Gifted Jaguars and Eagles

Katie Knudson has been working with the 9th grade Nobel class in learning about and developing creative stories utilizing various, classic plot structures.  Using performative examples, Ms. Knudson offers examples of classic plot or story structures, teaches the students that "story formula," and then offers them an opportunity to utilize that formula in their own creative writing.  Students have described their experiences with Ms. Knudson as fun, interesting, and unique. These photos are from Natalie Pedersen's Nobel 9 class where they were doing tableaus in class.  

Today I had the opportunity to observe our 9th graders in College Physics at Normandale Community College.  Professor Kevin Klapoetke worked with them on projectile motion.  It was exciting to see them talking about math in a way that connects with real world application.  They are getting ready for their first test on Friday.  Good luck!

AMC 10/12 National Math Competition Jefferson will be participating in the AMC 10/12 on Wednesday, 2/5 from 3:00 to 4:30 in room C123. Email Liam.Rafferty@normandale.edu to reserve a spot. The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are both 25-question, 75-minute, multiple choice examinations in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. The AMC 10 is for students in 10th grade and below, and covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade. Students in grade 10 or below and under 17.5 years of age on the day of the contest can take the AMC 10. The AMC 12 covers the entire high school curriculum including trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry, but excluding calculus. Students in grade 12 or below and under 19.5 years of age on the day of the contest can take the AMC 12. These competitions are administered around the country on Thursday, January 30, 2020 and Wednesday, February 5, 2020. The AMC 10/12 provides an o...

I had a great time meeting with parents tonight at JHS to talk about AP and PSEO classes to help them figure out how to advise their students for next year.  If you're interested in seeing the slideshow you can click here . 

Kennedy's Science Olympiad team competed this last weekend at Rice University in Houston Texas. They competed against 36 schools, several of which are in the top 20 in the nation, and came away with some huge successes. Congrats to the following students who had top-ten finishes! 10th in Codebusters: Richmond Tu Asher Mobley Ingrid Anderson 10th in Designer Genes: Kierinn Mobley Dulce Garcia 9th in Geologic Mapping: Jessica Greymont Jon Starfeldt 10th in Machines: Jordan Thompson Ingrid Anderson 8th in Sounds of Music: Jordan Thompson Ben Griesel 9th in Water Quality: Jon Starfeldt Jessica Greymont Jordan Thompson also assembled a specific kind of bridge, called a boomilever, made of balsa wood  IN THE HOTEL ROOM,  which medalled, getting him  5th place .  Great job to Kennedy!!

"The study, published Sept. 4 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that, though students felt as if they learned more through traditional lectures, they actually learned more when taking part in classrooms that employed so-called active-learning strategies. Lead author Louis Deslauriers, the director of science teaching and learning and senior physics preceptor, knew that students would learn more from active learning. He published a key study in Science in 2011 that showed just that. But many students and faculty remained hesitant to switch to it." Read more here: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/study-shows-that-students-learn-more-when-taking-part-in-classrooms-that-employ-active-learning-strategies/

I had a great time today teaching Lisa Kiner's honors English 8 classes.  I did a SCAMPER activity with her students using The Outsiders  to grow their creativity.  I also talked with them about the Nobel and DA Humanities programs.  About 1/2 of my students in DA Humanities students were in her Honors classes last year and they are excelling with me so I want more! 

I wanted to share these resources that I used in my presentation this morning with DA 10 STEM students and parents so that families could start having discussions about what their student wants to do next year.   Post DA High School slideshow PSEO course planning document Please feel free to email or call me with follow up questions as you start thinking about junior year. Take care, Meredith maby@isd271.org

Thank you to Maddy Niziolek (JHS), Joseph Pham (JHS) and Riley Mathiasen (KHS) for presenting today to the 10th graders in the DAHS STEM program about their experiences as PSEO students at the U of M and NCC after completing the DA program!

Today  DAHS had the pleasure of hosting Charlie Maki (JHS grad 2019)  who just finished his first semester at Harvard University.  He came to talk to JHS and KHS students in the Dimensions Academy STEM program about his college selection process and how AP and DA classes prepared him for college.  Students had the opportunity to ask Maki questions about his experience at an Ivy League school and about his experiences as a college student in general.