La Llorona y Día de los Muertos

Eighth graders finished reading the book, La Llorona de Mazatlán and embarked on a cultural study of the legend of La Llorona. Students researched more about the legend and its meaning to the Mexican culture and created projects to demonstrate their learning. Students created movies, drawings, face paintings and mannequins. In addition, to the study of La Llorona, students celebrated the traditional Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos. 

Parent Ed - Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment--Parent Education

At TCS we believe in real-world tasks, concept awareness, understanding, critical thinking and the application of learned skills. 

Our goal is to share with the world children who grow to be engaged and contributing members of their communities.

Come learn about what authentic assessment is, what it looks like and how it is an integral part of the educational program at TCS—allowing teachers to understand and document skill and knowledge acquisition from our emergent curricula while addressing the whole-child. 

Join Jennifer Harris Edstrom,

TCS parent and educational consultant:                                                    

Tuesday, November 19^th

8:30-9:30

in Kids’ Club

Please RSVP to Kelly Parisa at kparisa@tcslj.org

Friends and family welcome

All About Newton

Eighth graders have been studying Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion this week. They researched and created an experiment that demonstrated one of the laws. On Friday we had an exhibition day and the class got to try all the fun labs. 

The First Fully Bionic Man!!!!!

http://m.livescience.com/40535-show-unveils-worlds-first-bionic-man.html

Guest Speaker Visits 7th and 8th Today!

Earlier this year we watched PBS special called, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo. Today one of the actors and producers shared their experiences with the 7th and 8th graders. Here are some pictures from his talk.

Thanksgiving Basket Brigade 2013

Once again students and parents will have the opportunity to participate in the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade.  TCS has participated in this annual event for 10 years now and we have helped hundreds of families.   This year, you will have the chance to work at either Albertson's or Bristol Farms to collect various food items for the baskets directly from the public.  The Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, we will gather at TCS to make the baskets and then go out into the field to deliver them.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Michelle or me.  I really enjoyed this work last year and look forward to participating again this year.

Michelle Aarons Thanksgiving Basket Brigade, Inc. A Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Non-Profit ID#45-5307869 Telephone (858) 459-5491 Facsimile (858) 777-5404 michelleaarons@yahoo.com 7514 Girard Avenue, Suite 1-533 La Jolla, CA 92037

                                 

                                                                                               

THIS YEARS THANKSGIVING BASKET WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24^TH AT 9:30AM ON THE BLACKTOP AT THE CHILDRENS SCHOOL (UNLESS IT RAINS AND WE WILL USE THE AUDITORIUM AGAIN).

            HERE IS A LIST OF VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THANKSGIVING BASKET.

BRINGING IN FOOD PRODUCTS USED FOR THE BASKETS:

  LARGE BOXES OF MASHED POTATOES, FRENCH FRIED ONIONS & BOXES OF STUFFING.

 BRING TO ONE OF THE CONTAINERS AT TCS MARKED FOR THANKSGIVING BASKET.

VOLUNTEERING AT OUR TABLES OUTSIDE OF ALBERTSONS PACIFIC BEACH OR BRISTOL FARMS LA JOLLA – UTC.

BOTH OF THESE SUPERMARKETS ARE LETTING US SET UP OUTSIDE THEIR STORES ON EVERY SATURDAY & SUNDAY STARTING SATURDAY OCTOBER 26^TH & ENDING NOVEMBER 17^TH. FROM 3:00 -6:00PM.

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STORES SETS UP A DISPLAY OF ALL OUR FOOD ITEMS THAT WE NEED AND WE GIVE CUSTOMERS LITTLE HANDOUTS DESCRIBING WHAT WE ARE DOING AND THAT ASKS THEM TO PURCHASE ANY OF THE ITEMS OFF THE TABLE TO DONATE TO US ON THE WAY OUT.

LAST YEAR IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND THE CUSTOMERS WERE REALLY GENEROUS.  WE REALLY NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS.

PACKING &/OR DELIVERING:

WE WILL SPEND ABOUT 2 HRS TO PACK THE BOXES, EAT SOME BREAKFAST AND SOCIALIZE.

THEN WE LOAD UP ALL THE VOLUNTEERS CARS AND GIVE THEM MAPS TO THEIR DESTINATIONS.

THERE IS A CHOICE OF DRIVING DESTINATIONS: 

1)     DRIVING TO SAN YSIDRO REC CENTRE WHERE MANY OF THE FAMILIES WILL BE WAITING TO COLLECT THEIR FOOD.  THIS MEANS JUST ONE DESTINATION.

2)     DRIVING TO INDIVIDUAL HOMES (MAPS ARE PROVIDED FOR DESTINATION).       

                                     

Seth's CPR

Students competed in two teams to form shapes the quickest...

NMY Español - septiembre

It's been a busy month in NMY Spanish. Students are enjoying the new look of the classroom and are engaged with their new curriculum. Students are creating class stories using the grammatical structures taught. Students focus on using verbs, nouns and adjectives. Learning a foreign language is easier when taught in a comprehensible and contextualized manner. Through storytelling and reading, students are able to achieve success. Here are some examples of the activities and class stories written by the students. Next month, we'll continue to focus on more stories and grammar, read a novel about La Llorona as well as learn more about Día de los Muertos.

Class Update

Dear 8th Grade Families,

We have had a graduate student, Nour Almutawa, observing in our class since the start of the year. As her classes progresses, she will be teaching two or three mini lessons to the class.  In addition, she has an assignment where she needs to collect students' ideas on specific lessons and would like to interview two or three students.  She may ask your child if she/he is interested in helping her.  Please know that if a student expresses interest in helping, no names will be used in her descriptions and no pressure will be placed on any student who does not care to participate.  The questions she will ask will be follow up questions on assignments or work the students have already completed.  Sample questions may include, 'How did you think the book project facilitated your appreciation and/or understanding of the book? or Do you feel you participate as much as you want to?   or Are there things that you think hold you back from participating?'

We had an exciting morning with many of the local independent schools visiting our 7th and 8th graders.  the 50 minute meeting was set up like a school fair and students circulated and gathered information from various schools of interest.  They will likely come home with lots of brochures and contacts.  The next school visits are scheduled for October 17 (Grauer) and October 29 (Cathedral High).

Last week the 7th and 8th grades watched a film that focused on early exploration for 8th grade and on cultures for 7th grade.  The PBS film is called In the Footsteps of Marco Polo.  The film retraces Polo's footsteps and focuses on the difficulty of this early exploration and all the countries and cultures that he met along the way.  Tuesday, October 15th, we are fortunate enough to have the star of the film, Dennis, visit the class and help us further understand exploration, cultures and dilemmas that people who explore, travel may face.

The 8th graders are preparing their next fundraiser events as we speak and our room parent will be in touch with these details shortly.

Best, David