Around the US (and Canada) with Mystery Skype

During the past couple of weeks, seventh graders in Mrs. Krebsbach's and Mrs. Allen's Social Studies classes traveled to different parts of the US and Canada by connecting with other classrooms through Mystery Skypes. Once the game was over, and when time remained, it was fun to ask getting-to-know you questions such as "How many students are in your school?" and "What is the weather like in your city?" We had a GREAT time meeting students from different locations!

Eighth Graders Meet Geologist David Waldo

Eighth graders had the unique experience of being able to speak with geologist, David Waldo, about the controversy surrounding fracking. During their current inquiry unit on alternative energies, students have been researching some of the different energy sources currently used- solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, hydropower, coal, and natural gas, to name a few. To introduce the students to the often controversial topic of fracking, we turned to the excellent service, Nepris, which quickly paired us with industry professional Waldo. Waldo shared his expertise about the fracking process, its impact on the environment, and how this source of energy compares with others. Students were also able to ask questions following his brief overview on the topic. At the end, students had a broad, inside perspective on the topic.

I recommend Nepris to anyone wanting to connect students with STEM industry professionals. A connection was as simple as posting a request and waiting for a response. Best of all, students gained a real-world perspective from an expert in the field.

Teen Read Week- October 10-14

We are excited to officially celebrate Teen Read Week next week! Students can stop in the LMC during SRT to participate in a selfie station (complete with props) and learn how to make a light up bookmark. In addition, we will be taking nominations for the first ever DPMS Top Read Award. Nominate your favorite title to win the big prize.

For every activity that you participate in next week, your name will be entered into a raffle for exciting prizes including: gift cards, posters, and Scholastic Book Fair gift certificates. The more you try, the more entries you will receive!

We will see you in the LMC next week!

DPMS Kicks Off GRA!

Today we kicked off our celebration of the Global Read Aloud by meeting one of our partner schools via a Mystery Skype. Eighth graders in Mrs. Meyer's and Mrs. O'Hearn's classes used their geography skills to correctly identify our partner school's location. It was certainly fun learning more about the differences between the "big" city of De Pere and the "small" city of Campbellsburg, Indiana (population 573)! We look forward to connecting with them during GRA to discuss Orbiting Jupiter.

TEDxDePereMiddleSchool videos now available!

A few weeks ago, on May 27, I was able to participate in one of the most amazing experiences of my professional career. Thanks to the brilliance of my coworker, Josh Gauthier, De Pere Middle School hosted its first ever TEDx event- TEDxDePereMiddleSchool. During our event, 20 selected students and five community members gave the talks of their lives from our very own stage in the LMC based on the theme "my unique contribution to the world." TEDxDePereMiddleSchool was a day filled with so many highs as these students amazed me with the passion behind each of their messages. The variety of topics- everything from girls in stem to redefining the word "nerd"- showed not only that middle school students care deeply about the community and world in which they live, but it also showcased the great heights our students can achieve when we push them to discuss subjects that engage them.

If you were not able to view our event via our livestream link, you can still view all of our student and community talks on YouTube. I hope that you will be just as inspired by them as those of us who were physically in the audience.

While preparing for this event was a huge endeavor, it was worth every extra minute spent planning, coaching students, and organizing the day. Our students got to be the stars, and as an educator, nothing could have made me prouder.

What should I read this summer?

Summer vacation is almost here! In three short (school) days, we will all be free to relax. sleep, and enjoy the leisure activities that we do not have time for during the busy school year. For me that means tons of reading! If you are like me, you may be looking for some book suggestions to fill that precious relaxation time. Lucky for you, there were so many great books published in the past year. While I may not yet have had time to read them all, I have plenty of fun summer reads to suggest to fill any downtime that you may have!

In the presentation below, you will find not only great summer reading suggestions, but also information on how to download ebooks and audiobooks 24/7 from Overdrive and Follett Shelf, more about the Brown County Library's summer reading program, and a link to SYNC's free audiobook program. I hope that you will take advantage of these great opportunities!



I would love to hear your summer reading suggestions as well as learn more about what you are reading this summer. Leave a comment below or send me an email at dyoung@depere.k12.wi.us. 

Have a great summer and happy reading!

Get ready for Battle of the Books 2017!

Summer is the perfect time to begin preparing for next year's Battle of the Books competition! The official list has been published, and there are some exciting titles just waiting to be read. Here are the books that have been selected for the 2016-17 school year by the Wisconsin Media and Technology Association:

1. Alabama Moon by Watt Key
2. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
3. Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories by R.J. Palacio (GA Intermediate)
4. Booked by Kwame Alexander (GA Middle/Junior High)
5. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader’s Edition) by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
6. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
7. Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Newbery Honor)
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
9. Heat by Mike Lupica
10. House Arrest by K. A. Holt (GA Middle/Junior High)
11. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
12. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
13. A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
14. Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
15. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse ( Newbery)
16. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Newbery Honor)
17. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
18. Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana (GA Middle/Junior High)
19. Untwine by Edwidge Danticat (GA Middle/Junior High)
20. The War That Saved My Life - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Newbery Honor)

Most of the titles can also be checked out electronically through Overdrive. A collection of available BOB titles has been added to the bottom of the Overdrive homepage.

Get a jump start on the competition this summer and read, read, read!