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