March 2012
47 posts
A Beautiful Soup [30 March 2012]
Are we really down to just four items? That must mean a break is coming up soon.
Portland: Our next trip-planning conversation will be Monday. Have you followed up with your contacts in Portland?
Island Projects: You decided that these projects are due Tuesday. Don’t forget to consult the shared document with details about the content, presentation, and product expectations that you...
Studying the Eighties [29 March 2012]
Take on me.
Math: Complete Practice 8-3.
Portland: Our next trip-planning conversation will be tomorrow. Have you followed up with your contacts in Portland?
Graduation: Our next conversation will be tomorrow. We’ll share details with Chris at that meeting.
Capstones: Don’t forget to check in with your mentor at a regularly scheduled time every week to assess your progress and to...
"Don't touch me!" [28 March 2012]
Spring Sing is Friday. The second rehearsals will be held tomorrow.
Math: Complete the green paper for 8-3. Do as much as you can.
Science: Review the “plumbing” vocabulary sheet.
Portland: Our next trip-planning conversation will be Friday. Have you followed up with your contacts in Portland?
Graduation: Our next conversation will be Friday. We’ll share details with Chris...
Egg Drop Soup [27 March 2012]
Spring Sing is Friday. Rehearsals will be held tomorrow and Thursday.
Math: Complete enough problems on Practice 8-2 to feel comfortable with factoring and finding roots of polynomials.
Science: Review the “plumbing” vocabulary that was shared today.
Español: Repasa tus apuntes sobre el pretérito perfecto y el modo condicional.
Portland: Our next trip-planning session will be...
"I feel the wind in my hair!" [26 March 2012]
Taelon will be hosting a kindergarten visit on Avenida de la Playa tomorrow.
Capstones: Don’t forget to check in with your mentor at a regularly scheduled time every week to assess your progress and to set goals for the week to come. Also remember to document the work that you are doing. The presentation date is Thursday, May 31.
Español: Repasa tus apuntes sobre el pretérito perfecto y...
Extemporaneous [23 March 2012]
Hurricane Ruby is predicted to make landfall on Monday.
PE: Bring your bikes and helmets to school on Monday. You will store them in Studio 8.
Capstones: The kick-off date for these projects is Monday and the presentation date is Thursday, May 31.
Graduation: Our next conversation will be Monday. Think about the theme you would like for your photographs and invitations. Come with ideas. You...
Are you with us? Yup! [22 March 2012]
Importantísimo: You will begin a bike riding unit in PE on Monday. To prepare, you will need to (a) check with your parents about getting your bike to school, (b) remember your helmet, (c) if you have an extra bike and/or helmet to lend to someone else, bring that too, and (d) if you do not have a bike or helmet, check with those that have extras to lend.
Math: If you did not complete the back...
White Picket Chairs [21 March 2012]
There will be a shared pizza order tomorrow and a potluck on Friday. Do you know what you have signed up to bring each day?
Math: Complete the orange sheet on factoring monomials.
Español: Noche de repaso. Repasa las temas que hicimos en clase hoy.
Island Projects: We’ll be speaking about presentations, the product list, and the quality of the products tomorrow.
Portland: Our next...
The Office [20 March 2012]
Are you keeping up with the details that are contained in the many shared documents and the list below?
If you would like to make a donation to the fourth grade fundraiser for students at Marshall Elementary School, bring it to school tomorrow.
Math: Tonight is MYOH night. There will be a quiz tomorrow covering 7-4 through 7-7, plus 8-1.
Español: Noche de repaso. Repasa las temas que hicimos...
Colorized [19 March 2012]
There will not be hot lunch available on Thursday and Friday. Do you want to coordinate a potluck or something for those days?
Update: If you would like to make a donation to the fourth grade fundraiser for students at Marshall Elementary School, bring it to school tomorrow or Wednesday.
Math: Complete Practice 7-7.
Portland: Our next trip-planning discussion will be tomorrow. (It was...
Carwai on "What's going on in Studio 8?" →
Carwai has posted a reflection on the last few months. She also takes points out what we’re up to at the moment and takes a look at the months ahead, reminding us that “There is still “a summer left.””
WatchAnd here’s another look at Chernobyl, this time the human lives impacted by the disaster even 25 years after the fact: Half-Lives: The Chernobyl Workers Now.
Duck! [16 March 2012]
Remember that there will be class for you next Thursday and Friday. K-6 will have conferences those days, so there will not be hot lunch available. Do you want to coordinate a potluck or something for those days?
Humanities: Our conversation about The Giver will take place on Monday. If you have not finished the book, you have a few more days to do that.
Portland: Our next trip-planning...
Martes Trece [13 March 2012]
Jorge Appreciation Day is Friday. How will you participate?
Math: Complete Practice 7-5. This is also an opportunity for you to complete outstanding concepts on your checklist.
Humanities: The reading schedule you came up with for The Giver is to complete the book by tomorrow.
Español: La fecha de entrega de su proyecto sobre el libro El viaje de su vida es mañana.
Capstones: Your final...
Can you tell me about the [TCS film] blog? →
Don’t miss what is yet another epic post from Laure, this time responding to an inquiry about her blog. I’ll give you a few choice snips to get you started.
On photography and film:
What do I mean by “our work,” you may ask. Yes, I mean photography and film — but more than that too. Why do I sometimes post perceptual experiments with people in gorilla suits, street art, optical...
π for pie [14 March 2012]
Three point…
Capstones: Your final written project proposal (one that answers the questions in the shared document) needs to be complete by your conference tomorrow. The kick-off date for these projects is Monday, March 26 and the presentation date is Thursday, May 31.
Conferences: Conferences will be held tomorrow. Check the schedule for your appointment. Note that there will be no class....
Fourth Grade Performance and Fundraiser
A note from Jen and Denise:
Mark your calendars! TCS’ 4th graders are having a fundraiser!!! We are raising money to help 100+ local 4th grade students go on an overnight trip to Indian Hills Camp in Jamul so they can have a hands-on learning experience about the Gold Rush. These students attend Marshall Elementary School in City Heights and need our help because their families cannot...
Acts of Kindness [12 March 2012]
Focus on what follows.
Math: Tonight is a MYOHN. This is also an opportunity for you to complete outstanding concepts on your checklist. There will be a quiz tomorrow covering 6-5, 6-6, 7-1, 7-2, and 7-4.
Portland: Our next trip-planning discussion will be tomorrow. Add your research about the three themes (art, food, and outdoors) to the shared document. Also, find out from your parents how...
Appreciated [9 March 2012]
Carwai and I want to thank you all for the many appreciations over the past couple of days.
Capstones: On Monday, bring a written project proposal that answers the questions in the shared document. Your final set of expectations, your project description, and your mentor connection need to be complete by your conference on March 15. The kick-off date for these projects is Monday, March 26 and...
Miss Representation » Dinner Conversations →
Lisa A. passed along this set of follow-up questions to Miss Representation. You might want to share them with your parents and we might want to talk about some of them during upcoming Morning Meetings.
Softball Coach [8 March 2012]
{Insert intro here.}
Math: Tonight is MYOHN. Due to our busy day, the quiz has been postponed until tomorrow. It will cover concepts 6-5, 6-6, 7-1, and 7-2.
Portland: Our next trip-planning discussion will be tomorrow. The focus of the conversation will be on the finalizing the purpose of the trip and sharing research. See the Google Doc with notes from today.
Capstones: We’ll have...
The Golden Apple [7 March 2012]
For the third time, pay careful attention to this list and to Google Docs. We have a lot of projects to focus on simultaneously, so keep yourself informed and involved.
Conferences: URGENT: Conferences will be held Thursday, March 15. The schedule for that day is now online. If you do not already have a time scheduled, please talk with your parents. Yesterday the class made a list of topics to...
Island Projects
A few people have asked me about the island projects that you’re working on. Here’s what I’ve shared:
We’ve been talking about civilization(s) all year. For the eighth graders’ final academic project of the school year (not including individual capstone projects), the kids talked about fully combining their humanities and science (earth and environmental science)...
Food Thief [6 March 2012]
Once again, pay careful attention to this list and to Google Docs. We have a lot of projects to focus on simultaneously, so keep yourself informed and involved.
Math: Practice 7-2 (dividing monomials).
Conferences: URGENT: Conferences will be held Thursday, March 15. The schedule for that day is now online. If you do not already have a time scheduled, please talk with your parents. Yesterday...
Wave [5 March 2012]
Pay careful attention to this list and to Google Docs. We have a lot of projects to focus on simultaneously, so keep yourself informed and involved.
Math: Complete 7-2 (dividing monomials).
Conferences: Conferences will be held Thursday, March 15. The schedule for that day is now online. If you do not already have a time scheduled, please talk with your parents. Today the class made a list of...
NMY 8 March Conference Schedule 2012
Here is the schedule for our final set of conferences, which will be held on Thursday, March 15. There will not be class that day. Note that since we changed the dates, there WILL BE class on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23.
Thursday, March 15
7:30
8:15 CH
9:00 SE
9:45 RL
10:30
11:15 MC
12:00 Lunch
12:45
1:45 BB
2:30 TR
Friday, March 16
7:15 AB
Laure on Maps →
I hope that you haven’t missed Laure’s post on maps. Here’s the first paragraph:
I really enjoyed spending time with the eighth grade yesterday hearing about place and space, two of my favorite subjects, during their discussion of civilization, their islands, and The Giver. I can’t wait to see your maps!
Her post contains several images that you’ll enjoy. If you...
"Crash Course" on World History →
John Green, author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns, has begun posting “Crash Course” videos about the history of the world. So far, there are six videos in the series, including episodes on the Indus Valley civilization and Mesopotamia. Eventually, there will be 40 videos.
Tati pointed out John Green’s YouTube work to me. He’s half of...
Panqueues [2 March 2012]
Starting next week and lasting for two weeks, you will return to your old PE schedule of Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday for a paddle tennis unit. Don’t forget to bring your PE attire those days.
Confessionals: Record your confession tonight for Airdrop on Monday.
Portland: Our first trip-planning discussion will be Monday. The focus of the conversation will be on the purpose of the trip.
...
Worldbuilding →
The concept of worldbuilding is related to your island projects. The Wikipedia article might be of some help as a starting point.
I, Rearrangement Servant →
Want to play with the anagram tool that I was using in class today? Have at it, but beware of the irate crowbar.
Stirrings [1 March 2012]
Shebri or Brishé? Rudrew or Andby? Caexx or Maelaine? Or something else entirely?
Update: Tomorrow is Read Across America. Bring a book, wear your pajamas (optional), and expect pancakes.
Great Artists: Post your Alfred Hitchcock work to you blog by tomorrow.
Graduation: Bring your ideas for graduation tomorrow. We will have our first planning discussion that day.
Math: Please complete the...
