Week of April 6

Purple Curriculum Updates

Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:

In Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn, we began Unit 10 on integers. We have learned what makes an integer, what absolute value means, and how to add and subtract integers. Next week we will move on to multiplying and dividing integers.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:

In Pre-Algebra II, we began the week by learning how to manipulate formulas in order to isolate a given variable. Then we began reviewing our current chapter, in preparation for Wednesday's chapter test. After the test, we continued working on graphing, and the coordinate plane is quite familiar to the students after all of their dot-to-dot projects. We explored how to graph a function by picking sample x-coordinates, and we investigated how to find the slope of a given line. On Friday we used the computer to better visualize and practice these skills.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:

Students continued working hard with the Geometry and Measurement chapter this week. Our class worked on finding surface areas of cylinders, using both nets and the formula, surface areas of pyramids and cones, using nets and formulas, and volumes of prisms and cylinders. Today I demonstrated that volume of a pyramid is one third of the volume of a cube with the same base area and height, and that the volume of a cone is one third of the volume of a cylinder with the same base area and height. We will continue working with volume next week, drawing diagram and making tables, and exploring similar solids as we finish Chapter 9.

Algebra I with Molly:

This week students continued to focus on factoring trinomials using different methods, then moved on to factoring 4-term polynomials. We practiced these methods throughout the week and will finish on Monday for a test next Wednesday. 

Geometry with Holly:

On Monday the students took the chapter test for Chapter 10.  Beginning Tuesday, we have been studying Chapter 11 which covers surface area and volume.  After an introduction to space figures on Tuesday, we discussed surface area of prisms and cylinders on Wednesday and surface area of pyramids and cones on Thursday.  On Friday we discussed volume of prisms and cylinders.  There will be a quiz over sections 11.1 - 11.3 on Monday.

Language Arts with Jared:

This week students continued finished working on the layout of their stories of their picture books, and began writing the first page of their Authors' Tea stories. In our literature unit, 6th and 7th graders continued reading Witness, and 8th graders continued  in To Kill a Mockingbird. And finally, we continued a bit in our grammar unit on nouns, with the sixth graders finishing the unit.

World Studies with Emily:

On Monday and Tuesday, classes worked on the review questions from the “Religious Anti-Semitism” reading and discussed the reading. Sixth graders got together with their reading group and started their WWII novels by first agreeing to a reading plan in order to finish the novel and write a book review by April 30^th. Seventh graders wrote their top three choices for novels, and were assigned their individual novel. For eighth graders, I introduced the novel Night by Elie Wiesel. Sixth and seventh graders had about twenty minutes in class to start reading their books. I lectured to all the classes about Hitler’s background as a teen and a man in his twenties, most notable that he had always blamed others for his failures and laziness, or found scapegoats, and that he was demented and filled with hate from an early age. Students are reading about Hitler’s early political career and rise over the weekend. Students took some notes from a few powerpoint slides about different totalitarian regimes (Soviet Union, Italy, and Japan). In World Studies, students summarized the articles they read for current events, learned about and located on maps the 34 new countries since 1990, taking a close look at islands in the South Pacific, looked at global population percentages that claim to adhere to different religions, and previewed the capitals of the 196 officially recognized countries.

Earth Science with Molly:

This week we learned about convection currents in the mantle of Earth, which drive the movement of the lithosphere. Students watched a demonstration of convection currents in heated water with shampoo droplets, which circulated in a typical convection loop. We read about Alfred Wegener and his theory of continental drift, then student recreated a puzzle putting the continents in what is believed to be their former position as Pangea. They used fossil evidence and the shape of the shore lines to match the pieces. They received an introduction to plate tectonics then did an activity showing sea floor spreading. 

Spanish A with Rebecca:

The students wrote and performed restaurant skits this week, using
their vocabulary for food and expressing preferences to play a client
and server. On Friday, the students started chapter 4A, which focuses
on locations and places of importance in the community.

Spanish with Olga:

Spanish B

We reviewed and had an assessment on chapter 9B and syllable division. We are reviewing object pronouns in preparation for learning about reflexive verbs. The students have a project due on April 17. They have poster paper and can find their topic assignments on Edmodo. 

Spanish C

We reviewed the grammar and vocabulary, and had an assessment on Friday.

Spanish D/D+

We did an activity on Monday to help use oral language in Spanish. We are studying vocabulary that tends to be problematic for English speakers learning Spanish, such as false cognates (words that look similar in Spanish and English, but have different meanings) and English words with multiple translations in Spanish.

Art with Patti:

Students have continued work on their collaborative auction art. They are coming along beautifully, and will be completed soon. They have also started a representational charcoal drawing.

Computer Lab with Holly:

This week the students completed typing their Muppet packets and their Character pages.  Any students who were unable to complete these projects in class will be allowed to do so at home and bring them in on Monday.  The students will begin work creating their 'Store Catalogs" on Monday and they are all very excited.

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:

This week in 6th, 7th, & 8th grade classes, we went over a nutrition guide from kidshealth.org. We spent the class discussing and critiquing their “go, slow, and whoa” categories for healthy eating. In coming classes we will focus on liking the way you look, the dangers of wanting to be someone you are not, and diseases like anorexia and bulimia. Then we will continue this focus and include a discussion of healthy exercise and steroids. Soon after, we will look at body images for both males and females in the media.

Thank you from, The Purple Team