Notice of E-mail/ Blog Change

Hello Cascade Families,

I am happy to announce that I will be getting married in two months. At which time my last name will change to Venture. This means that my e-mail and blog addresses will also change.

The new e-mail will be j.ventrue@chpcs.org

The new blog will be at http://7thchpcs.blogspot.com/

My old e-mail, j.barrett@chpcs.org, will still forward to the new address and I will leave the old blog up for reference.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer. :-)

Summer Homework

Ms. Barrett's Homework for Summer 2014

You must do one thing every day. Your guardian must initial and date each activity you do. If you think of something else you would like, add it to the list. Most of all, have fun this summer.

Social/Emotional	Academic	Physical	Personal
Write a letter to someone and mail it.	Go to the library and check out and read a nonfiction book.	Ride your bike.	Pick one habit to change and do it for 21 days.
Help your family plan and pack for a picnic.  Help with menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.	Memorize a poem and recite it for your family.	Go skating.	Prepare your homework space.
Read a picture book out loud to someone younger than you.	Visit a museum.	Go swimming.	Clean your room.
Learn how to play Cat’s Cradle with some string from someone who knows how.	Play a word game like Scrabble or Boggle.	Jump rope for 15 minutes.	Write down one thing you love about yourself every day for a week.
Play a game with a younger person (Candyland, Go Fish, etc.).	Play a money game like Monopoly.	Go for a hike of at least 1 mile.	Create a collage of all your favorite things. Bring it to class on the first day.
Ask a grandparent or other elder to tell about what life was like when they were kids.	Read about some time in history you are interested in.	Pick fresh fruit for at least half an hour.	Spend at least 30 minutes alone, either inside or outside, reflecting on what you want to change in the world.
Help plan and execute a progressive dinner with classmates	Read a book that begins with L	Grow vegetables	Try something new.
Make something and give it to someone in need of cheering up.	Practice your multiplication facts for 30 minutes.	Mow the lawn	Make a plan for your future. What high school do you want to go to? What college? What career path will you follow?
Have a barbecue.  Help serve the food.	Keep a diary. Write at least a full page each day.	Make and eat a salad with at least one vegetable you’ve never tried.	Take the multiple intelligences quiz and find out how you learn best. Email Mrs. Adams and tell her what it said. http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html
Practice your phone ettiquette by calling a grandparent or other relative.	Read the news. Highlight interesting adjectives.	Participate in an organized sport.	Create a word cloud about yourself. Fill it with words that describe who you are. Feel free to use http://www.wordle.net/
Go and entire day communicating only in person. (No computers or phones)	Listen to a book on tape (cd/mp3)	Have a water fight	Find a quote that speaks to you. Discuss with someone you love why it speaks to you.
Commit three random acts of kindness.	Play a math game on the web for 30 minutes.	Build something out of wood without power tools	Keep a diary. Each night reflect on whether you are reaching your goals.
Ride the bus	Practice keyboarding for 15 minutes a day for at least 10 days.	Walk around your neighborhood with a friend.	Research your family name.
Ride the MAX	Write a letter to Mrs. Adams and mail it.	Climb a mountain (or at least a big hill)	Volunteer in your family’s place of worship.
Go to the park	Help a younger child run a lemonade stand. Create a profit/loss report.	Row a boat/kayak/canoe	Find a song that has meaning to you. Discuss it your family.
Invite friends over for a pick up game	Plan a trip for your family. Figure out whether it is more cost effective to fly or drive.	Go horseback riding	Play “Would You Rather” or a similar game.
Host a sleep over	Cook a meal from a cookbook, doubling all quantities.	Climb Beacon Rock	Write an acrostic poem using your name.
Create a blog about your summer adventures	Choose a book from the BBC “Top 100” books list and read it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml.	Spend at least 3 hours in the woods	Invite someone you’ve had a hard time getting along with over.
Hold mock job interviews with friends, video tape it and send it to Mrs. Adams	Read a book with more than 100 pages.	Create a new smoothie recipe that uses only fresh ingredients	Make a list of your goals for 8th grade. Identify what help you will need to successfully complete your goals.
Be self reliant for an entire day. (Don’t let your parents do anything for you)	Read a magazine from cover to cover while sitting outside under a tree.	Get your middle school check up	Who’s your hero? Write 2 paragraphs about them. Tell me why they are your hero and why you want to be like them.

I finally have pictures up from the hike! Please follow the link below to see the slide show.

CHPCS Hike 2014

We had such an amazing time, I can't wait to go back with my friends and family this summer. :-)

Fun with Buddies!

Today we were invited into the 1st grade room to work with our buddies.

The first graders had written instructions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They read their instructions to the 7th grades who carefully followed each instruction as dictated. It was a great time and we got to enjoy some wonderful sandwiches!

Here are a few photos from the day.

Hike with Mr. Weaver Friday, May 30th!

Columbia Gorge Hikes

We are excited to announce that Mr. Weaver will be leading the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade classes on some beautiful hikes in the Columbia Gorge! This will be held on the last Field Trip Day of the year, May 30^th. We are looking for volunteers who enjoy hiking, spending the day outside, and are enthusiastic about sharing a wonderful life changing skill with the students.

PE Standards associated with field trip:

• NASPE Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity
• NASPE Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical activity through life-long physical activities.
• NASPE Standard 5: Exhibits responsible, personal, and social behavior that respects self and others in physical settings.
• NASPE Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction.

Daily Schedule:

Schedule:

5th – 8th Grade May Field Trip
Time	Activity
7:45-8:00	Arrive at School
8:00-8:30	Hike slideshow and rules by Mr. Weaver
8:30-8:45	Get ready and get on bus
8:45-9:30	Drive
9:30-9:45	Get into groups and ready to hike
9:45-11:00	Horsetail falls hike (2.5 miles: with snack break)
11:00-12:00	Oneota Fall creek hike (1 mile)
12:00-12:15	Dry off/Change
12:15-1:00	Lunch/Recess
1:00-1:15	Clean-up and get on bus
1:15-2:00	Drive
2:00-2:15	Get back into classroom
2:15-3:00	Mr. Weaver's after hike activity
3:00-3:30	Clean-up and get ready for carline
3:30-3:45	Carline

Things to bring:

• Back pack (make sure it is adjusted so the bag is on the students back)
  
• Hiking shoes
  
• Water shoes
  
• Water-bottle
  
• Notebook and pencil
  
• Healthy no/low waste lunch and snack
  
• Towel
  
• Change of clothes
  
• Bandanna or rag
  
• Hiking attire
  
  • Cold Day – Jeans, athletic shirt, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, jacket, gloves, hat.
    
  • Warm Day – Jeans, athletic shirt, t-shirt, sweatshirt
    
  • Hot Day – Jeans or shorts, athletic shirt, t-shirt, sweatshirt
    
    • The hike is on a dirt trail and along/in a creek. Please note that these clothes need to be clothes that can get dirty and wet.
      
• Jacket
  
• Smiles
  

What not to bring:

• Cell phones
  
• Electronic games
  
• Cameras
  

Please contact your classroom teacher if you are interested in volunteering for this fun, energetic, and beautiful field trip!

If you have any questions or concerns about the field trip, please contact Mr. Weaver at j.weaver@chpcs.org

Fort Stevens Monday, June 2nd

Calling ALL Parents!

The Seventh grade overnight trip to Fort Stevens regrettably had to be cancelled. However, we will still be going for a one day excursion to the Oregon Coast.

We will leave Cascade Heights at 8:00 AM headed out to the Maritime Museum,  then lunch at the Astoria Column, and we will end at the gun batteries at Fort Stevens. We plan to return to Cascade Heights by 4:30 PM.

We will have a bus for this trip so chaperons need not drive. Please contact me as soon as possible if you are able to join us.

This is the final piece to bring the reality of WWII home for your student. We will be seeing how our armed forces were prepared to protect our boarders during such a frightening time.

We are looking forward to this amazing trip and hope that you can join us on Monday, June 2nd.

NON Pictures!

WOW! What an amazing night!

I am so very proud of all the middle school students. They did a wonderful job and should be very proud happy with the result of their efforts.

I have built a Google Presentation with the pictures I took of the 7th grade students.

Please visit the following link to see the results of all their hard work from the past three months.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1I1JnD1CrPWplhKTtxgYxP5hUakIJ9rCSbV7odclF46Q/edit?usp=sharing

TOMORROW NIGHT!!!

Hello Families,

Tomorrow is the big day! Everyone is very excited and ready to show you all that they have learned. Students should bring any outstanding pieces tomorrow morning so we can set up in the afternoon.

Tomorrow night, students are expected to be on campus at 6:00 in costume.Students should report to their classroom teacher for set up instructions. At that time parents are welcome to make their way downstairs to the 4th grade Oregon History Wax Museum. 

At 6:30 the hallways will be opened for friends and family to begin questioning the Notables. You will receive a small sack on your way in, inside will be a program that contains the names of all 75 Notables. Your job is to ask each one 3 questions that can be answered with yes or no. For example, you could ask "Do you work in the sciences?"  Once you have asked your 3 questions, write down the Notables number (found on the notable figure) next to their name in your program. How many can you guess in 45 minutes?

 At 7:15, the notable figures will leave their seats and make their way to the gym, library, or cafeteria. There they will stand with their boards, allowing you to learn all about each of them. You'll have another 45 minutes to visit each person at their board, collect souvenirs, and admire all the hard work represented. All students are expected to stay until 8:00. 

At 8:00, students will return their chair to their classroom, help clear the room they presented in, and head for home with costume, board, and any remaining souvenirs. 

If you'd like to do a little pre studying, here is the list of notable figures. 

Alexander Graham Bell

Alfred Nobel

Beethoven

Florence Nightingale

Gottlieb Daimler

Maria Wollstonecraft

Napoleon Bonaparte

Orville Wright

Albert Einstein

Amelia Aerhart

Anne Frank

Anne Vallayer Coster

Audrey Hepburn

Babe Zaharias

Beckanne Sisk

Bruce Wayne

Clara Barton

Claude Monet

Coco Chanel

Corrie ten Boom

Dwayne Johnson

Edith Cavell

Edwin Hubble

Elizabeth Cody Stanton

Ethel Merman

Florence Griffith Joyner

Gabrielle Douglas

Gordon Ramsey

Grace Kelly

Helen Keller

Henry Ford

Hiram Maxim

Ida B. Wells

Irena Sandler

James Watt

Jane Goodal

Janis Joplin

Jesse Owens

Johnny Depp

Julia Child

Kurt Cobain

Lady Emma Hamilton

Lillian Gish

Louis Armstrong

Louis Pastuer

Lucille Ball

Lyudmila Pavlichenko

Maria Theresa

Marilyn Monroe

Mark Tobey

Mia Hamm

Michael Jordan

Mother Theresa

Neil Armstrong

Nikola Tesla

Olympe de Gouges

Oskar Schindler

Princess Di

Princess Margret

Queen Rania

Queen Victoria

Ricahrd Feynman

Serena William

Shawn Johnson

Shirley Temple

Stephen Hawkings

Tchaikovsky

Thomas Edison

Vincent Van Gogh

WC Handy

Werner Von Braun

Wilbur Wright

Will Smith

Book Fair!

A reminder that the Book Fair is on campus this week.

The fair will be open for shopping Monday - Wednesday after school until 4:30 and then on Thursday (Night of the Notables) until 8:00!

Our class will walk through the Book Fair tomorrow to browse and write down individual wish list items. We will NOT be buying anything, that is for after-school only.

The 7th grade has a box at the fair that is filled with books we would like to have in our room library. If you are able, please purchase one of these books to add to our classroom library.

*I admit I went a little crazy and completely filled the box. What can I say, I LOVE books. :-) Also, a great teacher once told me that a good classroom library should have a minimum of 1,000 books!

WWII Field Trip

We had a great time learning all the different aspects of WWII and how if affects us today.

The Oregon Holocaust Memorial was very beautiful. It was a sad yet inspiring morning. We learned about the memorial and what each piece of it represents. We then read the very touching quotes from actual survivors. We placed pebbles on the stone under which the ashes of many who perished at the six killing camps are buried.

We visited the Oregon Jewish Museum where we learned about the history of Jewish people in Portland, Oregon. We then went to the Nikkei legacy center where we had a real look at the appalling conditions Japanese Americans were forced to live in during those terrible times. Part of our Nikkei experience took us to the waterfront and the Japanese American Plaza where we reviewed the Bill of Rights and contemplated the real effects of stripping away those rights. We ate lunch here and memorized many of the wonderful poems written by people who lived in the internment camps.

Our final stop was Camp Withycombe where we saw many photos and artifacts from WWII. We got to see actual rifles and grenades and heard the thrilling stories of heroes "just doing their job". We also got to see the Adjunct General's house, which was built as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA)! Of course, the coolest part was the tanks. :-)

Spirit Week

Next week is Spirit Week at CHPCS! Each day will have a special theme.

Military Monday - students may wear a yellow ribbon to show support. Students are encouraged to bring in photos of family members that have served or are currently serving in the military. These photos will be hung on the wall in the hallway by the music room. A special pledge will be held outside the school on this morning.

Team Tuesday - students may wear a sports jersey or colored t-shirt over their uniform to show support for their favorite team

Work Wednesday - students will perform community service acts around the school to help beautify our campus. There will be NO homework as reward for a hard days work.

Cultural Thursday - students are encouraged to share something about their cultural heritage. Whether it is an article of clothing, some culinary delight, or an artifact of some sort, we would love to see it. I am open to a potluck on this day if any one wants to share some wonderful food with our class. :-)

BONUS FIELD TRIP CANCELED

Sadly our field trip to see The Mikado was cancelled. Thank you to all of you that volunteered to join us.

Project Photos (Great Depression, Dragon Genetics, Slide Inspired Writing)

A few weeks ago we went downtown to take photographs for a project. It occurred to me as I watched students using phones and digital cameras that this generation may not be familiar with the idea of film, and even less so with slide projectors. From this realization a project was born in which we looked through old slides and collected four that we liked. We pasted them to some white foam board (so that they would be visible) and used the slides to inspire writing. Some students did long stories or essays and others chose short story format. A few students even wrote poems! Please come by and view the wonderful work created by 7th Grade!

Below are some photos of the dragons we "birthed" in Genetics. Variations included, wings, color, fangs, tail and arm length and fire breathing. This was a very fun introduction to a difficult, and often dry topic.

Below are some great photos from our Great Depression on campus field trip. Here we are creating useful fabric items (blankets, aprons, and skirts) using patchwork. During the Depression it was difficult to purchase cloth so oftentimes items were repurposed. (Sorry about the fish-eye effect.)

Missing Books!

7th grade is still missing a few books from our class sets.

We need two copies of Call of the Wild (#17 and #23)

We need three copies of Science Explorer: Chemical Interactions (#15, #20 and #23)

PLEASE help your student search for these titles so that next years class may have a complete set.

Great Depression Make Up

Hello All,

I wanted to post the Great Depression make up assignment here and give a bit more information. This project is REQUIRED for students who were absent the day of the trial presentations and is optional for students who wish to improve their grade.

I am expecting this project to take no more than one and a half to two hours total. You should have most of the information from the notes we went over in class. It shouldn't take more than half an hour of research to get you a bit more in-depth information. The project itself should take about one to one and a half hours. I am NOT looking for a completely polished final piece. This is a way for you to obtain a deeper understanding of the Great Depression and demonstrate it in a manner that is creative and fun.

Quick side note: the test date has been changed to 4/14 due to MAP testing