Learning Oportunities

Dear Families:

A reminder that Family Conferences are scheduled for tomorrow (school dismisses at noon for afternoon conferences). For those of you who have already had your conferences and for those who will have them tomorrow, I hope that these conversations have provided you with important insights about your child’s learning experience. In addition, I hope that they have also identified ways that that you can work with your child and her/his teachers to support identified areas of strength and challenge as we move towards the end of the year.

Tomorrow, the eighth graders will be participating in the Arts Festival at the High School, which will run until about 2:15PM. The Arts Festival provides an exciting opportunity for middle school students to participate in the life of the High School. A cursory read through the list of workshops that are being offered points to what should be a rewarding day . . .

STOP MOTION ANIMATION
Working in pairs, each pair will create a short film of less than a minute. The short animation films will be experimental in nature using found objects, toys, and junk as the characters. The first 30 minutes of the class will be devoted to viewing various stop-motion animation clips and giving a brief demonstration of stop-motion animation techniques. The rest of the class would be fully devoted to creating the short animation films.

ARCHITECTURE: THE BUILDING OF A TOWER
Students will tour the construction site of a 50-story residential tower located on Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street with one of the design architects. After the tour, students will be asked to draw their impressions using materials of their choice, which can include pencils, pen and ink, watercolor, pastel, and/or collage.

IMPROV FASHION: DOCTORED SHIRTS
Old T-shirts will be transformed/enhanced by swapping sections (sleeves, collars, backs, fronts or portions of both, etc.) with those of other T-shirts. Cartoons, thought bubbles, etc. can be attached to shirtfronts and or backs via Velcro so that they are removable and changeable. Students will either model or exhibit their creations.

VOCAL MUSIC
Singing alone and in groups, learning songs, improvising, harmonizing, and experimenting with sounds and electronics. The students will perform the material learned.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Students will form a jazz ensemble that will blur the lines between jazz, blues, funk and the avant-garde. They will perform jazz compositions and learn the techniques involved in musical improvisation. The ensemble will create a piece of music and then perform it in the afternoon.

CHINESE PICTOGRAPHIC CALLIGRAPHY
Students will be given a brush, ink, paper, a bamboo kite frame and some explanatory materials about the origin and styles of Chinese calligraphy. They will be shown and coached on how to hold and use a brush for writing. They will then learn the basic strokes and choose to write. After learning and practicing writing a selection of characters on paper, each student will brush their favorites onto colored paper. After they have practiced and they feel they are ready, they will produce a final colored sheet to affix to a kite frame for display.

CARTOONING AND ILLUSTRATION
Do you like comics, manga and illustration? Would you like to draw your own comics? How about just having fun with a pencil, pen and paper? Well, that’s the focus of this fun workshop in cartooning and illustration. Students will explore different ways to create their own characters and participate in creating their own comic book ideas. Create superhero, adventure, manga, fantasy anything you like, its up to you. First, we’ll analyze what makes a good story. Then, we’ll focus on drawing fundamentals and the ‘mechanics’ of storytelling. Design a character (or bring your own if you already have one) and present it to the world. Be willing to ask questions and critique. The challenge is to make a single comic book page (3 tier, six panel max) and showcase staging, composition and lighting.

WORKING IN THE ABSTRACT
In this workshop we will explore the meaning of abstraction through a variety of fun projects, using paint, pencil, pastels, charcoal, ink, and collage. The works of great abstract artists such as, Kandinsky, Krasner, and Rothko will be the source of inspiration for the lively exercises we do to investigate color, line and expression.

OIL PAINTING: LIGHT AND SHADOW IN ART
A very short lecture on oil paint and how it is made, followed by a clear and concise demonstration on lighting and painting an object (most likely a pear, or sphere and cylinder). Learning to understand light and shadow, how it shows form and conveys emotion is not only essential to the fine arts, but also to photography, theatre, fashion, and film. After the demo, students will have about two hours to paint or draw an object, lit from one light source so as to show form. The final works can be shown if the students are comfortable, but the process is as important as the product.

ACTING: BUILDING CHARACTERS
This is an acting-based workshop dealing with the physical life of characters. The instruction will guide students to find characters within their bodies and to create them from the outside in. Students will begin with physical improv as a warm-up, and then using Laban technique, students will examine ‘character’. How does “Blanche DuBois” from “A Streetcar Named Desire” walk across a room? Or drink a cup of coffee? How will the action of the play affect her demeanor? The students in the workshop will observe themselves, pedestrians on the street, characters from movies and political figures to break down how their physical lives inform them as people. We will then create characters from these observations and in smaller groups prepare scenes. The scenes will explore the physicality of a character and how each character’s relationship to the other characters adds particular depth to the background of the character they are portraying.

HIP-HOP 101: CREATIVE WRITING
The Hip-Hop Curriculum is a specially designed language arts program that uses hip hop music, film, and publications to facilitate learning. We will look at rap lyrics’ literary value. Students listen to music, participate in group discussions, and are assigned creative writing assignments. These assignments range from creating critical lens essays to poems, short stories, and Hip-hop songs. By the end of the workshop, students will be able to present their own poems or rap lyrics to an audience and differentiate the contrasting techniques used by their favorite artists. In addition students should leave the workshop with a greater appreciation for Hip-hop.

SALSA DANCING
Ever listened to some music and felt the urge to dance? Or said to yourself, “If only I could dance!!”? If so, then this workshop is for you. Whether you think you’ve got two left feet or have had years of dancing experience, everyone is welcome to join and have fun learning to dance to great Latin music.

VIDEO SHORT
This workshop will involve making short video projects, based on a theme and specific technical rules that the facilitator will give out. We will most likely divide the students into a few groups so they will have to work in collaboration. At the end we will look at each video and discuss it.

INTRO TO TRADITIONAL WEST AFRICAN DANCE & MUSIC
This workshop will introduce students to West African dances, rhythm, song, and the music of the Djembe Orchestra. Students will learn traditional dances, which celebrate the many facets of life in Africa including: rites of passage, harvest, festive occasions and prayer. As music is an integral part of African dance, participants will learn about the importance of the Djembe drum and traditional songs.

SHAKESPEARE/SHAKUR
In this session we will write poetry from the core. We will get in the groove by reading aloud the sonnets of William Shakespeare and the poetry of Tupac Shakur, as collected posthumously in “The Rose That Grew From Concrete.” They both write of love and flowers in different but related ways. We will read, brainstorm, write and recite.

MUSIC PRODUCTION USING REASON SOFTWARE: UNLOCKING THE KEY TO MAKING MUSIC ON YOUR LAPTOP COMPUTER
You can make every style from hip hop to rock with Reason. The program includes drum machines, synthesizers and samplers which are controlled by a MIDI keyboard connected to laptop computers. Studnets will experiment with Reason as a tool for songwriting and creating music and will write their own music.

This Week’s Attachments

(Click on the links below to open the attachments. If you are having trouble opening the links, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.)

General:
LREI Summer Institute Flyer
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Sixth Grade:
Fifth Grade:


Of General Interest . . .
1) From Director Phil Kassen: Congratulations to all involved in creating last night’s spectacular Big Auction! A thousand thanks to the Auction Committee Co-Chairs—Mandy Bouquet and Sharon Fong—and to their hardworking committee members. Last night’s event was an overwhelming display of generosity and support of LREI and its progressive mission. For those who were not able to attend, please visit the hall auction in the Sixth Avenue building for a selection of silent auction items and sign-up parties.

2) Please join us for a reception to meet incoming High School Principal Ruth Geyer Jurgensen on Monday, May 8th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Charlton Street (see the attached invitation).

3) Summers at LREI announces the LREI Institute. Please read the attached flyer for information about this exciting summer opportunity for students.

4) For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.

5) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. You can access their on-line calendar of events at www.parentsinaction.org.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1) Please note the following change to the Seventh and Eighth Grade Softball Team practice schedule: Practices will be held on Thursday and Friday mornings at Houston Field from 7:15-8:15AM. The previously scheduled Thursday afternoon practices will not take place as they conflict with a number of scheduled game dates.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .
1) We have scheduled a meeting for seventh grade parents to meet Ruth Geyer Jurgensen, our incoming High School principal. We will meet on Tuesday, May 2nd at 8:15 AM in the Sixth Ave. cafeteria. This will be an opportunity for you to introduce yourselves to Ruth, if you were not able to do so at the High School Preview Night, and to ask Ruth and Phil questions about the high school program. We are looking forward to seeing you on May 2nd.

2) Please note the following change to the Seventh and Eighth Grade Softball Team practice schedule: Practices will be held on Thursday and Friday mornings at Houston Field from 7:15-8:15AM. The previously scheduled Thursday afternoon practices will not take place as they conflict with a number of scheduled game dates.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) The intramural softball schedule can be found at http://lrei.org/athletics/mssoftball.html.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) The intramural softball schedule can be found at http://lrei.org/athletics/mssoftball.html.

Middle School Sports
Schedules and general information about Middle School sports programs can be found at http://lrei.org/athletics/at_4b.html. Information is also available through the LREI Sports Hotline at 212.477.5316 x 494.

Looking Ahead . . .
On the LREI web site additional information about upcoming events can be found at http://www.lrei.org/caleven/index.html (the middle school events page can be found at http://www.lrei.org/midschool/Events.html)

  • Friday, April 28th, 12:10PM – 3:00PM – School closes at noon for Family Conferences
  • Thursday, May 4th, 8:00AM– Lesbian/Gay/ Straight Alliance Meeting in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
  • Friday, May 5th — Middle School Musical @ 7PM
  • Saturday, May 6th — Middle School Musical @ 2PM and 7PM
  • Tuesday, May 9th – Friday, May 12th — Eighth Grade trip to Gettysburg/DC
  • Saturday, May 13th — It’s My Park Day
  • Tuesday, May 16th, 8:15AM — Parent Rep Meeting
  • Tuesday, May 16th, 6:30PM – MS Sports/Extracurricular Awards Night
  • Thursday, May 18th, 6:30PM – Spring Concert
  • Sunday, May 21st — AIDS Walk
  • Wednesday, May 24th, 6:30PM – HS New Families Reception
  • Thursday, May 25th, 6:00PM — Middle School Parents of Children of Color meeting
  • Thursday, May 25th, 6:30PM — Eighth Grade Forensics Trial
  • Thursday, May 25th – Book Fair in auditorium
  • Friday, May 26th – Field Day – School Closes at noon for Memorial Day Weekend
  • Monday, June 5th, 3:30PM – HS Placement Exams
  • Tuesday, June 6th, 8:00AM – Sixth Grade Potluck and Poetry Breakfast
  • Wednesday, June 7th, 3:30PM – HS Placement Exams
  • Wednesday, June 7th, 6:30PM – Fifth Grade Grecian Festival and Potluck
  • Thursday, June 8th, 8:15AM – Seventh Grade Potluck Breakfast and Constitution Works!
  • Friday, June 9th – High School Graduation – School closes at noon.
  • Friday, June 9th, 6:00PM – Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party
  • Monday, June 12th, 6:00PM – MS Dance
  • Tuesday, June 13th, 9:00AM – MS Moving Up Ceremony – School closes at noon for Summer Break

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and interesting information – http://www.lrei.org.

Be well,
Mark

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