The Event, Part I: Description

We are going to start the year in Language Arts studying Realistic Fiction. You’ll be reading Realistic Fiction and writing your own Realistic Fiction pieces. Later we’ll contrast Realistic Fiction with Fantasy. Later in the year we’ll study the genres of Mystery and Science Fiction literature.

For your first piece of Realistic Fiction, you are going to create a piece in which two characters watch an event. The event can be a sporting event, a celebration, a performance, a spectacle, a festival…I’m being broad because I want you to think of something you’d be interested in describing. You will describe the event the characters are watching. You can invent what happens during the event, but you should probably choose something you know something about, so that you can describe it accurately. The event doesn’t have to be The Greatest Event in the History of Mankind. It can be a normal event in which normal things happen. Your goal is to write a descriptive piece, not necessarily a suspenseful piece (though you can add suspense to your piece at your discretion).

You are telling a story in your Realistic Fiction piece, however. Think of yourself as a storyteller describing these two characters, where they are, and what they see.

You will describe three things in your piece:

1. The characters. Describe the appearance of the characters. Describe what is noticeable about them.

You are creating realistic characters. Give them realistic names and realistic appearances. You can base your characters on people you know. Make your characters fictional, however.

2. Describe where your characters are as they’re watching the event. Describe the venue, the weather, the crowd…anything applicable to the event.

3. Describe the event itself. What is happening? What do your characters see? The event should be somewhat prolonged so that the characters can watch it. It should not be over in an instant.

Your descriptions should happen in the past tense, as if the events have already happened.

Your description should be narrated from a third person perspective. This means that neither of the characters is narrating the description. It is the author, in effect, who is narrating the description.

Do not use any dialogue in your descriptions. You will be adding dialogue to your piece for Realistic Fiction: The Event, Part II: Dialogue.

Your weekend homework is to brainstorm ideas for your two characters, the venue in which they will be watching the event, and the idea itself. The brainstorming sheet will be due Tuesday, September 27.

The finished piece should be at least a full page in length, but no more than 3 pages. It can be typed or hand-written. If you type your piece, please double space and use a normal font.

We will be working on our pieces in class all of next week. You’re welcome to work on this over the weekend, but make sure you bring your work to class with you on Monday

The actual piece will be due Thursday, September 29.

September 9-14, 2011

ELOTD #2: there/their/they're
ELOTD #3: 3 types of end punctuation
ELOTD #4: sp: always

GQOTD #2: What is the newest country in the world?
GQOTD #3: What is the most populous city in California?

Western States Quiz & North African Countries Pre-Quiz Friday, Sept. 23.

Sixth Grade Student Council Election

The Nova Student Council consists of student body representatives. It includes three 8th grade reps, two 7th grade reps, and two 6th grade reps. Student Council generally meets once a week, usually on Mondays during lunch. Mr. Fleming is the faculty adviser to the student council.

The Nova Student Council is made up of leaders at Nova. You will take on a definite leadership role on the council. You will be involved in decision-making, you will take an active role in assemblies, and you will be expected to take part in extra-curricular functions. You will need to listen to your classmates’ ideas and concerns. You will be expected to advocate for your classmates at student council meetings.

You need to be positive and hard-working. You need to be confident when speaking in public. Most of all, you need to want to do the very best work that you can do in this role.

6th Grade Student Council Campaign Week will run September 19-23. Starting on Monday, September 19, you may put up 3 campaign posters measuring no larger than 8 ½ by 11 inches. You may put a poster up on your locker door. You may put a poster on a classmate’s locker door with their permission. Anywhere else in the building, you must first get faculty permission before hanging a poster. Please use Scotch Tape only for hanging posters.

It is your job during Campaign Week to let people know you are running for Council. Talk to your classmates. Advocate for yourself. Tell them why you would make a good representative.

You may not offer any gifts in exchange for votes. No candy, Pokemon cards, $100 bills, etc.

Each candidate for Student Council will give a speech on Friday, Sept. 23 during Social/Emotional Health. The maximum length for each speech is 5 minutes. There is no minimum length.

You want to make your speech memorable but substantive. You need to address the following points in your speech:

a) What qualities or attributes do you possess which make you an effective leader?

b) What experiences have you had which have allowed you to demonstrate leadership in your recent past?

c) Why do you want to be on Nova Student Council? What do you most want to accomplish on the council?

d) What would you like the other sixth graders to know about you which they might not already know?

Don’t be afraid to make your speech entertaining. Be humorous, but let your classmates know you’re serious. Tell a joke. Sing a song. Do a dance. Create a slogan. Above all, you want to stand out. Give your classmates a reason to vote for you.

Practice your speech in front of an audience. Preparation leads to success.

It is an honor to be elected to Student Council. If this job appeals to you, you should strongly consider throwing your hat in the ring. Go for it!

Silent Reading Subgenre Project

During the Fall Trimester of Silent Reading this year, you will choose a specific literary subgenre as a focus for your reading. You will then read 2-3 books over the course of the trimester within this subgenre. If you finish 3 books within your subgenre you can then read whatever you’d like for the remainder of the trimester.

You will need to choose a subgenre which holds a lot of interest for you. You will become a bit of an expert in this subgenre so you will want to choose wisely. Only works of fiction are eligible for this project. To insure that you really consider your options, you will actually identify 3 books in the 3 different subgenres which would interest you. You will turn in a worksheet with this information during your first Silent Reading class the week of September 19-23. Once you get your selection checked off, you may begin your reading.

There will be no homework component in Silent Reading this trimester. There is also no minimum reading amount. If you spend the entire trimester reading just two books and that is all you finish, that is fine, so long as you bring the correct books to class and are engaged in your reading. You can of course read your subgenre books outside of class. For in-class reading, however, you have to finish 3 books in the same subgenre before you move on to other genres and subgenres.

Books you have already read and books in a series from which you have read other books are not eligible for this project.

Your effort will determine your grade for this class.  You have a chance to earn 5 effort points each class in Silent Reading.  Here is the daily effort scale:

5: Subgenre book present, completely engaged in reading

4: Subgenre book present, engaged in reading with one minor lapse

3: Subgenre book present, with partial engagement in reading

2: Subgenre book not present OR little engagement in reading

1: No engagement in reading

Here are some examples of subgenres within wider genres of fiction:

Family: adoption, loss of parent, loss of sibling

Multi-Cultural: North American, Indian, Jewish, African American

Middle School: Bullies, cliques, misfits, gifted, friendship

High School: GLBT, Mean Girls, Substance Abuse, Romance

Historical: Salem Witch Trials, Civil War, World War II

Sports: baseball, swimming, gymnastics

Fantasy: anthropomorphic animals, re-told fairy tales, parallel worlds

Science Fiction: dystopia, interplanetary, alternate history, Steampunk

Supernatural: ghosts, fairies, zombies

Mystery: kidnapping, murder, private eye

Just about the only subgenre I will not allow is High Fantasy.  High Fantasy is a subgenre of Fantasy, but it is actually what most people think of when they think of Fantasy.  High Fantasy derives from Tolkien and usually concerns a hero who must learn to wield magic to go on a quest to defeat a great evil.  Think Eragon, basically.

September 8, 2011

ELOTD #1: SP: definitely
GQOTD #1: What is the smallest continent?

LA: Reviewed summer reading assignment.  Assignment is due when complete, no later than September 26.
Geo: Continents and Oceans Pre-Quiz.  Geo Quiz #1 assigned for Tues, Sept. 13.

Book Discussion Group at Olympia Timberland Library

Photo: Olympia Timberland Library

Do you like to read? Do you like to talk about books with fellow book enthusiasts? If so, you might be interested to know that the Olympia branch of the Timberland Library System will be hosting book discussion groups. If you're interested you simply bring the books you've read and enjoyed recently down to the library and you discuss them with other kids. The program is open to kids in grades 6, 7, and 8. Did I mention there would be food? There you go. Did I mention the fact that the first 10 kids who sign up get a free book? I just got the info today so if you sign up soon I'd say your chances of getting a book are pretty good.

Meetings will be held on Saturdays from 2:30 to 3:30. Here are the dates of the meetings:

September 24th, 
October 29th,
November 19th, 
December 17th

You can register by calling the library at 352-0595 and asking to sign up for the Middle School Book Club. If you have questions I can't answer, ask for Youth Services Librarian Sara Lachman. Registration is not required. You can simply show up on a whim if you'd like.

Hope some of you can make it!

Happy First Day of School!

We had a great first day of school at Nova.  Thanks to Mo for planning the day, Flem for planning the So-Emo activity, all the students for being awesome, amd all the teachers and staff for being great colleagues.  Oh, and the weather was beautiful, too.

Tomorrow all students need to turn in a rough sketch for their Photo I.D.  Sixth graders need to bring with them to Language Arts their summer reading assignment.  If it is complete you will be able to turn it in tomorrow.  If you are missing something, you will have the weekend to finish it.  If you haven't started the assignment you will have as much time as you need to finish it.  You can ask me any questions tomorrow in class.

Tomorrow actual classes begin! 

Tavi Gevinson, Teenage Fashion Blogger

I first read about Tavi Gevinson in The New Yorker last year.  She was a fourteen-year-old fashion blogger from subarban Chicago who made a name for herself through her blog and got to attend big fashion shows and hobnob with top designers.  She started her blog while she was in middle school.  Now she's in high school and is starting up an on-line magazine.  Her inspiration is Sassy Magazine, which in the nineties was a hipper and, well, sassier version of Seventeen.  I associate the magazine with Kurt Cobain (he was a fan) and My So-Called Life (great show) but I was never actually a subscriber.  Tavi's blog is called Style Rookie and her magazine is called Rookie.  It's pretty amazing how much media attention Tavi has attracted.  I mean what fifteen year old wouldn't want to hang out with Ira Glass?

You can read the profile on Tavi from this Sunday's New York Times Magazine here.

You can read the first issue of Rookie here.

Meet Mr. Gacek!

Hi, I'm Mr. Gacek.  This year I'll be starting my 11th year at Nova!  I love teaching and Nova is an awesome place to teach.  I teach Language Arts and Geography, as well as Silent Reading, Study Skills, and Social and Emotional Health.  I studied History, Anthroplology, and English at Reed College and Western Washington University and earned a Master in Teaching from The Evergreen State College.   I read a lot.  I really like Young Adult Literature; a recent favorite was Okay For Now by Gary B. Schmidt.  I'm also an avid sports fan.  My teams are the Sounders, Mariners, and UW Men's Basketball.  I have a large baseball card collection.  I'm originally from Bellingham and love living in the Northwest.  Welcome to Nova, new parents and students!

Meet Mr Kehoe!

Dominic Kehoe is our new 6th grade science/computers/geometry teacher.  He is originally from Scotland and he loves to rock climb.  He's been working all summer in the Nova garden and he's been planning up a storm for his classes.  His blog looks great so sign up as a follower to show him you've checked it out.  Also, you'll notice Mr Kehoe doesn't put a period after Mr and Mrs like we do in the States.  So when writing his name, make sure you do it the British way: Mr Kehoe.  As for me, I'm still Mr. Gacek. 

Check out Mr Kehoe's blog here.

NYT notices a trend: Schools banning disposable lunch bags

Students and teachers at Nova actually do a pretty good of bringing their lunches to school in re-usable containers.  Students in Environmental Science the past couple years have experimented for a week with not using disposable bags and containers.  Should Nova ban disposable bags outright?  The benefit would be less waste and it would actually save families money in the long run.  The drawback is that the ban would induce some stress in some parents and students.  The Times quotes a mom whose daughter's school has a no disposable bag policy.

In school years past, she said, many a morning came unhinged when the girls were sent to school with disposable sandwich bags. “That’s when the kids have meltdowns, because they don’t want to be shamed at school,” Ms. Corbett said. “It’s a big deal.”

I'd like to see Nova continue to promote using re-usable containers for lunches.  But a complete ban?  That's kinda harsh.  What do you all think?

You can read the article here.

"Why Not Eat Insects?"

The topic of insects as food is explored in Dana Goodyear's current New Yorker article "Grub: Eating bugs to save the planet."  As the world's population continues to rise, there will be more and more demand for food.  And as the planet continues to heat up, drought and extreme weather will continue to affect the food supply.  Therefore, it does make sense to start creating a food production system based on the production of insects.  Insects are excellent sources of protein and micronutrients.  They can be raised in an environmentally sustainable way.  Plus, eighty percent of the world already regularly eat insects.

In the West there's an obvious "ick" factor about eating insects.  You also have to eat a lot of them to match the calories found in, say, a hamburger.  But let's face it: humans are really taxing the planet with their current living practices.  Eating insects could very well become a necessity.

I'm all for eating insects.  However, I was disheartened to read one thing.  I am allegic to shellfish, including crabs, lobster, and shrimp.  Genetically, shellfish are very similar to insects.  Therefore, I am likely allergic to most insects.  Therefore, I'm probably not able to start adding crickets and mealworms to my diet.  I'm severely disappointed.

For the rest of you, though, there is nothing stopping you from eating more grasshoppers, beetles, and wax worms.

I would love to have an entomologist come to Nova to give a bug cooking demonstration.  If anyone knows anyone skilled in entomophagy, please let me know.

You can read the New Yorker article here.

Sounders defeat Monterrey 1-0

Alvaro Fernandez splits two Monterrey defenders (courtesy MLS).

The Sounders are currently playing in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament which pits teams from the U.S., Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean against one another.  The Sounders are currently in the group stage with Monterrey and teams from Guatemala and Costa Rica.  The Sounders won their first game against Communicaciones from Guatemala.  And tonight they won at Monterrey, only the second MLS team to win a CONCACAF match in Mexico.  Monterrey won the entire tournament last year; they're a good team (usually).

Seattle scored its lone goal in the first half on a brilliant shot by Alvaro Fernandez.  The Sounders controlled the game in the first half.  Monterrey very much looked out of sync.  The second half was a different story, however.  Monterrey applied constant pressure on the Sounders' goal.  Somehow shots were deflected, missed, or stopped by keeper Terry Boss.  Boss played an excellent game, with one exception.  On a friendly pass back to him, Boss misplayed the ball, and a Monterrey player won control with an open goal in front of him.  Somehow, though, he didn't have the right angle, so he had to pass, and the subsequent shot by the Monterrey player was offline.  It was a lucky break for the Sounders for sure.

Because the Sounders also have league matches and U.S. Open Cup matches, the team will play 6 games in 18 days.  Several key players, including Kasey Keller, Fredy Montero, and Mauro Rosales, did not play in the game.  It was an impressive showing by the Sounders.  They were lucky, for sure, but they'll take it.   

Olympian Article About Growing Local Food

John Dodge wrote a nice article in today's Olympian about growing and eating local food.  A number of local non-profits have joined forces for a series of events this fall called Focus on Food.  The culminating event will be a day-long food summit held October 15.

You can read John Dodge's article here.

More information about Focus on Food can be found at Sustainable South Sound's website here.

Here's the truth, kids: candy and soda pop are not good for you.  Mr. Gacek says: Eat Your Veggies! 

New Yorker Profile of the Rwandan National Cycling Team

Everyone should read this article, but I would especially recommend it to those of you who were present for Rachel's presentation on Rwanda in Geography last spring.  The article will give you a good sense of how the genocide continues to affect the country.  The poverty of the country is also starkly portrayed in the article.  However, the article is not depressing.  It's about how a few Rwandans--some Hutus, some Tutsis--have committed themselves to the sport of cycling and are starting to emerge on the international cycling scene.  It's all quite fascinating.

You can read The New Yorker article here.

The author of the article is Philip Gourevitch.  Gourevitch wrote the book We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda, which was about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.  You can read an exerpt from the book here.

NPR's List of 100 Greatest Fantasy/SF Novels of All-Time

This is a pretty great list.  Over 60,000 people voted on the titles, so the list reflects popularity.I've read a bunch of them but certainly not all of them.  You'll note there are no children's or YA novels on the list: No Narnia, no Harry Potter, no Golden Compass, no Eragon, etc.  Ender's Game, interestingly, was allowed in and ended up at #3.  Obviously there's not a clear dividing line between YA and Adult.  There are a lot of classics on the list, and there is a lot of stuff on the list not suitable for kids.  However, if you're a genre fan and looking for something to read, you will find a lot of great ideas on this list.

You can find the list here. 

Mr. Kenis is off to Hungary

Well, Mr. Kenis has left Olympia and is currently driving through California.  He will leave for Hungary from Los Angeles in a few days.  You can follow his adventures by reading his blog here.  Leave comments on his blog so he will know people are reading.  Have a great trip, Mr. Kenis!

Little League Baseball in Uganda

The New York Times published a fascinating (and sad) article about Little League baseball in Uganda.  In short, the team became the first team from Africa to qualify for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Alas, the team was denied visas into the United States because some players' birth dates were recorded inaccurately. 

It's a shame Uganda won't be allowed to play.  Still, it will be interesting to see if the game continues to grow in Uganda.  That's the great thing about baseball: there's always next year.

I would encourage you to check out the article here.

Brandon Mull to speak at Olympia Barnes & Noble

Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series, will be at the Olympia Barnes & Noble Friday, June 17, from 5-7 PM.  He will be hosting a "Creativity Workshop" and signing books.

If you're a fan of the books, this is your chance to meet the author!

The Barnes & Noble listing can be found here.

Summer Reading

Here's what I'll be reading this summer:

1.  Black Swan Green, by David Mitchell: A chronicle of the year 1982 for a 13-year-old boy in rural Great Britain.  Half-way through; it's fabulous.

2.  Okay For Now, by Gary D. Schmidt: A companion of sorts to The Wednesday Wars, which I loved.  Lots of buzz.

3.  The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht: The best reviewed book of the year so far.   Obreht was born in the former Yugoslavia and grew up in the U.S.  She is 25 years old.

4.  Palestine, by Joe Sacco: A graphic novel documenting Sacco's experiences visiting the region in 1991-2.

5.  Holes, by Louis Sachar: The beloved middle grade novel.

6.  Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Septys: A historical Young Adult novel about Baltic peoples forcibly removed from their homelands under Stalin and sent to Siberian prison camps.  A sad story, one would imagine.