Kids Make Cave Art
The lights are low, and on the projector, a virtual fire is crackling. Katie Malone Smith, Monument Valley’s art teacher, sounds a drum. Students join the circle one by one, as the drum is passed around. It’s part of a unit the MVM art students have been working for about a month. They’ve researched caves like the Chauvet Caves and Lascaux, and the prehistoric people who made the mysterious cave art. Now it’s their turn to make cave art. Tables covered with big brown paper are tilted at an angle to look like cave walls. Students pass around paints and paintbrushes. They converse about which animals or patterns they should draw. And, finally, the fun begins. Brushstrokes become creatures as the period goes on. Kids use what they have learned to make beautiful images. When the bell rings, the students see how the once plain brown paper has been transformed. Their paintings will soon be displayed along with the work of other students in the school hallway.
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Fall is just what it sounds like. People react to fall in many different ways. The Complainer: This particular person just can’t get over the fact that it is a little less than balmy outside. So what! Get a coat! I’m not trying to be mean, but I mean come on! Listening to you complain day in and day out about how you can’t wear a tank top and shorts anymore! There is a lot of good things about fall, okay? You particularly are hurting fall’s self-esteem! How about instead of complaining that you are cold, enjoy a cup of HOT apple cider. Or, instead of complaining about the wind GO INSIDE!!! Fall-aholic: This is basically the person who can't get over the fact that it IS fall. Let's put it this way, if there were Fall carols this person would sing them 24/7. During every other season this person goes into a natural hibernation-like state. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! FALL-AHOLIC: “Hi! My name is_____! Me: Hi there! So, How's the fall season treating ya? Fall-AHOLIC: ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!??!?!?!?!??? FALL IS THE BEST EVER SEASON! The leaves, the wind, the HOT APPLE CIDER! HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE FALL!!! ME: I NEVER SAID THAT-! FALL-AHOLIC: FALL AND ME ARE IN A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP, AND WHEN YOU INSULT FALL, YOU INSULT ME!! ME: WHOA! Could you back up a little, thanks... END OF INTERVIEW (FOR SAFETY REASONS) PATHOLOGICAL FALL-ER: In the Berkshires there are many fun fall things to do! Lots of FestiFalls and such.( The Berkshires is a very PUNNY place…*KNEE SLAP!*) I am ashamed to say that I am friends with many pathological Fall-ers. A Pathological Fall-er is someone who you make plans with to hang out in fall. EXCLUSIVE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH PATHOLOGICAL FALL-ER Key- M=Me, F=Faller F:HEY! M:So, do you want to hang out today? F:Um…..Sure! M: I Think that there is a festiFall later today… F:Yeah,Yeah, no sure! uhuh...Ok BYE! M:UM,YEAH BYE I GUESS... Intelligent readers will notice that the Pathological Faller sounded distant or even non-engaged, this is because the chances that they will show up are about 1 in 1000, because the pathological Faller is spending this season watching Netflix, in their room, alone. STAY TUNED FOR WINTER TYPES, FOLKS! A Long Walk to Water By Evie and Tess In Mrs. Cormier’s class, we are reading a book called A Long Walk to Water. It is about 2 children that live in South Sudan, at different time periods. One of the stories is nonfiction and the other is realistic fiction. The realistic fiction story is about Nya, a girl who lives in South Sudan in 2006. She walks to get water for her family for hours everyday, dodging obstacles such as thorns. Because this takes up all her time, she is unable to go to school or participate in extracurricular activities like we do in the US. The nonfiction story is about Salva, a boy who lives in South Sudan in 1985. His story takes place around the time when the war in Sudan started. Salva is forced to flee his village, and gets separated from his family. It makes us think about how easy it is for us to get water and food in the US. I recommend this book to those who enjoy a good story. The Trek Up Monument Mountain
This fall, we’re starting out the school year right. On Friday September 23, the 6th grade will hike up Monument Mountain. We think this will be a great opportunity to connect with each other, and ease into the school year. Hiking up Monument Mountain is an old Monument Valley tradition. Located next to our school, the mountain is an important part of local history. It is said that Monument Mountain helped inspire Moby Dick. The author, Herman Melville grew up in the Berkshires. He said the view of Mt. Greylock in the distance looked like a whale. Monument Mountain is also important to our school. In 3rd grade, many of us studied Monument Mountain and its natural history. We noticed the ancient stone walls and the rock erosion. We connected with nature and discovered so much more about Monument Mountain and its story. We’ve hiked there outside of school, in the sun and through the snow. Through the years, we’ve grown, we’ve changed, we’ve made mistakes, and we’ve learned more. But Monument Mountain has always been there. Monument Mountain is a special place for all of us, as it stands tall, and proud, representing the Berkshire Hills school district. Things to Bring:
Have fun on the hike!!!!!!!!! 6th Grade
Going out of 5th grade, I thought “how can I enjoy school in the future, if 5th grade was so great?” I did not think that anything could top how great 5th grade was, but 6th grade is amazing. I love all of my teachers so much. Mrs.Cormier for her enthusiasm, Mr. Naventi for his jokes, Mrs. Aberdale for her hard work and Mrs. Oakley for her great ideas. I enjoy all of my classes from homeroom to G period. In 6th grade you get introduced into a foreign language class. For half the year you take French and for the other half you take Spanish. At the end of the year you decide what language you would like to take in 7th through 12th grade. So far over all of us love 6th grade, but I have one complaint, the music program schedule. What the district has decided to do is make 3rd through 6th graders take a music elective. The people in band and orchestra that are in 6th grade are most likely 3rd year players. We have to play the same music with the players that are just starting. That means we are playing music that is the same as when we first picked up our instrument. I know many people have strong opinions about this situation. I understand that Mr. Doren is doing as best as he can to accommodate everyone as best he can, and I really appreciate that. |
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