NEWSLETTER FOR P ARENTS, STU
Spring 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Challenging, Engaging & Nurturing IN THE
21
st
CENTURY
DENTS, AL
UMNI FA
MILIES,
GRAND
PAREN T
S AND
FRIEN
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SPRING 2015 CONTENTS
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2 Letter from the Head of School 3-5 Sixth Grade Launch High Altitude Weather Balloons 6 Project Week Moves on Campus 7-8 Fourth Grade Math for Love 9 KinderGarden 10 Words of Wisdom from the Class of ’23 to the Class of ‘15 11-12 Auction 2015: Mardi Gras! 13 Summer Book Recommendations 14 Awards & Accolades from 2014-2015
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2015 | PAGE 1
A LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friends of Open Window School, Challenging, Engaging, and Nurturing—what three words could better sum up the Open Window School experience? This issue of The View is dedicated to some of the wonderful learning activities that have taken place over the course of the 2014-2015 school year.
21st Century Skills is a term frequently used by schools. According to Education Week, it is generally used to refer to certain core competencies such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving that advocates believe schools need to teach to help students thrive in today’s world. A much simpler way to think about learning for students in the 21st Century is the process of narrowing the gap between what students do at school and the skills they will later employ in their adult lives. An excellent example was the creation of our new lower school science program two years ago. The goal was not to do a better job teaching science (our teachers were already doing a fine job), but to create experiences where our youngest students could be immersed in the work of scientists. That is a subtle but very significant distinction. Doing the work of professionals is challenging, but our children are nurtured throughout the process by caring teachers who encourage them to do their personal best. This issue of The View highlights many examples of our students engaged in the work of professionals. We have worked with Dr. Dan Finkel to move our math program beyond the textbook, challenging and engaging students in the wonders of how math is applied throughout our world. Our students were particularly excited when one of Dr. Finkel’s problems appeared in The New York Times. This year Open Window students launched experiments they constructed into near space via high-altitude balloons and designed tools that could be 3D Printed in Space. One of my favorite stories of the year came out of the revised sixth grade Smart Condo project. Before designing their homes, students met with architects at Miller Hull. When our students complained about the limitations placed upon their designs, the architects laughed and said they never get to design anything without restrictions and these often frustrate them as well. All of these authentic learning activities challenge students to apply their knowledge, work collaboratively, and creatively solve problems throughout the process. Kindergartners took authentic learning to a new level this year once our beautiful new raised bed gardens were built by Ed Curnutt between Robinson and Heckerman Halls. As part of a food from farm to table curriculum, students not only studied plants and seeds and visited local farms and grocers but also researched Northwest growing conditions, planted, harvested, and snacked on the bounty. None of these experiences would happen without outstanding teachers and the resources necessary to implement their ideas. This is made possible by the generous support of our families and friends. Both our Annual Fund and Auction Fund-A-Wish set records this year, and we truly appreciate the generosity of our community in making the wonderful learning activities that occur at Open Window available to our students. In June, we will graduate our largest class of eighth grade students. Enjoy advice kindergartners have for them as they head off to high school. Learning does not stop when our classes end in June, and we have some great suggestions for summer reading from our teachers. Thank you for being part of the Open Window School community. Next year we will celebrate our Thirtieth Anniversary. What began as a very small school for young children has become a fantastic learning experience, challenging, engaging, and nurturing over 300 students as they develop skills and talents that will serve them the remainder of their lives. Sincerely,
Jeff Stroebel, Head of School
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2015 | PAGE 2
HIGH ALTITUDE
Weather Balloon PROJECT BY ADRIENNE GIFFORD & LEEANN STIVERS
Sixth graders embarked on quite an adventure in 2014-2015 heading to where no Peepâ„¢ (at least that we are aware of) has been before, near-space. As a collaborative science and technology project, sixth graders worked through the scientific method and engineering design process to design, build, and program flight computers, sensors, and cameras that would be sent up during a highaltitude balloon launch in March.
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Working with a consultant, Nearsys, and collaborating with another Satellite Club at nearby Tyee Middle School in the Bellevue Public Schools, we started the planning process for this collaborative yearlong project. Students began the year with a study of the atmospheric layers and their characteristics including; air pressure, temperature, light spectrum, and weather conditions. They also explored the ways balloon payloads survive the harsh and hostile conditions in a launch. Students worked in teams, each member in a defined role of Chief Scientist, Lead Engineer, Communications Director, or Manager, as they formulated experimental questions and hypotheses, such as, “At what altitude does the ozone layer begin?” and “How do objects change shape or size when they are at near-space altitudes: Peeps™, Crayons™, Legos™, or plastic baggies?” Students not only learned about electronics and soldering before building and assembling their flight computers and sensors on their own but also how to program the flight computers, cameras, and sensors using BASIC in PICAXE Programmer. Teams collaborated and kept their notebooks of hypotheses, information, pre-launch checklists, and research notes together using Microsoft OneNote™.
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Students not only learned about
SCIENCE LEARNING GOALS:
•D evelop scientific inquiry skills •U nderstand the characteristics of the atmosphere — its composition and layers •E xplore how air pressure and temperature change with altitude •A pply basic weather knowledge to predict and analyze actual results observed in the atmosphere •W ork as a team to document experimental procedures, results, analysis and conclusions
electronics and soldering before building and assembling their flight computers and sensors themselves, but also how to program the flight computers, cameras, and sensors using BASIC in PICAXE Programmer.
TECH LEARNING GOALS:
• I dentify trends and forecast possibilities •C ontribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems •U nderstand and use technology systems •T ransfer current knowledge to learning of new technology •P rocess data and report results
Once teams reviewed conditions in the stratosphere, they assembled their payloads and prepared for launch day. The launch took place in Ellensburg, WA in the end of March at sunrise on a clear day. Students gathered at the launch site to run through the pre-flight checklists, fill balloons, and release two balloons. The balloons made it to 93,000 feet in altitude to near-space (see Peep™ in Space photo, right), twice as high as a commercial jet. They traveled 101 mph in the jet stream and were tracked by GPS, aiding in their recovery. The final step in the launch was the recovery. We tracked across cow pastures and through sagebrush-filled gullies to recover the balloons and their payloads. Following the launch, students disassembled the payload, retrieved and analyzed their data for a project report. Presentations at STEM day (May 21) included highlights of the project.
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Project Week Moves to Campus BY SARAH CAMPBELL-HARRIS In years past, grade level projects were completed at home following guidelines set by teachers. This year, the middle school implemented a new idea, allowing students to focus on their grade level projects at school during Project Week. In February, middle school students started each day with ITBS tests, then spent the remainder of the day collaborating with peers and receiving support from parent volunteers and teachers on grade level projects. Not only did this provide a chance to work in 21st century real world studio situations, collaborating, problem solving, and inspiring one another, but the change also evened the playing field, giving all students access to the same resources and interdisciplinary support. Fifth graders mastered engineering skills, creating simple machines inspired by Rube Goldberg. Sixth graders used creative problem solving and mathematics skills to develop energy efficient living space—Smart Condos. Seventh graders focused on an astronomy project each day, from rovers to launchers; the ambitious class cooperated while putting their knowledge of construction to the test. Eighth graders went to a variety of volunteer sites throughout the week to explore service opportunities available to young adults. They completed their project with a Community Service Fair, sharing with all grades ways kids can volunteer in the community.
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To find out more about the sixth grade Smart Condo project watch this video: vimeo.com/119483039
Math for Love
“
BY ERICA MAHONEY & MAGGIE VAN CISE
If you were to take a 3 by 3 cube and drop it in paint, and then smash it with a hammer, how many cubes would have only one face painted? How many would have two faces painted? What about three faces?”
Dipping pretend cubes in paint and then smashing them apart to teach volume, listening to 20+ ways to reach the number seven as a warm-up activity, or calculating maximum perimeters of polyominoes are just a sampling of the math experiences that Math 4 Love offered to our fourth graders this year. The fourth grade team had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dan Finkel, the founder of Math 4 Love, on a weekly basis since late fall. What started as a conversation about meeting fourth grade math standards and enhancing the curriculum on a deeper level, led to a lasting partnership between Dan and Open Window School. On most Tuesdays from late fall through the winter, Dan came to fourth grade to either teach a math lesson to both classes together, 40 students, or teach a lesson to a small group of mathematicians. The lessons he taught were based on what we said we needed, given the concepts we were covering. Dan also helped us reach a goal to give more opportunities for students to understand the math concepts at a deeper level. Because the elementary school years are important for building students’ solid foundation of mathematical understanding, we do not simply skim the surface of math concepts. The activities Dan has designed, his knowledge of other accessible resources, and his personal zest for math have been so inspiring to us. During teacher debrief meetings after his lessons, we often found ourselves diving into a problem Dan posed or discussing the ‘why’ behind a neat trick. He truly revived our love of math and reminded us how important it is to pose problems/concepts in an engaging way outside the textbook. He taught the students to approach each challenge with gusto and determination. Dan created a supportive atmosphere in the classroom that promoted all students to share their math thinking. When students offered an explanation to an answer, he pushed students to explain their point thoroughly and with conviction. He often said, “I don’t buy it. I see where you’re going, but I need more.” It was incredible to watch the growth in our mathematicians. After Dan released the students to work on the problem of the day, the room buzzed with great math thinking, problem solving, measurement skills, and observations. It was common to see multiple students hanging around after a lesson because they wanted to share with Dan what they discovered when working out the math problem. We are so grateful that our school provided such a rich professional development opportunity for us and for our students. Connecting with Math 4 Love on a regular basis has made a positive impact that will continue benefiting students for years to come. Dan sees math puzzles wherever he looks, and he inspired our students and us to do the same.
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2015 | PAGE 7
“
< Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival
What a fantastic collaboration it’s been with the fourth grade this year! The teachers were eager to adopt the best problems and techniques into their classrooms, and to encourage each student to take ownership of their own mathematical experience. And that is exactly what happened. The fourth graders distinguished themselves as problem-solvers, tackling genuinely challenging problems, struggling, and ultimately, deepening their knowledge and expanding themselves as learners.”
Open Window School was a sponsor in 2015 for the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival where 250 Puget Sound area kids, including many of our students, came together to celebrate math with noncompetitive games and activities to encourage collaborative and creative problem solving. For more information: mathforlove.com/julia-robinson-festival/
Daniel Finkel, mathforlove.com
Math for Love Festival
<
On February 25, our middle school students had a Math for Love Festival, which was brought to us by Math for Love’s founder, Dan Finkel. By visiting 11 stations, which were run by parent volunteers and Open Window teachers, students were able to work on different math problems, such as; Egyptian Fractions, Color Triangle Challenge, Square-able Numbers, and others. They were also able to play many math games at the Game Station located in Commons. Overall, the festival was a huge success and we are looking forward to do it again next year!
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Starts in the classroom
KinderGarden BY SARAH GEDDIS
This year, we had a KinderGarden! This spring the kindergartners have put on their green thumbs and worked hard to grow a variety of crops in one of the new raised garden beds on campus. This was a natural connection to their curriculum, as they spent the fall and winter learning about food, where it comes from and how it makes its way to the dinner table. The students grew lettuce, spinach, and broccoli starts in their classroom. Additionally, they planted snow peas, carrots, radishes, and nasturtiums directly into the raised bed outside. They then worked on a collaborative dream garden project utilizing various research they compiled about a variety of Pacific Northwest fruits and vegetables. The finished projects were garden maps that were on display during our Lower School Spring Celebration.
Designing dream gardens
A tasty radish snack
Harvesting radishes Planting the garden
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Kindergarten Advice for Class of 2015 This year, the largest group of Open Window School students, the Class of 2015, will graduate, many starting their experience here as kindergartners. Who better than this year’s Open Window kindergartners to send them off with advice for the future? Enjoy these 15 tips and illustrations by Ms. Tauscheck’s Class of 2023.
Try to have fun. Ride the bus by yourself.
When you grow up, remember your family.
Plant trees.
Try to do ceramics.
Think before you do it. Don’t give up!
Work hard.
Don’t eat too much candy.
Try foods that you thought you didn’t like.
Learn how to build a helicopter.
Explore the forest.
Try new sports.
Talk really nice.
Be really respectful.
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2015 | PAGE 10
2015 AUCTION
HUGE SUCCESS
BY DALYNN FARRIS & LISA HAMMER PHOTOS BY MARINA KHALA
Newcastle, WA: Masks, merriment and generosity were big on March 28th at the Open Window School Auction. The Golf Club at Newcastle was transformed into the streets of New Orleans where guests were presented with beads as they arrived, while live jazz tunes filled the air. Students’ fused glass masks were on the tables and a French Quarter photo booth was set-up across from registration; Mardi Gras is where you had arrived. There was even a special King’s Cake that was given to the winner of Heads or Tails. Parents, faculty, and staff dressed to the Mardi Gras theme as well, wearing masks, feathers, and LOTS of beads.
“ What a spectacular evening!” said Lisa Hammer, co-parent liaison of the Auction, who with fellow parent Dalynn Farris, worked with the expertise of Ann Berner Counsell, Director of Development, Lindsay Sullivan, and Noor Martin, to lead the event.
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HAPPY BIDDERS Paddles were going up fast throughout the Live portion of the evening, as auction-goers bid on fabulous vacation getaways, one-of-a-kind experiences, class art, and some unique teacher experiences. The night included a special guitar riff (and mullet) from Open Window Science Teacher Randy Hollinger to promote his EMP Museum Trip. Bidding was fierce, and the guitar riffs got louder, as families bid it out for the chance to spend the day with Mr. Hollinger. Other excitement included an impromptu “Tarzan” yell-off between Drama Specialist, Lisa Edwards, and Head of School, Jeff Stroebel. Who knew either of these individuals had such strong lungs!
FUND-A-WISH Between raised paddles on Auction night and other contributions, the school raised a record $128,570, exceeding our goal of $100,000, to install air-conditioning to all classrooms. Much of the work took place over Spring Break, and we are on schedule to be totally operational by the beginning of our Summer Program on July 6. Our teachers and students will really appreciate the generosity of our community for years to come.
VIP RECEPTION Many auction-goers purchased a VIP ticket, which ensured them a 30-minute head start on the Silent Auction bidding, a special champagne reception with Head of School Jeff Stroebel, and live jazz music provided by Open Window alum Calvin Kimbro ‘13 and a few of his friends. It was a very festive atmosphere inside Prestwick Terrace as people bid on over 100 silent Auction items.
PHOTO BOOTH Say Cheese! This year’s auction included a fun French Quarter photo booth where auction-goers could grab their friends, borrow a prop or two, and pose for a Mardi Gras themed photo souvenir. Photos were available to purchase and many fantastic group photos were taken to celebrate the evening.
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READING
SUMMER
If you are heading to the beach or to camp for a week and looking for a great book, please enjoy these book reviews by a few of your favorite Open Window teachers and staff.
MS. GIFFORD RECOMMENDS:
Grace Hopper: The First Woman to Program the First Computer in the United States by Christy Marx I chose this book because Grace Hopper is the coolest! When she was 7, she started taking apart alarm clocks to see how they worked. She actually took apart seven different clocks before her parents found out what she was up to! She grew up to study physics and mathematics in college and she got a Ph.D. in mathematics. After college, Grace joined the U.S. Navy where she first used a computer. Back then, computers were much bigger than they are today – the one Grace used was 51 feet long and 8 feet tall! On this computer, Grace became the first computer programmer ever. She developed the first compiler and the most widely used highlevel programming language of the 20th century. Here’s a funny story, while Grace was testing a computer in 1947, it malfunctioned. The operators found a moth stuck inside the computer and pulled it out with tweezers. Grace said the computer had been “debugged.” Debugging has been part of the computer world’s vocabulary ever since! You can even see the remains of the original moth in the Smithsonian Museum! Grace’s motto was, “The most damaging phrase in the language is, We’ve always done it this way.” Grace loved to come up with new and better ways to do things, and I hope she inspires you to do the same. MR. OSWALD RECOMMENDS:
The Borrowers by Mary Norton As a child I loved reading The Borrowers. The Borrowers is a story about the Clock family – Pod, Homily, and their daughter Arrietty – who live under the grandfather clock. They live by “borrowing” from “human beans” upstairs, and their greatest fear is being discovered or eaten by the cat! Arrietty wants to explore the human world and this leads to all sorts of adventures. I remember thinking how creative they were, to turn everyday items that we think are boring into something amazing. For example, postage stamps as wall art, carpet fibers as brushes and a sardine can as a bed! I believe that this story not only teaches us about discovery and adventure but also how to be creative. Also, I’m still convinced that Borrowers exist, as items are always going missing at home!!! MRS. VON NAUMANN RECOMMENDS:
Count Down: Six Kids Vie for Glory at the World’s Toughest Math Competition by Steve Olson Who are these six students selected to represent our country at the International Math Olympiad? What drives them and what makes them so unique and yet typical? What is “talent” and why do so few girls compete in math? You can find answers to all of these questions in the book Count Down. You’ll also learn about Millennium Problems which mathematicians were not able to solve for centuries and about a $1,000,000 prize for solving each of them.
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AWARDS & ACCOLADES
MATH OLYMPIAD Fourth grade students, Elsie Bencke, Ben Dominitz, and Bailey Wagner competed in the 5th grade WA State Math Olympiad at Laurelhurst Elementary in Seattle and earned all scores of Excellent and Superior and receiving a ribbon for the problem-solving set and a medal for the short answer set! Very impressive for their first Math Olympiad ever, and competing a grade higher.
OWS CHESS Open Window Chess Club hosted 2 wellattended Chess Tournaments on campus, as well as attending many regional tournaments bringing in so many trophies that we are in need of a bigger trophy cabinet. Students qualified for the Washington State Chess Tournament in Spokane, and several students went to the National Elementary (K-6) Championship Chess in Nashville, Tennessee in May.
KING COUNTY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING ESSAY CONTEST Eighth graders Colin Cameron, Audrey Whitmer, and Emma Wineland won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place (respectively) awards.
BOTCATZ ROBOTICS
YOUTH APPS CHALLENGE
This season, the OWS Botcatz Robotics team participated in the 2014 FLL WORLD CLASS Challenge to redesign how we gather knowledge and skills in the 21st century. Quinn Bowers, Audrey Whitmer, Ross Rutherford, Drew Thompson, Aman Bedi, Catherine Whitmer, Subi Lumala, Julia Acton, Teddy Lautch, and Spencer Williams worked together to program an autonomous robot to complete a set of learning missions. They also developed an educational radio show to help Fulami nomads of Nigeria adapt to urban life. The OWS Botcatz received the prestigious Judges Award to recognize their superior efforts, performance, and Core Values.
Three seventh grade teams won the 2015 Youth Apps Challenge for Western Washington. Emma Robinson and Ross Rutherford for AppDaptation Evolution; Eli Beilinson, Marcus Huttunen, Anna Bencke, and Ashley Ka for their app, Hatt Project; and Lizzy Park, Sarah Smale, Benjamin Myerson, and Ayush Noori for their app, Sugar n’ Spice.
REGIONAL SPELLING BEE Seventh grader Ayush Noori won the Regional Spelling Bee and headed to Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. NASA’S FUTURE ENGINEERS 3D PRINTING IN SPACE CHALLENGE Sixth grader Sydney Vernon is the Junior Winner of the Future Engineers 3D Printing in Space Challenge. A 3D printer will be donated to Open Window on behalf of her accomplishment.
DEBATE The Open Window School debate team has had an incredibly successful season. Placing in the top three at all of the regional tournaments, the team qualified to send three teams of three to the National Tournament in California. At Nationals, they performed well, and are excited to share their knowledge with the growing team next year.
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE Eighth grader Ellie Blachman won the school wide Geography Bee, then qualified and competed in the Washington State National Geographic Bee.
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NEWSLETTER FOR P ARENTS, STU
DENTS, AL
UMNI FA
MILIES,
GRAND
PAREN T
S AND
FRIEN
Spring 2015 EDITOR:
Carolyn Lucas COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS:
Jeff Stroebel HEAD OF SCHOOL
Adrienne Gifford & LeeAnn Stivers INNOVATION & TECH LAB DIRECTOR & MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER
Sarah Campbell-Harris MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
Erica Mahoney & Maggie Van Cise FOURTH GRADE TEACHERS
Sarah Geddis KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
Trudy Tauscheck & Kindergartners Dalynn Farris & Lisa Hammer AUCTION CO-PARENT LIAISONS BOOK REVIEW CONTRIBUTORS:
Adrienne Gifford Euan Oswald Elena von Naumann
Summer & Back to School Calendar
PHOTOS:
July 6-August 7
Open Window School Summer Program
August 31
New Parent Orientation
September 1
iddle School New Student Orientation M & K-8 Walk Through
September 2
First Day of School!
September 7
Labor Day, No School
Auction Photos by Marina Khala Michael Wineland Linda & Yukinori Inagawa Many talented parent photographers Faculty & Staff DESIGN:
Christa Fleming
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