Norris News
October 2023
What's Happening at Norris?
Adventure Education is next week! Learners will have an opportunity to participate in zip lining. Grades K-8 learners will participate on Tuesday 10/17 and 9-12 learners will participate on Thursday 10/19. Please make sure to check the Save the Date section below for more upcoming events.
Reminders
National Bullying Prevention Month
As our Week of Service project for the month of October, learners will be given orange bracelets to wear and distribute to draw awareness to bullying prevention.
Outdoor Adventures
Curiosity Labs
Grilled Cheese Competition
June's Journal
We are excited to say that our Shop area and Maker Space are now open for learner use. Our facilities manager Scott has been working diligently to clean, organize, and make the shop safe. In order to access the shop and use the machines, learners will need to learn proper shop etiquette, and safety skills and pass a quiz. This will ensure that anyone who has an interest in doing work in the shop or maker space can do so in a safe way! This is a great opportunity!
High School Lab Gab
ELA: The learners are off to a great start in ELA by exploring their interests in order to choose an independent reading book that they will enjoy. Many learners are reading graphic novels and others have chosen to do research based on their book. Some learners enjoy the thrill of spooky stories as we get closer to Halloween. Story elements such as characterization, setting, conflict, and theme are identified and discussed as the learners read a variety of stories.
Mathematics: In math, learners have been cruising through their pathways and they are working hard to complete their diagnostics. Also, our new math projects are underway. Learners have been gathering resources and researching different topics.
When learners lab assignments are completed, they have been playing on coolmathgames.com. The site has become very popular among our learners and has heightened their engagement levels.
Social Studies: In social studies labs ,we have been exploring the Israel-Palestine conflict. Our aim has been to provide a balanced and comprehensive understanding of this complex issue. We're concluding the unit with a "Resolution Producing Seminar," where learners will work together to propose resolutions, encouraging critical thinking and dialogue. We approach these discussions with respect, inclusivity, and support for differing perspectives. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our learners become responsible global citizens.
Science:
Biology Labs- Biology learners have been working through Pathway 1 (Levels of Organization) during the first month of school. Topics of study have been Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Organisms. Learners have mastered how to use a microscope to view cells and created a product to compare the functions of a cell to the functions of a city or school. Moving forward we will be shifting our focus from cells & tissues to organs & organ systems.
Chemistry Labs- Chemistry learners have also been working through Pathway 1 (Atomic Structure) during the first month of school. Topics of study have been subatomic particles, the periodic table, and the types of matter. Currently learners are working on creating D.I.Y. water filters . . . our goal is to take river water (a mixture) that we collected and purify it leaving only water molecules behind.
Earth/Space Science- Earth/Space learners have been learning about the Solar System, the Galaxy, and the Universe in Pathway 1 (space science). Topics of study include Gravity, Orbits, and the Big Bang Theory. Learners created a HUGE scale-model solar system in the hallway and performed some really complex gravity calculations in addition to other learning activities during the first month of school.
ELA Lab
Interest Based Learning
Science Lab
K-8 Lab Gab
K-8 Labs
ELA: In ELA, learners have been focused on finding a book in Epic, participating in interactive syllable games, and they have started to complete their ELA iReady lessons.
Math: This week in math, learners used fondant to create complex shapes while incorporating fun games to practice skip counting.
Halloween is quickly approaching and our learners are very excited. We have been working on some Halloween worksheets and games to get in the spirit. Also, learners have been completing iReady lessons and exploring Prodigy.
Science/Social Studies: Learners are working on team and independent project based learning. Some examples are costume making, 3D printing, Japanese, VR creation exploration, repurposing material, and molecular gastronomy.
Learner Role Play
Math Lab
Repurposing Materials
Norris Academy Virtual School (NAVS)
We are excited to announce that over the past couple of weeks we have added a few new faces to meet and engage with your learners. Jared (jkwiatkowski@norrisacademywi.org) and Nicole (nkollmorgen@norrisacademywi.org) have been scheduling meetings with learners to provide another tier of support with academics and wellness. They are providing engagement strategies and guidance through the program.
FRIDAY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
It has been a goal of ours from the beginning to utilize Fridays as a way to engage learners in the school by providing team building activities, clubs, and fun social activities that can make virtual learning seem less isolated.
This Friday we are pleased to announce the first of these activities. Robert (rkuprenas@norrisacademywi.org) will be holding a Dungeons and Dragons club with learners from both our virtual program and on campus. If you are interested in participating in this club the first step is to schedule the character builder mini-pursuit with Robert so that he knows you are interested.
The second activity will be Jackbox games scheduled for this Friday at 9:30-10:30am and again at 2-3pm. If you have never played Jackbox before, they are a series of party games that you can play using your phone, tablet, or computer. Each game usually takes about 15 minutes and usually leads to hysterical nonsense and an all around good time. If you are interested please email Matt (mbornheimer@norrisacademywi.org)
Bakari
Norris Beyond Fostering
Mark Your Calendar
Learners will pass out 5 orange bracelets to community members to help draw awareness to the importance of bully prevention
10/17 Adventure Education: Zip Lining
Grades K-8
10/19 Adventure Education: Zip Lining
Grades 9-12
10/20 Spirit Day: Orange Out
Wear orange for Bully Prevention month
10/31 Halloween
Learners may wear school appropriate costumes with NO MASK or questionable (large, dangerous, etc.) accessories
Online Absence Form
Click Here: https://tinyurl.com/onlineabsenceform
Norris School District
Email: hello@norrisacademywi.org
Website: https://norrisacademywi.org/
Location: W247 S10395 Center Drive Mukwonago, WI 53149
Phone: (262) 662-5911
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/norrisacademywi/
Twitter: @NorrisAcademyWi