September 7, 2007 (Day 14)

Reflections (Anita)
In Morning Meeting and Spanish, we continued to read and to take notes on our Spanish research project.  In Math, we examined base two, base six, and base eight.  In Humanities, we took our quiz, and then Mrs. Logan chilled us with her reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart.”  We also read the article about “Sheepman” from the City Paper: he is painting the mural we saw at the College of Charleston on Wednesday.  In Flex Time, we collaboratively reorganized our main classroom and completed our end-of-week clean-up.  In Science, we discussed the periodic table and prepared for our lab on Monday.

Assignments
Math 
– complete the addition and multiplication charts and put the #s 56, 287, 452, 73 and 2081 into bases two and six.

Spanish
– work on Aztecs/Cortes project

Humanities
– Student presentations will begin on Monday (Tommy unit 11 and Anita unit 12).

Science
– none

September 6, 2007 (Day 13)

Reflections (Anna Grace and Jacob)
In Morning Meeting, we looked at a educational competencies / leadership wheel and talked about what it means. We also talked about what it takes to be a leader and that grades are an important component of school. However, we also discussed the important skills on the wheel beyond grades that we also need to gain to be effective leaders and to speak effectively for oneself.  In Math, we went over our homework assignment and worked on other base systems (binary numbers and adding and multiplying binary charts). In Spanish, we scanned over the Spanish books for our different subjects, worked on the research check list, and took notes on important information. In Humanities, we went over vocabulary and wrote down the definition in our laptops. In Science, we watched a PowerPoint on the four spheres of the Earth: bio, litho, hydro, and atmosphere. We also saw clips from the formation of Hurricane Katrina.  To end the day, we learned some of the “water loop” dances.

Assignments
Math 
1) fill in the rest of the multiplication work sheet
2) write your birth year in binary
3) turn these four numbers into binary (base 2) and base 6: 56, 78, 94, and 36

Humanities
Make and study your notes — read over lessons/chapters 11 and 12

Science
1) Bring a glass jar for an in-class experiment (Mason jar, etc.)
2) Extra Credit – How do hurricanes form (you must have a scientific explanation written in paragraph format).

Spanish 
1) If no other resources are at home (we checked in class), take one of the library books home; (2) work on the research check list/note sheet

University School community gathering (September 6)– students and their families, teachers, and mentors gathered at Gilligan’s for a light dinner and get together.

September 5, 2007 (Day 12)

Reflections (by Kate and Adam)
We left campus and headed to downtown Charleston around 8:15. Then we walked to Sandy Logan’s office (LS3P) and learned about architecture. He talked with us about what is involved in the profession, what one needs to do to become and architect, and what are some of the projects his firm has done. Other members of his firm taught us how to make small models of buildings and computer renderings of other projects. Then we headed to the College of Charleston and saw a lot of the campus. We ate lunch with Victor Wilson, Executive V.P. for Student Affairs, and mentor Bucky Buchanan (a C of C senior) in the cafeteria in the Stern Center. Bucky took us to the pool, and we found out that he holds some swimming records there. Mr. Logan also talked with us about the Charleston single-house and its design characteristics. Then Mr. Logan and Mr. Wilson showed us the new Liberty Street dorm (designed by LS3P), and we got to see a model dorm room. We also met The Sheepman, Douglas Panzone, and saw the spray-painted mural he is creating within the dorm. Before heading back to school, we stopped by the Higdon Student Leadership Center. We met Yvette Lambright, and Michael Duncan, the director, gave us a tour. We will be back in November for a program with the Center and some of its student leaders. We returned to school around 2:15 and wrote “thank you” cards for everyone who helped us today.

Presentation at LS3P (above left)
Group photo in the garden behind the Stern Center (above right)

The Sheepman’s Mural (above left)
The fish pond behind the Stern Center (above right)

Group photo with The Sheepman (2nd from right) below his mural inside the Liberty Street dorm complex at the College of Charleston

Learning Outside of the Classroom – Wednesday, September 5

What to Bring/Wear:
– Students should dress for a normal school day and wear shoes suitable for
walking downtown.  They will bring their field journals and a writing utensil,
and they will need a container/bottle of water.  * Digital cameras are always
welcome.

Itinerary: 
1) Gather at USL and then leave at 8:10
2) LS3P Associates, 205 1/2 King Street (Sandy Logan)
3) New dorm at C of C to view art installation by Sheep Man
4) lunch at the College of Charleston’s Stern Center, corner of Coming Street
and George Street, with Victor Wilson, Executive Vice President for Student Affairs
5) Short walking tour to discuss how Charleston architecture developed as it did
6) Return to USL between 2:00 and 2:30

Objective 1:  To introduce the career of architecture and design to the students
– Sandy will take us around the entire office and show us from the bottom to top
how buildings get built, and what architects physically do. There is also an
interior design studio, if anyone is interested

Objective 2:  To expose students to a new art form that has only just found
acceptance in the old and historic center of the city.  Maybe some talk about
the rules and restrictions on any changes made to buildings and the control of
city boards over all new construction.

Objective 3:  To illustrate that Charleston’s early plan and all subsequent
architecture were based on the needs of place, just as the Indian tribes we’ve
studied adapted their culture to the demands of climate and geography.

September 4, 2007 (Day 11)

Reflections
In Morning Meeting, we reviewed last week’s personal and academic goals and wrote new ones for this week.  In Math, Mr. Longanecker guided us in an exploration of number systems.  In Spanish, we discussed effective strategies for beginning research and reading materials (both for this project and for reading in general), and then we read the applicable sections in several books related to our Aztecs/Cortes topic.  In Humanities, we continued looking at American pre-history and discussed tomorrow’s trip.  In Science, we hosted a guest speaker.  Stacey Littlefield, Program Manager from the Charleston office of  Earth Force, conducted a “different viewpoints” exercise about the current plans for Shem Creek.  She also walked with us to the Shem Creek Boat Landing dock, and we saw our first near high tide.  This led to a number of new observations and thoughts about measuring tides.  When we returned to campus, this led to an exercise in making the connection to the phases of the moon.

Assignments
Math – Complete the next two columns on the chart from the in-class work.  Figure out your age in binary.

Spanish – We will be working on the Aztecs/Cortes research project this week.  Homework for this entails research, when and where possible, beyond the ten sources that Mrs. Rowland collected.  The rubric is available for download below:
Rubric – Aztecs & Cortes Research Project 

Humanities – The book cover is due if your work needed to be revised or submitted (late penalty).

Science – Study your notes and read over the assignments if you are taking the test on Thursday.