Friday, August 25, 2017

Celebrate Diversity

Mrs Davis celebrates diversity in her classrooms and in her community
I am proud to have stood with about 100 people on August 13th who were opposed to the white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia (and organizing anywhere else in the US).

Often I feel powerless against the threat directed at so many Americans who are marginalized. I was able to do this small thing today to show my students and their families, my colleagues and community members, that I support a diverse America.




In my classroom this week, my students are having collaborative discussions about Hate Speech. We are reading this article, formulating thoughtful questions, and using sentence frames to practice good speaking and listening skills. 

Collaboration is a required 8th-grade standard (see the standards below). It is also a skill that can bring people together, speaking and listening in a civilized manner. 

"Learning in Hand" is an educator's resource for mobile and digital learning. According to that website, "Working effectively with others is an extremely complex endeavor. Collaboration skills are complicated to learn because they are actually people skills. Learning these skills takes guided practice and quality feedback. Teachers shouldn't expect their students to work together effectively without explicitly teaching and modeling collaboration skills."

These skills include:
  • Active listening
  • Respect
  • Manners
  • Positive Attitude
  • Focused
  • Social Awareness
Please ask your children about the strategies they are learning in order to have collaborative discussions. This is the first of many such activities. 

We are on our way to an amazing school year where we learn from one another in remarkable ways!


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STANDARDS

Comprehension and Collaboration:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1.A
Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1.B
Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1.C
Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1.D
Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.3
Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
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GUEST BLOGGER


Two Truths and a Lie

1.When I was twelve, I met three celebrities in that one year. One was Samuel L. Jackson, another was Justin Bieber, and the last one was Adam Sandler. I met Justin Bieber in Hollywoodod. I met Samuel in New York, and I met Adam Sandler in San Francisco.

2. One of my favorite types of dance is break dance. When I was seven I went to Las Vegas to watch the Jabbawockeez. They do break dance and stunts. After the show I got to meet them and take pictures. They all signed my Jabbawockeez mask. We weren’t invited to meet them, but my dad asked.

3. My favorite sport to play and watch is basketball. I have been playing basketball since I was nine. I was on a traveling basketball team in Roseville. My favorite basketball team is the Warriors. One time I went to the Warriors game with my parents we got to sit courtside. After the game we were able to be five feet away from Stephen Curry. We recorded the game at home and I was on television.

Which is the lie?
Kaden B

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