Putnam Avenue Upper School 100 Putnam Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 617.349.7780 Fax: 617.349.3358 putnamavenue.cpsd.us
Mirko Chardin Head of School 617.349.7780 mchardin@cpsd.us Pamela Chu-Sheriff Assistant Principal 617.349.7780 pchu-sheriff@cpsd.us Christina Farese Instructional Coach 617.349.7780 cfarese@cpsd.us Fergie Wheeler Adjustment Counselor 617.349.7780 cwheeler@cpsd.us Dayshonda Jones School Clerk 617.349.7780 dajones@cpsd.us
8th Grade: The Leaders of Putnam Ave.
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To finish off a Social Studies unit on the Age of Ideas, eighth graders entered the "Shark Tank." After conducting research utilizing databases, students developed a pitch, cover letter, and résumé for a historical figure from the Age of Ideas (Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution). Pitches were created from knowledge of the individual then presented to "sharks," or wealthy figures from the time period that could fund the proposal. Galileo wanted funding for more telescopes; Martin Luther wanted to open a translating service for the Bible; and Leonardo da Vinci wanted to perfect his flying machine. Students learned the practical value of cover letters and résumés, built on their research and persuasion skills, and further familiarized themselves with EasyBib in preparation for their research papers this Spring. On Monday, February 8th some of the Deans of Curriculum from CRLS came to Putnam Ave. to talk to 8th graders about course requirements and scheduling for 9th grade. 8th grade teachers have made recommendations for math, ELA, history and foreign language. All 9th graders take physics, so there are no science recommendations. All 8th graders will select the courses in March. Please be on the lookout for information about course selection. The 8th Grade Team wanted to again remind students and families to continue working on Portfolio. This month students should be working on finishing the Vision for the Future essay and first drafts of Core Values Essays. Also, students should have already identified, if not completed, at least one extracurricular activity and 10 hours of community service. Each Friday we dedicate our Advisory time to work on portfolio. Students need to also set aside time out of school in order to complete this work. Moving into Semester 2 we have an Advisory Challenge! Quarter 3 Warning Notices will be distributed on March 15th. At that time, the advisory with the fewest number of failure warnings will hold the Championship Belt and will have an opportunity to “pie” Mr. McDonald!
"Be the Best You, You Can Be!"
Passion. Pride. Ownership. Balance. Perseverance.
February 2016
Putnam Ave. Newsletter
Seventh Graders Celebrate Black History Month
“WHEN YOU CONTROL A MAN'S THINKING YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIS ACTIONS.” -- CARTER G. WOODSON In honor of Black History Month in ELA class, students were introduced to the above quotation. They were asked: What does this mean to you? How would someone try to control your thinking in society? The man who was quoted as stating this was Carter G. Woodson. Who was Carter G. Woodson? Carter Godwin Woodson was an African-American historian, author, journalist and the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Woodson was one of the first scholars to study African-American history and laid down the beginnings of Black History Month. Below are some of the keywords from the seventh grade scholars while they discussed what the quotation meant to them.
Stay Connected! Did you know that you can find Putnam Avenue Upper School on Facebook? To keep up with all our news, just follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/putnamavenue
Putnam Ave. Events
No School: February Break February 15 - 19 PAFA Meeting February 25 | 6 - 7:30PM Celebration & Open House February 28 | 2 - 4PM Breakfast with the Counselors March 2 | 8 - 8:40AM School Dance March 4 | 6 - 8PM View the complete school calendar online at putnamavenue.cpsd.us. District Events Young Artists Artwork by Cambridge Public Schools Students, Grades K - 8 February 11 - April 1 Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center Camp Information Night March 3 | 6:30 - 8PM CRLS Cafeteria
School Council The Putnam Avenue Upper School Council is a group of parents, teachers, and administrators who seek to enhance learning opportunities for all students. Upcoming scheduled meeting times are: March 10 April 7 May 12 June 9 All meetings are held from 6 - 7:30PM. All families are welcome and encouraged to attend. Putnam Avenue Family Association (PAFA) The mission of the Putnam Avenue Family Association is to support all students’ academic and social emotional growth at the Putnam Avenue Upper School. The next meeting will be held on February 10, 2016 from 6 - 7:30PM. All families are welcome and encouraged to attend. Visit the Putnam Ave. website to learn more. putnamavenue.cpsd.us
Get Involved
Cards and Community Service After the Putnam Ave community enjoyed watching the volleyball competition between teachers vs. students, the specialist team of teachers hosted a Community Service Day at PAUS on Feb. 9th. The objective was to assist students to understand the importance of community service and that they can make a difference to reach others by delivering “empathy”. Students made cards for hospitalized kids, wrote letters to soldiers, designed jewelry for King School students and assembled bags of supplies for homeless children. The takeaway for this special day was for students to place themselves in someone else’s shoes and realize that they, too, can make a difference! It was evident from the variety of offered activities that students enjoyed the break from their regular routine to reach out to others in need.
What's Happening in the Sixth Grade In math, we are wrapping up our unit on Percents and Ratios and are going to be starting our unit on Variable and Expressions. This is a foundational leap for students to be working with variables. We have been working on allowing students to work at an accelerated pace for students who need more of a challenge. For this unit we will be working a lot out of our Math in Focus book which every student should have at home. Students can work at a faster pace by moving on to the next section looking at examples and doing the practice problems. In ELA, sixth graders are exploring non-fiction, specifically in the area of social justice, by studying the civil rights movement. We are reading non-fiction texts to explore people and movements that have greatly impacted our world... from Gandhi to Claudette Colvin and beyond. Please ask your sixth graders to share what they know! In Social Studies, we have begun our study of civilizations, particularly in ancient Mesopotamia. We've debated what ultimately led to the neolithic revolution and have researched the middle east to compare it to ancient Mesopotamia. This month, we will debate which characteristic of civilization is most important, and practice our writing skills by writing a well developed essay about the rise of civilization. With the beginning of the new semester, 6th grade scientists embark on their newest unit in science: biology. Students have begun by exploring what life is and by developing driving questions to lead our studies. Students have been conducting field studies about different species, both in the world around them and in a virtual ecosystem. By observing and analyzing the interactions between species and between species and their environment, students gain a clearer understanding of the complexity of ecosystem interactions.
A new addition has been added to our Putnam 6th grade family;. Welcome Mr. Donkor's daughter to our family!
Counseling Corner 6 Tips for Winter Blues Winter is in full force. As the nights get colder, even the best of us can get a little down. The "winter blues" are characterized by a sad or mildly depressed mood, lack of motivation, and low energy that many people experience during this cold season. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to both prevent the blues from coming on and get yourself back to normal if they’re already here. 1. Exercise Exercise isn’t only for maintaining your weight and staying healthy. It’s great for relieving the stresses of life. Plus, the effects of a good workout can last for several hours. Exercise also helps your mind by releasing those "feel good chemicals" that improve your mood. 2. Eat a Healthy Diet What and when you eat has a great affect on your mood and energy. Avoid refined and processed foods (like white breads, rice, and sugar). These foods are not only devoid of the nutrients your body craves, but they zap your energy levels. Try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies, fruit) and get your daily 8 cups of water. These healthy foods provide your body (and mind) with nutrients, and stabilize your blood sugar and your energy levels. 3. Get Some Sun Sunlight provides us with Vitamin D which can improve your mood. Similar to exercise, sunlight exposure releases neurotransmitters in the brain that affect mood. Try to spend a little more time outdoors. Sit near windows at home and during class. Try changing the light bulbs in your house to "full spectrum" bulbs. These mimic natural light and actually have the same affects on your mind as the real thing. 4. Treat Yourself Having something to look forward to can keep anyone motivated. Winter seems endless! But if you plan something exciting, your mood improves when you’re anticipating it and when the event actually comes. 5. Get Social Support Don’t underestimate the power of friends, family, and mentors. Who can you turn to when you’re down and need a pick-me-up? Keep a mental list of these special people and don’t be afraid to ask for help or encouragement when you need it. Something as simple as a phone call, texts, or a nice email can brighten your mood. 6. Catch some Zzzz’s People naturally want to sleep a little bit more during the winter. But with all we have going on, sometimes sleep is the first thing to go. With a little time management, and some self-discipline, you can meet your shut-eye needs. Aim for 8-9 hours each night, and try to keep your bedtime and waking time consistent. That way, your sleeping patterns can normalize and you’ll have more energy. Try not to oversleep—those 12-hour snoozes on the weekend can actually make you MORE tired. Reference: http://bit.ly/14zvdAf