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IS and MS Optional April Recess Activities

During April Recess, Intermediate and Middle School students have a variety of optional activities in which they can choose to participate from their homes. Among these options:
  • Many teachers in grades 4–8 will share interesting enrichment activities in various subject matters via Google Classroom today
  • Ms. Lira, Ms. Smith and Mr. White have created a wonderful new health and wellness website for IS and MS students to explore and engage with called The Quarantine Chronicles that includes videos from Ms. Lira, Ms. Smith and Mr. White.
  • All students are welcome to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) during the break and join other student writers and Mr. Rampson on Tuesday 4/7 and Thursday 4/9 at 12 noon to share their work and hear from others (details below, already emailed to students).
  • All students are also welcome to participate in Mr. Novick's Film Study Seminar next week, with participants watching six award-winning short films they will receive via email, then gathering at 12 noon on Monday 4/6, Wednesday 4/8 and Friday 4/10 to discuss and share their opinions on the films (see details below). NOTE THIS UPDATED TIME from Mr. Novick's recent video.
  • All students who want to capture their short video response to this question, "What have you learned about yourself from this unexpected social distancing experience?" can send their video (25 seconds or shorter, please) to Mr. Novick at  jnovick@fwparke.org anytime during April Recess (but before Sunday 4/12, please).
  • We continue to accept original art and poetry from all students (about the pandemic or about anything) for publication on our IS and MS Pop-Up Gallery Web page. Now you can add a video of a musical performance from April Recess. Send Mr. Novick the link to the video or audio.
 NaNoWriMo Next Week for Intermediate and Middle School Students!
During April Recess (4/6–12), the Kovler Family Library will run a special week-long version of NaNoWriMo (that's short for National Novel Writing Month) challenging students to write a 2,000-word (or more!) short story on the theme of "quarantine." We'll hold virtual "Write-In" Google Meet events at 12 noon on Tuesday 4/7 and Thursday 4/9 for student writers to drop in and talk about their stories, get inspired and just see some friendly faces! And to sweeten the pot, we will collect all stories that reaches the 2,000-word goal into an anthology that we will publish as soon as we're all back together again. 
 
If you are interested in signing up, go to ilisolation.weebly.com/nanowrimo.html and follow the directions. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Rampson at erampson@fwparker.org. 
 
Film Study Seminar for Intermediate and Middle School Students
Participants will watch six award-winning short films (see below, also to be sent via email) and gather together at 12 noon on Monday 4/6, Wednesday 4/8 and Friday 4/10 to discuss and share their opinions on the films (see details below). NOTE THIS UPDATED TIME from Mr. Novick's recent video: we will gather at 12 noon, not 10 a.m. Please watch the films before logging in to the Google Meets, and watch the films with the questions below in mind. Hope to see you there!
 
FILM STUDY SCHEDULE
 
Films to watch before our Monday 4/6 gathering at 12 noon
  1. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
  2. One Per Person by Traceback Studios (Jacquelyn "Jac" Piette and Nasheet Zaman)
Films to watch before our Wednesday 4/8 gathering at 12 noon
  1. Negative Space by Tiny Inventions (Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter)
  2. Mind Games by Jiaqi Emily Yan
Films to watch before our Friday 4/10 gathering at 12 noon
  1. Different by Tahneek Rahman
  2. The Alarm by Moo-hyun Jang
Questions to consider when watching:
  • Did you learn anything from this movie? If you did, what was it?
  • Was there something you didn’t understand about the film? What was that?
  • Did anything that happened in this movie remind you of something that has occurred in your own life or that you have seen occur to others?
  • What were you thinking as you finished watching the film?
  • What feelings did you share with any of the characters in the movie?
Links to Google Meets:
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Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.