September 2013

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familiarizing the piano keyboard with the staff. AP Music ... PSAT on October 16th and how they can prepare to get their optimal score. • Hosted ..... Women's Suffrage (parody from Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance") and answered questions about.
Middletown High School North Departmental Highlights September 2013 English Department Cara DiMeo--Supervisor With the introduction of the Chromebook carts in every Humanities room in the high schools, teachers and students have integrated technology into almost every aspect of classroom activity. At all levels, students have already written multiple essays using these new devices, as well as conducted a wide range of research for a variety of class assignments. Many freshman classes are deep in their Odyssey units, studying heroes and mapping out Odysseus' travels through various hands-on projects both in and out of the classroom. Students can be found close reading and having class discussions that surround the text. Sophomore classes, like their peers in the other grades, have been introduced to a vast array of new writing skills related to the primary genres referenced by the Common Core Standards: narrative, informational, and argumentative writing. Many are likewise learning new strategies with which to approach text and understand difficult concepts in literature and nonfiction, specifically the skill of student-generated questioning during reading. Some junior classes are studying the character of the American citizen and are experiencing literature focused on this concept, particularly The Glass Castle, which truly allows them to appreciate their opportunities as an individual. Most September and early October activities also incorporated a review of students' summer reading choices and class discussions that called upon them to explore their recent experiences (especially as they relate to the pieces of literature that they will read this year). Technology Education Tom Famulary – Assistant Principal Dorothy Bagley Graphic Design 3 and 4-The students have been busy analyzing and interpreting various technological, business, and graphic design articles during the start of every class. Students are responsible for keeping a daily notebook featuring advances in technology, graphic design, the stock market, etc. from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Asbury Park Press, online news, and various technology magazines. The students created their own personal website, in which they will post each completed assignment. They will follow each other’s websites, as well as, other famous designers worldwide and are required to comment weekly on other’s posts. Students will learn more of the back end coding for web design as the year progresses. Graphic Design 2- The students have researched the history of stop motion animation. They discussed complex theories about mathematical equations used in animation and geometry in photography. The students were asked to conceptualize and synthesize a stop motion project idea. Working in small groups, the students created a proposal, a storyboard, and carried out

the actual implementation of filming. They learned to piece together image-by-image in order to achieve their own short Stop Motion Animation Video. The class learned how to add sound effects, music, create a motion graphic title sequence, and render their individual movies. The students will compile their movies together in order to create a class Stop Motion Animation Reel. Graphic Design 1- The students have started learning the hands-on technical skills in both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. They have learned the basic process of measuring, discussed the legal aspects of Graphic Design and potential career paths. The students are creating small daily projects implementing the use of short-cut keys, photo manipulation, typography, and other graphical techniques. They are bringing various examples of graphic design from their home into the classroom for class critique and evaluation purposes. Roberta Vega Architecture and Spatial Design- Classes have practiced creating hand drawings using an architect’s scale and CAD drawings using Google Sketch-up. In Sketch-up, students practiced using specific digital tools and commands by following teacher instructions and on-line tutorials to draw chairs by three methods: subtractive (drawing a block and then “cutting away” parts of the block), additive (creating separate shapes and forms and then adding them together), and an enhanced additive method (creating and modifying components using the “follow me” tool and creating arrays). After practicing these skills, students were given a design challenge to render a wheelchair of correct scale /proportion for an adult. Photography 1-The students are mastering the skill of transferring, sorting, and saving digital image files using Adobe Bridge. Recently, after learning about elements and principles of compositional design, they have completed a photo assignment in which they took photographs that illustrate 18 specific composition guidelines. After taking the photos, they transferred the image files to USB “thumb drives,” made digital contact sheets, and are in the process of creating Google presentations in preparation for sharing the images in a class critique. Functional Design 1- Classes have been practicing the skill of re-scaling images and handcopying images using a grid transfer method. The students first draw a grid over a reference image and then draw a grid of equal ratio on a blank sheet of paper. Next, focusing on and drawing in only one square at a time, students transfer (draw the image) on the larger paper, until the entire image has been transferred. For their final step, students will add color using color pencils or water color. Performing Arts Peter Isherwood Choirs- The MHSN Choirs are off to a great start with many new students! There are over 175 students in the choirs this year, with many additional students singing in A CAPPELLA. Students have gone through vocal placements and have been grouped into the vocal sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. Since we have seated the choirs in their sections, work has begun on learning the harmonic parts of the “National Anthem,” as well as four pieces for the Winter Concert. Students have also begun working on music for the 2013-2014 All Shore Chorus audition on November 20th.

Music Theory I- The students have completed work on rhythmic note values and time signatures (Meter). Within this work, students have written their own rhythms, performed and written dictations, and participated in sight reading and performance of various rhythms. The class will be moving on to recognition of notes in the Treble and Bass clefs, as well as familiarizing the piano keyboard with the staff. AP Music Theory- The students have reviewed fundamentals such as key signatures, rhythms and meter, and staff notation. The class is now moving into harmonic structure and basic triad harmony. Within this unit of study, students will compose, analyze, and listen to many examples of triadic harmony within great classical and contemporary music. Emily Steeber Rock History, Pop and Culture- The students have just completed research projects on music from early 20th century America and presented what they learned using PowerPoint or Prezi. Students worked to infuse media (music & videos) and class content with research, collaborative learning, and technology. Visual Arts Carin Kuzmin Functional Design 1-4- The art classes have welcomed, Mr. Squires, a student teacher from Monmouth University who will be at High School North until December. Mr. Squires has been observing the art classes and has begun to teach some lessons. We have had students apply technology in art projects by watching videos on You-tube, virtual MOMA tours, Prezi, and various iPAD applications. We have also displayed student art work in the classroom, hallways, and library.

Guidance John Carmody – Assistant Principal • • • • • •

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Met with the senior class in groups and individually where we went through a detailed explanation of the college process. During this time, we recommended postsecondary schools that fit for each student profile and encouraged each of them to apply to a 4-year college. During Back to School Night, we held a senior parents meeting to explain the college process and how they can assist their student in this process. Met with all sophomores and juniors in their English classes to inform them about the upcoming PSAT on October 16th and how they can prepare to get their optimal score. Hosted Kaplan’s free PSAT on September 21st. We have developed “College Knowledge” in which a counselor is available every day during Block 4 in the CRC to assist any senior with college questions and guidance on completing college essays, the Common Application, scholarship applications, etc. Frequently updating Naviance by uploading important forms and information in regard to: o The college process o Linking the Common Application with Naviance o NCAA information for prospective student-athletes Hosting college representatives to provide our students with the opportunity to meet, ask questions, and learn about their respective schools. Providing scholarship opportunities and information while encouraging all of our students to apply.

Library and Media Center Lauren Stout – Media Specialist The Freshman Class of 2017 participated in the Amazing Race Freshman Orientation this month. Using their wits, a QR Code Reader, headphones and teamwork, students competed for first place while navigating the North Library Media Center.

Mathematics Jenifer Martins – District Supervisor The High School North mathematics teachers hit the ground running this September. Geometry teachers were eager to begin classes due to the new innovative Geometry pilot program which will incorporate the Geometry Fuse application for the iPads into daily class lessons. In addition, all Algebra I and Integrated Algebra I teachers will have a class set of iPads and will be utilizing the Algebra I Fuse application for the iPads with their students as well. Both the Geometry Fuse application and the Algebra Fuse application have built in guided practice, investigative technology labs, and intervention which will engage students and help them to master the rigor of the common core state standards in mathematics. In addition, the Math Review and Geometry teachers have been utilizing mini project assessments which provide students the opportunity to apply and extend their mathematical skills and reasoning to solve real world applications. These mini projects also give students time to collaborate and communicate with one another to problem solve.

Physical Education Neil Leone- Assistant Principal The Freshman Academy Physical Education classes have recently concluded the pre-physical fitness tests. These fitness tests consisted of the sit and reach (which measures flexibility), the pacer test (testing cardiovascular endurance), the push-up and sit-up tests (measuring muscular endurance), and the shuttle test (which measures speed and agility.) We have also started our C.A.P (Challenge Adventure Program) which involves a variety of challenges that focuses on building leadership, critical thinking skills, and teamwork. These challenges are presented to the students with minimal information and they emphasize the importance of working together in order to accomplish a common goal.

Science Steven Trudell - Assistant Principal Chris Wilson Environmental Science This month students were asked how well they know their environment (Tindall Park). Students may walk through Tindall Park every day without noticing most of the living things it contains or thinking about how they survive. The objective of this project was to have students look at their environment more closely; students played the role of an ecologists and closely observed parts

of Tindall Park. They created site maps, soil profiles, pH samples, photographed the site, observed several organisms under microscopes, and determined physical features of the land. The culminating activity was for students to compare and contrast the differences between the areas their classmates chose to study, and to analyze whether different plants and animals live in diverse areas of Tindall Park. All their findings were compiled into a report in their Eco journals. Environmental Science Field Trip to Sandy Hook Lisa Stickle, Brock Silvestri and their students profiled the beach in area B of Sandy Hook. We tried to determine the current in the river off Plumb Island but the tide was changing and our oranges didn’t move. We toured the lighthouse keeper’s house, learning some history of the Hook and the lighthouse. We saw the poison ivy eating goats that were leaving that day. We ate lunch at North Beach while overlooking New York Harbor. Finally, we went seining at the northern most part of Sandy Hook. We caught baby flounder (which we released), a sand eel, many silversides (which we released), a small black sea bass, 3 hermit crabs and many glass shrimp. We brought the fish and crustaceans back to school and placed them in our fish tank to be returned in the spring. We had a beautiful day, and the students had a great time learning and exploring.

Christina Ruzala- Felice Anatomy and Physiology: Student visual learning and game activity: Mrs. Felice created a large framed poster of the human body (based on a textbook diagram) of the anterior and posterior surfaces. She placed about 40 magnets on the poster on parts where regional terms should be placed. A group competition took place to review the terminology. Each group received all 40 terms and were timed while they correctly placed the cards where they belonged on the large poster. Then, the class made the corrections by pointing out mistakes. Each misplaced term added 5 seconds to the total team time. The team that spent the least amount of time on the activity (hence, completed the task the quickest, with the least errors) earned a few points extra credit on the next test. The class enjoyed the competition! The students worked with a partner to perform a gummy bear dissection to practice using directional terminology by cutting gummy bears into various planes/sections/ views. Mrs. Felice circulated and assisted the students to check the gummy bear dissections and give feedback. Chemistry Christina Ruzala-Felice showed the “Acid in the Eye” demo with egg whites, petri dish, and an acid to simulate what can happen if goggles are not worn during a lab. The students completed a lab called “observing chemical changes” and applied knowledge of laboratory safety. They observed 9 reactions and noted all qualitative observations and listed evidence that chemical changes took place. Students were amazed to see some surprising color change and feel the beaker and sense temperature changes with warmth or coldness during the activity. They performed a metric measurement lab and took measurements of floor tile and lab tables with a meter stick and smaller ruler. Also, lab partners worked together to assist in taking some measurements that would be unique to them- the span between the end of their thumb and pinkie, length of their arm from their nose to the end of their longest finger, foot length and height. Measurements were converted between units with different prefixes. As an example, students now know their height and length of their foot in meters, mm, dm, cm, and km.

Social Studies Department Carol Buckley —Assistant Principal Jennifer Smith Civic Leadership assisted in the planning and hosting of the Freshman Orientation. The Civic Leadership students met with the incoming freshmen in classrooms to assist in building navigation and location of their lockers. Afterward, The Civic Leaders and the freshmen participated in organized games in the upper gym. The students are in the process of planning Rachel’s Challenge, a character education program that will be presented to all grade levels, on October 10, 2013.

Jennifer Smith and Matt Ritter-United States History I Parent Communication: At the start of every unit, we e-mail parents to inform them we are beginning a new unit, and we attach our calendar, which outlines class activities each day, due dates for assignments, projects, and quiz/test assessments. We hope that by providing information to our students and their parents/guardians, we will be able to limit any issues that may keep students from succeeding in our class. Postcard America: As an introductory geography lesson, students were given a location/attraction of interest somewhere in the United States. Their task was to research their attraction and develop a postcard to present to the class, which explained the significance of their location and why people should visit. Students presented their postcards to their class and then located their attraction on a chalkboard map of the United States outlined on a wall in our classroom. Once all students have presented their postcards, there will be a large map of the country filled with the locations of interesting attractions to consider visiting. For extra credit, students can link a YouTube video of their attraction to our Edmodo class page to be shown to the class following their presentation. Pinterest United States History Scavenger Hunt: Using the Chromebooks in the classroom, students will discover various topics we will be covering throughout the year by utilizing Pinterest. Students will create a bulletin board on Pinterest with visual posts and written explanations that highlight each of the 15 required topics to be covered. Students were required to follow Smith and Ritter on Pinterest in order that their boards could be viewed, graded, and shared. Twitter: Mr. Ritter is using Twitter, along with Edmodo, to communicate important information to students. Postings include reminders about assignments, upcoming tests and quizzes, as well as breaking news stories and significant stories being discussed in class. Twitter also allows students and teachers to contact each other directly if necessary.

Ed Jones All United States History II classes have examined Time and Upfront magazines to comment on current events. They have evaluated the budget crisis, Syria, and the senate/gubernatorial elections in New Jersey. Doug Felegy Economics students completed The Island Game PBL, which gave them the opportunity to work collaboratively to create their own economy based upon their values and their views of the economic and socioeconomic goals of their society. All of the small groups were asked to develop the basic outline of their economy (market, command, traditional, or mixed) and then each group was given a problem scenario to solve. All groups reported and discussed their solutions to the scenario.

Advanced Placement Economics students are finishing unit 1 of Microeconomics. They described in a nontechnical way the major flows of goods, services, resources, and money in a market economy. They used this information to work in pairs and created posters, highlighting a particular business and its function in the economy. Afterward, students presented their findings to the class. Danielle Brosonski In United States History II the students participated in the creation of an authentic passport. A student survey was conducted as to how many students already have a passport and the steps in the application process. The students will have the opportunity to experience the procedures that immigrants encounter in order to remain in the country. They will utilize their knowledge for a Bon Voyage PBL to create their own passport, discussing their goals and objectives for the future. In Recent American History the students reviewed an article from the Asbury Park Press, evaluating “Strong Backing for $8.25 an Hour.” They will debate the pros and cons of the minimum wage and whether raising the minimum wage would result in the loss of thousands of jobs. If they were to vote in November, would they vote for or against raising the minimum wage to $8.25 per hour, with future increases tied to inflation? Tom Murphy World History students are completing one assignment per quarter or marking period for their quarterly projects. The project, with due dates, will be posted on www.edmodo.com. The students may work alone or collaboratively on their quarterly projects. Suggested topics are: current events, the first civilization, the ancient Greeks or Romans, the Middle Ages, Renaissance, or Reformation. Jon Scala The United States History I classes have begun their internship with the League of Women Voters to encourage political, economic, and environmental awareness. His student government members were ambassadors on Back-to-School Night and Middletown Day. Student Government has over 106 members, and they have been participating in fundraising initiatives to acquire the electronic LED sign for Middletown High School North. Ken Sedlak Using pictures from my I-phone of the trip to Boston/Plymouth, Massachusetts, Mr. Sedlak developed a lesson plan for the United States History I students to better understand the founding of the colony, as well as the New England area. The lesson was a 30 minute slide show, accompanied by readings from the early Plymouth settlers. Mara Hussey Behavioral Science students used the Google Chromebooks in class to create two psychology career brochures including information such as an overview of the career choice, colleges that

offer the degree, and if there were any specific classes toward the chosen career from the college psychology department website. To better understand the psychological perspectives, students chose an "outrageous celebrity" to better define and understand why these celebrities or well-known figures, behave the way they do. Students also watched videos from news.discovery.com about various topics such as first impressions, loneliness, blushing and crying, as a warm-up to the class and to create student discussion. Economics students created a circular flow chart for a business of their choice to better understand the flow of income, the flow of product, and the various roles and markets in the economic cycle. Students have been evaluating CNN Student News or Channel One news on current events for class discussion. They have also completed current event writing assignments to investigate news outside of the United States to better understand the ideas of developing countries and the economic roles of their governments. For the Progressive Era, United States History II students watched a music video about Women's Suffrage (parody from Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance") and answered questions about the time period. Then they compared the song lyrics to a primary document written by Margaret Sanger, an important women's right activist. They will be able to use these documents toward the development of their first short essential question essay. They also analyzed excerpts from The Jungle and How the Other Half Lives to investigate how the majority of Americans lived during the Progressive Era. Ellen Hill Once again the Advanced Placement United States History students participated in the Patriot Games, a debate regarding the achievements and essential contributions of the Founding Brothers. The debate encouraged the use of an abundance of evidence and argument, proving the superlative thesis. “Excellent work was done by the defenders of Patrick Henry, Ben Franklin, James Madison, Henry Knox, George Washington, John Dickinson and Samuel Adams.” Students became quite attached to the defense of their patriots and seemed to truly admire them for their achievements beyond the reviews of history textbooks. Plymouth/Boston Trip The annual trip to Plymouth and Boston, Massachusetts ventured forth on a chilly Sunday morning, September 29. Students enjoyed “walking in the footsteps of history” from the Mayflower to the Plymouth Plantation, meeting both Pilgrim re-enactors and Native Americans. Many of the students concluded that the Wampanoag homes were warmer and more comfortable. We enjoyed a truly spooky history/ghost tour on a very damp, windy evening. Boston’s Freedom Trail brought the students to the Boston Common, Fanueil Hall, The Old North Church and Bunker Hill, allowing the students to physically experience the very places vital to the history of the Revolution. Dan Bucko Behavioral Science students worked on a PBL dealing with topics on different careers in psychology. Students were required to research a career as it related to the many fields of

psychology. They created a Prezi and presented their findings to the class. Positive class feedback was part of this project. The use of the Chromebooks was advantageous for this project. Advanced Placement Psychology students worked on a “Brain Book.” The project introduces the various parts of the brain relevant to a story. This project helped students with research skills and creativity. Students did well on their unit test as a result of this project.

Vision Program Neil Leone – Assistant Principal In Vision Social Studies, all students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.

World Language Department Tom Famulary —Assistant Principal Students in all World Languages classes practiced a variety of listening, reading, writing and speaking activities on a daily basis, as the following examples indicate. Anna Cuscina ITALIAN I - The students learned proper pronunciation of the alphabet and simple greetings used in conversation. They learned numbers to use in personal information and dates and compared holidays in Italy and America. They studied the Italian map and compared Italian and American geography. They began reading hourly time on clocks. ITALIAN II – The students discussed birthday celebrations and reviewed expressing dates and years in Italian. They learned the formation of the past tense and reviewed the forms of the verb “piacere” (to like) to discuss likes and dislikes. They learned about extended family and used possessive adjectives to discuss family members. AP ITALIAN – The students reviewed vocabulary related to the environment and compared environmental problems in Italy and the USA. They used Simple Conditional forms to express what they would/should/could/would like to do, and Conditional Perfect forms to express what they would have/should have/could have/would have liked to have done in a past situation. They also listened to and translated some pop songs using the Conditional. Jen Magiera Spanish 1- Students completed a unit on Spain and held a discussion about the pros and cons of travel to the country. They also compared Spain to the USA.

Spanish 4 and Advanced- Students created descriptive or acrostic poems about themselves upon completion of the review unit. These were shared with classmates. Sherill Piazza Spanish 1- The students are learning and reviewing adjectives. I asked for a volunteer to leave the room and then the rest of the students chose an item in the classroom. Each student had to come up with one adjective to describe the object. We then brought the volunteer in from the hallway to guess what we chose. The rest of the class gave him/her their adjectives to help. When this student guessed, we repeated with a different volunteer. They really enjoyed this activity and it helped review adjectives. Spanish 2- The students are also reviewing adjectives, but at a more advanced level. So, we brainstormed famous people and wrote their names on the board. Then I distributed blank Senor or Senora Potato Head templates. Each student chose a famous person and drew him/her in potato head form! Then, they wrote a brief description. They read their descriptions to their classmates who tried to guess who it was. Debra Barca French 5/6- The students are working on a unit about French weddings. They wrote group skits in which they highlighted the French traditions that they researched, especially those that differ from our traditions. AP French- The students read a story called “Le racisme expliqué à ma fille” by Tahar Ben Jelloun. They were asked to select a universal problem, like racism, and address it in the form of a dialogue, just like the story they read. Julia Fielding Italian 1- Students began the year learning basic conversation phrases and salutations. They introduced themselves to other classmates with a "Ciao" activity. Students learned months and seasons with pictures and tangible objects associated to the season. They created a wordle.com assignment using adjectives to describe themselves as well as an ID card with things they like to do. The students earned "EURO" incentives for games and participation in class. Italian 3- Students began the year reviewing some grammatical topics from previous years in Italian. They watched movie clips with Italian speaking scenes and had to identify location and activities taking place. The class played review games, "Il Giro del Mondo" and "Le situazioni," to prepare for a review test. The students were given a situation and had to express themselves in the target language. They are always encouraged to speak in italian to earn "EURO" incentives for games and participation in class. Dr. Merry Latin- Students share their understanding of concepts in small groups. They rotate through stations to get "instruction" from a variety of peers. Peer teaching is based on research that shows students learn from interaction with their peers as well as through student to teacher interaction.

We often check comprehension in Latin through use of illustrations rather than translation. For example, the teacher reads a short story aloud to students. The students illustrate the meaning on a storyboard then write the Latin captions under each illustration. Students exchange story boards for peer feedback, then they make corrections as necessary. Finally, the teacher collects the storyboards and gives any necessary remaining feedback. Middletown North Happenings – September 2013 Neil Leone – Assistant Principal Julia Terranova - Class of 2014

The Bottlecapper program will hold an orientation program where all interested students can come to experience training activities that are held throughout the year. Students will be provided with the proper paperwork for joining the program, and parents are invited to attend as well. Anyone interested in obtaining more information about the program can contact Ms. Krol or Mr. Obermeier at High School North. Forty-six students attended the Freshman-Sophomore Council orientation and interest meeting where pasta fundraising packets were distributed. Students set the goal of selling at least ten pastas each. The Freshman-Sophomore Council will also be having apparel sales in the upcoming months to help fundraise for the organization. The MHSN Choirs have begun their annual clothing sale of choir themed orange and black apparel. The Choirs have also started selling mums, their annual fall fundraiser. Choir enrollment is approximately one hundred and seventy singers, with the possibility of more students getting involved in the music program through A Cappella, which will begin rehearsals in the near future. An exciting year of music is ahead with High School North students in All State Mixed Chorus, All State Women’s Chorus, and hosting the All Shore Chorus at High School North!