Soleil Student Blog - Week of March 2nd - 6th

BG Writing by Livia

This week in writing we are writing about our endangered species   

Student planning out paragraphs for a non-fiction piece. Photo by Bam

BG Science by Naomi

In Bubble Giraffes science we have been working on our infographics about our endangered animals which are the Leatherback Sea Turtle, Woodland Caribou, and the Northern Spotted Owl.  

KFC Reading by Giselle

In KFC (Kool Fun Cookies) we are reading and learning about the Revolutionary war, and what it was like. We have also been studying a new form of note taking, called and named the Cornell note taking system. So far, we have organized it so it will be easier to find information, and have tried it out with a few different topics.

KFC Writing by Ezra

In KFC Writing, we just finished up writing our last essay for endangered animals, and our new project is making a giant round poster. These posters are about our endangered animals, and every group is going to make their own. These will probably be shown in the Art Walk, so everyone who comes can see the beautiful art of Room 12.

Collaboration is key when students work on Endangered Species Posters. Photo by Bam

KFC Science by Charlotte

In science this week we are working on our endangered animals species posters they’re for the art walk sadly I can’t give you any more information except that we are doing seven different species the red fox, the dugong, the loggerhead sea turtle, the bald eagle, the saola, the snow leopard, and  the galapagos giant tortoise. I guess you just have to find out more information for your self at art walk night 2015.

5th Year Math students are using cubes to calculate volume.

6^th Year Math by Athmar

This week in 6th year math we have started a new subject, algebra. We have not completely started it but M has notified us that we will be taking out test soon and after the test we will start our algebra lessons. We have just about finished up our ratios. M is helping us review what the 4th years are doing to so we can help them out with there homework.

Students reflect on their Hopes and Dreams for the school year in a card to self. Photo by Bam

Art by Amy

In Art, we are writing cards to ourselves and decorating them. These cards are to check on how we're doing, since at the beginning of the year, we made our Hopes and Dreams. We wanted to see if we achieved our Hopes and Dreams. You should make some Hopes and Dreams and check on how you’re doing once in a while! :)  

Jazz Band 2 by Charlotte

In jazz band II we are working on 3 songs. It don’t mean a thing if it ain't got that swing, Inside Out, and Killer Joe. For these songs I play the piano and so I play the bass line in my right hand and the saxophone part in my right haNd. These can be extremely hard because there can be swing rhythm in the right hand and a steady beat in my left hand.

Intermediate Orchestra by Athmar

This week in orchestra Mrs. Nelson (our teacher) gave us a new piece called Joust. It starts out small and boring but then the firsts come in and help us do the really hard notes. YAY!

in the middle we get some really upbeat and fun notes then get to the coda and play it one more time. We really have a lot of fun playing with the notes and acutely playing the notes.

Beginning Band by Jacob

In Beginning Band, on are new music book (Essential Elements ) On page 13, 14 and 15 we all have been learning new notes like “LOW G”, “LOW A”!

Advanced Band by Emma C

The quad concert went extremely well. We have begun practicing our songs for our next concert already. The songs we will be playing are, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Classic Overture”, and “Ancient Moon”. Make sure you practice because, we will be missing lots of advanced band practices due to breaks!

Thomas Edison shared about his life during Class Meeting on Friday. 

Albert Einstein also dropped by during Class Meeting! 

Soleil Student Blog Week of February 2nd, 2015

KFC Reading by Amy

In KFC reading, we’re studying colonial times back then. Recently, KFC did a readers’ theater and might change plans to do something called “Struggle for Independence” which is more about the American Revolution instead of Sail America, which is learning about the colonial times back in the 1600s or so. If you like to learn, go ahead and research about colonial times and such. You’ll be interested for sure!!:D

KFC Writing by Giselle

This week in KFC (Kool Fun Cookies) writing we are working on the second of the four 5-paragraph essays that M assigned us.  The second essay is a compare and contrast essay, and requires that you get together with somebody else and write down the similarities and comparisons and differences of your animal’s threats and endangerments and threats. The second essay is due on the 3rd of February, this Tuesday. Also, this Tuesday, the whole Diamond (or Ruby Medal, depending on which one you chose) Medal is due. If you know that you are not going to be turning in your Olympics or your 5-paragraph essay on time, you have to talk to M so you can get an extension.

4^th Year Math by Josh

This week we are working on angles and how one number, now matter how big it gets, never reaches another number. About 3 months ago, we were working on parallel lines and perpendicular lines. Math has been allot of fun lately, but i think one page of homework due the next day would be nice.

Art by Charlotte

This week in art we are working on our food tower\ pyramid. at the very top is the individual or the single living thing, the next one down is the community or a group of interbreeding organisms living in the same area, after that is the ecosystem or the community plus the abiotic landscape, after that is the biome or several similar ecosystems that have similar species and climate, finally is the biosphere, this means the WORLD!!!!!(all the biomes ever)

Recycling Report by Amelia and Emilee

This week in the recycle committee  we noticed that people are throwing food in the recycle. Now for the compost people they are dumping juice and milk containers into the compost instead of the garbage.

Advanced Band by Jack

In Advanced Band we had our concert a few weeks ago. At the concert we played Gypsydance, Atlantis and In the Hall of the Mountain King. Our next concert is on February 24th at EWHS. At the concert we will also be playing with other schools. We are playing Appalachian Folk Dance and Krazy Klock Rock. The concert is on February 24th at Edmonds Woodway High School. Be there!

12^th Man Celebration by Emma W

Last Friday, the whole school showed their seattle seahawks spirit! There were all the students wearing their seahawk colors and jerseys. Some middle schoolers had cameras and walked through the halls and the students who were in the halls yelled, cheered, and really showed spirit! Then, we all followed the cameras to the gym to make a big 12! (we were going to make the seahawks logo, but it didn’t turn out well.) 

Soleil Student Blog Week of January 5th, 2015

Welcome to the first Soleil blog post of 2015! 

BG Reading by Ava G and Livia

this week  the bubble giraffes in reading are are getting together with kim and working on packets.  Each packet has a different topic like one was catwings that was a packet that we did response note on and answered questions. The response notes were for questions and sentences that give us hints about the setting. It was fun to have this packet I hope we do it again!

KFC Science by Charlotte

A Good Look at your Garbage Bin

This week in science we had a special guest come in to our classroom to teach us about garbage. Her name was Ali and she worked at the local Waste Management center. She explained where our garbage goes and how the average person  makes 4.5 lbs. of garbage a day. She taught us what goes in the recycle bin and what can’t, and what cannot be recycled. I found this to be quite interesting and useful. Did you know that as long as there is no food or liquid coming out you can recycle yogurt cups?!!

5^th Year Math by Giselle

Right now in 5th grade math we are working on using fractions and we have just started a new observation calendar. Our homework that was assigned to us by Cassie last Thursday is due today, Monday. Be sure to check that you have finished both pages and that they are ready to turn in! (If you finished them early, you can turn them in early.)

6^th year math by Nathanael

In 6th year math the 6th years are learning about percentage and discounts or coupons, we learned about how to change poles that have a total of votes that are not 100, and also we are learning about circle graphs. If you ask the 6th years favorite subject the will answer MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art by Emilee and Athmar

In art this week, we have been drawing trees after they lost there brownness and turning a red/brownish color. In the background you would see a sun setting or rising sun depending on the drawers preference. We are using pastels to draw our trees.

Cocoa House by Grace

Previously, before winter break on January 12th Soleil celebrated Cocoa House. For parents don’t know what Cocoa House is, it is a winter celebration where 4th, 5th and 6th graders read poetry on a stage on Room 11 (M’s side). However, this year was a little different from last years Cocoa House because the rule was no poetry written by SHEL SILVERSTEIN! This was because our teachers, M, Cassie and Kim wanted to introduce Soleil to other poets other than Shel Silverstein. At first I thought that this was a terrible rule. I thought in my head NO SHEL SILVERSTEIN=ANGRY GRACE= UMMMMM……. WELL I DON’T REALLY KNOW... I FORGOT. Anyway, later on I found new poets I now prefer over Shel Silverstein. But, poetry isn’t the only thing we did at Cocoa House. Soleil got to have food! Such as, chips, sadly…. vegetables, wonderful fruits, donuts, cookies, candy canes and I bet you can’t guess what else………… ……………………………………………………………………Cocoa, what a surprise! For people sitting on Room 11 (Kim and Cassie’s side) got to see the Soleil Gratitude presentation. Overall, I thought Cocoa House was really fun!

Soleil Student Blog Week of December 15th, 2015

BG Reading by Melia and Ava G

In the Bubble Giraffes ( B.G.s) reading this week, we are working on ACTIVE reading: A: ask questions, C: connections, T: track thinking, I: inference, V: visualize, and E: EUREKA!!

Recently, we have been getting together in small groups with Kim and working reading pages.  At Cocoa House we will be reading are memoirs (see it in writing) or a poem.  Cocoa House is on Friday, Dec.19th. Hope you will come! No, seriously, see you there!   

           -Melia & Ava :)

BG Writing by Ava G and Melia

This week we are typing up are final copy of our memoirs. The memoirs are  our first writing assignment of this year. We have been working on them for about 4-5 weeks, and they are really looking good!  The Bubble Giraffes have been really working hard with this project, and it is due, final and first copy, on Dec. 16^th.  At our holiday party, Cocoa  House, some of us are going to be are going to be reading our personal narratives!  Hope to see you there!

   -Melia & Ava :)

BG Science by Josh

Over the past few weeks, we were working on pollution. We were polluting our eco-columns with either 1.Salt, 2.Vinegar, or 3.fertilizer. All three can badly harm the ecosystem. about a month ago, We added animals to our other ecosystems. We  ended our observations on thursday and we will see a science experiment next thursday.  

KFC Writing by Giselle and Ezra

For K.F.C. (Kool Fun Cookies), we are working on poetry. Our teacher, M, is having us look at other poets rather than Shel Silverstein to expand our poetry knowledge. Please encourage your kids to read lots of different poetry books (rather than Shel Silverstein) and memorize poems they like for Cocoa House.( Coming up this Friday December 19, 2014)

5^th Year Math by Ezra

Right now in 5th year math, we are working on identifying triangle sides, shapes, and width. We are also comparing fractions and adding different denominators. (L.C.D.) We are very lucky to have Cassie and Kim as our 5th year math teachers.

 Art by Ezra

In art, we just finished doing the sharpie/contrast project. Now we are doing a tree art project, using oil pastels. We make leaves on or falling off the tree, and a brownish black trunk. Our branches are long, thick, and beautiful. Everybody is very skilled and are great artists.

Soleil Student Blog Week of December 8th, 2014

Welcome Sunny Friends!

Keep reading to see what Soleil was up to last week. Our student writers and editors did great some work!

BG Science by Isabella

This week we are working on our ecocolumns and adding six droplets of pollutant in them. Every week we put a pollutant like acid rain, fertilizer and salt. It’s fun to see what it looks like.

BG Reading by Saki

In our class for reading we have something called Reading Olympics. Reading Olympics is where you read 3 different books and write an Annotated Bibliography and write a question test to get a medal. For each you will need to do that. For each medal we have an event. For example, Bronze medal is where you interview the main character from your book and write what he or she will respond you. For Silver, medal we a thing called Book talk. It is when you read a historical fiction book and present the plot of the book. For each medal it has different kind of event! Also we have Read Aloud. That’s when you read a page from 3books you read and your partner will grade you and give you some advice, because it helps us read it with really good expression, pacing, and accuracy. Reading Olympics is really fun!

BG Writing by Naomi and Melia

In writing we are doing personal narratives/memoirs. Kim is gone in Florida to see her mom, so we have Cassie to help us and she is doing GREAT!  We have already finished editing and revising and are just starting to print our final copies on the computers. We are having cocoa house and we are going to present them there and do a little of poetry. Hope to see you there!

KFC Writing by Giselle

Right now in KFC (Kool Fun Cookies) we are writing poems for Cocoa House. We have just finished making scientific observations and our science poems. They were due last Thursday, when you are finished make sure to tape it up on the wall. M wants the Cocoa House Poems to be at least 4 stanzas. Remember to practice your poem for Cocoa House until you are ready! It would be great if you can memorize your poem so you don’t have to read off a sheet for Cocoa House. Don’t forget to smile!

6^th Year Math by Charlotte

This week in 6th grade math we have been studying Percentages. We have been studying taxes and discounts with money with the Connected Mathematics 2 Bits and Pieces III Computing with Decimals and Percents. We have had three homework assignments and have had an extended day to finish. M has been wanting us to translate english into “Math Language” too.

Art by Amy

Soleil is making pastel tree art! We draw a tree on a blue piece of paper and start drawing leaves and a bright sun using pastel crayons. The fun part is cutting a paper leaf and using the hole to make our leaves! Then, we’re going color the tree to finish.

Advanced 

Advanced Orchestra by Dorothea

In advanced orchestra we are learning Hunter’s Chorus, New Horizons, Caggen Fiddler, and Modal Festival.

12/9/2014

Welcome to the first completely student written and edited Soleil Blog post!

BG Reading by Saki

In BG’s reading we are doing reading olympics. Reading olympics is where you read 3 different books and write an Annotated bibliography and write a question test to get a medal. Writing an Annotated bibliography and writing the question test help us understand the  plot of the book more. For each book you will need to do that.

BG Writing by Naomi

In writing, the BG’s (bubble giraffes) are writing personal narratives/memoirs! So far they are going great and Kim is being the best helper someone could have. We have been editing to make sure they have a “grabber beginning”. Also, to make sure we use synonyms  like changing run to dash, also to make sure the story makes sense when it is put together. We have read a few and they aren’t

BG Science by Cassie

This week we are continuing to pollute our eco-columns.  Students pollute by watering their eco-columns with one of three solutions every day.  We make observations and measure the soil and water pH twice a week. We are looking forward to finishing the experiment and seeing if our hypotheses were correct!

KFC Writing by Giselle

So far, the KFC’s latest  writing project is the Mini Poster.  It was due this tuesday, December 2 (the final draft). M asked us to use big letters. So that the poster stands out so people can see it. The people who are walking by in the hallway need to be able to read the whole thing within 5 seconds!

KFC Science by Sydney P

In KFC science, we just finished up doing our last observations before we pollute our eco-columns,(a model terrarium on top of a model aquarium.) Now, we have started polluting them with salt solution, vinegar solution, and fertilizer solution. We our polluting the eco-columns every other day, and are observing what happened to the eco-columns on the other days. I can’t wait to find out how the pollutants affect the eco-columns!

4^th year Math by Ben

In 4th grade math, we have been learning a lot of new things. We learned 3 different ways to multiply,the shortcut way,the window way and the mini shortcut way. and we are doing a calendar grid for each month with a different pattern/subject. We also play fun math games, such as closest to 100. Time tiles are also fun- we have to solve problems like, “what time is it 2 hours after 3:30?”We are about to start geometry!  

5^th year Math by Jacob

In our 5th grade math class we do a “Calendar grid observation” that changes every month.  We are (for now) using fractions. Like the kind of problem: ⅚ is less than 8/9. During fractions, we learn short ways to solve fraction problems like now, we’re doing LCD (Least Common Denominator ) find the lowest multiple of the denominator. (About) Every 4 weeks, we switched to something new!

6^th year Math by Emma, Grace, and Sarah

Sixth Grade Math is currently learning on how to work with percentages (multiplying, dividing etc...) We are usually assigned homework or class work in our math books everyday. Previously this year, we learned to divide and multiply decimals. We are also learning to describe our strategies for solving our homework problems in “math language”. For example, instead of saying what we did to solve a problem,  we would say what we need to do to solve this type of problem. Monica Wellman, or M, teaches us this so that we can become successful and grow as a “math meister”. After a period of time working on a strategy or problem, M will give us a short quiz to test how much we know about what we have just learned. M will later grade  these quizzes and hand them back to us. When students need support on some problems, M uses her time after a lesson to help them. Before sixth grade math, we have math practice. Math practice is during fourth and fifth grade math. During this time, we go on math websites such as, mobymax.com and tenmarks.com. The rest of the Soleil Center uses these websites as well. Mobymax.com is not only used for math but also for  language and vocabulary. Mobymax has you take a test to place you in the skill level that you belong in. On the other hand, Tenmarks gives you assignments that M assigns us. Sixth graders are so fortunate, proud and thankful to have such an amazing math teacher like M.

Art by Liam

This week my class is drawing pictures of trees in fall with leaves falling down. With the sun in the background. We are also using pastell.                  ART IS FUN!!!!!!!

Advanced Band by Charlotte

Advanced band is for kids who work hard in music and reach a more advanced level in band. We commonly play 7th grade music which is one-two years above our grade level as fifth and sixth graders. This semester we are playing three pieces, In The Hall of The Mountain King, Gypsy Dance, and Atlantis. We leave in the middle of olympics time for an hour before lunch on Fridays. We do miss part of olympics, but it is a lot of fun!

Orchestra by Ezra                                                                                                            

This year in Orchestra we will be doing a few concerts. For intermediate and advanced orchestra, our closest concert is on january 14, 2015. In intermediate orchestra, we will be doing a few songs, such a New Horizons, Cripple Creek, and a few other songs out of our music books (Essential Elements Book 1). Every time advanced, intermediate or beginning orchestra has a concert, you will need to be there at least 30 minutes earlier to tune and be ready to preform!