Humanities
In Humanities, we are wrapping up learning about the American Revolution. Students spent time going more in depth about an aspect of this time period that interested them. Then, they created a learning station for Mrs. Krueger’s 5th grade class. We will be walking to Woodfield on Tuesday (2/21) to present the stations. The students are excited and looking forward to this opportunity. Next, students are also continuing work on the time capsule project. This week they will have more time to dig in and research their topics. Hopefully we will get to the Waterford Public Library to do some research soon. In REACH, they have many opportunities to be involved with the community and create products.
Writing
Production has begun! This week we talked about what needs to be done to change their narrative story into a video production. Students have three choices: act, play, read. We have started the preliminary steps in the process and are recording our decisions. They will have about 2-3 week to complete their production.
Writing
Production has begun! This week we talked about what needs to be done to change their narrative story into a video production. Students have three choices: act, play, read. We have started the preliminary steps in the process and are recording our decisions. They will have about 2-3 week to complete their production.
Mind Magic
A goal of REACH this year is to work on the executive functioning skills. Students were introduced to 10 different skills throughout October and November. They were given a number of different presentations and videos to learn from and study. In late November, students assessed themselves on how they felt they applied each of these different skills. In an attempt to make these skills sound more student friendly the REACH team changed the name to “Mind Magic Skills”. After some individual conferences, the students took the results from this assessment/survey and wrote their own mind magic goal.
The goals were written using a template so that they also learned that goals are multi-stepped and must ultimately end with some seeable result. Every goal that was created was personal to each specific student and only shared with the student and REACH teachers. Throughout December and January, we observed the students to make sure that these goals were appropriate to each student.
For the remainder of the year, the students will be reflecting weekly on their mind magic goals. They will have reflections questions created by the REACH team to help them learn how to make meaningful reflections. They will learn how to provide evidence that supports their growth towards their goal or make valuable observations about ways they may not be reaching their goal.
Once a student has made measurable growth to their mind magic goal, they will be given a reflection time to create a new goal to work towards. We hope that most students will be able to reach their original goal and make progress on achieving at least one more.
The goals were written using a template so that they also learned that goals are multi-stepped and must ultimately end with some seeable result. Every goal that was created was personal to each specific student and only shared with the student and REACH teachers. Throughout December and January, we observed the students to make sure that these goals were appropriate to each student.
For the remainder of the year, the students will be reflecting weekly on their mind magic goals. They will have reflections questions created by the REACH team to help them learn how to make meaningful reflections. They will learn how to provide evidence that supports their growth towards their goal or make valuable observations about ways they may not be reaching their goal.
Once a student has made measurable growth to their mind magic goal, they will be given a reflection time to create a new goal to work towards. We hope that most students will be able to reach their original goal and make progress on achieving at least one more.
MATH
Pacing:
As a reminder for parents, students have the pacing guide for the whole rest of the school year that shows what is due each week and when tests/quizzes should be taken by. If you’re wondering why your child may have a 0 for an assignment, it is more than likely that he or she just has not turned it in or completed it yet.
Math 8: Students should be working on Sections 5.3-5.4 this week, but if they have not yet completed all of Chapter 4 or the Semester Exam, they need to complete those first. Mini lessons this week will be for 5.1 and possibly 5.2.
Algebra 1: Students need to be completed with Chapter 7 at the point and starting the first couple sections of Chapter 8. Mini lessons for this week will be from chapter 7, sections 1-4.
Geometry: The students in Geometry have their own individual pacing.
Expectations for Notes & Practice
Just as a friendly reminder to all, we do have mini-lessons most days, depending on the math class, that are posted on the REACH schedule for students to see. In a blended learning environment like REACH, the expectation still is that the students will come to the mini-lesson having already seen the lesson video and taken some notes. This helps the mini-lesson to be more focused on clarifying parts of the lesson, doing more examples, and having time for questions to be answered, as opposed to waiting for everyone to take notes the whole time. Those notes are typically the thing that should be completed at home for homework, with the mini-lessons and practice work time in class.
High School Recommendations
I’ve had a few students ask me about recommendations yet for next year. Once again, since recommendations are due so early for us teachers, they are merely based on what we have seen so far and what we expect for the remainder of the year. With that being said, I do send the high school my final recommendations, along with final grades of the students, at the end of the school year. This means that students who did well the first semester but did not do quite as well the second half may be recommended to retake the course next year. This also means, though, that if it takes another semester for a students to prove him or herself, he or she could be recommended to move up from the original recommendations. If a parent or students has questions about their recommendation, feel free to ask me about it!
As a reminder for parents, students have the pacing guide for the whole rest of the school year that shows what is due each week and when tests/quizzes should be taken by. If you’re wondering why your child may have a 0 for an assignment, it is more than likely that he or she just has not turned it in or completed it yet.
Math 8: Students should be working on Sections 5.3-5.4 this week, but if they have not yet completed all of Chapter 4 or the Semester Exam, they need to complete those first. Mini lessons this week will be for 5.1 and possibly 5.2.
Algebra 1: Students need to be completed with Chapter 7 at the point and starting the first couple sections of Chapter 8. Mini lessons for this week will be from chapter 7, sections 1-4.
Geometry: The students in Geometry have their own individual pacing.
Expectations for Notes & Practice
Just as a friendly reminder to all, we do have mini-lessons most days, depending on the math class, that are posted on the REACH schedule for students to see. In a blended learning environment like REACH, the expectation still is that the students will come to the mini-lesson having already seen the lesson video and taken some notes. This helps the mini-lesson to be more focused on clarifying parts of the lesson, doing more examples, and having time for questions to be answered, as opposed to waiting for everyone to take notes the whole time. Those notes are typically the thing that should be completed at home for homework, with the mini-lessons and practice work time in class.
High School Recommendations
I’ve had a few students ask me about recommendations yet for next year. Once again, since recommendations are due so early for us teachers, they are merely based on what we have seen so far and what we expect for the remainder of the year. With that being said, I do send the high school my final recommendations, along with final grades of the students, at the end of the school year. This means that students who did well the first semester but did not do quite as well the second half may be recommended to retake the course next year. This also means, though, that if it takes another semester for a students to prove him or herself, he or she could be recommended to move up from the original recommendations. If a parent or students has questions about their recommendation, feel free to ask me about it!
A Look Ahead . . .
Monday 2.20
Final preparations for presentations tomorrow
Narrative Production work time
Tuesday 2.21
Math 5th and 6th
Humanities Learning Stations 7th and 8th at Woodfield
Wednesday 2.22
Time Capsule
Narrative Production work time
Thursday 2.23
Conferences (Teacher Requested)
Time Capsule
Narrative Production work time
Friday 2.24
NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice
Final preparations for presentations tomorrow
Narrative Production work time
Tuesday 2.21
Math 5th and 6th
Humanities Learning Stations 7th and 8th at Woodfield
Wednesday 2.22
Time Capsule
Narrative Production work time
Thursday 2.23
Conferences (Teacher Requested)
Time Capsule
Narrative Production work time
Friday 2.24
NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice