ACE Family Newsletter
June/ July 2015
ACE Summer C.A.M.P
C.A.M.P. stands for creative, academic, motivational program and it allows students a great opportunity to continue learning during the summer. There is a whole heap of fun and hands-on learning going on for our students. Students start their day with breakfast and then head on out for academic assistance and/or enrichment activities. Students have many enrichment activities to choose from including: Karate, cooking/grilling, photojournalism, dance, EOC support, credit recovery, sports, college and career exploration, leadership, drama, creative writing, math, science, art, computers, music, Minecraft, stop motion movie making, and more. Some students are participating in Through the Worm Hole, our summer Mind Works curriculum. Students are analyzing the universe through the eyes of an astrophysicist, speculating on communication from galaxies far and wide, and examining the works of science fiction. Summer is a great time for students to solidify academic skills and to explore new interests.
Breakfast
Summer C.A.M.P. Kick Off Parent Information Meeting
Math Time
Dance
Through the Worm Hole, Hands On Learning with Mind Works
Reading
Students Make Zuchinni Muffins from Zuchinni Grown in the Butler Garden
Students Become Published Authors During C.A.M.P.
Summer Camp has truly been an awesome adventure this year. Who knew you could teach reading through writing? I know that writing reinforces reading, but can you actually teach reading by teaching writing? Yes, you can! And, that is what I did this summer.
We have been using a “project-based learning curriculum” called “Write Brain Books” for me to use to teach reading to our third graders this summer.
The curriculum offers books that are colorfully illustrated without text that inspire kids to write. The students want to tell the story in the pictures. There are 35 books for the students to choose from.
Step 1 Students chose a book that they connected with to author.
Step 2 They wrote their own story based on the pictures in their book and their own experiences with the help of peers.
Step 3 They revised their stories with the help of peers.
Step 4 They edited their stories with the help of peers.
Step 5 They are having their books published right now as you read this note.
During the process of creating our books, we had to talk, collaborate, read, write, reread, listen to each other, listen to reading, rewrite and read some more. Oh, did I mention that we had to read? Not only did we read and reread our own books as we developed them, but also we read many other books with the purpose of reading like a writer. We read to see how other authors wrote introductions and sequenced their stories. We read to find problems and solutions and to understand the plot. We read books to examine how authors used quotation marks for dialog. We read to analyze how authors wrote conclusions. We read so that we could write.
-Mrs. Wagner, Summer C.A.M.P. Teacher
Example of inside pages
This is one of the books that students could choose
Using "Rock, Paper. Scissors" to determine the outcome
Guitar Lessons
Engineering Activity: Balloon Tower
Outdoor Games
Applications for the 2015-2016 After-school Program
-Lisa Underwood
ACE Program Director
Stop-Motion Brick Movie Making
One of the enrichment offerings is “Clay-Mation”, presented by teacher Frank Summers. He explains, “This is a Stop-Motion-Brick-Movie class and is an elective offered through QISD’s Summer C.A.M.P. at the secondary level. The students really seem to love it.” Students who participate in this offering build a “Lego Batman” movie that is 1-2 minutes in length. Teams are formed for each phase of the movie that include scripting, props, sets, sound, acting, directing and camera engineers. “Students have already built two to three trial movie runs that included voice and music. It’s exciting for me to see them work in teams and gain invaluable teamwork skills,” he said.
Contact Infomation
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If we can be of service to you,
please give us a call!
Lisa Underwood
Program Director
ACE Office
903-356-1270
Kathleen Witte
Family Engagement
903-356-1231
Amy McDaniel
Cannon
Site Coordinator
903-356-1370
Amy Norris
Butler
Site Coordinator
903-356-1460
Molly Letz
Thompson
Site Coordinator
903-3561589
Tawanna Pumphrey
Ford
Site Coordinator
903-356-1614
Email: kathleen.witte@quinlanisd.net
Website: http://ace.quinlanisd.net/
Phone: 903-356-1270
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QISDACEfamilies