Monthly Archives: March 2018

Block 2 LA Update — Week of 3/19/18

Leave a reply
This page is for my LA Block 2 class.  If you are looking for 8th grade seminar, click here.
This week, we’ll be finishing up Because of Mr. Terupt.  There are sequels to this book —  so you may wish to ask your student if they want to read them.   That would make for terrific Spring break reading and the books are likely available at the local or school library.
The other thing that we’ll be doing this work is finishing up work on our character / plot drawings for the CHOICE novels that we are reading in class.  Those should be turned in on Thursday.
Have a wonderful week!  -JF
Ps.  Only three meetings this week due to CMAS testing/Athletic Day.

Fast Food Nation Update — Week of 3/19/18

Leave a reply
We’ll be filming our news broadcasts, working on our PSR (Portfolio reflections), and finishing up our discussions around That Sugar Film.  We only have three classes this week and two of them are halved due to CMAS testing.
Here’s the (tentative) filming schedule fyi…  Students in those groups will need all props brought to school on their day of filming.  (Scripts should be written already).  All students should not wear green on these days as we’ll need extras for some of the broadcasts.  I will certainly send out links to final broadcasts when these are ready!  (Probably not until mid April)
  • Today:  Aztec Newscast
  • Tuesday at 3pm: Olmec Newscast
  • Thursday at 2:45pm:  Inca Newscast
  • Thursday at 3:15pm: Anasazi Newscast
  • Monday 4/2 at 1:45pm: Toltec Newscast
  • Monday 4/2 at 2:15pm: Mayans Newscast
  • Monday 4/2 at 2:45pm: Inuits Newscast
Upcoming due dates:
  • 3/22:  PSRs Signed Off in Portfolios.
Have a fantastic week!  -JF

8th Grade Seminar Update — Week of 3/19/18

Leave a reply
Dear Excellent Eighth graders (and families!)
Due to CMAS testing and Athletic day, we only have three classes this week and two of them are shorter than usual. We’ll be continuing our studies of To Kill A Mockingbird and engaging in a discussion of the Eugenics movement.
Here are a list of upcoming due dates:
  • Every night: Reading 30 minutes —including Spring break. Students should be reading a choice novel on the side.
  • Thursday, March 22nd: Chapters 12-14.
  • Tuesday, April 3rd:  Chapter 15-17.
  • Friday, April 6th: Character Map Due
  • Monday, April 9th-12th: CMAS 8th grade science testing during seminar.
  • Tuesday, April 16th: Chapter 18-25 with comprehension check
  • Monday, April 22nd: Book complete. Start final TKAM project.
Have a fantastic week!  (And Spring Break!).  -JF

Co-Op Update — Weeks of 3/12 and 3/19

Leave a reply
A few notes as we get close to Spring Break.
  1. Contributions to CHOICE reflection should be complete by 3/16/18.
  2. Parents — if you have not yet made your 2017-18 CHOICE Donation, please make sure to do so.  We’ve gotten most of the CHOICE donations, but there are still outstanding funds and we need your support.  (Thank you in advance!)
  3. Athletic Day is March 23rd.  Students will need to bring in athletic day funds to cover their activity.  $40 for skiing (unless they already have an Eldora pass), $15 for Bowling or Rec Center.  Students will have normal school hours on that day
  4. CMAS testing begins on Monday, March 19th.  See schedule here
  5. The week of 3/12-3/16 is COIN Wars.  Students are encouraged to bring in extra coins for charity to co-op.
  6. Spring Trip will be announced on Wednesday.  We’ll be asking students to choose their activities for Spring Trip shortly thereafter.
  7. Lots happening — so make sure to check out the CHOICE Weekly each week as well.
Thank you for all your continued support!  -JF

FFN Update — Week of 3/12/18

Leave a reply
On Wednesday, our class will have a very special opportunity for a Q&A with Ann Cooper, head of BVSD Food Services.  To prepare for her visit, we’ll be watching her TED talk and generating questions for her visit.  We’ll also continue with that Sugar Film, our Ancient Civilization Newscasts, and — if time allows — beginning work on our POL.
I also would love your help in reminding students NOT to wear the color green for a few weeks starting on Thursday, March 15th.  When we start filming our newscasts in front of the green screen — anything close to green will make for a strange translucent image.  (Think head with no body — though that may work if students include some type of reporting on human sacrifice…!)
Upcoming due dates:
  • Monday, March 12th:  Civilization Presentations due.  They will be presented to the class on that day.
  • Friday, March 16th: Newscasts should be written.  Last day for revisions for LTPs.  (Students who wish to revise should make an appointment prior to that date)
Have a great week!  -JF

LA Update — Week of 3/12/18

Leave a reply

This blog is for my block 2 LA class.  For the  8th grade seminar blog, click here.  

Here are a few questions that you can ask your student about class:

  • 1) What’s happening in Because of Mr. Terupt?
  • 2) Which character in the book is most like you?  Which one would you least like to be friends with?
  • 3) What is foreshadowing?
  • 4) Can you explain the following vocabulary words?
    •  Gripe
    •  Contort
    • Shakedown
    • Tentatively
    • Concoction
5) How is your school design coming along?
This week, we’ll be continuing with Mr. Terupt, developing our schools, registering for classes (Wednesday),  and hopefully starting our own CHOICE reading projects.
Due dates TBA.  Have a great week!  -JF

8th Grade Seminar Update — Week of 3/12/18

Leave a reply
It was super fun to see the play at the DCPA with all the 8th graders last Thursday.  Definitely ask them what they learned about “Tank-Man,” the metaphor of “The Great Leap,” and the storyline of the play.
This week, we’ll be learning about “Atticus-isms,”  rapping/singing about figurative language, and continuing our conversations about To Kill A Mockingbird.  As I have mentioned earlier, this is a super challenging text (especially at the beginning) and I encourage all students to listen to the audio and track as they track the book.  I have audio links available here (and on Google Classroom).
Upcoming due dates:
Monday (3/12):  Chapters 5-8.  There will also be a comprehension quiz on this day.  (We’ll be starting book group menu #3)
Friday (3/16):  Chapter 9-11:
Thursday (3/22):  Chapters 12-14
Have a great week!

Fast Food Nation Update — Week of 3/5/18

Leave a reply
We had a really fun, informative, and tasty ADI on Friday.  If you haven’t already, definitely ask your student about the similarities and differences between the food production lines of The Kitchen and McDonald’s.
This week, we’ll be writing thank yous, finishing the final draft of the LTP, reading more of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, starting That Sugar Movie, and working on our ancient Civilization presentations.
Upcoming due dates:
Have a great week!  -Josh Feiger

8th Grade Seminar Update — Week of 3/5/18

Leave a reply
On Thursday, our 8th grade seminar will be attending the play, “The Great Leap” at the Denver Center for Performing Arts.   Last Thursday, we had a guest speaker from the DCPA give us some background about the play and we’ve been learning a bit about the events of Tiananmen Square to help us prepare.  As per CHOICE tradition, students are expected to dress up and they should also bring a sack lunch on that day.  We’ll leave around 9:30am and return around 2pm.
This week, we’ll also be doing some “book speed-dating” and we’ll also continuing our book group discussions on To Kill a Mockingbird.
Upcoming due dates:
  • Every night;  Read 30 minutes.  Students should not be reading ahead in TKAM, so they will likely need a book on the side.
  • Tuesday, March 6th:  Chapters 3 and 4 of To Kill A Mockingbird.
  • Thursday, March 8th:  Sack lunch and dress up for DCPA play
  • Monday, March 12th:  Chapters 5-8 of To Kill A Mockingbird.  Possible “surprise”  reading-check quiz on that day.
Have a fantastic week!  -Josh Feiger

LA Update — Week of 3/5/12

Leave a reply

This is for my block 2 LA class.  If you are looking for 8th Grade seminar, click here.  

In LA this week, we’ll be continuing to read Because of Mr. Terupt, working on our “Design a School Project, and participating in an improv workshop facilitated by ImprovLeap on Thursday.  If time allows, I also want to start our non fiction study as well.
Upcoming due dates:
  • Everyday:  Reading or Audio while tracking
  • Tuesday, March 6th:  “Blueprint” drawing for Design a School Project due.
  • Monday, March 12th:  Blueprint explanation should be complete. (3-4 Paragraphs explaining why the school is designed the way that it is.)
The hope is that we’ll be able to do most (if not all) of the “Design a School” work in class.
Have a terrific week!  -JF