New School

Nova International Schools
8th Grade LASS (8-1 and 8-3)

Monday, April 30, 2012

Happy Labor Day! Week of May 2-4

Hello again everyone:

We are officially in the countdown to the end of the year...6 more weeks! WOW!

No time for sleeping...only 3.5 weeks to final exams!!!

Please remember that Discovery School does have a dress code, and if you do not come to school dressed appropriately you will be asked to change. Girls, this means no bare shoulders, no short skirts or shorts; boys, this means pants that don't show the underwear. If you're not sure what you're wearing is appropriate, ask

MAP testing begins next week...stay tuned for the schedule!

Please be checking the Administration Blog weekly for other Discovery School announcements!

Although this week is short, it will be packed full of learning...
6th grade: BRING YOUR LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE BOOKS/KINDLES EVERY DAY THIS WEEK! Those of you without a Kindle will be given copies of Little House on the Prairie Wednesday in class. All of you will be given your Little House on the Prairie packet on that same day. DO NOT LOSE THIS PACKET! If you lose it, it will be your responsibility to re-print the packet and re-do all your work. I will also be notifying parents if the packet or book are forgotten more than once. Be responsible! This week you will read chapters 1-2 of the book and plan what to pack in the wagon if you were going on a trip west. Your "Who Went West" packets and America Will Be textbooks are due in class on Wednesday!
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7th grade: You will start your final unit of the year this week; Australia and Oceania. Wednesday and Thursday you will have time to work on the maps in the textbook, and Thursday and Friday you will be in the computer lab researching for your final country project of the year!
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8th grade: Don't forget your Martin Luther Trial research this week! Wednesday you will have time to work with the Lawyers to prepare for the trial, which will take place in-class on Thursday and possibly a bit on Friday. Friday you will also finish the Martin Luther movie!
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9th grade: I hope you had a good time and learned a lot of interesting things about the subject of your Oral History interview! The research packet with questions about the Oral Histories from WWII is due in class on Wednesday (along with the September 11th extra credit sheet) and your actual Oral History Presentations will be Friday, May 4! Wednesday in class you will listen to and evaluate a radio show from World War II. Thursday you will have a webquest in the computer lab about the end of the War, and Friday will be presentation day!
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I hope your weekend has been lovely and you are ready to sprint to the finish! YOU CAN DO IT!!!
KF

Thursday, April 26, 2012

9th Grade: Because I'm nice...

Here are the links for your Oral History Assignment:

Page 1: Soldiers
Frederick Solberg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVy5VFGP-hw&feature=related
Second soldier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2UN3bRWIBo

Page 2: The Holocaust (you may not be able to listen to these, but can use the provided transcripts to answer the questions)
"Simply because we were Jews": http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/data.show.php?di=record&da=recordings&ke=23
"Escaping the Death Camp Train": http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/data.show.php?di=record&da=recordings&ke=17

Page 3-4: Reaction to Pearl Harbor
Click here to listen to both recordings!

And I am sure you are smart enough to find the September 11th extra credit... :)

KF

Monday, April 23, 2012

6th Grade: Immigration and Industrial Revolution Quiz Review Questions

Hey 6th graders:

If you know the answers to these questions, you'll be doing pretty well on your quiz tomorrow!

Don't forget to bring your one page (front-side only) of notes to use during the quiz!

1.     Why did the Industrial Revolution start in England? (textile industry was based there, needed machines to help them with that work)
2.     Name and describe one Industrial Revolution machine
3.     What was cottage industry? (People completed project by hand, in their own home, ie spinning, weaving, etc)
4.     How did people’s opinions about the Industrial Revolution’s machines change over time?
5.     Name one way immigrants affected the United States?
6.     What was one positive about the factory work in the Industrial Revolution?
7.     How did the movie An American Tail connect to the Industrial Revolution?
8.     What was one negative about factory work in the Industrial Revolution?
9.     Name and describe one job that children could have had during the Industrial Revolution. (chimney sweep, tosher, factory, stealing, corpse collector, mine work)
10.  Name one positive thing that came from the Industrial Revolution
11.  Name one negative thing that came from the Industrial Revolution
12.  What was a Luddite? (Follower of Ned Ludd who didn’t like the Industrial Revolution)
13.  What was a reformer and what did they do? (person who wanted to make life better during the Industrial Revolution, cleaned up hospitals and cities, educated the poor, etc)
14.  What were some reasons people immigrated to the United States?
15.  Name one reason US Citizens didn’t like immigrants?
16.  How did the Dear America movie connect to the movie An American Tail?
17.  Name one similarity between the people who immigrated to Latin America and to the United States. (generally European, etc)
18.  Name one difference between the people who immigrated to Latin America and to the United States. (poor vs rich, level of education, etc)
19.  Name one way immigrants affected the United States?
20.  Name one reason US Citizens didn’t like immigrants?
21.  Name one country from which immigrants came to the United States
22.  Name one job people could get when they immigrated to the United States (factory, railroad, strike breaker, etc)
23.  Why were labor unions considered bad by factory owners? (people who joined them could ask for higher wages, less hours of work, more breaks, etc)
24.  Why did immigrants from the same country generally live in the same area of town? (they tended to join family or gravitate toward people who spoke their language)
25.   What were options for immigrants who did not succeed when they arrived in the US? (go west)
26.  Name one reason US Citizens didn’t like immigrants?
27.  How did the movie An American Tail connect to the Dear America movie?
28.  How did the Dear America movie connect to the Industrial Revolution?
29.  Name one way immigrants affected the United States?
30.  How do immigration and the industrial revolution connect?


KF

Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Last Day of April: Week of April 23-27

Hello again everyone!


•I want to start off with a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to our Model United Nations Team who competed in the ABSH Model United Nations competition this past weekend. We took a team of 8 students who competed in 5 different committees and returned with TWO Best Delegate medals as well as an Honorable Mention Delegate medal! Other awards won include a Bazooka award for the most founded "attacks",  an Encyclopedia award for most knowledge, three Best Alliance awards and three Future UN Delegate Awards. WOW! I heard nothing but positive comments about our students from the advisers, chairs and delegates of the other schools participating, and I was super-impressed with the poise, participation, and preparedness of our students! CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!


•Because I was at the Model UN competition I was not able to attend last Friday's Family Fun Night, but thank you to all of you who did! I hear it was a great success!

•Please remember that Discovery School does have a dress code. Students who do not follow the code may be asked to send home for a new outfit. Please think carefully when dressing for school!


•This Wednesday is a half day due to a teacher work day. We will be running a PM schedule. Please make arrangements to have your child picked up by 11:45 AM!


•This Friday is the Chronicles of Discovery Gala, an Oscar's-like event celebrating our students' achievements in the arts and literature. If you would like to attend, please contact Mr. Fenn to purchase your ticket!



Here is the in-class schedule for the week:
6th grade: You will be reviewing for your immigration quiz on Monday, and will have an industrial revolution and immigration quiz on Tuesday, April 24! Wednesday-Friday you will start learning about the Westward Movement in the United States! Don't forget your American Tail Questions and Activity, as well as your DBQ Essay are due Monday, April 23!!
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7th grade:  Your Africa Country Container Projects are due Monday, April 23 and will be presented at that time. Be ready! You have no class on Wednesday due to the professional development half day, and no class on Thursday due to a PE Field Trip, Friday you will have a map quiz over Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa! Be ready!!! Don’t forget that you have three textbook assignments due when you return to class tomorrow!
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8th grade: This week you will begin studying the Reformation. You will have an introduction on Monday, and will follow the life of the man who started it all by watching a movie Tuesday-part of Thursday. Along the way you should be keeping track of the major events of Martin Luther’s life. On Friday you will begin researching for a fun activity about Martin Luther, which will last into the following week. Remember that your After Las Meninas artwork is due Monday, April 23!
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9th grade: Hopefully you have completed your timeline activity from last week, because your timeline and your magazine article activities are due Monday, April 23! You will also be using your timelines in class tomorrow as we look at some of the major events and battles of the early war. Your minorities at war activity is also due tomorrow! Tuesday, (no class on Wednesday), Thursday and Friday you will be working with oral histories from World War II and preparing to capture some of your own over the long weekend.
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Have a great week!
KF


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

9th Grade: Minorities in the War

Hey 9th Grade!

http://www.sfmuseum.org/war/issei.html

http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/NAWWII.html

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/partners/exhibitentrance.html

http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/unit1.htm

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/aframerwar/

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Model UN Competition Week! Week of April 16-20

Hello everyone!

Can you believe we only have 8 weeks left until summer vacation begins?! I can't! This year has gone by SO QUICKLY!!

Here are some announcements from the Discovery School Administration:

DPTO FAMILY NIGHT – The DPTO annual Family Night, JUNGLE NIGHT 2012, will take place on Friday, April 20. As usual, Discovery School teachers will host games from 5:00-6:00 p.m. There will be other activities happening from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and a Choir Sponsored BINGO from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Family Fun Fishing! This year on family fun night the art room will be open for family art making. Parents please come with your students and join in the fun. The result will be an art work that every member of the family has contributed to. We will be experimenting with Gyotaku fish prints and other printing techniques. (Allow 10-20 minutes.) See you Friday night for Art FUN with Ms. Campbell!


EARTH DAY CELEBRATION - The tenth grade Environmental Science students will be hosting the Earth Day celebration on Friday, April 20th during snack time. There will be activities to teach our students how to conserve resources, thereby protecting our planet.

DRDRESS CODE - Reminder to all parents! We are requesting support in this matter: All students should be appropriately dressed in a manner that promotes academic seriousness. The following is NOT ACCEPTABLE, among others (please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook, page 30 and 31):

  • Drug, alcohol or tobacco related clothing, jewelry or paraphernalia
  • Clothing promoting sex, racism, violence or profanity
  • Clothing which, because of its briefness or tightness of fit is deemed distracting to the academic atmosphere
  • Strapless tops or tops with either shoulder bare
  • Shower-type flip-flops
  • Shorts or skirts that are shorter than mid-thigh

The school stresses the avoidance of extremes and reserves the right to request a student to change into more appropriate attire or call home to acquire more suitable dress.


**Discovery School shirts are ALWAYS appropriate! Don't forget to join the teachers and staff in showing school spirit by wearing Discovery School apparel each Friday!

Model UN Absence:
Just a reminder, I will be absent from school this Wednesday-Friday, April 18-20, as I will be accompanying our Model United Nations team to their annual competition in La Ceiba! (This is my last planned absence for the year!!!) Please double-check all deadlines listed below to be sure you have all your work ready to be turned in when it is due!!!!!

Here is the schedule for the week:
6th grade: Monday and Tuesday you will continue working on the Immigration DBQ that you started last Friday. Remember you have an assignment due in class tomorrow (Monday, April 16)! With the sub on Wednesday-Thursday you will be watching another immigration-based movie, An American Tail, and will be answering questions and completing an assignment based on the movie on Friday. Both your American Tail questions and assignment, along with your DBQ packet and essay, will be due at class time on Monday, April 23! If you have questions about the assignments please feel free to contact me over the weekend or come to my room during snack or lunch on Monday. Asking questions about an assignment at the beginning of class is not an acceptable plan!
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7th grade: On Monday you will be reading and answering questions from the textbook (due Tuesday). You will also choose your countries for the next country project. Remember that you will need a container with a fully-removable lid for this project. You will need to bring your container to school on Tuesday. In class on Tuesday (with me) and Wednesday (with the sub) you will have research and project worktime in the computer lab. On Friday you will have two assignments out of the textbook. Your textbook assignments from Friday and your project presentations will be due at class time on Monday, April 23!
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8th grade: Be sure to bring your painting research that you started on Friday to class tomorrow (Monday, April 16) because you will be using it to complete tomorrow's assignment! Tomorrow you will also find out about the fun three-day Renaissance art activity you will be completing with the sub Wednesday-Friday in class! You will have a Renaissance mini-quiz in class on Tuesday, April 17. Your in-class art activity from Wednesday-Friday will be due at class time on Monday, April 23!
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9th grade: You will continue working on World War II this week. Monday you will see part two (of three) of the 1940s House series. Be sure to bring your notes page with you to class! On Tuesday you will be researching the experience of minorities in World War II. Wednesday-Friday (with the sub) you will be reading about some of the art that was "displaced" by World War II and the lingering question of what to do with "misappropriated" art. You will also be working in pairs to create a 1-year illustrated timeline of World War II. Your minorities assignment, reading questions, and timeline will be due at class time on Monday, April 23!
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I want to wish the Discovery School Model United Nations team good luck this week at their competition! They have put in a lot of work, and I can't wait to see all that work rewarded!

Have a great week!
KF

Friday, April 13, 2012

6th Grade: Immigration Paragraph

Hi 6th graders:

Remember that you need to bring what you learned from Documents 3, 4, and 8 today into a 5+ sentence answering the following question:

Where are immigrants to the US coming from (countries) and what did they do in the US (jobs)?

Be sure you point out which document you are using in your answer:
Example: The immigrants in document 3 were from _________. They were doing __________ job.

(But make it more interesting than that!)

Let me know if you have questions!

DUE MONDAY!
KF

8th Grade: Renaissance Art Weblinks

Hi 8th graders:

Follow these links to find a Renaissance Painting to research (but don't choose the ones we discussed yesterday in class!)
http://www.casa-in-italia.com/artpx/quat/quat.htm
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/high-renaissance.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/northern-renaissance.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/early-renaissance.html
http://www.ranker.com/list/renaissance-art-and-artwork/reference

Once you have decided which to research, you may use a Google search to find more information about your chosen painting. Please don't just rely on Wikipedia, look for websites that end in .org, .edu, or .gov first!!

KF

9th Grade: Wartime Shortages Assignment

Hey 9th graders:

Here is the link for the assignment you will be completing in class today:

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/wwii/


Remember that your assignment is to use the website to answer the following questions:

Wartime Shortages

1) Why were shortages expected during World War II?

2) What did the government do to deal with these shortages?

Home Front Ammunition

1) (In your own words) What is rationing?

2) What were some of the items that were rationed?

3) Did rationing require that people use their money as well as rationing stamps?

4) How could rationing food help the war effort?

5) Who created/distributed the rationing books?

Home Front Conservation

1) (In your own words) What is conservation?

2) What is the difference between rationing and conservation?

3) Why were items like metal rationed?

4) How did women support the effort to conserve goods?

5) Why was it important for the U.S. government to involve everyone in the war effort?

Everyone’s Duty

1) (In your own words) What is propaganda?

2) How was propaganda used to encourage rationing and conservation?

3) Why was it wrong to shop without using rationing stamps?

4) In what ways did children help the war effort?

5) Why would the president create an office for information so early in the war?

6) Who was the main audience of the propaganda? Why do you think it was targeted toward them?


Have fun and learn something!
KF

Thursday, April 12, 2012

7th Grade: North and West Africa Quiz

Hey 7th graders:

You need to know the following for tomorrow's quiz:

Countries of North Africa:
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
Libya
Egypt

West Africa:
Cape Verde
Mauritania
Senegal
Gambia
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Sierra Leone
Liberia
Cote d' Ivoire
Ghana
Togo
Benin
Mali
Burkina Faso
Niger
Nigeria
Chad

Also:
-How deserts are created (man and nature both)
-Sim/differences in countries
-Countries that imperialized in Africa and the effects of this imperialism (think Human geography characteristics)

ALSO: Don't forget your Desert Diary packet and the 8 1/2" x 11" poster is also due TOMORROW!

Happy studying!
KF

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Welcome Back! Week of April 11-13

Hello everyone:

I hope you had a wonderful Semana Santa full of celebration, whether Easter, Passover, or just having a nice long break from school!

Well, ready or not, the end of the school year is FAST approaching! There are just three short weeks left in April, the five weeks of May are book-ended with long weekends, and the last day for students is June 7! That is less than two months away!!!

So, pull yourselves together and be ready, because the next nine weeks are gong to FLY!

Here are a few announcements from the Discovery School Administration:
DPTO FAMILY NIGHT – The DPTO has begun working on the preparations for our annual Family Night, which will take place on Friday, April 20. Teacher-hosted games will take place from 5:00-6:00 p.m. There will be other activities happening from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and a Choir Sponsored BINGO from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Check the Administration blog for more details!

NEW DISCOVERY SCHOOL T-SHIRTS AND POLOS – The new “Home of the Wolves” t-shirts and polos are now available for purchase in our Finance office. T-shirts are sold for $7 (L140) and polos for $13 (L250). With every shirt sold, we are contributing to the Choir in their effort to raise funds for their San Francisco trip this summer. Also, please wear Discovery School shirts on Fridays to demonstrate school pride. Let’s all pitch in and build our school pride!


And now for what's ahead in Room 4 on this (short) first week back:
6th grade: You will be looking at immigration to the Americas for the next couple weeks. You will start tomorrow with an overview PowerPoint and primary source documents! Thursday you will watch a short movie showing the experience of some immigrants. On Friday you will start your first Document Based Question...don't worry, we'll work through it together! Don't forget your Industrial Revolution worksheet is due tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11!
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7th grade: The final group of presentations is due tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11! Thursday will be a review day and your North and West Africa quiz will be Friday, April 13!
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8th grade: Wednesday and Thursday you will spend time evaluating Medieval and Renaissance Art in the traveling Discovery School Art Gallery. On Friday you will conduct research on a Renaissance painting. Don't forget your Renaissance Connection worksheet is due tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11!
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9th grade: You will start learning about World War II on Wednesday by learning about the causes of World War II and the major leaders at the beginning of the war. On Thursday you will begin looking at the effects of the war on the home front by watching an excellent TV Series, "1940s House". On Friday you will look at the reasoning behind and effects of rationing during World War II. Don't forget your Inter-War Years Take-Home Quiz is due tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11!
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There you have it! We're diving right in...with only 8 weeks to finals, make up your mind now to work hard and sprint to the finish!
KF

Monday, April 2, 2012

Happy Semana Santa!

Good Monday morning!

I hope you are all having a nice break so far, and have fun plans for travel, food, or just relaxing for the rest of the week.

Please remember that school starts again for the students on Wednesday, April 11!

Have a wonderful week!
KF