Group Duallschach Presents:
ACADEMIC CHRONICLES OF
SEVENTH GRADE
Fall 2011
Issue No. One
How has this trimester been?
Students views of this trimesters
classes:
Chicken Dissection brings
shocking opinions
By Addy Ball
Informal Newshound
MVMS--Juice (NOT apple juice), Body Parts,
scalpels, and a strong smell. All synonyms of
The Chicken Wing Dissection. Are these
Continued on Page 2
Spanish songs help kids to
learn
By Anna Reichenbach
Academic Chronicle Columnist
MILL VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL-Getting to sing songs during class and actually
learning something is a part of Mill Valley
Middle
Continued on Page 2
Running the mile: helpful or
horrible?
By Anne Schulze
Academic Chronicle Journo
MVMS--Most students at Mill Valley Middle
School groan or sigh when they find out that
“they’re running the mile next week.”
Continued on Page 3
Ortega - First Trimester
The Chronicle Team
CONNECTING CLASSMATES
ONE POEM AT A TIME
By Izzy Duich
Academic Chronicle Reporter
MILL VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL--In the first month of
school at MVMS, 7th grade core teacher, Mrs. Ortega gave her
class an assignment to write a poem.
But not just any poem. This particularly illustrated what was
important in the student’s life or what they really loved to do. This
is also known as a “Where I’m From” poem. Each student wrote
their own poem, and then read it to the class.
Students had mixed feelings about sharing their poems with
the class.
“I really don’t like reading my poem in front of the class. It’s
really embarrassing!” said Anna Reichenbach.
On the other hand, Anne Schulze said, “I liked writing the
poem and I loved sharing my work with the class!”
The “Where I’m From” poems ranged from extremely sad
events in students lives, to students favorite candy. Listening to
their fellow classmates poems was a source of great interest to the
other students. When each student was finished reading their
poem they received a compliment from each of their classmates
and Mrs. Ortega.
After the assignment, the students felt a closer connection to
their classmates and a better understanding of writing poetry.
MVMS TIMES
PAGE
2
Chicken dissection
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
synonyms scary, entertaining, or just plain gross?
These middle school students might use the same
tools but they do not have the same way of
looking at the chicken.
On Friday morning, Ms. Ashley’s students
could be heard in the pod. Noises like, “Eww!”
and “Gross!” And “Cool!” were heard as the
students opened up with scissors and scalpels, the
chicken wing.
“It was absolutely disgusting. Do you
really think people like dissecting dead animals? I
just don’t get it.” Anne Schulze said. Anne is one
of many students who had this reaction.
Abby Cabana commented, “I didn’t like
it because it grossed me out a little. Also, the smell
was funny.”
Most, but not all students were grossed out by
this project. Andrew Bishop, one of Ms. Ashley’s
2nd period students, said, “It was very fun to open
up and see the organs inside. The juice was what
you could say, ‘exciting’.”
Although this left some people grasping their
brown paper bags, this lab left the students with
greater understanding of the bone structure.
Maybe we need some “exciting juices” to
spice up other subjects.
Raw Chicken Wings
Spanish songs
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
Schools Spanish classes. Every day at the beginning of class, the middle school students who chose
Spanish as their elective, listen to a Spanish song.
“I like the Spanish songs. They have a catchy tune, and sometimes an even better tune than
some English songs,” said Hannah Meeker, a 7th grade student at MVMS.
Mrs. Keyes and Mrs. Green, the two 7th grade Spanish teachers, give a new song to their
students almost every week. They give the kids a sheet of paper with some of the words from the
song, and some left blank. They have to fill in the words as they listen to the song. Some kids like
the songs, and some kids don't.
“I don't like the Spanish songs. They’re annoying and repetitive. Also some of the songs
aren’t recorded as well so it’s hard to hear,” said Nicole Long, another 7th grade student.
Everyday kids are learning new words in a foreign language just by listening to music.
“Every time I listen to the songs, I learn new words, and sometimes I learn things that are
important to other cultures,” agreed Hannah Meeker, Nicole Long, and Jonquil Sekula, all 7th
grade students.
“I like the
Spanish songs.
They have a
catchy tune,
and sometimes
an even better
tune than
some English
songs,”
- Hannah
Meeker
MVMS NEWS
Maecenas pulvinar sagittis enim.
PAGE
3
Rhoncus tempor placerat.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
Not Megan Lee. Instead, Megan comes to
school that week prepared for the mile
with a smile on her face. Along with about
25 other students, you race around the field
trying to improve your previous mile time.
“We have to run three laps around
the field, work hard, and run it once a
month!” she said.
Most Mill Valley Middle School
students don’t like running the mile.
Including Katie Schwarz. Although the
mile gets her energy out, Katie says that
there is nothing fun about the mile.
While for some people, running
the mile for physical education is troubling,
others really enjoy it.
“Running the mile is really hard
and exhausting,” Megan said. “But it’s
great exercise and you can push yourself to
run faster.”
“...it’s great
exercise
and you
can push
yourself to
run faster.”
-Megan
Lee