Kindness Is…

What is kindness? Kindness is a word on our Cougar Code poster – but, more importantly, kindness is an action, an attitude, a state of mind, a way of being. Kindness is something you can see, feel, hear, touch – and when someone shares with you something delicious to eat, it is something you can taste as well!

The theme of our first quarter of school is Kindness. Our amazing Leadership students accepted a challenge posed by administration and created this video in three days, which we debuted at Back To School Night last week:

Leadership students also decided to celebrate staff by going around with a coffee cart last week.

We Step Up and Interrupt Acts of Hate!

Greetings Hall community,

Please view our message about how Hall Middle is responding to the racist graffiti found at neighboring Redwood High School yesterday morning.

All Advisory classes set aside normal activities today to discuss this matter. Please review and reflect on our Advisory discussion with your child at home.

Hall Middle Through the Eyes of Our New Teachers

 New Cougar energy radiates between Mt. Tamalpais (in the fog) and our very own “milpa” (cornfield)!

For our new teachers’ first day on campus we decided to take a walkabout and take pictures of things that inspired/interested us and things that prompted questions for further investigation.

Images and Words to Begin Our Year Together

Our year together begins! We will share our thoughts on these words/images on August 11 and make connections between them and our three key Areas of Focus for 2016/17:

• Clear, cohesive, consistent expectations for all students
• Building relationships every day
• Celebrating each other

 

Blackout Poems in 6th Grade Core w/Ebanks!

Black Out Poetry is a way that allows emerging poets to “let the poetry find you.” Blackout poetry focuses on rearranging words to create a different meaning. A blackout poem is when a poet takes a marker (usually black marker) to already established text–like in a newspaper–and starts redacting words until a poem is formed.

We first learned how to do this with Michelle Holdt in the ILSP-A course.  This course allows us to integrate art into every facet of ELA instruction and keep instruction relevant and fun for all students! – Ms. Ebanks

Hall Cougars Go To the Halls of Congress (and Other Places in DC!)

Cougars just hangin’ out with Congressman Jared Huffman!

“Our annual pilgrimage to D.C. is always an 8th grade highlight for many reasons. Students get a chance to see first-hand the places, documents, and monument we’ve been studying all year creating strong connections between the theoretical way we studied how our country works in the classroom and the actual reality of nation and its history. Walking up Capitol Hill, strolling through the Smithsonian, or staring up at Lincoln’s imposing statue are all provide experiential opportunities that aren’t easily forgotten.

But the memories made and lesson learned on this trip aren’t just relegated to history and civics experiences. There is the day we spent hiking in the Shenandoah where some of our students encountered their first bear, the feeling of accomplishment linked to making it to the top of a two story climbing wall, or the lesson in moderation that our stop at the Golden Corral buffet helped teach. Teachable moments are all around us, especially on a class trip.” – Mr. Fester

Interesting looking classroom… 

Diving deep in the Luray Caverns.

 

Making Science Visible At Hall!

The natural world inspires awe and wonder – in kids and adults alike!

Our amazing 7th grade teachers organized a field trip to the California Academy of Sciences for 169 energetic Cougars with an important goal in mind: Making Science Visible at Hall Middle School. Thanks to incredible support from the SPARK foundation, and 25+ parent chaperones, we had an exciting, memorable day together in San Francisco!

Awe & Wonder @calacademy! 7th grade field trip to Make #Science Visible! @LCMSchools #science #scichat #edchat https://t.co/UHKYJFcKVL

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

Hanging out in the Rainforest Dome with some vocal macaws on our field trip! @LCMSchools #science #7thchat #mschat pic.twitter.com/SL7syh3ucQ

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

Hanging out w/the butterflies at @calacademy! @LCMSchools #science #rainforests pic.twitter.com/Uz2sHJ4n4K

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

Foucault's Pendulum mesmerizes! Science field trip to @calacademy! @LCMSchools #science pic.twitter.com/ypcqpmlbpP

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

Amazing hologram at @calacademy of an ancient ancestor! @LCMSchools #science #evolution pic.twitter.com/GEGAqRCDvu

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

Parrots, crocs, snakes, sea nettles & energetic 7th graders = incredible learning & memories made @calacademy! pic.twitter.com/spouqYc60Z

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016

pic.twitter.com/3v8Qf42W2O

— Eliott Rodgers (@ERSF1963) March 23, 2016

@HallMiddle @calacademy pic.twitter.com/Jrx6m3ZQrR

— Eliott Rodgers (@ERSF1963) March 23, 2016

@HallMiddle @calacademy field trip 7th grade pic.twitter.com/wjVqg1ovou

— Eliott Rodgers (@ERSF1963) March 23, 2016

Jumbo fish (& smiles!) at @calacademy field trip! https://t.co/GdQtcHHMDy @LCMSchools

— Hall Middle School (@HallMiddle) March 23, 2016