Middle School Synergy Newsletter
November Happenings
Welcome Back!
Perennial Math Update!
Mrs. Oistad's Class
Ms. Toeller's Class
Ms. Toeller's Class
6th & 7th GRADE NOVEMBER PERENNIAL MATH TOP SCORES!!
Mrs.Oistad's Hour1
Ms. Toeller Hour 2
Ms. Oistad Hour 2
Mrs. Hilzendeger Hour 1
Mrs. Hilzendeger Hour 2
Mr. Block Hour 7
Mr. Block Hour 2
Mrs. Marcellus Hour 6
Mrs. Marcellus Hour 4
Midsummer Night's Dream StoryBoard Creations!
The students are doing just that-showing a graphic understanding of Shakespeares Midsummer Night's Dream by creating a storyboard for the historical scene from the play, a modern scene from the play and characters that represent the play and how they might appear now in our culture.
The text involves a lot of new vocabulary that will enrich and improve their understanding of the play through the vocabulary lessons prepared for use in conjunction with the play. They will also be using these vocabulary words in their "speech balloons" for their characters speacking in their Storyboards.
Vocabulary.com
Verizon App Challenge COMPLETE!
- BUILT TEAMWORK: Teams of 5-7 students worked together to identify a problem, assign roles and responsibilities within the team and hold each other accountable for their assignments. They present their solution as a team.
- TAUGHT CRITICAL THINKING: Students used research and analysis skills, as well as STEM disciplines in identifying problems and devising their solutions.
- BUILT CHARACTER: By searching for problems that need solutions, students exercise empathy.
3 Minute Video of App Concept
30 second commercial
Essay explaning problem, solution and importance
Preparing for December WordMaster's Challenge!
A Pear Deck is a presentation displayed on a projector and student devices simultaneously. As teachers we build interactive slides as a component of our presentation that invite or require responses by the students, and then display the results on the projector in real-time. The presentations are also on student screens with a single click and the entire class is in a group discussion. This Pear Deck was designed to assess students knowledge of upcoming WordMasters definitions. analogies, synonyms, antonoyms and ability to figure out which word fits best in the sentence. It was a fun and engaging way to prepare for their December test.
How do you write a good research question? What's an Annotated Bibliography?
In addition to their research question, students will be required to find research articles and report on them. I visited classrooms to help students learn about an annotated bibilography, what are the components of an annotated bibliography and create one from the articles they will read. As stated, this is an ongoing project and one that requires students too....
- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
- Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
- Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
LINKS TO ARTICLES ON SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF GIFTED CHILDREN
SYNERGY/SAGE PARENT MEETINGS
Next Meeting
Meeting Topic:
Prior Lake/Savage district personnel will speak about how the needs of gifted students are met throughout grade levels. I look forward to seeing many of you there!
Thursday, Jan 7, 2016, 07:00 PM
Westwood Elementary Media Center
Contact Information
Your Partner in Education,
Ms. Missy Short
Synergy Program Coordinator
Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools
Hidden Oaks & Twin Oaks Middle Schools
HOMS (952) 226-0291 TOMS (952) 226-0535
“Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists they become the best they can possible be.”
- Rita Pierson-
Email: mshort@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0535