|
Spotlight on Learning
|
May 2013
|
|
ANNUAL CLASS PLAYS SUPPORT STUDENT NEEDS AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS
|
|
The annual class play is an important spring tradition at Journey School. It is also a key element of Waldorf-inspired education. As a Journey School Teacher eloquently explained several years ago:
"Preparation for a class play begins long before the day it is first introduced to the students. The curriculum of the year, the children's individual needs, and their developmental readiness must all be observed and brought into consideration early in the process. The various stories, subjects, and themes from the course of the year are weaved together into the play experience. The play is then tailored, whether borrowed or actually written by the class teacher, to meet all desired goals. The goals may be woven from social lessons, goals in speech, singing, or the many other possible benefits from performing a role in front of one's peers."
|
Grade
|
Play
|
Date/Time
| |
Kindergarten
|
Marionette Play
|
Wednesday, May 15th
| |
1st-Barger
|
The Queen's Advisors
|
TBA (early June)
For K and parents only
| |
1st-Davis
|
Fair Rosa
|
TBA (late May, early June)
For K and parents only
| |
2nd
|
Jumping Mouse
|
Friday, May 31st
| |
3rd
|
Let My People Go
|
Friday, May 24th
9:00am
| |
4th
|
Loki & Sif's Golden Hair
|
Friday, May 10th
9:30am and 6:15pm
| |
5th
|
The Light of Isis and Osiris
|
Thursday, June 6th
6:00pm
| |
6th
|
The Dr. Seuss Message featuring:
Horton Hears a Who
and The Lorax
|
Wednesday, May 22nd
-
9:30 AM Horton (for kindergartens)
-
11:00 AM the Lorax (for grades)
-
5:00 PM Horton and the Lorax (for the parents and guests)
| |
7th
|
(Written by 7th Graders - awaiting title)
|
Wednesday, June 12th at 9:30am
Thursday, June 13th at 6pm
| |
8th
|
The Hobbit
|
Wednesday, June 12th at 6pm
Thursday, June 13th at 9:30am
|
Not all plays are open to the public -- and the schedule is subject to change. We do ask that you take into consideration that some of the plays are not intended for young children due to content, language, and length. If you decide to bring young children to a production, do keep a close eye on them for their well-being and to ensure the integrity of the performance.
|
|
THIRD GRADE SHELTERS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
|
The students spent their last main lesson block studying shelters around the world and showcased the housing creations culminating their shelter unit. The focus of the final projects was on natural, sustainable practices. Developmentally, sheltering is important for the 9 year old. 3rd graders start to separate from their families and need to build security and groundedness. The Waldorf curriculum meets the child by offering sheltering, gardening, and farming as a focus during 3rd grade.
|
|
DIGITAL LITERACY IN THE NEWS!
|
|
Education Week produced a 12 page "Spotlight on Digital Literacy in the Common Core Era" with a collection of articles about:
-
"Incorporating digital literacy into the common core
-
Lessons learned from virtual education
-
Efforts aimed at closing the digital skills gap
-
Forming public-private relationships to support digital literacy
-
Deepening the use of technology with digital natives"
The spotlight includes an article about Journey's digital literacy curriculum: "Students Learn Cyber Skills at a No-Tech School."
Another digital article of note is "The Child, The Tablet, and the Developing Mind" from the NY Times Bits Blog.
|
|
8TH GRADE PROJECTS - UPDATED SCHEDULE
|
|
Thank you to everyone who has come out to support our 8th graders as they present their projects. Here is the updated schedule for the remaining presentations in the MPR:
May 14, Tuesday, 6pm
Jamie - Metal Works
Hayden - Glow in the Dark Miniature Golf
Ian - Solar Energy
Quinn - The Brain
Max WF - Soccer
May 21, Tuesday, 6pm
Eli - Hydro Power
Nick - The United States Armed Forces
Eric - Football
Ben - Building a Loft
Cosette - Down Syndrome
Newara - Dog Psychology
Sommer - Human Trafficking
|
|
PLAYSILKS = TOOLS OF THE IMAGINATION
|
If you've ever visited a Journey Kindergarten classroom you've discovered a comfortable home away from home where children pretend their playsilks are scarves for the cold winter, capes for heroic games, or a hammock for a little one. Ms. Tammra taught a parent education class on how to dye playsilks through The Oak and The Acorn monthly classes.
|
|
We'd like to acknowledge the very generous gift from students Antonio and Isabella of, respectively, an Asian Pear and a Cara Cara Navel Orange. They came, with their parents and aunt, on a Sunday to plant the two trees with Erik, our Master Gardener. Expertly they backfilled the holes, constructed the berms around the trees and then watered them well. Antonio's was his Earth Day Birthday gift to the garden and Isabella's was simply because she also wanted to give back to the garden. Journey School and all of us at the Green Heart Garden want to thank them both for their thoughtful gift.
Have you spotted someone making a special effort to make our campus a better place? Send an email to journeyschoolnews@gmail.com and we'll share future Earth Keepers in the newsletter or on the school blog.
|
|
6 JOURNEY STUDENTS HONORED DURING IMAGINATION CELEBRATION
|
Several talented Journey School students have been honored to have their artwork accepted into the upcoming "1,000 Pieces of Art Exhibit" which is part of the ongoing Imagination Celebration Countywide Arts Festival. The Journey School students honored include Lilly B. and Sophia M. (Kindergarten), Munroe K. (1st grade), Marcus H. (2nd grade), Sky R. (4th grade), and Nate B. (6th grade). The "1,000 Pieces of Art Exhibit" can be viewed at the Crate & Barrel Wing of South Coast Plaza, May 8-20, 2013. For more information about the Imagination Celebration, call (714) 556-5160.
|
|
YEARBOOK ORDERS DUE MAY 20TH
|
The Yearbook Committee has put together a spectacular 108 page, full-color, perfect-bound (bound like a paperback book, not spiral) book highlighting events, special moments, and artwork from each K-8 class. Books ordered by May 20th will be $20 each, after this date they will be $40. Click here to place your order online. Checks will only be accepted at the Yearbook table at 12:30pm and 3:00pm on Fridays, May 10th & 17th. Thanks to Annette Drake, Rachel Poppelwell, and Claudia Spates for organizing and designing this year's book. Special nod to Sharon Sumich, Sylvia Sandefur, and Joy Halverson for all the unsung work on the book in years past! Email questions: JourneyYearbookSales@gmail.com
|
|
NEW! "BOOKS FOR THE JOURNEY"
MAY BOOK ORDERS DUE MAY 22
|
|
Books for the Journey is a NEW pre-order book service offered by The Oak and the Acorn store. Waldorf book orders are due May 22nd.
If you have any questions, please e-mail Johanna at store@journeyschool.net. Proceeds from the book sales benefit the Journey School Foundation (R.E.A.C.H. Development Office). Instructions and details can be found in the May Book Order packet.
Also visit Journey School's Parent Cabinet Amazon.com Store to choose from a large selection of Waldorf-inspired books available through Amazon. A small portion of book sales go to the Parent Cabinet.
http://astore.amazon.com/jourschostor-20
|
|
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
(not sponsored by Journey School)
|
|
SUMMER LEARNING WITH ALUMNI ELIZABETH GRABER
Dear Journey School Community,
When I graduated from Journey School in 2010 I left the school with a deep love for music, art, and most of all, reading. This summer I'd like to share my passion for reading and writing with Journey students through a Summer Camp at my house. This camp will help kids (ages 7-11) build reading and writing confidence and learn that the Language Arts can be FUN! The program also helps me fulfill a requirement of my IB/AP program at San Clemente High School where I will be a senior next year.
If you have any questions, please email me at e.graber@yahoo.com.
Thank You,
Elizabeth Graber (Journey Class of 2010)
|
|
