Face Learning? Q: Do You Like Your Job? an Editorial Written by Kayla K

Excellent with Distinction Vol 7 Issue 5

Q&A with Rachel Haynes Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to- Face Learning? Q: Do you like your job? An Editorial Written by Kayla K. A: I love my job and my students. Some experts estimate that over one million students in the U.S. have taken at least one online class, from kindergarten Q: What’s your favorite color? to senior year. Many people debate the pros and cons of on- A: Mustard yellow. line learning. Myself, I was enrolled in an online public school from first grade to sixth grade, and then came to North Q: What’s your favorite superhero? Union Middle School for the choir and arts opportunities. A: Wonder Woman. Experts and teachers say that many schools are choosing Q: Favorite song/artist? online education because it is cheap. Memphis City Schools, a A: Dave Matthews Band. school that requires every student to take at least one online class to graduate, is only paying $164 per online course for Q: Was this the job you imagined you would have in each student. Although the school says they’ve never com- high school? pared the price, skeptics say that online courses are an easy A: Yes! way to cut corners. Karen Aronowitz, president of the teachers’ union in Miami says, “[Online courses]... is being proposed Q: What college did you go to? for even our youngest students, because it’s good for the A: Bowling State University. kids? No. This is all about cheap.” Q: Favorite movie/TV show? I, having taken my education online for six years would like A: Too many. to discuss the pros and cons of online learning. On the case that the education is not helping the kids, I must strongly Q: Ohio or Michigan? disagree. One of the benefits of online learning is that you ac- A: Ohio, duh! tually spend eight full hours a day learning. You do not have to worry about the three minutes between classes or the five Q: Favorite book? minute introductions at the beginning of class. Once you start A: Too hard to decide. your lesson, you work through said lesson until it is finished. Not 45 minutes of working and then come back tomorrow, Q: How do you like North Union? you achieve mastery in the lesson. This mastery leads to a A: I love North Union staff and students. It feels like more complete understanding of the topics presented. With home! fuller and more complete lessons, you can cover more in- depth material more efficiently.(Continued on Page 3) Q:Do you like food? A:Yes! Ms.Randi’s food :).

Q:What is your favorite game? Spring is nature’s way of A:My favorite game is Monopoly! saying, ‘Let’s party!’ Robin Williams Karate March Holidays By: Logan F. Compiled by Bri S. I do karate and I am a purple belt. My sensei (Teacher) is Ron Irish American Month and Red Cross Month S. The four points of self-protection is Avoid, Evade, Escape 1st - National Pig Day and Attack, so that means don’t attack first, attack last. I learn 2nd - Old Stuff Day kicks, blocks, strikes, breakfalls, and how to count in Japanese. 3rd - If Pets Had Thumbs Day My dojo is called Center of Traditional Martial Arts in East Liber- 5th - Multiple Personality Day ty. My goal is to achieve the black belt. If you are interested in 8th - International Women’s Day karate see me. 9th - Panic Day 12th - World Kidney Day 17th - Saint Patrick’s Day Interview of Miss Bumgarner 18th - Supreme Sacrifice Day I interviewed our student teacher, Miss. 19th - St Joseph 20th - Spring Begins (Northern) Bumgarner, and she was glad to take some of her time to answer my ques- First Day of Spring By Kaylee S. tions, so here it is! I now we all have been wait for the first Full name? Her full name is Autumn day of spring. Here it is! The first day of spring Carlene Bumgarner. was on March 20th. Although the weather did Favorite Color? Autumn’s favorite not change right away be prepared for WARM- color is light blue and pink. ER weather! I know we are all mad at the world Do you like NU so far? She answered, “Yes, I think it is a for snowing but the weathermen are saying that great school, the students here are amazing to teach.” it will be warming up soon. Through the week it What is OSUM like? Autumn answered, ”It’s a great place to will be getting warmer. So cross your fingers and go to college, the classes are small which I like, and the pro- hope for warm weather through spring break! fessors are always willing to help with whatever you need.” Break out the swimsuits and shorts because Are you active in any sports right now? She answered, “I’m SPRING IS ON THE WAY!! currently active in crossfit, I go to the gym in Marysville called Route 33, and have been doing crossfit for about 6 25th - Waffle Day months now. “ 27th - National “Joe” Day What do you really want to be? Autumn answered, ” I would 29th - Palm Sunday / Summer Time Begins love to be a 5th grade math or science teacher when I finish (Europe) my degree in May.” 30th - National Doctors Day Movie? She answered, “My favorite movie would have to be Bridesmaids or anything with Melissa McCarthy in it.” I said, “ Well, we think alike lol.” What is your favorite show? She answered, “I love watching Movies Coming Out In 2015 Criminal Minds and Greys Anatomy.” Again I think we think By: Logan F. alike lol. The cool movies coming out in 2015 such as Mon- Who do you admire/look up to? She answered, “I look up to key Kingdom, Minions, Goosebumps, Hotel Tran- my older sisters, brother, and my parents.” sylvania 2, and Peanuts. One movie I thought was What was your favorite subject? She answered, “My favorite interesting was Jupiter Ascending. Jupiter Ascend- subject in school was math and science.” ing is a sci-fi adventure about a young woman in How old are you? 23 years old the future that gets targeted for assassination by Where did you grow up? She answered, “ I grew up in Rich- the Queen of the Universe, and begins her desti- wood and went to school at North Union and I graduated ny. I thought it was interesting because it is action from here in 2010.” packed. It’s coming out ono DVD soon! We wish the best of luck to Miss Bumgarner after her Student Teaching.

Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile ~Connor Franta~ Famous MARCH Birthdays NUMS Track Compiled by Caitlynne W. 6th- Shaquille O’Neal~ Basketball Player Kayla K. 7th- Wanda Sykes~ Comedian North Union Middle School has recently started track prac- 8th-Hines Ward~ Football Player tice. Official practice started on March 9, 2015. The coach 9th-Brittany Snow~ Movie Actress for the track team is Coach Hammons, and we are super- 10th-Carrie Underwood~ Singer vised by the head high school coach, Coach Sparks. The first 11th- Anthony Davis~ Basketball Player 12th- Darryl Strawberry~ Baseball Player meet will be at Northmor on April 1. North Union will be 13th- Leigh-Allyn Baker~ TV Actress hosting our own meet on April 6, in the afternoon. After the 14th- Ansel Elgort~ Actor 6th, we will have the Highland Relays on the 8th and 9th of 15th- Eric Decker~ Football Player April. Please come out and support your Wildcats on April 16th- Blake Griffin~ Basketball Player 6th at our home meet! 17th- Rob Kardashian~ Reality Star 18th- Adam Levine~ Singer 19th- AJ Lee~ Wrestler 20th- Jo~ Soccer Player 21st- Jace Norman~ TV Actor 22nd- Tyler Oakley~ Web Video Star (editorial continued from page 1) 23rd- Mike Will~ Music Producer The most in-depth topics I recall ever studying were in my 24th- Peyton Manning~ Football Player 25th- Big Sean~ Rapper fourth grade science class. 26th- Sam Pepper~ Web Video Star 27th- Jessie J~ Singer Now, I must admit that one disadvantage of online learning is 28th- Zoe Sugg~ Web Video Star the integrity aspect. The benefits of online classes can only be 29th- Justin Tuck~ Football Player cultivated by the most honest students. Students who actually 30th- Richard Sherman~ Football Player 31th- Ewan McGregor~ Actor want to learn. Students who are not apathetic about their studies and will not plagiarize someone else’s work without another thought. Students who take online classes must have integrity entwined within their work ethic. Therefore, online classes can be beneficial if the student is willing to put effort The Sad Songs into their classes and work with dedication. Article by: Bri L. Finally, there are classes that need to be face to face. For Rapping is a popular thing these day in example, I took both German and Spanish for about two music. Harsh rapping, happy rapping, and sometimes sad rapping. Battle Scars by Guy Sebastian ft. years each when I was elementary school. I am now taking Lupe Fiasco is a song that tells about how people Spanish one at the high school, and I must say that Spanish is have many different scars in their lives, whether it is much easier when you have a teacher who can help you with words or the labels people put on you. It really tells pronunciation and ways to remember the translations. Other about the scars of a relationship, bullying, abuse, classes, such as English or Math are just as easily taught in an and more. I think that the song speaks about taking these scars, these labels and throwing them online setting as in the traditional setting. away even if you think they will never go away. That is why I really love the song because everyone In conclusion, there are benefits and disadvantages to online in a way can relate to it. classes. I, personally, am in favor of online classes, as long as War is a big thing in the country and this the foreign language classes continue to be taught in the song is used on many videos and vines. Coming traditional setting. As far as cost wise, it probably is cheaper, home is sung into two parts, rapping and no rap- but it may not hinder the value of the education. It truly just ping. Skylar Grey sings part two, the non-rapping comes down to the student and their ability to focus, commit, part. In case you don’t know the song, it is about coming home in a new perspective in your life. and complete assignments without a teacher breathing down their neck. Cover Songs Some people love cover songs and some Sources: people don’t. Cover songs are a song sang by a http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/is-online-learn- person other than the artist. They can be sang ing-as-good-as-face-to-face-learning/ from a different pitch. An example of a cover song http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/education/06online. would be Problem by covered by Pentatonix (orig- html?_r=0 inally sung by Ariana Grande). Radio Disney Music Awards (Rdma) Spring into A New Coaster! By: Kelsey M. By Cambria S.

The Radio Disney Music Awards is an awards show which There is a new roller coaster at Cedar Point! is operated and supervised by Radio Disney, an American radio So go to Sandusky, Ohio now and ride Rouga- network. Beginning in 2014, the ceremony began to be televised on rou. Rougarou is an 18-year-old stand-up roller Disney Channel, an American basic cable and satellite television coaster. It is the first floorless roller coaster at network. Cedar Point. Straight from the depths of the You can vote by going to http://www.disney.com/rdma or swamp, the mythical legend comes to life hurl- http://music.disney.com/radio-disney-music-awards and choosing ing riders at speeds of more than 60 mph. With a category to vote in, or by scrolling down and voting in a randomly your legs dangling, and feet skimming, Rouga- chose category below the categories that you can vote in. You don’t rou dives down 137 feet, putting riders through have to have an account to vote (that’s pretty awesome). high-speed twists and four howl-inducing inver- There are 10 categories to vote in, for example, Best Female sions. This is one you just can’t pass up. It is only Artist, Best Male Artist, Best Group, Best song to dance to, etc. a little over an hour from NUMS, so a cool short You just click on the artist you want to vote for (when you’re in the trip should be in order. categories, of course). And that’s all I can say, so have fun and keep voting. Wait! Did I mention that you can vote as many times as you want? And that in each category there’s only three songs/or artists to A: “I don’t know that I necessarily like the PARCC vote for! Ok, ok, I’m done this time. Happy Voting and let the best testing, but I do think it is good to assess students artists and songs win! learning throughout the year. I think that there are too many tests.” No Title or you may not read it!!! by Cambria S. Q: “If you had to take the PARCC test, would you like it?” You have recently taken a new test in school. How did it go? Hope- A: “I don’t know that any student likes a test” fully, not too bad. A lot has and is being said about the new part- nership assessment of readiness for college and careers (PARCC) Q: “Have you heard many complaints about testing in schools, and they aren’t exactly good things. In fact some PARCC testing?” parents dislike it so much that they opt their kids out of the tests. The A: “Yes.” PARCC assessment contains two summative portions. There is a performance-based assessment and an End-of-Year Assessment. The Q: “Do you think you know how long PARCC performance based assessment takes place as near to the end of the testing will be around?” school year as possible and will have ELA/literacy where students A: “No I don’t know, but I do think there will analyze and write about a text, and mathematics where students apply always be a state assessment.” skills, concepts, and understandings to solve problems. The end-of- the-year assessment is administered when about 90% of the school Q: “What is your overall opinion about PARCC year is over. This section focuses on reading comprehension for ELA/ testing?” literacy students and innovative problem solving for math students. A: “I think PARCC has a lot of possible chang- The PARCC test is online and everything is done on a computer. This es to make it better and to become an effective is a big jump when you are use to taking the OAA which is with paper assessment, but I think it’s a start measuring and pencil. Many people have asked “Is the PARCC testing more student growth.” difficult than other standardized tests?” We don’t really get a yes or no answer but it has been admitted that it takes more complex thinking Q: “What do you prefer more for your students, skills than other standardized tests. We don’t know for sure how long OAA or PARCC testing? Do you think one is PARCC testing will be around. Some say it will be gone after this year more beneficial than the other? If so why?” but some say that PARCC testing will still be around for years to come. A: “Right now I prefer OAA because that’s what I bet most students and/or parents aren’t too found about PARCC I’m used to. I think the most beneficial assess- testing, but what about teachers? We have done a little interview with ment would be to test students at the end and North Union Middle School’s 6th grade math teacher Mrs.Miller and the beginning of the year to determine individ- what she thinks about the PARCC testing. ual student growth. I mean, wouldn’t it be better to do that so you can see how much the student Q:“Do you think PARCC testing is a good idea for students?” learned throughout the year?” Art Tech At NU J.T. with the JOKES:):) n art technology we use a program called sketchUp. In art tech we build thing in sketchUp. The things we have built in sketch- What did the big flower say to the small flow- Up are a laptop, museum, house, lantern's, some were where er? Iyou use a sphere, food, four demolition shapes, and a house use in What’s up, bud?!! components. We would get an assignment and make it our own. In When does it rain money? art tech we get to express our self through art but we do it on the When there’s change in the weather! computer. It was also brought here so that kids don't just sit there How many months have 28 days? in study hall. All of them! By Grace S. What do you get from a bad tempered shark? As far away as possible! What did the baby lightbulb say to its mommy? I wuv you WATTS and WATTS! Why did your sister cut a hole in her umbrella? Because she wanted to see when it stopped raining. bAlAnce in your life. Live smart. Live Good There are two muffins in an oven. One

Too much work is bad, too fun bad. Find that says, “Man, it’s burning up in here!” The other says, “Hey, look! A talking muffin!” ~Jc Caylen~ ~Jc

Pi Day Or Pie Day By Kaylee S I am sure all of you have heard of Pi day, but what is Pi? Pi is the neverending number, it is also the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and it is a delicious dessert. When you were little did you used to think the it was Pie Day, when you ate pie and the only pie you knew was the food, but now do you know what pi really is? Pi day was on saturday, March 14. What did you do on Pi Day?

7 Books to Read Before They're Movies in 2015 By Sandie Angulo Chen Guest Blogger | Movie/DVD/Book Reviewer ← ← Both kids and parents can enjoy this year's page- The 8th to-screen adaptations, including Insurgent, The grade Scorch Trials, and the highly anticipated Mocking- Students jay Part 2. Summer reading list maybe? for Jan. & Feb., 1. Insurgent out 3/20 by Veronica Roth. selected 2. Paper Town out June 5th by John Green. for 3. Pam out July 24th by J.M. Barrie. exhibiting 4. Goosebumps out August 7th by R.L. Stine. the Wild- 5. The Scorch Trials out Sept. 18 by James Dashner. cat Way. 6. Victor Frankenstein out Oct. 2 by Mary Shelley. Congrats 7. Mockingay Part 2 out Nov. 20 by Suzanne Collins. to (L to R) Kenzi L, Source: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/7- Audra A., books-to-read-before-theyre-movies-in-2015?utm_ Dalton S., source=032015+Parent+Default&utm_medium=email&utm_ & Gavin campaign=weekly# Z. Talent Competition! (Nu Age) Shawn Mendes First Album “Handwritten” by Riley F. By: Chloe F. Kaylee and I got to see and hear the awesome highschool choir group that Mrs. Kincaid directs. They Born in Toronto, Canada on August 8, 1998 this 16 year are called the he NU Age. They went to finals for the old pop star named, Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is an Union County Talent show competition. They did a internet sensation. At the age of 14 he started doing 6 fantastic job! They had some help from their mascot seconds covers on an app called Vine. He was a part of Joan, she’s a giraffe and they got her when they started the a group called Magcon which also included vine stars group in November, 2013. (she sat at the front of the sage Nash Grier, Cameron Dallas, Carter Reynolds, Aaron cheering them on!) Mrs.Kincaid said that her two favorite Carpenter, Taylor Caniff, Jacob Whitesides, mahogany songs are Uprising and If I Lose Myself/We Are Young. They (Gordy) *LOX* He currently has 3705181 followers just did amazing! on Vine. Shawn also has about 7089541 subscribers on YouTube. Shawn started making covers on Vine in 2013. The name’s of the team mates! He blossomed from the start. He now has an EP out and Blake A., Bethany L., Joshua G.,Wyatt H., Joy H., Patri- is working on Handwritten which come out on April cia H., Brandon J, Elias J., Bethany F., Lydia N., Jake R., 28th 2015. I myself cannot wait for the album to come Natalie S., and Carlee S. out. Here’s what other NUMS people said: Kamryn: I am excited for the new album to come out. I The Nu Age has some upcoming events. They like his music. are performing tonight (3-13-15) at the Richwood Civic Cambria: I think this is going to be an awesome album Center. On 3-21 at the VEX Pancake Breakfast (they per- and I LOVE SHAWN SOOOO MUCH!! form at 10 a.m.), at their concert at the HS on 3-24, at the Kelsey: I am very, very, very excited for the new Shawn Pharisburg Utd Methodist Church on 4-16, and then they Mendes album “ Handwritten.” I love Shawn’s music and don’t have anything until their concert on May 21st. I think he is a very talented singer/songwriter. I hope you get to go see them at one of these Samantha: I am very excited for the new album. I LOVE events. And Mrs. Kincaid has a new a capella (aw ca pell SHAWN MENDES. a) goup here at the NUMS called NU Kids on the Block. Madison: The songs are good. I am very excited for Shawn’s album “Handwritten” to come out. I am very proud of Shawn and how far he has gotten with his career. Mock Trial If you have no clue who he is or about his music you Written by Kayla K. should check it out, obviously via Vine and YouTube. Mock Trial is an after school club that has recently started Maybe you’ll like it -- it’s great to see and hear different practicing. In Mock Trial, student perform in a mock court people like Shawn Mendes. case. For example, this year, they are doing a civil case http://www.shawnmendesofficial.com/ based on the book by George Orwell, Animal Farm. In this A lyric turned quote of Shawn Mendes is case, the animals of Animal Farm are suing their leader, Napoleon, because they believe that he violated their civil Sometimes it all gets a little too much, rights in his tyrannical takeover of Animal Farm. On each But you gotta realize that soon the fog will clear up, team, there are four lawyers and six witnesses. Two stu- And you don't have to be afraid, dents act as the defense lawyers (Napoleon), and the other because we're all the same, two represent the plaintiff lawyers (the animals suing Na- And we know that sometimes poleon.) Of the six witnesses, three of them are on the side it all gets a little too much, of the plaintiff and the other three side with the defense. The main objective in mock trial competitions is to pres- ent the evidence in an argument that is stronger than your Random Survey of NUMS Students and Spring Break opponent’s argument. In the competition, there are also Activities include-- individual awards, including best attorney and best wit- • Vacation -- N.Y. & Tennessee seem popular ness. Last year, one team (defense and plaintiff combined) • Sleeping for sure won all the individual awards (two best attorney and two • Sportz best witness.) If you are interested for either this year or • Babysitting • Marathon T.V. watching next year, see Mrs. Adams for information. • Don’t forget Spring means Cleaning! Clean rooms....