Week of January 12th

Purple Curriculum Updates

Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:

In Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn we have been working on ratios and solving proportions. The students have been struggling with solving proportions so we have slowed way down on this concept/skill. I gave the students an extra worksheet to complete by Tuesday so they can continue to practice this skill. The students need to make sure they show their work!!! I cannot over-emphasize this enough.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:

In Pre-Algebra II, we continued with new material, picking up where we had left off before winter break. Students looked at how to figure out the percent of a given number, before reviewing the first half of the chapter. We took our snow-delayed chapter quiz on Thursday, and then focused more on specific methods of solving percent problems. We started with setting up a proportion to solve the problems, and then practiced this skill online, making sure students showed their work for each step of the problem.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:

On Monday, we started Chapter 6: Application of Percents. We wrote fractions and decimals as percents and percents as fractions and decimals, estimated percents using decimals and fractions, and used proportions to find parts of a whole and to find whole amounts and percents. Students worked on some creative, challenging problems on Friday and they will have a quiz on Tuesday.

Algebra I with Molly:

This week we began chapter 6 with a study of rate of change and the slope of a line. Students learned how to write linear equations in the slope intercept form from the y-intercept and the slope of a graph. We will continue with our study of linear equations next week. 

Geometry with Holly:

This week we picked up our normal routine again and began Chapter 7 and the study of Similarity.  On Monday we reviewed the concepts of ratios and proportions, and on Tuesday and Thursday we discussed the topics of similar polygons and how to prove polygons similar.  We finished the week with a quiz over the weeks material and a discussion of fractals.  The boys are doing very well in class, with their only problems being "small math errors" or "SMEs".

Language Arts with Jared:

Students accomplished a lot this week, turning in their poem submission to the poetry contest, finishing their outside reading book review, and starting their new novel unit. Sixth and seventh graders are reading Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata. Eighth graders are reading The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter (which we will eventually use for a general analysis on the role of the author in literature). In addition, students revisited thesis-statements, and brainstormed possible statements for various writing scenarios. In grammar, students continued focusing on verb tenses, reviewing the perfect and progressive tenses.

World Studies with Emily:

In US History this week, we continued to study WWI through a PowerPoint presentation, the last cartoon video of the Extra Credit History series, a chapter from Real Stories from World War I, interactive maps from before and after the Great War, PBS voices from the War, propaganda posters, and an interactive activity about trenches. On Friday, 8th graders read two WWI primary sources - a letter and several diary entries. 6th and 7th graders had Monday’s short class period to work on their NHD outlines. For NHD, I had individual conferences with about half of the middle schoolers regarding their outline for the essay, largely focusing on their theses. For the students with whom I did not meet, I made copies of their outlines, will review them this weekend, and return them with feedback on Tuesday. The rough draft is due on Thursday, January 22nd and the final essay is due Thursday, January 29th. Please note that I extended the due date from the 27th to the 29th.

Earth Science with Molly:

This week students conducted a lab on star types and their life zones. We simulated red, yellow, white, and blue stars using different incandescent bulbs of different wattages. Student partners learned to use radiometers to measure or measure the heat being put by each “star.” They estimated the lifezone of each star by finding the ranges in which its temperature would be too hot and too cold to support liquid water. We then simulated the life span of each type of star if 1 second equaled 10 million years, turning off each star after minutes or days. They learned about the life cycles of stars and how this changes with different masses. Students received a follow-up project to their celestial body posters. They will be an alien species adapted to their chosen celestial body. The project includes a model and a short essay explaining making connections between their celestial body’s attributes and their chosen adaptations. We watched part of a video to help inspire them in their alien creations. Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman: What Do Aliens Look Like? There will be a Universe test on Tuesday, January 27^th.

Spanish A with Rebecca:

This week, the Spanish A students reviewed the Chapter 2B vocabulary, which focuses on classroom objects and prepositions, and took a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday. On Monday and Wednesday, the students worked with the irregular verb "estar," using it to describe the location of various objects in the classroom. They also finished their posters, depicting "La sala de clases de mis sueños" ("The classroom of my dreams"). On Friday, they learned how to pluralize nouns, as well as their corresponding definite articles ("los, las")and indefinite articles ("unos, unas"). We also discussed the use of different currencies in various Spanish-speaking countries and how their values in relation to each other can change over time.

Spanish with Olga:

Spanish B

We continue studying vocabulary to talk about vacations. We read a paragraph and answered questions about it. We revisited question formation and turned sentences into questions. We read a chapter in the La Gran Aventura de Alejandro, where we learned about Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes and his famous characters Don Quijote and Sancho Panza.

Spanish C

This week we continued talking about things we enjoyed to do when we were younger. We used verbs in the imperfect tense to describe habits and give background information about things that happened in the past. We revisited the indirect object pronouns. We started learning how to use two object pronouns in one sentence.  We will continue with that for the next few classes. The students have a test on January 28, and a project due on February 4.

Spanish D

This week we revisited syllable division, and re-took the quiz because the previous quiz indicated that most of the students had not understood how to do it.  We also continued talking about the environment, resources, and solutions to the problems of pollution and contamination. We studied how to use the subjunctive mood to talk about uncertainty or doubt. The students will have an assessment on January 23, and they have an oral presentation due on January 30.

Spanish D+

The students continue working on the grammar and readings. They will have an assessment about the progressive tenses on January 23.

  

Art with Patti:

Students have been focusing on isometric forms this week. They completed designs using isometric graph paper showing three-dimensional figures on a two-dimensional surface. They used value to show how the planes of the forms change. They have been coming up with some very creative compositions. I’m looking forward to seeing the final versions.

Computer Lab with Holly:

This week the students continued work on their Investment Newsletters and Advertising Fliers for their restaurants.  These documents pull together all of the products the students have created for their restaurants so far. 

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:

For the 6th Graders, we used the text What Happening to My Body? There is a separate book for Girls and Boys. We read about puberty and focused on the growth spurts associated with puberty. For the 7th Graders, we used the text It’s Perfectly Normal. We read also read about changes during puberty, which is a good review for all of them. For all grades, I separated the groups by males and females. The group working independently completed a word search and crossword puzzle on puberty to help them become more familiar with the words we will be using. This coming week we will do an activity related to our Community Service focus of social work. The following week we will continue to focus on puberty growth spurts for the 6th grade students. 7th and 8th grade students will focus on puberty changes, then move on to female and male anatomy (girls will study girls first, then move on to boys, while boys will study boys first, then move on to girls).

Thank you from, The Purple Team