Saturday, February 28, 2015

Week of February 23rd



Purple Curriculum Updates
Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:
In Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn, we began Unit 9. This unit deals with area, perimeter, volume, and surface area of various figures. I gave the students a worksheet on Wednesday to take home with them and complete if we had a snow day on Thursday. Those worksheets counted as a quiz grade. Some students did not fare very well, because they did not complete both sides of the worksheet. I returned the worksheets today and told the students if they want to complete the other side and return on Monday, I will give them partial credit for it.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:
Students spent the week continuing to work with area, focusing on the area of irregular figures (and learning how to break the odd shapes into recognizable parts) and on the area and circumference of circles. They spent some time online practicing this skill with IXL. On Friday students then took their chapter quiz, and were introduced to square roots.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:
Students took their Chapter 7 test on Monday. On Tuesday, we began Chapter 8: Geometry by learning about pairs of angles – using adjacent angles and vertical angles as well as supplementary and complementary angles to find the measurements of other angles. We identified corresponding angles and alternate interior angles when two lines are intersected by a transversal and learned that when a transversal intersects two parallel lines, the corresponding angles and the alternate interior angles are congruent. We identified parallel lines and explained that they were parallel by knowing that corresponding angles or alternate interior angles were congruent. We did an extension activity involving the special properties of parallel lines’ and perpendicular lines’ slopes, as well as identified congruent parts of congruent polygons and methods of identifying congruent triangles. 

Algebra I with Molly:
This week students took a test on Chapter 7, solving systems of equations and inequalities. We have now moved on to Chapter 8 with a focus on exponents. Students reviewed basic operations with exponents and learned how to simplify bases with negative exponents. We will continue learning more operations with exponents through next week.

Geometry with Holly:
We started the week with a quiz over the basic transformations.  Beginning on Tuesday we discussed symmetry, dilations, and composition of reflections.

Language Arts with Jared:
Sixth and seventh-graders spent the week analyzing the plot structure of Kira-Kira, in anticipation of writing an essay on the novel next week. Eighth graders learned about the author behind The Education of Little Tree, and read a number of articles on other non-fiction novels that turned out to contain fictitious elements. All of the grades continued work on their grammar unit on nouns, and they also took a vocabulary quiz. Next week, in addition to writing an essay on their novel, students will take a vocabulary test on the words from their past three units.

World Studies with Emily:
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, we geared up for History Night. Students reviewed their peer’s projects, offering feedback and compliments. We discussed the annotated bibliography and upcoming process paper. In US History, we continued talking about the Great Depression. Students are working with partners to answer a number of questions about the time period (Great Depression, FDR, the New Deal, the Dust Bowl) using their textbook as a reference. We will continue to work on this next week, as we read and listen to a couple of FDR’s speeches (inaugural address and a fireside chat) and then write letters to FDR from a range of perspectives. In World Studies, we are in week two of the Global Landmark Games. Students are researching other team’s clues, trying to figure out each team’s landmark. The link to the clues are posted on Edmodo, so students can work on this fun project at home too! Also, please make sure all of your VA Tech Library books have been returned!! Thank you.
Earth Science with Molly:
This week we learned about what causes the wind. We used an anemometer to measure the wind speed outside. We changed the air pressure in a bottle by heating and cooling the air and watched the changes in a balloon over the top. We reviewed heat transfer and learned about heat transfer in the atmosphere. Students should be collecting their final data points for their weather observations. They will be creating posters to display and discuss their data to complete the project. Some time will be given to work on this project during computer lab.


Spanish A with Rebecca:
The Spanish A students spent Monday and Wednesday reviewing the vocabulary and grammar concepts in Chapter 3A. They took the test on Chapter 3A on Friday and will begin a new chapter on Monday.

Spanish with Olga:
Spanish B
We finished chapter 9A and had an assessment on it. We have been reading "Alejandro", and learned about Princesa Margarita de Asturias. We finished watching "¿Eres tú, María?" The students were excited to see the mystery solved.

Spanish C
We continue working with the two past tenses. We completed several practice worksheets. We will have an assessment next week. I gave the students the materials to read "Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal".  We read the first two paragraphs, and the students are very excited about it.

Spanish D
We continue working with the differences between subjunctive and indicative moods, and between the present and the present perfect tenses.  I gave the students their last assessment back, and decided that we needed to stay on this topic a little longer. We will have another assessment on the same material next week. We listened to music and played a game to review verb forms.

Spanish D+
The students are learning to determine when to use present subjunctive or imperfect subjunctive. We will have an assessment next week. We listened to music and played a game to review verb forms.


Art with Patti:

This week we spent time finishing the perspective drawings. Those are due on Wednesday, March 4. We have also started glazing! All of the ceramic pieces have been fired, and now students will spend the next few classes glazing the bisque ware. They are having fun deciding what colors to apply to their pieces.  

Computer Lab with Holly:
 This week the students began presenting their their restaurant projects to their classmates.

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:
This week we finished watching our documentary called Living On One Dollar. Students also worked on their My Dream of The Future story boards. Next week we will focus on Sex Ed. 7th & 8th grade students will review the sexual organs of their respective gender. 6th Grade students will learn about growth spurts and changing bodies during puberty.

Thank you from, The Purple Team

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Week of February 9th



Purple Curriculum Updates
Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:
In Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn we have worked on what constitutes a polygon and various types of polygons. We also learned about congruent and similar figures and lines of symmetry. The students were given a math packet on Thursday to complete by next Tuesday. This packet will be counted as a quiz. We will complete Unit 8 next week. At this point, we are on track to have our unit assessment on Thursday, February 19.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:
In Pre-Algebra II, we finished our introduction to geometry by looking at circles, and identifying chords, diameters, and arcs. Then we worked on creating circle graphs from scratch, making sure each section of the graph was the appropriate percentage of the circle. We then reviewed for our chapter test that we took on Thursday.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:
The class reviewed the Chapter 7 quizzes and went over Friday’s challenge problems on Monday, as well as learned how to raise a power to a power and to raise a product to a power. On Tuesday, we reviewed homework and practiced writing equations to real-world problems. Students continued working on word problems for homework. We reviewed the equations and solutions on Wednesday and explored the bases of number systems. Students practiced writing the decimal value of a binary number and changing a decimal value to a binary number. It’s challenging at first and practice really helps one get the hang of a base-two number system. The students did well and enjoyed it! The class began working on the Chapter 7 review in class on Thursday.

Algebra I with Molly:
This week students finished the topics in the chapter as they learned to graph inequalities on a coordinate plane, shading above or below the line. They then learned to solve systems of inequalities to find the overlapping range of solutions. They also spent time practicing solving systems of linear equations as applied to real-world situations, choosing the appropriate method to use for solving, elimination, graphing, or substitution. They will review and take their chapter 7 test next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Geometry with Holly:
This week we completed Chapter 8 and began Chapter 9.  After a review on Monday, the students took their Chapter 8 test on Tuesday, and all did well, as usual.  On Wednesday we began studying transformations by discussing translations, and then discussed reflections on Thursday.

Language Arts with Jared:
In Literature, the sixth and seventh graders finished reading Kira-Kira, and we'll spend the next week analyzing the story. Eighth graders continued working on chapters in their novel, The Education of Little Tree. This week all three sections began their new grammar unit on nouns.

World Studies with Emily:
Classes finished reading and taking notes on Chapter 25 about the roaring 1920s. We watched a half hour Discovery Education film about the decade and discussed major themes of the era, including how behavior in the 20s led to the Great Depression. Students read a four short chapters from Joy Hakim’s A History of US: War, Peace, and All that Jazz 1918-1945 about the Great Depression and a bit about the Dust Bowl. We listened to a popular song from 1928 and then a few songs from 1932-1935 and discussed the change in subject, tone, and feeling. It’s fun to study history through popular music and it is often an indicator for what people are experiencing, just like any art form. We looked at some video as well as some images from the time period as well. For World Studies, we finished our Landmark Challenge clues, voted on team names, and registered for the games. I showed the students a Power Point about the process paper, which is a mandatory element of NHD (also mandatory for those who are not competing) that describes how the topic and category were chosen, how the research was conducted and the project created, and links the topic to this year’s theme. Students have handouts for the process paper and the annotated bibliography to which they can refer. 

Earth Science with Molly:
This week we focused on energy in the atmosphere and heat transfer. Students learned the differences between convection, conduction, and radiation. For their weather observation project, students chose weather variables to collect data for. They created empty data tables and scales to rate their observations. They should be collecting data daily for the next two weeks. 

Spanish A with Rebecca:
This week, the students learned about different countries in South America and discussed which one(s) they would most want to visit and why. They also continued to practice conjugating regular -ER and -IR verbs and using them in sentences, as well as expressing what they eat and drink for breakfast and lunch.

Spanish with Olga:
Spanish B
We revisited the verb gustar and learned that the pronoun we use with that verb is called an indirect object pronoun. We then learned other verbs that have the same grammatical structure as gustar.  We also learned how to say that we "just finished" something (acabar de). We watched the grammar videos that on with those lessons. Finally, we read another chapter in the book "La Gran Aventura de Alejandro".

Spanish C
We are talking about the past. We continue practicing the preterite and the imperfect, and the different uses of the imperfect. We are choosing which of these two aspects of the past tense to use. This can be challenging, so we will be working with it for a while.

Spanish D
We continue working with the subjunctive, identifying different types of clauses, and deciding which moods to use. We listened to music and noted where the subjunctive and future tense are used in the songs. We have an assessment next week.

Spanish D+
The students have joined the Spanish D students in the study of the dependent clauses. We have an assessment next week.


Art with Patti:

Purple room students are continuing to work on their linear perspective drawings. They are coming up with some very creative compositions, and having a fun time exploring linear perspective. Some have started added color, and they are looking really beautiful.

Computer Lab with Holly:
This week the students continued preparing Power Point presentations to present their restaurants to their classmates.

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:
The next time we have Life Skills 2/23 & 2/27, we will finish up our focus on social services. The next time we focus on Sex Ed 7th & 8th grade students will review the sexual organs of their respective gender. 6th Grade students will learn about growth spurts and changing bodies during puberty.

Thank you from, The Purple Team

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Week of February 2nd



Purple Curriculum Updates
Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:
In Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn, the students began Unit 8 Geometry. We have studied about lines, line segments, rays, angles and special angles. The students received their Unit 7 assessments back on Monday. I hope you have had a chance to see them.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:
In Pre-Algebra II, we started the week with a bunch of geometry activities. Students made an origami triangle, and then we measured its interior angles. They learned how to use protractors to measure and create angles, and to use compasses to bisect segments and angles. We took our chapter quiz and used IXL to practice identifying different types of polygons, and identifying vertical angles. On Friday we introduced the concept of congruent polygons, and spent some time working on matching angles and sides of two congruent shapes.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:
Students finished the Chapter 6 test on Monday and completed the Diagnosing Readiness Chapter 7 Preview. On Tuesday, we reviewed the test, spending some extra time going over a few problems that were missed by more than a couple students. I continued throughout the week to give students warm-up problems relating to Chapter 6. We started Chapter 7: Exponents and Powers on Tuesday by practicing scientific notation and comparing numbers in scientific notation and standard form. Then students learned how to multiply powers with the same base by adding the exponents and practiced with both standard form and scientific notation. We divided powers with the same base by subtracting the exponents, used zero as an exponent, and worked with negative exponents. Students took a quiz on Friday and worked on some challenge problems.

Algebra I with Molly:
This week students learned three methods of solving systems of linear equations. They began by finding intersection points by careful graphing. They then used substitution and elimination methods, both of which require careful manipulation of the equation and calculations. Students did quite a few revisions to their homework due to careless errors last week. They were reminded to slow down, complete their calculations carefully, and plug their solution in to an original equation to make sure they worked.

Geometry with Holly:
This week the students got into the study of trigonometry.  On Monday and Tuesday, we discussed the basic Sine, Cosine, and Tangent functions, and on Wednesday discussed applications of these using angles of elevation and depression.  On Tuesday we also used trigonometry to estimate the height of the school basketball basket.  The students took a quiz over the week's material on Thursday, and on Friday, we switched gears a bit, and discussed vectors, which use some of the trigonometric skills we've learned.

Language Arts with Jared:
In Literature, the sixth and seventh graders reached the sad part of Kira-Kira, and we'll spend next week talking about the repercussions of the events on the family in the novel. Eighth graders are halfway through their novel, The Education of Little Tree. This week all three sections took a grammar test on verb tenses, and will soon begin their new unit on nouns. Also, the A/D group took their vocabulary quiz, and the other two sections will take it on Monday.

World Studies with Emily:
In US History, students read and took notes about Prohibition, new rights for women, the impact of the automobile, creating a mass national culture, and about the roaring 1920s (new fashions and fads, jazz, new writers, and the Harlem Renaissance). Students chose a culturally significant hero or icon from the era, researched them in class, made a small poster for homework, and presented the person to the class as we listened to Duke Ellington and sipped peppermint tea. We watched a few videos, heard many songs by different musicians, and listened to a poem read by a famous poet. There were a few costumes as well! In World Studies, classes voted on a class landmark for our global geography challenge, researched the landmark and worked together on coming up with our nine class clues that will be distributed to other teams around the world. Students are making good progress on their NHD projects; I have checked in with all of them individually. Hopefully your child spoke with your about competing in the Radford competition on March 20th, and each child returned the form letting me know if he or she wants to compete. There are three more weekends to work on the project before BNS History Night, but I encourage students to have a polished draft by February 18th, which really means they have two weekends. The weekend of the 21st and 22nd should be for final touches and edits that their peers suggested on the 18th. Thank you!

Earth Science with Molly:
This week students continued learning about and doing investigations about the atmosphere. We began with demonstrations and student labs about air pressure and density. Students learned about the air we breathe and air quality. They received instructions for a weather observation project, where they will not use typical weather instruments, but will collect data in other ways (by their design) on weather variables of their choice. They also presented their adapted alien species creations, which were VERY creative and well thought out!

Spanish A with Rebecca:
The students spent Monday and Wednesday working with the new vocabulary from Chapter 3A, discussing what they eat and drink for breakfast versus for lunch. They practiced expressing whether they like or dislike a certain food. They also learned how to use a noun to modify another noun (for example: "yogur de fresa"). On Friday, they studied how to conjugate regular -ER and -IR verbs, using the verb "compartir" ("to share") as an example.

Spanish with Olga:
Spanish B
We started a new chapter and we have been talking about movies and television programs. We are learning vocabulary to name types of shows/movies and to talk about opinions we have about them. I talked to the students and encouraged them to attend homework help when/if they need my help. Homework help is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:00.

Spanish C
We have been learning about traditions and celebrations. We have been talking about how people greet each other and how to behave to show good manners. This can be different for different cultures.  The students presented their posters to the class. The posters are displayed in the Spanish bulletin board, in the hallway of the main building. We also started looking at more uses for the imperfect tense.

Spanish D
We are learning about different types of dependent clauses in Spanish. We have been focusing on nominal and adjectival clauses. We are learning how to decide if the verb in the dependent clause should be subjunctive or indicative mood. We have also started talking about adverbial clauses, and learning the meaning of some adverbial phrases.

Spanish D+
The students have joined the Spanish D students in the study of the dependent clauses.


Art with Patti:

Purple room students are continuing to work on their linear perspective drawings. They are coming up with some very creative compositions, and having a fun time exploring linear perspective.

Computer Lab with Holly:
 This week the students finished  writing their restaurant reviews and began creating PowerPoint presentations to present their restaurants to their peers.

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:
This week (Friday and next Monday’s classes) were focused on sexual education and students were split into gender groups. 7th & 8th grade students focused on emotions of teens and a general discussion of the ways people use and understand the word “sex,” i.e. gender and differences in sexual organs. Next time we focus on Sex Ed 7th & 8th grade students will review the sexual organs of their respective gender. 6th Grade students focused on hormones and the endocrine system. Next time they will learn about growth spurts and changing bodies during puberty. The next time we have Life Skills, we will finish up our focus on social services.

Thank you from, The Purple Team