Week of December 6

Hi Everyone,

My word for this week's blog is WOW! The reason why that is my word is because we have literally taken off with our network learning.

Here is a list of some of the things that our students are doing:

• HS students are doing discussion protocols using a shared google doc

• Both HS and MS students are receiving some impressive and good feedback from experts

• HS students are using the teaching resources of Khan academy and other open source online lessons to help them figure things out when their FLVS courses are confusing and they need another explanation
  

• Elementary blogs now include all their daily work.
  

• There is a lot of video conferencing going on at all levels.

• Use of web 2.0 tools has exploded. We are now using: symbaloo, google docs, bloggers, skype, presi, power point, PeBLr, capzles, gloogster, slideshare, photobucket, google calendar, google spreadsheets, online gaming, gmail, pbworks (wiki), youtube, screencast, online video editing ...and a whole lot more.
  

Things to ask your student about:

• HS: tell me about and share your chalktalk googledoc on Frederick Douglas.

• MS: tell me about your group and individual project.

• Elem: tell me about your elementary mythbuster.
  

PBL presentations this week/update:

• Elementary is working on getting their presentations ready to present next week.
  

• HS is working on their civil war papers which are due the Friday before winter break. They are also finalizing projects based on expert feedback.
  

• Middle school is working with Randy on a group project and Tim on an individual project.

This week's schedule:

• Please look at the email from me about our schedule change for Thursday. We will not be on the OH campus that day but we will still be doing our work.
  

SAT/ACT info:

• Spring ACT dates are: 2/12, 4/9 and 6/11.

Travel update:

• The younger students have come up with two potential trip ideas for the Spring. One idea is a trip to Washington D.C. and the other is a trip to the Grand Canyon and Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary to do some service learning.
  

Fundraising update:

• All families will be receiving Raffle tickets this week to try and sell to offset costs for the Spring trips. We are asking each family to try and sell at least 10 tickets if possible.
  

• The next meeting is set for this Friday at Amavida 8:30am.
  

Coming Soon:

• Winter Break 12/20-1/2

Things we need:

• Snacks- the healthier the better! Chex mix is being requested.
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

• Thank you Hunter, McKenzie, and Connor for giving OH the "gift" of making our school look so nice for the holidays! We love the decorations!!! Thank you Ms. Mel for the cleaning supplies!!!Thank you Mr. Tim and Mr. Randy for some amazing co teaching with MS PBL!!!
  

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn."
-Benjamin Franklin

I am looking forward to another great week!
Amy

Week of November 15

Alyssa and Hannah "playing with fire"

Hi Everyone,

Here is this week's update:

Things to ask your student about:

• High School: What type of presentation are you planning?
  

• Middle School: What were some of your daily PBL goals?
  

• Elementary: Tell me about what you created in math with Mr. Tim.
  

Reminder:

• OH will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday from Friday 11/19-Sunday 11/28. We will see everyone back on Monday 11/29.
  

PBL update:

• Projects are being finished this week. We are encouraging the students to explore different options of ways to present their projects. Some students are working on a play that they are video taping and others are using a network tool called presi. These are shaping up to be our best projects by far and I cannot wait for the students to share them with you.
  

Fundraising update:

• Our next parent fundraising meeting will be Wednesday at 8:45am at Amavida. At this meeting we need to have all the details together for our upcoming raffle.
  

Trip update:

• a $395 deposit was due 11/15. Please send in a check made out to OH institute ASAP if you have not done so already. We have to make our first deposit to the tour company.
  

Community Service Hours:

• I have a form to document community service hours for any students that would like a formal documentation for their community service hours. Please email me if you would like a form. I sent a copy to all the high school students already.
  

Things we need:

• Disinfectant wipes.

• Snacks- the healthier the better!
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

This week I thought I would list some of our attitudes of gratitude that are on our "attitudes of gratitude" wall at OH:

• Go OH!
• Thank you Mira for your awesome sweeping skills!
• Thank you for being awesome students we are lucky to be here!
• Thank you Davis for cleaning before going to music.
• I love the blog song!
• Thanks for tennis!
• Attitudes rule!
• Thank you Sweet Jeni for the cupcakes!
  

"A teacher cannot build a community of learners unless the voices and lives of the students are an integral part of the curriculum."

Amy

Week of November 8

Hi Everyone,

Please remember that this week we have no school on Friday. MS and High school students should use this day as an FLVS/PBL work day from home.

Here is this week's update:

Things to ask your student about:

• High School: What was the one part of the Frederick Douglas book that you choose to talk about during your group book discussion?
  

• Middle School: What diary are you working on?
  

• Elementary: Tell me about the digestive tract and how it works.
  

PBL update:

• Middle school and high school are off and running with their new projects. We will be sending some work to experts to peer review this week.
  

Fundraising update:

• Our next parent fundraising meeting will be sometime this week at 8:45am at Amavida's. We will work on getting our next fundraiser "a chance to win trips" together. I will send out an email once the day is set.
  

Things we need:

• Disinfectant wipes.

• Snacks- the healthier the better!
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

• An attitude of gratitude to Paige for helping us out and being our substitute last Wednesday! Thank you to Mira for bringing in more kickballs!

"Nothing is ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Enjoy your week and stay warm!

Amy