"Safe was dark."

Last week, our class had the privilege of reading a story in our literature book about a little girl, Logan Williams, then 3, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called XP. Of the roughly 1,000 people worldwide with this condition, any exposure to the sun's UV rays can lead to deadly skin cancers, making days in the sun - without proper protection - an impossibility.

In our story, we read a short clip of Logan's life and the challenges surrounding her disease. Thankfully,  a "cool suit" made by NASA allowed her to play outside once again. 

Students were so fascinated about XP and Logan's story, that I felt compelled to do a little digging to help answer all of their burning questions. I found and shared the link to an XP Family Support group, http://www.xpfamilysupport.org. There we saw a 2010 newsletter which featured photos of a teenage Logan, along with her younger siblings, also diagnosed with XP. The more digging and sharing we did in class, the more questions students had. So, I thought, why not go directly to the source: Logan herself.

Students were assigned to write Logan a letter, asking her at least three quality questions related to XP. The letters were heartfelt, caring and well written. 

A little more digging, and I was able to contact Logan's parents! They gave me her mailing address and the 'OK' to send Logan all of our "fan mail"! A summary of the project will also be included in the XP Support Group's newsletter "Night Times." The students are beyond thrilled about this! 

The project has also prompted the purchase of a young adult novel, A Cool Moonlight, featuring a character with XP, to be included in our library. (A big thank you to Mrs. Bock, our librarian, for making that happen!)

Stay tuned for details about our story in the XP newsletter, but for now, enjoy this touching essay, written by Logan Williams, now 18, about her XP journey. You'll see just why so many students at MMS have been inspired by her life. Logan's Story

Bawdy, reticent, animated, gawky...

That's our former president, Mr. Lincoln.

In English we are reading "The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln" by Russel Freedman. It is a unique biography that captures the essence of Abe. Rather than another story that focuses on his political accomplishments, this read takes us beyond the elementary school "honest Abe in the tall top hat" and examines a Lincoln we may have never known. He told bawdy (crude) jokes, wore slippers to cabinet meetings and even struggled with depression. Many called him a "hick" and found him unfit for office, but we'll learn together that some of Lincoln's "weaknesses" turned out to be some of his greatest strengths. 

Today students will examine Lincoln's strengths and weaknesses as they relate to his role as president. They will respond in writing, using vocabulary from the text to support their claim as to whether or not his character traits made him fit for presidency. I'm excited to read your child's point of view!

Reporting live from Mount St. Helens...

Yesterday we wrapped up our reading activities that went along with "Volcano" by Patricia Lauber. Students engaged in an authentic writing experience in order to use new vocabulary. They were to write like a news reporter or scientist on location at the volcano just days after it erupted. Students really got into this activity, making up news anchor names, reporting "breaking news" and signing off for a commercial break. It was exciting to see them have so much fun as they were learning. Parents, ask your young news reporters and geologists what they wrote about; I bet you will be impressed by their creativity. - Mrs. Boltz

Back to School Night

I would like to take a moment and thank all of the parents who made it to Back to School Night last night. It was great to connect with you. I hope you enjoyed your evening and were able to see first hand all that the MMS has to offer. Exciting things are happening, and it is amazing to be part of this team! If you have any follow up questions or concerns, please contact me. We're in this together! - Mrs. Boltz

"I will not be labeled as average."

Yesterday the entire MMS had the honor of participating in the "Rachel's Challenge" assembly. Rachel Joy Scott was the first person shot at the Columbine High School shooting. Her journals, acts of kindness and life philosophy were shared and have impacted millions of people worldwide.

Here are Rachel’s 5 beliefs:

1. Look for the best in others - eliminate prejudice

Other: Sense of destiny, "I'm going to have an impact on the world."

2. Dream big - write goals, keep a journal

Other: I won't be labeled as average

3. Choose positive influences

Other: reach out to 3 groups: special needs, new students, students being picked on

4. Speak with kindness: words can hurt or heal

Other: people will never know how far a little kindness will go

5. Start your own chain reaction

In class, we stopped to reflect on the assembly through our writing. Students were given ample time in class to process, reflect and ponder Rachel's Challenge. Students wrote about their dreams and goals for their futures; some created their own life code of ethics. Others simply retold the essential information from the assembly. A handful of students shared their writings to the class; we were all moved.

So, the big question for us all is: Will you take Rachel's Challenge today?

For more information, visit Rachel’s challenge link: http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

Ash fell more than 100 miles away...

Over the next week, we will be using before, during and after reading strategies to better understand an informational story about the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Today we watched a small clip summarizing the event. We also completed BEFORE reading strategies including: asking questions, previewing the pictures, and reading the captions. Tomorrow we will make predictions and begin reading the text; we will stop along the way to practice our DURING reading strategies by summarizing and visualizing what we are reading. What questions erupt in your mind when you think of the word "volcano"?

Thesaurus comes from the word treasure

Today we practiced using guide words to help us look up words in both the dictionary and the thesaurus. Dictionaries can also tell us the origins of some words, and surprisingly, we read that the word "Thesaurus" comes from the word "treasure." If you are a word lover like me, this is a beautiful discovery, because, yes, words can be treasures. The right word at the right time is a treasure. The way an author describes a setting or an emotional conflict in a scene can feel like a tiny treasure. In English this year, we will be working on trading in "tired" words for "treasure" words in our writing. I can't wait to see all the gems students come up with!

More than 16,000 titles!

Today the Explorer 6th grade English students went on a tour of the MMS library. We learned there are more than 16,000 titles in circulation! Students were able to practice logging into the Destiny search engine, which is a link on our library's home page. Be sure to check it out!

Students also practiced logging into computers using their user names and passwords. These are on hot pink papers that should be taped securely to your child's agenda. We will be using computers throughout the year, and this information is vital!

Happy Reading! - Mrs. Boltz