The Lancer Letter

In the Science Lab

2009-11-18T13:24:00.000-08:00

Our 6-7 team spent a couple of days in the science lab analyzing soil to determine whether or not it was capable of growing plants for our Global Food Chain unit this marking period. See for yourselves what they discovered!

Crime Scene Investigators

2009-11-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

Our 7th grade classes participated in a crime scene investigation project for their Unit 1 assessments. An actual crime scene was created in the school for students to analyze and compile data. They were to take their analysis and investigative work to decide who committed the crime and compile the evidence together. Take a look at some of their work!

Visit to the Dairy Farm

2009-11-18T07:06:00.000-08:00

Our 6th grade classes visited, VDS Farms, LLC, a local dairy farm to start off their Unit 2 stories for their ELA classes. Students were given a list of questions to ask the farmer who conducted the tour and also took notes along the way. They had quite an experience!

Important dates as the new year starts

2009-08-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

The school year is fast approaching and teachers and students alike will soon be getting into the swing of things. Are you ready to see all of the changes that have come to Milwood Magnet School during summer break? We have had many new renovations to make our biotechnology focus even stronger and put technology at the forefront of our students' learning experience.

The first opportunity of the school year for students to get a look at their class schedule, meet their teachers and get their lockers is September 2, at 6:30 pm, during the Ice Cream Social. This opportunity is generally very beneficial to students as a way of getting ready for the beginning of school. Students who are not able to attend will get the same information on the first day of school.

Other important dates as we begin the school year:

Tuesday, September 8th, will be our first day of school. Michigan law doesn't allow for schools to begin any earlier than the day after Labor Day. The first day is a half day. We will have three entry points, one for sixth graders in the back courtyard and two more for the 7th and 8th graders at the west side basketball courts. There will be lists posted at each entry door that will outline who everyone's advisory teacher is.

Teachers will come outside on the first day and will have a sign identifying who they are. The students will assemble with their designated teacher and will enter the building at approximately 7:30. The first half day will be spent entirely with the advisory teacher. We will review building procedures and expectations for behavior and responsibility thoroughly with all students. Teacher will walk out with their students at dismissal time, 10:35. Our first full day of school will be on September 9th.

Our official date for open house is Thursday, September 24, at 6:30 pm. This will be an opportunity for students to tour the building with their parents after they have been in school for a couple of weeks. Parents will have this opportunity to meet staff members and ask questions about school operations. We hope to see you then.

Upcoming events: Video Game Carnival

2009-04-29T05:08:00.000-07:00

In just two weeks, Milwood Magnet School and the MMS Parent Advisory team will host its first video game night!

We are still looking for volunteers to lend their Wii and a game, their time, or resources for the evening, which will be May 15, 2009 from 5:30 - 9 pm. If you're interested, please contact Mary Hoyle at the school.

WGOM: Have you checked in on the salmon lately?

2009-04-27T00:19:00.000-07:00

They have gotten big and will continue to double their size as the end of next month approaches, when we will release the salmon at a designated release location. The 7th grade students at Milwood Magnet School have enjoyed having salmon in the classroom and have gained a lot of knowledge from this project.

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day 2009, we have compiled a few resources to better help you and your students help the environment.

What is the importance of Earth Day and what does it mean to us?

Did you know...

38% of kids feel that the U.S. needs to improve what they're doing to protect the environment.
53% of kids feel that the global climate change is the most important environmental issue facing the world today.
47% of kids most admire a world leader who makes the environment a priority.
51% feel that their communities could better help the environment by using solar panels on new public buildings.
66% feel that it is the environment is their responsibility.

Source: Scholastic's 2009 Environmental Report Card

A few websites with fun environmental activities for you and your family:
Earthdaytv.net: lots of videos and information on Earth Day.
Waste Management's ThinkGreen.com for students grades 6 - 8.

How much energy do your appliances consume when they're not being used, but still plugged in?
Standby Power will show you the watt usage for many common appliances.

Opening today in theaters:
Disney's Earth follows three animal families around the planet and shows just how fragile our life and our planet really is.

Earth day 2009 from Zoltan Ladanyi on Vimeo.

Tech Tuesday: Blog Spotlight, pt. 1

2009-04-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

Just what is this blogging thing?

Blog is a contracted form of weblog. In short, it has many uses and is most commonly described as a website that offers commentary, descriptions of events, graphics, or video. A blog is maintained by individuals and the information is generally displayed in reverse chronological order.

There are many types of blogs:
Personal: This type of blog is a journal of sorts, where an individual writes entries about his or her day in a sentimental manner. Few personal blogs become famous, although it is a fast and easy way to keep in touch with friends and family who you are unable to see on a daily basis.
Corporate: This type of blog is most commonly used by a business for marketing, branding, or public relations. The Lancer Letter falls under the categorization of corporate blog because it is used for the purpose of public relations with our parents and community members.
Question Blogging: A qlog answers questions that are submitted via an online form of some type, an email, or a VIOP telephone call.
A media blog: A blog that contains videos is called a vlog, one containing links is called a linklog, blogs containing photos are called photoblogs, shorter blogs with mixed media types are called tumbleblogs, and those written with typewriters, scanned in and posted are called typecasts.
A device blog: Blogs written with different devices have different classifications, as well. A blog written via mobile phone is called a moblog.
Genre blog: Blogs can focus on particular subjects, such as politics, travel, fashion, projects, education, niche, classical music, dreamlogs, art, music, or spamming (called a splog).

Source: Wikipedia.com

Are you interested in starting your own blog but don't know where to begin? Here are a few different free blog hosting sites and their benefits:

Blogger.com: Undisclosed amount of space to publish your blog. Owned by Google, Blogger.com combines with your Google account to enable you to publish photos and videos seemlessly. Each Google account has 1024 MB of space for file storage. You are able to purchase additional space (10 GB for $20/year up to 400 GB for $500/year). Setup and customization are fairly simple for Blogger and it allows you in incorporate Google's AdSense to help you earn money if you choose to do so with your blog, as well as Analytics to track who is viewing your blog. All of Bloggers features are free to use with no fees added on.

Wordpress.com: WordPress allows 3 GB of storage for your blog and all files associated with it for free. You are able to purchase additional space (5 GB for $20/year, up to 25 GB for $90/year). Setup is relatively easy, as is personalization with templates. You cannot, however, edit any templates with a free account so you are limited with that. The customizable CSS upgrade is an additional $15/year. Because Google owns Blogger, AdSense is not able to be used with WordPress, but it has built in blog stats to help you track who is viewing your blog.

There are other free blogging websites, but the listed two have been reviewed by many and are deemed the most popular, offering the most features, with little-to-know out-of-pocket cost for additional features. If you know of any other websites, please feel free to provide a link to it in the comments.

Stay tuned for next week's article on Blog Widgets!

WGOM: Welcome Back & a Field Trip!

2009-04-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone had a fun and refreshing Spring Break! We return to Milwood Magnet School with a renewed focus to educate and learn. Before we left, our 8th Grade A&B teams went on a Gear-Up field trip to Western Michigan University. Students were able to explore the campus via a tour, where they saw everything from the Waldo Library, to a realistic dorm room, to a taste of campus life by having a lunch in a WMU cafeteria.

Students walked away from the experience knowing more about college than they did before the visit and had an idea of the preparations they would need to make in order to be ready for college. They were also able to get more information on what the Kalamazoo Promise will pay for in regards to college, as well.

Upcoming events: Wii Game Night

2009-04-02T05:28:00.001-07:00

Milwood Magnet School Parent Advisory is organizing the first Wii Game Night. More details to come!

Today is the last day of school before Spring Break. We will return on Monday, April 13.

Tech Spotlight: Recommended Free Font Sites

2009-04-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the technology spotlight in the April newsletter, here are a few sites that offer free-ware fonts for download:

1001 Free Fonts

DaFont.com

Urban Fonts

Font Freak

Font Diner

If you're interested in purchasable fonts, here are a few sites to try as well:

Fonts.com

Font Garden

LinoType

As always, please be careful with any file that you download.

6th Grade Biotechnology Unit 4 Presentations

2009-03-31T04:53:00.000-07:00

Students on our 6th grade team researched a disease and predicted its impact on the population in Science. In Social Studies, they researched a particular region of Mexico and its interdependence with the United States. In Math, they correlated data from their research into a pie graph. In English, they wrote a story that tied both their Science and Social Studies research together. They presented all of their information together to a group of their peers recently.

Upcoming events: Literacy Night

2009-03-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Milwood Magnet School staff has been working hard to prepare for Literacy Night! Join us as we enter the world of The Uglies, based on the series by Scott Westerfeld. Watch the short video, below, for planned activities.

Alternatives to Internet Explorer

2009-02-10T10:24:00.000-08:00

Has Internet Explorer not been meeting your needs? Are you the type of person who enjoys trying new things? Why not try a different web browser? I thought it might be helpful and fun to write about some of the other browsers out there and hopefully peek your interests enough to try a new one.

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox (or just Firefox) is probably the most popular alternative to Internet Explorer. It has a very large user base, most likely because it is one of a few open-source web browsers (This means that the software is created and updated by the community, not a corporation. Anyone can alter the source code, or functionality of the browser). Firefox has many features that make it a worthwhile alternative, some of them being tabbed browsing, themes and add-on extensions. This last one, add-on extensions is probably the most appreciated feature. Firefox add-ons are user created utilities that extend the way that Firefox works. They add functionality that was not there before, and basically make the browsing experience either more personal, more productive or more enjoyable. To try out Mozilla Firefox, download it from the Mozilla website here: http://mozilla.com

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a relatively new browser on the scene, but is gaining a lot of popularity and showing real potential. Created by the web company, Google, known for it's famous search engine, the browser boasts a few features not available in the other contenders that really make it stand out. Chrome introduces dynamic tabbed browsing, which means if a page locks up, it will just close the tab, not the entire browser. Another feature is the searchable address bar. This allows the user to type not only a webpage address into the address bar, but perform a keyword search as well, just like you would do on a search engine. Finally, the web browser has a special "Incognito Mode." This is a function that, when invoked, will not save any history, web cache, passwords or an personal data at all when browsing. This is especially appealing to those users who guard their privacy very dearly. Google Chrome is availible only for Windows XP or Vista at the present and can be downloaded here: http://google.com/chrome

Tech Tuesday: Photography Tips

2009-02-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Were you surprised with a digital camera over Christmas? Have you been trying to take award-winning photos with it? Or at least figure out how the whole photography thing works? Do you need some tips to get started but don't want to pay for costly classes?

We can't promise to make you an award-winning photographer, but we can offer a few tips! In general, here are a few things to remember:

* Photography is best accomplished during daylight hours. Dawn and dusk are the ideal time because that is when the lighting is best, but if you aren't able to during those hours, using a shaded area or anytime on a cloudy day will also work. The key is to use indirect lighting. If you take a photo with light directly overhead, you will notice harsh shadows. If you can't find indirect light or a shaded area, the best thing to do is use your flash. It will help to subdue the intensity of the shadows.

* Move your camera rather than use the zoom, if you are able. If you do have to use the zoom, try not to zoom as high as the camera will let you. Most standard digital cameras have 3-6x optical zoom. Anything above that is digital zoom, which is the same as cropping a photo with photo editing software. Most images taken using the digital zoom will be grainy and blurry.

* Hold your shutter button down halfway for a second or two before taking the photo. This allows the camera to automatically adjust the exposure, focus, and white balance settings. If you notice on your camera's screen that the image is still blurry, you may be too close to the object to take a clear photograph. Most cameras can handle and detect focus up to 3" away from an object. If you are closer than 3", then the photo may turn out blurry.

Photographing people:
* Frame in the head and shoulders or a full body.
* Using a flash in a dark room will cause redeye. Use the redeye setting on your camera's flash, if it has one, to help combat this problem. Otherwise, try to avoid taking photos in a dark room or after dusk outside.

Photographing places:
* Try to remember the rule of thirds. This will help the composition of your photos. Imagine a grid of four lines, making nine squares on your viewfinder. Important elements in your photo should be placed along one of the lines or an intersection of two lines.
* Use a tripod when you can. This will allow for straighter photos and less blur in low-light situations.

Photographing things:
* Use a plain background, especially if you are wanting the main focus of the photo to be on the item you are photographing. For dark objects, a lighter background is ideal. For lighter objects, a darker background is ideal.
* Use good lighting. Try to take the photo during daylight hours and without a flash, if possible.

WGOM: Family Computing Program!

2009-02-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

Milwood Magnet School has begun the implementation of its Family Computing Program. This program offers families the opportunity to take part in the construction of a computing system for personal usage. The intent of this program is to expose current Milwood Magnet School families to technologies offered by the school, as well as bridge the "Digital Divide." Through this program, families will be given exposure to multiple computer-based tools that include: the Parent Internet Viewer (PIV) system, the Milwood Magnet School web site, and teacher blogs. The FCP offers the opportunity for academic growth in 21st century skills, as well as provides tools for parental support through the demystification of technology.

For more information, or to apply to be a part of our Family Computing Program, please visit Milwood Magnet School's FCP page.

WGOM: New visitors at Milwood!

2009-01-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

The 7th grade science classes welcomed a couple of visitors this past week into their classrooms.

This little guy is a painted lady butterfly, still in larvae, or caterpillar, form. Students will watch the caterpillars through the pupal stage and hatch to become a butterfly.

The praying mantis is another visitor that made its arrival this week. It comes arrives as an egg case and will hatch into multiple mantises. This should happen in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned as we keep you updated on the care of our visitors!

WGOM: Check in on the Salmon!

2009-01-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

Have you checked in on the salmon lately?

We're happy to be back in action again on The Lancer Letter and bring you more updates in the coming weeks.

WGOM: Loy Norrix Concert Band treats Milwood Magnet School to a Holiday Concert!

2008-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

Students were able to enjoy the music of Loy Norrix's concert band on Thursday, December 18, 2008. The band came over during 6th hour and performed several holiday-themed songs for students' enjoyment.

(Due to technical difficulties uploading the video to our viddler account, we are unable to share the video! We apologize for the inconvenience.)

We are enjoying our holiday break! See you back again on Monday, January 5th, 2009!

Q&A: Biotechnology Across the Core Curriculum

2008-12-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ms. Cook's 7th grade English class recently sent persuasive letters out to local stores urging managers to invest in Fair Trade coffee. Preparation included watching the powerful documentary, Black Gold, which was filmed in Ethiopia. It showed the plight of coffee farmers fighting to get a fair price for their crops.

Planning for the letter included a Persuasion Map Planning Sheet where students developed a thesis statement, main reasons to support their claim, and examples to validate the argument.

Black Gold:

Tech Tuesday: Using the Drawing Toolbar in MS Word

2008-12-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can use the drawing toolbar in MS Word to do many things? You can also use this toolbar in other Microsoft Office programs, such as PowerPoint, but this slideshow focuses on MS Word for consistency.

WGOM: Holiday Concert

2008-12-15T00:00:00.001-08:00

Did you miss the concert on Tuesday, December 9 at LNHS Kasdorf Auditorium? Our orchestra, choir, and concert band performed for parents, staff, students, and community members who were in attendance. If you were not able to make it, you're in luck, because we recorded the performance for your viewing pleasure!

Q&A: More about Global Food Chain

2008-12-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

7th Grade Science Classes raise salmon from egg to release!

See where they are at on their project as of this week and stay tuned for further updates!

Why salmon in the classroom?

In our state, we face many challenges in the management of our Great Lakes fishery. Salmon in the Classroom can be a great educational tool and some Michigan educators have participated for many years. Yet, the ecology of the Great Lakes is changing at an astounding rate. We all remember when water pollution was on the news every day. Today, a new pollution, biological pollution, may prove to be our greatest challenge.

- Excerpt from Salmon in the Classroom Introduction, MDNR Publication

Students will continually monitor, care for, and maintain the salmon's environment. When the salmon are big enough, they will be released into the wild and will help contribute to the food chain, which ultimately ties in with our Unit 2 Curriculum this school year.

Tech Tuesday: Microsoft Photo Story 3

2008-12-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

This week's Tech Tuesday was a recap on the original session that taught Photo Story 3. Due to popular request, the class was offered once again. Please view the slideshow for a closer look at what was taught.

WGOM: Milwood Magnet School Contributes to the Global Food Chain!

2008-12-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

Milwood Magnet School Contributes to the Global Food Chain

MMS will meet the immediate food needs of our community by collecting can and dry goods for the Greater Kalamazoo Food Drive. We will meet the long-term needs of hunger by contributing money to Heifer International.

The Greater Kalamazoo Area Holiday Food Drive is West Michigan's largest holiday food distribution program. 1,500 families will receive food for a week! The Student Advisory Council will use a friendly Canned Good/Non-perishable food item competition to get students and staff to contribute to the GK Food Drive. Grade levels will compete against each other. The competition will begin on December 1st and run through December 18th.

Heifer International: Ending Hunger, Caring for the Earth

Heifer's Mission to end World Hunger (http://www.heifer.org)

A world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet.

To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.

To “pass on the gift.” As people share their animals’ offspring with others - along with their knowledge, resources, and skills - an expanding network of hope, dignity, and self-reliance is created that reaches around the globe. This simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief caught on and has continued for over 60 years. Today, millions of families in 128 countries have been given the gifts of self-reliance and hope.

The Student Advisory Council will use a friendly penny war as a fundraiser for Heifer International. The End Hunger & Care for the Earth Penny War will take place during each lunch hour. Grade levels will compete against each other. The competition will being on December 5th and run through December 19th. Morning Announcements and the December 4th Advisory will be used to help introduce Heifer International and the Penny War.

Rules of the Penny War

The GOAL of the Penny War is to collect as many PENNIES as possible in your jar and put as many NON-PENNIES in everyone else’s jar. Each team (grade level) will have its own labeled container jar in the cafeteria during lunch. Money is worth “points” based on its monetary value.

Pennies = +1 point

Nickels = -5 points

Dimes = -10 points

Quarters = -25 points

Pennies give your team positive points while nickels, dimes, quarters, and any dollar bills take points AWAY from the team’s total. Therefore, you want to put PENNIES in YOUR TEAM’S jar (positive points) & nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills (negative points) in the jars of OTHER TEAMS. Whichever team has THE MOST POINTS at the end of the Penny Drive, wins!

Also be on the lookout! The December edition of the mailed Lancer Letter should be making it to your mailboxes in the next few days!

WGOM: Field Trips for 6th and 8th Graders

2008-11-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Our sixth graders recently took a trip to a dairy farm to see what life is like for the farmers and the cows. They were able to ask questions and tour each area of the farm. Each group, over the Wednesday and Thursday, were able to witness the birth of at least one calf, as well as the milking room, and each area where different groups of cows or calves are housed. Students gained a lot of knowledge of the current unit of our biotechnology curriculum (Global Food Chain) as well as an understanding of the work that goes into running a farming business.

Ms. Kidman and her eighth grade Spanish class also took a day trip to Chicago. While there, they were able to receive a lesson in salsa dancing, visit a pastry and candy store, and tour the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Q&A: Uglies in the Curriculum

2008-11-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

How has The Uglies helped to reinforce the biotechnology curriculum?

Mr. Koch's 7th Grade Science class completed their final project for Unit 1: Technological Innovations by designing several of the technologies available to the characters in The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Students were graded on several different aspects of the project, including the amount of detail, the quality, the color, and the labels they used in order to describe their technology and how it worked. Please be sure to check out the sample of projects!

This is a list of items and the page numbers where they were described in the book:

Technology Tuesday: MS PowerPoint

2008-11-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Technology Tuesday recap for our session on using MS PowerPoint:

There is also a PowerPoint brochure viewable via Acrobat Reader that offers step-by-step instructions on how to do many of the things discussed during our Tech Tuesday session.

WGOM: Career Day and fun!

2008-11-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 12 was Career Day at Milwood Magnet School. Guest speakers came to the school to talk to eighth grade students about their professions and the education that was required in order to be successful in their given professions. Speakers included:

Tim Terrentine, Community Services
Cyndi Trobeck, Bank Manager
Ervin Armstrong, Goal Setting
Tisha Yance and Shannon Coleman, Kellogg Manufacturing
Douglas Davidson, WMU Professor
Stacey Allison and Cynthia Weessies, Nurses
Joy Bailey and JoAnn Muncy, AntiRacism Organizers
Jerry Paul from Kalamazoo Air Zoo, Aviator
Delores Rawling, Nurse

Students on both eighth grade teams were able to receive presentations from four speakers.

And just for fun, Ms. Kidman's 6th grade Spanish Class sings the days of the week:

How to: Student login and network storage

2008-11-11T11:41:00.001-08:00

Attention Milwood students!

The computers and computer network at every school in the Kalamazoo Public School district is protected by network software. In order to use the computers and computer network, students are now required to login to the workstation before having access to it. Logging in not only provides you access to the computers functions, but also the functions of the network. Each student login account is created with storage space on the network servers.

At the beginning of the year, every student received a letter that included information about their username and password.

When you turn on a computer at Milwood, the first thing you see will be the Novell login screen. This is where you will enter your username and password every time
you wish to use the computers. The first time you login, you will be notified that your password has expired and asked if you want to change it. Click "Yes" and choose a password that is at least five characters long, preferably a combination of letters and numbers. You will be prompted every forty days thereafter to change your password.

DO NOT SHARE YOUR PASSWORD WITH ANYONE!

When you are logged on to the KPS network, you will have additional drive letters available to your computer, most notably, the H: drive. This drive is your "home" on the server. You are the only student with access to it, and it is backed up every night. This drive is limited to 150 MB per student and is intended for homework and school-related projects only. KPS Technology Services will delete, without notice, any files not related to school work found on your H: drive.

WGOM: Magnet Fair & More

2008-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the Kalamazoo Public Schools Magnet Fair, where all KPS Magnet Schools gathered to provide information to interested students and families. Milwood Magnet School provided a full stock of technology available to students, featuring the 2Know! Classroom Response System, a Nintendo Wii with the Wii Fit, science experiments, a Make-And-Take Inheritance Bracelet, and a audio stream of The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.

Previous to the Magnet Fair, Milwood Magnet School staff and students participated in the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade, along with the Milwood Magnet School Drum Line, who played cadences along with the Loy Norrix High School Marching Band, who preceded the MMS group in the parade. It was cold, with temperatures in the mid-30's to low-40's and mixtures of rain, snow, and sunshine, but everyone had a great time.

Q&A: Unit 1 of Biotechnology Curriculum, Technological Innovations

2008-11-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Unit 1 of the Biotechnology Curriculum at Milwood Magnet School focuses on Technological Innovations. Each core area has essential questions to help guide lesson plans to focus on curriculum content.

Questions for Unit 1 include:

Grade 6
Math: How do technological innovations affect the efficient use of our resources?
Social Studies: How do we understand our place in the world?
ELA: How does our changing world affect your life?
Science: How does research and technology improve society?

Grade 7
Math: How have technological innovations affected the society in which you live?
Social Studies: How do we understand other cultures' place in the world?
ELA: How does interacting with others help construct meaning and promote innovation?
Science: How does research and technology improve our quality of life?

Grade 8
Math: How has technology changed the movement of people?
Social Studies: How do we understand our country's place in the world?
ELA: How do interactions with others help you contribute to society?
Science: How does research and technology improve our understanding of the world?

Students complete assignments and projects based on the curriculum. One example is in seventh grade science, students experimented with calcium chloride (CaCl) to see if it could have been what was used to heat "Spagbol" in The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, which Milwood Magnet is using as the all-school read this school year to reinforce the Biotechnology theme. Students used different amounts in water (H2O) and measured the temperature change. Their response: "The more chemical we added, the hotter the water got. So it could have been used to heat the 'Spagbol'."

As we begin to wrap up the first unit, more completed projects will be featured from Unit 1.

Tech Tuesday: Digital Media & Content

2008-11-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Do you have a digital camera or one of the newer Flip Mino cameras and would like to know how to use it? Check out this short video about how to transfer digital content to your PC from digital media such as a digital camera or a digital video recorder.

If you're interested in the presentation, you can view it without the voice-over:

Here are a few images to help you navigate around Picasa and Windows Movie Maker, which are both programs we discuss in the lesson:

WGOM: Spirit Week and Science Lab!

2008-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Last week was School Spirit Week at Milwood. We love teaching students a sense of community and participation through fun events like this. Spirit week included:

Monday: Pajama Day

Tuesday: Mis-match Day

Wednesday: Professional Dress Day

Thursday: 80's Day

Friday: School Colors Spirit Day

Both students and staff were invited to participate and everyone who was able to had a wonderful time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Koch's Science Classes were in the lab this week learning weights and measurements, using both standard and digital scales in order to help reinforce our current unit on technological innovations.

Q&A: What is a Magnet School? The Kalamazoo Promise? What about Biotechnology?

2008-10-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday we will try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Milwood and Kalamazoo Public Schools in detail. This week, we will focus on the three most important questions that encompass the Milwood Magnet experience for those who are interested in knowing more about the school.

What is a Magnet School and what are the advantages of sending my student to a magnet school?

A magnet school is a school which offers specialized curriculum and offers a school of choice for the district in which it resides. Historically, magnet schools began as a way for the government to aide in the desegregation of school districts. Today, magnet schools provide students an opportunity to succeed academically while learning in a diverse environment.

Your student would benefit in attending a magnet school for many reasons, including improved academic achievement, diversity in enrollment, higher attendance rates, higher graduation rates, and lower drop-out rates. Magnet schools obtain a higher level of parental involvement, more personalization through theme-based education, and specialized programs that provide a safer environment for learning. Teachers are better prepared to teach students through a focused curriculum and are more developed professionally than in a traditional school.

What is the Kalamazoo Promise?

The Kalamazoo Promise is a pledge by a group of anonymous doners to pay up to 100 percent of tuition at 4-year college programs for any high school graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools. In order to qualify, students must be a student within the Kalamazoo Public Schools district lines and have attended a Kalamazoo Public Schools school from at least the 9th grade. Students who enroll at Milwood Magnet School in the 6th grade, not having previously attended a Kalamazoo Public School, are eligible to receive 80 percent of their tuition expenses covered by the Promise when they graduate from a Kalamazoo Public Schools high school. For more information, visit http://www.kalamazoopromise.com/.

What is Biotechnology and why is it the focus of curriculum at Milwood Magnet School?

Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science and medicine. It encompasses everything from genetic engineering to alternative fuels and many other avenues of science. Milwood Magnet School chose this theme because of the emerging biotechnology-based companies emerging in the southwest-Michigan region, who Milwood Magnet School is currently working with to develop a relationship with as a Biotechnology Partner.

The Biotechnology Curriculum is taught in six different units that include biofuel energy, environmental protection, global foodchain, medical technology, sustainable industries, and technological innovations. Milwood Magnet School is trying to further the understanding of the theme through an all-school read of The Uglies by Scott Westerfield.

Here are a few examples of how well our students are embracing the understanding of Biotechnology in our world and in our school:

Tech Tuesday: Link the Lancer Letter Blog from your Desktop!

2008-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Make a shortcut to the Lancer Letter on your desktop! Not sure how? Watch this short video on making an Internet shortcut on your desktop!

Next week's Technology Tuesday will focus on transferring files from your digital and other cameras, so be sure to check back with us!

Tomorrow we will answer some of the frequently asked questions about Milwood Magnet School and Kalamazoo Public Schools. See you then!

WGOM: Student-Led Conferences

2008-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

What's Going On @ Milwood Magnet School

We've wrapped up a busy couple of weeks! With student-led parent conferences and MEAP testing, both students and teachers have been feeling the crunch! We start off our first of regular Lancer Letter segments with a video clip:

Student-led Parent Conferences allows students to learn the core expectations of Milwood Magnet School - Respect, Responsibility, Caring, and Honesty. They learn to respect the work that goes into their education. They become responsible for themselves by being accountable for the work they've done. They learn to care about the hard work that they do in their classrooms and about the grades that they receive. And they learn honesty by having open conversations with both their parents and teachers about their strengths and weaknesses. Students and teachers alike experienced the benefits of student-led parent conferences on October 15 & 16, 2008.

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Today, we celebrate the launch of our interactive edition of the Lancer Letter. We have a lot of fun planned for the newsletter, including regularly-scheduled weekly articles:

What's Going on @ Milwood

Technology Tuesday

Question & Answers

On Mondays, we plan to share something you can't get via the Lancer Letter, be it sound clips, videos, photos, or all of the above!

Tuesdays are reserved to honoring the technology that encompasses our biotechnology theme. Each Tuesday, we will present a tutorial or short clip about how to utilize the technology that is also available to students and teachers in the classroom.

Wednesdays will allow us to answer questions given to us via the blog or email.

Please check back with us tomorrow!

Coming Monday, October 27!

2008-10-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Find out more about Milwood Magnet School! Our new, interactive edition of the Lancer Letter will roll out Monday!

Stay tuned!