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Gordon “Mathletes”

On March 3, 2012, ten students from Gordon School went t o t h e R h o d e I s l a n d s t a t e MathCounts competition. On the Wednesday before winter break, everyone at Gordon who was interested took the MathCounts school test. The top ten scoring people on that test got to go to the state competition. Mr. Kravitz held MathCounts practices on Fridays at 3:45, after tennis. For months, they practiced hard, wanting to win the state competition. So on March 3, the team went to the Community College of Rhode Island, which was where the competition took place. It was a long day, 9:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. At 9:30 was the Sprint Round, which has 30 problems and 40 minutes to do them without calculators. Next was the Target Round, for which calculator use is allowed. There are eight problems in total, coming in sets of two with six minutes for each set. After a lunch break there was the team round. The top four scoring people in the school did the team round in the state competition. The other six people got to take that test too, but their scores did not count for Gordon. Everybody did very well. Gordon’s

individual score rankings ranged from 10th place to two students in 76th place, out of more than 130 students! Gordon also placed 4th in the team round after Barrington Middle School in 1st place, Wheeler School in 2nd place, and Lincoln Middle School in 3rd place. Overall, it was a great morning and everyone had fun!

The eighth grade is back from the South, having had an amazing time in Alabama and Georgia!

This proves that we did have a winter, as brief as it may have felt. Read about what’s up and coming for the seventh grade this spring on page 5.

Great job and congratulations to everybody who participated in another successful winter sports season at Gordon!

THE GORDONIANMARCH_2012 ISSUE NO. 10

PRODUCED BY GORDON SCHOOL STUDENTS

Pictured above is this year’s Gordon MathCounts team wearing their customized “Property of Gordon MathCounts” t-shirts at the Rhode Island state MathCounts competition.

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Fifth Grade Basketball

The Gordon School fifth grade basketball team started the season playing well, but ended the season playing great. Coached by Mr. Barrett and Mr. Carson, the team was able to improve. “We had an incredibly successful season. Every single player on the team made a lot of progress with their individual skills,” stated Coach Carson.

One player summed it up when he said, “I thought it was a really good season. I learned a lot and I got better at basketball.”

In fifth grade basketball a huge amount of time is spent working on skills. Despite all the time in practice, several team members also described the season as enjoyable. In practice the team played Knockout to advance in shooting. One

player described the season as “Really fun. The coaches were fun and we always had fun practice and games, even if we lost.”

At the Middle School Sports Assembly, the Coach’s Award went to a player known for her aggressive play and love of the game. This affection for “aggressive matches” earned her the

nickname “Elbows” Don’t believe me? Ask Mr. Barrett to see his bruises.

The two other award winners received the Most Improved Award. Mr. Barrett said the “enthusiasm brough t by these two p l a y e r s … A n d t h e i r wi l l ingness to pract ice b a s k e t b a l l o u t s i d e o f scheduled practices” were the reasons they received this reward.

According to other players, and coaches, the highlight of the season was “Our last

game playing Wolf.” During this game, all would agree it was the best defense we ever had. In fact, Mr. Barrett said, “I hope you look back on that game and understand that it was basketball at its best.”

Mr. Carson’s goal as a coach is to have the team play more basketball in the future. After a great season like this, I think everyone would agree.

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Aries: March 21 - April 19Horoscope: Wearing pants that are a different shade of yellow every day this March would be extremely lucky. Try to avoid running fish every Wednesday.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20Horoscope: Drinking water through a purple straw is lucky only on Mondays this month. Every other day, you should try to find a purple ostrich painted on a wall somewhere.

Gemini: May 21 - June 20Horoscope: Going to a store and looking for a giraffe pencil is lucky, as long as it does not have one green eye and one orange eye. You should wear socks that don’t match at least once this March...if you can.

Cancer: June 21 - July 22Horoscope: Don’t worry if you start to feel like a starfish

blowing in the wind, you are

probably just tired. Try to find

a turtle flying in the sky this month.

Leo: July 23 - August 22

Horoscope: Don’t give up on training a rock how to do a back-flip. You never know if it will work if you don’t keep trying. Also, you should try to stay away from grasshoppers that are wearing sombreros.

V i r g o : August 2 3 - September 22Horoscope: If you see a hedgehog, you should tell it a story about a piece of corn that could swim in Jell-O. Try not to have any dreams about blue chairs that eat crayons.

Libra: September 23 - October 22Horoscope: If a mango appears at your door, don’t eat it, but make a wish and then close the door. It should g o a w a y . O n t h e t h i r d Saturday of March you should do a weird dance to your favorite song while singing the wrong words.

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21Horoscope: It is normal to drive by a store and think of marshmallows this month, but please don’t try to eat the store. You should try to find an eraser w i t h m a l a c h i t e a n d r e d hyperboloids.

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21

Horoscope: If you go to a

college for real iguanas, it might look like a jail. You should try to stay away from it. On March

42nd, you should skip school and go to a farm for geese.

Capricorn: December 22 - January 20Horoscope: Someone might tell you that there is kiwano jelly behind your ear, but they are probably not telling truth.  You shouldn’t not try to wear clean socks on your ears at 6:59 PM on the 12th of March.

Aquarius: January 21 - February 18Horoscope: If life hands you lemons, ask for the receipt so you can trade them for different lemons. Try not to wear a shirt with a picture of a snail on it because it could turn into a pumpkin and eat a grapefruit.

March Horoscopes

Pisces: February 19 - March 20Horoscope: You should go to Honolululululululu sometime this month. If you’re lucky, you might meet an evil platypus ninja

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Interview with Mrs. Hodgin:Q- Why did you choose this musical?

A- High School Musical is great entertainment for all ages. We thought that our actors would enjoy portraying teenagers, since earlier this year the plays were about grownups. And this show is appropriate for us to share with Lower School and Early Childhood.

The music in this show is from a different genre than we’ve had in previous s h o w s . I t ’ s m o r e contemporary, and has a rock ‘n roll feeling. The songs are really fun to sing, but still challenging and surprisingly complex in their duet melodies and syncopated rhythms.

We have such a large group of talented students that we wanted a show that would offer numerous significant roles. There are lots of great characters in HSM, and the ensemble part of the cast will b e s u p e r - b u s y s i n g i n g , dancing, acting, and being onstage much of the time.

Q- Now that peop le have auditioned for the play, do you think you have enough actors?

A- Absolutely! We’re thrilled w i t h o u r t a l e n t e d a n d enthusiastic cast.

Q- Have you seen the musical and if so, what did you enjoy most when you saw it?

A- Honestly, I’ve never seen the movie. (It’s on my list of th ings- to -do over spring break.) Several years ago I saw a combined Cranston High S c h o o l E a s t a n d W e s t production that really blew me away. I went to it thinking, “ugh.....another vapid Disney show.....,” and was completely

surprised and amazed at how much I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the message that people shouldn’t be locked into cliques and stereotypes, but should pursue their own interests and appreciate each other’s individuality.

Q- What do you want the audience to experience?

A- I hope for an engrossing story line with compelling characters who use songs, choreography, dancing, sets, lighting and costumes to open up and highlight the feelings and actions they are trying to express. I hope the audience joins the cast and crew in feel ing the col laborative nature of musical theatre.

Q- What you think the most difficult thing will be about putting on this production?

A- The hardest thing with any production is working within the given time frame. There is so much to do!!!! But with the support of everyone - the cast, the crew, the adult helpers, the musicians, the classroom teachers, the families involved - we will put on a great show, learn some things along the way, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Interview with Mrs. Romanzi:Q- How long have you been doing the play here at Gordon?

A- Nine years.

Q - W h a t w a s y o u r f i r s t production?

A- Into The Woods.

Q- What’s your favorite part of doing the play?

A- Working with you guys.

Q- Why did you choose High School Musical?

A - We chose High School Musical because it’s about being yourself.

Q - What are you excited about with this play?

A - I am so excited to see us do a big production with musical numbers with lots of singing and dancing.

Q - What kind of special effects do you like to do in the plays?

A - Every play’s special effects are different.

Q - Are we doing anything differently this year?

A - Ye s . We ’ r e g o i n g t o incorporate athleticism. Our music will feel different. The costumes will be like things that you might see kids wearing.

Q- How many plays have you done in the lower and middle schools combined?

A- 21 plays.

Q- How many kids are involved in plays are involved in plays at Gordon?

A- Between lower school and middle school we have over 100 kids, which is almost ¼ of the school.

Q- Out of the 21 plays, how many are musicals?

A- 12.

Q- What’s something disastrous that’s happened at a play?

A- During one rehearsal, we set the microwave on fire.

High School Musical Q&AYour Questions: Answered.

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Fast  approaching  is  the  visit  of  a  great  writer  to  work  with  our   seventh  grade   for  the  second  consecutive   year.  Through   the  ongoing  friendship   of   one   of   our   faculty,   we   are  fortunate  to  have   the  widely  known  published  

poet  Rick  Benjamin  as  a  guest   and  mentor.  He  will  teach  and  instruct  the  students  in  a  series  of   workshops   over   six   weeks.   Mr.   Benjamin’s  easy  going  charm  and  manner  create  an  idyllic  atmosphere  for  both  learning  and  growth  as  a  poet.     Mr.   Benjamin   helps   to  establish   crucial  lessons  to  develop   superior   writing   skills  and  foster   the   unique   style   of   each   individual.  He  a ids   young   poets   in   the   process   o f  distinguishing   extremely   important   principals  when  writing.   A  major   exempliEication   of   this  would   be   his   teaching   of   the   difference  between   quality   and   quantity.   He   also   shows  students   the   ways   in   which   one   should   read  

poetry.  The  Einal  and  most  important  lesson  Mr.  Benjamin   attempts  to  instill  in  his  students   is  to  never  be  your  own  critic.  He  proclaims  that  everyone   else   will   judge   your   work,   so   don’t  inform   the   audience   of   what   they   should  dislike.   It   is   these   principals   that   lead   us   to  welcome   Mr.   Benjamin   to   the   Gordon   School  for   the   remainder   of   the   year.  Mr.  Benjamin’s  program   gives   students   a   feel ing   of  empowerment   and   growth  over   their   writing.  He  takes  the   theoretical  abstractions  we   learn  and   turns   them   into   practicable,   applicable  concepts,   resulting   in   everyone   thoroughly  involved   in   the   subject   matter.   Mr.   Rick  Benjamin’s  poetry  workshops  are  a  remarkable  and   truly   memorable   experience,   equipping  young   authors   and   poets   with   teachings   that  will  guide  their  writing  forever.

Rick Benjamin: A Mentor In Poetry

Six Decisions

Six decisions per day.All I’ve ever known.Skip the obvious.I already know- get dressed, brush my teeth, eat.Don’t think so much.The government says thinking is bad.Which route to take to school?One- already wasted.Don’t think so much.Only five left now.What should I use them on?There goes another one.

Never Forget to Remember

May  your  mindForever  rememberThose  momentsThose  memories

In  which  we  sharedLaughter

 May  your  mind

WanderTo  the  :me

When  there  wasNothing  le=  to

Say  

May  your  mindTreasure  theTreasuresAnd  neverForget  toRemember

Inspired  and  modeled  a.er  Lucille  Cli.on’s  Blessing  the  Boats,  wri5en  last  year  during  9me  with  Mr.  Benjamin.

Written last year during time spent with Mr. Benjamin based on the guidelines that no poem should surpass 59 words and all poems should be written about a society in which something was obscure.

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Spring Word Search

(some credit to Puzzlemaker.com)

V B A X B T N R N G G I C T H N A T P P L E O O I N G L S O T W R Q R W O H S L A D E O U E N E M O I D S I N O R A R T S D E H R N L K S W O R N F L D E S R U E E S N O O W I N I N L N O R A H P H B M B N U K I U R W L O O S I O R S G S E W G A I M U T N A E W K C E A H E O M R O T S H W M E W E L C N O I T A N I L L O P R B A R B I R D S N E S T O D M S M A S R E W O L F W J L M N Y B M L E A V E S B E A B T R I Q S W E E P E G R U P B U D S W

APRILSHOWERSBEESBIRDSNESTBLOOMBLOSSOMSBUDSCLEANINGDELUGEDOWNPOURFLOWERSGROUNDHOGHERBINLIKEALIONLEAVESMARCHWINDSNOSNOWOUTLIKEALAMB

POLLINATIONPURGERAINROBINSHOWERSTORMSWEEPTORRENTTREESUNFROSTWINDOWASHER

D. I. Y. Cartoon Caption Cartoon

Last Edition’s Winner: Anonymous

You want a piece of me?!

CYPHERS AND CODES Answers are at the bottom of the page.

Graph CypherJEOASNMBD

Hint:  Try  wri:ng  these  leEers  in  the  graph  a  few  different  ways.

Caesar  Shi=FYJJEPS  WSPHMIV

Hint:  Move  down  the  alphabet...Bob  Marley  Song

Answers: Caesar Shift: Buffalo Soldier, Graph Cypher: James Bond.