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Winter Celebration Vokis by Students

Makayla  S.

Links About Winter Celebrations

My Classes Are Conducting Informal Explorations of Winter Customs, Festivals, And Holidays of Various Cultures, and Religions (Including Non-Religious Celebrations)

 http://gochina.about.com/od/eventsfestivals/qt/China_Winter.htm

http://www.snowfes.com/english/place/index.html

http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics

http://now.msn.com/winter-light-festival-is-big-draw-in-japan

•Christmas in Iceland

•http://teacher.scholastic.com/mathhunt/startgame.asp?quizid=9

•http://www.allthingschristmas.com/games/online-games.php

•History of the Holidays

•Christmas Virtual Field Trip

•Winter Solstice

 •Chanukah

 •Christmas

•Kwanzaa

 •Muharram

•New Year

• Three Kings’ Day

•Chinese New Year

•Boxing Day: December 26

•Irish Christmas Traditions

•Waterboro Public Library’s Resources for Winter Holidays

•Scholastic - Global Goodwill

•A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

•http://www.onlineschools.org/library/online-education-world-holidays/

•Christmas in Poland

•Polish Christmas Traditions

•Christmas in Sweden

•Yul in Iceland

 http://www.cedarburgfestivals.org/winterfestival.html

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/peopleplaces/winter-celebrations/

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/lights.html

http://www.gotkidsgames.com/GotKidsGames%20Holiday%20Games%20By%20Date.html

http://www.mochigames.com/games/winter-typing/

Just for Fun for My Students:

Me, in 6th Grade, Malaga Cove Junior High, Palos Verdes Estates, CA.  This was 1973. LOL!

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Lesson 9 Review Lesson 10 Test

Second Step November 1

This week 2^nd Step will cover parts of lessons 8 and 9.  We have switched to teaching it after lunch so you may have a different group and teacher than you did in First Quarter.  See your 2nd Elective Teacher if you don’t know where to meet.

6^th Grade:  Emotions – Brain and Body

·         Understand what happens to their brains and bodies when they experience strong emotions

·         Identify the first three steps for staying in control

·         Understand why using self-talk is a key to managing emotions

·         Apply self-talk strategies

7^th Grade:  Managing and Understanding Anger

·         Understand that out –of –control anger can result in destructive outcomes

·         Understand what happens to their brains and bodies when they experience strong emotions

·         Recognize the physical and mental signs that lead to strong emotions

·         Identify and apply strategies for staying in control of their emotions

 8^th Grade:  Managaing Anger, De-escalating a Tense Situation

·         Understand what happens to their brains and bodies when they experience strong emotions

·         Identify personal strategies to “pause” and calm down

·         Understand how self-talk can lead to escalation or de-escalation of anger, aggression, and conflict

·         Understand how spectators’ responses can lead to escalation

All lessons are copyrighted so we cannot post them here.

Parent/Teacher Conferences Fall 2012

I’m resurrecting my previous practice of using QR codes in the classroom for Parent Conferences (Wednesday PM through Thursday PM on October 24-35.  Because Exploratory teachers have to attend conferences for three different grade levels, we try to be aware of the 6, 7, and 8th Grade schedules and show up at as many conferences as we can throughout the building.  This means we are not in our own rooms for parents to find us, so I’m posting these signs on my door.   I have offered to make similar QR codes for anyone else on our staff who wants to post one on their own door.  I’ll see what kind of response I get from staff and parents.  My theory is that if it helps just one family find me, it’s worth it!

I have used QR codes in lessons before and had mixed feelings about it.  The kids with smart devices loved it; however, that is only about half of my student population.  I have used various pairings and groupings to enable more to participate but not all middle schoolers are keen on sharing their precious device!  I will be thinking on this and researching better ways to implement QR codes during the next quarter or so.

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This Week's Second Step is Lesson 5

^{(Looking for the Vocabulary 4 Quiz?  That was the previous blog entry below)}

^5th Grade:

Being Assertive

• ·         Distinguish differences between passive, assertive, and aggressive communication styles
• ·         Identify and assume the physical and verbal characteristics of assertive communication
• ·         Apply assertive communication skills

7^th Grade:

Responding to Bullying

• ·         Recognize and define bullying and bystander behaviors
• ·         Empathize with people who are bullied
• ·         Identify strategies to deal with bullying and help others who are bullied
• ·         Understand how a bystander  can be part of the problem or part of the solution

8^th Grade:

Bullying in Friendships

• ·         Recognize and identify bullying within social or friendship groups
• ·         Understand what they can do about bullying within relationships
• ·         Understand how a bystander can be part of the problem or part of the solution
• ·         Apply empathic concern and perspective taking

Terms & Vocabulary Set 4 Quiz

ILP’S, IEP’S, 504’S, AND ELLS:  Audio Quiz  (Answer on paper unless you want to submit spoken answers in a voicemail to 719.357.5837)