period 3 final

The final for this class is one of my favorite moments throughout the year.  It's the only time we get to spend two whole hours together, which is just enough time to let the conversation get interesting -- and think our way through it with each other without being interrupted by the bell.  You can see an example of what this looked like in last year's class here.

We all play a part in making the final a success.  You all will be doing most of the talking.  As we discussed in class, you will also be doing the cooking and feeding.

Since we don't have today's class to plan, we're going to have to do this online.  Please comment to this post with the following information:

• What are you bringing?
• What if anything do you need?  (Plates, utensils, cups, microwave, or... ?)

(PLEASE NOTE: This post is for Period 3 students to sign up.  If you are in Period 2 or 6, please go to those posts and comment there.  Mahalo.)

If you have any other comments or questions, please feel free to comment with those as well, or send me an email, or find me tomorrow immediately before or after the period 6 final.  Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday at 11:00 AM (you can come to class anytime before then if you want to drop something off; the classroom will also be open at lunch).

period 2 final

The final for this class is one of my favorite moments throughout the year.  It's the only time we get to spend two whole hours together, which is just enough time to let the conversation get interesting -- and think our way through it with each other without being interrupted by the bell.  You can see an example of what this looked like in last year's class here.

We all play a part in making the final a success.  You all will be doing most of the talking.  As we discussed in class, you will also be doing the cooking and feeding.

Since we don't have today's class to plan, we're going to have to do this online.  Please comment to this post with the following information:

• What are you bringing?
• What if anything do you need?  (Plates, utensils, cups, microwave, or... ?)

(PLEASE NOTE: This post is for Period 2 students to sign up.  If you are in Period 3 or 6, please go to those posts and comment there.  Mahalo.)

If you have any other comments or questions, please feel free to comment with those as well, or send me an email, or find me tomorrow immediately before or after the period 6 final.  Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday at 8:30 AM.

december 11: best laid plans of mice and us

The title of today's post is an allusion to Robert Burns' poem "To A Mouse," which he wrote after turning over a field mouse's nest with his plough.  The basic idea is that however we plan, and however hard we work, sometimes forces far larger than we are screw everything up.

Which brings us to the fires, and the classes we aren't having today.

Today I planned to have you all sign up and tell us about the food you are bringing to the final exam.  As you may remember, we are not having a "party," for the simple reason that classroom events have been ruining that word for decades.  We will have a fully catered learning experience that will include your food, your stories about your food, and a structured conversation about your Big Questions, your work over the break, and our course calendar for the spring. 

Today I also planned to have you write your self-assessments so that I could include your thinking as I file grades this week.

Since none of that will be happening in person today, I am going to post sign-ups for each period next.  Please comment to the post for your period and let us know what you'll make and bring.  We will do the self-assessments during the final exam period, and I will just have to hustle harder to get grades done toward the end of the week.

Keep a good thought for the many people whose lives and homes are being threatened by the fires, and stay inside if you can.  Breathing this air is like sucking on an ashtray.

high school student wins $250k

When students post their work on the Internet for experts to see, things like this can happen.  Check out the award-winning video below:

winter finals schedule

Winter Finals Bell Schedule 2017-18 by dpreston1441 on Scribd

december 8

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Please write today's journal on a separate piece of paper.  Please slip that piece of paper into the front cover of your journal and put both into the box for your period.  Mahalo.

1. What have you learned in this course this semester?  Please describe in detail.
2. What have you done well, and what do you want to do better in the spring semester?
3. What have you tried hard to do, and where can you try harder in the spring semester?
4. Given what others can see-- your blog, your journals, your projects, your essays-- and what others can't see (what/how you think), what grade do you believe you have earned this semester?  Why?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Presentations
3. Planning for next week

december 7

JOURNAL TOPIC:
(After you finish the final) Did you do as well as you planned?  Why/why not?

AGENDA:
1. Final exam
2. Journal