Dear SMASHing Families,
“Nobody succeeds beyond his
or her wildest expectations unless he or she begins with some wild
expectations.”
–Ralph Charell
Do you have any “wild
expectations” of what your child’s learning can look like after Core 4? Do your
children have a vision for their high school experience? As Elliot Washor says in the book Leaving
to Learn, “We hear often of the ‘high expectations’ schools must have of
and for their students, yet we seldom hear of the expectations students have of
their school.”(p. xxv) Framed as questions, here is what Elliot Washor’s action
research with high schoolers across the country says about what high school students
expect from their schools:
1. Relationships:
Do my teachers and others who might serve as my teachers know about me
and my interests and talents?
2. Relevance: Do I
find what the school is teaching relevant to my interests?
3. Authenticity:
Is the learning and work I do regarded as significant outside school by
my communities of practice and by
experts, family, and employers?
4. Choice: Do I
have real choices about what, when , and how I will learn and demonstrate my
competence?
5. Challenge: Do I feel appropriately challenged in my
learning and work?
6. Play: Do I have opportunities to explore-and to make
mistakes and learn from them-without being branded as a failure?
7. Practice: Do I
have opportunities to engage in deep and sustained practice of those skills I
need to learn?
8. Time: Do I have
sufficient time to learn at my own pace?
9. Timing: Can I
pursue my learning out of the standard sequence?
If you can imagine the role
of high school educators as “talent spotters, travel agents…personal trainers
and coaches (p.xxvii),” and if you’d like to hear more about the Big Picture
Learning schools Elliot Washor has co-founded with Dennis Littky, plan to
attend the Leaving to Learn book talk with Elliot and students
Tuesday, February 18 6:30-8:00pm in
the SMASH Library.
Enthusiastically yours,
Jessica
*********************
DATES TO REMEMBER
PE MILE
LONG FITNESS RUN:
Tues, Feb 4
- grades 3, 4, 7, 8 (1st grade has a Shuttle Run)
Wed, Feb 5 -
grades 5 & 6
Wed, Feb 5 -
9:00-10:30am - SMASH Tour
Wed, Feb 5 -
6pm - SMASH PTSA mtg.
Fri, Feb 14
- 4:30-8:30pm - Valentine Craft Night
Tues, Feb 18
- 6:30-8pm - Leaving to Learn book talk
Sat, Feb. 22
- 7:00-10:00pm - Arts & Letters. Buy
tickets now at SMASHartsale2014.eventbrite.com
Wed, Feb 27 - SMASH
Multicultural Potluck
********************
The SMASH Jog-a-thon t-shirt needs you!
Deadline: February 7th
T-shirt sponsors
make it possible for all students and teachers to take home a Jog-a-thon
t-shirt. Sponsorship is tax deductible
to the extent allowable by law. Sponsor
names adorn the back of the t-shirt. As
a token of appreciation for their generous support, t-shirt sponsors receive a
complimentary t-shirt. Fill out the form
below and drop off in the office by the deadline above. Make your check payable to SMASH PTSA.
Become a Corporate Sponsor
(donations of $150, $200 or $250)
or
Become a SMASHing Sponsor
(donations of $25, $50 or $100)
Questions?
Contact Lillie Schlessinger (213) 742-3394 –
lillie.schlessinger@transamerica.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sponsorship: Corporate
___$250 ___$200 ___$150
SMASHing ___$100 ___$50
___$25
Name (as you would like it to
appear on the t-shirt):_______________________________________
Child’s name (so we know who
you are!):_______________________________________
Size preference for complimentary t-shirt: ___XXL
___XL ___L ___M
___S (All sizes are adult sizes since all students will already receive
a complimentary t-shirt. If you
specifically want your complimentary
t-shirt to be a child’s size, please note this.)
*********************
Tidbits From SMASH PTSA
The SMASH Alumni site is now up and running
Anyone that wants to stay connected to SMASH and
upcoming events, including the 40th Anniversary Celebration
is encouraged to sign up so you can get the emails and
updates! Hope to see you all in May
for the family event at SuperSMASH and then the adults
only celebration on Main St!
*****************
We have lots of great SMASH events coming up this
year, but we need your help to pull them all off!
Whether you
volunteer 2 hours or 100 hours - everything is appreciated. Click here
to volunteer!
*****************
40th Anniversary of SMASH, SUPERSMASH and SILENT
AUCTION
You may not believe it, but
we are already working on putting together SuperSMASH and the SMASH Silent
Auction - May is just around the corner!
Plus, we are going to be inviting all SMASH Alumni to
attend the event this year to celebrate our
40TH Anniversary - which means lots of people and
lots of fun.
To pull it all off, we need you to help in any way you
can. There are many small and large tasks that can be done off campus, leadership
roles, and ways you can help during the actual event. Please contact the Chairs
for these 3 events to see which jobs are available and if there is one that is
a good fit for you.
Silent Auction Chair: The
fabulous Sabine Werk visionwerk@mac.com
SuperSMASH Chair: The
marvelous Naren Desai narendesai@icloud.com
40th Anniversary Co-Chairs:
The awe-inspiring Summer Germann summergermann@aol.com
STORAGE SPACE NEEDED:
We are looking for some space
close to school to use for Silent Auction Storage. If you have space available
or know of someone who might, please contact me: jameetenzer@gmail.com. We might even be able to pay a small rental fee!
*****************
If you haven't already
made a donation to the Ed Foundation this year, please consider
doing so by midnight tonight: Fri, Jan. 31. Every little bit counts and we are
down to the wire! Just click here to donate: https://www.smmef.org/donate.php?cat=76
See the enclosed flyer
to learn more.
Join Us For February's PTSA Meeting!
Wednesday, February 5 at 6pm in the
school library
Join us to learn about all the events
coming up, including a terrific parent education night!
Help us get the word out about some of
the event chair positions that are opening up next year!
Share your wisdom. Connect with other
parents.
We promise the meetings are short,
packed with info and they start on time.
See you there!
*********************
Malibu High School’s Arts Angles Production of “ALICE IN WONDERLAND”
Show Times: February 20, 21, and 22 at 7:00pm ; February 23 at 2:00pm (meet the cast)
Ticket Prices:
$10 Seniors/Students; $15 Adults.
Tickets available at malibuhigh.org
Tumble into the Malibu High
School Theatre for a whirlwind Wonderland experience! The well-known
nonsensical characters live up to their reputation in this perfectly peculiar
adaptation of Disney's musical film. Join Alice as she chases the White Rabbit, gets tangled up with
the Tweedles, celebrates her un-birthday with a mad tea party, and beats the
Queen of Hearts at her own game.
*********************
Sustainable Works First 2014 Green Living Workshop!
Did
you know it takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef? You
save more water by not eating a pound of beef than by not showering for 6
months!
Join a
FREE Sustainable Works Green Living Workshop and learn how information
like this will help you save money and positively impact your family,
community, and ultimately the planet!
When:
6 Wednesday Meetings: February 26,
March 5, 12, 19 & 26, April 2, 7pm-8:30pm
Where: Santa Monica Main Library Community Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. SM 90401
Where: Santa Monica Main Library Community Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. SM 90401
Your
friends, family and neighbors are becoming sustainable, why not you?
Attend
1 meeting or all 6, whichever fits your schedule.
•Reduce your Water & Energy usage
•Save $ on Utilities
•Cut landfill Waste
•Reduce your Family's Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
•Reduce your Transportation Impact
•Make more sustainable Shopping & Food choices
•Save $ on Utilities
•Cut landfill Waste
•Reduce your Family's Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
•Reduce your Transportation Impact
•Make more sustainable Shopping & Food choices
Receive FREE resource saving tools
Water saving hose nozzles, Energy saving light bulbs, Reusable shopping bags,
Water saving hose nozzles, Energy saving light bulbs, Reusable shopping bags,
safe cleaning supplies, healthy energy bars, and
more...
*********************
VALENTINE CRAFT NIGHT FOR KIDS!!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
4:30 - 8:30pm
$20 per child suggested donation
Activities for Core 1, 2 and 3 Students and their
siblings (who are fully potty-trained)
Lead by SMASHing 8th Graders
Drop your kids and enjoy a romantic evening!
Each child should bring a
“sack dinner”
Sign-up in the SMASH office
Crafts!
Entertainment!
Snacks!
*********************
CORE
1 NEWS
Why Dramatic Play and Children Theater Matters
Adapted from an Article by Danielle Wood,
Education.com
Want to boost literacy? Teach
your child to imagine the unimaginable? Cultivate curiosity? Get thee to the
theater, and bring your kids. The children's theater movement is led by Europe,
but the U.S. is not far behind. And we're not just talking about the bustling
theater town of New York. The third largest children’s theater in the world is
tucked away in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Other mid-sized cities—from Dallas, to
Tempe, to Nashville, are also cooking up kids’ fare in full-time children
venues. No one would argue the importance of literacy or fractions, but study
after study has shown that the arts are more than fluff. Longitudinal data of
25,000 students involved in the arts, conducted at UCLA’s Graduate School of
Education by Dr. James Catterall, shows that consistent participation greatly
improves academic performance. Students who make time for the arts are also
more involved in community service, and less likely to drop out of school.
These facts remain, regardless of a child’s socio-economic background. Theater
also connects to the importance of
reading. A play has the ability to jump a story off the page and bring it to
life. This can be a revelation to regular bookworms, but also a real boon to
reluctant readers. “Part of it is that what’s happening on stage is very
similar, in a way, to the play acting and role playing all children do. It’s
live, and good plays are just a little bit ‘incomplete’, if you will—they need
the audience to complete them, and they change slightly with the audience.
Films, of course, are static,” says Kim Peter Kovac, President of Theatre For
Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA), a national organization for professional
children’s theaters. While plays work to jumpstart the imagination, they also
lengthen the attention span. At first, Hartzell says, sitting still in a
darkened room may not feel natural for children. But that’s precisely why it’s
important. Because TV is such a popular form of entertainment, she says, kids
aren't used to focusing for an hour or an hour and a half. “Kids today see a
new image every 3-4 seconds. They’re used to constant change. And they don’t
listen as well,” she says. If you inspire a love of theater early on, there's a
better chance that your child will develop creative gifts, and maintain a
lifelong appreciation for the performing arts.
Thank You
Thank you to Anya (of Dasha)
for Bring Our New Class Pet to Core 1. The Sparkling Sea now has “Zoomie
the Robotic Fish,” a male veil tail
betta and a fabulous new fish tank (which uses wheatgrass to clean the tank
while feeding the plants). We appreciate
you so much and are excited about learning more about our new Core 1 friend!
Thank you to Susana (of Nick)
for her continued love and care of Franklin the turtle and his habitat. And
thanks to all of our parent volunteers for their continued support of our
program! We appreciate you all so much!!!
Save These Exciting Dates to Your Calendar
February 20: Flight of the Butterflies (in 3-D)
Field Trip at the California Science Center
March 7: SMASH Jogathon
March 21: March Babies’
Birthday Bash
March 23: SMASHing Grown-up Spa Party Fundraiser @
Candis’ House, 1-4pm (Sunday)
March 26: Core 1 Parent Workshop on Play Part 1,
6pm-7:30
April 1: LACMA Fieldtrip
(tentative date)
April 25: April Babies’
Birthday Bash
May 2: May Babies’ Birthday
Bash
May 9: June Babies’ Birthday
Bash
May 14: 1st
Graders to Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)
May 16: July Babies’ Birthday
Bash
May 26: Core 1 Parent
Workshop on Play Part 2, 6pm-7:30
May 28: 2nd
Graders to Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)
June 4: Ks to Santa Monica
Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)
Have a great weekend!
*********************
CORE
2 NEWS
Thank you
for your efforts to search for school library books at home.
Many of the overdue books have now been recovered!
Mark your calendars: School House Rock LIVE! Field Trip 2/13 8:30 -
1:00!!! Core 2 will take the Big Blue Bus on Thursday, February 13 to the
Morgan-Wixson Theater to see School House Rock LIVE! We need to leave right at
8:30, so please help your child be on time to school. We also need chaperones
to help us stay safe on the bus, enjoy the show, and picnic & play at
Clover Park. Bring a sack snack & lunch, water to drink, and wear walking
shoes and sunscreen or a hat. We are asking for a $2 suggested donation for the
bus. Please let us know if you can join us by emailing Mimi AND Tamara.
Orange Group Update: Thank you to
Marni Gittleman for coming in last week and sharing her unique knowledge of how
food affects mood. She helped us begin
the process of tuning into our bodies and reflecting on how different foods
affect our energy and mood. This week,
we have begun discussing basic functions of the human body systems. Ask your student how we are charting the
information.
We will be concluding our
unit on Friday, 2/7 (about 10:30-11:30) with a healthy snack and some movement
activities that relate to specific health benefits. We are looking for parent volunteers to
contribute healthy snack items and help serve them to the Orange Group. We are also looking for one or two parent
volunteers to help with the movement
activities. The students have
brainstormed a variety of healthy snack choices. Please contact Mimi ASAP if you are able to
contribute food and/or come in to help in person.
In Writing Workshop,
The Ninja Rainbow Kittens have finished their
fantasy story drafts. We will be revising, editing, and rewriting the stories next
week. Here are some questions you could
ask your student to find out more about their story:
How did you choose to start
your story? (i.e., action, dialogue, description, sound)
What is the setting
like? Are there any magical or
fantastical elements in the setting?
Is there a villain in your
story? What’s his/her backstory?
What kinds of places does
the main character(s) travel to on their quest to solve their problem?
Valentine’s Day in Core 2: Core 2 traditionally delivers “Mail” to their
classmates during our Valentine’s Day celebration. Bringing cards for the class is optional, but
your child may bring in 25 Valentines for all of the children in her/his
Advisory group. It is optional to bring
in enough Valentine’s for the entire Core (50).
Your child may simply sign the cards From: __________ or Love,
___________. NO candy
please! The kids’ love, kindness, and
appreciation for each other is sweet enough!
If you would like to donate a special treat for the whole advisory (50
kids) to add to our celebration, please let Tamara or Mimi know.
Thanks to you generous Rice
Cereal donations, we will be making Rice Crispy Treats in class on Valentine’s
Day – please let us know if your child has any food allergies or dietary
restrictions to butter, marshmallow, or rice cereal.
Have a fantastic weekend!
*********************
CORE
3 NEWS
District Middle School Visual Art
Show TODAY!
Core 3 will be representing SMASH's middle school with our
Claymation videos.
Please join us at the Roberts Art
Gallery at Samohi on Friday, Jan. 31 from 6:00-8:00pm.
~Today your
child brought home a large packet of upcoming field trips. Please turn them in
all at once as it makes it easier to organize and keep track of. We broke down the donation for transportation
and trip cost for you to see what you are paying for.
~CHAPERONES
NEEDED except for Morgan Wixson due to limited seats! Please check your calendars
and the field trip packet and let Genie
know if you can commit to a trip.
(ghwang@smmusd.org)
~Astrocamp
packet went home today with 5th graders! Packing list and permission slip
included. Please return the field trip
slip sooner than later.
6th gr
Math with Erin: This
week students worked through our final problems on ratios. Students practiced
thinking about money ratios, distance ratios, recipe ratios and more. I hope
you got a chance to look through this packet with your child. On Friday we took
our final unit assessment.
5th
gr Math with Genie:
Please continue conversations at home adding and subtracting fractions. We are moving to multiplying and dividing
fractions which acts very differently than what we know about multiplication
and division of whole numbers. Please
check out the khanacademy.org videos with your child, as well. More frequent and repeated exposure helps
them understand these concepts. The
biggest help in math is understanding number relationships—factors,
multiples. So in the car play games like
who can name all the factors of 24 or what are the common factors of 30 and 24.
Interdisciplinary
Project: Medical Issues: Knowledge of
Diseases, Conditions, and Syndromes and their Inclusion within Society: We have our topics and our groups and
have begun our research! Lessons this
week have been introducing what is expected (each student will write their own
personal essay on their topic, each student will present a part orally, a group
created Prezi technology presentation, a group glossary of terms, and extras
are welcome). We also looked at group
roles and created group norms/rules which have really helped in the
communication of gathering and
sharing information.
On Wednesday Guido Fass (Stella's
dad - Core 2) came to visit and talk about his neuroscience at UCLA. Guido talked with the students about brain
research and about how a normal brain works. He used volunteers to participate in brain "tricks"
to demonstrate some ways that even a healthy brain can misunderstand some
messages. Students asked questions about
the various brain disorders that they are studying and left with a better
understanding of brain science. We are
excited to get to follow up with a visit to Guido's neurology lab at UCLA in a
few weeks.
Dramatic
Arts with Kristy: How fun it has been to adapt and write a
script! The students have been busy learning how to write in script format and
how to in their own words retell Rules.
Next, they will start to read through their scripts and learn how actors
learn a new script in a table reading and will also begin audio and video
recording this process.
Homework:
5G math:
packet #18—same packet. Due 2/7/14
Nonfiction
Reading sheet due Wednesday, 2/5/14
Reading 30
minutes every day!
WW: collect
2 entries (full pages) in writing notebook each week.
Enjoy the weekend!
Genie, Erin, and Laura
*********************
CORE
4 NEWS
Humanities
· Reading - Students have completed their
book club project. The project includes:
a summary of their book, a character
web, reading responses, and a scripted skit, talk show, or tableaux.
·
Writing
- Students have completed the first draft of their Yosemite essay, answering
the question “What was the significance of the Yosemite trip to you?” This is a
thesis driven essay supported by specific experiences from the trip. Final
Draft is due on February 6th.
·
Social
Studies - Students are continuing to work in small groups completing their
project for comparative world religions. The main component of their project is
creating an informational video about the religion their group is studying. They also have to create a display board and
plan an activity to teach the class.
Science: We are continuing our focus on
Genetics. The 8th grade students will be
visiting the Heal the Bay Aquarium on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 -
12:25.
7th Grade
Math - We are
continuing our work with graphs and functions.
8th Grade
Math
One group is
learning about:
·
Integer
Exponents (Review)
·
Multiplication
and Division Properties of Exponents (Review)
·
Adding,
Subtracting, and Multiplying Polynomials
·
Radical
Expressions
Another group
is reviewing
·
Equations,
Proportions, and Formulas
·
Simple,
Multi-Step, and Compound Inequalities
·
Function
Concepts and Applying Functions
·
Characteristics
and Using Linear Functions
Reminders:
8th graders are going to the
Heal the Bay Aquarium on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week. We will
be leaving SMASH around 9am and will
be back by lunch time. If you could volunteer on this trip, please email
us.
7th graders will be going to
the Aquarium in late March.
Important Dates
February
3rd, 5th, & 7th -
Aquarium Field Trips
February 14 – 8th Grade Fundraiser –
Valentine Craft Night
Darwin Mendinueto - dmendinueto@smmusd.org
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