens Changing the World. Individuals will then brainstorm how they might impact their community by performing community service. (Students who have not finished this will be assigned as homework). Students will spend the rest of the period reading their book club book.

Friday: Students will read their book club book and then play vocabulary bingo for fun and prizes.

We hope to have all 300-400 pages of these books read by December 17:
I Am Malala
To Kill A Mockingbird
Diary Of A Young Girl: The Story of Anne Frank
I Have Lived A Thousand Years

Although it is not mandatory, I highly recommend finding a copy of these books to read on weekends and evenings. These are big undertakings and will take longer than our 60 minutes a day in class. I will also start a lending library for those students who would like to take them home to read over the weekend. Since these are my only copies, I will be very vehement about these books being returned on Tuesday morning.

Thanks for being Teens That Change The World. I'm so looking forward to hearing about everyone's plans for impacting their communities.

Mrs. K

Studio Day Work for November 30

On Friday, November 20, we are watching this documentary about the Japanese Internment Camps as part of our Teens Change the World literature unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmQoOcamxJw

After watching the complete film, please write a page paper discussing how this connects to the book in class students are reading and the current world affairs. Since there is a week break, I expect a few thoughtful paragraphs which provide many details and examples of both book connections and probable family discussions about both topics.

Since I did not collect this week's vocabulary work, this assignment will count as double for studio day work.

As a final jumping-off point to our thinking about how to change the world, check out what kid president says and bring some ideas for a service project to school on December 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z7gDsSKUmU

I also recommend getting a copy of your in-class book club book at the library or bookstore and reading while on break. Our books are 300 pages long and need to be finished before Winter break!

See you in December! I miss you already! Mrs. K

Week of November 17-20

Ack! Sorry for the late post! The teachers have been working on a big project and our deadline was Tuesday evening.

Well, we started Tuesday out really well. I am thinking the rest of the week will be more of the same! Our Teens Change the World unit begins today with our reading about teens, both realistic fiction and biography, who have changed the world. After the tragic events in Paris, Beruit, and Africa this weekend, we are beginning to discuss how now, more than ever, we need to do something to bring kindness, peace, and love to our world.

Tuesday: Begin book club book and practice the comprehension strategy of connections, asking questions, making prediction, and/or looking for new vocabulary.

Wednesday: continue reading book club book and write a paragraph summarizing the setting and characters.

Thursday: continue reading book and use vocabulary book to make a class vocabulary word wall.

Friday: continue reading book club book and begin a tableau to share with the rest of the class of the most memorable scene.

Studio Day Assignment 11/16/2015

For the studio day assignment, students will need three pieces of paper and an online or print dictionary to make a vocabulary book with these terms:

holocaust
diaspora
racism
power
propaganda
militant
condemn
reign
embody
inquisitive

Each page of the vocabulary book will need:


                      definition                                                                     part of speech

                                                         vocabulary word

             sentence with the word                                                            drawing of the word
             (using context)


Students practiced this method on Thursday and Friday of this week. These books will be necessary for the reading over the week of November 17, so please have students bring these to class in a binder, which will also be necessary.

Thanks and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! It's been a hectic week, so I promise to be done with the Inquiry Project and paragraph grades by Tuesday. Please check Jupiter Grades this weekend for updates.

Ever grateful that I get to be learning with your children each day,

Terri K

Week of November 10-13

Hello writers, readers, artists, and researchers,

I am almost finished with the Inquiry Projects students worked so hard on over the last month! I should have them graded and handed back on Thursday. For this activity, the students will receive the grading sheet and the actual projects will be in the classroom for other students to read and reference for the rest of the semester. We will be looking for information, providing feedback, or perusing all the Inquiry Projects during reading time in the coming weeks. These will not only be useful for purposes of learning new information or providing helpful feedback to our ORAA middle school community, it will also be a reminder that writing is meant to be read--especially research!

This week is a short week, due to the Veteran's Day Holiday on Wednesday. Although students may not be in attendance in school, Iready practice and reading toward our goal of 40 novels this year is always encouraged for every student.

Tuesday: Read short essays about current teens changing the world. Write a summary paragraph about the assigned reading and another paragraph which connects student's own life to one of the highlighted teens. If there is time, students will finish and discuss the film Ruby Bridges. If there is not time, this film is available on Youtube.

Wednesday: Veteran's Day, Observed.

Thursday: Daily Oral Language. Vocabulary Mapping: Students will learn different ways to approach vocabulary studies in novels. (Notes will follow on Thursday). Begin in-class novel.

Friday: Read novel in assigned book clubs. Complete comprehension worksheet (copy will be attached in Moodle by Friday).

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Mrs. K

Inquiry Project Due Thursday and Teens Changing the World

Hello again artists and scholars,

This week our Inquiry Projects will be due at the beginning of class on Thursday. I wanted to give students extra days to write their paragraphs and bibliography since this is one of the major English grades this semester.

At the beginning of the week, we will be practicing interview techniques and interviewing the researchers who did Inquiry Project, which is all students in Middle School. This is the only way we will be presenting these projects, through the genre of interview. If students prepared an extra art or artifact, I am also happy to display these in class!

At the end of the week, we will begin our Teens Change The World Unit. We will be studying human rights, social justice, and what WE can do to change our world for the better. We have guest speakers and lots of great books and activities for this unit. It will conclude at the end of the year, when students are most reflective about making changes for the future.

Tuesday: Interview question-writing and interviews of partner researchers.
Wednesday: Interview presentations
Thursday: Inquiry Projects Due at the beginning of class, on paper. Continue interview presentations.
Friday: Teens Change the World Art Walk and Jigsaw reading.


Have a wonderful week! I look forward to learning so much about the research done by our students.
Mrs. K

Week of October 27- November 2

Hello again, researchers and inquiring minds!

This week we are going to finish the Inquiry Projects we started a month ago. Although projects are due November 5 in final form, this will be the last week of instruction on the project and expectations for this research essay. If your child is missing school any time in the next week, please refer to the notes section of this blog to make sure you are updated with the requirements for completed projects.

This is also Red Ribbon Week and Spirit Week. Please see the note under each day for activity options.

Tuesday: Wear red today. Absentee picture day. Students will be given notes on how to write a paragraph citing sources. They will also have a chance to practice and begin drafting their Inquiry Project essay.

Wednesday: Team jerseys to "team up against drugs." Students will be given notes on how to write an introduction, supporting, and conclusion paragraphs, synthesizing their research.

Thursday: Crazy hair and socks day. Students will be shown how to write a bibliography and create the rubric for the grading of the project.

Friday: Awards Assembly, 10am. Half day-- no lunch. It will be a choice day for middle schoolers. My classroom will be the celebration room for Autumn/Dia De Los Muertos/Halloween. I will provide seasonal art (not necessarily holiday-related) and kids may bring goodies to share. Please bring enough for 30 kids to share. I'll have napkins and plates.

Studio Day work (November 2): The day will be devoted to finishing up the Inquiry Projects. Please check back for a grading rubric. It's important to note that students will only receive credit if the project comes in on a piece of paper.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Have a wonderful week,

Terri K

Studio Day Assignment for October 26, 2015

It is time to finish writing the research we've been working on for the past few weeks.

On Tuesday, all written research notes need to be brought into class on paper(s) with sources indicated. To receive full credit on the Inquiry Project Assignment, notes must come from five sources, at least one book and one internet resource.

If you need any additional support, I will be at the Otay Branch of the Chula Vista library 3-4:30 pm on Monday, October 26. Students are welcome to come any time to look up books and periodicals and write research.

The full assignment for Inquiry Projects is in the Notes Section of this blog.

Have a great weekend!

Terri K

Week of October 20-23, 2015

Hello artists and scholars,

This is going to be a busy week! Here are some important dates to remember before I preview this week's activities:

• October 20, picture day! 
• October 20, 5-6pm, Art Exploration Extravaganza-- Seton Hall and performances in the Lecture Hall at 5:10. 
• October 21, new electives begin at 2:30
• October 22, 1pm, Jeckyll and Hyde Play at Mater Dei High School (permission slip required)
• October 23, PTA meeting, 4pm
• October 26, 4pm, Mrs. K will meet any interested students at Otay Ranch Library for help with book resources for the Inquiry Project
• October 27-30 Red Ribbon Week (activities to be announced)

The lessons we have scheduled for the week are: 

Tuesday:  Full Inquiry Project guidelines and how to take notes on surveys and interviews. 

Wednesday: Inquiry research continues in class. 

Thursday: Inquiry research continues in class. 

Friday: Book club vocabulary activity: Vocabulary Bingo with book club words. 

As always, we will have art appreciation, writing time, and daily oral language punctuation/spelling practice in our class time as well. 

I'm excited to see everyone this week and the art they've created in electives and in their hard work in the classroom! 

Mrs. K

Week of October 13-16, 2015

Hello again, scholars and artists,

Tuesday marks an academic change for our kids as they go to their first flexible grouping in their new homeroom class. It will be a little scary, a little change, and a little different for most students. While I can't express how cool all the students in middle school are, I know it's just going to take some time to get to know the new kids and teacher of homeroom while we teachers are doing everything possible to help students increase their learning.

We'll be having discussions about the change in homeroom and English on Tuesday. I hope, while this change is ultimately a decision made by the adults in the best instructional interests of the children, we can discuss the time and place and vehicle for students to have a voice in the structure and implementation of their own learning. Their voice is important! I want to make sure that we can agree on a forum to discuss changes, ideas, and issues in the future so that we are teaching students how to be a part of decision-making, even when those decisions can be difficult.

I am also looking to do an off-site not-field trip to an academic library Monday, October 26. Please stay tuned for more information on that. I am hoping to help the children with their Inquiry Project by introducing them to academic journals and research on their topic.

Tuesday: Inquiry Project Discussion surrounding communication and systems. Since my Inquiry Project focuses on the perfect middle school, I am going to use this as a way to teach children to interview and hold round-table discussions about homerooms, flexible groupings, and their voice in their own education.

Wednesday: Book Club. Please bring a vocabulary word and connection for this round of parts of speech sorting and Middle School Mad Libs.

Thursday: Beginning research on Inquiry Projects. Students will begin their internet research with a partner. I will review citing sources for all information.

Friday:  English Workshop. Students will have different choice activities from vocabulary building activities, research time, writing practice, and conferencing with me about their research and book club activities.

Have a great week!

Mrs. K

PS. Don't forget items for our ofrenda! It's up in the classroom and we'll be sharing stories of our loved ones and heroes next month!

Studio Day and Upcoming Events

Hello artists and scholars,

As we discussed in class on Friday, reading your Book Club book and bringing a vocabulary word and a new connection to the text is the only homework for the weekend. I am teaching students the correct way to take notes for the Inquiry Project, they don't have any weekend work on this during this weekend.

Upcoming dates of interest:

The Compassion Project: October 16-19. Not required, but recommended. Free tickets must be reserved in advance. http://cts.compassion.com/events/242

Picture Day: October 20

Elective Art Presentations and Gallery: October 20, 5-6pm

Have a wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing you Tuesday!

Mrs. K

Cool Art Show for Miyazaki Lovers!

Hi everyone,

I saw a cool art exhibit over the weekend and I thought the students would love it. It's a tribute to Hayao Miyazaki and his studio Ghibli films.

It's showing here: http://www.tpg2.net/

The catch is that the gallery is in the back of a tavern. Families who want to attend need to walk through the bar area to the gallery to see the art. I'm never a fan of sending children to bars, but I did want to share this event and my family and I (with Vera, who's nine) have been to this particular gallery many times.

If you get the chance, please check it out. I think a new show goes up soon.

Have a great week. Your children are coming up with the most wonderful inquiry questions!

Mrs. K

Research Project and Middle School Art Project for October

Hello again artists and scholars,

Inquiry Projects are finally here! Please remember that you still need to be reading your book club book every night, as we will still have book club every week throughout our research project. Inquiry Projects will offer us another way to explore our passions and essential questions through print and visual media. During class, we'll even be designing our perfect middle school. I think everyone will have a lot to say about that!

Tuesday: Discovering great questions and defining a question as the source of our Inquiry Projects. As the basis for all research, we must pose a great question and study all the layers of answers.

Wednesday: Discovering trustworthy sources. We will begin unearthing which sources, both print and internet are reliable, and how to take correct notes for the Inquiry projects.

Thursday: Book Club discussion. Please come to school with a new vocabulary word (and definition) as well as a connection to the text on a sticky note to discuss.

Friday: Work Day-- Mrs. K will be facilitating small group and individual conferences, while students are expected to investigate multiple print and internet sources related to their essential question.

Inquiry Projects will be a three week activity. While there will be no homework this weekend (except Iready!), I will expect that nightly reading continues to be done for Book Club. I am hoping students will also set aside some time to work on their Inquiry project research as well with a trip to the library or another location with specialized research materials and periodicals.

October Art Activity:

Mrs. K's homeroom will be making a Dia De Los Muertos Ofrenda in the style of the traditional Mexican holiday. We will not only be using this as a way to explore the art and materials of Mexican Folk Art, we will be asking all of our friends in all the middle school to participate as well. 

Students who would like to be a part of the large classroom ofrenda can bring in framed pictures of loved ones (people and pets) they would like to remember and honor throughout this month. We will also be exhibiting the student's folk art of paper flowers,oapel picado,  statues and drawings of la catrina, and sugar or other decorated skulls in the painted Mexican style. If you have any questions, please ask me! 

This is a non-mandatory activity and students may participate as much or as little as they wish. Each month, I plan on curating a group project for the middle schoolers. I will also send additional at-home activity information during the month for students who would like to extend their creativity at home! 

One last note:

I will be posting daily notes (if applicable) on this website under the new "Notes" page. This way, journals and notes can stay at school and everyone has easy access to them at home. 

Have a great week! Mrs. K 

Studio Day work, October 5, 2015

This project is due on October 6, 2016 at the beginning of class.

Create a character study for one of your characters in your Book Club book. This must include:

• name of the character and title of the book
• physical description of the character
• emotional description of the character
• description of how the character is important to the action of the plot of the story.
• drawing of the character

Projects must be hand-written and presented on a piece of paper or poster board 11x17 or larger. Be creative! Be artistic! Use complete sentences! 

Please finish your book club books soon, if you haven't already!! 

Have a great weekend, Mrs. K

Great Weekend Opportunity!

Dear Artists and Scholars,

Here is a really, really cool event this weekend happening in Balboa Park. I wanted to share in case you had some time and interest. It's a fair for artists and scientists, robots to cosplay. I highly recommend the inspiration and innovation you'll get if you get to go!!

http://sdmakerfaire.org/

Book Club Focus, September 29-October 2, 2015

Hello again scholars and artists, 

We are in our second week of Book Club at school. I hope you're enjoying the books that were selected at school or brought from home. What's important is that we're practicing reading and beginning to see the ways we connect with the central characters in the text. After next week, we'll be doing an art project to highlight the plot of the book, stay tuned for that! 

Tuesday: Turn in paragraphs for Studio Day. Today we'll be writing a silly story with our friends in class. Keep reading Book Club book at home! 

Wednesday: We'll be learning how to make connections and draw vocabulary out of the text using sticky notes. Each student will be asked to bring a connection and either a new vocabulary word or exciting character description to class on Thursday. 

Thursday: Students create a word wall with vocabulary and descriptive text from their book club book. We will study the types of conflict and write a reflection piece about each student's connection and whether or not they face the same conflict in their life. Students are asked to bring in another vocabulary word, character description, or connection to Book Club discussion on Friday. 

Friday: Book group discussions. Students will be asked to sit with two-three groups during the class period to discuss characters, plot elements, and descriptive language during their group time. 

I'm looking forward to being a part of the different book discussions as well as sharing some of the connections students have made to the reading throughout the week. 

Just a reminder-- if you haven't had a chance to schedule a conference, please email me. This is a no-stress time where students, parents, and I can sit and set goals for the year. The young adults are in the driver's seat of setting and staying on top of their learning goals at our school. It's been wonderful to meet with so many bright and excited students this week! 

See you soon! Mrs. K

Studio Day Assignment, September 28, 2015

Students should be reading their book club book nightly. While I am not mandating a time, at least 20 minutes for an average reader would be the minimum. Some students selected books which had more challenging vocabulary and themes in them, they might read a smaller section longer during their nightly reading.

Book club books should be completely read by October 6. If students finish early, I have already permitted them to start another book in our class time.

This week's studio day assignment focuses on characterization. Students will write a three paragraph reflection of their assigned/selected novel. The reflection page, on loose leaf paper, will feature:

• a descriptive paragraph of one of the characters in the book.
• a paragraph describing how the character is like you. 
• a paragraph describing how the character is unlike you. 

In all papers, I will be looking for thoughtful writing as well as evidence and examples cited from the text. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Mrs. K 

Notes:

Character-- animal or person who is part of the plot and action of the story

Protagonist-- the main character of a story

Narrator-- character who tells the story.

Week of September 22-25.

Good evening artists and scholars!

This week we begin Reader's Workshop. That means we'll be reading and focusing on our comprehension and vocabulary building in our texts. It also means we'll be learning how to select our own texts to learn how to apply these skills in a story we really like. Mrs. K will be going through the appropriate texts, but the spirit of these activities focus on the the connections to the characters we can make. This means students will be able to select their own novels to read as long as their classwork reflects the active reading required in middle school.

We are also continuing our learning plan meetings. Thanks to everyone who came and had such great input into teaching and learning from the children. If you would like to meet, please drop me an email so that I can schedule a time. Please bring your students to this meeting, as they are learning how to be responsible for their own goals.

Lastly, we will have an awards assembly on Wednesday, September 23, at 10am. We will be recognizing students who have worked hard in Language Arts and the lifeskill of Honesty. It just might be the whole middle school!

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to build a bridge to learning with your child. For the latest assignments, please check moodle.

Mrs. K

No Homework This Weekend!!

I guess I got a little ahead of myself. Monday is a non-student day, therefore, we have no homework!

See you Tuesday. We'll be talking about planning our literature projects.
Mrs. K

Studio Day and Modified Work for Peace Week, September 15-21

Happy Wednesday students and parents,

We've had a few changes this week in our schedule, so I'd like to make sure everyone is aware of some of the lessons being moved to honor our need to complete reading tests before parent conferences. Here is a chronological list of activities for the next few days, including our upcoming Studio Day on September 21.

Peace Week:
Wednesday, 9/16, Reading testing. Finish for homework and bring back if incomplete in class.
Thursday and Friday, 9/17-18, Peace Art Projects. Students are asked to create a visual, performing, or literary artwork for presentation on Friday at 2:30. The topic of the artwork must be to teach peacefulness in our school, homes, or community. Students will be graded on creativity, quality of art produced, and thoughtfulness toward the topic of peacefulness.

Monday, 9/21, Reflection paper. Students are asked to read three selections from the Assignments section of this blog and write a one-page reflection about the current state of peace in the world and their role in creating and maintaining peacefulness in our school, home, or community. Students need to cite examples from the selections they have read in their one-page reflection paper. This paper is due on lined paper Tuesday, 9/21.

Again, if you have any questions, please let me know! Mrs. K

Peace Week, September 15-18, 2015

Welcome back, artists and scholars!

This week, we are enthusiastic to learn about the art, artistry, and passions of our peers during our artifact and demonstration projects on Tuesday, September 15. Final drafts of the narrative assignment as well as presentation of some kind of artifact which demonstrates the art will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday. Directions for these activities can both be found in our newsletter last week.

Starting Wednesday, we will be reading and writing about peacefulness, as the UN declared International Day of Peace is September 21. After reflecting on our roles in peace in our school, our homes, and our community, students will be expected to create an art/fun activity which teaches peacefulness and conflict resolution to their peers or other ORAA students. Points will be awarded during this week's classwork on thoughtful self-reflection, creativity of activity, and efficacy of teaching peace/conflict resolution. Jupiter grades is already being loaded daily, please check there for grades if you have questions.

One small note for Friday is that we'd like all middle school students to wear black tshirts. We are going to make a school-wide peace sign and the littler kids are going to be wearing rainbow colors. Our group will make the actual sign in the middle of the circle and needs to be bold.

Finally, I have stopped posting the lesson plans in the google drive as they are now available by Moodle. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I wish you all a very peaceful week and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Mrs. K

Studio Day Assignment September 14, 2015

Good morning artists and scholars,

The Studio Day activity for September 14 will complete the narrative autobiography which we have been working on for the past two weeks. Besides a completed draft of the autobiography, each student is asked to bring in an artifact or demonstration to accompany their work in writing. This should be creative!

Here are a few ground rules for artifacts and demonstrations:

• Artifacts should be safe and clearly demonstrate the "art" written about in the narrative. 
• Demonstrations should take no longer than three minutes and can only use the equipment in the regular classroom (zip drives are fine, but I don't have a dvd player in my classroom). 
• All artifacts and demonstration pieces should be clearly labeled with the names and grade of the student who brought them in. 

Artifacts will be returned September 18 at the end of school. 

This is an opportunity to be creative and show how passionate students are about their art. 

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Mrs. K 

September 8-11 in English Class

Hello artists and scholars, 

I wish you all an excellent beginning of the week! Last week, we drafted our autobiography of who we are as artists, creating autobiographical accounts of our passions. This week, we will continue writing workshop by editing each account and turning in a final paper next Monday, September 14. 

We will also be using this activity to springboard our own learning using the I CAN folders and practicing creating goals for our Learning Plan Meetings with parents at the end of the month. In middle school, we are not only mastering the I CAN statements at grade level, and perhaps beyond, we are also creating the self-evaluation habits of young adults. 

As middle schoolers at Otay Ranch Academy for the Arts, students are expected to be responsible for their own learning. This includes lots of lessons and practice of using evaluation tools and assessments to self-evaluate progress toward goals each month or so. It also means have conferences with students and parents about how young adults are reaching their goals and which activities might help them move toward their goals in class and beyond. In this model, the teacher helps provide the students activities and resources, while the students are ultimately in control of setting and working toward their own goals and learning. Parents, like the teacher, help facilitate this individual process of responsibility. 

I will be sending home a sign-up for Learning Plan Meetings as well as the artifact/demonstration part of the artist essay assignment later this week. 

If you need anything in the meantime, please don't hesitate to ask! 

Mrs. K

We are working on a narrative autobiography of who we are as an artist.

What we expect from this paper, due Tuesday, September 8, is:
1. A sequential story of how a student learned and developed their art.
2. A rough draft on lined paper, using the attached student-created rubric as a grading guideline.
3. There is no maximum or minimum for paragraphs. I want to see students turn in thorough, thoughtful work.
4. More features of narrative autobiography are located in student notes taken September 2.
5. Students will be bringing in a demonstration of their art after the final draft is complete. (Don't worry about this. Directions for this will follow after the writing is complete.)

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Grammar and Spelling	Correct grammar and spelling	Mostly correct grammar and spelling	Some correct grammar and spelling	Little correct grammar and spelling
Punctuation and Paragraphs	Uses punctuation appropriately. Uses paragraph structure well.	Mostly correct punctuation. Uses paragraphs.	Some correct Punctuation. No paragraphs.	Little correct punctuation. No paragraphs.
Readability	Handwriting in cursive or typewritten. Narrative is enjoyable to read.	Printed neatly or mostly readable cursive. Easy to follow narrative.	Not neat. Content is not readable.	Difficult to read in neatness and content.
Description and Word Choice	Contains lots of descriptive words and vocabulary.	Uses descriptive words and vocabulary.	Few descriptive words and vocabulary.	No descriptive words or sentences.
Topic	Narrator keeps on topic using description and word choice.	Narrator stays on topic.	Narrator is sometimes on topic.	Narrator is frequently off topic.
Hook or cliffhanger	Highly interesting for the reader.	Interesting narrative and details.	Some interesting parts/details.	Text which does not keep the reader\'s interest.

September 1-4, 2015

Welcome back to our artists and scholars!

This week, we will be reflecting and writing about who we are as artists and where our school journey has taken us as scholars. Students will be expected to write a multi-paragraph narrative essay which expresses their learning journey thus far into their lives and the artists they aspire to be. In this case, we are using the word artist as someone who does something well and with passion. After completing the narrative essay, students will be grading themselves based on a student-created rubric as well as demonstrating their art in the classroom. I look forward to the students being able to express themselves creatively as well as grow in their writing and art capabilities this year. Most of them are already expressing and interest in the art history we've done this year.

I have uploaded all this week's assignments to the moodle, but just in case you have not received login-information, I have also pasted a link to a google doc in the assignments page of this blog.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. Have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Mrs. K

Welcome to Middle School!

Welcome middle school students and families to Otay Ranch Academy for the Arts. I am thrilled to be a part of the staff this year because I get to learn and grow with all of you. I have been an educator for the past 16 years and teaching English and Art are passions of mine. 

I will be using this blog as a way for students and families to stay current with our in-and out of class activities. I've also listed some resources for families that have to with Art and Education in our community.  I will be posting a new letter with lesson plans weekly and updates in pictures and resources as I hear about them. 

Thank you for your partnership this year as we begin our lifelong journey to of scholarly passion, self expression, and creativity! 

I hope to see you soon, Mrs. K