Friday, February 8, 2013

Swift Students Invest in the Stock Market

The first week of the Stock Market Game has gone very well for all of the Swift Students.  Students are using ipods, ipads, smart phones, and computers to research and analyze their stocks each day.  Beginning next week, we will be posting our top five team's portfolios with their rankings.  This is a fabulous project-based learning experience for all of our students.  Feel free to email articles about companies to your child.  As of Saturday 2/9, our team is ranked 2nd of 4 middle schools.  A Brown's River teacher's team is first!  The competition begins!

Students are using lots of different devices to gather short and long-term stock prices as well as company research.  Ipads, mini-ipads, iphones, itouches, and other smartphones are being used in class!

Rankings as of February 9th

Next week we will publish the names, but students know which group they are in.  It looks like two team from Mrs. Donnelly's Blue SS group are 4th and 5th.  This will change greatly each week!

Spring Science Units with Mrs. Skapof and Mrs. Laberge - Heat, Light, Sound and Electricity

We have begun our spring science standards, looking at energy flow in heat, light, sound (5/6 only) and electricity (7/8 only).  Both the 5/6 and 7/8 groups have started by exploring heat transfer: how heat flows through different states of matter to reach equilibrium.  To explore this topic students are researching animal adaptations for dealing with heat, or lack thereof.  As they research the adaptations they will apply the terms conduction, convection and radiation.  For example, a polar bear's black skin allows it to absorb a great percentage of the sun's radiation, helping keep it warm in the coldest temperatures.  Students will be presenting their findings next Thursday of Friday. 

 

NAEP Testing for 8th Graders on Tuesday

Eighth graders will be participating in the NAEP Testing on Tuesday morning.  These tests are administered nationally and used to look at achievement throughout the United States.  Though schools and parents do not get individual scores, our students represent Vermont.  We want them to do their very best, so getting sleep the night before and a good breakfast is important.

Swift Welcomes Nina, our Thai Scholar

Thursday, Swift welcomed Nina to our school during our kiva meeting.  Baker played a piece for her, Ms. Longchamp presented her with a Swift pin, and Nina introduced herself.  Nina teaches English at an all girl's school in Thailand.  We are looking forward to learning more about her culture this semester.

March Dance Chaperones

Swift House will be hosting the next middle school dance on Friday, March 8th at 6:30.  Please sign up to chaperone here.  (This really is fun!)  We we request that students in Longchamp and Donnelly's Core bring two-2 liter bottles of cold soda or juice and Mrs. Skapof and Mrs. Laberge's core bring individually wrapped snacks.

Washington, DC Trip

Students had their first DC trip meeting on Thursday and were given the project check-off sheet.  We use the process that we use for independent projects for this trip, so all students are familiar with the requirements.  We only want to take students who are personally committed to learning on this trip.  We believe that the learning aspect is the most important, and this has been seen year after year in the student engagement and excellent behavior during the trip.  It is the student's responsibility to make every meeting and deadline.  If a student misses a meeting or deadline, a facilitator will meet with them in order to see if they are truly invested in this optional trip.  If they miss a second meeting or deadline, a note will go home to the parent and a discussion will occur as to whether the student has the maturity and commitment to attend the trip.  If a third miss has occurred, the student will not be able to attend the trip.  We are always here to help support our students through the process.

Washington, DC is a long way from Vermont, and students are also aware that behavior in the classroom is an indicator as to whether they are ready for such a trip.  Students who are not displaying "SMART" behavior regularly in school will be withdrawn from the trip.

Ms. Longchamp and Mrs. Skapof will be the "home-base" crew this year, and are already planning enriching activities for the week the DC trip students are gone.

Swift "Early" Birds

This is just a reminder that Swift House opens at 7 am for students who would like to come in early to do work.  Ms. Longchamp is the early facilitator this year and thanks you for reminding students to have a plan for what they would like to accomplish during this time.  Most students find this time very productive and use is responsibly.  Those that do not will be asked to come in at the regular school-day time at 7:50.