Monthly Archives: January 2020

8th Grade Seminar Update — 2/3/20

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I can’t wait to begin 8th grade seminar on February 18th!  We’ll be reading To Kill A Mockingbird, learning how to write a literary analysis, crafting odes, and engaging in lots of great conversations.

A few notes:

Some students really like having their own copy of To Kill A Mockingbird so they can write directly into the text.  Here’s the Amazon link to the copy that we’ll be using in class.  The version doesn’t absolutely matter, but it can be quite helpful when we refer to specific page numbers.  If your student doesn’t want their own copy, we have plenty of books they are welcome to borrow from the school.  I will also provide links to online audio versions.  Students who plan or prefer to listen to TKAM should plan on “tracking” along in the text while they are listening on a Chromebook.  Reading or even listening using a phone is not an option.

Even seminar does not begin for a few more weeks, there are upcoming dates of note:

Friday, February 7th:  Students need to sign up for Google Classroom (code is tcrib) AND fill out the following survey.

Tuesday, February 18th: First day of seminar.  Students will need a composition notebook and a writing utensil for class.  They are welcome to continue using their current composition notebook if they are already using one in their LA class.  If not, they’ll need a new one or they can come see me and I’ll try to get one for them.  There are definitely many 8th graders who may need their stock of pencils/pens replenished.

Thank you in advance for all your support!  -JF

Co-op Update — Weeks of 2/3 and 2/10

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Fantastic to see everyone for conferences. Here’s what’s happening going forward in co-op:
1) The end of the trimester is February 13th.  Students will be completing second trimester rubrics in their math and LA classes.  (This is a great time to make sure that any missing assignments from these classes are complete.)
2) Students should be working towards completing any portfolio tasks assigned from their conference.  (I would love to sign off on any personal sections that remain unsigned.)
3) Our next two weeks in council we’ll be exploring “words that hurt, words that heal” in trying to better understand the impact of language in our community.  We’ll also be recognizing random acts of kindness as we get closer to Valentine’s Day.
4) No school 2/14 and 2/17.
Thank you so much for your support.  -JF

LA Update — Final One

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(Looking for 8th Grade Seminar?  Check out posts under the 8th Grade Seminar Blog Header)

Hi Everyone,

Our final class together in our current configuration is on Thursday, February 13th.  Starting Tuesday, February 18th, LA classes will shift for third trimester. Eighth graders will remain with me for 8th grade seminar, while 6th and 7th graders will rotate into either Ms. Brownlee’s or Ms. Rundell’s LA class.  (The full list is at the conclusion of this email.
In the meanwhile, there is lots to do as we complete our personal video book review project.  It’s a big week and we’ll be walking through all the steps in the process as students (hopefully!) share how a book changed the way they see the world.  We’ll be having a film festival on Wednesday the 13th and Thursday the 14th to watch all the videos and to get some reading suggestions going forward.  Here is the padlet (password is: Grendel) where all the videos will be featured in case you want a few good book recommendations yourself!   (It’s empty now, but will be populated by next week.)
Upcoming Due Dates.  I also (unfortunately) can’t offer extensions as we are bumping up against the end of the trimester.
Tuesday, February 4th:
1) Visual Chart should be complete.
Tuesday, February 11th:
1) PVBR Rubric complete.
2) Video turned in to Padlet
Wednesday, February 12th:
1) Trimester Rubric self evaluation complete.
2) Reading Plan/Padlet Updated.
3) All “Feiger” Personal Library Books returned.  I have a lot of books from my personal library that are checked out.  Any help checking rooms, lockers, etc. for books would be greatly appreciated.
If kids need extra help with their video, they should definitely reach out and I will try to make myself available.
Thank you so much for all your support.  I’ve so enjoyed these past two trimesters with your student.   Best,  -Josh Feiger

Third Trimester Students Moving to Ms. Brownlee Block 1

Trevor
Beckett
Jesse
Phoenix
Violete
Chloe
Galileo
Maddi
Declan
Maggie
Cody

Third Trimester Students Moving to Ms. Brownlee Block 2

Scarlett
Tobin
Abigail
Shay
Calvin
Siena 
Owen
Zander
Madeline
Yitz 
Wendell
Sigi
Anna Grace
Bella
Judah
Tatum H.
Alice
Kate
Maya L.
Sean M.
Saffron

Third Trimester Students Moving to Ms. Rundell Block 1

Celeste
Johan
Helena
Jasper
Sean K.
Griffin
Mack
Sophia
Zach
Carter 
Joaquin

Co-op Update — Week of 1/27/20

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I look forward to seeing everyone at student-led conferences next week at conferences.  Here is the final schedule.  A few quick reminders:
1) If you are creating a digital portfolio, please make sure you have “published” your site and that all links are “sharable.”  We want to be focused on your thinking, and not any technical glitches.  (Thank you!).
2) Conference release day is next Friday.   Students will need to be picked up around 10:35am.
See you next week!  Best, -Josh Feiger
 
Ps.  Here are links to the Conference Requirements and the Conference Format one more time.

Plants & Zombies — Weeks of 1/21 and 1/27

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For the next couple of weeks, it’s all about the cell.  We’ll be learning how to use the microscope, studying cell organelles, starting a cell “day in the life” comic-strip project, visiting the local creek (2x?) near the school to collect and examine live samples, and comparing plant vs. animal cells.  We’ll also introduce the tree of life, looking at the difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Upcoming due dates:
Wednesday and Thursday: wear warm clothes (gloves, hat) — we will be going outside to collect samples and it will be cold.
Friday:  Fieldwork at the Denver Aquarium.  Bring Sack Lunch, Writing Utensil, Science Journal.
Wednesday, 1/29: Petri dish lab report due.  (Tentative)
Tuesday 2/4:  Animal chosen for LTP.  Cell Comic Due  (Tentative)
Thanks for all your ongoing support!
Best, -Josh Feiger
Ps.  The chard seeds are taking longer than expected to germinate.  We’ll keep them at school until they do.  Hopefully, this will happen soon!
Pps.  Ask your student to explain DNA, RNA, Ribosomes, Codons, and Amino Acids to you!

LA Update — Weeks of 1/21 and 1/27

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This week, we’ll write our voice-over narratives for our personalized video book reviews.  Between MLK day, the ADI, and our conference release day, we only have seven classes over the next two weeks.  We’ll also be reviewing apostrophes and homonyms.  Here are a few great questions to ask your student about class:

1) What is the theme of your book?

2) What is a PVBR?

3) What text-to-self connections did you make while reading this book?

4) What image did you draw for your book?

5) How did you arrange the character map?

6) Does your book follow the “Hero’s Journey?”  Why or why not?

7) What are you reading as your choice novel right now (different from PVBR book)?

Upcoming due dates:

Tuesday, January 21st:  “Read This Book” due at the BEGINNING of class with rubric.  This should include a stapled packet with rubric, twenty questions, plot mountain, drawing, and character map. (Students will need to print this out.)

Monday, January 27th:  Strong Draft of Narrative should be complete.  We’ll be peer critiquing these in class on Tuesday, January 28th.

Monday (2/3):  Narrative spreadsheets complete.  This includes all pictures/images/videos.

Thank you for all your continued support!  -Josh Feiger

Co-op Update — Weeks of 1/21 and 1/27

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Not a ton of new news to report these next two weeks.  In case your wondering, here’s our typical co-op schedule:
Mondays:  Check-in, read-aloud
Tuesdays: Portfolio Worktime
Wednesday:  Collaborative Game (Co-op is only 15 minutes on this day)
Thursday:  Council.  Recent themes have included (“Recharged and ready to go” and “Integrity”)
Friday:  All CHOICE activity TBA.  (Geography Bee is Friday 1/17)
Conferences are happening soon.  Here are resources.
Conference Expectations (Completed PRIOR to conferences.  If 6th graders (or any student) are unclear on portfolio elements, they are welcome to meet with me either before school, lunch, or after school  — and I’m happy to help.
Friendly reminder that Friday, January 31st is a conference release date.
Thank you for all your continued support!  -JF
Ps.  While the destination of our Spring trip is still a secret (and will be until March 4th), the dates are not — May 4-8.  If you are interested in joining us, let me know. We need a lot of parent support to make this trip happen.

Plants and Zombies Update — Week of 1/13

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This is DNA (and RNA) week in Plants and Zombies.  We’ll be building models of both DNA and RNA out of licorice and marshmallows to learn how amino acids are compiled into proteins.  We’ll also be doing a fun DNA crime activity to learn more about genotypes and phenotypes.  If time allows, we’ll introduce the LTP and start to explore different types of cells this week — but that will likely get pushed into the following week.
A reminder that our first ADI is on Friday, January 24th.  We’ll be headed to the Downtown Aquarium to dissect squid and explore the different fish environments.  Students will need a sack lunch, their science notebook, and a writing utensil on that day.
Some questions you can ask your student after our first week:
1) How does a bacteriophage reproduce itself?  (Virus cycle)
2) What is your independent variable, your dependent variable, and control for your Chard experiment?
3) What virus are you studying?  What does it effect and how?  What does your 3D Model look like?
4) How do vaccines work?
5) Where are you going to keep your chard and what is your system for recording data?
Upcoming due dates:
  • In class:  DNA Model, RNA Model, and DNA Crime Project
  • Due Thursday:  3D Virus and Infographic
  • Friday:  Students will be bringing their chard experiments home!  Introduction to Lab (first six steps) should be complete.
  • Also, Quest #1 will take place in class on Friday.   Quests are assessments, halfway between a quiz and a test.  Students will have access to the questions in advance and be allowed to use any notes from their science notebook.  I will also allow students to do re-takes as much as they would like so long as they are within a week of the original quest date.
Thank you for all your support.  Have a great week!  -JF
Ps.  Let’s hope the chard seeds sprout this week!

Plants and Zombies Update — Week of 1/7

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Welcome to Plants & Zombies.  For those of you who haven’t had me as a teacher before, I do my best to send out email updates from class every 7 (or 14) days with happenings from class.  These updates are sent to both students and parents.  They are also posted under the “integrated” tab on my blog.

I am super excited to see everyone on Tuesday and dive into Life Science.  We will begin with an extensive study of the invisible world by investigating viruses, learning about DNA, and seeking to comprehend the basic premise behind genetics.  Later, we’ll move to bacteria and explore procaryotes/eucaryotes as we work our way up to understanding more complex multi-cellular organisms.

A few logistics:

1) Your student needs a science notebook.  I’ll have composition notebooks available for students, but some may wish to bring in their own.  The best type of notebook is a 7.5 x 9.75 inches bound notebook with graph paper.  Lined paper will work as well.

2) Students likely need a refresh of pens and pencils.  Ask them.  A set of individual colored pencils would be very helpful as well — but again, I’ll have this available for students as needed.

3) We’ll have ADIs on January 24th, February 28th, and April 3rd.  Students will need a sack lunch for these days.   More details TBA.

4) There is a chrome extension called Piktochart that is fantastic for making infographics and communicating understanding.  The one catch is that it is intended for students 13 and up.  If your student is under the age of 13 and you have concerns about them using this software, please let me know and I can happily find alternative ways to show their understanding.  This is an opt-out.  If I don’t hear from you, I will allow students to access this software (the free version) for projects as needed.

Upcoming due dates:  (These may float — depending on flow of class.)

  • Wednesday, January 8th:  Student Safety Contract Due w/ parent signature.
  • Friday, January 11th:  Scientific Method — Plant Experiment Plan.
  • Tuesday, January 15th:  Virus Project Due
  • Friday, January 18th:  DNA/Virus Knowledge Quest.

Thank you so much for all your support this semester.

Best, -Josh Feiger

Ps.  If you haven’t yet seen the original course description…

  Plants and Zombies :  Life Science

Did you know that for every one human cell you have in your body, you have 20 bacteria cells. Look at your neighbors — they are 95% bacteria!  Life is bizarre and this class will prepare you to become a mad scientist. Let’s mess with DNA, hereditary traits, chromosomes, and mutations! You will manipulate genes, grow plants, build models, take field trips, and even design a species, thinking about life 5,000,000 years in the future.  From cells to ecosystems, join us on an evolutionary life science voyage where we’ll explore life on the moon, bacteria in our bodies, and the zombie genes of elephants. Darwin loves you!

 

LA Update — Weeks of 1/7 and 1/13

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Welcome back!  Our big project for the final five weeks of our LA class will be the creation of personalized video book reviews (PVBRs).  Students will be identifying one book from their book plan that they’ve really enjoyed over the course of the last six months and exploring it more deeply to share how that book changed the way they see the world.  Students need to bring that book with them for class on Tuesday.
Here’s an archive of Audience Favorites from years past to give you a sense of what the final product (due mid-February) might look like.
 Creating these PVBRs is a four-step process:
  1. Thinking deeply and using comprehension strategies to understand the a“soul” of your selected book.  We’ll do this by answering 20 questions using a “read this book” sheet.  Students will be finding important passages in their books, identifying theme, making text-to-text connections, writing summaries, and more. Some of the questions take 5 second to answer; others will require considerably more time/thinking.
  2. Generating a script based on the “read this book” sheet.
  3. Identifying images/video/music/etc. that compliment the audio script.
  4. Pulling it all together through recording, editing, compilation, and credits.
Step one will take us several weeks.  We’ll start by watching a bunch of videos and identifying those elements that create a strong PVBR.
Upcoming due dates:
Every night:  Reading 30 minutes
Tuesday, January 7th:  PVBR Book — Physical book or Kindle version present at school.  (This was assigned prior to winter break.  Students will need their book daily for the next several weeks.)
Thursday, January 9th:  Book return.  I’ve lent a LOT of books out from my personal library — which is wonderful — but some of the books have been out for months.  Please check with your student to make sure that any books they are not actively reading are returned to my classroom.  (I’m sure there are many library books out too — those should be returned to school library.)
Friday, January 10th:  Email Check-in #2  AND Questions #1-#7 on “Read This Book” should be complete.
Friday, January 17th: Questions #8-#15 and #20 due on “Read This Book” sheet. (Not collected)
Tuesday, January 21st:  “Read This Book” due at the BEGINNING of class with rubric.  This should include a stapled packet with rubric, twenty questions, plot mountain, drawing, and character map.  (Students will need to print this out.)
Thursday, January 23rd:  Strong Draft of Narrative should be complete.
Tuesday, January 28th: Narrative Peer Critique.
Happy New Year!  -JF