Spectrum NewsHappy New Year! Even though a fast-moving snowstorm cancelled school after

just one day back, I would like to wish you all Happy New Year! I do hope the winter break provided each of you a wonderful opportunity to relax with family, friends, and catch up on some much needed rest.

Spectrum 8: Claymation Animation Project

The Spectrum 8 students are in the final stages of completing their Claymation animation project, and I look forward to viewing each animation in the coming weeks. In this interdisciplinary unit, students in Spectrum 8 were challenged to:

identify a problem in or around our school, collaborate as a design team to plan and organize a story board to draw

attention to the problem, incorporate one or more principles of Leave No Trace, create clay figures, props, and a stage/set for the story to unfold through

Claymation animation, and utilize technology (iPhone, iPad, laptop) programs to capture and produce an

animated video.

While each design team began creating the tiny, clay figures for their project, I provided each class with an example of my own. To truly understand the struggles, challenges, and the expected goal involved in this project, I felt it necessary to create my own animation as a model for the students. I presented my completed animation to the students via YouTube, and I asked each design team to view and critique it using the animation rubric designed for this project. I was pleased with the rankings and feedback I received from my students. Although many of my students are familiar with posting to YouTube, I must say this was my first time posting on the site.

Mummies of the World Field Trip Update: The sudden accumulation of snow and the brutal temperatures have put a damper on our field trip plans to see the awesome Mummies of the World exhibit, but don’t worry! The trip has been rescheduled! Please mark your calendar for Friday, January 17th. Also, please remember to pack a nutritious lunch if your child is attending the trip. Students not attending the field trip will report to the auditorium for their grade’s resource period. Students should bring a book or work materials with them.

Electronic Devices: For the parents who allowed their son or daughter to use their iPhone or iPad in the classroom, I want to thank you! What a wonderful educational device to use in the classroom! We were fortunate to have a student from each design team with either an iPad or iPhone, and it truly made capturing each movement so convenient for the team. Our tech-savvy students are to be commended for their creative, artist talents in designing clay characters and props, engineering sets, and putting technology to good use. The collaborative discussions, cooperative problem solving each team has encountered throughout this project serves as an authentic example of how important team-building is when solving real-world problems. The tiny, clay figures, props, and the unique set designs are proof of the talents, hard work and determination put forth by our students, and I look forward to viewing their creations.

Claymation Animation Reviews: All the videos created by our design teams will be available for viewing by the students, staff, and parents of Blue Ridge later this month, and we look forward to reading your comments and voting on your favorite video. Here are a few pictures taken of our clay characters:

Claymation Animation

Leave No

Trace Princip

les

Attack of the Trash Monsters!

Here’s the slice on…

Even though the weather has delayed our completion for this project, I hope to have each team’s video posted on our website by late January. Check out my Claymation

example on YouTube. http://youtu.be/lh795Uphyqs

American Sign Language: As our unit in American Sign Language wraps up, I want to say how

very proud I am of the students in Spectrum 6/7 and their ability to research, practice, and sign words and complete

We’re making t racks

with c lay an imat ion!

From the forest to the ocean…

Forest Floor Scene…

Under the Sea…

sentences in class. At this point in the unit, students have been exposed to roughly 300 basic words in sign language, and now students have the option of working with a partner or independently to create an original story signed in ASL. I have provided students with multiple examples of past signed presentations, and in the coming weeks, students will practice and sign their story in class. Each presentation will be recorded, viewed, and evaluated by other classes based on the ASL rubric for this project.

2014 Competitions!Continental Math League – With two competitions complete in the CML for 6 th grade, the top scorers after Meet #2 are as follows: Emily Simpson, John Grossi, Alisa Geise, Roslyn Hall-Wurst, Aidan Quillen, and Catie McCabe. Due to the cancellation of school, our 3rd CML competition for the month of January should have been this week. I have rescheduled it for Monday, January 13th to provide ample time to notify all participants.

National Current Events League – The 2nd NCEL competition for the 8th grade is scheduled for Friday, January 10th. Students will complete it during class.

Foxcroft STEM Summit – Attention all 8th grade girls! Foxcroft is hosting its 3rd annual STEM Summit, and we need 2 teams (3-4 members) from Blue Ridge to compete! This is an awesome, hands-on competition in which teams will rotate through a series of STEM activities (science, technology, engineering, and math) to earn points. If you would like to participate, please let me know ASAP and provide me with your t-shirt size.

Teams earning the most points will be awarded trophies, and all the materials will be provided for you the day of the competition. Plus, you will be treated to a free t-shirt, a delicious lunch, and there are also some awesome prizes! The competition will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. I have included the actual address below: 22407 Foxhound Lane, Foxcroft School in Middleburg, VA.

You Be the Chemist Challenge – For any student that loves science, here’s an awesome competition that will have you on the edge of your seat competing with students from all over! The YBTC challenge is an exciting, and intensely challenging competition. This year’s YBTC completion will be held at 6:30PM on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Harper Park Middle School. The qualifying exam will be given at Blue Ridge on Wednesday, February 26th following dismissal from school. Students from any grade level may participate, and the top 10 students after the qualifying exam will go on to compete in the March competition. The state challenge will be April 26, 2014 at BASF

in Suffolk, Va. The study guide is on line now.  Please visit the following link to review material: https://www.chemed.org/documents/YBTC_Challenge/Study_Materials/Passport%20to%20Science%20Exploration%20(Core).pdf

Odyssey of the Mind (OM) – The Odyssey of the Mind competition will be held on Saturday, March 15th, and I know there are several Blue Ridge teams in the competition this year. Stay tuned for more updates as the date for the competition draws closer!

Cardboard Boat Regatta Competition – Calling all shipbuilders! Here’s a fun, hands-on competition to test your seafaring skills. In the cardboard boat regatta, teams (of two members) must design, construct, and navigate their cardboard boat across the blue seas of the War Memorial Building’s indoor pool (Winchester). The team’s boat will be constructed entirely of corrugated cardboard and Duct tape, which will be provided the morning of the competition. You may bring your own decorations, which are optional. Compete for the most creative design, endurance, most spectacular sink, fastest, most decorative, and the least use of materials.

More Information:

When: Saturday, March 15th

Location: War Memorial Building’s Indoor pool (Winchester)

Time: 9:00 AM – Noon

Registration Fee: $25 – If you are interested, please see Ms. Bowen to pick up the registration form. The form and fee much be completed and sent in by March 1st in order to compete.