Sunday, November 21, 2010

Fundraiser Info.

PTSA-- Library and P.E. Fundraiser

When: Monday the 22nd, Tuesday the 23rd and Wednesday the 24th of November.


What: Students will be able to purchase a daily ticket for a special privilege that day.

Library

Cost: 1:00 a ticket. The ticket is good for one day only. Except for Library game pass


Library tickets:

The wearing of hats, caps, and hoods.

The use of their I-pod during free time and lunch.

The use of their cell phone for texting only at lunch

Tank tops (NO Spaghetti straps.)

Pajama bottoms/ flannel pants

Computer game pass for the library at lunch.( Ticket good until December 19th)



You will purchase your tickets each morning in the Media Center. Cash only.


The PE dept. ( Mrs Barazk and Mr. Shultz ) will be selling a ticket for two dollars that can be used to get out of the Wed mile for one day in Dec. You will purchase those in class when you go to PE that week.


Saturday, November 20, 2010

Helpful Sites

Hi,

I also have these posted at the bottom of the Home Page, but I just wanted to remind everyone of these important links. The school calendar is IMPORTANT. It shows you sports, clubs meetings, days off school, etc.

PVUSD Home Page: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/siteweb/
PVUSD's Gifted Education Web Page: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/giftedweb/
Digital Learning Center's Information Web Page: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/giftedweb/digitalLearningCenter.html
Sunrise Middle School's Home Page: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/srmsweb/
Sunrise Middle School's Events Calendar: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/srmsweb/Events
Parent/Student Handbook: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/siteweb/handbooks/ParentStudentHndbk.pdf
Ms. Binder's Web Page: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/~abinder/

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

11/17 And now we are in the war...

We are getting into battle now......

Today the kids are advising the presidents of the Union and the Confederacy about why their side is LIKELY to win the war (at the beginning).

Friday, November 12, 2010

What is a way my child can organize his/her time on this project?

Thank you very much for asking. For the Thematic Causes of the Civil War Digitally Narrated Product that should be 5-7 minutes and is due on 11/24 (if you don't check the homework blog....please do), here is an "ideal" way to organize the time on the nights that your child has the laptop checked out.

On the evenings when it is not his/her turn to check it out, they should be planning/storyboarding/scripting what they will accomplish the next time they have the laptop. On the days that he/she has the laptop, they should create and record about 1 minute of their presentation. That leaves 2 planning days (roughly) and 5 creating/narrating days to equal 5 minutes.

FOR EACH EVENT YOUR CHILD CITES AS EVIDENCE, HE/SHE MUST EXPLAIN THAT EVENT AND HOW IT APPLIES TO THE THEME HE/SHE HAS CHOSEN. That is the meat of their presentation/narration.

With all the students citing the same content (roughly), one of the MAIN goals of this piece (aside from social studies content) is to make their project stand out in some way. It is hard to do, but they will lose the audience otherwise.

Movement, meaningful images (setting a scene), and a well-timed, voice appropriate narration is KEY to visual/auditory success on this piece. Students should not be using popular songs.

How to Start the Project
a. Complete categorizing the causes/events that contributed to the start of the Civil War into
each theme: community, conflict, justice, and wealth/economy.
b. Choose the ONE THEME that contributed THE MOST to the start of the Civil War.
c. Determine the ORDER of the causes/events that you will present to persuade the audience that your cause is the main cause.

Day 1 w/ laptop
1. Make intro slide w/ your name, due date (11/24), unit title (Before Brother Fought Brother),
topic title (Civil War) and your MAIN theme of the start of the Civil War (Community,
Conflict, Justice, and Wealth)
2. Narrate...MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SLIDE ONLY CONTAIN KEY TEXT AND THAT YOUR
NARRATIONS ARE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES....NOT JUST READING US BULLET
POINTS!!!!!
Day 2 w/ laptop
1. Complete 1 minute of slide creation and narration.
2. Add appropriate transitions from your intro slide to your next section. Make it smooth.
3. Remember to test the sound and make sure the volume is the same.

Day 3 w/ laptop
Repeat day 2

Day 4 w/ laptop
Repeat day 2

Day 5 w/ laptop
Repeat day 2

Day 6 w/ laptop
Repeat day 2...5+ minutes should be completed.

Day 7 w/ laptop
Final touches. Make sure all the sound is correct. Show someone else and have them grade you on the rubric.

Laptop Check-Out Days for this Project
(if you need to schedule something different, you need to arrange it with your partner)
Any day your partner is NOT taking it home, you are welcome to check it out. :)
Wed. 11/10 & Thursday 11/11 (no school) - BLOCK II (day count 2)
Friday 11/12, Saturday 11/13, and Sunday 11/14 - BLOCK I (day count 3)
Monday, 11/15 - BLOCK II (day count 3)
Tuesday, 11/16 - BLOCK I (day count 4)
Wednesday, 11/17 - BLOCK II (day count 4)
Thursday, 11/18 - BLOCK I (day count 5)
Friday, 11/19, Saturday 11/20, Sunday 11/21 - BLOCK II (day count 7)
Monday, 11/22 & Tuesday 11/23 - BLOCK 1 (day count 7)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

11/2 Things are not always as they seem....






Today, after much discussion and revision, the debaters came ready (most :( of them) to debate. A twist was thrown in and each group was given an evaluator to individually coach his/her group and one was switched into another class. The year is about to start taking some twists and turns. :) Tomorrow we will be doing the Stephen Crane redo projects and the debate (all students should come to school or bring dapper clothes). More twists to come....

The photos in this post show the evaluators from Block I becoming leaders and are now directing groups.




Monday, November 1, 2010

11/1 The Rundown

While the debate participants are currently prepping their plans for brilliantly articulated debates, the evaluators are learning the importance of organization, explanation, and evidence. Listening to the evaluators discuss the pieces of writing they have received has been very interesting. The discussion had strong moments of cognitive enlightenment.

As for the debaters....we need to go over persuasive introductions.

This is our first attempt at debating in a formal setting.

REMINDER

PLEASE DO NOT PACK PEANUT PRODUCTS AS YOUR CHILD'S SNACK.
THANK YOU!

SMILES,
:)MISS BAILIN