WHAT IS DISCOVER PERIOD?
From the inception of the Discover period, our primary goal has been to improve the opportunities for student learning.  In the 7th period of the daily schedule students participate in extra academic help sessions, Homework Hall, enrichment activities, and grade-level community activities.

Last year we designed quarterly workshops for students, titled “Math Lab” and “Writers’ Workshop”, as extra academic help sessions.  After reviewing these workshops, we found that we had mixed success in our efforts to help students improve in specific academic skills.  In response to this mixed success, we have designed extra academic help sessions differently this year.

During the 7th period, selected students will participate in small short-term workshops in specific skills, led by Rising Tide teachers.  Students will participate in these short-term workshops during their scheduled Homework Hall or during their Discover activity, depending upon the workshop.  For example, an 8th grade student may join a group of five 8th grade students for a 4-session (two-week) workshop in summarizing and paraphrasing information from a text.  These students would be excused from their Discover activity for the 4-session (two-week) workshop, and then return to the regularly scheduled Discover activity after the workshop.  Other workshops will occur during Homework Hall.

We believe that reviewing and practicing specific skills in small groups will better reinforce the learning that is occurring in regular academic classes.  Students are selected for these workshops based upon their ability to demonstrate specific skills in school assessments as well as from the performance data that we have about each child from standardized testing.  All students at Rising Tide can improve in some specific skills, and all students should expect to participate in a short-term workshop during the 7th period this year.

While these short-term workshops will continue through the rest of this school year, students will continue to regularly work in Homework Hall twice a week and will participate in an enrichment activity twice a week.  Additionally, Band rehearsals will occur during the 7th period, and every full Wednesday students will participate in grade-level community activities.  Thank you in advance for your support of our efforts to assist each child with extra academic support.

Bookmaking:
We will make different kinds of books—ranging from little books made from one piece of paper, to books with multiple pages, and even a book that you can play with! You will learn various techniques to make a spine for a book including sewing and bamboo skewers. The books will make nice gifts—for yourself or someone else.

Knitting:
This is a basic beginners class for those who would like to learn how to knit. You will learn to ‘cast-on’ and use two basic stitches called  ‘knit and purl’. With those stitches you will be able to knit for yourself (or as a gift) a scarf that will keep you warm as toast! Be aware that you will have to buy needles and yarn (please don’t buy anything until our class meets) for this activity.

Martial Arts:
Do you want to stay active this winter?  Interested in getting a good workout twice a week?  Are you familiar with Tae Bo?  Well here at Rising Tide we kick it up a notch with Tide Bo kicking and punching the Winter Blues away.  Please note that while this is a physical activity, there will be no contact between students.

Newspaper:
Get the Scoop!  Investigate, report, create, design, write and edit a school newspaper for kids about things that kids are interested in.  This will be a school-wide publication.  Fifth and sixth grade will work together and seventh and eighth grade will work together to produce a bi-weekly newspaper.  Sports, fashion, current events, editorials – this is the place to have your voice heard. 

Running Club:
Are you someone that just wishes a teacher would say, “Hey kids …let’s all go run around outside!!”  If so, then this is the club for you.  The running club will be stretching and training in the great outdoors, so if you choose to join you should be prepared with the proper shoes & clothing for the cooler weather.

Scale Modeling:
Build models with precision and quality in mind! Models serve many purposes; when a new product is being proposed, models of the original usually precede it.  You can learn many new skills while making your own model, from a muscle car to a motorcycle, to a dinosaur or a horse.  At the end of class, a model show will display your best work.

Scrapbooking:
Do you love decorating the pictures you take of your family, friends and pets?  Come join me as we develop your scrapbooking creativity and get those important pictures in an album!  You are expected to bring your own photos to class.

Watercolor Painting and Recycled Art:
Explore painting with watercolors!  In this class, you will learn different painting techniques, mix colors, and paint various subjects.  We will venture outside to sketch and paint different things.  Discover your creative side with building recycled art!  In this part of the class you will be collecting “trash” that we will then turn into creative art!   You will learn how to turn trash into treasure.

Soccer:
Are you a soccer fan, or just looking to improve your skills?  In this discover activity, we will work on shooting, dribbling, and conditioning indoors and outside.  We’ll play plenty of traditional soccer games, but we’ll also try things like a penalty kick contest, trick dribbling, and juggling.

Swing Dancing:
Come learn some swingin’ dance moves, fancy kicks and foot movements while spinning your partner around the dance floor and listening to jazzy swing music. Once you’ve gotten the feel for the dance, bring in some of your own music to see if we can adapt our swing moves so you can use them on any dance floor.

World Drumming:
Can’t play an instrument?  Not to worry, anyone can bang on a drum! Learn to play percussion instruments from many parts of the world in the context of the group.  Learn music from other cultures, and create your own music.  Come jam with us and learn to communicate to others through music. Express yourself!

Yoga and Meditation:
Yoga is a science that has been practiced for many years by people of all ages.  The word yoga means to bring together the mind and body.  Yoga has many health benefits both physically and mentally.  The physical benefits promote cardio and circulatory health while the mental benefits help you relax your mind and handle stressful situations more easily.  Come test the benefits of Yoga and unwind at the end of the school day!

ANIMAtion
An exploration of animation as a tool of expression and story telling. Students will study examples of classical and modern animated films and learn to apply the foundations of traditional techniques to their own work. Working with storyboards and simple hand drawn sequences, all students will be contributing their individual efforts to a collaborative film with a central theme.
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Creative/Dramatic Reading:
Do you enjoy reading or being read to? Does the spoken word can take your imagination to far away places or across time? Do you wish to have the confidence and practice to read out loud to an audience? Perhaps you’d like to train to be an actor (in training for Plymouth Rock Studios?). If yes to more than one of the above questions, come for an entertaining and educational Discover period.

Cross-Country Running:
Have you ever thought you might want to try out for the cross-country team in high school? Do you like to run during warm ups in phys-ed class? Would you like to increase your level of fitness for other sports? If so, come join us in Discover Running.  We will work on both speed and endurance with short and long running drills. We will work on stretching, warm-ups, and different training runs. We will run relays, climb hills, and race on our own cross-country course. Yes we will be outside, sometimes in the cold, but you are never cold very long once you start running.

Debate:
Do you have strong views? Do you love to argue, especially when you think you're right? Would you like to improve your comfort level with public speaking? If you like to discuss controversial topics and express your opinion, you'll enjoy debating. This quarter, we will learn the college-level Parliamentary style of debate and argue about a wide range of topics. Students will take turns debating, judging, and commenting on the debate rounds. Come find out how much fun an argument can be!

Knitting:
Looking for an activity that will have you in stitches?  Come learn how to knit!  We’ll work from simple patterns.  You could make a scarf, a handbag, a hat, ornaments . . . there are options for everyone.  This activity will be geared toward beginners who want to learn the basic stitches to knit their first projects.  Advanced knitters who want to share their knowledge and take on new challenges are also welcome.  There may be an opportunity to knit for charities if students are interested.

Newspaper:
Get the Scoop!  Investigate, report, create, design, write and edit a school newspaper for kids about things that kids are interested in.  This will be a school-wide publication.  Fifth and sixth grade will work together and seventh and eighth grade will work together to produce a bi-weekly newspaper.  Sports, fashion, current events, editorials – this is the place to have your voice heard.

Knitting:
Looking for an activity that will have you in stitches?  Come learn how to knit!  We’ll work from simple patterns.  You could make a scarf, a handbag, a hat, ornaments . . . there are options for everyone.  This activity will be geared toward beginners who want to learn the basic stitches to knit their first projects.  Advanced knitters who want to share their knowledge and take on new challenges are also welcome.  There may be an opportunity to knit for charities if students are interested.

Newspaper:
Get the Scoop!  Investigate, report, create, design, write and edit a school newspaper for kids about things that kids are interested in.  This will be a school-wide publication.  Fifth and sixth grade will work together and seventh and eighth grade will work together to produce a bi-weekly newspaper.  Sports, fashion, current events, editorials – this is the place to have your voice heard.

Rome!
This Discover choice is available to those eighth grade students enrolled for the Rome trip in February.  We will be preparing for the trip by previewing the attractions, food, shopping, and especially language.  Get more out of your trip!