Special Report #1

Kim’s Wedding by Evelyn and Sid

As some of you know Kim got married, and we are very happy for her. We are excited that she is back in Soleil teaching, and we have a few questions for her about the wedding.

1. Sid and Evelyn: Where and when was your wedding?

Kim: My wedding was October 3rd, 2015 at the Pacific Towers on Beacon Hill, Seattle. The owners of the venue own the Fair Start organization, which helps homeless people get job opportunities.

      2. Sid and Evelyn: What kind of cake\cupcakes did you have at your wedding?

Kim: At the wedding, there were stuffed cakes and cupcakes. There was a chocolate cake with peanut butter and buttercream,and the cupcakes were salted caramel chocolate mocha.

      3. Sid and Evelyn: What was your favorite part of the wedding?

Kim: My favorite part of the wedding was saying the vows, and seeing all my friends and family.

      4. Sid and Evelyn: What was the theme of your wedding?

Kim: It was art deco, 1920’s style, which was also around the time the building was built.

      5.Sid and Evelyn: What did you wedding dress look like.

Kim: The dress was floor length, and it was dark blue, with sequins all over it.

      6.Sid and Evelyn: What kind of music played?

Kim: It was a mixed kind of African music, using an instrument called the kora, which is like a harp. Africa has always been a special part of my life, because I have been to Africa.

Liam and Joshua’s Special Report on Instrumental Music

1. Why did you choose to play your instrument ?
2. Is it fun learning to play an instrument ?
3. Is it easy or hard to learn the new notes ?
4. How often and how long do you practice ?
5. What is your favorite thing to play ?

                          Answers to our Questions

collins  interview

1” I originally started out practicing at kennelly keys we stopped going because my instructor was always late.”

2”Yes  I like playing drums because I get to hit stuff.”

3” Its medium because we’re learning new notes like  flams .”

4”And I practice every other day.”

5”My favorite note is paradiddle.”

henry's interview

1” I play trumpet because I got one at a yard sale”  

2”playing trumpet is sort of annoying because I also play the piano but all in all I like it.”

3”it is easy to play the trumpet because I play the piano “.

4”it depends what I have to do that day but I praksis all I can.”  

5”my favorite note is c my least favorite note is “g”

isabella's  interview

1” I chose to play the violin because it looked fun.”

2” Playing the violin is fun because you get to use both hands.”

3” Sometimes it's hard to play certain notes but is fun sometimes.”

4” I practise for almost 2 hours every day.”

5” My favorite song is mozart melody .”

abbeys interview

1”I chose my clarinet because I like the sound it makes”.

2yes it is entertaining to play clarinet .”  

3” It's just a bit easy and a bit hard playing clarinet .”

4” I practice every day .”

5” I don't play songs yet but my favorite note is E’

lowatas interview

1well I chose to play cello because it's big and i like big stuff and my sister can help me”

2 “yea its fun learning to play because since i play  the piano it makes things easier”

3”well it is kind of easy because it's like playing the violin”  

4”  every day for 1 hour”

5”I like to play jingle bells

Soleil Agreements Interview by Ava D and Chloe

Q. how do you think these agreements are working for you?

Q. do you think there is a different way to work these agreements so it could be better?

Q.  How would we show the soleil agreements to represent the class?

Q.  Why do we have the soleil agreements?

Q. Are you happy following the agreements?

In Soleil we have our 5 agreements.  These agreements keep our classroom safe and fun.  We are perseverant, helpful, safe, patient, clean and green, and we take initiative to do what has to be done.  Soleil has these agreements because it keeps our class calm and mindful.  These agreements keep us mindful because these are the qualities of mindfulness and safeness.  Our class on field trips tries our best to represent the madrona/soleil agreements.  Stay with our agreements!~Chloe and Ava D.  

Birthdays

By Grayson and Aaron

In the soleil center we celebrate birthdays by singing songs, dancing, and doing actives.  First, we don’t sing your normal birthday songs we sing Happy Happy Birthday and We wish you.  We also use instruments, while the birthday people dance in the middle of the room.  Second, the birthday people get a plastic compass as a birthday gift.  Finally, in soleil  we play games so that everyone has fun.  Some of the games are museum, geiko, and triangle tag.  To wrap it up, the soleil  center has a different but fun version of a birthday.

Focus Minute by Alec and Austin

when we do focus minute we use are brains to focus  and also sometime we look down or close are eye and  also we use a bell.

special report

Dr.Kaboom!

On October 22 we went to the Edmonds center for the arts to see a documentary put on by Dr.Kaboom. Every intermediate center from Madrona came. We learned about electricity.

Before the show we had lunch outside and many people visited with friends from the other centers.  

          Dr.Kaboom was very funny and loud, and everyone enjoyed his show.  He had a German accent and made us yell “YA!’’ Dr. Kaboom had crazy mad scientist hair, goggles, and  white lab coat.

          We could all tell that he loved big entrances. As we were sitting the lights suddenly turned off. Then lightning came out of nowhere and a booming voice shouted KABOOM!!!

          In conclusion  Dr.Kaboom’s show was very interesting.

By: Lucy and Saki                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                     

Student Led Conferences by Ezra and Aaron

For conferences this week, we have something different than what kids from primary are used to. For your intermediate years, you will be doing your conference with your teacher. in fact, you will be leading the conference. Everybody has a file of their past work they have turned in, and we choose two things that we are proud of, and then show your parent(s). This picture is a student at his conference getting ready with his file.  

Center Happenings 11/2 - 11/13

Art by Francine and Alexa

Pop -out art optical illusion that a student made. Photo by Jacob and Nicolai

 This week in art we are making pictures that look like our hand is coming out of the page. Then, we are coloring the hand so that is just looks more colorful.

6^th Year Math by Emilee and Reed

Photo by Austin G and Colin 

This year in 6th year math we are learning about multiplying decimals. We are also working on ratios, for example a ratio is a relationship between quantities of 2 different things, examples of a ratio are Apples to oranges, boys to girls, or months to years. We are also learning about part to part and part to total. Part to part is just like ratios but you use numbers instead of things. For example, there may be 5 squares and 7 circles. The part to part would be 5:7, and if it was part to part you still use numbers instead of things. For example, there are 4 circles and 9 squares to get the part to total. You would add all the shapes together and you would write it 4:13 because 4 is the amount of the first group of shapes, and 13 is the amount of all the shapes.(: means to)

I am excited to learn more MATH!:)

HIMPS Writing by Ethan and Billy

Photo by Ava G and Livia

This week in the HIMP’s writing group we are learning to debate in our book clubs, and we are also working on our realistic fiction stories. In our book club debates we divided our group into 2 groups of 2 or 3 people and our homework was to come up with something your book club could debate on then each book club would choose an idea to debate on and the groups then would debate on the 2 different sides of the opinion and chose a winning group in the end. We are starting the second drafts of our realistic fictions stories and our finals are due in about 2 weeks.

Unicorns Reading by Neha and Mira

Photo by Amelia and Naomi

This week, the Super Pink Fluffy Unicorns, in reading, are learning about debating about characters in different parts of books. We are also learning to interpret/understand characters, the setting, the plot, repeating objects, and the character’s emotions and expressions. All of us are reading realistic fiction books to show how the characters feelings and emotions are contributing to the book. This can also help us predict what will come next in the books we are reading. On the unicorns side we are reading “The Tiger Rising” for an realistic fiction example for debating, the setting, the plot, repeating objects, and feelings/character moods.

Bear Scare by Braeden and Amy

a Soliel student dresses up as the Indominus Rex from Jurassic World for the Barescare on October 30th. Photo by Bam and Zane

  The Bear Scare this year was fun. There were games to get candy, a cupcake walk, a pumpkin carving contest, a haunted house, and so much more! Inside the Haunted House, there were  people screaming and jump scares. There was the Trick-or-Treat Street for the Primary kids, where they can dance and play games and score some candy. The pumpkins in the carving contest were very creative; for example, there was a pumpkin jail.        

Overall, the Bear Scare this year was awesome and fun. :)

Soleil Potluck by Joey and Devin

Photo by Isa and Kohl

The Soleil potluck is a fun event where Soleil families can get together over food and drinks brought by each family. Last names from A-D had to bring drinks, E-O had to bring main dishes and snacks, and  P-Z had to bring desserts. Kids can play in front of the school on a small lawn but need parent supervision to go to the playground. At the potluck parents can talk and eat. It is a good time to plan with friends. There is usually a big speech of thanks to the parents for their contribution to Soleil.

Beginning Orchestra Photo

She is playing the  A and D string notes on the cello. Photo by Lowata and Emma

Center Happenings 10/15 - 10/30 and earlier

Hello, welcome to the Soleil Center's first regular blog post of the school year.  Everything is student work. Students will get a chance to be a writer, editor, and photographer multiple times through out the year.  Each student will get to work on two different Special Reports. We are excited to share what we are learning with you!

Art by Kohl and Isa

This week in art we have been working on Poems about the Elwha river. In this project we create lines of poetry starting with each letter in the word “Elwha” or “Elwha River”. At the end of the poem, all Soleil students wrote “Now the salmon run free”. We posted these projects in the hallway above the lockers with blue paper that represents water. These art projects turned out beautifully.

We are also making poems about our trip to the Elwha river. The poems look like this. Photo by Ben and Josh K

Fifth Year Math by Nicolai and Jacob

In 5th grade math, we are studying Volume using our “project” Brad’s Baseball Boxing Dimensions. This month, we are also weighing carrots (who died, see funeral video*.) every day to find patterns for the calendar.

The 5th year students are using carrots to measure weight and evaporation. Every day we have math two people measure the carrots and write what they measured. Photo by Sydney D and Kelvin

Fourth Year Math by Colin and Austin G

In 4th grade math we have been playing a lot of Math games. These games have taught us about multiplication and division. In addition we have also been making posters to help us understand composites, prime numbers, and factors. This year we are also are learning about fact families which have 4 division and 4 multiplication problems. We’ve also been working on methods and models of multiplication which have open number lines, tile arrays, fast arrays, and stop ratio tables, and area models. I am excited to learn more math this year!

Students were working in their notebooks and were focused on their work independently. Photo by Henry and Lane

Super Fluffy Pink Unicorns Writing by Bam and Zane

In Unicorns writing we are writing about our books, such as, fantastic Mr. Fox and our read-aloud book Tiger rising. We are writing about Nonfiction and fiction stories. We are also taking small moments from our lives and putting them into our stories that we are making and in our notebooks. We have been writing about Character traits for our introductions. We are writing the first draft and most of us are in the middle and some of us are already finished. Right now we are making up the obstacles, desires and hopes of the characters.

The Soleil Students are hard at work, writing the first draft’s of our Realistic Fiction stories. Photo by Sophia and Melia

HIMPs Reading by Emma and Lowata

In  H.I.M.P.s reading, we are in book clubs.There are 5 different groups in reading, all groups are reading realistic fiction books. The groups are Holes, Hatchet, El Deafo, Wonder and One for the Murphey’s. All the groups meet with M four times during our reading. We are also learning different reading strategies, and how to expand on our thinking, and how to look at the story from other points of view.  

Photo by Giselle and Abbie

Intermediate Band by Amelia and Naomi

Band is super fun and Mr. Edwards is a good band instructor. He really makes sure we understand things like the dynamics. Dynamics could be soft (piano) medium loud (mezzo forte) and loud (forte). Band is a real blast and we encourage everyone to give it a try.


Scare Hunger by Livia and Ava G

We interviewed Erin Hart about scare hunger and her own food drive. We asked her some simple questions , and these are our results. Half of the food we are collecting is going to Bremerton food line for Erin’s side of the food drive. The other half is going to the edmonds food bank.

Photo by Payton and Isabella

*The carrot funeral video will be posted after I have opt out information from all 5th year math students.