Steinkamp's Scoop

Hey parents! Welcome back to another year. I am so excited, like usual, to be back with these kiddos! I hope you had a very relaxing summer. We are getting into the swing of things once again. All grades have completed their assessments as of today. So, tomorrow we will really start with language arts. All grades will be starting with elements on a plot diagram. Such as, the climax, conflict, characters, ext... I will be giving the students their first book report rubric. I am still unsure what they will be reading, but I hope to have it figured it by the end of the week. Like last year, we will be doing different activities, using different techniques, and reading a ton throughout the semesters. Barb Coenen has agreed to come back to the 8th grade class for "Book Club". This means should be doing an activity with the story we are reading at that time. She reads the same story and creates and arts and crafts activity for the students to do. We had fun last year so I am ex...

Don't forget 8th grade parents, yearbook order forms are due on the 14th of May. Also, our field trip is one week from today. Please hand in the permission slips, if you haven't already done so. Thanks!

Attention 8th Grade Parents!  Today, the 7th of May, I will be sending home an order form for yearbook. If you would like to order one, please have the money returned to school no later than the 14th of May! Thank you!

The protest was a success! President Walsh heard the people and ruled the Shadow Children be free!! The 6th grade made protest posters and wrote their reasons as to why the children should be free or banned. Then, they read their reasons to "President" Walsh. The protesters.  President Walsh giving his speech, a good one at that.  The Anti-Population Law protesters (for freedom). The Pro-Population Law (against freedom). They are a little unhappy because they lost, except Garon at least he is smiling.  Lap-A-Thon! I am very proud that these girls ran some or all of the course! Great job, sisters.

Yesterday the 6th grade were assigned to make fake I.D.s with pictures and a little story about an alternate life. Today they met the Population Police, a.k.a me! We pretended I stopped them and they had to tell me their life story. If I didn't believe the story they went to jail, but if I believed them then they were free. However, some students bribed me so they stayed free. I got into disguise with a mustache, aviators, a ruler, and a whistle- super authoritative, I know. Here are my "officers". Andy and Garon bribed me not to go to jail. You see the accused in their jail surrounded by the free birds.  The free birds laughing at the jailed. It looks like there is about to be a prison riot. The Population Police with all of the "shadow kids". Craziness.  In the mean time... 8th grade did canvas painting for art today. I tied the painting in with To Kill A Mockingbird. So, they are making a sunset sky, tree, and a mockingbird will be...

Soo... The 6th grade just read chapter 20 of Among the Hidden. In this chapter Jen and Luke, main characters, talk about getting fake i.d.s and different identities. I thought it would be fun for the 6th grade to create their secret identity life. They are to write a couple of paragraphs talking about their "life" if they were in hiding. They have to make up where they are from, parents, interests, ext... Tomorrow I will be the Population Police and decide if their identity is "real" or "fake", if it is too fake they will go to "jail". I am so excited to hear them! BUT FIRST! You can't have a fake life without a picture in disguise. I printed out different props and such, they colored them, then took a picture against the "photo booth". These are just so funny, I had to share! If your child isn't on here, ask them to show you! Maybe they are so disguised you can't tell who is your child?! Sam with her mole and sunglass...

Oh boy, so sorry I haven't posted in awhile. We have been very busy in the middle school wing. Here are some pictures to update you! The 6th grade is well into their Among the Hidden book. They just discovered Luke isn't the only "shadow child", third child. The kids are really getting into it. I see a lot of participation, which is so great! Last week we had a Friday Funday where we played games, educational of course. We played vocabulary pictionary, they did skits acting out different point of views, hide and see with antonyms and synonyms, and quizzes for analogies-all dealing with the book. Colby and Morgan finding hidden objects-get it "hidden"-ha! 8th Grade is in part 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird. They say it is a little difficult to read, but so far they seem to like it. We really discuss in this class because I want to ensure everyone understands! Here are two activities they had to do. Maura drew a picture of Boo Radley and wrote his char...