Parents,+Quarter+1

Quarter 1 Recap Letter:

Greetings from the RISE team! As one of our goals this year, we'd like to keep you in the loop with quarterly email updates. We welcome feedback and questions. (sgerber@d211.org OR mrsgerber.english@gmail.com)

This quarter, through our separate contents, we focused on “the journey and the destination.” In addition to considering cause and effect (History), stimulus and response (Biology), odyssey and home (English), we addressed process vs. the product while completing science labs and writing papers.

As the quarter ends, we will introduce students to their first cross-curricular assignment. Reflecting on the three RISE classes, students will write an epic narrative, a story of their own journeys through the first quarter of high school, showing how their experiences – and their classes – have been a journey of growth and discovery. (Below we’ve highlighted the end-of-quarter details and our favorite parts of this adventure!)


 * End-of-Quarter Details**
 * The grading period ends this Friday, October 28th.
 * Biology is finishing its second unit and has a big test this Wednesday. This is the last grade of the quarter. Any work that needed to be turned in from an absence must be in by Thursday, Oct 28. The online gradebook will be updated with final quarter grades by the end of the day on Friday Oct. 29. No grades will be changed after that.
 * For English & History, the last day for late/missing work (anything listed as “INC” or “MI” in the gradebook) is Wednesday, October 27th. **For English, some students emailed rewrites this weekend; those grades are not updated yet but will be by Tuesday.

=**HIGHLIGHTS OF FIRST QUARTER**=
 * Technology**
 * Gmail: Students and teachers emailed with questions about assignments, missed work, and assignment rewrites.
 * G-chat: Teachers held evening office hours to help students prep for tests or to clarify projects. Students also used g-chat to collaborate on assignments.
 * Google docs: Students shared homework assignments with teachers, received feedback from peers and teachers on rough drafts and outlines, and collaborated with peers on group projects.
 * Google Calendars: Teachers shared a calendar to post upcoming test dates so Bio, History and English Tests did not overlap. Calendar was then shared with students.
 * RISE Days**


 * We took a field Trip to the Field Museum!
 * Students viewed The Odyssey after reading the text in English.
 * Shawn McKusker, History and Study Skills teacher shared helpful study skills with the freshmen. He explained that it’s a “misconception that the more time you put in, the better you do. It’s about working smarter, not working harder.” And with those words, he offered an array of study strategies that we’re encouraging students to use. (Handouts will be available on our RISE wiki, shortly.)

**PLANS FOR SECOND QUARTER**
With biology teacher Jen Thorstenson’s return from maternity on Mon, Nov 1, RISE teachers and students will focus on the big question for quarter two, “Is Perception Reality?” We’re hoping this unit will culminate in a field trip to the Art Institute. We will also begin making use of our new Learning Contract. (Document attached.)

In an effort to help every student reach his/her potential and make sure everyone understands each concept covered in class, next quarter we are implementing a Learning Contract. Students have received a copy of this document (via google docs), and we’ve attached a copy for you. Intended for students who do not meet expectations on an assessment for one (or more) of their RISE classes, the learning contract asks students to reflect on what they do not understand and then create a learning plan and schedule to relearn what they missed. When they complete their set goal, they can earn back lost points as established with their teacher. If your student needs to take part in the contract, we’ll discuss it with you further.
 * Learning Contract**

We’re excited about all your children have accomplished this quarter, and we look forward to second quarter. Please feel free to email us with any questions.

Thanks, James Han (History) Kelly Ksiazek (Biology Sub) Sabra Gerber (English)