What's going on in Mr. Solarz' Class?
  • Parent (Current Newsletter)
    • Additional Parent Resources >
      • Homework Guidance for Parents
      • WEX - Writer's Express
      • Our Classroom YouTube Page
      • Should I grade homework?
      • Articles that Explain my Philosophy of Teaching
      • Parents Supporting 21st Century Learning
    • Daily Photo Journal >
      • 2014-2015 DaIly Photo Journal
      • 2013-2014 Daily Photo Journal
      • 2012-2013 Daily Photo Journal
    • Tentative Schedule this Week
    • Parent-Teacher Conference Schedule
    • Monitoring Your Child's Progress in Spelling
    • Calendar
    • Printables
    • 21st Century Skills
    • Westgate Social Work
    • Bessie's Table Soup Kitchen
  • Students
    • Overflow Roll-Out >
      • Contests You Can Enter!
      • Student Quotes
      • Websites to Visit for Homework!
      • REARJMCL
    • Calendar
    • Mini-Lessons
    • I Never Knew That!
    • History Alive! >
      • Sign-In Page
      • Online Tutorial
      • History Alive 10 Quiz
    • Spelling
  • Educators
    • Mr. Solarz' ePortfolio >
      • Teacher Evaluation
      • Domain3
      • Domain4
      • My Digital Scrapbook
      • Finland
    • Workshops I've Led >
      • How to Set Up and Run a Mystery Skype Session
      • Creating Your 21st Century Classroom
      • Twitter for Educators
      • Leading Children to Pursue their Passions
      • Becoming a Global Classroom Through Mystery Skypes
      • Enriched Learning Projects
      • Developing Units with 21st Century Skills in Mind
      • Who Owns the Learning? Examples of 5th Graders Running the Show
      • A Brief Introduction to China (for 2nd Graders)
    • 21st Century Learning >
      • Resources for Teachers >
        • 21st Century Skills
        • The 21st Century Skill Series of Videos
      • Examples of 21st Century Education in Action >
        • Self-Directed Students
      • 21st Century Assessment
      • Web 2.0 Tools Used in Our Classroom
      • Articles for 21st Century Teaching (Updated Daily)
      • Motivational Speakers
    • Curricular Units >
      • Social Studies Units >
        • The 2012 Presidential Election
        • The Revolutionary War
        • U.S. Constitution and Government
        • Westward Movement
      • Science Units >
        • Energy
        • Science Fair
        • Human Body Systems in Motion
        • Human Body Systems in Motion
        • Watery Earth
    • EdChat Archives >
      • #TLAP
      • #5thchat
      • #21stedchat
    • My Philosophy of Education
    • Tips and Tricks for the Elementary Classroom
    • China (Photos)
  • Past
    • 2013-2014 >
      • Year-Long Activities >
        • Passion Time >
          • Passion Projects >
            • 2013-2014 Passion Projects >
              • Passion Projects 10/11/13
              • Passion Projects 11/22/13
              • Passion Projects 12/20/13
              • Passion Projects 2/12/14
              • Passion Projects 3/21/14
              • Passion Projects 5/2/14
              • Passion Projects 6/2/14
            • 2012-2013 Passion Projects >
              • Passion Projects 1
              • Passion Projects 2
          • Guidelines for Creating Your Final Product
        • New Assignments
        • Mystery Skype
        • Literature Circles >
          • Discussions & Signposts
          • Book Talks >
            • Submit Your YouTube URL Here
      • Spring Trimester >
        • Our Learning Experiences
        • Westward Expansion >
          • Oregon Trail Pastimes
          • VoiceThread Blog
          • Pinterest
          • VoiceThread
          • Timeline
          • Diigo
          • Google Presentation
          • Photo Stories
          • Tableaux Vivants
          • Daily Travel Log
          • Fictional Travel Log
          • Video Journal
        • WEX - Fictional Narratives
        • 21st Century Skills
        • Motivational Posters
        • Watery Earth >
          • Bodies of Water
        • Colonize Mars! >
          • Claiming Mars For Ourselves
      • Winter Trimester >
        • 100 Word Challenge
        • Stations
        • Human Body Unit
        • Out Of My Mind
      • Fall Trimester >
        • Historical Reenactment
        • Tessellations
    • 2012-2013 >
      • April/May/June >
        • Mystery Skype
        • Colonize Mars!
        • Science Fair 2013
      • February/March >
        • ThingLink
        • Human Body
        • Revolutionary War Simulation
        • Global Literature Circles
        • ISAT Test Prep
      • January >
        • Field Museum
        • Wonder >
          • Character Analyses
          • Teacher Notes for Wonder - R.J. Palacio
        • Google Groups
      • November/December >
        • 12/12/12
        • Energy Debates >
          • Energy Debates Videos!
          • Energy Debate Blog Template
        • Presidential Elections >
          • The 2012 Presidential Election
          • Presidential Election Glogs
          • Presidential Character Traits
          • Political Parties >
            • Democratic Party
            • Republican Party
            • Green Party
            • Constitution Party
            • Libertarian Party
          • Virtual Debate >
            • Education
            • Health Care
            • Social Security
            • Immigration
          • Infographic Lessons on Prezi
          • Political Polls
          • ELECTION TIME!!!
      • October >
        • Creating Your Class Badges Account
        • Properties of Quadrilaterals
        • WEX Lesson 33 - Human Sculptures
        • Energy
        • 10-11-12 What's Special About It?
        • Mr. Badynee's 50th Birthday!
      • September >
        • Constitution Day - September 17, 2012
        • Character Traits Thesaurus
        • Mad Libs!!!
        • Grammar
    • 2011-2012 >
      • May/June >
        • Science Experiments >
          • Marble Coasters
          • Bubble Busters
          • Geodes
          • Naked Egg Drop
        • Oregon Trail >
          • Reflection Activities >
            • Pinterest
            • Voice Thread/Garage Band
            • Timeline of Events
            • Diigo
            • Google Presentation
            • Photo Album
            • Tableaux Vivants
            • Video Updates
            • Daily Travel Log
            • The "Very Unrealistic Accounts" of our trip west
          • Miscellaneous >
            • Audio ThingLink Map
            • Passtimes/Games/Songs
        • Niche Theory
        • The 5 Love Languages
        • Pool Party
        • History Alive 17
        • Field Day
      • March/April >
        • Phantom Tollbooth >
          • Homework >
            • HW Due 5/3/12 by 4:00 p.m.
            • HW Due 5/14/12 by 4:00 p.m.
            • Character Forum
            • New Characters
            • New Settings
          • Roles >
            • 1 - Detail Tracker
            • 2 - Psychologist
            • 3 - Professor
            • 4 - Philosopher
            • 5 - Cartographer
        • Human Body >
          • Human Body Posters (Pre-Assessment)
          • Human Body Lessons >
            • Heart Rate Graphs
            • Exercise Graph
            • Clothespin Lesson
            • Creating Aliens
            • Hinge Joint Videos
          • How to Write a Reflection
          • Final Assessment & Reflection
        • WEX Fictional Narratives >
          • Sticky Podcasting
          • Podcasts
          • Writing Picture Books
        • Project Citizen: Westgate Database
        • Arbor Day
        • Zero Degree Party!
        • Judge Tristano Visit
      • January/February >
        • Kate Klise Assembly
        • Lara in "Annie"
        • Glogster Project
        • Science Fair
        • Valentine's Day Party
        • Teacher Appreciation Week
      • November/December >
        • Chinese Calligraphy
        • Energy
        • Energy Debates
      • September/October >
        • Rev. War Hero Projects
        • Stations
        • Halloween Party
        • Fall Links
      • Videos
  • Present
    • Passion Time >
      • Passion Time Steps
      • Submit Your Essential Question
      • Essential Questions
      • How to Post Your Passion Project Online
    • 2014-2015 Miscellaneous
    • Energy
    • Wonder
    • Grammar
  • Future
    • Learning About 21st Century Skills
    • Creating Infographics
    • Utilizing the Left and Right Sides of Your Brain
    • Comments 4 Kids
    • Innovation in the Classroom
    • Online Quizzes and Polls
    • Solar Maximum
    • Vocabulary/Parts of Speech
    • The Five Things I've Learned
    • Vialogues (Video Discussions)
    • Creating Online Videos
    • Advanced Storytelling
    • Test Anxiety
    • Responding to Blog Entries
    • Writer's Workshop Blog
    • Recipe Project (Blog)
  • e-Portfolios
    • 2014-2015 Students >
      • Student ePortfolios 0-7 >
        • 1 - Michael
        • 2 - Charlie
        • 3 - Nicole
        • 4 - Stacy
        • 5 - Bela
        • 6 - Kendall
        • 7 - Demetri
      • Student ePortfolios 8-14 >
        • 8 - Emily
        • 9 - Nicky
        • 10 - Hanna
        • 11 - Payton
        • 12 - Hasanain
        • 13 - Tucker
        • 14 - Chris
      • Student ePortfolios 15-21 >
        • 15 - Madi
        • 16 - Aidan
        • 17 - Luke
        • 18 - Kaela
        • 19 - Ryan
        • 20 - Alison
        • 21 - Lucas
    • 2013-2014 Students >
      • Student ePortfolios 0-9 >
        • 0 - Mr. Solarz' Sample Portfolio
        • 1 - Anthony A.
        • 2 - Annie B.
        • 3 - Sadie D.
        • 4 - Ellie D.
        • 5 - Sam D.
        • 6 - Ed D.
        • 7 - Luke D.
        • 8 - Keegan D.
        • 9 - Sean G.
      • Student ePortfolios 10-18 >
        • 10 - David K.
        • 11 - Ethan K.
        • 12 - Sam K.
        • 13 - Abby K.
        • 14 - Justin L.
        • 15 - Jill L.
        • 16 - Giana M.
        • 17 - Charlotte O.
        • 18 - Jack S.
      • Student ePortfolios 19-27 >
        • 19 - Charlie S.
        • 20 - Drew S.
        • 21 - Michael S.
        • 22 - Stefan S.
        • 23 - Charlie S.
        • 24 - Connor W.
        • 25 - Emily W.
        • 26 - Emma W.
        • 27 - Julia Z.
    • 2012-2013 Students >
      • Student Blogs 1-9 >
        • Blog 1
        • Blog 2
        • Blog 3
        • Blog 4
        • Blog 5
        • Blog 6
        • Blog 7
        • Blog 8
        • Blog 9
      • Student Blogs 10-17 >
        • Blog 10
        • Blog 11
        • Blog 12
        • Blog 13
        • Blog 14
        • Blog 15
        • Blog 16
        • Blog 17
      • Student Blogs 18-25 >
        • Blog 18
        • Blog 19
        • Blog 20
        • Blog 21
        • Blog 22
        • Blog 23
        • Blog 24
        • Blog 25
        • Blog 0
    • 2011-2012 Students >
      • Girls from 2011-2012 >
        • Gwendolyn Bennet >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Dong Ling >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Sophia Castro >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Tristan Ely >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Christine DuPont >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Ira Matheus >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Nicoletta Innazzo >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Kade Bahari >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Hava Raya >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Kim Soo >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Nabili Ngoumba >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Britta Larson >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Kristin Gola >
          • Mars Travel Log
      • Boys from 2011-2012 >
        • Dutch Vermont >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Jose Leonardo >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Otis Marley >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Jose Rodriguez >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Peter Anderson >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Samir Bakri >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Sefu Wellingtin >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Raja Bello >
          • Mars Travel Log
        • Robert Gagne >
          • Mars Travel Log

How have candy bars changed over time? By: Jill

10/25/2013

7 Comments

 
This is my final product video:
This is my final product:
Picture
Picture

Picture
7 Comments

What are Common Desserts in Europe but Different in America? By: Ellie

10/25/2013

8 Comments

 

My Final Product Video

My Final Product

Picture

My K-W-H-L-A-Q

What Do I Know?

I know that some the ingredients will be hard to find.

I know that European and American desserts will look different.

What Do I Want To Know?

I want to know it will be easy or hard to make.


How Will I Learn The Information?

I will learn by researching about desserts

I will learn by looking at different pictures of desserts.

What Have I Learned?

I have learned how to make canoli's

I have learned the differences of European and American desserts

What action will I take


I think people will learn how to make canolis from me

I think people will learn what to expect if they make it.

What new questions do I have

I wonder if I will like the desserts I try.

I wonder if it will turn out well if I try to make it one day.
Reflection
I  learned about many different desserts during passion time I really liked doing this because I have a lot of interest in European desserts and I really want to try to make  canolis sometime soon. I also learned the differences European and American desserts.

8 Comments

How did people in ancient times build castles? By: Keegan

10/23/2013

24 Comments

 

My final Product Video

This is my video!

My Final Product

Picture
Please visit My site! Here's the link
http://hockeyboykd.weebly.com/

KWHLAQ

K. What do I Know?

Medieval castles where forts and a protection places for medieval people.

W.what do I want to know?

I really want to find out the smarts behind a castle and its outer wall.

H. How do i plan to find this out?

First I am going to do lots of research and then make an online slideshow of a perfect castle.

L. What have I learned

I found out about all of the castles defenses like, the moat, The archers slits in the wall, the exstended outer wall , the boiling water to drop on attackers that get to the gate, the steep hill's that you have to get up to get to the walls with hidden sharp rocks, the knights that give there lives to protect the castle and its king, The dungen's that you cant get out of, and the halls olny women and children can go threw.        

A. What action will I take

I am going to make a video about the castle that shows you every thing in the castle.

Q. What new questions do I have?

Who had the original idea of a castle? why are they not used today? How did people breach castles with all the defenses?

Reflection:

I think this passion time round was really cool! sometimes it was a little stressful because of some things that were really hard and tough. To me learning about castles is really cool but I think it help me and others learn about the pasts archatecher.
24 Comments

 What are the different types of Horses and how are they alike and different? By: Emma

10/21/2013

3 Comments

 

My Final Product Video

This is a video I made giving information to people about horses and answering my essential question.

My Final Product

Picture
This is a screenshot of my website. If you want to visit this link here it is: http://horsefunforeveryone.weebly.com

My K-W-H-L-A-Q

What Do I Know?

I know...
  • How horses react to things
  • What horses eat
  • Where horses live
  • What horses do in their extra time
  • The two different types of ways to ride horses: Western, and American.

What do I want to know?

I want to know...
  • What each horses different strengths are
  • What each horses different weaknesses are.
  • At least 50 different kinds of horses

How do I find out?

I find out by...
  • Planning
  • Research
  • Writing and typing

What have I learned?

I learned...
  • I learned many new horse breeds
  • I learned how to create a Weebly and a Trello
  • I learned how some horses are different then others

What action will I take?

I will tell people to go to my website if they need to learn about horses. They will also learn in my video.

Do I have any new questions?

My new questions are...
  • I wonder if any horses have gone extinct?
  • I wonder (and hope) if this website helped any people?

My Reflection

I learned a lot of new information in my Passion Project. I learned mostly about horses, but I also learned many other things. I love passion time and think it is fun!!! I love thinking of new topics, making websites, and making screencasts! I learned how to make a Trello and a website on Weebly. I learned all about horses and what they do in their daily life. I also learned that not one single horse is exactly the same as another. They all have theor own special qualities.
3 Comments

Why haven't primates evolved like us yet? Why aren't they as smart as us? - By Sam D.

10/21/2013

23 Comments

 

My final product video

My final product

Picture

What do I know?

I know that primates are extremely similar to us in the way they act the way they do there every day things.But we are still different in some ways like they are covered in fur,they have different ways of showing anger.

What I have learned?

What do I want to know?

I want to know why haven't primates evolved like us yet and why aren't they as smart as us yet.

What action I will take?

How will I learn this information?

I will look on different web sites online and learn more about my topic.

What new questions do I have?

 I learned that we evolved differently from other primates because we evolved from a type of ancient ape a super long time ago and they did the same thing but they evolved from a different type of ancient ape. (they,meaning  modern apes like monkey and chimpanzees.)
I made a video on youtube for people to see.
I wonder why people still debate about this topic because this seems to make the most sense.

Reflection:

I am being honest it wasn't very fun for a lot of it because I got behind but that is my fault I think if other people can do it then I can try to catch up to. I learned that primates evolved from a different apes then us but we still are similar to them.
23 Comments

Can I make a Greek Temple out of Popsicle Sticks- By: Charlie St

10/18/2013

36 Comments

 

My Greek Temple Explanation

Picture

My K-W-H-L-A-Q Chart

K

I know that Greek Temples are churches were the people of Greek pray.

W

Why are there no walls or roofs on some Greek temples.

H

I will find out all I need to know on a website.

L

I learned that a Greek Temple is a place to pray and have ceremonies.

A

I will make a video and screen cast with my Greek temple 

Q

Why did The people Greece make     there temples with no walls

For me my favorite part and the easiest part was making and designing my Greek temple. Researching was hard for me because somethings didn't come up. I really like Greek mythology so it was a good project for me and the building part was fun because I like interacting with things in my projects. And at first I tried to make a new version but I messed up and had to turned it into a ruined tempel becuase of bugs.
36 Comments

What are Soccer's Origins and how was it Invented and How has it changed over time? - By: Connor W.

10/18/2013

15 Comments

 

My Final Product Video

This is a video explaining how soccer was invented and it's history and origins

My Final Product

Picture
 http://soccerkick1.weebly.com/

Please look at the website I created

What Do I Know?

  • It was invented a long time ago.
  • The first world cup was in 1930.

What Do I Want To Know?

  • How it was invented?
  • What are the origins ?
  • What's the history?

How Will I Learn the Information?

  • Look at websites.
  • Look at videos.

What Have I Learned?

  • China was the first country known to have some form of kicking a Ball
  • They used to do break-aways instead of a penalty shoot-out.

What Action Will I Take?

  • I will create a website and a video.

What New Questions Do I Have?

  • Where in China was the first trace of soccer found.
  • When did the soccer hall of fame get created.

My Reflection

This Passion Project round was really interesting and I learned so much. I bet I could have done a little better in time management. But I think my final website was descent and it got a couple hits. But my video could have been a little better. But otherwise it was a good round.
15 Comments

Can I explain how the Continents became the shapes they are today? By: Sean

10/18/2013

11 Comments

 

My Final Product Video

This is a video of me explaining how the continents became the shapes they are today to the right is the Google Doc that I made.

My Final Product

Picture
Please take a look at my Google Doc here It explains a lot of things I say in my video.
https://docs.google.com/a/student.sd25.org/document/d/1J-p8iSFsZK7UwbKiYBRr9HHwffzugABC4zP5k5TdoSE/edit#heading=h.knokg5vogg2r

What do I know?

How the shapes were created.

How the big bang happened.

What do I want to know?

How to explain how the Continents became the shapes they are today.

How to do a screen cast.

How will I learn the Information?

Create a rough draft.

create a document in Google Docs.

Create a video.

What have I learned?

How to explain how the Continents became the shapes they are today.

How to do a screen cast.

What action will I take?

I will create a video for others to see.

I will tell my friends and other people about it.

What new questions do I have?

Could the Continents somehow just all be one Continents?

Reflection:

It was a lot of fun doing this project because I got to research a very interesting topic. Also It was fun creating my Google Doc and I liked seeing my project when It was all complete because It felt good to see all my finished work. It took a long time to do this and I was a little behind but I managed to finish on the last day that we had to work on It It was also stressful when I was really behind because I had to do a lot of work to catch up and It started to become not fun.
11 Comments

How do to you train a therapy dog? By: Charlotte

10/18/2013

26 Comments

 

This is my final video.

This is my youtube video.

This is my final project.

Picture
This is a photo of a therapy dog.

What I know.

I know a therapy dogs helps people.

What do I want to know?

How do you train a therapy dog and what kind of dog do they have to be?

How will I get the Information?

I will go on a website that has true facts about a therapy dog.

What have I learned?

The steps of training a therapy dog.

What action will I take.

I will make a slide show.

What question do you have?

Why do they say that all dogs are therapy dogs and some are bad.
Reflicon 
  This was a really cool passion time project I got to learn a lot about therapy dogs. I also I loved how I got to meet all the dogs that will be my new part time job when I am old enough (you have to be 18 years old). The dogs now so much. When they did a good job they got to play but they had to do a good job first.
26 Comments

How Was The universe created?-By: Ethan K.

10/18/2013

20 Comments

 
Picture
This is a video about me exclaiming how the universe was created.
This is my website I created. If you want to see it click below or click on the picture.
http://westgateschoolbigbang.weebly.com/index.html

My K-W-H-L-A-Q

What do I know?

I now that there was a huge explosion of a tiny proton that made our universe.

What do I want to know?

I want to know now it happened and what it made.

How do I find out

I have to find out by researching and learning what happened at this time and why it exploded.

What have I learned?

I have learned that there was a main proton that made the universe and that it took less than a second to make. But I can not tell you how it was made because everybody has there own perspective.

What action will I take?

I will make a video and a little blog showing all that I learned.

What new questions

The new questions that I have are how was this taken place without anything being left? But mankind might never find this out.

My Reflection

The things that I have learned is that the universe will never be done being explored. The things that I have been able to figure out is that the universe can go on and on forever, but if it does we will never be done making mankind around because there has to be on galaxy in  the 10 to the 100 sexsillion power. The universe is being destroyed evrery second and is being created every second. The universe really is a wonder.
20 Comments
<<Previous

    Round 1

    Focus Area

    Students were allowed to pick any topic of interest to them.  This round was focused on learning the process of Passion Time in the classroom and documenting our learning.

    Archives

    May 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Charlie Sc
    Charlie St
    Connor
    Ed
    Emily
    Emma
    Ethan K.
    Giana M.
    Julia
    Justin L.
    Luke D
    Sam K.

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.