Head’s Up
 
*New Unit: Food, Inc.

This 7-week unit includes a variety of activities and assignments. Some will be familiar, such as Membean, while others will be new—most notably, the main project. For the project, students will work in both small and large groups to design an interactive booth that teaches the rest of the school about their assigned topic.

Additional components of the unit include:

  • Reading the nonfiction book The Omnivore’s Dilemma
  • Watching the documentary Food, Inc.
  • Learning about nutrition in their science classes
  • Exploring diets from different countries around the world
  • Learning about their food sources – the process of Farm to Table
  • Interactive lessons with you!  Please make sure you participate in the lessons that involve an adult in their home.

This unit is designed to give students a deeper understanding of food systems, nutrition, and global perspectives on diet.

*Study trip to Achadinha Cheese Company on Tuesday, April 28th.  Students who are attending, and drivers need to be on campus at 7:50am.  We are planning on leaving the school at 8:10am!  All participants need to wear closed toe shoes (tennis shoes) and bring a sack lunch.  Students who are not attending can request an Independent Study, or can do their school work in the Intermediate class (please let us know which one).

*Trips to Family Harvest Farm: We have 4 more trips planned to Family Harvest Farm.  Three of the trips will be small groups of students, and the last trip will be the whole class.  Please look at the schedule below, and the day your student is attending, please consider driving – we need 1-2 parent drivers for each small group; 5-6 parent drivers for the whole class. For the small group trips, drivers need to be here by 9:40am, and we will return to campus by 12pm. Drivers need to have a copy of their 100,000/300,000 liability car insurance on file in the office.  If you can drive, please let us know how many students you can take. Students not attending the farm will be working on assignments with the other MS teachers who stayed back.


*State Testing begins this week.  Make sure you do not schedule any appointments/trips/etc during these dates.  It is very DIFFICULT on your student if they miss a test(s) and have to make them up. Testing takes place in the mornings.

MIDDLE

 
 

CAST

April 24th & 25th

ELA PT

May 7 & 8

MATH CAT

May 11-15

ELA CAT

May 11-15

MATH PT

May 21 & 22

 

*We’re heading to the Stockton Ports on May 12th! We will need many drivers to help transport over 200 students. Parents with multiple children may drive their own students, and if you have extra space, we kindly ask that you consider offering rides to additional students. Student tickets are covered; however, all adult drivers, and any non ACA students (younger or older sibs) will be responsible for their own admission and parking fees.  Permission slip is attached, or can be picked up in the office.

 
Week 1:  Food, Inc
     
This Week’s Assignments/Homework: not inclusive – assignments may be added.  Class assignments not finished during class become homework.
  • Vocabulary15 minutes 3 times a week on Membean; due Fridays
  • Literature Book: Omnivore’s Dilemma; pacing guide for reading, RJW + Reflection due on Fridays, quiz on Fridays
  • CommonLit: Genetically Modified Salmon: Food or ‘Frankenfish’?; due Friday
  • Current Events: Find an article related to our theme (FOOD or The Food Industry). After you read it, write a three-paragraph summary of the article. Remember to have an introductory paragraph, a body paragraph, and a conclusion paragraph; due Thursday
  • Writing: Work with a partner or alone. Part 1: Complete the handout ‘Corn from A to Z’; due Friday
  • Writers Workshop: check in (students have been given class time each week to work on their portfolio); due May 5
  • Math: CPM, Khan, POD, Math Review, pacing guide with due dates, assessments on Fridays
  • Science “Nutrition: participation, labs & assignments; due on Science day
  • Food, Inc Project:  form groups & choose topic