Family Group Project Brainstorm and Ideas

Today we discussed possible Family Group projects for the cycle.  Here are some of the ideas classmembers had:

Easter decorations

Outdoor projects

Do GPS – Geo-Mapping

Work on/Create a section of the Yearbook

Food/Health projects – making food

Making the cakes for the Friday event

Video project

The Family Group decided they would like to make a PSA (Public Service Announcement) about a challenge that teenagers face today.  We have the equipment to make a professional-style PSA.  We will need to do the following:

1) Decide on the topic

2) Write the PSA.  This may include writing a rap or song.  The class decided that if we write a rap, each student would come up with a two-line rhyme to go in the rap.  Camilla pointed out that we may have to "go around" twice to make sure our rap is long enough. 

3) Shoot the video

4) Use garage band for the music

5) Edit the video

6) Show the video to the school and/or put it up on the school web site.

Students suggested the following topics:

1) An anti-drug PSA, for example:
"Crack is wack"
The dangers of certain drugs


2) Safer sex PSA:
The dangers of unprotected sex

We need to decide on the topic. 

Specs for Family Group PowerPoint Presentations

This is a five slide presentation.

Slide 1: Your name, illustrated

Slide 2: First slide with picture representing some aspect of yourself, with text (short paragraph) describing why that picture is appropriate

Slide 3: Second slide with picture representing some aspect of yourself, with text (short paragraph) describing why that picture is appropriate

Slide 4: Third slide with picture representing some aspect of yourself, with text (short paragraph) describing why that picture is appropriate

Slide 5: Your vision for the future: How do you see yourself five years from now?  Illustrate it with pictures and describe your vision.

Today's Assignment

Find 5 pictures on the internet, using GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH.  Find three that represent you.  These cannot be things you like, they must be things you are.  For instance, you may have the personality of a lion.  You may have the personality of a kitten.  You may be a beautiful rose.  You might be a hard rock.  Think about who you are, and express it in pictures. This is going to lead to a PowerPoint presentation about yourself.   You may paste the pictures into PowerPoint, if you know how to use it, or you can simply save the pictures to your desktop.  Make sure you LOG IN AS YOURSELF, not under the generic "student" login. 

Welcome to Spring 2011, Cycle 4!

In this Family Group we have a lot of fun, we enjoy hanging out together, and we also have to accomplish certain tasks in order to get credit and have the Family Group work the way we want it to.  A schedule of our week will be posted here within the next few days.  Each Family Group member will also get a journal to keep a record of their experiences, joys and frustrations while at West Side.

Assignment #1: In your journal, write a page expressing your feelings about West Side, and about going to school in general.
1. What do you like best about West Side?  Describe some things that you like.
2. What frustrates you about being in high school?  What things annoy you, and how would you make them better?

Filling out the Credit Sheet

In each of your folders you need to have a credit sheet.  This document helps you determine how much credit you have in each subject, how much you need to take each cycle, and what exams you've already passed.  It also helps you plan for the whole semester, and track how closely you are keeping to your goals.

Welcome Back for Fall, 2010, Cycle 1!

Our first assignment is for each one of you to set up your own online diary/blog.  A requirement for passing this class will be for you to write a diary entry each day and post it on your blog.  You may include links and video, if you like, but KEEP IT PG. 

It's great to see you all again!

- Camilla

Preparing for the Health Fair

The EAR West Side Annual Health Fair is coming up next week, on Friday, April 30th.  Today we will be working on the KWL chart for our second workshop at the Health Fair, called "HEALTHY DATING RELATIONSHIPS".  What to we KNOW, and WANT to know about healthy dating relationships?  Fill out the handout to the best of your ability.  Each student will explain their K and W statements as we do our Family Group Go-Round.  We will fill out the final "What did we LEARN" section of the KWL chart during the Health Fair.  

Our first workshop for the Health Fair is "WHAT COLOR IS YOUR ANGER?"  Yesterday, we started on the KWL chart for our FG.  Each member of the class contributed to the "What Do You Know" About Anger section of the chart.  Then each student came up with three items to add to the "What Do You Want to Know" section of the chart.  Here are the results:

What do you KNOW?

• People self-medicate with drugs
• Sometimes anger is uncontrollable
• Sometimes you speak without thinking
• Sometimes you regret what you have said, later
• Some people punch walls
• People isolate themselves
• People keep it to themselves which can cause stress

What do you WANT to know?

• Is anger hereditary?
• Is it better to seek help for your anger?
• Is anger good for you?
• How do you prevent anger?
• How do you stop from getting mad?
• What should you do when you get mad?
• Who can you talk to when you’re mad?
• Why can’t people control their anger?
• Do drugs affect people’s anger?
• Can an inability to control anger keep you from getting a job?
• Can your own anger harm you physically?
• Can anger be gotten rid of forever?
• Who are the people most likely to get uncontrollably angry?
• What’s the main reason people act angry?
• How do you control your anger?
• What’s the best way to control anger?
• Does medication help to control anger?
• Why do people say what they say when you’re angry? Because they’re depressed? Because they feel ashamed?
• How do you keep stress down?
• How do you get around acting angry?
• Are there some exercises to help control anger? 

The final category is: What did you LEARN?  We will fill out this section of the KWL chart during the Health Fair.