The student editied blog of the Walden Community School!

Weekly
This week’s field trip took us to our neighboring county, Oviedo. We weren’t just there for any regular field trip; we were here hunting for Guinea Pigs. At this farm, we saw almost every little farm animal that’s considered a pet in America: bunnies, roosters, chickens, ducks, rats, mice, and,of course, guinea pigs. While there, we found three little men that caught our eyes immediately. Charlie Jacob Masen Black, a long haired black/speckled brown boy, is the biggest of them all and not to mention the most cuddle-friendly one too! His brother, Louis (LOO-ee) Milton Cullen-Walden, is a curly haired white and brown-faced gentleman. Sadly, he lost his gentle side and is now a gnawer/wiggler maniac, but we still love him! Last, but certainly not the least, is Henry Edward Anthony Cullen-Walden, a multi-colored curly haired guinea pig. At first he was timid and withdrawn to most people, but now he welcomes us with his warm “love nuzzles.”
-Sidney McCall

Arts & Activities 
This week in art, we learned all about color. We talked about complementary colors, and looked at how they are used to create value and shadows. Next week, we will start working on a group mural. Ms. Kim divided a painting into 10 sections, and we will each draw a piece of it, then we will desplay it on the wall. This project will allow us to display all of the skills we have been working on. See the "Understandings" section for an interview with one of our art teachers, Ms. Kim. In dance and drama, we continue to work on our Halloween/Fall production. We are making progress, and worked on our blocking this week. The date of our show was also set, and we will present to our parents on October 29, 2008, right before Halloween!
- Katie Mikulka

Lists
And now for some guinea pig dating profiles:

Available Bachelor-Guinea Pig #1

Name: Charlie Jacob Masen Black--but some of the girls just call me Jacob

Age: 8 weeks

Appearance: I have soft, straight, and long black hair with brown highlights. My eyes are round and black, and I have broad, masculine cheek bones.

Personality: I am the most hardy and well-liked of all the guinea pigs. And I can definitely see why, considering my good looks and soft hair.

Hobbies: I love to take jogs off and around Skipper's lap or climb into Katie's hair. I also enjoy keeping my two friends warm by sitting on top of them--not to mention how much I love my baths underdeath the leaky water bottle.

Available Bachelor-Guinea Pig #2

Name: Henry Edward Anthony Cullen-Walden, but I prefer Edward

Age: 8 weeks

Appearance: I have curly hair, which is white along my body and russet brown along my bottom half. My face is black and has a brown spot above my left eye, complementing my dark eyes.

Personality: I am rather quiet and easy-going. I usually end up on the bottom when my friends and I huddle in the corner.

Hobbies: I love to recline quietly near Madelaine's neck, but I am pretty easy going and not too picky as long as you keep still. I will also cuddle you and purr if you rub the side of my belly.

 

Available Bachelor-Guinea Pig #3

Name: Louis (pronounced as in its French origins) Milton Cullen-Walden

Age: 8 weeks

Appearance: I am small, cute, and irrestible. I have a red-brown face and a creamy white body with tan tinting.

Personality: Some say I should have been named Nibbles, but I say that they should just keep their fingers out of my face! Of course, I can't say it is their fault if I like how their shirts and fingers taste. I would also say that I am the most high energy, but most fun-loving, of the three guinea pigs.

Hobbies: Well, as I mentioned already, I do enjoy nibbling people. I always purr when someone pets me behind the ears. I can't help it! I have yet to decide if I really like being held, though--I tend to get a bit jumpy when anyone opens the cage.
-Madelaine Romito

 Slideshow compiled by Katie Mikulka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News & Need-to-knows
This week in humanities, we explored more of the Fertile Crescent area as inhabited by the Hebrews, the Assyrians, Chaldeans, more commonly known as the Babylonians. Coincidentally, we studied the Hebrew culture during the week of Yom Kippur, a holiday celebrating the Jewish new year. Out of the three civilizations, the Assyrians definitely fought the fiercest battle of conquest. They built their empire by ravaging existing towns and exploiting the conquered peoples' resources. The Assyrains also contributed much to world politics, however, through their communication systems, road ways, trade, well-organized government, and taxation policies. The Babylonians created an even greater empire in turn. Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, built one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, for his homesick wife. Next week we will continue our studies with Persia and Africa.

 

Sadly, Mrs. Miller and her daughters, Olivia and Emma, were unable to come this week because of the flu. All of the students and faculty at Walden send them a get-well wish!
-Madelaine Romito

Understandings

 

MEET... KIM CRAYNE! One of the visual arts teachers at Walden.
Q. Art is great! What are so some tips for the Walden artists?
A. My tip would be to play. Try to do something you're not used to. See yourself as an artist. Mix in things you have learned in class.

Q. What is your favorite part about Walden Community School?

A. I like all the people and I like the sharing that goes on. I really like concept of this school and seeing people figure out it's safe to explore.

Q. What are you most looking forward to this year?

A. I am looking forward to painting, displaying our work, learnung how to look at work and talk about it, art field trips, art outside, and murals. I'm also looking forward to doing more with bodies and self portraits.

Q. How do the kids inspire you?

A. I am inspired to see what skilled them have and show them tricks to build on their skills. The modeling is also helpful. During studio time people can bring stuff they want to do.

-Interview conducted by Carrie Mikulka and Sasha Berman

Trivia

To go along with our humanities lessons for the week, here are some facts about the Hebrew culture:

• Did you know that the first five books of the Old Testament comprise the Torah?
• Did you know that the menorah represents the eight days of light only one day's worth of oil lasted?
• Did you know that the Hebrew word "Shalom" means "peace"?
• Did you know that, according to the Jewish calendar, this year is actually 5769?
• Did you know that only 2% of the world's population is Jewish?
  -Madelaine Romito

Hope you enjoyed this week's edition of The W.A.L.N.U.T.!

-Katie Mikulka and Madelaine Romito, Editors-in-Chief