9/30

Happy birthday Delilah and happy weekend to everyone!

HW due Monday:
1. Camp Collins Essential Questions (1-4)

Below are the questions and the notes we took based on our discussion in class today. In addition, I have added the guiding ideas for responses.

Also, I posted the grades for you all in class today. We did not get time to talk about it as thoroughly as I had wanted. We will spend time Monday diving into what they are, how to view them, how to use them to self-advocate and take ownership, and how/when I will be sharing them with families.

Essential Question 1 Brainstorm Notes

Using evidence from at least two of your Camp Collins lessons, tell the story of how a small change in one part of an ecosystem can cause large changes within another part of the same ecosystem.

Asa → the world without spiders

Karen → Deer + willow bushes which impacts river… Without the deer leaves on the ground could create layers of soil which could thereby impact ________

Michael → macro life cycle (what would happen if macros weren’t in the life cycle)

Sarah → A world without mountains = a world without rivers… a world without rivers = a world without forests (EROSION)

Tara → Life and Death carnivoress/omnivores/herbivores connections!

Essential Question 2 Brainstorm Notes

The world can be observed at different scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small. Give examples from when you did this in a Camp Collins lesson and explain how it deepened your understanding of that system (What was the model and what did you learn from it?).

Indigo → looking at different rock models with scale and proportion → perspectives

Michael → zoom out (cycles, soil, energy) + zoom in (macros) → __________

Heidi → transect → observing a small part tells you about the whole part

Essential Question 3 Brainstorm Notes

What is the value of a whole school fall overnight experience?

• build community → HOW DID YOU DO THIS?!?!?!
• Getting to know other classes → cabins
• Connecting as a whole school → CAMPFIRE because __________________________
• connecting all three years together (that is important because _________) → how did you do this
• TRUST COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• TRUST COURSE → trusting classmates → especially like trust falls → I FELT ____

Essential Questions Responses Guide

R.A.C.E. → To write an effective constructed response

Restate → restate the question by turning it into a statement

Answer → Answer all parts of the question

Cite → Give examples and evidence (from the field study!!!, text, video, guest speakers, etc…)

Explain → Explain how your evidence supports your answer (“This means that… This is important because…”)

***Camp Collins Essential Questions*** (each response worth 5 points, 20 points total)

• Minimum of 2 specific examples from each class you mention
• Connections/Observations
• MAXIMUM EFFORT!!!

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Portland Parks and Rec - Community Service Opportunities

Hello Sunnyside 7th and 8th grade families!

We have an opportunity for service hours, as well as helping our Go Fund grow to cover all students for our overnight trips.

Please sign up and come have fun with our group at the Portland Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo.

• When: Saturday, October 8, 2016, 8am-12pm
• Where: Sports and Fitness Expo at the Portland Hilton Hotel (921 SW Sixth Avenue)

To sign up to volunteer with your team, visithttp://portlandmarathon.org/volunteer/, click the team member registration tab, select the Sunnyside Environmental School team from the drop-down and enter the team member password:Gofund. This will take you to the team page, where you will enter the required information and select your desired shift(s). Click sign me up and you are done.

SES is committed to 30 volunteers total (parents or students). We strongly encourage your 7th and 8th graders to participate!

If you have any questions, please email Marie Petrasy atsunnysidefieldstudies@gmail.com.

9/29

Welcome back to the world of non-overnight school.

What a great day today! We did so much, reflecting, reading, writing, rocks and soil, library!

HW due Friday 9/30:
1. Choice Fiction Reading Assignment #2 (which we worked on for 30 + minutes today in class)
...Focus on completing the assignment and making connections while you read. This should be done in your Reading Journal

Tomorrow we will spend time in the afternoon discussing and working on our Camp Collins Essential Questions

Choice Fiction Assignment #2 (answer in Reading Journal)

1. List your book title and author. What page are you on your book? Look at your pacing on your first choice fiction handout. Are you on pace to finish it by Thursday, October 13th? How do you know?
2. What are two important things happening in your book right now? WHY are they important?
3. On a scale of 1-5 how much are you enjoying your book right now? Why?
4. Good Readers make connections!!! Using this sheet (or a page in your Reading Journal) list the connections you make, the type of connection it is, explain how you made the connection, and write the page where you made them.

Good Readers make CONNECTIONS!!!…. Complete WHILE READING YOUR BOOK!

Text – to – Self Connections… List and EXPLAIN 2 text-to-self connections. Write the page number the connection happened on.

Text – to – World Connections… List and EXPLAIN 2 text-to-world connections. Write the page number the connection happened on.

Text – to – Text Connections… List and EXPLAIN 1 text-to-text connection (including books, magazines, music, movies, etc…)… Write the page number the connection happened on.

Good Readers make CONNECTIONS

9/23

HW due Monday:

1. Complete Zoo Tunnel Field Study Responses (essential and assignment!)

Get ready for Camp Collins!!!

Read through the overnight schedule and essential questions on Sunday to prep your mind for the overnight

Write our class schedule into the schedule you taped into your E-Core
Day 1 Classes:
Class #1 - Drama w/ Michael
Class # 2- Science w/ Sarah

Day 2 Classes:
Class #3 - Math Transect w/ Heidi
Class #4 - Life and Death in the Forest w/ Tara
Class #5 - Inquiry w/ Asa
Class #6 - Tracking w/ Karen

Day 3 Classes:
Class # 7 - Visual Thinking Strategies Art w/ Indigo
Class #8 - Trust Course w/ Cori

Below is a link to the packing list.
THE CAMP COLLINS PACKING LIST

What to do when you get to school...

1. Show up at school and head straight to the auditorium/gym. 
2. Put your big bags (with your name labeled on it.... VERY IMPORTANT to put your name on your stuff!!!!) in a straight line under the sign with Michael's name
3. If you have meds, check them in with the nurse at the front of the school
4. Head up to RM 211 with your day pack (should include a warm layer, lunch, water bottle, and E-Core Journal). We will review the essential questions and days schedule before leaving to get on the bus 

Thanks for the delicious glaaaazed donuts Finn! Hope you had a rad birthday. 

9/22

HW due Friday:

1. Zoo Tunnel (geologic time) field study:

Complete either:
-the essential question (complete sentence, specific examples, observations, examples from our day, Max effort)

OR

-the assignment questions (can be answered in any format you want; images, recorded voice, videos, song, etc...!)

Essential Question:

1. How did you deepen your understanding of geologic time to previous knowledge you already had? (What did you already know? What do you know now after our field study)

Assignment Questions:  

• Complete the following…
• Complete Zoo Tunnel Worksheet
• Complete Nature Journal

2. How do geologists (and SES students) know all this about Portland’s  

   Geologic History? How can we know so far back in time? What can core

   samples show us?

3. What was the most interesting thing you learned today?

4. How did you use one of the 4 agreements today to effectively work with your

   group?

5. What was the highlight of your day?!?!?!

9/21

HW due Thursday:

***Field Study - Zoo Tunnel (Geologic Time) --- Come prepared, with appropriate clothes (it is colder in the tunnel), lunch, water, positive attitude, and a smile.

1. 4 Agreements:
Stay Engaged, Speak Your Truth, Experience Discomfort, Expect/Accept Non-Closure

Using our writing, notes, brainstorms, and my examples as support, create an image that represents 1 of the 4 agreements. Under that image write what agreement the image represents and a 1-3 sentence caption explaining your image. You can do this in your WW journal or on a blank piece of paper.

Turn in all Camp Collins forms ASAP

Camp Collins Packing List

Also, families, we could use more chaperone support on the overnight. Check out the Sign Up Genius Marie Petrasy set up to see if you can help out...

www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4babab2aa3fc1-sescamp/3598389

9/20

HW due Wednesday:

1. Choice Fiction Reading Assignment 1 due Wednesday
...This is a 10 point assignment, meaning it should reflect effort and you reading/thinking (which is why we worked on it in class this morning). You should complete this in your Reading Journal

2. TURN IN CAMP COLLINS OVERNIGHT FORMS (if you haven't already done so)

Thursday = Field Study to Zoo Tunnel (geologic time)

Can anyone find another rad geologic time video/song that is under 5 minutes?

Name: ________________________________

Choice Fiction Novel Assignment 1

Choice Fiction – Week 1 Questions (answer in Reading Journal):

1. List book title and author
2. How do you build Background Knowledge before you start reading your book each time? BE SPECIFIC…. USE EXAMPLES
3. Look through all the Good Reader strategies at the front of your Reading Journal. What are three that stand out to you? Explain what you think they mean.
4. In 3-5 sentences tell me what your book is about?
5. Write down your favorite line in the book from reading today (no explanation necessary).
6. What was one interesting thought you had while reading today? Explain
7. Create an image that represents one of the main characters from your story and list five things you know about this character.

***Due Wednesday, September 21st***

SES Middle School families,

Please follow this link to download the Camp Collins packing list:
Camp Collins Packing List

Thank you!

Geologic Time Activity

Geologic Time Activity

9/19

HW due Tuesday:

1. Geologic Vocab Card
...Pick from any of the following geologic vocab words. Using either the vocab sheet I handed out or independent research create a vocabulary card that has the word, an image, and the definition (IN YOUR OWN WORDS!!!)

2. Bring your Just Right Choice Fiction Novel to class. We will be starting with silent reading tomorrow morning.

Geology Vocab Card (pick one):

• Basalt
• Caldera
• Cinder cone volcano
• Composite volcano
• Shield Volcano
• Earthquake

• GEOLOGY
• GEOLOGIC TIME
• ROCK CYCLE
• Layers of the Earth (all 6 layers shown)

• Igneous Rock
• Metamorphic Rock
• Sedimentary Rock

• Pangaea
• Plate tectonics
• Ring of Fire
• Sea Floor Spreading
• Continental drift

Wednesday = Late Opening

***I just found out that there will not be garden hours available that morning***

Thursday = Field Study - Zoo Tunnel (geologic time)

Friday = Finn's birthday!!!

Monday, Sept 26 - Wednesday, Sept 28 = CAMP COLLINS!!!

9/16

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the treats and even more importantly, thanks for being so positive and radical!

HW due Monday:

1. Layers of the Earth worksheet
...Using your knowledge and the Layers of the Earth handouts and notes complete both sides of the Layers of the Earth worksheet that we spend this morning working on. If you used your class time well this morning, this should be mostly done

2. Perspective Writing
...You all have to listen to teachers all day. We share our perspective with you constantly. Sometimes teachers (like myself) forget to check in about your perspectives. Today at lunch you heard my perspective on our struggles this week with transitions, planners, expectations, etc... Perhaps I was missing something, so now its your turn. Write 1 paragraph about life from the perspective of a SES middle schooler. It can be about something in class, a subject, whatever!

3. Lew Frederick
...Lew Frederick is coming to Morning Meeting on Monday to talk to you all. This is an awesome opportunity for us. Who is he?!?!?! List three facts about him. Here is a link to get yourself started
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/frederick

Coming Up - Next Week:
-Jumping further into Writer's Workshops
-Good Reader Skills and Strategies
-Wednesday Late Opening
-Geologic Time and Thursday Field Study at the Zoo Tunnel
-Preparing for the all middle school Camp Collins overnight (Sept 26-28)
-Friday = Finn's birthday :)

Happy Weekend Folks!!!!!!!!!

Service Opportunities

Many service opportunities were shared this week at Morning Meeting. Here are some that are coming up. 

Late start Babysitting → First one is next Wed, Sept 21 during the late start. !!  Sign up is in the office with Michelle

Tonight!! Cultural experience. at the MODA Center → El Grito NW Fiestas Patrias! → FREE!  Trad. Mexican Music & Dance… Mariachi Portland, Banda Aguila, etc.

Tomorrow! Sept 17. @ City Hall → Rally and March for a Rent ‘Freeze’!  Stop rents from going up and keep Portland housed!

Race for the Cure → Sunday September 18th (This Sunday!!) → http://oregon.info-komen.org/

SOLVe → Sunnyside Cleans Willamette Riverbank (between Morrison Bridge and OMSI) ! → Saturday Sept 24   9-12

Garden Hours:

Sunnyside Chicken Caretaking!  → Short training from Steph, 11 spots avail. Thru December.  You’d sign up for a whole week of 15 minutes a morning, INCLUDING THE WEEKEND, and in that week earn your 2 gardening hours of service.  Sign up by Steph’s office.

Late Start Gardening this Wednesday 8:30-10:40

9/15

HW due Friday:

1. Quotes - What I Stand For

Find a quote that best represents what you stand for. Write it down, print it out, make it however you want to make it, and bring it in tomorrow. Be prepared to share why you chose that quote out of all the quotes in the world. If you are having a hard time, use some of the "Children's Book" wisdom quotes that you taped into your Writer's Workshop journal. This should take no more than 20 minutes.


***A reminder that you should be reading 20-30 minutes daily***

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

Back to School Parent Night - Thurs, Sept 15th - 6:00 - 7:30

Back-to-school nights

Back-to-school nights are a wonderful way for parents and guardians to learn more about Sunnyside and also meet their child's teachers. Families will first convene in the auditorium at the beginning of the evening, hearing important information about the school vision, curriculum, and various ways to support your child's learning throughout the year. The second portion of the evening will be spent in your child's classrooms, meeting other parents and guardians from your class community and getting to know your child's teacher a little bit better. Most teachers provide families with a curricular overview and also insight into the unique aspects of their individual classrooms. The main focus of this night is on the class as a whole (typically your teacher will provide you with their preferred method of setting up individual times to speak about your student if this is something your family needs). The schedules for both evenings are listed below:

Thursday, September 15: Middle School AND Deborah's 5th grade class Back to School Night

6:00--6:30 pm, large group in auditorium

6:30-7:30 pm, parents/guardians move into child's homeroom/core classroom

Please note that this is an adults only event. While we understand the difficulty securing childcare poses to some, we ask that you not bring your children for two reasons: 1) We have high attendance at our back-to-school-nights, and there is not enough room in classrooms for both students and parents; and 2) the information presented by teachers is meant for adults, specifically. Students receive much of the information in different ways during class time. We try to offer on-site childcare for most of our evening events; however, due to the sizable crowd at Back to School Night (s) we regret that this is simply not a possibility for these two evening events.

If you absolutely cannot attend this event, please contact your child's teachers directly (email, phone or a note left in the office for delivery) to be sure they have your contact information for important classroom communications. If home, work or other commitments and/or child care are prohibiting you from attending this event, please contact Amy Kleiner (akleiner@pps.net) or Alexa Pearson (apearson@pps.net) and we will do our best to work with your family to help you access the information offered during these events in a different/creative way. 

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you this Thursday!

Amy Kleiner, Principal

Sunnyside Environmental School

503/916.6226

9/14

Sorry for the late blog post... Meetings...

Reminder: We are not going to Zoo Tunnel tomorrow for our Geologic Time field study. Contrary to what I previously said, you should still bring a lunch to school tomorrow!

As of last night our field study schedule is changing slightly and we are not going to the Zoo Tunnel tomorrow. We will be going there in the coming weeks.

HW due Thursday:

1. Today we jumped into our world of service. What do you stand for???

On the 1/2 sheet of paper, create an image that represents what you stand for. Leave space in all four corners for future writing activities.

2. Tell your family about Back to School Parent Night tomorrow from 6:00 - 7:30. Hope to see the parents/guardians in your life there!

***Make sure your choice fiction novel is with you in class tomorrow***

9/14

HW due Wednesday:

1. Choice Fiction Novel Assignment PACING
...Make a plan in your Reading Journal on the Choice Fiction Novel Assignment handout that we glued into our reading journals this morning for how you will finish your Just Right Choice Fiction novel by Thursday, Oct 13th

...On that same page or anywhere else in your reading journal write out how you know this is a "Just Right" book for you (reference the Choosing a Just Right Book handout in your Reading Journal for support). Give me specific examples that show how you know (for example you could write: I know this is a just right book for me because after reading the front, back, and inside cover I knew that it was of high interest to me because it was about basketball and conflict).

Pace out where you will be in your choice fiction novel so that you can finish the book by Thursday, October 13th

Date	Page # (where you are at in the book)
Wednesday, September 21st
Friday, September, 30th (Mon - Wed, Sept 26 - 28 = M.S. Overnight)
Wednesday, October 5th
Monday, October 10th
Thursday, October 13th	BOOK IS FINISHED!!!

Below is the handout I shared with you all today regading my organization advice that you taped/glued into the back of your planner

Michael’s Class – Organization

You set up your organization world they way it works best for you (journals, binders, accordion binders, folders, workbooks, etc..).

That being said, I expect you to have journals, and organization plans for the following things…

• Daily Planner – This should be checked at home daily (don’t only rely on the blog) and should always be in class

• Environmental Core journal (set up in class)
• Writer’s Workshop journal (set up in class)
• Reading journal (set up in class)

• A home (folder/binder/etc…) for:(YOU SET THIS UP!)
• Homework to do/turn in and handouts

• A home (folder/binder/etc…) for:
• Completed/graded/returned homework (to be set up in class) … This can be kept in your cubby/locker

Tips:

• Avoid loose papers, stuffing things into your backpack
• Check/clean/organize your binder/backpack once every few weeks (avoid the dreaded binder/backpack monster)
• Only take things home if you have homework in them to avoid an unnecessarily heavy backpack.

You are in charge of your organization… I will support you and give you tips along the way, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you and stick to it!