Steve Laatsch’s Curriculum Blog

Mixing All The Right Ingredients!

Middle School students are busy learning how to bake and cook this summer under the leadership of Chef Sam Musto.  Chef Musto is hosting a July Culinary Arts Summer Camp for middle school age students where they are learning the finer arts of culinary.  Upon my visit, students were engaged in baking.  Over the course of this two week camp, students learn 5 different baking techniques which allow them to produce such food masterpieces as cakes, various breads, and cinnamon rolls.

Students busy mixing ingredients to produce cinnamon rolls

The second part of the camp involves learning a variety of cooking techniques including sautéing, baking, frying, steaming and boiling to produce foods such as baked mac and cheese and sautéed chicken breast.

Excellent job of following the recipe on display!

This is another outstanding program that is offered at the Saline Area Schools.  I can tell that we have a number of budding chefs in the making!

Project Lead The Way Training At The Highest Level!

Project Lead The Way training is in full effect at Eastern Michigan University over the course of July 5th – 16th.  In this training four of our SAS Middle School teachers, Leigh Ann Roehm, Ed Gall, Marcy McCormick, and David Yon, are dedicating 10 days of training to learn about the specifics behind teaching the Project Lead The Way curriculum.

PLTW Trainer and Lake Fenton Middle School Teacher, Bill Raye, demonstrates aspects of computer programming to the class participants

The summary and mission of Project Lead The Way is as follows ……..PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that partners with middle schools and high schools to implement a curriculum, developed by it and imparted by teachers whom it has trained, that emphasizes hands-on experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and biomedical sciences in an effort to prepare students for academic and professional success in these disciplines. PLTW aims to encourage an increasingly more diverse group of students to consider careers as scientists, technology experts, engineers, mathematicians, healthcare providers, and researchers in an effort to enable the United States to compete favorably in the global economy.

The goal of the Project Lead The Way Middle school program is as follows …….PTLW’s approach — using activities-, project-, and problem-based learning (or
APPB learning) — centers on hands-on projects that have real-world applications.
The curriculum makes mathematics and science relevant and strives to help
students understand how the skills they are learning in the classroom may be
applied in everyday life. PLTW Gateway To Technology (GTT) is a middle school program offered in six independent, nine-week units and designed to help students explore math, science, and technology. This activity-oriented program challenges and engages the natural
curiosity of middle school students and is taught in conjunction with a rigorous
academic curriculum.

The specific plan at Saline Middle School is to roll out the Project Lead The Way curriculum gradually over two years. First, in the 2010/11 school year we will roll out the teaching of the Design and Modeling, and the Automation and Robotics unit in our 7th grade science classes. Then, in 2011/12, we will continue with PLTW in the 8th grade with an extension of the Automation and Robotics unit and add on the “new” Energy and the Environment unit.

We are very excited about the direction of STEM learning as it truly will allow our teachers and students with opportunities to challenge each other in a very integrated, hands-on manner.

Stay tuned for PLTW!!!!

ELL Summer Camp in Full Swing!

I had an opportunity to visit the ELL (English Language Learners) Summer Camp the week of July 5th and it is in full swing. Diana Lauchu, our District ELL Coordinator, has developed a program where over 30 students in grades K-12 are working on improving their skills.

Middle level/high school students engaged in paragraph writing

Students are divided up into age and grade appropriate sections and are getting very personal attention from a number of Saline Area Schools staff members, former students, and other community members.  While I was visiting, the younger students were immersed in selecting “just right” books.  Selecting a book at a particular student’s level is critical so the reader can advance in learning to comprehend text.  The older students were working on developing paragraph writing.

Mrs. Klump helps elementary students select "just right" texts

I am eager to see how the students progress the rest of the month at the camp.

Math Olympiad – A Staple in 5th/6th Grade

Math Olympiad is a staple for the fifth straight year at Heritage School because of Swatee Kulkarni’s desire to bring a more problem solving team approach to mathematics. Mrs. Kulkarni, a Saline resident with several children in the district, has been instrumental in building and keeping this valuable program going.

Each year, a very capable group of 5th and 6th graders assemble for a number of weeks in the evening to work on a variety of problem solving activities. They then submit their solutions to these activities to the Math Olympiad to be scored in a contest comparing them to other teams across the country. This year over 30 students participated on the Math Olympiad Heritage Team.

Another very successful year yielded another “Highest Team Achievement” award which means that the Heritage team finished in the top 10% in their division.

Heritage School 5th/6th Graders Display their award for Highest Team Honors

Mrs. Kulkarni is excited to continue Math Olympiad for a sixth consecutive year for the 2010/11 school year.

SHS Today really turns it out!

I had the privilege of visiting the set of SHS Today on Thursday, June 3^rd to watch a live production of this outstanding newscast.

The crew unwinds after the show

Mr. Bush, with the assistance of Mr. Stump, do an outstanding job of providing students with real-life experiences in terms of putting on a news production.  From the crew mixing the sound and video, to the camera crew, to the actual talent, this is a terrific example of what students can do when they integrate their learning.  Students who are in this class learn a multitude of skills including, but not limited to, communication, problem solving, technological, journalism,  and interviewing skills.

In greater detail, here is the description of this course as provided by Mr. Bush ………..The SHS Today class is an in depth look at broadcast video and school news through digital media production.  Students will learn the techniques needed to write, produce and output news stories that impact our school and community.  The broadcast aspect of news media is met by training students in the school broadcast studio and with online learning experiences in Pod casting.  Each student will be exposed to the latest broadcasting technology and techniques as they produce a weekly show called SHS Today.  This show is aired every Friday throughout the school and local SCTN channel 18.  Students will also be able to produce special interest shows working hand in hand with our local community members.

Check out previous editions of SHS Today………… http://www.vimeo.com/shsvideo

We look forward to more superior shows in the future!

Spring Arts Festival Round 2!

Here is the second round of pictures from the Spring Arts Festival which showcases work from Heritage through the High Schools.

6th Grader Jordan Page with a colored pencil city perspective drawing

Middle Schooler Jared Walls displays his aluminum fish artwork

Stephen Criley for the Saline Alternative High School puts Bob Marley on full display

Ethan Welzbacker from Saline High School displays this commanding sculpture

Kristine Opaleski from Saline High School displaying her work of art

Saline Area Schoools Arts Festival Amazes!

The annual Saline Area Schools Spring Arts Festival was a spectacular show!  Each year, talented art students put on display some of the finest work around.  This is a must see as it truly is a showcase of K-12 students displaying their progression from budding artists to AP artists.  Check out a sample of the work!!!

Kindergartener Yusuf Toure displays a clay turtle

2nd graders Connor Wright and Samantha McGrath team up with this paper/marker penguin work of art

3rd grader Katherine Williams totem pole work of art

4th Grader Lauren Charney displays her portrait collage

Pleasant Ridge Student Receives State Recognition!

Local Young Author Receives State Recognition

Miranda Zak, a student at Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, was selected for publication in Kaleidoscope 2010, a collection of student writings assembled by the Michigan Reading Association.  Miranda’s piece is titled The Shot.

Kaleidoscope is in it nineteenth year of publication.  Its purpose is to celebrate the talents of Michigan’s young authors.  Each school may submit one piece of writing to be published.  This year’s participants represent numerous schools from across the state.  The authors, from kindergarten through twelfth grade, address a wide variety of topics, but they have one thing in common-they all love to write!

In addition to becoming published authors, the students were also invited to attend a special luncheon at the 54^th Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference at Cobo Hall.  This year’s luncheon featured children’s author Brod Bagert.

Miranda Zak, a Pleasant Ridge Elementary School student, and her teachers Jennifer Miller and Tracey Williamson are pictured as Miranda receives state recognition

The Shot

By Miranda Zak

One day I was coming downstairs to get ready for school.  When I got down, my mom said, “You are going to have a shot on Friday!”

“WHAT!!!” I said.  I shivered.  It was Monday!  “I don’t want to have a shot!” I said.  Oh no!  My mom tried to calm me down.  She said that we would go to a pancake restaurant after my shot.  I was NOT excited.  I did NOT want to have a shot.

At school, I was reading my book with my reading buddy when I got called to the office.  I was worried!  “Oh no, oh no, oh no!” I moaned as I walked down the hall.  When I got to my mom I said, “I don’t want to go to get a shot!” I sighed.

We got on the highway. I squirmed in my seat.  When we got to the doctor, I wailed “Oh no!”  I cautiously stepped into the building.  I was happy when I saw the long lone.  I was scared when I heard babies screaming.  My eyes were filling with tears.  I looked around.  WE WERE IN THE FRONT OF THE LINE!  I was trembling with fear!  When we stepped into the room they said that my mom didn’t have the right insurance, or something like that, so we had to pay more for me to have the flu shot.

I sat in a chair.  They dabbed some kind of oil on my arm with a cotton ball.  They got the shot out and when they put the shot in me I felt PAIN.  It stung!  It hurt!  It went quick.  I sat in a chair while my mom called my dad and we got in the car.  Luckily they put the shot in my LEFT arm and I am RIGHT handed.  I was glad when we drove to the pancake restaurant.

When we got in I ordered chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and milk.  Mmm-the pancakes were great!  The chocolate oozed out of the pancakes.  They steamed.  They were mushy.  I wolfed down my pancakes.  I thought I was going to burst!  When everyone was done I walked around and stretched.

Hmmm…my mom just told me I need to go to the dentist soon…

Please Vote for Saline!!!

Saline Parents and Community Members,

It is working!  We are on our way to bringing Project Lead They Way to Saline Middle School. We jumped up 162 positions from rank 220 to rank 58 in one day because of your votes. But, we need everyone to vote everyday in May for us to have a chance to land in the top 10.  These top 10 grants will be awarded $25000 each.

Please vote at http://www.refresheverything.com/salineprojectleadtheway
——————————————————————————————————————————-

This was the original message I sent out to the community:

Please vote for our grant at http://www.refresheverything.com/salineprojectleadtheway
“Pepsi Company is giving away millions to fund great ideas!” People submit grant ideas and the public votes on them. The grant ideas with the most votes at the end of the month are awarded the allocated funds.

As a result, we put together a grant possibility for Saline Middle School that we hope our community will support.The grant possibility involves attempting to bring  a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program called Project Lead The Way to Saline Middle School.  Below is a brief description of Project Lead The Way.

Project Lead The Way Grant Description – Saline Area Schools

Goals

• Provide middle school students with great hands-on learning
• Get more students serious about pursuing careers in engineering
• Get more girls interested in math, science, engineering, & technology

Overview

Project Lead The Way is a very innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program. It uses a powerful combination of computer based technology mixed with real life hands-on learning to give middle school students an opportunity to get immersed in science and technology.  Project Lead The Way is divided up into six learning units.  These units included Design and Modeling, Automation and Robotics, Magic of Electrons, Science of Technology, Flight and Space, and Energy and the Environment.

Our students need a program like this that will allow them to flourish and truly embrace science and technology.  In the United States we have a dwindling supply of engineers coming out of our colleges and universities.  One of the main goals of Project Lead The Way is to get more students pursuing paths in the field of engineering.
Please vote for our grant at http://www.refresheverything.com/salineprojectleadtheway

Thank you for your support!

Let’s Read and Succeed!

“Let’s Read and Succeed”: Saline Area Schools Parent Reading Night

Date: Thursday, May 6

Time: 6- 7 PM (with small group break-out sessions and/or a question and answer period to follow if interested)

Location: Harvest Media Center

All readers need specific skills to help them move to the next level!  This is why  Saline Area Schools is partnering with Great Lakes Educational Group to offer “Let’s Read & Succeed”, a free informational session for parents. ”Let’s Read & Succeed” will help parents encourage and develop the critical reading skills that are a catalyst to long-term educational success in young students. In addition, Paula Schaffner, Saline District Library – Youth Services Librarian, will be on-hand to discuss the outstanding summer reading program available to our students.

Did you know……………

* You are your child’s first and most important teacher

* Every teacher is not a parent but ……. Every parent is a teacher

* From the time your child enters kindergarten through high school

graduation ………

8 % of his/her time is in the classroom

92% of his/her time is learning somewhere else

* Your home environment often determines the success your child will have      in school

* According to Benjamin Bloom#

50% of all intellectual growth is in place at age four

30% of all intellectual growth is in place between the ages of 4 and 8

20% of all intellectual growth is in place between the ages of 8 and 17

#Bloom, Benjamin Stability and Change of Human Characteristics

The experts from the Saline Area Schools and Great Lakes Educational Group will offer the following:

1) Tips on how to get students reading

2) Teach parents to use reading to develop fundamental skills

3) Learn how to make the most of reading time to support cognitive skills

4) Practical suggestions and proven ideas from research

5) Help students choose the “right” books so they can continue to improve their reading

As we approach the summer months, “Let’s Read & Succeed” can help you think about the structure you may want to employ to keep your child reading over the summer.

“Let’s Read & Succeed” is for parents of ALL students Pre-K – 5^th grade.

We hope to see you at Harvest Elementary School on May 6^th.

If you have any questions about this event, please feel free to contact Steve Laatsch, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, at laatschs@saline.k12.mi.us or 429-8002.