My first Indiana Fever game

 

 



Daryl Odom and Christina Shepard h/w
Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky Sep. 9, 2016

Not only did hubbie take me to my first Indiana Fever game to see Tamika Catchings before she retires, but he also took a selfie of us.

Thank you to Tamika for being a role model to so many young women in our community.  I am grateful I was able to see you play.

Thank you to my husband, Daryl Odom, for being a coach and mentor to me and our children over the past 18 years.  Every day is an adventure.

John Marshall Students Get Trained to Use a 3D Printer



Grant Michel from 1st Maker Space trains John Marshall Students to use a 3D printer

 

Through a grant provided by the Central Indianapolis Community Foundation for entrepreneurship and financial literacy, John Marshall Community High School was able to purchase a 3D printer to start their own maker space.

Grant Michel, a liberal arts major, from http://www.1stmakerspace.com/ delivered the 3D printer, and provided the training.  Together students made a chip clip from downloading a file from http://www.thingiverse.com/.

It took about 6 minutes for the chip clip to “print.”

The next step was to create their own projects.  Using https://www.tinkercad.com/ students created a name tag.

The 3D printer incorporates elements of manufacturing and design to include: geometry, computer programming, computer hardware development, CAD software techniques.  Students learn how y=mx+b, the slope-intercept formula actually comes to life as they plot points on the y-axis, x-axis, and an additional z-axis needed for 3D printing.

The 3D printer uses .stl files, which are like .pdf files, but pdf is two dimensional and stl is three dimensional.

If you take a photo in a .jpg format and need to convert it to and SVG (scalable vector graphic, you can do so using http://picsvg.com/.

Grant written by:  Christina Shepard

Blog entry by: Christina Shepard

John Marshall Community High School Winter Break Bucket List

What could you do for winter break to make it wonderful?  Here are some suggestions from your school library media specialist:

1. Have some hot cocoa!
2. Make a snow angel.
3. Read (you knew this was coming) Charles Dickens book "A Christmas Carol."
4. Listen to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Ballet"
5. Join a Christmas choir, or go caroling.
6. Make paper snowflakes.
7. Make a snow fort.
8. Make a snow person, like Olaf from Frozen.
9. If you can find a hill in Indiana, go sledding.
10. Spend time with your family.
11. Read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore.  This is actually a poem.
12. Go see Christmas lights.
13. Make a blanket fort.
14. Be Santa's secret elf, and do a random act of kindness for someone else.
15. String popcorn. (You can make a popcorn, or cranberry garland, and hang it outside to feed birds.)
16. Have a game night.
17. Take a special family photo.
18. Have a PJ day.
19. Kiss under mistletoe.
20. Start a new tradition.
21. Construct paper chains.
22. Write a wish list, or a 2016 goals list.
23. Participate in a Christmas ornament exchange.
24. Read the Christmas story in the Bible in the book of "Luke," in chapter 2.
25. Make a New Year's Resolution (Mrs. Shepard wants two A's on your report card!)
26. Read or watch "Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburgh.  Did you know he was a sculptor, and wrote Jumanji?
27. Take a winter nature hike.  How do the trees change?  Can you find pine cones?
28. Learn about Saint Nicholas.
29. Work on a puzzle while listening to holiday music.
30. Have a picnic under the Christmas tree.
31. Kiss at midnight on New Years.
32. Dance!
33. Make a holiday playlist.
34. Throw confetti
35. Develop an indoor/outdoor work-out routine.

Disclaimers: In the 2015 calendar, muslim religions celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed on Dec. 21, Dec. 26, or Jan. 3rd by exchanging gifts and making donations to the poor.  Jewish cultures celebrate Hanukkah before our winter break from Dec. 6-14th. 

Indiana State Standard: World History, Standard 2

WH.2.1 Review the development and key concepts of major world religions and philosophies including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity,  and Islam.  (Sociology)

Christina Shepard 

Media Specialist

John Marshall Community High School Media Center: JROTC Goes to Downtown Indianapolis to Celebrate V...

John Marshall Community High School Media Center: JROTC Goes to Downtown Indianapolis to Celebrate V...: John Marshall Community High School JROTC and their school library media specialist, MAJ Christina Shepard celebrate Veteran's day, ...

JROTC Goes to Downtown Indianapolis to Celebrate Veteran's Day

John Marshall Community High School JROTC and their school library media specialist, MAJ Christina Shepard celebrate Veteran's day, Nov. 11, 2015.

Originally I wore my uniform for Robert Woods, who inspired me to get my "oak leaf," or earn the rank of Major.  As a wife, mother, media specialist, and Indiana Army National Guard soldier, not much time is left.

When you consider:
*less than 0.5 percent of the population serve in the United States Armed Forces
*Only 18% will become an officer in the United States Army
*16,399 of all U.S. Army officers are Majors
*15.5% of the United States Army are female
*While 71% of male officers are married, only 51% of female officers are married

That means only 1,291 out of 318.86 million people people in the United States are married ladies who serve in the United States army and have attained the rank of Major.  

Robert graduated, and another student was jealous that I had not taken the photo with him in it, so we took another one this year.  1SG Richard Woodcox now calls it a tradition.

I am greatly honored to be able to wear the uniform, and to have such support as the JROTC program at John Marshall Community High School.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Major Christina Shepard

Using a Smartboard to Make Math Interactive in Middle School

John Marshall Community High School
Ms. Lacey Beatty is teaching math to an eager group of middle schoolers.

The community school is a philosophy of "schools as centers of community life."  At John Marshall Community High School, grades 7 through 12 are offered  classes in English, mathematics, reading, R.O.T. C., art, physical education, band, choir, and business. 

 

Students can participate in a variety of after school activities such as football, soccer, basketball, baseball, book club, rifle team, drill team, color guard, the leadership bowl, or academic bowl.

 

Ms. Lacey Beatty is teaching mathematics to an attentive group of middle school students using Smartboard Technology.

 

-Written by: Christina Shepard

Media Specialist

College Bound Reading Class Reads "The Pigman"

"The Pigman" by Paul Zindel is on the Harvard bound list for students, meaning it is a suggested book to read if you would like to attend an Ivy League school.  I used a study guide and test from Glencoe Publishers, and the discussion questions from Sparknotes to teach this book to my high achieving 7th graders.

All the elements of literature are included, and easy to teach in "The Pigman." The book takes place in 1968, but the characters John and Lorraine deal with the same issues faced by students today.  John and Lorraine are very fortunate to have a special friend like Mr. Pignati. 

-Mrs. Christina Shepard