Project Pictures!

If I had thought more ahead, there would be more, but I did not think to take pictures until many had already been taken.  Still, here is a showing of some great work from the 5th grade!

 Can't wait for the 6th grade Europe castle projects!

Why be at FCCS?

I was asked this question the other day by a parent I respect and care for deeply.  I am not eloquent nor a smith with words, but I have pondered that question intensely since it echoed in my ears.  My immediate response was because this is the finest education FCPS has to offer.  But how is it the best?  How can I say that being so young and optimistic?

I have been teaching full time for seven years.  This is my second school in my career at FCPS.  Prior to graduating college, I long term substitute taught high school in Carol County.  I student taught at what was considered one of the “preferred” middle schools.  I also spent significant time subbing and observing in two other county schools.  I have never felt happier in a placement, never more empowered to teach.  You may be thinking talking about myself is just stalling on the question, why have my children at FCCS?

Under my instruction I feel have fostered a community with my 79 students.  In that community I have had your children complete tasks that were challenging and engaging.  Many of those students completed them to near perfection.  I have seen students who struggled in the beginning of the year to keep up with the rigor shine with excitement and joy in their eyes.  Daily I see students hungry for learning.  It is empowering and contagious.  6^th grade students have been using excerpt chapters from high school texts to learn about civilizations and empires that many adults had never even heard of.  While reading those high school texts, I did not hear complaints or the dreaded “I can’t do this.”  Instead, those students, your children rose to the occasion.  I have seen the opposite; I have seen and taken part in the simplification or dumbing down of material to reach the lowest common denominator that students have in drive, motivation, intelligence, and effort.  Here we are doing the right thing, empowering those students who struggle to rise up with the tops of the class.  This isn’t unique to my 6^th graders either, 5^th grade has shown similar traits.  I can personally vouch that your 5^th grade children are completing the very same activities and tasks that I have watched 8^th graders fumble on.

FCCS, however, is more than academics.  I described my students as a community, and I feel that whole heartedly.  I am not pretending that at times students don’t get along, or that there are times kids aren’t kids.  My heart feels full with the smiles of your children.  I see students helping others with directions and assignments, sharing materials, picking things up that are dropped, and cheering for the successes of others.  I see students I do not even teach smiling when they see me, acting polite, and I see excitement.

I am under the opinion I am working with the best staff in the county.  There is not an individual I do not respect in this school.  I see teachers putting in far beyond the normal work hours; I often take part in this too.  We do it because we care, because we love your children.  I have witnessed far more tears than I care to recall due to the challenges we face daily.  Teachers face multiple preps and style of education that takes time to grow into.  Yet despite these challenges, there hasn't been a day I haven’t had a smile on my face or haven’t looked forward to seeing the student’s smiles.  How many other people in other professions can truly look forward to their job every day?

As for my head of school, I have never felt more supported as a teacher and I have never seen some a person try to wear so many hats at once.  I am given autonomy and freedom to push my students in their studies in the direction I as a professional see fit.  I am thankful for Ms. Piro.  I can understand how her style can turn some people off.  I can why there are complaints about communication.  What makes me confident and not worried is I see why there are problems.  I feel we can find solutions.  Our school needs an administrator like Ms. Piro.

What is most exciting is the fact that this is only the beginning.  I was hired in July and given two new curricula.  Compared to my other colleagues, I received an easy “gig.”  Our school, for the 6 or 7 months it has existed has done so much and come so far.  It has so much more to grow.  Up till now and for a long time still there will be pain, challenges, and strife that threatens to destroy this institution I have grown to love.  For some, it will be easier, more convenient, or better fitting to disembark from our school.  We will miss you and contributions to culture and community, but we must keep the course set.  We have the potential to meet the ideals that have been set in our charter, please trust the staff to grow into those ideals.  Remember we have converged from many different places in our careers to help make this shared vision a reality.  I am fully confident in this; I wish my enthusiasm could be visible to you as you read my words.  I thank you for making FCCS what it is today and for the hope of an even greater tomorrow.

6th Grade Asian Empires Test on 1/17/14

The test on our Asian Empires unit will be on Friday, 1/17/14.  Students will be taking home study guides on Tuesday, 1/14/14.  Jeopardy and the study guide can also be found below.

Asian Empires Study Guide

How Chopsticks Were Invented

Created roughly 4,000-5,000 years ago in China, the earliest versions of something like chopsticks were used for cooking (they're perfect for reaching into pots full of hot water or oil) and were most likely made from twigs. While it's difficult to nail down a firm date, it would seem it wasn't until around 500-400 AD that they began being used as table utensils.


One factor that contributed to this switch was a population boom across the country. Consequently, resources, particularly for cooking, became incredibly scarce. As a result, people began cutting their food into tiny pieces so it would cook faster.


The bite sized morsels rendered table knives obsolete, as there was very little left to cut. However, they were now perfect for eating with chopsticks, which were also made from cheap materials and easily made. Thus, a trend was born.


The table knife's decline in popularity in these regions at this time can also be attributed to the teachings of Confucius, who was a vegetarian. He believed that knives weren't appropriate to eat with. As Confucius supposedly said,


The honourable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.


It was due to this that it's believed that Chinese chopsticks are traditionally blunt at the tip and thus somewhat poor choices to try to spear food as you would with a fork.


Within about a century of this, chopsticks had migrated to other Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. One distinct difference between Japanese and Chinese chopsticks was that the former were made from a single piece of bamboo that were joined at the base. In addition, Japanese chopsticks were originally used solely for religious ceremonies. Regardless of their differences, chopsticks remained popular in both countries and are still the primary utensil of choice.


While the early chopsticks were more often than not made of some cheap material, such as bamboo, later silver chopsticks were sometimes used during Chinese dynastic times in order to prevent food poisoning. How? It was believed that silver utensils would turn black if they came into contact with any life threatening toxins. Unfortunately for those engaging in this practise, silver doesn't turn black when it touches the likes of cyanide or arsenic, among other poisons. However, it most definitely can change colour if touched by garlic, onion or rotten eggs – all of which release hydrogen sulfide which reacts with the silver causing it to change colour.


For anyone that has ever had difficulty eating rice with chopsticks, you may have wondered why anyone would choose this particular utensil for consuming such food with. Perhaps one of the earliest of table utensils, such as the spoon, would work better here. But you see, in Asia, the majority of rice is either a short or medium grain variety often with starches that are particularly gummy or clumpy. As such, it sticks together and is quite easily picked up by chopsticks. In comparison, many Westerners eat long grain rice (often highly processed) with is much fluffier and the individual grains are more distinct and for the unpracticed hand, difficult to eat with chopsticks.


If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:
The Origin of Spoons, Forks, and Knives
Fortune Cookies Were Invented in Japan, Not China
Sushi is Not Raw Fish
The Origins of the Neck Tie
Was There Really a General Tso?


Bonus Facts:
Ancient spoons in China also sometimes featured a pointy end to be used as a one prong fork / knife… perhaps the first known instance of the spork or spnife, depending on how you want to look at it.
The ruins of Yin provide both the earliest examples of Chinese writing as well as the first known chopsticks. They were a bronze set that were found in one of the tombs at the site.
Traditionally, Chinese chopsticks are made from wood or bamboo that's unfinished. In comparison, Japanese chopsticks are traditionally finished.
Chopstick etiquette is also a highly important factor in Asian cultures and history. They can also vary greatly from country to country and from person to person, but in general:
In traditional Chinese culture, it's poor etiquette to:
Spear your food with your chopsticks.
Dig around in your food for a particular item. This is referred to as "digging your grave" and is considered extremely rude.
Tap your chopsticks on the edge of your bowl. This is what beggars do to attract attention.
Children to hold their chopsticks incorrectly, as this will reflect poorly on the parents.
In Japanese culture , it's poor etiquette to:
Cross your chopsticks on the table.
Stick your chopsticks vertically in rice, as this is a practise reserved for funerals.
Transfer food from your chopsticks to another persons.
In Taiwanese culture, it's poor etiquette to:
Bite on your chopsticks or to let them linger in your mouth for too long.
Use your chopsticks to pick up contents from a soup bowl.
Place your chopsticks on the table. You should either use a chopstick rest or place them across the top of your bowl.
In Korean culture, it's poor etiquette to:
Pick up your utensils before your elders.
Brings your bowl closer to your mouth to eat.
Use chopsticks to eat rice unless you're someone considered lower class. Spoons should be used instead.
In Vietnamese culture, it's poor etiquette to:
Place you chopsticks in the shape of a V once you've finished eating. This is considered to be a bad omen.
Pick up food directly from the table and eat it. The item should be placed in your own bowl first.
Place your chopsticks in your mouth whilst choosing food.
This article was originally found here

5th Grade Project

Hello, today students were assigned a project in Ancient History.  All students should have come home with a project slip for you to view and sign.

These projects are due on 1/13/14.

New Student schedules

New 5/6 Student Schedules Attached are the new schedules for the students.  They should receive them in their home rooms tomorrow.