The Alternative Press

NORTH CALDWELL, NJ - Seventh grade students at West Essex Middle School created posters, video games and even songs from the books they read for their independent reading projects.

Matthew Uhlendorf of Fairfield made a video on the story of Phillipe Petit, the high wire artist best known for his 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers. Uhlendorf used a capture card to capture video clips of his game and put them together.

Roseland's Sydney Shearn read Rick Riordan book, The Red Pyramid, from the Kane Chronicles and created a mural poster.

“For this month’s Independent Reading Book Project, students were able to really tap into their unique skills and abilities,” expressed seventh grade reading teacher Deanna Hagel. “In a world of heterogeneous classrooms, it was so rewarding, as a teacher, to see these different learning styles come to life. Students really took this project and ran with it. We had a variety of presentations revolving around theme from CDs with songs representing the theme, to comic strips, to students acting out their representation of theme to their peers! We truly appreciate and value our students and their dedication to academics."


Reading Teacher Deanna Hagel with Alex Apito of Roseland. Credit: Allison Freeman

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, which New Jersey adopted in 2010, defines the knowledge and skills students should have within their kindergarten through grade 12 educational years, so that they will graduate high school and be able to succeed in college courses and in workforce training programs. The Grade 7, English Language Arts, Speaking and Listening component specifically encourages teachers to “Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.”

“With the new Common Core State Standards, students are asked to master ‘Speaking and Listening by including multimedia components and visual displays' and as seventh grade Reading teachers, we can proudly say our students did exactly that!”


Left to right: Anthony Vassallo of Fairfield, Sydney Shearn of Roseland, Sharon O'Donnell of Roseland, Alex Apito of Roseland and Matt Uhlendorf of Fairfield. Credit: Allison Freeman

For further information:
West Essex Middle School
65 West Greenbrook Road
North Caldwell, NJ 07006
973-228-1200
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Facebook Page:  West Essex Regional School District