Listen Up!
11/18/2017
We are officially a third of the way through the school year! As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday to reflect on the good things in our lives, students are digging deeper across all subjects, finding connections everywhere they turn. As they build knowledge and understanding in science (genetics), social studies (the region of Africa south of the Sahara), and language arts (informational writing and science fiction/dystopian novels), dividing lines between these content content areas begin to blur. Students noted references to mitochondria as they learned about humanity's origins in the heart of Africa and explored the concept of cloning and nature vs nurture in our ELA novel, The House of the Scorpion. Students are finishing the novel over break and we will launch into spirited discussions upon our return. We have formed four research teams that will be digging deeply into different regions in Africa, and we will be launching a project after the break. The driving question for our project will be: "How can we curate a museum that teaches others about the rich culture, history, and geography of Africa south of the Sahara?" We will be visiting the Anchorage Museum as part of this project, and a guest speaker will be joining us to share his experiences serving in the Peace Corps in Tanzania. As we reflected on the many activities these past two weeks in our 7th/8th grade class, we were struck by the many opportunities students had to speak and listen in formal and informal learning situations. The English Language Arts Standards include specific standards for speaking and listening, both crucial skills in our demanding world, and they are divided into two key areas: Comprehension & Collaboration and Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas. In the past two weeks students: prepared, practiced, and presented their Ruth Arcand Park construction plans to a panel of community members (very professionally!); watched and discussed documentaries about Africa and genetics; held a lively literature discussion about our novel; shared their favorite Thanksgiving traditions during Advisory time; collaborated and problem solved in teams during Math classes; visited the Hatchery to learn fish genetics; and provided advice and feedback to peers for improving their writing. We are so impressed with their mature conversations, comments, and questions, their ability to present formally and informally as situations demand, and the way they build on each other's ideas. (A short list of some of the key standards they practiced is listed below.) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7/8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. In closing, we wish you and your families a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving Break. Thank you so much for the chance to teach your children; it is truly a pleasure and an honor! Comments are closed.
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Sarah Mariner
Ms. Mariner earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science from Colorado State University, and was awarded a teaching certificate through the University of Alaska, Southeast. Her varied background includes being an environmental education field instructor in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Baja, Mexico. She also served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Archives
April 2021
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